Micah Olsan: Open Space

Milwaukee folk singer Micah Olsan almost goes solo his new EP Open Space, with Peter Roller on lap steel on the title track, and Aaron Gardner providing flute for To the Moon and saxophone for Dollar. Olsan is far from prolific - it's been four years since his last EP - but each of his songs sounds instantly familiar.

Micah Olsan & the Many: All Around

Milwaukee musician Micah Olsan expanded his core trio to a quintet for his new EP All Around. The sound has gotten a bit fatter, but it's still about jazz rock guitar and blue-eyed soul vocals. Olsan walks the thin between between passion and pathos. He isn't afraid to bare his all in four originals and the Van Morrison cover The Way Young Lovers Do.

Whether he is getting in Trouble of gets tied up in a relationship (On a String), he can always can escape by way of his music, with his band covering his back.

Micah Olsan & the Many:
Micah Olsan: guitar, lead vocals
Dan Alexander: keyboards
Cody Calderon: drums
Adam Dosemagen: bass
Eric Lemieux: guitar

All Around is a self-released EP. Buy it (pay-what-you-want) from the band's website.

Tracks:

1. Trouble
2. The Way Young Lovers Do
3. All Around
4. Because It's There
5. On a String

Live dates:

• 10/11 Herman Astro Farewell Show @ Miramar Theatre, Milwaukee, WI
• 10/18 The Down & Over, Milwaukee, WI
• 11/14 The Throne Room, Chicago, IL
• 11/30 The Frequency, Madison, WI

» micaholsan.com

HCTF review of Highs, Lows, Peaks, Valleys, Rivers.

Micah: Highs, Lows, Peaks, Valleys, Rivers

Micah Olsan is into jazz, funk and soul. Based in Milwaukee he released a couple of albums under Micah. with two fresh band mates Highs, Lows, Peaks, Valleys, Rivers comes close, to Simply Red, but just before for things get too smooth the bands turns left to join the ranks of acts like the Ryan Montbleau Band. Olsan is a fluid guitarist with a sense of timing that allows him to digress from the standard scales.

Highs, Lows, Peaks, Valleys, Rivers has a few radio friendly tunes - the jazzy Walk Away and funky pop song No Worries. The best stuff however can be found in the weird title track - spoken word clashing with funky backing vocals on top of a proggy loop, the ambitious textures and layers of 11-11 (Either/Or) and the self-explanatory OffBeat Clappers.

Micah:
Micah Olsan: guitar, lead vocals
Adam Dosemagen: bass and harmony vocals
Cody Calderon: drums and harmony vocals

Highs, Lows, Peaks, Valleys, Rivers is a self-released album. Download it for free from the band's website.

Tracks:

1. Walk Away
2. Till Sprin
3. No Worries
4. Take Care
5. Days Not Gone
6. DJ Cody's Record Flip
7. 11-11 (Either/Or)
8. Coffee
9. Holy Roller
10. OffBeat Clappers
11. Us
12. Highs, Lows, Peaks, Rivers, Valleys
13. Thank You For Listening

Live dates:

• 03/13 The Bay, Silver Spring, Milwaukee, WI
• 03/29 Silver Creek Brew Pub, Cedarburg, WI

» micaholsan.com