Photos: Frankie Cavone
Singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau has been following the path of music for over 20 years performing internationally, across the United States and has also become a staple in the northeast for his fun approach to songwriting. His idea’s continue to be innovative along with the way he spends his time connecting to his fans.
Not only can you catch Montbleau out live, you can also catch him live streaming from week to week playing his music to help raise money for different charities. Whether it’s performing to raise money for others or teaching fellow musicians singer-songwriting skills with his retreats, Montbleau has always been one to give back.
Montbleau is gearing up for solo and full band performances in 2023 playing across the northeast and including a two-night stop at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY February 8-9th. He is also currently in the process of writing and producing his latest album. With so much going on, we decided to catch up with him and talk about his 2023 outlook and more. Read the full interview below:
How’s everything been Ryan? You had a big year last year which included dates on the west coast and in Texas, What was it like going on the road and playing the Neptune Theatre with Todd Snider?
Honestly 2022 felt like a tough one on the whole for most people I talk to. It had some major bright spots and blessings, but something about coming out of the pandemic, I don’t know. It’s like the world got shaken up like a snow-globe and we’re now just beginning to settle in. That Todd Snider tour may have been the most enjoyable tour of my life, though, honestly. Beautiful venues every night. Theaters are where I’ve always wanted to be. My set started at the same time every night, I played for great crowds of mostly folks who didn’t know me, then I got to sit back and take in Todd’s brilliance every night. The Neptune was tremendous. I had played there with Martin Sexton many moons ago, so nice to get back.
You have a great cast of musicians around you when performing as a full band. Have these been guys you’ve played with your whole life? As always the band is sounding tight.
No, I had the same original band for 10 years from 2003-2013. The last ten years has been a different odyssey with changing lineups and some tremendous players coming in and out. The one constant has been Marc Friedman on bass for about that entire time. He’s my cosmic brother, we were born on the same day, same year. Marc is one of a kind and I was a fan of his king before he was in my band. I’m always trying to tweak the lineup though and evolve the sound over time. This spring we have what may be the best RMB yet: Michelangelo Carubba on drums (Turkuaz), Craig Brodhead (Turkuaz) on guitar and synths, and Marc on bass, who also happens to be in the Slip, one of the best bands that has ever been, in my opinion. This feels like some kind of turning point for the band, honestly.
With 15 gigs already on the calendar for 2023, how does it feel to return to some of the legendary venues on the list and what do you like about playing new rooms.
With some rooms, it’s definitely like coming home. I’ve been playing Club Passim in Cambridge for the last 20 years or so. The Westcott in Syracuse for what, the last 15? I love venues where you see some of the same people working there year after year, it means they’re doing something right. And I’m definitely excited to see Lark Hall in Albany. I’ve heard many good things about it and have been hearing about it since before it opened. Venues can be these wonderful living, breathing things. Well, it’s not always wonderful actually, that’s why good rooms are a treasure!
Some of these dates include solo performances like the two night run you have coming up Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY. What are some opportunities you have on stage playing solo that aren’t presented when playing with a full act.
I love playing solo and will always do it. It requires a listening environment, the quieter the better. But when you have that I think it can be as powerful as any other show in its own way. When I play solo I tend to have no set list, I just go out there with maybe a few ideas and a sort of master list of songs to pick from if I need to, and I just go. It’s very freeing. It’s my favorite art form, honestly. Don’t get me wrong, I also love the muscle and the interaction of playing with a band. But something about solo-acoustic just makes me feel in my zone. And you can really draw people in, tug at the emotions with the words in a way that you can’t do as much in a rowdy club.
We saw that you are working on new material. What was it like having Martin Sexton record parts for some of the songs?
Ugh, it’s like a dream, he’s so brilliant to watch and to hear. And the whole thing is definitely kind of a dream come true for me because that is my undisputed hero in music. He’s just always been the one I looked up to since I started doing this. So to have it just kind of be normal now in 2023 for me to text him and ask him to come to the studio and sing on my songs… it’s just… if you had told me years ago that this would be the case I might not have believed you. But he’s so amazing to work with. I had been trying to hire this entire chorus of singers here in Vermont to track on one of the songs. And then I thought, wait a minute, Martin Sexton can be an entire chorus of singers on his own in the studio. I’d seen him do it when he produced our record Heavy on the Vine in 2010. He puts on different personalities for each singing voice and stacks up harmonies on top of each other, track after track, to create a whole vocal arrangement that sounds like an entire chorus. It definitely doesn’t sound like one guy did it! He’s just the best. The truest songbird of ever there was one.
We admire all the live streams but most importantly the intention of them. Just recently, you raised nearly 2,500 dollars for Meals on Wheels, the next one is for School on Wheels. We need more people like you around! How has the reception been and what fun comes along with doing these live streams that you don’t get to experience at a live show.
The live streams have been just an absolute blessing. They helped me so much to get through the pandemic financially and helped a lot of people to come together and have a sense of community on a Friday night. Then I started splitting the donations with a different charity every week and that kind of took off and continues to be a special thing. People thank me for it and I just want to be like “no, thank you!!” I love to play music for people no matter what the format and these streams help out everyone involved, most importantly the charities that folks might not have heard about nor certainly donated to on a Friday night from home. It’s been an absolute joy to send thousands of dollars to food banks, shelters, addiction centers, all kinds of different regions and causes. It’s all a total no-brainer in my opinion. I get to play music that I love from my house and it helps me out and helps people who are really in need? Yes, sign me up for that.
What’s next for Montbleau in 2023?
Getting this new version of the band off the ground. We’re about to rehearse for a week here in Vermont. I’ve also been starting to write a bunch of new songs. But what’s really coming next in 2023 is I’m about to walk my dog now. He’s going to be psyched.
