Written by Jane Ponte

No matter the weather or the challenges of the day, things always become a whole lot brighter when Amos Lee comes to town. He has the uncanny ability to brighten up an entire room—an entire venue, actually—simply by walking onto a stage. He did just that and then some last Wednesday night in Houston, when he and his talented band performed at Revention Music Center to a nearly sold-out room. Accompanied by veteran bandmates Zach Djanikian (guitar, mandolin, saxophone, vocals) and Jaron Olevsky (keyboards, vocals) along with newcomers Jay White (bass, vocals), James Williams (drums), David Streim (Wurlitzer, trumpet), and Ryan Hommel (guitar, pedal steel), Lee rocked the enthusiastic crowd for nearly two hours after a noteworthy opening set performed by multi-instrumentalist, Ethan Gruska.

Lee has spent the past 15 years or so charming his fans all over the world while perfecting his soothing blend of folk, R&B, rock and neo-soul, blended with splashes of rap, scat, gospel and jazz. It is hard to pigeonhole this talented artist. Every time I think I’ve got him figured out, he surprises us all by venturing into a similar yet separate musical direction. His performance on Wednesday was a perfect example of his amazing ability to embrace and celebrate many genres and make the seamless transition from one to the next. Lee kicked off the show with “High Water,” from his “Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song” album, which he released in 2013, and followed it with “Jesus,” a song he wrote about the passing of his beloved grandfather, from his critically-acclaimed, Billboard charting 2011 release, “Mission Bell.” Both songs were perfect examples of the seemingly effortless way in which this teacher-turned-singer-songwriter performs songs with themes that resonate with his audience and instantly captivate them. What followed was a rollicking, tasteful, fun and heartwarming evening of beautiful music and stories from the heart and soul of a man who is equal parts sweetness, swag, poet and performer of the highest caliber.

Although Lee has recently been battling a nasty bout of strep throat and laryngitis, it did not stop him from leaving his heart on the stage as he rounded out the evening with songs from his new album, “My New Moon,” as well as older albums such as “Supply and Demand, “Last Days at the Lodge, the self-titled “Amos Lee,” and the second-to-newest “Spirit.” Although Lee apologized for being somewhat guarded with his vocals, it wasn’t necessary whatsoever. His audience was spellbound and more than happy to assist by singing along to many of the evening’s gems, such as “Arms of a Woman,” “Night Train,” “Violin,” and “Keep it Loose, Keep it Tight.” Equipped with plenty of water to soothe his throat and a stellar band whose spot-on background vocals and tasteful solos perfectly complemented Lee’s expert guitar picking, flawless phrasing, and angelic voice, Lee took his enraptured crowd to church on more than one occasion, leaving them completely engrossed and cheering for more by the evening’s end.

While it is true that Lee’s older material is often strongly favored by his long-time fans, his newer work showcases a side of himself that is accomplished, capable, relevant and noteworthy as he touches on social issues and themes. “My New Moon” was inspired in part by fans (who have since become friends) who have courageously been dealing with serious illnesses, and who, according to Lee, helped him to open his eyes to how fragile and beautiful life can often be. The album title itself invokes a new beginning of sorts, and this beginning often comes after a profound period of loss. Along with the recent passing of his grandmother, which he touched upon in his jazzy, gospel-infused “All You’ve Got is a Song,” Lee also spoke of political unrest and his own confusion in the hauntingly beautiful acoustic song, “Crooked,” in which he sang the line, “There’s a crooked leader on a crooked stage,” and followed it up with, “Turns out that I’m crooked, too,” suggesting that real change comes from self-examination and introspection.

All in all, Lee’s performance was by far one of the most refreshing and entertaining evenings of 2019 so far. It is always a privilege and a gift to be a part of the audience whenever Lee comes to town. He always seems to leave the city of Houston just a little bit better, a little more soulful, and a little bit kinder than when he arrived. He truly is a songwriter’s songwriter, and his uncanny ability to bring all sorts of folks together and transcend race, gender, creed, age, or anything else and flawlessly help them to come together for the collective purpose of grooving their butts off–is second to none. That’s exactly what went down last Wednesday night in Houston. It truly was one of those evenings that a music lover wishes would never end. Leaving the venue a little bit more hopeful than when they arrived, the chances are pretty good that his fans are already looking forward to the next time. I know I most certainly am.