Jabbering Trout w/ Whitney Walker

Jabbering Trout w/ Whitney Walker

Sun 1/18

6pm doors/7pm show

All Ages | $15

Jabbering Trout is a killer live act with memorable original songs. They began their trajectory in the 90s in Boston as a high-energy, twoperson, drum and guitar duo. Thriving in the local acoustic scene, Jabbering Trout won Boston’s Acoustic Underground competition, and were off and running, touring clubs and playing festivals nationally. The band put out two albums which were well received and reviewed in newspapers, magazines and fanzines across the country. Jabbering Trout has been through many incarnations since the original lineup.

The common theme is solid, catchy songwriting delivered live with energy. Today Jabbering Trout play as a trio, with Terrance Reeves’ bass guitar and the drumming of Chuck Hargreaves with the guitar-backed vocals of founding member Tom Burris.

“Highly charged and nonchalantly eccentric” -The Boston Herald

“JT are on the cutting edge... [They] must have an endless spinning songbook of ideas, for they never seem to run out...” -The Noise

Jabbering Trout have played with and opened for many national music acts such as: Aerosmith Jeff Buckley Dave Matthews Band Ani Difranco

“Jabbering Trout offers a sense of humor wrapped in delicious melodies and delivered with a sledge hammer” -The Leak

“One can see why Jabbering Trout’s aggressive stance and primitive energy have made audiences bolt up and take notice” -Dirty Linen

Whitney Walker began his music career playing psychedelic gutter blues in the Pacific Northwest during the mid nineties. His early band, Pay The Coyote, cut their teeth in the local dive bar circuit, then Walker has spent the last couple of decades playing countless solo and band shows throughout the country and in almost as many bands (Happy Inside, Dixon Bendejo Trash, Arthur C. Lee & Whit Walker, For Morning). In 2005, Walker's life veered way off track when he began using drugs, which led to a life-long addiction struggle, divorce, custody battles, and even gang violence. His life went so far off track that by 2009, Walker found himself homeless in Portland, Oregon, living under an overcoat in Laurelhurst Park. This pattern would continue throughout Walker's adult life. His experience with homelessness inspired the song "Reverse Cowboy," which was written as an ode to the 'King Of the Homeless', a legendary transient man in Portland, whose nose was broken seventeen times as Whit was told from the the King's mouth (the King being "Cowboy").

Whitney's life brought him front and center to the suffering of the destitute, the junkies and the addicts, the thieves and even the gangsters. His music career ultimately became fully derailed when Whit's life became occupied with a steady stream of tribulations, trials, and tragedies, all of which would finally, after many years, become the foundation for Whitney’s new material, but his battle took a turn for the worst in 2009 when he attempted suicide by stabbing himself in the heart multiple times, leading to two open heart surgeries and a month-long coma.

Walker was finally able to turn his life around in 2011 by getting sober. He then became a social worker and now helps addicts find treatment and rehabilitation. Because of his own personal struggles with mental illness, he holds an active position in the Portland, Maine community through assisting the destitute. In 2014, Walker became friends with Will Bradford, bandleader of SeepeopleS, and during the recent Covid lockdown, Bradford and his band mates, alongside Whit's current bandmates and extended musical family (including legendary baritone saxophonist, Dana Colley of Morphine), helped him bring his songs to life.

A Dog Staring Into A Mirror On The Floor was a result of these collaborations. It was released on March 3, 2023 on RascalZ RecordZ. The album takes a deep look at mental illness, homelessness, addiction, travel and hope.