Jeff Kanzler at The Roasterie

KEXP SEATTLE - This Seattle-born, Alaska-based singer-songwriter debuts with a jaw-dropping set of beautifully crafted country-folk. Kanzler has a fine, expressive voice with a touch of gravel and his melodies are often sublime, reminiscent at times of early Dylan. The warm, rich production is also flat-out gorgeous, with trumpets, mandolin, dobro, pedal steel and harmonica adding lots of rootsy color to a variety of stunning, fully-realized songs. Incredibly, Kanzler has been living in the woods of the Alaskan interior for the past few years in a cabin with no running water and recorded this album up there with locals – it’s just mind-blowing, considering how great it sounds. 5/1/2007 –Don Yates, Music Director

DUTCH MUSIC-ZINE - Singer/songwriter Jeff Kanzler, who brings to mind a young Bob Dylan and perhaps John Vanderslice, in more contemporary terms, was born in the busy town of Seattle , but lives in Alaska and seems to love the place and people. In his outstanding debut CD "Black Top Road" you can hear not only the loneliness of the Alaskan landscape, but also the fun and beauty that Kanzler’s music radiates. His voice, full of expression singing beautiful melodies against a melancholic tone keeps you fixated. "Black Top Road " is better than far above average; to this listener, the CD is almost addictive. Surprisingly, Kanzler is able to take downhearted themes and wistful instrumentation (the sorrowful harmonica line, a poignant mandolin part or a lonesome pedal steel) and combine it into the easy and natural playfulness that this album emphasizes. Maurice Dielemans