A.M. Session

Conversations at Midnight (Independently released CD, Pop/rock)
This CD arrived in our trusty post office box inside a very plain envelope with no accompanying materials trying to sell us on the artist or the music. Probably the perfect marketing approach because the folks in AM Session don't need schmaltzy hype or phony promotional materials in order to sell folks on their music. The band is based in West Hollywood, California...but don't let that scare you off. Instead of phony sounding pop these guys write and record surprisingly real music that has true heart and soul. The band is comprised of Bobby Greiert (vocals, guitar, saxophone), Garett Sakahara (piano, rhodes, organs), Ben Nichalson (drums, electronic percussion), and Jeff Weissman (guitar). In the 1990s this band would have been immediately embraced by practically every FM radio station in the country. Now in the twenty-first century...it'll be interesting to see if these guys receive the attention they deserve. They've got the tunes, the skills, and the talent to be superstars. Groovy hummable cuts include "Evidence," "Katie," and "Burning The Hours." - Babysue.com

When Bobby Greiert played saxophone with the Snohomish High School Jazz band, he didn't know it was a stepping stone to being the lead singer in a rock'n'roll band.
Nearly a decade later, Greiert returns to Snohomish County on Saturday night at the Anchor Pub in Everett with his band A.M. Session, touring to promote its second album, "Conversations at Midnight."
This is the first time in about three years that Greiert, who's been working and recording in Los Angeles as played for his hometown crowd.
"Its something that myself and the whole band has been looking forward to for a while" he said. "the vibe overall is a really good time."
A.M. Session start about six years ago when Greiert, who plays rhythm guitar and sings, joined forces with keyboardist Garett Sakahara.
The band had a rotating cas of other performers but now seems to be settling into a groove with the latest five-man lineup. Jeff Weissman plays lead guitar with Ben Nicholson on drums and Tyson Strom on bass. The band delivers good ol' rock 'n' roll in the style of The Band, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and other classic rock groups of the 60's and 70's. True to the vintage, A.M. Session is comfortable playing improvised groovy extended jams.
The Classic rock influence started at Greiert's Snohomish home. "My dad listened to Steely Dan, my mom had Rolling Stones albums," Greiert said. A.M. Session frequently will break out a cover song to mix in with its growing catalogue of original tunes. Although A.M. Sessionis well known in the Los Angeles area, the band members have kept thier day jobs. They're still working hard to boost thier national profile. "We're hoping with this tour that it will change that." Greiert said.
- The Everett Herald

03/03/2011
It took time for A.M. Session to find just the right combination of players that core members Bobby Greiert and Garett Sakahara felt had the chemistry to make an already good band even better. Touring after their first album, Where We Know, the band added what proved be a missing link in Jeff Weissman on lead guitar. He helped the band flesh out their sound to a more classic and southern rock style with lots of improvising and showcasing each member’s ability to jam. Drummer Ben Nichalson solidified the rhythm section when he became a permanent member in 2008. The line up set, A.M. Session then spent the better part of two years playing all over the Southwest and Southern California, honing their skills, writing songs, and strengthening the band family, all the while preparing to record their next album. Recording began on Conversations at Midnight in April, 2010 and resulted in a trio of torrid, tightly wound tales of perseverance, perspective and misconception open the proceedings.

“Evidence,” with its souped-up “Incense and Peppermints” lead-in, gives way to a fierce rhythm section that takes on all distractions as it opens the road for a tough harmonica solo. Bobby Greiert’s dirt road, pick-up spitting gravel vocals beg for a shot to be “given a chance to shine his light upon all the evidence.” With its amped “Pleasant Valley Sunday” guitar signature, A.M. Session lays claim to southern and hard blues rock territory with “Villian,” taking on Skynyrd, Black Crowes, and even Led Zeppelin with a razor sharp, relentless drive that has you crying for mercy as it tears toward a breathtaking stone cold ending. Greiert growls wickedly with snarls and slurs as he pleads his case: “I will be your villian if you will do the crime, I could be a saint if you would show me the light.”

“Katie” backs off the gas a bit, but fear not. One word: funky. Grady Hutt’s bass is hooked-at-the-hip to Nichalson’s drums. Sakahara’s organ takes a more prominent role as it joins with Wessman’s nasty rhythmn guitar to set up Greiert’s “I Ain’t Superstitous” horn charts. Greiert’s smoky sax solo connects well with his vocals as he moans about missing his desert rose. “I been gone too long, I been gone far too longs, but my baby, my sweet Katie, is calling me home.” “The Morning Comes” offers a sunrise like intro of bass, guitar and percussion. This “darkest before dawn” lament simmers sadly as Weissman’s wrings out every drop of emotion from his slide guitar.

The final three songs have been part of A.M. Session’s set list for a while. “16th Broken Road” has an old friend feel, as comfortable as your favorite flannel shirt. The slow growing groove heats up as it is stroked by Weissman’s sinewy guitar figure, finally exploding into flame to the end of the. “Brighter Than” shows the strongest pop leanings on Conversations, featuring a more melodic feel and standard song structure. “68? has an Allman Brothers feel. Intense and immediate, it is certainly one of the stand out pieces here. “Just when I thought I had it all figured out, round you come and knock me to the ground” is not only the theme of this song, but it is exactly what A M. Session does to the listener. We hear so much music. We think we had it all figured out. Then along comes a band like this.

No gimmicks, no contrivances. A.M. Session is five guys who play out their collective hearts on Conversations at Midnight. The way they connect with one another cannot be missed by the listener. Best of all, they pull you into their musical family and take you along on their joyride.

- Review You

Conversations at midnight’

A.M Session are an interesting band. Full stop. Formed by Washington native Bobby Greiert (vocals, guitar, sax) and Southern California local Garett Sakahara (Piano, backing vocals) they have created a picturesque album that feels like one of those conversations you will remember forever. A smile can mean everything in that kind of situation, and with these guys delivering powerful, meaningful tracks you’ll definitely feel like you’re standing right in front of them.

There are certain vocalists who you recognise straight away, for example Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins) and Brian Molko (Placebo) and I think I’d be right in saying Bobby Greiert fits the bill. His voice is dripping with passion with every note, and you definitely get the feeling he means every single word. Gruff yet smooth. Sweet, yet sour.

Now, let’s get on to the even better stuff…

This eight track album ‘Coversations at Midnight’ is a great example of music, starting off with ‘Evidence’ we are carefully dipped into their world full of gentle keys and relaxing beats; one I very much enjoy. I almost feel like I should be sitting here answering emails and chilling out, rather than analysing this sensational album. They just warm to you so easily, perfectly and naturally – What more could you really want? Apart from a glass of wine whilst you’re listening of course. But that can be arranged.
A great introduction to A.M Session, I’m very intrigued to how the rest of this album will turn out already.

Knocking it up a gear, ‘Villain’ reaches my ears. I instantly like the intro, it just feels right. I am treated to even more excellence. Strolling through this album is like walking round an art gallery and thinking ‘I want to live here’.
Wrap yourself up in an A.M Session bubble, with a big pair of headphones and crack on. What ever you’re doing, they will help kick your arse into action for sure.

As the album progresses, I’m finding it difficult to pick a favourite track…One which really jumps in your face and grabs your attention. Okay, here goes: I love ‘The Morning Comes’ its so subtle, delicate, yet full of strength. Definitely the track that stood out for me. But then ’16th Broken Road’ is also a winner.

In a nutshell, Bobby, Garett, Jeff, Ben and Tyson have created an easy to listen to, piece of art. With tracks such as ‘Brighter Than’ to float your boat, these rockers have created a jam-packed album that you must get on your iPod.

P.S

I love this verse “She throws her Eyes my way, As if to invite me in. Just to close the door before I get one foot in…”

- New Reviews UK

The other day I got an email from Bobby Greiert asking me if I could give a listen to and write a review of his band's sophomore effort called Conversations at Midnight. He wanted to make sure that I'd be honest. It's pretty clear that Bobby hasn't read much of what I've written. If he had, he'd know that I can be brutally honest. I have an entire section on the website strictly for albums that suck.

Some people have told me that I must enjoy being a prick (that is usually after I've ripped their album). That is not the case at all. I see it as a duty to tell it like I hear it. If you are charging money for your record, then I as a listener have the right to expect to not hear crap. Look, I don't care how deep you are supposed to be, if you can't play or can't sing, do something else. This is the most straightforward career advice you'll ever get.
Good God I feel Grouchy today.

This brings me to Conversations at Midnight. This album is great! (Had you worried for a second there, didn't I Bobby?).

A.M Session is a five man group out of Los Angeles. They are a good rock and roll band. It's obvious from listening to this album that they have all been around for a while. There is a definite maturity to these songs. I like it.

The music reminds me of the Black Crows while his voice reminds me a bit of Nickelback. (I know a lot of folks who don't really care for Nickelback, but I think those young dudes have a lot of moxie and I can feel the emotion in their music.)

What will you find on this album? A soulful gritty blast of working class blues based rock and roll. There is a strong 70s sound to this stuff except that the vocals bring it into the present. Do you like hearing an electric guitar that can play killer leads and mellow emotional phrases? Do you like hearing a rhythm section that locks into a groove and provides the bottom that allows the guitar player to shine? Do you like R&B - Country influenced piano? Do you like a front man that screams attitude while staying in tune? If you answered yes then you will like this album.

Of the songs on the album my personal favorites are:

Track 3: Katie - I love the guitar! This song is true grit. It has a bad ass get out of my way vibe that I like - the song is about a guy who can't wait to see his girl after a long time apart. If that isn't enough to make any dude scream get out of my way then nothing is.

Track 5: 16th Broken Road - This song is just a jam with a chorus thrown in. Listen to all the stuff the guitar player is doing while the singer is singing. He is bending notes and running around the fretboard having a great time. I smile every time I listen to this track.

Track 6: Burning the Hours - This is a pretty mellow song except for the intensity of the vocals. I dig the guitar. I get the same feeling as when I listen to Beggar's Banquet, that is I find myself thinking "This guy can play guitar!" The sax work is a nice addition which shows the band's versatility. These guys are good musicians.

So what is the bottom line? 4 scowls out of 5 on the Grouch scale. This album is worth the money. I hope these guys make it to Sweden. I'd love to see their show. You can buy the CD from iTunes or CD Baby.
- The Grouchy Gaijin

Snohomish native's band returns for performance
Singer Bobby Greiert's A.M. Session, a Viper Room regular, will play in Everett as part of its tour.

By Victor Balta
Special to The Herald


This is the kind of homecoming Bobby Greiert had in mind.

The 25-year-old Snohomish native left his small-town life behind seven years ago to chase his music-industry dream in Los Angeles. A few years ago, he returned to the area with a pieced-together version of his band, A.M. Session, and a rough EP for sale.

But when the band returns Saturday night to Club Broadway in Everett, and Sunday night at the High Dive in Seattle, it'll be a different story.

"We're just trying to show people how much we've grown since the last time they've seen us," Greiert said in a phone interview last week.

"It's also way to say thank you. There are a lot of people in Everett and Seattle that have been supporting us."

After a couple of years together, A.M. Session is developing quite a following on the West Coast, playing L.A.'s famed Viper Room on a regular basis and now heading out on its first full-fledged tour of the region. With other stops in Portland, Boise, Denver and Las Vegas, the band is looking to put its music out there like never before.

Greiert, who graduated from Snohomish High School in 2000, left town at 19 to pursue a degree in audio engineering at Musicians Institute in Hollywood. After years of playing with a few bands and working on in-studio projects, Greiert started A.M. Session with pianist Garrett Sakahara of Orange County. The band's eclectic rock sound draws on its members' wide-ranging geographic connections, with Greiert representing the Pacific Northwest, drummer Dana Deignan of Boston and bassist Grady Hutt of Chicago.

Greiert is enjoying his time in Hollywood, and he doesn't have any immediate plans to return home for good no matter how nostalgic he gets.

"I felt a little trapped in the small-town thing," Greiert said. "But I've got to say L.A.'s no place to raise a family. Snohomish was a great place to grow up and develop a sense of morals and character.

"There are a lot of people in this business that don't always have the best character and the best morals, so it's important to never forget where you came from.

"But L.A.'s a very different place than Snohomish. In L.A., it's all about now, and it's fast-paced and always moving. I do like that, but I miss some of the small-town aspects of Snohomish, and the outdoors.

"You don't get that a lot in L.A."

What he does get is a chance to play on the local stages where some of rock's all-time greats started.

"I have fallen in love with the Hollywood scene," Greiert said. "You get to play places you dreamed about playing when you were 12 or 13, like the Viper Room stage or the Roxy stage or the Whiskey stage. Even if we never make it on a bigger level, we've played some good shows in some pretty cool places. It's humbling and it's cool all at the time." - The Everett Herald

Review from Music Connection Magazine November 7th 2005
by Albert Vega

A.M. SESSION
THE JOINT
LOS ANGELES


MATERIAL: A.M. Session delivers a crunchy slice of modern FM rock. With a tight mastery of stop/start dynamics, vocal harmonies and punchy songwriting, this group is aggressive without sacrificing any sense of melody. Led by Greiert, the four-piece consistently hush down mid-song, then come back big with huge choruses. While there are some occasional softer moments that harken back to Dave Matthews, its this act's hard driving guitar romps that are rightly spotlighted.
MUSICIANSHIP: This group's chops take every song up a notch. While some of the material is not immediately gripping, one can rest assured that an interesting break or change is around the corner. Sakahara jumps from keyboards to guitar to round out an already thick sound. And Yagers backup vocals pair with Greiert's flawlessly. At the helm, though is Greiert's inspired fretwork. A powerful vocalist as well, it's his intricate rhythms and thrifty licks which spearhead the combo.
PERFORMANCE: Sporting a Police t-shirt and inserting a U2 chorus into his own song, Greiert was not afraid to pay homage to his heroes. Additionally, he rocked hard with a fiery passion that was clearly evident. And, while his formula for quieting down on most songs became predictable, his songwriting was sharp enough to overcome any potential monotony. Closing with a full-bore wedge of punk/pop, the quartet capped off on a high note.
SUMMARY: A.M. Session is a skilled band with intriguing songwriting that could appeal to a broad audience. Swinging from lighter jamband-ish fare to fast, razor-sharp rock, the combo projects an appealing range while maintaining a flattering edge. Though this group isn't breaking any molds and wear its influences proudly, A.M. Session manages to avoid mere mimicry.
-Albert Vega - Music Connection Magazine