Jess Wayne - Ancient Door

New Mexico-based Folk, Country and Blues Singer Songwriter Jess Wayne delivers authentic musical rawness and hard-won universal wisdom on love, loss and presence with his empowering new album "Ancient Door", out June 27th on streaming platforms. "Ancient Door" finds Wayne leaning into his bold signature sound and musical lineage. His genre-blending sound—what he calls Electric Bourbon Folk – Smooth with a Smoky Finish—is a fusion of modern folk, country blues, easy jazz, and a dash of Americana, delivered with wisdom, heart, and soul. Thematically, Wayne's new release reveals a musician truly reflecting on and unafraid of delving into the subconscious mind's limitless terrain.

"The new album definitely reflects my move from Southern California and Hollywood to Taos, New Mexico. The sound is a little raw with SouthWest flavors. The album contains songs written both before and after the last album Ride The River, which benefited and matured through the countless times of being played before live audiences. I feel like I’ve gone through a lot of doors and in the process, discovered the “Ancient Door” – the one that takes you in without all the trappings of ego, the one that is timeless and has always been there, awaiting me. I’m not saying I’m always there… but I keep trying.

Many of the songs on this new album are about love, its loss, its pleasures and its hope of true connection. A few are reminders from my subconscious to stay in the now, in the moment. All are meant to heal."

Fans of uncompromising artists like Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Chris Knight, The White Buffalo and Eddie Vedder will find ample gems within this bold collection of stories, each taking a genuine page from real life. "Supposed To Be Flying" just won an AWARD for Top Songwriter from the Colorado Music Business Organization.

Stream the full album on Spotify.

Fans who wish to buy this release directly from the artist, please go to https://www.jesswayne.com/new-album-ancient-door.

More Info:

Artist Name: JESS WAYNE

Location: TAOS, NEW MEXICO

Release Title: ANCIENT DOOR

Release Date: JUNE 27, 2025

Label: INDEPENDENT

Musician Names/Instruments:

Jess Wayne - Vocals, Electric Guitar

Nelson Finney aka Jupiter Skyfish - Electric Guitar

Sidney Barrett - Electric Bass

Monte Williams - Acoustic Piano, Electric Keyboards

Jimmy “Julio” Ledezma - Drums, Percussion

Jon Graboff - Pedal Steel Guitar

Jono Manson - Vocals

Myrrhine Faller - Vocals

Producer Name(s): JESS WAYNE

Similar/RIYL: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Eddie Vedder, The White Buffalo, Chris Knight, John Hiatt, Van Morrison, Ben Harper (suggestions made by Cyanite).

Genre(s): Folk/Country, Singer/Songwriter, Blues

Tracklist:

01-Suppposed To Be Flying

02-Wasted Time

03-Don’t Look Back

04-Time And Love

05-Living Small

06-Learn To Love

07-Come On Home

08-Come Tomorrow

09-She Takes Me In

10-She’s Falling

11-Come Join The Dance

Pre-Release Praise:

ANCIENT DOORS is Jess Wayne’s soul-stirring journey through love, loss, time, and the quiet courage it takes to live fully in the present.

From the haunting sadness of Supposed to Be Flying to the bluesy ache of Come Tomorrow, these eleven self-penned songs invite us to let go of regret and hold on to what’s real, right now.

I was especially moved by Living Small and Wasted Time—gentle but firm reminders to release the weight we carry, whether it’s stuff or sorrow. Don’t Look Back presses forward with a kind of breathless determination, while Time and Love delivers one of the most poignant lines I’ve heard in a while:

“Time doesn’t love you, but I always will.”

That one stayed with me. So did Come On Home and She Takes Me In—both feel like quiet promises of comfort.

But if I had to choose a turning point, I’d say Learn to Love is it. That song feels like a doorway… a benediction, really. And then comes Come Join the Dance—what a way to close. It’s joyful, healing, and hopeful. A reminder that presence and connection are worth celebrating.

Jess Wayne’s Ancient Doors is a quietly powerful album—rich in soul, deeply human, and unafraid to ask the big questions. These songs linger. They heal. They remind us to be present, to let go, to love. And they do it with grace, honesty, and a smoky kind of beauty.

Noel Paul Stookey (Paul of Peter Paul & Mary).

Websites:

Official Website: www.jesswayne.com

Facebook:www.facebook.com/douglas.jessop

Twitter:x.com/jesswaynemusic

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jesswaynemusic.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0TKqcpoPt2Sma8rVZpOCzp?si=jiLuQCUbT9mceZoezCW3Ag

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jesswayne

Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@jesswayne2817

Artist Contact Email:dwjessop@jessopco.com; jesswaynemusic@gmail.com

Artist Biography:

Authentic, Thoughtful, Intimate, Electric Bourbon Folk - Smooth with a Smoky Finish. Songs with depth. Performances with soul. Jess Wayne brings seasoned storytelling and musical chops to every stage he steps on.Jess Wayne writes music for people who’ve lived a little—and aren’t afraid to feel a lot. His genre-blending sound—what he calls Electric Bourbon Folk – Smooth with a Smoky Finish—is a fusion of modern folk, country blues, easy jazz, and a dash of Americana, delivered with wisdom, heart, and soul.

After decades spent as a modern dancer in New York, an actor, a bankruptcy lawyer in Denver, a law professor, and a guitar sideman in Los Angeles, Jess returned to his truest calling: writing and performing his own songs. The result? Music that’s poetic, intimate, and emotionally resonant—perfect for those who understand that life is complex, messy, muddy, simple, and beautiful, often all at once.

Based in Taos, New Mexico, Jess has performed throughout the U.S. and Europe, including shows at the Flagstaff Folk Festival and Scotland’s Belladrum Festival. Critics have taken notice: Paste Magazine called his debut “stunning,” and No Depression said it was “one of the most impressive and notable records of 2016.” The Nashville Music Guide praised it as “a molten hot concoction of smooth jazz, contemporary folk, and cool blues that bring out the Americana 'storytelling'.”

Jess Wayne is a seasoned performer who knows how to read a room and deliver. Whether solo or with a full band, his sets are engaging, soulful, and deeply resonant—connecting especially well with audiences over 40 who appreciate authenticity, storytelling, and great musicianship. He’s a strong draw for listening rooms, festivals, intimate clubs, and any venue that values songs with meaning and performances with heart.

QUOTES FOR THE LAST ALBUM RIDE THE RIVER (2016)

“the essence of life’s complexity, for people who know that life is sometimes messy and muddy, yet simple and beautiful all at the same time… wisdom and honesty…” - Eileen Shapiro— The Huffington Post

“As many moments of blissful beauty as there are of thought provoking, real-life reflection” - Rebecca Cullen— Stereo Stickman

“thoroughly, entirely, contemporary adult rock at its purest...transports a listener to a candle-lit wood clapboard tasting room off of some lazy old road in the middle of nowhere” - Jake Tully— Moxipop

“Jess Wayne Stuns with Debut... one of the most impressive and notable records of 2016” - Emily Hinde— No Depression (September 29, 2016

“molten hot concoction of smooth jazz, contemporary folk, and cool blues that bring out the Americana "storytelling"” - Sherryl Craid— Nashville Music Guide

“blissful combination of modern Folk, Blues, easy Jazz and a dash of Americana... stunning debut.” - Louise Parker— Paste Magazine

“Telling stories with a naked honesty over jazzy, rock-infused, Americana sound beds, Jess Wayne’s music speaks to those who have lived, who have tasted the complex simplicities of human existence, and who like their music with a refreshingly classic vibe...Jess Wayne‘s music is well-seasoned, fine like aged wine, and as tasty as grandma’s jam.” - Joshua (j.Smo) Smotherman— Middle Tennessee Music