Jakota Wass brings his blend of music with a full band to Carson’s Taste of Downtown on June 18. The Carson Valley musician hopes to jump into a summer of big shows after putting out his first album “Battleborn” in April.
The 19-year-old singer-songwriter is starting to get more momentum with more shows booked for 2022. He first played Taste of Downtown five years ago.
“I was just starting out and I played at Comma Coffee and remembered it being such a good event and wanting to get back up there,” he said.
This year he comes to the event on a bigger stage with a full band. He said he plays many shows solo or as a trio, but for the outdoor shows this summer he will bring more musicians to round out the sound.
“For Taste of Downtown we’ll have a full band, and it will definitely be ready to rock out,” he said.
NEW ALBUM
The musician released his first album “Battleborn” in April. His country western influence comes from the Carson Valley environment he grew up in. He has turned his experiences into songs he can share with others.
“The title song, Battleborn, is about growing up in Nevada and about the great community we have in smaller towns,” he said.
He’s learned many other songs along the way and mixes in covers for his shows. He has a list of requests on his website, jakotawass.com that includes about 150 songs. It includes music of many genres and has classics from many musicians and more modern songs that have been released more recently.
With plenty of songs up his sleeve it allows him to play a different type of show depending on the atmosphere.
“I try to cover all the bases and get everyone dancing and enjoying summer,” he said.
GOALS FOR THE FUTURE
Wass is getting more shows under his belt, and he has worked his way to playing the Bluebird Café in Nashville which is one of his accomplishments.
“Nashville is one of my highlights,” he said. “I try to go back there as much as I can and get some exposure that way and try to share my originals.”
He’s currently going to school at University of Nevada, Reno. He’s working on a major in business with a minor in music. He just completed his first year and he said he wants to get a degree. Then he will pursue music as far as it will take him.
“No matter what I do, I want to end up in the music field whether it is recording, playing live or managing others,” he said. “I love music.”
GETTING TO KNOW CARSON CITY
Wass looks forward to the Taste of Downtown to be able to connect with the community. He said he had a New Year’s Eve gig six months ago at The Tap and he’s playing around more often.
“I started to play Carson more and more these past few months, and I’m making new friends there and finding out what the town is all about,” he said. “I’m excited to try some of the food and meet some of the people and local businesses and put some names and faces together.”
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