Max Gomez, Joe West & Friends

There's something special about the best songwriters sitting in a circle, swapping songs, enjoying each other's company, interacting with an audience. When Taos-raised singer-songwriter MAX GOMEZ joins JOE WEST and others in Santa Fe, it will mark the first of several In-the-Round performances we're planning in the coming year. MAX GOMEZ possesses melodies flow naturally, trenchant lyrics that express wise-beyond-his-years observations on the ways of the heart, laconic phrasing in a buttery cafe mocha timbre, and beautiful guitar skills. He apprenticed in the rarefied musical climate of northern New Mexico, where troubadours like Michael Martin Murphey and Ray Wylie Hubbard helped foster a sound both cosmic and cowboy. Gomez moved to Los Angeles at 18 to pursue his music career. He wrote some songs with Shawn Mullins, who later recorded them. Thats when I began taking it all a little more seriously and turned my music into a job. In his early 20s he began recording his own songs with producers in  New York, L.A., and  Nashville. His debut album, Rule the World, was released in 2013 by New West Records, home to the likes of John Hiatt, Buddy Miller, and Steve Earle. Hes shared billing on hundreds of stages with stalwarts of the genre like  James McMurtry, Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin and John Hiatt. JOE WEST is one of Santa Fe's most beloved songwriters. Quirky, offbeat and melodic, his award-winning theatrical folk music is a singular mix of country and rock, and he has nine full-length recordings under his belt. He has toured extensively throughout the States and Europe, sharing the stage with the likes of Peter Rowan, Arlo Guthrie, and the Violent Femmes. In addition, he has created a rock opera, produced music for film and television, originated a conceptual radio show, and founded a theater company that performs his dark horror-comedies with original live music. His latest disc is Blood Red Velvet.