Better Sans Ezra

Better Than Ezra fans will hear plenty of hit songs when the band’s frontman, Kevin Griffin, performs solo on Jan. 19 in Jackson. However, not all of those familiar tunes come courtesy of the New Orleans, La., alternative-rock act.

Griffin has had a string of successful songs through Better Than Ezra since forming the group in Baton Rouge, La., in 1988, including “Good,” “King of New Orleans,” “In the Blood” and “Desperately Wanting.” What some listeners may not know is that he has also co-written hits for well-known artists such as Sugarland, James Blunt, Howie Day and Daniel Powter.

The Jackson Free Press recently spoke with Griffin over the phone about his latest tour and what goes on behind the scenes in songwriting.

With Better Than Ezra still touring, what inspired you to also get on the road doing solo shows?

I guess maybe two years (ago)—Ezra’s still touring a lot, and we do our summer tours—I wanted a forum where I could not only do Ezra songs, but I could also play the songs I get to write with other artists in just a less formal setting. There were suddenly a lot of rooms around the country, like City Winery in Chicago, … that were embracing that kind of (show). You know, they’re about 350- to 500-seat rooms, and I thought, “Wow, that sounds really cool.”

I started off just playing acoustic, and I kind of wanted to challenge myself to get back to doing that, maybe the purity of that. I like talking (to audiences) a lot and maybe taking left turns, so that’s really just a creative outlet.

What can people expect to hear that they wouldn’t hear at a BTE show?

Well, they hear songs that (are) hits I’ve had with other artists, from Howie Day songs or Taylor Swift or James Blunt, and just different artists like that—my versions of these songs. Usually, if it’s a female artist, it’s an octave lower. [Laughs] And (there are) just covers. I like doing things that wouldn’t be expected.

When I do these shows, they’re still very, I guess, up-tempo. I love artists like Ray LaMontagne and Damien Rice, but I’m not that guy. When I do these shows, I have an amazing percussionist with me, so it’s a very upbeat, fun show. I may do a left turn into a Justin Timberlake song out of a Better Than Ezra song or a solo song I’m working on. So there are lot of stories, anecdotes, covers, songs I’ve written for other people, and you know, hopefully the songs we know and love by Better Than Ezra.