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Getting Gritty

Something dirty is going down at Chelsea’s Café once a month. The Nitty Gritty Songwriters’ Night, hosted by local country-rock musician Denton Hatcher, is a grassroots event helping to define the face of modern Baton Rouge music. Each month, Nitty Gritty showcases local and regional talent by gathering an eclectic array of musicians to perform original material one after another.

“There’s so much music out there. It’s about knowing where to find it,” Hatcher says. Rather than hearing an opening and main act, audiences experience a wealth of sound all night long, as up to 10 artists play three to four songs from their repertoire. The line-up constantly rotates, so the experience is never the same.

Hatcher runs a tight ship of sound, charming audiences with his good-natured humor in between sets. There is never a lull in the action. Adding to the atmosphere, Chelsea’s keeps its restaurant tables out in front of the stage, so the audience can sit back, relax and enjoy an intimate musical experience—for just $3.

One recent Nitty Gritty event boasted styles that ranged from the folksy pining of Clay Parker to the bruised eloquence of Jodi James and the poetic tapestries of Jacob Zachary. And finally, after many others, Hatcher gave the crowd a glimpse of his own soulful, gravel-road growl.

Hatcher began overseeing the event when former Chelsea’s booker Gabe Daigle approached him about putting together a musician’s showcase. Originally from Vicksburg, Miss., Hatcher has been living and playing in Baton Rouge for the past decade. He has a real fervor for building the local music scene and hopes every Nitty Gritty event exposes Baton Rougeans to both established artists and talented up-and-comers they may have never heard before.

“It’s a way for the artists to promote their music,” Hatcher explains. “It’s great, because—as a musician—you get to hear what everyone else is doing, admire their work, and network with each other and the audience.”

Jodi James finds the entire concept refreshing.

“The Nitty Gritty nights provide a space where we artists can play to an attentive and open audience,” the singer-songwriter says, noting that among the performers, Nitty Gritty is not a competition for the spotlight. “The one thing that the Baton Rouge music scene should really pride itself on is the camaraderie.”

Though Baton Rouge is often labeled as a cover-band town, that is changing, says singer-songwriter Jacob Zachary. “As artists in such conditions, we get to enjoy the privilege of being a part of expediting that change in real ways.”

With Nitty Gritty, Hatcher and these artists are hard at work offering a new music experience for Baton Rouge. That, and as James puts it, “It gets your feet moving.” chelseascafe.com