SKETCHBOOK Lineup

There are certain people who ooze coolness, and Cliff Notez is one of them. The newly minted Berklee professor and HipStory co-founder has a magnetic charm and delightfully authentic presence that challenge you to get on his level. Cliff has been working in the background of some of your favorite Boston based acts for years and has been riding the high from 2017’s When the Sidewalk Ends, an album that captures and releases the frenetic energy of its maker, taking home the Best New Artist award at this year’s Boston Music Awards. Cliff’s talents are vast; in addition to his musical abilities, he has served as an educator at several institutions, producer, filmmaker, writer, and businessman, juggling shows in Boston, a UK tour, residency at MassMOCA all in the past year.We met up with the modern Renaissance man at Whitehaus as part of our live session series, ahead of his residency at Atwood Tavern. Cliff will be kicking off the shenanigans tonight, January 25th, alongside Optic Boom. The traditionally folksy venue will be playing host to several local talents for an intimate series of performances with a wide variety of genres, all influenced by or rooted in hip-hop, on the last Friday of every month. It’s delight to see such a talented person working so hard to empower his community, creating opportunities that have yet to exist. Watch below to familiarize yourself with Cliff’s sound – an introspective explosion of a frenetic mastermind pushed to the edge – you’ll be hearing a lot of him.

Tracklist: Friday Night, Sing to Me (orig. performed by Will Butler), Losing Crowns, Good Riddance

Cliff Notez is accompanied by Tim Hall and Justine Bowe.