5 Weekender questions with Jesse Ruben

Brooklyn singer-songwriter Jesse Ruben recently answered five Weekender questions before his Sept. 30 stop at 98.7 The Freq.

Q: How long have you been playing?

A: I started playing piano when I was 5, switched to guitar at 16, started playing shows when I got to college. So, it’s been a long time.

Q: How do you describe your sound?

A: I try and pull from a lot of different styles and influences. Mostly folk and pop music, but there are also some blues and jazz influences. I try and write songs that are catchy that also make a difference for the people listening.

Q: Which musician — alive or dead — do you most wish you could share the stage with?

A: There are so many ... Sinatra, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Ben Folds and Joni Mitchell are all pretty high on the list.

Q: What’s your favorite song to play live?

A: Right now probably “This Is Why I Need You.” It’s a very special song for me, that I wrote after dealing with the most difficult period of my life. It’s fun to play it and see people respond to it when they listen for the first time.

Q: Where can people hear your music?

A: I’m all over the internet! You can listen on my website, jesseruben .com, or check me out on Spotify or iTunes.

This story was originally published September 29, 2016 at 4:23 PM with the headline "5 Weekender questions with Jesse Ruben."