One man, an accordion and a bottle of pennies

An accordion and a plastic vodka bottle filled with pennies are the instruments of choice for Jason Webley.

Webley will perform at Winning Coffee Co. at 8 p.m. on Sunday. He stopped in Albuquerque two years ago and said he is excited to come back.

"A really cool local band called the Ya Ya Boom are playing as well, and I met them about a year ago and have become friends with them," Webley said.

Webley's music is popular in Russia, and he has peformed there for six years.

"For the most part, I am a self-managed guy, and there I have people working to make me better known," Webley said. "I think my music resonates with Russians, and Russia resonates with me."

Webley said he played a show in the Arctic Circle and was nervous about how the crowd would react to his music.

"I didn't know how it was going to go, because Moscow and St. Petersburg are relatively hip towns, and they have a counterculture scene," Webley said. "But there I was totally off the grid, and for a minute there, they were all quietly watching and trying to decide what to make of me, and at some point, it was like as a room they all decided, 'He is our brother.' It was one of the most amazing performances of my life."

Webley said his music is influenced by his friends in the music business.

"People call my music kind of gypsy-influenced," Webley said. "I feel like there is an element of punk rock. Even though my music isn't remotely punk rock, there is that energy. It definitely formed the way I run my career, and that is kind of my energy presence on stage."

During his performances, Webley said he likes to hand out Coke bottles filled with pennies so the audience can interact with him and the music.

"It was right before the show that I spotted this empty plastic vodka bottle on the counter of the house I used to live in," Webley said. "And the thing is shaped perfectly because it has a handle."

Webley said he doesn't drink much, so he has to scrounge around for the bottles.

"I usually just try to find an empty one, but the last several times I have been in a pinch, I have gone to a liquor store and just poured out the vodka," Webley said.

Webley studied music in college and got a job writing elevator music.

"I quit my job and started playing accordion on the street,"

Webley said. "That was about 11 years ago, and I thought I would do that for a little while until I ran out of money, and I haven't run out of money yet."

Webley said he is going to play a music festival in Poland this year.

"I have never played in Poland before, but somehow the promoters heard my music and are making me a pretty big part of their festival, which is pretty flattering and exciting," Webley said. "And it seems like that has been happening all over the world."

Webley said he admires Leonard Cohen because he is a good lyricist.

"Leonard Cohen as a songwriter manages to unearth phrases or little keys that manage to open up little chambers of your heart," Webley said. "That's something that I hope I can do for some people."

Jason Webley

Sunday, 8 p.m.

Winning Coffee Co.

111 Harvard Dr. S.E.

Free