Wil prefers no introduction.

On Thursday, Nov. 12, he climbed on stage at Hermann’s Jazz Club and simply started to play, drawing the audience in from there. It was just him playing his guitar, with a drummer adding some background noise.

Wil, 39, has an understated yet intense voice. It’s smoky as well as endearing, almost like James Blunt and Damien Rice put together. And yet, he has a sound unique to himself.

Sporting a blue-checkered button-up shirt and thick black-rimmed specs, Wil had an intimate, casual manner with the audience; like he was jamming with a couple of friends. And the audience ranged from college-age to those in their 50s.

Wil made small talk with the audience, encouraging everyone to have fun and “drink up.”

 “At work the next morning they’ll say: ‘You were at Wil’s show? I’m surprised you have pants on,’ ” he told the crowd.

But the instant the first notes trickled out of his guitar, attention shifted to how well this guy can play. The soulful lyrics and soothing, gentle upbeat melodies got you, but his lyrics weren’t all sunshine and roses: they could be surprisingly negative and cynical. One song was clearly about fighting, while another repeated over and over, “he’s the devil inside.”

What made this guy worth watching live was how he sang about personal experiences — not some fabricated pop garbage.

Wil, who has lived on Vancouver Island for three years now, has a nonchalant but optimistic attitude. He said that once he decided he would record an album, sign with a label and play in New York, it all happened in the next year. And, for the past 10 years, he’s been going full steam ahead. His next goal? To get a pilot’s license.

He jokingly describes flying a single engine floatplane over Victoria, trailing a big banner saying IBreakStrings while throwing out free CDs with little Fisher Price parachutes attached to them.

If you like music that comes from the heart, then there is no doubt that you will like Wil. His next album, entitled In This Together, is due out in early 2010.

Check out Wil’s music at ibreakstrings.com, where you can find a demo track of “Cooder Mountain.”