to benefit
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
and
The Sara Weaver Fund
|
|
October 18th 2002 Concert
to benefit The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and The Sara Weaver Fund |
|
|
Amount Raised: $500
split evenly between The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and The Sara Weaver Fund |
|
Performers:
Sister Blue Nancy Falkow Tom Cooney Christine Moll Laura Shay Christine Havrilla Ten Spiders Something Black David Scott Smith |
We'd like to thank all the people who donated their time and efforts to help out. We'd especially like to thank all the performers who gave us a great show, refused to be paid for their efforts, and even made contributions themselves in many cases. (Special thanks to the members of Something Black, who won the 50/50 raffle and then donated thier prize money the cause!)
There are some photos from the show below. These are small versions only, but if you click on any of the pictures, it will take you to my WebShots account, where you will find the high resolution versions. I have to apologize that we have very few shots from the later performers, but my official photographer neglected to charge up the battery on his digital camera, so we ran thin at the end. Thanks to David Scott Smith, who had his own photographer, and provided me with copies of his pictures.
Sister Blue
"A BELTER OF THE BLUES", is how Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine featured Sister Blue
in a 1998 feature. That same year Northeast Times
described her as a singer whose..."soul fights its way out and fills the room with
well-seasoned wisdom and joy", and "strums her guitar with a trance-like fervor". In 1999,
Chestnut Hill Local exclaimed, "she bellows, belabors, and blasts the blues as if
it's exploding from a howitzer. There are no pretty bows on her songs, just a barbed wire of
passion hot enough to burn up the furniture in the room.
Nancy Falkow
Nancy Falkow is known throughout the Philadelphia area for writing catchy and melodic pop-folk songs with dynamics
and soul.
While Nancy's talent and craft have been the reason for her success, her widely-respected do-it-yourself attitude is also
key. Through the force of her motivation and determination she has single-handedly earned the recognition of the most
demanding of Philadelphia music critics, the elite of the New York Anti-Folk scene, and judges of the Lilith Fair.
Nancy was honored as the winner in the Philadelphia area Lilith Fair Talent Search, which culminated with an
appearance with Sarah McLachlan and the Indigo Girls to a sold-out crowd of 25,000! Nancy was nominated for 2000
Best Female Vocalist (alongside Jill Scott and others!) in the Philadelphia City Paper Music Awards, and also in both
1999 & 2000 for Best Folk Artist (Singer-Songwriter).
Nancy is a strong guitarist with a wide range of skills both electric and acoustic - from quiet finger-style picking to
full-out rockin' chords. Falkow's finest instrument is a rich voice that sweeps and soars through intricate and original
melodies. To complete the package, she writes melodies both comfortable and distinct. With her many musical abilities
and accomplishments, Nancy is as comfortable and competent with solo acoustic performances as she is fronting a band.
Her ease on-stage ensures that her live shows are an intimate experience - you feel she is singing just for you!
According to Ian Percival of Billboard Magazine, "Falkow is writing infectious pop/folk songs with palpable soul."
Tom Cooney
Tom Cooney is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who has been performing for three decades. His original music style is best described as Folk Rock/Americana influenced by Blues and Jazz. From edgy, tongue-in-cheek bouncers, to insightful jazz-flavored grooves, Tom displays a unique insight and musicality in his writing. Tom also performs covers of jazz standards, blues, and tunes from other singer/songwriters.
A Connecticut native, Tom is new to the Greater Philadelphia area. He began his performing career at age 16 in Hartford, CT, and performed the acoustic rock circuit in Southern New England while in his 20's. Tom minored in Applied Music while in college, and studied jazz guitar with Norman Johnson of Connecticut. Tom also teaches guitar and music theory and composition, and sits in as a guitarist with other performers.
Christine Moll
Christine Moll is a multi-instrumentalist who has the ability to express her passion for music through
soothing, textured vocals, guitar, piano, drums, percussion and harmonica.
For over ten years Christine's performance experience has been varied from small venues to large
festivals and radio performances that include cities from Los Angeles to Philadelphia and in between.
Christine has been interviewed and performed live on WXPN 88.5 several times in past years by herself
and most recently along with the band 3 Stories High.
Christine is one of those musicians whose music is honest and soulful and speaks for itself. Her songs
affect the listener on so many levels and emotions. This has given Christine a varied and extremely loyal
audience consisting of people from all ages, stages, and walks of life.
Laura Shay
Laura began working on her first CD, "Stories of My Life", at the age of 17.
With the help of Daniel Smith, a talented studio owner and producer, Laura created a breathtaking view into the world of a young woman who holds nothing back. From the haunting melodies of "Another Girl," to the beautifully intimate ballad, "Hate Myself," Laura explores every avenue of her soul, leaving no stone unturned, as her emotions lay bare on the recording. When asked about her influences, Laura is quick to say that Tori Amos has been her greatest teacher. Other favorite singer/songwriters include Fiona Apple, Paula Cole, Joni Mitchell, Alanis Morissette and Stevie Nicks. Laura says, "they are all unique, amazing artists, and they've taught me what music is supposed to be -- an expression of oneself." When asked about her relationship with the piano, Laura will quip "It's the perfect relationship - I can bang on him, scream at him, cry on him -- and it's okay. Music is therapeutic and liberating for me... it's just the way I speak."
Christine Havrilla
Christine Havrilla's aggressive guitar
playing animates her tales of the scars,
fumbles, first times, simple pleasures, pain
and yearning any listener would recognize
with equal
appeal to rock, pop, singer/songwriter, folk
and alternative listeners.
In reviewing her CD, Some Other Thing, Mike Joyce of the
Washington Post said,
The songs are intelligent and moving, the arrangements are incisive and colorful, and, best of all, Havrilla consistently comes across as a confident and seasoned performer... Her voice, which occasionally suggests the influence of Bonnie Raitt, is strong and soulful, but more than anything else it's the impressive level of songwriting that ultimately turns "Some Other Thing" into something special.
Ten Spiders
They call their sound "Americosmic Bluejam" and it's a very apt tag for something so indescribably unique. Imagine a sound that's
equal parts Phish and bluegrass master Bill Monroe. Then throw in some sly funk and the kind of smart Americana Tracy Chapman
does so well. Swirl it around with a fearless sense of communal adventure and cut loose. Ten Spiders is in the house.
Something Black
Great local group that features the vocals of Courtney Malley (a.k.a. Delilah
Frontal of
Full Frontal Folk).
David Scott Smith
David Scott Smith is a writer and performer of contemporary folk rock. His unique sound emanates from his true-grit baritone voice which
is simultaneously naïve and world weary. The backdrop is a dark and sleazy cauldron of guitars, drums and percussion with his beloved
12 string Rickenbacker featuring prominently (he blames this on his hero - Roger McGuinn!) David's been around the block a few times
and his music reflects his experiences of a world that is rarely what we expect it to be.
The mission of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is to cure
leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and
to improve the quality of life of patients and their
families. The Society has dedicated itself to being one
of the top-rated voluntary health agencies in terms of
dollars that directly fund their mission. The Society
supports research, provides services to patients and their families, sponsors public education
programs, and supports advocacy efforts with government and private organizations.
