Feature Story - Deli Magazine - SXSW Print

Just like the rest of the city, the music scene in Austin is ever-evolving and expanding at an exponential rate. With an average of 3,000 people moving here every month, this constant migration is bound to have an impact on the sounds coming from “The Live Music Capital of the World”. --Written by Charise Sowells (read more)

Review - Dead Tree Duo - Scaffold

Every now and then there's a band whose music truly takes you somewhere. Dead Tree Duo is the sort of journey you wish would never end. This duo rocks harder than a lot of 4 piece bands out there and they're doing it acoustically.

In their more intense songs such as "Sisyphus" and "The Hanging of Mary", the vocals are reminiscent of System of a Down and Tool in terms of tone, energy and airtight harmonies. "The Harvest" starts off as a glorious sounding ode to Nick Drake but soon becomes something all their own as it whips around a dark corner and screams, "All things pass!" The words reverberate off the walls that were closing in around you just moments ago... 

Scaffold is a debut album with depth. Emotions run high from beginning to end, genuinely shaping each and every song's unique and at moments even theatrical environment. In listening to the lyrics, it's clear that AJ Seidner and Mark Ford are men that have read a lot and asked life's big questions. I'm not usually one for repeats but when you reach your destination at the end of this album, you can't help but ride the wave again. --Written by Charise Sowells

Review - Lisa Marshall - Stay Right Here

We met at a networking meeting for women in music where I received a stack of CDs from hopefuls, but from the moment I pressed play on my kitchen stereo Lisa Marshall stood out. The needle in the haystack of talent, in a scene recently overcome by soulful wannabes, this voice is genuine and true. Her lyrics hit home. Her guitar flows freely. Stay Right Here presents a force to be reckoned with. --Written by Charise Sowells

Open Submissions - Featured ArtisT - The Vliets

The Vliets have graced the Open Submission Featured Artist list 2 years in a row! That's quite a feat, especially in Austin, a city that we all know is so saturated with musical talent. Their laid-back electro rock brings back memories of carefree adolescence, glossing over the hardships and holding onto the life raft of nostalgia. Check out their sound and don't forget to vote for your favorite band in the final stage of our Year End Poll! --Written by Charise Sowells

Single Release Party - Vegatron - Mohawk

Generally, I prefer singing to screaming but as far as screamers go, Vegatron will show you how it's done. As the newest members of Eye in the Sky Collective, this heavy rock band out of Austin is releasing their single, "Shot My Fate", on Thursday at Mohawk during the AFI aftershow. Their album, Awakening, is scheduled for a release date next month. Opting for a no frills recording style, you'll hear an honesty in this album that so many others have left behind. Check out this video for a teaser of what's to come. --Written by Charise Sowells

Open Submissions - Featured Artist - Criminal Birds

Criminal Birds came out on top in our Open Submissions portion of the Year End Poll with their precise but ethereal rock music. The 4 piece band out of Denton, Texas stole my heart at first listen and I'm super proud and excited for their accomplishments this year. Check out their sound and remember to cast your vote for your favorite band in our poll this month! --Written by Charise Sowells

EP Release - Jazzy Mills - Strange Brew

Pulling from the same pool as Lana Del Rey and She and Him, our own local 60's songstress, Jazz Mills steps out with a spring in her step, daughter on her arm and a killer beehive. You may recognize her from Cowboy and Indian, an Americana band she's been providing vocals for over the years here in town. Watch her hypnotize you with those vacant, exaggerated doe eyes and trippy retro visuals in the video below. For a taste of her "lollipop" sound live, see her at Strange Brew this Saturday, 11/9/13, for her EP release. --Written by Charise Sowells

Music video release - Roxy Roca - Back from the dead

There's nothing like a true love revival. Leave it to Roxy Roca and Outlander Productions to turn this classic concept into a zombie music video premise just in time for Halloween. From the coffin to the stage, watch the life creep back into Taye Cannon's bones, and the crowd's, as he shows up for the after party of his own funeral to reunite with his true love. --Written by Charise Sowells

Misay Day & Michael Kiwanuka - Parish Underground

Misay Day's Kate Robberson is turning another year older and celebrating with quite a few musician friends at Parish Underground on October 4th, 2013. Sharing the stage will be Michael Kiwanuka, Chave Do Mar and Attic Ted. It's a special lineup for a special singer songwriter that we featured a few months back. 

Like so many other bands, Misay Day has recently undergone some changes. But unlike a lot of bands, they pulled through the tough times and got back onstage as soon as they could to prevent losing momentum. In case you missed our first write up, here's a sample of their sweet and simply lovable folk music. --Written by Charise Sowells

SAVE THE DATE - Well-Being For Women Showcase

It's official! We've just booked Spiderhouse on 1/18/14 for an evening of music featuring some of my favorite female fronted bands here in town, TBA. Partnering with The Deli are local companies such as GENaustin and MEOW Con who will be raising awareness about their female focused cause.

Men, women and everyone in between are welcome to come support these ladies on and off the stage and learn about some of the missions in our very own city that exist to support them. Sponsorships are in the works, bands are being booked. $10.00 at the door will not only get you into the event but you'll also get a meditation CD to promote your own well-being once the night is over.

Another element to the evening is my goal to bring attention to the sex trafficking of underage girls. I read an article about it a while back, reached out to local organizations such as Restore a Voice and Allies Against Slavery, looked into broader initiatives such as Love 146 and have been researching to figure out how I can help make a difference. Then I saw this.

Art is always a powerful way to convey a message, perhaps the most powerful. I'd love to do some sort of performance video piece as part of the evening as well. If you want to be involved with any aspect of this event, please email me at thedeliaustin@gmail.com. See y'all in January! --Written by Charise Sowells

Interview - Carla Black - Founder of MEOW Con

Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Carla Black, the founder of MEOW Con. It went a little something like this...

DELI: What's your background in terms of music?

CARLA: I was a professional, full time musician in the early '80s. Played bass in an all-female band. My mom taught piano (still does) and my dad did publicity for local bands. Before playing in bands, I was the entertainment editor of my college paper so I reviewed music in that capacity. It seems like I have never been very far from it my entire life.

DELI: What is MEOW Con?

CARLA: MEOW Con is a conference for women in music - imagine SXSW as a conference for women that included many issues women face as artists. We talk about trends - like the recent Miley Cyrus and Michelle Shocked dustups - and more practical issues: how do you tour if you are a mom? how do you deal with hostility, put-downs, patronizing behavior - and take control of your career on your own level.

DELI: How did MEOW Con come to be?

CARLA: I founded, edited and published a magazine called ROCKRGRL for 10 years. When it folded in 2005 the archive was acquired by Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe (part of Harvard University) as part of its collection on American Women's History. Since then I have been researching a way to bring back the feel of the magazine in a different way. So when I moved to Austin at the end of 2010, MEOW was born (it stands for Musicians for Equal Opportunities for Women).

DELI: Who is MEOW Con for?

CARLA: I want to reach women who are starting out in music before they see that sexism exists and support the women who have already been through it. It is a place to tell our stories and work together across all musical genres to make sure that women have a chance to do whatever they want. I recently met a young college student whose dream is to be a classical composer. But when she entered a classroom of 30 students and found she was the only female she changed her mind. When women's perspectives are not included in the conversation, it's bad for culture in general. We need to make sure that everyone has a chance to be as creative as they want to be - on their own terms.

DELI: What is the best part of MEOW Con?

CARLA: The upcoming conference - Oct 24-26. We will be honoring Suzi Quatro - the queen of rock. Suzi is originally from Detroit, has sold 55 MILLION records and in the US is probably best known as Leather Tuscadero on the hit TV show "Happy Days," which brought us Henry Winkler and Ron Howard. Suzi has been living in England since the '70s and people don't realize what a major influence she was on people like Kathy Valentine formerly of The Go-Gos (one of our keynote speakers!) and Joan Jett. If you like those artists, you will be blown away by Suzi - who is still a powerhouse.

DELI: Why should someone go to MEOW Con?

CARLA: All are invited to attend, but anyone who cares about women in music getting a fair shake should definitely attend. If you are a musician, care about a musician or ever wondered what it was like, this is a great place to go. Our panels are not just about how to make it in the music business, but an examination of why we still see so few successful all-female bands, why white male rappers are fully accepted but Miley Cyrus is "appropriating black culture" for twerking in that awkward Video Music Awards performance, etc. We will talk about areas where women are doing well, and where there are few. We'll also strategize ways to make sure women like my friend who dropped out of the classical composition program find support and stay in the game.

DELI: Any exciting sponsors and partners lined up for this years MEOW Con?

CARLA: As a first year event the stakes are very high and we would appreciate any and all support. But some of the people coming are: Jennifer Batten (played guitar with Michael Jackson), Kathy Valentine (formerly of the Go-Gos), Patricia Kennealy-Morrison (one of the first female music journalists) and nearly 100 bands from as far away as Brazil and Singapore!

DELI: Anything else you want us to know?

CARLA: Tickets are available at www.meowcon.eventbrite.com. The official site schedule can be found here. Suzi Quatro's dinner, which will also be honoring Margaret Moser of the Austin Chronicle, is $125 per person. Suzi will be performing 5 songs at the event with a full band, including her sister Patti, and a horn section. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of this historic moment!

--Interview by Charise Sowells

RECAP -First Best Of Austin's Deli Magazine Showcase - Club DeVille

The showcase was held inside to escape the heat (and light for those with laser shows!). Our musical lineup included: Ray Prim, Space Crazies, Mighty Mountain, Awkward Robot and Sour Bridges. To finish the night out we had a Costume Couture show by Mardi Gras designer, Hazel Mahony. And that was just the inside stage...

Outside, on Club DeVille's main stage, we had LED lit hula hooping. By the entrance sat one of our sponsors, Garbo's Lobster Truck ATX, which sold out long before the night was over. Texas Music Water was flowing freely all around and Circle C sponsored us with their delicious BLUR brew. A video is in the works from the live interview corner we set up to chat with every performer following their set. I'll be posting the final edit soon, so be sure to check back.

As for what's next- I'm planning another event for the new year showcasing female fronted bands. And of course after that, there's always SXSW. Email thedeliaustin@gmail.com to get involved. Advertising and sponsorship inquiries can be sent to that email as well. Thank you again to our sponsors: The Good Music Club, TRCOA, Garbo's Lobster Truck, Texas Music Water, Circle C, The Flier Fairy, Unabashed Productions, Club DeVille and last but not least, CourtPie Photography for the great images. See you next time! --Written by Charise Sowells

Music Video Release - Rebecca Butler and the Richards - Jett

One of my favorite thrift stores is featured in this creative new "pop-up show" video by Rebecca Butler and the Richards. "Jett" has a catchy sing-a-long hook and enough eye candy to pique anyone's interest, ranking high among the many videos this band has released. With humble acoustic singer/songwriter beginnings, Rebecca Butler's sound has evolved into an upbeat indie pop rock groove that will get your head bopping and maybe even your hips swaying as her lilting voice serenades you. --Written by Charise Sowells

Best of Austin's Deli Showcase - Club DeVille

This is the first of a new quarterly showcase series presented by Austin's Deli Magazine! Not only will 5 awesome local bands be playing, but we'll also have a live video interview area, a fashion show and hula hoopers to keep things wild and weird, in true Austin fashion.

The Good Music Club and TRCOA will be awarding special prizes for the participating bands. Texas Music Water will be keeping everybody hydrated. Garbo's Lobster Truck ATX will be keeping the crowd full. And FREE beer from Circle C Brewery will be provided until the keg runs dry.

Doors open at 6pm. $10.00 with 2 canned goods for Food Is Free, $12.00 without. Ray Prim will be starting out the night followed by Space Crazies, Mighty Mountain, Awkward Robot and Sour Bridges. We'll see you at Club DeVille tomorrow, 8/23/13! --Written by Charise Sowells

The Good Music Club Sneak Peek - Horsepower LIVE by Digital Antique

Our partners over at The Good Music Club sent us this sneak peek of a truly awe inspiring performance I had the privilege of being present for at The North Door. Digital Antique is a local instrumental progressive rock band with symphonic overtones. In this video from their live taping you'll hear the strings weave in and out of one another's melodies as the percussive drummer brings the ebb and flow of the songs seamlessly together. While I thoroughly enjoyed the entire set, "Horsepower" wowed everybody in the room unanimously. Witness the splendor below. --Written by Charise Sowells

Album Release Party and Benefit - Attendance Records - Mohawk

Keeping the arts alive in our public schools one collaborative album at a time, Attendance Records connects students and teachers with local artists, writers, and musicians. At the end of the program the 9th and 10th grade students have their poems, short stories, artwork, and lyrics published in an installation or recorded by a local band and pressed onto vinyl. This year they worked with local bands, Marmalakes and Belaire, to produce the album which they'll be debuting tomorrow night at Mohawk! 

Come out and support arts education. Loaded with sponsors and tons of awesome local bands, all you have to do is show up and enjoy the event to help keep music alive in our public schools. Doors open at 7:00pm. $5 for the 21+ crowd and $7 for minors to get in. All ages welcome! --Written by Charise Sowells

Music Video Release - Magaufauna - Precious Blood

Last year at Art Outside, I walked into the biggest crowd I'd seen for a daytime show to find out what all the fuss was about... and then I heard it. Dani Neff, lead singer and guitarist of Megafauna, is one of the best shredders I've seen in all my life. And the best part is, she makes it look so easy! Her dainty fingers seem to effortlessly glide over the strings as this hard but intricately melodious sound oozes from her guitar.  

Quickly on the rise, their latest music video, "Precious Blood", was directed by David Bellarosa of Lonely Giant. It also stars Laurie Gallardo of KUTX and The Good Music Club. This is an Austin music video that can't be missed. Click here to watch. --Written by Charise Sowells

The LaRues - Oh Snap! Festival - The Historic Scoot Inn

Smooth as butter on a hot summer day, the groovy bass lines and silky harmonies of The LaRues melt all over you when you listen to their self-titled album, The LaRues. Fronted by three female singer-songwriters, this piping hot band has been turning their personal heartbreaks and original love songs into a funky good time since 2010. Their behind the scenes video will tell you the whole serendipitous story of how the members came together and their process of creation.

For the live act, they've got a sweet spot in the Oh Snap! Festival, 7/13/13, at the Historic Scoot Inn. You can check out the rest of the lineup here also featuring Dana Falconberry, The Hikes, Space Crazies and Emily Wolfe. If you just can't wait until then, Antone's is up next, 7/11/13. --Written by Charise Sowells

Hollywood Cole, Sneak Peek at Debut EP, Local Show TBA

Hollywood Cole is a burgeoning side project from local singer/soul writer, Ray Prim. With grimy guitar riffs a la Gary Clark Jr. and edgier vocals than Ray's previous work, this album is an exciting new Austin sound. From bluesy rock ballads to smooth pop grooves, I can already hear this album on the radio waves. Check out the sneak peek of the EP at the link below. First show, TBA. --Written by Charise Sowells

Album Release - Mother Merey & the Black Dirt - Antone's

Merey Kimbrough of Mother Merey and the Black Dirt has a vocal style so unabashed it would make Bessie Smith proud. Combine that with the group's foot stomping energy and this band delivers a solid bluesy folk sound like no other. Last week they were the perfectly placed opener for The Builders and the Butchers at The Buzz Mill's Jamboree. Amid the hatchet tossing, jerky making and flapjack eating, there was Mother Merey and the Black Dirt, bringing down the rain with their glorious down home raucous. On May 29th they'll be releasing their album, Down to the River, at Antone's alongside Holiday Mountain, Whiskey Shivers and Old Gray Mule. --Written by Charise Sowells

Roxy Roca - Super Funky April Scootenanny - Scoot Inn

"Give me some butter!" exclaims Taye Cannon, lead singer of Roxy Roca, a soulful funk band with a killer song about the classic comfort food we all know and love, cornbread. Who knew a song about food could be such a sexy good time? Roxy Roca delivers powerhouse energy from beginning to end as Taye makes the most of every moment with old school dance moves, genuine audience interaction and heartfelt vocals.

Combine that with well-written songs paying homage to all the Motown greats, a solid band line up and a snazzy horn section to boot, Roxy Roca can get any crowd grooving like they're on the last episode of Soul Train. Come see for yourself at their upcoming Scoot Inn show with The LaRues this Saturday, 4/27/13. Doors open at 8.  --Written by Charise Sowells

The Real Weird Soul Writers Club - Hosted by Ray Prim - One-2-One Bar

Writing new songs on a weekly basis, Ray Prim consistently cranks out heartfelt pop material that is both soulful and folky in roots. On February 2, 2013 he released an album at Strange Brew on the South end of Austin featuring Karen Goh and a long list of talented musicians. The release was a huge success as he had to turn people away at the door and for good reason: going to a Ray Prim show is like going to a party with one hell of a soundtrack and a room full of quirky new friends. It's an interactive experience between jokes, appropriately placed anecdotes and the crowd swaying to the vocal blends of Ray and his backup singer whom he affectionately calls Mexican Chocolate.

In addition to being a wonderful writer and performer, Ray also hosts The Real Weird Soul Writers Club from 7-8:30p.m. at the One-2-One Bar, every Monday but the first of the month. In this event audience members get to contribute to the songwriting process by writing down ideas which are then drawn from a hat. If their idea is selected the song will be performed the following week. Leave it to Ray to keep things interesting! --Written by Charise Sowells

single release - Scorpion Child - Polygon Of Eyes

We've all heard the question asked time and again, "Who is going to bring rock and roll back?" Scorpion Child just may be the answer. If all the favorite classic rock bands joined hands to invoke the spirit of a modern rock god, their first creation would come out sounding something like the debut album this 5 piece psych rock band from Austin, TX. It's that perfect blend of familiarity and excitement for something new.

Keeping the quality of music as high as their stage antics, this band is quickly on the rise. Recently signed to Nuclear Blast Records, they had an official SXSW showcase this year and are currently touring in preparation for the album drop date, June 25, 2013. The full length album is going to be a gatefold, double LP released at Waterloo Records where they'll be playing a show the same day. Their single, “Polygon Of Eyes”, was made available for purchase on March 8, 2013. Click here to check out the lyric video for the track. --Written by Charise Sowells

album review - lambchop - mr. m

Here comes Mr. M, the man you once knew in your past or the man you used to be depending on what mood you’re in when you hear Lambchop’s new release. A painter turned singer songwriter, Kurt Wagner has written his latest album as if it were his last. Pairing up with Mark Nevers, a Nashville producer yearning for the sounds of a “psycadellic Sinatra,” the two created something very smooth.

After the loss of a dear friend Kurt returned to the silence and solitude of painting which led to the creation of the debutante themed album art. From that process Kurt regained the strength to communicate with the public again and this tragic moment in life becomes one long song. Sonically we travel from the peaceful coasts of Hawaii to a hole in the wall Harlem jazz club and from a French café overlooking the Louvre to a wet basement full of sentiments. Through the atmosphere alone of each and every song, conveyed with ominous strings, loungey drum fills and bossanova guitar stylings we know exactly where Kurt is and we’re right there with him in the drudges.

Timeless and filmic in nature, this self-proclaimed “indirect communicator,” very clearly gets across the message of finding your way again when life gets you down. With stream of conscious style lyrics and a Tom Waits approach to singing, Lambchop seems to have mastered the art of letting a song breathe the way a painter must let a layer dry before assessing what else is to be done, if anything at all.

Much like a good background actor can add more to the scene with subtlety than the ego in the limelight, Mr. M seems to lend itself to something more with humility and grace. “Never My Love” is my favorite on the album, coming across as the most cohesive of the songs with “My Blue Wave” coming in second. No clear single jumped out at me, but whether that’s a good or bad omen will be revealed in time. --Written by Charise Sowells

Album Review - Fun - Some Nights

An intro reminiscent of an operatic nightmare with wandering time signatures and high voltage theatrics kicks off Fun’s sophomore album by saying welcome to Some Nights, a world all in itself. Like a Freddy Mercury reincarnate with the backup choir from Paul Simon’s, Graceland, Fun’s lead singer, Nate Ruess let’s his modern day vocal chops shine through in the very catchy song, “Some Nights.” The next track, “We Are Young,” featuring Janelle Monae, showcases the radio friendly sound of album producers Jeff Bhasker and Emile Haynie. With these two behind them and the band’s wide range of influences including Elton John and Queen, Kanye West and Paul Simon, Fun takes its listeners on a hook-fueled journey.

“Carry On” brings in the Irish pub vibe until the guitar solo from Jack Antonoff kicks in. “It Gets Better” picks up the pace with pop rock that was as “effortless” to write as it sounds, according to the band. The same couldn’t be said for “All Alright,” which was the last song to be written on the album due to being denied use of a sample as their hook. Luckily Emile saved them from the arduous process of starting over from scratch by handing over an original beat. That instance aside, some songs may have been better off less produced such as “Why Am I the One?” which was intended to be an acoustic song from the onset (or Nate’s highly vocoded vocals throughout the album and especially overdone in the closing track “Out of Town”).

All in all, Fun’s Some Nights makes for a simple party concoction with vocal heavy rock compositions mixing with the bouncy dance driven singles. There is a cohesive anthemic energy evoking memories of summers long gone and child’s play emitting from this album. Taking inspiration from everyday life and the artistic greats of many generations, this young songwriting trio delivers a solid second go around that is equal parts hip hop and indie rock, bubble gum pop and dance music with Some Nights, and quite possibly a song of the summer. --Written by Charise Sowells

EP Release - The Kills – The Last Goodbye

As a follow up to their latest LP, Blood Pressures, The Kills have released an EP, The Last Goodbye. The album begins with a reprisal of their most well-received song by the same name, a track gushing with emotion reminiscent of Duffy’s “Warwick Avenue.” Only instead of a blonde with Motown influenced vocals you’ve got VV singing with the dark and moody ruggedness of a 1980’s heroin high in Tompkins Square Park. It’s a haunting melody that will interrupt your dreams for days and a lyrical line that resonates with anyone who’s ever had to begrudgingly bid farewell to an unhealthy love.

Then you’ll hear the covers. Fitting right in with the ambience created in the title track is the second song, “Pale Blue Eyes,” made famous by The Velvet Underground decades ago and still a staple in the late night bar scene. Fortunately The Kills balance the acts of paying homage to the original vocal performance and stepping it up a couple notches of intensity with a simple but heavy drum beat combined with a sleepy garage rock sound on guitar.

Next on the list is “One Silver Dollar” where VV shows the lighter side. Sticking with the acoustic nature of the original as performed by Marilyn Monroe, The Kills hold true to their somewhat sullen sound but cut back the edge on this one. Like a bridge after two dark verses, “One Silver Dollar” lightens the EP up just before delving back into the abyss of heartache. Winding down the EP with a jukebox favorite and popular cover song, “Crazy” fits right into the theme of The Last Goodbye as a suitable closing for one very lovesick ride. --Written by Charise Sowells

Chinua Achebe Tribute - Pen America - The Town Hall

Feeling a bit devoid of inspiration as of late, not because my life has been dull, but because of the exact opposite (there was so much DRAMA going on that the last thing I wanted to do was take a moment to sit down and relive any portion of it by writing it out) so I decided to attend an event that Toni Morrison was hosting. I’ve always loved her work and had a feeling I might be inspired by her presence as well.

The event was held at The Town Hall where many greats have graced the stage and numerous albums have been recorded over the decades, from Pete Seeger to Dizzy Gillespie. Just walking into a space that’s not only held such immense talent but has also been the foundation of many creative projects was inspiring in itself. My objective was met before I even found my seat! Then the tribute to Chinua Achebe began.

Michael Cunnigham delivered a sweet introduction of the Nigerian author and his 50-year-old book, Things Fall Apart, followed by one touching speech after another from the likes of Chris Abani, Ha Jin, Edwidge Danticat and many more. One of my favorite quotes of the evening, for all you writers out there, came from Colum McCann who compared Achebe’s words to Yates’ via what he called the “world link” saying, “The best words unravel and remake the familiar. Chinua Achebe opened his window and made local universal.” Lesson in point: “If you don’t like a story you read, tell your own.” (And here I am blogging in the night, thanks Colum!)

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a fellow Nigerian writer, similarly said that until she read Things Fall Apart she didn’t know people like her could exist in books. She added that before this book “Africa was always defined by what it was not, what it did not have, how it was dying, not how it lived… Chinua Achebe changed that.” To be honest, I’m not sure how much that has changed in the larger scheme of things as the majority of what we hear about Africa still fits into the said categories of what the continent is lacking as opposed to anything positive, but kudos to Achebe for entering a new frontier and voicing a more truthful reflection of Africa half a century ago, bravely paving the way for many writers to come.

All in all, it was far more inspiring of an event than I’d ever expected and we haven’t even gotten to the stars of the evening: Toni Morrison and Chinua Achebe. Turns out they were born the same year, 1931. Morrison was a supporter of Achebe from the minute he moved to NY having discovered his writings while pulling together an African Literature textbook for American public high schools years before her own work had been published. She once even arranged a reading of Things Fall Apart by her friend, Allen Ginsburg, but Achebe was too shy to attend the reading himself so he watched it on video later, from home.

Sitting alone, center stage, on this Tuesday night in The Town Hall, Achebe recalls this distant moment in life with a chuckle as he gazes out at a full house of admirers. “I sent the only manuscript from a mailbox in Nigeria to England where someone would ‘type it well’ but there was no guarantee I would see it ever again. Things Fall Apart brought me lots of good luck. That book wrote me,” he says. Immobilized at this age, he thanks us for honoring him one last time and waits to be wheeled away…

I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t read Things Fall Apart but I guarantee you that after attending the 50th Anniversary of the book and hearing about all that it has done for the literary world, it’s next on my list of recommended reads, how about you?

Event presented by the PEN American Center. For more info go to: www.pen.org

--Written by Charise Sowells

Sharon Jones - Beacon Theater

Sharon Jones. If you haven’t heard of her you’ve probably heard of her backing band, the Dap-Kings. And if you don’t recognize their name, I can pretty much guarantee you’d recognize their sound because they’re now Amy Winehouse’s backing band, as well. Based out of Bushwick/Brooklyn, New York, area code 11206, where I used to live btw, they even have their very own label: Daptone Records.

I saw the lovely convergence of this band and this firecracker of a woman a few weeks ago at the Beacon Theater. I know it’s a little late to write a review but her damn songs are still stuck in my head! They’re just too good! So I’m considering it a sign from the music gods that I need to spread the word about this glorious performer.

Sharon Jones has got the bodily spirit of James Brown mixed with the vocal dynamics of Aretha Franklin. I always wished I’d seen these two live until I saw Sharon Jones. It was as if they were sharing the stage that night, in one soulful soul.

She’s 52. But you would never EVER know it. She called up men on stage. “They gotta be tall and sexy and under thirty,” she said with a naughty little laugh, never missing a beat of her constant motion around the stage. Throughout the show she danced with men and women alike and had fun doing it (almost as much fun as we had watching it!).

And to top it off, I’ve never seen a concert audience so diverse in my life and I’ve been to a lot of shows and festivals in my day. But this one took the cake when it comes to mixing it up! We had the old couple griping about the two NYU alums in front of them refusing to sit their behinds in their seats. Meanwhile, you had the underage drinkers vomiting on the stairs just 2 seats away. 3 rows down were the stoned hippie chicks moving too slowly to keep in rhythm with the upbeat songs. Then there were couples necking and groups of friends cheering in all directions. And we were only in the balcony. The real music heads were below us, from the former head of Joe’s Pub to every booking agent you can imagine. I only know this because I saw the few that I knew while in line at the downstairs bar.

So while it’s great that the Dap-Kings are helping Amy Winehouse blow up and some of her fans are clearly transferring over to the diva from another era, Sharon Jones. I am here to spread word directly: if you haven’t heard her yet, give Sharon Jones a chance- she’s been waiting long enough! --Written by Charise Sowells

Lizz Wright & Brandon Young - Highline Ballroom

Don’t you love it when you go to a show and the opening act is actually a pleasurable experience? Tuesday night I went to a show at Highline Ballroom, a classy but cozy venue that knows how to milk you for all you’re worth, while simultaneously making you feel too at home and well serviced to care. It’s a room full of tables, each with a $10 minimum per person/per set, but on this night the music was so good and our waitress so attentive and the drinks so satisfying and the food so delectable that we couldn’t have cared less that we spent about 70 bucks each to see this woman perform, with the ticket price included of course. Fortunately, Lizz Wright and everything else that factored into the evening, was worth every penny.

She has a background in Gospel and jazz. Now, with the help of local songstress Toshi Reagon, she has created a sound all her own. It’s music that enters your soul with a soothing melodic groove and makes you feel in love with the world all over again. The minute she walked onstage I was drawn in and remained that way until the end of the night. People have told me that I have a “pull,” like a magnet almost. But if I’m a magnet, I’m about as big as a refrigerator magnet and she’s one of those cartoon ACME magnets that draws the universe in.

On this night she pulled together “her favorite people” to perform alongside her and you could truly feel how much she adored each and every one of them and vice versa. At one point she apologized for not talking very much between songs saying, “For some reason, I just want to sing to you tonight. I’m just so happy. It feels like family in here.” The audience chuckled responding, “That’s all right,” because that’s what we’d come to hear her do anyways. And after the first note out of her mouth, we really couldn’t ask for anything more.

On the other hand, we had the opening act, Brandon Young. This was his first show in NY and as my friend said, “I felt like I was on a date with him. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to put out or not!” Well, metaphorically speaking, I would have certainly put out. You can’t be mad at a guy for wearing his heart on his sleeve. Even if it reached a level of sappiness at times, the act came across genuinely. Whether it was genuine or not, we’ll never know, but I enjoyed the getting to know you banter mixed with his perfectly constructed pop songs of love, love and more love. With Jeff Buckley-inspired vocals, he’s got the formula so down pat that every song felt familiar, in a good way. I often found myself humming along halfway through as if I’d known the song all my life- and writing something catchy is half the battle.

So, best of luck to both of these new talents. It was a great night and it really did feel like family. How often does that happen in NY?

***MY ONLY NOTE: “The Broken Caesar Salad” on the menu is literally two chunks of lettuce with some toppings thrown in. Our friends at the table next to us would have appreciated the clarification. So there ya go, you've been warned. :-)

--Written by Charise Sowells

Comedy Review - Comedy Cellar - All You Need Is Life

Not normally one for comedy, be it movies or standup, it’s just not my first choice. But with Moms in town, we set out for a night at the Comedy Cellar near my old Washington Square Park stomping ground, the heart of NYU’s cityscape campus. John Fisch was our host of the evening, attempting to fill in the gaps between guest comedians with a balance of clean jokes including personal tales of bed-wetters and laundry day.

Kicking off the evening’s lineup was Gregg Rogell, who had my preferred sense of humor: dry and demented. While others groaned at him for pushing the envelope again and again, I could have listened to him all night long. He took part in a movie called The Aristocrats if you’d like to see him for yourself, though I’ll not vouch for the quality of those jokes as I’ve not seen the film yet myself. All I can say is that this guy can make anything dirty but it's only as disturbing as it is impressive and I love it.

Todd Lynn was up next. His claim to fame is Tough Crowd and it was also the running joke of his set. Several of his jokes fell flat and he dropped the F bomb maybe five times a sentence. But I will say his bit about Obama was bold and hilarious. The idea of this prim and proper “black” (though really multiracial) man being inaugurated only to completely flip the script on the "white liberals that voted for him" and rip off his suit revealing a jersey, baggy pants and a whole lot of bling- well that’s some fun imagery. So a few rough spots were endured before we got to the worthwhile gems of his act.

Mike DeStefano from Last Comic Standing, he was one of my mom’s faves but he didn’t mix with me at all. There was one joke that hit my funny bone about finding money on the street right in front of a sleeping homeless man and the irony of that situation. Besides that it was a lot of “cunt punching” and cabby punching which I could have done without.

Lisa Landry was the only woman comic of the night, I wanted to like her just because of that. Good for her! You know? But after the extreme styles that came before her, the jokes coming out of her mouth seemed a little elementary. From muffin tops to not being maternal, nothing really struck a chord with me. But apparently she has her own show called Premium Blend if you ever want to see a blond Louisiana chick do her thing.

Kevin Brenner was second to last and he came at just the right time, livening things up with jokes covering every topic you could imagine in a respectably playful way. He’s been seen on HBO and was my second favorite and my mom’s #1. By the end of the act you felt like you knew him and maybe even had the urge to buy him a drink.

Kurt Metzger was the final performer and reminded me of that guy everyone knows. Not quite the life of the party type but definitely that funny guy in the group who isn’t afraid to say what everyone else is thinking because he’ll deliver it in a way that makes the room laugh. Quirky and awkwardly charming or maybe charmingly awkward, you can see him in White Boys in the Hood.

In the end, you gotta love New York for everything it has to offer. Every day, even the smallest moments can be inspiring if you look at them the right way and this night of comedy reminded me of that: the importance of perspective. If you’re an artist, a creative of any kind, what these people proved to me tonight is that there is no point in sitting around and waiting for whatever you believe a muse to be. Life itself is a muse; if we could only remember to look at it that way.

For info on this venue and other sources of comedic musings go to: NYC COMEDY

--Written by Charise Sowells

Artists as Limitless Changemakers - Guest Blog - Haulix Daily

The creative path sometimes feels like a selfish and lonely road. Finding ways of using your talents to make a difference and give back to the community can truly be a positive shift. It was for me.

Several years ago, I came across an ad for a nonprofit event that was truly transformative. It was a screening of the documentary, Very Young Girls, about underage sex trafficking in our own backyard, the US of A. When the movie was over, everyone in the room was bawling or enraged. All of us wanted to get involved somehow. As an artist, I immediately started thinking about how I could raise awareness through my work.

Due to my background in film production, I decided to make a PSA. After researching for several months, I reached out to local organizations, the police department, and abolitionists to deepen my understanding. Upon completion, Channel Austin added the video to their rotation. I also screened it at one of the music showcases I put together as the Editor and Event Planner of The Deli Magazine. People were shocked and disturbed, the community was moved. They wanted to know more, including ways to get involved, so I referred them to local organizations working to fight against modern day slavery.

To be able to make a positive impact on the world with something I created was not only fulfilling, but also very motivational. It was a game changer for me as an artist and entrepreneur and something I work to incorporate into projects I take on moving forward. As long as you are authentic in the charitable work you align yourself with, the change you can make as an artist is limitless. --Written by Charise Sowells

Lucky Me: A Close Call With A Predatory Producer

In 2001, I graduated early from Orange County High School of the Arts feeling that even in a school full of misfit weirdos I still didn’t belong. I’d moved from St. Paul, Minnesota to Orange County, California just a couple years prior. It all felt like some strange drug induced nightmare in a parallel universe and I wanted out. So I kept myself busy by studying, volunteering, waitressing, creating, performing, and socializing.

In the year before NYU, I worked full time to save money and took music and dance courses at Long Beach City College. It was there that I met a producer more than ten years my senior in front of the bulletin board. We recorded a song I had written about 9/11 at his home studio. Unfortunately, he lost the files after months of work so we never released it. But we kept in touch for years, recording other material. I also wrote songs for other artists of his and he used some of my writing in a musical he produced. He became like family, my mother quickly trusted him and so did I.

Years later, he called me as I was sitting in Virgin Megastore, just down the block from my freshman year dorm. We caught up, I was a junior or senior then at NYU. Life was good. New York was still magical. Then, he chimed in and said I was lucky that he never tried anything. I asked him to explain because I hoped I had misunderstood what he was saying. I hadn’t. He went on to say I was lucky he never tried anything because he definitely could have. I was a teenager alone in his house, recording, eating pizza, drinking his boxed wine, and he perceived me to be “eager” to make it as an artist. Suddenly, everything this relationship had been to me for years changed in that instant.

I hadn’t realized it, but apparently I truly was lucky this man hadn’t “tried anything” with me. My stomach dropped and I ended the conversation abruptly. He attempted to connect time and time again via various social media channels, email and phone but I wasn’t eager to maintain that relationship, naturally. A collaborative relationship with anyone is already a vulnerable and intimate space to hold, some might even call it sacred. Whatever it was, he killed it and I felt anything but safe, trembling on the other end of the line after we hung up.

This story feels important to share because as artists, people prey on our dreams and as women, people often prey in other ways as well. I’m not sure why this producer didn’t put his thoughts into action with me but I’m grateful to have been “lucky” in that regard. Others are not so lucky. I too have been not so lucky in other circumstances and when that happens, it changes you. --Written by Charise Sowells

How Hannah Horvath Made Me Fat (And Happy)

Rolls of tatted white flesh bounce up and down, jiggling with every motion, every grope, every slap. She is unapologetic and free, changing angles and positions. Changing lovers. Changing hands.

It was only recently that I realized my parents’ divorce is what triggered my anorexia at eight years of age. Stick thin as always, a bottomless pit eating everything in sight but never gaining a pound. Suddenly, things were different. My world was askew. As I prepared to go onstage and dance, I looked down at my leotard and noticed a tiny dip between my lower and upper abs. It was not perfectly flat. Never had been. Just like all the stomachs of the women in my family. We were fertile creatures with uteruses full of miracle grow. Bell shaped pots, ripe with seeds. We gave hippie a new meaning. But from that moment on, everyone else was perfect and I, in my mind’s eye, was flawed. The switch had been flipped and it would remain that way for decades.

She wears granny panties and crop tops, pairs booty shorts with thunder thighs. She goes braless. She rocks a bush. Sometimes she shaves. Maybe even waxes. She owns her body: every dimple, fold, lump and pimple. She rarely wears makeup and prefers reading to the gym. Her body is a temple of her soul, not a shrine to it or reflection of it. It’s a vessel, and she’s merely living in it.

At thirteen, I became vegetarian out of my love for animals, largely inspired by Lisa Simpson’s episode with the lamb. It wasn’t long before it became a convenient excuse to not eat in midwestern households where “it’s not a meal without meat”. Tae-Bo and Jane Fonda workout sessions bookended my school days. I did sit-ups daily, hundreds. My hairline began to recede. My teeth began to yellow. Friends recommended bulimia. I tried it but preferred a controlled intake to vomiting my meals, taking pride in my willpower.

She has friends of varying shapes and sizes. They are the blind leading the blind, pawing their way through this world full of foreign objects and harsh realities, tripping over each other along the way. She is narcissistic with a big heart, fumbling hard.

In high school, my friends and I traded pill boxes. We often competed to see who could take the most diet pills in a day without feeling like they were going to have a heart attack. Eventually Metabolife went off the market for being too close to meth in its chemical makeup. I got caught stealing it before then, running down the street with bottles of pills emptied into my purse. This is when I realized I had a serious problem. But I couldn’t stop. I wasn’t curvy enough to be voluptuous or skinny enough to be waif, the only two body types in the media at the time. And like so many other things about me: not black enough, not white enough, not straight enough, not gay enough, not talented enough - I believed I wasn’t enough of anything.

Throughout college and nearly a decade after, my lack of self-worth showed up everywhere in my life. I changed jobs, cities, friends, and lovers. Traded diet pills for booze and caffeinated beverages. I was going out all the time and achieving. Doing everything I was supposed to on paper. But I was alone in my struggle. Ashamed. Writhing with inner turmoil, I had the self-awareness to know I only had myself to blame but I had no idea how to change what was happening inside. Then I saw GIRLS.

She makes love in the light of day without hesitation or posturing. She laughs. She cries. She feels, thinks, and questions. She bends. She does not break.  She cracks, but does not break. She falls and gets up, only to inevitably fall again.

This woman was real. So real, I felt I could reach through the screen and touch her. The show was compared to Sex and the City initially but unlike those polished and mature New Yorkers, the actresses in GIRLS didn’t look like actresses. They looked like my neighbor, my classmate, my friend. It didn’t feel like they were playing characters, it felt like real people revealing themselves to the world, flaws and all. And I never saw myself the same again.

Cooking became yet another way to express myself and eating became one of life’s great pleasures. I threw out my clothes year after year, buying a new wardrobe that actually fit this foreign figure I was morphing into day by day. It was strange, but I soon realized that freeing up my mind from all that self-hatred and constant critiquing created mental space for me to be even more productive, listen better, and fully relax without any vices. I became the curvy lady I am today, several sizes bigger with a balanced diet and a healthy workout regimen. And my hair has never been so long and healthy!

Was it, in part, the typical self-assuredness that comes with entering your thirties that led to this change? My back injury? My husband’s love? I think it’s safe to say yes to all of those things. But Hannah Horvath was a major catalyst in this journey of learning to love myself, inside and out. She helped me realize that while I am not my body, it is important that I nourish and respect my physical self because it is my vessel (at least for this cycle around the sun). And because my spirit is with me wherever I go, possibly in this life and beyond, I have worked hard to be kind to myself no matter what the packaging looks like and no matter what the contents are inside the package. Hannah helped me to finally be able to say, I’m worth it. No matter what the situation may be.

She smiles with charmingly crooked teeth, dancing around the room. She gives herself to the journey and comes out on the other side. She grows. She changes. She learns. She loves with abandon. --Written by Charise Sowells

Emerging Artists - The Deli Magazine - 2014

“I just want things to be really cartoony,” says Laura Patino before heading onstage for a recent Deli showcase, where she went on to transform the Spider House Ballroom stage into the strange but wondrous world inside her mind." --Written by Charise Sowells (read more)

CD Review - Jose Gonzalez - Veneer

Jose Gonzalez is an Argentinean Swede with the sounds of the late Nick Drake and the looks of a Latin Adam Sandler. Many people recognize his single, which was featured in a Bravia commercial playing alongside the visual wonder of a bouncing rainbow of super balls taking over the streets of San Fran by the millions, in slo-mo. That said, his album, Veneer, stands on its own in every sense of the phrase. Gonzalez has several songs that are just long enough to leave you wanting more and what one might think he lacks in lyrics and song structure, his musicianship more than makes up for to such a level that a listener can only ponder the existence of a god that grants such talents.

My favorite part of the album: the carefully crafted cover songs that have been arranged in such a way that they seem to express the secrets of Jose Gonzalez more openly than his original material. Does he have a video? Not that I’m aware of, but as soon as there is one, RockAmerica will take advantage of it because this 20-something singer songwriter definitely has plenty of fans who would love to see his videos and I’m one of them! --Written by Charise Sowells