November 27, 2017 · by Char Seawell
"Do one thing each day that scares you" - Eleanor Roosevelt For Pacific Northwest songwriter Laura Berman, this quote embodies her approach to her music and her life. While she acknowledges that there are scary things that should be avoided, many of …
Read more →October 20, 2017 · by Char Seawell
TV commercial jingles... 60-70’s rock... folk... heavy metal... punk rock: if musical influences were a sandwich, for singer-songwriter Michael Ash, these styles would be the listed ingredients. And he would, as his favorite quote by Warren Zevon…
Read more →September 20, 2017 · by Char Seawell
What motivates songwriters varies widely from artist to artist. But whatever the motivation for starting a songwriting journey, time and experience often transform an initial vision to meet the needs of the writer and the culture. For songwriter…
Read more →August 16, 2017 · by Char Seawell
“Playing a real song is like keeping a wild animal for a pet: gorgeous and terrifying, it lives in your house, but it is never really yours…” Kristen Hersh - Rat Girl . Pacific Northwest singer/songwriter Erin Jordan, inspired by this favorite…
Read more →August 15, 2017 · by Char Seawell
Imagine two floors of a major hotel reverberating with a variety of “unplugged” music flowing out of rooms and down the hallways in an ever-shifting scene until the wee hours of the morning. Then imagine a hotel conference room turned into a first…
Read more →July 10, 2017 · by Char Seawell
The childhood home of singer/songwriter Jim Hanna was one infused with the sounds of Americana. “There was always music in the house. Dad played several instruments including tenor guitar, tenor banjo, mandolin, piano, and the occasional…
Read more →June 10, 2017 · by Char Seawell
Ask a songwriter when their writing journey began and you will usually find memories tied to a certain age or a certain musical experience. But for Pacific Northwest singer-songwriter Val D’Alessio, the writing muse is inextricably woven into a…
Read more →May 15, 2017 · by Char Seawell
Playing to sold out stadiums, having #1 hits on the Billboard Charts, climbing the stairs at the Grammys to receive accolades... these are often daydreams that enter the thoughts of up-and-coming artists. But for Pacific Northwest singer-songwriter…
Read more →April 27, 2017 · by Char Seawell
The owl, in ancient traditions, is symbolic of wisdom…a guide to see beyond the obscuring veil of deception and illusion. The spirit of the owl is associated with an ability to see beyond what is hidden to most. And thus, it comes as no surprise…
Read more →March 29, 2017 · by Char Seawell
“Seattle-Brewed Soulgrass” A long way from the rainy Pacific Northwest, a budding guitar player from Virginia sat in front of a TV set watching “Here Comes the Brides” which is set in old Seattle. In watching the interplay of two characters, Candy…
Read more →February 28, 2017 · by Char Seawell
“glass spilling over, pouring out the past, room fills up, a story's cast” - Jean Mann The stories that spill from the past of singer-songwriter Jean Mann are as rich and varied as the images that fill the lyrics of her six albums. Growing up “in a…
Read more →January 27, 2017 · by Char Seawell
Songwriters discussing their craft often focus on structure and style, or perhaps a particular genre that inspires their stylistic choices. However, songwriter Andy “Roo” Forrest’s writing process begins at his feet… literally. “I walk. I have…
Read more →December 27, 2016 · by Char Seawell
Jaspar Lepak has become, according to Richard Haslop, Audio Video Magazine (South Africa) “… a compelling and sometimes even riveting singer, pure and pretty without being precious, emotionally raw without being raunchy, with a clean, clear voice…
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