The regular band lineup: Julia Olivarez, vocals; Andrew Lienhard, piano; Erin Wright, bass; Tom Cummings, vibes; Sasha Loukachine or Robert Ceballos, drums
Song personnel:
"Close, No Cigar" - Julia, vocals; Andrew Lienhard, piano; Steve Brown, bass; Robert Ceballos, drums (live performance recorded at Cosmos Cafe on Andrew's m-audio, 2006. Words and music by Little Jack Melody.)
"Seventeen" - Julia, vocals: Andrew Lienhard, piano; Erin Wright, bass; Tom Cummings, vibes; Sasha Loukachine, drums (performed live in the KUHF studio at The University of Houston for "The Front Row," August 2006. Music and lyrics by Julia Olivarez.)
"Patricia" - Julia, vocals; Andrew Lienhard, piano; Erin Wright, bass; Tom Cummings, vibes; Sasha Loukachine, drums (performed live in the KUHF studio at The University of Houston for "The Front Row," August 2006. Music by Erin Wright, lyrics by Julia Olivarez.)
"All Your Worldlies On the Lawn" - Julia, keyboards & vocals; (demo, recorded at Andrew's studio Feb 22, 2008. Music and lyrics by Julia Olivarez.)
"My Heart Is Wrecked Upon Your Brow" - Julia, keyboards and vocals (demo, recorded at Andrew's studio, Feb. 22, 2008. Music and lyrics by Julia Olivarez.)
"Sunrise, With Sea Monsters" - Julia, keyboards and vocals (demo, recorded at Andrew's studio, Feb. 22, 2008. Music and lyrics by Julia Olivarez.)
"If You Should Know" - Julia, keyboards and vocals (demo, recorded at Andrew's studio, Feb. 22, 2008. Music and lyrics by Julia Olivarez.)
To hear more sound files, to read lyrics, or for more information, go to www.cantydame.com (Julia's website).
Julia@cantydame.com
Influences
TOM WAITS performing "Tom Traubert's Blues," Houston, 6/22/08 --
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Also -- Louis Armstrong, Billy Strayhorn, Nancy King, Diana Krall, Shirley Horn, Eartha Kitt, Louis Prima, Noel Coward, Kurt Weill, Serge Gainsbourg, Charles Trenet, Stephen Sondheim, Nina Simone, Louis Jordan, Kay Thompson, Peggy Lee, Abbey Lincoln, Billie Holiday, Irene Kral, Jackie & Roy, Joao Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Maria Joao, Gal Costa, Blossom Dearie, Bob Dorough, Mose Allison, Caetano Velhoso, Milton Nascimento, Flora Purim, Gilberto Gil, every mean old daddy who ever broke my heart, because without them, all I'd have to write or sing about would be trees and flowers and balloons and shoes and war and pestilence and stuff.
Sounds Like
"Stratford-on-Avon meets Fifty-Second Street -- and SWIIIIINGS!" - Eric Ladau, KUHF's "The Front Row"
Julia Olivarez & The Neuromantic Quartet are hot, sweaty Houston, Texas's go-to jazz cats and kittens for the diabolically odd, the merrily insouciant, the "what the hell was THAT?" Just think of us as the hot Reuben sandwich of jazz, with extra sauerkraut, lots Swiss, a bissele mustard, on rye, take my word for it, you want rye. (It's cooler, baby.)
Thrillingly oddball originals jostle cheek-by-jowl with the unsung waifs and strays of the great American Songbook. You throw it at us, we'll jazzify it; that is, if we like it. Technical virtuosity and a romantic, brooding theatricality run neck and neck. We want to crawl into your heart and stomp it flat.
But we'll send you home with a smile, like all great romantic encounters should.
Individual member bios coming soon!
UPDATE -- You can now hear us on KUHF's 2007 compilation CD, "The Front Row Reserved," which also features live in-studio performances by Nanci Griffith, Eliza Gilkyson, fiddler extraordinaire Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul, The King's Singers, The Brazilian Guitar Quartet, Jose-Miguel Yamal & His Latin Jazz Quartet, The Karelian Folk Ensemble and more!
Our very special thanks to Debra Fraser, Bob Stevenson, Dean Dalton, Eric Ladau, John Proffit, Elaine Kennedy, Todd Hulslander, Chris Johnson, Catherine Lu and all at KUHF, Houston Public Radio for the synergy, the great inclusive spirit of "The Front Row," and the friendship and support. This is what keeps us in Houston happily knocking our brains out to make art LIVE!
FIREWATER - LIVE DEMONSTRATIONS! Last shows until October!
Jun 26 : Larz, GERMANY : Fusion Festival Jun 27 : Audincourt, FRANCE : Rencontres & Racines Jun 28 : Istanbul, TURKEY : Balkan Soundz Festival July 02 : Dornbirn, AUSTRIA : Speilboden July 03 : Bulle, SWITZERLAND : Gibloux Festival July 04 : Jena, GERMANY : JG Stadtmitte July 05 : Hradec Kralove, CZECH R.: Rock For People July 06 : Vienna, AUSTRIA : Szene Wein July 08 : Linz, AUSTRIA : Posthof July 10 : Steyr, AUSTRIA : Röda July 11 : Bologna, ITALY : Mondiali Antirazzisti July 12 : Milano, ITALY : Magnolia Festival July 13 : Colmar, FRANCE : Hiero July 15 : Paris, FRANCE : Batofar July 17 : Pozega, CROATIA : Dirty Old Empire Festival July 18 : Veszprem, HUNGARY : Utcazene Fesztivál July 24 : Riberac, FRANCE : Le Grand Souk Festival July 25 : Gdynia, POLAND : Globaltica Festival July 31 : Namur, BELGIUM : Esperanzha Festival Aug 01 : Habere-Poche, FRANCE : Rock'n'Poche Festival Aug 02 : Bladel, NETHERLANDS : Bladelse Zomerfeesten
> Bellydancers in costume get in free at all club shows!
> More shows are still being added, so check the Firewater MySpace page for updates.
> This message was sent by an evil robot. So if you are somewhere other than Europe and can't escape, we're sorry. We'll be back again someday soon.
Whats up from Dr. Grey!!!! Hope all is going well in your world. We just came out with a new song called Rainbow Tears, so check it out and tell me what you think. If you got anytime you should also drop a vote for us at http://www. delllounge. com/soundandjury/?id=079e8bc2-1923-4134-8daf-6a92f17b1c61 Thanks for the love and have good days!
Hey Julia, Thanks to many nominations, my act is now on the ballot for "Best Local Song", and "Best Neo-Folk Act" in the Houston Press Music Awards. Please take a minute and vote now by clicking on the image below or going to http://houstonpress. com/polls/musicawards08/ Please help spread the word as well. We've got a lot of good friends on the ballot, so even if you don't lean our way, it's all good. Thanks, ~Lee
I love the new songs. Two comments: - "If you should know" fills my head with fantastic Bradbury imagery. - When I started playing "All Your Wordlies," Zorn (the cat) immediately broke into a raucous purring fit. Not sure of the implication, but I'm guessing it's a good omen.
