COME ON DOWN
to The Pleasant Cafe Open Mic!!
WEDNESDAY nights at 36 Main St.,Maynard!
sign up from 7:15pm,music starts by 8:00pm
listed on openmikes.org:
http://openmikes.org/listings/pleasantcafe
~(:>)
Influences
So many...CSNY,Dylan,Joni Mitchell,Bonnie Raitt.
Thanks to MOM, high-soprano-deluxe, for the musical genes!
The first thing you notice about Perry Desmond-Davies’ music is her voice: always tender, lyric and melodic, at times soaring, seductive or smoky.
It's a voice that can reach out to touch unguarded parts of the us with joy, nostalgia and longing.
Perry’s honest brand of contemporary acoustic music is about life stories that listeners can relate to. Her original songs range from the bittersweet ballad of a child’s love in "Hey Dad" to the very grown-up adult’s fantasy in "Irresponsible".
While "All I Want" profiles the sweetness of a new love, the emotions running through "Everything is Hard" reflect the realities faced in an established relationship that's in trouble.
She also pays tribute to her favorite influences with selective covers of legendary artists like Bonnie Raitt, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, but with a soul and a voice that is all her own.
Perry is a lifelong New Englander, originally from Maine, now living near Boston. She first learned to play piano and guitar at age 9, taking lessons along with her big brother Dave. While Dave went on to become a Leo Kottke sound-alike, P basically got kicked out after a couple years
because she was playing everything by ear and not reading the music.
Undaunted, she followed brother Dave into the local coffeehouse circuit, sort of like a folk version of Tanya Tucker (if you're old enough to remember her intro to the country scene at 15). Life intervened, work became the more important thing, and the music got put on the back burner, "just for now".
It would be another 18 years before she played out in public again.
Fast forward to a once-a-year open mic offering at the Simple Gifts Coffeehouse in Nashua, NH, all those years later. Perry signed up, thinking that maybe if she got out there just one more time she could perhaps overcome this nagging need to share her voice and original music with the world. Alas, it was not meant to be an end, but a new beginning: she had a great time, made about 100 new fans that night, and decided to make it a regular thing.
Perry recently began hosting a weekly open mic at The Pleasant Cafe in Maynard,Mass. She had previously hosted the very successful Gathering Place Coffeehouse in Nashua, NH. In August 1998, Perry was chosen as a finalist at Portsmouth, NH’s first annual Prescott Park Arts and Acoustic Festival Emerging Singer-Songwriter competition.
Although she emphasizes her heartfelt original compositions (with good reason), Perry also features unique tributes to John Prine’s "Angel From Montgomery", Gillian Welch’s "Orphan Girl", and a scorching rendition of the classic "House of the Rising Sun".
Once you hear Perry Desmond-Davies, you will never confuse her with anyone else.
Hey Girl, 'Longer Than You Know' blew me away when I heard you do it at PCA, and it's equally as compelling and emotional on this recording. Well done sistah, that song just tears me up (sigh)... Hope to see you soon. XO, Lori
Hi Perry.........and how IS my friend? Today is a gift and we all share LOTS of thoughts.....We certainly don't agree on all of them.....but I think we all imagine what it would be like to be stuck in such a situation. :^<)
I wish you well.....and it's always a pleasure to come and visit you.
Perry...you've honored me greatly. :^>) I'm a Northampton boy...lived there for thirty years so I'm not exactly shy. I've noticed that almost nobody in Space wants to actually come out and say what they feel for fear of offending someone. I remain totally confused by that......and look forward to our friendship. btw...Your music is fabulous.
Perry, I am so sorry I missed you amazing performance last week at TCAN! Hope our paths will cross again sometime and I can hear you live...for now it is beautiful to just listen to your voice here. Adrienne:)
Just stopping by to say Hi! Loved your new song it was fun and upbeat and downright funky! Hope to see you this coming Wednesday for another "lightening" round at the Pleasant Cafe! ;D
THANX SO MUCH FOR YOUR KIND WORDS, AND COMMIN FROM SUCH AN AWESOME SONGWRITER AS YOURSELF, IT MEANS A LOT.. AND I WOULD LOVE TO COME TO YOUR OPEN JAM SOMETIME FOR SURE!!
Hi Perry, It was great to see you last night. I really enjoyed your new song as well. I loved the mood of it. Thanks for sharing your talents for all of us to enjoy. I can't wait to get to your new open mic!!! Peace to you my friend, C.
Thank you my sweet friend - it was wonderful to see you and your song was indeed a 'Sweet Ride'!!! Actually, I really did love that song - your vocal riffs were very bluegrassy(the adjective for the day). Anyway, no suprise, but always a delight to hear a song WELL DONE! XO, Lori
