Sarah Lentz is a songwriter's songwriter. She crafts songs whose constituent elements—lyrics and music—are strong and able on their own. But when brought together these elements are lifted into a realm where things are in flux, where tonality and heartbreak are searching for resolve and where what you see is what you get…until you hit that killer bridge where the narrative voices invert, rhythmic progressions are bent to the breaking point and sweetness couldn't be any sweeter until it rips your face off.
Sarah Lentz is a singer's singer. Her voice has a timber and range that equals a well-played viola, you know that strange little hybrid number that is neither a cello nor a violin but has the stormy, tragic power of the one and the soaring, triumphant majesty of the other. Sarah has the ability to whisper sweet optimism in her baby's ear but also power through a dirge that keeps the speakers buzzing for hours. Her voice is a voice that knows confidently what it is doing at all times, is generously offered without reserve, seeks to connect to the deep truths of existence and somehow comes up with that connection every time. Sarah Lentz is, yep-a singer/songwriter's singer/songwriter…and for as awkward and cumbersome as that term might read, it is a territory that few in Sarah Lentz's field can so comfortably and confidently occupy.
Sarah moved to New York City by way of Nashville by way of Pittsburgh seeking her fortune and more importantly musical comradeship to help her explore her ideas and ambitions. Her road professionally and personally has been a bumpy one. But through and in the midst of living life well and bravely, Sarah's vision and determination has remained true and unwavering, self releasing two studio records and one Christmas record, fighting and defeating a debilitating autoimmune disease, risking financial suicide by marrying a visual artist and making a life and a family in NYC despite many other cheaper and easier towns in which to do so.
Sarah is extremely pleased to announce the release and celebration of her newest studio recording titled Begin Again that was funded by the faith and support of her fans. Begin Again, beautifully recorded by Emmy award winning Christopher Koch and mastered by Grammy award winning Mark Winter, is a robust collection of songs that keep moving, one after the other, into the territory of their own making. In these songs, there is a searching Sarah is engaged with that operates on every level. Lyrically, there is a searching for love, for peace, for permanence…for the real: searching for real love that leads to both a perfect marriage and absolute bankruptcy for two working artists (“The Long Road,” Track 13), searching for peace in a weary life and unforgiving economy (“Set Free,” Track 10), searching for physical peace through the recovery from disease and bodily brokenness (“Black Coffee,” Track 9), searching for social justice (“Jericho,” Track 6), and searching for emotional release as a woman is filled with both the joy and the terror of bringing new life into a broken world (“For Love,” Track 1).
But deeper and more complicated, this searching is mirrored musically through stylistic and formal shifts. We see Sarah's clear mind exploring and mining musical forms…making them her own, causing them to speak as she would have them speak, sound as she would have them sound, mean what she would have them mean. There is searching on this beautifully honed record but there is also a sense of finding—of finding peace, of finding resolve…or at least the hope for peace, the hope for resolve…and it is this hope that makes us all want to Begin Again.
Jenna Nicholls is to play a last minute gig at The Living Room here in New York tonight Saturday at 9pm. Her good friend Kelly McRae is on at 8pm. We would both love to see you there. 154 Ludlow Street, New York City
Michael Brunnock, hot on the release of his NEW album "Live In New York", will be performing at New York's premier Irish festival Wee Craicfest. A one night festival of live music & the best of Irish short films.
Also on the bill this evening will be the one and only Mundy.
The 10th annual WEE CRAIC will take place at The Studio at Webster Hall 125 East 11th Street, New York, Thursday , September 17th.
SWING BABY LIVE MUSIC SHOWCASE SUN 23RD AUG CARNIVAL SPECIAL @ BAR MUSIC HALL!
Swing Baby Live Music Showcase is back for the true lovers of music and quality entertainment. Whether you love Jazz, Electro, Indie, Hip Hop or pure soul, we will tickle your toes at some point! Come down and support and appreciate quality music from some of UK's most precious musical gems. We promote a platform where live music and dance share the same breathe, some come and shake a leg with us!
Featuring some of UKs most talented gems, help support our talented British artists!!
Emeli Sande - Electroacoustic songstress with a smooth of edge soul - one to look out for! www.myspace.com/emelisande
We got our copy of "Begin Again" from CD Baby last week and haven't stopped listening to it since. Love it! It is extraordinary, beautiful work. Wishing you the success you deserve. Congratulations. Great job.
The Craic Festival 2009 has invited FairplayCollective to play at this years Festival. All members will be playing in the round. The show is at The Mercury Lounge, March 14th at 8pm. This is the last night of the festival and Foy Vance is also on the bill.
What more can I say, a great night for music and film, with the odd star thrown in. Come show your support.
Hey Friends,
Let me take this moment to wish
you all a Happy Christmas and
here's to a better New Year.
So come on down to the lower eastside for
Brendan O' Shea's 2 last shows of 2008.
Brendan will have some special guests
and should make for a lovely evenings of
songs and music.
20th Dec. 8pm The Living Room (154 Ludlow ST)
21th Dec 7pm The Scratcher Sessions (209 E 5th ST)
Come and show your support for LIVE music.
We're now accepting submissions for our next mixtapes, please submit your info at www. coast2coastsubmissions. com for your chance to get a spot on the next mixtape!
We're now accepting submissions for our next mixtapes, please submit your info at www. coast2coastsubmissions. com for your chance to get a spot on the next mixtape!
Hey Friends, Mark Dignam will be playing
one of his rare New York shows at
The Scratcher (one of his favorite rooms).
We wish to see you there for songs and singing.
Sunday evening November 30th at 7.15pm
Please come and support LIVE music.
209 East 5th Street, Manhattan.
We would love to see you at this event
come and show your love for Good Music!
