Songwriters set for Old City Hall - By Jim Dyar
Taken From The Redding Record SearchlightJim Dyar
D.A.T.E. Editor
Chances are Britney Spears won't be singing about the plight of American farmers anytime soon. But Redding's Brian Kenny certainly will.
Kenny and others who engage in honest issues are treasured commodities among the newly formed Northstate Songwriters' Group. The group will showcase 15 of its members in a 7:30 p.m. Saturday concert at the Old City Hall Arts Center in Redding.
"When any group of more than one person gathers in the name of music, great things can happen," said Nick Ciampi, who organized the show and will also perform. "We're trying to launch this songwriting group and make people aware that there are really good songwriters here."
The group is a diverse mix of men and women from their teens to 60s. Performing Saturday will be players from age 26 to 65. Each songwriter will perform two songs, using only acoustic instruments for accompaniment.
Regardless of age, Ciampi said all the players share common ground.
"They have a passion for getting their ideas across musically," he said. "They have a passion for their instruments and for singing their words. There will be love songs, political songs, funny songs, sad songs, songs of joy. It's been great to see it all grow and come together."
In addition to Ciampi and Kenny, who often play together as the Otisville Sluggers, the performance will include radio personalitiessongwriters Don Burton and Lorraine Dechter; bluesrock guitarist Aaron Lucero; veteran rocker David Thompson; and recent Bay Area transplant Erin Friedman, a co-founder of the songwriting group.
The rest of the lineup includes Valori Cheney, Wayne Corros, Roberta Crowder, Bernie Griff, John Herbert, Suze Sorensen the duo of Jim Lyle & Randy Corbin.
Hosting the show is Nadia Hava-Robbins, who leads an artistic performance group called the Traveling Bohemians.
In addition to sharing a love for creating music, the group also sees the songwriters' showcase as a valuable forum for performing outside of the area's club scene. The group is anticipating an attentive audience and the excellent acoustics of the Old City Hall Arts Center.D.A.T.E. editor Jim Dyar can be reached at 225-8227 or jdyar@redding.com. He also can be seen Thursday mornings on KRCR-TV's Good Morning Northstate program.
Thursday, February 26, 2004
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