REBECCA FOLSOM

LiveStream Boulder, CO

Contact: beatrice@empktpr.com

Web: rebeccafolsom.com

Players: Rebecca Folsom, vocals, guitar; Mark Oblinger, vocals, acoustic guitar; Weissenborn lap steel guitar, Oud viol de gamba; Robert Johnson, vocals; Eric Moon, piano, Wurlitzer b3, accordion; Sandra Wong, fiddle, Nyckelharpa; Eric Thorin, electric and upright bass; Christian Teele, drums, percussion. Nick Forster, Steve Szymanski, Carli Zug, Mireille Bakhos, Raqaya Alfaris, guest artists

Material: Debuting her latest release, Sanctuary, Rebecca Folsom shared a collection of songs penned with fellow activists and advocates for social change. The songs speak to those on the fringes who are dealing with mental health issues, racial and gender discrimination, gun violence and incarceration, to name a few.

Musically, Folsom straddles between folk and gospel and gets her inspiration from actual interviews and conversations with those who have experienced these issues, as well as from her own life experience. Together, they form the songs’ narratives.

“Sanctuary,” the title cut, with its inviting piano intro, thematically evens out the human playing field: One world we are brothers and sisters/one world it’s really rather small/one world ours to care for/one world together/a zone and make you wish you were living it. “These Are The Reasons I’ve Gone Insane” is a bit eerie and has a “Munsters” feel to it. These songs are dynamic and lively and don’t leave you feeling stale. There’s some room for improvement, but this band is young and passionate and that will take them a long way. – Pierce Brochetti sanctuary for all. “Rise Up,” a gospel-inspired song, is a call-to-action to our collective humanity: Rise up in my power of glory/rise even higher/gonna fly so high/ gonna shine my light/gonna rise.

Musicianship: Folsom’s voice is the musical equivalent of water cascading through a mountain. While her warm, rich alto sound is the meaty part of her voice, her upper range is equally powerful. She has assembled a group of musicians who complement her while bringing in sounds from instruments not often heard in our current pop music culture.

Performance: Seemingly comfortable in her own skin, Folsom conveys her commitment to the issues with sincerity and authenticity. She more than adequately gives the backstory for each song, which in the case of these selections, is instrumental in their creation. When performing “Rise Up,” Folsom invites the heads of various non-profits to take the stage and join in song, a very meaningful moment in the set. Though her work more than addresses the challenges central to their stories, it would have been intriguing to hear her vesion of a timeless classic in the genre.

Summary: When a singer’s unique sound and heart come together, that’s the moment they hit the sweet spot. Rebecca Folsom achieves that with her song content and powers of expression. Adding to this weighty collection, hearing her spin on one of the classic socially conscious gems would have been a welcome addition.

– Ellen Woloshin

Live Reviews

The Hotel Café Hollywood, CA

Web: marinarocks.com

Contact: marinarocksu2@yahoo.com

Players: Marina Rocks, vocals, guitar

Material: Marina Rocks is an acoustic act reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon or Carole King. Personal lyrics are set to original and creative guitar play that takes you on a wild journey through the mind of a great musician. The music was hard and heavy, at times, and beautifully soft at others. It was a great 45-minute rollercoaster of a ride.

Musicianship: This artist is a seasoned veteran and the music benefited greatly because of it. The material is well written and diverse. Even the cover tunes are unique takes on the originals. The music stayed within the boundaries of the genre as Rocks crooned each song’s story from the heart with an excellent voice. She adds another dimension to her music with exceptional guitar work that not only captivated, but fascinated; and that alone was gold.

Performance: Marina Rocks has strong stage presence and she presents herself in a humble and modest light, which enhances her persona. She lets her vocals and fancy fingerwork do the talking. This performer acknowledges the