Dee Adams
Buffalo, NY singer songwriter Dee Adams writes and sings punchy, poetic, acoustic guitar driven songs drenched in hooks and harmonies. Reviews have coined Dee’s style as “earthy”, “sweet to spunky”, and have said that she has “lyrics that speak to the heart and mind”. With elements of blues, rock, and folk, Dee’s voice is the centerpiece of her lyrically and melodically lilting songs, which range in subject matter from birds, to guns, to countless themes of human nature and social maladies. In addition to being a regularly working performing songwriter, Dee also hosts one of Buffalo’s most popular songwriter’s showcases at the Sportsmen’s Tavern on Monday nights; she gives voice lessons to young children; is known as a jazz singer performing the classic works of the Great American Songbook; works on the performance committee for the Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts; and is regularly hired as a session vocalist for independent producers and artists in the region. Immersed in music in every corner of life, Dee Adams continues to write, sing, play, and teach to become part of the rich musical tapestry that weaves throughout Western New York.
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Phil Banaszak
Philip Banaszak, a 2005 inductee of the North American Fiddler’s Hall of Fame, a former New York State Fiddling Champion, and a three-time Erie County Fiddle Champ, has been performing and teaching in the Western New York area for over 20 years. Mr. Banaszak and his wife, Gretchen, currently make up the City Fiddle Band, mixing Bluegrass, Celtic and original music. He is a charter member of the Canal Street String Band which formed in the summer of 2010, blending fiddle tunes, sea shanties, western swing (just to name a few) styles and harmonies among its group members, entertaining around Upstate New York and Pennsylvania. Mr. Banaszak holds an Associates Degree from Erie Community College, and is a credited Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor in New York. While he taught himself mandolin, his musical credentials include study from George Kedzierzawski, Matthew Tworek and Frank Riley of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2002, he released his book and CD of original neo-traditional fiddle music, and more recently, and the debut album from the Canal Street String Band.
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Cathy Carfagna
Buffalo, NY native Cathy Carfagna covers a lot of ground. Perhaps best known as a keyboardist and vocalist for the Outlyers and the Vores —and former member of the Jazzabels — Cathy has released a solo CD : “Turn Your Face to the Sun.”
Featuring joyous harmonies and well-crafted arrangements, “Turn Your Face to the Sun” is firmly grounded in American roots music and 60s pop sensibilities. The release includes 11 self-penned compositions, along with covers of songs by Bob Kozak (the Jumpers) and Buck Quigley (the Steam Donkeys). Cathy plays piano, organ, and various guitar parts (slide, electric, acoustic), while some of Buffalo’s finest musicians also lend a hand. Her clear, melodic vocals have earned comparisons to Neko Case and Alison Krauss.
“Turn Your Face to the Sun” was engineered by Jim Calabrese (Soundscape Studios) and Dave Meinzer. It was mastered by Armand John Petri, whose engineering and production credits also include releases by the 10,000 Maniacs, the Goo Goo Dolls, and Sixpence None the Richer. For more information, visithttp://www.myspace.com/cathycarfagna
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Nikki Carrol
Nikki Carroll is a writer and musician born and raised in Buffalo, NY. She was introduced to American roots music when she began harmonizing and playing guitar with fellow Shady Grove musicians Lisa Forrest, Sally Fehskens, and Doug Lambert. Currently dividing her time between Buffalo and Pittsburgh, Nikki is an M.F.A student in nonfiction writing as well as an instructor in composition and creative writing at the University of Pittsburgh, where she received the Edwin O. Ochester Graduate Poetry Award (2011) and the Graduate Nonfiction Award (2012) She is still singing with members of Shady Grove when they find themselves in the same city, and has recently been collaborating with Buffalo band The Cellars on the Root Cellar Project, making music in the (very) wide sound spectrum between Americana and psychadelic surf rock.
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Rob Falgiano
Buffalo, NY artist Rob Falgiano embraces eclectic musical influences and enjoys breaking musical eggs for the thrill of discovery. His new CD “All Star Heart” is an interesting smash-up including: layered electro-pop beats; rhythmic acoustic guitars; ambient blips and bleeps; thumping bass guitar and kick drums; Latin-influenced grooves; and real live strings. Rob has deep respect for classic pop songwriting and feels there are no real barriers between genres. You’ll find catchy, uplifting melodies back to back with expressions of desolation. Whatever works and is honest.
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Sally Fehskens
Sally Fehskens values the capacity of music to transmit timeless stories and to provide windows to the human experience. When she was fifteen years old, her older brother taught her to harmonize and play guitar. Growing up, she played with her family in the “Black Kettle Band,” singing traditional songs and hymns. This led her to be part of the Buffalo-based band, Shady Grove, in 2009. She currently is a solo artist, focusing on songwriting and enjoying unstructured fellowship through music. She has performed at the Elmwood Festival of the Arts, the Roycroft Inn’s Ali Baba Festival, “Project 40K” Care Concerts at Faith Lutheran Church, as well as venues around Buffalo, New York. She is inspired by spontaneous song-circles, Bob Dylan, and upright pianos.
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