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'Artists For Independence' Concert
Indie Artists - Going It Alone
June 18, 2003
By Roger Kuhns
Four regionally and nationally known musicians are gathering for an evening
of original music at the Third Avenue Playhouse at 7:30 PM on Saturday, July 5. 'Artists For Independence' brings
together innovative pop/rock-alternative stylist Dorothy Scott from New York, folk-pop favorite Julian Hagen from
Door County, urban rocker Cathy Braaten from Chicago, and country flavored Tim O'Connell from Appleton.
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Dorothy Scott got a mention on the Charts page of Rolling Stone magazine
in 2002 as number one New York favorite for her album 'Restless Machinery'. |
Hold on as you fall into the driven yet delicate voice of Dorothy as she
takes you, like a waterfall, into her pool of music. A talented guitarist, an innovative lyricist, and fearless
musical explorer, Dorothy Scott has avoided the claustrophobic contracts of big recording houses. She produced
her own album with Rebecca Martin and David Seitz (on Pumkin Records), with the help of deft emotional, vocal and
technical touches of Denise Jalbert (executive producer for her first album) and Susan McKeown (of Chanting House).
Her steller selection of musicians includes drummer Brian Blade (Joni
Mitchell, Bob Dylan), bassist Larry Grenadier (Pat Metheny), and horns by Peter Kiesewalter (Jane Siberry). Dorothy
is anything but conventional, and 'Restless Machinery' takes her far beyond her ballad-oriented first album 'Into
The Natural', which is far more vocally melodic. She has gone into the underground world of rock with a diaphanous
layering of Celtic-chant and Van Morrison soul, strands of Joni Mitchell, rolling melodic character of Jeff Buckley.
Here in Door County she blends with Julian Hagen's harmonies, and is commonly seen at the Blue Front café
in Sturgeon Bay.
| Julian Hagen has the smoothest voice for miles around. |
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The folk-pop singer/songwriter with a dash of country soul carries his
tenor tunes into the hearts and minds of any audience. One finds a bit of flavor from Gordon Lightfoot, Van Morrison
and John Hartford in his verse and voice. The tremendously talented Door County native grew up and continues to
live on Washington Island and has an equally musical extended family. His self-produced album 'By Invitation Only'
features his original music as well as co-written songs and a Van Morrison cover selection.
Hagen has a reputation for inclusiveness and tends to gather good people
and good talent around him. His album is an example of this, and includes vocals by his nieces Sally and Rachel
Swan, and co-written tracks with Robert Angello, Rick Gourley, country singer Terry Garrison, violinist Lynn Gudmundsen,
as well as other tracks written by Peter Rowan, James Varsos, and Trina Harmon. Hagen is a storyteller, and the
Door County favorite 'Sweet Marianne' lets us into the world of a Washington Island man and his mail order bride.
There is a flurry of musicians on the album, some from Nashville where Hagen worked with musician and engineer
Bob Angello at Angello Sound Studio and County Q Studio to record the album. The romantic ballad 'I Love You So'
has made more than one female audience member think, "Julian wrote that for me!"
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Tim O'Connell's album 'Cold in Wisconsin' brings the country home the dairy
state. |
The eleven original tracks feature his sonorous baritone that can mellow
the listener like a lazy summer day. The self-produced album was recorded at Mondo Tracks Studio over two winters.
O'Connell is backed by seven guest artists; slide guitar, button box accordian, a bit of banjo, pleasing bass and
sparse drums lends a classic country feel to the songs. O'Connell knows when to hang on to a note, or let his voice
wilt a bit with emotion, or briefly jump with punctuating energy. Lyrically the Appleton singer/songwriter tackles
the country issues of love and misery and hard luck and cold in Wisconsin.
| The gloves come off when Cathy Braaten steps onto the stage. |
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This woman is the definition of impressive. She is a self-made national
known pop-rock singer/songwriter known in Chicago as the urban-alternative-pop-rocker. Cathy's lyrics are music
driven. Power chords from her electric guitar suddenly transform into melodic and harmonic accents that she lifts
with her powerful yet emotional voice. The slightest bit of raspy ness may roughen the edge of her lyrics as she
lets you know this emotion or that event is personal. You'll fall into her universe every time. Her latest album
'All In My Head' follows a string of accolades and successes from seven Nashville Songwriter Awards to rave reviews
in the tough-to-please clubs of Chicago. Strands of Cheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge find one's ears as Cathy
tells you it's all in her head. Her indi-released album was produced by Mathew Thornton, who is one of Cathy's
partners in her TrackAttack.net company and with whom she co-writes some of the albums tracks. Recently Door County
resident and Big Mouth bassist Paul Sowinski has joined Cathy on the road.
Tickets for 'Artists For Independence' on Saturday, July 5 can be reserved in advance by calling Third Avenue Playhouse
at 920.743.1760.
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