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The Circle of Songs : The Gig
Probably one of the more eclectic musical gatherings you'll find in LA is the Circle of Songs hosted at the Gig in West Hollywood every Wednesday night. The Circle of Songs features four to five musicians sharing the stage for just over an hour. Each musician performs one song and then passes the spotlight to the next until it comes around again. Towards the end of the evening you've had a chance to hear each artist perform three to four songs. What's most interesting about the Circle of Songs is that you'll be exposed to a variety of different music in a very short period of time.
The night in question (Wednesday November 15th, 2000):
The night started with gavin, a singer songwriter who blends an alternative rock and folk sound with some of the more edgy styles of bands like Dave Mathews. Picking up on gavin's edgy blend of folk and alternative rock, I was very interested in hearing gavin in the mist of a band situation. I know I won't be original in saying that gavin delivers his vocals in a style similar to Seal, but it's interesting how he writes his songs and presents them in his own eclectic way.
Franca Morgano really stood out from the rest of the performers with her almost operatic voice. In the context of her acoustic guitar, her music seemed a little out of place. Franca left me thinking about what Barbara Striesand might sound like singing Melissa Etheridge's songs. While Franca's style wasn't entirely what I like to listen to, I definitely think she's a very talented singer. What's really interesting is that Franca is visiting from Germany, playing local LA clubs. She's toured Europe with the Frankfurt Symphony Orchestra and even worked as a background singer for Mariah Carey.
It's really interesting when you walk away from a show remembering lyrics for a few days. Craig Jackson's song "Time" left me thinking about something he sang; "It won't change the reason, but it will help pull us through, that's what time can do." With tints of Chris Isaac and Counting Crows, I'm sure a lot of people are really going to like what Craig is doing.
Gypsy Soul's vocalist Cilette Swann and Bassist/Guitarist Roman Morykit really surprised me with their highly eclectic bluesy style. Roman played the guitar on two songs and the fretless bass on another. It was very interesting how the two blended their sound together so intimately. I'm not even sure I can describe it, but live Cilette's voice kind of reminded me of Alannah Myles and the song "Black Velvet."
One thing that stands out about the Circle of Songs is the intimacy at which the songs are delivered. The Circle of Songs isn't just unplugged; it's stripped down to the essential elements, often just the artist and their accompanying instrument. If you have the opportunity to catch a Circle of Songs showcase, realize that you're only going to wet your appetite.
The Circle of Song showcase asks the performing artists to bring CD's to the shows to sell, so if you like what you hear you can always go home with something to listen to. There's no cover charge to get in and after the showcase there are other bands to see.
For more information about the Circle of Songs:
Circle of Songs - www.circleofsongs.com
Check out the artist's websites:
gavin - www.gavinsound.com
Craig Jackson - www.craigjackson.com
Gypsy Soul - http://www.gypsysoul.com
Article and Photos by: Seth S.
Email: seth@thelmusicscene.com
Submitted: November 18th, 2000
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