Singasong Series and Vocal Vibrations hosted by Manisha Shahane, featuring Carrie Cheron & Candid Rose
Zeitgeist Gallery, Cambridge, MA, Thursday Nov. 21, 2002
NORTHEAST PERFORMER, Live Reviews, Jan 2003 issue
By Katie DeBonville

Every musician longs for an environment in which he or she can test the musical waters and try out new works, new ideas, even new forms with an audience that is supportive and fun. Manisha Shahane knows this and is actively working to fill this void in Boston’s music scene with two series, Singasong Series and Vocal Vibrations. The November 21st performance at Cambridge’s Zeitgeist Gallery combined aspects of both series in one evening.

After opening the evening with a short, but soulful, a cappella tune, Shahane told the audience that the purpose of Singasong Series and Vocal Vibrations is actually twofold. In addition to giving local artists the opportunity to perform, donations made by those in attendance will serve to help Zeitgeist obtain federal non-profit status. Singasong Series events, usually held on the first Thursday of each month, typically include three performers on the bill, and audience members interested in performing a piece between sets are invited to place their names in a hat, to be drawn at random. In between scheduled sets, those whose names are chosen perform a work for the audience. "This is a forum for people to sing what they want, and that’s where drawing the name out of the hat comes from," Shahane explained. The Vocal Vibrations Series offers a variety of international flavors and includes performers with a host of musical backgrounds.

The performance began with Emily Joy Schiff-Glenn, whose name was first to be pulled from the hat. A classically trained vocalist, Schiff-Glenn kicked off the evening with an original folksy number that put the audience in the mood for an evening of variety. Schiff-Glenn was followed by the evening’s first headliner, Carrie Cheron. Also a singer with a classical background, she performed four original tunes, accompanying herself on guitar. Cheron is a talented artist in need of a permanent gig. She is equally at home with the guitar and with her voice, and her lyrics are honest without being trite. With tunes inspired by everything from her parents’ wedding album to Anita Shreve’s novel, "The Pilot’s Wife," Cheron sings her songs with enthusiasm and heart, making her performance a most enjoyable one.

A draw from the hat brought Guy Mendilow onstage with Cheron for a duet. Mendilow was the featured performer in the Vocal Vibrations series on December 19.

The Vocal Vibrations portion of the evening featured Candida Rose, a singer whose performance combined elements of classic jazz with Cape Verdean folk music. She opened with "Ain’t Misbehavin," which provided her with the opportunity to demonstrate her rich, soulful voice. In addition to being a gifted performer, Rose developed an instant rapport with the audience. After performing Cole Porter’s "Night and Day," Rose segued into the Cape Verdean portion of her performance. A group of ten islands off the coast of Senegal, the language of Cape Verde is a unique mixture of primarily African languages and Portuguese, which musically creates an interesting sound. The Portuguese influence flows well with music, while the African influence is abrupt and therefore almost percussive in nature. Rose closed with "The Girl from Ipanema" in both English and Portuguese, and the spirit of improvisation was alive in the room as audience members, most of whom were fellow musicians, joined in with impromptu drumming and snapping.

After an original piece from Jeff Garrido, the evening’s third hat selection, Shahane came back to the stage, this time as part of a trio that included Blake Newman on bass and Ko Kanza on percussion. Shahane’s vocal and piano skills are both top-notch; anyone who has ever had to sing a whole tone scale for a music theory class will appreciate the one that was part of her first tune. Like Cheron before her, Shahane’s lyrics are as strong as her music. Too often it is easy for songwriters to resort to clichés. Shahane does not, and her music is all the more entertaining for it. The highlight of Shahane’s performance was her fourth selection, which has a mellow jazz opening that moves into a quick jazz waltz, giving the piece the feel of a carousel gone awry. The moving back and forth between styles perfectly caught the mood of the tune, about a relationship that is clearly not at its best point.

After closing with a tune in both English and Marathi, the Indian language of Shahane’s youth, pianist Scott Coulter came to the stage and performed a bluesy ragtime number that had the audience tapping their feet along with him. Candida Rose returned to the stage to close out the evening with a final set.

Artists with a folk bent who want to try their hand at something new should make these performances a regular part of their listening experience. The atmosphere of musical camaraderie is one that any musician will welcome, and Shahane is to be commended for her work in making this atmosphere available to Boston musicians. Watch www.manishamusic.com for upcoming performances and projects; Manisha Shahane and her colleagues should not be missed.