Indie-roots trailblazers, The Mammals, are a high-octane Americana quintet from New York’s storied Hudson Valley carrying on the work of Pete Seeger & Woody Guthrie with a deep original repertoire, searing American roots sound, and a message of hope for humanity.
Known for their jubilant, high-energy shows, The Mammals deftly move from older-than-dirt banjo duets to sound-the-alarm topical fare that’s right in line with the times, bouncing from rafter raising hoe-downs to hear-a-pin-drop a cappella balladry.
The new album, Sunshiner, bottles The Mammals’ on-stage effervescence and lyrical intellect along with some very beautiful studio magic. Sunshiner bursts open with the soaring, up-tempo idealism of Merenda’s “Make It True,” with echoes of The Byrds, and then takes a more modern, Feist-inspired, turn with Ungar’s soulful plea,“Open The Door.”
The Mammals treasure the timeless traditions of song, story-telling and dance. Their work is to continue a musical odyssey so that the same handmade music passed down to them makes it thru to future generations one song, one concert at a time.
Able and willing to traverse multiple genres, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Wynnm has played and connected with audiences across the United States. With her premier EP released April 25, 2014 and her studies of Vocal Performance, Independent Songwriting, and Music Production at the Shattuck St. Mary’s School in Fairbault, MN, Wynnm’s music career has developed tremendously since her young days performing in her family coffee shop. Wynnm has played banjo with the nationally recognized band “River Valley Live” and is due to release her second EP in the Spring of 2018. Wynnm is dedicated to using her music and commonalities of the human experience to connect with her audiences and collaborate with other passionate artists and singer songwriters.
Aurora Birch makes music in Boston, MA. An incorrigible tinkerer, Aurora wears many hats in her music: songwriter, producer, arranger, composer, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and performer, most notably. The result, as evinced by her debut record, Brightness, is cathartically bewitching and contemplative folk-rock, gracefully bridging genre divides to inhabit an ethereal space of dreamy curiosity. Aurora was the recipient of an Iguana Grant in 2016 to assist with the recording of her debut, and was a finalist for the 2017 No Depression Singer/Songwriter award. She performs frequently around Boston.
Through their rich but rustic sound, Toronto roots-rock outfit The Young Novelists deliver a dose of honesty in audible form.
Made us strangers, their upcoming sophomore effort, showcases a significant sonic progression for the band. Ripe with raw but elegant instrumentation and stacked multi-layered harmonies, their pure take on folk-tinged rock translates equally well from the stereo or stage.
What first began as a stack of songs that frontman Graydon James had amassed behind the drum kit in various bands during his university years eventually became a collection of recordings performed by the six-piece band, Graydon James & The Young Novelists. But over time, as James’ wife Laura Spink became integral to the creative process and the band began performing and touring as a duo, the more succinct banner of The Young Novelists was born.
Lucia Stavros is a multi-genre harpist, vocalist, songwriter and front women of indie band Green and Glass. Lucia believes in music that is communicative, thought provoking and bold and seeks to push the actual and perceived limitations of her instruments.
A former Fulbright Scholar for music studies in Paris, Stavros practices “musical diplomacy,” connecting communities through musical and artistic collaborations. She has performed internationally in distinguished venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Apollo Theater, Théâtre Montansier de Versailles, The Universität der Künste Berlin, University Hall Uppsala, Sweden and the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid.
Loosh’s vocal/harp projects suggest musical catharsis’ importance equals that of H2O.
Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Maria Neckam has made a name for herself as a highly unique and versatile voice. She has been praised by the press — from the New York Times to NPR’s “A Blog Supreme,” and Le Monde in France — as a “trailblazer,” and “natural wonder.”
Her latest songs are the result of a somewhat dramatic and life-changing breakup a few years back. Amidst the chaos and confusion, the Austrian-born singer and composer realized that this was an opportunity. A chance to start over, start fresh, and this time do it exactly as it felt right, from the heart.
This new beginning marked a departure from a career of smart, complex jazz-influenced compositions, into the world of indie rock. Songs with a unique edge that talk about what it’s like to let go of safe solutions and follow your dreams, all on your own.
She has also lent her voice to countless other artists’ projects, such as: four-time Grammy award winner Erykah Badu, composer Ted Hearne and the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra, HipHop producer Mesta Bish, Indie Rock artist David Bronson and Drum/Tabla virtuoso Dan Weiss. She has released two EP’s with her electro side-project/alter ego Milán, which have been remixed by many DJs and producers, amongst them NYC-based Kissey and Pax Humana. Her award winning music video for ’25’ by animator Nina Pfeifenberger was screened at Cannes and London’s International Shortfilm Festivals.
Ben Higginbotham is a recording artist, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist from Dallas, Texas. A Berklee College of Music grad, he lives in Boston, but splits his time between New York and Nashville cowriting and gigging. He has played venues such as The Bitter End in NYC, and The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, as well as countless places in and around Boston. Ben is capable of writing in any style, the music he releases himself could be described as Alternative Folk. He is inspired by a wide range of artists, from Bon Iver and The Staves to Ben Folds and Randy Newman to Kurt Elling and Al Jarraeu. Ben hopes to one day have his music on the radio, in films, and in homes all around the world.
Kyle Weber – vocals, electric guitar
Bryan Weber – vocals, acoustic guitar
Neha Jiwrajka – vocals, piano, ukulele
“Poetically pop and artfully serene”, Everything Turned To Color is the unlikely but serendipitous musical partnership between veteran songwriters Bryan and Kyle Weber and Neha Jiwrajka.
Graduates of New York University, brothers Bryan and Kyle began their musical careers as leaders of the Alternative Rock band ZELAZOWA, releasing three full-length albums, touring the world from 2006-2009, and founding the DIY tour booking website IndieOnTheMove.com.
Neha Jiwrajka (whose mother is a classically trained Hindustani singer) worked at tech giant Google in San Francisco, CA before leaving the company to pursue a masters degree in Jazz vocal performance at The New England Conservatory of Music. A classically trained pianist in her own right, Neha released her first solo record “The Dreamer” during her time in Boston, eventually relocating to NYC after graduation.
It was in the lobby of their Brooklyn apartment building that Bryan first met Neha, the new neighbor that apparently didn’t mind his kids running, screaming, and climbing all over the lobby furniture. The chance encounter quickly turned into regular song workshopping sessions, which inevitably included Bryan’s longtime songwriting partner Kyle on lead guitar.
Amory Sivertson dabbles in the folk-indie-pop-rock musical genres, with piano as her main instrument. Her music was most recently described in Em Magazine as being “beautiful, yet quirky.” Originally from Shaker Heights, Ohio, Amory is currently living in Boston, attending Emerson College and actively pursuing her musical endeavors with humility and enthusiasm.
