December 17th Holiday SZALON!

1. Robin Liepman will sing two original, heart-opening songs with guitar from his home studio in Boulder, CO

2. BROLO, the Select Ensemble of the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus directed by Joseph J. Buches, presents songs from the PGMC’s holiday concert with pianist Benjamin D’Annibale, from the Szalon 

3. Pianist Paul Fejko will perform an Improvisation Medley of JoyFul Holiday inspiration, from the Szalon

4. Phyllis Chapell (guitar/voice), Ken Ulansey (sax) and Jessie Reagan Mann (cello/voice) will explore Judaic improvisations, from the Szalon

5. Epiphany Singers, directed by Danielle Molan, perform holiday works by Cecilia McDowall and Frank Ticheli, from the Szalon

6. Soprano Elizabeth Moran will perform soulful jazz and classical selections with guitarist Robert Nuovo from the Szalon

7. Gamelan Gita Santi of South Philadelphia, directed by Thomas Whitman, will perform traditional Indonesian music with dancers Sinta Storms and Raditio Putro (AKA Andy), from the Szalon

8.  Avi Wisnia, singer/songwriter/storyteller, will perform traditional Jewish songs with a contemporary twist, from the Szalon

9. Tachyonmetry (Brian Pearson and Cliff Cole) will perform holiday music on classical guitar and hammered dulcimer, from the Szalon.

10. John Conahan will perform live in the Salon, offering fun audience-interactive Christmas favorites, sure to have you singing, clapping, and laughing along!

11. MYSTIC PULSE: Lisamarie Windwalker (flute), Jason Ruby (electric guitar) and Tony Rodriguez (drums), presents a unique style of klezmer; Klez-Metal, from the Colorado Rocky Mountains

Robin Liepman

Robin Liepman (also known as "Bloom") is a singer/songwriter originally from San Luis Obispo, California, living in Boulder, Colorado. Robin is the son of musical parents Bob & Wendy, a folk duo, and started his musical journey from an early age with piano lessons in elementary school, and guitar lessons in middle school. In college at UC Santa Cruz, Robin began writing original songs, and when he graduated and began traveling the world (which lasted for 8 years until he landed in Colorado), he wrote and recorded his original music, many inspired by plant medicine ceremonies and beautiful nature. Robin is now also a DJ and electronic music producer, going by the artist name "Bloomurian." While DJing has become his main career, Robin still performs as a singer/songwriter occasionally, often joined by his partner Saoirse Watters. Robin is also an educator and event organizer, and has produced many music education retreats around the world. 

https://beacons.ai/bloomurian
https://www.instagram.com/bloomurianmusic/
https://www.patreon.com/Bloomurian
https://bloominousmusic.bandcamp.com
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/b63d382e-6374-446c-826b-c4d7ed0a6683
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6uSzPiHa5IEjZNtFVYZICO?si=si_3buXMQnidrlTUVb8Tcg

Videos:

Brotherly Love (BROLO)

Brotherly Love (BROLO): The Select Ensemble of the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus
The select ensemble, Brotherly Love is made up of 20 PGMC members. Their size provides PGMC more opportunity to fulfill high volume booking requests and to maintain LGBTQ+ visibility in the community. They perform at various special events, other concerts and community outreach events throughout the year. Their repertoire includes a broad range of styles, including music from classical to contemporary -- spirituals, sacred music, holiday tunes, love ballads, comic pieces, pop and rock songs, Broadway and Hollywood tunes, opera choruses, folk songs from around the world, the latest LGBT empowerment music. Tonight they will present selections from the PGMC's holiday concert, Jazzed OUT Holiday with collaborative pianist Benjamin D’Annibale, directed by Joseph J. Buches.

www.pgmc.org

https://www.facebook.com/philagmc/

https://www.instagram.com/philagmc/

https://twitter.com/philagmc

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8O8R8TPUrc0D8-hRaWszeg 

Videos:

Paul Fejko

Composer/Conductor/Keyboardist Paul Fejko lives locally at his performance space in Chester, PA known as The André Café Acoustique where monthly concerts of many varying sorts have now resumed with LIVE audiences.  He is music director of Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church in Philadelphia, a musician with the Muhlenberg College Theatre and Dance departments, and founder of the Chester Performing Arts Project. His specialty is provoking and challenging audiences with an unpredictable, eclectic and capricious approach to both classical repertoire, composition and improvisation. 

Information can be found at fejko.com and andre-cafe.com where also donation (enormously appreciated!!) links can be found. He just uploaded all of his legacy CD recordings (1989 - 2004) to paulfejko.bandcamp.com as downloadable tracks and albums.

Additional links: 
soundcloud.com/paulfejko
youtube.com/paulfejko 
youtube.com/andrecafeacoustique. 

Click Here to Donate via PayPal - NO need to be a member! Or..... Venmo: @paul-fejko

Videos:

Phyllis Chapell, Ken Ulansey, and Jessie Regan Mann

Phyllis Chapell and Ken Ulansey have been exploring music from around the world together for decades, drawing from jazz and classical, klezmer and samba, French, Irish and Latin perspectives. They’ve played everywhere from Lincoln Center to the Newport Jazz and Philly Folk Fest— even the Taj Mahal—as well as your cousin’s wedding, and have played on zillions of recording projects. Their guitar, voice and sax will tonight be joined by Jessie Reagan Mannon cello and voice. 

Phyllis Chapell—vocalist/guitarist—has spent her life developing a universal musical style, singing “world songs”. She performs a unique mix of jazz, originals, folk, pop and international music, including songs in up to 13 languages. Phyllis has performed in concert throughout the U.S., Brazil, Latin America, and Europe. She has released multiple CDs, as a solo artist, and with her internationally known world jazz ensemble, Phyllis Chapell & SIORA. She also performs and has recorded with many other musicians/ ensembles throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region. She has produced multiple videos, which you can find at www.phyllischapell.com. Phyllis has been named one of the top 500 jazz vocalists of all time by Scott Yanow (Down Beat, Jazz Times and AllMusicGuide). She has won song competitions for her original music; and was chosen to be one of Indie- Music’s Top 25.

Ken Ulansey, Penn Council for the Arts winner, plays alto and soprano sax and clarinet. He is a musical chameleon, having played contemporary classical music with Relache, jazz with his own award-winning band, latin with Synthesis and Minas, and folk music with most of the area’s and even the nation’s leading songwriters.  Besides leading his own wedding band that specializes in swing, motown, latin, pop, zydeco and oldies, Ken has toured extensively in Europe and the States, played on nearly two hundred recordings, and worked in collaboration with dancers, film-makers, poets and story-tellers.

Jessie Reagan Mann plays chamber music of all genres -- Mostly Hip hop, middle eastern, rock, singer-songwriter and classical. She has recently performed with Adele, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Natalie Merchant, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and tap dancer Savion Glover among many others. She joined Beyoncé at a White House state dinner playing for Barack and Michelle Obama. Jessie has made appearances on SNL, The View, Good Morning America, Today Show, Soundstage and Martha Stewart.

Phyl & Ken’s Website 
Phyl & Ken on YouTube 
Phyl’s Website 
Phyl’s Facebook
Ken’s Facebook
Jessie’s Website
Jessie’s Facebook 

For all: 

Venmo: @Ken-Ulansey

Paypal: @kulansey

Videos: 

Epiphany Singers

Epiphany Singers, founded by director Danielle Molan in 2017, is an auditioned choral ensemble of young adults. Its mission is to provide college students and young working professionals from different parts of Philadelphia with a well-rounded choral experience of the highest caliber. Focusing on building community, musical growth and artistry, Epiphany Singers strives to push young artists to experience a wide variety of repertoire while providing Philadelphia with beautiful performances. Tonight, Epiphany Singers will perform choral pieces by Cecilia McDowall and Frank Ticheli from their upcoming concert: "Music of Stillness: A Christmas Concert".

https://linktr.ee/epiphanysingersphila
PayPal
https://epiphanysingers.wixsite.com/epiphanysingers/listen

Videos:

Elizabeth Moran

A classically trained soprano, Elizabeth Moran has received praise for her “brilliant coloratura” (Opera Magazine), “moving and expressive” performances (Echo), and “vocal acrobatics and élan.” (Bangkok Post). She has taken the stage in Europe, Asia, and the United States. As a jazz & collaborative vocalist, Lizzie has quickly captured attention with her “soulful vocals” and “natural use of colors and technical abilities.” Deftly showcasing a unique blend of classical and jazz nuance, an adventurous improvisational spirit, and a presence that has been described as “the perfect balance of elegant and sexy,” her soaring and sometimes “haunting” musicality has captivated jazz traditionalists and casual audiences alike. Lizzie has been praised by industry greats like Bill Frisell and David Broza, among others. She appears regularly at NYC hotspots, the northeastern United States, and Europe. Spring of 2024, Lizzie will release her debut album with iconic Van Gelder Studios, featuring Joe Farnsworth/drums, Stacy Dillard/sax, John Webber/bass, Joe Block/piano & Rob Nuovo/guitar.

IG: @eamoran

Website: elizabeth-moran.com; elizabethmoranmusic.com

Venmo: eamoran827

Videos:

Gamelan Gita Santi with Sinta Storms and Raditio Putro (AKA Andy)

Gamelan Gita Santi offers instruction in traditional music from Bali Indonesia in the heart of the Indonesian-American community in South Philadelphia.  Our instruments, a Balinese Gamelan Angklung, were made by Pandé I Wayan Sukarta in 2019. The instruments were named by one of our teachers, Indra Sadguna; Gita literally means "beautiful sounds, voices, and singing" and Santi means "peace".  Gamelan Gita Santi is directed by composer/performer Thomas Whitman in collaboration with Modero Dance and Gapura Philadelphia.

Sinta Storms is a dancer, leader, and event organizer who focuses on preserving Indonesian tradition and culture. She is the founder of the Modero & Company dance group and co-founder of Gapura, which brings together the Indonesian community in Philadelphia and showcases performances across the city. Additionally, Sinta teaches a weekly dance class at Fleisher Art Memorial. She has been recognized as a 2022 Philadelphia Cultural Treasure Fellow and has received prestigious awards like Leeway's Transformation Award in 2021 and grants from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts for Folk and Traditional Arts apprenticeships.

Raditio Yano Catur Putro, also known as Andy, is a multi-talented artist excelling in singing, dancing, and acting. In 2022, Andy joined Modero & Company. Since then, Andy has had the privilege of receiving extensive training from Sinta Penyami Storms, a 2022 Philadelphia Cultural Treasure fellow. Andy's passion for dancing ignited at the tender age of five while growing up in Indonesia. Beyond his artistic pursuits, Andy actively contributes to the Indonesian community in South Philadelphia by assisting with Modero's cultural preservation initiatives. Andy recently became a member of the Philadelphia Gay Men Chorus. Moreover, Andy was awarded the prestigious Folk & Traditional Art Apprenticeship grant by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. 

Videos:

Avi Wisnia

Singer/songwriter Avi Wisnia tours in support of his newest album of jazz/pop compositions, "Catching Leaves," performing in venues around the world – from the Philadelphia Museum of Art to The Kennedy Center in Washington DC to concert tours in Poland, Japan, and Brazil. Avi Wisnia has given a TED Talk and performed with The Moth storytellers, and also hosts the monthly concert series "Philly Songwriters In The Round" at The Royal in Glenside PA. His most recent project, which chronicles the music he performed with his late grandfather, renown Cantor and Holocaust survivor David Wisnia, has been turned into a feature documentary called "How Saba Kept Singing" which premiered earlier this year on PBS.

Donations & Contributions accepted with Venmo: @ AviWisnia or PayPal: paypal.me/aviwisnia
Link to listen/stream/buy music on any platform: www.aviwisnia.com/music
Sign up for upcoming concert alerts & mailing list: https://tinyurl.com/AviWisniaMailingList

Connect on Social Media, Facebook & Instagram: @ AviWisnia

More Info at www.aviwisnia.com

Videos:

Tachyonmetry

Tachyonmetry (tack-ee-on-mə-tree) was born on an organic farm during a harvest festival in 2005, where Brian Pearson and Cliff Cole met as volunteer musicians. In 2016, they finished their first album, Sunset Waterfall, framing the future of the project and establishing Brian and Cliff’s vision of pushing the limits of the musical and spiritual realms towards an ever changing landscape of harmony, melody, and lyrics. Brian’s background in classical and rock guitar and singing style have been honed by many years as a performer, educator and producer, including Philly’s own Classical Guitar Society as a solo player and with Tachyonmetry. Cliff Cole fell in love with the hammered dulcimer at the Philadelphia Folk Festival three decades ago, and he’s been hammering on ever since. He started off as a drummer playing rock, jazz, and blues, which is where Brian and Cliff connect. “Music aside,” the pair also connects in the realm of physics and science fiction, which is in part where the name Tachyonmetry comes from.

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6AEyVw2NAs3CRJ8aCI1emh

www.tachyonmetry.com

https://www.youtube.com/@tachyonmetryofficial9242

Videos:

John Conahan

John Conahan is a composer, performer, conductor, and educator based here in Philadelphia. In November, he wrote a new choral work that opened the Rockettes show at Radio City Music Hall, he has enjoyed being at the piano for Philadelphia’s own ensembles The Crossing and Lyric Fest, and this month has conducted at the Kimmel Center. Every December you can follow him on social media while he offers daily offerings of crafting Christmas Carols in the style of famous composers called “Carol Ragnarok”.

Links:

www.johnconahan.com

www.youtube.com/johnconahanmusic

www.facebook.com/johnconahan

www.instagram.com/johnconahan_

www.soundcloud.com/john-conahan

www.twitter.com/johnconahan

Videos:

MYSTIC PULSE

Founded in 2011, the ensembles of MYSTIC PULSE are a unique and harmonious blend of world flutes, guitars, charango, voices, drums, gongs, ethnic percussion, and keyboard.  Combining poetry and sound, during yoga classes, gong enhance sound journeys, meditation practices, in concert, and for spiritual, religious and healing events, the dynamic musicians of MYSTIC PULSE embody a rare musical sensitivity and creative verve, with the intention of moving their audience participants into the present moment.  MYSTIC PULSE repertoire includes original compositions, as well as interpretations and arrangements of klezmer, choro, improvisations, blues, Celtic, singer-song writer, rock, folk, jazz and classical.  Tonight, MYSTIC PULSE will feature Lisamarie Windwalker (flute), Jason Ruby (electric guitar) and Tony Rodriguez (drums), presenting a style of klezmer unique to MYSTIC PULSE; Klez-Metal!

To learn more about the musicians of Mystic PulseTM, visit: https://www.mysticpulseearth.com/

Videos and Recordings of Performances can be found on the Sound Bytes link