Official Website - Carolann Solebello - news

may meanderings

Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700

I find I'm spending lots of time this Spring making plans for Summer and Fall. Does that happen to everyone? We spend our days filling in boxes on our calendars and fretting about the future while the present sometimes goes by unnoticed. So many little moments of beauty happen every day, and they often slip by in the rush of groceries and repairs and laundry and correspondence and deadlines. Each day brings more and we rush to get everything accomplished...

My friend Pat Wictor writes lovingly in his song "I Don't Know What She Knows," about a woman who is able "to be and not just do." I surely envy that, and wish I could be more like the woman in the song. It seems I "do" a great deal, but often wonder what it might be like to just "be" for a while.

This month, though I have plenty of those things - and more - to keep me busy, I shall endeavor to notice and savor fleeting, graceful moments wherever they may be found. Just be...

Peace,
Carolann

april in brooklyn

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

March came in like a lion and went out like, well... a lion. Ten shows in one month, which is far more than I'm used to as of late. I must admit, I am a little tired, but oh, so very happy. So many wonderful things happened in March - I launched a songwriter series in my hometown with a new friend, toured with an old friend, opened shows for two songwriting heroes, sang Joni Mitchell songs with my NY songwriter pals, and shared a show and a meal with one of my favorite poets. It was a banner month, indeed, and I'm feeling pretty darn lucky.

This month, I have far fewer performances, which is kind of a relief. The madness of March left me very little time for writing, and much to my surprise, I missed it. Writing has really become one of my favorite things to do. Tough, though, to give it the energy and space it needs when you're busy preparing for the next show and getting ready to leave home again. and again. Since I'll be sticking pretty close to my usual orbit in April, I'm hoping a few new tunes will reveal themselves before month's end. Maybe I'll even post a few home videos, like I promised a few months ago...

Until then, you can find me in Brooklyn, Harrisburg, Sandy Hook, and Manhattan - when I'm not in my writing chair by the window or under a tree in Prospect Park, that is...

Happy Spring, friends!

Pax,
cs

march mayhem

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

I returned from the Folk Alliance International Conference in Memphis with renewed energy, and it's a good thing, too - March is absolutely BRIMMING with activity here at Camp Solebello. Nine shows this month, from Brooklyn to Buffalo and everywhere in between!

I have many reasons to be excited this month:

> First, I'm launching a new songwriter series here in Brooklyn with my friend and neighbor BEV GRANT. Bev is an accomplished and fearless songwriter, performer, and activist, and I look forward to sharing shows with her and some of our favorite songwriters in the coming months. We begin on March 9 with Bev's sister-in-song, INA MAY WOOL and urban poet PAUL SACHS.

> I am thrilled to be sharing a few shows with my longtime friend PAT WICTOR, amazing slide player and songwriter, now a member of the powerful male harmony trio BROTHER SUN. We'll be collaborating on some new tunes and old favorites in Pennsylvania and upstate New York, March 16-18.

> I have the distinct privilege of doing opening sets for two of my favorite songwriters, LYNN MILES and JOHN GORKA in Buffalo NY and Needham MA, respectively. How do I love my job? Let me count the ways...

> Finally, I'm pleased to report that Joni Mitchell's Blue: A 40th Anniversary Celebration, which I was privileged to be part of in NYC this past January, will be performed a second time at Outpost in the Burbs in Montclair NJ on March 30! I will be joining 10 of my female singer/songwriter pals to present Joni Mitchell's masterpiece - in its entirety. What a joy!

I think that might just be enough for one month... check the CALENDAR page for details.

Hope to see you out there somewhere. Until I do, I wish you hot buttered popcorn and

Peace, Carolann

february frenzy

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Hi Friends ~

So far, 2012 has been very busy, indeed, and it shows no signs of becoming less so, at least for the next few months. I am grateful, since being busy is far better than sitting on one's hands, especially as a performing songwriter. February brings shows in NY, NJ, PA, and MA, plus my first solo appearance at the Folk Alliance International Conference in Memphis!

I haven't been to Folk Alliance since I attended with Red Molly in 2009, so I am very excited about returning. This year, I have the honor of performing as an Official Showcase Artist! This annual conference brings a chance to cement musical friendships, form and renew business relationships, and generally revel in marvelous music with kindred spirits for a long weekend. I can't wait!

Hopefully, I'll have lots of news to report upon my return. Until then, I hope to see you out there on the road someplace. May February be warm and cozy for you, my friends!

Peace,

janus

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Today, like the two-headed Roman god Janus, I look both backward and forward simultaneously. Well, not literally. I assure you I haven't grown another head. That would be really weird.

Seriously, though, in reflecting on 2011, I feel mostly gratitude - for a loving family, for a comfy place to call home, for the opportunity to do the things I love best, and for the creative energy to keep on doing them. I feel privileged to live the life I do, and am ever so thankful for friends near and far who support my endeavors in myriad ways.

In looking forward toward 2012, I feel mostly excitement - for the opportunity to share stages with some of my favorite musicians, for the chance to showcase at the MotherOfAllFolkConferences in Memphis, and for the challenging, yet happy work of songwriting and performance that lies ahead. I am also strangely excited about what is not yet known. For the mystery in the unplanned, the anticipation of what may come. Bring it, 2012. Here I am.

Happy New Year, everyone. May your days be filled with wonderful unknowns...

Peace,
Carolann

Planning with Gratitude

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

As ever, and mostly at this time of year, I am thankful for a life in music, for a little family who supports and nurtures me in my chosen profession, and for the willing ears of folks like you who allow me to continue doing what I love best. In the festive air of of these months, I pause to give thanks, then turn my thoughts toward what's around the bend...

Lots of my time and energy during the holiday season goes into planning where I'll be traveling in the first half of 2012. I am delighted to report that some really exciting things are brewing. Here are a few highlights:

First of all, I'll be starting 2012 with a bang at Kennett Flash (Kennet Square PA) on January 7. This will be my first solo headliner in this beautiful room, so to make the occasion extra festive, I'll be bringing a BAND to this show, featuring my longtime friend and collaborator, percussionist CHERYL PRASHKER. Looking forward to a fabulous time with Philly-area friends!

In February, I'll be heading to Memphis for the 24th International Folk Alliance Conference, a "gathering of the tribe" if ever there was one. In addition to reconnecting with musical friends from near and far, I am honored to have been selected as an Official Showcase Artist this year. Can't wait to share my latest tunes with the folk community at large!

March brings a mini-tour with my dear friend PAT WICTOR, singer-songwriter, renowned slide player, and one-third of the celebrated male harmony trio BROTHER SUN. Pat and I will be sharing shows in Bethlehem PA, Wellsville NY, and Walton NY that will feature us both on our own and in wonderful collaborations that have me dusting off my pretty little mandolin just for the occasion. If you're in the neighborhood, you won't want to miss these shows!

Of course, I hope to add many more dates to my dance card in the coming weeks and months, so the CALENDAR page is the place to go for the latest info on my musical comings-and-goings.

Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season and a new year filled with love, music and

Peace,

Carolann

Freaky Saturday

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Today is the 29th of October, and I am watching snow fall outside my Brooklyn window as I type this. Yes, you read that right. I said snow. Strange, yet strangely relaxing, since today is a day in which my biggest plan is to cook dinner for my family... Nice to just nest every now and again, and a freak snowstorm is a great excuse to drop the "to do" list for a little while.

It is a season of changes, I suppose. Despite this freaky day, we've been slowly adjusting to the creeping chill in the air, the falling leaves and the shorter days. Change happens whether or not we want it to sometimes, and though I often find myself resistant to such things, changes often make things better, or at least richer.

What's changing for me these days is the focus of my musical life. Whereas most of the last decade has been spent honing performance skills, I find myself concentrating more and more on the writing aspect of my chosen profession. Writing songs used to be a daunting task, one I looked forward to with nervous anticipation, at best. In the past year - the past few months most especially - I've written more songs than I had during the previous five. And the late, great Jack Hardy was right. It gets easier. The more you practice, and the less importance you place on making each song a big "hit," the more pleasurable the act of writing becomes.

I attribute the change in my attitude toward writing to the two songwriting groups I'm currently involved in: Chicks with Dip, a collective of women I've been meeting with for many years; and the Jack Hardy Songwriters' Exchange, a group I've been attending with some regularity for the past few months. Having something new to present at each of these meetings has really gotten my creative juices flowing again, and the feedback I've received from other writers of all stripes has been very helpful, indeed. Being in the presence of so many wonderfully creative minds is also pretty inspiring for me. I am grateful for all I've learned thus far, and happy to say a new crop of songs is emerging from my efforts. Writing is much more fun these days, and I look forward to sharing new songs with you as I deem them ready for more ears...

So glad to have you along for this next step in my creative journey. Here's to positive change!

Peace,
Carolann

September Morn

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Ah, Neil Diamond. I think of him (and La Streisand) every time I walk past Erasmus High School here in Flatbush. Who knows? Someday, my boy may go there too, then grow up to be an international superstar. Maybe. But I suppose he should focus on getting through Kindergarten first.

No matter how old I get, September has always meant back-to-school for me. Now, of course, the smallest member of our household actually does go back to school each September, so new notebooks, freshly-sharpened pencils, and feelings of excitement and trepidation are all in the air as we sense new beginnings and contemplate possibilities. So many possibilities...

Kids go back to school and parents make plans. Mine include some cycling, a little Yoga, and lots of writing. Got myself some new notebooks and pencils, too, so maybe the ideas that keep flying around in my head can get written down before they flit out the window and into another songwriter's imagination. Hoping to get more involved with some of the wonderful songwriting collectives here in NYC, and looking forward to nurturing budding and veteran performers at the Christopher Street Coffeehouse open mic, where I'm privileged to serve as host.

So here's to new beginnings for everyone. We all deserve a fresh white sheet of paper and a new pencil every now and again.

Peace,
Carolann

Radio Radio

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Things are going really well for Threshold in radioland these days. For starters, the record is #77 on AMA's Americana Ranking, #32 on Cashbox Magazine / Roots Music Report Folk Top 50, and #14 on Folk DJ.

And a few weeks back, I was lucky enough to be interviewed by Kathy Millar of WHUD radio in New York's Hudson Valley. Kathy's a terrific interviewer, and it was a real pleasure talking with her. You can hear the interview in its entirety by clicking HERE.

On August 24, I will be returning to the WVKR studios in Poughkeepsie to visit with Sharon Panaro and chat about the new record. Sharon's also a delight to be around, and I look forward to our talk. If you're not in the WVKR listening area, you can stream Sharon's show live, Wednesday evenings at 6PM, on the WVKR WEBSITE.

Until next time, then, I wish you

Peace,
cs

How You Feelin'?

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700

July was just smokin' here in Brooklyn, and not only because of all the barbecue grills going in Prospect Park. In the immortal words of my fellow Staten Island native, David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter), we are feeling "hot, hot, hot!"

But the hottest night of the month for me was July 28. That evening, I was privileged to perform songs from Threshold at The Living Room in NYC with a smokin' band of players - Cheryl Prashker (drums), Mike Weatherly (bass), Steve Kirkman (guitar), Sara Milonovich (fiddle), Mark Allen Berube (banjo), and Catherine Miles (vocals)! I had the time of my life, and am so grateful to these wonderful musicians and all the good folks who came out to listen so enthusiastically! Made me want to schedule more full-band shows down the road...

Meanwhile, Threshold is enjoying some success out there in radio-land. Here's where we are this week:

# 80 on AMA's Americana Ranking
# 42 on Cashbox Magazine / Roots Music Report's Folk Top 50
# 14 on Folk DJ
# 7 on the Roots Music Report's Folk Internet Airplay Top 50

Not bad for a little indie record, huh? All those numbers make me think of Casey Kasem and the American Top 40...

Until we meet again, I wish you carefree summer days filled with cool drinks, good music and

Peace,
Carolann