Frozen Hearts began as a collaborative effort between singer/songwriters Karen Antone and David Fahl and grew to include the considerable talents of Bill Cade, Rich DelGrosso, Joel Gevirtz, Carrie Ann Buchanan, Rock (Dr. Rockit) Romano, and Giovanni Capelo, to mention a few. The disc hits the streets on Sept. 18 and will be available digitally on such sites as iTunes, CDBaby and MyTexasMusic and various retail outlets. The release party is Sept. 18 at J. P. Hops House, 2317 South Highway 6 at 8 p.m.

 

This well-crafted project blends the styles of four Houston songwriters and is a great sample of what’s going on in Houston songwriting circles. Foot-tapping blues, contemporary & traditional folk, even a jazz interpretation of a blues-rock tune make up the imminently listenable disc. 14 compelling tracks with strong arrangements, fine instrumentation and beautiful harmonies make Frozen Hearts “feel good” music from Antone & Fahl.

 

Karen’s voice is beautifully expressive, from the haunting loveliness of “Where Did It Go?” to the smooth jazz of “Time Is a Healer” to the exuberant sax-accompanied “Blackbird Blues.” Her ability to set mood and tell a story in tracks such as  “Road Song” or “Dealer Don’t Know” (both penned by Fahl, nominated for best songwriter and best acoustic folk by the Houston Press Music Awards) make listeners understand why Texas is the indie music capital of the United States.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                      

 

 

 

                                        available

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Silver Leaf, Falling Rain is a collaboration between poet Karen Antone and composer David Fahl. The poems are all haiku, a form of Japanese poetry, presented singly or grouped together by David and set to music.

 

The haiku CD is one of several spoken-word offerings from Silver Leaf. Producer David Fahl says “Most of the CDs in the series use electronic music composed by Houston-area musicians, usually working in other genres in their bands. We decided the haiku would be best heard spoken against simple acoustic guitar and flute music, with minimal additional instrumentation.”

 

Karen has been writing haiku for 38 years. Her first haiku were set to music in 1971 by Dr. Paul Wehr. "I like the challenge presented by the haiku form. The poet must be in the right place at the right time and observe something worthy of preserving in verse. Then she must distill the subject to its absolute essence. The poem is so short there's no place for wasted words."

 

"The haiku in this collection follow the usual 3-line structure of 17-syllables (5-7-5) although that does not correspond exactly to the Japanese form. In place of the kireji, or cutting word, I often employ an abrupt change of perspective to serve the same purpose as the kireji. At other times, I introduce a new subject which relates to the original topic or presents it to the reader in a new light. Sometimes the cutting effect is accomplished through punctuation."

 

"English doesn't have the benefit of a formal list of kigo, or seasonal words which, in Japanese, helps to create the proper seasonal and environmental references for the haiku and serves as a sort of "haiku shorthand." Lacking this, I make ample use of natural phenomena found in the seasons to which the poem refers instead."

 

David Fahl plays acoustic guitar on all tracks. The musicians who perform with him are:

 

     Jeff Abrams, flute

     Giovanni Capelo, drums and hand

         percussion

     Al Pagliuso, hand percussion

     Rock Romano, bass and electric guitar

 

          

                         07.2011

 

 

This spoken word project fuses music and poetry in a truly unique blend of original compositions by several Houston musicians and Karen Antone’s poetry. The poems explore topics ranging from humankind’s earliest ancestors (The Wild People and Grasslands) to the death and cremation of a friend (Her Bones).

 

Giovanni Capelo (former drummer for The Hunger) and master percussionist, Ilya Kolozs composed a drummer’s delight for Grasslands. Take a listen—you won’t miss the other instruments with over 15 percussion tracks!

 

Phindisela Mkhatshwa and Tandi Hicks translated the text of The Wild People into Zulu. Originally from Johannesberg, South Africa, Phindisela gives a masterful reading of the poem in his native language.

 

Steve Olson, one of Houston’s favorite jazz guitarists, came into the studio with a piece of music to demo. “As soon as he was four bars into it, I knew this was the perfect music for “Before Her Time,” a poem I wrote about one of my best friends who was killed in a car crash. I told him to keep playing, grabbed the poem and started reading. I knew we had a match when we both finished and all anyone could think of to say as ‘wow.’”

 

Roger Tausz composed music for sixteen of the tracks on the album. A prolific writer, Roger’s pieces cover a wide range of musical territory. Ilya and Giovanni team up again to layer in more of their lush percussion tracks.

 

Chaz Nadedge, one of Houston’s best-loved keyboard players, provided two beautiful original compositions: “Bells” paired with the poem “Concurrence” and “Tuesday Morning” for Red Tail Hawk.

 

Listen to Alan Arevalo’s composition “Rudy” accompanying the poem “Crow.”Alan is a Houston DJ and recording engineer who also hosts poetry open mikes at local clubs.

 

                                                                                                                        

                                             02.2012

©  2010  Silver Leaf Records 

Website designed by Andrea Jaumé, A.D. Publishing, Richmond, Texas

 

The poems in this collection explore a myriad of themes, ranging from a woman’s private musings to the Vietnam war. Karen worked with a number of different composers to produce a disc that is as diverse musically as it is lyrically.

 

Alan Arevalo, known in the Houston area for his ambient compositions, contributes four haunting original pieces, including the title track. Roger Tausz is back with more of his song craft, including the very edgy music accompanying “Seizure.” If you think poetry is boring, be sure to check this one out.

 

Steve Olson plays that sweet vintage Gibson of his on three simply stunning tracks. “Winter Moon” is not to be missed. That’s Ilya Janos on percussion.

 

Sweet Mama Cotton takes a break from her usual genre (blues) to deliver an incredibly powerful work to accompany “Child in a Cornfield.” Dave Tinder wrote the music for “Moon Goddess,” a poem celebrating feminine themes.

 

David Fahl pairs up with Karen again—see their collaborative haiku project, Silver Leaf, Falling Rain a page or two back. David wrote, played and produced music to accompany “Port Lavaca,” a series of linked haiku about this coastal Texas city. Chaz Nadege is back with a reggae selection set to “Thief.”

 

Grab a glass of your favorite whatever and pop in your earbuds.

Above all, enjoy!

          

                      

 

 

 

    

               

                             11.2012