Thanks to all for coming out to our shows this past weekend. We had a killer time at Regatta Bar, Stone Mountain Arts Center, Harlow's Pub, and two barn parties! This was our debut weekend with our brand new band name. From here on out, we'll be Miss Tess & The Talkbacks! Why the change you ask? Because we wanted something to reflect the new creative territory we're entering. Fear not, same great band, same great music!
Here's a little clip to enjoy of Thursday night's encore at the Regatta Bar:
Thanks to all who voted. We won the New England Music Award for "Jazz Act of the Year"!
Miss Tess has just been nominated for a New England Music Award in the "Jazz Act of the Year" category! You may cast your vote for the winners here!
Hello everyone. Just wanted to say thanks for coming out to our shows this past weekend. We sold out the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, had a packed house in Portsmouth, and another sellout (200 tix!) at One Longfellow Square in Portland. The band is doing great and I'm so glad everyone is enjoying the new album, Live Across the Mason Dixon Line. Read here or below for a review of the live show from the Boston Phoenix. Also check here for videos of our TV performance in Portland on Local 207 news (this will be archived for six months).
"After doing the Berklee thing, plugging all the local hot spots from the Plough & Stars to the Regattabar, writing a sheaf of dandy original material and covering plenty of other good stuff, MISS TESS took off for Brooklyn two years ago with the rotating cast of her BON TON PARADE. Last night she was back at a familiar haunt, the Lizard Lounge, celebrating the release of a two-disc set, Live Across the Mason Dixon Line — one half recorded at the R-bar, the other at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia. Both the album and the first set at the Lizard show Tess at the fullest realization yet of her particular slice of Americana — a mix of Texas swing, rockabilly, jazzy standards, country, and singer-songwriterly folk-pop.
One of the things that makes the current Tess iteration so satisfying is her current band. Drummer Matt Meyer and bassist Dan Weller provide the requisite swing, but with detail (check Meyer’s little parade-beat rolls on Tess’s New Orleans tribute). Will Graefe is a brilliant guitar picker, capable of all manner of fills and concise, pointed solo statements — ringing one moment, then whining, then roaring. And he seems to have upped the ante on Tess’s playing of her vintage Weymann electric, which was always deliberate, jazz-informed, and apt, but now steps out with new confidence. Especially tasty was the twin lead she played with Graefe on the Texas-swing number about life on the road, “Everybody’s Darling, but Nobody’s Sweetheart.”
That one in particular tune got me thinking that Tess should have someone plugging her songs in Nashville and elsewhere. She now has a book of material that could stand on its own, ripe for interpretation by another performer (even if they’d miss out on some of the Bon Ton Parade’s dandy arrangement for three-part vocal harmonies from the boys and the limber allure of her own singing). And maybe some extra pocket change so Tess could keep this terrific little band on the road and happy. They’re getting ready to record a studio disc, she said, due in the spring. Can’t wait." – Jon Garelick, Boston Phoenix
Miss Tess has just released “Live Across the Mason Dixon Line”, a double album featuring two live shows – one from the Regatta Bar in Cambridge, Massachusetts and one from Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia. This release proves to be a valiant effort by the band, Miss Tess & The Bon Ton Parade, to blur the lines that once clearly dictated style, genre, and location. Stemming from the truest meaning of the word “Americana”, the band pushes their influences into the current music scene with something totally fresh and soulfully timeless. The skilled musicianship of the quartet combined with Tess’s heartfelt songwriting and powerful stage presence creates a live experience that is more interesting and engaging then most by popular musicians today. Check out cd release parties in 2012 up and down the east coast!
Miss Tess has been yet again nominated for a Boston Music Award in the "Best Jazz Act" category. Vote early and often! (Voting ends November 9)
Vote here
We're very excited for this upcoming weekend. First we'll be playing at The Central Pennsylvania of the Arts on Thurdsay. This is a free outdoor event on the Penn State campus in State College, PA.
Then we get to go to The Green River Music Festival in Greenfield, Mass. This is a weekend long music and hot air baloon festival! We will be splitting a set between The Bon Ton Parade and my other band, The Sweet & Low Down (featuring Rachael Price from Lake Street Dive). We're very excited to also see performances by Toots & The Maytals, Emmylou Harris, Wanda Jackson, The Old 97s, Eilen Jewell, and The Two Man Gentelman Band!
We're also working on releasing a new live album soon, and stay tuned for another full length album we'll be recording this September!
I am very excited to be putting out my sixth release, The Waltz Set. This is a concept EP, comprised of six waltzes – five original waltzes and one cover version of "End of the World", a country song written by Sylvia Dee and Aurther Kent, made a hit by Skeeter Davis in 1962. The instrumentation includes Alec Spiegelman on sax and clarinet, Christopher McDonald on vibes and piano, Danny Weller on upright bass, and Matt Meyer on the drums.
The album is now available for sale on CD Baby (www.cdbaby.com/misstess5) and we'll be selling them at our upcoming shows. We have several release parties this weekend in NYC, Boston, and Portland. Hope to see you there!
We will be saying goodbye to our favorite horn player, Alec Spiegelman, after this weekend's shows. I thank him for playing my music for the last four years, coming on countless road trips, and recording on four albums since 2007. He has decided to spend more time on his own projects: Cuddle Magic and The Alec Spiegelman Trio . We will be welcoming to the band lap steel virtuoso Raphael McGregor beginning October 8 and he will be coming with us on our November tour down to Florida and back.
Hello folks. Well it sure is sweaty in my Brooklyn third floor apartment!
Anyway, we're gearing up for more touring tomorrow...Chicago, upstate NY, and New England. Also, we'll bee soon finishing our upcoming ep release "The Waltz Set". Keep you're eyes pealed. We'll be doing a big EP Release show in NYC at Rockwood Music Hall (the big room!) Sept 30 and in Boston at the Lizard Lounge Oct 1. On the bill for nyc is Hey Mama (Boston) and Lake Street Dive (Brooklyn). Sharing the bill in Boston is Annie Lynch & The Beekeepers (Brooklyn). So it should be two great shows!! See the calendar for more details...
Tired of all those old cd cases lying around and taking up space? Well...we wanted to let you know you can now buy "Darling, oh Darling" digitally via CD Baby for only $10! I totally love this album and all of the musicians on it. And the good thing about buying through cd baby, is they give the artist way more money than itunes...
Visit here to vote ---> http://thephoenix.com/bmp/Boston/Vote/Roots/
Check out "I'm on Top of the World", playing behind this video on the Vanity Fair website (after the Bloomingdale's commercial) ---> http://www.vanityfair.com/video?videoID=31395093001
Miss Tess wins "Oustanding Folk Artist of the Year" in the 2008 Boston Music Awards. Thank you for voting!
Yup, it's true. In the "Oustanding Folk Act of the Year" category. You can vote for your favorite artist here ---> http://contest.flyfi.com/bostonmusicawards08/
Last week I have a wonderful time at Augusta Heritage Swing & Blues week (www.AugustaHeritage.com). There's a video of one of the concerts up at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoZO_-xSwbk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIJhTjS3zLs
So last night was the cd release for "When Tomorrow Comes" at the prestigious jazz room, Blues Alley in Washington, DC. I'd like to sincerely thank all who came out and made this such a great night. We sold out the first show, which is pretty much unheard of for the club on a Tuesday night!
Hello fans,
Thanks to all who made it to the Lizard Lounge May 25 for the "Modern Vintage" Cd release party. We sold out!!
~Miss Tess
