Out on the Deck Series: The Paint Sisters!
Last Saturday night Emily & I were at the show along with many many other lesbians to enjoy great music and Ann & Bev’s beautiful home.
Here’s Jill Sissel rocking out on her guitar. Jill Sissel is an extraordinary singer/songwriter and musician producing insightful Americana flavored music by using textures of sound and lyrics to design colorful palettes of music suited to all walks of life. Notably she has achieved Just Plain Folks Songwriting Contest nominations for 2001 Best Americana Song with," Love Knows No Distance", and Best Americana Album with LOVE KNOWS NO DISTANCE; and 1999 Best Americana Album with THE BUILDER, and an honorable mention with NSAI's songwriting competition with the duet, "Safe Inside" written with Paul Jackson in 2001. She produced the theme for an independent film entitled Murphys Law and she wrote another composition for the score. Jill has opened for major league acts including Dan Seals, Tracy Lawrence, Jo Dee Messina and Ty England. I feel my music is a spiritual link between what the outside world is and what our inside spirits are. says Sissel of her multi-genre songs that range from high energy to richly-textured, poetic music. Simplicity and truth are the inner threads woven into all of her songs. 
Liz Ficalora, notably known drummer and percussionist is not just positioned at the back of the stage. This native New Yorker comes carrying an arm load of accomplishments with her including a Bachelors degree in Music Education from Boston's Berklee College of Music. Liz has earned a National Award for her jingle composition for Maxwell House Coffee. Her underscoring and composition work has appeared in the documentary "Preservation Works" by the Massachusetts Historical Society; the movie Richard II, director John Farrell, demonstrating the rich diversity of this talented artist. Upon moving to Nashville, Liz joined a country touring band, Sterling, and has played as the opening act for Colin Raye and Bryon White. After working the road and highway shows, Liz landed a job as drummer and arranger on board the Carnival Cruise Line for a year and a half. Upon returning from the seas, she started toured and or performing with artist such as Stella Parton, Charlie Luven, Lisa Carver, Greg Forsman, Anne Mosher, Dave Pomeroy, Reese Wilson, Lynn Manderson, Doc Hearl and Nashville Symphony Celebration Chorus. In 2004 Liz opened a new digital recording studio and is currently a producer, engineer and orchestrator. Liz is a private teacher of drums, percussion and piano to over 35 students and has authored an instructional manual: How to Write a Fast and Easy Drum Chart, 2007.
Melissa Sigler is an award winning international artist, performing songwriter and musician "delivering powerful, sultry vocals with a blues and jazzy edge. Siglers strength lies in her ability to cast whatever mood she wills upon her audience, whether its beckoning seduction or tranquil harmony", says Dan Willging of Dirty Linen. Melissas awards include: winner of New Orleans OffBEAT Magazines 2001 Best of the Beat Best Emerging Blues Artist Award; Honorable Mention in the 2002 John Lennon Songwriting Contest; Honorable Mention in the 2006 Billboard World Songwriting Contest. As part of the celebration for The Year of The Blues 2003, Melissa performed with The Red Hot Blues Mamas on the July 2003 European Tour sponsored by the Willie Dixon-Vicksburg Blues Society at The International Blues Nights Festival in Olsztyn Poland. International tours include Europe and Australia. In television, she has been the featured artist on: The Music Factory, a Nashville based variety music program; Writers In The Round with Don McNatt, a Nashville music show for writers; The Louisiana JukeBox, a nationally broadcast syndicated music program and she was the host and producer of Southern Music Showcase, featuring performing songwriters from New Orleans to Austin broadcast in southwest Louisiana. 
Ann & Bev have made a perfect outdoor spot for these events. There’s a stage built in to the deck and lots of seating for a crowd. If you haven’t been and you’re in Nashville they’re happening once or twice a month all summer long. I know Girls with Guitars will be there July 14th and Chely Tackett & Nicole Witt are the next ones coming up on July 7th. Go to www.myspace.com/purplehouseconcerts for the complete summer line-up.
Liz used to play drums with me when I had the Bad Cactus Blues Band. She also used to play with the band Black Jack and went with Carnival Cruise-line to Alaska, South America, Mexico & the Caribbean. We went on one cruise while she was playing and she snuck Emily & I down to her quarters in the “inner sanctum” where the crew stays onboard. That was cool. Although very very tiny...There’s another whole world away from the passengers...
Well until next time...
Peace & Love,
Val
AVALON FARMBLOG
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
