On the last evening in January, I attended a Songwriter’s Showcase at the 418 Project in Santa Cruz, presented by NextStage. I felt treated to a very full range of expression, starting off what I suspect will be a very full year.
Dan Frechette set the energy bar high, opening with his twelve-string guitar and harmonica, and compelling lyrics both personal and universal. Debbie Nargi-Brown then took me to the other end of the spectrum, with a softer message of love that got many of us singing along.
She was followed by Rachel Goodman who, for me, continued the female vibe, with her homespun tales and straightforward chords. Then, well-seasoned Mark Bradlyn gave us all a glimpse of how it feels bringing one’s creations onstage, and reached clear back to the sixties for his second song.
Multi-instrumentalist Glenn McPherson graced us with his clean finger-picking style (I love his “Tiny Pieces of Joy”) and then stuck around onstage to support the final writer, Nancy Cassidy. Her inclusive lyrics (even “I Love Me!”) were a moving close to a moving evening.
- Russell Brutsché
Dan Frechette
Glenn McPherson
Debbi Nargi-Brown
Mark J Bradlyn
Rachel Anne Goodman
Nancy Cassidy with Glenn McPherson