Avi Wisnia, Bethehem and Sad Patrick, Whirled Music
AVI WISNIA
Dynamic Jazz/Pop Piano Singer-Songwriter
Avi Wisnia is an award-winning singer/songwriter, finding inspiration in 1950’s west-coast jazz, acoustic American folk, Brazilian bossa nova, and contemporary piano pop. Avi’s clever lyrics give a knowing nod to his contemporaries, while his smooth vocals and deft piano skills assure you that this is truly something new. He tours in support of his newest studio album, “Catching Leaves,” performing in prestigious venues around the world – from the Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC to The Kennedy Center in DC to concert tours in Japan, Poland, and Brazil. His single “Sky Blue Sky” was recorded via satellite between Philadelphia and Brazil, winning recognition from the Philadelphia Songwriters Project and Mid-Atlantic Song Contest. In addition to being a performing songwriter, he has given a TED Talk, performed with The Moth storytellers, and hosts the monthly concert series Philly Songwriters in the Round at the Royal in Glenside PA. He is also featured in the EMMY-nominated PBS Documentary “How Saba Kept Singing” currently screening in select cities and streaming online. “Avi Wisnia represents the best of the singer-songwriter genre: great voice, great songs, exciting stage presence. He plays piano like he was born to it.” – The Minstrel Acoustic Folk Project
@AviWisnia
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Bethlehem and Sad Patrick
“Powerful, heartfelt songs about love and other struggles”
Bethlehem – Vocals, Body Percussion, Tarima
Sad Patrick – Guitar, Ukulele, Melodica, Keys
Bethlehem and Sad Patrick’s unique sound effortlessly combines powerful vocals and driving percussion with Sad Patrick’s distinctive hybrid of folk and jazz guitar. His guitar serves as a subtle yet mesmerizing counterpoint to her exceptional “vocussion” – a term she coined for her powerful, immersive singing, remarkable improvisations, and nuanced melodies riding atop tarima and body percussion.
The duo have appeared at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Ladybug Music Festival, the State Street Blues Stroll and State Street Jazz by Night, and Caramoor American Roots Festival, and opened for acts such as Macy Gray and Susan Werner. Their live performances and 2019’s “Love and Other Struggles” earned them a spot on NPR Slingshot’s prestigious list of Ten Artists to Know from Philadelphia.
“Their music strikes a chord with its authenticity and emotional depth,” praised Sarah Hojsak from WXPN / The Key. “Bethlehem and Sad Patrick use their unique blend of vocals and guitar to craft soul-stirring songs that tackle a range of issues with grace and beauty.”
Whirled Music
Multi-genre/multilingual folk/jazz-tinged music.
Ken Ulansey, winds, Phyllis Chapell, guitar and vocals.
Ken Ulansey and Phyllis Chapell have been blending their talents for decades, recording in each other’s projects, mixing influences, broadening each other’s outlooks. As a duo, they draw from traditions as diverse as the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Brazil, Ireland, India and, of course, the American songbook. When with their larger group, these influences expand astronomically, creating a maelstrom of infectious rhythms.
Phyllis’s repertoire features songs in 13 languages, from Brazil, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S. Her 3-octave vocals are supported and complemented by her acoustic guitar, capturing musical styles from percussive sambas and explosive flamenco to elegant folk, jazz, contemporary, and originals. She was named one of the top jazz vocalists of all time by Scott Yanow (Downbeat, Jazz Times) in his new book, “Jazz Singers: The Ultimate Guide”. The Inquirer raved about her, “Chapell is an elegant singer who will steal your heart away. She eludes all labels!”
Ken Ulansey, Pennsylvania Council for the Arts winner, plays alto and soprano sax and pennywhistle. He is a musical chameleon, having played contemporary classical music with Relache, jazz with his own award-winning band, Latin with Synthesis and Minas, and folk music with many of the area’s–and even the nation’s–leading songwriters. Besides leading his own wedding band (Philadelphia Magazine’s Best of Philly!) that specializes in Swing, Motown, Klezmer, Latin, Pop, Zydeco and Oldies, Ken has toured extensively in Europe, Asia and the States, played on nearly 200 recordings, and worked in collaboration with dancers, film-makers, poets and storytellers.