Lisa Roma & Rob Darnell (Electrik Goddess Club Orquestra & Poetic Notion Chorus

Artist Information

Biography

Lisa Roma is a unique singer-songwriter and self-styled guitarist with an earthy angelic soprano-alto. Her songs emerge from a place of soul inspiration and social consciousness, blending catchy melodies, poetic lyrics, jazzy chord inventions with lullabye acoustic rhythms and freestyle fingerpicking. Her songpoems are gently soulful, intimate and honest, weaving folk-jazz threads with Celtic storytones and Native Earth heartbeat rhythms. She was greatly influenced by Laura Nyro, Joni Mitchell, and Carole King, as well as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, The 5th Dimension, Earth Wind & Fire, The Carpenters, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Neil Young, and the harmonies of Crosby Stills Nash & Youth, Peter Paul & Mary, The Everley Brothers and the Beatles, the compositions of Debussy, Antonio Carlos Jobim, James Taylor, vocals of Astrid Gilberto, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Motownand Sarah Vaughan and many more jazz, funk, folk and soul artists.

Rob Darnell is a composer, pianist, baritone, arranger, choral director who trained vigorously with John Motley, Phil Bingham and David Brandon, and was a member of the Barry Harris Jazz Ensemble. He was greatly influenced by Coleridge Taylor-Perkinson, Laura Nyro, Motown, funk, jazz and soul music.

Rob and Lisa are both basically self-taught vocalist musicians. Lisa Roma created Electrik Goddess Club Orquestra (EGCO) around 2004 as a concept band combining the diverse musical talents of local artist friends. Lisa joined the Poetic Notion Chorus (PNC) in December 2006, which began an ongoing musical collaboration with its founding director Rob Darnell. Their continued inspiration and musical creativity prompted Rob and Lisa to combine their musical personnel, thus forming The Half Moon Theatre Company. The two have created RUSTIC SHADOW ON A SUMMER TREE, a new musical theatre "peace" currently being performed at University of the Streets (Sun. April 25 from 4pm - 6pm), and are deep at work on another musical theatre production.

Instrumentation

Electrik Goddess Club Orquestra (founded 2004) ~ Poetic Notion Chorus (founded 1995)

Lisa Roma: vocals, acoustic guitar, co-director
Rob Darnell: piano, keyboard, vocals, director, arranger
Poetic Notion Chorus vocalists: Rob Darnell, Lisa Roma, Chachi Huesca, Shani Clayton, Lauren Alfano, Janet Gili, Mahazi Roundtree, Steph Walker
Mike Czekaj: drums, percussion
Paul DeCoster: guitar/electric/acoustic
Andrew Romano: electric/acoustic guitar
Mahazi Roundtree: acoustic bass guitar
Vincent Messina: electric bass guitar

Poetic Notion Chorus is the recipient of a 2006 Soul-Patrol Best Live Performance Award.

Check websites for further information & events: www.myspace.com/electrikgoddess
www.myspace.com/poeticnotionchorus
www.myspace.com/thehalfmoontheatrecompany

Discography

Is It Really Love - Lisa Roma
Cosmic Bodies - Lisa Roma
Girl With A Guitar - Lisa Roma
The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword, a funk opera by Rob Darnell, Leaf Littered Pathway Music
Floating Pretty Fine on Cloud Eighteen ... and other cosmic stories, a funk opera by Rob Darnell, Leaf Littered Pathway Music
The M.A.P. - Lisa Roma & Rob Darnell, Leaf Littered Pathway Music

Official Website

http://www.myspace.com/electrikgoddess

Audio

• Heaven
  Listen   Download
• Fullness of the Moment
  Listen   Download
• My Oysters
  Listen   Download

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• "...caressed by a silken scarf..." [+ Show ]
  

  my voice has been called haunting and angelic... my original songs have been called haunting, mys... my voice has been called haunting and angelic... my original songs have been called haunting, mystical, healing and inspiring. tho sometimes compared to Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and Laura Nyro, I have an original style all my own. my songs are a blend of the mystical, whimsical, witty & profound, soulfully folky with a jazzy flavor and earthy acoustic rhythms. organic with an exotic blend. [~lisa roma]
  Lisa’s original songs address the wide spectrum of the human experience in our daily lives, relationships, the environment, heart & soul, touching upon the expanse of the divine realm available to us all. listening to Lisa's unique voice is like being caressed by a silken scarf.[~Corinne G.]

• "...a tasty musical groove..." [+ Show ]
  

  Lisa Roma delivers haunting, perceptive songs with a dreamy, expressive voice and a tasty musical gr...Lisa Roma delivers haunting, perceptive songs with a dreamy, expressive voice and a tasty musical groove.
  ~ Ray Korona, songwriter & performer, People's Voice Cafe

• "Your band is incredible..." [+ Show ]
  

  Dear Lisa, Your music is beautiful and healing. Princess, my cat, became entranced by it. I let ...Dear Lisa,
  Your music is beautiful and healing. Princess, my cat, became entranced by it. I let my daughter listen to your song, "Half Moon" last night. She loved it.
  Your band is incredible...I'm so glad to know you and have had the chance through time to watch you evolve. The positive vibrations emitted by your music are really obvious to me, almost like John Mayer's music or Joni Mitchell's.
  Love,
  Denise
  
  [Note: Denise Kolonovic, poet & educator, is author of "Asphalt Sounds" a collection of original poems.]

• "...mood for pleasurable listening..." [+ Show ]
  

  Hi Lisa, It was so much fun to hear your lovely voice and I really think you put on a great show...Hi Lisa,
  It was so much fun to hear your lovely voice and I really think you put on a great show. You have a tightly knit group and it's an added enjoyment to see how much they care about your music. That is quite a feat to put together such a large band. Your album is beautifully created. The voicing and added instrumentation are lovely. It's a great first album and your style and sound is well presented, creating a mood for pleasurable listening.
  You've really done so much in the past few months. I feel inspired to catch the wave.
  Lotsa love,
  Su
  
  [note: Su Polo, singer-songwriter, poet & artist, hosts the Saturn Series, a monthly open mic for poetry and music at Nightingale Lounge, East 13 St and 2 Avenue, NYC. Check websites: www.supolo.com
  http://www.nightingalelounge.com]

• "...lullaby acoustic guitar strumming..." [+ Show ]
  

  Lisa Roma sings sweet, soft melodies with warming vocal harmonies and a lullaby acoustic guitar stru...Lisa Roma sings sweet, soft melodies with warming vocal harmonies and a lullaby acoustic guitar strumming through. She has a sound evocative of Joni Mitchell and an optimism in her voice that can warm hearts even on these cold winter nights.
  ~Gideon Levy, events manager, Vox Pop, Brooklyn, 2005

• "...underlying hint of immediacy..." [+ Show ]
  

  Lisa Roma presentations have an underlying hint of immediacy. You have to listen and you have to en...Lisa Roma presentations have an underlying hint of immediacy. You have to listen and you have to enjoy her.
  ~ Oscar Brand
  
  [Oscar Brand is an award-winning singer-songwriter, performer, best-selling book author, former TV show host, radio host, composer, filmmaker, and more. Visit his website at: www.oscarbrand.com

• "...original vocalist and songwriter of the highest caliber..." [+ Show ]
  

  I met Lisa Roma when she first auditioned for my singing group, the Poetic Notion Chorus. Her warm, ...I met Lisa Roma when she first auditioned for my singing group, the Poetic Notion Chorus. Her warm, lyrical, sultry, soaring voice blew me away and I begged her to be in a show I was directing a week later, a show of Laura Nyro's music. She sang a solo of "Emmie" in the show and sang with the chorus adding deeper dimension to the performance. Her upcoming CD of original songs showcases a rare and original vocalist and songwriter of the highest caliber. I am quite pleased to know that I will be working with her on future musical projects. www.poeticnotionchorus.com

• "...her voice luscious...exceptional musicianship..." [+ Show ]
  

  I heard Lisa sing PEOPLE'S PARTIES and WOODSTOCK at a jam session. Not only was her voice luscious, ...I heard Lisa sing PEOPLE'S PARTIES and WOODSTOCK at a jam session. Not only was her voice luscious, but she had the exceptional musicianship necessary to do those songs well. ~ David Lahm, jazz pianist, composer, arranger
  
  DAVID LAHM--check out his CDs, JAZZ TAKES ON JONI MITCHELL and MORE JAZZ TAKES ON JONI MITCHELL

Setlist

Usual sets run 1 to 2 hours, depending on venue. We cover the gamut of vintage and later Laura Nyro songbook, as well as jazz and show music standards, and original material, including featured compositions from our CDs and upcoming musical theatre production.

Basic Requirements

Calendar