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Fans Say:
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Merrell Feuer Angstreich · Although few music venues offer the intimacy of a local coffee house, Mar...Merrell Feuer Angstreich · Although few music venues offer the intimacy of a local coffee house, Marci Geller’s performance last night at Last Licks Cafe in Huntington made the audience feel as if they were all good friends sitting in her living room. She creates an instant rapport with concert-goers that doesn’t give the impression of “working the room,” but rather that she is invested in everyone enjoying the experience.
Ms. Geller’s songs, though highly personal, resonate with the audience because of their ability to capture moments that we have all experienced, such as “Not That Girl Anymore,” which she wrote after turning 30 and realizing that she didn’t “go to sleep 29 and wake up old” or “Driving in Manhattan,” the story of frustration with a relationship and with New York City traffic that is simultaneously poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. Parents who often come to live their lives through their children nod knowingly as Marci sings about “A Day Without the Kids,” and everyone in the audience left wishing they had had the opportunity to meet the larger-than-life man honored in “The One and Only Tom McCarthy.” In short, Marci Geller eloquently captures in words and music the life experiences that the rest of us have had, but weren’t smart or talented enough to immortalize.
Ms. Geller has created enough concert-worthy songs that an hour-long performance leaves the audience wanting more, in the best possible way. Fortunately, her songs stay with the listener long after the show is over.
Sharron McCleery Lavatori · Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Special Education Teacher
"Marci can take you from one emotion to another which each piece she plays and sings. From laughing to crying to feeling the pit in my stomach, or the joy in my heart; Marci has hit a chord with me."
Nenad Bach · World Renowned Musician
"Perfect voice, perfect songs. One of my favorite singers"
Nicole Placco · Suffolk County Community College
"Marci Geller's music is on my daily playlist!"
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Faces in Three Village
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By Christine Sampson
When Patch last spoke to local singer-songwriter Marci Geller, her group Lucky...By Christine Sampson
When Patch last spoke to local singer-songwriter Marci Geller, her group Lucky 13 was busy charming the crowd at Grounds & Sounds. But Geller, left the group earlier this year to return to life as a solo independent singer-songwriter – what she's called a "rebirth" for her career.
"It had several low points but mostly it's been a real amazing ride of writing new material that I feel really strongly about and learning who I am as an artist all over again," Geller said. "At this age that's a pretty cool thing to happen."
Last year, she was named one of Independent Songwriter Magazine's ten favorite artists. She has toured all over the U.S. and Europe, and has appeared on Live! with Regis, Good Day New York, Fox Morning Show, and more. Her music has drawn comparisons to Sarah McLaughlan and Carole King.
"I think I really just sound like me but it's an honor to be compared to people who are that great," she said.
Now Geller, a resident of Stony Brook for about 20 years, is busy recording her sixth album in the studio she and her husband built in their home. Patch recently had the chance to sit down and chat with Geller.
Patch: How were you inspired to get into music?
MG: I don't think it was a deliberate choice. According to my parents I've always been musical. I think it sort of picked me. As far as a career, it must have been momentary insanity. This is just what I do. I can't imagine doing anything that would be more fulfilling.
Patch: What do you find inspires you to write your songs?
MG: The logistics are usually I'm on a run and I'm two miles from my house and an idea pops into my head. I have to keep singing it over and over so I remember it by the time I get home. It's one of the few times in my day that it gets quiet. When I'm not answering emails and plotting what hotel I need to stay in and what time of day ... when I'm running, I guess that quiet is what lets the ideas come through.
Patch: How would you describe the impact the economy has had on musicians?
MG: I think it has affected independent musicians as well as major label artists.
What I do find is that venues are paying less for the same gig, and arts councils have smaller budgets so they're producing less concerts per season. Gas prices have had a huge impact. That used to be such a minor detail in touring, but now it's a major part of figuring out your budget. I think things like Spotify are killing us in terms of downloads ... It's made us think outside of the box to foster a sense of community with the people who enjoy listening to us.
Patch: How would you characterize the music scene in Three Village?
MG: You have a couple of very interesting supportive venues like Grounds and Sounds. The University Cafe, which tends to book outside the area. The Velvet Lounge is more of a plugged-in place and I've noticed they do an open mic. Some of my friends play there and it's kind of a cool scene. ... There's a scene, but I always think it can be better because people want to hear music. We get so caught up in our lives and being on the computer and living in these little isolated boxes. I think people forget what it's like to hear music in a room with other human beings. There's an energy in the room that you can't get anywhere else. ... I've hosted a few house concerts just to give out of town musicians a stopover when they're in the area.
Patch: How do you feel about living in Three Village?
MG: I love it. I really consider this my home more than any place I've ever lived before. I'm not a fan of the LIE. It makes my life very stressful. ... I love that there's a university so you get a very diverse, educated community. You have very intersting places to eat and meet up with people. I think my heart rate slows down once I cross into the Three Village area. I can take a deep breath.
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Girls Rock: Marci Geller
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Marci Geller: Girls Rock!
By William Phoenix, LA Music Examiner
Marci Geller is an interesting...Marci Geller: Girls Rock!
By William Phoenix, LA Music Examiner
Marci Geller is an interesting, significant, mysteriously lesser-known talent in the music world. Geller has performed all over the world including California. In fact, Geller hopes to once again visit Los Angeles once her next album is in the can.
But just exactly who is Marci Geller? Marci (Anne) Geller is a New York-born singer-songwriter. Geller‘s music can be heard on numerous television networks including MTV, VH1, and A&E. Geller has recently taken a new direction with her music and while little is publically-shared about Geller’s past, her career can be traced back to the late 1980s.
It was in 1989 that a cute, darker Debbie Gibson-esque Geller released a 12-inch record titled “Shake You Up”. This freestyle early electronic dance piece was put out by Back Door Records. It contained 5 cuts. Each was a different mix of the title track “Shake You Up” which was co-written with backing vocalist Donna Bach.
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Geller explains: ‘They had positioned me to be the 'cooler, edgier Debbie Gibson.' In all honesty, I was into Peter Gabriel and Genesis at the time and got talked into doing a dance single because it was an easier path for female singer/songwriters at the time. The dance single was doing well, and I've got to admit, it was a lot more exciting than I ever envisioned."
"I went with the president of Backdoor to interview with a management company MTC, which was run by Barry Taylor and Alan Wolmark," Geller adds. "I liked them both instantly and felt like they had a deeper sense of what I was going for as a musician. I'd watched my single go from being in the top of the dance charts to tanking after I was talked out of a deal with Atlantic Records.”
Geller continues: “I was told if I signed with Atlantic, they would want me to pop out dance singles for the rest of my career, and I would never be taken seriously as a musician. Subsequently when I heard from Barry at MTC, my single had fallen off the charts, and it was clear the end was near. He told me they really liked me but were short-handed because their assistant had just quit.”
Geller saw one door close and another one open. “I asked him if they would consider hiring me so I could learn about the industry. I would work for cheap and in exchange, they would manage me and teach me about the industry.”
“We came to an agreement, and I have to say, working with them was a really intense lesson in music industry 101. I met many people at the beginning of their careers and am to this day very thankful for the wisdom and insight they shared with me and to boot, I got to work in the Brill Building" Geller concludes.
The following year Geller would focus her energy on becoming co-owner of Sonic Underground. Sonic Underground is an independent music production company she founded with Gian DiMauro, John Tabacco & Paul Michael Barkan. The label itself came out of the recording studio of the same name which opened the same year.
Geller would continue to perform and even work with other artists. In 1992 she would provide the Kemelions with backing vocals on the album Basement Arrangements. Other highlights of the decade would include the release of her premiere EP Must Be The Moon in 1997. It included tunes such as the title track, “Must Be The Moon” and “We Carry On” which she would perform live on the Regis and Kathie Lee show.
1999 would be highlighted by the release of her twelve-song CD Here On The Edge. The album is a collection of pleasurable pop pieces. It opens with the attention-grabbing, mood swinging track “I’m So Angry”.
Critic’s Choice here is “Skin”. This is the second selection here. It’s an acoustic subtly sexed up song that one critic referred to as “a good substitute for a blow-up doll” Your randy writer, of course, would NOT know about that . . . nope. The song is effective not offensive.
“World Falls Down” follows here. It is a concise composition and leads into an encore presentation of the above-noted “We Carry On”. The next number is the tuneful titular track “Here On The Edge" where she explores inner doubts.
“Not That Girl Anymore” comes next. It is perhaps one of the better examples of tracks that involve a more personal perspective or female viewpoint. “Light On My Face” and “Make It Feel Better” are also fine examples of her talents in telling tales from a feminist viewpoint and/or an intimate emotional angle regardless of the specific subject.
“Look What You've Done” follows. This is another revelatory cut that lends truth to the title of the CD. The song is both passionate and immediate and Geller does indeed deliver up an album of on the edge offerings here.
She next sings “What's Going On Here”. Interestingly, her audience can never be sure how she would answer her own question but it is obvious that she is sharing something personal on this disc. While some critics may claim that material such as “Falling Down” and the other tracks here may alienate a portion of the male population your rockin’ reviewer simply sees this as the result of Geller wanting to write songs with real content as opposed to dippy dance ditties.
“Say Goodbye” serves as the closing cut. It is an apt end to this work although her fans probably find this the saddest song as it does indeed end the album. Geller would not, however, rest on her laurels after this album. She would go on to work as the opening act and then an actual member of Ritchie Blackmore's group Blackmore's Night until 2000 where she would provide background vocals and contribute keyboards.
The new millennium would also find her still writing, too. In 2004 Geller would release the EP Naked. It would feature five fine cuts and would serve as a partial preview to her next full-length recording. Included here are the opening number “Me Versus The Pill” and the noteworthy rockin’ second selection “Suicide”.
She would continue to perform regularly as well. In 2007 Geller would lend her talents to John Tabacco’s Music Box Orphans with the song “Only in a Dream”. She would also work with Donna Bach-Heitner on Volume One with the tune “Snake in the Grass”.
The next year (2008) she would also contribute to Paul Michael Barkan’s import No Writing On The Signs Special Edition with the track “One Free Day . . .” More importantly, however, 2008 would be the year Geller would finally gather together music she had been working on for quite some time and release it all on a CD titled Box of Truth.
“Me Versus the Pill” opens the “box”. Here Geller sings about a blue pill the way George Harrison sang about a piece of candy in “Savoy Truffle”. This is a welcome encore from her earlier EP and a nice opener for the disc.
The second selection is “Suicide”. This too is a welcome rockin’ repeat from the above-mentioned EP. This one is the Critic’s Choice here. It’s an almost angry, killer cut albeit one seemingly about a somewhat sad subject. Geller, however, says "'Suicide' was written about a friend who quit being a musician" and was actually more "symbolic".Regardless, it remains a great song no matter what a listener discovers in it.
This is followed by “Day I Disappeared”. “Day I Disappeared” is a blend of rock and folk. The music almost hides Geller’s somewhat serious secrets as she loses herself in some traumatic experience.
“Home” is the next number. Geller focuses here on those middle-of-the-night phone calls that are always forbearers of death and other bad news. “Home” sadly enough hits home to all of us.
The cut “Close Your Eyes” is next. It deals with some serious relationship issues and touches upon such things as betrayal, lack of forgiveness, drinking and attempting to comfort someone dealing with all of this. “OK (The la, la song)” follows. If The Beatles can make “yeah, yeah, yeah” work in a hit song and The Police can score with "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" then Geller can have her almost bombastic, happy “la la” song here.
“That's Good” picks it up here. Geller seems to be celebrating love with this song. It’s a nice break before she dives back into the darkness with more music lyrically-laced with intrigue and secrets. Witness tracks such as “My Last Mistake”, “Secret She Keeps” and even the closing cut “Truth About Lies” as additional examples of this.
Geller confesses the songs "are all on the same topic. It's no secret, I just don't feel the need to exploit my past as some kind of medal of honor like some artists have chosen". Her material certainly makes one wonder just how dramatic or traumatic much of her life has been or perhaps remains. Still, drama is what often makes a good song so the audience needn’t be too concerned.
2008 was also the year Geller helped to start the acoustic act Lucky 13. (This tuneful trio comprising Geller, Susan DeVita and Cathy Kreger, would only release a debut disc before going on hiatus in early 2011.) Geller, a member of SESAC, contributed to the 2008 release Sonic Underground Presents: Lucky 13. Her specific contributions included the “Me Versus The Pill" "My Last Mistake", "OK (The la, la song)" and “Home”. All three artists appear on the track "Lucky 13".
Geller’s other music-related accomplishments include being named one of the "Top 10 Best Singer/Songwriters" by Independent Songwriter Magazine and has had her music included in soundtracks on ABC, Discovery and FoodTV. Compared to such artists Sarah McLachlan and Laura Nyro, she has also worked with such performers as Dido drummer Alex Alexander, Vance Gilbert, James Maddock and more.
Geller tours internationally and is currently “finishing the next CD” due out sometime next year and adds “on September 30th I'm opening for Nenad Bach at the Towne Crier in Pawling New York.” She also hopes to hit California again next year: “It's my goal with the next release to play L.A. in 2012 with my friend Jude Johnstone who lives in Central Coast, CA but plays in L.A. frequently.” Geller is certainly an artist with something to say and will no doubt be out there sharing her love of music for a long time to come.
My name is Phoenix and . . . that’s the bottom line.
William Phoenix, LA Music Examiner
Examiner.com
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Wedding song story - real wedding song by Marci Geller.
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Marci-wedding-song
Okay, let’s face it – I am a sucker for a self-penned wedding song that’s spe...Marci-wedding-song
Okay, let’s face it – I am a sucker for a self-penned wedding song that’s specifically written for that wedding day. A few years ago, I came across Jacqui Naylor’s “Celebrate Early and Often,” and the romantic guy inside me was deeply touched. Recently I have come across Marci Geller’s “First Dance.” A music industry veteran whose creations are featured regularly on television (and more), Marci married her best friend and co-writer Gian DiMauro. The couple will be celebrating their 16th wedding anniversary this coming Saturday, May 7th, 2011.
“We co-wrote our wedding song because we met while working on a writing project together,” Marci told me. “At the time, I was working on a modern day rock musical and had decided to write each of the characters with a different person. A mutual friend suggested I work with Gian.”
Marci and Gian convened at his recording studio to collaborate on a song that they never ended up quite finishing. Two weeks later Gian proposed, and after a healthy engagement period, the two married in 1995. They decided that since their intended composition was never finished, then they might as well write one for the wedding - and that’s exactly what happened!
Listen to “First Dance.”
Buy Marci’s music at her website store.
Here are some upcoming tour dates for Marci Geller:
MAY 22 - Franklin Houseconcert Series, Franklin, MA - 1pm
JUNE 5 - First Sundays For Jack @ Living Room, NYC - Time TBA
JUNE 10 - Happenings On Main, Northport, NY - Details TBA
JUNE 11 - Homegrown Music Cafe, Port Jefferson Station, NY - 8pm
JUNE 12 - Just for Judy @ Passport Cafe, West Milford, NJ - Time TBA
JUNE 21 - Banjo Jim's, New York, NY - 7-9pm
JULY 15 - Beanberry Caffe, Miller Place, NY - 8pm
JULY 21-23 - Falcon Ride Festival, Hillsdale, NY - Check website for times
AUGUST 3 - Grafton Concerts on the Commons, Grafton, MA - 6:00pm
AUGUST 4 - Sally O'Brien's, Somerset, MA - 8:00pm
AUGUST 12 - Cinema Arts Center "Music in the Garden" - Details TBA
DECEMBER 4 - Port Washington Library*, Port Washington, NY - 3:00pm
* This is a tribute to Carole King and Carly Simon with Gathering Times’ Hillary Foxsong and Former Lucky 13 band mate Cathy Kreger!
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13 / 2 = 2 Great Solo Artists-LI Pulse
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When I met Cathy Kreger and Marci Geller, they were playing with Diane Garisto in a group called Luc...When I met Cathy Kreger and Marci Geller, they were playing with Diane Garisto in a group called Lucky 13, and I had no idea what their music was like. We were at the house of Tom and Robin Romeo, founders of WhereforeArts.com. Tom & Robin have a top-notch web series called “After Dinner” which features performances and interviews of awesome local artists, filmed in their north shore home.
So when I met the members of Lucky 13, it was in a spare bedroom that we were using as a dressing room. There were a lot of cliche’d girly exchanges about mascara and shirt choices, although officially I don’t think any of us identify as Girly. Later, when it was time for them to play, I remember thinking, “I really hope these guys are decent, because I like them and if I don’t like their music it will just be weird and awkward.”
I had nothing to worry about. I was fairly blown away by their performance, and especially by the way these very different musicians and songwriters formed into a unique, cohesive sound. Months later, I read on facebook that their time as a band was coming to an end. I was disappointed, as I think a lot of people were, but then I clicked around some more and learned that both Cathy and Marci are now more active than ever as solo artists.
So let me tell you about these two awesome LI singer-songwriters I met one time.
The first thing I noticed about Cathy Kreger is how she plays guitar. She is not what I would call a flashy player—more, someone who has the true musicianship to craft an arrangement that quietly enhances the song being played. Her guitar playing complements the heart of the song and lets it shine, rather than detracting from it by being either too flourishy or too run-of-the-mill.
Cathy’s songwriting is reminiscent of the timeless, to-the-heart style that Mary Chapin-Carpenter is known for, and her vocals bring a soul and depth that I associate more with Bonnie Raitt. It’s music that’s great to hear over a beer with some friends on a Saturday night, but that you’ll still want to come back to Sunday morning when you’re feeling more quiet and contemplative.
Marci Geller’s music has the mix of quiet strength and fire that a lot of people associate with Tori Amos. In fact, I’m pretty sure Marci is a Tori fan herself, and you can hear that a little bit in her music. But you can also hear moments of flashing intensity that are clearly pure Marci.
Marci strikes me as a songwriter with something to say. Sometimes she declares it in a loud burst, and sometimes she states it with a calm certainty. In either case, there’s a sense that you’ll be kicking yourself later if you miss the message now.
Cathy Kreger is making tracks all over the island with her guitar, and can next be seen at Thom Thom Restaurant in Wantagh on March 16th. Marci Geller is next performing in Stony Brook on March 20th, at an event sponsored by the label she founded herself, Sonic Underground. More information can be found at http://www.cathykreger.com/ and http://www.marcigeller.com/.
Author: Rorie Kelly
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Between the Lines
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A friend of ours, Anthony Pomes, turned us onto a CD from one Marci Geller, called Box Of Truth. Rea...A friend of ours, Anthony Pomes, turned us onto a CD from one Marci Geller, called Box Of Truth. Reading the extensive (and, tiny!) liner notes, Geller reflects on the life-changing events that helped her create this marvelous CD. I won't go into details, but, after reading them, I had an increased appreciation for the music. Her magnificent voice recalled, at once, the wonderful Heart sisters; Ann and Nancy. Of the 11 tracks on the album, my favorites were "Me Versus the Pill" and "Close Your Eyes." I do happen to know a lot about this business, and I'm tempted to say, the only reason Geller doesn't have a major release is because the industry (or, what's left of the industry) has NOT heard this disc. Check out her site and get this undiscovered gem.
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Marci Geller-Here on the Edge
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Marci Geller is a Renaissance woman if there ever was one. This talented singer-songwriter isn’t you...Marci Geller is a Renaissance woman if there ever was one. This talented singer-songwriter isn’t your typical angry female on a mission or another flower power reject with an acoustic guitar. Geller is powerful and abrasive (“I’m So Angry”, “World Falls Down”) in a Tori Amos/Alanis Morrisette way, yet she retains a tenderness (“Falling Down”) that allows her to truly tell an enchanting story through song. 12 enchanting stories, to be exact, as Here On The Edge contains well-crafted songs and top-notch production, not to mention the ultra powerful and emotional voice of Geller. If you’re looking for a millennium version of Carole King and her masterpiece Tapestries, look no further. Marci Geller is an intense performer whose beautifully poignant music will sweep you away to a land beyond the edge.
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Marci Geller by Leigh Silberg
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Marci Geller is an enigmatic artist that is highly creative & original in both lyrical content & vis...Marci Geller is an enigmatic artist that is highly creative & original in both lyrical content & vision. Her prolific work is at once both sublime & perplexing in motive & content. Musically crafty , Marci's work reaches out to both AAA individuality & AC charm in an appealing & alluring stylism. The EP "Naked" is a work of eclectic & cerebral content , coupled with an uncanny melodic ability to strike the mainstream without compromising artistic integrity
"Me Versus The Pill" & "Suicide" are great examples of a musical artist who simultaneously exudes a media friendliness that sparkles with production smarts , whilst tackling complex emotional & social issues without becoming overtly loquacious
'Home" is an introspective tale that speaks of alienation , loneliness & longing within the world of the human heart ; Whereas the song "The Day I Disappeared" & "OK" reach out with resolve , in the confounding quagmire of love , desire & relationships
In the "Here On The Edge" project , the music is a radiating work of picturesque & adroit songwriting skill & Vocal nuance. One cannot avoid the comparison to Tori Amos in Marci Geller's music , but the former is more oblique & obtuse whilst the latter is a profound & joyous celebration of the soul , with bite...mind you
"I'm So Angry" is a fine tune with a mood that traverses from wistful to vengeful ; Segue to "Here On The Edge" & one witnesses a diverse tangent of sensitive & effulgent composition in the shadow of Carol King
Marci Geller has an uncommon knack of straddling both the mainstream media & artistic side of musical composition & performance. She is adept to the point of bewilderment ; Yet willingly open & vulnerable enough to empathically share her inner journey with us
"We Carry On" is an Acoustic Piano & Vox piece complimented with a counterpoint Viola motif. A showcase of songwriting prowess ; Whereas "Not That Girl Anymore" again is in a design that highlights the song & structure of a tunesmith
"Light On My Face" along with "Make It Feel Better" are songs that project a complex emotional vista that explore the directions of the heart. The latter cut replete with stand up acoustic Bass , is a classic work of atmospheric character
"Look What You've Done" is a beatific gem. A Celine Dion or Barbara Strisand would compliment a song such as this
"Falling Down" like "Say Goodbye" , is a wondrous tune that would make Burt Bacharach wink. Essentially , one is led to the conclusion that Marci Geller , is a stellar songwriter. Kate Bush take note
One could easily imagine a number of "high profile" singers utilizing the dynamics of Marci Geller's music ; Yet that being said , Marci's Vocal shadings are superb & admirable within themselves. An all-embracing superlative quality permeates Marci Geller's music. A brooding & eloquent enigma. Phenomenal in scope & compositional insight
