Audrey Auld Mezera & Nina Gerber
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Audrey Auld Mezera & Nina Gerber

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The best kept secret in music

Press


"'IN THE HOUSE' Live album review"

"Like Timbuktu or Kingdom Come, Tasmania usually exists in people's imaginations at the absolute end of the earth. If something is from Tasmania, so says the unquestioned opinion, then it must be from out of this world. Undermining this notion is Audrey Auld Mezera, a child of Tasmania who writes and sings songs with a worldly truth. She not only sounds like she grew up on Music Row in Nashville, but she writes the kinds of songs that built Music Row in the first place. .... it was only a matter of time before she crossed paths with one of the greatest accompanists in the world, Nina Gerber. ...upon hearing the recording, the two realized they had something special, and indeed, the resulting double live CD is a document of pure fluidity. Among a few well-chosen cover songs Mezera's own song shine. Among her best are "I'd Leave Me Too", a concise picture of the truly crestfallen self, and "Losing Faith", a winless double battle which pits faith in men against faith in the Bible.
There's a charming, tongue-in-cheek nature to the playfully vaulted 'tween song barbs, ....
"Love You Like The Earth", a heartfelt, metaphor-driven song beautifully highlighting one of Auld's most enduring melodies.
Second to her songwriting is her expressionistic phrasing, something that Lucinda Williams and Patty Griffin share. When she sings that "you'd leave me stra-a-nded", it fees as if her entire body were supported by tiny twigs, each slowly starting to crack. When this delicacy is augmented by Gerber's sprawling atmosphere of arpeggios, absolute chemistry is at play.
"In The House' is unprocessed by editing software for the sake of the good, honest truth. "The less that you tamper with it," Mezera says, "the more of that magical something is preserved." ~ Gabe Meline - North Bay Bohemian, CA.


"'IN THE HOUSE' Live album review"

If prejudicial barriers against country music go up on hearing the first couple of songs on this two CD live performance, I strongly urge you to hang in there. If these two very talented performers do not win you over, regardless of your musical bias, I would be very surprised. The concert is a delightfully refreshing, musical experience.
Singer/songwriter Audrey Auld Mezera, now living in northern California, is Australian. After listening to the CDs I felt there was a certain irony in the fact that, as an Australian, I really knew more about her American collaborator in this musical venture. I was familiar with Nina Gerber’s superb guitar and mandolin playing on the late Kate Wolf’s recordings and more recently on Greg Brown’s collection of live performances from Kate Wolf Music Festivals. I had heard a couple of Audrey’s songs during a radio interview a number of years ago and that was unfortunately the sum total of my acquaintance with her music. I say ‘unfortunately’ because after listening to this concert recording, I now realise what I have been missing.
This double CD concert recording showcases the songwriting talents of Audrey Auld Mezera. She has a definite flair when it comes to the self deprecating song about life’s low points (eg I’d Leave Me Too and Drinking Problem). Her humour and positive take on such subjects is refreshingly engaging. Losing Faith (which recently won her a songwriting award) is a strong, confronting song, full of biblical imagery. Two standout songs for me are her beautifully moving love song Love You Like The Earth, with its very memorable melody, and Half A World Away, which is about homesickness. There are some fine interpretations of other songwriters’ works including songs by Patty Griffin, Mary Gauthier and Fred Eaglesmith.
Gerber’s wonderful, sensitive guitar playing is further highlighted by the inclusion of three instrumentals, including a beautiful interpretation of John Lennon’s Imagine. Her ability on both acoustic and electric guitar and her proficiency in a variety of guitar styles enhance the listening experience. During the concert we are informed that this is Audrey and Nina’s second public performance together. Nina’s seeming familiarity with Audrey’s songs and the enrichment her thoughtful playing brings to them are quite amazing.
There is just enough appropriate dialogue between songs and Audrey Auld Mezera’s infectious giggle delightfully peppers her passionate, assured and engaging vocal performance. This is a refreshingly honest recording, with both performers firing off each other to reach those magical heights which live performances can sometimes attain. Thoroughly recommended listening."
Jim Low, http://folkaustralia.com - FolkAustralia.com


"NINA GERBER REVIEW"

"Remarkable accompanist... A star in her own right... Gerber's contribution is magnificent..." - San Francisco Examiner


"NINA GERBER REVIEW"

"Nina's guitar style is wide and brave. As she glides thru this record project, she uses each of her guitars as if it's the one she was born to play. Acoustic or electric, she sounds beautiful, smokey, precise, full of the licks you love to hear, even though it sounds like you're hearing them fresh, for the first time, and some of them... you are. She's a player, folks... we're lucky to have her near..." - Herb Pedersen, LA


"AUDREY AULD MEZERA REVIEW"

"Audrey is the real deal. I call her the Australian songbird. She has that wide-open sound and it's easy to relate to her music because she sings from the soul." - JIMMY LA FAVE


"AUDREY AULD MEZERA REVIEW"

"A sharp-eyed storyteller... She also can flash some sly social satire or a powerful sense of moral indignation, all the while sounding like your good friend." ~ M Berick - NO DEPRESSION


Discography

"IN THE HOUSE - Live In '05" Double CD

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

Magic is created when Audrey Auld Mezera & Nina Gerber share the stage. Songs both poignant and wry, and humorous stories enhanced by Nina's virtuoso work on acoustic and electric guitar.

Audrey's songs and Nina's instrumentation create transcendental moments for everyone - whether it's a gentle acoustic ballad, an all-out twangin' country song or a folk/rock piece where improvisation takes the lead.

The show is interspersed with Nina's touching instrumentals and Audrey's hilarious tales told with an Australian tongue-in-cheek.

Nina Gerber makes everyone sound great - Greg Brown, Karla Bonoff, Eliza Gilkyson, Mary Gauthier, Jackson Browne, Laurie Lewis, Dave Alvin - to name a few. She's well-known in folk music circles for her many years acompanying Kate Wolf.

Audrey Auld Mezera is an Australian singer/songwriter with 7 albums to her credit, 10+ years of international touring and winner of the '06 MerleFest Chris Austin song contest.

“She writes and sings songs with a worldly truth... She not only sounds like she grew up on Music Row in Nashville, but she writes the kinds of songs that built Music Row in the first place.” ~ G. Meline, North Bay Bohemian

"Enough can't be said about how valuable Nina Gerber is to so many acoustic music projects in the area... Yet to put herself in the spotlight she deserves, Gerber has evolved from the late Kate Wolf's accompanist into an accomplished arranger and producer and a ubiquitous sidewoman... Gerber fleshes out each tune with brisk fills and sensitive solos that never distract from the fundamental feeling or direction of the composition. Unlike so many showboating rock guitarists these days, she plays to the singer and song, not to a video-addled audience's idea of virtuosity... Impeccable taste... Subtle six-string brilliance." ~ East Bay Express

“’In The House’ is a document of pure fluidity. Second to Mezera’s songwriting is her expressionistic phrasing, something that Lucinda Williams and Patty Griffin share. When she sings that “you’d leave me stra-a-nded” it feels as if her entire body were supported by tiny twigs, each slowly starting to crack. When this delicacy is augmented by Gerber’s sprawling atmosphere of arpeggios, absolute chemistry is at play.” ~ Gabe Meline, North Bay Bohemian

“When presented with the opportunity to host Audrey Auld Mezera and Nina Gerber in concert, I couldn’t say “Yes” fast enough. I became a fan of Audrey’s about two years ago and have hosted her and seen her numerous times, always totally enthralled with her shows. Audrey’s songwriting, singing and performances are quite captivating - with the songs touching on a variety of subjects, making us laugh and feel sorrow, inspiration, pain and love – all delivered with her beautiful voice. She always creates a good concert and lights up the room with her gorgeous smile and stories. It's no wonder there's a growing group of “Audrey-Heads.”
I’ve seen Nina Gerber countless times since the 1970's when she first played with Kate Wolf. I know I’m not alone when I say she is absolutely incredible and anyone that gets to hear her play live is fortunate.
Through the years it’s been a pleasure to hear Nina accompany different musicians, representing a variety of genres, always amazing with her sensitive, effortless playing, never “getting in the way,” but always adding immensely. I never tire of witnessing Nina’s talents.
So, the thought of hearing Audrey and Nina together in an intimate theatre setting was so exciting I found myself counting the days for the concert to happen. The show exceeded my wildest expectations! The chemistry between the two women was electrifying. Nina played a variety of acoustic and electric styles, “stretching out,” even for her, complementing every nuance in Audrey's songs. Coupled with Audrey’s fabulous songwriting, glowing smiles, gorgeous voice and giggles, the night was nothing short of magical. I know the sold-out crowd was as blown away as I was.
I’m thrilled that the concert from Studio E is being made available for the world to hear (“In The House”). No matter how hard I try to describe the night, no words can convey what we heard. I suspect you’ll be able to hear Audrey’s smiles and Nina’s voice in her guitars. I hope that you enjoy the concert as much as I did!”
Laurie Schaeffer, Schaef-Abel Productions www.northbaylive.com February, 2006