Corey Webb

"True music lovers or anybody seeking a musical experience of total quality and passion will see this band. They simply will. The buzz is real. Believe the hype."

-Danielle Howle, acclaimed folk singer


"The complex arrangements and bold mix of instruments reveals that this is Charleston's next band to watch. They have created a whole new sound for South Carolina."

-Stephen Webb, WeAreRadio.com


"Great musicianship, 'from the heart' honesty, tight and very musical; the synergy is evident from the first lick to the last."

-Eddie White, Awendaw Green
- various quotes

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=80238767257&h=65ZKP&u=UUUue&ref=mf - ABC News 4

Bodies Full Of Magic

(Independent)

When College of Charleston music majors Corey Webb and Kristin Abbott went looking for a third roommate, it is unlikely they thought they were going to score the missing link to their new band. Nonetheless, when Karin Bliznik moved in, Webb and Abbott quickly found that the classically trained trumpet player (Bliznik had moved to the Lowcountry to join the Charleston Symphony Orchestra) provided an element that was previously missing. Along with fellow music students Brett Nash and Alex Hennessey, the group christened itself Bodies Full of Magic after hearing the phrase in a music class. The band's self-titled debut recording is divided into two parts. The first five songs are Corey Webb solo tunes, while the remaining seven compositions are from the band proper. Highlights of the Webb solo stuff include the plaintive "Troublefield Prison" and the lovely "Leh Niah II." Things really kick in though when Bodies Full of Magic get a chance to perform. "Spaceman" has hints of Portishead, while the rollicking "Addict" will have you pogo dancing around the room. The album's crown jewel though has to be "Desdemona," which features Webb singing almost in a whisper while Bliznik's horn plays mournfully between breaks in the piano. Abbott and Webb's vocals mix nicely on several songs. This is a brave and raw release that is anything but the norm. Catch them tonight 6-9 p.m. at Vendue Inn Rooftop, 19 Vendue Range. (B+)

Download These: "Desdemona," "Addict," "Troublefield Prison" - The Post & Courier

Fronted by strummer/singer/songwriter Corey Webb, local indie-pop band Bodies Full of Magic releases its debut album this week. The band plans to promote it with a brief East Coast tour which extends into New York and Vermont. Bodies Full of Magic recently recorded a self-titled collection at the busy Awendaw Green studios (early samples sound elegantly clangy, as if Syd Barrett and Syd Straw were leading the Salvation Army Band through a moody set of Donovan tunes). Look for the official CD release when Webb, vocalist Kristin Abbott, keyboardist Alex Hennessey, drummer Brett Nash, and trumpeter Karin Bliznik strike up a melodic set at the Rooftop Bar & Restaurant (19 Vendue Range, 843-577-7970) on Thursday from 6-9 p.m. “Please come support us and grab a new copy of our album,” says Webb. “We love all of you, and this tour is an exciting chance to share our music with all of you — live and with a shiny souvenir to take home.” —T. Ballard Lesemann
— T. Ballard Lesemann - Charleston City Paper

Warning: The creativity and musicianship on this CD will blow you away.
Pick up a copy today!
"The Greater Good Movement" is a very creative and impressive singer/songwriter CD. The songwriting on this CD strikes a nice balance of being original with changing styles, while being melodic with interesting counter melodies. The production and musicianship are pro quality, with the guitar work being especially noteworthy. Some of the songs and lyrics have a theatrical flavor to them. One of our favorite tracks is "Huckleberry Me" with its Flamenco/latin-style guitar riffs nicely welded into an adult rock song. The CD even takes into a more folk-traditional banjo song with "Leh Naih." "Wonderful Again" has the element of an adult rock hit, with a very memorable chorus. If you enjoy singer/songwriter adult rock/pop artists such as Jason Mraz, you will enjoy this CD. Pick up a copy today. - RadioIndy.com

Local music

Corey Webb - "The Greater Good Movement" - (Independent) (B+)

I always love it when some poor sap on the next bar stool laments the state of music in the Lowcountry.

No sooner does the sad sack start whining, when I swing into action.

Carrie Ann Hearst, Leslie, Steve Hit Mike, A Decent Animal - I could go on and on about great local bands.

To anyone who says that Charleston doesn't have an original array of musical offerings, I say you're simply not listening.

The latest bullet in my clip of ammo who used to silence the naysayers is Corey Webb. The local musician's independent release, "The Greater Good Movement," is a wonderful mix of folk, world and acoustic rock, with a touch of stage musical flair. The track I keep going back to is "Carnivala," a playful tune that sounds as if it should be played by a medieval minstrel. Other great material includes Middle Eastern-tinged "Huckleberry Me," as well as the almost all instrumental "Leh Niah."

The tune "New World Order" sounds as if it comes from some clever off-Broadway show. According to his bio, Webb is studying music theory and composition. If this is the sort of stuff that is floating through his head, Webb would be better off teaching the same.

Download These: "Carnivala," "Huckleberry Me," "New World Order" - The Post and Courier's Preview

Local quintet Bodies Full of Magic strikes up a chord on the Charleston music scene.

Composed solely of classically trained musicians, the band features College of Charleston music students Corey Webb, Kristin Abbott, Alex Hennessey and Brett Nash as well as Karin Bliznik, who serves as Principal Trumpet for the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.

The group performed its first show in October 2008 after only two weeks of rehearsals, professing an extraordinary sense of confidence and professionalism that can only be attributed to the members' years of training.

With influences ranging from Bright Eyes to Vampire Weekend, the band rocks a unique vibe, fusing folk guitar and powerhouse vocals with a jazzy influx of keys, drums and trumpet.

Preview chatted with the quintet and asked a few questions.

What's with the name?:

Webb: "One morning, one of my professors was giving a lecture on what it means to be a composer. He played a piece that he wrote and the text was taken from the translation of an Egyptian poem, which had the phrase 'bodies full of magic.'"

How did the band get together?:

Abbott: "Corey, Brett, Alex and I are in the music department together. Corey and I were looking for a third roommate, and Karin was moving down here to play principal trumpet with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. When she moved in, we started playing music together and decided that what we had was really working."

Where did you play your first show?:

Abbott: "It was Rocktoberfest at Awendaw Green, a music festival where people were going expecting to hear good music. There was no time to play a house show; it wasn't a bar full of a bunch of drunk people. From the very beginning we raised our standard and we kept it that high ever since."

How do you come up with your sound?:

Hennessey: "Corey and Kristin will have a skeletal idea for a song. The whole band gets together on Tuesday nights and plays the song pretty straight forward. Since each of us has our own sound, and we're lucky enough to meld so innately, it allows us to arrange as we go."

Tell us about the album you're working on:

Abbott: "Corey has already released his first album independently. Before the band got together, he had started recording his sophomore album. We are going to release an album that will feature Corey's own material, along with our original Bodies Full of Magic music and arrangements. It will be a cool transition piece for Corey as well as a great debut for the band."

How does your classical training come into play?:

Abbott: "You get the face value of exciting progressions and pop/folk vocals, then you give it a second listen and you realize that there are more complex things happening; that Alex isn't just playing chords on his keyboard, he's an incredibly skilled pianist. We have tons of respect for people who are self trained, but we've crafted a style based on the full knowledge of music."

-Article by Lisa Ryan - The Post & Courier

Kristin Abbott, senior, music composition and theory major, singer

Corey Webb, junior, music theory and composition, guitar, singer

Alex Hennessey, sophomore, music theory and composition, piano

Brett Nash, junior, music performance and arts management, drums

Karin Bliznik, grad, trumpet, masters and undergrad in music performance

“As for school, I just finished up my masters in June, last June, obviously, and I have been in the symphony since September. I won my job in June, and moved in with these lovely people. I play the trumpet in the band.”

Kristin: She got her undergrad from Boston University, and her masters from Northwestern.

GSO: Impressive.

Kristin: That’s why I want to put it in there.

Karin: I love both of my schools. They are two awesome locations, Boston and Chicago, are just my favorite places. Charleston becoming the next.

GSO: What is your masters in?

Karin: My master is in music performance, so is my undergrad.

Kristin: So is her life.

GSO: Have you always been interested in music?

Corey: No. My parents tried to get me to take piano lessons three times and I hated it every time. And my dad tried to teach me the guitar when I was nine, and I hated that too. But when I turned 15 I moved up to Vermont with my mom and I wanted a banjo really spontaneously.

Kristin: Because it’s cold, and there’s nothing to do in Vermont.

Corey: Yeah, there’s nothing to do, so I wanted something to do cuz I wasn’t good at skiing or snowboarding so I bought a banjo and I just started practicing that every day and then I really got into music and music theory and playing other instruments and whatnot, writing songs. So that’s my story.

Karin: Yes.

Alex: Yes. As much as I love music though, this is the first band I’ve ever been in too. In high school I always wanted to be in a band but there was nobody that I really wanted to play with, or that wanted a piano player.

Brett: Too good for people.

Alex: No, it was people I just didn’t like, and they never wanted a piano player. So it never worked out. And luckily these guys were open-minded enough to want a piano player in the band.

Corey: Yeah, it was hard to, you know, really come around. No, he’s a wonder and a joy.

Alex: Aw.

Brett: I started out with my dad, who played trumpet, and when I was in kindergarten they were like, ‘do you want to take piano lessons,’ I’m like, ‘ok! Why not?’ and so I did, for six years. And then I got burnt out on that and then I played the drums. And I think since I was like seven I always wanted to play music for a living somehow.

Karin: In my undergrad I was a computer science major and music major. So I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do, which is why I went to a university instead of a conservatory, originally. And then decided, eventually, kick the computers and pick up the trumpet, and I’m really glad I did. I love it. So, yeah. My dad was also actually a trumpet player.

GSO: You’re learning things about each other.

Corey: Yeah, I feel like I know you guys all over again.

GSO: How did you all find each other?

Kristin: I get to take the credit for this entire thing.

So I met Corey last year in choir. I got really excited about his music. He’s produced his own solo album, called ‘The Greater Good Movement’ and I was an arts management major at the time, and I started kind of working on promoting his music, and then I realized, wait, I am a musician, this should be maybe our music. But I didn’t tell him that yet. But then we were trying to find a roommate, and we found Karin on craig’slist of all places, because we listed that we wanted a musician as a roommate. And this chick from Chicago texts me and says, ‘I’m gonna be playing principal trumpet in the symphony, I’m 23, and I’m awesome, and maybe we should live together.’

Karin: She’s elaborating.

Kristin: Yeah, she typed something much more formal, but that’s what I read when I saw it instantly. So the three of us started playing music together and I had always had my eye on Alex, because he was smart and funny and I knew he played the piano. And then so I started slyly getting him to hang out and we would just happen to be playing music when he came over. Like, ‘why don’t you sit down at the keyboard Alex?’ and next thing he knew he was in a band. And he was friends with Brett, so I was like, ‘Alex, why don’t you invite Brett over?” And seriously for like a couple of weeks there Corey and I were both like, ‘hey Alex, you want to call Brett?’ and he was like, ‘am I not good enough?’ and we were like, ‘no, you should get that other friend of yours,’ and eventually Brett came over, and the rest is history. But I take full credit for all of it.

Alex: You did manipulate. Orchestrate, that’s a better word.

Karin: That’s punny.

Brett: Although me and Corey had been talking for about a year.

Corey: Yeah, I think that part of the story was left out.

Kristin: Well clearly, Corey couldn’t seal the deal

Brett: I remember Corey calling me, ‘hey, do you want to play this festival with me, I really need a drummer.’ And I said, ‘ok.’

Kristin: That was Rocktoberfest

Corey: Yeah, the first time we played together was for this festival up in Awendaw, which is just like 20 minutes north on 17, and like 50 bands, mostly local or regional bands, over two days, Saturday and Sunday, played at this site, this land up in Awendaw, and it was called Rocktoberfest. It was a benefit for the Wando High School band program. It was a huge festival. There were two different stages and we actually played Saturday night on the main stage. I got a call about a week before asking if I wanted to play on the main stage, and I was like, ‘well yeah,’ and then I was like, ‘well I need to get a band.'

Alex: That was about two weeks after our incarnation.

Corey: I’d just been playing with these guys [Kristin and Karen], and I had recently met Alex, and I had been talking to Brett about possibly doing something, and I was like, ‘well this is probably the time to do it.’ So we got together, rehearsed three times, and then played for like, hundreds of people. It was really cool.

GSO: Where did your name come from?

Corey: Three of us are composition majors, and our composition teacher, Dr. Trevor Weston, I was late to a composition lesson one day, and he decided that he would talk to a music appreciation class for a couple of minutes while I was on my way about what it is to be a composer. And so I just slipped in and kind of listened to him lecture, and he was showing this piece that he had written to the music appreciation class. It was like this huge choral, orchestral, kind of masterworkish piece. The point is, is that he read the text of it, and it was from some translation of this Egyptian poem about all these gods, kind of a polytheistic idea, and like eating each other's entrails to gain strength. Anyways, there was a line in there that mentioned the phrase ‘bodies full of magic.’ And it hit me, and so I wrote it into my cell phone so I could remember it, and then I asked these guys if they liked it.

Kristin: It’s funny, because, I think one thing that Corey didn’t mention, is that when you form a band, and you like the music you’re making, you start thinking, constantly. You’re like, Christmas ornament, ‘Christmas Ornament,’ could that be a band name? Everything you see is like, could we do it? We had quite a few names in two weeks even,

Corey: For Rocktoberfest we performed as ‘Caught! In Corey’s Webb.’

Kristin: One night, and Necter, we were playing a gig, and we had three names over the course of a three-hour gig. So, you know, looking for inspiration, it’s funny what you found. That this one, really, as soon as he told I think every single one of us we were like, ok, yup, that’s our name.

Corey: Yeah, we just fell in love with it.

Kristin: And we took off running.

Brett: As a side note for ‘Caught! In Corey’s Webb it’s important to note that after 'caught' there is an exclamation point.

Corey: Yeah, it was Caught!

Kristin: And in most publications it was in some way or another spelled wrong.

Corey: But then we were the Corey Webb Band for a while, before Bodies Full of Magic. And now we are who we are.

Kristin: And secretly always have been.

-Article by Katie Orlando - George Street Observer