Music
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She’s been compared to singers Corrine Bailey Ray and Edie Brickell. Mitschelle, a New Jersey native, is on the rise in the SoCal acoustic scene. The singer-songwriter was voted Best New Acoustic Artist at the 2007 San Diego Honoring Acoustic Talent Awards and has been featured on CTN’S Java Jams show, as well as on local morning news programs. She’s currently working on a follow-up album to her previous release, Town of Trees. - San Diego Magazine
The world may seem to be saturated by female singer/songwriters who are seemingly doing the same thing. But, the fact remains, that it just so happens that the ladies are finally getting the recognition they deserve. Tristan Prettyman, Sara Bareilles, and Colbie Caillat have all reaped the rewards of this and now Dawn Mitschele is here to claim a piece of the pie for her self. Her latest release is a collection of mellow and heartfelt tunes that are anchored by her incredibly subdued vocals. Her songs "Float Like A Feather" and "Dominoes" are reinterpretations of previously released songs, and on this album they have become some of the highlights. Her lead track "Water" is a lyrical masterpiece and the album's key track. She can be somewhat labeled the feminine answer to Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson, but her music is so unique it's hard to compare or categorize her. Dawn is one to watch as the women of the music world take join the boys at the top. - ThisisMordern.net
Take a heaping tablespoon of Sarah McLachlan's vocal timbre, a pinch of Sheryl Crow's phrasing, and mix them with a generous helping of originality. Stir thoroughly until the ingredients take on the timeless textures and flavorings of revered acoustic artists like James Taylor or Carole King. Very soon you'll end up with a pretty good idea of what Dawn Mitschele's album In the Moonlight sounds like. The arrangements are spare, giving these songs a light and airy quality that perfectly frames Mitschele's ethereal vocals. These well-crafted songs really shine when laid bare in this manner. Her expressions of hope, joy, melancholy, and yearning are best heard unobscured by excessive production. Oftentimes they coexist within the same tune. Her sound is firmly in the acoustic realm with guitar and sometimes the piano providing the bulk of the support. Hand percussion and live strings are used to great effect, lending their warmth and immediacy to the songs in which they appear.
The gently strummed guitar chords of "Water" are a deliciously moody introduction for what follows. Subtle brushed drumming, minimalist bass notes, and a liquid cello countermelody create a backdrop for Mitschele's metaphorical ponderings on love, existence, and their transitory nature. This theme is further explored on "Dominoes," and, indeed, throughout the album as a whole. This particular track has the potential to be the breakthrough single with its memorably hook-laden melody. Musically, things get sunnier on the title tune, with strings taking a prominent supporting role. It is here that the songwriting is most reminiscent of James Taylor's best work without being derivative.
The piano becomes the dominant instrument on "Kiss You." Some very tasteful cello lines embellish it, sometimes echoing the vocal melody at strategic points. Combined with the sincere vocal performance, the overall effect is very affecting. On "Deep as the Sea," she takes a stylistic journey into gospel and blues territory. Two chiming electric guitars bring to mind the Deep South as she sings an ode to impossible desire. This song is definitely one of the album's high points. A Brazilian samba-like feel infuses "Same Sad Story," which creates an oddly bouncy mood for the somber words that tell of a desperate search for sense and identity. It's a nicely telegraphed incongruity that catches the attention and makes one think.
This is an album of very strong material, delivered with a gentle and spacious sound. There is no wasted motion here. The songs speak for themselves, going directly to listeners' hearts without a lot of studio artifice. Dawn Mitschele has a firm grip on her artistic vision as well as the talent to bring it to fruition as she fearlessly explores folk, pop, jazz, Latin, and blues sounds. The richness of her lyrical imagery, even when it's occasionally obtuse, reveals an uncommon depth of artistry. Her delicately mellifluous voice and excellent command of the songwriter's language are a potent combination. "Good Morning," the bonus track, shows the same level of craftsmanship and musicality that permeates the rest of the album. It's definitely not an afterthought. Quite the contrary, it serves more as a punctuation mark to a very satisfying artistic statement. - San Diego Troubadour
Discography
Town of Trees EP, 2007
In the Moonlight, 2009
Photos
Bio
Dawn Mitschele is at the top of a new generation of talented musicians thriving in the Southern California acoustic music scene. In January 2009, she was named by San Diego Magazine as one of "50 to Watch" in the new year, and her first album, "In the Moonlight" was praised by the San Diego Troubadour, describing Dawn as having "a firm grip on her artistic vision as well as the talent to bring it to fruition as she fearlessly explores folk, pop, jazz, Latin, and blues sounds." It is Dawn's truly angelic voice and honest lyrics that grab and retain the listener's attention and keep her loyal fans hooked on her sound.
"In the Moonlight," produced by Jason Ford at StepsTone Studio in Poway, CA was released in May of 2009. She followed the release with a solo tour this fall up the West Coast hitting San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Spokane, Victoria and many towns in between.
Over many years, Dawn has planted seeds of music, art and writing in her life as she was raised in New Jersey, attended college in New York City and lived two times overseas in Europe. In the summer of 1999 Dawn wrote her first song as a gift for her sister's birthday and from that point on continued to do so as a hobby until 2005, when she began to dedicate herself to music as a career.
Dawn is grateful for the San Diego community, which is where she first got started. She remembers the open mic at Twiggs' Green Room where she let her songs be heard for the first time. It was at this venue where she began to find her musical bearings and nurtured the need to share and express her music through monthly performances.
Her successes since that time have included receiving the San Diego HAT Award for Best New Acoustic Artist in 2007, being featured on CTN'S Java Jams show, as well as on the KUSI and NBC San Diego morning news programs. She is also featured on the Bushwalla song, "Mayhem is Beautiful," for the San Diego Fire Relief Compilation CD.
Dawn Mitschele is dedicated to producing honest music founded in love and gratitude, and she hopes to carry this message to her listeners, especially during live shows. After a recent performance, a local musician expressed that, "people were just hanging on to her every word. I think that's the difference between someone who sings a song and someone who truly believes what they are saying."
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