Devorah
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Devorah

Seattle, Washington, United States | SELF

Seattle, Washington, United States | SELF
Band Rock Singer/Songwriter

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"Irrepressible "Firecracker""

Journal of the San Juans
San Juan's Devorah to perform songs from new CD at Pig War Picnic

By JAMES KRALL
Journal of the San Juans Reporter
Jul 02 2008 · UPDATED

Devorah, aka “Firecracker,” that whirling dervish of musical energy and talent, has just spun-off her third music compilation, “Irrepressible,” a 10-track CD that marks a sea change in her music, featuring several songs of her own writing.

Devorah’s contribution to the local music scene can be measured in decades and anyone who has ever heard her sing knows full well how surprising — shocking — it is to hear that much energy flow like a fire hose out of her diminutive 4-foot-11-inch frame.

And then there’s her voice. “Wow.” is a common response.

Devorah is performing Thursday at this year’s Pig War Picnic and will be joined by several of her best musician friends she’s known over the years. Some of them helped her on this most recent CD, of which she is clearly excited.

“This disc reflects very clearly the essence of what my life has been like so far,” Devorah said. “Emotionally, it expresses the feelings and issues that people of all ages feel. The songs reflect questions we ask ourselves as people and what we’re doing in our lives.”

The release is a mixture of songs she’s written herself, as well as a few covers: “Cry Love” by John Hiatt, “I Thank You” by David Porter and Isaac Hayes, and “Crystal” by Stevie Nicks. She does more than justice to all three, coloring them with her own shades of vocal colors.

“I’ve never held back, musically,” Devorah said.

Devorah’s performance features some of the Northwest’s most sought-after live and studio musicians, who, naturally, have known Devorah for years. Her producer, Chad Quist, will perform with her, as will Douglas Barnett on bass. Singer and songwriter Steve Trembley will accompany on guitar.

Six-string violin soloist and featured artist Geoffrey Castle will take the stage with Devorah this year, as will Eric Robert on keyboards and Doug McGrew on drums.

Devorah will perform at the Pig War Picnic between noon and 1 p.m. Copies of her new CD will be on sale.

Journal of the San Juans Reporter James Krall can be reached at jkrall@sanjuanjournal.com or 360-378-5696.
- San Juan Journal


"The reinvention of an artist"

By Richard Walker
For more than 20 years, Devorah Gottesman performed locally, hopeful she would be discovered and signed by a label.

She and then-husband Tom Doenges comprised Sundog, the preeminent local pop/jazz/country duo of the 1980s and '90s. Kenny G and Heart considered a song off their first record. A bootlegged copy of Sundog's "Speak" got airtime in Morocco. But the big prize was elusive.

Then the couple split up and Gottesman - known then as Debbie Sundog - went to New York to sing in jazz clubs. She returned to Seattle to sit in with the Fat James Band in 1999, performed in a Sundog reunion in 2001, but found Debbie Sundog to be a heavy mantle to carry.

"It used to be, 'Please sing Bonnie Raitt' or 'Please sing Janis Joplin and dance like a crazy woman,' " she said.

She began expanding her creativity, hooking up with Albritton McClain & the Bridge of Souls, he of Donnie Iris and "Ah, Leah!" (No. 29 on Billboard's charts) fame.

But a period of introspection, a sojourn in New York and a leap of faith have led to Gottesman's latest incarnation - and perhaps the biggest step of her career. Gottesman, who now performs as Devorah, is pursuing success.

She's written some new songs (http://www.devorahmusic.com), including a peace ballad that won her a performance at the International Peace Day concert on Aug. 5 in Manhattan's Riverside Park. She's put together a band comprised of musicians for Big Brother and the Holding Company, Heart, Steve Miller and Joss Stone. She's recording at Bob Brooks' Imperative Studio in Mukilteo (he won the Oscar for Best Sound for Oliver Stone's "Platoon"). And she has the interest of Judy Collins' management company, Wildflower Records.

About that ballad and peace concert: During a sojourn in New York City, Gottesman was inspired to write a pop peace ballad, "Wake Up (For The Children)." Dick Hieronymus of San Juan Island, who composed music for 12 Hollywood films, heard the song and encouraged Devorah to market it.

He recalled watching a newscast of U2 singer Bono touring Africa. "The last thing he said was, 'Look, aren't these kids just beautiful. We've got to save the children.' A week or 10 days later, I heard her sing at a street fair in Seattle and I said, 'You ought to send that song to Bono.' "

Devorah called everyone she knew in the industry to get in contact with U2. She didn't reach Bono, but she did get in touch with the producer of the Universal Peace Day Concert (http://www.universalpeaceday.com), and ultimately won an invitation to perform.

Other performers include Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary.

The New York performance holds a lot of personal significance to Devorah. Aug. 5 is her birthday. She wrote the song, "Believe in Your Dreams," on Aug. 5; the song garnered her a Billboard award. She wrote the song for her mother, who died Aug. 5.

"For years, Deb was sure that a big-time producer would hear her sing at Roche and make her a star," Hieronymus said. "When producers come to Roche Harbor, they're not looking for someone to sign, they're there to have fun. So now, what she's done is leave Friday Harbor.

"I think this is the best she's ever done. It's the first time she's ever sung a serious ballad and she's writing her own music. She's matured into being a composer. She's been producing this album. I would just love to see her succeed. I give her positive energy and tell her, 'Go get it.' "

While "Wake Up (For The Children)" has a pop sound, it is a serious song. "It asks us to consider how children benefit or don't benefit from our corporate and political choices," she said. "We need this right now."

Devorah gives a lot of credit to Doug McGrew, her collaborator and "muse generator." She also remembers something ex-husband and fellow Sundog Tom Doenges asked her. "He asked me, 'Are you going to continue to imitate the best in the business or are you going to write your own songs?'"

Devorah said she's got 30 tunes "in the hold stage" and is working on a dual disc, with video on one side and music on the other.

You can catch Devorah and her band at the San Juan County Fair Aug. 16, 7-9 p.m. A limited edition of her album will be available "so islanders can have a little bite," she said. For a copy, visit http://www.devorahmusic.com

Devorah & Co.
Devorah will perform at the San Juan County Fair Aug. 16, 7-9 p.m. Band members include:
- Tracy Arrington, bass (http://www.tracyarrington.com). He's played with Fat James Band and Curtis Salgado.
- Geoffrey Castle, electric violinist (http://www.geoffreycastle.com). With The Guarneri Underground, his album "Wander this World" debuted at No. 12 on the New Age/World chart.
- Doug McGrew, drummer (http://www.dougmcgrew.com). Performs with the Bridge of Souls.
- Chad Quist, guitarist (http://www.lighteuphoric.com). Part of the "humanitarian pop" duo Light Euphoric.
- Ben Smith, drummer (http://www.drumcore.com), Plays drums for Heart. He also played - San Juan Journal


"The reinvention of an artist"

By Richard Walker
For more than 20 years, Devorah Gottesman performed locally, hopeful she would be discovered and signed by a label.

She and then-husband Tom Doenges comprised Sundog, the preeminent local pop/jazz/country duo of the 1980s and '90s. Kenny G and Heart considered a song off their first record. A bootlegged copy of Sundog's "Speak" got airtime in Morocco. But the big prize was elusive.

Then the couple split up and Gottesman - known then as Debbie Sundog - went to New York to sing in jazz clubs. She returned to Seattle to sit in with the Fat James Band in 1999, performed in a Sundog reunion in 2001, but found Debbie Sundog to be a heavy mantle to carry.

"It used to be, 'Please sing Bonnie Raitt' or 'Please sing Janis Joplin and dance like a crazy woman,' " she said.

She began expanding her creativity, hooking up with Albritton McClain & the Bridge of Souls, he of Donnie Iris and "Ah, Leah!" (No. 29 on Billboard's charts) fame.

But a period of introspection, a sojourn in New York and a leap of faith have led to Gottesman's latest incarnation - and perhaps the biggest step of her career. Gottesman, who now performs as Devorah, is pursuing success.

She's written some new songs (http://www.devorahmusic.com), including a peace ballad that won her a performance at the International Peace Day concert on Aug. 5 in Manhattan's Riverside Park. She's put together a band comprised of musicians for Big Brother and the Holding Company, Heart, Steve Miller and Joss Stone. She's recording at Bob Brooks' Imperative Studio in Mukilteo (he won the Oscar for Best Sound for Oliver Stone's "Platoon"). And she has the interest of Judy Collins' management company, Wildflower Records.

About that ballad and peace concert: During a sojourn in New York City, Gottesman was inspired to write a pop peace ballad, "Wake Up (For The Children)." Dick Hieronymus of San Juan Island, who composed music for 12 Hollywood films, heard the song and encouraged Devorah to market it.

He recalled watching a newscast of U2 singer Bono touring Africa. "The last thing he said was, 'Look, aren't these kids just beautiful. We've got to save the children.' A week or 10 days later, I heard her sing at a street fair in Seattle and I said, 'You ought to send that song to Bono.' "

Devorah called everyone she knew in the industry to get in contact with U2. She didn't reach Bono, but she did get in touch with the producer of the Universal Peace Day Concert (http://www.universalpeaceday.com), and ultimately won an invitation to perform.

Other performers include Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary.

The New York performance holds a lot of personal significance to Devorah. Aug. 5 is her birthday. She wrote the song, "Believe in Your Dreams," on Aug. 5; the song garnered her a Billboard award. She wrote the song for her mother, who died Aug. 5.

"For years, Deb was sure that a big-time producer would hear her sing at Roche and make her a star," Hieronymus said. "When producers come to Roche Harbor, they're not looking for someone to sign, they're there to have fun. So now, what she's done is leave Friday Harbor.

"I think this is the best she's ever done. It's the first time she's ever sung a serious ballad and she's writing her own music. She's matured into being a composer. She's been producing this album. I would just love to see her succeed. I give her positive energy and tell her, 'Go get it.' "

While "Wake Up (For The Children)" has a pop sound, it is a serious song. "It asks us to consider how children benefit or don't benefit from our corporate and political choices," she said. "We need this right now."

Devorah gives a lot of credit to Doug McGrew, her collaborator and "muse generator." She also remembers something ex-husband and fellow Sundog Tom Doenges asked her. "He asked me, 'Are you going to continue to imitate the best in the business or are you going to write your own songs?'"

Devorah said she's got 30 tunes "in the hold stage" and is working on a dual disc, with video on one side and music on the other.

You can catch Devorah and her band at the San Juan County Fair Aug. 16, 7-9 p.m. A limited edition of her album will be available "so islanders can have a little bite," she said. For a copy, visit http://www.devorahmusic.com

Devorah & Co.
Devorah will perform at the San Juan County Fair Aug. 16, 7-9 p.m. Band members include:
- Tracy Arrington, bass (http://www.tracyarrington.com). He's played with Fat James Band and Curtis Salgado.
- Geoffrey Castle, electric violinist (http://www.geoffreycastle.com). With The Guarneri Underground, his album "Wander this World" debuted at No. 12 on the New Age/World chart.
- Doug McGrew, drummer (http://www.dougmcgrew.com). Performs with the Bridge of Souls.
- Chad Quist, guitarist (http://www.lighteuphoric.com). Part of the "humanitarian pop" duo Light Euphoric.
- Ben Smith, drummer (http://www.drumcore.com), Plays drums for Heart. He also played - San Juan Journal


Discography

LP: 5770
LP: Irrepressible
LP: Sundog "Speak"
EP: Devorah "Limited Edition"
Streaming live interview with www.goodnewsbroadcast.com

Photos

Bio

Devorah, aka “The Firecracker”, was born in Youngstown, Ohio, and is the youngest child of a family of accomplished, talented musicians. Devorah’s parents, Cantor Ernest and Frances Gottesman were regionally known, and dedicated their lives to their children and community. The experience of being their child developed a persistence and passion for music, and deeply carved her life path of honoring and sharing their legacy.

With two CDs (IRREPRESSIBLE and 5770), an Artist of the Year Award, and decades of performance experience, Devorah embarked upon a “Business by Bicycle Tour” from Seattle to Hollywood promoting her music. Devorah rode alone, stayed in Oregon and California State Parks. She was overwhelmed by the reaction and responses of radio stations and caring individuals along the way. “Twitter updates created an unforeseen momentum; interviews recorded to her Blackberry of people about their early childhood dreams were magnificent!”.

Devorah’s story captured the attention of veteran Los Angeles publicist, Roger Neal. Within a few months of their connecting, Devorah performed on NBC’s Wake Up with Al Roker, ushering in the celebration of Hanukkah. “Roger’s expertise is exactly what a dedicated indie, recording artist dreams about.”. Follow Devorah’s life adventures by visiting www.devorahmusic.com