Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Karyn Black
Blinding
(Fennessey)
Karyn Black has an appealing and enticing vocal appeal, one that proves consistently delightful though this set of 10 numbers that combines an evocative celebration of nature’s beauty with an equally powerful musical presentation. From the title track’s declarative flow which opens the disc on through the more demure numbers “Vincent” and “Beautiful Blue” and into strong renditions of “Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying” and “Windmills of Your Mind,” Black never resorts to tricks or gimmicks to get attention, and shows that she’s both a capable musical and lyrical interpreter, in addition to providing intriguing arrangements. Recorded both locally and abroad, and presenting an adept mix of electronic backing and acoustic sweetening, Blinding demonstrates that sensitivity and understatement can be as effective as bombast and flourish.
Ron Wynn, Music Editor, The CITY PAPER, Nashville
- THE CITY PAPER, NASHVILLE
Glorious crossover new country from Nashville's Karyn Black. Her new album 'Beneath The Sheltering Sky' (Southbound) is a tough and tender collection of melodically charged songs, elegantly and sensitively performed. - TIME OUT (LONDON)
Singer/songwriter Karyn Black has been performing since the age of four, beginning songwriting in her early teens. Anative of Rhode Island, Karyn grew up in a musical family, and has been influenced by all genres from folk, country and pop, including Dylan, Leonard Cohen to Ron Sexsmith and David Gray. Karyn has toured extensively in the US, the West Indies, Spain and is a regular headliner for the 12Bar Club in London. She recently played The Borderline, Mean Fiddler, Kashmir Club and Half Moon in London. Based in Nashville, Karyn has her own writer's nights at the Bluebird Cafe. Her music embraces the audience with an intimate feel. She has an original style which combines both emotional and lyrical depth, undertones of unexpected colour, passion, humour and tempo changes. - Billy Block's WESTERN BEAT
Singer songwriter Karyn Black completes her six week visit to the Costa Del Almeria with a final concert at El Loro Azul, Mojacar Pueblo, on Thursday 26th August starting at midnight. During her time here she has performed extensively at Music Musica, The Goa Restaurant as well as El Patio, Tito's, El Pinar and El Loro Azul. A frequent visitor to Mojacar, Karyn has debuted new material on her next album, as well as playing cuts from her latest album, 'Beneath The Sheltering Sky', released on the Southbound Records label. Karyn has also included innovative covers of songs by Nanci Griffith, Bob Dylan, Tracy Chapman and Lucinda Williams. The album, 'Beneath The Sheltering Sky' was produced by Karyn and her collaborator Clay Mills and features a roster of outstanding musicians, including Larry Campbell (Cindy Lauper Band) and Mike Chapman (Garth Brooks Band). It was recorded at The Sound Kitchen in Nashville, Tennessee over a two month period.
The CD demonstrates Karyn's versatility as a songwriter and a performer, reflecting her many influences, styles and approaches to her music. - The ENTERTAINER Newspaper, Andalucia, Spain
Discography
BENEATH THE SHELTERING SKY
Southbound Records 2000 10 track album
OVER THE THRESHOLD
Acuff Rose Music 2001 3 track EP
BLINDING
Fennessey Records 2005 10 track album
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
KARYN BLACK is a highly experienced singer, writer, performer and recording artist. Her unique ability to combine her folk/pop roots with contemporary dance has attracted attention from U.K production luminaries like STEPHEN 'BEANZ' RUDDEN (Seal, Adamski and Love City Groove) and programming wizard JAMES SANGER (Dido, Keane). She was previously signed to the now disbanded but world reknowned Acuff Rose Publishing group in London.
She cites her influences as ranging from David Gray to Lucinda Williams and from Jacque Brel to Dido.
Karen Elizabeth Black grew up in Newport, Rhode Island. The youngest of four, she has two brothers and a sister. She became involved in music, dance and theatre at the early age of five. Her mother directed the family in a singing and dancing act, called the Four Fabulous Fennesseys which toured all over New England.
Karyn recalls, "Music surrounded me from a very early age. My brothers and sisters were always playing the record player and singing around the house. My mother held rehearsals in the kitchen and we had to practice our dance numbers and harmonies every night. We were constantly performing in clubs throughout New England. As we grew older, our interests diversified. My brother Kevin even started a bluegrass band."
Her brothers played banjo, mandolin, and guitar while Karyn sang harmony. Soon after, she started to teach herself the guitar and by the age of fourteen she had written her first song. At sixteen she was performing folk-pop music on her own as well as singing lead with several local bands.
From this point on, she established herself as a professional singer/songwriter and performed many nights in Newport and Boston while going to school. After her college graduation, Karyn moved to New York City. Karyn was invited to make several extended tours throughout the West Indies to huge acclaim, but she always returned for performances in New York, opening for Jose Feliciano at one point. She started The Karyn Black Band in Tampa which became locally very popular under her management. She moved to Nashville in 1994 and signed on with producer Clay Mills, set up her own record company (Fennessey Records), and formed her publishing company, Karyn Black Music. She co-produced Beneath the Sheltering Sky, her first album, and shortly after production ended she moved to London to tour in Europe and to promote the album there.
Karyn has performed numerous times in London at the Mean Fiddler, The Borderline, 12 Bar Club, and The Garage as well as in Holland, France, and Spain. She has recently moved back to the United States, returning to Nashville, Playing at the world famous Bluebird Cafe and Exit/In. Karyn will continue to perform in Europe on a regular basis. She has just completed her second album, Blinding, which is receiving considerable interest from record labels and publishers in London.
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