leaf

This next artist is a friend of mine that has lots of talent. The reason that I have not previously mentioned her in this newsletter boggles my mind. Not only is she a great person with a wonderful genuine spirit, but she is able to bring that goodness to the stage and pull audiences in. Recently local artist Leaf performed her live album recording at Mocha Match coffee house in Decatur Georgia. I had also been to another live recording she had done several months ago which took place at the urban nightspot the Harlem Bar. The atmosphere for this performance was a little different from its previous location, but I really enjoyed myself. Leaf is a California native who moved to Georgia and joined the independent artist circuit. She has gained quite a loyal following. In case you're not familiar with this artist, she is a vocalist who performs while playing a guitar and her sound can be described as very acoustic. Her lyrics are very real and inspirational. In music circles where sex seems to be the only imaginative topic of today's artists, Leafs approach is refreshing. She also performs with Brandon Thomas, who is a creative being in his own realm. If you read Creative Loafing, Leaf's "cool eclectic" showcase has been listed as things to do in Atlanta. She has performed at many venues for years. Here is something that I just recently learned; Leaf performed on the CW show, Girlfriends. If you ever caught the episode where the artist Common was performing, Leaf was the performer on stage playing the guitar before his rhyme. I will make sure to keep everyone informed about upcoming album releases and shows. In the meantime, you can hear some of her music on her myspace page, www.myspace.com/leafsmusic, and I have been told that 88.5 in Atlanta features her material as well. Support local talent, they are the way of the future. - Words and Times Of LCG

An Atlantan for nearly three years, Leaf Newman's style still screams of California: tights, Chucks and ripped jean skirts. But the singer/songwriter hustled up on more buzz in a year than some homegrown Atlanta artists garner in twice the time.
By using her fast-paced L.A. grind, she established her own Leaf Cool Eclectic open mic at Decatur's Mocha Match Coffee Bar, an intimate environment where Leaf featured local artists and showcased her own breezy brand of soul.
After two years of sustaining Leaf Cool Eclectic, she's taking a break to work on her debut project. With a lack of radio play, acoustic music such as Leaf's makes the most impact live, where audiences are converted to fans by seeing her share her soul and life through the music. To keep fans engaged while she heads into the studio, Leaf recently recorded a live album, tentatively titled Go, scheduled for an early '08 release.
"It's challenging being an indie artist. You really have to be your own resource. You have to be the driving force behind everything you do," she says. "I titled the album Go because it's an encouragement to keep going no matter what happens."
In her day gig, Leaf facilitates music licensing for an indie law firm. She hopes to help other artists by sharing her music-business knowledge. Now that she has proven hustle and drive can create the buzz an artist needs to succeed, the scene awaits with curiosity to see how Leaf's cool, eclectic vibe will translate onto wax. - Creating Loafing-Atlanta

Across town at Decatur's Mocha Match, Leaf Newnan leads her own showcase, the biweekly Leaf Cool Eclectic. A recent edition drew Jonathan Blanchard, a dreadlocked baritone who turned Negro spirituals such as "Wade in the Water" into percussive vocal arrangements à la Take 6; and Bose who, accompanied by a guitarist, sang a cover of Corinne Bailey Rae's "Just Like." Newnan took the stage, too, strumming her acoustic guitar with the ferocity of Ani DiFranco.
"The purpose of this event is to give local artists, independent artists, a platform to grow," says Newnan, who's been doing Leaf Cool Eclectic since last summer. "Everybody says they need [to be] 'feeling good,' so that's been our motto. If it feels good, it feels good."
Newnan, whose modest concerts draw dozens of people to the tiny nook that is Mocha Match, has plenty of local favorites: Julie Dexter, Carla "C-Sharp" Gomez, Lara Polangco, Jason Kenney and Phillippia. "I think Phillippia is awesome," Newnan says. "She was in Madea's Family Reunion and she did a vocal performance that I thought was awesome. It's like, I wonder why some of these artists in Atlanta aren't blowing up." - Creative Loafing-ATL

As a member of the Syracuse University women’s basketball team, Leaf Newman is no stranger to pressure. On Thursday, however, she had to perform under different circumstances.

Newman unexpectedly turned the lecture of Def Jam Records founder cum Phat Farm clothing entrepreneur Russell Simmons into an impromptu concert when she asked to play a song on her guitar for the music mogul. Simmons invited her onstage, demanded a chair, requested water and even held the mic for Newman as she kicked off the last Genet Lecture of the year in Goldstein Auditorium.

“It was my coach’s idea,” Newman said. “She asked me what more could I want.”

The acoustic interlude seemed to set the tone for the rest of the lecture, as Simmons opened the floor up to questions that ranged from race relations and negative stereotypes in rap music to yoga and and former vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman. Simmons, who recently testified in front of a senate subcommittee about popular culture, had several things to say about the elected officials asking questions.
- The Daily Orange- Syracuse University, Syracuse New York