Music
Press
"A masterfully engineered accomplishment, composer and cellist Martha Colby's "Across Two Rivers" is a virtuosic blend of indy, folk, orchestral, (and) rock, (with overtones of Claude Bollings concerto's). Martha's lyric and lyrical genius are truly an orchestral sweet. If asked 'do her lyrics emote more than her voice, does her voice emote more than her cello, and her cello more than her lyrics?', the answer would certainly be yes! Martha really nailed it on this one. I cant wait for hte next."
--Adam Roufberg
Cohost - Free Range Thought in Radio (we put the RAD in Radio) - Free Range Thought in Radio (we put the RAD in Radio)
The fracturing sound of cars honking under a mega-watt artificial cityscape is a far cry from the tranquil oasis that this New York City resident paints. Cellist and songwriter Martha Colby distends classical riffs into a vessel of global rhythms ranging from sultry jazz to undulating folk-rock. Colby’s vocals are solid, with emphatic pushes offset by placid whispers like wind weaving through billowing sea grass. On “The Tide Rises,” as the piano lunges into the opening chords, Colby finds the anthem of her environmentally-charged core in Longfellow’s salty seascape, as her vocals posses a hollow vulnerability that rises and crumbles into a frothy ocean swell. “Twister” opens up a Pandora’s Box of melodic wit, as Colby plucks at her cello, singing with Sarah McLaughlin elegance. In the same vein, tracks like “Would I Scare You?” and “Born Again” showcase Colby’s instrumental prowess, featuring silky bellows of her cello like the distant and submerged cry of a whale. Conversely, “Space Attack” is an anachronism of jazz overtones, reminiscent of a Coltrane-blues era, dripping with effervescent southern swagger. On “Cottage,” impending arpeggios and swirling vocals unravel in true Joni Mitchell poignancy, while on “I Surrender” Colby’s testament to life beats steady with the summoning of Hindu spirits. With an angelic swathe of wispy hair shrouding her visage, Martha Colby sings of the natural imagery that she paints on the fingerboard of her cello. (Sarah Grant) - Maximum Ink Music Magazine
Discography
Across Two Rivers - c. Martha Colby 2005
Christmas Present - c. Steve Raleigh and Martha Colby 2005
Martha also appears on recordings by:
Sloan Wainwright, Gregory Douglass, Anna Dagmar, Kati Mac, Pharaoh's Daughter, Dina Regine, Andy Guthrie, David LK Murphy, Cheryl Allison, Kris Roebling, Annie Minogue, Dana Mase, The Novellas, The Syrens, Mary Connelly,Cynthia Goddeau, Dillon Bustin and others.
For a complete discography from LWR Productions, visit www. SteveRaleigh.com
Photos
Bio
If forced to, NYC freelance cellist, writer, singer and arranger, Martha Colby, labels her music as “acid folk”. Her debut album, Across Two Rivers, appears on the LWR Productions label, as well as her latest collaboration with Steve Raleigh, Christmas Present. Martha's songs are beautiful and vibrant --often visiting surprising harmonic ground, and frequently loaded with environmental and political commentaries.
As a freelancer, Martha can often be found performing with the band October Project, a duo with Anna Dagmar, jazz bands The Llama Dollies and Lyric Fury, and is principle cellist of the Hudson Opera Theater and the Spirit of America Symphonic Pops. She is featured on numerous recordings including those by Sloan Wainwright, Pharaoh’s Daughter, Gregory Douglass and Anna Dagmar to name a few. A recipient of the Joe Venuti Jazz Masters Award and several Meet the Composer grants, Martha has worked with world-renowned musicians including Matt Glaser, Billy Hart, and Kurt Rosenwinkel. She grew up in Guilford, CT
Steve Raleigh is the founder and president of LWR Productions, based in the Hudson Valley of New York. Besides being a first rate producer and engineer, he is a masterful guitarist and composer, and is really good at making people laugh. He is currently leading a crossover jazz/ funk/ jam band known as the Llama Dollies (formerly Inner Door).
Together, Steve and Martha create a sonic palette which by far is greater than the sum of the parts. They are currently working on a new album -- a song-cycle about the environment (political and earth) -- entitled "Bullet Catching Time".
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