Suzanne Birrell
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Suzanne Birrell

Oakland, California, United States | SELF

Oakland, California, United States | SELF
Band World Children's Music

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This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"High Five for Fringe of Marin 2011"

The first half of the Program concludes with Daniel, a rap version of the biblical story, written by Bob Weiss and performed by Suzanne Birrell in a tour-de-force performance. Birrell moves gracefully, has a great sense of rhythm and does an amazing transformation of characters before our very eyes. She is always dynamic and encourages audience participation. - San Francisco Bay Times


"Rising stars in the Pagosa Scene"

"Suzanne Birrell is a New Mexico bass player, who Appenzeller said, "gets" the music and "keeps it all in line." Suzanne plays the bass like nobody ever told her that men usually handle that instrument."

"Upon moving to Pagosa Springs, Dan's music was pretty much a solitary affair. Then he met Suzanne Birrell, a swinging female bass player who was also a schooled musician and could read difficult scores. You always hear about the "Renaissance Man" who excels in a multitude of disciplines and abilities. Well, how about this for a "Renaissance Woman?" Suzanne is not only an accomplished instrumentalist (oboe, tuba, and drums as well as both electric and upright bass), singer, arranger, and composer -- she has also worked professionally as a motion picture actress and stuntwoman in Hollywood. She has taught opera and Shakespeare courses in college, worked as a paralegal, and has choreographed ballets. She also happens to be a terrific playwright, sculptor, and painter, and is considering possibilities for a showing of her artwork in Pagosa.

Teaming up with Suzanne opened up a path to a whole new musical opportunity involving Dan's compositions, both old and new. Suzanne was equally excited by the challenge of playing with a dynamic and dedicated artist like Dan, and the two started rehearsing two years ago. For Suzanne, the biggest challenge was keeping up with Dan's writing. He was so inspired when the two began playing that he was turning out new songs at a rate Bob Dylan would envy. Just as Suzanne would master a couple of songs, Dan would hand her three more new charts. It was an exciting time for the duo.

Then their project was waylaid in the fall of 2003 by Dan's bout with neck cancer.........
- The Pagosa Springs Sun


Discography

Album/ Calico Pie by Suzanne Birrell
http://www.live365.com/stations/breenoble -OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY
Album/ Hold On -Dan Appenzeller and Suzanne Birrell
Album/ More Songs by John Alex Tarbet
Album/ Dos Coyotes (Mark Parson & Jim O'Mealy)
Album/ Jana

Photos

Bio

SUZANNE BIRRELL is an ARTIST/PERFORMER. As a bassplayer/ singer/song writer she has performed with country bands, jazz bands, rock bands, alternative music bands and more-as a side ax on bass and singing lead or harmonies.

Suzanne also has a background in theatre (actress,director, choreographer) which includes drama, comedy, musical theatre, and opera. She has worked in the entertainment industry doing everything from Radio DJ to Stage manager to stunts in movies. She also teaches and directs play writing and acting workshops.

Suzanne is a visual artist: painting, drawing, sculpturing, and graphic arts. She has taught workshops in mask making as well as concrete sculpture.

Suzanne has a degree in music from Webster University with a minor in Art. She taught vocal and instrumental music as well as art and performance in public and private schools, K through College.

With a background in music from jazz to opera and everything in between, Suzanne Birrell has composed delightful tunes to the nonsense poems of Edward Lear, the English poet famous for "The Owl and the Pussycat." In melodies designed to be sung a cappella and accompanied by guitar and bass, Suzanne performs the songs using different voices for different characters in a highly entertaining melodramatic style. The stories of Lear are brought to life with their timeless messages about life for adults and children.

Suzanne considers herself an entertainer first and foremost. A performance is like a voyage; First, bring the people on board-careworn and burdened; Then, sing of sad times, sing of happy times, of love lost and love found, loose them in reverie, and then we rock them! Touch their souls and bring them up to a better plane from which they depart and return to their homes; their hearts a little lighter for the journey.

Her original songs are drawn from life. Tony, an elderly gentleman from Palermo, Sicily, who worked all his life as a butcher, told her as they waited in a doctor’s office that “The sweetest words a man could hear was DADDY’S HOME!” “Forget men; I’M GONNA BUY ME A DOG,” was a sentiment expressed by friend, Donna, after a failed marriage. “I WANT TO THANK THE OTHER WOMAN for taking you away” is Maria’s motto for moving on to better times. “If you don’t leave me alone, I’m gonna find somebody who will,” was a statement by an apparently frustrated man overheard talking to someone on his cell phone and which inspired the song “RUBY PEARL.” IF YOU NEVER TRY, YOU’LL NEVER FALL leads to TAKE ANOTHER CHANCE because there is always THE POSSIBILITIES OF YET!

SUZANNE BIRRELL is the GENUINE ARTICLE!