carolann solebello

September's nearly gone and I'm just now sitting down to type the news from CS Central. It's always my intention to write an upbeat, sunny message about upcoming shows and new projects and a bunch of nifty stuff coming down the pike that I'm excited about... but I'll tell you the truth. As much as I'd love to do that, I don't have much in the proverbial gas tank at the moment.

Sure, things are going well. I had a wonderful summer playing a few great festivals (this photo with ASL interpreter Jody Prysock…

It's that time of year again, friends -- FESTIVAL SEASON! And though I'm only booked to play two festivals this Summer, they're pretty important ones to me.

July brings me to the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okemah, OK. I was privileged to play this fest back in 2010 during the waning days of my tenure with Red Molly, and it was absolutely earthshaking. My experience there among musical kindred, surrounded by the very palpable aura of the godfather of American troubadours, launched me into the next phase…

Here's what's happening, friends -- so much, really, in the next few months -- but first up is a short tour to PA and MD with JOE IADANZA this weekend. Join us if you can!

MAY

31:  Jamey's House of Music, Lansdowne PA (with JOE IADANZA) 

JUNE 

1:  Godfrey Daniels, Bethlehem PA (with JOE IADANZA) 

2:  Local Cream with Annette Wasilik, Takoma Park MD (with JOE IADANZA) 

8:  Emmaus Road Cafe, Lancaster PA 

13:  Live From The Vault: Songwriter Sessions, Brooklyn NY (with KARYN OLIVER and PAUL SACHS) 

14:  NO…

Though general restlessness has been a constant companion of mine for just about as long as I can remember -- booting me out of bed in the morning and keeping me awake at night -- lately, it seems she's turned the dial up to eleven. I find myself wanting things I do not, cannot, or should not have, spending money unwisely (well, even more unwisely than usual), and generally having trouble keeping mind and body still and focused for any length of time. I crave new projects, new songs, new adventures, new…

Last week, I had an unexpectedly revealing conversation with a friend about the giving and receiving of energy; the seizure and release of control. As productive, outcome-oriented humans, we spend a great deal of energy trying to control things in our lives. We exert Herculean (or perhaps Sisyphean) effort herding tasks and people and events in the direction we want them to go, controlling environments and messages and images, squeezing our expectations into manageable corrals where even the outcome is…

Today, I am a juggler. My hands in constant motion, my brain whirling, my eyes not sure what to focus on as the many balls I'm trying to keep in the air blur into one... booking new shows, promoting shows already booked, learning new music, singing backup for friends' new records, playing sidekick bass, starting a new songwriter series (more on that soon) and maybe, just maybe, recording demos of new songs of my own...

And perhaps most importantly, this month and next bring more than a few concert…

So, yeah, it's cold. But I'm not complaining. Here in NYC, it's just kind of a normal cold, not crazy cold, and certainly not Polar Vortex cold like it is in some parts of the USA and Canada right now. If you're caught up in that, I hope you're staying safe indoors as much as possible, and covering every part of your body when outdoors. Put a couple blankets in the car, too. You just never know when you might need some extra protection. Frostbite is no joke, friends...

As for me, well, I've been spending…

Happy New Year, friends!

I can still say that, right? Even though the first month of 2019 is nearly half over? I sure hope so, because I'm just catching up and preparing for all sorts of new adventures this year!

Hope you're safe and warm and keeping loved ones close in these chilly and confusing times. I'm holding tight to my family and the music, cooking good food, practicing yoga, and writing new songs. Turning inward to gather energy to turn outward and do things like attend the Women's March next…

It's nearly December already, and I confess I'm not ready for Winter... Wasn't it just August last week? Autumn seemed more fleeting than a murmuration of migratory birds this year, and I'm surprised to find myself turning more and more inward with each passing day, craving good books, hot soup, wool socks, and homemade bread...

To underscore that cozy yet foreboding feeling I get at the onset of Winter each year, I'm happy to share with you my latest release, a song called "The Coming of the Cold," which…

Fall is and always has been my favorite season -- crisp air, good coffee, warm conversation, sweaters, scarves, boots, and of course, elections... don't forget to register and VOTE, friends! Make your voice heard! Here's a handy registration/information link:  https://vote.gov

...and speaking of absolute whirlwinds, the September portion of my Fall 2019 Tour left me absolutely breathless!  October promises even more adventure, bringing concerts with musical kindred near and far:  co-bill dates with…