09.01.06 | Cuore Italian Sessions Press Release PRESS RELEASE / JANUARY 2006: By the Bay Productions and Mad Iris Music/ Mad Iris Records are pleased to announce that:
In a dramatic departure from her usual repetoire, roots/blues artist Rita Chiarelli is recording an album of Italian folk songs .. in January and in Thunder Bay, Ontario of all places!
JUNO award winner Rita Chiarelli, has made an indelible mark on the Canadian blues scene, recording five albums over the past decade and earning a reputation as "the Canadian Goddess of the Blues." Three of her albums have been JUNO nominated as "Best Blues Recording", while she has won numerous Mapleblues awards, an honoury lifetime membership in the Manitoba Blues Society, The Jazz Report Magazine "Blues Artist of the Year, and is the recipient of CBC's Great Canadian Blues Award, in honour of her lifetime contribution to the blues.
As a songwriter, Rita has composed in almost every conceivable genre, defying categorization by drawing on country, jazz, R&B, rockabilly; Tex-Mex and folk/roots for melodic inspiration. Breakfast at Midnight (2001) showcases her all original material, was JUNO nominated, and has firmly established Chiarelli as an accomplished songwriter. It has, however, always been her soaring three octave voice which has garnered attention and rave reviews. As Ronnnie Hawkins ( with whom she toured in the early years) once observed " Sometimes you hear a voice so blue it makes the angels weep. that voice is Rita Chiarelli."
During most of the 80's Chiarelli practised her art in Italy, where her fluency in English caused her to be in high demand as a songwriter, recording artist and vocalist. Although fluent in Italian, Chiarelli has never before recorded in her mother tongue and she says she never really planned to do so. "This whole project kind of took on a life of it's own, beginning with a concert for the Orillia Folk Society. Some childhood friends of mine were in the crowd and for the encore they yelled out "play an Italian song". It was a really relaxed evening..just bass player George Koller and I .our first time playing together and a really warm and receptive crowd . I surprised even myself and played "Reginella", an old Italian folk song I've know since I was a child. It went over with the audience in a way that truly amazed me. I mean people were actually in tears. I subsequently played a few Italian songs at festivals this past summer - in Salmon Arm, BC; Red Rock ON, and Summerfolk in Owen Sound. The emails started coming in from people who loved it and wanted to know what CD the Italian songs were on . I started searching out more of these beautiful old songs and although I may be crazy, I decided that they deserve to be heard by a wider audience."
Chiarelli has rented a hall in Thunder Bay for the week of January 15 to the 22nd . George Koller (bass) and sound engineer Paul Benedict are flying up to Thunder Bay and along with Chiarelli and local artists Damon Dowbak (mandolin) and Tony Agostino (guitars) they will be recording the album, Cuore: The Italian Sessions. Chiarelli is holding concert /live recording sessions at the Unitarian Hall in Thunder Bay on January 21st and 22nd and will be using this material to supplement the studio recordings.
" I guess it's time to honour my familial roots and the ethnic background from which I come, in much the same way as I honoured my musical roots and influences with No One to Blame" (her JUNO nominated 2004 tribute to the blues) says Chiarelli, as she heads back to the Toronto studio where she is currently working on pre-production.
For updates on Rita Chiarelli and her music visit www.ritachiarelli.com For tickets to the live recording session, an interview with Rita or to request an advance promotional copy of Cuore: The Italian Sessions - please contact Liz Harvey-Foulds at By the Bay Productions 807-983-3512 or lizharvey@tbaytel.net 10.02.05 | Rita Showcases in Manitoba! PRESS RELEASE: OCTOBER 1ST 2005
By the Bay Productions and True Blue Records/Mad Iris Music Inc. are pleased to announce that Rita Chiarelli has been selected by the Manitoba Arts Network to perform at their 2005 Manitoba Showcase held in Virden Manitoba October 21-23rd. On her way home Rita will stop off in Winnipeg to present a concert at the West End Cultural Centre on Sunday October 23rd.
A gifted singer-songwriter who performs mainly original material, it is Chiarelli’s three octave voice that dazzles every audience who hears her sing. She is a consummate entertainer as witnessed at her Massey Hall performance in 2004, where she had the crowd on their feet roaring their approval. Chiarelli’s most recent album No One to Blame was nominated for a JUNO and she was part of Winnipeg’s JUNO Fest this past year. (Her previous two albums were also JUNO nominees.)
Known for her raspy, sensual voice, Rita Chiarelli has been wowing Blues fans around the world with her soulful singing and pure expression of each song. Rita can whisper a love song, croon a folk tune, wail a rock ditty, or scream the blues, all the while making it seem effortless. Chiarelli’s original songs defy categorization – often combining blues with other genres, including rockabilly, country, Cajun, roots or jazz.
A live performance by Rita Chiarelli is guaranteed to include a surprise or two! Along with the stories behind the songs, the audience may be treated to new yet to be recorded compositions, old favourites, or one of the Italian folk songs which will comprise Rita’s next album.
For more information on Rita and her music please visit www.ritachiarelli.com To arrange an interview, or to a obtain a press kit or a CD please contact Liz Harvey-Foulds of By the Bay Productions at 807-983-3512 or lizharvey@tbaytel.net
Rita Chiarelli plays the West End Cultural Centre Sunday Oct. 23rd. Doors open at 7:15 with an 8 p.m. showtime. Tickets are $25 at the door (if available) and $17 (plus applicable fees and taxes) from www.ticketmaster.ca at Ticketmaster Centres or by calling 780-3333 . Rita Chiarelli also performs in Ear Falls on Thursday October 20th and Kenora on Friday October 21st. Check the website for details. : Ticketmaster 05.18.05 | hello from the northlands..!!! hey there everyone..it has been a while...i am way up north writing new music...but it has been busy so here are some up dates...
the 'junos' were a gas...!! it was a thrill to be nominated..and being there..(i must admit) sure felt great...i congratulate all the winners...!! the real highlite of the weekend for me was the saturday night party...jann arden hosted....she was amazing...great company..sat with my 'downchild' buddies...and a good time was had by all...!!
coming up...the release of the 'ian tamblyn tribute' cd..look for this compilation soon...!! also..i will start working on my own cd in july...so i'll keep you posted...!!
also "in the works"...a summer of festivals...please check dates on this site... USA..here we come...looks like the fall will bring us to the USA ...this will include TEXAS....!! also..europe is looking good...!! finnishing up some details...hopefully we'll have news on that soon...
so many requests for 'road rockets'..this was my first recording...it still stands up folks...!! anyway...it will be re-released in the next few months...this features colin linden and i doing our version of 'highway 61"..and other great tracks... well that is it for now ..keep well everyone and keep posted...more news coming up...!! rita 03.22.05 | much stuff...!! march has been brewing with activities, folks... i've recorded a tune for the up coming cd that features tunes from ian tamblyn...contributing artists include...valdy,lynne miles, sylvia tyson...and many more....! also..listen to cbc's 'the vinyl cafe'...a taping was done this past sunday...but you know what...just click on 'rita's ramblins'...and get more info about upcoming stuff..! 02.07.05 | JUNO nomination!!!!! Hey Everybody..... I just learned that my new CD "No One to Blame" has earned a JUNO nomination. As you can imagine Paul Bennedict (engineer), Richard Bell (my co-producer) and I are thrilled. Thanks to all of you who have shown your support. There are sound bytes in the discography section of this site and you can order the CD right here by visiting the store!
