Gypsy Soul comes 'home' for the holidays
They may have moved to Issaquah, Wash., but Celtic folk-rock duo Gypsy Soul always manages to return to Southern Oregon, their former home, to perform.
"I am in love with the place (Issaquah) and we are getting to know some pretty awesome people," singer Cilette Swann said, "but it is not Southern Oregon. There is something unique in the hearts and minds down there. We do miss it!"
Swann and her husband Roman Morykit will present their sixth Annual Christmas Benefit Concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at the Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak St., Ashland.
"Can you believe this will be our sixth year ... three with ACCESS and three with WinterSpring?" Swann said. "They really are a wonderful bunch of people doing great work."
The benefit concerts have raised over $3,100 for WinterSpring and made it possible for ACCESS to serve more than 20,000. Be a part of making great things happen in the Rogue Valley.
The name "WinterSpring" symbolizes the seasons of life and death, particularly the transition from the darkness of winter to the reawakening, lightness, and hopefulness of spring.
Building on fifteen years of service, WinterSpring, Center for Living with Loss and Grief provides grief support and education for children, youth and adults throughout Jackson County, as well as information and training about the grief experience to schools, employers, helping professional and community groups. The only organization in the Rogue Valley specializing in these issues, WinterSpring sets the area standard of excellence in education and compassionate support.
We are staffed primarily by volunteers, consisting of dedicated and concerned bereaved persons, professionals, lay persons and community leaders. WinterSpring is a nonprofit corporation funded by personal donations, memorials, grant monies and fundraising events.
Alternating between haunting melodies and atmospheric grooves, Gypsy Soul creates a lush musical landscape of acoustic rock with Celtic and Americana roots. Cilette Swann's exquisitely ethereal-yet-powerful vocals are partnered with Roman Morykit's inspired bass and guitar counterpoint. Compared by critics to artists as diverse as Sarah McLachlan, Lorenna McKinnett, Eva Cassidy, Alison Krauss, K.D. Lang, Kate Bush and Fleetwood Mac, the adventurous duo has produced eight critically acclaimed albums.
Gypsy Soul broke onto the US music scene with the infectious Top 40 AC hit "Silent Tears," and has gone on to sell an impressive 85,000 CD's independently. Their songs have been featured in television and film hundreds of times in over fourteen different countries, on hit TV shows such as "Providence," "Roswell," "Felicity" as well as several MTV specials, movies-of-the-week and feature films.
On the forthcoming new album, "Beneath The Covers: A Rediscovery," Roman and Cilette pay homage to some of the artists and writers who've inspired them both musically and lyrically. The CD, which will feature innovative new arrangements of classic songs by artists such as Chris Isaak, U2 and Stevie Wonder, as well as the original song "Silver Lining," is scheduled for release in early 2007. For more information on Gypsy Soul, please visit www.gypsysoul.com.
Proceeds from the Dec. 16 concert will benefit WinterSpring's work. This event has raised thousands of dollars each year because of your support! Don't forget about the fabulous raffle ... with wonderful prizes donated by many local merchants.
