Musicians
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Erik Sayles: The Anti-Hero of Philly Guitar
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Erik Sayles can play the damn guitar. Don’t just take my word for it. There are witnesses. Over the years, he has played with, recorded with, or shared rooms with people whose names eventually appeared on festival posters and Grammy broadcasts: Jill Scott. Musiq Soulchild. Bilal. Darius Rucker. Questlove. Randy Brecker. Macy Gray. What makes…
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Alyssa Wilmarth: Hooks, High Notes, and Hallelujahs
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One day she’s taking a right hook to the jaw. The next day she’s floating a Puccini aria across the room (think Madame Butterfly). On Sunday, she’s at the Block Church in Northwest Philadelphia, hands raised in worship, leading a congregation through praise songs. And people still ask, “Which one are you?” Alyssa Wilmarth laughs,…
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Laurin Talese: Jazz-Infused Vocal Brilliance, Dining Room to World Stage
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“Some close friends of mine tell me that I always used to sing in the lunchroom in grade school, belting out any song that was popular. I kind of knew that I sounded pretty good, but it also made me feel good. I didn’t grow up in the best of neighborhoods, by any stretch of…
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Chill Moody: It’s a Philly Thing
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The first thing I notice as Chill Moody casually walks up to meet me at a popular breakfast spot in Drexel Hill, is his shirt. He’s wearing a black t-shirt under an open jacket which has the phrase “It’s a Philly Thing” printed in bold white letters across the front. I greet him with, “nice…