Press release:
Musicalou Productions and the Isis Music Hall present the North Carolina premiere of Joan & Joni, a tribute to Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell performed by singer/songwriters Allison Shapira and Kipyn Martin on Friday December 11th at 7:00 pm.
In Joan & Joni, Allison and Kipyn will bring to the stage many of Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell’s well-known songs, as well as a few of their lesser-known ones. They will also demonstrate the legends’ impact on their own songwriting and performance. Allison and Kipyn met at the 2013 Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) conference in Kerhonkson, NY. Both classically trained singers and up-and-coming musicians on the DC-area folk scene, they soon realized their musical influences were similarly shaped by the folk revival music of the 60’s.
Allison Shapira spent years studying classical voice at Boston University, Tanglewood, and in Italy but at home she listened to the folk revival music of Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Judy Collins. In 2011, alongside a career in diplomacy, communications, and international relations, Allison picked up a guitar for the first time and started writing her own music. Her debut CD, Coming Home was recorded in 2012 and released at the very same Club Passim where Joan Baez got her start in 1958.
Kipyn Martin, currently the Washington Area Music Association New Artist of the Year, is an emerging Americana singer/songwriter whose roots sink into the banks of the Shenandoah River. Recent accolades include winning Gold and Silver Awards in the 2014 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest and being selected as a Showcase Artist at the 2014 Southeast/Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (SNERFA) conference. Kipyn received international distinction in the 2013 UK Song Contest when “I Believe in You” from Undercover Muse earned a semi-finalist rating. Her song “Nightbird” from her debut album, Undercover Muse won a Gold Award, as well as the Director’s Choice Award, in the 2013 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.