More Info on Mary FahlSimilar Undetermined MusicSearch Artistopia
Biography
Infobox musical artist|image= Mary Fahl performing.jpg|name = Mary Fahl|background = solo_singer|birth_name = Mary Faldermeyer|birth_date = birth date and age|1958|7|1|origin = Rockland County , New York|NY , United States|U.S. |genre = Celtic music|Celtic , folk music|folk , World music|world |occupation = Singing|Singer , songwriter , guitarist , off-Broadway actress |years_active = 1990& ndash;1996 ( October Project|group ) 2001& ndash;present (solo) 2003& ndash;present (acting)|label = Epic Records|Epic Sony Classical V2 Records|V2 |associated_acts = October Project |website = http://www.maryfahl.com MaryFahl.com Mary Fahl (born July 1, 1958) is an United States|American contralto|singer , songwriter and actress known for her work with October Project in the mid-1990s. More recently she is known for her solo singing and acting career. She released an EP Lenses of Contact in 2001, and a full album The Other Side of Time in 2003 on Sony Classical . A new album, From the Dark Side of the Moon , was released on May 10, 2011. Her music has been featured in the film Gods and Generals (film)|Gods and Generals , as well as the film version of the play The Guys .
Early life, education
Mary Fahl was born Mary Faldermeyer in Rockland County , New York on July 1, 1958. She was raised in a large Irish people|Irish / Germans|German family in Stony Point, New York ; her father was an accountant who commuted to New York City . Fahl has stated that as a child she used to sing along with her older sibling's records to practice her voice. She formed her first makeshift recording studio in the household bathroom. She attended Albertus Magnus High School , and graduated from North Rockland High School . She later attended McGill University to study medieval literature .
After graduating, Fahl and her sister left the United States to spend 1½ years in Europe; she said that she received an "informal graduate degree in music" by checking out vinyl records at a library in Holland and listening to and analyzing them. She also earned money by house-sitting and singing in cafes.
October Project
In 1990, Fahl briefly considered attending a post-grad pre-med program at Columbia University . Upon returning to New York City , she was introduced to lyricist Julie Flanders by a friend. Flanders introduced Fahl to Flanders' collaborator and boyfriend Emil Adler, a composer. Together with guitarist Dave Sabatino they formed the early incarnation of the band October Project , with Fahl handling lead vocals . Fahl stated they "rehearsed forever, a year and a half sort of finding where we were." They soon added vocalist Marina Belica and began touring the coffee house scene with their original music, eventually releasing their self-titled debut in 1993 on Epic Records . They released a second full album, Falling Farther In , in 1995 on Epic, and the album made it to the Billboard 200 . The group toured with acts such as Sarah McLachlan and Crash Test Dummies . The group disbanded in 1996, reforming in 2001 with Belica (lead vocals), Flanders and Adler.
While singer for October Project, the media occasionally depicted Fahl as "a goddess of Goth , a figure admired by followers of the vampire movement." Fahl, however, has stated she does not identify as Goth. She has theorized that because she did not have much money at the time and chiefly wore one black dress to all public appearances, the media misinterpreted her image.
Commercial work
After leaving October Project, Fahl spent time earning a living by working in the commercial world. She say she's created "quasi-Arabic-sounding wordless soundscapes" for various commercials. She has also voiced spots for Audi , Crystal Light , Russell Athletic , and Fisher-Price .
Solo career
After leaving October Project, Fahl embarked on a solo career. As a solo artist, she writes her own songs, usually in collaboration with other musicians.
Lenses of Contact (2001)
Fahl released an Extended play|EP , Lenses of Contact , in early 2000 for Rough Mix Records. It featured four songs: "Raging Child", "Paolo", "Meant to Say", and "Redemption"; the title of the EP came from a line in "Paolo". The EP contained elements of folk music , rock 'n' roll , and pop music|pop . Jeffrey Lesser, a producer/engineer who has previously worked with Barbra Streisand , Joni Mitchell , Lou Reed , and The Chieftains , produced the EP. She toured to promote the EP backed a by a five piece band of rock musicians. Many of the members of her newly formed backing band later became the band Ollabelle .Citation needed|date=April 2011 ;Reviews The EP was released to favorable reviews. Allmusic gave it 4½ out of 5 stars. They compared her to Mitchell and Judy Collins , although noting that she belt (music)|belted more than Mitchell, and concluded, "This promising solo debut demonstrates that Fahl is a very spiritual and moving storyteller in her own right."
In a live review of a Lenses of Contact show, Billboard (magazine)|Billboard stated "while her former band was sometimes categorized as new age , progressive rock|progressive , or art rock because of its classical leanings, the solo Fahl has her feet firmly planted in classic rock, pop, and folk terrain."
The New York Press wrote the EP "makes us embarrassed for both the mincing stampede of girl singers on the charts and for Fahl herself, who actually cares enough to sing, literally, from her guts, while daringly carving every phrase into dizzying terrain."
The Other Side of Time (2003)
Shortly after 9/11 , Fahl auditioned with a compilation of demo material for executives at Sony Classical in New York , including Peter Gelb . She earned an album contract, and after several months working on material in studio, released her first full-length album in winter 2003. The Other Side of Time had 14 songs in all (three of which were originally featured on Lenses of Contact ). She shares writing credits on 12 of the 14 tracks on album. It was again produced and engineered by Jeffrey Lesser, formerly responsible for her EP. Fahl toured across the country in support of the album's release.
Two songs on the album featured prominently on soundtracks. "Going Home" was written by Fahl to appear in the opening of the Civil War film Gods and Generals (film)|Gods and Generals . The album's closing track, Fahl's version of the traditional Irish tune " The Dawning of the Day ," was featured in the film version of the Broadway play The Guys , along with several reprises of the song.
;Style, themes Fahl wrote her lyrics to "The Dawning of the Day" to honor firefighters who died in the September 11, 2001, attacks . Ronan Tynan performed the song in 2006 at the re-opening dedication for the Seven World Trade Center .
The Other Side of Time showed some additional sides to Fahl's style, bringing in opera styles in " Una furtiva lagrima " and Middle Eastern influences in "Ben Aindi Habibi". These two tracks, which Fahl sang in Italian language|Italian and Mozarabic language|Mozarabic respectively, were the first non- English language songs to appear on her records. "Ben Aindi Habibi" was a traditional kharja written in the 11th century. Fahl said in an interview that she had discovered "Ben Aindi Habibi" while on tour with October Project and considered it her favorite song on The Other Side of Time . In an interview with Liane Hansen of National Public Radio , Fahl stated that she performed these songs on The Other Side of Time because she was signed to a classical label and a pop label would not have let her make that type of record.
;Reviews Overall, The Other Side of Time met with largely positive reviews. The Salt Lake Tribune gave the Other Side of Time an "A" grade in a review, and Film Score Monthly called her "a brasher, more exciting version of Enya and Sissel Kyrkjebø|Sissel " and concluded "Mary Fahl, thankfully, is not your typical pop singer. Somewhat unwieldy, but always interesting. More filmmakers should pay attention to the vocal talent on display in this CD."
A live Boston Globe review from August 2003 stated "Fahl has a voice for the gods. It is a compelling operatic pop instrument that can transport listeners to other realms. Her new album, The Other Side of Time, is a fascinating if sometimes slightly stiff mix of orchestral pop and riveting Celtic stylings a la Sandy Denny of Fairport Convention , with occasional hints of Sinéad O'Connor ." A live review from June 13, 2003 show stated the concert "let loose Fahl's deep, almost operatic vocal range. Usually such stylized music doesn't lend itself to variation...Fahl broke free of all stylistic restraints."
A July 2003 review stated that Fahl is "Most certainly an Artist of the highest caliber," and "this is not rock and roll. No dance moves or funky grooves, either. She is unlike any other popular performer today. Her lyrics are deeper and richer, like a Marc Cohen or a less self-involved Joni Mitchell . Her voice is a real treat, though. It is a force of nature, pulling you along as she rages against the heavens in full throttle; or softly, intimately singing to a private part of your soul that only she knew was there."
All-Music Guide praised her past work with October Project and her first solo EP but gave her only 2 out of 5 stars for The Other Side of Time , saying, "She still has the big voice, but she's opting for an easier course of being eclectic by tossing faint nods at different styles while trying to hew firmly to the center of the road."
From the Dark Side of the Moon (2011)
As of September 2006 Fahl completed the recording of From the Dark Side of the Moon , produced by Mark Doyle and David Werner and mixed by Bob Clearmountain . Doyle also provided nearly all of the instrumentation. The album is a song-by-song "re-imagining" of Pink Floyd 's classic album The Dark Side of the Moon . Advance copies were not sent out, and the album remained unreleased for several years after V2 Records went out of business right before her release. Fahl self-released the album on May 10, 2011.
;Reception Publication Nippertown referred to the album as "mindblowing," while The Morton Report called it "brilliant" and "a worthy re-interpretation not to be missed."
The singer is expected to release a new originals album, Gravity , sometime in 2011.
Musical style, influences
Fahl has stated that she grew up listening heavily to her brothers' Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd records, as well as her sisters' Joni Mitchell and Dusty Springfield albums. She's specifically cited Joni Mitchell as being highly influential in her music. She's also referenced Nico and various film scores. Reviewers regularly have compared her to Enya , saying "both have a vocal grace and rich melodic sense that verges on Classical Music." Fahl has stated she and Enya are not really alike, as Enya is a soprano , while Fahl's voice is "earthier, a dusky contralto . Her sound is more worldless vocales, my material is much more rooted in the storytelling, singer/songwriter tradition."
In a May 2011 interview, Fahl stated that she now uses a solo acoustic style at all live performances.
Theater
After the release of The Other Side of Time , Fahl acted in a production of Murder Mystery Blues , a comedy which is based on short stories by Woody Allen . Fahl and the other actors also served as musicians who performed the play's score. The play was originally performed at The Warehouse Theater in London and later moved to an off-Broadway theater in New York City .
Personal life
Fahl currently lives in Easton, Pennsylvania and is married to deep-sea oceanographer and marine biologist Richard A. Lutz . .
The Guys|The Guys: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2003), Sony Classical – "The Dawning of the Day", "My Beautiful, Gleaming...", "What They Were Waiting For", "Patrick"
Classics for a New Century (2003), Sony Classical – "Una furtiva lagrima"
reflist|2| refs = cite news | title = Interview with Mary Fahl | first = Eric | last = Schelkopf | url = http://www.chicagomusicguide.com/interviews_2011_fahl_mary.htm | newspaper = Chicago Music Guide | date = May 2011 | accessdate = 2011-07-24
cite news | title = Mary Fahl Finally Delivers Brilliant From the Dark Side of the Moon Album | first = Matt | last = Rowe | url = http://www.themortonreport.com/entertainment/im-going-to-take-you/ | newspaper = The Morton Report | date = July 24, 2011 | accessdate = 2011-07-24
cite web | title=Allmusic | work=Allmusic ((( Lenses of Contact & gt; Overview ))) | accessdate=13 December 2006| url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r511813|pure_url=yes
cite news | title = Meeting October Projections : Pop music: Mary Fahl and partners, at the Coach House tonight, follow through on their goals. | first = Mike | last = Boehm | url = http://articles.latimes.com/1995-11-11/entertainment/ca-1876_1_october-project | newspaper = Los Angeles Times | date = November 11, 1995 | accessdate = 2011-06-27
cite news |url= |title= Lenses of Contact |last=Hnderson |first=Alex |date=January 16, 2001 |work= All Music Guide |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= http://www.citypaper.net/articles/041901/mus.pickf.shtml |title=Music Picks: Mary Fahl |last=Pensiero |first=Nicole |date=April 19, 2001 |work= Philadelphia City Paper|City Paper |accessdate=13 December 2006
cite news |url= |title=Fahl's solo voice powers her return |last=Simmonsen |first=Derek |date=May 19, 2001 |work= The Washington Times |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=Mary Fahl returns to her roots |last=Shustack |first=Mary |date=May 31, 2001 |work= The Journal News |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=Live Reviews: Mary Fahl |last=Spielman |first=Cheryl |date=June 12, 2001 |work= Billboard (magazine)|Billboard |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=Best Contralto: Mary Fahl |last= |first= |date=October 3, 2001 |work= New York Press |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=Voice of America |last= |first= |year=2003 |publisher= |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=Mary Fahl: "The Other Side of Times" |last=Renzhofer |first=Martin |year=2003 |work= The Salt Lake Tribune |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite web | title=Allmusic | work=Allmusic (The Other Side of Time Overview) | accessdate=13 December 2006| url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r645134|pure_url=yes
cite news |url= http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_stories_home/2371851/article-Out-on-her-own-Hoboken-s-Mary-Fahl-releases-solo-CD |title=Out on her Own - Hoboken's Mary Fahl releases solo CD |last=Sullivan |first=Al |date=June 7, 2001 |publisher= Hudson Reporter |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/articles/2003/14_May---Film_Score_Divas_Past_Present_and_Future.asp |title=Film Score Divas -- Past, Present and Future |last=Wong |first=Cary |date=May 14, 2003 |work=Film Score Daily |accessdate=13 December 2006
cite news |url= http://www.oakparkjournal.com/books-music-reviews/2003/mary-fahl-the-other-side-of-time-2003.html |title= The Other Side of Time by Mary Fahl |last=Vincent |first=Ed |date=May 2003 |work= Oak Park Journal |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=Mary Fahl finds her voice |last=Takiff |first=Jonathan |date=May 30, 2003 |work= Philadelphia Daily News |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= http://www.musictap.net/Reviews/FahlMaryOtherSideOfTime.html |title=Mary Fahl: Other Side of Time |last=Rowe |first=Matt |date=June 11, 2003 |work=MusicTap |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=Films Herald Fahl Solo Set |last=Bessman |first=Jim |date=June 14, 2003 |work=Billboard |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=Meet and Greet: Mary Fahl |last=Perlmutter |first=Adam |date=July 2003 |work=Women Who Rock |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=A Baker's Dozen Divas |last= |first= |date=August 5, 2003 |work= Windy City Times |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=Rise and Fahl |last=Bankard |first=Bob |date=August 13, 2003 |work=Bucks County Courier News |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=The other side of Fahl |last=Oldsmith |first=Kase |date=August 14, 2003 |work= Weekend Magazine (New York) |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=Looking for the 'Other Side of Time'& nbsp; |last=Mulero |first=Eugene |date=August 27, 2003 |work= Hudson Current |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=Mary Fahl at the House of Blues |last= |first= |date=August 16, 2003 |work= Boston Globe |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= |title=Singer Mary Fahl on performing new album, and Hoboken |last= |first= |date=November 21, 2003 |work=Hudson Current Vol. 13, No. 16 |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= http://www.electricrev.net/archive/2003/november/cdwatch1.html |title=On the CD Watch: Mary Fahl Emerges |last= |first= |date=November 2003 |work=The Electric Review |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite news |url= http://www.playbill.com/news/article/103847-Murder-Mystery-Blues-Woody-Allen-Shorts-on-Stage-Opens-in-NYC-Dec-7 |title=Playbill News: Murder Mystery Blues & ndash; Woody Allen Shorts on Stage |last=Hernandez |first=Ernio |date=December 7, 2006 |work=Playbill News |accessdate=2011-05-02
cite web | title=59E59 | work=I'm a Camera presents Murder Mystery Blues | accessdate=13 December 2006| url= http://www.59e59.org/shows_2006/Camera.htmDead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot
cite news |url= http://www.usatoday.com/community/chat_03/2003-08-27-fahl.htm |title=Talk Today: Singer Mary Fahl |last= |first= |date=January 21, 2005 |work= USA Today |accessdate=13 December 2006
cite news |url= http://www.lindaeder.com/sites/lindaeder/voice/voice_fall2006/trail_mix_summer-fall06.htm|title=Linda Eder's Official Fan Newsletter |last= |first= |date=Fall 2006 |work=The Voice Vol. 7 Ed 1 |accessdate=11 February 2010
cite web | title=NPR | work=Mary Fahl | accessdate=13 December 2006| url= http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=1383995
cite web | title=Mark Doyle | work=Mary Fahl's Dark Side of the Moon : A Backgrounder | accessdate=13 December 2006| url= http://www.markdoyle.com/dsotm.html
http://www.markdoyle.com/news.html Mark Doyle, official website
cite web |url= http://maryfahl.com/? page_id=13 |title=Mary Fahl Discography |work=MaryFahl.com |accessdate=2010-02-02
cite news |url= http://www.pressherald.com/life/go/hard-not-to-fall-for-this-mary-and-her-soul-permeating-pipes_2010-07-15.html |title=Face the Music: Hard not to fall for this Mary and her soul-permeating pipes |last=Ponti |first=Aimsel |date=July 16, 2010 |work= The Portland Press Herald |accessdate=2011-05-02
http://www.nippertown.com/interview-mary-fahl/ Nippertown: Mary Fahl Interview (September 22, 2010)
http://www.chicagomusicguide.com/interviews_2011_fahl_mary.htm Chicago Music Guide|Chicago Music Guide: Interview with Mary Fahl (May 2011)
External links
Official website| http://www.maryfahl.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mary-Fahl/105498026151554 Mary Fahl Music on Facebook
Persondata| NAME= Fahl, Mary | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =1 July 1958 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Fahl, Mary Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:American female singers Category:American contraltos Category:People from Rockland County, New York Category:McGill University alumni
Copyright Citations
This article is licensed under the GNU License
Click here for original article: Mary Fahl
