Sounds of spring.
I am lucky. I live in the country. I am awakened by bird songs every day on the ranch. Another type of singing group in town that I met; chanting songstresses at Vinyl Revival's rehearsal at Chanceller Place last week. The four singing birds are Carol , Lisa, Heather, Linda, along with Dana, the pianist. Their songs are more than just melodic notes, they have meaning.
They entertain you with their soulful chorus of tunes. The group who sing three or four harmony oldies from the 30s, 40s, 50s, and the 60s. They have hours of tuneful, melodic songs and the Christmas show is full of santa claus lyrics that you will find yourself... singing along. The group performs at senior living facilities, Healdsburg’s annual tree-lighting celebration, Windsor Town Center’s holiday open house, City of Santa Rosa, and Relay for Life.
New song
Contract Heather for your party or event. www.windsoreperformingarts.net
Carol Noack,soprano has loved singing ever since she listened to her parents harmonize on leisurely Sunday drives. She has sung in choruses, stage productions, small performing groups, and as a featured soloist since she was in junior high school. She is the corporate communications director for the Raven Performing Arts Theater, and produces the irreverent annual Mr. Healdsburg Pageant. On the side, she volunteers with Green Dog Rescue and Forgotten Felines, and can only vaguely remember a time when she didn’t have foster cats or kittens running around. She adores her fellow Vinyl Revival singers, and especially loves the tunes from the 30s and 40s that the group sings.
Lisa Phipps, second soprano has been singing in various choirs since she was a kid. Her experience has ranged from huge church choirs, small community choirs, and of course,all the musicals in high school! Now, as the alto in her quartet, she loves how the four voices really have to listen to each other to blend and sound their best. She loves singing for audiences who appreciate the old classics with their great lyrics and warm harmonies. It is especially touching when audience members sing along, hold hands, and even dance to the songs. Lisa believes that music is a powerful tool that recalls fond memories and lifts everyone's spirit!
Heather, alto, is the founding artisitic director and the director of the Healdsburg/ and Windsor Children Community Choir. She teaches private lessonsis the heart and soul of the academy. Everyone who takes her classes knows Heather's mantra: "No negativity!" even in jest.
I’m Linda Freebairn, second alto, I love singing, whether it’s a lullaby to a child or grandchild (I have 10 grandkids and love ‘em!), with the church choir, with my guitar at girls’ camp, or with Vinyl Revival! Music evokes feelings that words cannot express! I have been singing with Vinyl Revival for three years, and am glad they brought me on board. I am the 2nd alto/bass. I was raised in a musical household: my dad (a carpenter by trade) also played violin for many years with the Oakland Symphony, and later Santa Rosa Symphony, and other orchestras in the Bay Area. My mother and sister play piano, my brother sings, and I play guitar and a bit of piano. As a teen and young adult, I sang tenor in a large group choir (400+ voices) as well as small ensembles, and a fun jug band with 7 friends. The musical tradition has continued with my family. My husband, two sons, and a daughter play trumpet, two daughters play clarinet, and our disabled daughter loves to sing (and has perfect pitch). Yes, I love music, and singing with Vinyl Revival is a joy!
Dana Preston, pianist. have enjoyed being the piano accompanist for Vinyl Revival for the past couple of years. It's fun sharing our love of oldies songs with our audiences! I have the pleasure of accompanying several other terrific groups including high school and church choirs, musical theater productions, voice and instrumental students of all ages, and a choir for developmentally disabled adults. I also plan to start teaching piano next year. My family has lived in Santa Rosa for the past 19 years and previously lived in the South Bay where I worked as a travel agent.
Fashionistas on North Street
Let cook! French Onion Soup
3 pounds onions
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4-6 cloves of garlic
1 generous pinch of salt
a few good grinds of black peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
4-6 cups beef, veal, and/or vegetable stock, preferably homemade
2 cups red wine, preferably a burgundy, OR
2 cups beer, preferably a brown ale or stout (not chocolate)
1 baguette or other crusty bread
4-6 deli slices of cheese, OR
1/2 cup EACH of gouda, gruyere, parmesan & pecorino
Slice & segment 3 pounds of onions.
Melt together the butter and olive oil in a large stockpot.
Crush and peel the garlic. You don't have to mince it; it will caramelize and turn soft and sweet as it cooks. Caramelize the garlic in the olive oil and butter.
Pour in the onions, season with salt and pepper, and stir around just until the onions are all coated in the olive oil/butter.
Add in the fresh thyme and the bay leaf and let the onions caramelize, about 20 minutes.
Once the onions are caramelized and have cooked down, pour in the stock, about 4-6 cups depending on whether you prefer your soup more onion-y or more soup-y.
Then, pour in the wine or beer and simmer, uncovered, for at least an hour and as much as three hours, tasting occasionally to adjust the flavors.
Meanwhile, slice down your bread. Stale bread is perfectly okay for this, just heat it up a bit in a warm (250ºF) oven first to soften it. Toast the bread; you can rub both sides with a cut clove of garlic first, if you like. You'll want 2 pieces of bread per person - one for the bottom of the bowl, and one for on top.
If you're going for the mix of cheeses, grate together about 1/2 cup each of parmesan, pecorino, gouda, and gruyere. Alternatively, you can drape a deli-cut slice of cheese (emmentaler, gruyere) over the top of the bowls, but I like to do a grated mix. Get that ready, and set it aside.
Preheat your broiler. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf from the soup.
Arrange your oven-safe individual serving bowls or coffee mugs on a baking tray with a thin lip.
TO SERVE: drop a toast slice in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle in the soup and cover with a second slice of toast. Then cover the toast with cheese. Be generous! You want the cheese to seal in the soup and drape over the edge of the bowl.
Broil for a few minutes, until the cheese is brown and bubbling on top. Garnish with a little fresh thyme, and serve.
Next post: Dress locally: Clothes from Susan Graf and Zizi. More fashionista moments, Broccoli rabe, Potato, and Rosemary pizza.
