PERFECT MATCH

LIVE REVIEWS
Kawehi
Bar Lubitsch
West Hollywood, CA
Contact: ihewak@mac.com
Web: http://kawehi.com
The Players: Kawehi, toy piano, vocals
Username: Kawehi
Material: Kawehi delivers a sound that we’ve
heard before, but one that is created in an
unconventional way. She is a one-woman a
cappella group, complete with beat boxing and
effected bass lines that help fill and texture the
sound. This is possible with the assistance of
a looper pedal used to stack harmonies and
instrumentations—making her voice as the only
instrument needed.
Musicianship: Her vocal tone has a nice
airy quality that creates a well-blended sound;
something that is imperative when making
music solely with one’s voice. Kawehi begins
every song by laying down its beat and multiple
musical lines. Her knowledge of these different
lines is impressive and it truly sets her apart from
other singer-songwriters who bring only guitar
and vocals to the table.
Performance: Kawehi has utilized Kickstarter
to fund three EP's to date and the songs she
performed were a part of those projects. For top
donors, Kawehi has written songs on the topics
of their choosing, allowing for diverse lyrics,
which she partners with satisfying hooks and
catchy melodies that are reminiscent of much
current pop. She made the toy piano she played
on her mash-up of “Tainted Love” and “Where
Did Our Love Go” sound anything but childlike.
Paula Cole
City Winery
New York, NY
Contact: monica@thinkpress.net
Web: http://paulacole.com
The Players: Paula Cole, vocals, piano;
Mark Erelli, guitar, vocals.
Username: paula@paulacole.com
Material: “I am so ordinary” sings Paula Cole;
in a song from her first album Harbinger,
reflecting on the pain and disappointment of
being the back-up girlfriend. But rest assured,
there is nothing ordinary about Paula Cole.
An established Grammy-winning songwriter
and performer for the past two decades, Cole
continues to wow audiences with her live
show and profound take on life and on love.
Her sound is contemporary but there is also
a connection to iconic women songwriters of
the ‘70s like Joni Mitchell who are adept at
writing deeply personal songs while turning
them into hits. “I Don’t Want to Wait,” written for
her grandfather (and also the theme song for
Dawson’s Creek) is so musically memorable
most everyone in the room can hum the
instrumental intro—which she encourages the
audience to do. Cole also introduces the brand
new song, “Eloise,” which will be the title track
on her forthcoming April release, Raven.
Musicianship: Her warm, dark voice is
drenched in emotion and Cole knows exactly
how to get the most out of it alternating from
explosive and full-voiced to hushed and breathy
during more tender moments. Her piano work is
highly musical and a true reflection of how the
songs were created. Joined by guitarist-singer
Kawehi: A one-woman a cappella group, complete with beat boxing and effected bass lines.
Songs like “Lucy” showcased her ability to write
memorable melodies. “Neda” highlighted lyrical
expertise that is often forgotten about amid pop
music’s lightness. While it was difficult to get to
know Kawehi as an artist in her four-song set, she
added the right amount of stage presences and
(much needed) focus to the performance.
Summary: Kawehi's brings intelligence to the
singer-songwriter genre. Her direct funding and
creating technique allows for interesting songs
Paula Cole: Grammy-winning songwriter with a warm, dark voice drenched in emotion.
Mark Erelli, (an accomplished artist in his own
right) they create a vocal blend that elevates the
performance to an even higher plane.
Performance: Following a chronological
timeline of sorts, Cole began with songs
from Harbinger which she connected to her
“formative” years in New York City. From
there she moved on to “I Believe in Love” from
Amen which became a hit as a dance re-mix.
She saved the biggest hits for the latter part
of the set. “I Don’t Want to Wait” followed by
“Where Have All the Cowboys Gone,” her
unique tongue-in-cheek take on male-female
relationships while poking fun at gender
stereotypes. She closed the show with a striking
that are more substantial than a lot of produced
pop. The danger of using a loop pedal is that if
one note is even the slightest bit sharp or flat a
musician’s only options are to start over or have
the entire vocal instrumentation sound dissonant
(and not in a nice way). Tightening up her pitch
and providing the audience with longer set lists
will allow Kawehi’s performances to showcase
the unique artist she promises to be.
——Karen Emmert
version of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” complete with
beat box solo. The taut and well-planned set left
audience members wanting more, but certainly
offered plenty of the Paula Cole experience.
Summary: Paula Cole is an outstanding and
committed performer who immerses herself so
completely in every song that you are instantly
drawn into her vortex. She continues to write
new material while keeping her earlier work
very much alive. Shedding undue pressures
that a major label puts on artists these days,
Cole is breaking free from that arrangement
and doing it her way with a loyal fan base
behind her.
——Ellen Woloshin
ELLEN WOLOSHIN KAREN EMMERT
March 2013 www.musicconnection.com 55