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Alien Folklife - Joan Kosby and Paul Mercer
Joan Kosby and Paul Mercer
November 2003 News:
Down to Earth, Alien Folklife's second CD, has just been released!
Produced by award-winning Canadian producer, Paul Mills (best known for his work with the legendary Stan Rogers), it features guest appearances by Tracy Grammer and multi-instrumentalist Curly Boy Stubbs, among others.
Coming Soon: Alien Folklife's new website, with music you can download.
"The way Joan Kosby and Paul Mercer harmonize, given the specialness of their vocal blend, you just know they are two individuals who are very much in tune with one another. And this unique chemistry is utilized to
the nth degree on some stunning original folk material.... Here is a repertoire which can never become boring . . . " --Dirty Linen
Alien Folklife is the acoustic folk music duo of Canadian Paul Mercer and New York state native Joan Kosby. Their repertoire of original material combines contemporary and traditional folk music influences with a healthy dose of offbeat humor. They are equally at home with an evocative story song, an upbeat tune or a quirky humorous piece.
Alien Folklife's original songs create vivid snapshots of everyday life, past and present. They celebrate love and friendship, and provide incisive - and sometimes hilarious - commentary on our times and ourselves.
This contemporary feel is balanced by the duo's strong background in traditional music. Much of their songwriting has its roots in Paul Mercer's rich Newfoundland heritage. His song, "Johnny Burke," about a turn-of-the-century Newfoundland songwriter, has been recorded by the nationally-known trio of Priscilla Herdman, Anne Hills and Cindy Mangsen.
"In the truest 'old songs' tradition, [Johnny Burke] sounds as if it could have been written 50 years ago or more." -- Saratogian, Saratoga Springs, NY
"Extraordinary songs filled with originality, yet faithful to traditional
styles."
-- Lena Spencer, Caffe Lena
Saratoga Springs, NY
Using words like "delicious," "rich," "intricate" and "beautiful," reviewers and audience members alike have commented on the "specialness" of Kosby and Mercer's vocal blend. With guitar, and occasionally concertina, Alien Folklife creates arrangements that enhance their vocal sound.
"Delicious harmonies and creative arranging . . . wonderful and original."
-- Times Union, Albany, NY
"I love harmonies and yours are right on the money--tight and beautiful."
--A listener
Alien Folklife has appeared in coffeehouses, concerts, colleges, festivals and on radio. One of their songs, "Sweet Reunion," is featured on a Fast Folk recording. Their first release was a 1991 cassette entitled
Fast Company. Double Vision, their debut CD, was released in 1997.
"Two wondrous musicians . . . Rarely in my extensive experiences as both musician and educator have I had the opportunity of hearing so fine a merger of sensitivity, intelligence, creativity and love of music."
--Sylvia Wallach
Ms. Music Productions, Chicago, IL
Paul Mercer was born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland. He grew up hearing the traditional music of this Canadian province, as well as that of Ireland and Scotland.
Mercer's early attempts at musicianship were not exactly a roaring success. His piano teacher abandoned him after discovenng that he was playing by ear instead of reading music. (She stumbled upon this fact when he played his week's assignment perfectly, but in the wrong key.) Mercer also had an unsuccessful bout with the accordion.
Things took a turn for the better a few years later when, discovering contemporary folksong, he took up the guitar. He started writing songs and playing in coffeehouses while still a teenager. A college course in folklore reawakened his earlier interest in traditional music, and he went on to pursue a master's degree in folklore.
Joan Kosby grew up on Long Island, New York, in a household of dueling musical tastes. Her mother, whose father had been a professional violinist, loved Mozart and Beethoven. Her father, whose mother had sung in British vaudeville,preferred cowboy songs and Mitch Miller. And her older brother was a rock'n'roll and Kingston Trio
fan.
Kosby herself adored musical theater and Danny Kaye. She played percussion in her school band, studied piano and took acting and voice lessons. In high school she began writing songs. Most of these sounded suspiciously like country and western music, which she almost never listened to.
Majoring in theater in college, Kosby learned to play guitar in her junior year. A whole new world of music opened up to her, ranging from Gordon Lightfoot and Joan Baez to the traditional music of the United States and Britain. Within nine months of first picking up the instrument, she started "playing out." Later she learned concertina, as well.
The Duo: Kosby's passion for traditional music led her to Newfoundland to study folklore, where she met Paul Mercer. The two started the St. John's Folk Music Club, a weekly performance venue that is still going strong. During this time they began performing together, and appeared at the first Newfoundland Folk Festival. After completing their master's
degrees, the duo married and settled in upstate New York.
Over the years they have gradually moved from a repertoire of traditional and contemporary British, American and Canadian music to one of original matenal. Alien Folklife's current sound blends all these influences to produce songs that are at once fresh and familiar. Combining sensitivity with a sense of humor, they bring a love of music and a feeling of sharing to their performances.
Kosby and Mercer have toured from New England to North Carolina. Their appearances at coffeehouses, colleges concerts and festivals have been met with an enthusiastic response.
The duo's debut CD, Double Vision , was released in 1997. Their first recording, a cassette entitled Fast Company, was released in late 1991. The international music magazine Dirty Linen has praised Alien Folklife's "unique chemistry" and "stunning folk material."
"Unique chemistry . . . stunning original folk material . . . [with]
unforgettable characters."
--Dirty Linen
"Exceptional arrangements and delivery run rich through an album that
both surprises and impresses."
--Rock 'N' Reel (England)
"Lovely harmony vocals . . . stunning original work."
--The Eighth Step, Albany, NY
"The opening group Alien Folklife was truly superb --a combination of all the right things: beautiful music, humorous (more than just humorous it was a kind of clever funny that is high level entertainment), likeable and real people. Hats off to them for an excellent opening act. Though I'm the last person to make an impulse purchase, I HAD to buy their CD when I saw it included many of the evening's songs on it. Wow! I hope they come back as a featured act one evening soon."
--Susan F. Sharin, Eastford, CT (e-mail to Stone Soup Coffeehouse,
Providence, RI)
"There's a haunting magic in many of Alien Folklife's songs. The people and places seem to come alive almost as if you were there with them."
--Priscilla Herdman, singer
"Your version of Sullivan Ballou's letter is quite beautiful....you did justice to the original letter."
--Ken Burns, film maker ("Civil War" series, PBS)
"[Alien Folklife's] songs manange to sound introspective, melodic and (often) fun, all at the same time. A high point of the early festival was hearing [them] perform Mercer's passionate "Johnny Burke," which was included on Herdman, Hills and Mangsen's gorgeous Voices recording."
--Dirty Linen
"I want you to know how much I've been enjoying your CD. It's bnlliant, as well as being beautifully recorded." Micah Solomon, President, Oasis CD & Cassette Duplication
"At long last the aliens have landed, and if their music is any indication, our universe is most assuredly expanding. I welcome their new songs and delightful harmonies into my world"
--Joe LaMay, singer-songwriter
"Delightful . . . beautiful harmonies. In just three numbers they wowed us.... Buffalo Friends Folk Music Newsletter
Alien Folklife is the acoustic folk music duo of Canadian Paul Mercer and New York state native Joan Kosby. Their repertoire of original material combines contemporary and traditional folk music influences with a healthy dose of offbeat humor. They are equally at home with an evocative story song, an upbeat tune or a quirky humorous piece.