$25 General Admission
$40 Reserved
Doors @ 7:30 PM
Show @ 8 PM
Jonatha Brooke
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jonatha Brooke has been issuing albums that merge folk and pop since the early '90s; first as a member of a duo called the Story, and then later as a solo artist. Brooke formed the Story (originally called Jonatha & Jennifer for their first few years together) along with another vocalist, Jennifer Kimball, while the pair was both attending Boston's Amherst College in the early '80s. Despite playing locally on a regular basis during their college career, the duo never issued any demos or albums, and took a break for a period after graduation; during which time Brooke joined a dance troupe. But by the end of the '80s, the group had re-formed, now called the Story, and issued a demo called Over Oceans in 1989. The Story was promptly signed to the independent Green Linnet label, which issued the duo's debut full-length album, Grace in Gravity, in 1991. It wasn't long before Elektra Records expressed interest in the band, in turn reissuing their debut the same year, as well as a sophomore effort,
The Angel in the House, two years later.
But by 1994, the Story had split up for good, with Brooke pursuing a solo career. Despite Kimball not being present anymore, Brooke's solo debut, 1995's Plumb, was credited to Jonatha Brooke & the Story. But Brooke was the sole creditor beginning with 1997's 10 Cent Wings, which also marked a shift from her earlier folk-pop to more of a radio-friendly style. This continued on such further releases as 1999's Live and 2001's Steady Pull, the latter of which was co-produced by Brooke and renowned studioman Bob Clearmountain (who has worked with the likes of Bryan Adams, the Rolling Stones, the Corrs, and Hall & Oates, among countless others). Beginning in the late '90s, Brooke's albums were issued via her very own record label, Bad Dog; while in 2002, Brooke performed a pair of songs on Disney's Return to Never Land soundtrack, contributing an original composition ("I'll Try") and a cover ("The Second Star to the Right"). Her latest is Back In The Circus and it reveals her at the top of her musical game. It is an intimate, musically mature body of work. We are pleased to welcome her to Paramus Picture Show
JILL SOBULE
Sobule started playing her guitar and writing songs while growing up in the comfort of her parents' home, in Denver, Colorado. Even though her family knew what she was up to, it wasn't until Sobule's third year of college that anyone else knew just how good her songs were. "I was abroad in Spain, and started busking on the streets for fun. A guy walked by in the first five minutes and asked if I would play his nightclub. I've always sort of wondered if this guy hadn't walked by whether I'd be doing something else with my life. It's one of those, odd, life changing moments."
Soon after Sobule returning home, Sobule landed a record deal. 1990's Things Here Are Different was produced by Todd Rundgren and released to critical acclaim.
Within a few short years, Sobule would become a household name when her self-titled second album hit the racks with the hit single "I Kissed A Girl." The song was a playful jab at America's fascination with lesbianism, with some radio stations banning the track. The video featuring romance novel cover model Fabio, became a mainstay on MTV and VH1 and catapulted Sobule's profile to a new level.
Sobule quickly followed up the success of "I Kissed A Girl" with another hit anthem. The satirical "Supermodel" (featured on the soundtrack to Alicia Silverstone's breakout film Clueless) became the song of the summer for teenage girls everywhere. By now according to Vanity Fair Sobule was established as a "witty and clever" musician with an original take on the world many listeners could relate to.
In 1997, Happy Town was released to critical success, receiving 4 ½ stars from the All Music Guide. It was followed up with 2000's Pink Pearl. The New Yorker praised Jill Sobule as a "feisty post-punk feminist whose work brings to mind a cross between Liz Phair and Gertrude Stein." People Magazine proclaimed Sobule a "vocally gifted and peerless satirist," while The New York Times commented, "Topical, funny and more than a little poignant, Pink Pearl is grown up music for an adolescent age."
More important than the love of critics, Jill Sobule has earned the respect and devotion of her peers and mentors. She's been personally asked to tour with Don Henley, Billy Bragg, Paul Weller and Warren Zevon among others. Zevon once said, "I've been down dark roads with Jill and I can testify that she's a genius; she's a cross between Tolstoy and the Tomahawk Thrower at the Cheyenne Rodeo." Sobule version of Zevon's "Don't Let Us Get Sick" is included on the upcoming tribute album Artemis Records will be releasing this fall.
Sobule was invited by Neil Young to play his Bridge School Benefit and joined Lloyd Cole's band The Negatives on lead guitar in 1999.
Like many of her mentors, Sobule is a poignant storyteller and songwriter. She dives into her subjects and immerses herself with the tiniest of details. On songs like "Tel Aviv" Sobule did her homework and studied up. "The song was inspired by a national television news program, I watched about women forced into prostitution. I'll become the character in that situation, I'll do the research, and become very knowledgeable about my topic, and of course," she adds, "I'll still throw myself into the story." Despite the subject matter of "Tel Aviv," Underdog Victorious is the most upbeat and hopeful of any of Sobule's records.
Besides Underdog Victorious, Sobule has scored and written songs fro the upcoming Nickelodeon series Unfabulous, made a guest appearance on NBC's hit series, The West Wing, and wrote music for the off-Broadway play Prozac and Platypus, currently in development. Additionally, Sobule has a starring role in the film Mind The Gap (dir. by Eric Schaeffer of If Lucy Fell), an audience favorite at last year's SXSW festival, which will be released this September. Sobule plays a character she can very much relate to: a musician buskin' on the streets of queens. Many of the tunes she plays throughout the film appear on Underdog Victorious.
"I feel like right now I am just hitting my stride. And I feel like a total late-bloomer, because I just skirted success. On one hand I feel like I'm still struggling, but on the other more positive side, maybe that's why I'm still writing the songs I write. I haven't gotten comfortable yet. That's for sure."
