Playlist: Charlie Silvestri's Portfolio
Performance/Interview formatted radio, featuring singer/songwriters and bands in a relaxed and intimate acoustic setting.
In this weekly radio series, you can meet new bands and performers for the first time or hear established acts in a way you may not have heard them before.
In-depth and candid conversation along with music performance with some of the best bands around.
Your host for Up Close And Acoustic is Charlie Silvestri and most of the pieces in this series are 'Evergreen' and can be played any time.
Featured
Up Close And Acoustic with James McMurtry
From Charlie Silvestri | Part of the Up Close And Acoustic series | 56:26
James McMurtry is a storyteller of the highest order. He is a performer who can guide you to the widest emotional extremes, not just in one concert but sometimes in one song.
He says he writes when he has to, but when that time comes, the listener benefits greatly.
Story songs of celebration and sadness, insight that will catch you unawares, and characters that speak with believable conviction.
Each James McMurtry album to me, is like a brand new anthology of short stories. And with each album there is sure to be a new favorite character making his or her way in their own private adventure.
Up Close And Acoustic with Dar Williams
From Charlie Silvestri | Part of the Up Close And Acoustic series | 57:07
Dar Williams, a singer/songwriter I've long enjoyed and admired, is back with a new album full of songs 'that matter'.
It also happens that her latest book is entitled 'Writing a Song That Matters'.
The new album is called 'I'll Meet You Here' and she comments that the album is about being willing to meet life as it arrives.
Today, we'll talk about Dar Williams' music, life as an activist, and some of the topics in her previous book, 'What I Found in a Thousand Tiny Towns'.
At that book's core and at the core of Dar Williams, is the care, creation, and restoration of community in her home town and in yours.
- Playing
- Up Close And Acoustic with Dar Williams
- From
- Charlie Silvestri
Up Close And Acoustic Warren Zevon Special Audio Documentary
From Charlie Silvestri | Part of the Up Close And Acoustic series | 02:54:04
Welcome to Up Close And Acoustic's complete Warren Zevon audio Documentary.
I am of the opinion that Warren Zevon should be recognized as one of America's greatest songwriters. And to be fair, to his fans, he is. But to the general population, he is known for 3 or 4 pop-novelty type songs. The story of Warren Zevon and his songs goes far deeper than that. I know Warren Zevon as a fan who had seen him perform many times. But I don't 'know' his story. And of course, he is no longer here to ask. I've read biographies and books about him... Now, more importantly I have spoken with a few people who knew him well. They will, along with his music, help to tell his story today.
This is the complete audio dcoumentary which was initially offered as 3 separate parts.
Up Close And Acoustic with Grace Pettis
From Charlie Silvestri | Part of the Up Close And Acoustic series | 57:22
Grace Pettis is a singer/songwriter and rocker, based out of Austin.
Her latest album, 'Working Woman' is completely created and assembled by an all woman crew. As Grace says, 'As a feminist, I can't complain that the industry is unfair to women, if I'm not actively working on whatever level I'm at, to change it for others.'
With 'Working Woman', Grace Pettis rocks, soothes, and creates some fantastic songs that entertain as well as show women in the music business a way forward that is long overdue.
Guests on the album include The Indigo Girls, Dar Williams, The Watson Twins, and Mary Bragg.
- Playing
- Up Close And Acoustic with Grace Pettis
- From
- Charlie Silvestri
Up Close And Acoustic with Madrigal
From Charlie Silvestri | Part of the Up Close And Acoustic series | 56:13
At a recent vinyl record convention, having mostly struck out with my shopping list, I took a chance on an album with a cool, very 'of the period' 1970 sleeve. Based upon that alone, I purchased the (in America) self-titled record of the Canadian Psych-Pop band Madrigal.
It was love at first listen as I've always loved the jangly guitar, crazy piano runs, and 4 part vocal harmonies that come from that era.
So, what to do next? See them in concert? No. Join their social media pages? No. Find more of their music? No.
Why 'no' to all these reasonable questions?
Because Madrigal made one album, several singles, and were gone pretty quickly after 1971.
Let the music obsession and the finding of the band members begin!!
Up Close And Acoustic does music obsession well...
My guests this episode? Rick Henderson, Pete Boynton, and John Swainson...
of Madrigal!
- Playing
- Up Close And Acoustic with Madrigal
- From
- Charlie Silvestri
Up Close And Acoustic with Paul Roland
From Charlie Silvestri | Part of the Up Close And Acoustic series | 57:29
Paul Roland has been writing and assembling some of the coolest, off-beat, and weird music going since his debut album 'Werewolf of London' in 1980... And that's meant as a compliment!
Music evolving through 'Happy Families', 'Danse Macabre', 'A Cabinet of Curiosities', 'Gargoyles', 'Re-Animator', and 'Gaslight Tales and many other albums...
He tells story songs of Victorian Killers, Edwardian Inventors, Monsters, Ghosts, Sci-Fi adventures, and just plain weird historical happenings.
Paul Roland knows how to capture my attention.
This is a literate guy who writes about what interests him, indulges his love of language, and allows escape from the doldrums of reality.
- Playing
- Up Close And Acoustic with Paul Roland
- From
- Charlie Silvestri
