A Few Minutes With Singer-Songwriter Cassandra Kubinski

Patch.com spoke with Cassandra Kubinski, 27, a native of Enfield and valedictorian of the Enfield High School Class of 2001, about her upcoming show at in Enfield on Friday. The singer/songwriter has three independently-released albums that are available on iTunes. She will be performing with Annie Fitzgerald, a singer/songwriter who recently performed at SXSW in Austin, Texas.

Q: How would you describe your style?

CK: I would say it is a piano-driven pop with a theatrical edge, influenced by artists such as Billy Joel or more currently like John Mayer or Norah Jones. People have compared me to a cross between Taylor Swift and Alanis Morrisette or a happier Fiona Apple.

Q: Are you working on a new album now?

CK: I’ve been working on a new album for almost a year. It is really awesome, we are finishing production in the month of June. We are not sure about a release date yet, I would like to release it with a label or branding partnership if possible. I have been working with Edd Kalehoff and Kalehoff Productions with a combination of techniques. Edd comes from a more classic age of recording, so he has access to classic equipment and production techniques, but he is also an innovator in music technology, bringing in new digital recording techniques. We’ve been bringing in percussion loops, which are originally recorded, as well as working with synthesizer systems, which is new for me. It has been a cool meeting of a few generations, the album has a classic singer/songwriter vibe to it, but the production on it has a modern polish.

Q: On your website I saw a video for “Textual Healing” a parody song, what was your inspiration for that?

CK: I wrote it as a funny commentary on how everyone is so addicted to technology these days. I couldn’t believe no one had written that concept before as a song. The response to it has been amazing, people have been entertained. I have always been interested in words, the way they sound and play on words. My mom, Colleen Kubinski, is an English as a Second Language teacher and my dad, Joe Kubinski, is a funny, witty guy. There was amazing support for that in my family, I wrote plays, musicals and songs when I was a kid. It rhymed and I thought it was funny. I like to pick up on funny moments in life and take them really far.

Q: You are originally from Enfield, where do you live now?

CK: I live in New York City now. My producer works in the Miami area so I went to Florida a few times this winter to work and I have worked on site in Nashville as well.

Q: You also mention on your website, www.casskubinski.com, that you write custom songs for anniversaries and weddings, how did that come about?

CK: It started when one of my best friends, from Enfield actually, was getting married and asked me to write a song for her wedding last year. Since then a couple other people have commissioned me to write songs for special occasions. It is one of the most gratifying things, to be able to use the skill that I’ve worked on to contribute to their lives. The response to those songs is exciting to me. I interview people beforehand, so the song is very personal to them.

“I am excited to be coming back to my hometown. It is an intimate stage, a nice opportunity for people to see artists locally,” Kubinski said.

Kubinski will be performing Thursday, June 2 at The Space in Hamden at 7:30 p.m., along with Annie Fitzgerald. There is a $1o cover charge.  On Friday, June 3 she and Fitzgerald will perform at , 95 Elm St., Enfield at 7 p.m. There is no charge for the event, but donations are welcome.

Annie Fitzgerald Joins Kubinski in Connecticut

Fitzgerald, 30, originally from Minnesota, now lives in Brooklyn and met Kubinski about six years ago when they were both in a workshop held by the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Fitzgerald’s song “Ain’t that a Shame” was chosen to be on the 2007 Best of the Songwriters Hall of Fame Compilation CD.

She released a new album, "In Good Time," in September and then toured the East Coast performing. In March, she performed at SXSW.

“It was amazing, to be able to walk down Sixth Street and hear all this music coming out of every venue. Everyone there was so incredibly talented,” she said. “I was honored and humbled to be a part of that.”

Fitzgerald's songs also are available on iTunes. For more information, go to www.anniefitzgerald.com