Tribute to Female Musicians at the me and thee on February 22

Four of New England’s premier singer-songwriters pay tribute to the women musicians who influenced them the most at the me&thee on February 22, 2019. Danielle Miraglia, Lisa Bastoni, Jenee Halstead, and Samantha Farrell’s inspirations overlap at times and sometimes not which will make this evening of music a most eclectic mixture of great songs and arrangements. Expect to hear songs by artists as diverse as Janis Joplin, Dolly Parton, Tina Turner, Kate Bush, and Bonnie Raitt. The me&thee coffeehouse is at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 28 Mugford Street, Marblehead.

Danielle Miraglia comes armed with a strong steady thumb on an old Gibson, an infectious stomp-box rhythm and harmonica with tunes ranging from heartfelt to socially conscious that will move both your heart and hips. Her latest "All My Heroes Are Ghosts," released with her band Danielle M and The Glory Junkies touches on a lot of what might be on your mind these days the loss of so many musical heroes on the title track, the chaos of fake news on Monster, our collective anxieties on “All On Fire,” and more. Danielle was nominated for a 2018 Boston Music Award for Blues Artist of the Year. Danielle’s songs are inspired by many of the greatest female musicians throughout history.

Following a ten-year break from music, a career change, and two children, Massachusetts songwriter, Lisa Bastoni, has returned to the scene in a big way. Her latest album, The Wishing Hour, produced by Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer, Felix McTeigue, and recorded mainly in the wee hours of the night in the kids’ playroom, debuted as the #1 most played on Boston’s WUMB. In the past year, Lisa has been selected to showcase at the North East Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) as well as the Falcon Ridge and New Song Music/LEAF Festivals. Her song “Rabbit Hole” was grand-prize winner of the Great American Song Contest. Lisa’s new CD will be released in 2019.

Jenee Halstead’s evolution from folk singer to ethereal rocker mirrors her journey from the West Coast to the East. Jenee has embraced music of all kinds -- from medieval choral works to Led Zeppelin to Dolly Parton. Since moving to Boston several years ago, Jenee has been very involved with the lively working musician scene here and discovered the music of Patty Griffin, with whom she shares a vocal quality and artistic bent. Jenee has a gift. She writes evocative lyrics and sings them with a most compelling voice. Steve Morse, noted music writer and Berklee professor, said this of Jenee’s latest record, Edge of the World, "She takes you to the edge with some of the most beautifully contemplative, ambient arrangements of recent times. I put this record on and was awestruck."

Samantha Farrell is one of Boston’s best kept musical secrets. Her ever-evolving sound is an intersection of jazz, folk, pop, and poetry. Her tone is unique and yet familiar all at once; at times playfully lilting and undulating, other times a sexy murmur, and a raspy declaration. Samantha has been recording since 2005, eventually catching the ear of LeRoi Moore, late saxophonist of the Dave Matthews Band, who went on to produce her 2009 LP Luminous. It was independently released and through word of mouth alone, charted #7 on the national pop iTunes charts. Her latest, September Sun, is a local favorite. WUMB Radio says of Samantha, “Her songwriting shines and her voice drops with soul and emotion.”

Tickets for Breaking Barriers: A Tribute to Women Who Paved the Way featuring Danielle Miraglia, Lisa Bastoni, Jenee Halstead, and Samantha Farrell are $20 in advance and $23 at the door. Student tickets are $10. Tickets are available online at www.meandthee.org and can be purchased in person at the Spirit of ’76 Bookstore or the Arnould Gallery in Marblehead. As at all me & thee coffeehouse events, refreshments are available, including homemade pastries, coffee, and teas. The me & thee has a handicapped-accessible entrance and an accessible bathroom, is a smoke-free environment, and is easily reached by MBTA bus.

The me & thee is one of the oldest continually running acoustic coffeehouses in New England, and probably the country. It has been and will always be a volunteer, non-profit organization sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead. For tickets, information and directions, call 781-631-8987 or check the website at www.meandthee.org.

Next concert: Friday, March 1, 2019: Special double bill with Don White and Christine Lavin, two of the funniest singer-songwriters on the planet. Celebrate Don’s birthday!