For many years, Murphy Productions, the outfit from Daniel Patrick and Erma Murphy, has been hosting Sunday Salons – potluck-style meals that have attendees performing music, poetry, dance, storytelling and much more – at O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, where Murphy serves as executive director.
The multi-faceted gatherings create community, inspire creativity and generally foster the vital need for connectivity.
The next edition is a special one: A Sunday Salon Special Evening dubbed The Singer-Songwriter “Sessions” at O’Hanlon on Sunday, Sept. 8th, at 5pm. Entry is $20.
“Come and enjoy an evening of original music by the talented recording artists Christopher Smith,” Murphy says.”
Claudia Russel, and Bruce Kaplan. Daniel Patrick will be joining Christopher Smith on the bass.
Christopher Smith is one of the best “under the radar” songwriters in the country. His acoustic-based music is grounded in folk roots with American and Celtic influences. His musicianship always serves the song, and his voice is sweet and engaging. What sets Smith apart is the sheer strength of his material. He holds listeners’ attention for song after song because he writes stories from interesting ideas. His songs often blend elements of humor and heart. His sound mixes both classic singer/songwriter and Americana.
California singer/songwriter Claudia Russell and her trusty sidekick Bruce Kaplan traverse a wide Americana landscape, stopping at wondrous musical landmarks along the way, tipping their hat to string bands, blues divas, jazz cats, Village folkies, Bakersfield cowboys and Laurel Canyon troubadours. Driven by Claudia’s expressive voice and distinctive guitar style, it all comes together beautifully.
Claudia has a knack for crafting tightly written songs that carry you to the sweet spots of life. Bruce’s melodic accompaniment, on mandolin and electric guitar, is spot-on. All of this is served with a generous helping of homespun humor and shaggy dog stories, making for a heartfelt and humorous show of deeply engaging music. And audiences and critics have taken notice.