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Sunday, 26 April 2009

With larger than life vocals packed into a diminutive package, Brooklyn native, Lucy Bonilla has the world wondering, "Where the *#$% does she fit all that voice?!"

Simply calling her a powerhouse doesn't do her justice. Her raw energy on stage and passionate vocals defy definition. Her shows leave you feeling fired up and ready for more.

For as long as she could remember, Lucy had a passion for music. Everything in sight was a potential instrument. If it could make noise, she had to play it. As Lucy's passion for music continued to grow and she began teaching herself to play a wide variety of instruments including drums, bass and guitar. Her main instrument of course is her voice.

Her first release "Something Out Of Nothing" was a well-received 5-track EP featuring a sweet mix of folk, funk, soulful R&B and blues. Bob Stander, guitarist for the Platters, produced the CD. He often said "How do you do those things with your voice?" The album received glowing reviews and was on the top 30 college charts with two songs. Tony Visconti (David Bowie producer) once called Bonilla after he'd gotten a hold of tape from a performance she did in Nashville. He said, "Man... I haven't heard a voice like that in years... you've really got something special".

While "Something Out Of Nothing" had a definite bluesy quality, her second release “The Big Picture”, crossed fully over into the genre. She'd found her zone and everything just clicked into place. "Her Prayer Is Her Song" is about a homeless woman singing for money on the NYC trains. "Running on Empty" a song written some years ago with Matt Marshak, was based on personal experience and struggles. On the track "Sugar Coat Me" Lucy has some fun and lets us see her sensual side. The album featured Paul Ossolo on bass (G.E. Smith Band & Buddy Guy), Jason Langley formerly with Shemekia Copeland and many others. The album was co-written by Matt Marshak (CD101.9 / Absolut Vodka Best New Artist).

Over the years, Lucy's talents have not gone unnoticed; she was chosen to participate in the East Coast Advanced Songwriters Workshop. ASCAP took notice of the songwriter when she captured one of the coveted spots in ASCAP's Demo To Deal program. Lucy was also a semi-finalist in Jewel's Soul City Café songwriting contest. She has opened up for Ronnie Baker Brooks Jr., Kerry Kearney, Sean Costello, and Sam Taylor and has written with Maggie Ryder (Anita Baker). Most recently Lucy has been spreading her wings performing at renowned venues like Black Eyed Sallys, Midnight Blues club, Warmdaddy's, and Musikfest, Mountain Jam. Lucy was the featured cover artist for Soundwaves Magazine and has also been featured on Connecticut’s Beef Stew blues show on WCCC. She has expanded her tour grounds from Canada down the U.S East Coast.

Lucy recently completed her third release at The Clubhouse in Rhinebeck, NY, under the expert guidance of producer Jim Weider (The Band, Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, Los Lobos). She also welcomed the creative writing talents of Dean Batstone, Jerry Lynn Williams (Eric Clapton) and Jim Weider ( www.jimweider.com ) to pen various tracks. The title track, Rolling Higher, combines Lucy’s feisty vocals with slick guitar licks that hearken to blues greats of yesteryear. The album also includes a re-recording of the first and only song Lucy ever wrote on piano, "Lonely Goes".

Lucy Bo' continues to astound audiences with her breathtaking voice, and she's glad you're with her for a musical journey that will last for years to come.


Press Release: “On Saturday night in the [Bank St] Café, Brooklyn vocalist Lucy Bonilla sings. With diverse but Roman- candle vocal heroics, Bonilla creatively and movingly infuses all manners of blues, soul and folk. She's an amazing talent.” — Rick Koster The day New London newspaper
DOC BLUES' LOCAL CD REVIEWS FOR 7/9/04

The Big Picture-Lucy Bonilla
NYC songstress Lucy Bonilla is a soulful canary who shouts out the bluesfulest sorrow, joy and emotional energy. Her axman/co-conspirator Matt Marshak provides outstanding guitar chops in a band that is drum tight, funky and powerful. On that backdrop, Lucy is not a girl who is out for hightimes or superficial BS. There is iron in her spine and love available to those who deserve it and there is honesty or there isn't anything. NYC groove fills in the "Big Picture" with urban smooth and energy along with lyrics that vibrate to the power of love, loss, regret and delight. Everything is tempered by Mistress Experience. This is a disk for the mind as well as the soul and Lucy delivers. Life is the canvas for "The Big Picture."

Divas.com
Lucy Bonilla has a tremendous range to her vocals, which can slide easily from a salacious purr to a defiant roar, the natural catch in her vocals adding deeply soulful infusions to songs like “Her Prayer Is His Song” and “Sugar Coat Me”, whilst on “Little Green Dress” she literally caresses the lyrics bathed by Robert Meeks’ subtly soulful keyboards.
“Karma” is an intense soul blues that is enhanced by atmospheric guitar (Matt Marshak) and keyboards; there is a tantalizing intensity to the folksy “Running On Empty” that is echoed by the Delta infusions of Joe Lostrito’s Dobro. The remaining songs stray into the funkier side of the blues; “Let It Go” and “Good Thang” doing so with arrogance and laid back subtlety respectively, whilst Joe Bonadio’s percussion adds an almost Reggae type feel to Bonilla’s deeply soulful vocals on “Borrowing A Halo”. ( www.lucybonilla.com ) Mick Rainsford
Indie-Music.com
Artist: Lucy Bonilla
CD: Untitled EP
Home: New York City
Style: Funk/Blues/Rock
Quote: "It's Lucy's incredible golden throat that make this CD worth listening to over and over and over".

By Les Reynolds
Lucy Bonilla has a killa voice and THAT is the secret to her success. And while her five-song EP isn't a live CD, one gets the impression the NYC artist is an absolutely electrifying live performer.
Lucy seems as if she could sing absolutely anything! Her versatility is matched by few in the industry. Funk, gospel, blues, rock, jazz, country -- you name it, she can do it. You can hear hints of all of it right on this CD. But let's get the lyrics outta the way before anything else is said about vocals. While they aren't exactly bad, the lyrics probably wouldn't win any contests. (Commercial radio, would, however, quite possibly embrace these tunes for precisely that reason. So, maybe it's a good thing.) "Please Please Me" opens the CD. It's a nice pop-sounding tune that settles into a really sweet groove, but it's got phrases like "come on, I can't hold on anymore," and from the chorus "please, please me baby like you do, like you doooooo..." Ironically, the phrase "words get too cliché" appears in this song. Hmmmmm.

What saves this one is the overall sound and feel. The instrumentation is well done and Lucy's voice is allowed to stay out front. The backup singers do an adequate job, but she just doesn't need them.

"...I can't watch you sleepin'. I gotta get some more of what you give... I'm crazy, boy, I'm crazy... what's a girl like me to do?" (From "Let's Get Back to Midnight") Again, basic sentiment expressed without a lot of creativity. BUT, the groove-centered, piano-driven melody -- with a soft hint of a Southern Rock band -- really gives it just the right touch.

So, enough of the lyrics. (The last two tunes, "Nobody's Man" and "Turn My Hill into a Mountain" are actually a bit better in that respect.) As mentioned, the instrumentation and overall production are very solid. But it's Lucy's incredible golden throat that make this CD worth listening to over and over and over.

Remember the Maxell audio tape commercial where the young guy sits in his chair and his butler pops the pre-recorded tape into the stereo and the sound sweeps the guy's hair straight back? Well, that's what happens with this CD. What kind of elements are present to make Lucy sound so great? She's got a sort of Broadway musical/cabaret quality. Powerful, controlled. Passionate and theatrical. She delivers with confidence whether high or low. She can slither and also belt out a soulful note with equal skill. You could call Lucy's the ultimate voice -- the one every musician wishes they had, all the booking agents wish they could pitch (pun intended). Lyrix, schmyrix. Sure, wordcraft is important. But not every time. Not this time. Lucy could sing about mathematical theorems and she'd still make you feel like you'd died and gone to heaven. So pop this CD into your stereo and crank it!

Girl Player Reviews:
Lucy Bonilla-Something Out Of Nothing
Lucy Bonilla has had many successes in her career, she has performed at most of NYC's rock venues, and has participated in several music business showcases, including the NEA Nashville Extravaganza in 1996, and the woman in the music business Nashville showcase in 1995. Lucy Bonilla comes from a background of influences in classic gospel, R&B soul music. These styles are evident in her songwriting. When I hear that an influence is gospel, I tend to expect a lot of emotion and power, Lucy Bonilla has captured both of those!

Different things about music appeal to different people. Sometimes we love a song for the style or feel. Rarely do you ever hear an artist with a voice that shows such outstanding vocal ability and passion anymore like Lucy Bonilla does. When you hear her voice, either you'll stand there speechless with your mouth open, or random swear words will spew out---damn, etc. ...because you're so excited!! Which ever of these things happen to you, they will be good for you.

Lucy belts it out right from the start on the upbeat, catchy little blues/jazz/pop-rock number, Nobody's Man. Her voice is wonderfully versatile. She smoothly sings from low to high, with all the right moves and nuances in between, along with perfect vibrato, and note holding power (can there possibly be more?). This song, as well as all the other songs, are written by Lucy Bonilla. Heavy gospel influences come through in the vocals.

Lucy slows it down on the ballad, Bitter Sweet, starting out with acoustic guitar, then growing to a full band which includes keys, electric guitar, and bass. The music kindly stays in the background to showcase that beautiful, controlled voice you can never get enough of. Backing vocals by Lucy are the icing on top.

Turn My Hill, opens with mellow percussion and the coolest guitar...the tone is strait out of a classic dramatic 70's TV theme song. Shaft would be jealous, though the song soon turns into a more of a pop tune. "I Turn my hill into a mountain" are some of the few lyrics that I caught onto, lyrics aren't included on the CD.

My favorite fun-filled, get up and move song, That's My Day, closes out Something Out Of Nothing....funky, funky, funky guitar with the James Brown feel, tastefully groovin' keys, and a nast-E (with a capital E) guitar solo round out this one. Exceptional "I'm not holding back...so hang onto something..and hang on tight" singing from Lucy, more perfect backing vocals, and tight, solid musicianship all share to make this song happen.

Bitter End Marks Sweet Beginning for Lucy Bonilla
By Gary Korb
New York City, NY – April 21, 2001 - Singer/songwriter, Lucy Bonilla electrified a packed house tonight at Greenwich Village’s landmark showcase club, The Bitter End, with an exhilarating 40 minute performance that included a mix of folk, funk, soulful R&B and tough-as-nails rockers.

As she demonstrated several times during her well-paced show, Ms. Bonilla has a voice that can gently tug at the listener’s heartstrings or rip the heart right out the chest cavity in a way that would even make the late Janis Joplin stand up and take notice. Obviously, no stranger to live performing, Ms. Bonilla came well-prepared. She’s got a kick-ass band that follows her every move, a voice that can rock as well as seduce, plus, she’s got natural beauty, to boot.

Ms. Bonilla showed that she has an ear for melody and the ability to shift gears into grooves that fall outside the blues-roots circle. Because she performs a variety of material, Bonilla is not easy to pigeon-hole. And for those in audience who may have been less familiar with her, it appeared that she kept them guessing as to what would come next.

Opening with the bluesy rocker, “Nobody’s Man,” from her current CD, Something Out Of Nothing, Lucy strutted across the stage, not with attitude, but with confidence. Midway through the show, after some fervently played R&B-edged rockers, Lucy gave the band a rest by cozying up with her acoustic guitar for “Lie With Me,” a bittersweet ballad during which, the ubiquitous din of the club ebbed to a mere hush. A respectable guitar player in her own right, later in the set Lucy brandished a Telecaster, but for the most part, Lucy just sang and interacted with the crowd.

Whether she’s singing a right-down-the-barrel rocker like, “Turn My Hill Into A Mountain,” or the soulfully-charged, “That’s My Day,” Ms. Bonilla proved that she can sing at more than a few emotional levels and keep the audience absorbed. This is one artist who seems to know what she wants and where she is going.
   

 
Webpage: http://www.LucyBonilla.com
Location: Bellerose Manor, New York, USA
Description: Larger than life unique vocals in a petite body. Incredible stage performer. Sounds like: Etta James meets Heart.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 14 July 2009 )
 
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