4 September 2009

Singer’s no mug as she prepares
for daily grind of life on the road

Coffee houses have always been meeting places for artists and intellectuals, and they’ve had a major influence on the promotion of music too. Now London based singer/songwriter Sylvia Powell - a former label-mate of Kylie Minogue - has organised a UK tour of independent Coffee Houses [tour dates overleaf]. “I started playing in coffee and tea houses in and around London at the beginning of the year and the response was amazing, so I decided to extend this to the rest of the country. I feel I’ve tapped into a culture that’s been lost in the UK.” The tour is supported by AER Amps - known as ‘The Acoustic People,’ widely regarded as the best acoustic amps on the market, and used by top players around the world.

She follows a rich tradition of musical greats who have taken this route: Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, and Joni Mitchell all launched their careers from the North American 1960’s coffee house culture of Greenwich Village. In the UK, the London folk scene that launched artists such as Nick Drake and John Martyn, was centred on the Troubadour Coffee House in Earls Court, where Dylan and Simon also performed.

“Many coffee houses I approached had never hosted live music and were surprised by my request, however when I played them my music and explained the concept – the rich history of the coffee shop in the USA and the fact that Simon & Garfunkel, Suzanne Vega and Tracy Chapman all started in coffee houses – there was a lot of enthusiasm for the idea.”

“The tour is about expanding my audience. The internet has made it easier for independent artists to distribute their music, however without the budget or backing of a major label, it can still be a challenge to put on a tour but with coffee houses I have an organic and sustainable link to potential fans.”

Sylvia’s blend of folk, soul and jazz suits the intimacy and atmosphere of a coffee house. With her rich, dulcet tones and the ‘confessional’ element of her writing, she follows in a strong slipstream of classic female artists who have carved out their own niche, and defied stereotypes. So tune into your inner beatnik and head down to your local coffee house to indulge your senses in the warm and stirring music of Sylvia Powell. Sit back and enjoy!

For more contact Chris Hewlett on 020 8348 6767 or chris@chrishewlett.com. See also www.sylviapowellmusic.com / www.myspace.com/sylviapowell


Coffee House Tour Dates*:


September

15th The Coffee House, Kings Lynn Corn Exchange, £FREE, 12noon


October

4th Moksha Café , Brighton, £FREE, 1300

10th Kemptown Bookstore, Brighton, £FREE, 1500

11th McKechnie’s, Stratford Upon Avon, £FREE, 1400

21st The Wardrobe, Leeds, £10, 2100

31st Ripple Café Bar, Nottingham, £FREE, 2000


November

3rd Maltcross, Nottingham, £FREE, 0930

6th Habit, York, £FREE, 2000

13th Café Kino, Bristol, £FREE, 1900 – 2100

19th Coffee Aroma, Lincoln, £FREE, 1900

27th A Shot In The Dark, Cardiff, £FREE, 2000


December

4th Coastal Coffee House, Rustington, West Sussex, £5, 1930


January

26th Troubadour, London, £5, 1930


* more dates are brewing!

www.sylviapowellmusic.com / www.myspace.com/sylviapowell