{"id":46428,"date":"2020-08-06T19:04:30","date_gmt":"2020-08-06T23:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=46428"},"modified":"2020-08-06T19:04:37","modified_gmt":"2020-08-06T23:04:37","slug":"music-spotlight-chadds-fords-vanessa-collier-keeps-busy-ready-to-release-new-album","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=46428","title":{"rendered":"Music Spotlight: Chadds Ford’s Vanessa Collier keeps busy, ready to release new album"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyrof<\/strong>f, Entertainment Editor, The Times\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Vanessa Collier<\/p><\/div>\n

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit everyone hard \u2013 in a variety of ways.<\/p>\n

For musicians, it has been devastating. Live shows are virtually unheard of. Going into a studio to make an album is hardly a viable option. It\u2019s as if someone has pushed the \u201cpause\u201d button for most of the music industry.<\/p>\n

For Vanessa Collier, a resident of Chadds Ford, the pandemic has forced her to abandon a tour after just one show and to push back the release of her new album. It also wiped out a blues cruise in the fall on which she was scheduled to be a featured performer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played a show at the Arden Gild in February and a few other shows after that,\u201d said Collier, during a phone interview this week.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy last gig was March 12 \u2013 the first show of a Midwest tour. We played Mojo\u2019s Boneyard in Evansville, Indiana. That same day, the NBA and MLB stopped their games. I realized it was serious, so I said to my band \u2013 \u2018let\u2019s play this show and go home.\u2019 <\/p>\n

\u201cI love to talk to people after my shows. I just like chatting with my fans, but I couldn\u2019t do that. Instead, the show ended, and I had to head back to the Green Room. I like hugging people, but I didn\u2019t want to put them at risk. I\u2019ve been back home ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n

Being flagged by the pandemic brought a lot of emotions to Collier.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt felt like a lot of loss,\u201d said Collier. \u201cI got home and three days later had to put my dog down.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt first, I thought it would just be a few weeks with the pandemic, but it just kept getting worse. I lost a tour and had a cruise cancelled. Plus, I support a band of five and I haven\u2019t been able to support them. It\u2019s been incredibly frustrating.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collier was, however, able to see a bright side.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis brought me home,\u201d said collier. \u201cI\u2019ve spent the last five years on the road playing music. I only spent 50 days at home last year. Now, I\u2019m home all the time and sit at my keyboards most nights.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still in her mid-20s,\u00a0Collier\u00a0has toured all over the world numerous times and has released three solo albums. With searing saxophone solos, soulful vocals, and witty lyrics, her songwriting features a blend of blues, funk, rock, and soul.<\/p>\n

Collier\u2019s impressive vocals and stinging saxophone work saw her light up stages as part of Joe Louis Walker\u2019s band in 2012 and 2013.<\/p>\n

In 2014, her debut album \u201cHeart Soul & Saxophone\u201d won her accolades as a \u201cBest of 2014 Blues Breaker.\u201d In March 2017, she released her sophomore album \u201cMeeting My Shadow.\u201d Collier\u2019s latest album \u201cHoney Up\u201d was released on July 6, 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been touring a lot since \u2018Honey Up\u2019 came out,\u201d said Collier. \u201cIt\u2019s been almost non-stop. I did 115 shows in 2018 and more than 200 in 2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cI pretty much always take the band \u2013 except when I go to Brazil to play. Fred Sunwalk, who is from the Sao Paulo area, emailed me a few years ago and asked me to come to Brazil. For the last three years, I\u2019ve gone there at least once a year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sunwalk, a guitarist, singer and composer, is among the top names in contemporary Brazilian blues. With 22-year career, five CDs and a DVD, he performs at the main blues and jazz festivals in Brazil and makes frequent tours in the United States and Europe accompanying international artists.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I tour in Brazil, I use Fred\u2019s band,\u201d said Collier. \u201cThey know the music well.<\/p>\n

Collier\u00a0is primarily a sax player, singer and songwriter but is also well-versed in playing clavinet, flute, electric organ, and percussion.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was little, I really wanted to play piano,\u201d said Collier. \u201cI don\u2019t know why. I started taking piano lessons but didn\u2019t like the teacher, so I quit after six months. I saw someone playing sax on television and fell in love with it. We rented a sax for me when I was in fourth grade. That was in school. Then, I studied with a private instructor for a few years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, I took lessons with Chris Vadala, who played sax with Chuck Mangione. I studied with him for seven years \u2013 classical, jazz and funk. He started me doubling on flute and clarinet. I still play those instruments. Mainly, I play sax \u2014 tenor, some soprano and some baritone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collier\u2019s latest album \u201cHoney Up\u201d was released just over a year ago.<\/p>\n

According to Collier\u00a0on her website, \u201cThis album is a snapshot in time of what I enjoy writing\/playing\/singing and brings together my diverse inspirations and ideas and, on this album especially, more of my personality.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, there\u2019s always a purpose to some of my songs as they are based on things I struggle with, like why we can\u2019t listen and respect each other, why we can\u2019t work to find common ground, and why we can\u2019t find our way out of the small boxes we place (or accept) in our lives, but even those songs drive us forward and the music is upbeat and funky.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimilar to my previous records (which I also produced), the songs on \u2018Honey Up\u2019 pay respect to the traditions and roots of blues music, but branch out with my own blend of rock, funk, gospel, NOLA, and soul grooves and, of course, my love of the saxophone. Each song is different, and I hope you find a favorite (or two or three\u2026)!! Thank you for listening!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe \u2018Honey Up\u2019 album was nominated for Blues Music Award (BMA) Contemporary Blues Album of the year,\u201d said Collier. \u00a0\u201cThe album came out last July and did well right from the start. It was a Top 5 Billboard Blues Album and was well-received by radio deejays.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collier\u00a0was nominated in 2017 for a Blues Music Award in the \u201cInstrumental \u2014 Horn Player of the Year\u201d category. She also won first place in the \u201cLyrics Only\u201d category of the 2017 USA Songwriting Competition. In 2018, Collier\u00a0was nominated in two categories at the Blues Music Awards \u2013 \u201cContemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year\u201d and \u201cInstrumental \u2014 Horn Player of the Year.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2019, she was again nominated in same two categories at the Blues Music Awards \u2013 \u201cContemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year\u201d and \u201cInstrumental \u2013 Horn.\u201d She claimed first place in the \u201cInstrumental \u2013 Horn\u201d category.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoney Up,\u201d which had a three-month residency on Billboard\u2019s \u201cTop Blues Albums Chart,\u201d provides a good look at Collier\u2019s influences.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith jazz, the first person I was turned on to was Cannonball Adderley,\u201d said Collier. \u201cOther major influences were John Coltrane, Junior Walker, and Maceo Parker. Vocally, I started with Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan and that morphed into Norah Jones and Bonnie Raitt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, Collier has a new album ready to be released \u2013 \u201cHeart on the Line.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had recorded the basics for the new album back in February,\u201d said Collier. \u201cI had planned to put the vocals on it during the Midwest tour even though it would have been hectic. When I came home, I had a lot of time. I put vocals on. I put horns on a few tracks. I spent time with the mixing. It took longer than I had planned.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collier recorded the album in January at Hearstudios in Camden, Maine.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the same studio I used for \u2018Honey Up\u2019,\u201d said Collier. \u201cI used the same engineer \u2013 Mark Wessel. He was a professor I had at Berklee for a course in music production.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike my previous albums, it\u2019s definitely a mixture \u2013 blues, funk, NOLA \u2013 but this one goes rootsier. It was influenced by the Wood Brothers and has a lot more story songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust like my first and third albums, it\u2019s being released on my own label \u2013 Phoenix Fire Records. Not many people want to buy a physical album \u2013 except in person \u2013 so it will be a full digital release\u2026Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify. I used Crowdfunding to finance the record.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collier\u2019s Crowdfunding campaign for \u201cHeart on the Line\u201d started earlier this year. The goal was $20,000 and Colliers\u2019 supporters exceeded the goal. There were 233 backers who pledged $24,700.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe scheduled release date was May 15,\u201d said Collier. \u201cNow, it\u2019s been pushed back to August 21. The Grammys are continuing as planned and I wanted it to be out in time to be Grammy-eligible.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love this record. I was able to put a lot of me into this record. Also, I\u2019m going to be doing another record soon and I didn\u2019t want to be sitting on two albums in the can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collier\u00a0also is a music teacher and has been involved in various \u201cBlues in Schools\u201d programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in Clarksville, Maryland and then graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston,\u201d said Collier, who earned a dual degree in performance and music production, and engineering. \u201cRight now, I\u2019m basically just playing and teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n

She is also farming.<\/p>\n

\u201cI volunteer a couple days a week at Vollmecke Farm in Chester County,\u201d said Collier.<\/p>\n

Vollmecke Orchards & CSA (http:\/\/www.csachestercounty.com\/<\/a>) is located off Reeceville Road in West Brandywine. It is a woman-owned 37-acre farm and orchard that features a wide variety of vegetables grown using organic principles and fruits grown following IPM practices.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like being outside and I like doing gardening,\u201d said Collier. \u201cIt\u2019s just a nice break. I like the two ladies that run it and the three dogs on the property.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very interested in gardening, but I can\u2019t do it myself because I\u2019m on the road so much \u2013 usually. Now, I\u2019m learning about planting, picking and harvesting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collier\u2019s current musical harvest includes a new album and a pair of shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m doing a streaming show at Daryl\u2019s House on August 21 and a live show on August 23 at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia. The Birchmere has a capacity of 800 and it will be limited to 175 for this show. The concerts will be duo shows with guitarist Arthur Neilson and me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Vanessa Collier \u2013\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/Ji0x9vkQVcQ<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Despite the pandemic, there will be some \u201clive\u201d shows in the area over the next few weeks.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Candlelight Dinner Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0302- 475-2313,\u00a0www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) will host an outdoor concert on August 7 \u2013 \u201cJoe Trainor and Brendon Sheehan of Beatlefest present Acoustic Beatles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tickets are $25 per person, with different seating options. There are limited tables available for groups of 5 – 8 people, but any party that is four or less will have spaces marked out in the parking lot where it can set up lawn chairs to enjoy the show. Food and beverages will be available for purchase and a bar is available for those 21+ years of age.<\/p>\n

Information and Safety Guidelines \u2013<\/p>\n

Masks:
\n– Required at all times when not seated
\n– Encouraged while seated, unless eating or drinking
\n– Staff will be masked
\n– Hand sanitizer will be provided
\nParking:
\n– There will be limited parking available in the lot, overflow parking will be at Ivy Gables.
\nPathways \/ Restrooms \/ Accessibility:
\n– You will need to walk up a small hill \/ incline to use the restroom.
\n– Restrooms will be indoors and will be monitored \/ cleaned by a volunteer.
\n– A pathway will be marked out, following all of the parking spaces closest to the theater. The pathway will be 16 feet wide and will be marked with directions.
\n– There will be a 16′ buffer area between the band and patrons to provide safe spacing for all involved.
\nRain Date is August 8.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Fractals<\/p><\/div>\n

Winding Way Records in partnership with the Willows Park Preserve is presenting a socially distanced outdoor Summer Concert Series at The Willows Park (490 Darby Paoli Road, Villanova, https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/summer-concert-series-registration-111851165848<\/a>). The next show, which is scheduled for August 9, will feature The Fractals, with opener Mia Johnson.<\/p>\n

This concert series allows for live music to be enjoyed in a safe manner in a time when live entertainment has come to a halt. Guests can spend an evening picnicking with live music at a beautiful and historic outdoor venue. Listeners of all ages are welcomed to attend this secure and family-friendly series.<\/p>\n

Tickets are free and preregistration is required. Audience will be capped at 200 people to comply with the state\u2019s green phase social gathering cap.<\/p>\n

Attendees are encouraged to carpool in order to maximize parking spaces. You will be able to park in the rear parking lot on Willows Road and walk across the lawn to the concert area where you can set up your blanket in marked spaces. As people arrive, a Winding Way volunteer stationed on the lawn entrance will check to ensure everyone is wearing masks when they move to the lawn.<\/p>\n

To create socially distanced live music, we plan to setup the concert on the hill to the left of the mansion\u2019s driveway entrance on Willows Road. The band will be placed at the top of the hill with each member on a 4\u00d78-foot stage — 12 feet apart from each other.<\/p>\n

The audience will be seated picnic style on the slope of the hill starting 25 feet from the stage area, and continuing on a marked grid to space the blankets 20 feet apart at their centers with a 12-foot aisle between them to ensure groups remain distanced from each other. Picnic groups will be encouraged to stay together to limit social contact, and only one member at a time will be able to leave their picnic space.<\/p>\n

People\u2019s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern,\u00a0peopleslight.org<\/a>) is working in partnership with East Whiteland Township to offer a Drive-In Concert Series, following current PA regulations for outdoor events. These drive-in concerts, held in the theater\u2019s back parking lot, are designed for small groups within the same \u201csocial bubble\u201d to safely enjoy outdoor entertainment together. Tickets are limited and social distancing is enforced.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

ILL DOOTS<\/p><\/div>\n

The People\u2019s Light Drive-In Concert Series will host the following shows — ILL DOOTS on August 8, Colebrook Road on August 14 and Greg Sover on August 21.<\/p>\n

Here are the ground rules issued by People\u2019s Light:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

These drive-in concerts are designed for small groups within the same\u00a0\u201csocial bubble\u201d to safely enjoy outdoor entertainment together. Tickets are limited and social distancing is enforced.\u00a0 Each vehicle is limited to 5 people or less and assigned a parking spot and adjacent “Home Space” for setting up lawn chairs. We require concert attendees to remain in their designated area as much as possible and avoid mingling with other parties.<\/p>\n

Face masks are required on our campus and may only be removed inside a vehicle or Home Space. People\u2019s Light staff will be masked at all times and maintain a 6-foot distance from each other and our guests. We have protocols in place for disinfecting spaces, surfaces, and equipment used by musicians and staff.<\/p>\n

We are working in partnership with East Whiteland Township and following current PA regulations for outdoor events. As we continue to monitor confirmed COVID-19 cases in the area, we are constantly evaluating the safety of our on-campus programming and will cancel events if necessary.<\/p>\n

This socially distanced drive-in concert will take place in the back parking lot of the People’s Light campus at 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, PA. The concert will\u00a0last 75 to 90 minutes in total. The musicians will perform on a raised stage at the back of the lot.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $75 per car and limited to 5 passengers per car (not including children under 12). There are no physical tickets for these events. Attendees will receive a confirmation email receipt immediately following purchase, as well as a reminder email with more details a few days before a concert.<\/p>\n

Please plan to arrive between 5:30 and 6 p.m. so we can get everyone parked in time for the 6:30 p.m. concert.<\/p>\n

A masked attendant will greet you at a 6-foot distance when you arrive. Please be prepared to wear a mask and provide your name so we can check your ticket status. Your car will be assigned a number, which will be adhered to your back windshield by the attendant. This is to assist in food delivery for those who pre-ordered from our on-site restaurant and is also a helpful safety measure.<\/p>\n

Parking attendants will guide you to a parking space. Cars will be parked based on the size of the vehicle. Lower cars in front, bigger vehicles in the back. You will not be allowed to move your vehicle once you\u2019ve parked. Vehicles that don\u2019t fit in a parking space (such as campers or oversized trucks) will not be allowed entry. Your view of the stage will be dependent on your location and the number of large vehicles in the lot, so we encourage you to bring your smallest vehicle!<\/p>\n

Every vehicle will be assigned a \u201cHome Space,\u201d an adjacent parking spot where you can set up lawn chairs. This space will be on the driver\u2019s side of your vehicle, assuming you parked facing the stage. This is not a space intended for mingling with those outside your party. Per current Pennsylvania regulations, you need to either be in your vehicle or immediately adjacent to it. No walking around or visiting neighbors.<\/p>\n

You can pre-order food and drinks from\u00a0The Farmhouse at People\u2019s Light\u00a0(and yes, this includes alcoholic beverages!) Specific instructions will be emailed to concert ticket holders, along with a 10% discount code. Outside alcohol is prohibited.<\/p>\n

Face masks are required on our campus and may only be removed in your car or Home Space. We ask that all concert attendees wear a mask and maintain a 6-foot distance when interacting with anyone outside your party. People\u2019s Light staff will be masked at all times, and Farmhouse staff will be masked and gloved.<\/p>\n

There will be one standard portable toilet, one ADA-compliant portable toilet, and one wash station located in the parking lot. We require face masks (and suggest gloves!) when walking to and using the facilities.<\/p>\n

Please turn off your car when you park. We do not encourage people to sit in a car that is idling for more than ten minutes.<\/p>\n

In partnership with Ludwig\u2019s Corner Horse Show Grounds, SALT Performing Arts (www.saltpa.com<\/a>) is presenting \u201cSALT Beyond The Walls,\u201d a Drive-In live concert style summer series with\u00a0\u201cSongs from the Silver Screen\u201d from August 14-16.<\/p>\n

Admission is $25\/vehicle. Reservations must be made online prior to the performance at — \u00a0https:\/\/www.saltpa.com\/beyondthewalls<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The most ambitious drive-in concert series will take place in the parking lot of the Philadelphia Phillies stadium (Broad and Pattison streets, Philadelphia).<\/p>\n

Live Nation Philadelphia, in partnership with the Philadelphia Phillies, is presenting a four-week local drive-in concert series in the parking lot of Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies. The\u00a0\u201cLive-In \/ Drive-In\u00a0Concert Series\u201d will get underway on August 16 with Bert Kreischer.<\/p>\n

Live Nation Philadelphia is creating a unique live music experience by allowing fans to enjoy concerts from the comfort of their car in a drive-in setting with the audio simulcast on an FM frequency. All artists will be performing full live sets on stages set up in the parking lot of Citizens Bank Park. The events will also feature large-scale video LED screens so fans can enjoy a true live concert experience.<\/p>\n

Tickets will be sold in the form of a group car pass. Each car will purchase just one ticket, good for a maximum of four (4) people per car. Car pass tickets are on sale athttp:\/\/www.phillies.com\/drivein<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The schedule, which starts in two weeks, is: August 16 – Bert Kreischer, August 19 \u2013 AJR; August 21- Pigeons Playing Ping Pong; August 22 – The Struts; August 23 – The Front Bottoms; August 25 – Mt. Joy; August 26 \u2013 Subtronics; September 3 – Smith & Meyers; September 4 \u2013 Lotus;\u00a0 September 5and 6 \u2013 Dark Star Orchestra; and September 7 – Michael Blackson & Friends with special guest DJ Jazzy Jeff.<\/p>\n

The Grand Opera\u2019s \u201cConcert by Cars\u201d show announced its fourth event in the series featuring popular area cover band\u00a0Montana Wildaxe\u00a0on August 15 at 7 p.m. \u00a0in the Frawley Stadium parking lot on Wilmington\u2019s Riverfront.<\/p>\n

Pricing for the concert is: car (with one occupant): $25; car (with two occupants): $50; car (with three occupants): $75; and car (with four occupants): $100. All tickets are general admission and spots cannot be reserved.<\/p>\n

The concert will take place in the Main Parking Lot of Frawley Stadium and all traffic must enter from Justison Street. There will be no concessions served and alcohol is prohibited. Attendees will be able to hear the concerts via FM radio. No pets are allowed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times\u00a0 The COVID-19 pandemic has hit everyone hard \u2013 in a variety of ways. For musicians, it has been devastating. Live shows are virtually unheard of. Going into a studio to make an album is hardly a viable option. It\u2019s as if someone has pushed the \u201cpause\u201d button for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46430,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[7426,13241,13225,11482],"class_list":["post-46428","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-ill-doots","tag-the-fractals","tag-vanessa-collier"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=46428"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46428\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46429,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46428\/revisions\/46429"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/46430"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=46428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=46428"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=46428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}