Guerilla Disc: Radar

View Sheryl Diane's EPK

- Sonicbids EPK (Feb 17, 2008)

...."The closing track "Blackberry Love" is as sensuous a song and vocal performance as I've come across in a long, long time. The instrumentation is simple, a repeating bass figure, and drums. The whole song is dominated by Sheryl's outstanding vocal performance. As with much of the work on this album, the phrasing is uniquely her own as are the vocal stylings - it's just a breathtaking piece of work." --Jamie Field

Jamie Field - Musical Discoveries

SINGER AND SONGWRITER, NOT SINGER-SONGWRITER
Sheryl Diane Shumsky describes herself as a solo singer-songwriter, which is technically correct, even if it implies everything she is not.

Shumsky performs slinky electronic grooves on an electronic keyboard, while singing in a voice that evokes the bluesy croon of Rickie Lee Jones. The result is often eerie, usually atmospheric, and pretty much never anything like the music that we've grown accustomed to associating with contemporary singer-songwriters of the Patty Larkin/Shawn Colvin variety.

Yes, Shumsky sings and writes songs and performs solo; but don't expect campfire crooning here.
Sheryl Diane Shumsky performs at Break Espresso tonight Thursday, May 11 at 7:30 PM.
(Thursday, May 11, 2006)

Joe Nickell - Missoulian (2006)

Band Card

Performer spotlight
By The Standard Staff - 05/12/2006

Who: Sheryl Diane Shumsky What and where: Performs with Felina at 7 p.m. Friday, May 12, at Venus Rising coffee house, 124 S. Main St., Uptown Butte.

Why do we care? Originally from Montana, Shumsky is known as a piano player and singer-songwriter. She has been compared to Kate Bush, Fleetwood Mac, Minnie Ripperton and Rosemary Clooney. Sheryl has been a Seattle musician since 1994.

What about Felina? Felina is made up of Poeina Suddarth and Felicia Figueroa, both former members of the indie band, Redfish Bluefish. Felina takes its sound from the duo’s tightly woven harmonies, blended over the rhythm of their two guitars.

More info: www.guerilladisc.com or www.sonicbids.com/Felina.

by the Standard Staff (May 12, 2006) - Montana Standard (2006)

Tour spotlights female songwriters
Written by By Caitlin Rice -Argonaut
Friday, 21 October 2005
Wine, women and chocolate are a proverbial good mix. Sheryl-Diane Shumsky has combined the three to create a musical showcase with treats on the side.
Shumsky said she started the Seattle-based showcase “Wine, Women and Chocolate” in 2001 as a way to celebrate women songwriters.
“My intent with ‘Wine, Women and Chocolate’ was to bring women together for spotlighting their latest endeavors in a grassroots celebration, ” she said.
The event combines an evening of musical talent with gourmet chocolate tasting and wine sampling.

The group’s Moscow showcase will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at The Attic. The performance is part of the group’s five-night tour in the West. Admission is by donation only.

Though there won’t be much wine at the Moscow show, there will be several prizes for audience members.

“Some venues aren’t able to sell wine, which makes this show at the Palouse Folklore Society in Moscow a bit dry, perhaps,” Shumsky said. “There may be samples available of the wine from previous shows and there will definitely be a door prize of wine, chocolate and artists’ CDs for a lucky audience member.”
In keeping with the event’s celebration of women, the wine featured in the door prize is Handyman Red, a Bordeaux from the woman-owned winery, Olympic Cellars.

This performance will feature three Northwest musical acts: Shumsky (who goes by “Sheryl-Diane” onstage), Sunmay and Felina.
Deborah Bartley of Sunmay said each group has a unique style.
“I think it will be a very interesting mix of acts,” she said.
Sunmay includes songwriter Bartley on acoustic guitar, vocals and harmonica; Chris Pugh on slide guitar and vocals and Courtney Crawford on upright bass.
The group will play music from its new CD, “You Can Make Beautiful Things,” a mix of Americana and electronic music known as Ameritronica. Bartley said the band’s songwriting tells sweet, wistful stories in a blending of old country folk and indie pop styles.
Felina is the combination of two artists’ talent and names: Felicia Figueroa and Poeina Suddarth.

Formerly of the band Redfish Bluefish, the two women met on a sidewalk three years ago in Seattle where both were playing for rent money.
They were amazed with each other’s talent and decided to spend the rest of the day performing as a duo. They have been playing together ever since.
The two women live in a van and are always on the go, performing every time they get a chance, said Suddarth.

“They are real road warriors, working hard on getting out a lot,” said Shumsky.
Felina provides what Figueroa calls “a spectacle” for the audience.
“We never perform without full costume. We wear huge fluffy things or bright colorful things,” she said. “Sometimes I will be in an old prom dress with my hair looking like I just woke up.”

The women just revamped their touring van in order to make room for a whole clothing rack for costumes. They make most of their own clothes and have their own clothing line as well, said Suddarth.

When she started to organize “Wine, Women and Chocolate,” Shumsky thought she would have difficulty finding women in the Seattle area interested in the showcase. However, that wasn’t what happened.
“I didn’t have a clue how many women songwriters there are,” said Shumsky. “There are a slew of them around here.”
Shumsky said she found many women musicians needed an opportunity to perform their work.

“Many women songwriters seem to be working in isolation, and they are more likely to be solo or duo in performance,” she said.
She said it is easier for a band to get gigs in Seattle than a solo artist.
“So ‘Wine, Women and Chocolate’ became an event for people to have the opportunity to really listen to the songwriter and, in particular, the voices of women,” she said.

Caitlin Rice - Argonaut-U of Idaho (2005)

Guerilla Disc: Radar

Archive