Broadway World review of Monette, May 6, 2024

Review: Monica Passin Rocked the Night at Pangea

The songstress led the packed audience on a memorable journey through the young days of the ‘60s

By: Sharon Ellman May. 06, 2024

Original article posted here

If you didn’t know better you’d think that you had stepped into a time warp to the early 1960’s in New York upon entering Pangea NYC on May 3, 2024.  It was here that Monica Passin and her backup group, Monette (consisting of Sherryl Marshall and Deborah Berg) transformed this cozy and intimate little venue into those early years of that delightful decade of music consisting of “girl group” doo-woop.  

Decked out in a sparkly silver top with black trousers, complete with a high coiffed ginger beehive hairdo, Monica Passin led the packed audience on a memorable journey through the young days of the ‘60s.  It was a time when the country was led by a young and charismatic President, John F. Kennedy, who along with his glamorous wife, Jacqueline,  seemed to have ushered in a “Golden Age” in culture, style, music and art.

The petite powerhouse known as  Monica Passin is not only a gifted singer but also a songwriter and guitarist.  Along with the amazing vocal harmony of the Monettes, the trio brought down the house with their renditions of Passin’s original works including, “Lovely Miranda,” “Pretty Sound” (which she wrote as an ode to her beloved guitar), the fun and bouncy “Three Cool Cats,” as well as the sultry sounds of “Deep & Wide / Stem The Tide.”  Passin interacted throughout with theatergoers, even offering them to join in on songs such as “Daisy, Lily & Rose” and her French inspired ballad, “Monette.” These songs brought to the mind of this reviewer the kind of tunes that came out of the famed hit factory known as the Brill Building in NYC way back in the dawn of that decade. Along the way, the Monettes gave rousing renditions of the chart toppers from The Orlons, a Philadelphia girl group of the time including their wonderful songs “Don’t Hang Up” and “Wah-Watusi.”  The music reflected a more carefree and innocent period in our history. Songs spoke of love, of youth, of fun not violence or war, which would come out later in the 1960’s.

This reviewer was overwhelmed by the tornado of talent that is Monica Passin.  Not only does she have amazing vocals, and songwriting chops but is also an unbelievably gifted guitarist. Together with the strong vocals of Monette, this truly accomplished triumvirate had patrons applauding loudly.  With a final encore of “Save the Last Dance for Me” (from The Drifters), the night ended on a truly high note of joy.  We, the audience, truly ventured to “Camelot” and back this fabulous night.

Monica Passin & Monette featured the phenomenal Monica Passin and her sensational back up singers, Sherryl Marshall and Deborah Berg (the trio aptly called Monette).

Find great shows to see at Pangea on their website here.

Jamsphere Review of "New Road Home", June 10, 2019

by Jacob Aiden

An official Martin Guitar and Sennheiser endorsed artist, Deborah Berg is a performing songwriter and teacher with a 38-year musical career under her belt. Recorded at Grand Street Recording (Brooklyn, NY) with producer Ken Rich and mastered at Sterling Sound (New York, NY), her latest release “New Road Home”, (2019) is Deborah Berg’s third solo album, and sixth album to date, including her work with Julian Marshall as the 80’s band Eye to Eye. “New Road Home” is a fresh breath of honeysuckle-scented air on a lovely spring breeze. It stands so far above the Bro and Bad-girl country clones that haunt the airwaves these days. Deborah’s voice is like an angel from heaven – clear, gentle, yet majestic, and pure as cascading waterfall.

The minute you set your ears on “Gamble Everything For Love”, you are surrounded by well-written melodies and expertly executed lyrics which reach into the audience’s likely experiences with love, hopes, dreams and everyday living. Deborah Berg and her backing band play like a well-honed machine.

They deftly trade solos and rhythm parts without ever getting in each other’s way, and they play with spectacular understated dynamics – knowing just how to bring tempo and volume up and down to underscore the songs, and allow Deborah’s spectacular voice to take center stage.

And she truly takes center stage on the minimalistic, mid-tempo “Meet Me In The Middle”. Deborah Berg could sing the Nashville phone book and it would be worth treasures untold. Here her voice is so powerfully nostalgic and full of steely-eyed beauty, as she wrings every scrap of available beauty out of the chorus with smooth confidence.

She does even better on the swampy “Sliver of a Moon” dropping into an edgier, and even more resonant tone. Deborah’s performance comes off as exhilarating, natural and blissfully unforced. In every instance, the track rises to the impossibly high bar set by its predecessors.

“Muddy Weather” breaks the somber mood with an upbeat rhythm and plenty of string instruments – strummed, plucked and pulled. Deborah provides an impeccably warm and sweet vocal as she locks into the pulse of the rhythm.

“Full Circle” is the kind of quality music one would expect from Deborah Berg after her years in the music business. Her voice has that nuanced, clear quality that makes one want to listen closely and hear every word. Alongside her the band weaves a mesmerizing palette of pastel colors that soothes the soul.

The featured single, “You’re Gone”, features dominant bass and a well-defined rhythm that marches forward at an energetic pace, intricately laced with perfectly matched harmonies and the accordion. Deborah’s voice adeptly dances as it finds its way through the verses, and then jumps out and grabs you and forces your attention.

Her only rival here being the violin, which is impeccably played to perfection here. “New Road Home” is everything a country, bluegrass, and roots record should strive to be. It never rests on its laurels and surprises the listener around every bend. Furthermore, it’s the perfect continuation of Deborah Berg’s craft and a worthy addition to any music collection.

The Band Camp Diaries

The Band Camp Diaries

Deborah Berg combines beautifully emotional lyrics with tasteful melodies and lush arrangements, where every song matters.

The New York songstress set out to bring the timeless sound of country and bluegrass to the big city, and as a result, her music has a really one-of-a-kind flavor. From the warmth of traditional melodies to the sonic depths of modern songwriting, anything goes.

On her most recent release, “New Road Home,” Deborah set out to gift listeners with some astonishing performances, as well as with some delicate songs that tell powerful stories, inspired by the ageless tradition of the best bluegrass music out there. Much like the best folk music, Deborah’s tunes are all about sharing, telling, and expressing. This is music from people, to people, and the convivial spirit it creates is absolutely astonishing. This tastefully produced record will inspire any fan of the genre.

Find out more about Deborah Berg, and listen to “New Road Home, which is currently available on the web:

http://www.deborahberg.com/

Music Existence Interview, June 8, 2019

Interview with Michael Stover

Deborah took time from her busy schedule to answer some questions in this EXCLUSIVE new interview…

Music Existence: Thanks for taking the time, Deborah.  We are honored to be speaking with such an incredible singer-songwriter. What inspired you to follow your chosen career path as a musician?

Deborah Berg: Hello! Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate the opportunity to talk with you about my life in music.

My launch into music was serendipitous. I wouldn’t call it my “chosen career path” at first. I was raised in a musical family, my mother was a musician and my father was a Methodist minister, so there were a lot of hymns and old time music floating around in my earliest memories. You are my Sunshine, A Bushel and a Peck, I’ve Been Working on the Railroad, those kinds of songs. My mom was an excellent pianist and loved show tunes, so many of my first vocal attempts were singing along while she played songs from her favorite Broadway shows like, South Pacific and My Fair Lady.

 As a preachers kid, I first started singing publicly in church choir. I sang in choir pretty much every week until I graduated from high school. I didn’t really think of it as a career path. Music has always been connected to my core and to my family, there is no denying that. But as many young people were doing back then, I was determined to be something other than what my family destiny was pointing me in the direction of. I was interested in something a little outside the box. So, I went the way of the performing arts through dance. I studied and danced for 25 years, until my knees conked out.I still love dance in it’s many forms and I find that all the counting I did while learning choreography is a valuable addition to my musician’s toolbox.

With music, I caught a lucky break, which catapulted me out of the dance world and into a record deal with Warner Brothers Records. My former music partner and dear friend, Julian Marshall and his wife Arabella came to a dance performance I was in. I had injured my knee and was singing with the musicians instead of dancing with my company that night. Julian was looking for a vocalist to start a new project with and he asked me if I might be interested. The rest is history. Julian and I formed a duo called, Eye to Eye and recorded two albums with Warner Brothers Records. That serendipitous experience opened a door that allowed me to become a full time, full tilt musician.

ME: Was there any one event in your life that led you to record and release, “New Road Home?”

DB: Not one event, no. It had been a few years since I had released a solo album and I felt a sort of self inflicted urgency to put out a new record but I was also dealing with some personal hardships that set my enthusiasm and energy back. I realized, as much as I wanted to push myself and complete the album, I just had to weather the storm for awhile and wait. Not that I did nothing. I just took it all down a notch. I wrote, and cooked more, I read and listened more I formed a songwriting group and spent time with my family and joined a gospel choir. It all helped get me through that difficult time. As it turned out, simplifying my lifestyle and clearing my calendar for awhile was a valuable element to writing and completing these new songs.

ME: How did you come up with the title and what does it mean?

DB: New Road Home is the title track to the record. A dear friend of mine was going through a troublesome breakup and we were talking alot. (The perils of being friends with a songwriter is that your story may possibly turn into a country song! But she gave me her blessing). I was supporting her difficult decision to bite the bullet and break out of a dead end relationship and start fresh, somewhere new. New Road Home describes her spirit of adventure as she follows her heart and hits the road to find her future deserved happiness. “Pack your guitar and drive all night, time for moving on.” True Story!

ME: Who has been your single biggest influence, musically?

DB: All in all, I would have to say the Fab Four, John, Paul, George and Ringo, the one and only, The Beatles. The moment I heard them I was hooked. They rocked my world. Their harmonies, and phrasing and musicality was all just delicious. And they were cute! They had sex appeal and they were somehow approachable. Even as a little kid, I knew all that. Their music was fresh and appealing. They blew my mind. I coveted their music as my own. I pretty much still do.

ME: How about personally?  Who influences you in your daily life?

DB: As my friend Charles describes them, agreeable strangers influence me daily. Living here in NYC we share space pretty well but we are busy and things move really fast. So when someone is especially kind to an elder person on the street or makes a little fussy kid smile, or stops to give someone directions, it just makes me feel better. People helping people influence me daily. Dogs too! Their, “happy to be here” attitude reminds me to not be so serious and to stop and smell the roses! A smile or a sense of humor goes a long way in this busy world we live in.

ME: “You’re Gone” is your new single.  Tell us about the song, the recording and writing process for it, and what you hope your fans will get from it?

DB: I have attended an acoustic guitar, adult music camp in the Pacific Northwest for over twenty years. I am mostly a student but I have had the honor of teaching there as well. The song came together while I was listening to some wildly talented Bluegrass players jamming away into the wee hours on their cabin deck. Bluegrass music was wafting up from the holler below, up to our cabin. Some of the imagery in, You’re Gone came to me years before. The early version of the song was called, Good Friday Blues, which had been sitting in my “Unfinished Songs” folder. Something about those Bluegrass players going hell for leather in the wee hours of the morning inspired me to finish my old song! So I made the rest up in my head and re-named it, You’re Gone. I could just feel the characters. They were young lovers, finding time alone together at a party in the woods, feeling passionate and free until it all went south as impulsive love affairs often do. The voice in the song is from one of the lovers, after some time has passed. “I tried to reach you today, once more for old times sake, so hard to say goodbye and watch you go”. Sigh. Who can’t relate to some such incident in our lives? It may have felt like love at the time but it was not love that was meant to last long.

What would I hope my fans get from it? I hope it inspires them to run around in the woods with someone they are wildly attracted to!

ME: I know it’s a tough choice, but what is your favorite song on the new album, and why?

DB: Picking a favorite song on an album is like picking a favorite child in a family. It cannot be done. I am proud of each song for different reasons. That said, I do consistently enjoy listening to, When I Slow Down. I think the song was recorded and mixed beautifully by my illustrious producer Ken Rich. The song has the perspective of a young man who has made some impulsive mistakes that landed him in trouble with the law. The music is simple in it’s complexity. I try to pepper my songs with a little bit of faith. Just a smidge. An example of that in this song is: “Any prayers you wanna offer this messed up kid, I surely could use”.

ME: What do you enjoy doing, outside of the spotlight?  Any hobbies?

DB: Music is a very large part of my life. Besides writing, recording and performing music, I teach vocal ensemble to senior citizens and I sing backup for other people’s music and I go hear music and I sing in a choir and I love jamming with friends. My husband and I love going to music festivals. I am what you call a music slut. We have a large, blended family and we love spending time together too and I love yoga and travel and spending time with friends, but mostly, I love my family and I freakin’ love music.

ME: Any plans for a follow up single?

DB: I would imagine maybe Muddy Weather could be a contender as a follow up single. It is an up-tempo song on the record that lends itself to toe (or steering wheel) tapping. It’s catchy. I love the sentiment. Again, it’s a song about communication. This person is realizing as they are driving away from a newly busted relationship, through a thunderstorm that the best thing to do is to turn around and go back and just when they realize this, the storm passes over, the rain stops and a new morning is breaking. “Hand to God, you are the reason why. I am willing to be changing ‘cause of you”. Gotta love an optimistic ending!

ME: What has been the biggest musical accomplishment of 2019 so far?

DB: The biggest musical accomplishment of 2019 so far is the release of my new record, New Road Home in February! We had 94 people cram into a house concert for our first official gig. Another big accomplishment is that airplay for You’re Gone is climbing the charts. The word is, DJ’s love it. We hit #15 on Airplay Today New Music Weekly chart this week with the greatest spin gain. Kudos to Star 1 Group and to Michael, Sherry and Laura!

ME: Which do you prefer, the studio or the stage?

DB: I love the studio, the quality and control of sound. I love sound, but I also love the lack of sound. My happy place is the mastering studio. The pure, clean sound in that room before any music is added is just stunning.

But I love playing live too, to get the reaction of the listeners, especially if they feel compelled to dance. My band is like a herd of wild ponies when we get on stage. There is a lot of wonderful live energy that re-charges me. I love people coming up to tell us how much a song touched them. That is something I love to hear.

ME: How about some parting words for your fans?

DB: If you love music, find it in your community. Join a choir, volunteer to play music for elders or kids or for folks in the hospital, form a songwriting group with friends, or put a band together with other parents in your kids school. Pay it forward. Now’s the time. What I have found to be true is, if you share your musical talent you will be richly rewarded. I hope I see you somewhere on the path! Thank you!

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2AmXUXNrhF5XEWRsuu0aBy

Sleeping Bag Studios Album Review, June 5, 2019

By Jer@SBS

Deborah Berg – New Road Home Album Sampler/Singles Review

This much I can tell ya…you don’t end up being endorsed by Martin Guitars and the almighty Sennheiser without seriously knowing what you’re doing as a musician and having some incredible chops.  Deborah Berg definitely has all the right talent, skills, and stunning songwriting to go along with the well-placed faith these giants of the technical-side of the industry have placed in her – she’s pretty much amazing.  There’s all kinds of history & music in her career already…I don’t want to put too much of a timeline all this, but she’s about a year shy of being a musician for as long as I’ve personally been around here on earth…but the facts are, when we’re talking about the sound of her music, she’s as young & spirited as the day she started I’d reckon.  Everything I’ve personally heard from this sample of her New Road Home album has continuously revealed a beautiful soul that radiates music from her every pore – always has apparently, and I’d say it’s safe to say, Deborah always will.  Incidentally, she also spends a great deal of her time teaching the new generation of artists out there as well…and for you budding singer/songwriters out there…you might be making a real smart choice in seeing if you can book a lesson or two with this wonderful gem of the music-scene.  From the wisdom in her voice & tireless spark of energy within her music, I suspect we could all learn a few things from Deborah Berg’s experiences.

So here’s where I’m at with these tunes…because of course there’s no hiding that the Country/Bluegrass thang can be…challenging for me…that’s probably the best way to phrase that.  I stand by what I’ve always said from day one in creating this site however – and that’s that if you make your music with true passion, focus, and commitment, there’s no stopping me from listening to anything from any genre.  Like most listeners out there, whether it’s factored into the music-making or not, in the end results, we all just want to hear that the music you’re making matters to YOU just as much as it could potentially to us.  And then of course, you know, the like, less obvious all that is in the final product, the better…that is, if you’re faking it til’ ya make it.   For artists like Deborah, the natural beauty & smoothness in the fluid flow & charming melodies you’ll hear are discovered through genuine interest & a love of the craft.  That organic nature of her sound/style give her all kinds of crossover opportunities…the chance to break through to people like myself that were raised on Grunge music – or YOU, no matter who you are or what you normally listen to.  The inherent sweetness you’ll find in Deborah’s music makes her so much more universally accessible than any genre or label could possibly describe her as – I dig this fine lady.

As far as my ears are concerned, she’s done really well here…I’ve got three tunes, two of which I like quite a lot, and one of which I’m completely in love with…that’s a solid batting average to say the least!  I started with a song called “You’re Gone,” which is currently featured fairly prominently out there in the online world…so I’m thinking that’s what Berg has gone with as the official lead-single.  Could be “Sliver Of A Moon” as well…they’ve both got official videos out there already, but I have the feeling that the vibrant storytelling, sound, and incredible details she’s got in her lyrics on “You’re Gone” would make it the more likely candidate to bring the people in to listen.  She’s backed-up by a whole crew of ace talents to help bring her music to life – and they literally ALL deserve a huge shout-out, because this music is flawless, 100%.  So to do that, I’ve shamelessly lifted these following credits directly right from Deborah’s main website – her band on New Road Home consists of these amazing players:  Charlie Giordano (accordion and keys), Richard Hammond (upright bass), Chris Tedesco (violin), Hugh Pool (vocals and dobro), Sherryl Marshall and Stephanie Seymour (backing vocals), Monica Passin (guitar), Ethan Eubanks (drums), and Rich Hinman (electric and acoustic guitar).  Lots of crossover sound at work here between what they’ve all combined to create – I could see fans of Country, Soul, Blues, Bluegrass, true R&B, Indie, and Folk fans of all kinds making time to check out a track like “You’re Gone.”  Chris Tedesco in particular stands out to me when it comes to the music, I felt like the violin was absolutely essential to this highly interesting rhythm & groove on “You’re Gone.”  As far as the vocals go – Deborah immediately proves herself to belong in the spotlight where she’s been for so many years – there’s not a single thing I’d change about the way she sings this song, she’s got all the right moves to make this work.

Anyhow.  Clearly a good start, yes?  Well hang on then…cause in my opinion, things kept getting better.  Ultimately for my own personal preferences, I probably dig “You’re Gone” just a bit more than the following track I heard called “Muddy Weather” – BUT – I’d be willing to bet this second track would appeal to an even greater number of people overall.  The pure SMILE that this song on my face is indescribable – if you looked up the definition of ‘charming sound’ – there’s a solid chance you’d find a link to this tune.  “Muddy Weather” makes incredible use of its space – listen to the music being played; I mean it, please.  I could cite what I love about it all, and we’d happily all be here all day long reading about it, because it’s everything!  For real, the way each layer interacts, responds, bounces off of, and plays with each other, is 100% awesome…it’s the kind of musicianship & instrumentation you’ll truly only find on a really competent record all-around.  These are players that clearly trust each other & rightly so – the real magic is the fact that you can hear that confidence translate right into the vibes of the music being made on this record, it makes all the difference in the world when we listen to it.  There’s a genuinely comforting vibe that runs blissfully through the atmosphere created on “Muddy Weather” – the song itself might question life & love, but the music surrounding the theme is endlessly inviting.  PLUS…c’mon people, when was the last time you remember hearing an accordion solo?  Probably been a while right?  Now how about this question – when was the last time you remember loving one?  Even longer?  Maybe never?  Have a listen to a tune where the accordion completely fits right in – Charlie does an exceptional job of warming up the friendly sounds of this song.  It’s quaint, it’s pleasant…all on the surface…when you listen closely to the lyrics, it’ll run much deeper for ya – it’s a wonderful example of contrast & smart songwriting that allows you to listen to tracks like “Muddy Weather” over & over and continually get more out of each experience.  As for the star of the show, she remains the star at all times…as fantastic as any of these contributions to the music may be and indeed they ARE – you really can’t take your ears off of Deborah, she’s truly got a golden voice and never seems to take one step out of place – she’s audible perfection and incredibly well-suited to her style of music.

Both “You’re Gone” and “Muddy Weather” provided my speakers with good tunes & good times – but what I found in “Full Circle” was where I felt Deborah & her surrounding crew of ace-talent were shining the most brightly & beautifully inside of a much more subtle & slow melody.  I’ll admit there’s something of a “Knocking On Heaven’s Door” feeling that flows through the air of the verses on this song…different tunes for sure, but a similar heaviness to the emotions adrift in the atmosphere as it begins.  “Full Circle” goes on to reveal a gorgeous set of ambitions, sentiment, and intentions with its chorus, becoming a song about unity, love, and togetherness…how these journeys we’re all on lead us “Full Circle” and how our past experiences stack up over time to help guide our future.  Keyboards play a huge role, as does the violin once again…spectacular job from both, and the upright bass from Richard as well…musically, again, you’re not going to find any cracks or faults here, but you will find plenty of compelling & captivating sound coming at ya…and the whole band involved deserves real credit for that.  Deborah Berg has chosen exceptionally well with the talent surrounding her – and the same is true vice-versa – she’s such a magnetic personality and poetic lyricist that you really want to listen to every word she sings.  “Full Circle” has additional advantages that the other tracks don’t quite have in the sense that, it’s probably a little less Country/Bluegrass and more of either a Acoustic-Ballad or Indie-Folk tune; six or one half-dozen of the other – whatever way you want to describe it, a song like this could easily fit on playlists with the likes of Mazzy Star all the way through to R.E.M. – and that’s great company to be keeping.  Gives her a crack at the Alternative crowd…and I’d be willing to bet they’d like what they find in Deborah just as much as I have…her sincerity absolutely shines through her music, through her words, through her vocals – and in my opinion, you get the most heartfelt example of how that authenticity works in her favor on “Full Circle” for sure.  Definitely three solid reasons to be checking out the rest of New Road Home…Deborah’s got my enthusiastic vote of support & I’m confident she’ll earn yours too.

Find out more from Deborah Berg’s official homepage at: http://www.deborahberg.com