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10/20/05BRENDA KAHN IS BACK PERFORMING

By Len Righi
Of The Morning Call

Punk-folk singer-songwriter Brenda Kahn, who ''dropped off the map'' as a recording artist and performer in 1999, is navigating her way back into the spotlight. The Connecticut-born, New Jersey-bred performer, who has lived in Center Valley since April 2004, will do her first live show in two years Saturday night at the Wildflower Cafe in Bethlehem. She will play both vintage material as well as several new songs.

''I sat down with all this music I made over the last 15 years and picked out songs that appealed to me,'' she says over the phone from the split-level ranch home she shares with her acupuncturist husband, Thomas Droge, and their 21/2-year old son, Mason. ''There's no pattern. They're just ones that I like.''

One of her new songs is ''Blue Room.'' ''I wrote it when I first moved here, feeling isolated and sort of disconnected. … It's about inviting other people into your sadness.'' There's also ''New Kind of Day,'' which she describes as ''a more hopeful song.''

Kahn ''grew up on David Bowie, Elvis Costello and Chrissie Hynde. That was my world. When I was 16, I got my first electric guitar for my birthday. My parents thought I was nuts. They wanted to buy me a ring.''

During the 1990s, Kahn recorded five albums that blended folk with touches of jazz, country and spoken word. They were loaded with both memorable characters she encountered during her life and travels and social commentary, all of it delivered with energy, fire and wit.

Among her most widely praised albums are 1992's ''Epiphany in Brooklyn,'' which includes ''I Don't Sleep, I Drink Coffee Instead,'' the song that helped her land a major-label deal with Columbia Records, 1996's ''Destination Anywhere'' and 1998's ''Hunger,'' a tribute to her late, dear friend and sometime collaborator, singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley.

Kahn played Lilith Fair in 1998 and 1999. ''I got to sing with Chrissie Hynde at the end of the first one, when everyone came out on stage,'' she says. ''That was a dream. It wasn't a duet, exactly, but I was standing next to her.''

Another high point came in 1993, when she opened for Dylan in Paris and Luxemburg. ''I had to throw a band together in two weeks in France, because I was told Dylan doesn't allow solo acoustic acts to open for him,'' she says. ''So I flew people over from New York, and I got John Ashton of the Psychedelic Furs to play guitar for me. …

''I had this new song ['Too Far Gone'] I wanted to play, but it didn't make sense for the band,'' she continues. ''I played it solo, and wondered if I would get in trouble. After the show I was told, 'Dylan would like to meet you.' So I went to his room, shook his hand, and he said, 'I really liked that song you sang.'

''There are two moments in my career when I knew was on the right track. That was one of them. The other was in 1997, when I walked off the stage at CBGB and David Byrne said to me, 'Good songs.' Those two words made me happy forever.''

Kahn shifted gears six years ago because she was disappointed with the music business in general and the touring grind in particular, and still feeling aftershocks from Buckley's drowning death in 1997. ''I wanted to do something different, connect with more people,'' she says. ''I had been on the self-promotion machine for too long.''

Buckley's passing exacted a heavy toll, too. ''We were pretty close,'' Kahn says. The two wrote one song together, ''Faith Salon,'' which appears on ''Destination Anywhere.'' ''It was written from poetry I had been writing, sort of stream of consciousness,'' Kahn recalls. ''We were in a loft space in Brooklyn with recording equipment set up in the middle of it. He was playing some really beautiful riff on guitar and I started talking right over it. He said, 'Let's record it right now, before it disappears forever somewhere into the ether,' so we did sort of a rush recording. It was right before he was signed to Columbia. …

''That he was such a fan of my music was touching to me,'' adds Kahn, still rankled that she wasn't invited to Buckley's memorial service (she attended anyway and sat next to Elvis Costello, who was). ''Support from a peer was so cool.''

When Kahn decided to let go, ''I took everything off my plate.'' In subsequent years she established WOMANROCK.com Inc., an online magazine and music store to help musicians with the business end of the industry and sell their music. After five years, WOMANROCK, which Kahn wrote for and edited, had a circulation of 100,000 visitors monthly.

''The whole idea was to talk to anyone who made great music,'' says Kahn. ''I interviewed Ani Di Franco, Amy Rigby, Kristen Hersh and many others. I always was a writer and wanted to write. I loved the idea of writing about other people.''

About a year ago, she realized that while she enjoyed writing, ''it's not really in my heart. To quit playing music is not a real option for me. That's who I am.''

Since May, she also has been a real estate agent. ''It's a perfect job because it's very flexible,'' says Kahn. ''My husband can be home on the days that I'm working and I can be home on the days he's working. It's the best job I can find to stay home with my son.''

Kahn and her husband first considered moving from New York to Pennsylvania after they started house-hunting. ''We looked upstate, but it was incredibly expensive,'' Kahn says. ''We had friends living in Bucks County, but by driving 15 minutes farther, we found the Lehigh Valley [and] the house in Center Valley. It was an incredible stroke of luck.''

Brenda Kahn, 8 p.m. Saturday, Wildflower Cafe and Gallery, 316 S. New St., Bethlehem, 484-821-0332. Admission: $4.

07/12/02 UPCOMING EVENTS: 07/31/02

Come early to hear road stories from the performers. Cocktails at 7PM Panel starts at 7:30 (moderator Brenda Kahn)

"TOURING 101" moderated by touring veteran Brenda Kahn. "

Everything you need to know about booking, promoting, organizing a tour and surviving on the road. Panelists will perform later in the evening.

05/11/02 UPCOMING CONCERTS: 05/30/02

FEATURING:
Maya Azucena, Martha Redbone, Brenda Kahn, Liz Skillman, and Devon Networking party 7-8:30 "meet the industy" hosted by Ariel Publicity

Date: T hursday, May 30, 2002

Venue: CBGBs Gallery - 313 Bowery (at Bleeker St.)

Tickets: $10/door (with flowers) $15 (w/o flowers!)

Time: 7-8:30PM Networking and Cocktails sponsored by Ariel Publicity (bring CDs and business cards)

Ages: 16 and up

Lineup

9:00 Devon
9:30 Liz Skillman
10:00 Brenda Kahn Band
10:30 Martha Redbone
11:00 Raffle Prizes from Tony & Tina, Haelth, Steve Madden
11:15 Maya Azucena

In celebration of spring, guests bringing a bouquet of flowers will receive a $5 discount on admission. All flowers will be donated to the Better Youth charity which delivers flowers to children in hospitals with chronic illnesses. To further promote spring, there will be a raffle for three prizes: a deluxe cosmetics package for the ultimate Spring makeover courtesy of Tony & Tina, a 30 minute massage to lose those winter blues at Hflth (a wellness center in Soho) and a $100 gift certificate for a pair of Steve Madden sandals. The cover charge benefits the production of WOMANROCK'S upcoming compilation CD due out this fall.

05/04/02 UPCOMING CONCERTS: 05/09/02

1/27/02 UPCOMING CONCERTS: 01/30/02 and 01/31/02

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2002
Bands in support of Ladyfest East 2002
We go on 1st - 8PM
Knitting Factory, Main Stage, NYC
Evening starts at 7:30pm
74 Leonard St., NYC (bet. Church & Bwy)
Info: (212) 319-3006

THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2002
WOMANROCK Music Shop Artists Showcase
AT THE CUTTING ROOM with...
Jane Kelly Williams
Michelle Lewis
Sexfresh
Brenda Kahn
Dayna Kurtz
*And Special Guest Performance*

The show starts at 8PM. Everyone on this bill is amazing and talented. We'll all be playing short sets (20 mins). Try to come for the show - you won't be disappointed!

Thursday January 31, 2002:
Located at: 19 W. 24th St
(bet Bdwy and 6th Ave), NYC
$8.00 8pm

KAHN - Acoustic Guitar
KOLBER - Electric Guitar
HILLIER - Bass
PARIS - Drums

11/24/01 UPCOMING EVENTS: WOMANROCK MUSICSHOP LAUNCH PARTY (12/02/01)

As part of the launch, WOMANROCK.com and Kismet Records joined forces to release Michelle Lewis’ new CD “Letters Out Loud.” The CD is available exclusively though the WOMANROCK Music Shop through the end of the year. In her own words, the new album “has moments of everything I like to listen to - rock, soul and ex-Nashville country.” Other artists now available include: The Hissyfits, Amanda Garrigues, Sexfresh, Stun Gun and Brenda Kahn. More are signing up every day – so keep checking back!

If you’re in the New York area, please join us to celebrate the launch – holiday style. I put together some of my favorite girl rockstars and asked them all to learn holiday songs for the occasion. Girlcomic.net will be sponsoring comediennes and MC for the evening. Tony & Tina is sponsoring a raffle prize and ((Hyppe.com)) is helping to get the word out. And I am going to make Xmas Cookies for everyone. That’s right. Cookies. OK, here’s the vital stats…

WOMANROCK Holiday Party (and Music Shop Launch!)
Sunday, December 2, 2001
at CBs Gallery located at 313 Bowery (at Bleeker Street)
8PM - Midnight
price is $10 at the door
Need directions: http://www.cbgb.com/directions.htm

Come celebrate the holidays with us and the opening of the WOMANROCK Music Shop where you can find great independent women's music online! (www.womanrock.com/musicshop)

With special holiday-song appearances by: Patti Rothberg, Rachael Sage, Kathy Ziegler, Julia Darling, Brenda Kahn, Liz Skillman, Basya, Bankhead, Cathie Martino, and Maya Azucena

Comedy by: Becky Donohue (MC), Ophira Eisenberg, and Jen Kirkman (brought to you by www.Girlcomic.net)

**There will be a give-away of Tony&Tina merchandise! at 10PM.... Our present to a lucky attendee! and holiday cookies for everyone.

11/02/01 UPCOMING CONCERTS: 11/03/01 and 11/09/01

I'm doing a couple acoustic shows - both benefits for great causes - this week. check it out...

Tomorrow - Saturday, November 3, 2001 I will be doing a short acoustic set as part of a benefit being presented by MUSIC & LOVE for low income families of the WTC disaster. Come on down and spend the afternoon on the lower east side with some great food, drinks, and music. I'll be going on around 2:30.

Also playing...Patti Rothberg, Black Flamingo, Greg Boyer, Jenna, Phillip Foxman, Tiffany Anders, Julia Greenberg, Remy de Laroque

@ 169 bar/cafe
169 east broadway, nyc
Saturday, November 3, 2001
1:00-6:00pm - suggested donation $5.00
F train to east bway stop

It's an ALL ages show, so everyone is welcome.

Then THIS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9th

@ LUNA LOUNGE
Ludlow Street (bet. Houston and Stanton)
9:00PM
F train to 2nd Ave.

MUGSY Records and the WORKERS EDUTAINMENT COMMITTEE present (in order of appearance)

WOMANROCK founder and editor BRENDA KAHN, MUGSY recording artists MIKE RIMBAUD and the Subway Sun, PADDY on the RAILWAY (featuring KIRK KELLY and the Violent Femme's BRIAN RITCHIE), spoken word artist JOHN S. HALL and SOFTSKELL PRESS founder and CEO SANDER HICKS with his band WHITE COLLAR CRIME.

The evening will benefit the New York City Central Labor Council DISASTER RELIEF FUND.

09/28/01 NEWS: BRENDA TALKS ABOUT THE WTC DISASTER

I hope this mailing finds you and your loved ones safe and sound. It's been a pretty harrowing couple of weeks here in New York City, and I would like to thank the people who called and sent emails from all over the country (and beyond). This tragedy was so far reaching on so many levels. Each person I encounter has their own images and sounds deeply set in them by these events. Our own firehouse (ladder 3) lost 12 of 25 firemen. People lost their homes, their pets, their loved ones, their sense of safety, their openness. What was gained?.. a global community, a wish for survival, a redistribution of priorities...

This month at WOMANROCK.com we will be posting photographs, stories and letters by my friends and artists in the community. (And my story as well.) We will run the Le Tigre interview and other scheduled articles in November.

The Brenda Kahn Band will be performing on Friday October 5, 2001 at CB's Gallery. 9PM. (We were originally going to play at Fez, but the venue has changed!). Please come down and be part of this show. I would love to see all of you.

Finally, I won't be attending the A2A Music Conference in Amsterdam, (sorry to those in Europe) I was really looking forward to performing in Amsterdam and the music panel, but in light of recent events, which have affected me, both emotionally and financially, I'm going to reschedule for next October.

Thank you so much for being a part of this community - for sharing my music and the WOMANROCK website.

w/love, brenda

09/05/01 NEWS: BRENDA KAHN BAND CONCERT

The festival started last year in Olympia, WA sprang up in Chicago and has made it`s way all the way to the Eastern shore. Ladyfest*East performers include BETTY, Theo from the Lunachicks, Ari-Up from The Slits, The Haggard, Candy Ass, Bitch and Animal, Bangs, Live Girls, The Hissyfits and more!!!

The Brenda Kahn Band will be playing at CBGB`s rock-n-roll club this Thurs Sept. 6, 2001 at 10:30PM. We`re sharing the stage with Nicole Blackman, Catfight, Bitch & Animal, Triple Cream, Chelsea on Fire and Palmyra Delran.

I will also be moderating a panel on what it takes to be a successful indie artist, looking at the business of business and the business of being female in the music industry. Check the Ladyfest*East website for details.

For more info go to www.ladyfesteast.org.

07/26/01 NEWS: BRENDA KAHN BAND CONCERT, DEMO RECORD

The Brenda Kahn Band will be playing at the Living Room (NYC) this Saturday (July 28, 01) at 10pm. We are playing mostly new songs and a few gems from the Destination Anywhere album.

Also on the bill: Pal Shazar @ 9:00

The Living Room is at 84 Stanton St. (corner of Allen) info: 533-7235

Also

We have just finished recording a demo for Warner Brothers Records (keep your fingers crossed). I'll keep you posted about possible releases!

We recorded three songs at Looking Glass Studios and we'll have new photos from the recording session up on the website (womanrock.com/brenda) in a week or so.

06/28/01 SITES TO VISIT

	Site	Description
	Blue on Blue	Web site for the band, Blue on Blue, led by Brenda Kahn; note that this site is Flash-equipped.

BrendaKahn2 YahooGroup

Brenda Kahn Mailing List #2 (hosted by smoe)

Brenda Kahn Guestbook

Read my Guestbook! Sign my Guestbook!

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