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Steve Rappaport Internationally acclaimed solo/theater artist Stephen Rappaport has turned his cathartic raw energy and stage presence towards music. The result is his own brand of Alternative Music. "Steve's Main Squeeze" is nothing short of brilliant. Rappaport, whose gravel edged voice carries us to a place somewhere between Bob Dylan and Tom Waits, roughly crooning, then soaring lightly above, is armed with an accordion to accompany his biting, lyrical observations of life, lust and longing. His first CD release, "From All the Way Down Here" is a collection which reveals Rappaport's eclectic musical breadth. With poignant ballads like "Stronger Than I Am" (track 12), "Tent of Silk"(track 8) and "Strip Me" (track 5), alongside crowd pleasers like "Falling In Love" (track 4), "Baby Baby" (track 7), "I Look For Love"(track 6). The CD promises nothing less than an engrossing and dynamic musical journey. The deep strength of his music is beautifully supported by Debi Mae West, Linda Kash and Robin Pelletier's snaking, lilting harmonies. His instrumental accompaniment includes Clay Wilcox's sensitive guitar and mandolin along with Dominic Dean Breau's flute, djembe and penny whistle, Davey Latter's drums, Tom Romero's blues guitar and harmonica, Paul Wallfisch's guitar, keyboards and percussion, Anatoly Rosinsky's violin, Eliot Douglass' piano and Ivan Knight's drums. Rappaport's music, with
flavors of Gypsy, Celtic and Eastern European traditions
woven and wrapped within, teases, tempts and tickles with
each new and unique melody. Praised recently on tour in
Vancouver as "The stuff of underground Berlin or Prague or
places where anything can happen. This is the dark
underbelly of rhythm, the gaping maw of music." (The
Vancouver Courier) Rappaport, with "Steve's Main Squeeze" has become a show not to miss in Los Angeles, packing in audiences at such popular nightclub/cabaret spots as Luna Park and Largo offering up "enough dark, raw humor to give Kurt Weil a run for his money." (Buzz Magazine) Eurus Music |
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This
is music that reaches inside and pulls one's guts out into
the sunshine for all to see. "Rappaport is a virtuoso at
expressing all things human." (The Seattle
Post-Intelligencer)