Carolynn Black

Carolynn Black: n., NY orig. 1. singer-songwriter, known to encourage happiness and good vibes through music. Currently, she can be found on the stages of Madison, WI with Vibe Syndicate, Clyde Stubblefield, The Black & Blues Allstars, and The Carolynn Black Band searching for people in need of a Cheshire-cat smile of a song.If you want the full story you can read my bio at www.carolynnblack.com. Here's the latest:I've been living in Madison, WI now for a year and a half and I couldn't be happier. Who could've predicted that after slogging away for 8 years in the not really exsistent music scene in NYC it would take moving to the midwest to jumpstart my music career? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I did my time in the Big Apple - it honed my chops as a singer and self-promoter, and toughened me so that idiot club owners don't bother be anymore. But nothing's more depressing than playing your heart out every week for the toughest crowd in the world and not getting anywhere. There's a million great (and not-so great) bands in NY willing to play for nothing (or even pay to play) that's it's hard to rise above and make a name for yourself.So, when I was able to sell my Brooklyn condo to a big developer and pick up stakes for the midwest, I took a deep breath and jumped in head first. Why not? In early December 2004, I moved to Madison, Wisconsin with my man and our three cats, bought a house and a Prius with the condo money, and never looked back.I quickly found the growing music scene here to be more than welcoming and surprisingly diverse. In October 2005, I joined two incredible bands: The Clyde Stubblefield Band, and Vibe Syndicate. For those of you who don't know, Clyde Stubblefield is James Brown's Original Funky Drummer (his official title!). He is the man behind all those infectious beats and has the disctinction of being the most sampled man in hip-hop, though sadly he has never been credited or recieved any royalties. His drumsticks are in The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and he has done numerous drum clinics with fellow drummer Jabo Starks. Clyde is THE MAN, and perhaps the most generous musician I have ever shared the stage with. We unleash two sets of classic r&b, soul, funk & blues every Monday night at The King Club. Vibe Syndicate is an original r&b/neo-soul outfit that has been around for a few years, but could never settle on a singer. Hopefully I'll put an end to that trend. I had been looking for a way to bust out my box, so to speak, and joining Vibe Syndicate has proven to be just what I needed. I even get a chance to rap!We just finished a stretch in the studio and will probably take the rest of the summer to finish up our debut cd. Look out when it hits the street - it's gonna be a smoker!In January 2006, I was asked to join Joey B. Bank's Black 'n' Blues All-Stars, a veritable who's who of midwestern soul. I also managed to get nominated for a Madison Area Music Award (MAMA) for Best Female Vocalist and got to perform the finale of the show (March 18th) while onstage with Clyde, Joey, the horn section from local greats Phat Phunktion, and jazz legend Ben Sidran. The Carolynn Black Band played a MAMA Best New Artist showcase at The High Noon Saloon on a snowy night in February and was warmly recieved. More recently, The Carolynn Black Band debuted its chicken-fried-folk on The Tiki Hut Stage at Summerfest 2006 in Milwaukee, WI. Summerfest is a legendary music festival featuring bands from all over the world and all levels of popularity. We had a blast and made a ton of new fans. In September, The Carolynn Black Duo (me & my hubby Tom) will head to Cincinnati, OH to play a showcase at 2006 The MidPoint Music Festival. I've put the details on my calendar, so if you live in the Cincinnati area, PLEASE COME - I need all the support I can get.So, that's my story. What's the moral? Music is life, so keep on rockin! Oh yeah, and if you need something to do on a Monday and you live in/near Madison, WI, come out to The King Club for Funky Monday and say "hi." I'll be the chick onstage singing my butt off and having a blast!