Chris Volpe

Performing Songwriter--May 2009
Chris Volpe’s gentle vocals, padded by long strains on the harmonica, whining pedal steel and warm acoustic guitars, have a nice way of relaying some hard truths on his new disc, Shipwrecked. Shades of Neil Young emerge in the bleak “Afraid of the Dark,” which tackles the weighty issue of environmental pollution and paints a picture of the resulting mess when mankind fails to react responsibly. The seven-minute song is sonically dissonant and intentionally noise-cluttered, accurately reflecting Volpe’s morose lyric.
His tongue-in-cheek writing style takes center stage in the sharp social commentary “Dusty Bibles” and the sax-accented “Don’t Go,” in which he begs his lover to ignore him: “If I ever tell you to leave, don’t go.” Occasional electric guitars, alto and soprano sax, clarinet, bass and cello round out a set that demands repeated plays. Artfully done, Shipwrecked is easy on the ears while pricking the listener’s conscience. —LCB
http://performingsongwriter.com/pages/music/117.cfm
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Until May 15th, download Shipwrecked! below using the "widget". To download, either pay what you want to pay or email 5 of friends about the record...
October 08--
"Shipwrecked!", produced by Grammy-winner Phil Harris (Doc Watson) and Chris Volpe, is scheduled to be released in early '09. Stay in touch for preview recordings, show dates, and other updates! ===

Album Lineup...
Jeff Coffin (Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Dave Matthews Band): Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Sax, Alto Sax
Bryn Davies (Patty Griffin, Tony Rice): Upright Bass, Cello
Tyler Grant (Drew Emmitt, Billy Nershi): Electric Guitar (Track 10)
Donnie Herron (Bob Dylan, BR549): Pedal Steel Guitar, Fiddle
Kenny Malone (Cat Stevens, Johnny Cash): Drums, Percussion
Chris Volpe: Banjo, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
"Refugee Blues" was released in 2006:
Chris Volpe captivates audiences with his master guitar playing and soulful voice.Through his songs, Volpe tells haunting tales of American experiences--from giving up everything and everyone you know to move to New York City in "Jersey Sun," to feeling lost in this vast country in "Refugee Blues," the title track of Volpe's most recent CD. He won the studio time to record "Refugee Blues" when he was awarded "best song" at the West Coast Songwriting Association's (WCSA) contest.
All 15 songs on the CD were recorded live in one take, with no overdubs, editing, or effects--a stellar recording feat--which only adds credence to Volpe's innate music abilities.What's more, Volpe won an Independent Music Award--Folk/Singer-Songwriter Album of the Year-- for "Refugee Blues" in 2006. Past winners of this worldwide competition include the likes of Chris Whitley and Dan Bern. The judges, to name a few, were Norah Jones, Melissa Etheridge, and Bill Wyman. Volpe and "Refugee Blues" were also highlighted on NPR's open mic feature, and 6 songs from "Refugee Blues" were featured on PBS's nationally broadcast mini-series, Roadtrip Nation, in the fall of 2007. The documentary follows modern-day American youths as they travel from coast to coast in search of an appropriate life direction.
===The San Francisco Bay Guardian wrote in 2006, "One listen to Refugee Blues and you'll realize Chris Volpe is not your mother's Leo Kottke. While the fingerpicking of this self-taught virtuoso often draws comparison to the legendary guitarist, it is his lyricism that sets Volpe apart. Accolades from the West Coast Songwriting Association attest to the fact that Volpe and Refugee Blues perfectly invoke the feelings of alienation and desperation arguably intrinsic to living in modern-day America."===
He is also the winner of the Singer/Songwriter Awards, an international competition based in London (We Are Listening), which flew Volpe out to London for a week to record with producer Steve Williams (Sting, Eric Clapton). Volpe has taught himself to play piano, bass, banjo and drums, among other instruments.