The Philadelphia Sessions

"In all truth, she blew me away... one of the best singer-songwriters in the business."
- Gene Shay, WXPN Philadelphia

"Clearly, solidly and inarguably a real-deal songwriter. Sharp as a tack, possessed of a light touch, funny, and winningly direct."
-Singer/songwriter Peter Mulvey

"She’s simply one of the last true originals on the music scene, crafting poetically lilting and insightful songs that sparkle on record, but positively glow live."
- Pete Thornell (http://hplmusic.wordpress.com/)

"Carsie Blanton is a rare talent as a modern songwriter. Her sly wit and urbane imagery reminds me of a folky, female Cole Porter. I'm really happy to know that classic songwriting is in good hands with Carsie Blanton."
- Singer/Songwriter John Oates (of Hall & Oates)

Carsie Blanton is a young singer-songwriter who grew up in rural Virginia and landed in Philadelphia in fall of 2006. Since then, her soulful, playful, intelligent music has earned her national respect. In her brief time as a performing songwriter, Carsie has shared the stage with nationally hailed acts Amos Lee, Nellie McKay, John Oates and Leon Redbone, and frequented noteworthy venues from The Birchmere (Alexandria, VA) to the Hotel Café (Los Angeles, CA). In 2008, Carsie toured with Loudon Wainwright III, and with Blue Note recording artists The Wood Brothers.

In July of 2009, Carsie released her second album, Buoy, produced by pop/rock mogul Pete Donnelly. While Carsie’s songs tend to be personal and lyrically rich, this release strays from the folk tradition to bring out the soulfulness, passion, and pop sensibility in her work.

Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Jim Boggia is a true believer and pop craftsman who’s closely acquainted with music’s capacity for transcendent uplift. His songs get the balance right between devastating beauty and sadness, and the big fat joke that is life. Born blind in one eye and with limited vision in the other, Boggia grew up an only child with an acutely developed ear for music. His early fascination for such iconoclastic pop classics as the Kinks’ Village Green Preservation Society, Nilsson Sings Newman and Stevie Wonder’s Innervisons helped to inform an aesthetic sensibility that would push him to create album-length listening “experiences” on his own releases.

Boggia has gained impressive career momentum in a short amount of time. Blackberry selected one of his tracks for a new ad campaign and his songs have also been featured on MTV’s Real World and ABC-TV’s Men In Trees. He’s developed a loyal grass-roots fan base for his dynamic, improvisational live shows. His work has been embraced by numerous fellow artists and kindred spirits, many of who have lent their talents to Boggia’s albums. His sophomore release, Safe In Sound (2005, bluhammock music), featured key contributions from such notable admirers as Aimee Mann, Jill Sobule, MC5 guitar hero Wayne Kramer, Attractions drummer Pete Thomas and legendary ’70s cult-pop icon Emitt Rhodes.

Boggia’s first two releases, 2002’s Fidelity Is the Enemy and 2005’s Safe In Sound, established him as a critical favorite. Harp magazine described his songs as “captivating,” adding that he “delivers the sort of intelligent, melodic pop music that ought to be a staple of radio playlists.” Paste called Boggia a “first-rate audio architect” and praised his use of “lush instrumental flourishes, intriguing sound bites and naturalistic found sounds.” The Washington Post made note of his “soulful voice, experimental instrumentation and an encyclopedic knowledge of pop music.”

Boggia has just released his third album, Misadventures in Stereo, and is receiving wide praise. The qualities that have endeared Boggia to fans, critics and his fellow musicians are abundant throughout Misadventures (which, appropriately, was mastered at London’s fabled Abbey Road studios where the Beatles recorded virtually all of their ’60s classics). His knack for merging melodic bliss and bittersweet, richly detailed lyrical substance is prominent on such tracks as the ironically jaunty-sounding “Johnnie’s Going Down,” the pensive “No Way Out” and the dreamily melancholy “So.” Another standout is the baroque-pop underdog anthem “Chalk One Up for Albert’s Side,” which Boggia co-wrote with Tony Asher, legendary lyricist of the Beach Boys’ landmark Pet Sounds. Particularly affecting is the haunting album-closer “Three Weeks Shy,” about a soldier killed three weeks before completing his tour of duty.

click here to listen to Jim Boggia

Zach Djanikian is one of the Philadelphia area's most impressive young musicans and songwriters. Zach's first instrument is saxophone and, as a teenager, he quickly created buzz with his playing at local venues like Chris's Jazz cafe and Ortleib's before leaving for a year to study music at the New School in New York City.
This 23 year old Musician/Songwriter/Vocalist has toured throughout the U.S with his band “The Brakes” andhas shared the stage with artists such as Dave Matthews Band O.A.R., Willie Nelson & John Fogerty, Live, and Widespread Panic. The band has regular airplay on WXPN, and released a critically aclaimed album in 2008. Zach also contributes his skills as a musician, arranger and writer to other regional and national acts and he has recently launched his solo career with performances along the east coast while currently working on his first solo album.

Click here to listen to Zach Djanikian

Through his idiosyncratic piano playing and his uniquely soulful voice, singer/songwriter Anam Owili-Eger defies genres by weaving a colorful fabric of soul, jazz, funk, folk and rock. With influences as diverse as Stevie Wonder, Sting, Tori Amos and McCoy Tyner, Anam’s brand of alternative soul music captivates audiences not only through his playing, but also through his introspective—and sometimes dark or political—lyrics of love, loneliness, madness and mortality.

"It's important to me that each song tell a story," says Anam, a native of Philadelphia, PA. "Whether it tells a whole one from beginning to end, or just offers a quick glimpse into someone's life, I think the best songs not only take you somewhere musically, but also to another place and time."

Anam released his debut solo EP, These Subtle Declarations, in February 2006. His song, "The Moment," was a finalist in the 2005 Singer/Songwriter Awards. "The Coin," was a semifinalist in the 2005 UK Songwriting Contest.

Click here to listen to Anam-Owili Eger

John Francis, a locally based singer songwriter and WXPN radio favorite is another Philadelphia musician to watch. John received the ASCAP "Sammy Cahn Lyricist of the Year" award for 2000 and recently completed his second full-length album entitled, "The Better Angels". The album was produced by 5-time Grammy winning producer, John Carter Cash (the only son of Johnny Cash and John Carter Cash) and recorded at the legendary Cash Cabin Studio. John Carter Cash has previously produced Loretta Lynn, Brooks & Dunn, Elvis Costello, George Jones, Mavis Staples, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Earl and Randy Scruggs, Rosanne Cash, Rodney Crowell, Vince Gill, John Prine, June Carter Cash, and along side Rick Ruben as associate producer of Johnny Cash's "American Recordings". "The Better Angels" and will be released pending record label syndication.

Click here to listen to John Francis

24 days, 16 shows in Ireland(Galway, Dublin), UK (London), Germany (Berlin, Kassel), Switzerland (Zurich, Bern) and Denmark (Copenhagen)

Captivating audiences with her intimately soulful and lyrical professions of love, life, and truth, Philadelphia-born Ashley Phillips is a singer/songwriter to watch out for. Influenced heavily by jazz/funk, pop, and progressive R&B, Ashley's unique blend of acoustic R&B and soul draws comparisons to such artists as Minnie Riperton, Amel Larrieux, Adriana Evans, and Dionne Farris.