Folk-rock singer and songwriter Brett Dennen brings his honest lyrics, sweet melodies, and pure vocals to Zankel Hall on Saturday, November 2 at 10:00 p.m. as part of the ninth annual WFUV Live at Zankel series, performing songs from his fifth record, Smoke and Mirrors, which will be released on October 22.
Dennen explains, "I called the album Smoke and Mirrors, because one of the major themes of the album, lyrically, is that things aren't exactly as they appear to be. If you focus on how you think things should be, then you can't see them for what they really are." Smoke and Mirrors is the culmination of his transition from a coffeehouse folk singer to a celebrated and critically acclaimed front man. The album includes the songs "Wild Child," "When We Were Young," "Don't Mess With Karma," and "Only Want You".
The annual WFUV Live at Zankel concert series celebrates the art of singer / songwriters, highlighting the eclectic nature of their music with WFUV's Program Director Rita Houston curating the series with
Carnegie Hall and serving as host for the concerts. Other upcoming performances include
The Lone Bellow on
Friday, October 18 at 10:00 p.m.,
Lake Street Dive on
Friday, February 7 at 10:00 p.m., and
Bettye Lavette on
Friday, March 21 at 10:00 p.m. The series, which began in October 2005 asCity Folk Live at Zankel, is based on WFUV's pioneering music format which blends adult rock, singer-songwriters, and roots music. Artists who have performed as part of the series include
Rosanne Cash,
Citizen Cope, Cowboy Junkies, Alejandro Escovedo,
Richie Havens, Indigo Girls, Nick Lowe,
Shelby Lynne, Aimee Mann,
Nellie McKay,
Joan Osborne, Jane Siberry, and
Suzanne Vega, among others.
WFUV (90.7 FM,
wfuv.org) is a non-commercial, listener-supported public radio station, licensed to Fordham University for more than 60 years. Serving over 350,000 listeners each week in the New York area and thousands more worldwide on the web, and a leader in contemporary music radio, WFUV offers an eclectic mix of rock, singer-songwriters, blues, world, and other music, plus headlines from National Public Radio, local news, and sports.
Prior to all WFUV Live at Zankel performances, beginning at 9:00 p.m., concert-goers are invited to enjoy a laid-back pre-concert experience with drinks in the Zankel Hall lounge where they can meet others who share their passion for music. For more information please visit:
carnegiehall.org/latenights.
Opened in September 2003, Zankel Hall-
Carnegie Hall's modern, underground performance space-celebrates its tenth anniversary this season with concerts that reflect the wide variety of music for which the venue has become known, including appearances by up-and-coming and established artists in the classical, jazz, world music, and pop genres.
Brett Dennen's music career began humbly around the camps of the Sierra Nevada mountain range-a retreat to which he would eventually return for inspiration on his soon to be released album, Smoke and Mirrors. Returning from his retreat into the mountains, Dennen looked for a collaborator to elevate the songs he'd brought back and landed on renowned producer Charlie Peacock. Dennen and Peacock chose Nashville as a home base, eschewing Brett's Los Angeles comfort zone to work with virtual strangers.
Dennen's 2006 album, So Much More, drew frequent comparisons to troubadours like
Paul Simon and Tom Petty. In 2008, he partnered with producer John Alagia for his album Hope for the Hopeless, which led to a high level of production not yet heard on any of his previous releases. In 2011, Dennen's album
Loverboy marked his biggest departure to date-a danceable collection of songs influenced by the road and recorded by a studio filled with friends and imperfect takes.
