The MALI Women's Film and Performance Arts Festival in Austin last weekend featured some awesome national talent with proceeds going to three great causes: women in media arts, breast cancer research, and at-risk teens. Friday night at the Long Center for Performing Arts the audience heard the vocal stylings of Vancouver-native Elaine Ryan en route to Montreal to join the musical community there. Her new album Trial by Fire features some of the most soulful ballads this side of the Rio Grande.
The Media Arts & Literacy Institute event lasted throughout the weekend with an outdoor, Saturday showcase of spoken word, music, and poetry. Pandora Scooter brought her personal and political poems from New York, providing a comedic and serious interpretation of the modern challenges of on-line dating. Amber Darland from Washington channelled a little Indigo Girls with her brand of awesome musicianship and Tiffany Christopher showed her compelling stage presence with her bluesy vocals, her humor, and her charm.
Finally, Joanna Barbera, from New York, San Francisco, and now Austin brought something very unique to the stage, performing some amazing tunes from her recent release carnival beginning. Her vocal capabilities showed great dimension as she channelled Cat Power and Tori Amos on stage with Kyle, her back-up bassist. Barbera's funky country tune "Goin Down" was a crowd favorite, showing the depth of this artist's talent, twisting her city roots and sophisticated flair. You can find her cd here at: http://cdbaby.com/cd/joannabarbera.
