With the band Wishing Chair I have a long tradition now, going back to their “Singing With the Red Wolves” CD in 1996, of loving and admiring their music. Their singing and instrumentation is always superb, and the lyrics bring a social consciousness addressing areas that educate and entertain, including subjects you would not always expect; a good thing. Their latest, “Stand Up 8,” continues that tradition, and I’m very ready for more.
CD Review
"Bold Swimmer"
Review by: Len Rogers
The most difficult thing about writing this review was concentrating on the writing of the review. Kiya Heartwood draws you into the music, heart, mind, and soul. So I frequently found myself lost in the music with an empty page glaring back at me. Of course my old hippie self was and is overjoyed at "Bold Swimmer" and all that Kiya brings to the listening enjoyment. However the reviewer side was stuck on simple reactions like; "wonderful", bravo" "beautiful!" and the ever-present hit the replay button! Truly unique, and in some soothing ways reminiscent of names like Heart and Bonnie Raitt. In other words an awesome talent! Kiya Heartwood is one half of the award winning duo Wishing Chair. Kiya's stand alone strength is equally inspiring.
Eleven tracks strong this is a full flavored and all delivering showcase of the power of Heartwood's talent. A folk based rocking blues musical trip which leaves you wanting more. Much more. Ten of the songs are pure Kiya Heartwood words and music. That is indeed a very good thing. However, just as mesmerizing is Heartwood's cover of the Bricusse/Newly classic "Feeling Good". There is no lesser standing to any portion of "Bold Swimmer". Production is flawless. Instrumentation and accompaniment is perfect. Lyrics are pertinent, timeless, and touching. Kiya takes you from toe-tapping indulgence to out of your chair and moving, in seamless sweeps of musical passion. The album title comes from Walt Whitman's "Song Of Myself Part 46" and in that tells you right away this is a thinking music lover's CD.
Beginning with the title track, "Bold Swimmer" Heartwood delivers more than this listener imagined. By the end of the title song I was drawn in, totally at ease, and lost in Heartwood's talent. "Bold Swimmer" is catchy yet not overly commercial in style. Immediately I found myself humming along and in a pure state of enjoyment. Transitions from song to song are natural. No rough bumps or suddenly endings. Heartwood is smooth and wraps your senses with pleasant imagery, soul soothing melodies, and lyrical prowess. I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite form "Bold Swimmer".
Stand outs for me would be obviously more than one song. "Change (Is Gonna Come) however warmed this activist's heart. Yet was more inspiring than emotionally charging. No angst ridden protest songs here. Real lyrics about our times and reactions of the heart and soul, not marching music. "I Love You" a pure love song but not a 'done me wrong' song. Refreshing in that Heartwood talks of loving, and not the frequently heard he/she broke my heart type. That same positive and touching approach is constant throughout the entire CD which is "Bold Swimmer". "Cross The Line" more about taking it to the next level, than what you would expect from the title. Is a steamy bluesy piece which for me passed the threshold of classics like "Black Velvet". In "Lights Of Austin" Kiya combines the power of musical symmetry with lyrics which encircle you with welcoming visuals. Beguiling and familiar, this song quickly imbeds itself in your psyche and you are very happy with that reaction. The closing track, and only non-Heartwood written song, "Feeling Good" is a completely unique take on a timeless classic. Leaving you satisfied and yet with a strong yearning for more.
All in all that, "yearning for more" feeling is the strongest reaction with which I can best describe the overall experience of "Bold Swimmer". Obviously my compulsion to hit the replay button won many times. Even while writing this review Kiya Heartwood's "Bold Swimmer" is playing and inspiring. And continues to do so in my mind. My sincere hope is that Kiya Heartwood and "Bold Swimmer" garner the attention and reception deserved. I cannot imagine why it would not. Although in the genre sadly women are sometimes overlooked and not granted the acclamation and respect deserved. Heartwood's talent however demands that same acclimation and respect. Not with harsh order but with deep soul filling wondrous talent!
Check out all things Kiya Heartwood and get "Bold Swimmer" at Kiya's website.
Kiya Heartwood is the spice rack of indie music. Her style takes a little bit from everything -- sometimes folk, sometimes rock, sometimes country, sometimes that thing you can't quite identify but makes the whole dish taste amazing.
Not surprising, really. Heartwood wanted to be a Beatle from the age of four, writing and performing music that would change the world. Musically, she feels a kinship with Steve Earle and Bruce Cockburn, and bands that have a mix of rock and message. She listens to everything, but ultimately writes songs from the heart that are genuinely her, regardless of how many different spices are added to the pot.
She was Americana before Americana, grunge before grunge. She writes like a band, but she's one person.The ideal of being a cultural worker like Holly Near is what drives her writing. Her punk side says that anything is possible -- you play a better guitar solo because you aren't tied down by the rules.
Over the years, the different incarnations of her music have taken the flavors of reggae and rap (Radio Cafe), roots Americana (Stealin Horses), folk rock (Wishing Chair), and now as her solo career begins to ramp up (again), we see the culmination of 30 years of honing her craft.
With over a hundred original songs to choose from, her live performances are never stale or recycled. She happily draws from her past, and channels it through her present. Much like a good curry, the blend of spices she infuses into her songwriting and performance bring a complexity and diversity that can't quite be labeled or boxed in.
Heartwood recently released solo album, Bold Swimmer, is garnering rave reviews from serious music aficionados. Richard Marcus calls it, "a damn good album," and Lane Gosnay says she "delivers keen lyrical folk sensibility through a rock n roll power grid." Are you ready to take the plunge?
"Pertinent, poignant and powerful. Kiya Heartwood delivers keen lyrical folk sensibility through a rock n roll power grid..."
"Kiya is the consumate musician. Although her preference may be "Folk and Roll," she is so much more than that - from classical to liturgical to - you name it. As a writer, performer, instrumentalist - she's the whole pachage."
Service Category: House Concert Producer
Year first hired: 2000 (hired more than once)
Top Qualities: Great Results, Expert, Creative
......It turns out Kiya Heartwood is just as good a solo performer as she is when working in a duo.
Her new release, Bold Swimmer, is a great collection of material that ranges stylistically from
rocking blues to what I'd call country, but most would probably call folk.
One of the first things you'll notice about this disc that distinguishes it from most other
recordings of this kind is that there aren't any songs about a lover treating the singer badly on
it. I don't know what it is about blues-based rock that makes people think they have to write
about being cheated on all the time. If I never hear another he/she broke my heart tune it will be
too soon. Can it be so hard for people to think of anything else to sing about? There are eleven
tracks on Bold Swimmer and not one of them qualifies as a he/she done me wrong song. Even the
love song, "I Love You," is just a nice and simple tune speaking directly to the subject of why
the singer loves her partner without undue sentimentality or any of the histrionics one normally
associates with love songs by both male and female singers.
I don't know if "Cross The Line" is quite what others would call a love song, as it's a raunchy
blues number singing the praises of going that one step further than PG relationships normally
go, but it and the song right after it, "Take Me," are the only other songs on the disc that come
close to qualifying. The other thing separating these two tracks from the type of love song you
normally hear from woman singers is that there's not a single note of pleading with some guy
for acceptance. No promises to love somebody, faults and all, or any of the other conciliatory
statements women are expected to make in order to obtain true love in popular culture.
While these tracks are good, and in fact there's not really a weak number on the disc, two tracks
that really stand out are "Change (Is Gonna Come)" and "Lights of Austin." In the case of the
former the lyrics were the primary attraction, while in the latter it was the overall sound that
captured my attention. Too many political songs are nothing more than self-righteous rants by
people feeling guilty for making a killing in record sales and box office receipts. It's rare to hear
someone take the time and effort to analyze their own reactions to events in the world.
In "Change" Heartwood sings about how anger and frustration aren't the answer and are self-
defeating if we want change. Sure there are lots of reasons to be angry, and she lists quite a few
of them, but in the long run we only hurt ourselves and those who need our help with anger. Real
change can only be accomplished with hope for something better. This doesn't mean we should
just sit back and hope things get better, but we need to find a way to effect change without anger
being our motivating force. It's a powerful message that needs to be heard more often, one that
offers an antidote to the rhetoric of hate you usually hear from political types of all stripes in this
day and age.
"Lights Of Austin" shows Heartwood is more than just your typical folk rock performer.
Musically it might fall into that catch-all category of "Americana" or "roots," but those
labels don't seem to do justice to the song's emotional depth. With its simple acoustic guitar
introduction gradually being embellished by the other instruments, she sings about the
importance of following your dreams, whatever they may be, as far as possible. It's a topic
that's ripe for being turned into sentimental tripe, but Heartwood avoids any of the musical and
lyrical cliches that you'd normally find in this type of material. There are no swelling strings or
crescendos of any sort, just a good simple song about living a life which generates stories that
can be told long into the future.
Heartwood's singing voice is ideally suited to the type of material she's chosen to create. Its
roughness suits both the bolder rock and roll/blues numbers and the slower country/folk tunes.
With the former there's the power needed to sound convincing without having to strain and
sound like she's working too hard, while with the latter it gives the material the extra little edge
of authenticity required to make them credible. Combine this with her abilities as a songwriter
and composer and you have an album of music that is more than just a cut above what you'd
normally hear these days from a solo female performer. You have something that's good no
matter who wrote or performed it.
Don't listen to this disc because it's something you feel like you should do, like pretending you
enjoy eating something because it's good for you; listen to it because it's a damn good album.
Pleasures don't always have to make you feel guilty, and just because something's good for you
doesn't necessarily mean it tastes bad. Kyra Heartwood's latest recording is proof positive that
you can be nourished by music and enjoy it too.
"On the aptly-titled "Bold Swimmer," Kiya Heartwood surges forward after glancing back. There are bits of her bands: Radio Cafe, a splash of Stealin Horses, and the brightest & best parts of Wishing Chair here, adding up to a potent blend of Roots, Rock, and ballads. But make no mistake, this is her record, and it is bold, indeed. "
By Matthew Walters-Bowen
Westminster has sent plenty of talented artists out into the music industry, but this semester an established artist is entering the program.
New to Westminster this semester, Kiya Heartwood is an aspiring Master of Composition who brings a colorful and extensive vocational background with her, which is sure to attract attention.
While in and out of school, Heartwood has performed with rock and folk bands of her own, such as Stealing Horses and Wishing Chair, which has just realeased its eighth album. She has been featured on MTV, has received many honors and awards and continues to lead a professional career while still pursuing her education.
According to Joel Phillips, professor of composition and music theory, Heartwood is an excellent example of the union between academia and the vocational world. Already holding two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s in cultural studies, she did not obtain all of this in one linear shot — she worked.
“Kiya embodies what we try to develop in all our student composers,” said Phillips. “Even while in school, she is having professional performances. Her work reaches a wide audience.”
Heartwood seeks to have important meaning present in all her music. Lying to the Sea Gypsy, an operetta which debuted May 2009 in the Cheltenham Arts Center in Pennsylvania, reminds us to “be careful what [we] wish for.”
Gaia Psalms is another one of Heartwood’s larger works. Its meaning focuses on inter-human and human-to-nature connectivity. This work will be performed at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Princeton on April 18.
Heartwood is currently writing a worship service called African, about the untrue paradigms of race and how races in general are contrived notions.
With a history of rock and folk music, Heartwood came to Westminster to learn classically-based music and technique.
“What’s cool is mixing a lot of different styles together, and if you can read [the music], then you can teach yourself,” Heartwood said. “You can talk to everybody and I enjoy the cross over.”
She was attracted to Westminster because it is a “working musician’s school.”
“All the composition teachers are out there getting commissions; they’re working composers,” she said.
The gap between academia and the working world has grown smaller. Although more students work, are the jobs that students are involved in relevant to their career goals? For Heartwood this question is a no-brainer — she is already a professional musician.
On the Princeton campus, many students work, and fortunately, a majority of these working students have jobs active in their fields. They are still students first, however, and rising professionals second.
The previous situation is fairly typical of students nowadays, but is success usual? Heartwood has known great success, simply because she’s realized that education has no boundaries or molds that one need sto fit to obtain it, something many students should remember.
“It is hard work, but I’m willing to do the work,” Heartwood said of juggling school with her touring and professional life. “You just have to be stubborn and plan and tell people your dream. People support you if you’re going for your dream.”
Heartwood then referenced Winston Churchill, who said, “Play for more than you can afford to lose, and you will learn the game.”
Visit www.kiyaheartwood.com to hear samples and learn more.
Stand Up 8, Terrakin Records, release date July 2009
Fans of folk music should seek out this latest release from Kiya Heartwood and Miriam Davidson - collectively known as Wishing Chair. "Stand Up 8" (the title of which comes from the Japanese proverb of what one should do when they fall down a seventh time) is the eighth release from this duo, which has been compared to everyone from The Indigo Girls to Catie Curtis, but managed to maintain a unique identity and style. Whether it's a post-Katrina look at responsibility in "Washed Away," a mournful woman dealing with a mining disaster in "Sago" or the R&B steam of "Rainin," each song is delivered honestly and brilliantly. Wishing Chair continuously astounds. Heartwood and Davidson blend so well that the album is a pure pleasure. Their vocals are exquisite, and you can detect some Celtic and Native American roots in their sound. Add a few exotic instruments into the mix, plus superb bass work from Philly's Dave Arms, and you have a truly hip, acoustic sound that deserves to be heard by a larger audience.
Kiya Heartwood's "Lying to the Sea Gypsy" Opens Jan. 28
January 2010
Converse College and The Spartanburg Repertory Company are pleased to announce the presentation of "Lying to the Sea Gypsy" written by Converse senior Kiya Heartwood, on January 28-30 in Hazel B. Abbott Theatre. "Lying to the Sea Gypsy" is a musical tale of a young girl and her adventures on the high seas with pirates. The girl wants to be a pirate more than anything, but discovers that getting what you want isn't always exactly what you expect. Attendees should be prepared to sing and dance and to meet a witch, a few brave and funny people and a few pleasant and not so pleasant pirates.
This is a show for all ages, with special interest for the younger audience. The production, sponsored in part by a Converse College Creative Collaboration grant, is directed by Associate Professor of Voice, Susan Lyle and Miriam Davidson begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Technical design is by Assistant Professor of Theatre, Brent Glenn.
Visit the production’s website at http://lyingtotheseagypsy.com.
Performance Schedule and Ticket Information
Thursday, January 28th and Friday, January 29th at 7:00 pm
Saturday, January 30th at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
Admission is free of charge. Tickets will be available one hour before each performance. Please call the Spartanburg Repertory Company at 864-583-2776 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 864-583-2776 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, ext. 518 for more information.
The Spartanburg Repertory Company Presents ‘Lying to the Sea Gypsy’
Converse College and The Spartanburg Repertory Company are pleased to announce its presentation of “Lying to the Sea Gypsy” written by Kiya Heartwood, a Converse College Senior. “Lying to the Sea Gypsy” is a tale of a young girl and her adventures on the high seas with pirates. This is a show for all ages, with special interest for the younger audience. The production, sponsored in part by a Converse College Creative Collaboration grant, is directed by Susan Lyle and Miriam Davidson begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Technical design is by Brent Glenn.
Performance Dates and Times:
Thursday, January 28th and Friday, January 29th at 7:00 pm 
Saturday, January 30th at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
Venue: Hazel B. Abbott Theater on the Converse College campus in Spartanburg, SC
Ticket Information: Free tickets will be available one hour before each performance. Please call the Spartanburg Repertory Company at 864-583-2776, ext. 518 for more information.
Summary
Converse College and The Spartanburg Repertory Company present Kiya Heartwood’s “Lying to the Sea Gypsy” January 28th through January 30th at Converse College’s Hazel B. Abbott Theater in Spartanburg, SC. “Lying to the Sea Gypsy” is a tale of a young girl and her adventures on the high seas with pirates. This is a show for all ages, with special interest for the younger audience. The production, sponsored in part by a Converse College Creative Collaboration grant, is directed by Susan Lyle and Miriam Davidson begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Technical design is by Brent Glenn.
Free tickets will be available one hour before each performance. Please call the Spartanburg Repertory Company at 864-583-2776, ext. 518 for more information.
E-mail contact information for interviews:
Kiya Heartwood, Composer: kiyaheartwood@gmail.com
Susan Lyle, Artistic Director for the Spartanburg Repertory Company (and Associate Professor of Voice at Converse College): susan.lyle@converse.edu
Miriam Davidson begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting, Musical Director: Miriam@wishingchair.com
Brent Glenn, Assistant Professor of Theatre at Converse College: brent.glenn@converse.edu
For more information, call 583-2776 ext 518 or email spartanburgrepertorycompany@yahoo.com,
Or visit our website www.spartanburgrepertorycompany.org
http://www.goupstate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=SJ&Dato=20100127&Kategori=PHOTOS06&Lopenr=127009997&Ref=PH&show=galleries
"Folk and roll" is about as close a listener can get to branding the music of Wishing Chair. The Spartanburg duo is comprised of Kiya Heartwood, a singer-songwriter, and Miriam Davidson, a musician who plays piano, accordion, banjo, guitar, hand drums and other instruments.
"We're too rock 'n' roll to be considered traditional folk, and we're too folky in what we write about to be just pure rock 'n' roll," Heartwood said.
Whatever the label, Wishing Chair's music has garnered praise and several awards.
"Underdog," its sixth album, was named best new folk CD of 2006 by JPFolks, an organization of more than 40,000 music industry professionals, according to Wishing Chair's Web site.
"Underdog" is a collage of sounds and stories told through Heartwood's vivid lyrics. Along with political songs, there are ballads like "Sue Mundy."
Wishing Chair tours nationally and performs in venues as diverse as its material - everywhere from folk festivals to house parties.
The duo will play Friday at The Showroom with special guest Meg Barnhouse, songwriter and minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg.
"I think it's fun to watch people play on stage together who are friends," Barnhouse said. "It's unusual to have two acts that are friends play together and you get that interaction, I think, that's nice - nice energy."
Stephen Long, director of The Showroom, said the concert is a sort of introduction to Spartanburg for Wishing Chair, whom he compared to the Indigo Girls.
He said Heartwood and Davidson have great voices and are great musicians.
"If you enjoy good acoustic music and harmonies, you'll enjoy them," he said.
Wishing Chair will soon begin recording its eighth album, and concert-goers can hear some of those new songs Friday. Many songs on the forthcoming album are love songs, but there are some political numbers, too. "Washed Away" is about Hurricane Katrina; another tune was inspired by the Sago Mine disaster of 2006.
Davidson said the duo's story songs resonate most with listeners.
"It touches something that's so deep, and so true and so universal that you can go, 'Oh, I know exactly what that feels like,' you know those are the ones," she said.
"Other people can relate to it more when you're specific and tell a story. Just tell the story and trust that people get it," Heartwood said.
Davidson said with each record, "there's always that struggle about how cohesive you make the record and do you make it to satisfy an audience who expects you to sound a certain way or where you are artistically right now?"
Heartwood produces music for the duo, which has its own record label, Terrakin Records.
Davidson says her father was her biggest influence musically.
"I grew up in a musical house. My dad's a cantor and a composer of Jewish liturgical music. My mom's a musician, a singer and a music teacher," she said.
"I went to their choir rehearsals at the synagogue when I was 5 and I was singing in the choir, and the music that happened in my house was all kinds of music," Davidson said.
Heartwood said she was a little kid when the Beatles hit. Being in a band seemed cool, and she said she "kind of got in love" with the idea "that music mattered and that it made a difference in people's lives."
"My music's very rock 'n' roll, but I think like a folk singer," Heartwood said. "You just have to call it like you see it - it's a very Woody Guthrie kind of thing."
More information
Want to go?
What: Wishing Chair, with Meg Barnhouse
Where: The Showroom, 149 S. Daniel Morgan Ave.
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Tickets: $10 at door
Info: Visit www.hub-bub.com or read more about Wishing Chair at www.wishingchair.com.
