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ORIGINAL HARMONIOUS
ACOUSTIC ROCK & MODERN FOLK
Hudson Valley Magazine's "Best New Band" of 2006
Project Mercury officially launched in 1998 when Nyack singer, songwriter and guitarist Marian Mastrorilli teamed up with Albany violinist and vocalist Charlene Donohue. After spending a year backed by an electric rock band, the duo refocused into acoustic mode to better cast the spotlight on their intricate harmonies, violin and sensitive lyrics. Guitarist Craig Fox signed on in January '03, bringing a third voice into the mix; cellist Jeanne DaSilva added to their evolution in January '05, transforming Project Mercury into a string quartet!
The band is a harmonious unit both literally and personally, and their camaraderie comes across loud and clear onstage as they include the audience in on their fun. Three distinct voices take turns in the spotlight and back one another for lush harmonies: Marian's airy soprano, Charlene's earthy alto and Craig's rich baritone. Jeanne's cello and basslines interweave with violin over a backdrop of solid acoustic guitar work.
Project Mercury's six-song mini CD Down to Earth, released in the spring of '05, features the earnest sound of the band's days as a trio, pre-Jeanne. New tracks featuring cello and bass have been recently recorded for the band's next full-length CD. Light This Candle, released in '02, uses full production and arrangements to showcase roots in 70's rock and singer-songwriter balladry. It gained airplay on over 60 stations.
Their tri-state travels have taken them as far north as Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, and southward to The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ. Among the acts they have shared the bill with are Jen Chapin, Cliff Eberhardt, Galdalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, The Kennedys, Terence Martin, Sloan Wainwright and regional colleagues Pat Wictor and Red Molly.
Marian & Craig joined Sloan Wainwright & The Kennedys onstage last summer during the all-star grand finale of Dylanfest at the Warwick Valley Winery.
VISIT PM's MySpace page
BUY CDs ONLINE
Click on the album art to purchase from CDBaby. Individual tracks are also available at iTunes.
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SUCCESS WITH THE PRESS
Feature Spotlights
Journal News, Rock on Bronx, Acoustic Live, Polly's Picks at Hudson Valley Magazine, Favorite Band of Rockland Magazine, NJ's The Observer, Westchester's The Item, Morristown's Daily Record, Jersey shore's Night & Day, Bergen Record
Reviews (Read excerpts)
Dennis Halsey at Best Female Musicians, Tommy Marin at I.M.E., Ashley Petkovski at Muse's Muse, Amy Lotsberg at Collected Sounds, Les Reynolds at Indie-Music.com, Kathleen Myers at Hudson Valley Arts & Lives
In-Studio Radio Broadcasts
Red Planet Radio, Rockland World Radio, SmartWomen Radio, WFDU, WGHT, WRHL, WNTI, WRPI's Mostly Folk with Sonny Ochs, WRRC, WSPN, WVKR 's Regional Frequency and Scene Unseen
TV Appearances
Channel 10 News, Poughkeepsie Live on Time Warner Cable. Featured in indie filmmaker Kristina Latour's documentary on the Blank-Fest VIII benefit concert.
Internet Spotlights
Artist of the Day on Whole Wheat Radio, "Zoe's essentials" pick at radioIOAcoustic, concert review and interview at Best Female Musicians, JavaMusic indie pick, Critic's Pick at The Rogovoy Report; Featured Artist at Indiegrrl.com, Kweevak, JerseyJam; Garageband's Pop Song of the Day for Children at Play and oldie One of the Stars.
BOOKINGS HISTORY
Festivals &
Benefits: Artworks Westchester,
Blank-Fest
(4x), Harvest Moon
Festival (2x) and Dylan Tribute at WV Winery (5x), Edgewater Arts Festival, Empowering Women at
Watchung Arts Center, Mamapalooza, New Folk Showcase at
'02 NJ Folk Festival, Nyack's Mostly Music Concerts, Sugarloaf Fall Festival,WFNP's Smiles Across
Miles, Woodbridge Folk Festival
Albany:
Art on Lark, Caffe Lena, Congress Park, Hilton Center,
The Larkin,
Rock2Rebuild, Undergrounds Coffeehouse
Connecticut: Buttonwood Tree
Hudson Valley,
NY: A.I.R. Studio, Ale
Mary's, Aroma Thyme, Art on Lark, Arts on the Lake,
Best of the Hudson Valley Party, Black Cow, chThonic Clash, Clarkstown Concerts, Coven Cafe, Cubbyhole
Coffeehouse, Danny's Cafe, Dockside Pub, Entertainment World, Gadaleto's,
The Hickory, High Falls Cafe, Hudson House, L'Artista, Lighthouse Coffee Co., Local Music Live, Lost & Found Coffeehouse, Lycian
Centre,
Moon Over
Piermont,
Nyack Street Fair,
Ramapo Valley Brewery, Sanctuary Coffeehouse, Tower Records,
Tribes Hill events, Warwick Valley Winery
MA:
Berkshires Arts Festival (2x),
Masterworks Arts
Fair
NJ:
Asbury
Cafe at The Saint, Beantowne, Cafe Cafe, Cafe Improv, Cool Beans, Crossroads Coffeehouse, Hillside Cafe, Luna Stage, Mine Street Coffeehouse, Sanctuary
Cafe, Stanhope House, Tavern in the Park, Uncommon
Grounds, Victor's House of Music, Winona Folk
NYC: Acme
Underground,
C-Note,
Ethical Cultural
Society of Queens, Eureka Joe's Gaslight, Joyous
Life, Knitting Factory,
Lion's Den, Starving Artist Cafe,
Sun Music,
Vox Pop
PA:
John &
Peter's Place
acoustic rock in New
York
acoustic rock in New Jersey