Click the link below to access JeffCo Living's feature article:

Wendy Woo: A Colorado Favorite

Click here for original article

Lisa Loeb hit number one on the charts as an unsigned independent artist in 1994 when her single "Stay (I Miss You)" was featured in the film "Reality Bites." 

"In a lot of ways it's easier to get music out there," the singer said of the industry now. "What's hard though is as a musician, you have to monetize it." 

From YouTube to Twitter, musicians have access to a wider audience but it's harder to make a profit off songs. It also takes time. 

"Grassroots marketing has always been important," Loeb said. "You have to put a lot of time and effort into that as well." 

The backing of a major record label helps an artist to reach more people and to manage marketing. 

"It can often take away time from having a personal life and a creative life," Loeb said of social media demand. "It can be a little overwhelming, all the different things you have to do as a musician at this time." 

Advertisement 

Since "Stay" climbed the charts 23 years ago, Loeb has released eight albums. Her other projects include film and television roles, children's books, her own eyewear line, and the development of music directed to families and a younger audience. 

"It stems more from my love of entertainment for everyone in the '70s," she said. She described the music that inspired the family albums as clever and full of heart. Amazon Video soon plans to offer songs off her latest all-ages album, "Feel What U Feel," which features Craig Robinson (The Office). The videos include stop motion work and kids acting out the songs. 

Wendy Woo will open the show on Wednesday for Lisa Loeb at the Rialto Theater in Loveland. (Courtesy photo) 

"We really wanted to go in a lot of different directions," she said. 

 

Loeb will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Rialto Theater in Loveland. 

"For people who are big fans already, I will be playing a lot of songs from my catalog," Loeb said, "and I always like to play the songs that were on the radio." 

The show will be a mix of old and new as well as storytelling. Loeb said storytelling was always part of the show. She has always liked to talk during the performance, giving background on songs and adding more dimensions to the music. 

"It's just my natural habit that I like to talk, and when I actually honed in on what I talk about, that draws them in," she said. 

Opening for Loeb is Loveland artist Wendy Woo. 

"I have always been inspired by her poetry and how she puts it to music, so what an opportunity this is," Woo said. Woo will be playing a solo acoustic show, something she hasn't done in a while. She is usually with her band. 

"Solo acoustic is how I got started and I like to go back to grassroots," she said. Woo describes her sound as pop and singer-songwriter, but it incorporates blues and funk. 

Much like Loeb, Woo will intertwine songs with conversations. 

"It will be a lot more personable, a lot more intimate," she said of the solo show. 

Woo lived in Denver for 10 years before moving to Loveland, 

"I married a fan and I moved up here," she said. "It's nice to play a beautiful theater in what's my new home town." 

A local act paired with a national-level artist gives the performance a hometown feel, she said. 

"I love it when national take the time to bring locals in," Woo said. "It makes it a local show." 

Michelle Vendegna: 970-699-5407, vendegnam@reporterherald.com

 

Review of the recent WWB show with The Samples.

 

The Samples and the Wendy Woo Band served up amazing performances Saturday night at The Oriental Theater in Denver, CO. This fun venue hosted these popular local bands Saturday night, Jan. 21, 2017, and the audience soaked it all up. It was like hanging out with a bunch of friends in a comfortable living room with plenty of space and tasty drinks. There was a lot of joy in the house as the Wendy Woo Band got it all started with some bluesy rock, jazz, and heartfelt folk songs that got every toe tapping. Following that The Samples got fans on their feet jamming to their tunes like 25 years had never gone by. 

The night was filled with good music and good times. The Wendy Woo Band took the stage with energy and smiles. Wendy’s voice and enthusiasm charmed the audience as she switched between her gorgeous electric and acoustic guitars throughout the performance. The real treat was when she went unplugged with the acoustic guitar and turned her instrument into both strings and drums with a technique she calls “slaptap.” The violinist was also fabulous as she melded with Wendy’s guitar, along with treating everyone to some delicious hip hop. Jimmy Lane was back with the band for just that evening and played straight to the audience's hearts on the keys with a big smile on his face. Their song "On with the Show" really got the dance floor hopping. 

The energy at The Oriental took some serious steps up as the lights came on with The Samples on stage. The dance floor quickly filled up with fans ready to jam to the long time popular Boulder, CO band. Lead singer Sean Kelly sang with passion and fun. 25 years later the band’s sound was rich and true, and Sean Kelly sang with passion and fun. Their recent song “America” and the old favorite “Weight of the World” were definitely crowd pleasers, and of course their claim to fame “Did you Ever Look So Nice” sounded perfect. It was like 25 years have never gone by. Kelly had the video camera out and recorded the night’s joy throughout the performance. Halfway through the show, there was some very random entertainment when someone in shiny silver suit bounced and danced his way to the stage for his moment of glory. 

The Oriental Theater is a popular and very affordable venue that offers up some great entertainment from live music to comedy shows and private events. Check out the website to see what they have going on

Colleen Bennett 
www.axs.com

by Tim Wenger

Wendy Woo Band has been working to master the radio-friendly pop-rock style and the new album Tipping Point is a big step in the right direction. Wendy Woo brings an authoritative, but tenderly appealing, vocal command that dominates the group’s sound and her lyricism is very personal- almost as if she is writing a letter directly to the listener.

The track “On With The Show” brings a harder, almost punk, feel that demonstrates the diversity of Woo and her crew, while the title track “Tipping Point” showcases the band’s typical groove-laden dance feel. There are moments on the album that remind me of Sarah Mclachlan, others where Woo ventures in her own very unique direction, but the feel of the music never strays from appealing and very danceable.

Brad Blackburn of Euphonic Masters has signed on to Master the new Wendy Woo Band album "Tipping Point." Which is tentatively scheduled for release on April 20, 2015.

Brad's bio is a colorful one:

Grammy and Pensado award winning mastering engineer Brad Blackwood started his recording career in high school, working with several of his friends’ rock n’ roll bands. Even as he attended college he was drawn to music, selling hifi equipment at local shops. The more he learned about the reproduction of music, the more his desire to work in the recording industry grew. He moved to Memphis and began honing his skills as an engineer at Ardent Studios. After spending several years learning the ins and outs of recording and mixing, Brad turned his focus on resurrecting Ardent Mastering, a division which had closed years before. His success was immediate as he learned user and cultivated working relationships with producing and engineering greats such as John Hampton, John Fry, Jim Dickinson, Skidd Mills, and Jim Gaines. “It was a great learning experience, being thrown into sessions with such amazing producers and engineers. These guys had worked with everyone in the book so I had to get it right the first time.”

In 2003, Brad decided it was time to expand the service he offered his clients and the result is Euphonic Masters. His client base followed, allowing him to continue to work with a wide variety of artists including Maroon 5, Three Days Grace, Korn, Alison Krauss & Union Station, the Black Eyed Peas, Sara Bareilles, Sick Puppies, Thursday, Saving Abel, the North Mississippi Allstars, Sister Hazel, and many more.

Over the course of his career, Brad has had the opportunity to work on a number of acclaimed projects, and in 2012 he became the first mastering engineer ever awarded the Grammy for Best Engineered Album, Non Classical for his work on Alison Krauss & Union Station’s Paper Airplane. In 2014, Brad was also honored to receive the first ever Pensado Award for the category of ‘Master of Mastering’.

In December, Colorado’s popular singer/songwriter Wendy Woo will be recording her 11th album. The producer will be multi-Grammy winner Jim Gaines, who has worked with Carlos Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Lee Hooker, Journey, Steve Miller Band, Huey Lewis and the News, Blues Traveler, Albert Collins, Albert Cummings, George Thorogood, and many others.

Returning to Colorado Sound Studios to record, Woo will be joined by her band, and some special guests.  The album will include a mix of blues, country, and rock and is scheduled for a February 2015 release.