Can you believe it, St. Paddy’s Day celebrations are upon us, the winter and Godforsaken snow is behind us and we face the onset of another great summer at the beach. One thing that has remained consistent throughout the winter months are the music venues. There may not be as many venues open but, the locals have been getting out and supporting those bars and restaurants that have chosen to stay open through the winter, especially the ones that have live music.
The Crab Cake Factory has been bursting at the seems with customers for a variety of reasons, not the least of which has been their decision to keep the music playing.
This past Sunday, Mary and I stopped in specifically to see a newly formed duo known as Lauren Glick and Melissa Alessi. I know both of these musicians personally but, I have been curious to hear them live since recently forming up their new band. When we walked in, the very first thing I noticed is that the sound was clear and crisp, which is not an easy thing to accomplish because of the high ceilings. We were fortunate to get a seat at the bar right in front of them and enjoyed several hours of solid rock n’ roll.
RandyJamz: How and when did the two of you meet?
Melissa Alessi: We met while working on a musical video project last year. We had heard of each other for a long time but, never really had the chance to meet. We hit it off right away and the sound of our voices was something that we immediately thought worked well together.
RJ: What was the original impetus to get the two of you together?
Lauren Glick: I got a call to do a New Year’s gig and I didn’t want to turn it down. I think the owner was hoping for a full band and then they decided to do a duo at the last minute. So I just asked Melissa and they we are, first time on stage together, and it’s New Year’s Eve.
RJ: Any rehearsal for that one?
MA: Oh yeah. A lot!
RJ: How do you choose where you’re going with your next song at gigs? Do you work off of set lists or do you just wing it?
LG: What we try to do is perform songs that showcase our voices working together. There is no sound comparable to two of the right female vocalists and I believe we have struck that chord just right.
RG: Where would you like the direction of the duo to go?
MA: The main thing we want to do is to just keep moving in a direction that showcases our voices.
LG: Our thrust is doing covers but, I have 3 CDs out and Melissa has a bunch more. I’d like to get to a point where we can start doing some originals. It would be great to get the time to learn a few of each others’s songs and do a few at each gig.
RJ: You have got to be pleased with the turnout you are getting already. I couldn’t help but notice that it was standing room only on Sunday. What do you attribute that to?
LG: One of the benefits that neither of us really thought about at first was that Melissa has a pretty big fan base and I have spent a lot of years building up my name in the area. However, we have been playing in two separate locales mostly. I have been playing primarily Ocean City and Melissa has been playing quite a bit in Rehoboth. So, we each have really enjoyed getting to know each others’ fan base, if you will. The combination of both has created some nice size crowds right off the bat. We are very grateful for that.
RJ: What are some of the other venues that our readers can come out and see you?
LG: Wer’e going to be at The Crabcake Factory every Monday, Johnny’s Pizza, The Pour House, Seacrets, and so on.
RJ: What about other projects?
MA: Well, I’ll still be doing all of my solo work in addition to this duo band.
LG: Mike Armstrong and I will continue on with our duo around town, as well. So nothing really changes with us except that this act gets added in.
RJ: How do you keep it fresh and new when you play the same gig regularly?
LG: I have to always be learning new material. If I’m not challenged to be constantly adding and changing, I get bored. So, we are always working on new songs and working to make the ones we have better.
RJ: Where to from here? Where do you see all of this going?
MA: I’m really excited about this project and it seems as though it really has some long term potential.
LG: I agree. I’m looking at this with a long term view.
RJ: So from Carol King to The Doobie Brothers, this duo covers them all and they perform every song as though it’s their last. If you haven’t seen them yet, do yourself a favor and get out there. Tell them Randy sent you.
RandyJamz is the frontman for The RandyJamz Band and half of the duo with, The Baltimore Boyz, featuring Jay Vizzini. Available for gigs of all types as a solo, duo, and full band act. If you would like to be interviewed for a Meet The Band article, contact him at:
randy@randyjamz.com.
