BackMama's Black Sheep & Christine Havrilla at Jammin' Java!!

Thursday, July 19th, 2012

Baltimore based duo Mamas Black Sheep and Philadelphia native Christine Havrilla will perform for An Evening of Women in Music on Thursday July 19th, 2012 at Jammin Java in Vienna, VA. Jammin Java is one of the premier concert venues in the United States and is a staple of the Washington, DC music community. A full dinner menu will be available during the show, and Starr Hill Beers will be featured. The Lobby Bar opens at 5:30pm, doors to the music room open at 6:30pm, and the show starts at 7:30pm. Tickets are $15 and are available online at www.jamminjava.com.

Mamas Black Sheep is the musical collaboration of singer-songwriters Ashland Miller (guitar/vocals) and Laura Cerulli (drums/vocals). Touring together since 2008 and both veterans of the singer-songwriter circuit, Miller & Cerulli will make you feel like youve been listening to their music for years. On the heels of their well received 2010 debut recording Unmarked Highway, comes a new live CD Drivin On, the second release for Miller & Cerulli. Drivin On features nine originals and two covers, recorded at some of the duos favorite venues & festivals during 2011. Drivin On, typical of Mamas Black Sheep, is an effortless blend of Blues, Country & Acoustic Rock. Before Mamas Black Sheep, Ashland toured for twelve years as part of the award-winning acoustic duo CommonbonD, releasing six CD's, performing on The Nashville Network (TNN), and showcasing their music in over forty states as well as overseas. Ashland's songwriting, harmonies, and creative musical arrangements have been shared on stage with talent such as John Mayer, Ritchie Havens, Catie Curtis, and Sophie B. Hawkins. Laura previously fronted her own band, Cerulean Groove. Since 2005 she has been touring nationally and internationally as a member of SONiA & disappear fear. Lauras distinctive style has been appreciated everywhere from The Kerrville Folk Festival (TX), to The Barns at Wolftrap (VA), to the High Sierra Music Festival (CA), to The Red Roof Womens Festival (Ontario), and even down under at Woodford Folk Festival (AUS).Together Miller and Cerulli create a unique tapestry of songs, weaving vibrant color and rich texture to create a dynamic conversation between guitar and percussion. For this show, they will be joined on stage by bassist Robin Elder, and Violinist Helen Hausmann. [www.mamasblacksheep.com]

Portland based, Philadelphia native, Christine Havrilla, brings her "well-built, catchy, smart tunes" (Upstage Magazine) to the audiences everywhere, touring nationally in support of her new band project, GYPSY FUZZ. Christine utilizes the soft gritty texture of her vocals to express warmth and honesty listeners quickly embrace. Named "One of the Top Ten Indie Artists" by The Advocate Magazine, The Washington Post writes, "(Havrilla's) songs are intelligent and moving, the arrangements are incisive and colorful, and, best of all, Havrilla consistently comes across as a confident and seasoned performer." Gypsy Fuzz's premier album titled "Searching. Finding. Living.", co-produced by Larry Crane (Elliott Smith, Sleater-Kinney, Cat Power), was listed on Advocate Magazine's "Best Overlooked Albums of 2011!" (Advocate -November 2011) and She Wired's Top Ten Albums of the Year! Christine was nominated for About.com's Reader's Choice Awards and is called "...raw, simple, wonderful!" by Curve Magazine. Inessa at 101.9 KINK.FM calls Gypsy Fuzz "Yet another fun late-year discovery!" Philadelphia Magazine states, "She rocks!" while Michaela Majoun at WXPN applauds her "terrific, big sound". [www.christinehavrilla.com]