Songwriter Sirens: Emily Zisman, Amber Ikeman, Deborah Crooks (($10 before/$15 day of show))
SEE EVENT DETAILSEmily Zisman
Emily Zisman is a Folk-Americana singer-songwriter born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, trained in New York City, and well-weathered and inspired by her travels and a restless heart. Since picking up the guitar at the tender age of eight, Emily’s musical journey has taken her all over the world. She has graced stages up and down both sides of the United States and has performed internationally at festivals in Europe. As a writer, she takes her cues from artists like Dar Williams, Joni Mitchell, and Ani DiFranco. Emily Zisman sings about our vulnerabilities and fears, love and conflict, and crafts her lyrics into song with a soulfully folk voice evocative of Emmylou Harris.
In 2009, Emily Zisman released her debut album Naked Day Alone in which she unfolds little glimpses into the inner workings of her mind with unapologetic honesty. Bringing her soulful voice to folk-Americana music once again, Emily Zisman returned in 2014 with her second self-released album Weeds & Wildflowers. With her heart firmly rooted in the Bay Area, Emily is currently performing throughout California in support of this release. She is planning to release her third album in 2018 in conjunction with a tour of the Pacific Northwest in the next few months.
She is looking forward to working with her trusted and talented musical compatriots, Ryan Avery (of Chance’s End), Marty Atkinson, members of the Americano Social Club, Grand Avenue Soul, and Bigelow’s Treehouse, as well as some new and special guests.
Emily finds the most joy when she connects the stories of her writing to her music, and loves to bring audiences in on the secrets of her songs. Zisman has a following of committed regulars who bring a sense of camaraderie and familiarity to all her shows. She always takes the time to greet people she knows and make introductions between strangers over personal anecdotes. Crafting a sense of community and shared engagement is the sort of unique experience she strives to create at every performance.
When asked what she loves about playing live, Emily replies, “I love the shared energy between the audience and the performer. When it’s there, the interplay can create an experience unique to a given space and time. It’s hard not to get carried away in the moment.”
In addition to her solo work, Emily Zisman is part of the electronic duo Chance’s End, a violin-electronica project with her longtime collaborator, violinist Ryan Avery. Emily is also an in-demand vocalist, performing regularly around the San Francisco Bay Area with groups such as Jazz Collective, The Americano Social Club, and the funk/soul band Grand Avenue Soul.
Deborah Crooks
Born and raised in rural area of California, Deborah grew up surrounded by nature, but close enough to San Francisco to be influenced by the city’s history of social, musical and political upheaval. Her lyric-driven and soul-wise music draws on folk, rock, and Americana and is often compared to Lucinda Williams and The Cowboy Junkies. Her music ventures into everything from funk and reggae to rock and blues, reflecting her expansive and eclectic tastes, a sound which has evolved over her years studying writing and poetics at The Naropa Institute, voice and yoga in Mysore, India, and cowriting and collaborating with her Bay Area peers. She’s released several CDs, and several EPs of critically noted original music, including 2016's Something Special EP, the acclaimed 2013 release, Little Bird (produced by Art Khu and described as "a masterful piece of work"). She again worked with Khu on her 2016's 7-song collection, Beauty Everywhere, which was recorded at the new Tiny Telephone Studio in Oakland. Deborah performs throughout the US, and had her music featured on the PBS Series Road Trip Nation and several compilations including the Songwriters From the Fog Compilation V1. Along with her solo work, she cofounded the band Bay Station with Kwame Copeland; contributed prose and poetry to several stage productions by Deborah Slater Dance Theatre; has led writing groups and spoken about songwriting and creativity at Macworld and SXSW. Additionally, her written work has appeared in many print and online publications including No Depression, The Sun, Common Ground, and “The Thinking Girl’s Guide to Enlightenment” (Seal Press).
Amber Ikeman
Amber Ikeman's spirited, earthy folk music carries audiences across the open spaces of the American West and into the depths of their souls. With soaring vocals ranging from a husky chest voice to a bell-clear soprano, her powerful and intimate songs tell stories of self-discovery, resilience, and wildness.
After getting a B.A. in classical voice, Amber took a job as a nonprofit professional in her hometown, Sarasota, FL. On the surface, it seemed that she had a comfortable life, yet deep down she felt bored, unfulfilled, depressed, and trapped by expectations. When she turned 25, Amber quit her job, sold everything that didn’t fit in her car, and drove across the country for the first time – by herself – to work as a dishwasher in Yellowstone National Park. It was the first stop on a 30,000-mile solo cross-country quest to find herself, the inspiration for her debut album, “Free.”
“Free” was named one of Southwest Montana’s top local albums of 2015. Amber’s engaging performances earned the 2017 Vic Heyman Songwriting Award. She is touring nationally with her second album, “Rise.”
Emily Zisman
Emily Zisman is a Folk-Americana singer-songwriter born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, trained in New York City, and well-weathered and inspired by her travels and a restless heart. Since picking up the guitar at the tender age of eight, Emily’s musical journey has taken her all over the world. She has graced stages up and down both sides of the United States and has performed internationally at festivals in Europe. As a writer, she takes her cues from artists like Dar Williams, Joni Mitchell, and Ani DiFranco. Emily Zisman sings about our vulnerabilities and fears, love and conflict, and crafts her lyrics into song with a soulfully folk voice evocative of Emmylou Harris.
In 2009, Emily Zisman released her debut album Naked Day Alone in which she unfolds little glimpses into the inner workings of her mind with unapologetic honesty. Bringing her soulful voice to folk-Americana music once again, Emily Zisman returned in 2014 with her second self-released album Weeds & Wildflowers. With her heart firmly rooted in the Bay Area, Emily is currently performing throughout California in support of this release. She is planning to release her third album in 2018 in conjunction with a tour of the Pacific Northwest in the next few months.
She is looking forward to working with her trusted and talented musical compatriots, Ryan Avery (of Chance’s End), Marty Atkinson, members of the Americano Social Club, Grand Avenue Soul, and Bigelow’s Treehouse, as well as some new and special guests.
Emily finds the most joy when she connects the stories of her writing to her music, and loves to bring audiences in on the secrets of her songs. Zisman has a following of committed regulars who bring a sense of camaraderie and familiarity to all her shows. She always takes the time to greet people she knows and make introductions between strangers over personal anecdotes. Crafting a sense of community and shared engagement is the sort of unique experience she strives to create at every performance.
When asked what she loves about playing live, Emily replies, “I love the shared energy between the audience and the performer. When it’s there, the interplay can create an experience unique to a given space and time. It’s hard not to get carried away in the moment.”
In addition to her solo work, Emily Zisman is part of the electronic duo Chance’s End, a violin-electronica project with her longtime collaborator, violinist Ryan Avery. Emily is also an in-demand vocalist, performing regularly around the San Francisco Bay Area with groups such as Jazz Collective, The Americano Social Club, and the funk/soul band Grand Avenue Soul.
Deborah Crooks
Born and raised in rural area of California, Deborah grew up surrounded by nature, but close enough to San Francisco to be influenced by the city’s history of social, musical and political upheaval. Her lyric-driven and soul-wise music draws on folk, rock, and Americana and is often compared to Lucinda Williams and The Cowboy Junkies. Her music ventures into everything from funk and reggae to rock and blues, reflecting her expansive and eclectic tastes, a sound which has evolved over her years studying writing and poetics at The Naropa Institute, voice and yoga in Mysore, India, and cowriting and collaborating with her Bay Area peers. She’s released several CDs, and several EPs of critically noted original music, including 2016's Something Special EP, the acclaimed 2013 release, Little Bird (produced by Art Khu and described as "a masterful piece of work"). She again worked with Khu on her 2016's 7-song collection, Beauty Everywhere, which was recorded at the new Tiny Telephone Studio in Oakland. Deborah performs throughout the US, and had her music featured on the PBS Series Road Trip Nation and several compilations including the Songwriters From the Fog Compilation V1. Along with her solo work, she cofounded the band Bay Station with Kwame Copeland; contributed prose and poetry to several stage productions by Deborah Slater Dance Theatre; has led writing groups and spoken about songwriting and creativity at Macworld and SXSW. Additionally, her written work has appeared in many print and online publications including No Depression, The Sun, Common Ground, and “The Thinking Girl’s Guide to Enlightenment” (Seal Press).
Amber Ikeman
Amber Ikeman's spirited, earthy folk music carries audiences across the open spaces of the American West and into the depths of their souls. With soaring vocals ranging from a husky chest voice to a bell-clear soprano, her powerful and intimate songs tell stories of self-discovery, resilience, and wildness.
After getting a B.A. in classical voice, Amber took a job as a nonprofit professional in her hometown, Sarasota, FL. On the surface, it seemed that she had a comfortable life, yet deep down she felt bored, unfulfilled, depressed, and trapped by expectations. When she turned 25, Amber quit her job, sold everything that didn’t fit in her car, and drove across the country for the first time – by herself – to work as a dishwasher in Yellowstone National Park. It was the first stop on a 30,000-mile solo cross-country quest to find herself, the inspiration for her debut album, “Free.”
“Free” was named one of Southwest Montana’s top local albums of 2015. Amber’s engaging performances earned the 2017 Vic Heyman Songwriting Award. She is touring nationally with her second album, “Rise.”
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