Cause A Scene House Show: Liz Longley, Jeffrey James & Carson Henley

LIZ LONGLEY

In the short time since her graduation from Boston's renowned Berklee College of Music, singer-songwriter Liz Longley has assembled an impressive resume. While best known for her stop-you-in-your-tracks voice, Liz has steadily developed a reputation as an accomplished songwriter, crafting intimately personal portraits through her music.

In the past two years, Liz has taken home top prizes at some of the most prestigious songwriting competitions in the country, including the BMI John Lennon Songwriting Scholarship Competition, the International Acoustic Music Awards and the Rocky Mountain Folk Fest Songwriting Competition. New England named her the 2011 Female Performer of the Year, the Washington Post declared that Liz is "destined for a larger audience" and Dig Boston called her "a rising acoustic sensation." Even John Mayer is a fan, calling her music "gorgeous, simply gorgeous."

A Philadelphia native, Liz recently made the move to Nashville, Tennessee where she has quickly made her presence known throughout Music City. In addition to writing more than forty songs with some of the best songwriters in the business, Liz has also managed to keep up her seemingly never-ending touring schedule, playing over one hundred shows in the last year - all without the help of a record label or booking agent.

While Liz frequently supports the likes of Shawn Colvin, Amos Lee, Paula Cole, Nanci Griffith, Livingston Taylor, Lori McKenna and Colin Hay, something remarkable has begun to happen - audiences are emerging from these shows as fast fans of Liz's music as well. An engaging performer with an effortless stage presence, Liz has broken advance ticket and merchandise sales records at numerous venues across the country.

Most recently, Liz's music has taken center stage on a national level with numerous television placements and radio airplay. ABC's critically acclaimed series NY Med featured Liz's music throughout the first season, and the 2012 season finale of Lifetime's Army Wives displayed her towering vocals in an epic grand finale song, "This Is Not the End." Executives at SiriusXM caught wind of her captivating cover of Van Morrison's hit "Moondance" and added it into regular rotation, along with her award-winning original song, "When You've Got Trouble." After an impressive response from listeners, Liz was invited to perform live in the SiriusXM studios in New York City and was named one of their Coffee House Discoveries of 2011.

Following the success of her previous release, Hot Loose Wire, and an impressive crowdfunding campaign this past summer, Liz recently returned to the studio where she recorded her fourth full-length album which is scheduled to be released on February 26, 2013.

JEFFREY JAMES

Jeffrey James’ strong baritone voice has raw tones that’ll make you wonder if the skinny kid on the cover is really the one belting the soulful lyrics on recent EP, Make Your Way to the Flashing Lights.

The 2012 EP is a collection of rock songs infused with catchy rhythms and intense vocals reminiscent of old soul music. Produced and mixed by Konrad Snyder (Kopecky Family Band, Night Beds, Sugar and the Hi Lows), the five-track album is a compilation of songs that range from simple hooks, and blues shuffle to dirty dap-tone like horns or an ominous arrangement of strings.

Jeffrey’s plan for 2013 is to skip the usual music gathering process of a new album, and instead to write, record, and make available each selected new song as it is created. A recent addition released in time for Valentine’s day wooing, “All I Need is You” is a sweet, stripped down love ballad that features beautiful work on keys by Ian Fitchuk and blushing lyrics by Jeffrey. Planned for a March release, “Hard Day’s Work” is difficult to place, but easy to listen to with virtually all of the song built around vocal hooks and heavy drums.

James has been touring both colleges and venues since the release of his 2011 EP "Goin' Back Down,” and will be playing shows from the Midwest to hometown Nashville this spring. The past two years of touring included opening for Hanson and Rooney and winning Vanderbilt’s Rites of Spring band contest to share the stage with Sara Bareilles, The National, and Public Enemy.

CARSON HENLEY

Carson was a Suzuki trained piano player from the age of three who was taught to appreciate "timeless" music. Evidently, this did not include music of the eighties or nineties. Carson’s mother (a professional singer) and his record-collecting father banned commercial radio in the house as they were not comfortable with their kids listening to the content on the airways. So, Carson and his siblings (sister Tess is also a professional musician) grew up listening to only the “approved” classics, thereby educating themselves with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, James Taylor, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Although Carson grew up listening to dusty soul and classic rock, his music’s tight production is anything but old school, yet his sound definitely confirms those rich, soulful roots.

The singer/songwriter from Seattle, Washington just accomplished what very few people would have even attempted, let alone finish successfully, according to Grammy Award-winning producer, Kory Kruckenberg. “The concept of this project was to push myself to write and record a complete album from scratch, in 100 straight waking hours with the most talented people I knew. Then another Grammy winner, Brian Lucey (The Black Keys, The Shins), mastered the album. I’m so happy with how it turned out,” says Carson. The entire creative process, with all its pressures, hurdles and triumphs, was also captured on film for a 48-minute documentary that chronicles the rare musical feat.

Carson's resulting album, "100 Hours", emits a vintage soul with a raw rock edge, earning comparisons to Joe Cocker, James Morrison and Maroon 5. His sophomore effort was with friends Allen Stone, Tess Henley, and James McAlister (Sufjan Stevens, Brandi Carlile). The album’s first single, “Fire” showcases the songwriter’s soulful voice, funky blues instrumentals, and contrasting harmonies that make the perfect recipe for an infectious single. Indie Shuffle describes the music as “punchy keyboards, funky bass, finely plucked guitar and a highly danceable tempo.”

Carson’s live shows have drawn sold out crowds in the Pacific Northwest, his first album, Green Eyed Soul, was named a Top 25 CD of the Year by Indie Music, and his music is now playing on popular stations like Pandora & Spotify and in contemporary American and European chain stores as branding music. Carson co-produces all of his music as well as for his sister, Tess Henley.