Local musicians form alliance to promote music

“Too often, musicians don’t realize we’re all in this together,” says David Hisch. “There are a lot of people around here making good music with unique attitudes and styles.”

To that end, Hisch and his local label, Tasty Orange Music, .has released an 11-song compilation of some of the area’s singer/songwriters and guitarists.

“It’s another of my harebrained schemes that has been percolating for a while,” Hisch said.

It began during breakfast at the now defunct Cozy Cafe on High Street in Hamilton, which featured an area musician every Saturday morning.

Hisch, a Hamilton resident, and fellow singer! songwriter Gregory B. Albright of Fairfield Twp. were listening to Middletown’s Jerry Gillespie play, talldng about how scarce local venues were, and how nice it was to have another place to play, and how if they banded together, they might be able to promote each other’s work.

They also talked about who to invite to participate, and looked at some of the regular players at the Fitton Center’s Music Cafe.

“Dave started asking people if they were interested and they were given the option of submitting something already recorded or setting up a session to record their songs,” Albright said.

The result is ‘Close to Home,” featuring performances by Hisch, Albright, Gillespie, John Belanger (Fairfield), Eric Loy (Lewisburg) and Tevi Thrler (Eaton). The CD is available at Mehas Music, Galaxy CDs and on the Web sites and at the gigs of the featured artists. Hisch and Albright are hoping to stage a show of all the participants sometime in May.

"Our purpose is to enhance the local and regional music community,” Hisch said. “This also gives us a chance to share our own resources, including audiences.”