Altogether, Saturday’s Cedar show added up to a great night of music. The three band bill kicked off at 8 p.m. to a standing room only crowd with a set by the ubiquitous Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles. Having seen LM&TVL in several venues now, The Cedar seems especially well suited for them where their music entices kids at the all-ages shows to dance right up by the stage. One highlight of Saturday’s show, for me anyway, was Michelle singing a slow, jazzy version of “Not in Nottingham.” I did a double take before I realized I was not imagining this was indeed the song from the Robin Hood cartoon I used to enjoy as a kid. She also debuted a song that was so new she claimed it was the first time anyone outside the band had even heard it.

The middle slot Saturday was filled by Black Blondie, who along with their spin off groups Lil' Black Blondie (a trio of bassist Liz Draper, keyboard player Tasha Baron and drummer Kahlil Brewington), and Hips Don’t Lie (a duet of Baron and Draper) are still going strong with Samahra Linton as their main vocalist after the departure of their co-vocalist Sarah White a couple years ago. Black Blondie emerged on the scene to much critical acclaim in 2006 and played Voltage Fashion Amplified that same year. Their eclectic blend of jazz, soul and R&B diversified tonight’s bill, and it was clear that they, as well as Lucy Michelle had been a big part of the draw.

Aby Wolf - Photo Barnett

“We’re here face to face at last,” she said quoting a lyric from “Give Listen,” which was to be her opening song. It was clear how much she’d been looking forward to this night, and the song was the perfect opener. It is grounding both musically and lyrically, asking that we, as listeners, “listen and breathe,” which is exactly what the song makes me do. The whole CD actually has a calming affect on me. The music is almost exclusively quiet and down tempo. It draws you in and gives you reason to pause. 

Wolf’s stage presence is remarkably professional. Despite her newness to larger venues, she already has the poise of a practiced star. Just as in the informal setting of the Mad Ripple Hootenanny where I had seen her the week prior, even in the more formal setting of the Cedar she looked totally comfortable. As Wolf herself pointed out later, a couple months ago she was playing to two or three people at a coffeehouses and now she was playing to a nearly (if not totally) sold out Cedar. 

A few songs into her set, she paused to say, “I think I’m having a really good time.”

She played through most of the songs on her disc over the course of about 45 minutes. The album’s opening track “Focus” had the haunting immediacy of a slow Neil Young ballad. HowWasTheShow contributor Donette Ambrosy noted that the harmonies of Wolf’s ensemble on some songs had the ample reverb and overtones of a female Fleet Foxes.  The artistic influences Wolf herself cites on her MySpace include everyone from Patsy Cline, Kate Bush, Jeff Buckley, Puccini, Verdi and even painter Frida Kahlo.

If she hadn’t already won us over, Wolf put down her guitar about two thirds of the way through her set and played a song that sounded like partly like Clinic (dark and spooky with prominent use of melodica) and partly like Bjork, (freaky, Scandinavian, or perhaps more accurately, Elfish). Anyone expecting a straight ahead folk music show, as I mentioned, would have been either sorely disappointed. I, myself, was exhilarated; I expected Wolf's set to be good, but I couldn't have expected it would be as downright mind-blowing as it turned out to be.

Wolf was tempted to drop the F-bomb when saying how blessed she felt to have such a great reception to her CD Release but held back the expletive as it was an all ages show. Even so, you could still sense the self-censored word when she repeated the word, “blessed” a couple more times for emphasis.

Aby Wolf - Photo Barnett

To round out her set, Wolf was joined on vocals by Omaur Bliss for “What U Waitn 4,” a song Omaur helped write, in addition to recording and co-producing the disc. From folk, to looping, to new age sounds, to rap with R&B influence, Aby Wolf is a diverse, wise and inspirational performer who is not to be missed.

Aby Wolf Set list:

Give Listen
Death Ballad
Hourglass
Focus
Float or Forward
Keara
Metal Fingers
We Drive on the Left Side
untitled
What U Waitn 4