Foss brings 'universal' music to Huron
0 comments
For Angel Foss, music is life.
"I even do music in my free time," says the self-proclaimed musical Renaissance girl. "I'm always thinking, and that usually provokes a lyrical idea about a real-life experience that either I have had or someone I know has had, or a situation that I read about."
"The term ëRenaissance man' is a historical reference to a scholar during the Renaissance, like Leonardo da Vinci, who knew everything about many topics.
"I've updated the term and consider myself a ëmusical Renaissance girl' - not because I equate myself with da Vinci - but because I do everything with my music. I write it, play every instrument, sing it, record it, produce it, market it, etc.," Foss said.
These are skills this shy 35-year-old vegetarian has been honing since she was a little girl.
"I started taking piano lessons at 7 years of age, but was singing long before that," Foss said. "Or so my dad tells me ... and he tells me that he has the tape recordings to prove it."
Foss grew up around music.
Her dad was in a band, her mom sang in church, her grandmother played professionally in an all-female orchestra during World War II.
If you count piano recitals, Foss has been performing since age 7. She has been in bands for 15 years. She recorded her first songs in high school.
"You should hear the first songs .... yikes," she said with a laugh. She even wrote and performed an original song at her senior prom.
Foss has a bachelor of music degree from Heidelberg College in Tiffin.
"My major instrument was keyboard percussion (marimba, vibraphone)," she explained. "However, as far as guitar, I am self-taught, and now that is my main instrument in writing and recording."
For the past three years she has focused her musical interests on her current endeavor, which she described as adult alternative acoustic pop.
"That being said," Foss said, "others have described it as having laid-back vocals with intelligent lyrics. As different, yet universal enough to be memorable."
Foss added, "I've always loved and listened to any good music, so my influences come from many sources. But I think I probably would sound most like a mixture of Sarah McLachlan, Norah Jones, Karin Bergquist, and Aimee Mann."
Foss performs both as a solo artist and with a full band that's members include Matt Kean of Norwalk, Jeff Denney of Sandusky and Judy Pastva of Catawba Island.
"I knew the others from previous projects," Foss said. "I played in Quick Fixx with Jeff, and gave guitar lessons at Castle Music with Matt. Our first show together was one year ago at Cabana Jacks in Sandusky."
Foss will be performing solo at 34 Degrees in Huron on Dec. 29.
"I will be playing many of my original songs and some covers," she said. "I mostly play guitar, but also bass, drums and some keyboards at times.
"I used to worry about making sure everyone liked everything I played, which was impossible and didn't bring me much satisfaction in playing either. My goals now as a performer are to just enjoy myself and give the best performance that I can every time I step on stage.
"When I do that, everyone is happy."
Angel Foss
WHEN: 10 p.m., December 29
WHERE: 34 Degrees, 606 Main St., Huron
COST: Free
INFO: angelfoss.comWritten by Shannan Hulbert
