Posts Tagged ‘Carol Torch Torricelli’
November 2024 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
The November 2024 showcase featured two of VOCAL’s most talented writers, Matt Manion and Carol “Torch” Torricelli. An intimate and attentive audience added to the magic of the evening.
Matt kicked off the evening with God’s Rhythm, a plea to God to help him find his rhythm, move his wooden feet and shape his clumsy body. The Royal Roach Hotel was born while spending a working summer in southern Louisiana and residing in the “lavish” Royal Hotel. The roaches and other critters were included in the cheap rate so I guess you get what you pay for! If That’s What it Takes is an interesting and current them where we wonder if it would take an alien invasion for us earthlings to finally unite in a common purpose (don’t hold your breath…). Necessary Trouble is an older tune of Matt’s touting the need to occasionally rock the boat in order to effect positive change. The song was born after hearing a speech by the late Congressman John Lewis. He then treated us to the heavenly Blue Springs Hideaway. This is a signature tune of his recounting the peaceful and beautiful experience of a mountain getaway in southwest Virginia. Job Hunting Blues is a sign-of-the-times number where you have to “show what you’re made of” prior to getting hired. So grab that cup, head to the restroom and there better not be a trace of anything we don’t want! He then delivered Jump Start My Heart, a “witticism” of Torch, asking his lover to get that muscle pumping, jolt me with desire. You got the spark so jump start my heart! Matt ended with another signature tune Life Can Be Funky on the Pamunkey, featuring Torch on guitar and harmony vocals. It’s a lazy, dreamy ride down the river taking in all the sights and sounds Mother Nature has to offer! Way to go, Matt!
Torch then took the stage with Matt accompanying her on her first tune We Are Virginia. This is a very beautiful and descriptive song about all the wonderful places in Virginia, from the Carter Fold birthplace to the Chesapeake Bay. She continued with a similar state theme with Come to Virginia, a song she wrote and performed for a trade show years ago. It depicts all the great reasons to come to our great commonwealth! Roads In-Between Us recounts the time when she was living in New York but all her friends were moving away so she was constantly thinking of the roads and miles between them. Speaking of close friends moving away, her next song was inspired by her New York boyfriend moving to Florida and having a passion for horse racing. He also happened to have a passion for cooking, so she wrote I Wish I Had a Horse Name Fresh Garlic, with all the images of following him in the horse-racing circuit and meeting in the winner’s circle! Paha Sapa is a Lakota Indian name that translates to “come tour with me”. This is a magical song depicting all the beautiful sights and wonders of Mother Nature around Rapid City, South Dakota. Swinging and Swaying is a signature tune of Torch’s with a dreamy, jazzy feel as she sits on the back porch, a full moon and fireflies accompanying her as she misses her “new squeeze” lover. I Know That You Know describes the communication (or lack thereof) between two lovers when they know they’re in love but are afraid/reluctant to actually say it. Tossing Like a Salad is another “missing my lover” theme where she just happens to be in the kitchen making a salad but is wondering why she hasn’t heard from her man. Highway To Your Heart is a really cool tune co-written with Glen King. He’s a trucker out on the road on his way home so all he can think about is heading for your loving on a highway to your heart! She then delivered another Glen King co-write called Give Me the Simple Life, a story of peaceful enjoyment of a vacation spot with a travel trailer in front of a lake. Descriptive lines like “only one station on this TV set” and “a hundred miles on my rocking chair” depict the scene. People Need Each Other was written during the Plague (Covid) and she dedicated it to Matthew Costello for all his efforts in keeping us together during that trying time. Truer words couldn’t be spoken! Ode to Thanksgiving is a fitting tune in honor of this important holiday that is squeezed between Halloween and Christmas and therefore is often overlooked. Way too much hustle and bustle during that time of year in my opinion. Torch ended her set with a very beautiful rendition of the Irish Blessing, for which she wrote the music. This is in the Public Domain and Torch did a wonderful job of making it “hers”. Great set, Torch!
Thanks to all who came out to enjoy some excellent original music!
Showcase Photos
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Photo Credits: Matthew Costello
December 2023 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
The December 2023 showcase took place on December 18th at O’Toole’s. There was quite a spirited crowd in attendance and most folks were very attentive to our performance. This showcase is always special as it features numerous VOCAL members who are playing mostly holiday and/or seasonal-themed songs. VOCAL threw out a challenge years ago for the members to write such songs for this annual event. Door prizes are also offered at this event so there were many happy winners of VOCAL-related merchandise, gift cards, etc. and even signed books from a local author, Maggie King! (thanks, Maggie!).
Long-time member Russell Lawson opened the show with three of his finely-crafted tunes. Ice Falling is a sobering story depicting the signs of global warming. Dear Santa is a fairly new song of Russell’s describing how the times have changed now that the kids have grown and everyone wants iPhones, x-boxes, etc. under the tree. We are still amazed at the magic way you do the things you do! Christmastime is Here is Russell’s first holiday challenge song from 2004 where he reveals all the vivid and memorable details of the Christmas season (hurried shoppers, mistletoe, candlelight, etc.)
Matt Manion then took the stage and opened with The Crossroads, a tribute to the Saturday night showcase from the 70’s that was held in the basement of St. James’s Episcopal church. He recounted the excitement and eagerness of getting your slot on the stage. Blue Ridge Mountain Hideaway was co-written with his friend Richard which conveys a sense of peace and comfort hanging out on a mountaintop in the Blue Ridge witnessing breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. Quarter to Midnight is one of Matt’s signature tunes recounting his experience on Christmas Eve heading to Midnight Mass and the human interactions he is involved with along the way.
Long-time member Glen King then opened his set accompanied by piano. Christmas Came Early tells the story of the best Christmas gift ever for a loving couple when their baby was delivered in July. It was 95 degrees in Abilene, the paper said July but he had snowflakes in his eyes. Song on the Radio was written for the ukulele but sounded just fine on the keys (“you’re like a song on the radio, an angel in the choir, saying words I wish I had”). Glen left us with another holiday song I’d Like to Spend New Years Eve With You. Now that all the holiday rush is over, there’s still one present I’d like. I’d like to spend time with you and make your New Years dreams come true!
John Ellis then treated us to two of his signature holiday/seasonal tunes with his stellar guitar playing. Winter Solstice is an intriguing instrumental that allows the listener to conjure up their own images of the season. Me and My Baby on a Cold Winter Day offers the perfect warmup recipe for romantic, cozy indoor time with your lover!
Glenda Creamer graced the stage with three of her holiday-related tunes. We’re Getting Ready for Christmas describes the planning, shopping and all around hustle and bustle that accompanies the holiday. The Story is a very beautiful biblical tale about the birth of Jesus and the true meaning of Christmas. The Cookie Exchange describes that munching temptation this time of year and balancing it with your dietary needs.
Carol Torricelli (aka “Torch”) pinch-hit for another member and brought three lovely tunes to the crowd. We Are Virginia describes the many splendors of The Commonwealth and could be the official state tourism song. The Ode to Thanksgiving gives a bit of pity to this oft-overlooked holiday as it’s sandwiched between Halloween and Christmas. When candy corn goes straight to candy canes you know you’re missing something in between. The Roads In Between Us is the story of her life in New Jersey and Manhattan when many of her friends moved far away. Even though miles apart she could sing to the sunset and bring them back close.
Jim Puckett brought a couple of his seasonal tunes to the stage with Snowey Mountain Bride, a Civil War-era number about a man leaving the battlefield on Christmas Eve for the western slopes of the mountain where the lady to be his bride is waiting. The Morning After New Years Eve is a new tune asking for a chance at redemption in the new year, as it’s never too late to make amends.
The Bluegrass/Folk duo of Gene and Gayla Mills ended the evening with a handful of their homespun tales. Let Fallen Snow Be All We Hear is rich in cozy images of being stuck in a cabin in the woods with heavy snow and no distractions from the modern world. Riley’s Horn Pipe is an original instrumental fiddle tune that was well-accepted by the crowd. I Want a Car with a Carburetor harkens back to the good old days when things were a little simpler (no pagers/cell phones, etc.) and coffee was brewed in a percolator! They ended the evening with a very beautiful medley of Christmas songs (What Child is This and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen).
Great job, guys, and Happy Holidays to all!
Showcase Photos
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Photo Credits: Matthew Costello and Norman Roscher
August 2023 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase #2
Our August VOCAL Showcase featuring 2023 Songwriter of the Year Carol “Torch” Torricelli continued the recent “live at O’Toole’s” performances that we have returned to after three COVID online showcase years. What a relief!
Steve NuckollsSteve opened the showcase with a song reminiscing about “Gossen Mines“, a place he knew in his childhood near Galax, and spoke of the risky thrills of exploring the old mine that his dad explained to a small boy while the minor key infused the memories with a tension and longing well suited to Steve’s solid tenor.
He followed that with the jaunty “Everything’s Just Two Good” that included some excellent and unexpected word play in a story about being grateful for a significant love relationship. Some great high notes in the melody showed off Steve’s mature vocal control. “What If She Liked It” was a memoir about meeting the woman who would become his wife, another relatable song drawn from his personal life. He explained that this tune was co-written with another musician in New England through a Zoom meeting.
“What Keeps You Up At Night“, Steve explained, was one of many of his tunes that he didn’t “know where it comes from,” as he began writing with just a title and a guitar riff. What developed was a message about his significant other being able to count on him to be around to comfort her at tough times. “If You Want To Know My Love” had some strong guitar lines surrounding a tale of starting a relationship while feeling vulnerable from other hurts because “sometimes it’s not what’s said, it’s the words that go unspoken” that can reveal the truth of someone’s love. “A Future In Us” wrapped up his set with a song about compromise and a plea for patience and understanding to build up a relationship he believes in.
Carol “Torch” TorricelliHeadliner Torch also won (with co-writer Glen King) the Song of the Year award and she opened with that, delivering “Give Me The Simple Life” on her ganjo, a six-string banjo tuned like a guitar, with a tune that showed off her finger-style skills and her firm and flexible vocal delivery. Her next was COVID-inspired, her song “People Need Each Other” evoking the craving for intimate connection during the pandemic-necessary personal isolation, where touching wasn’t physically possible but forced us to reach out into a virtual space.
Switching to “Highway to Your Heart” (also co-written with Glen), she sang of missing home and a lover while her fingers kept a percussive beat on the strings. “Come to Virginia” was a love song to our state with details drawn from Torch’s long service with the state tourism agency. This opened with a nice descending guitar line and moved to minor sevenths while Torch’s high-register vocal delivery and vibrato brought thoughts of early Joni Mitchell to mind when the melody ranged over several octaves.
“Don’t Slow Me Down” drew on a “bucket list” trip to Italy some years ago to visit the origins of her immigrant parents. The trip included “my guitar, too” to help “lose the winter blues.”
“Swinging and Swaying” recalled a trip to a national meeting, discovering a new friend that she was now missing, and used a compact chord structure to demonstrate the feeling of a desired closeness in the melody, which showed off her vocal chops and emphasized her expressive vibrato. Continuing the stories of personal liaisons, “Tossing Like A Salad (Over You)” used the fun and memorable metaphor to describe the difficulty of a long distance relationship that included unanswered messages by text, Facetime and email that “tossed” the singer’s feelings. This tune was distinguished by an interesting jazzy chord structure and arrangement that brought a “samba” feeling to the room.
The final two songs both concerned her nephew, Tommy. They showed a clear distinction in Torch’s songwriting development as the first about his birth, “Miracles Like This,” was written early in her musical life and the second, “Major Dad,” was penned decades later as Tommy concluded a long military career. “Miracles” used a simple straightforward chord pattern and a sweet melody line for a heart-felt homage to her sister and the new baby. “Major” was more melodically complex and leaned on Torch’s songwriting maturity to point to Tommy’s admirable strengths and accomplishments. Torch’s strong and accurate vocals and fine guitar work made both songs shine at the showcase.
~ Russell Lawson
Showcase Photos
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January 2023 VOCAL Songwriters Showcase
The January 2023 showcase had two veteran VOCAL members and two newer ones scheduled, but unfortunately Dave Drouillard, a new member, had some technical difficulties preventing him from performing (we’ll take a rain check, Dave!).
The show opened with longtime member Carol Torricelli (aka Torch) who delivered some very intriguing and dreamy tunes reminiscent of Joni Mitchell. Come to Virginia could be the official Tourism song for the Commonwealth of Virginia as it describes all the wonderful sights, smells and sounds of the state. Give Me the Simple Life was the first of two songs co-written with longtime member Glen King. This tune embodies many images and thoughts we could all take away, the many benefits of living a simple, uncomplicated life. Don’t You Slow Me Down was written about a trip she took to explore her roots in Sicily and featured her signature stellar whistling ability! She has her bags all packed and is ready to go, so don’t anyone get in her way! Tossing Like a Salad Over You is a jazzy-ish tune describing her relationship with an individual, wondering if he would continue texting her and where their relationship was heading. Highway to Your Heart was the second number co-written with Glen and was written fairly recently for the truck song challenge VOCAL had. They’re burning up the highway trying to get back home to the one they love. Saw someone who looked like Jesus standing by the road and definitely had a country station dialed in on the radio. Keep it in the road! Great set, Torch!
Veteran member Keely Burn then took the virtual Zoom stage and delivered several of her signature tunes, presenting a theme that could probably be turned into a musical. You’ll Like Me More When I’m Not Me was the beginning of the journey in the life of the fictitious woman named Blue, where she doesn’t have much self-confidence, doesn’t like the limelight and would be more attractive if she’s just being herself and not acting. “Act II” of this story is someone new coming into the story who thinks they’re more attractive if they’re outgoing. The next chapter in Blue’s life deals with terms and conditions, where you need to lay the groundwork up front to get on the same page (I may not want you as a companion but would welcome your company). Masterpiece reveals the conflict that often arises in a relationship where you have a misunderstanding of your terms and conditions, and in this case Blue and her companion are not on the same page. Waltz tells us that love is not a written-in-stone foregone conclusion, but that there are ways to fulfill a relationship other than the traditional one. You Were My Guiding Light, the conclusion of the narrative, is a heartfelt number every cloud has a silver lining but all you see is gray. I heard your voice beside me, your song showed me the way, you were the guiding light. Great job, Keely!
Newcomer Erik Gaines then took the stage and treated us to some mighty fine tunes. Drunk ‘til New Year’s was reflective of a recent visit to the ABC store where a customer had a fully-loaded cart and was going to get obliterated for the entire week via his Christmas spirits. About to be three sheets to the wind, he’s ready to just pass out on the couch where no one will notice. Fools Tread Where Angels Fear To Go tells reveals that he’s a fool for her love and will do anything, walk the wire, etc. to win her love. In Bad Dog he portrays himself as a tail-waggin’ somewhat well-behaved puppy willing to do anything to make the girl take him home. I Only Mean The Best is a new heartfelt song about someone just trying to do the right thing and be the best they can, even though someone thinks the worst of them. The words may sometimes come out wrong, but no harm is intended. I’m Coming Home To You recounts the experiences of being out on the road far away from home living out your dreams but having other people tell you what you can and can’t be. It took him a while to figure it out but he’s finally come around. I’ll Love You Even More Tomorrow is a testament to the value of twenty years of marriage with many more to come! They were able to work through the ups and downs through the years but are in it for the long haul. Way to go, Erik!
