 NIGHTWATCH By Eric Brace Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, December 17, 1999; Page N05 "DO YOU have a good picture of me?" asked Xyra Harper-Cann when I called her to chat about stuff for this article. Xyra (whose nom d'artiste doesn't include her last name) then caught herself and laughed. "Oh, sorry. I sound like such a diva!" That's okay, Xyra. You are a diva! At Blues Alley a few months back, Xyra sang like a diva, her voice swaying and swooping to somewhat melodramatic lyrics about life and love and death and art. She stood very still on stage, swaying her platinum blond hair ever so slightly. Such rocking out as was done that night was handled by her band: pianist Andrew Cann, clarinetist/flutist Donald Stapleson, cellist Fred Lieder, drummer Norman Thorne, bassist Larry Lawrence and guitarist Eric Ulreich. All together they're known as Xyra & Verborgen, and they'll be performing on Wednesday at Blues Alley in celebration of their new CD, "Frightening Beauty". First of all, what's "Verborgen"? "It's a German word meaning 'hidden,' " explains Xyra. "But it's often used to express what's hidden from the conscious mind. It also means communicating on a subliminal level. And it could be something that's specifically hidden from human eyes, like flowers growing in deep woods." Xyra clearly has deeper things on her mind. In fact, when I call, I interrupt the start of a tarot reading. But Xyra delays it long enough to say that she began Verborgen three years ago after seeing "Nico Icon," a documentary on that other diva, the late Nico, known best for her work with the Velvet Underground. She ran an ad looking for musicians and quickly had a working trio, but Xyra felt limited, and so she expanded her sonic palette by adding more instruments. "Now I feel I can get across what I feel," she says. As a child, Xyra took piano and voice lessons, so it really was only a matter of time before her passion for music turned into a desire to perform it. Her goal now is to make deep music that might find its way onto radio's airwaves. "Why can't music of substance get back on Top 40 radio? Music that's not afraid to discuss serious issues." As for her own concerns, Xyra says she's "very worried about the human race, about where we're going and what we're doing. I don't know if I believe in prophecy, but these do seem like very dark times." And to do battle in these dark times, what better armor than that of diva? "Oh, I'm just a pseudo-diva," she says with another laugh. "I'm a female singer who cares. I'm a chanteuse, a little on the glamorous side, so call me what you will." © Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company |
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XYRA & VERBORGEN "Frightening Beauty" Xyra By Mike Joyce Friday, December 17, 1999; Page N07 Down-to-earth and unpretentious -- these are terms you'll probably never hear applied to the music of Xyra and Verborgen. From the ice maiden cover art to the liner note thank yous ("To those brave souls who venture onward, in reverent pursuit of their dreams."), the band's new album is definitely a high-concept project. This is music meant to inspire people to grow -- "It's your human duty to try," we are told on the album's title and opening track. Yet you may find yourself merely growing bored with the album's frequently ponderous lyrics. To wit: "Her canopy of thought looms heavily, as new truth unfolds it, ever after." There are some interesting diversions, however, including Xyra's passionate cover of Bryan Ferry's "When My Heart Is Still Beating" and her interpretations of songs composed by kindred spirit and vocal role model Nico. The cover of Nico's Jim Morrison tribute, "You Forgot to Answer," is particularly evocative, and also welcome is the album's unexpected coda -- a Goth cabaret arrangement of "My Funny Valentine." As in the past, Xyra can depend on her bandmates to create the right mood for her musings. The eight-piece band, led by keyboardist Andrew Cann and featuring cellist Fred Lieder and reedman Donald Stapleson, covers a lot of ground, incorporating elements of art-rock, pop and jazz with both imagination and finesse. Appearing Wednesday at Blues Alley. To hear a free Sound Bite from Xyra & Verborgen, call Post-Haste at 202/334-9000 and press 8126. (Prince William residents, call 690-4110.) © Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company |
Xyra and VerborgenJanuary 29, 2000 Xyra said she was influenced by a documentary about actress/model/musician Nico and her tragic life to start writing music again. In 1997 she put together a trio with pianist Andrew Cann and guitarist Cris Chillura. After working with the trio, she decided to expand the sound of the band by adding more instruments: a cello, a bass, percussion and multiple wind instruments. In the just over two years that Verborgen has been together, they have produced two albums, Frightening Beauty and Where Glass Birds Fly and an EP, Unfold. Xyra describes the genre of their music as "cabaret rock nouveau." Any band that deviates from the guitar-bass-percussion formula automatically starts off on a good foot with this reviewer. Verborgen started with that advantage and kept getting better. Xyra's voice perfectly complimented the music as it communicated a broad range of emotion. The instruments are well-arranged, well-balanced, and blend beautifully together. Their two albums are rhythmic, complex, intriguing. This is not the type of band to see if you're in the mood to dance. If you're in the mood to see a band while relaxing with some friends, Xyra and Verborgen is the group to see. By Emily Phelps "Altar Native" Washington DC correspondent |
The State Theater - February 4, 2000 What a magnificent venue! When Xyra & Verborgen took the stage, an aura of magic seemed to overtake the gorgeous, 800 capacity landmark theater. The beautiful, 1930s Art Deco building with very high ceilings now boasts state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems, with topnotch professionals running them. Many remember seeing the premiere of Star Wars there, well before the theater was purchased by innovative entrepreneurs Dave Steinberg and Tom Carter. The two are quickly realizing their vision, creating a fantastic facility for wonderful, live music. Xyra & Verborgen were bathed in a Pink Floyd-style light show. The lighting engineer, Chris Weber, has worked with many major artists - including Pink Floyd. Sound engineer, Eric Smith's credentials include contributions to Bryan Ferry's Boys and Girls, and extensive work with Madonna. Both gentlemen easily performed in keeping with their stellar reputations. ____ Commercial radio had been hyping the February 4 show, from a different perspective. Headlining, were The Soft Parade, featuring Joe Russo. The Soft Parade are, by far, the best band to ever cover material by Jim Morrison and The Doors! The following is an excerpt from a piece depicting what happened when The Soft Parade played Paris, France during Jim Morrison's 50th birthday celebration: "Another smaller riot erupted on 8th December 1993, Jim's 50th birthday, when fans started to sing at the grave and were immediately thrown out of the graveyard, only to continue their chants in front of the gates till late at night. Many fans had left the place early to catch a concert of the New York cover band The Soft Parade with a guest appearance by Robby Krieger, so the police didn't have much trouble to chase the rest away." Besides Nico and Jim Morrison having "a thing" for each other in the late 1960s, Joe Russo has a thing for Jim Morrison, and Xyra, a thing for Nico. The infatuation with their legendary mentors appears to include the spiritual, extending beyond music and obvious persona. Xyra's connection with Nico became most evident while viewing the riveting, German-made documentary on Nico's life, entitled, befittingly : NICO ICON. "It all began with the End", she emphasizes. "During the documentary, something touched me deeply. I cannot explain, other than feeling Nico had spoken to me. This may sound presumptuous, but I felt she may have had some unfinished business she needed to express through me. Conversely, I felt intense sympathy for her, and deep sorrow over what she had become. I had given up music, and somehow the intensity of Nico's life propelled me back into writing and singing. Soon after viewing the film, I managed to acquire a keyboard with a harmonium sound. It was previously owned by a woman who toured and wrote songs with it for The Tom Tom Club. The first song I began rehearsing was Nico's version of Jim Morrison's favorite Doors song - The End. Pretty soon there after, I began writing new material, nonstop." No one may have interviewed Joe Russo about his psychic connections with Jim, but one suspects he also has some interesting stories to tell! Three years and three releases later, Xyra continues paying tribute to Nico with her band, Verborgen. Nico-related material includes the song Nico wrote for Jim Morrison - You Forgot to Answer. Xyra and her troupe pulled off a mind-boggling version of it, to finish their set at The State, preceded by three-quarters of an hour of beautifully delivered, predominately original material. In addition to the hauntingly authentic version of the Velvet Underground anthem, Femme Fatale, there were two Roxy Music tunes. The first, While My Heart is Still Beating, followed by an impressive rendition of A Song for Europe - omitting the Latin verse Bryan Ferry spoke dramatically on the original. (It sounded like Xyra translated it to English, or added an improvisational, spoken verse.) Bordering neatly on the fantastic, Xyra and Verborgen's performance on February 4th was nothing less than intriguing! Seducing a larger crowd, new ground may have been broken for the band. Certainly, people want to see them play The State again - with or without The Soft Parade. The two bands DO make a very interesting combination, and it is to be hoped we will see them sharing the bill again, sometime soon. We hope, also, to hear more Velvet Underground from Xyra and crew, should that "1960s Retro Happening" we keep hearing about ever come to fruition! Emily Joyce Music Reviews, On-line |
