Phonograph

BULLFROG BREWERY

SERVING UP SOME “OKNO”
Written by Gina Tutko-Usalis ~ September 2009

PHONOGRAPH –a Brooklyn, New York based band was hosted by a popular North Central Pennsylvania award-winning microbrewery/restaurant the Bullfrog Brewery which also brought Williamsport native Abe Seiferth, Phonograph’s guitarist, home for the Labor Day Weekend.

For Abe Seiferth this was familiar stomping ground having worked at the Bullfrog during the inception of celebrity with Phonograph. This is the fourth appearance of the band at this venue with each performance having a dedicated crowd and standing room only! The stage at the Bullfrog was a tight fit for Phonograph’s lead man Matt Welsh, who also has a PA connection to the Jim Thorpe area. His energy was like a stopple ready to explode! Their performances are always high-spirited. Phonograph magnetized folks of all ages inspiring much applause and shout outs after each song.

The Bullfrog Brewery located in downtown Williamsport at 229 West Fourth St. supports the best national and regional live music performances in the scene today. There are approximately 60,000+ people who live in the immediate area. Needless to say, the Bullfrog was filled to capacity to hear Phonograph belt out their Indie/Americana neoteric tunes off the upcoming au courant album OKNO due to be officially released on September 29^th. This is the second full length album for the band with the first one being self titled. OKNO is titled as such to reverberate poetry and also to reflect the heartaches artists face with the recording industry – OK …NO.

Phonograph is comprised of Matthew Welsh (back seat- left: lead vocals, guitar, keys), Abe Seiferth (front seat-left: guitar), John Davis (back seat-right: bass, mono synth), Dave Burnett (front seat-right: drums), Jason Domnarski (keyboard, percussion) and Phil Sterk (pedal steel, guitar, percussion) who was absent from this particular performance.

Along with Sterk’s musical expertise, he also showcased his songwriting which leads to tracks “Cedars” and “Mountain Tops” on the OKNO recording. Sterk’s life path has currently taken him to New Orleans. Jason Domnarski (pictured below) is the newest addition to Phonograph but by no means a stranger to the music scene. He is a notable pianist and composer who Welsh saw at Rockwood Music Hall, New York City performing in his trio – JDT. Domnarski has teamed up with various musicians and bands. He has toured throughout the U.S., Russia and St. Petersburg. Welsh knew instantaneously that Domnarski would be a fit. Observing him perform at the Bullfrog gave confirmation to Welsh’s comments, “I knew he’d be perfect!” Domnarski is a cutting-edge keys player and seems to blend effortlessly with Phonograph.

When asked, “Is there any one song off the new album that has a special meaning, if so which one and why?” to which Welsh replied, “The last track “Uke”, I wrote in an old hotel in Iowa when Phil and I had been doing our solo tour together last year. I was screwing around with this ukulele I picked up on the road and wrote a silly song about missing my wife and how she always worries I will get mentally lost on the road. I performed it live on the air that same night in Iowa City on the radio.” Welsh writes all the lyrics. All the songs on OKNO were written by him (with the exception of two tracks by Sterk) and arranged by the band. You will also hear a duet titled “Wellwisher” performed with Grace Potter as in Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

Phonograph just completed the tail end of their summer tour and hopefully you had a chance to catch them at one of their many performances. They are now heading back to the New York area. Make it a point to check their various sites for updated appearances and be sure to get yourself a copy of the new release OKNO due out on September 29^th.

OKNO’s track listing is as follows:

1. You/Me
2. OKNO
3. Wellwisher
4. Are You Gonna?
5. Holy Rollers
6. Cedars
7. Mountaintops
8. Less Than Expected
9. American Music
10. Paper Bag
11. Lily Eyes
12. Uke
For more information check out these websites:

Phonograph Bookings contact Podell Talent Agency:
http://www.PodellTalent.com

Phonograph:
http://www.myspace.com/phonographny

http://www.phonographny.com

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/
Phonograph/60000170978?ref=ts

http://www.ilike.com/artist/Phonograph

Bullfrog Brewery:
http://www.bullfrogbrewery.com

http://www.myspace.com/bullfrogbrewery