Turn Your Face to the Sun (Red Jacket Recordings RJ003, Buffalo, NY)

Available now at CDBaby.com, Amazon, and iTunes

The first solo CD by singer, instrumentalist and songwriter Cathy Carfagna -
a Valentine to American roots music and jangly, rock/pop harmonies.

"It's a gem of a record that showcases Carfagna's fine songwriting..."
– Geoff Kelly, Buffalo ArtVoice

Songs

  • Turn Your Face to the Sun - Looking for spring through a 1966 psychedelic-pop lens.
  • Going Down to Memphis - Inspired by a long-ago Southern road trip. The haunting lap steel part was played by Jim Whitford.
  • It's All Right If It Rains - A simple old-school ballad, featuring Jim Bohm on horns.
  • Trouble Comes to Call - A cautionary guitar-driven rocker.
  • Traverse City Blues - An Ian Tyson-style narrative for late night road warriors.
  • Tumble Down - Inspired by Brian Springer's film Spin, this song first appeared on the Outlyers' Hits and Myths in a piano-based arrangement. Bob Kozak (the Jumpers) contributes lead guitar to this updated version.
  • If You Lose an Angel - A poignant country tune, written by Buck Quigley of the Steam Donkeys. Featuring fiddle by Buffalo expatriate Richard Chon (Saddle Cats, Sons of the San Joaquin, Dan Hicks, etc.)
  • Empire State Queen - A celebration of trains and the bluesmen who sang about them.
  • Mermaid Avenue - A tribute to the late Woody Guthrie.
  • Let It Go - Jazz/tango inflections and clear-eyed regret.
  • What Do I Do - A Buffalo pop-rock gem that fans of the Jumpers know by heart. Writer Bob Kozak played guitar while Dave Meinzer contributed bass, guitar, and background vocals.
  • Cover a Lot of Ground - An upbeat, twangy mashup of guitars and harmonies - Rockpile-style!
  • Longing - Open-tuned baritone guitar, tender vocals and Fender tremolo bring the CD to a close.

Musicians:
Cathy Carfagna: vocals, keyboards, guitars, accordion, percussion
Dave Meinzer: bass, guitars, percussion, vocals
Jim Whitford: guitars, bass, lap steel, pedal steel, dobro, vocals
Patrick Heyden: drums
Rob Lynch: drums
Bob Kozak: guitars
John Brady III: drums, percussion
Corey Kertzie: drums
Richard Chon: fiddle
Jim Bohm: horns

Recording Engineers: Jim Calabrese, Dave Meinzer
Mastering Engineer: Armand John Petri


About Cathy:

Hometown: Buffalo, NY, USA

Last Name Rhymes With: lasagna

Instruments: piano, organ, accordion, guitar, vocals, percussion

Current Bands: The Outlyers, the Vores, Jim Whitford Band

Earlier Bands: The Jazzabels, Voice of Cheez (Frank Zappa Tribute Band), Nimrod Wildfire & the Sagebrush Lotharios, the French Ticklers (Cajun/Zydeco band)

Guest Recording: Doombuggy, 53 Days, the Dreaming, the Fibs, Glenn Colton, Richard Chon, Ministers of Love, and many more

Early inspiration: Veronica from the Archies

Favorite Beatles album: Revolver

Married To: Buffalo musician and bandmate David Myles Meinzer


Red Jacket Records - Copyright 2010 - Buffalo, New York, USA