Kelly Flint

Kelly Flint has created and hosts a series called the "UPSTAIRS SESSIONS" at the Living Room in NYC on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 7:30-9:30. One part live performance, one part talk show: The “UPSTAIRS SESSIONS” features musical performances by two artists interspersed with intimate and open conversation between the artists and host. Discussion topics include but are not limited to the artist's song writing processes, musical experiences and the inspiration behind their songs. The evening includes an open forum between the artists and the audience.

Kelly was inspired to start the Upstairs Sessions by the TV show 'The Actor's Studio'. She felt that people come to see artists perform but never really get to experience them behind the scenes. The show has been tremendously well-received - come early because most shows are standing-room-only. The Upstairs Session takes place in the small intimate performance space called Googie's Lounge, upstairs at the Living Room in NYC. The performers play solo - that best suits the format of the show. Past guests include Milton, Christine Lavin, Bill Morrissey, The Kennedy's, Anthony da Costa, David Massengill, Deirdre Flint, Abby Gardner, Jim Infantino, Trevor Exter, Eric Schwartz, Mare Wakefield, Tim Robinson, Adam Levy, Ruth Gerson, Libby Johnson, Carol Lipnik, Rose Polenzani, Andrew Vladick, Anne Heaton, Pat Wictor, James Rotondi, Carsie Blanton, Birdie Busch, Amber Rubarth, Zoe Lewis, Carla Ulbrich, and Dayna Kurtz among others.

The Upstairs Sessions is an event in which talented artists talk about their creative process in a unique way and sometimes for the first time...it's spontaneous, thought provoking, informative and stimulating - lots of fun for the audience and the artists alike--and, it's soon to be a TV Webcast.

On Tuesday January 20th GUEST HOSTESS Maura Kennedy (from the Kennedys) welcomes Vicky Emerson (http://www.vickyemerson.com) and Kelly Flint [as a featured artist] (http://www.kellyflint.com) to the Upstairs Sessions..

The UPSTAIRS SESSIONS Tuesday January 20 7:30 to 9:30 PM The Living Room/Googie's Lounge 154 Ludlow St. NY, NY 10002 (212) 533-7237 http://www.LivingRoomNY.com
Who is Kelly Flint?
Postmodern folk with a tinge of Americana. If you want to reduce it to an easily digestible phrase, that’s what you might call the music of Kelly Flint. As the sultry voice for the trenchant songs of David Cantor in New York City-based cult faves Dave’s True Story, Kelly made five albums and was the toast of The New York Times, the Kennedy Center, and more.

But now it’s time for her to spread her solo wings, or more appropriately, to Drive All Night. That’s the title of Flint’s first solo album, and what that album’s about is the sum total of the places she has been. In the album’s warm, organic arrangements, acoustic sonorities, and occasional open-road, real-America flavor, you can discern Flint’s Midwestern youth, spent soaking up the classic folk-rockers of the ‘70s.

In the more complex shapes that Flint’s lyrics conjure in the mind’s eye, and the subtle harmonic twists that keep Drive All Night from becoming strictly an “Americana” album, her coming of age in New York City is apparent. Her involvement in the jazzy sophistication of Dave’s True Story, her immersion in the complicated, urgent, shades-of-gray sensibility that is the experiential dividend of New York life – it’s all in this striking new batch of songs. Sometimes the trenchant bite is just under the surface, and sometimes it snaps up to nab a piece of your heart.

Drive All Night features 13 Kelly Flint original compositions, as well as her unique take on the Moody Blues classic, “Story In Your Eyes,” written by Justin Hayward. She assembled a stellar cast of some of New York’s finest players to join her on the album, including guitarist Gerry Leonard (David Bowie, Duncan Sheik) and drummer Doug Yowell (Suzanne Vega, Duncan Sheik).

Produced by Jeff Eyrich, bassist and producer for Dave’s True Story, Drive All Night doesn't leave Flint’s previous musical life entirely behind; you can still hear the combination of hope and world-weariness, blue moods and gossamer balladry that helped make that group indie darlings. But this album adds another string to Flint’s bow, and establishes her as a distinct musical entity, ultimately reliant on nothing but her own artistic road map.

Kelly Flint – Drive All Night – BePop Records Release Date: February 27, 2007 www.KellyFlint.com