margo hennebach
Recordings
PHOTO: Chris Saunders
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PHOTO: Chris Saunders
Buying CDs directly from artists is the best way to support them.
CDs are becoming collectables.
Order directly from us via any shopping cart icon.
Thanks for your continued support.
“Hennebach’s music is gritty and glamorous along with being awesome and accessible. With her on piano and Saunders on strings, Hennebach’s soaring vocals present uplifting takes on love of all types. And Big Love…is big fun as the two have created a seamless project that wonderfully succeeds in offering inspiration, appreciation, hope and faith.” — James Guyette, The Cleveland Free Times, WRUW
Big Love is Margo’s third album on 1-800 Prime CD and the striking follow up to Margo Hennebach and Michaelean. In Big Love Hennebach and Saunders explore different aspects of love, from romantic love to the complicated love between a daughter and father–“You were a miner all your life/But I never made you mine”–to something they call Big Love, the act of cultivating compassion–“Crude is surface, just have patience/Sinners will in time become saints/Watch for wild and willing angels/They will touch you with big love.”
Big Love was co-produced by Jim Chapdelaine, Mark Saunders, and Margo Hennebach and features guest appearances by artists including Cliff Eberhardt, Seth Farber, and Stephen Nystrup and Stephanie Winters (The Nudes).
Margo: vocal, acoustic guitar, piano, organ Mark: vocal, acoustic guitar, feedback dobro, slide guitar, electric guitar, cymbal Tyler Van Ostrand: bass on “After All”, “Big Love”, “Prince”, fretless bass on “Home At Last” John Peckman: djembe, shekere, shakers, cymbals on “After All”, djembe on “Preacher Hill”, drums on “Big Love”, “Home At Last”, “Prince” Dan McNamara: alto sax on “After All” Seth Farber: accordion on “Preacher Hill” Marshal Rosenberg: cymbals, tchotchkes on “Preacher Hill”, congas, tambourine, film can & cymbals on “Charlie & April”, triangle, cymbals on “Something So Special”, congas, bongos, shaker & cymbals on “Miner’s Daughter” Joe Grieco: background vocals on “Prince” Jim Chapdelaine: EBow guitar on “As I Roved Out”, electric guitar on “Big Love” and “Prince”, highstrung guitar on “Something So Special” Diane Chodkowski: harmony vocal on “Charlie & April” Stephanie Winters: cello on “Miner’s Daughter” Margo, Mark & Jim: Net No Nehs on “After All” Jim & Mark: drum loops on “As I Roved Out” Jim Chapdelaine, Steve Nystrup, Ed McKeon, Tom Martello, Mark Hand clapping, Finger snapping Big Guys: on “Big Love”
“Hennebach has enough personality and talent to stand out in the long line of pianist singer/songwriters. Her clear, high voice holds special appeal, and her songwriting is full of exquisitely observed detail.” — Steve Holtje, Huh Magazine
Michaelean is the stunning follow-up to Margo Hennebach’s self-titled debut. Dubbed “the piano album”, Margo shares with her listeners a deep exploration of her celtic influences as well as more personal experiences. Dedicated to her family, the title track is about her sister, who like Margo, was adopted as an infant. “I was struck by my sister’s drive to know who she was before she was adopted, and her relief at discovering the name she had been given at birth. This name was Michaelean. During the course of recording this project, I too searched for my birth name and birth mother. Sadly I learned that she passed away in 1981, but I did find out that she was an aspiring writer, and that she played and taught piano, voice, and flute.”
Michaelean was produced by Dave Seitz, and features guest appearances by many artists including Denny McDermott (Steely Dan), Michael Visceglia (Suzanne Vega), Stephanie Winters (The Nudes), and of course, Madwoman in the Attic.
Margo: vocal, piano, keyboard, acoustic guitar, synth, Carol Sharar: violin on “I Don’t Sing”, Viola on “Michaelean”, “She Moved Through The Fair”, Mark Saunders: acoustic and electric guitars on “I Don’t Sing”, acoustic guitar on “Mercy”, electric guitar on “Dotted Line”, “All That You Are”, Michael Visceglia: bass on “I Don’t Sing”, “The Fisherman’s Wife”, “Mercy”, “Sandgate Dandling”, “Dotted Line”, Mark Dann: drum programming on “I Don’t Sing”, upright bass on “Paper Cuts”, Marshal Rosenberg: cymbals, bongos, triangle on “I Don’t Sing”, cymbals on “Michaelean”, percussion on “Fireflies and Windows”, congas, cymbals on “Mercy”, cymbals, congas, toys on “Paper Cuts”, percussion on “Dotted Line”, cymbals, film can on “She Moved Through The Fair”, Stephanie Winters: cello on “Michaelean”, “Remembering”, “Paper Cuts”, Mindy Jostyn: harmonica, background vocals on “Fireflies and Windows”, violin on “Sandgate Dandling”, Gregg Marks: electric guitar on “Fireflies and Windows”, Dan Krimm: bass on “Fireflies and Windows”, “All That You Are”, “She Moved Through The Fair”, fretless bass on “The Fisherman’s Wife”, Denny McDermott: drums on “Fireflies and Windows”, “Mercy”, “Sandgate Dandling”, “Dotted Line”, Tim Carbone: electric violin on “The Fisherman’s Wife”, violin on “Mercy”, Barb Merjan: drums, percussion on “The Fisherman’s Wife”, Paul Kovit: Mandolin on “Sandgate Dandling”, guitar, mandolin on “She Moved Through The Fair”, Greg Gerson: flute on “Sandgate Dandling”, “She Moved Through The Fair”, David Liebowitz: military snare on “Sandgate Dandling”, Madwoman in the Attic (Margo, Adrienne Jones, Diane Chodkowski): harmony vocals on “The Fisherman’s Wife”, Madwomen in the Attic and Janice Kollar: vocals on “All That You Are”.
“A sensitive and brilliant musician who is often compared to Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush, yet I think that she’s more than the two of them combined…and she has created a superb anthology of touching, sensitive, gracefully human songs. [Margo Hennebach and Michaelean] are two of the best albums I heard this year! Highly praised and recommended.” — Stavros Moschopoulos, FAO CASA Gazette,
Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N., Rome, Italy
Inspired in part by her work as a music therapist on a pediatric oncology unit, Margo Hennebach’s self-titled debut album gives listeners an introduction to Margo’s quirky writing, wide-ranging vocals, and exquisite musicality. Falling somewhere between Kate Bush and Joni Mitchell in its sensibilities, this album is, in the words of Jim Caligiuri, CMJ New Music Report, “an engaging collection of folk infused with pop smarts. Alternately accompanying her bright attractive vocals with guitar and keyboards. Hennebach creates simple, effective backdrops for her heartfelt yet never trite lyrics…Her songs possess a contemporary feel that should earn her a wide audience. Give a listen for a taste of a new talent with vast potential.”
Margo Hennebach includes Caledonia, Talk to Me Like the Rain, Have You Ever Seen an Angel, and Winter Snows, and 8 other songs.
“Hennebach’s ability to convey an authentic sense of tradition with elegant simplicity and tonal grace carries the true sense of the songs and carols over every barrier. [“Comfort and Joy”] is an inevitable collector’s treasure.”
Gary Alexander — Woodstock Times, Dec 10, 1998
“More Christmas Cheer. A newly released Christmas CD from the Oberlin grad/vocalist Margo Hennebach and instrumentalist Mark Saunders, Comfort and Joy (1-800-Prime CD), wonderfully succeeds in overcoming any intergenerational issues that often strike holiday efforts from contemporary artists: Aggressive re-arrangements of favorite carols may greatly please fans eager to escape any hint of schmaltz, but unfamiliar takes on traditional tunes can easily send Grandma fleeing. Not so here; Comfort and Joy provides a most pleasant comfort level for all ages. The musicianship, production quality and arrangements from this New England-based duo are top-notch and the harmonies, guitar, violin and piano elements are moving. The crystal-clear renditions bring to mind a spirited caroling concert at a candle-lit country church, while at the same time keeping up with this generation’s affinity for state-of-the-art quality. Among the pieces are “God Rest You Merry,” “We Three Kings,” “Joy To the World,” and “I Saw Three Ships.” An instrumental Irish medley is included along with a wonderful Czech carol called “Rocking” and two original compositions from Hennebach and Saunders that feel traditional. A Hennebach watercolor graces the cover, and the music inside combines the best of modern production values with old-time tradition.” James E. Guyette — WRUW-FM/The Cleveland Free Times
“On a more seasonal note, we mentioned a couple of weeks ago that singer/pianist Margo Hennebach would be releasing a Christmas disc with her husband and guitarist Mark Saunders. That CD, Comfort and Joy, was released independently last week, and it’s one of the most interesting holiday discs I’ve heard. Digitally recorded at Hennebach and Saunders’ Bloomfield home, these songs are big-sounding gems, with two originals accompanying old standards ranging from English to classical and Czechoslovakian tunes.”
“The Hennebach/Saunders combination incorporates a distinct rock edge to these folk-oriented songs, giving them an extra sparkle. The two trade vocals and sing harmonies on an exquisite guitar-based version of John Henry Hopkins’ “We Three Kings,” which includes violin by Katie Lansdale. The effect is both calming and inspirational. For information on Hennebach/Saunders, write to Fireflies & Windows Music, PO Box 7511, Bloomfield, CT 06002 [or call 1-800 Prime CD].” —Michael Marciano, Hartford Advocate, Dec 17, 1998
Margo: vocals, keyboard and piano Mark: vocals, acoustic guitar and glockenspeil Katie Lansdale: violin on “We Three Kings”.
Stay informed of upcoming gigs and new studio releases from both Margo Hennebach and the band.