WERS 88.9 fm Performance Wrap-Up: Hey Mama In-Studio

March 22^nd, 2010

WERS welcomed Cambridge-based Hey Mama ahead of their upcoming five week tour in support of their self-titled album, Hey Mama. The band is made up of lead vocalist, Celia Woodsmith, vocalist and guitarist, Avi Salloway, Paul Chase on bass, and Jared Seabrook on drums.

Hey Mama was running a tad late due to good ol' Bostonian traffic, but made it in due time. Upon entering the studio, Salloway executed a full body stretch, doing what looked to be some kind of Eastern yoga poses in the hallway facing Tremont Street, proving that warming up isn't always specific to the instruments.

Lead vocalist, Woodsmith prepared her pipes during the traditional sound check and even the engineer behind the mixing boards commented on how fantastic her first run through sounded. Woodsmith has a sultry and powerful voice that ruminates with listeners long after she finishes singing.

Hey Mama started the set with "Bull Woman Blues," a song with a gritty classic rock 'n' roll vibe. Woodsmith belted away while Salloway rocked his electric guitar with an unpolished-yet-refined sound.

The second song "The Most," was written by Woodsmith and she enthusiastically commented, "This song is about love makin'!" With sensual lyrics like, "Touch me with your fingers, touch me with your toes, make love with the window open, so everybody knows…" it's hard to fight her on that exclamation. This piece had less of a rock 'n' roll feel and more of an indie/pop-rock tone to it. No one complained.

The foursome closed with a song written by Salloway, "Runnin' Back to My Love." It seems that Salloway and Woodsmith take the lead in this band, which comes as no surprise, because the band was originally a twosome that went by "Avi and Celia." This number opened with a smooth, ebbing and flowing electric guitar and both Salloway and Woodsmith harmonized hypnotically during the chorus.

These two cats seem to have a great thing going. Of course Chase and Seabrook play just as integral a role, however, Salloway and Woodsmith truly connect while performing in a way that can't be ignored. Also notable was Salloway's gnarly guitar solo toward the closing of "Runnin' Back to My Love." As he shredded away, Woodsmith got her groove on in studio, entertaining herself, WERS staff and her band mates.

Hey Mama is fairly new on the scene and the quartet deserves some serious credit. If you dig soulful vocals, Jimi Hendrix-esque guitar shrills and honest to God soul, the self-titled Hey Mama should be your next purchase.

-Words and images by Jacquelin Voegtlin