Miss Tess and Bon Ton Parade  9/20

Miss Tess is a young, Boston-based songwriter, whose “Modern Vintage” sound bridges eras and genres. True to the tradition, her vocals can soar or caress as she strums and picks her way through an array of styles, from ragtime, to blues; country, to swing. Tess writes songs with the folk sensibilities of a troubadour that engage roots-devotees and newcomers alike. A typical set conjures a cast of dreamers and lovers, down on their luck and charming their ways in and out of trouble, with familiar faces mingling in the crowd, courtesy of folks like Bessie Smith and Tom Waits—perpetual muses to her style.  A small career breakthrough came for Tess this past November when she won the 27th biannual Open Mic Shootout at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA. As the winner, she performed on the 2008 Cayamo music cruise with headliners Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett.