Interview with Michael LaMacchia and Lynn Asher

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by Maria Caravati

michaellamacchia.jpg

August 12, 2008 in my courtyard, Kenosha, WI.

I thought it would be really cool to have Michael LaMacchia interviewed for Expose Kenosha while he was in town performing. So Francisco asked ME to write it since Michael is my cousin. My first attempt so here it goes…………..

Maria — Thank you Michael and Lynn for taking time from your busy schedule while you are in Kenosha to meet with me.

Michael — Thank you.

Maria — SO great having you back home in Kenosha Michael. How does it feel playing in your home town?

Michael — It feels great. I was maybe nervous the very first time, about 4 years ago, but I’m feeling really confident about the band and how we’re playing.

Maria — What have you been up to since you’ve been home? Spending lots of time hanging out with family? You came several days before the band arrived.

Michael — Yes, I especially wanted to spend time with my Mom and Dad. My Mom almost died this year so its really important for me be with them as much as possible.

The rest of the band arrived yesterday, which consists of singer and co-writer of most of the songs the band performs, Lynn Asher. At drums is Andy Dillard and at bass guitar Rob Fordyce.

Maria — How and when did you meet Lynn?

Michael — Lynn and I met a little more than a year ago. We met at a casual setting in the Bay area. I invited her to
sing with the band I was playing with at the time. I think we felt really comfortable musically immediately. Our meeting and musical collaboration was also a spiritual evolution for me. Lynn and I put an incredibly talented new band together, and now have some great momentum going. She and I co-write the songs, as a matter of fact “Waiting” was the first song we wrote together which is on the Evolution CD we recorded live just months after forming as a group.

You can hear “Waiting” on line from the web site www.michaellamacchia.com I listened to it while writing the interview. I am not a music critic, but the sultry, mellow voice of Asher and Michael’s pure guitar playing sounds truly like a spiritual connection indeed.

Maria — How long have you been playing guitar Michael?

Michael — I started when I was about 17, so……oh wow, almost 30 years I would have to say I was self-taught since I have had formal training just about 2 years.

Maria — Did you always know or feel that you wanted to be a professional musician? Did you always know you would “make it?”

Michael — I always knew I wanted to play guitar and be able to make a living at it. I now am able to do that. Our band plays about 3-4 times a week and I have the school Crossroads, where I also teach. So I’m very busy doing what I love most. Fame and fortune was never my goal, but to do what I love and make a living at it was. I worked in management for Whole Foods in SanFrancisco when I first moved there but now I am able to be completely focused on the band, writing music, performing and my students of Crossroads. We also have side bands which are pretty successful too, so we are all pretty busy musicians.

Maria — To what do you attribute your musical success?

Michael — It was lots of hard work. It took developing a good relationship with the local music community(San Francisco). I went out and promoted my music like crazy and never took anything good for granted.

Maria– Lynn, who were your musical influences? And who do you have in your CD player now?

Lynn –Lucinda Williams, Norah Jones. Right now I probably have in my cd player Led Zeppelin or Patty Griffith. I was inspired by Willie Nelson too for songwriting. So many talented musicians from many genres of music. Country, rock, blues.

Maria — And you are able focus exclusively on music also, right?

Lynn — Yes I write music for the band, have a side band, and teach at Crossroads. I call myself a voice and performance coach.

Maria — And you Michael? What are you listening to?

Michael — Pat Methany, John Coltrane for jazz. But I listen to all kinds of music from blues to what we’re hearing right now. (I had Buena Vista Social Club on in the house)

Maria– What genre would you describe your songwriting?

Lynn — Well, we combine my country/rock/blues influence with Michael’s world music influences and it’s really a wonderful synergy.

Maria– Where do you play in California?

Michael — We play Sweetwater Station in Larkspur and the Freight and Salvage Coffee House, which has been around since 1968. We play all different kinds of venues namely clubs and coffee houses.

Lynn — Yea, they’re great coffee houses with live music. Musicians love to play these places. We’ll be playing at at Freight and Salvage in September with a special guest performance by Rebecca Riots. She’s really a great musician. And Sweetwater is actually the first place I performed in front of a live audience about 15 years ago.

Maria — Are you planning on coming back and performing more frequently in Kenosha, Milwaukee and Chicago areas?

Michael — Yes. This is our establishing trip. I’d love for us to play in Chicago and Milwaukee, but also Madison.

The band is hoping to release their second CD in mid-September. One thing is certain, with Michael’s guitar playing ability ranging from flamenco to jazz, Lynn’s sultry smooth voice and beautiful lyrics, with the lead coming from Andy on drums and Rob with bass, it’s surely going to be favorite of my CD collection.


Aug 16, 2008

I was able to listen and watch the band perform at Anderson Jazz Fest, Pazzo, and Wine Knot. Kenosha was so fortunate to have had this caliber music perform for us. They wowed the audiences each night with their beautiful talent.

“Please come back soon Michael, Lynn, Andy and Rob!!”

1 comment so far ↓

#1 Kate Fallucca on 08.25.08 at 11:35 am

Great first article, Maria. It’s fun to interview and write about someone you know. It gives you an opportunity to learn things about them that you didn’t. They have a wonderful variety of familiar and original material and play in a style that us 40-somethings like to listen to. Great sittin-around-in-the-grass music.

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