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phildarosa

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Hometown	Oak Bluffs, MA
Genres	Folk, Rock
Band Members	Phil DaRosa - Lead Vox/Guitar
Achievements
Upcoming Shows	None

Contact Information:	Artist / Band Member Phil DaRosa philipdarosa@gmail.com 413 265 5064
# Years Experience Performing Live:	10
# Live Perfomances Past Six-months:	100
Market Draw:	Boston: 51-75; NYC: 76-100; Martha's Vineyard: 201-250; Northampton, MA: 51-75
Venue History:	Nectars - Edgartown, MA Union Chapel - Oak Bluffs, MA
Performing Rights Society:	BMI
Discography:	AWAY EP—2010; Better Days LP—2007

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About the Artist

In the great tradition of James Taylor, Paul McCartney and Paul Simon of years past and Dave Matthews, Josh Groban and Adam Levine of the current age, Phil DaRosa is a gifted songwriter, producer and vocalist whose innovative approach to what can be...

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Music

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Achievements

SoulFest 2008 Performance

July 2008 Acoustic

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Press Coverage

AllMusic.com CD Review - 2008 by by Greg Prato
Acoustic guitar-based songs once served as a mere detour for rock bands to show off their sensitive side before returning back to mega-amped rock & roll. But somewhere along the way, artists emerged -- most obviously, Dave Matthews -- who made the instrument a constant and crucial ingredient of their identifiable sound. And singer/guitarist Phil DaRosa certainly specializes in this style, as evidenced by his solo debut, Better Days. Equal parts Matthews and John Mayer, you get an album's worth of acoustic guitar-led ditties that alternate between introspective ("Short Breath"), funky ("Better Way"), pop-like (the album opener "Wouldn't I Like"), and quirky -- in an Edie Brickell & New Bohemians sorta way ("Inspiration"). Better Days shows that the granola-chomping/Birkenstock-sporting crowd now have a new heartthrob on their hands -- Mr. Phil DaRosa.

On His Own by by Kendra Thurlow - The Valley Advocate
Singer/songwriter Phil DaRosa, formerly of Bathtub Mary and The Frame, sets out solo. It’s all about his voice. His guitar skills are excellent and his songwriting ability is above average, but his throaty, soulful voice is what makes singer/songwriter Philip DaRosa stand out in a crowd. DaRosa, who’s got long, shiny brown hair and, most of the time, a layer of scruff which gives his boyish good looks a gritty quality, was born and raised on Martha’s Vineyard. He’s now a bona fide Northampton musician, having been a part of the successful—its songs are still played on regional and college radio stations around the country—local band Bathtub Mary, then in groups that were “Bathtub Mary re-tooled.” The latest of those groups is The Frame, featuring lead singer and guitarist DaRosa, bassist Jackson Smith and lead guitarist and vocalist Jeremy Milligan, both former Bathtub Mary-ites, and drummer Sturgis Cunningham of the Patiokings. DaRosa has also played numerous solo gigs, often as an opening act for musicians including Roger Saloom, jazz wonder Leah Randazzo, Shokazoba and Raq. DaRosa began his love affair with music while he was still in short pants, taking up the saxophone in elementary school. DaRosa was a typical band geek—he sang in choir, played in the band, and in high school was a member of his school’s elite musical group, the Minnie Singers. A member of that group introduced DaRosa to the guitar in eleventh grade. The musician began writing his own songs while attending Keene State College, where he received a bachelor’s degree in music theory and composition. His early tunes were a product of his journal entries. DaRosa began rhyming verses in his diary, then setting them to music. Sometimes, almost magically, a whole song comes to DaRosa at once. “It’s super hard to have spontaneous inspiration all the time,” says DaRosa. “What’s funny is that the feedback from people is more positive on those organic songs than the ones that I put my heart and soul into. People react to that spontaneity, and it’s special.” After years of playing and composing music with a host of musicians, DaRosa has decided to channel his efforts into pursuing his solo career. “It’s mainly about freedom,” says DaRosa. “But it’s also about the band name situation. We’ve been through all these other band names.” Also, after acting as booking agent and publicist as well as front man for most of the acts he’s a part of, DaRosa began to wonder “why the band wasn’t just called the Phil DaRosa band.” He decided to create just that. His debut solo album (DaRosa is leaning toward calling it Better Days) is slated to be released in early September, after which DaRosa will embark on a tour of the Northeast, holding release parties in Northampton, Boston, New York and elsewhere. A portion of the sale proceeds will be donated to charity. “[I want to give] enough so that it makes a difference, but not too much that I can’t make a living,” says DaRosa. The new album is filled with songs that may make listeners wonder why the guitarist/singer waited so long to embark on this endeavor. DaRosa looks to his earlier influences, like Ani DiFranco and Dave Matthews, as well as his current ones, including Ray LaMontagne, Cold Play and Death Cab for Cutie as inspiration for his upcoming CD. The disc includes songs like “IZMS,” a gritty anthem reminiscent of an ‘80s rock ballad with far less instrumentation. In “So the Story Goes,” reggae-style guitar licks frolic in the background while DaRosa’s voice gets husky and raw around the edges as he sings about life in a very Seinfeldian manner. But it’s in DaRosa’s slow songs that the layers of his soul are peeled back like an artichoke. In “Scent of Sage,” a song that is at times laid back and at times driving, his rich voice hits all the notes with a rare precision. A listen on DaRosa’s website, especially to his cover of Ray LaMontagne’s cover of Niles Barkley’s Crazy, quickly reveals a voice that has stayed in the wings for far too long. While his impending album will feature songs with more instrumentation, DaRosa’s bare-bones tunes posted online allow listeners the chance to hear him at his best: alone and unadorned.• For more information on Phil DaRosa visit: www.phildarosa.com, www.myspace.com/philipdarosa or www.tightrecords.com.

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