Album Notes

Bonnie Koloc’s new studio CD “Here To Sing” is an eclectic mix of folk tunes, blues and ballads, many written by Bonnie and arranged by Bonnie and her long-time friend and multi-talented musician Howard Levy (www.levyland.com) who also was the creative producer. Howard accompanies Bonnie on many tracks on piano, harmonica and mandolin, along with Chris Siebold on guitar, Steve Eisen on sax, Don Stille on accordion, Larry Kohut on bass and Fox Fehling on violin and fiddle. In addition to her own songs, most of which have not been recorded before, Bonnie included two songs written by Chuck Suchy, the talented North Dakota singer-songwriter, as well as a classic Willie Dixon blues tune and two well-known ballads.

“Here To Sing” is the twelfth recording of Bonnie’s career, following the 2004 release of “Timeless”, a double CD of selections from live performances and “A Bestiary ...quot; Beasts of the Farm” an art book and CD, also released in 2004. All three are available at cdbaby.

Bonnie first became known in the Chicago folk music scene in the 1970s, as she, along with such other notables as Steve Goodman, John Prine, and Fred Holstein, filled the clubs, often with long lines waiting for the second or third shows. There Bonnie, with her remarkable and powerful voice, broadened her folk-oriented style by incorporating blues and jazz influences. She became known as the Queen of Chicago folk music and began to tour nationally.

In the 1980s Bonnie moved to New York and appeared on stage in several musical productions including an award-winning lead role in Joseph Papp’s “A Human Comedy”.
Returning to the Midwest in 1987, she pursued her interest in visual art as well as music, completing her college degree, and working in a variety of visual media as well as continuing to do concerts and recordings including “With You On My Side” (Flying Fish/Rounder) and “Visual Voice”(Naim). In 1997 she wrote and performed “Trashmania”, a one-woman show featuring music and art. The 2004 release “A Bestiary - Beasts of the Farm” is a book of block prints and accompanying CD exemplifying her interest and ability to meld visual art and music.

For more about Bonnie, visit Bonnie’s website, www.bonniekoloc.com.