Left Field's musical content is difficult to characterize. Their non-original repertory reflects a broad sweep of musical interests, including (but not limited to), American traditional music, gospel, jazz, and contemporary pop.
Their original songs make up roughly two thirds of their concert material and cut a wide swath across a great variety of musical forms and subject matter -- from social commentary ("Hunter-Gatherer"), to historical subjects ("Father Abraham"), to political satire ("My Favorite Sons"), to songs that offer keen insight into the troubled waters of interpersonal relationships ("Let's Get Old and Cranky"), as well as the psychological plight of the aging hippie ("Billions of Brain Cells Ago").
Much of their material features 3 and 4 part vocal harmony , accompanied by keyboard, guitar and other instruments of indeterminate pitch. Left Field is Bill Neely, Liz Emmert, Deborah Griffin Bly, and Bill Bly.
Left Field has contributed several original tracks to the monthly compilation of contemporary songwriters, The Fast Folk Musical Magazine, edited by Jack Hardy.
This series was recently digitized and archived in the Folkways collection at the Smithsonian Institution, and CDs can be obtained at
The group appears regularly as part of the Minstrel Coffeehouse concert series in Morristown, NJ, produced by the Folk Project.
Left Field has appeared regularly on Princeton University's WPRB-FM as guests on the weekly series Music You Can't Hear On the Radio, hosted by John Weingart, most recently doing a webcast of three musical reports on the 2000 Presidential Election, and an April Fool's Day special on Science & Technology.
BLURBS
"LEFT FIELD does not fit neatly into one musical category, but they appeal to a wide variety of musical tastes. People hearing them for the first time always leave delighted, often expressing surprise that music so unusual and so good can still be known by so few." -- John Weingart, host of Music You Can't Hear on the Radio (WPRB-FM, Princeton, NJ)
"LEFT FIELD'S name is very appropriate to their music... they do mostly their own warped compositions...with wry humor and great four-part harmonies." -- Minstrel Coffeehouse, Basking Ridge, NJ
"LEFT FIELD is a zany and super-talented group. They do an amazing variety of songs... riotous political numbers...gospel and other traditional songs... lovely ballads. LEFT FIELD is highly recommended! If they're in your neighborhood, don't miss them." -- Concert review, New York Pinewoods Folk Music Club Newsletter
"LEFT FIELD is quite possibly the best choice of a name for a band I've seen in ages... insane, but delightful." -- East Coast Rocker
"Wacky, irreverent, wonderfully entertaining." -- Folk Music Society of Northern New Jersey
"LEFT FIELD features a unique blend of satirical, humorous and evocative songs... unmistakably original." -- Speak Easy, NYC
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