Doug, Michael and Sylvia all love to sing. They believe harmony singing is sometimes a neglected aspect of performances. It was Sylvia who conceived the idea of bringing these three together. She felt that her voice, along with Michael's clear tenor, and Doug's deep bass would provide an interesting mesh of sounds.  Thus the concept of this unique group of singers was born.


This will be their debut performance as a trio. They each bring a variety of songs with them, and are focusing on those that lend themselves to harmonies and rich choruses. They come from a wide array of sources including the Irish, English and Scottish traditions, to music hall and traditional Americana, and even some French Canadian mouth music!  These songs lend themselves to audience participation so a wonderful evening of sharing these unusual arrangements is promised. Michael and Sylvia will also do some accompaniment on guitar, cittern and banjo.

An Evening of Harmony Michael Black, Sylvia Herold & Doug Olsen
 

  1. BulletInvitations required.

Performance: Saturday December 8, 2012, 7:00 PM

Michael Black

Michael Black is a member of Ireland’s foremost family of singers, which includes sisters, Mary and Frances, as well as brothers, Shay and Martin. He comes from a musical family as both his parents were also accomplished singers.  He has performed on numerous occasions with his siblings, and more regularly with his brother, Shay. He has recorded a number of albums with the family, but also brought out a Grammy-nominated album entitled Michael Black.  It was produced by guitar virtuoso, John Doyle, and received wide acclaim in the Irish and traditional music circles.  Michael draws from a very wide repertoire of songs and accompanies himself on guitar, cittern and banjo. When not singing or teaching singing he lectures in Sociology in the Kinesiology department at San Francisco State University.


Sylvia Herold

"...a mesmerizing voice.”

—San Francisco Examiner

 

Sylvia Herold is a singer’s singer. At home in folk, swing, pop and Celtic genres, her passion is discovering and sharing the tale a song can tell. Her hard work in researching, performing and recording compelling songs for more than 25 years has earned her accolades from fans and press alike.

 

In her considerable tenure on the San Francisco Bay Area music scene, Herold has played and toured with Cats & Jammers, The Hot Club of San Francisco, Wake the Dead, and Euphonia. She is an accomplished recording artist, having released five CDs: The Spider and the Fly (2012) The Old Jawbone (2009), Lovely Nancy (2005), A Mockingbird Sings in California (2001) and A Bowl of Crystal Tears (1997) and has appeared on more than 25 albums alongside artists such as Kathy Kallick, Tom Rozum and Laurie Lewis.

 

Doug Olsen

Doug Olsen has been singing as long as he can remember.  After a mis-spent youth in the church choir, in 1973 he helped found the East Bay á capella trio Oak Ash & Thorn.  Since 1999, he has frequently been the designated singer at dance camps on both coasts.  In addition, he has choreographed numerous Morris Dances with San Francisco’s Goat Hill Morris, and has produced performances for the longsword team Ring of Cold Steel.  He lives in Oakland with his wife, occasional daughters, and far too many cats.

(Left to right; Doug Olsen, Sylvia Herold and Michael Black)