SIRSY – One of a Kind Duo

SIRSY’s Melanie Krahmer & Richard Libutti

The other night I met some friends at a local gathering spot in Jupiter, Florida, known for its music.  Every so often, should the urge hit me, I will head out to listen to new bands.  My friend invited me to go listen to a band called SIRSY and although I never heard of them, I trusted my friend for her musical instincts and good taste.

Melanie Krahmer

The band is actually a duo out of Saratoga, New York.  Yet, the interesting thing about SIRSY (named after Melanie’s childhood nickname) is the audience is treated to the sound of a full band.  I am all too familiar with trying to put a band together with all the essential pieces: lead and rhythm guitar, bass, drums and of course, great vocals.  It is hard to pull it off sometimes without a tight rhythmic section and a good band is only as strong as the lead singer.

It is refreshing when you hear a band that is both original and pleasing to the ears.  I was surprised to hear this duo perform their own arrangements and do so with a charismatic and energetic approach on stage.  Melanie Krahmer is the lead vocalist and percussionist.  To say this lady has strong vocals would be an understatement.  Melanie can flat out sing.  She utilizes a sampler pad for bass parts with her drum stick and incorporates flute in certain arrangements.  Her ability to sing while playing drums at the same time would make many bands jealous.

As for the rhythm and lead play, Richard Libutti puts it all together with a blend of his Rikenbacker electric guitar solos and his effects pedals.  His styles vary from reggae, blues and rock rhythms.  He makes fine use of special effects on his pedal board,  that compliment each arrangement and plays bass with his feet.

Richard Libutti

SIRSY plays its own mix of blues, rock and alternative tunes. Whether you prefer the original upbeat tunes such as “Lionheart” or “Revolution”,  to a catchy ballad  “Brave and Kind”, there is something here to please everyone in the audience. Most importantly, what these two musicians do together is have fun playing music.  You can see it during their performance. So in addition to buying their latest CD, you might want to see them live when they come to your area.

Check for their tour schedule at www.SIRSY.com.

 

 

avatar

About fretmentor

Born in Detroit, Michigan, David F. Jakubiak has been involved in music since the age of 7, beginning as a clarinet player and then at 9 turning his attention to stringed instruments. He earned trophies in group talent competitions while a student at the University of Michigan. The instructor earned a BA degree in Organizational Psychology from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Public Administration at the University of Kansas. At college, he also studied classical music and music history. His passion is teaching music and in performing as a musician. In addition to on-stage performances, David has played in various venues from outdoor festivals to small nightclubs. He plays, performs and teaches various styles of music, including rock, pop, blues, jazz, classical, country and bluegrass styles. He performs and teaches acoustic and electric guitar, five-string banjo, and mandolin. His styles range from Scruggs, melodic, Reno and old-time style on banjo, to finger-style and flat-picking technique on guitar, to various styles of mandolin. For over 45 years, Mr. Jakubiak has taught all age groups, taking a personal interest in each student to ensure that they receive the attention and lesson plans that meet their needs and interests. His lessons and instructional materials place a strong emphasis on the practical use or music theory to ensure that the student understands the instrument and learns how to improvise to develop their own style. Mr Jakubiak teaches group and studio classes, webcam lessons over the internet, and individual private lessons to students of various ages. He has compiled and produced eight instructional books on CD as well as numerous instrumental arrangements. David has written for Banjo Newsletter, a monthly publication for the banjo enthusiast and has published an article in Issue #37 of the Fretboard Journal. He is the founder of www.fretmentor.com. To contact David Jakubiak, please feel free to e-mail him at david AT fretmentor.com (substitute the @ sign for the word AT)
This entry was posted in Other, Reviews, Uncategorized and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *