Cecilia (band)
Cecilia | |
|---|---|
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Members | Laura Veltz Allison Veltz Jeannie Veltz Drew Veltz Ken Veltz |
Cecilia is a pop-rock band based in New York. The band was originally from the Washington, DC area, but now all band members live in Astoria, Queens. While not a religious group, the band chose the name Cecilia from Saint Cecilia, patron saint of music and of the blind.
History
The band was formed by the members of the Veltz family, living in Vienna, Virginia in 1998 when Laura, Allison and Drew Veltz began performing songs at local venues that had previously been written by their father, Kenneth Veltz. The group was originally an acoustic trio, playing local open mic gigs with Drew playing guitar for his sisters. When the family's financials were in a downturn, the band became the family business and Kenneth and mother Jeannie joined their children on drums and vocals, respectively. The group moved to New York in 2000. That same year they recorded Live at Zig's at two live performances in August, which was released in 2001. After a string of temporary bassists, Cecilia added Kevin Jacoby in late 2000. Cecilia was in negotiations to join Blackbird Records an affiliate of Atlantic Records just before the merger of AOL and Time Warner, which ended Blackbird's affiliation with Atlantic. This led to Cecilia being signed by Atlantic Records in early 2001.
In the aftermath of September 11th the group recorded an EP entitled September in tribute to the firefighters lost. They donated the proceeds from the album sales to firefighter charities and the group devoted much of their work in benefit of firefighters at that time. After disagreements with Atlantic, the group parted ways with the label in the fall of 2002 before recording an album. The EP Off The Record (album) contains demo cuts for that never-recorded album. That same fall the band played a series of acoustic shows in the window of the Manhattan Theatre Source and later released a live album from those performances. In 2004 the band recorded their first complete studio album, This, through the help of fan funding. The band announced in late January 2006 that Kevin Jacoby would be leaving the band and at this time the final version of This has not yet been released.
Cecilia has toured extensively on the eastern coast of the United States, with regular performances in both New York and Washington, DC areas. Cecilia has shared the stage with other Virginia acts including Virginia Coalition, Pat McGee Band and Tim Reynolds, and had performed at the legendary Wetlands Preserve before its closing in 2001.
Music
The band's pop music sound is focused around the three-part vocal harmonies provided by lead singers Laura and Allison along with backing vocals by their mother Jeannie, which are reminiscent of the Indigo Girls and Mariah Carey. The vocals are supported by Drew's catchy lead guitar riffs, often evoking Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds comparisons and Kevin Jacoby's melodic bass lines, often in the style of Fleetwood Mac's John McVie. Patriarch Ken plays drums as well as adding vocals and guitar parts (often simultaneously). Ken is known for playing a bare-bones "street kit" that includes a Djembe as an all-purpose drum.
The band's current lineup consists of:
- Laura Veltz - songwriter, lead vocal, rhythm guitar, accordion, percussion
- Allison Veltz - lead vocal, percussion
- Jeannie Veltz - vocals, percussion
- Drew Veltz - lead guitar
- Ken Veltz - songwriter, drums, guitar, vocals
Discography
- 1999 - It Just Doesn't Matter
- 1999 - Kitchen Mix
- 2001 - Live @ Zig's
- 2002 - September
- 2002 - Off The Record
- 2003 - Live @ The Source
- 2004 - This (pre-released in 2004, full release still pending)
Trivia
- Allison and Laura lend their vocals to the Pat McGee Band track "Shady" from the band's 2004 release, Save Me.
- Before Kevin Jacoby joined the band, Drew would play bass on some songs while Ken simultaneously played drums and guitar, while singing background vocals. Ken still does this for some songs.
- Upon the announcement that Kevin Jacoby was leaving the band will be "taking some time to re-configure the band."