Cecilia (band)
Encyclopedia
Cecilia is a pop-rock band based in New York. The band was originally from the Washington, D.C.
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.
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 11 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.
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:
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
area, but now all band members live in Astoria, Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
. While not a religious group, the band chose the name Cecilia from Saint Cecilia
Saint Cecilia
Saint Cecilia is the patroness of musicians and Church music because as she was dying she sang to God. It is also written that as the musicians played at her wedding she "sang in her heart to the Lord". St. Cecilia was an only child. Her feast day is celebrated in the Roman Catholic, Anglican,...
, patron saint of music and of the blind.
History
The band was formed by the members of the Veltz family, living in Vienna, VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
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
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
just before the merger of AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
and Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
, which ended Blackbird's affiliation with Atlantic. This led to Cecilia being signed by Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in early 2001.
In the aftermath of September 11 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
Manhattan Theatre Source
The Manhattan Theatre Source is an Off-Off-Broadway not for profit art service organization located in Manhattan near Washington Square Park. A café and art gallery occupy the lower level of "The Source", a 160 year old brick building, while the upper story contains a library and the theatre proper...
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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with regular performances in both New York and Washington, DC areas. Cecilia has shared the stage with other Virginia acts including Virginia Coalition
Virginia Coalition
Virginia Coalition is a rock band from Alexandria, Virginia, who met in the early 1990s through their music class at T. C. Williams High School. Referred to as VACO by fans, the band released their first album, The Colors of The Sound in 1998...
, Pat McGee Band
Pat McGee Band
The Pat McGee Band is a rock band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed by frontman Pat McGee, who attended Longwood University in Farmville, VA. On the heels of his solo release From the Wood in 1995, the Pat McGee Band signed with Warner Bros. Records subsidiary Giant Records in 1999...
and Tim Reynolds
Tim Reynolds
Tim Reynolds is a Grammy nominated multi-instrumentalist known as both a solo artist and as the lead guitarist for Dave Matthews Band...
, and had performed at the legendary Wetlands Preserve
The Wetlands Preserve
The Wetlands Preserve was a live music venue in Tribeca, New York City, that closed in 2001. The club was located on Hudson and Laight Streets, near the Holland Tunnel...
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 GirlsIndigo Girls
The Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. They met in elementary school and began performing together as high school students in Decatur, Georgia, part of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
and Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
. The vocals are supported by Drew's catchy lead guitar riffs, often evoking Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews
David John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
and Tim Reynolds
Tim Reynolds
Tim Reynolds is a Grammy nominated multi-instrumentalist known as both a solo artist and as the lead guitarist for Dave Matthews Band...
comparisons and Kevin Jacoby's melodic bass lines, often in the style of Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
's John McVie
John McVie
John Graham McVie is a British bass guitarist best known as a member of the rock group Fleetwood Mac. His surname, combined with that of Mick Fleetwood, was the inspiration for the band's name...
. 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
Djembe
A djembe also known as jembe, jenbe, djbobimbe, jymbe, yembe, or jimbay, or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin-covered drum meant played with bare hands....
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 BandPat McGee BandThe Pat McGee Band is a rock band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed by frontman Pat McGee, who attended Longwood University in Farmville, VA. On the heels of his solo release From the Wood in 1995, the Pat McGee Band signed with Warner Bros. Records subsidiary Giant Records in 1999...
track "Shady" from the band's 2004 release, Save MeSave Me (Pat McGee Band album)Save Me is the third studio album recorded by the Richmond, Virginia, based Pat McGee Band. It is a marked departure from the band's previous records as the familiar acoustic guitars and three part harmonies were eschewed in favor of a more raw, electric sound. Four tracks were produced in...
. - Lee Solomon (LoveBuzz, Soul Driver, Down Holly) was the band's bassist in the early days before Kevin Jacoby joined the band, but at times 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."