Ellen Seeling

This month's show features two very special interviews with two of our culture's finest music makers. Ellen Seeling has a rich history in jazz, and now, big band music. She and her partner, Jean Fineberg, gave us two fine jazz albums, under the name Deuce, and they were musicians on albums for the historic band Isis. More recently, Ellen is director for the album "Montclair Women's Big Band."

And Philadelphia singer songwriter Steve Cohen has long been a favorite of mine. I consider his debut album, "Silent Too Long," as an essential gay album. His lyrics will touch you, hit home, and even make you laugh. I'll explore all of his work, including some early material not officially released, and some that's brand new.

Steve Cohen

Above, the producers of the album. Barbara Price was one of the founders of the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. I've interviewed her before, and her comments appear on my April 2002 and November 2004 QMH shows.

Ellen & Jean appeared on the Isis album shown above in an ad from After Dark from September 1975.
And the very out song I shared with you, "Bobbie & Maria," came from that album.

      

Jean Fineberg played on the first Isis album, in 1974, and their third album,
"Breaking Through," from 1977, credits the horn arrangements to Ellen and Jean

Above, Jean & Ellen, and below, their Deuce albums from 1986 and 1996.
Click Here to see an interesting article on them from Hot Wire from 1985.

    

Steve Cohen

   

Above, "Silent Too Long," from 1997 and "I Must Have Been Crazy," from 2000.
Below, several of Steve's "pre-release releases" from the mid 1990s.

Click Here to see many more of Steve's recordings.

  

   

   

Above, candid shot from circa 1999, and on right, I got to meet Steve in April 1999, at the GLAMA Awards