FROM MON HILLS RECORD (DIVISION OF WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY)

 

Mon Hills Records announces the release of music from Clarksburg's Marissa Bailey – Songs from an Italian Piazza. The new EP will be available August 15th, at all online music retailers and select locations regionally in Sept.

 

Marissa Bailey is a regional vocalist that enjoys the styles of Broadway, Classical, and Italian Opera.  With her deep Italian family heritage, Marissa has created an EP that showcases the style of traditional sounding Italian folk music with a modern twist of classical and popular song. 

 

Miss Bailey was a contestant with WVU’s Mountaineer Idol and was approached by Mon Hills Records, to record an EP of songs that best fit who she was as an artist. Mon Hills Records is an independent record label and the professional component of the Music Industry Program at West Virginia University’s, College of Creative Arts. The program’s director is Dr. Darko Velichkovksi. 

 

Joshua Swiger, General Manager at Mon Hills Records suggested the idea of what would a modern Italian Folk group look and sound like in an Italian piazza?  Bailey and Swiger explored the idea and found classical songs that Bailey could put her signature sound on and modern pop songs that they could transform into Italian Folk songs.  “Songs from an Italian Piazza” is designed to take you to that small Italian village where people gather in the evening to eat, drink, socialize and enjoy music from the small band playing in the piazza.

 

“I loved the idea from the beginning.” Says Bailey.  “Josh understood who I was as a singer and gave the project an identity that we could build a really good EP from. It’s something different but relatable to who I am as a singer and person.”

 

This is Bailey’s first recording for public release. It includes classic “O Sole Mio” and then turns the page to Bob Dylan’s “Make you Feel My Love”.  The record gets its distinct feel with the instrumentation used. “We limited ourselves to the traditional Italian folk instruments of accordion and mandolin, with the support of classical guitar and bass.” says Swiger.  Those instruments provided the sound that we were looking to set the mood.”

 

Songs From an Italian Piazza will be available online Aug 15th at iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon, Spotify and all your streaming and download services. Regional outlets will appear in Sept. The CD can also be ordered online at www.monhillsrecords.com

 

Marissa will also be performing at the 40th Annual West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival, Labor Day weekend in Clarksburg, WV.