Faye Carol’s voice lights up ‘People in Plazas’
By: Christina Troup
Special to The Examiner
July 1, 2009
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| New audiences: Singer Faye Carol enjoys performing for the wide cross section of people who attend “People in Plazas” shows. (Courtesy Photo ) |
SAN FRANCISCO — Even with a significant Bay Area fan base, veteran songstress Faye Carol is never one to shy away from the opportunity to reel in more listeners.
Carol, who began singing in Meridian, Miss., as a young girl and later relocated to the East Bay, where she continued to hone her vocal chops, serves up her personal take on classic jazz standards as part of “People in Plazas,” a free summer concert series that features musical talent from the Bay Area.
The series, which begins today across 16 downtown venues, includes 145 free concerts featuring blues, alternative pop, Cuban, jazz and other genres.
Carol performs July 22 at 525 Market St., near the Montgomery BART station, and again Aug. 13 at Embarcadero 2 at 250 Sacramento St.
The Berkeley-based singer, who has been involved with the series for about five years, says the concerts allow her not only to reach out to those already familiar with her music, but to share her work with new listeners.
“I really love San Francisco for this reason,” Carol says. “To be out there at noon, I get a lot of people that would not normally get into the club or may not know of me. It’s a great cross section of people that come out to the concerts, too.”
“People in Plazas” began in 1976 with efforts focused on bringing an audience to Hallidie Plaza. The series has since grown to nearly 150 free concerts, which provide a respite from the office; the outdoor shows run during the lunchtime hour Mondays through Fridays until September.
The series, says program director Lynn Valente, reaches an audience of more than 35,000 annually.
Carol, who also splits her time mentoring young musicians as part of the after-school program “Music in the Community” at the Black Repertory Group, says her main goal as a performer is to engage the audience so it experiences a connection with the stories she tells through her songs.
“First of all, I want [the audience] to feel something,” the seasoned singer says. Everything is fast and disposable these days; I want them to stop, feel and hold on to one thing that’s human to human, heart to heart, eye to eye. These songs are life stories, so whether I’m singing something from Stevie Wonder, Cole Porter, Aretha or a song from my latest CD, it’s a real life story that I’m sharing with people and it’s something that they are going to be able to relate to.”
IF YOU GO
People in Plazas
When: Noon weekdays; today through Sept. 30
Where: 16 locations on or near Market Street, San Francisco
Admission: Free
Contact: (415) 350-7071; www.peopleinplazas.org
Venues:
101 California St. Plaza
1275 Market St.
303 Second St. Plaza
333 Market St. Plaza
425 Market St.
50 Fremont St.
525 Market St.
555 Mission St. Plaza
83 McAllister Plaza
Castro and 17th Street Plaza
Crocker Galleria
Embarcadero 2
Hibernia Bank Building
Mint Plaza
One Bush Plaza
Rincon Center Courtyard
