
DATE: Friday, May 23, 1997                  TAG: 9705210162

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 04   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   73 lines

ACOUSTIC MUSIC IN THE SPOTLIGHT

A GROUP OF local singers, songwriters and musicians, including Chesapeake resident Brent Gable and his group SeaAira, will present a concert tonight featuring headliner Elaine Dempsey.

The showcase of local acoustic, folk-based talent takes place at the Unitarian Church of Norfolk beginning at 8 p.m.

Gable, when not singing with SeaAira, builds guitars and works at his Chesapeake-based contracting business.

Gable's group and the other performers have banded together under the aegis of For Local Artists, a group of musicians, artists and their friends who want to provide better venues and increased exposure to Hampton Roads talent.

Members of For Locals Only are Lawrence Lambert, Lorelei Jones, Donna Moyers, Gaye Colvin, Karl and Chris Werne, Mary Lou Hughson, Dave Mills, Gable, Joshua Johnson, Michael Mulder and Denise Newnam.

They are headed by Lambert, a singer/songwriter who has been known as ``The Voice'' by aficionados of local acoustic music, Gable said. Lambert, who has been performing in the area for eight years, is in the process of forming his own ensemble, The Well.

Gable said Lambert is intent on making Hampton Roads a mecca for singer/songwriters and said that ``one day Hampton Roads will be a place where artists will come to develop their craft, if Lawrence and For Local Artists has anything to to with it.''

Lambert will be backing headliner Elaine Dempsey, a local who moved to San Francisco about five years ago.

``She just released a CD called `MisELAINEous,' '' Gable said. ``Half was recorded on the West Coast and the other half was recorded in Norfolk with backing from Lawrence, Karl (Werne) and Eddie (Williams), who will all be appearing at the showcase. She's a special performer and her recent CD is just excellent.''

Here's a quick look at the other featured performers:

SeaAira - The trio features Gable on guitar and vocals, Mary Lou Hughson on vocals and David Mills on bass. After being together only a few months, they went on to place second in the 1991 Marlboro Talent Search. They have appeared on television and radio and have opened for such nationally known acts as America and David Wilcox.

They are known throughout the area for their harmonies and original songs - written by Gable and Hughson - which effectively blend acoustic pop, folk and country. The group released a debut CD several years ago that has gotten good reviews from critics.

Karl Werne - Werne spent eight years performing with Chesapeake's own, and Hampton Roads favorite, Lewis McGehee. He's been performing since he was 16 and fronts his own group, Instant Karma. Fans have taken to Werne's expert guitar work and melodious vocals.

Eddie Williams - Williams is an expert on the saxophone and is equally at home in jazz, pop and acoustic music circles. He's known throughout the area as ``The Sax Man.'' He played with such groups as The Little Big Band, Secrets and fronts his own Eddie Williams Trio.

``This concert will have a real community spirit to it,'' Gable said. ``Besides the planned performances by the scheduled artists, we'll also have a lot of ad-libbed, improvised portions. There'll be a lot of musical freedom and interplay involved. Everybody will be able to stretch out and enjoy each other on stage.'' ILLUSTRATION: Graphic

What: For Local Artists presents a showcase of music, vocals and

original songs.

Who: Featuring Elaine Dempsey, Lawrence Lambert and The Well,

SeaAira, Karl Werne and Eddie Williams.

Where: Unitarian Church of Norfolk, 739 Yarmouth St.

When: Tonight at 8 p.m.

Tickets: $7 advance and $10 day of the show. Advance tickets can

be purchased at the Naro Expanded Video, 802 Spotswood Ave.,

Norfolk; and Moe's Music World, 2923 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia

Beach