This week at Songwriters in the Round we have a combo of talents that will keep you guessing. Nora Meier has amazing range as a writer — ranging from love songs to baseball songs — and a solid confidence that belies her years. Joey Dalton is a straight-up rocker when he plays with his band but shows his sensitive side when playing solo. We are excited to welcome Michael J. Johnson to the Armory, whose virtuoso guitar playing and deep roots in both jazz and rock and roll bring a distinct flavor to his original songs. And your host David Thorne Scott will be playing rootsy Americana songs from the piano and introducing his new theatrical music.

So whether you’re looking to peek behind the curtain of the musical and emotional process of writing songs, or just looking for a cheap date night, you won’t want to miss this edition of Songwriters in the Round on Wednesday, February 1, 7pm.

Songwriters in the Round
Wednesday February 1, 7pm-8:30pm
Arts at the Armory Café

Four songwriters, trading songs and swapping stories. And you have a front row seat.

Four songwriters take the stage, seated in a comfortable semi-circle. They take turns playing songs, occasionally joining in with each other on harmony vocals or guitar licks. The format encourages conversation between the writers, which gives the audience an opportunity to hear these creative people talk as if in their own living rooms. Inspired by the “guitar pulls” of the legendary Bluebird Café in Nashville.

Hosted by Somerville singer/songwriter David Thorne Scott. Held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Suggested donation is $10.

Part of the ROOTED Armory Café Series. Café menu is available here: https://artsatthearmory.org/rooted-cafe/rooted-menu/
Beer and wine also available!

You might hear a young up-and-coming pro, an established mid-career performer and mentor, and a cherished elder of the scene — all sharing music. The growing relationships will warm your heart and enrich your soul. Come every week as the lineup shifts and new friends are made.

Our songwriters this week

Michael J. Johnson is a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and engineer/producer. He has been blessed to share the stage with artists such as Jon Secada (EMI), Lari White (RCA), Dawnn Lewis (A Different World), Take Six, Bob Dorough (Schoolhouse Rock) and Kevin Nealon (Saturday Night Live). In the studio, he has performed on numerous soundtracks and album projects. Michael has also produced and engineered nationally distributed acts whose musical genres span from hardcore punk to hip/hop to classical. He is a nationally recognized composer and arranger, an ASCAP member, and a voting member of the Recording Academy. He currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts, and is a Professor at Berklee College of Music in the Contemporary Writing and Production program. https://linktr.ee/mikejjohnson

Nora Meier grew up in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, surrounded by her parents’ expansive vinyl collection and a lot of trees. Encouraged by her mentor Moorea Masa to pursue her love of music, Nora began seriously honing her skills as an artist throughout her teenage years. In January of 2017 she wrote and produced her first single, Icicles, followed by a five-track EP, “With Time,” released in November. Her single “Astraea,” was released in fall of 2019. These projects would not have been possible without support of Portland’s amazing creative community and artists such as Moorea Masa, Rebecca Sanborn, Steve Swatkins and more. She is currently studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.
 Meier has a proven ability to connect to the heart of the individual while uniting us through the emotions that make us human. Her newest single “Harvest Song” is out now. https://www.norameiermusic.com/

Joey Dalton is a singer-songwriter, vocalist, and performer, writing everything from acoustic folk to rock and roll. Through his songwriting, Joey conveys real-world love, real-world loss, and the in-between moments that captivate us all. His songs speak to everyone, and his performances capture the emotional intricacies of the little moments in life that shouldn’t be overlooked. He has been featured at the Berklee Performance Center performing in the Taylor Swift tribute concert, as well as at the Jazz Education Network’s Conference. www.joeydalton.com

David Thorne Scott is a singer and songwriter in jazz and Americana styles. A longtime resident of Somerville, he organized Songwriters in the Round to foster a creative, dynamic music scene here. He believes that music can bring a community together like nothing else. “At a time of great conflict in our country – when words often fail us – music has the power to bridge divides… David Thorne Scott explores the intersection of Jazz and Americana, city and country, instrumentation and lyrics to create lush compositions and covers that are unifying, and healing, in their beauty.” – Laurie Fanell, Eponymous Review www.davidthornescott.com

1st & 3rd Wednesdays at ROOTED Cafe at 7 PM

Four songwriters take the stage, seated in a comfortable semi-circle. They take turns playing songs, occasionally joining in with each other on harmony vocals or guitar licks. The format encourages conversation between the writers, which gives the audience an opportunity to hear these creative people talk as if in their own living rooms. Inspired by the “guitar pulls” of the legendary Bluebird Café in Nashville.

You might hear a young up-and-coming pro, an established mid-career performer and mentor, and a cherished elder of the scene — all sharing music. The growing relationships will warm your heart and enrich your soul. Come every week as the lineup shifts and new friends are made.

Hosted by Somerville singer/songwriter David Thorne Scott. Held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Part of the ROOTED Armory Café Series. Café menu is available here. Beer and wine also available!