Biography

The first thing you notice is the voice: classically trained, burnished with soul, soaring and stunning one moment, then hushed like a prayer. Then you hear the words: songs of survival, cries from the dark, epiphanies and rueful truths. The melodies curl around you, insistent and electric, and the percussive acoustic guitar takes hold. Think Lucinda Williams with a gospel voice or Mahalia Jackson crossed with Sheryl Crow: Tamara Fishman is a singer-songwriter with poetic depth and bluesy soul.

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Press

A selection of Peer & Fan Comments:

Jimmy (Star Harbor Country) of Dallas, Tex.: "Thanks for The Hunger and the Silence. Your lyric discoveries demand a deep resonant reply."

Makeda of Toronto, Ontario: "Very soulful performances and well developed lyrics. Great work."

Seeds and Weeds of Schenectady, Calif.: "You have an amazing voice, powerful and expressive. Combined with some excellent lyrics and music you have the makings of star stuff. Shine on!"

LPsound Orkestra of Quebec, Canada: "Like your voice...very special!"

Portuguese Pirate: "You have such a refreshing sound...you go girl..."

Scottbox of Edmonton, Canada: "You have a beautiful style, the music is awesome!"

Josh of Sweden: "You got a great set of songs and sing 'em well. The Pioneer and Jerusalem Calls are just terrific!"

Uncle Carl of NYC: "I dig your voice; it's very soulful."

Rhonda of Missouri: "You have a Fantastic Voice."

Nestor Gurry of Brazil: "Great voice, nice style, you have what it takes!"

Alex Cebe of Sao Paulo, Brazil: "...enjoyed your style a lot Tamara! Very original."

Jimmie Luckey of Austin, Texas: "Tamara, totally diggin your tunes. You have a great sound."

Moontan of NYC: "Tamara. Your voice is beautiful."

gfire of Austin, Texas: "You kinda remind me of Laura Nyro, to be honest (I've always liked Laura Nyro)."

Indie-Music.com by Robb Loving

Quote: "A miraculous voice and true writing ability; somebody won big in the talent lottery."

I thought it was only in comic books and movies, but it turns out that superheroes do exist; I've found one named Tamara Fishman - a.k.a. Wondergirl - and her special power is a voice prettier than Superman's cape and stronger than Wolverine's Adamantium skull.

This woman has some set of pipes, and on her new CD The Hunger and the Silence they are the star. The instrumental accompaniment on all eleven tracks is only a single acoustic guitar; minimalist to be sure, but it is amazing how well this setup works. Tamara's voice is its own "wall of sound," and the skill and force with which she wields it makes me feel so inferior that I can no longer sing in the shower. She echoes the best of American coffeehouse folk (think Natalie Merchant, or even Joan Baez) and closing your eyes you can see her, right over there, sitting under the low-watt light in a smoky room full of bereted beatniks while Sal and Dean drink wine and sing along to the choruses. Her music is so rich, with its layers of poetic blues melted over old spirituals and defiant, "This is me!" rock, that it is incredible to learn that Tamara writes the songs, too. A miraculous voice and true writing ability; somebody won big in the talent lottery.

I haven't been able to get enough of this voice and what it sings about. It's beautiful, and soulful, and most of all, just FULL. Get The Hunger and the Silence, and get moved.

GoGirls Music by Georgia Moncrief

"Tamara's debut release, 'The Hunger and the Silence', is a testament to her powerful voice. This is not your typical singer/songwriter! She sings from the heart and invades your soul."

Collected Sounds: A Guide to Women in Music by Anna Maria Stjarnell

"Tamara Fishman's debut is pretty special.... 'If Not You' proves her talent. She delivers low swoops and high notes easily. The urgency recalls Ani DiFranco.... Fishman cuts to the core here and the minimal backing suits her. It's a fascinating debut."

For the complete review: http://www.collectedsounds.com/cdreviews/hungerandthe.html

East-Village.com, after performance on 1/14/04
"Tamara's voice reaches every cavity of a club. Her lyrics compliment the heavy-folk groove, wrought with the primal epistle of survival and independence. These are classic songs which are timeless. In another place and time, "Tamara" would be as much a household name as Joan, Janice or Patti

The Independent Artist Magazine
"No one we've seen in recent years compares to Tamara's pure energy and power. Upcoming singer/songwriters (and many veterans we know) would do themselves a disservice not to experience Tamara live..."

Audio Venus Women in Music & Media
"Wow. Powerful, clean, memorable songs and an unrivaled voice are refreshing in this day and age of over-production. These songs stick in your head and there is no way to shake them..."