NEWS

April 22, 2008: Debut Performance of New Tune

A sneak-peek of Amber's new song "INTO THE OPEN" from the concert this past weekend at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson.

The band performance features Doug Floyd on electric guitar, Sabra Faulk on acoustic guitar and back-up vocals, Michelle Maliniak on trumpet, Jay Trapp on bass and Will Clipman on drums

April 15, 2008: TUCSON LIFESTYLE Magazine Press!!

Tucson Lifestyle Magazine previewed Amber's upcoming concert with Namoli Brennet at the Unitarian Universalist Church (4831 E. 22nd St, Tucson, AZ) on Saturday, April 19th. $10 at the door. Doors open at 7 p.m., Concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Don't miss your chance Tucson to pick up the April publication of the magazine. The article is detailed below:

Here's your chance Tucson: a concert featurin gtwo fo the best singer-songwrtiers working in this city today (or any city, for that matter) in a setting that's so tranquil it'll feel like you're in someone's living room.

Amber Norgaard combines a nurturing spirit, with a keen sense of meolody, mixed with trenchant social observations and a strong dash o fon-the-mark humor. She'll be joined by award-winning percussionish Will Clipman, Tucson Musicians Museum inductee Jay Trapp on bass, TAMMIES winner Doug "Hurricane" Floyd on electric guitar, and trumpeter extraordinaire Michelle Maliniak.

The show would be worth attending just to hear her high-powered band, but it should also be on your list as a chance to pick up her latest CD EP, ACOUSTIC DREAMS, which features new versions of songs from her CD RISING, such as "Turquoise Sea" and "Live This Dream," as well as new tunes like the haunting "Soldier Song."

Namoli Brennet will open the show with a solo set, and be sure you get there early so you don't miss her. A songwriter and performer of uncommon grace, her voice floats along like a child's boat on a gentle stream, though she can also unleash a Lou Reed-like growl that underscores the heartbreak on songs like "The Lottery," (whose lyrics ask, "What if we were wrong? What if this is all the lottery that we get? What if there's ano big check?") Able to artfully belend feelings of outrage ("Border Crossing") with melancholy homesickness ("Ithica") and dry wit ("California"), she's at home in a variety of styles.

You'll hear hints of everyone from Dylan to Elliott Murphy to the INdigo Girls to Dar Williams on SINGER, and yet it remains a distinctive piece that could only have come from Brennet. And one of hte astonishing things about the CD is that she played most of the instruments herself, making her an especially rare artist in this era of sampling.

April 1, 2008: Vote for Amber on Radio Crystal Blue's Airplay Vote '08

Amber is in the EP* finalist category for an online radio station (Radio Crystal Blue) competition. Vote winners get a guaranteed amount of radio play as well as some marketing resources. To vote, go to the website below and scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page until you get to the very last EP FINALIST BRACKET...and that's where you'll find Amber's category.

http://pub36.bravenet.com/vote/vote.ph p?usernum=3071115404

You can vote from the same computer/ network once every 24 hours, so if you feel inspired to vote repetitively on a daily basis until the end of the competition (4/23), please do so :-).

*EP stands for Extended Play--it's an album that's shorter than a full-length, but longer than a single. Amber's latest 5-song album release, Acoustic Dreams (2007), qualifies her for this airplay competition.

March 26, 2008: YOUTUBE Clip of Amber's Downtown Saturdays Performance Posted

Check out the clip below of the band's performance of RISING at Tucson's DOWNTOWN SATURDAYS: Music & Community Fest. Amber's full band features Doug Floyd on electric guitar, Michelle Maliniak on trumpet, Jay Trapp on bass and Will Clipman on drums

March 4, 2008: Live Sessions @ Luna Recording Studio

I was extremely honored to be invited to partake in a live recording session at Luna Recording Studio in Tucson. Below is rough footage of one of my tunes BOB SCHMIDT. We had a crowd of 20-25 people there and had an extremely enjoyable evening. A big thank you to George Nardo from Luna Recording Studio for making the evening possible, as well as to my band-- Doug Floyd on acoustic guitar, Michelle Maliniak on trumpet, Jay Trapp on bass and Will Clipman on drums-- for making magic in my muse-ic!

February 24, 2008: NEW YOUTUBE CLIPS!!

NEW video footage from the October '07 Winery Music Awards of the band's performance of RECTIFY featuring Doug Floyd on electric guitar, Michelle Maliniak on trumpet, Jay Trapp on bass and Jim Pavett on drums...

Amber's performance of BREATHE INTO ME on Valentine's eve at Javalina's Coffee & Friends, featuring Michelle Maliniak on trumpet...

Amber's ACOUSTIC performance of FLY TO THE HEAVENS on Valentine's eve at Javalina's Coffee & Friends, featuring Michelle Maliniak on trumpet...

Check out Amber's performance of her tunes LIVE THIS DREAM and DARK & LIGHT at Javalina's Coffee & Friends in January with Will Clipman on percussion, Gentle Thunder on Native American flute and percussion and Michelle Maliniak on trumpet !

December 2007: Amber's New Blog

Amber (finally! :-) has her new blog up and running. Check out the ramblings of her mind online at http://ambernorgaard.blogspot.com/

November 2007: ACOUSTIC DREAMS EP Released

Due to popular demand for an acoustic album, Amber released the ACOUSTIC DREAMS EP in November 2007. The five song EP features George Nardo and Mark Cherry on acoustic guitar, Michelle Maliniak on trumpet, Michael Gilbert Ronstadt on cello, Joel Gottschalk and Jay Trapp on bass, and the multi-grammy nominated Will Clipman on percussion. All the songs on the EP were produced by George Nardo (Luna Recording Studio, Tucson, AZ) and Amber; except 'Cold Kiss Goodnight', which was produced by Jim Pavett (Allusion Studios, Tucson, AZ).

To order ACOUSTIC DREAMS online, please visit www.cdbaby.com/cd/norgaard3. The EP is also available for digital download on iTUNES.

October 8, 2007: Amber & Band Receive SECOND Place at the Winery Music Awards!

The Amber's band placed second in the summer-long Winery Music Awards competition. Amber and her band were honored with making it to the Finals competition this past weekend after their performance at the semi-finals in July 2007. There were nearly 100 bands competing in this competition. Check out a clip of their performance on YouTube:

Sept 30, 2007: Tracks from Amber's New Acoustic EP Posted on MySpace

Amber's new EP "Acoustic Dreams" will be available in October. Check out a couple of the new tunes off the EP on her myspace site!

Sept 10, 2007: New Acoustic EP Available in October '07

Due to popular demand for an album reflecting Amber's acoustic sound, Amber will be releasing a six song EP in October. The album will feature Michelle Maliniak on trumpet, Michael Ronstadt on cello and Joel Gottschalk on bass. It will feature several new songs, including "Soldier Song," "Burning Bright" and "Quicksand." More details to come...

Aug 16, 2007: Amber Wins the Up & Coming Artist of the Year Award in the 2007 Tucson Area Music Awards (TAMMIES)

Thank you, Tucson Weekly, and sponsors, and to all of Amber's fans and friends for supporting the annual Tucsion Area Music Awards (TAMMIES). Here is a quick run-down of awards/recognition that Amber and her band members received:
--Amber won 2007 Up & Coming Artist of the Year!
--Amber was runner-up in the following categories: Female Vocalist, Songwriter, Acoustic Guitar, Best New Release
--Electric Guitar award went to Amber's guitarist Doug Floyd
--Drum award went to Amber's drummer Jim Pavett
--Michelle Maliniak was runner-up for horn
--Sabra Faulk was runner-up for bass

Don't forget to pick up a copy of this week's Tucson Weekly publication...there is a full-page feature article/interview on Amber called "Healing Art" by Annie Holub.

Jul 16, 2007: Amber & Band Receive Second Place and BEST SONG at the 2007 Winery Music Awards July Semi-Finals Round

Read the full NEWS RELEASE

Excerpts from the 2007 Winery Music Awards July '07 news release:

Judged by a panel of noteworthy music and entertainment industry names, two artists, Dominic Castillo and the Rock Savants of San Luis Obispo, CA and Amber Norgaard of Tucson, AZ, stood out the most among five July semi-finalists by giving near-flawless performances of their widely appealing original music.

In second place, only four points below Castillo, was Amber Norgaard and her band from Tucson, AZ. Ms. Norgaard, who was voted runner-up as Up and Coming Artist of the Year in the Tucson Area Music Awards, gave a performance mixed with pop, folk and rock and written with well-crafted and honest lyrics. She was very well-received by the crowd at Stacked Stone, comprised primarily of the competition's target audience of wine drinkers, aged 21-54.

"Amber Norgaard is an original and can be marketed to the target audience," says Jake Hooker, President of a music production, marketing and branding company, Edge Management, and also writer of one of rock's greatest hits ever, "I Love Rock and Roll." "Amber was very strong overall, focused with good songs and style."

Jul 10, 2007: "Hell Town" Receives Recognition

Amber's song "Hell Town" was selected as a top 20 finalist in the Unisong Songwriting Competition L.U.N.C.H. category. The proceeds from this category go to benefit the social programs in the areas of hunger, homelessness, substance abuse, and domestic abuse.

"Hell Town" was also a FINALIST in the very last cut for the "Give US Your Poor" compilation CD project on homeless featuring celebrity artists, homeless artists and an independent artist. The song selected to be included in the CD is "Here and Now" by Mark Erelli.

Jun 1, 2007: Amber featured in the June issue of Tucson Lifestyle Magazine!

Thank you, Tucson Lifestyle , for the great interview and article! Click here to check out the article

May 30, 2007: Amber is a semi-finalist in the Winery Music Awards!

Amber is one of the twenty semi-finalists chosen to perform at the 2007 Winery Music Awards in Paso Robles, CA. She will perform in the July 14th semi-final round. You can find out more about the Winery Music Awards at www.winerymusicawards.com .

March 8, 2007: Amber Featured in the Arizona Daily Star's CALIENTE section!

Read about Amber and her interview in the Tucson newspaper Arizona Daily Star's Caliente weekly entertainment section. Click on the following link: http://www.aznightbuzz.com/stories/172309.php to read the article.

January 29, 2007: BuddyHollywood.com's "RISING Demands Attention" Album Review!

Below is the review from BuddyHollywood.com--

RISING DEMANDS ATTENTION written by Alice Loweecey

Every so often a CD comes along that grabs you by the collar and demands: Listen to me! Amber Norgaard's RISING is that CD. Her lyrics sometimes blend, sometimes contrast with her intense guitar work and the driving beat of her songs. Witness her lines from "Turquoise Sea" - 'You were mist on the breeze' and 'Volcanoes are smoking/The ice is getting thin.' But then she sings, 'You steadied me/ You held the ground for me.'

"Rectify this Mess" slams us into the problems of the world - war, greed, a head-in-the-sand mentality - and calls us to be the instruments of change. "Sweet Laughter" is a touching and heartbreaking song of the empty space left in our lives after a loved one dies.

"High Above Myself" had me remembering the disco era's "I Will Survive." Amber's is the 21st century's survival anthem. "Dark & Light" takes us farther: 'I am ready to find my higher ground.' "Not Too Late" keeps climbing: 'It's not too late to breathe/it's not too late to believe.'

"Crazy State of Grace" takes it to a hopeful conclusion: 'It becomes easy to just stop believing/ We swore we were through/ But we failed to see/ The crazy state of grace.' Beneath all these moving lyrics is the band Ñ guitars, double bass, keyboards, and well-rounded background vocals. Play the CD several times through to absorb all the nuances of the lyrics, and you'll find yourself impressed with the depth of the arrangements.

As an added bonus there is the poignant memorial, "In This Life." As the CD ended, I was left wishing I'd known the person who'd inspired the song; and that I could sit down and talk for hours with Amber.

January 2007: A Lil' News from the Songwriting Competition Front...

1/24/07: Amber received "Honourable Mention" in the 2006 Singer/ Songwriter Awards sponsored by London based We Are Listening music company.

1/16/07: Three of Amber's songs were advanced to the next round of judging in the International Songwriting Contest. Finalists will be announced in February. The songs are as follows: "Turquoise Sea" was advanced in the Pop/Rock category, "Cold Kiss Goodnight" in the Folk/ Singer-songwriter category, and "Hell Town" was advanced in the Performance category.

December 15, 2006: A Great Review from TUCSON LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE!

Here is the RISING album review from TUCSON LIFESTYLE magazine's December '06 issue:

"Though Amber Norgaard's recent CD is called RISING, the truth is that her star has been ascending for quite a while. Solo, or with her band, she has proved to be a singer/songwriter to be reckoned with. Touchstones for her sound include Indigo Girls, Dar Williams and Carole King, but she certainly isn't an imitation of anyone. Her guitar playing rings with authority, and her voice is strong and confident, pretty but never sappy. The 12 tracks on Rising chart a course that is both personal and universal. Listeners can sense the specific incidents behind a song like "Turquoise Sea," yet its message of finding someone who is a port in a storm applies in so many circumstances. "Hell Town" shows off her blues chops, "Rectify" rocks steady and "Sweet Laughter" demonstrates that Norgaard writes introspective ballads on par with the best in the business. Standouts include the unpretentiously profound "Dark & Light," the hopeful "Not Too Late," and the title track, which quietly unfolds in a way that would make it perfect for a film soundtrack."

October 2006: Amber on TV!

10/23/06: Check out Amber's interview and live solo performance on The Big Word Show airing at 4 p.m. (PST) on Monday, 10/23, and 8 p.m. (PST) on Tuesday, 10/24, on Channel 97 (Cox) and 72 (Comcast).

May 2006: Amber's Sophomore Album RISING Released!

5/30/06: CD Baby sold out of Amber's new album "Rising." The album will be back in stock there on Thursay, June 1st.

5/24/06: Amber's new album "Rising" is available for online purchasing at www.cdbaby.com/cd/norgaard2

5/10/06: Amber's new album "Rising" will be released this Friday, May 12th. The official kick-off party for her new CD will be at Javalinas Coffee & Friends from 8-10 p.m. She will be performing with the band, featuring Doug Floyd on guitar, Jay Trapp on bass and Jim Pavett on drums. Everyone is welcome to join the celebration!! See Amber's gig page for more information.

4/1/06: Amber's new album "Rising" will be released in May 2006. The kick-off for Amber's CD release gig series will be on May 12th @ Javalinas Coffee & Friends in Tucson, AZ. Check out Amber's gig page for more information. You can hear four of the new tunes on her MYSPACE site!

10/19/05: Amber's new album "RISING" will be available in early in 2006. Stay tuned to this website for future updates.

9/13/05: Amber will be performing with the band at J-Bar on Thursday, September 15 from 7-10 p.m. featuring Doug Floyd on electric guitar, Jay Trapp on bass and Jim Pavett on drums.

8/31/05--9/12/05: Amber's CD sales on CDBaby.com will be donated to the American Red Cross disaster relief fund. The ENTIRE wholesale price will be donated. Please support disaster relief efforts for those devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

7/20/05: Amber will have a debut performance with the band at J-Bar on Thursday, July 21st from 7-10 pm. The performance will feature Doug Floyd on guitar, Jay Trapp on bass and Jim Pavett on drums. They will perform some of Amber's new material from the upcoming album as well as songs from Amber's debut album.

5/30/05: Amber's song "Heed" was on the new music sampler on the Radio Crystal Blue playlist last night. You can listen to the archived show via http://cblue.lunarpages.com. To hear the show in streaming audio, just as it was heard live last night, click on the graphic at the beginning of the playlist or the text link next to it. It's compatible with RealOne Player and will be kept on the page for four weeks.

Also, to get the audio feed of the archived show through iPod, you can visit www.islandwidemusic.com. You need an iPodder or Doppler (free throught the website) to get the audio feed.

Thanks, Radio Crystal Blue--you rock!! Check them out at www.radiocrystalblue.com

12/30/04: Amber's "Soul in Motion" album is now available for digital download through iTunes. Search for Amber Norgaard's "Soul in Motion" album in the Apple iTunes store and purchase a digital version of a song for .99 cents or the entire album for $9.99!

10/27/04: Tune in to Amber's music featured on the internet Radio Free Tunes stations Enchantress Radio at http://www.artistlaunch.com/enchantressradio and Debut Alternative at http://www.artistlaunch.com/artist4.asp?artistid=7401.

8/1/04: Amber's long-awaited debut album "Soul in Motion" was released on July 19th, 2004. To buy the album online or hear music clips, please visit www.cdbaby.com/cd/norgaard. The CD can be purchased in Tucson at Borders on Broadway and Antigone Books. For sales in Bethel, Alaska, please visit Sew What or the Bethel Art Guild; and for sales in Spencer, Iowa, please visit The Music Connection at 313 Grand Avenue or Tuesdays at the Southpark Mall. Otherwise place a CD order with Fireweed Music Productions at 520-444-7831 or e-mail Fireweed Music Productions at fireweedmusic@earthlink.net.

Click on MUSIC to read more about the "Soul in Motion" Album.