Paula Held
Paula's music has won songwriting awards from internationally known clubs like the Kerrville Folk Festival, Wildflower Festival and the John Lennon International Song Contest (double-finalist). When she's not performing House Concerts and songwriter stages she's singing American Songbook standards, Americana and Pop music at Wineries, Clubs and Coffee Houses as an acoustic duo, Held and Mann or with her Jazz Trio, Moon Blossom.
" …a curiously addictive marriage of folk, pop and jazz influences." Arthur Wood, Maverick Magazine
"[Paula] adds new ideas to the jazz-related work of now famous female artists like Norah Jones, Diana Krall and Madeleine Peyroux. Her songs are beautiful, the melody lines fine, her voice is flexible and sultry, [and] the accompaniment is excellent ..." - Fred Schmale, Real Roots Cafe, Netherlands
"Paula's tastes are eclectic and her abilities comprehensive. She slides effortlessly from country to jazz standards, to soft rock. Her [original music] scans several genres and is remarkably crafted throughout. With a voice at once soulful and controlled and a guitar that plays any direction with seeming ease, she stays at the emotional center of of her music." - James L. Ash,
Linda’s Fine Foods
, Wimberley, TX
BIO
Paula is an Austin-based performing songwriter with a penchant for melody, storytelling and poetic lyricism. Raised in New England and Spain, her music is informed by a variety of influences from classical music to popular Jazz, Folk, Rock and Blues. She's won songwriting kudos from internationally known songwriting clubs like the Kerrville Folk Festival, Wildflower Festival and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest (double finalist). She’s performed in these hallowed listening rooms: Cactus Cafe, Momo's Club, Saxon Pub, Blue Bird Cafe, Anderson Fair, Bugle Boy, Eddie's Attic, Egan's Ballard Jam and more. Paula's music is described as lyrically rich, melodic and sensual, and her voice reminiscent of Eva Cassidy and Norah Jones.
PROJECTS
Solo Acoustic | Pop-jazz influenced original music with a twist of Folk/Americana
Held and Mann | Acoustic Duo | Jazz standards, Americana, Country, Pop
Moon Blossom Trio | Standards & Bossa | Paula Held, Bart Madeley, Tarik Hassan
RESIDENCY: Held and Mann | Linda's Fine Foods, Wimberley, TX 2011 - present
BOOKING: John Gillen | jgjohngillen@gmail.com
Soloist
Folk/Americana, Pop, Jazz