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Singer-songwriter takes artistic freedom to Fowler Out Loud concert

Third-year music history student Savannah Meares will perform a mix of jazz, pop and country Thursday at the UCLA Fowler Museum.
(Emilio M.K. Photography)

By Max Mcgee

Nov. 4, 2014 12:00 a.m.

When Savannah Meares was a timid 4-year-old, her parents placed her into singing lessons, hoping she would branch out. After singing live in front of audiences for years, the third-year music history student said the stage now feels comfortable.

“When you are up there on stage, you get a certain vibe from the audience and a certain amount of energy,” Meares said. “It is like a form of communication without words, as music tends to be.”

Meares will perform with a live band at the Fowler Museum’s Fowler Out Loud concert series Thursday. The hour-long outdoor set will feature Meares’ take on jazz, country and pop, providing a mixture of covers and original material.

Playing piano, guitar and ukulele, Meares said she is inspired by the works of singer-songwriter John Mayer and pop rock musician Sara Bareilles. Additionally, she is also influenced by her mentor and producer Jeff Barry, with whom she has co-written six songs, including her single “Something I Need.”

At the Fowler show, Meares said she is looking forward to performing in front of a home crowd.

“I am looking forward to doing a show on campus so that my friends can come and hear me sing without having to drive through traffic to get to the venue,” Meares said.

Third-year ethnomusicology student and percussionist J.J. Ross will perform with Meares at Thursday’s show. He said the 6 p.m. set will showcase popular cover songs like Incubus’ “Dig” with Meares’ rhythmically complex and groovy musical twist.

“Not only is her range vast, but also she has a very soulful voice,” Ross said. “Whether it is her lyrics or her intonation, her passion definitely shines through.”

Third-year ethnomusicology student Donnie Laudicina, the group’s guitarist, said Meares is the energy and soul of the band.

“(Meares) is just a great songwriter, so all of the songs make sense and are easy to follow,” Laudicina said. “The band we have got right now is very efficient; everyone is great at their instrument.”

In cover songs, Laudicina said, Meares emphasizes how she differentiates her sound from the original, giving the band much freedom to add its own tweaks to each song.

Ross said he shares three years of musical chemistry with Laudicina and third-year psychology student and bassist Bret Paddock.

“Donnie and I have played within the UCLA ensembles and he is super talented,” Ross said. “Also, when the bassist and drummer are really tight, I think it will come through on a show.”

Ross said he loves the versatility in Meares’ music, which combines jazz and country styles and rhythms.

“As a drummer, (Meares) gives me a really nice balance of being able to stick to the form of the song’s certain hits or accents and also work around to improvise with a lot of the material,” Ross said.

In the coming months, Meares said she and the band members are looking toward branching out and performing in the L.A. music scene.

“Right now, I am just trying to get out and perform more in L.A. and get my name out there,” Meares said. “So if someone were to say my name, you would know who I was at least as a small-scale performer.”

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