Standing in the wings of Summit’s prestigious
Second Saturday Open Mic Night waiting to perform last April of 2007, Joanne
Calabrese and Laurie Swerlin were,well, bemused by all the
kids diddling around with expensive guitars "like they were pushing around
mops." In that moment, The Swippers got their moniker (tweaked
delicately to avoid trademark infringement), and a longtime musical partnership
was reignited.
Featuring Calabrese on rhythm guitar and vocals and Swerlin on lead guitar and backup, the northern New Jersey-based Swippers meld the songwriting and folk heritage of The Indigo Girls, the ease of Bonnie Raitt, and the jangly pop melodies of The Pretenders or Chris Isaak. Gorgeous pop songs about life and love--the delirium and the lows, the seriousness and the absurd--delivered in Calabrese's rich tones make listeners nostalgic for their own pasts. The Swippers, whose members have been rocking together under are clearly doing all the pushing these days.
INDIVIDUAL BIOS:
JOANNE CALABRESE — Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar/Writer
Born in Hackensack NJ and coming of age in the 1960s, Joanne Calabrese started writing songs and performing at the local high school’s dances in 1967 with the group Motive: Music, featuring then-unknown keyboardist Rupert Holmes. Calabrese released two singles, Hey There Blondie and These Days, for Scepter Records in 1968 and performed with label mates Dionne Warwick and B.J. Thomas. Motive: Music disbanded in 1970 and, for the next decade, Calabrese performed with various outfits. Then, in 1980, she met guitarist Laurie Swerlin at an audition in Paterson NJ. Together, they formed Last Licks, a pop/rock band comprised of all women. While playing the Manhattan nightclub circuit, Last Licks recorded and released an E.P. for the indie label Stonehenge Records. Four years later,Calabrese splintered off to do a solo album with Benjy King of the 1980s rock band Scandal (“Goodbye to You”; “The Warrior”). That album also showcased the talents of artists such as guitarists Keith Mack (also of Scandal) and BobbyMessano, Hugh McCracken, Ellen Folley, Lesley Gore, and Frankie Previt. Calabrese and Swerlin reunited in 1986 to write and record demos and, in time, they started a new group, River Sane, which performed and recorded Calabrese’s original material. In 1994, the duo then became Where There's Smoke. In each of these configurations, Calabrese’s smooth, unyieldingly confident guitar work and dusky but tender vocals have been the vehicles that expressed her brilliant pop songwriting abilities.
LAURIE SWERLIN — Lead guitar, Backing Vocals, Accordion,Bass
Hailing from Fairlawn New Jersey, lead guitarist extraordinaire, Laurie Swerlin began playing the accordion at age 5, which she quickly sidelined for guitar. A gifted self-taught musician, her inspiration is rooted in the sounds of the late 1960's, heavily influenced by the American blues via the British Invasion. Early in her career, Laurie played guitar for bands such as Taboo, Ariel, and Nasty Rumours. She also played clubs in New York and New Jersey with the band Raw Silk. In the early 1980's,Swerlin and Calabrese formed Last Licks and later performed on The Uncle Floyd Show. And in 1989, while visiting in England, Laurie connected with Rock School star and guitarist Deirdre Cartwright—and satisfied a lifelong desire to check out Liverpool. With their song catalogue growing,Swerlin and Calabrese formed River Sane to showcase their material. In 1992, Laurie ventured off to do session work for Jan Corliss, whose demo “Crash My Car” took first prize in the annual New Music Seminar awards. Two years later,Swerlin and Calabrese refocused by morphing into Where There's Smoke. More recently, as a founding Swipper, Swerlin has been continuing her session work, writing, recording, and performing.
THE BACK STORY
The year was 1980 and Disco was dead. A changing musical climate and fate brought musicians Joanne Calabrese (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and Laurie Swerlin (lead guitar, backing vocals) together.
Before they became The Swippers, Calabrese and Swerlin were the musical architects of various groups such as “Last Licks”, an all-female pop/rock band whose indie release EP, “You’re Ruining My Love Life” won rave reviews from The Star Ledger’s then music critic, George Kansler. In addition, the EP’s single “Kiss Me with the Lights On” landed a spot on Billboard’s “Singles to Watch” list. Last Licks were also featured artists in The Bergen Record and The Aquarian magazine, which led to performances on the cult TV shows “Uncle Floyd” and “The Joe Franklin Show”.
In the 90’s, Calabrese and Swerlin went on to form the band “Where There’s Smoke” along with powerhouse drummer, Debbie Magguilli. Together, they played the NYC club circuit, numerous GLBT charity events and as the winners of New Jersey Pride’s “Battle of the Bands”, were the opening act for comedian Lea Delaria when she performed at the reopening of the historic Paramount Theater in Asbury Park New Jersey. Most recently, they were the opening act for legendary singer/songwriter Tret Fure as part of the “Powerful Women of Song” concert series at The Watchung Arts Center. Today, Calabrese and Swerlin continue to play their distinctive blend of original indie/folk rock/alternative music as the dynamic musical force known as “The Swippers”.
Additional Contact Information: calkemp@aol.com
Featuring Calabrese on rhythm guitar and vocals and Swerlin on lead guitar and backup, the northern New Jersey-based Swippers meld the songwriting and folk heritage of The Indigo Girls, the ease of Bonnie Raitt, and the jangly pop melodies of The Pretenders or Chris Isaak. Gorgeous pop songs about life and love--the delirium and the lows, the seriousness and the absurd--delivered in Calabrese's rich tones make listeners nostalgic for their own pasts. The Swippers, whose members have been rocking together under are clearly doing all the pushing these days.
INDIVIDUAL BIOS:
JOANNE CALABRESE — Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar/Writer
Born in Hackensack NJ and coming of age in the 1960s, Joanne Calabrese started writing songs and performing at the local high school’s dances in 1967 with the group Motive: Music, featuring then-unknown keyboardist Rupert Holmes. Calabrese released two singles, Hey There Blondie and These Days, for Scepter Records in 1968 and performed with label mates Dionne Warwick and B.J. Thomas. Motive: Music disbanded in 1970 and, for the next decade, Calabrese performed with various outfits. Then, in 1980, she met guitarist Laurie Swerlin at an audition in Paterson NJ. Together, they formed Last Licks, a pop/rock band comprised of all women. While playing the Manhattan nightclub circuit, Last Licks recorded and released an E.P. for the indie label Stonehenge Records. Four years later,Calabrese splintered off to do a solo album with Benjy King of the 1980s rock band Scandal (“Goodbye to You”; “The Warrior”). That album also showcased the talents of artists such as guitarists Keith Mack (also of Scandal) and BobbyMessano, Hugh McCracken, Ellen Folley, Lesley Gore, and Frankie Previt. Calabrese and Swerlin reunited in 1986 to write and record demos and, in time, they started a new group, River Sane, which performed and recorded Calabrese’s original material. In 1994, the duo then became Where There's Smoke. In each of these configurations, Calabrese’s smooth, unyieldingly confident guitar work and dusky but tender vocals have been the vehicles that expressed her brilliant pop songwriting abilities.
LAURIE SWERLIN — Lead guitar, Backing Vocals, Accordion,Bass
Hailing from Fairlawn New Jersey, lead guitarist extraordinaire, Laurie Swerlin began playing the accordion at age 5, which she quickly sidelined for guitar. A gifted self-taught musician, her inspiration is rooted in the sounds of the late 1960's, heavily influenced by the American blues via the British Invasion. Early in her career, Laurie played guitar for bands such as Taboo, Ariel, and Nasty Rumours. She also played clubs in New York and New Jersey with the band Raw Silk. In the early 1980's,Swerlin and Calabrese formed Last Licks and later performed on The Uncle Floyd Show. And in 1989, while visiting in England, Laurie connected with Rock School star and guitarist Deirdre Cartwright—and satisfied a lifelong desire to check out Liverpool. With their song catalogue growing,Swerlin and Calabrese formed River Sane to showcase their material. In 1992, Laurie ventured off to do session work for Jan Corliss, whose demo “Crash My Car” took first prize in the annual New Music Seminar awards. Two years later,Swerlin and Calabrese refocused by morphing into Where There's Smoke. More recently, as a founding Swipper, Swerlin has been continuing her session work, writing, recording, and performing.
THE BACK STORY
The year was 1980 and Disco was dead. A changing musical climate and fate brought musicians Joanne Calabrese (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and Laurie Swerlin (lead guitar, backing vocals) together.
Before they became The Swippers, Calabrese and Swerlin were the musical architects of various groups such as “Last Licks”, an all-female pop/rock band whose indie release EP, “You’re Ruining My Love Life” won rave reviews from The Star Ledger’s then music critic, George Kansler. In addition, the EP’s single “Kiss Me with the Lights On” landed a spot on Billboard’s “Singles to Watch” list. Last Licks were also featured artists in The Bergen Record and The Aquarian magazine, which led to performances on the cult TV shows “Uncle Floyd” and “The Joe Franklin Show”.
In the 90’s, Calabrese and Swerlin went on to form the band “Where There’s Smoke” along with powerhouse drummer, Debbie Magguilli. Together, they played the NYC club circuit, numerous GLBT charity events and as the winners of New Jersey Pride’s “Battle of the Bands”, were the opening act for comedian Lea Delaria when she performed at the reopening of the historic Paramount Theater in Asbury Park New Jersey. Most recently, they were the opening act for legendary singer/songwriter Tret Fure as part of the “Powerful Women of Song” concert series at The Watchung Arts Center. Today, Calabrese and Swerlin continue to play their distinctive blend of original indie/folk rock/alternative music as the dynamic musical force known as “The Swippers”.
Additional Contact Information: calkemp@aol.com