Cathy Carfagna is a multi-instrumentalist (keyboards, accordion, guitar, dulcimer, percussion), vocalist and songwriter, Cathy Carfagna has been active in the Western New York music scene for more than 30 years.

Growing up in East Aurora, N.Y., Cathy started her musical journey in preschool, listening to her mom’s LPs and 45s (including the Everly Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel, Ricky Nelson and folk/calypso) and picking out tunes on the piano, which led to piano lessons. Fast forward to a snowy day in January 1977, when the Beatles’ “Help!” was the “Movie for a Sunday Afternoon” … which changed everything and made her want to be in bands (and sing harmony vocals at any and every opportunity).

During the 1990s, Cathy toured North American coffeehouses and clubs with the Jazzabels – a folk-pop duo that played around the northeast, performed in Italy and Mexico and released two CDs (Café All Day and Skyway). The project earned positive reviews in publications like FolkRoots, Acoustic Songwriter, and Dirty Linen. Cathy was also a member of the French Ticklers (one of Buffalo’s first Cajun-Zydeco- style bands); the Frank Zappa tribute band Voice of Cheez; and Americana groups the Outlyers and Jim Whitford Band.

In 2013, Cathy’s recording of “If You Lose An Angel” (written by Buffalo songwriter Buck Quigley of the Steam Donkeys) was used in the Oscar-nominated motion picture Nebraska.

Cathy has also been active with MusicalFare’s Premier Cabaret since 2014, performing in sold-out shows with the TLC Trio of WNY (with Theresa Quinn and Leah Zicari). Additional musical theater experience includes arranging and performing keyboard parts for MusicalFare’s 2019 original production “Late in the Evening: The World According to Paul Simon;” writing and playing percussion in Buffalo Ensemble Theater’s production of Soldiers (1990); and performing in Michael Meldrum’s 1995 Woody Guthrie Revue at the Riviera Theater.

She’s also done commercial vocal work for Propellerhead Studios in Buffalo. By day, Cathy is a writer and editor at the University at Buffalo.

Current Bands/Projects:

Horizontal Stripes (60s style pop covers and originals with husband David Meinzer and friends; Dave and Cathy also play occasional duo shows)

Whitford Klyma Band (Americana/originals with “supergroup” Jim Whitford, Greg Klyma, Jamie Sunshine and Colin Brydalski)

The BlackRock Beatles (with Geno McManus, Frank Grizanti, Joe Rozler and Brandon Delmont)

Stoneflower (another Geno McManus-led project with a flexible lineup; various tribute shows, including the Rolling Stones & Bruce Springsteen)

The Vores (original post-punk) (current lineup-Biff Henrich, Gary Nickard, Dave Meinzer, and Patrick Heyden)

Baci e Ceci (1960s Italian pop) (with Dave & Kristin Gilmet, Jesse Reiter, and Dave Meinzer)

Doug Yeomans original project

TLC Trio of WNY (revues of 60s & 70s artists-see below)

Occasional guest spots with McCarthyizm, Perilous and others

Past Projects:

David Kane’s HEARsay

The Outlyers (Americana; with Dave Meinzer, former Pine Dogs Tom Fischer & Jim Celeste, Adam Gearing, drummer John Brady, and the late great Kevin McCue)

The Jazzabels (with Kilissa Cissoko; original folk/pop)

Maria Sebastian Band

Voice Of Cheez (late 1990s-mid 2000s Frank Zappa Tribute Band)

Robot Holiday Collective (original holiday music)

Nimrod Wildfire & the Sagebrush Lotharios (another Dave Meinzer project; Americana)

Cielo Norte (Tex-Mex)

French Ticklers (1990s Buffalo Cajun/Zydeco, with Dave Meinzer and members of the Steam Donkeys)

Intergalactic Burnt Toast (1980s WBNY project with Tina Peel)

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Member, Sportsmen’s Americana Music Foundation

Volunteer Performer (with David Meinzer), BMHOF Musician Medics

Volunteer performer, various benefit shows (e.g. McCarthyizm benefits for Friends of the Night People & Food Bank of WNY, Bob James projects Blues4Vets and Tunes4Food, other shows to assist individuals and organizations in need.

RECORDINGS (PARTIAL LIST)

Solo Release – Cathy Carfagna: Turn Your Face to the Sun (Red Jacket, 2009)*

David Meinzer:
Luau Time (2003)
Tambourine (2019)

The Outlyers:
Hits & Myths (Red Jacket, 2006)
American Songbook (Red Jacket, 2002)*

The Vores:
Common Scar (Double Duke, 2012)*
Moment of Uncertainty (Double Duke, 2005)*

The Jazzabels:
Skyway (DelMore Records, 1996)*
“Throughout the Year” – That Christmas CD (compilation) (Hot Wings, 1996)
Café All Day (DelMore Records, 1994)*
Original song “Little Harlem Hotel” included on No Illusions: Buffalo Women Musicians
(compilation): (Hot Wings, 1994) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f061SrRb5ko (track 14)
Should I Wait? (cassette) (DelMore Records, 1993)
Come Hell or High Harmony (cassette) (DelMore Records, 1991)

French Ticklers:
Little Arrows & Little Hearts (cassette, 1992)

Guest Recordings- Highlights (Keyboards, Accordion, and/or Vocals)
53 Days
Richard Chon
Glenn Colton
The Contortionists
Church Key Social
Yod Crewsy & Dark Marbles
Doombuggy
The Dreaming
Rob Falgiano
The Fibs
Lisa Forrest
Tim Franczyk (upcoming release)
Dave Goddard
Stephani Brooks Goddard
Bob James
Joelle Labert
Michael Maffei
Peter McGennis Jr.
Rockabilly Steve
Carl Thiel
Leah Zicari

Film & Video Music:

Recording of “If You Lose an Angel” included in Nebraska (Paramount Vantage, 2013)

With David Meinzer: Original soundtracks for independent documentary shorts:
The Promise: Horse Sanctuary and Rescue (Jay Lurie, 2010)
James Blue, Buffalo and the Complex Urban Documentary (Elmer Ploetz, 2006)

Musical Theater/Cabaret Performances
Late in the Evening: The World According to Paul Simon, MusicalFare Theater, Buffalo, NY (2019) (keyboard arranging and performing)

TLC Trio of WNY- revue shows (2014-present):
-The Songs of Carole King
-Ladies of the Canyon (Linda Ronstadt & Joni Mitchell)
-Songs in the Key of “Eh!” (Canadian singer-songwriters)
-She Loves You! (The Beatles)
-Songbirds of the Sixties

Woody Guthrie Tribute Revue, Riviera Theater, Tonawanda, NY (the Jazzabels, 1996)
Soldiers, Buffalo Ensemble Theater, Buffalo, NY (solo percussion, 1990)

Art/Improvisational Performances with the Vores/The “Vorechestra”
Emerald Cut & More – with Craig Smith, The Cave, 2024
Monsters of Nature and Design, Hallwalls, Burchfield Penney Art Center, Albright-Knox Art Gallery (multiple, 2007-2009)
The Parasite, with Craig Smith, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Burchfield Penney Art Center (2012)
Silent/Sound: Surrealist Films with Improvised Live Score, Burchfield Penney Art Center & Canalside (2014)
Science & Art Cabarets, Hallwalls (multiple, 2016-present)

Selected Reviews and Articles
BestofWNY.com
BlogCritics.org
Buffalo Spree
Buffalo News/Gusto
Dirty Linen
Folk Roots
Performing Songwriter
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle
Rockandreprise.net
Sing Out!

Awards
Nominee: Sportsmen’s Americana Music Foundation Awards, 2018, 2019
Buffalo Artvoice Music Awards, Best New Original Band, The Jazzabels, 1996

Sample Reviews:

Cathy Carfagna: Turn Your Face to the Sun

Cathy Carfagna has been one of the area’s most versatile musicians…Amazingly she has found the ime to release her first solo CD, the very impressive Turn Your Face to the Sun – an homage to American Roots Music. Carfagna penned eleven of the thirteen tracks here with the two other cuts written by distinguished local music veterans Bob Kozak and the Steam Donkeys Buck Quigley…Among the highpoints here are the very Emmylou inspired “Going Down to Memphis” that features Whitford’s weeping lap steel playing, ”It’s Alright If It Rains” a churchy blues number, “Traverse City Blues” the woeful tale of the traveling musician, Quigley’s “If You Lose An Angel” that Carfagna makes her own, the laid back rocker “Empire State Queen” and “What Do I Do” written by Kozak. The musicians all play with a subdued restraint, leaving the songs and Cafagna’s vocals to shine brightly. This is without a doubt one of the best local releases of 2009.

• Bob Silvestri, BestofWNY.Com

When you’ve been playing music in a city for as long as Cathy Carfagna, and in so many different outfits—the Jazzabels, the Outlyers, the Vores, the Voice of Cheez, to name a few—making a solo record must seem like a perpetual member of the to-do list: You want to get to it, but when? Carfagna finally made time… It’s a gem of a record that showcases Carfagna’s fine songwriting, with the support of some of Buffalo’s best roots music players.

• Geoff Kelly, Buffalo Artvoice

The title track of Carfagna’s “Turn Your Face to the Sun” album is enough to convince anyone that she could take you on a carpet ride through sunshine pop and psychedelia. melody and vocal harmony beautiful enough to inspire. There is something electric in what she does that is hard not to love. I have listened to this numerous times and am as impressed with the production as I am with the music.

• Frank O. Gutch, Jr., Rockandreprise.net

The Outlyers: Hits and Myths

The Outlyers live shows have always been an exercise in beauty and grace, offering gorgeous melodies over heartfelt honest lyrics. Hits & Myths captures a glimpse of that power. “Everything But Time” offers a great hook and a heartfelt vocal delivery by Gearing as Carfagna’s organ playing dances around the vocals. “Tumble Down” written by Carfagna is a pop song in the Sheryl Crow vein. Carfagna also lays down some nice vocals on the Tex Mex sounding “Loteria” co- written with Meinzer. All throughout the disc Carfagna adds immeasurable parts musically and vocally.

• Bob Silvestri, BestofWNY.Com

The TLC Trio of WNY

She Loves You! The TLC Trio of WNY Sings the Beatles is a show not to be missed

• Jack Garner, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
• What a great concert… all so talented. And – I have a new appreciation for the accordion. Amazing.
• Loved, loved, loved the concert.
• What an excellent concert – you made my night! I’m still humming “Carey!”
• Viewer Feedback, Facebook Livestream, TLC Trio of WNY Sings Songs of the 60s and 70s

The Vores — Moment of Uncertainty

Whether Frank Black was aware of The Vores or not, the songs on this CD sound like a forerunner to the Pixies with 3 minute bass-heavy songs that mix punk, surf and pop, Comparisons could also be made to James Chance, Television and Pere Ubu but The Vores come across far less pretentious. A very enjoyable CD that should establish The Vores as an important band of the post-punk era.

• Kirk Burton, “Is This Music?” Independent Music Forum