NEWS

I spent the past year making a new album and I’m finally gearing up to share it! Lake Accotink will be my third independent release. I am celebrating with a handful of official shows as well as some outdoor pre-release shows in some of my favorite parks.   But first…a special show at the Kennedy Center Preview songs from Lake Accotink at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage on Monday September 10th at 6pm. I’m performing with a new ensemble of musicians that I truly admire, featuring: Ethan Foote on upright bass and guitar Chao Tian on Chinese dulcimer Yana Nikol on flute Lucas Ashby on drums More information on the show here. By the way, it’s free! Come hang out on the roof […]

I’m at the tail end of recording my third studio album, Lake Accotink. On Saturday, I tracked the 15th (and possibly) last song for the album. Now I just have to do some overdubs (adding other parts, like bass, drums, etc.) and then I can finish mixing the album. Last week, I tracked a new song titled “Of the Lake & Land” paying homage to Lake Accotink Park. I lived by the lake for over twenty years and I am thankful for being able to receive so much from that park. It’s been a huge source of inspiration for my new album, which is an environmental song cycle exploring our multi-faceted relationship with nature. I also created a crankie for this song […]

I’ve been spending the past few weeks slowly listening to and learning “The Stranger Song” by Leonard Cohen for an upcoming tribute concert. A bunch of my friends from DC are going to share their own renditions of songs by Leonard Cohen on Saturday December 2nd at Slash Run. It’s been interesting taking the time to learn someone else’s song with the purpose of covering it. Memorizing lyrics with the intent of performing them takes up a whole different form of headspace than learning lyrics by casually listening to a song. Sometimes I start to get some hint of the meaning or mood of the song, but then it morphs a little each time I revisit it. There’s plenty of […]

Our summer tour as the Marian McLaughlin Trio starts in a little under two months. It’s fascinating to see this puzzle come together finally. We are still in search of venues for NYC on 8/18 and Richmond, Virginia on 8/20 if anyone has any ideas. (photo credit: Brendan Polmer) 8/11 – Buffalo NY at the 9th Ward with Lesionread 8/12 – Rochester, NY at Mission Hall 8/13 – Ithaca, NY at a House Show with Beverly Stokes 8/14 – Great Barrington, MA at the Race Brook Lodge’s Down County Social Club 8/16 – Greenfield, MA at the Arts Block with Amber Wolfe 8/17 – Boston, MA at the Magnolia Loft with Anne Malin 8/18 – NYC, TBA (Still need help […]

As you may have heard, I self-released Spirit House on Wednesday September 23rd.  It’s currently available as a digital download or in CD format through my bandcamp.  I’m so excited and relieved that the album is finally out! I had to move our big DC release show from 9/23 to 11/21 due to transit issues surrounding the papal visit, so you still have a chance to catch my performance with the full ensemble!!  You can find out more about this special show through the online invitation here. I’m currently in the middle of a week-long tour supporting the album with Ethan and cellist Katie Weissman of Tiny Rhymes.  Ethan reshaped the arrangements for this smaller set-up, and we’re having a blast playing […]

Two weeks ago, I got to to play some out of town shows.  I took a bus up to NYC, walked the whole Highline with my guitar in tow, and made it to the Living Room in time for the Folk’d Up show.  I shared a bill with Lauryn Peacock, Skye Steele, and Bonsai. The following day, I met up with a group of people at Grand Central Station, and we took the Metro North up the Hudson River valley to spend the whole day hiking along Mt. Taurus.  Dan Goldberg runs a music series called The Mountain Shows, where a few performers set up along various trail landmarks and share music during hiking breaks.  I got to play at the ruins […]

Hello!  Welcome to my website, designed by my wonderful friend Erin White of Elevation Lab. Some exciting things are coming together, and I can’t wait to share everything I’ve been working on with you. The recording process of Spirit House is off to a strong start.  Ethan’s friend Michael Okusami is engineering the album in his awesome home studio.  He’s involved in many projects, and I’ve taken a liking to this song and video from one of his groups called Nighttime Adventure Society. We’re almost done laying down my guitar and vocal parts.  This time in the studio, I realized how challenging it is to record a nylon-stringed guitar.  I play so quietly, so all sorts of shifting movement from my fret […]