If you enjoy the singer/songwriter format, you might want “Past Tense” to be in your future.
With a performance this Saturday night at the New Bedford home of Sarah Donner, Cassie will be playing all nine songs from her new release, “Past Tense.” Available on all of the major streaming services, the New Bedford-based artist will bring her contemplative and intriguing storytelling to 63 Thomas St. for a show that begins at 7 p.m. Cassie will be sharing the bill with national acoustic artist Dr. Gasp.
There is a suggested donation of $10 and guests are invited to bring their own chairs, food and drink. The show is another installment in Donner’s Stove Boat Concert Series, performances that take place at her home in a uniquely intimate forum, attracting both local and national talents.
“Intimate shows allow you to feel the music and feel the energy in the room,” Cassie says. “You know that the people attending the show are going to listen to you and they’re going to be open-minded. I want my music to resonate with people, not just swaying to a beat or background music in a bar.”
“Past Tense” is a decidedly downtempo record. Recorded at the Westport home of Jake Perrone, the songs are carried by Cassie’s signature melodies and distinctive voice, accompanied only by her electric guitar.
“Songwriting is extremely therapeutic for me, it’s a vulnerable thing to do but it helps me process my emotions and experiences,” Cassie says. “One of the reasons that I’m happy to release this album is that I’m releasing all of these emotions and past memories. It allows me to start anew and continue to grow as a musician.”
Cassie sights the influence and inspiration of fellow female songwriters such as Fiona Apple, Amy Winehouse, Angel Olsen, and Laura Marling.
“I play my music a little slower because I want people to feel something when they listen to it, to take it slow and feel it all,” she says. “It’s really important for people to not hide from sadness and negative emotions and all the things that don’t make you feel good.
“Each song is a different story,” she says. “Hopefully people can experience their own emotions and stories through my music.”
A self-taught guitarist and ukulele player, Cassie has bolstered her performances by studying singing at the Deborah Perry Vocal Development Studio in New Bedford, an experience she values greatly. While “Past Tense” is a stripped-down, folky solo record, Cassie’s life-long love of jazz and artists such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Johnny Mathis has her hoping to make a foray into the jazz world in the near future.
Cassie should not be confused with the R&B singer of the same name.
“I’m always shifting and changing as a person and I think my music reflects that,” Cassie says. “My songs help me with my anxieties and allow me to live in the moment. We don’t know how much time we have on this earth, so I want to be present for all of it.”
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