Rock-influenced cellist Alison Chesley on the road supporting solo effort

Classically trained cellist, Alison Chesley, is confirmed to play U.S. tour dates in July and August in support of her first solo album, Helen Money. The album is slated for a September 18, 2007 release date. First performance on the tour will be at the Denial Fest in Chicago on July 7th.
Helen Money was produced by David Suycott (who recently produced an album for Wayne Cramer as well as drumming for Machines of Loving Grace, Stabbing Westward and Spys Who Surf) at I Dig Music Studios in Chicago.
"It was Dave's idea to record it like a lot of the bands in the 60s did - live" Chesley explains. "So I just set up like I would for my shows - with all my pedals through an amp. I had Diana Parmeter play with me on a couple tracks to avoid overdubbing and because she was doing the live shows with me at that point."
Chesley now performs alone and both the album and her performances are instrumental-only. Chesley has previously opened for artists like Frank Black, John Doe, Bob Mould, Stone Gossard (Brad), Liz Phair, Morrissey, Counting Crows and Live.
"I like a lot of music," Chesley notes, "but rock music especially speaks tome. I like great pop melodies and loud guitars and music with emotion. But because I play this instrument - whatever I express has to come through it, even if it feels like AC/CD mixed with Steve Reich" she concludes.
Artists like Jimi Hendrix, Gustav Mahler, The Minutemen, Bob Mould and The Who have influenced her leading to the development of her unique, amplified sound. Disturbed, Bob Mould, Archer Prewitt, Chris Connelly and Mono, among others, have commissioned her cello playing for their recordings. She has alsoperformed and recorded as a member of Poi Dog Pondering and is currently Composer In Residence for Mordine and Company Dance Theater in Chicago.
Alison Chesley has garnered outstanding press coverage including a feature in Billboard Magazine with her previous band, Verbow. Esteemed Billboard editor, the late Timothy White, wrote these poignant lines about the band: "Good music compels one to think about the musicians, but great music compels us to think about ourselves."
The Chicago Tribune reviewed Chesley with then band mate, Jason Narducy, writing "the duo radiated an electric confidence that elicited a fervent response from the capacity audience. It was a tough act to follow, even for a legendary figure such as [Bob] Mould."
The eleven tracks on Helen Money are
1. "Dreaming,"
2. "Hum,"
3. "Jackson,"
4. "Birds,"
5. "I'll See You In Hell,"
6. "Song For My Sister,"
7. "Block,"
8. "Iggy,"
9. "Mondo,"
10. "Hendrix" and
11. "...In Love With The WholeWorld."

Helen Money Tour Itinerary (all dates may be subject to change)
Sat., 7/7 at Denial Fest in Chicago, IL
Wed., 7/18 at Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, CA
Thurs., 7/19 at Luggage Store Gallery in San Francisco, CA
Sun., 7/22 at Tangier in Los Angeles, CA
Tues., 7/24 at Silverlake Lounge in Los Angeles, CA
Wed., 7/25 at Bordello in Los Angeles, CA
Sun., 8/5 at Soundpost in Portland, ME
Tues., 8/7 at Nectars in Burlington, VT
Fri., 8/10 at Parish Hall in Cleveland OH
Sat., 811 at Silent Barn in Brooklyn, NY
Sun., 8/12 at Milo Electric in Columbus, OH

Visit Helen Money online at www.helenmoney.com or at www.myspace.com/helenmoney.
Cellobird Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, IL.