Live Music: The Paradigm Shift

Join V. Jeffrey Smith, Melanie Athena, and Bruce Balmer for live music, followed by an open stage for musicians at Common Good’s first “Music Night.” Bring your instrument, share your tunes, or just sit back and enjoy an evening of music and community.

V. Jeffrey Smith is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer whose career spans more than four decades. His credits include the saxophone solos on Billy Ocean’s “Caribbean Queen” and “Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car,” arranging Stephanie Mills’ “If I Were Your Woman,” and co-writing Paula Abdul’s “Promise of a New Day” and The Family Stand’s “Ghetto Heaven.” He has worked with Whitney Houston, produced Daryl Hall, Johnny Kemp, Kashif, Corey Glover, Heather Headley, and Tamia, and co-wrote, played, and sang on The Family Stand’s upcoming album, “Evolve,” with Melanie Athena. He and Athena also co-wrote the song “Blindsided.”

Bruce Balmer is a singer-songwriter and guitar player raised in Woodstock, NY. He discovered New York City’s underground folk scene and credits the Greenwich Village Songwriter’s Collective with helping him write and edit many of his songs. He also toured the USA and Italy with the late Jack Hardy.

Bruce divides his musical time between performing with his wife, Lisa Markley, as Markley & Balmer, solo performances, and studying 20th-century standards. He has released three solo albums: “Upstream,” “Blues/Boss/Jump/Waltz + 4,” and “Get Outta Park,” available at https://soonasongs.com/product/bruce-balmer-get-outta-park-download/.

Melanie Athena is a bass player and singer-songwriter raised in Ellenville by classical musician parents. After moving to Manhattan, she became part of New York City’s musical community, playing with Charles Neville, Bill Sims and the Bullet Proof Blues Band, Lew Gatewood, and Jack Hardy. She co-founded the band Gatewood and later shifted her focus to songwriting. Her co-write “Do It for Love” was chosen for a Michael Kors TV ad campaign.

The Paradigm Shift is V. Jeffrey Smith and Melanie Athena’s musical partnership. Their song of the same name reflects social unrest, calls for change, a divided nation, and the global pandemic. Find more at https://tpshift.com/.