About Isabella
Jenn Wertzs demiurgic and clever way with words in conversation brings you to understand how it is that her lyrics stand out so well. Theres a sense of walking through life on a quest for universal consciousness, a cowboy hat on your head,harmonica in holster, and a frisky smirk.
“I’m really committed to honoring what comes out of me. It’s truthful. I’m not concocting anything. There are songs that I call white lights-the ones where my hands are the least in the process. They’re easy births. And the songs are predominately bitter-sweet… There’s always a realization of something beautiful and easy and then a realization that it’s not mine. Well, it looks like she may have found Something that is, decidedly hers…
Best known for membership as a vocalist, harmonica player, and percussionist in the eclectic Island Def Jam recording outfit Rusted Root but most appreciated for her solo project, pop-rock college favorites Lovechild (which included Korel Tunador, now of Goo Goo Dolls), Jenn Wertz has found the strongest foundation for the music she calls her southern fried rock underbelly with Isabella…
Isabella; not another female she found for harmonizing, but three strikingly musical men, laying down a foundation onto which Jenn can solidly build layers, staggering winsome emo charm with Janis-meets-Rickie Lee like wailing intensity. Isabella, a deceptively feminine moniker…for a rather walloping female fronted band.
Complimenting the delta pop blues-esque vocals in Isabella youll hear a fevered and clearly precise lead guitar from Frank Danyo (of Brownie Mary, Ike McCoy Band, and the Karl Mullen Band). Hear his resonant melodies in Shotgun where his guitar plays to Jenns vocals or his playful harmonics conversing with Jenns rhythm line at the head of Battlefields.
Laying down the solid classic-rocking rhythm section is Frank Marcello (Distractions, Karl Mullen Band) known to most as Shaggy on drums and Randy Venturini (Crisis Car, Bill Deasy, Dave Harger) playing a flawless bass.
Jenn put Isabella together shortly before Michael Glabicki invited her to return to Rusted root after an extensive break and Isabella took the backseat to touring with the larger outfit.
The newest release, Shotgun Sessions’ CD release party and the shows that followedreunited them for an experience whereafter they couldnt split again. Something happened that evening, the excitement of the crowd after weeks of highly energetic and creative practice sessions resurfaced a joy – that musical click- that keeps going.
