Bay Area Rock Songstress KARNEY Reaches New Heights With Huge Sound and Powerful Lyrics on Her New EP BETTER
Anna Karney has been making great music for many years, performing across the United States and collaborating with many talented and notable artists. As a solo artist she has put out several singles and EPs, and now with her band KARNEY is set to release a new EP titled BETTER, a stunning collection of original new songs together with a remix, and a cover of “Ramble On,” one of Karney’s favorite Led Zeppelin songs.
Keeping her mind on social justice and positive messages, Anna Karney’s lyrical content offers a sardonic and sometimes straightforward approach to many of the issues facing people today, with a message of hope resonating throughout every song she writes. Inspiration, obsession, and constant chaos in the news are the motivators for her new songs. How can a social justice songwriter stay silent during these trying times? The answer is, she can’t. Despite this, the title song “Better” shifts focus to the positive and offers the listener an uplifting message of hope and courage.
The KARNEY band performs in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Pacific Northwest, and it is very easy for Anna Karney to remain inspired with the new players in the lineup around her. These include bassist Kevin White (The Chuck Prophet Band), guitarist Erik Smyth (Mo’fessionals, Too Short), and also returning on guitar James DePrato (The Chuck Prophet Band). Drummer Jeff Herrera remains the steady backbeat of the group, and horn section heavyweights include trumpet player Bill Ortiz (Santana, Tony Toni Tone) and Sax/Electric Bassoonist Paul Hanson (Bela Fleck, Billy Cobham). Anna Karney holds down guitar, various piano, organ and strings sounds, and lead and background vocals on all songs. With this all-star lineup each show is more exciting than the last.
KARNEY released her last album of original songs titled NO MERCY in 2018, which received broad national Radio airplay on Triple-A and Americana radio stations, and internationally as well. On that album as well as on previous releases, KARNEY has worked with producers and artists in the SF Bay Area such as Producer/engineer Mark Pistel (Michael Franti, Grace Jones, Chuck Prophet), Producer/Engineer Michael Rosen (Rancid, Tesla, Smashmouth, Santana, and Papa Roach), and Adam Munoz (Herbie Hancock, Dave Mathews, Branford Marsalis, Joshua Bell, Chester Thompson, and Lyle Lovett).
Anna Karney’s musical influences include Bob Dylan, Neil Young, John Lennon, Sheryl Crow, Chrissie Hynde, Fela Kuti, and Joni Mitchell. As an arranger, pianist, and guitarist, she has worked with artists such as George Clinton, Linda Perry, and Dennis Bovell. By night the KARNEY band rocks out at clubs and events, and by day Anna Karney is a choir director and guitar teacher in public schools. She has found a balance between creating her own new music and inspiring creativity and songwriting in teens. Some musicians might decide to quit their passion for more practical work, but Karney is only energized more by doing both.
Anna Karney has had a diverse musical career, having spent many years composing music for games such as Star Wars Galaxies, Monkey Island IV, Armed and Dangerous, several SimCity titles, Metal Dungeon, Death Jr., and many more. She has also added youth choral director to her list of musical endeavors, having received the esteemed “Dreamcatcher” Award from the Visual and Performing Arts division of the San Francisco Unified School District for her work as a choral teacher and conductor for middle and high school students, as well as her contribution to the furthering of music education in the San Francisco public school system.
Additionally, Anna Karney has scored ballet and modern dance pieces as an artist in residence at Mills College and San Francisco State University. This includes pieces for many contemporary dance world choreographers and dancers such as Edward Valela, Anna Sokolo, San Francisco Ballet School, Margaret Jenkins Dance Company, Oberlin Dance Collective, Richard Gibson and The Academy of Ballet, June Watanabe, Joe Goode, Lucas Hoving, Ed Mock, Janice Garret, Melissa Fenley, and many more. She also composed her Opus 1 Chaconne Sur Sept for nationally renowned contemporary music group Earplay Ensemble.
For more information please visit the KARNEY website: www.karney.org
