 PRESS RELEASE at Her Own Graduation on June 19th And, this rocker is performing at her own graduation as bassist of UCLA’s Balkan Wedding Band. The band also features Ethnomusicology chair, Tim Rice along with director Ivan Varimezov on gaida/bagpipe and he is from a family heritage of gaida players in Bulgaria. Recently, she performed with jazz guitar legend, Kenny Burrell, in his tribute to humanitarian Ralphe Bunche. “What an honor to be in a group with such renouned jazz artists such as Kenny Burrell and Hubert Laws”. As a student of Anthony Seeger’s (nephew of folk artist Pete Seeger), Music of Protest and Stuggle course, Sharon has recently been writing songs of social commentary, and featured a new song “Only to Fly” at the Ethnomusicology Undergraduate concert held on June 4th. The song is a gentle wake up call for people to remember that they can live without the technologies relied upon so extensively. “I feel it is really important to remember our organic humanity, and not loose touch with the ground.” She is also re-working some of her introspective songs to embrace more broad human concerns. With graduation on the horizon, Sharon Giarratano is looking forward to spending more time on music, as well as being an ethnomusicology scholar-at-large. She and bandmate-guitarist Mark Wheeler produce a cable access television show at Long Beach Charter Cable that airs weekly, called “3SUM –The Show”. The show features musicians and artists and Sharon conducts personal interviews with guests through the perspective of ethnomusicology which includes the sociological as well as the artistic nature of music. More information can be found at www.3sum.net. __________________________________________________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While attending a jazz performance, Sharon was mesmerized by an elusive percussionist, Damien Smith. His coolness, and controlled finesse on the drum kit, appealed to her jazz roots. Sharon was hooked on connecting with him. 
Soon, her Libra balancing spirit joined the bipolar
energies of Mark and Damien together. She adopted the role of playing bass
out of necessity, envisioning that a band of three members would be raw
yet magical, reflecting the balance of chaos and synchronicity in the universe;
and the result is 3sum.~~~
www.3sum.net |
With a burning desire to sing, and turmoil in her
heart, she left the city and family that instilled jazz upon her soul.
Having eloped in a perverted diversion, the road from New Orleans to Los
Angeles was a wicked tale for Sharon Giarratano, front-woman of 3sum. Their
recent release, Perverted Pictures fills in the details. But before
this CD, the band had to form, and the universe assisted.
Caught
between the affections of tormentors and a drive to blast into her inherent
musical callings, Sharon kicked out the demons and embraced the Long Beach
music scene.
In walks Mark Wheeler, producer-guitarist, through
a chance meeting that puts the pair into an opportunity to collaborate.
Mark’s modern LA rock influences were unlike Sharon‘s musical direction,
which was more swamp-drenched, classic rock. Regardless, an apparent energy
between the two determined musicians led them to converge their styles,
and begin writing and performing as a duo. Like Pacific waves meeting a
Louisiana swamp, Mark’s hard-dirging, untamed riffs fueled Sharon‘s sultry
creativity
