The Sway Birds
Singer/songwriters Wendy Beckerman, Karen Almquist, and Louise Taylor combine their soulful harmonies, multi-instrumental talents and storied lives, creating a magical musical blend.
three lifelong friends find they sound good together
Pure voiced jazz/folk poet and multi-instrumentalist Wendy Beckerman has been writing timeless songs since the early 1990's when she found herself in Greenwich Village, NYC involved in the evolution of Fast Folk Musical Magazine (started by iconic songwriter and pied piper Jack Hardy). Wendy's melodic and insightful songs have only grown deeper over time. Beckerman is a mindfulness instructor which informs her lyrical musings. Wendy switched instruments from guitar to piano after a wrist injury and with that new voice her songs have expanded. Her 6th release, the first on piano, will be available in 2025 self-titled Wendy Beckerman co-produced with Peter Gallway.
Multi-faceted blues guitarist and singer Karen Almquist delivers her brand of muscle, mastery, and texture to the trio. Karen fell in love with guitar early in life and met guitar maker Michael Millard (Froggy Bottom Guitars) who made her first "real" guitar in 1976. Almquist plays music because it's in her bones, with influences such as Lightning Hopkins, Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt, and James Taylor. She has developed her own powerful finger-stylings and honeyed slide playing on acoustic and electric guitar. Based in roots music with an edge, she has also crafted beautiful original songs and put her mark on many traditional and contemporary songwriter pieces. Karen's treasured release Tracking of Time was produced by her good friend, guitarist Nina Gerber.
Magnetic singer/songwriter, guitarist and percussionist Louise Taylor first met Wendy Beckerman in 1992 after Wendy reviewed Taylor's first DIY release Looking for Rivers. They became fast friends and contemporaries in the folk music world, singing harmony on each other's records and performing in many Fast Folk Revues at The Bottom Line in NYC. Taylor went on to record 5 CDs for Signature Sounds Recording Company, touring
internationally for 20+ years. Louise's songs are often dark, compassionate, and cinematic with that undeniable Taylor groove. Her most recent release Tangerine produced by Peter Gallway, features her soul-searching voice, Duesenburg electric guitar, and Jerry Marotta on drums.