10-19-06

 

 

Dighton teens, Matt & Sarah Borrello played to a packed house at Rick’s Music World in Raynham where they were the featured performers at Rick’s Open Mic night on Oct 19th. Each talented singer-songwriters in their own right, brother and sister took turns in the spotlight wowing the crowd with a few of their originals, then joined forces to deliver a combo of yet another original and their tasty rendition of two covers.

 

 

Matt's a rising star in the local coffeehouse scene where he's earned the admiration of his fellow musicians and songwriters who often invite him up to sit in. His style? Smooth with a great sense of timing, but plenty of energy and humor to spice it up and warm, full vocals to wrap it up in, with Johnny Cash “cool” and Bob Dylan insight. How many 16-year-olds do you know that can sing a Dylan song 10 verses long from memory while playing guitar and harmonica? When asked how he did it, he said, “with a tattoo,” revealing his forearm with a column of letters jotted down. Most of us would need more than one arm to remember all the words in a Dylan song.

 

 

Then there’s Sarah. Matt’s younger sister. There's no doubt this young singer-songwriter is going somewhere. Sarah Borrello is REAL. She's not afraid to lay down lyrics that speak truth with power-packed vocals, untamed and uncommon. “Sarah may only be 15, but she looked comfortable on a stage since the first time I saw her,” says Rick Santos of Rick’s Music World, “Sarah has the stage presence of those nearly twice her age.” As her song-writing ability developed, Sarah gained the confidence to experiment with the dynamics of her powerful vocals, weaving in the sweet surprise of tenderness at just the right moment.

 

 

“Unlike Sarah, Matt was a shy guy when he first hit our Cafe stage about a year ago.” says Santos “Since then we've watched his musicianship and performance skills explode.” What a difference a year makes. That's what happens when you mix opportunity with effort. In that one year, Matt immersed himself into the pursuit of live performance, as both spectator and performer with such enthusiasm it landed him on the stage at the Newport Folk Festival. The band, Blou, an accordion-driven French-Canadian version of a zydeco band asked for a volunteer. Two seconds later Matt was on stage playing spoons on a washboard and singing along. His parents Kathy and Chris Borrello of Dighton weren’t surprised at all. They’ve seen Matt’s efforts first-hand and Sarah’s too.

At an age where many parents find themselves distanced from their teens, this family’s appreciation of music has provided a common link. “These are exceptional parents with exceptionally talented kids,” says Santos, “They go the extra mile to support their kids’ interest in music and are reaping the rewards of strong family bonds and well-grounded teenagers. That bond extends to their grandparents who delight in attending Matt and Sarah’s performances every chance they get. All this translates into self-confidence for Matt and Sarah, who feel free to push their creative boundaries and are delivering sensational results.”

The respect seems to go both ways. According to the Borrello’s, Rick’s Music has played a part in their success story. “...giving our children a local, low-pressure environment in which to grow as performers. Rick’s Thursday night open mics have provided opportunities for them to hone their performance skills. The supportive atmosphere they offer is ideal for young musicians looking to share their talents." Say Kathy & Chris Borrello.

“One of our favorite Open Mic regulars is 82 and the young people get as much of a kick out of him as he enjoys seeing what they’ve got up their sleeve. All generations seem to feel comfortable here,” says Rick, “love of live music is the common link.”

If you want to catch these talented teens, Matt and Sarah are frequent performers on the Café stage at Rick’s Open Mic which is held every Thursday night starting at 7PM, located at 421 New State Hwy, Rt 44, Raynham Cover charge: Suggested Donation $3 per person, a portion of which benefits their Scholarship Fund. For more information call 508-977-0200 or visit www.ricksmusic.com

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