Songwriters Spotlight illuminates different genres

Songwriters Spotlight

New Hazlett Theater

Saturday at 8 p.m.

6 Allegheny Square… Songwriters Spotlight

New Hazlett Theater

Saturday at 8 p.m.

6 Allegheny Square E.

http://www.newhazletttheater.org/event/?event_id=405

Tickets: $10

Imagine placing Bob Dylan, Norah Jones and Prince on a stage and telling them to make it work. Not an easy task, right? But despite the seeming incompatibility of their three genres, folk, jazz and funk will all come together in a single room this Saturday.

Beginning at 8 p.m. at the New Hazlett Theater with a special introduction by hosts Joe Grushecky and Rick Witkowski, musicians Tom Breiding, Heather Kropf and Anthony Rankin will perform in a live acoustic show that seems more a jam session than an actual concert. As is Songwriters Spotlight procedure, the three Pittsburgh locals will touch upon selections of their original music and a song they wish they had written.

Grushecky said the most interesting moments are when other artists join in at random to add a unique dimension.

“There are always a couple moments in the evening where hair stands up on the back of your arm,” Grushecky said. “It’s quite an interesting evening.”

Throughout the night, each artist has the opportunity to connect with the audience more intimately than at a traditional concert, Grushecky said.

“What a more perfect way to sit and perform your art in an intimate setting with our friends,” he said.

Rick Witkowski, the self-described “sidekick” of Grushecky, also noted the unique atmosphere of the New Hazlett Theater.

“People love the vibe of the place,” Witkowski said. “The magic is the room itself.”

The Northside venue distinguishes itself from other theaters by its design. Instead of a raised stage, the room has slanted seating that faces downward. Performers are beneath the audience on a flat surface that keeps the two less distant.

Grushecky said he hopes that hearing the music in its purest form will intrigue the audience. The three musicians are all local artists, and each represents the Pittsburgh music scene in a unique way.

Tom Breiding is a folk singer originally from West Virginia who, according to Grushecky, writes well-crafted stories for his songs. By contrast, Heather Kropf’s jazzy sound is a cross between “Norah Jones and Carol King,” Witkowski said.

The third act, Anthony Rankin, graduated from Duquesne University in 2006 with a major in sound recording. Rankin said the school not only gave him an education but also helped him make connections in the business.

Rankin — promoting his recent album, Blow This House Down — labels his current sound as “funk-infused pop rock” reminiscent of Prince. This, he said, is an evolution from his previous, more mainstream Bon Jovi-inspired sound.

“I’ll be hitting the new record harder,” Rankin said of his setlist for the upcoming show. He said he wants to play more story-based songs to mesh with the intimate setting.

“Solo acoustic gigs are more rewarding because you make friends you otherwise wouldn’t and build relationships in the business” Rankin said.

Grushecky said the diversity of the musicians intrigues the audience, and the best moments of the evening come from the collaboration and creativity among the musicians. Simply put, the night is filled with “spontaneous combustion” of music, he said.