Rebecca Ryan & The Sparrows Play Chicago's Morseland

The Sparrows, with Rebecca Ryan, will make their Chicago debut at the Morseland in Rogers Park on Friday, July 24th starting at 10 PM. A recent transplant to the Chicago music scene, Rebecca Ryan, was formerly the vocalist of SXSW band O’Ryan Island, and Cobalt Blue: St. Louis’ River Front Times (RFT) New Band of the Year. She brings her melodic and sensual vocal style to the recently formed outfit - The Sparrows. The five-piece band features guitarist Sean Garcia (TVT records’ Three Merry Widows, Cobalt Blue and Tinhorn). Garcia is from St. Louis and shares song-writing duties with Ryan. He has been a mainstay on both the national and St. Louis music scene for over 20 years. Guitarist Brian Simpson also played with the MTV favorite, Three Merry Widows. He resides in Dayton, OH. The rest of the band features a Who’s Who on the St Louis music scene: Stephen Nowles (The Poppies) on bass, Dino Nicastro (The Imps, Drew Johnson Band) on drums, and Tim Redmond (Cobalt Blue) on piano and guitar. The Sparrows blend melodic and ambient rhythms with rock guitars and haunting keys, all which serve as a base for the harmonic vocal interplay between Ryan and Garcia. Susan Voelz, formerly of Poi Dog Pondering, headlines this showcase at the Morseland. Voelz and her band, Defenders of the Monarchy Treasure, are fresh off a tour with Alejandro Escovedo. Voelz and Ryan played shows together in the 90’s as both of their bands crossed the country. They recently reconnected at one of Voelz’s shows in Chicago and decided to put show together for the Morseland.