BINGHAMTON'S GRACE'S GHOST RELEASES DEBUT ALBUM

Taunya Hamid’s on the line, her voice crackling in and out of reception.

She’s speaking to me from her home, having just finished dinner. I’m immediately aware of the person I’m talking to as being cut from a special cloth. When I tell her I’m cat-sitting, she's reminded of the times in her life she’s spent pet- and house-sitting. “It’s a really special thing, and people really appreciate it,” she says. Her love of animals, her cats and dogs, have been the inspiration behind some of the songs on their self-titled debut.

Grace's Ghost is made up of a group of Binghamton musicians who have been playing in many different bands for the better part of two decades. Drummer Chuck Kozlawski, singer-songwriter and acoustic guitarist Taunya Grace Hamid, and keyboardist Rich Kennicutt have been friends for the past 15 years, meeting through the band Punch Drunk Monkeys, a former metal/punk/clown outfit out of Endicott.

This is a departure from that sound. Grace’s Ghost plays music more reminiscent of the Grateful Dead than the Insane Clown Posse. Taunya has emerged as not only a great singer, but a proficient rhythm guitarist as well. The project started a few years back, when Rich and Taunya began playing together. Knowing Chuck well, they invited him to play drums. The pieces were coming together; all they needed was a bassist. Taunya’s first pick turned out to be a little too heavy, and was already dedicated to playing with a couple of other groups. Chuck invited his friend Mike Thompson to join the group, and Grace’s Ghost was born.

For the past two years, they’ve been playing together whenever they get the chance. “Between me, Mike, and Chuck’s schedules, it can be tough to schedule a gig, let alone a practice,” says Taunya. “We all put in the time on our own. That way when we come together next, it’s better than it was before.”

Taunya then explained why the band doesn’t have a lead guitarist, nor want one: “We started out that way. We didn't have a lead guitarist, because the lead guitarist we’d wanted move to Texas, so we didn't have one in mind. Our bass player Michael is proficient in all styles of playing. He brings out a lot of things I didn’t immediately hear in my tunes. When he started playing the bass, he did great things to fill in spots, and I went, ‘We're really not going to need anybody if you keep doing that,’ and so he said ‘Well, I’m going to keep doing that!’ He does a fine job of making me look good. He gives us a deep sound when we want it. We all agree that we like how we sound, and Rich fills in the other spots.”

Their debut album is a Binghamton classic. Taunya's songs are interesting and enjoyable, and her lyrics an introspective encounter with her love, her pets, and the problems facing us all today. Mike's bass playing really drives the album: his luscious lines form the peaks and valleys of each song- you can get lost in the emotional output. Taunya's voice, at times wily and crackly, at times soaring and smooth, always rests gently on top of the instruments. Chuck's drumming is tight and delicious, while Rich’s melodic keyboard doesn’t miss a note.

Check out “Fear and Loathing” and “Fire On” on Grace’s Ghost. Their next public gig will be at Manley’s Restaurant, 66 N Broad St in Johnson City, on September 19th. For more information, check out their Facebook page.