> REVIEWS

Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, WI
CD Review By Nataswha Kassulke
The first time I heard Katy Tessman, the crowd was rowdy. People were more interested in discussing why they were glad to be done with work for the day, rather than paying attention to the stage. But as Tessman kicked in her vocals and clever slice-of-life lyrics, the bar grew silent and she captured the crowd's attention. Her voice was equal parts angelic passion and powerhouse ... [read entire reveiw]

High Plains Reader, Fargo, ND/Moorhead, MN
CD Review by John Lamb
Katy Tessman has a big voice. You can't run away from it, you can't hide from it and on her 11-song debut, Fall, you certainly can't ignore it. Although she also plays guitar and occasionally mandolin, it is Tessman's voice that easily stands out as the most powerful instrument on the album ... [read entire review]

Northland Reader Weekly, Duluth, MN/Superior, WI
Listen Up! -- CD Review by Jeff Loudermilk
At first blush, Katy Tessman's CD Fall seems to come into line with much folk music's mainstream. There are many elements reminiscent of artists like Judy Collins and Janis Ian, Tessman's voice seeming like a synthesis of these two giants of the 70's folk scene ... [read entire review]

Pulse of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
'Round the Dial by Tom Hallett
I first heard local singer/songwriter Katy Tessman back in the late '90s when she was fronting Minneapolis folk/rock combo Joe's Elevator. The album Up & Down wasn't bad, but didn't quite give me the shivers. Tessman, though blessed with a powerful set of pipes ... [read entire review]

The Muse's News, National E-Zine
Review of Katy Tessman's Fall
When a commercial for a new drug wants you to feel that the TV people have benefited from it, they have the actors smiling and tripping along a deserted beach or a deserted country field. Well, Katy commercializes herself, as if she has the beach all to herself ... [read entire review]

Lakeshore Weekly News, Minneapolis, MN
Tessman's Album Fall Is Worth Gently Savoring
Minnetonka singer-songwriter Katy Tessman shows off her clear folk-singer voice on "Wash It Away," the first track of her new album Fall. She's like Natalie Merchant, but more confessional and conversational ... [read entire review]

Pulse of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
Katy Tessman CD Release Party at The Fine Line, Saturday, Jan. 6
If there's one thing you can honestly say about local singer/songwriter Katy Tessman, it's that she's tenacious as hell. While literally dozens of acoustic coffee-house performers have dropped like flies around her, moving to more artist-friendly locales or giving up entirely, she's kept plugging away ... [read entire review]

> Other Online Reviews:

Indie-Music.com -- "...the tunes are good ones, mixing up-tempo with more medium-beat and slow songs. Instrumentally, this is a very good CD... Katy's lyrics are also quite clever and really a slice of life kind of style." ~ Les Reynolds

The Song Crafters -- "Katy's inviting voice and her ability to create fascinating pieces from her life experiences make this a fun CD to listen to. As much a contemporary poet as she is a writer/vocalist and guitarist..." ~ Jack Kavanaugh

Odeon.net -- "Her debut release is a tightly knit, almost conceptual, selection of songs." ~ Soy

Wendy V's Local Blend -- "One of the most visible and highly regarded artists on the local acoustic scene, Katy Tessman's debut solo CD will no doubt delight her fans. Katy performs at her gigs with fervor and passion, and those traits are evident on her CD..." ~ Wendy Vickers

The Ectophiles' Guide to Good Music -- "Something that you don't hear all that often is a simple, honest purity in the lyrics. Katy Tessman says what she feels, and that makes the listener feel good, too.." ~ Bill Adler

Rockzilla.net -- Review of Granite City Folk Society's Singer-Songwriters In The Round at Bo Diddley's in St. Cloud, MN on 01/30/2002 "The first thing you'll notice about Katy Tessman is that she performs barefoot..." ~ Al Kunz

> INTERVIEWS

Decorah Iowa Journal
Singer-songwriter Tessman returns to Decorah May 4
... Throughout the show, Tessman's cousin and Decorah resident, Robyn Duder will join her on backing vocals on some of Tessman's original songs as well as a few special covers. "I'm looking forward to performing with my cousin Robyn. She's got a great ear for harmony and her positive stage presence is a great compliment to my positive personality." said Tessman ... [read entire interview]

Lewiston Morning Tribune, Lewiston, ID
Singer/songwriter to bring tunes to Lewiston
Katy Tessman says she's hard to surprise which is why her parents once gave her a Christmas present on the Fourth of July. The gift was an acoustic guitar ... [read entire interview]

St. Cloud Times, St. Cloud, MN
Turn it up: She finds style in urban folk
Singer/songwriter Katy Tessman is what some call an urban folk purist, a title that sits well with her.... [read entire interview]

Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, SD
Catch Positive Vibes With Tessman
When asked what sets her apart from the rest of the singer-songwriter pack in the Twin Cities, Minneapolis femi-folkie Katy Tessman replies promptly, "I'm a woman and proud of it." ... [read entire interview]

Skyway News / Lakeshore Weekly News, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
Artist's Music Reflects Eclectic Style, Minnesota Traditions
Katy Tessman, a Minnetonka singer and songwriter, has lived in the area most of her life and at least one of the songs off her new album Fall reflects Minnesota traditions - "Caribou" ... [read entire interview]

Minnesota Sun Newspapers, Minneapolis, MN
Cover Story: Minnetonka resident Katy Tessman releases CD
Katy Tessman always wanted to be a performer, but it was her tall, nearly 6-foot frame that pushed her toward her solo singing career ... [read entire interview]

University Chronicle, St. Cloud State University, MN
Songstress To Swoon At Downtown Club
Urban folk singer-songwriter Katy Tessman is returning to Java Joint Saturday night for an acoustic storytelling performance. Jennifer Nelson, manager of Java Joint, said Tessman has been a featured artist at Java Joint a few times in the past year. "I lover her," Nelson said. "She's very sweet." ... [read entire interview]

Herald Review, Grand Rapids & Itasca County, MN
Summer Resident To Make Grand Rapids Debut
Award-winning winger-songwriter Katy Tessman, who has spent her summers on Caribou Lake since her early childhood, will make her Grand Rapids debut ... [read entire interview]

Photography by Jon Duder.