Band of the hour: Rachel Goodrich

Rachel Goodrich is a musical multi-tasker. And booty-shaker.

By Vanessa Garcia

Rachel Goodrich is a twenty-three year old singer/songwriter and self-taught musician who can play anything that makes a sound, including (but surely not limited to) the ukulele and the kazoo.

Homemade, Goodrich's self-produced CD, is just what its title implies – a sound that stitches together the twang of country, the occasional high pitch of a 1930s Ziegfeld Follies number, a contemporary beat strung up on an old record and a voice that swings from smooth to raspy. Goodrich’s music conjures flitting among disparate influences: classic Disney cartoons, Jazz Age jam sessions, earnest indie ballads or and Jelly Roll Morton’s swing. But always, with Goodrich, you feel you’re listening to something new. She’s even given a brand name to what she makes: Shake-a-billy.

Her live show is equally eclectic and unpredictable: She throws maracas into the audience, welcomes participation, and often asks, “are you diggin’ it?” Everyone always is.

Check her out Fridays at 190. For a complete schedule, visit myspace.com/rachelgoodrich.

Rachel Goodrich: making musical magic. Photo: Yvette Labov