SEVERIN BROWNE and JAMES COBERLY SMITH started off our House Concert series in February 1997 on such a strong, positive note that it has been snowballing ever since. We had 55 people in the audience for that first show!

Severin Browne started off his musical career in the early 1970s as a staff writer for Motown Records and, at the urging of Barry Gordy, eventually released two albums on the Motown label. Severin's 1995 comeback album, From The Edge Of The World, was released in 1995. This album shows the growth that can come from 20 years of life's experiences. The CD is infused with an amazing flair for great melody and lyrics. Songs like "My Love Mo Betta" and "Uptown" showcase Severin's inspired soul and R&B influence, which has a strong Van Morrison feel. "Edge of The World" is a great rocker, while love songs like "Leaving You's The Hardest Thing I've Known" and "If I Loved You" show that Severin has not lost the great 70's pop feel that was such a part of his earlier recordings.

Recently, Severin's music was prominently featured in the 1997 independent feature film "Plan B" starring Jon Cryer. Severin is best known for his great melodies and smooth vocals. He still performs regularly in various locations around the Los Angeles area and released a wonderful new CD in 2001. Severin has named his greatest music influences as Paul Simon, James Taylor, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and his brother, Jackson.

James Coberly Smith traces his beginnings to Racine, Wisconsin - a city not unlike L.A. except it's flatter, smaller and can be very cold (it snows there!). James acquired a good education, a love for a particular Danish pastry, a football team, a trombone, a ukulele, a banjo, and a guitar or two. Eventually, like many Mid-Westerners, James left town. (The cold makes them go.) Driving across the country in a VW squareback, James made a fortunate stop in Rapid City, South Dakota. There he found a 1930s vintage Gibson guitar in a pawnshop. Perhaps while pretending to be some farm boy who didn't know about this or that, James was able to purchase this guitar for a small amount of money. Maybe he took advantage of that pawnbroker (you've got to watch this guy) or maybe God just wanted him to have that guitar. You be the judge.

James Coberly Smith is a master guitar player whose fun and whitty songs captivate audiences and leave everyone wanting more. If credentials are your bag, he has some, but doesn't talk about them much. He seems to think that his most important show is the one he is about to do. James Coberly Smith's instrumental CD The Great Twelve String Adventure is a project of solo, acoustic 12 string, bottleneck slide instrumentals. He released a new CD of vocal songs -- song that will make you laugh and songs that will make you cry -- in late 2001. The album, Cocomo, contains some of our favorite James Coberly Smith tunes including "Flypaper Highway" and "Bad Ideas".

We can't thank Severin and James enough for starting off our house concert series on such as strong, positive note!