Rachel Sammons . June 25, 2019
WHAT DOES PALATE COFFEE BREWERY LOVE AFTER COFFEE, FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND ABSURDLY DELICIOUS MUFFINS?
Folk music. Especially when performed live.
This Friday, June 28th, Mona Lisa Tribe will serenade coffee drinkers with their soothing, Lumineer-esque tunes, starting at 4:00 p.m. EST.
I caught up with three of the band members: Tabitha, Jon, and Erin to learn a little more about their story.
What got you all into music?
Tabitha: I took piano lessons starting when I was six and got involved with my church’s music. I was even in a girl group consisting of four girls doing three-part harmony! Jon: I started playing music as a percussionist. Loved rhythm, but I also became intrigued with harmony and melody. Bass guitar seemed to merge those two parts of music together the best.Â
Erin: I have always really loved music. Neither of my parents are musicians, so all my musical exposure came from school and church. I have a very distinct memory of seeing a cello for the first time as a five-year-old and thinking it was literally the coolest instrument I had ever seen and I needed to play it as soon as I was allowed. I joined the church choir when I was in kindergarten, started piano lessons in first grade, and joined the school orchestra when I was in third grade. The rest is history.Â
photo credit: Nothing Negative Company
How did all of you meet?
T: Me and Caroline started the band after meeting at our church, and slowly but surely the other members came together as well! Full band has been together for a year and a half.
J: I met Tabitha through college. She was an accompanist for the popular music majors, so we’d worked together a few times while I was a student, and my senior year she asked if I wanted to play bass for the band, that’s where I met the rest of the band members, except Erin (cello) who I knew from church. Having been a big fan of the original, trio version of Mona Lisa Tribe, I enthusiastically said yes.Â
E: Most of us met either at church or in college at Palm Beach Atlantic.
How would you describe your music?
T: Female-Fronted Folk 🙂
J: We all kind of have differing opinions on what exactly our style is. We all would agree that it’s obviously folk. With some definite modern-y pop influences with our covers we play. But our other Jon (drummer) and I like to remind Tabitha how good she is at writing country songs.
E: I would describe our music as folk-americana.
photo credit: Nothing Negative Company
Do you like coffee? If so, what is your favorite drink?
T: Does chai tea latte count? Yes…well, do you like it dirty?
J: Normally I don’t drink coffee. Never really enjoyed the taste (what??) except for occasional Cuban coffee (okay). But recently I discovered what a mocha Frappuccino is, and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a great excuse to drink a chocolate milkshake at 9:00 a.m.
E: I LOVE coffee. I’ll take coffee in any form. However, if it’s really good coffee, I usually opt for plain, black coffee or plain, black cold brew. I love how different types of coffees can taste so differently depending on the region and the growing conditions of the bean. My husband and I literally go out of our way on road trips to find new, cool coffee shops. Atta girl!
photo credit: Imani Givertz
Mona Lisa Tribe specializes in three-part harmonies and in writing original, fun folk music with a modern twist. They are often compared to the likes of the Wailin’ Jennys, the Staves, and the Lumineers, with each member playing multiple instruments throughout the show.
So come check them out this Friday!
Instagram: @monalisatribe
Featured photo credit: Imani Givertz
photo credit: Ian Jones Photography
Tagged: LiveMusic, Concert, Music, Coffeeshop, Palate, PalateCoffeeBrewery, PalmBeach, MonaLisaTribe, Folk, Sanford, Sanfording, SanfordFl, MySanford, Florida, Interview
