(REVIEWS / TESTIMONIALS / RECORDINGS:
Gaye Adegbalola:
"Gail embodies the special ‘joie de vivre’ of a blues woman....Her boogie treatments make me want to shake my bootie, but the slow tunes hit me deep in the gut....On her debut CD, ‘"Just the Blues’", she captures that joy, that special spirit...it becomes contagious to the listener!"
John Platt of WFUV FM:
“Gail Storm doesn't just have an appealing voice and piano chops. She's also got a wonderful band, great taste in material - and a true joy in performing.”
Bill Nolan, host of "Antique Blues"WPKN-FM 89.5 Bridgeport, Ct.:
“No doubt about Gail Storm, one of the finest female piano players on the musical scene today,
who can sing old and bold classics, and original pieces of recording work. Gail Storm creates a musical storm
of her own with her exciting piano runs and vocals on her...cd ‘Live at the Vail-Leavitt’.”
"Dr. Blues" Mark Gresser-former president of Long Island Blues Society:
Having just seen Mose Allison, this writer was really primed for some good rocking jazz-blues with sophistication, sly wordings and an innuendo or 2. “Just The Blues” fit the bill to a “T”. Gail Storm is one of LI’s pre-eminent stride boogie artists. She blends the spice of blues and the syncopation of jazz with a skill at the 88’s that fuses the 2 into a seamless Basie-esque solid. Vocally, Gail slides a mean glissando and roars a mean shout but she also croons smooth and sweet. The sole Storm original is a swinging instrumental called “Getting Started”. The other 10 cuts range from Phil Wiggin’s “Fool’s Night Out” to Jesse Mae Robinson’s “Blue Light Boogie” along with compositions by Sippie Wallace, a key pounding manifesto by Meade Lux Lewis and Chicago gutbucket c/o Otis Spann “Blues Never Dies”. The backing combo is tight and soulful too. This disk goes out as hot as it started and is a fine exposition of the only blues instrument that can’t be found in a Delta railyard but sure did fill many a roadhouse with it’s 88 black and whites. Gail plays that tradition with the best.
Lou Margorie-freelance critic:
“WOW...You and the boys were F....en Hot. I have never seen you with a band. I have ripped myself off for all these years. Your tough yet fragile appeal in conjunction with your heart-piercing icy hot vocals and restless but warm persona had the audience (me included) eating out of your hand and off your smokin' 88's. Your intensely personal lyrics whether covers or originals easily bait a melodic hook with the confidence of a Brill building pro. You are the perfect symbol of an up-jumped Blues persona. Sincere, technically gifted, committed to your roots, and by G*... worldly as hell. I know you have felt the Blues with which you so easily impart to your audience.... Your gifted ability to present truly happy music about life's pains, anguishes, and suffering, and brief moments of glory, evidences why you are here to hear. “
Kate Donohue-former freelance critic for Long Island Press:
"...Gail Storm is a pro blues-jazz pianist and singer. Storm gave new meaning to the phrase "tickling the ivories" as she played boogie-woogie style piano....This lithe, blonde beauty displayed a barrel-house style of playing and singing that could roll your socks down and back up again!"
Christopher H. Robbins reporting on the Social Pulse in “Elements” magazine, Fall 2007:
“...Anyway, when I arrived at On 3 to see the performance of-drum roll, please-Gail Storm
(yes, that’s her name, you KNEW this was going somewhere, didn’t you?), it turned out the biggest storm of the entire night was inside that fashionable boite, though the “gale winds” were still blowing outside and the storm had knocked the power out inside. So the clever Gail encouraged, with her beautiful voice, all inside to sing along with her a capella...and if you don’t know that there are about 100 songs with ‘ssstormmy wwweatherrrr” in the title, we all do now!”
BillFoolery.com:
Outrageous Sat night...I caught Gail Storm @ Sparky's Saturday night....I knew most of the band from other places and collaborations. Ms. Storm I never met but have been aware of her gigging all over Long Island for a long time now....They were awesome!
I arrived for the last two of three sets and by the end it was pure blues. Ms. Storm blew me away with her piano chops and her blues vocals. I had no idea I was going to hear such a blues set and such an amazing one.
Nancy Bonta Voitko-Branch Manager: Lacey Branch, NJ:
“Gail Storm and her Carole King Tribute program packed our library like no other program before. The audience loved the stories that accompanied Gail’s soulful renditions of popular songs written by Carole King. This is a must-have program at any library! We are surely going to invite Gail back to perform another program from her exciting musical repertoire.”
Bernadette Callahan-President, Friends of the Island Library: Long Beach Island, NJ
Gail Storm is a favorite with the LBI community. Attendees are fascinated with her expertise on the piano, playing Blues, Jazz and the Carole King Tribute. Gail's programs are "event full" days before the performance.
Lisa Craig, Program Director, at the award winning Glen Cove Senior Center in Glen Cove, NY:
“IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL RECREATION COORDINATORS for SENIOR CENTERS, ADULT DAY PROGRAMS, ASSISTED LIVINGS, REHABILITATION CENTERS, EXTENDED CARE UNITS, DEMENTIA CARE FACILITIES, AND CONTINUUM OF CARE CENTERS:
If you want to see a dramatic uplift in the well-being of your clients, simply invite Ms. Gail Storm to entertain your audience, with her galvanizing one-woman show of electrifying blues, boogie-woogie and swingin’ classic jazz standards. It is often said that music is the universal language, and that music memory is the most enduring part of the human brain. Ms. Storm proves it! First, her engaging personality, her genuine affection for seniors and her bluesy swagger endear her immediately with her listeners. Once she starts to play, you will witness such joy and happiness filling the room. Gail seems to possess a magical “tonic” that brings even the most non-responsive people miraculously to life, singing, clapping. and stomping their feet. We have hired her numerous times, and her performances reverberate here for days – everyone keeps talking about it – even our participants with memory impairment. Gail definitely makes a lasting impression!
If you try just one new entertainer for your group this year, do choose Gail Storm. We couldn’t be happier, and you will be, too!”
Gaye Adegbalola:
"Gail embodies the special ‘joie de vivre’ of a blues woman....Her boogie treatments make me want to shake my bootie, but the slow tunes hit me deep in the gut....On her debut CD, ‘"Just the Blues’", she captures that joy, that special spirit...it becomes contagious to the listener!"
John Platt of WFUV FM:
“Gail Storm doesn't just have an appealing voice and piano chops. She's also got a wonderful band, great taste in material - and a true joy in performing.”
Bill Nolan, host of "Antique Blues"WPKN-FM 89.5 Bridgeport, Ct.:
“No doubt about Gail Storm, one of the finest female piano players on the musical scene today,
who can sing old and bold classics, and original pieces of recording work. Gail Storm creates a musical storm
of her own with her exciting piano runs and vocals on her...cd ‘Live at the Vail-Leavitt’.”
"Dr. Blues" Mark Gresser-former president of Long Island Blues Society:
Having just seen Mose Allison, this writer was really primed for some good rocking jazz-blues with sophistication, sly wordings and an innuendo or 2. “Just The Blues” fit the bill to a “T”. Gail Storm is one of LI’s pre-eminent stride boogie artists. She blends the spice of blues and the syncopation of jazz with a skill at the 88’s that fuses the 2 into a seamless Basie-esque solid. Vocally, Gail slides a mean glissando and roars a mean shout but she also croons smooth and sweet. The sole Storm original is a swinging instrumental called “Getting Started”. The other 10 cuts range from Phil Wiggin’s “Fool’s Night Out” to Jesse Mae Robinson’s “Blue Light Boogie” along with compositions by Sippie Wallace, a key pounding manifesto by Meade Lux Lewis and Chicago gutbucket c/o Otis Spann “Blues Never Dies”. The backing combo is tight and soulful too. This disk goes out as hot as it started and is a fine exposition of the only blues instrument that can’t be found in a Delta railyard but sure did fill many a roadhouse with it’s 88 black and whites. Gail plays that tradition with the best.
Lou Margorie-freelance critic:
“WOW...You and the boys were F....en Hot. I have never seen you with a band. I have ripped myself off for all these years. Your tough yet fragile appeal in conjunction with your heart-piercing icy hot vocals and restless but warm persona had the audience (me included) eating out of your hand and off your smokin' 88's. Your intensely personal lyrics whether covers or originals easily bait a melodic hook with the confidence of a Brill building pro. You are the perfect symbol of an up-jumped Blues persona. Sincere, technically gifted, committed to your roots, and by G*... worldly as hell. I know you have felt the Blues with which you so easily impart to your audience.... Your gifted ability to present truly happy music about life's pains, anguishes, and suffering, and brief moments of glory, evidences why you are here to hear. “
Kate Donohue-former freelance critic for Long Island Press:
"...Gail Storm is a pro blues-jazz pianist and singer. Storm gave new meaning to the phrase "tickling the ivories" as she played boogie-woogie style piano....This lithe, blonde beauty displayed a barrel-house style of playing and singing that could roll your socks down and back up again!"
Christopher H. Robbins reporting on the Social Pulse in “Elements” magazine, Fall 2007:
“...Anyway, when I arrived at On 3 to see the performance of-drum roll, please-Gail Storm
(yes, that’s her name, you KNEW this was going somewhere, didn’t you?), it turned out the biggest storm of the entire night was inside that fashionable boite, though the “gale winds” were still blowing outside and the storm had knocked the power out inside. So the clever Gail encouraged, with her beautiful voice, all inside to sing along with her a capella...and if you don’t know that there are about 100 songs with ‘ssstormmy wwweatherrrr” in the title, we all do now!”
BillFoolery.com:
Outrageous Sat night...I caught Gail Storm @ Sparky's Saturday night....I knew most of the band from other places and collaborations. Ms. Storm I never met but have been aware of her gigging all over Long Island for a long time now....They were awesome!
I arrived for the last two of three sets and by the end it was pure blues. Ms. Storm blew me away with her piano chops and her blues vocals. I had no idea I was going to hear such a blues set and such an amazing one.
Nancy Bonta Voitko-Branch Manager: Lacey Branch, NJ:
“Gail Storm and her Carole King Tribute program packed our library like no other program before. The audience loved the stories that accompanied Gail’s soulful renditions of popular songs written by Carole King. This is a must-have program at any library! We are surely going to invite Gail back to perform another program from her exciting musical repertoire.”
Bernadette Callahan-President, Friends of the Island Library: Long Beach Island, NJ
Gail Storm is a favorite with the LBI community. Attendees are fascinated with her expertise on the piano, playing Blues, Jazz and the Carole King Tribute. Gail's programs are "event full" days before the performance.
Lisa Craig, Program Director, at the award winning Glen Cove Senior Center in Glen Cove, NY:
“IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL RECREATION COORDINATORS for SENIOR CENTERS, ADULT DAY PROGRAMS, ASSISTED LIVINGS, REHABILITATION CENTERS, EXTENDED CARE UNITS, DEMENTIA CARE FACILITIES, AND CONTINUUM OF CARE CENTERS:
If you want to see a dramatic uplift in the well-being of your clients, simply invite Ms. Gail Storm to entertain your audience, with her galvanizing one-woman show of electrifying blues, boogie-woogie and swingin’ classic jazz standards. It is often said that music is the universal language, and that music memory is the most enduring part of the human brain. Ms. Storm proves it! First, her engaging personality, her genuine affection for seniors and her bluesy swagger endear her immediately with her listeners. Once she starts to play, you will witness such joy and happiness filling the room. Gail seems to possess a magical “tonic” that brings even the most non-responsive people miraculously to life, singing, clapping. and stomping their feet. We have hired her numerous times, and her performances reverberate here for days – everyone keeps talking about it – even our participants with memory impairment. Gail definitely makes a lasting impression!
If you try just one new entertainer for your group this year, do choose Gail Storm. We couldn’t be happier, and you will be, too!”