[THIS JUST IN!!! On December, 26, 2007, Philadelphia City Paper music critic M.J. Fine honorably mentioned "Live at Tin Angel", as #9 of "Top 21 Local LPs of 2007"!] Cassendre Xavier's third live disc in four years is a fine example of why she's so well-suited for the format: She's an all-around entertainer, as well as a gifted songwriter with a rich voice, matching every wistful number with a witty anecdote or a flip comment. Recorded in April, Live at Tin Angel is her first hometown concert album (following sets from Princeton and Kalamazoo) and the Philly vibe is strong. Xavier jokes about SEPTA and Fetishes Boutique, dedicates the gracious "Happy to Be Alive" to comic Kelli Dunham and throws props to filmmaker Aishah Shahidah Simmons and billmates Will Brock and Monica McIntyre. Only one of Tin Angel's seven songs hasn't appeared on a previous album, but a high concentration of mood-elevators — dig the groove-worthy "A Little Bit of Love," the bluesy a cappella "Nothing Is All I Need" and a beautiful "Beautiful" — makes it Xavier's most positive move yet. —M.J. Fine, Philadelphia City Paper Cassendre Xavier is a prolific and gifted American songwriter. Her songs span the range of the pop genre from folk to blues to rock. Xavier's studio albums showcase her rich, sweet singing voice and inspired, impressive guitar picking, plucking, or strumming. Live recordings boast a particular gift for entertaining audiences with jokes and witty banter. She has also released guided meditation spoken word CDs and downloads under her self-assigned soul-name Amethyste Rah. These recordings featuring the beautiful, angelic music of Thaddeus (used with permission), and are currently available at www.lulu.com (Look for them at CDbaby in mid-Autumn 2007). DISCOGRAPHY: Affirmations for Survivors: Spirituality (2007), Affirmations for Survivors: Self-Love (2007), Live at Tin Angel (2006), Beautiful (2004), The Cassendre Xavier Collection, Vol. 1 (2004), Live at the Kraftbrau, Kalamazoo (2004), 4OUR: A Cassendre Xavier Sampler (2003), Live at Café Improv (2002), The Whittenberg Sessions (2002). Official website: www.cassendrexavier.com