Bio
"Marine” An odd, yet apt distillation of Dave Dersham's songs according to anti-folk artist / improv-slam poet, James O’Brien (NYC). Here, one might find cautionary tales of submerging archipelagos, the unfolding eco-dystopia, Samoan pigskin heroes, and the whimsy of demolition work among the Pioneer Valley lowlands, where Dave spent his formative years, meandered, and eventually returned. A familiar landscape it was -- a sound landing pad -- despite perpetually poor snowpack, increasing heat and humidity.
Dave completed his first CD, “The Burn of Summer” (2003) in Somerville, MA, with engineers Jabe Beyer, Tim Kelly, and Tom Eaton. They, and a crew of remarkable talent, synthesized the threads, bringing an abundance of airtime on Folk Radio’s WUMB (UMASS/Boston), WERS (Emerson College), and a finalist selection for Mountain Stage's “Emerging Artist” competition.
“Gilding the Lilies” came out in 2011, recorded and accompanied by Lloyd Thayer and Jared Fiske. His sophomore collection was Imbued with lap steel, electric guitar, percussion, and keyboard. The work was distributed internationally.
Dersham is a sly humorist, cultural critic, a melancholy optimist; a blend of uncanny rhythm and muted chords, wielding space for the open-hearted.
A third album of some sort – perhaps an EP – will arrive in 2023, despite the insinuations of COVID-19 and its looping iterations.