Catie Curtis

A familiar figure on the Boston folk music scene, Catie Curtis has yet to break nationally -- but that just means her beautifully delivered songs haven't been watered down by some A&R exec. With a clear, deceptively gentle voice, she can turn on a dime and thrill the listener with unforeseen power and emotion. Intricate acoustic picking sometimes slants its way into jazz territory, recalling Joan Armatrading, and her staunchly feminist messages further the comparison. But Curtis is very much an original, and a refreshing departure from the stale formula offered by many of today's singer-songwriters.