sabato 17 maggio 2014

SHOESTRING BOURBON "SHOESTRING BOURBON"

Shoestring Bourbon was formed in the fall of 2012.  ‘Bourbon plays originals as well as blues, soul and rock n roll covers.  You can find Shoestring Bourbon playing local Victoria venues along with occasional shows on the mainland and beyond.  ‘Bourbon is bluesy, rocking, funky, and always dirty!
Bre Levere - Vocals
Dan Favell - Guitar
Matt Bromley - Guitar
Martin Schoeps - Keys
Dustin Beckner - Bass
Brandon Reventlow - Drums  

Recorded at Electric City Sound Studios. Engineered and tracked to tape by Matt Gibbs, Martin Schoeps and Justin LaPointe.
Mixed and Mastered by Martin Schoeps at Marty Island Music.
Album artwork by Greg Szabo at IDESIGNSTUFF.ca.
Special thanks to Justin LaPointe Music. SHOESTRING BOURBON

 

martedì 13 maggio 2014

ANDRES BOIARSKY "CROSSTALK"

As one of the most versatile and highly trained reed players of his generation, Andres Boiarsky brings a wealth of experience to his excellence as a sideman and leader in the jazz world. From his home in Buenos Aires to the Royal College of Music to the Lionel Hampton Orchestra and beyond, Andres has followed in the footsteps of the great tenor players with a style worthy to take the place of one of his mentors, James Moody, in the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band.Beginning his musical life with piano lessons at the age of six, Andres later switched to reed instruments as he became more deeply involved with the strong revivalist jazz scene in Argentina during the mid seventies. With that stylistic jazz idiom, Andres also began playing the tenor, alto and soprano saxophones.In 1978 he began his studies at the renowned Royal College of Music in London where he received an A.R.C.M. degree. During this time, Andres also formed his own group and recorded his first solo album for Spotlight Records as well as numerous recordings for the BBC. After completing his studies in England, Andres returned to Argentina for six years during which time he recorded two solo albums for CBS records.In 1988, with the encouragement of Paquito D'Rivera and Carlos Franzetti, Andres moved New York where he joined the Lionel Hampton Orchestra; he would later become the band's musical director for six years.Also, beginning in 1993, Andres was a member of the United Nation Orchestra under the direction of D'Rivera. ANDRES BOIARSKY
 

THE STEVE CAL' BAND "THE STEVE CAL' BAND"

Hailing from Philadelphia, PA, Steve Cal’ released his debut album, which fans of the blues, Buddy Guy, and Cream will thoroughly enjoy. The Steve Cal’ Band, which also features Sandy Eldred (bass) and Melinda Gervasio (drums) delivers nine songs (a couple of which are covers) on their self-titled album The Steve Cal’ Band that have a vintage feel to them. The recording themselves seem raw and live. Not many bells and whistles on these recordings. It pretty much sounds like a couple of musicians jamming in a room. Cal’ has a decent blues voice but guitar playing is the star of the show on a lot of these songs. He plays a nasty lead and digs into scales while thrashing at his guitar. First up is “I’m The One,” which sounds similar to an old Cream song tinged with a bit of Hendrix. Cal’ sings over drum fills as the guitar is vacant for a beat only to return with a vengeance. It isn't long before Cal’ starts soloing and makes you feel like an amateur. “Real Long Day” had a solo and riff that sounded similar to the one on “Stairway To Heaven.” He implements an A - G - F progression. “I Ain’t Messing Around” is the kind of blues-rock you can imagine playing at your local bar while the townies are slamming back boilermakers and playing pool. It has a classic feel to it. ”Through Your Eyes” was one of the highlights on the album. Cal’ delivers one of his best vocal performances while the song pours out a decent amount of nostalgia and melancholy. He even tips his hat to “The Wind Cries Mary” for a brief moment. Cal closes the album by covering two of the greatest blues artists of all time. He does justice to “Come On In This House” by Junior Wells and “Malted Milk” by Robert Johnson. THE STEVE CAL'BAND

lunedì 12 maggio 2014

LISA MANN "MOVE ON"

Powerhouse bassist and front woman Lisa Mann hails from the blues-steeped city of Portland, OR. She is currently the Cascade Blues Association's Female Vocalist of the Year and Bass Player of the Year, and her band is the Contemporary Blues Act of the Year. She and her aptly named “Really Good Band” have been mainstays of the Northwest music scene for several years, and have graced the stage at some of the finest blues events, such as the Waterfront Blues Festival, Bronze Blues & Brews, Untapped Blues Festival, Sunbanks and others. She was inducted into the Cascade Blues Association’s Hall of Fame in 2011 after winning the Muddy Waters Award for Bass Player of the Year for the third time in a row. She has received numerous nominations for Vocalist of the Year, winning in 2009 and 2012. In 2011, she and her Really Good Band represented the CBA at the International Blues Challenge, where they made it to the semi-finals. Lisa also won the Portland Music Award for Outstanding Achievement in Blues in 2012.Her influences run the gamut, from low down blues sisters Etta James and Koko Taylor, to singer-songwriters like Bonnie Raitt and Sheryl Crow, to R&B belters like Little Milton. She writes the majority of her recorded material, and her songs paint pictures of a gritty (and sometimes humorous) personal experience in life, love and the not-always-pretty music business. LISA MANN
 

DAWN HOLT LAUBER "EVERLASTING"

From Bach & Mozart, to Ellington & Brubeck, soprano Dawn Holt Lauber's commitment to excellence in sacred song and it's mission shines through the music. Hailed by The Chicago Tribune as "exquisite" for the world premiere performance of William Russo’s Jubilatem, with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, Lauber also performed with the CJE on Russo’s Chicago Suite 2, and Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts. She shares sacred jazz music for many initiatives of compassion, mercy, and justice - including for World Vision, Jimmy Carter Foundation, and World Bicycle Relief. She first performed Ellington’s Sacred Concerts as a regular soloist with The Riverside Church of New York City, which ignited an interest in jazz, both secular and what has come to be known as sacred jazz, or even church jazz. Moving from New York to Chicago, Lauber became acquainted with Dave Brubeck's sacred music through her work at the historic Fourth Presbyterian Church - including a performance there with Brubeck's quartet and the Morning Choir. This work led her to Andy Tecson's ensemble, Churchjazz, with whom she regularly performs in concerts and worship services, and the annual performances of The Jazz Nativity and The Jazz Passion. A classically trained soprano with an MM in Vocal Performance from the Hartt School of Music, Lauber is also a featured soloist in many oratorio and concert settings - including the recent Midwest premiere of Wynton Marsalis’ Abyssinian 200, with the DuPage Chorale and Orchestra, for The Chicago Humanities Festival in "Noyes Fludde", with conductor John Nelson at Wheaton College in Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and in Handel’s Messiah with the Elmhurst Chorale and Orchestra, among other ensembles. With the The Riverside Church, Lauber performed Bach’s Magnificat, Mozart’s C Minor Mass, Faure’s Requiem, and Kodaly’s Missa Brevis featuring the Jose Limon Dance Troupe, among other standards of the classical sacred repertoire. DAWN HOLT LAUBER
 

sabato 10 maggio 2014

KAREN LOVELY "LIVE IN LOS ANGELES"

Karen Lovely shot onto the blues scene out of  the Pacific Northwest like Stack O' Lee's .44 placing 2nd at the 2010 International Blues Challenge followed by three 2011 Blues Music Award Nominations for BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES FEMALE ARTIST, BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM and BEST SONG for her sophomore release STILL THE RAIN. She is a two time “#1 Pick to Click” artist on XM Radio Bluesville and has just been selected as the 2014 Featured Blues artist by KJZZ FM in Los Angeles. Lovely’s records have topped the national blues and roots charts and made the Top 10 favorite artist list for dozens of nationally syndicated radio stations.Known for her passionate, driven performances and always backed by stellar musicians, this powerhouse vocalist delivers a blistering mix of contemporary & old school blues. Lovely's standout performances have garnered awards, critical acclaim and standing ovations at festivals and venues throughout the US, Canada and Europe.Karen has just completed 4 successful European tours, playing to packed houses and sold out shows in France, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands.  Her performance at the 44th Internationale Jazzwache in Burghausen, Germany was taped for broadcast and began airing on German TV in December 2013. KAREN LOVELY
 

GAROTAS SUECAS "FERAS MITICAS"

Sweaty, funky, exotic, committed. Garotas Suecas ("Swedish Girls," in Portuguese) hail from Sao Paulo, Brazil, and their hearty, full-throated stew combines the best elements of their country's homegrown Tropicalia with Anglo-American Soul and freakbeat. Escaldante Banda offers a brew of Otis Redding soul grooves and Os Mutantes craziness. The Garotas' most accomplished recording to date and the ideal stateside introduction to Brazil's best-kept secret, the record bursts with fuzz guitars, polyrhythms, scorching female backing vocals, big horn sections, and heavy Psychedelia. Its grooves are thick, and it comes to make America shake. The perfect late-summer dance record."Após burilar sua musicalidade em uma série de EPs e ganhar a simpatia dos gringos, o Garotas Suecas finalmente lançou um álbum completo. Calcado em levadas de funk, soul e jovem guarda, o debute retrata uma banda afiadíssima, que sabe trabalhar bem todas essas influências. Já estava na hora de o Brasil também descobri-los." GAROTAS SUECAS
 

giovedì 8 maggio 2014

TANGLED EYE "DREAM WALL"

A CD jewel full of top recordings and rich with atmosphere. For Dede Priest, it is the feeling that counts first, and she chooses clearly for the best musicians in the right places. Whoever has seen her perform live, of course, doesn't need to be convinced anymore. DEDE PRIEST grew up in Dallas, Texas, raised by her hard-working, young mother.  As a little girl, Dede would sing along to whatever she could find.  As she grew older, it was the rawness of Blues and Gospel that shaped her talent the most.Moving to Austin, Texas to attend the University of Texas, she earned a degree in Philosophy, then followed her heart and let the music lead. In Austin, Texas, a thriving live music haven, Dede began singing professionally. Brandishing vocals rooted in the Texas Blues tradition, Dede Priest has shared the stage with Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Leon Russell, Tommy Shannon (Double Trouble), and Harry Belafonte, among others.  Pinned early on as a “Modern Day Blues Queen”, Dede Priest is now gaining wider international recognition for her powerful delivery of a unique style that crosses lines and “turns Blues, Soul, and Jazz inside out”.  Performing in the USA, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Denmark, and Romania, Dede Priest continues to forge ahead with successful shows, radio play, and television appearances, including prestigious events such as Rhythm & Blues Night Oosterpoort - The Netherlands, Belgium Rhythm & Blues - Peer, Simply Blues Viana - Portugal, Trasimeno Blues Festival – Italy, Martin Luther King Keynote – Austin, Texas, to name a few. TANGLED EYE

EVERETT B WALTERS "CATCHING THE H TRAIN"

Guitarist, Michael Everett Brown and Bassist, Harold Walter Brown III, the two brothers from the south side of Chicago are the founders and driving force behind the jazz/funk group Everett B. Walters. Along with Stan Small on Keyboards/Lead VocalsEd Morales Percussion Lay down some funky, smooth and danceable rhythms make for an outstanding live show and those same fresh grooves are carried throughout their album, Always High Reaching which features Keyboardist, Brian Simpson on the title track. Always High Reaching is a stellar recording with a host of talented musicians including Shawn Rivera (Az-yet), Alexx Daye, Mike White-drums, Alex Alessondroni-keyboards, Alex Al- bass, Simone Sello-Guitar and Leo Crowe-Guitar. The track “And The Story Goes” was a popular European single on JAZZ FM double CD compilation, The Very Best of Smooth Jazz. After hearing this track on the compilation CD, Rendezvous recording artist, Brian Simpson decided to cover it on his hit Smooth Jazz album, It’s All Good.From the beginning:Growing up in Chicago, the Brown brothers started their career in the Chicago Vocational Music Program but it was a neighborhood friend, Tom Washington (Tom-Tom 84), who recorded and arranged with super-group Earth, Wind and Fire that influenced them most. Tom would come by their practices and invited them to record with him and introduced them to writing & pre-production. After high school they performed regularly around the Chicago area at community events, private events and clubs including the infamous Cotton Club, The Click and also opened for the late Bernie Mac in the early 90’s. Looking to expand their performance opportunities, Michael and Harold left Chicago and headed for Las Vegas and began playing regularly at Caesar’s Casino, the MGM Casino, Chez’s and The Hop. EVERETT B WALTERS