lunedì 31 marzo 2014

MICHAEL ZIGON "WIPE THE PAST FROM YOUR EYES"

Michael Zigon is an L.A based Musician who incorporates Blues,Funk.R&B,Bluegrass,Folk and Psychedelic Rock in to his sound. When asked about his eclectic style of music Michael had this to say. "I never listened to one type of music. I was always jumping from style to style. I remember when I was eleven or twelve I went in to my local record store with my mom. I asked the store keeper for a Blink 182 CD and after he got it for me I asked him for a Grateful Dead album. I remember the shop keeper just laughed saying "ok Blink 182 and Grateful Dead I've never sold those together". " but thats what I love about music you can make it anything you want it to be and it is impossible to be wrong because there is no right way to do it". As you can see Michael approaches his music in a way that nobody gets left out. there is something for everyone. MICHAEL ZIGON

JOE TAYLOR "BLOSSOM AVENUE"

The Debut EP from Joe Taylor.Joe has the spent the last few years studying at the prestigious Leeds College of music, performing in bands and session work, and developing his own sound as a solo artist. Joe Taylor's EP draws on his influences of soul, blues and pop. Hailing from Yorkshire, Joe grew up listening to artists such as Curtis Mayfield, The Temptations and Ray Charles. Heavily involved with all areas of the production on this EP, he has crafted a distinctive and personal sound, launching him as a credible and contemporary soul artist. Joe Taylor & Xerxes – Producer Xerxes – Mixing Engineer
Adam Taylor - Drums
Joshua Pamplin - Bass (Blossom Avenue) Thomas Orrell - Bass (Losing You Was Everything) Luke Ledger – Baritone & Tenor Saxophone James Duckworth – Trumpet Joe Taylor, Matt Glover & Thomas Battye – Brass Arrangement (Blossom Avenue) Emily Lynn – Backing Vocals  

 

GOOD DICTION "THE QUEEN'S ENGLISH"

Local husband and wife folk blues duo Good Diction is a great example of the kind of group that reaffirms my commitment to independent music and provides an ever welcome source of inspiration.The key to the blues (or any style really) is authenticity. Frontman Peter Bodurtha’s lyrics have strong mythical and literary qualities to them. At the same time, songs like If I Were a British Man or I Just Want to Talk display an earnest sense of wit and cleverness that make their stories personal.Much like Meg White (and I mean that in the best way possible), Percussionist Julie Bodurtha’s minimalist approach adds a certain amount innocence and playfulness to the music that really ropes the listener in and highlights the nuances.  As the lengthy stomp-fest 1789 W Broadway Ave Blues demonstrates, all of the intangibles are present and Good Diction successfully accomplishes what all good blues bands must do: trick you into not realizing your hearing the blues. Wholehearted showmanship goes a long way and the overall effect is the temporary illusion of experiencing something new, vai raw, undiscovered, and—most importantly—real. GOOD DICTION
 

domenica 30 marzo 2014

FIFE & DROM "INTRODUCING FIFE & DROM"

The birth of our band stemmed in a very organic and unplanned manner. In late 2010, Mark and I expressed a desire to perform the classic blues catalogs we had been immersing ourselves in.  As we listened to the works of the greats like Muddy Waters, Son House, Howlin' Wolf and Freddie King, we noticed a singular thread... complete unabashed release of emotion.  These artists performed with utmost confidence but at the same time a balance of ego.  The music was the motor.  No gimmicks, no guise, just pure passion and punch.  It was our desire to play music of this spirited intensity within the community of close friends and talented musicians that led to the inception of Blues on TuesBlues on Tues became a monthly series hosted on Tuesday nights at the Parkside Lounge in Manhattan. Our aim was to set up an environment in which there was no pressure, no perfection, and no pretense.  We chose a differing charity each month and all proceeds from the tip jar were donated. The result was beyond our expectations. Not only did we build a unique connection and energy onstage, but the reaction from our audiences was shocking. The blues have the innate ability to move people of all kinds and all musical preferences.  It was a wonderful way to give back to our community and bond with our peers.  As Blues on Tues progressed, we realized that our desires had evolved to focus on writing original blues music. FIFE & DROM
 

DJANGO A LA CREOLE "LIVE"

In late-August, 2005, powerful Hurricane Katrina compromised an inadequate U.S. Federal levy system leaving 80% of the city of New Orleans under water. Among the over four-thousand displaced musicians was clarinetist Evan Christopher, a California native who first moved to the Crescent City in 1994. With little more than his clarinet and a suitcase full of clothes, Christopher chose Paris, France for his exile at the invitation of the City of Paris. During this artist residency, funded by an American program called French-American Cultural Exchange, he worked diligently to raise awareness about the musical culture of New Orleans through concerts and masterclasses. He also formed his own groups, the JazzTraditions PROJECT and Django à la Créole.For Django à la Créole, the idea was simple enough: Spice up the Hot Club texture pioneered by Django Reinhardt by emphasizing hallmarks of New Orleans Jazz including blues, rhythms of the monde Créole, and collective improvisation. The project debuted in August 2007 with performances in Great Britain and a small international jazz festival in Haugesund, Norway. As early as February 2007, Christopher began commuting back to the United States to work with touring New Orleans groups but in December, just prior to his move back to New Orleans, he made this recording. The quartet released the CD in New Orleans during the 25th anniversary of the famous French Quarter Festival.Christopher and his colleagues took their primary inspiration for Django à la Créole in the legendary guitarist’s collaborations with American musicians, which included New Orleans clarinetists on several occasions. In 1934, Django performed and recorded with the New Orleans Créole clarinetist Frank “Big Boy” Goudie who had moved to Paris in the mid-20′s. However, the most significant precedent for the fusion of New Orleans clarinet with the Gypsy Swing style was a loosely organized recording session in 1939 with Duke Ellington sidemen Rex Stewart and clarinetist Barney Bigard. When one hears Bigard’s fluid lines and distinctly New Orleans sound artfully juxtaposed with Django’s angular, virtuosic flights, it hardly seems coincidental that just a few months later, Django used violinist Stéphane Grapelli’s departure as the perfect opportunity to use clarinetist Hubert Rostaing in the role of the Hot Club’s lead instrument. Rostaing’s style was, of course, heavily influenced by Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, but on several recordings his warm, woody tone in the low register, rhythmic flexibility, and contrapuntal interaction with Django is more evocative of players such as Bigard or Omer Simeon. DJANGO A LA CREOLE
 

mercoledì 26 marzo 2014

ANDREW HADRO "FOR US,THE LIVING"

Andrew Hadro was not born into an especially musically inclined family. Nor does he remember why or when he decided to pursue music. He has however, dedicated his life to music and spent thousands of hours honing his abilities, working to expand and push forward instrumental performance.After being born in Mexico City, being shuffled early on in life to Brazil, and stopping for a few years on the east coast, Hadro’s family eventually settled in the Chicago area. He initially began his studies on flute and soon found his way to the baritone saxophone which would become the primary focus of his musical studies as an adult. Hadro was fortunate to attend the prestigious New Trier High School and perform with several Downbeat award winning ensembles during his tenure as part of the school’s innovative music department. After high school he made the blind leap to New York City and attended the New School for Jazz and Contemporary music. Named Salutatorian in 2007, he left soon after to tour and record with several of the New School Jazz program’s founding faculty members. Mr. Hadro has performed around the world with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, James Moody, the Bjorkestra, Tony Malaby, Chico Hamilton, and Junior Mance, among many others. He is active in the New York music scene and involved in several projects including performances with his own band, the Andrew Hadro Quartet, and currently tours with Junior Mance’s quintet. He is on faculty at the Litchfield Jazz Camp and maintains an active private lesson studio through the Lucy Moses School. He is currently the curator of JazzBariSax.com, a website dedicated to the baritone saxophone. ANDREW HADRO
 

SHARON MARIE CLINE "THIS IS WHERE WANNA BE"

Sharon Marie is quickly becoming a favorite in LA's jazz club scene and performs with the finest jazz musicians and in the most exclusive rooms on the west coast and across the country. She’s performed on the same stage as such jazz greats as Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett and Chris Botti.Hailing from Jacksonville, Florida, Sharon Marie is an extraordinary vocalist who brings a unique & distinguished sense of jazz history to her song stylings. Her approach to standards, show tunes and classic jazz is charming and refreshing… she often employs rhythmic and tempo variations that breathe enjoyable new life into familiar standards. Her brilliant interpretations and her smooth mellifluous sound leave a lasting impression on her listeners that is truly unforgettable! She is backed up by a swingin’ trio :Rich Eames (piano), and Luther Hughes (bass), and Jon Stuart (drums),. Together the group has been fondly dubbed “The Bad Boyz of Jazz.”She is exciting, sexy, fun and mesmerizing. Her style is reminiscent of a time gone by, yet is distinctively contemporary. Sit back and enjoy the romantic swingin’ melodies of Sharon Marie Cline and The Bad Boyz of Jazz.  SHARON MARIE CLINE
 

SNARKY PUPPY "WE LIKE IT HERE"

The once Texan, now New York-based quasi-collective has gone from the best-kept secret to one of the most respected names in instrumental music. Although still “underground” in many respects, the band has earned high praise from critical stalwarts like the BBC, Village Voice, Guardian, and Boston Herald, and has performed at some of the best venues and festivals in Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America.The band has always used live performance as its chief form of evangelism, and maintains a more intense tour schedule than almost any band in the idiom. Over the course of 2013, Snarky Puppy will give almost 200 performances and workshops on four continents, including North Sea Jazz, Monterey Jazz Festival, Jazz á Vienne, Blue Note Tokyo, and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. Their last album, the live DVD/CD “GroundUP,” reached #14 on the Billboard Jazz Charts and #3 on the ITunes Jazz Charts in 2012, topped only by Grammy winners Robert Glasper and Esperanza Spalding.Snarky Puppy seamlessly fuses a deep knowledge and respect for musical tradition with sonic and conceptual innovation in a way that is able to reach the most critical- or most carefree- audience. The convergence of musicians from white and black America (who also perform regularly with artists like Erykah Badu, Snoop Dogg, Kirk Franklin, Justin Timberlake, Roy Hargrove, and Marcus Miller among others), which occurred while the band was in its adolescence at the University of North Texas, has naturally established a system of balance that instantly draws listeners to the music- raw funk and sensitive dynamics, relentless pocket and lyrical melodicism, lush harmony and soulful simplicity, and most importantly, a delicate mixture of composition and improvisation.The group is led by award-winning bassist/guitarist/composer/arranger Michael League, whose creative grass-roots approach to a tougher-than-ever industry has created a new model for independent artists. Snarky Puppy is a three-headed creature: first, and most obviously- an original music ensemble. Second- a production team and session band for individual artists. Third, and probably most importantly- Snarky Puppy is a group of musicians enthusiastically committed to music education and community outreach. Working with groups like ROAM (Roots Of American Music) in inner city Cleveland and the Music Lab at Jefferson Center in Roanoke, as well as giving clinics at hundreds of colleges, high schools, and middle schools worldwide, the band has made a strong commitment to spreading their love of music and general positivity to a young generation looking for something real to be inspired by. SNARKY PUPPY
 

martedì 18 marzo 2014

HARPIN' ON BLUES "A.O.BLUES"

Harpin’ On Blues is a dynamic and involving live music show that revisiting the recordings of most popular harmonica players of blues history presents a journey through the roots of country blues, Chicago style of '50s and '60s and more modern swing, funk and R&B.The passion for the harmonica, for the blues and music in general, the long-time friendship among the musicians of the band and the special instrumentation taken continuously feed a vast repertoire ranging from songs by Little Walter, James Cotton, Junior Wells, William Clarke, Norton Buffalo, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Magic Sam and many others.The intense live activity moves from small clubs to outdoor events, to prestigious blues festivals, where Harpin’ On Blues have played as the opening act for major international blues artists including Bob Margolin, Mark Hummel, Brian Templeton and Sofie Reed.The band consists of Paolo Demontis (harmonica, sax, vocals), Beppe Rainero (guitar, dobro, vocals), Gianluca Martini (double bass, vocals), Massimo Gianoglio (drums, vocals). HARPIN' ON BLUES