1/26/11

Anne Leighton's MY BRAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS


A heads up that my poetry and prose book, MY BRAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS will be published in July 2011.

The web page for it is up, and includes this downloadable flyer that you can share with friends and art lovers!

Here's the site: http://workinggalrockandroll.blogspot.com.

1/5/11

Jann Klose on Grammy-nominated album, HEALTHY FOOD FOR THOUGHT: GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT

Singer-songwriter Jann Klose is part of a Grammy-nominated album put together and marketed by a coalition of musicians, poets, childrens health experts, entrepreneurs, and-- of course-- album producers. The album, HEALTHY FOOD FOR THOUGHT: GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT is up for a Grammy in the category: "Best Spoken Word Album For Children." http://www.grammy.com/nominees.

The album's producers, Kevin Mackie, Jim Cravero, Paula Lizzi, and Steve Pullara assembled the 60-track, 2-record set (and digital release) over the course of two years. Other acts who contributed to the release include: Russell Simmons, Uncle Floyd, Julian Lennon, Michael O'Keefe, Tyler Grady, Tom Chapin, Sweet Honey In the Rock, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, Moby, Trout Fishing In America, and Sara Hickman.

Everyone donated their time and talents to create this album, and are assisting the project's publicist Paula Lizzi in spreading the word about the album's release. All the profits from this project will go to the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food; www.healthyschoolfood.org. And the album has already made a profit with Midwest Books picking it up for distribution before the nominations.

There will be a CD release and fundraiser at the New York City studio of famed artist Peter Max on Friday, January 28. Tickets are $25, and available through the web site. http://healthyfoodforthought.com.

Klose's involvement comes from the heart, "I've grown up and traveled a lot in my lifetime already and see that people everywhere struggle with eating right. I think it's something we have to work very hard on. I personally try to cook as much as possible, using fresh and as many unprocessed foods as possible. It makes a big difference in taste alone!"

The Washington Post writes, “Klose wins over the listener with his soaring voice, which may well be a staple of chamber pop for a long time to come.”

A citizen of the world, Jann Klose has lived on three continents, making his home in the melting pot that is New York City. Before coming to the United States as an exchange student in Cleveland, Ohio, he lived in Germany, Kenya, and South Africa. During the course of his career, Klose has worked live or in the studio with artists ranging from pioneers like Pete Seeger and Les Paul to classic rockers like Roger (The Byrds) McGuinn, and Annie (Renaissance) Haslam to major country stars like Rosanne Cash and Marty Stuart, to award winning mentors like voice teacher David Gooding and producers Marlon Graves, and Stewart Lerman. He warranted endorsements from Martin Guitars and L.R. Baggs. WGN Radio's Steve & Johnnie, Rock Hall inductee Joey Reynolds and Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson have all personally lent a helping hand in his career.

In addition to the Grammy-nominated HEALTHY FOOD FOR THOUGHT, Klose's music has been heard on MTV's Cribs, the soundtrack to the Paul Sorvino film Dead Broke, or seen and heard him in touring companies of The Who's Tommy, Jekyll & Hyde, and Jesus Christ Superstar. He also has released three albums and two EPs, which can be heard around the world, on over 130 FM stations and Sirius XM in the U.S., the BBC in England to Prambors Radio in Indonesia. In the past half year, thousands have viewed (and reposted) Jann's remarkable video for DOING TIME, now featured on AOL/Spinner. Watch the video at www.youtube.com/jannklose

Time Out New York succinctly explained, “Jann Klose writes warm, hooky pop music.” The Advance Wire Service states: “The first thing that's totally unmistakable about Jann Klose is that voice - which is just light years beyond that of the typical singer-songwriter … a sound that is classy, distinctive and often irresistible.”

Jann Klose is available for interviews on his music, contribution to the album and ways he's helped his friends fight obesity.

Contact for HEALTHY FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Paula Lizzi:
215-620-0086
plizzi@comcast.net

JESSIE GALANTE HEADING BACK TO EUROPE


Looking forward to dates in Netherlands and Italy supporting her latest album, Spitfire
 
While Jessie Galante might have earned the title of Buffalo’s First Lady of Rock, more than half the dates she has played over the last decade helped set Europe on fire, particularly the Netherlands and Hungary.  In support of her latest release, the rocking, ultra-soulful Spitfire, she’s heading back over the pond from New York to revisit some of her favorite stages and spread the love to some new ones.

Made from the same mold as Janis Jopin, Tina Turner, and Nancy Wilson (of Heart), Jessie tears up a stage and takes no prisoners live. And scores of those prisoners over the past ten years were taken in the Netherlands and Budapest.

As befits Buffalo’s First Lady of Rock, Jessie was raised in Buffalo, NY.  In her late teens she joined the band Actor.  They had a hit with the song “Checkin’ Out.” Actor remains a Buffalo legend, and you can still hear “Checkin’ Out” on some that City's radio stations.

After a short stint in Los Angeles, which included Michael Wagener's production of her band Fire and a recording that found its way all over the world including reviews and radio airplay, like on Piccadilly Radio, England,and Radio Flash 97.6, Italy. Jessie came back to Buffalo, and there she hooked up with producer/engineer Larry Swist. Swist's incredible career has seen him helming the studio with artists ranging from Ike and Tina Turner to Sly and the Family Stone, Spryo Gyra to Foreigner’s Lou Gramm. He saw that, “Her extraordinary stage presence and ability to explode with excitement in performance makes ‘The Jessie Experience” the real deal.”

Jessie’s next move was to conquer Europe.  She moved to the Netherlands, and played festivals and clubs and opening for National bands like Golden Earring. Jessie's band in the Netherlands is comprised of musicians previously with the Dutch national band Volumia. She built a huge fan base and earned tons of media attention, throughout the Netherlands and Hungary.  Radio host Hubert Van Hoof of Netherland’s L1 Radio compared her to rockin’ soul greats Chaka Kahn and Mother’s Finest lead vocalist Joyce Kennedy.  Even when she moved back to the United States, Jessie spends a good portion of each year in Europe.

“My audiences in Europe are incredibly enthusiastic,” Jessie says.  “We’ve made a heart to heart connection.”
 
The musicians on “Spitfire” epitomize this cosmopolitan attitude, as well. She recorded with American musicians, who previously played with artists ranging  from Lenny Kravitz to Anastacia, Everlast to Joss Stone and Billy Joel, and the European artists who comprise her band during her annual trips there.  Swist co-produced the album with eight-time Grammy-award winner Mick Guzauski (mixed Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Anastacia, KISS, Celine Dion, Earth Wind & Fire).
 
The result is an album made to cross borders. Musical borders like soul and rock disappear on songs like the title track and merge on her cover of Gladys Knights “(I’ve Got To Use) My Imagination." International borders crumble like the Berlin Wall on “Get Away,” co-written with her Hungarian guitarist Peter Raso.

What brings all these people, energy, sounds and other musical elements together?  Simply Jessie Galante’s incredible voice and amazing stage presence.  Anyone who’s heard her gets hooked on the passion, power, and puissance of her voice, just as she’s hooked on singing.  “Some people crave chocolate, I need to sing,” she explains. “The physical energy of singing is an extreme act for me.  In fact, it’s a fix.”
 
Give her a listen and get the addiction.
 

1/4/11

RIP Gerry Rafferty, from the Strawbs' and Stealers Wheel Rod Coombes

From Rod Coombes on behalf of bandmates (Tony Williams, Paul Pilnick) in Stealers Wheel.


"It is very sad that Gerry has passed. He had a long hard battle with alcoholism. Gerry was a consummate craftsman and gave a lot to the music world.

He leaves a brilliant legacy as a songwriter, so in his life he achieved
that. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his daughter Martha, his
granddaughter Celia and brother Jim."

Full story about Gerry Rafferty's life and passing at http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/jan/04/gerry-rafferty-obituary