1/31/12

JETHRO TULL'S IAN ANDERSON TO RELEASE "THICK AS A BRICK 2"



Anderson Announces 40th Anniversary Sequel to the
Hugely Successful, Groundbreaking 1972 Album



London, England - February 1, 2012 - Following the recent announcement of a 19-date tour to commemorate the 40th anniversary of 'Thick As A Brick,' on April 2nd (April 3rd in North America) Ian Anderson will release a sequel to the original album.

In 1972, Ian Anderson wrote and recorded the Jethro Tull Progressive Rock classic album 'Thick As A Brick.' The lyrics were credited at the time to the fictitious child character, Gerald Bostock, whose parents supposedly lied about his age. The record instantly became a number one Billboard Chart album and enjoyed considerable success in many countries of the world.

So, forty years on, what would Gerald Bostock - aged fifty in 2012 - be doing today? What might have befallen him? The anniversary “part two” album will examine the possible different paths that the precocious young schoolboy, Gerald Bostock, might have taken later in life through alter-ego characters with song-section identities illustrating the hugely varied potential twists and turns of fate and opportunity. Not just for Gerald but to echo how our own lives develop, change direction and ultimately conclude through chance encounters and interventions, however tiny and insignificant they might seem at the time.

Ian Anderson says of the album, “As we baby-boomers look back on our own lives, we must often feel an occasional 'what-if' moment. Might we, like Gerald, have become instead preacher, soldier, down-and-out, shopkeeper or finance tycoon?” Adding, “And those of more tender years - the social media and internet generation - may choose to ponder well the myriad of chance possibilities ahead of them at every turn.....”

To coincide with this groundbreaking release, for the first time since 1972, Anderson and fellow musicians John O'Hara (keyboards), David Goodier (bass), Florian Opahle (guitar) and Scott Hammond (drums) - as well as some guest performers - will take to the road to perform the album in its entirety and, it can now exclusively be revealed that, in addition, there will be a second part to the show where Anderson and the band will also perform the sequel.

Thick As A Brick 2 ('TAAB2') tracklist [CD, digital]
1. From A Pebble Thrown
2. Pebbles Instrumental
3. Might-have-beens
4. Upper Sixth Loan Shark
5. Banker Bets, Banker Wins
6. Swing It Far
7. Adrift And Dumfounded
8. Old School Song
9. Wootton Bassett Town
10. Power And Spirit
11. Give Till It Hurts
12. Cosy Corner
13. Shunt And Shuffle
14. A Change Of Horses
15. Confessional
16. Kismet In Suburbia
17. What-ifs, Maybes And Might-have-beens

'Thick As A Brick 2' will be released as a standard jewel case CD and digital download, and in a Special Edition 2-disc package with DVD featuring 5.1 stereo mixes, 24-bit stereo mix, video of the making of the album, interviews with the musicians and Ian Anderson reading the lyrics in various locations.

After 44 years of leading Tull to 54 countries worldwide and over 60 million albums sold, Ian Anderson celebrates a true progressive rock classic with old and new fans across the UK for a whole three weeks. Anderson is known as the flute and voice of the legendary Jethro Tull, formed in the North of England in 1968 from the amalgamation of blues-based John Evan Band and McGregor's Engine. Since their first performance at London's famous Marquee Club in 1968, the band has released 30 studio and live albums and earned a prominent place in rock history.

The official Jethro Tull website:
www.jethrotull.com
and please visit: stcleve.com
* * *
U.S. Media Contacts

Jennifer Ballantyne - EMI Music North America
(323) 871-5494 / jennifer.ballantyne@emicap.com

Anne Leighton - Leighton Media
(718) 881-8183 / LeightonMedia@aol.com

Confirmed tour dates at http://www.jethrotull.com



TAAB2
Whatever Happened To Gerald Bostock?
by Ian Anderson

In 1972, I wrote and recorded the Jethro Tull Progressive Rock classic album Thick As A Brick. The lyrics were credited at the time to the fictitious child character, Gerald Bostock, whose parents supposedly lied about his age. The record instantly became a number one Billboard Chart album and enjoyed considerable success in many countries of the world.

We then, somewhat dutifully, took the quaintly theatrical show on the road in the UK, USA and a few other countries. Since 1972, the album has never been performed in its entirety although a few minutes of the material have been a regular repertoire staple in both Tull and Ian Anderson solo shows over the years.

Now, scheduled for performance again in 2012, I will take the original album and this follow-up recording, TAAB2, to a theatre near you.

So, forty years on, what would Gerald Bostock - aged fifty in 2012 - be doing today? What might have befallen him?

The theme of this anniversary “part two” album is to examine the possible different paths that the precocious young schoolboy, Gerald Bostock, might have taken later in life and to create alter-ego characters whose song-section identities illustrate the hugely varied potential twists and turns of fate and opportunity. Not just for Gerald but to echo how our own lives develop, change direction and ultimately conclude through chance encounters and interventions, however tiny and insignificant they might seem at the time.

In the development of the piece, the divergences of life's infinitely forked roads finally give way to an almost gravitational pull which results in convergence to, perhaps, a pre-ordained, karma-like conclusion.

As we baby-boomers look back on our own lives, we must often feel an occasional “what-if” moment. Might we, like Gerald, have become instead preacher, soldier, down-and-out, shopkeeper or finance tycoon?

And those of more tender years - the social media and internet generation - may choose to ponder well the myriad of chance possibilities ahead of them at every turn.....

Odd chap, life.....

If someone had suggested that I might release a Prog concept album in the year 2012, I would have thought him seriously, dangerously even, off his trolley. But that is precisely what happened. A few years ago, Mike Andrews and Royston Eldridge, two ex-Chrysalis Records gents pressed me to consider a follow-up to Thick As A Brick. I gave it some dutiful deliberation - for a couple of minutes - and politely declined. Nice idea, nice chaps but, after reflection, no-oooooo.

Then, in 2010, a re-aquaintance with seventies Prog Rock vocalist-turned-record exec Derek Shulman - yes, he of Gentle Giant fame - restarted the old refrain. Yes, but.... no, but, and finally - OK, I'll give it some more dutiful deliberation (four and a half minutes, this time) eventually produced, in February of 2011, the synopsis of the idea. Derek's enthusiasm and gauntlet-challenge plus two weeks of dedicated, fast and furious music and lyric writing combined to produce a flurry of material. And - blow me down with a Dodo's tail-feather - the whole thing was completed ready for scoring and arranging by the beginning of March. There were a couple of pieces prepared earlier which were bent into new shape and fitted into the scheme of things, so they too were popped into the bubbling saucepan.

It was a little daunting to consider the impact - or perhaps lack of - which this release might have on old and new fans alike but I eventually decided that I would embark on this for my own benefit and enjoyment rather than trying to please anyone else at all. To find the balance of interesting musicality and more accessible content too was not the main issue. The conceptual and heavily lyrical nature of the beast, however, might be out of place in the attention span-deficit world which we seem to occupy these days. But, having toured in 2010 and 2011 in Italy, Latin America, Australia and other countries where passions run high, I decided that maybe the world - or our little corners of it - was, in fact, ready for a bit of more substantial and weightier fare.

The era of professional media Prog-bashing seems to have given way to a more appreciative appraisal of the genre and newer bands such as Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree and Spock's Beard have possibly prompted a new and younger audience to re-examine the seventies originators' seminal albums too.

So, it's not such a cold and lonely place after all. The elements of Folk, Classical and Jazz Music are still to be found in today's more Rock-oriented Progressive Rock. You will certainly find them subtly present in TAAB2 but along with a rather more acoustic feel than many of our peers, past and present. Not the only flute in town but......

Actually, I played much more acoustic guitar than usual on this record having written most of the music on that instrument. But there are still sections conceived on the flute and sometimes - quite often, in fact - the lyric writing preceded all the melodies and harmonic structures. Starting with lyrics and then thinking of the music is not normally the way I work but it was here. A title, a few words or a verse or two and then the acoustic guitar was immediately to hand to conjure up a full song section out of the growing lyrics. Having a plan was important. Stories to tell made it all easier. The imagination-filled process of thinking how things might have turned out for the young and older Gerald kept me fascinated. Maybe you will be too. And maybe not.

Ah, well - you can always go and watch The X Factor and the Eurovision Song Contest.

--Ian Anderson January 2012

1/18/12

JANN KLOSE RETURNS TO THE UK THIS MARCH FOR HIS FOURTH TOUR

Acclaimed singer-songwriter playing Liverpool, Cambridge, Bilston, Swindon--more shows to be announced.

Jann Klose is returning to the UK this March to perform and lead some master classes on songwriting and DIY touring. He'll be talking about DIY Touring and collaboration at the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts, and then leading a master class for students at the Highworth Warneford School in Wiltshire. Confirmed dates are in Liverpool, Wolverhampton, Cambridge and Wiltshire.

Photo of Jann at the Cavern Club, IPO Festival

Jann is currently in the studio working on a new album with multi-platinum award winning producer David Bendeth (Paramore, Papa Roach, Bruce Hornsby, Elvis Presley). His recent releases Reverie (2008) and Sacrifice EP (2010) continue to build attention. His songs have been heard on the GRAMMY-nominated Healthy Food For Thought (2010) compilation, and in film and TV, including Warner Bros. Dead Broke featuring Paul Sorvino and MTV Cribs.

He has opened for/performed with a wide range of artists including, Brett Dennen, Rusted Root, Vonda Shepard, Rosanne Cash, Roger McGuinn, Renaissance and Annie Haslam, Jim (The Yardbirds) McCarty and the legendary Les Paul.

Born in Germany and raised in Kenya and South-Africa he first came to the U.S. as an exchange student, now living in NYC. As an actor/singer he performed in Broadway tours of Jekyll & Hyde, The Who's Tommy and the European tour of Jesus Chris Superstar.

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."


JANN KLOSE UK DATES:

March 2, 2012: MASTER CLASS, LIVERPOOL INSTITUTE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, Liverpool, UK
March 2: 2012: THE CAVERN CLUB, Liverpool, UK
March 3, 2012: CB2 Cambridge, UK
March 4, 2012: ROBIN 2 W/ TIR NA NOG, Bilston, Wolverhampton, UK
March 7, 2012: SONGWRITING CLASS & PERFORMANCE, HIGHWORTH WARNEFORD SCHOOL, Swindon, Wiltshire, UK

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1/14/12

Joe Deninzon’s California Jaunt, January 19-21 (Shows and Appearances at NAMM, Hoosiermosa, and Salvadors Jazz Suite)

photo by Steve Shultz

Singer/Songwriter/Electric Violinist Joe Deninzon will be making a variety of appearances this coming week as he visits Southern California.

On Thursday and Friday, Joe will be mingling at NAMM, and making appearances at both the Mel Bay and Mark Wood’s Viper Electric Violin Booths. Joe has written the book on Electric Violin--literally; Mel Bay books is premiering his "PLUGGING IN: A Guide To Gear and New Techniques for the 21st Century Violinist" at NAMM.

On Saturday, Joe has two performances. He joins fellow alumni from Indiana University for Hoosiermosa, at the Lighthouse CafĂ©, 30 Pier Ave, in Hermosa Beach for an afternoon of music from a range of artists including DJ Matty Mac, Everyday Avenues, Voomz, Johnzo West, Barley Legal, Jeremy Buck & the Bang, Rich Hardesty featuring Moe Z, and Jim Post. In addition to sitting in with some of these artists, Joe’s set will be at 4 PM.

Saturday night, at 9 PM, Joe will perform at Salvadors Jazz Suite, 3013 Gilroy Street, in Los Angeles. Performing at 8 PM is Byron Nemeth with set of ambient fusion guitar, featuring the new Mooresound "1013" Amplifier. Admission is $10. The web site is http://salvadorsjazzsuite.com .

Joining Joe’s sets at both Hoosiermosa and Salvadors Jazz Suite are Tony Pulizzi (current guitarist for AMERICAN IDOL) and drummer Stacey Lamont Sydnor (Missy Elliot, George Duke, Macy Gray, Stevie Wonder, Robbie Williams, Hillary Duff).

Joe Deninzon leads the band Stratospheerius, who will be releasing its fifth album, THE NEXT WORLD (Digital Nations / D Zone Entertainment), this spring. Stratospheerius combines jam, fusion, rock, progressive, virtuoso, singer-songwriter, jazz and metal, and describes itself as "psychojazz trip funk." Stratospheerius has played at colleges, festivals, and clubs throughout the US. The New York-based group has opened for Tim Reynolds, Mickey Hart, Mike Stern, and John Scofield. The group was a winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, won the Online People's Choice Awards in the Cornucopia Festival, and was named "Best Jam Band" in Musician's Atlas Independent Music Awards.

Often called "The Jimi Hendrix of the Electric Violin," his innovative performances on the electric seven-string violin and his compositions blend rock, funk, jazz, classical, and Eastern European Gypsy influences. While leading Stratospheerius since 2001, Joe has worked with Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Les Paul, Phoebe Snow, and Ritchie Blackmore among others. He can be heard on over 100 recordings and jingles as a violinist and string arranger.

Joe has appeared in Lincoln Center’s Meet the Artist program, as a soloist with the New York City Ballet, has performed on MTV and at the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, and has played for former President Clinton. His music has been featured on CMT, VH1, ABC, Comedy Central, the Travel Channel, History Channel, Food Network, and National Geographic, and recently in the Will Ferrell/Adam McKay-produced movie, "Virginity Hit."

1/9/12

GRAMMY® Nominated Artist Miss Amy Brings "Fitness Rock & Roll" To LA, February 8-11




GRAMMY®-Nominated Recording artist Miss Amy is coming to Southern California with an even higher mission than walking the Red Carpet at the 54th GRAMMY® Awards.

Miss Amy will be joined by Reality TV Star and Kids Fit Foundation representative Dan Evans.  Together they will raise awareness about the importance of exercise and nutrition.  Slated for February 8th and 9th are four enrichment concert appearances that will reach more than 800 students at Daniel Webster School (a President's Challenge Program Demonstration school) in Pasadena, and the new Extera Public Charter Schools in East LA.

Dan Evans, a former contestant on the hit show The Biggest Loser and Nashville Recording artist, will share his story of weight loss and personal triumph.  He will also perform a couple of his hit songs, including "Goin' All Out."  After losing 136 pounds, Dan now has a healthy relationship with food, and motivates and inspires others to live active lifestyles.

Miss Amy has twenty years experience in the fitness industry and is an official advocate for the President's Challenge Program.  She has five solo albums in her discography and appears in a number of other published projects, including: four compilation CDs, a bi-lingual educational DVD and three books.  Through her kid-friendly music she educates families about Health and Wellness.  One of Miss Amy's goals is to bring her Healthy Bodies Rock! program to under-served elementary schools across America.  Her program is aligned with the 21st Century Standards Core Theme of Health Literacy, and she encourages children to claim their athletic identities and build positive character traits.
 
In addition to her school appearances, Miss Amy & Her Big Kids Band will give an interactive Fitness Rock & Roll concert (reminiscent of her 2010 White House Egg Roll performance) at the LA Air Force Base for service families the morning of February 11th.    
 
Miss Amy's FITNESS ROCK & ROLL CD is nominated for Best Children's Album in the 54th GRAMMY® Awards, broadcasting on CBS-TV and online at www.grammy.com on February 12, 2012.

www.MissAmyKids.com
www.kidsfitfoundation.org
www.PresidentsChallenge.org