8/14/14

Jann Klose Wins Four Categories in the Vox Pop (People's Voice) For This Year's Independent Music Awards


A noted blues critic, who liked Jann's music, told me, "Jann Klose is a word-of-mouth artist.
That's how his career is going to grow."

Jann's fans voted for him to win in three eclectic categories in the VOX POP segment of this year's IMA (Independent Music Award) contest. The nominations were for music (Jann's cover of Tim Buckley’s "Song To The Siren") and design (website: jannklose.com and swag: his limited edition T-shirt that uses the lyric, "If you don't know love, you don't know life" from his indie radio hit, "Make It Better" of his new album, MOSAIC). There's also a fourth category as Jann sings, "Humble Wish” on ACTION MOVES PEOPLE, which won both the Vox Pop and music industry competitions in the Various Artists: Spoken Word category.   

To date more than 100,000 fans have championed their favorite established artists and rising stars in The IMA Vox Pop poll. Martin Folkman, Executive Director of The Independent Music Awards, says, “We’re focused on placing exceptional artists and releases in front of music consumers around the world.” Open to self-released and indie label acts, the IMA’s ongoing promotions, distribution, and performance opportunities place winners and nominees in front of millions of fans and industry decision makers. See more at: independentmusicawards.com

Jann is currently working on a new album as an Americana duo (LUCAS KLOSE) with Gary Lucas (Jeff Buckley, Captain Beefheart). The two have been friends and collaborators since 2010, Gary turned Jann on to the music of Tim Buckley when he got Jann the gig, singing Tim's parts in the movie, GREETINGS FROM TIM BUCKLEY (Tribeca Film/Focus World). In time he connected with Tim's lyricist, poet Larry Beckett. The two are writing together as well. In addition, both of Tim's bassists Jim Fielder and Jeff Eyrich have given Jann the thumbs up.

Jann has shared the stage with and/or opened for artists from all eras of music history including Rusted Root, Pat Benatar, Vonda Shepard, Jeffrey Gaines, THE VOICE's Rebecca Loebe, Gary Hoey, Suzanne Vega, Annie Haslam and Renaissance, Brett Dennen, Bret Michaels, and the late Pete Seeger and Les Paul.

RELIX's Nancy Dunham writes of MOSAIC, "Combine his songwriting and singing chops with his artful experimentation — songs include flavors of reggae, punk, and more — and you understand why Klose moves ever closer to pop-rock eminence."
  
Born in Germany, raised in Kenya, South Africa, and Hamburg, Jann, first, came to the States as an exchange student in Cleveland, He lives in the melting pot called New York City when he's not touring the world, playing between 75-100 shows a year in North America, Europe and Asia.


MORE LINKS AND TOUR DATES: 

www.twitter.com/jannkloseband

JANN KLOSE TOUR DATES 
        
8/16   Prinzenbar Docks, Hamburg, Germany
8/22   Mülheimer Lesebühne, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
8/23   Cafe Prinz Willy, Strandfest Open Air, Kiel, Germany
8/28   Wohnzimmerkonzert, Bokholt-Hanredder, Germany
8/29   Wagner's Kantine, Elmshorn, Germany
8/31   Saturn Kino, Barmstedt, Germany
9/12   Ebenezers, Washington, DC
9/19   The Newton Theatre, Newton, NJ w/ Paula Cole 
10/26 BBAM!! Gallery, Montreal, Quebec
11/1   TBA, Youngstown, OH
11/2   House Concert, St. Martin, OH
11/8   S.P.A.C.E. w/ John Oates, Evanston, IL
11/9   Chicago Street Theater, Valparaiso, IN
11/22  ACMA Listening Room, Ft. Myers, FL
1/30/15  Fiddler's Crossing, Tehachapi, CA
3/14/15  Ethical Brew, Teaneck, NJ
4/24/15  House Concert, Charlotte, NC
4/25/15  House Concert, Hickory, NC

8/10/14

Branded "Old and Ugly" by the Press, Veteran Singer Collette McLafferty Reclaims Her Voice, One Headline At A Time


Working Performer Standing Up to Lawsuit Preventing Her from Singing Pink's Music In Concert

WIth over 1000 shows under her belt, a nod from MTV, and a worldwide, if cultish, fan base, Collette McLafferty is truly a music "lifer."  In an industry that brings new challenges with every year, the goal of the lifer is always the same: keep working and keep your audience happy. 
Collette McLafferty looks fine to me.  Mighty fine!

McLafferty, 40, was thrust into the national news when she was unexpectedly served with a $10,000,000 lawsuit for her services  as a "hired gun" in a Pink tribute band called Funhouse. She was paid $75 for the show, accrued $3200 in legal bills with 13 allegations (including one that stated she was "unattractive") against her in a 112-page complaint. She never met the Plaintiff (who's name she has no reason to mention), but does confirm that he is a former drummer who became a Personal Injury attorney.  

When she learned she may be locked into the court system for years, she finally took her own attorney's advice to speak out. 

The New York Post requested an interview and actually printed the headline: SINGER SUED FOR BEING TOO OLD AND TOO UGLY FOR PINK COVER BAND. McLafferty was quite surprised to read the headline, "The lawsuit never said I was old and angry...only unattractive."

McLafferty recalls, "Celebrities deal with this everyday, working class musicians not so much." On the positive, it was "good to see Pink's picture next to mine." 

Instead of the headline just going away, the "Old and Ugly" narrative made the national newswire and was picked up by Perez Hilton, and over 100 media outlets. Even law-focused publications referred to McLafferty as a "bad, ugly singer" who "ruined the Pink tribute band." Instead of actually listening to Ms. McLafferty's video on youtube, TV Show Arise Xchange reported allegations that "she couldn't carry a tune."  

The classically-trained music lifer knew she had one of two choices: crawl up in a hole and hide, or face the music proudly and stand strong.  

"40 is a gorgeous age for a woman. I make it a point to mention my age in interviews for that reason. If I had a nickel for every time someone told me that my 'window is closing,' I would be richer then Michael Bloomberg. I started hearing that when I turned 27. Guess what!  I'm gigging still!"

McLafferty is on a mission to empower lifers of any age, "As a working class musician, I'm constantly putting my name in front of new potential employers who usually do a search on me while reviewing my materials." 

She has found some support. Commercial radio station 95.7 KJR spun tracks from her old band edibleRed. Time Magazine posted her singing competition from "Next Broadway Star," where she was one of 7 finalists, down from 6000 hopefuls. Her "MTV Buzzworthy" video "Hey Ya" surfaced on Clear Channel sites and I Heart Radio.  

Fellow musician and noted journalist, Marisa Torrerri Bloom connected her with women's blog xoJane.com. Ms. McLafferty wrote an honest, raw and truthful account of her ordeal. Musicians from as far as the UK and Brazil wrote in their support, as did women from all over the world, touched and shocked by her story. After reading her account, the staff at Indiegogo reached out to help crowdfund for her legal bill. 

"I felt it was crucial to tell my side, as this can happen to anyone. I also felt a newfound commitment to myself, as it forced me to stand up for myself while national headlines were referring to me as "old and ugly." I had to love myself through all of this. It was the only way I would survive. I think this can help any woman or girl stand up to the face of criticism from the media or society. 

As for The Plaintiff, McLafferty bears no ill will, but would like to see an "appropriate outcome" to the situation, "It's hard to say what this seeming very angry ex-drummer might be dealing with, but my heart goes out to anybody who doesn't want others to sing someone else's songs, especially those by an artist like Pink, who sings about empowerment."

As a lifer, Collette McLafferty continues to gig. In addition to fronting both '80s/'90s band, Lavender Steel and '80s jam band, The Fred Savages, McLafferty appears in three films due out this year: "Stiffed," "Occupy Cannes!" and as a high school student on roller skates in "Return to Nuke Em High Volume 2." She was recently cast in a supporting role in "Center of The Universe" a Sci-FI Rock Musical.  

McLafferty hopes her story will inspire other performers to stay strong in their "self worth, embrace everything they are, and sing out!" Keep up with her performance schedule at www.lavendersteelmusic.com 

Check out Collette McLafferty and decide for yourself at

"Drumming Like a Rockstar" Collette McLafferty featuring The Identifiers

edibleRed, "Hey Ya" MTV Buzzworthy

Collette's empowering interview w/ Dangerous Lee: http://dangerouslee.biz


Collette's indiegogo Crowdfunding campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/p-nk-tribute-legal-defense-fund

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8/2/14

Introducing: Shadow To Shadow: Dean Madonia's Frankenstein: Alive In Concert


New Rock Opera/Concept Album and Concert to debut this Halloween 
Dean Madonia designed and painted the album cover
for Shadow To Shadow.

Dean Madonia's new album, Shadow To Shadow: Dean Madonia's Frankenstein will be performed live this year.  Stay tuned for announcements including names of musicians involved.

Dean Madonia's Frankenstein follows the tradition of most progressive bands including Genesis, King Crimson, Yes, Kansas, Kevin Gilbert, Jethro Tull/Ian Anderson, Styx, UK, Dio, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Pink Floyd who have created life-changing concept albums (i.e: The Who's Tommy, Pink Floyd's The Wall, Kevin Gilbert's The Shaming Of the True).

•CD Baby Founder Derek Sivers praises, "great songs that range from the outrageous to sublime... by an accomplished songwriter/performer/producer at the top of his game."  

•La Caja De Pandora states, "progressive rock of the highest quality… a musician and a group at it's peak of inspiration."  

•Arlequins says that Dean Madonia has "succeeded quite effectively to make functional music history."  

Dean Madonia's  Frankenstein is a rock opera and tells the story of "The Monster" from the perspective of Dean and his band.  Based on Mary Shelley's famous novel, Frankenstein: Or The Modern Prometheus, Dean has straightened out the story, chronologically.  Dean Madonia's Frankenstein shows that "The Monster" is still alive after over 200 years, and telling his cautionary tale to a genetic researcher about to make the first human clone.

Copies of the album are available for downloads or as CDs.  Accredited journalists should contact publicist Anne Leighton at 718-881-8183 or via Anne@AnneLeighton.com.

In 2012 Tim Dugger recorded Dean's song (I Called Her) Tennessee (Curb Records) which reached #40 on the Music Row chart.  He's had film placements: Honor Is Ours in the 2013 Threshold Entertainment film Footlight!. His song, Just Like Love from his band Pretty Little Horses, was in the movie, The Stream. Dean has seven albums, including 1995's Third Wish CD distributed by Bon Lozaga's LoLo Records.  

In addition to teaching workshops in songwriting, Dean also presents lectures on horror in music. 


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