2019 Love is in the Air!

Rebecca's latest album GIVE UP YOUR GHOSTS (on Austin's Blue Corn Records) features GROWING UP, a collection of poignant observations on how things change.  Sounding like one of Ed Sheeran's waltzes, GROWING UP''s hook "growing old, getting over it."  

P.S. Rebecca's looking forward to opening for Suzzy Roche & Lucy Wainwright Roche Cookout Concerts in Novato CA 6/2! http://tinyurl.com/yytveyra 

ROLLING STONE loves Rebecca’s album, comparing her “coffeehouse Americana and light folk-pop” to Norah Jones.

 

Rachael Sage has been an inspiration to friends for years.  

"Alive" is such an upbeat song, listing topical possibilities "including microfilm being pulled out of the archive," " the olympics where nobody ever cheats!"  She mentions Frida Kahlo,  and the hook "IT’S GOOD TO BE ALIVE." 

 Dean Friedman's perfect Love Pop song:  PUT YOU IN MY POCKET

Dean has a great Easter song "The Ducks of St. Stephens Green."

PUT YOU IN MY POCKET and other Valentine & Love songs are at

https://soundcloud.com/leightonmedia/sets/valentines-love

AMAZING LOVE by Phoebe Legere is a LOVE song. Someone was that self-centered until YOU came along!  Enjoy the beauty of the video—Phoebe strutting and playing with her squeeze box on an enchanted tropical island.

 .

UNFINISHED by Lisa Sniderman / aka Aoede  

Unfinished is from an album Lisa created (but hasn't released) while writing a book, "A Light in the Darkness", about how she is able to write and record music, score plays, win awards, and many other things while living with a debilitating disease.

https://alightinthedarkness.info 

UNFINISHED is chamber pop, and about reconnecting with lost love, growing up.  It could be used for themes of either Optimism (with a Hollywood Ending) OR Toxic Optimism. Heartfelt, Yearning, Wishful, Poignant, Questioning.

So much distance 

So much unsaid 

We’re perfect strangers 

Under painted smiles  

And I remember 

Remember dreaming 

When we were younger

Oh-we had it all-had it all 

And memories flash in my head    

Back to a time when nothing could break me

Ba ba ba ba da  

Ba ba ba ba da

Ba ba ba ba da-a

If only I could forget you 

Wake up and just regret you 

Ba ba ba da     

Ba ba ba da-a 

Maybe-we’re unfinished

Full of hatred

And foolish games

We blamed each other

Always wanting more-always more

And I closed that door 

I swore I locked it

But I keep trembling

Oh-now you’re here-so near

And we keep playing in my head    

There was a time when nothing could break me

Ba ba ba ba da  

Ba ba ba ba da

Ba ba ba ba da-a

Nothing could break

Do you believe in second chances

Do you believe in charmed romances

oh whoa-oh whoa

Do you believe in second chances

Do you believe in charmed romances

oh whoa-oh 

If only I could replace you 

Wake up and just erase you 

Ba ba ba da 

Ba ba ba da-a

If only I could reject you 

Pretend I never met you 

Ba ba ba da 

Ba ba ba da-a 

Maybe we’re unfinished   

Maybe we’re unfinished

Maybe we’re unfinished

©Aoede/Lisa Sniderman Feb 2017 

Lisa interviews me about how I've been songwriting to share insight on healing and abuse. Lisa Sniderman (AKA Aoede): a quirky folk winner of the IMA, John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and also playwriting contest. She also writes children songs. Sharon Katz is now on tour in North America HAMBA KAHLE MANDELA (GO WELL MANDELA) - Sharon Katz & Nohlandla Wanda:   A stirring and gentle ballad to say goodbye to Mandela and a challenge to carry his lessons forward.  (pronounced HAM-BA-KAH-LE  MANDELA)  (H=soft sound) She continues to lead multi-racial choir performances and marches.

HER OWN LAGOON by Josh Lewis is part Aerosmith/Cheap Trick/Black Crowes: 
The song is about an abused person now in the hospital, and a million miles from the truth.  She’s sending him postcards from her room.  

AMERICAN HEART: Jaclyn Bradley Palmer  

dark patriotic pop, inspired by her love for America, yet sadness over it's current state. The song is still hopeful.

Sounds like pop Halsey mixed with the dark folk pop of Phoebe Bridgers. 
Jaclyn had an amazing time, performing both pop and opera on Ireland's Got Talent this Spring.

Holiday Songs
https://soundcloud.com/leightonmedia/sets/seasonal-christmas-hannakah

JOY TO THE WORLD I GUESS by  Rebecca Loebe and Findlay Napier is topical, about people’s arguments through during the holiday season, and the resolutions we make to fight less, “Joy to the world I guess….  There are friends we no longer will see in the holidays, because they’re shadows in the moonlight on the lawn.”  

https://loebenapier.bandcamp.com/track/joy-to-the-world-i-guess-single

Sharon Katz & Nonhlanhla Wand 2019 Tour: South Africa, United States, Cuba, Tijuana

Join Sharon & Nonhlanhla Wanda’s 25th Anniversary Creating Music Together  

Sharon & Nonhlanhla's music video in Durban, SA

Musician/humanitarian Sharon Katz (originally from Port Elizabeth, South Africa) and singer/teacher, Nonhlanhla Wanda (from Durban,South Africa) celebrate 25 years of worldwide touring and musical collaboration. Some of the celebration includes duo shows in South Africa with performances in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town in early 2019. Later on the two have performances and workshops in the United States, Cuba, and more border concerts with children from San Diego and Tijuana in Mexico. 

The South African tour revisits cities that Sharon, Nonhlanhla, & the Peace Train visited just over 25 years ago, Dec. 1993, in South Africa. Sharon remembers that as a bonding time with everyone living together on the Peace Train, “as an experiment that for the first time in our history we could live and travel together as a multiracial group across the country. Nonhlanha and I, from opposite sides of the race divide, were able to achieve that as musicians and activists. We had 100 singers and a 12-piece band plus crew and parents as chaperones, a TV crew and invited Ladysmith Black Mambazo to join us.”   

The international performers recorded their current album SIDE-BY-SIDE with producer Malcolm Nhleko of Maltre Studios. The Afro-Jazz-Contemporary fusion album features all original compositions by Nonhlanhla and Sharon and showcases their distinctive voices and gorgeous harmonies complemented by the instrumental virtuosity of Sharon on guitar; Qhubekani Mthethwa on bass; Charles Boykie Mnomiya on drums; and Sanele Phakathi on piano and synthesizer.

Sharon and Nonhlanhla are also the subjects of the multiple-award winning film, “When Voices Meet.” It documents the role of The Peace Train in creating South Africa’s first, 500-voice multiracial youth choir in KwaZulu-Natal in 1993; its groundbreaking concert tour across the country in support of the first democratic elections; The Peace Train’s first tour of America after President Mandela was elected; and the long-term impact of the project as told by the participants 20 years later. The film, which premiered at the Durban International Film Festival, has won awards at over 30 film festivals around the world and been broadcast in over 50 countries. John Kani and Abigail Kubeka are also featured in the film.

In 2018 The Peace Train initiated a multi-national project called “Transcending Barriers” which is designed to foster peaceful relationships between the countries of Mexico, Cuba, South Africa and the USA. In June 2019, Katz will perform with 2,000 children in Tijuana Mexico, and in November she will present a full production featuring Cuban, South African, American and Mexican children at the 33^rd International Choir Festival in Santiago de Cuba.

The duo contributes proceeds from their concerts and CD sales toward social development projects in South Africa, including supporting a children’s home, bursaries for orphans, after-school cultural programmes, and therapeutic music projects across the country.  Sharon Katz will also join Mlungisi Gegana in concerts to benefit the Mlungisi Academy in Queenstown. 

In addition to their own CDs, the group was recorded on the Carnival! album with Sting, Tina Turner, Elton John and Madonna. They have also recorded with Dolly Rathebe and Abigail Kubeka and featured Ladysmith Black Mambazo on The Peace Train’s original tour.

2019 PERFORMANCES IN SOUTH AFRICA BY SHARON KATZ & THE PEACE TRAIN

9 February   Sophiatown TheMix Johannesburg

Sophiatown Heritage Centre, 73 Toby St, Sophiatown, Johannesburg, 2092, South Africa

Celebrating Abigail Kubeka's 80th birthday concert with full band featuring Abigail Kubeka & Friends 

16 Feb   Moyo Restaurant at uShaka Marina, Durban

Sharon Katz & Nonhlanhla Wanda with full band  

22 Feb  Cafe Roux, Noordhoek, Cape Town Duo with Nonhlanhla Wanda

Chapmans Peak Dr, Noordhoek, Cape Town, 7979, South Africa 

24 Feb    Alma Café, Cape Town - Duo with Nonhlanhla Wanda

Alma Cafe, 35 Freda Ave, Gauteng, Randfontein, 1760, South Africa

1 March Queenstown Hotel, Queenstown

Concert with Mlungisi Gegana Quartet 

Benefit for Mlungisi Music Academy

2 March East London:  The Square Africa Boxing Lounge

12 Station Street

East London, Eastern Cape 5200 

27 April 2019 Oakland, CA:  Park Day School

360 42nd St 

Oakland, CA 94609 

7:00 pm: Concert, Film screening

27 April  San Francisco, The Brandeis School

 55 Brotherhood Way

San Francisco, CA 94132  

3:00 pm:  Concert, Film screening

18  May 2019  Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Universalist Church of Philadelphia

2125 Chestnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 

8:00 pm: South Africa’s 25 Anniversary of Freedom Concert & Celebration

19 May Philadelphia, PA James A. Michener Art Museum

138 S. Pine Street 

Doylestown, PA  18901

1:00 pm:  Unplugged

9 June  Palenke Stadium, Tijuana, Mexico

Performance with Promotora De Las Bellas Artes 

1:00 pm: Performance with children’s choir

28 June Old Songs Folk Festival, Altamonte, NY

Altamont Fair

Altamont, NY 

11:00 am: Performance

14 September Grayhaven Winery, South African Wine, Food, & Music Festival

Grayhaven Winery 

4675 East Grey Fox Circle 

Gum Springs, VA

12:00 Noon: Performance

1 November: Santiago de Cuba, 33rd International Festival of Choirs

The Peace Train Production

with 150 voice Children’ Choir 2019

8:00 am - 5:00 pm: Performance

Sharon Katz & the Peace Train, live

Carmine Appice's Guitar Zeus

This is the only and most comprehensive guitar legend compilation album ever recorded of new music 

ALBUM FEATURING THE BEST & WORLD-RENOWNED GUITARISTS

RE-ISSUE + NEW SONGS AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE JANUARY 18, 2019

A GUITAR ENTHUSIASTS DREAM COME TRUE!

Legendary drummer Carmine Appice is scheduled to re-release his GUITAR ZEUS project, a compilation album featuring a who’s who list of the best and world-renowned guitarists on the planet backed by his core band featuring Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder) on bass, Kelly Keeling (T.S.O., M.S.G) on vocals / keys / rhythm guitar, and Appice on drums.Written and playing some well crafted timeless songs.

Originally released as two separate albums in 1995 & 1997, this new re-mastered album (by Stephen DeAcutis - Vanilla Fudge, Corey Glover, Overkill, Cyndi Lauper) combines both releases as one complete version on January 18, 2018 for the first time ever across all digital platforms, as well as feature 5 brand new songs with Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Pat Travers, John Norum, and top Japanese guitarists RaiZi and Char.  Select songs will also be available on a special limited-edition vinyl and CD. 

Carmine Appice’s Guitar Zeus showcases the complete and prolific talents of many world-renown rock guitarists including Brian May, Slash, Neil Schon, Yngwie Malmsteen, Bruce Kulick, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Paul Gilbert, Mick Mars, Richie Sambora, Zakk Wylde, Bob Daisley, Dweezil Zappa, Vivian Campbell, Leslie West, Warren DeMartini, Steve Morse, Ty Tabor (Kings X), Ted Nugent, Dug Pinnick, John Norum and others…

“The Guitar Zeus project, for me, was an amazing experience that has never been done before by a drummer ,especially with so much talent on one album! You get your money’s worth! Writing all the songs with my band (Tony & Kelly) and then picking out songs for each guitarist was a fun and time-consuming process, especially coordinating everybody’s schedules and recording sessions.

From the opening note, one can tell this is going to be something special. I consider these drum tracks to be some of the best performances in my career, topped off with working with so many great guitarists and singers.  The combination of players and song selection is something special with some of the tunes is out of the ordinary and ahead of their time!” 

– Carmine Appice

“As soon as I heard the track, I thought it had a very haunting quality, evoking the ‘60s, but with a very modern slant. I also found the backing track very powerful and appealing, driven by Carmine’s very recognizable style; so I was keen to play on the track straight away” 

- Brian May

Queen's Brian May w/ Carmine

Carmine Appice’s Guitar Zeus – Tracklisting:

• “Mothers Space” (feat. Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal) + **

• “Gonna Rain” (feat. Richie Sambora) + **

• “4 Miles High” (feat. Steve Morse) +

• “Nobody Knew” (feat. Brian May) + **

• “Where You Belong (feat. Slash) +

• “Out of Mind” (feat. Neal Schon) + **

• “This Time Around (feat. Yngwie Malmsteen & Dug Pinnick) + **

• “Nothing” (feat. John Norum) +

• “Doin’ Fine” (feat Vivian Campbell) +

• “Under the Moon and Sun” (feat. Mick Mars / Edgar Winter) + **

• “Code 19” (feat. Zakk Wylde) + **

• “Days Are Nights” (feat. Ted Nugent) + **

• “Do Ya think I'm Sexy” (Sung by Carmine, feat. Pat Travers)

• “Angels” (feat. Char)

• “Guitar Zeus, Pt. 1” (feat Jennifer Batten)

• “Safe” (feat. Neal Schon)

• “Dead Wrong” (feat. Dweezil Zappa)

• “Trippin’ Again” (feat. Ty Tabor)

• “Even Up the Score” (feat. Ted Nugent)

• “Dislocated” (feat. Paul Gilbert)

• “Stash” (feat. Stevie Salas / John McEnroe)

• “Perfect Day” (feat. Warren DeMartini)

• “Killing Time” (feat. Ty Tabor)

• “So Long” (feat. Doug Aldrich)

• “My Own Advice” (feat  Kenji Kitajima)

• “Time to Set Alarms” (feat Elliot Easton / Bob Daisley)

• “GZ Blues” (feat. Seymour Duncan / Steven Seagal)

• “Guitar Zeus, Pt. 2” (feat. Leslie West / Jennifer Batten)

• “Where you Belong” (feat Paul Gilbert)

• “Cruzin” (feat. Denny Laine)

• “Couldn’t Be Better” (Feat. RaiZi)

• “Score” (Feat. Ted Nugent)

• “Snake” (feat. Bruce Kulick)

+ CD Release

** Vinyl Release

About Carmine Appice:
As drummer for Vanilla Fudge, Carmine Appice set the grooves for the groundbreaking band's 1967 psychedelic debut, inadvertently inventing Stoner Rock in the process. The Fudge had no precedent. The band was totally unique. No rock group, up until that point, had ever so lugubriously s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d out well-known pop tunes. Vanilla Fudge went on to tour with Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and even had Led Zeppelin as an opening act.

Post-Fudge, Bogert and Appice formed Cactus (seen as an influence on Van Halen & King's X). Post-Cactus, the rhythm section found Grammy-winning Guitar Hero Jeff Beck to form the first supergroup: Beck, Bogert & Appice.

One of the premier showmen in rock, Appice became known worldwide for his astonishing live performances and a highly sought-after session drummer, recording with countless artists throughout his career. In 1976, he joined Rod Stewart’s band, touring, recording and writing two of Stewart’s biggest hits, "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" and "Young Turks.” He left Stewart to record his first solo album, Rockers, and tour Japan and North America with an all-star band. In 1978, Appice played drums on Paul Stanley’s first solo album.

In the early 1980s, he toured with Ozzy Osborne, Ted Nugent. In the mid '80s, he formed King Kobra for two Capitol albums and international touring. In the late ‘80s, Carmine played on Pink Floyd’s "Momentary Lapse of Reason and formed Blue Murder with Whitesnake's John Sykes and The Firm's Tony Franklin. In the early '90s, he pounded away soul-style for The Edgar Winter Group.

As an educator, Carmine was the first to legitimize rock drumming with his landmark book, The Realistic Rock Drum Method, selling over 400,000 copies (now in dvd and ebook  format). He was the first Rock Drummer and Rock Musician to conduct instructional clinics and symposiums around the world, a tradition he continues. In appreciation for his universal appeal, Los Angeles was one of four cities that have had "Carmine Appice Day.”  In 1991, he was forever immortalized via his induction in cement to the Hollywood's Rock Walk (next to his idols, Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich).

In 2016 Carmine wrote an autobiography titled “Stick It” which appeared on Amazon’s “Best Sellers” list.

As a true artist, Carmine stretches the limits of his talents, always pursuing new experiences with a broad spectrum of musicians. His high standards have earned him the respect of the world's most admired performers as well as captivating the loyalty of legions of fans. He has reshaped the path of music education, redesigned the very instrument he plays, and recreates excitement with every performance.

Carmine Appice is, truly, A Different Drummer!

http://www.CarmineAppice.net