Winter 2021 songs - Seasonal & New Music

 

Mask  Phoebe Legere  Rock and roll, female vocals, going out with parents, and wearing a mask. “I love my mask, I love my mom, I love my dad.” 

Everybody’s Single Ezra Doner  male vocals, countrypolitan--everybody's single tonight a flirtatious song about a guy going to a bar after his “sweet darlin’ wife got tired of married life.” He went to the bar “to do some drinkin’”...and some flirtin'! Ezra’s songs are on SoundCloud under pseudonym Oliver Duplass.

 https://soundcloud.com/oliverduplass/everybodys-single-tonight

Only One  Joe Matera Male Tenor, rock & electric guitar like Nils Lofgren, The Heartbreakers “No one sees your struggle and how careful you are when you ultimately make it.” Multi-faceted songwriter/guitarist Mr. Matera is playing with pop and rock legends for future releases, hosting music segments on Australian radio, and writing for Guitar World and Goldmine magazines. 

Storm Surge  Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius  hard rock/orchestral prog-power ballad with bold baritone/tenor and strings, flute, rock guitar. Storm Surge is about anxiety, a storm that’s raging inside of us. Queensryche-ish.  Special guest leadsinger is Michael Sadler from Saga (Canadian content).  

There She Is  Firefall male tenor vocal, hooky jingle-like, horns, guitars, classicrock, yacht rock, 1970s sounding, Inspired, his little angel lifting him up, good fortune, cloud 9, looking so pretty, head over heels.  

 There She Is | Firefall (bandcamp.com)

Santiago  Sharon Katz   female vocal in English & Spanish, "land meets the water" it is about Santiago, Cuba. Spanish guitar, horns, traditional festival music. Sharon is working with border children and migrant workers in Tijuana and San Diego.

Home Orleans Packing the childhood up and setting out. male singer, a gentle version of the prodigal son, childhood, grownup, becoming a child. "when I need someone to talk to" Orleans’ upcoming EP, of new music in 2021, will include Home. 

Orleans' New Song & Music Video "Home"

Orleans offers a preview of their new song, “Home,” on their YouTube channel.  The song, (written by founder/lead guitarist/singer John Hall, Johanna Hall, and Don Schlitz) will be on the group’s forthcoming EP to be released spring 2021. “Home,” which is about family-- childhood, adolescence, marriage, parenthood, and childhood again--originally appeared on John’s 1997 solo CD "Love Doesn't Ask."

John & Johanna have written dozens of songs together, most notably Orleans’ “Still the One,” “Dance With Me,” and Janis Joplin’s "Half Moon.” Co-writer Don Schlitz is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and former Nashville Songwriters Association and ASCAP “Songwriter of the Year." He has written 21 number one hits including Kenny Rogers "The Gambler."   

Audio and video recordings were produced in isolation, except a group video of John, Lance Hoppen, and Brady Spencer who gathered safely in Nashville. Still photos were taken years or decades before the pandemic. The video was edited and directed by Rob Arthur (Today Show, CBS This Morning, Rolling Stone, Veranda Magazine, Peter Frampton, the Doobie Brothers).

Multiple Grammy winner Cindy Cashdollar plays lap steel on the song and is featured in the video; she’s also the Americana Music Association “Instrumentalist of the Year” (2016) and a member of the Austin TX Music Hall of Fame. Cindy grew up in Woodstock NY, where Orleans was based in the early years.  

Orleans is John Hall, co-founder Lance Hoppen (bass, and vocals), Fly Amero (guitar, vocals), Lane Hoppen (piano), Brady Spencer (drums). This is the latest of many incarnations in its near 50-year history. 

The band went from club and college shows in the Northeast to worldwide acclaim with their top ten singles "Still the One," Dance With Me," and "Love Takes Time.”  Now entering its 28th year of live performances, Orleans has produced a body of work spanning 16 albums and several DVDs. The band’s music is still being heard on national TV; recently John and Johanna’s “Still The One” was on Applebees’ commercials and Netflix’s "Love, Wedding, Marriage." 
 

OrleansOnline.com

Facebook.com/Orleansmusic

johnhallmusic.com

 

HOME 

Everyone on earth has things they need

Things that they cannot do without

When they're old enough to chase their dreams

they pack their childhood up and they set out

to find a trade on which they can survive

Four walls, a roof, a door to call their own

And as the seasons change they laugh and cry

Learn what it's like to live alone

 

But when they need someone to talk to about anything at all

Someone who will catch them when they're just about to fall

Someone who will listen and then miss'em when they're gone

When they need someone to love'em they go home

 

They're searching for some meaning in their lives

Look around for something that will last

They find it in a husband or a wife

and so begin to recreate the past

Their babies learn to walk and then to run

and soon they think they're ready for the world

There's no way you can stop what you've begun

Just give'em love someday they will return

 

When they need someone to talk to about anything at all

Someone who will catch them when they're just about to fall

Someone who will listen and then miss'em when they're gone

When they need someone to love'em they go home

 

Home

No matter how the world keeps changing

When you show up at the door

You know that it's still yours

 

When I need someone to talk to about anything at all

Someone who will catch me when I'm just about to fall

Someone who will listen and then miss me when I'm gone

When I need someone to love me I go home

 

C by John and Johanna Hall and Don Schlitz, All Rights Reserved

Irving Music/Schmirving Music (BMI), and Don Schlitz Music/MCA Music (ASCAP

  

Legendary Rock Band Firefall’s New Song & Music Video, “Way Back When” Out

Classic Hit Band, Firefall Available for Interviews to support new video and upcoming album, Comet, due December 11 on Sunset Blvd. Records 

 
Firefall’s “Way Back When” music video opens with the band’s original bassist  Mark Andes comparing the turbulent 1960s with challenges people are going through nowadays. He ends his observation with the hope of “Maybe music will help us get through this storm together.” Then we hear  chiming chords, and see Firefall lead guitarist/singer/co-founder Jock Bartley singing about life and love, recalling many classic musicians of the 1960s--the Beatles, Rolling Stones, the Byrds, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Van Morrison, Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, the Rascals, CSN, Credence Clearwater Revival…..   Jock says, “The first verse and first chorus are set in 1965. The second verse and chorus are ‘67, and the third verse and chorus is ’69.  It’s a loving retrospective of how great the music was back then.”  
 
Produced by Jock’s son Jamey, the “Way Back When” video shows memories of screaming fans, war and hate, Woodstock, and photos of 45 RPM singles and artists, interspersing with a band performance.  Watch the video at 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_WfrgogTXM
 
Jock and his bandmates: bassist Mark Andes, multi-instrumentalist David Muse (sax, flute, keys), drummer Sandy Ficca, and singer/guitar player Gary Jones are heralding their latest album, COMET on Sunset Blvd. Records--out December 11, 2020.  Since the release of their last new album, 1994’s MESSENGER, Firefall has kept up a hectic touring schedule of 80 plus dates a year, appearing at Performing Arts Centers, festivals, fairs and casinos.  Since 2012, with original members Muse and Andes returning to the Firefall family, the band has been writing and recording as time permitted around tour dates.

 
Over the last ten years their 70’s chart-topping singles “You Are The Woman,” “Just Remember I Love You,” “Strange Way,” and others, have continued to delight perennial fans as well as a younger audience captured by the popularity of the Yacht Rock genre.  The goal with COMET, was to recreate the elan of the original records in a contemporary format.

 
COMET was recorded in Colorado and Nashville, in conjunction with appearances in those markets.  COMET was a group effort and allowed every member to shine.  Highlights include Jock’s “There She Is,” a positive love song, “Before I Met You,” and “New Mexico” reminiscent of the group’s 1976 FM radio hit “Mexico,” a fan favorite.  Firefall’s newest member Gary Jones wrote “Never Be The Same” about his mother passing away. “Hardest Chain” was co-penned by Sandy Ficca and Colorado songwriter Tony Rosario. The band recorded Spirit’s “Nature’s Way,” an environmental anthem song about the end of the hippie movement; Mark Andes (originally in Spirit) sings lead with the Eagles’ Timothy B. Schmit singing along and the Doobie Brothers’ John McFee playing guitars.   

Nashville’s Gary Burr wrote “Younger.” “Ghost Town” is a Tony Joe White original from the 1970s. The late Virginia rocker Robbin Thompson (a member of Bruce Springsteen’s first band and a longtime friend of Firefall) wrote, “A Real Fine Day.” 
 
The cover of the new album is Comet NEOWISE, which lit up the Oregon coastline’s nighttime sky in July 2020. That image is reminiscent of the striking artwork on the band’s 1976 debut album, Firefall, which Jock helped design!

Firefall formed in Boulder, Colorado in 1974. After their first album, the group toured with Fleetwood Mac, Doobie Brothers, The Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Loggins and Messina, Chicago, Cheap Trick, Marshall Tucker, and many others.

 

Working Gal Rock and Roll Poet: The House That Stood Alone

Working Gal Rock and Roll Poet: The House That Stood Alone:   Though we see its narrow path and we see its towering trees, it's the house that stood all alone, house that survived the war. It’s th...

Anne Leighton: Songs of Leadership and the Pandemic

Anne Leighton: Songs of Leadership and the Pandemic: Mask by Phoebe Legere   rock and roll, female vocals, going out with parents, and wearing a mask. "I love my mask, I love my mom, I lo...

Songs of Leadership and the Pandemic

Mask by Phoebe Legere rock and roll, female vocals, going out with parents, and wearing a mask.
"I love my mask, I love my mom, I love my dad."  

No More Walls by Dan Berggren Original Folk song, Mending fences with family, friends, and the world! Border walls, even. The hook is “no more walls.” 

World on Fire by John Hall John Hall’s publishing is handled by Sony Music Publishing, Nashville. reggae, tenor, slight autotune, percussion, comparisons of the fire and sisters & brothers not talking.  Talk about it. talk about destruction, all the animals that are perishing. age of reason!  

 

Rebecca Loebe  Popular  Sweet and gentle song, reminding us that everyone has felt unpopular. Fact is, “it’s not about you anyway.”  Her voice is like a soprano Dar Williams, gentle pop arrangement with tambourine.    

 Let There Be New Flowering by Cornelius Eady     Dreamy-sounding male and vocal with a guitar, cello.Last line:  “Let Love be at the end”  1:14 song length.    

https://soundcloud.com/cornelius-eady/let-there-be-a-new-flowering

 

  "Trump" by Cindy Lee Berryhill Cindy’s prophetic song TRUMP, recorded in 1989 on her album, NAKED MOVIE STAR. With a marching tempo and Cindy’s dynamic proclaiming of lyrics that include “If I can fatten up my salary, soon there won’t be any poverty as far as I’m concerned!” At 1:35 men chant TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP! (Warner handles Cindy’s publishing and syncs.)  

Prog Rock & Classical Musicians Collaborate on New Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius Single “Storm Surge”

 Saga’s Michael Sadler,

Fernando Perdomo, Rachel Flowers, Ruti Celli, and Yulia Ziskel

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius’ new music video, “Storm Surge” is out on YouTube. On October 28 the song will be on all streaming media and as a music video on YouTube. The song features a combination of musical guests from different generations of prog rock and classical music. Legendary Saga frontman Michael Sadler sings lead on the song which deals with the anxiety many people feel these days. Fernando Perdomo (Jacob Dylan & The Echo in the Canyon Band, The Dave Kerzner Band) plays acoustic and electric guitar. Multi-instrumentalist prodigy Rachel Flowers plays both piano and flute on the song. Classical players include cellist Ruti Celli and the New York Philharmonic’s Yulia Ziskel (also Joe’s wife).

All the guest musicians, plus Joe’s bandmates—guitarist Michelangelo Quirinale, bassist Paul Ranieri, and drummer Jason Gianni—play in the music video, which has a “pandemic”music video vibe. Joe organized and edited the production.

“Storm Surge” is a writing collaboration between Joe Deninzon, Jason Gianni, and Michael Sadler. Inspired by “The Storm,” a short piano piece by 19th century German composer Friederich Burgmüller, that Joe kept hearing his 10-year old song Max practicing, Joe sketched out a slowed down version of a rock power ballad, and played around with structure and chords. Joe continued to woodshed the arrangement, recording a string arrangement, and his drummer sharing part of a song he’d been working on. Michael and each of the instrumentalists elevated the song.

Joe’s always wanted to use outside singers in his music. He and his bandmates have been longtime fans of the 1980s Canadian band “Saga,” known for their hits “Wind Him Up” and “On The Loose.” When Joe played the Progstock afterparty in 2018, Michael loved their set, and has continued to rave about the band. “He ended up contributing a jaw-dropping vocal performance, enhancing the melody, and adding Queen-esque harmonies.”

Electric violinist/vocalist Joe has been called The Jimi Hendrix of the electric violin. Stratospheerius has showcased their “frenzied melange of progressive rock, jazz fusion and funkabilly” throughout the world. The New York-based group has opened for Martin Barre, Alex Skolnick, John 5 & The Creatures, Gary Hoey, Mike Stern, Tim Reynolds, Mickey Hart, and John Scofield, among many others. The group’s influences include Yes, Spock’s Beard, Muse, Frank Zappa, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and King Crimson. Stratospheerius was a winner of the John Lennon International Songwriting Competition the Musicians Atlas Independent Music Awards. They have been featured in Progression, Relix, Downbeat, and Jazziz, among other publications. Their last album on Melodic Revolution Records, Guilty of Innocence, has been widely acclaimed by critics and fans.  

Joe says that with all the problems the world is dealing with, “are creating a future of uncertainty. There’s a storm that’s raging inside of us right now.”

Watch the Storm Surge video 

Credits

Music and Lyrics by Friederich Burgmüller, Joe Deninzon, Michael Sadler, Jason Gianni

Engineered by Rave Tesar

Mixed and mastered by Rich Mouser

Produced by Joe Deninzon

Joe Deninzon-electric and acoustic violin, acoustic guitar, vocals

Michael Sadler-lead vocals

Jason Gianni-drums

Paul Ranieri-bass

Michelangelo Quirinale-guitars

Fernando Perdomo-guitars

Ruti Celli-cello

Yulia Ziskel-violin

Rachel Flowers-flute and piano

©2020 All Rights reserved.

Released by Melodic Revolution Records

 

lyrics

Storm Surge

By Joe Deninzon, Friederich Burgmüller, Michael Sadler, and Jason Gianni

 

Tangled emotions

waves pound the oceans

wild winds fill my slumber

darkness pulls me under

 

Caught in a storm surge

shackled and submerged 

restless dreams they haunt me

drowning in this mad sea

 

The storm raging inside me

I reach for you but I can’t breath

mouth wide open I can’t scream

my life flashing by me

 

The storm raging inside me

tidal waves that surround me

every night it’s the same dream

drowning in this mad sea 

 

C 2020 by Joe Deninzon (Fiddlefunk Music), Michael Sadler, Jason Gianni

  

 

Beverly Garland Award-Winning Artist & Storyteller Wins Multiple Cat Writers Association Awards

 Artist/Social Media/Video Producer Beverly Garland Available for Interviews

Beverly Garland’s YouTube Channel and job, “I Love To Draw Cats” is a multiple winner.  Most recently she was a triple threat in this year’s Cat Writers Association Muse Awards. Her YouTube channel shows Beverly, the pencil artist, in action. She tells stories about the cats she draws them for her adoring fans.

ILoveToDrawCats’ YouTube channel and (https://www.youtube.com/c/ILoveToDrawCats) won:

The MUSE Medallion for the “Social Media Excellence: Humor and Entertainment” category.

Her video drawing Jugg, the Tortie Pet Portrait was presented with the Kari Winters’ Rescue and Rehabilitation Award.

and

The CWA President’s Award (“Best of the Best” of all MUSE winners)

Deb Barnes, who served as President for the Cat Writers Association through September 2020, awarded “Jugg” and Beverly’s YouTube Channel the “Best of the Best” Award, because “this entry captured my heart with its compelling use of storytelling, drawing, and videography…..I enjoyed each and every video portrait immensely, admiring the talents of this very creative artist who uses our current technologies so well….  

“The drawings are exquisite works of art and the use of colored pencils to create the finest of details – from the delicate wisp of a whisker to the beautiful twinkle in the cat’s eye, the window to the soul of a cat, each drawing is beautifully representative of the commissioned cat, becoming a treasured, keepsake, work of art.” 

Ms. Garland is a self-taught artist, whose cat portrait business developed organically through a confluence of events and circumstances, became a reality at the beginning of 2019. “I was interviewing people about their beloved cats, making drawings, and editing together videos for each one. It was my dream job!”

Whatever Beverly’s worked at, cats found their ways into her focus. She earned her Masters’ Degree in Geography and the Environment, in part, by writing her thesis on feral cats! She was deeply involved in Trap-Neuter-Return, even taught TNR classes for Spay Austin. 

With roots in Illinois and Texas, Beverly’s been living and traveling with her partner, Cobra, and one of her senior cats, in a retired school bus! “We usually cover 5000-plus miles each year. Creating cat portraits is the perfect business to do on the road in a confined space.”

The Cat Writers Association is a Global Cat-centric professional organization, dedicated to excellence in written, visual, and audio media. The CWA is an organization that supports existing members and seeks to mentor those new to the profession. Its goal--since 1992 – is to improve the quality of cat information for the general public and to inspire, educate, and inform. Visit catwriters.org.

This is Beverly's award-winning video, Jugg the Tortie

Mandoki Soulmates’ “Living in the Gap/Hungarian Pictures” The Band of Bandleaders

Number 1 in Hungary & Germany, Building in North America

"Living in the Gap/Hungarian Pictures” is the 11th album by Mandoki Soulmates. It’s finding and building support in North America, because of the music and unity themes. We’re setting up interviews with Leslie Mandoki, the leader of “the band of bandleaders.” 

The release of “Living in the Gap/Hungarian Pictures” (Cleopatra Records) follows the 2018 USA tour of Mandoki Soulmates, including a performance at New York City’s The Beacon Theater. Just passing 350,000 streams of the album, and reaching over 1.3 million people on Facebook.

Mandoki Soulmates is currently planning to tour the USA and Germany late 2021. In the meantime, Leslie’s finding ways to thank and support, “all the frontline workers, doctors, nurses, grocery clerks, supermarket workers--all the people, who kept the world turning and took care of our daily needs and our lives…”

The album “Living in the Gap/Hungarian Pictures” features a Who’s Who of Classic Rock: Ian Anderson, Jack Bruce, David Clayton-Thomas, Bobby Kimball, Tony Carey, Simon Phillips, Chris Thompson, Al DiMeola, Mike Stern, Randy & Ada Brecker, saxophonist Bill Evans, Supertramp´s John Helliwell and Jesse Siebenberg, bassists: Steve Bailey and Richard Bona, former Snarky Puppy keyboardist Cory Henry, and the Cutting Crew’s Nick Van Eede.

Leslie teamed up with his Soulmates Ian Anderson, John Helliwell, Bobby Kimball, Al DiMeola to record the song “WeSayThankYou,” donating all royalties to US charity organizations (The United Nations Foundation’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund in support of the WHO (World Health Organization) and The Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City).

The album topped the Amazon Classic Rock Charts in Germany end of 2019, and is growing throughout the world including “Eccelente supergruppo” writes StoneMusic.it. Mandoki Soulmates is finding support on prog, classic rock, singer-songwriter and fusion playlists, especially with the songs: “The Torch,” “Living in the Gap,” “Wake Up,” and both “Young Rebels” and “Old Rebels.” Thanks to a great campaign from the Planetary Group, over 70 radio stations in North America, alone, are playing Mandoki Soulmates. This includes medium and high rotation on tastemaker and buzz stations KFAI-Minneapolis/St. Paul, KPSU-Portland, WDCE-Richmond, VA, WICR-Ithaca, New HD Radio w/ Zach Martin, KVCU-Boulder, WRHU-Hempstead. 

WUSB-Stony Brook’s Captain Phil Merkel’s been spinning Mandoki Soulmates all summer, “my biggest takeaway from the entire work is the amount of caring and empathy Leslie has for everyone, especially us here in the USA as we struggle to cope with that monster COVID 19.  I am so glad we have Leslie looking out for us.  Give it a listen, you won't be disappointed.”

Making a Scene writes “Leslie Mandoki is making a scene! The band is pure sophisticated jazz rock, or as Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake, & Palmer) put it, ‘One of the best bands you’ll ever see.’”  The late Mr. Lake, also, dubbed Mandoki Soulmates as “the band of the bandleaders”!

Canada’s LetItRock calls “Living in the Gap/Hungarian Pictures”, “A glorious thing.” Classic rock’s Strutterzine gets the message: “The impact now is so much bigger and the result is a journey which should be heard by as many people as possible…”

Why are so many of us pushing for Mandoki Soulmates to be heard?  Leslie says, “Music is the greatest unifier and nothing is more timely than to raise our voice to unify the world and to build bridges over the gap we are living in, to get out of our news bubbles and echo chambers.”

House of Prog Radio writes, “the coming together of such a diverse cast perfectly expresses the album’s lyrical theme of unity, which couldn’t be a more timely message for today’s world.”

Since escaping from the Iron Curtin in the 1970s, first becoming a refugee in Germany, and then creating a life that included running the largest recording studio in Europe, Leslie’s life has been dedicated to unity, and it shows—in part—because of the pleasant and hard things he went through in order to achieve the Great European Dream. Recently Leslie told Germany’s Tekdeeps.com that “rock and roll means revolution and rebellion for a better world.”

 

  

The Middle Kingdom Now Out on All Digital Media

New Spoken Word Album from Elliott Murphy and Olivier Durand

The Middle Kingdom is a dramatic spoken word with music album comprised of a selection of poems from the Elliott Murphy collection of the same name. Read by Elliott, himself, with accompanying music composed and performed by his long time musical partner Olivier Durand and mixed and produced by Gaspard Murphy, the result is a surprisingly powerful album whose provocative lyrical images are lifted to yet another dimension with sympathetic and moving musical themes.

The idea for this unique project was born during the coronavirus confinement in France when it was impossible for these two long-time musical collaborators to perform or record together, because Olivier Durand lives in Le Havre and Elliott Murphy in Paris. Elliott proposed that Olivier choose a selection of poems from Elliott’s second book of poetry The Middle Kingdom that he could relate to both musically and lyrically. After deciding upon 18 titles Olivier composed and recorded accompanying musical themes in his home studio in Le Havre. After contributing his own musical ideas to the title cut, producer Gaspard Murphy mixed the final album with state-of-the-art HD sound. The subject matter of the poems themselves go from rock ‘n roll “On The Death of Prince” and “Last Night I Dreamed About Lou” to the very autobiographical “The Middle Kingdom.”

With a career of nearly half a century Elliott’s done it all with over 35 albums of original music since his debut album Aquashow (1973), six published books including two volumes of poetry (40 Poems in 40 Nights & The Middle Kingdom), short story collections (Cafe Notes & Paris Stories), three novels (Marty May, Poetic Justice & Diamonds by the Yard), and a starring role in the feature film Broken Poet based upon his 1980’s short story The Lion Sleeps Tonight which includes a rare cameo appearance by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa. He’s also the subject of the award winning 2016 documentary, The Second Act of Elliott Murphy. and his journalism has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and other international publications. Elliott’s autobiography Just A Story From America will soon be available as an Audiobook.

In 2015 Elliott Murphy was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture. In 2018, Billy Joel inducted Elliott into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, stating, “His songs are honest and literate and pure, and those songs have attracted audiences far beyond his country. I’ve long envied his bravery and integrity, and I’ve always admired his lyric skill.”

The Middle Kingdom is available on iTunes/AppleMusic/Spotify/Amazon and all streaming platforms. 

Anne Leighton: Fall for the Holidays

Anne Leighton: Fall for the Holidays: SUDDENLY IT’S CHRISTMAS Slambovian Circus of Dreams  Joziah Longo's voice feels like Tom Petty meets Neil Diamond.  Majestic comforting ...

Fall for the Holidays

SUDDENLY IT’S CHRISTMAS Slambovian Circus of Dreams  Joziah Longo's voice feels like Tom Petty meets Neil Diamond.  Majestic comforting light sleighbells, band, “Nat King Cole,” “Suddenly it's Christmas Have we lost another year.” Lightly lifts lyrics of “O’ Come All Ye Faithful” “O’ Holy.”

 

 TAKE A HOLIDAY  Emily Hurd  Intimate and lilting Allison Krauss voice, piano, waltz tempo, all the different images and upbeat attitudes about the holiday. Hymnals & Candlestick, condos & tenements  Let's take a holiday and give it a name. thoughtful transition

WONDERS Emily Hurd Wonders never cease, the glories and beauty of Christmas wrapped up with Chicago soul--horns and hammond B3  Christmas eve is the setting. Christmas bells understated.  Little children fast asleep  Balsam Tree. Tempo like James & Bobby Purify’s “I’m Your Puppet.”

 

THIS CHRISTMAS The Kings Harmonic pop rock. Elvis Costello, Smithereens-y, celestial chimes.  the theme of the song is wishing for love for your family who is so far away and for strangers that are alone. Canadian Content. 

AVE MARIA by Aeone classical, gentle and slow

 

CHRISTMAS TIME Jon Mullane Upbeat! About the joys of Christmas, and getting ready for it 

and happy new year from Tony Moore.  

Auld Lane Syne is sung by a tender tenor with

 the theme, "We'll take a cup of kindness."

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgmh1TkNO6k

 

Anne Leighton: ALL EXCE$$

Anne Leighton: ALL EXCE$$: OCCUPATION: CONCERT PROMOTER THE NEW BOOK BY DANNY ZELISKO The long-awaited stories of legendary concert promoter Danny Zelisko have arr...

ALL EXCE$$

OCCUPATION: CONCERT PROMOTER

THE NEW BOOK BY DANNY ZELISKO

The long-awaited stories of legendary concert promoter Danny Zelisko have arrived!  Four years in the making, he quipped, “this baby was screaming to come out after all this time!”

 

After five decades of concert promoting while being part of some 12,000 events in nearly every state in the country, Danny puts into words some of his favorite memories involving some of the world’s top names in entertainment and sports.  Included are Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, The Beatles, The Grateful Dead, as well as Chicago sports legends Brian Piccolo (the subject of the movie Brian’s Song) and Ernie Banks.  The book chronicles Danny’s childhood passion for collecting sports memorabilia and autographs, all the way through his rise to becoming Arizona’s premiere concert promoter.

Fasten your seatbelt as Danny navigates you through this musical journey of producing concerts while making a living out of it.  Go behind the scenes as he tells you about some of the friends he’s made over the years along with the wild and crazy stuff that really happened.

350 pages bursting with stories and never before seen photos of Danny’s personal collection from over the years, giving you a glimpse from “behind the curtain!”  The Foreword was written by former Diamondbacks manager and baseball legend Kirk Gibson.

Pre-order your copy now for a special first edition printing at dzplive.com.  A part of the proceeds will be given to #SaveOurStages, to support people in the music business that have been affected by Covid-19.  For a special donation, Danny will even deliver your copy to you personally (Phoenix area only).

The magnanimous Brad Perry interviews my favorite concert promoter!

 

For more information or to schedule an interview with Danny Zelisko contact: 

Kathy “Koz” Perschke  480-659-5556  koz@dannyzeliskopresents.com 

Video interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA7AuyW2Si8&feature=emb_title

Re-Introduction to Midwest Rocker, David LaDuke

I’ve been a cheerleader for a range of independent Midwestern rock stars through the years. One was Louisville, Kentucky's David LaDuke. His energetic hard rock & roll guitar and screeching lead vocals adorning meat and potatoes' songs excited me. I still love his unique blend of '70s' guitar Zeppelin meets Elvis Presley’s stylings. Yearnful, intimate, rocking.

To quote Soundtrack Journal, “LaDuke's Pure Raw, Electric, Emotion! Music transcends your intellect and hits the gut on an intuitive level!”

The '70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, Millennium underground rocker emerged with two electrical charged reissued and remastered original tracks. "Psychedelic Sandwich" co-written by Metal Blade rocker Phil Naro (Talas, Druckfarben) and "Hey Three (Who Am I)” premiere on Bongo Boy Records’ new Hard Rock/Metal collection Kryp II Knight Vol. I (Various Artists). 

The album features international hard rockers Chris Scheler, Candlelight Chaos, Oblivia, Rykers Law, Lyia, and many more! Kryp II Knight Vol. 1 is being submitted for your consideration (FYC) to the Recording Academy for the 63rd Grammy® season. Fans can order Kryp II Knight Volume 1 online at Bongoboyrecords.com/krypIIKnight.  

David LaDuke has been playing roots/metal/rock n' roll since 1973. He and his group Sinbad have released several LPs, EPs and CDs. His album SINBAD was (on the California based indie label Azra International (Overkill, Liege Lord, Intruder, Jag Panzer). His solo releases Have Rock Will Travel, Ball Bustin Guitar Rock! (plus two live EP's), Absolutely Raw (Nothing more. Nothing less.), Absolute Rock (In the buff.) including the CDs: Rock Hard Rocker and Rock with Balls. His unique blend of '70s' guitar rock, with an Elvis Presley-influenced grove, has gained him a great reputation in Magazines and on Radio Stations around the world.

By the end of the '80s, Sinbad Productions was born.  After leaving the stage, in 1991 to raise his Son, David continued to record, release CDs and Eps. He also published BallBuster Magazine, which was available in stores worldwide until 1998 and has since supported The International rock scene—partly through his renowned website, BallBusterMusic.com.  

There is a lyric video for “Hey There, Who Am I,” produced by Johnny Naro (Phil’s son). 

The Kings: 40th Anniversary Celebration

 

It’s Been 40 Years Since The Kings Closed the Show at Heatwave & To Celebrate,

They’ve Got Unseen, Exclusive, Remastered Footage!

 

The Kings: Live at Heatwave is Set to Add to The Kings’ Already 7.3+ Million Streams Across Spotify & YouTube

August 2020 marks not one, not two, but three crown-worthy milestones in the land of Canada’s long-iconic band, The Kings:

1. 40 years ago this month, they released their Bob Ezrin produced debut album, The Kings Are Here on US major label Elektra Records.

 

2. That same month, their smash hit single “This Beat Goes On / Switchin’ to Glide” first entered the Billboard Hot 100.

 

3. And on August 23rd, 1980, The Kings closed the now-legendary Heatwave Festival, holding court alongside fellow rock royalty Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, Nick Lowe and Rockpile, Teenage Head, the B-52’s, and more.

It’s that third one — their midnight appearance at the now-storied Toronto-area festival — produced by John Brower--that’s inspired the exclusive release of The Kings: Live at Heatwave, a 30-minute concert movie available on YouTube. 

“The Kings and Teenage Head were the only bands that gave permission to be filmed,” recalls founding member Dave Diamond. “As Teenage Head’s audio has disappeared, this is the only surviving, authentic, and original sync footage from that day.”

“It was digitally restored frame by frame from its 16mm color negative, and combined with authentic, remastered sound,” adds fellow founder Mister Zero. Sonny Keyes also chimes in: “The sound was recorded onsite by Comfort Sound’s Doug McClement on 8 track half inch analog tape and sounds amazing!”

 

“We’d worked hard and were ready for a gig like this," says drummer Max Styles.

The Heatwave Festival at Mosport Park turned heads from the onset between its high profile roster, ultimate crowd size, and that it sat at a cultural turning point in the evolution of new wave music. (It was also marred with some scandal, but… Aren’t they all?)

“For some reason, they didn’t film our whole 55 minute set,” Diamond muses. “But there’s almost half an hour here, and we’re very proud of it.”

Speaking of restored and remastered footage, The Kings’ video for “This Beat Goes On / Switchin’ to Glide” holds more than 4.1+ Million views on YouTube for good reason; it’s a digital masterpiece featuring more than 40 sources of live recordings that took upwards of 140 hours to edit together.

The single continues to hold four decades of knockout radio success, has stacked around ~ 2 Million streams on Spotify and counting, was named by the Toronto Star as the “#1 almost official song of Toronto,” and one of the “Top 100 U.S. Radio Programmers Picks of the Decade” by Album Network Magazine.

Also on the required syllabus in study of The Kings is their documentary, The Kings: Anatomy Of A One-Hit Wonder. “This is the film we made about our biggest hit,” the band says. “We felt it was something people who like ‘behind the scenes’ music films would like, and there is a lot of never heard before stories told in it about the writing, recording and performing of our best-known work.”

The documentary delves into the history of the band, the amount of diligent effort put in before getting their big break, and features the original lineup of Max Styles, Sonny Keyes, David Diamond and Mister Zero sharing personal memories with their trademark humor and honesty. “This documentary was over three years in the making. This is our story, told by us.”

That story is of a hard-working band hailing from Vancouver, BC and Oakville, ON that appeared on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand, was nominated for a JUNO Award, named ‘Most Promising Group’ by Cashbox Magazine, hit Platinum-selling status, and has released five studio albums, two live albums, a live DVD, an anthology, a documentary, and numerous hit singles — including “another rocking two-fer,” “Circle of Friends / Man That I Am.”  The 2018 single was somewhat like arriving full circle; it was mixed in Nashville by industry legend Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, KISS), who also helmed the same role on their 1980’s debut, The Kings Are Here, and sophomore follow-up, Amazon Beach.

“We were originally known as WhistleKing,” Zero recalls. “We rehearsed, did club gigs, and wrote lots of songs for more than three years before we went into Nimbus 9 Studio in Toronto to record our first album.

“While we were there recording, Bob dropped by to visit and liked what he heard,” Diamond continues. “He agreed to mix the tracks we had done, but soon discovered that the whole thing needed to be re-done. He approached Elektra Records in Los Angeles with our tapes, and we were then signed to a worldwide deal.”

The Kings have continued to rock fans around the world through the release of archived footage and current releases and vlogs; their YouTube channel has a total stream stack of more than 4.5+ million.

This year, February 2020 saw the unveiling of The Lost Tapes of a Seventies Bar Band, a 17-track audio LP featuring live recordings from the Flamingo Lounge and an instalment of what has become The Kings’ Live Trilogy — including audio release Party Live in ’85 and DVD release No Covers: Live at O’Tooles Roadhouse.

And now August 2020 both celebrates and continues to cement the band’s 40 years of Canadian music legacy status with the release of The Kings: Live at Heatwave on their YouTube channel. 

Phoebe Legere Performs on WBAI and the Theater for the New City

WBAI  and Fran Luck’s

“Joy of Resistance Radio”

PRESENTS MODERN DAY FEMINISTS

SHARING TRUTHS OF FREEDOM FIGHTING FOREMOTHERS

~~~~~

Trailblazing Musician-Artist-Composer Phoebe Legere Featured

In All-Star Line-up of Women Saluting Women To Celebrate 100 Years of Women’s Constitutional Right to Vote. 

On August 26^th, Phoebe and a group of brilliant actresses including Obie winner Crystal Field and Lissa Morra reenact highpoints in women’s battle for equality and elective enfranchisement.

On Wednesday, August 26^th, WBAI Radio 99.5FM NYC (wbai.org) will broadcast a day devoted to the history of the Women’s Suffrage Movement featuring contemporary feminist icons.  The cast will re-enact highlights from 100 years of the campaign for equality.

Transdisciplinary artist and renowned feminist Phoebe Legere will play the part of Chairwoman at the historic first women’s rights convention: the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848.

Legere will also present a stunning rendition of several 100-year-old Suffrage songs including “GLORY.”

Legere’s interpretation on piano, guitar and accordion, and vocals is a formidable anthem for our time. Legere’s powerhouse interpretation of “GLORY” celebrates the past achievements of women fighting for the freedom to vote, while heralding the need to continue the battle for true equality.

ABOUT “GLORY” 

This song, with words by L. May Wheeler sung to the music of “John Brown,” was first performed by Susan B. Anthony and a chorus of women on July 4, 1876 at the Women’s Centennial Celebration of American Independence held at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia.

After singing the song, Anthony read the Women’s Declaration of Rights to a cheering crowd.

“Our hearts have felt the glory of the coming of the time,

When Law and Love shall make our land sublime,

When every mountain hill and rock with freedom’s light will shine,

And truth goes marching on.”

Legere says, “The use of ‘John Brown’ as the melody of this song amplifies the strong ties between the Abolitionist Movement and Women’s Suffrage.”

The WBAI program will be broadcast on  August 26^th, Wednesday, from 11 am – 5 pm EST on Fran Luck’s “The Joy of Resistance, Multicultural Feminist Radio”,  99.5 FM and streaming live at http://wbai.org

The show will be presented again on August 27^th at 7 pm by the Theater for the New City. Watch at Theaterforthenewcity.net.

Phoebe Legere is a pioneer female composer and multi-instrumentalist and a well-known activist and community leader championing women’s causes.

Her work as a playwright has chronicled many women’s issues.  In her musical, “Hello, Mrs. President,” Legere’s book presented the first woman of color to become president of the United States. Legere’s play, starring Laverne Baker debuted at Theater for The New City in 1992 and 2004 playing to sold out crowds.

Phoebe Legere’s “Speed Queen,” presented at Dixon Place in 2018 was based on the Life of Joe Carstairs, the World Champion Speedboat Racer and lesbian action hero. 

As a visual artist Legere has created cutting-edge paintings and installations celebrating the beauty and fecundity of the female body. Legere’s art transgresses normative sexuality and gender identity. 

Legere launched Foundation for New American Art, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit dedicated to bringing arts education programs to underserved children in low-income communities.

Phoebe will make a download of her “GLORY” available at no charge to those who visit her website at www.phoebelegere.com 

PHOEBE LEGERE (Abenaki) is the President of the Foundation for New American Art a nonprofit whose mission is to bring free art and music lessons to the children of low-income communities.  She is a composer, playwright, poet, painter and multi-disciplinary performance artist. Legere has received numerous awards including NYSCA, a Pulitzer nomination and a recent YADDO Fellowship. Legere is the Conductor and Music Director of the Lower East Side Children’s Chorus. She is a lecturer at NYU Gallatin School. Vassar graduate and Juilliard-trained composer. Phoebe Legere has collaborated with some of the most creative personalities of modern times: David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Steve Martin, Billy Joel, Allen Ginsberg, and Crystal Field. Her epic poem “The Waterclown” about water issues and water rights can be heard in the current issue of the Abenaki anthology Dawnland Voices. Legere’s new play will open at TNC in 2021. Her native name is “Songbundle.”