An Evening with Robin Lane: Songs & Stories at The Beacon Restaurant & Warwick Cinema in Marblehead, MA, Thursday Nov. 17

Join us for an evening of songs and stories from legendary singer and songwriter Robin Lane at the beautiful Beacon Restaurant Live Music Venue and Warwick Cinema in Marblehead, MA on Thursday November 17.

The evening begins at 6 pm with Robin at a meet & greet, complete with appetizers. At 7 pm, the highly acclaimed documentary about Robin Lane, “When Things Go Wrong” will be shown. The Film’s Director (and Chartbusters’ drummer) Tim Jackson, will be on hand to offer his insights. 

At 8:30 pm, Robin performs a set of her classic hits and music from her new album, “Dirt Road to Heaven.” Her band this evening features Marblehead's own John Pfister (bass), Peter Hoffman (guitar), Jim Treacy (cajon, drums).  

The Beacon Marblehead is located at 123 Pleasant Street, in Marblehead, MA 01945. On location parking is readily available.

Admission is $25 at the door.

The website is Thebeaconmarblehead.com.

The venue phone is 781-631-0180.

facebook.com/thebeaconmarblehead 

From her days growing up in LA with a father who was songwriter and pianist for Dean Martin, to mixing with folk rock stars of the late 1960s and ‘70s like Neil Young, and marriage to Andy Summers, Robin moved to Massachusetts built a band and went on record 3 albums on Warner Bros. as Robin Lane and The Chartbusters. Videos on the new MTV during those years and into the early ‘80s helped launch the band nationally. Robin has championed women’s trauma healing with her Songbird Sings Organization. Motherhood, along with decades of writing and performing have brought Robin to this point in her amazing life. So many stories, so many insights learned and healing shared, so much more to come… This unique evening will fill you with the songs, the stories and opportunity to get to know Robin Lane.  

Robin’s new album, “Dirt Road to Heaven” on Boston’s Red On Red Records, has received praises from all over the world. Germany’s MusikReviews says the album’s “songwriting impresses with high quality, the musical implementation is unreservedly enjoyable.” Alternate Root’s Lee Zimmerman cites the album’s “confidence and assurance conveyed through the effort overall.”  

British Columbia’s “Go” writes “There is a lot of life in the songs… a couple of ballads that hit you down deep.” Locally, Metronome’s Drew McManus calls “Dirt Road to Heaven” “a collection of American music that rivals Brandi Carlile and Joan Baez.” While Boston Herald’s Brett Milano says that Robin Lane is ‘still the musical friend who’ll join you walking that dirt road” or in Marblehead on November 17.

 

#49 Joe Deninzon — Violin | Know When to Lead and When to Follow

Coincidence? I think not.

Today, as I was watching the video of Joe and Eddie go over their parts in a Renaissance rehearsal, I was thinking about how incredible a band member he is and how much that helps him with his leadership skills. It appears from the description on YouTube that's one of the lessons Dan Spencer brings out in his Best Music Coach interview with the one-and-only band leader and member, Joe Deninzon, who is everywhere!!

Chick Corea’s “Spain,” Live by Joe Deninzon, Rachel Flowers, Alex Skolnick

 

 A live version of Chick Corea’s “Spain” featuring Joe Deninzon, Rachel Flowers, and Testament’s Alex Skolnick is now on all streaming media. “Spain” is one of 16 live songs that will be on the upcoming Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius “Behind the Curtain: Live at ProgStock” box set out November 18.  (There will be a streaming digital release of just the live music on October 28.)

 

The performance will be on video on Friday, October 14 at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT/ 3 AM Amsterdam time on YouTube at https://youtu.be/t6JPN4FELKc.

 

The performances on the live release took place in 2019 and 2021. “Spain” was taken from the ’21 performance. Joe says it was a spontaneous decision to play “Spain” with his friends, “One of the perks of being a jazz musician is that you can walk into a room anywhere in the world, jump on stage with people you’ve never met who may or may not speak your language, and weave together a spontaneous concert based on a shared musical language.”

 

On October 2nd, 2021, when the late great John Goodsall from Brand X fell ill, Stratospheerius was asked last minute to headline ProgStock, the biggest prog rock festival in the Northeastern U.S. Preceding Stratospheerius’ set was the amazing multi-instrumentalist Rachel Flowers, who recently contributed her talents to the band’s single, “Storm Surge.” Later that night bassist Percy Jones had a set, which included guitarist Alex Skolnick, a former member of Stratospheerius. Joe says, “We decided to play Chick Corea’s ‘Spain,’ a song we all knew well.”  Without any rehearsal, and Alex and Rachel meeting each other for the first time on stage, they created magic.

 

Led by electric violinist/vocalist Joe Deninzon, who has been called “The Jimi Hendrix of the electric violin,”Stratospheerius have showcased their “frenzied mélange of progressive rock, jazz fusion and funkabilly” throughout the world. Band members are: Joe Deninzon-electric violin/vocals (Bruce Springsteen, Renaissance, The Who, Ritchie Blackmore, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Jason Gianni-drums (The Ultimate Queen Celebration, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rock of Ages, Neal Morse Band), Michaelangelo Quirinale-guitar (Thrilldriver), and Paul Ranieri-bass (Mark Wood, Circuline, Rock This Town).

 

Their last album, Guilty of Innocence hit number 4 on the Relix/Jamband radio charts, 72 on the European Indy charts. Their music has received over 3 million plays online, and the band has opened for John5, Martin Barre, Gary Hoey, The Levin Brothers (Tony and Pete), Tim Reynolds, Mickey Hart, Mark Wood, and John Scofield. Stratospheerius was a winner of the John Lennon International Songwriting Competition, and the Musician’s Atlas Independent Music Awards.

 

 

  

Elliott Murphy New Album: “Wonder” Autumn 2022

“Wonder” - the newest album by internationally acclaimed American rock singer-songwriter (and long-time Paris resident) Elliott Murphy – is available now on all streaming platforms (Spotify, Deezer etc.) as well as a limited edition of CDs. “Wonder” marks Elliott’s first studio album of all new original songs since “Prodigal Son” (2017) and contains a truly inspired collection of 12 musically eclectic songs accompanied by that endangered breed of stylish lyrics (urban, poetic, personal, literary …) that have been associated with Murphy’s work for nearly 50 years.

“Wonder” was primarily written during the forced period of introspection brought on by the COVID confinement. It was produced by Elliott’s son Gaspard Murphy (a successful producer in the French music world in his own right) in Paris at Question de Son and Murmure Studios. The album features Elliott’s long time guitar virtuoso musical partner Olivier Durand as well as Australian Melissa Cox (violin) and Alan Fatras (drums) along with an impressive list of guest musicians and singers.

Elliott, himself, takes stock of where “Wonder” fits into his nearly half century career: “If my early albums can be described as expressions of youthful energy, hope and dreams, I would have to say that as I enter this later chapter of my career, as evidenced in the songs on ‘Wonder,’ my words now tend to incorporate buried memories that rise to the surface of my consciousness like once sunken ships, crewed by musical references that even surprise me: Little Richard, Robert Johnson, Tina Turner – even the iconic American TV talk show host Johnny Carson. All these ghosts (and more) make appearances on ‘Wonder’ as well as assorted pop cultural references that baffle me such as ‘My Own Private Idaho,’ which, of course, was a B52s’ hit in the 1980s. But since a troubadour’s job is to spread the news, you can even hear a mention of Better Call Saul a favorite TV series of mine. Musically, you might say that these days my inspiration is all over the map; although I’m still faithful to those folk-rock sounds and chord progressions which shaped me at the time of my first album ‘Aquashow’ (1973). I also think there’s an undeniable bit of French chanson and even Steely Dan type jazz-rock on ‘Wonder.’ Rhythmically, I decided early on that I wanted a strong percussion element and thus you’ll hear congas, maracas and a host of other percussion instruments grounding the songs and giving cool flight to the lyrics. And with all the Motown I listen to, it’s not surprising that ‘Something Consequential’ might recall an almost Marvin Gaye-like romanticism of which he was truly the master and I am, at best, his earnest student.”

As most of these songs were born during the dark opening days of the COVID pandemic when confinement became an enforced reality we had never before experienced, loneliness naturally is a pervasive sub-theme of “Wonder,” reflected in various manifestations not only in the titles of songs such as “Lonely” and “The Lonely King.” Elliott uses “Loneliness as a kind of existential meteorologic metaphor in “Raindrops” and “Hailstones,” referencing when the Corona virus seemed as unstoppable as a hurricane.

Despite the life challenges, Elliott’s approach to writing is still optimistic, “But inevitably there is hope to be found in our fragile yet resilient human condition not only in ‘Hope (In Your Eyes)’ but also in the afore-mentioned ‘Something Consequential’ where romance springs eternal. ‘Sunlight Keeps Falling’ may be the only fully pre pandemic song on the album as it was written as the theme song for an as-yet unmade film about a beautiful girl who jumps from the Eiffel Tower right into the arms of a guitar maker.

“So, as I sing in “A Lack of Perspective” (perhaps my own favorite off “Wonder”), I’m going back in time to find what I’m looking for… Thanks so much for accompanying me on this musical journey!”

 

ELLIOTT MURPHY - WONDER

(MURPHYLAND ML0011CD)

1. Hope (In Your Eyes) (Murphy)

2. Sunlight Keeps Falling On Me (Murphy / Durand)

3. Bystanders (Murphy / Durand)

4. That's The Scene (Murphy)

5. Children of Children (Murphy)

6. Raindrops (Murphy / Murphy)

7. Something Consequential (Murphy / Durand)

8. Lack of Perspective (Murphy)

9. Lonely (Murphy / Durand)

10. Hailstones (Murphy)

11. Lonely King (Murphy)

12. I Know There's A Place (Murphy)

 

“Stance” by Tabi Haly Singer-Songwriter, Motivator, Disability Rights Advocate

 

“I’ll be out of luck if I choose defeat, so I'll keep fighting for me," sings Tabi Haly in her song “Change Coming my Way” on her new album, “Stance.”  She is a singer-songwriter, motivator, and advocate for disability rights.  The Tribeca Citizen wrote “I am not sure I have met anyone quite as driven as Tabi Haly.”  Dealing with muscular dystrophy since she was a child, the 38-year-old singer-songwriter embodies Winston Churchill’s famous quote, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

From advocacy and asking for help to creating music, Tabi’s telling stories of her triumphs and challenges.  Her songs, especially, include her reflections of living with M.D. on “Stance,” the follow up to her 2019 release “I Wrote Life.”  “Stance” will be on all streaming media and digital stores on October 15. That’s the 10-year anniversary of her first show ever, which was in downtown New York City. Tabi will be performing on Tuesday, October 18, at 6:30 PM, at Bar 135 in Tribeca, downtown NYC!  

“Each and every song is about standing up for myself and yourself in different ways,” she says. The title cut is about standing up for yourself in a toxic relationship, as is “Ain’t Got Nothin.” The jazzy “Elements,” was inspired by her priority of standing up for her values during the covid pandemic.  

“Threshold” and “My Story” share the people on her side.  “Move A Muscle,” which is about the power of collaboration, “I invite you to take part and do what you can Move a muscle with me, or watch ‘til you understand that I can do anything.” Tabi’s eclectic range of empowering songs runs from the blissful jazz “It’s Right” and the R&B chords on “Live It Up.”

“It is because you take the feeling of being an outcast and wanting to help others.” Tabi’s song, “I’m a Child” will resonate in different ways to people that have contended with able-ism and exclusion. New Jersey rock band Corevalay’s leadsinger Phil Barbetta is a touring musician in a powerchair. He and Tabi duet on her love song, “Except to You” with the lyric, “It always hurts to be different except to you.”  

Born in Houston, TX to a Filipino-American parents, Tabi’s father introduced her to music at age 3. She started singing to keep her lungs healthy, and by high school was writing songs. After moving to the New York City/Putnam County area at age 17, Tabi studied music and mathematics at Pace University, and graduated summa cum laude. She found work as a software engineer at JP Morgan. 

She’s always been in a wheelchair and now is barely able to move her hands. To write, Tabi uses a mouse, track pad and music software to compose, and sing into a microphone. After her demo is ready, she collaborates with one of her musicians (Fabian Caballero, Miles Machon, Michael Bunin, and Austin Deyo), until the songs are produced with Russell Castiglione.   

Tabi belts and then croons her songs.  Her style spans many genres: R&B, pop, rock, folk, jazz, blues, country, and dance. In addition to introspective and sometimes “cut-to-the heart” emotional lyrics, and wide vocal ranges.  All of these help Tabi write about her experiences on all kinds of love, and her life, as well as what it’s been like to be different.

 

Robin Lane “Dirt Road To Heaven”

“No one forgets the first time they heard Robin Lane; it's like losing your virginity,” writes Peter Felcknor, a long-time superfan, upon hearing Robin’s new album, Dirt Road to Heaven, out today-August 12, on Red on Red Records. The album’s theme, writes Boston Herald’s Brett Milano “is she’s still the musical friend who’ll join you walking that dirt road.” He loves the album’s inspirational range of music: “Country on ‘Rodeo Clown,’ rockabilly on ‘Hard Life,’ full-throttle Byrds on ‘Sunshine Blue Skies.’ There’s also a couple of shiver-inducing ballads that show her ever-increasing warmth and range….(and) a few helpings of sly humor (see ‘Last Cute Minute’)."

CBS TV/Sirius XM’s Bill Flanagan told Robin, “I think it might be the best record you’ve ever made.”

“All I’ll Ever Need” is the album’s music video. It features couples being happy together while Robin sings in the recording studio with her band and in New England’s beautiful outdoors.  

Dirt Road To Heaven is a collection of Americana music that sounds great alongside artists such as Brandi Carlile and Joan Baez. Robin’s motto of “Music is my healing tool” has paved her uniquely uplifting “dirt road to heaven” process from the get-go. Her journey has become even more effective and powerful, locally and globally, this century.       

Peter is one of many fans that have been into Robin Lane since “we saw this petite blonde live in a NYC punk club” when she was touring behind her rock EP, When Things Go Wrong in the early 1980s. 

The daughter of Ken Lane, who wrote songs for Dean Martin, and a mother who was a fashion model, Robin grew up in Los Angeles. She was part of the music community in the late 1960s. In Laurel Canyon she collaborated with members of Crazy Horse and sang with Neil Young on "Round and Round (It Won't Be Long)" on his album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.    

After a two-year marriage with future Police guitarist Andy Summers, in the late 1970s Robin left LA behind, and moved to Boston. She formed Robin Lane and the Chartbusters, integrating punk and new wave with West Coast folk, and East Coast rock. Their three albums for Warner Bros. were Robin Lane and the Chartbusters (1980), the live EP 5 Live, and Imitation Life (1981). The rock radio-charting song “When Things Go Wrong” became the 11th music video played on MTV on its first broadcast day in 1981.   

In 1985, Robin started performing solo, at European festivals and opening for artists including Warren Zevon, John Hiatt, Taj Mahal, Tim Finn, Dave Mason, Steve Earle, T-Bone Burnett, Richard Thompson.  She accepted the Boston Music Award for Outstanding Female Vocalist in 1988. In 1990 Susanna Hoffs (The Bangles) recorded Robin's song "Wishing on Telstar" for her first solo album, When You're a Boy. Robin also sang on the album.

In 1996, Robin released the album Cat Bird Seat, which showed her evolution into a subdued and (at times) “country-fied” sound that her super fan describes as “the angry machine that was the Chartbusters.”     

After a 2003 reunion Chartbusters’ album, Piece of Mind, Robin released solo albums: Out of the Ashes (2011), The Sweet Candy Collection (2011), and A Woman’s Voice (2013). In 2010 Robin founded Songbird Sings, a Shelburne Falls, MA-based organization dedicated to helping people work through and recover from traumatic experiences by writing and recording their own songs.      

In late 2021, Robin signed with Boston’s indie label Red on Red Records, which supports strong women creators. Label owner Justine Covault is honored Robin’s with the roster, “Robin writes unflinchingly honest songs that reflect the light and the dark in the world. Her voice is distinctive and gorgeous. When she plays and sings, the audience is spellbound.”