Symphonic Rock Pioneers Renaissance Featuring Annie Haslam Will Perform Their ‘In Gratitude’ Farewell Tour Fall 2024!

Renaissance, the legendary symphonic rock band featuring Annie Haslam, will be back in the US playing select dates from October 17th through October 31st. This will mark 54 years since the formation of the band and its 16th consecutive year of touring since its reactivation in 2009.

Renaissance leader and vocalist Annie Haslam remarked that “We are very proud but sad to announce our ‘In Gratitude’ Farewell Tour. Where did the time go? Looking back over the years, I believe we have made history in the worlds of Progressive and Symphonic Rock.”

The upcoming shows will include stunning arrangements of “Ocean Gypsy,” “Northern Lights,” “Forever Changing,” “Mother Russia,” “Carpet of the Sun,” “Ashes are Burning” and other favorite classics. Ms. Haslam will be joined on stage by long-time musical associate Rave Tesar on piano, along with Mark Lambert on guitars/vocals, Geoffrey Langley on keyboards/vocals, Frank Pagano on drums, percussion/vocals, and John Galgano on bass.

Annie Haslam noted that “Performing with Renaissance since 1971 has been my whole life. I still love singing these unique, surreal, dramatic and romantic songs and pairing up with some of the finest orchestras in the world. All of this was born from the music of Michael Dunford, John Tout, Terry Sullivan and Jon Camp combined with the emotional and poetic words of Betty Thatcher. Our music has filled the hearts and minds of many thousands of fans around the world. It started for me, with a dream from my childhood that ended in this miracle called Renaissance! Rave Tesar, is an extraordinary man and musician I have worked with in my solo band since 1989 and with Renaissance since 2009. He has also been a very big help in keeping the band 'alive'! Some very talented musicians have stepped into our band, and their devotion and hard work have added to the band’s touring longevity and personality.”

Renaissance is a band with a rich history unique unto themselves as progressive rock pioneers who rose from the ashes of the seminal UK rock band, The Yardbirds. Acclaimed for their unique blending of progressive rock with classical and symphonic influences, the band's career has spanned fifty plus years spearheaded by the 5-octave voice of Annie Haslam and the masterful songwriting skills of Michael Dunford, John Tout, Jon Camp and Terry Sullivan. They are widely considered to be the band that most successfully and routinely utilized the sound of a full orchestra in their recordings.  

The band has toured throughout the world and has performed at Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Chorale Society. Renaissance had a top ten hit in the UK with their song “Northern Lights” that still demands airplay to this day.

Renaissance: In Gratitude Farewell Tour Dates 2024

Thursday October 17, 2024 – The Town Hall, New York, NY 

Friday October 18, 2024 – Lewis A. Swyer Theatre at the Egg, Albany, NY 

Saturday October 19, 2024 – The Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT

Sunday October 20, 2024 – City Winery Boston, Boston,  MA 

Wednesday October 23, 2024 – The Theater at Innovation Square, Rochester, NY 

Thursday October 24, 2024 – Center for the Arts of Homer, Homer, NY 

Friday October 25, 2024 – The Newton Theatre, Newton, NJ 

Saturday October 26, 2024 – Lansdowne Theater, Lansdowne, PA 

Tuesday October 29 & 30, 2024 - Edwardsville, IL, Wildey Theatre, Edwardsville IL (St. Louis, MO)

 

Lorain’s Jaclyn Bradley shares new single, “Hometown” at Rockin’ on the River

Jaclyn Bradley performed her newest song, “Hometown” at Rockin’ On the River in Lorain, Friday, August 30.

“Hometown,” penned by Bradley and co-writer Derek Connell, is about returning to Lorain after several years away. Bradley sang the song to thousands at Black River Landing over the weekend, opening for headliner Vegas McGraw.

Accompanied by Dougie Manross on guitar, Bradley introduced the song, stating “I am a proud Lorain girl and it’s an honor for us to share this song with you tonight. It’s for

anyone who has ever left home and found everything they were searching for back where they started.” Both Bradley and Manross teach voice and guitar at Rock Town Music Academy in downtown Lorain. Bradley shared a heartfelt rendition of the song as many members of the audience sang along.

“The crowd went wild” stated Miriam Lugo Kunda via Facebook.

The music video for “Hometown,” which appears exclusively on Jaclyn’s Facebook page, features many local Lorain businesses, personalities and landmarks, has reached nearly 90 thousand views within the first week of its release and has received an abundance of positive feedback:

Chere Mason Cook stated via Facebook, “With all the negative people always talk, THIS video brings a lot of pride for our great city and its people.”

Ann Duchess shared, “I have tears. Lorain is not my hometown but I worked there long enough to keep it in my heart.”

Rachel Cruz commented, “ I moved away from Ohio when I was 19 and moved back when I was 32 and this hit home to me.”

Jaclyn Bradley, along with Mike Neff, will open for Deana Carter, singer of the hit country ballad “Strawberry Wine,” on Nov 16th at The Lorain Palace Theater. Bradley plans to share “Hometown” and its b-side “Burn for You” at the concert. Both songs were released in July and available on music streaming platforms such as iTunes, YouTube Music, and Spotify.

“I am happy people are connecting to their roots through this song,” says Bradley, “Music is so powerful. It is a privilege to make music that has the potential of making a positive impact."

The Kings Still Reign: Canadian Rock Legends Defy 'One-Hit Wonder' Label as “Nowhere to Go But Gone” Climbs U.S. Charts

Forty-four years ago, they declared The Kings Are Here. Now Canada’s cherished rock legends are specifying exactly where “here” is: on the charts and rising.

This week, The Kings’ ridiculously compelling “Nowhere to Go But Gone” climbs to #42 on the Mediabase CHR Activator list—a nigh-on-miraculous showing for a Canadian classic-rock band on US radio. It’s a designation that shows the tune continues to spread like wildfire, receiving airplay in markets from Utah to Florida to Cape Cod. If this keeps up, the group might have to issue an official clarification that the title of their documentary, Anatomy of a One-Hit Wonder, was meant with tongue planted firmly in cheek.

Because really, The Kings never went away. Yes, they’re still best known for their breakout double A-sided single, “This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ to Glide,” which peaked at #43 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980 and ultimately spent 23 weeks on that chart—not to mention earning the band a gold single award, a Juno nomination and induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. The success of the insanely catchy numbers also eventually drove their debut album, the aforementioned The Kings Are Here, to platinum-level sales in Canada. But in the ensuing decades, they’ve put out an absolute wealth of stellar material, on albums like Amazon Beach, RSVP, Unstoppable, Party Live in ’85, The Lost Tapes of a Seventies Bar Band and Because of You. Unstoppable alone yielded a cornucopia of Canadian hits, including the title track, “Lesson To Learn," "Shoulda Been Me," "Parting Of The Ways," and the killer ballad "If We Don't Belong Together."

“Nowhere to Go But Gone” proves that their mettle as hitmakers remains undiminished. It’s an appropriately driving little ditty in which lead singer/bassist David Diamond namechecks all the places he’s about to hit on a much-needed jaunt behind the wheel:

Gonna head out on the highway 

The highway is my friend 

Gonna head out west  

Where the highway ends

Then I’ll stop in Vancouver 

Turn south towards LA

Twelve hundred miles of surfers 

Waiting for a wave  

There is no trip like a road trip

Nowhere to go, nowhere to go

Nowhere to go but gone

But what gradually comes into focus is that he’s actually singing about taking a breather from a relationship, to get a better perspective on why it’s one worth keeping. This is a song not of freedom and the endless open road, but of renewal and the journey home.

Oh, but when I return 

The bridges I burned 

Have been reassembled

Good to take a breather

Good to get some air

Good to be reminded 

Of what it’s like out there

As recorded, the entire performance is a tour de force of moxie by Diamond, guitarist/co-composer Mister Zero, keyboardist Sonny Keyes (all three of them cofounders of the group) and drummer Todd Reynolds (who’s been firmly entrenched in the lineup since 2007). The track was co-produced by the band and recording engineer Chris Snow (a veteran of sessions with the likes of Barenaked Ladies, Big Wreck and Arkells) and mixed by Garth Richardson (who has produced Rage Against the Machine and engineered records by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nickelback and numerous other heavy hitters).

The song comes from The Kings’ most recent album, 2023’s The Longest Story Ever Told, which kept the faith with the group’s hardcore following while earning widespread critical acclaim. “Call it a comeback if you will, but regardless, it’s clear The Kings still rule,” raved American Songwriter.

With more than 2,000 live shows under their belt, these boys are perpetually in demand as a concert act throughout the Western hemisphere. The latest jewel in their crown was an August gig at the Kitchener Blues Festival Canada, and come November 8, they’ll be “gettin’ gone” all the way down to Planet Hollywood Cancun for the five-day The Sands festival, where they’ll appear alongside fellow ’80s survivors Rick Springfield, Bret Michaels, The Fixx, Level 42, Lou Gramm and Ace Frehley.

And believe it or not, they’re even bigger virtually: The official video for “This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ to Glide” has surpassed 6 million views on YouTube. In a further test of the hit’s enduring appeal, Chicago DJ Bob Stroud included it in his audience poll of the greatest one-two punches in music history—songs no listener or programmer would ever dare separate. The Kings landed at #1 on that list, above ubiquitous musical conjoined twins like “Living Loving Maid/Heartbreaker” by Led Zeppelin and even “We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions by Queen.

Now, with “Nowhere to Go But Gone,” The Kings are back to prove there’s plenty more gas in their tank. More than four decades later, we’re all still “holding hands as David Diamond sings” (as they once sang on their haunting “Love Store”). To say this beat goes on is an understatement: Once the world switches to glide, apparently, it just never switches back.

###

 

Hank Wedel, “What Happens in Cork”

"Clearly loved by his peers for his generosity, Hank is very happy to share his stage."

-The Irish Examiner 

With songs inspired by good time artists including The Lovin' Spoonful, Grateful Dead, and Richard Thompson, Hank Wedel brings comradery to his music and his fans in both recordings and shows. His new album, the 10-song “What Happens in Cork” –released August 25— was produced by Declan Sinnott (Christy Moore). The album features 9 songs written by Hank, and one song written by Declan. Guest artists on the album are a who’s who of players especially from the Cork County scene. 

"There are a few reasons I decided to give the name, '"What Happens in Cork,'” says Hank. “First, I find myself saying ‘it’s what happens in Cork,’ when I explain nightly events in Cork City and County. I’ve heard it said, ‘if you love Cork, it has a way of keeping you,’ and ‘if you marry a Cork woman, you’ll end up living there…’ ‘Cork City is the only city in Ireland that hasn’t forgotten what it is.’”

When Hank saw an image by Cork’s longtime music photographer, “Murphy Kie” of Hank hamming it up like a warrior with his guitar versus soldier statues at Cork’s Elizabeth Fort, “What Happens in Cork” became his slogan, (future) podcast, and this collection of songs! 

Hank recorded “What Happens in Cork” at Declan’s studio in The Hills of Bandon, Co. Cork during the global lockdowns from 2020 into 2023.    

Hank Wedel was born in Dayton, Ohio, USA 1963, raised in New York City and Mallow, Co. Cork, Ireland. Based in Cork City, this guitarist/vocalist/ songwriter/recording artist/band leader has performed thousands of gigs from The North Pole to The Canary Islands, all over The USA and Europe as well as recording/releasing albums and singles of his own material, solo or with bands "Princes Street," "Open Kitchen," and "Small Town Talk."  This year 2024, Hank celebrates 50 years of living in Ireland, 40 years of being based as a musician in Cork City and 30 years of a Monday Night residency with mandolin supremo Ray Barron at Charlies Bar, Cork City. In his time Hank has performed onstage with Shane McGowan, Mary Black, Christy Moore, Kila, Philomena Begley, and Bono.

Meet Refestramus’ Main Instrumentalists in New Music Video, “Side Hustle” Stay in touch with Band Muse, the Amazing Agent M!

Refestramus’ new music video “Side Hustle, from the group’s “Intourist” album, introduces the Refestramus’ instrumental members (drummer/composer/wizard Derek Ferguson, guitarist/bassist Derek Pavlic, producer/flute player Ian Beabout, and saxophonist Mitch Lawrence - saxes) and continues exposing the on camera life of the band’s muse, the Amazing Agent Mikrovolnovka! 

The song, “Side Hustle” presents a multitude of entendres. Derek notes that as “side hustles” are “little entrepreneurial efforts that people try while they are working their main jobs – hoping to find some way of becoming their own bosses.  Then there’s the phrase ‘side piece, which I’m told refers to someone with whom someone is having an affair. I think the protagonist of the song is trying to convince the object of their affection – a noble person– to think of an affair not so much as becoming a ‘side piece’ that it’s ‘only’ a ‘side hustle.’”  In the video it’s Agent M when she’s undercover -- first as an accountant and then as a librarian.  Those were her ‘side hustles.’” 
 
The song, which originally recorded on Colouratura’s recent album "WTF Was That?!." Was inspired while Derek was walking his dog, and thinking it was a great piece for his band, Refestramus…. But then he remembered that Colouratura’s Ian Beabout played flute. "So, the song itself has become a kind of side hustle for me.’” 

ProgUK says “Intourist” is “likeable, uplifting… a home-cooked slice of melody rich prog.” They conclude that “… the smile on its face is infectious.”

Progressor.net calls “Intouríst” a “love letter to the music and spirit of the 1970s” that is “worth a check”

Refestramus.  Named after a word his mother made up to mean “rearrange,” Derek and his producer – Colouratura’s Ian Beabout – liked it because it wasn’t a legitimate word. “A web search will only turn up our band!”

Refestramus was born May 2020 as Derek’s home studio project during the COVID pandemic. Having been in a variety of progressive rock bands in his native Chicago and an avid listener of Ian Beabout’s Internet radio program “Prog Rock Deep Cuts,” he reached out to Ian to mix and master the recordings. Ian, who plays flute and sings on some tracks on Intourist, introduced Derek to Colouratura bandmates Derek Pavlic and Nathan James, Saxophonist Mitch Lawrence and Wisconsin multi-instrumentalist Jerry King, who plays bass on Intourist. Adding prog multi-instrumentalist Dave Newhouse, who contributed accordion, helped Derek Ferguson guide the album to completion.

Refestramus’ debut album, "Decoupage," was released in December of 2021. In 2022, Refestramus released the EP, "From the Sublime to the Ridiculous."

Lifesigns to Embark on US Tour following ProgStock Festival in October 2024, with support from Mike Keneally, Gregg Bendian, Teddy Kumpel, and Matt Dorsey

UK Band, Lifesigns, is touring the US for the first time with a headlining performance at ProgStock Festival in Rutherford, NJ, and shows in Albany, NY, Buffalo, NY, and Chicago, IL

After playing their first-ever show on US soil at ProgStock Festival on October 20, 2024, UK Band Lifesigns will take to the road for a one-week tour with support from Mike Keneally (Zappa, Satriani, Devon Townsend, ProgJect) and Matt Dorsey (Beth Hart, Sound of Contact, ProgJect, Dave Kerzner Band).

The first show of this mini tour will take place at the Strand Theater in Hudson Falls, New York on Tuesday, October 22. This show only will feature a special performance by “The Mike Keneally Trio,” with Mike Keneally (of course), Gregg Bendian and Teddy Kumpel, and an opening set by Matt Dorsey.

The tour will then move on to Electric City in Buffalo, NY, on Wednesday, October 23, and a private concert in Chicago, IL, on Saturday, October 26, where Mike Keneally and Matt Dorsey will open the show for Lifesigns.

Lifesigns is an independent UK-based band of virtuoso professional musicians. Members of Lifesigns have worked with artists ranging from Asia and The Scorpions through to pop and jazz icons like Bonnie Tyler and Quincy Jones.

Their latest studio album, Altitude, was crowdfunded by their dedicated fans in 40 countries worldwide (including 36 US states) and has been compared to everything from Steely Dan to Pink Floyd to U.K.

Their previous album, Cardington, got to number 4 in the UK Indie chart without so much as a play on mainstream radio. The band has toured the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Lithuania and have played on five sailings of the iconic Cruise To The Edge out of Florida, USA. On the 2024 Cruise, Simon Phillips (Toto, Protocol) guested on drums as our regular drummer was unavailable. In July 2023, Lifesigns released a live album recorded at De Boerderij in the Netherlands.

Lifesigns’ touring band includes John Young on lead vocals and keyboards (Asia, Scorpions, Bonnie Tyler), Jon Poole (Cardiacs, Dr. Hook) on bass and backing vocals, Dave Bainbridge (Iona, The Strawbs, Celestial Fire, Circuline) on guitars and keyboards, and Chris Mack (Iluvatar, Oblivion Sun, Edison’s Children) on drums and percussion.

Mike Keneally is long acclaimed as one of the world’s most creative and intense guitar and keyboard players, with talents as a vocalist, songwriter, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist nearly unequalled in rock music. Keneally has released 24 albums of his original music since 1992 and has built a body of work of remarkable inventiveness and originality.

Keneally played in Frank Zappa’s last touring band, performing as a vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist. He’s appeared on many Zappa albums, is currently a touring member of both Dethklok and the Joe Satriani Band, and has also recorded or performed with Robert Fripp, Wayne Kramer, Kevin Gilbert, Solomon Burke, Steve Vai, Chickenfoot, Bear McCreary, Henry Kaiser, Michael Manring, Screamin Jay Hawkins, Andy Prieboy, Mullmuzzler, The Persuasions and many others.

Keneally’s most recent album is You Must Be This Tall, featuring Mike playing all instruments on several pieces, as well as performances from Marco Minnemann, Bryan Beller and Andy Partridge.

Gregg Bendian is a percussionist/composer/producer/educator/podcaster from Teaneck, New Jersey. During his wide-ranging career he has toured internationally and recorded with jazz and progressive artists Pat Metheny, Ornette Coleman, Todd Rundgren, Jan Hammer, The Mahavishnu Project, Cecil Taylor, Keneally-Bendian-Lunn, John Zorn, The Musical Box, Derek Bailey, Nels Cline, and Zoot Horn Rollo, among many others. An accomplished percussionist and a composer of over 200 works, Gregg has created a body of innovative instrumental music for jazz, rock, percussion (solo and ensemble) ands mixed chamber groups, which include his Interzone and Trio Pianissimo bands.

Teddy Kumpel played guitar on the Grammy winning album Home by Tim Kubart, sang backgrounds with Nine Inch Nails on the MTV music awards; toured and/or recorded with Joe Jackson, Rickie Lee Jones, Goodie Mob, Feist, Toots Hibbert; played on many soundtracks including Anchorman and Talladega Nights; produced, engineered and helped develop many artists, all while nurturing his own art and unique vision over his 30 year + career.

Matt Dorsey is a California-based multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter known for his work with Sound of Contact, In Continuum, The Dave Kerzner Band, Circuline, the progressive rock “super-group” cover band ProgJect, and most recently his solo project The Matt Dorsey Band. Matt wrote and produced his first solo album entitled Let Go, with Matt on guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, and singing both lead and background vocals, and guest drummers Marco Minnemann and Jonathan Mover. Joining him on keyboards for the song Waiting For The Fall is his Sound of Contact bandmate, Dave Kerzner. The Matt Dorsey Band, with Matt on guitar/vocals, Randy McStine (Steven Wilson Band, Porcupine Tree) on bass/backing vocals, Andrew Colyer (Circuline, The Tubes) on keyboards/backing vocals, and Chris Dorsey on drums/backing vocals debuted at ProgStock Festival 2023. Following the festival, Matt opened for Progressive Rock giants Marillion at Marillion Weekend in Canada. Matt will return to ProgStock in 2024 on bass and backing vocals with the band Circuline and then head out on this tour opening for the UK band Lifesigns with his friend and former bandmate, Mike Keneally, on Lifesign’s first tour in the US.

Sunday, October 20, 8:30 PM, ProgStock Festival, Williams Center, 1 Williams Plaza, Rutherford, NJ 07070  Tickets: https://ProgStock.Simpletix.com

Tuesday, October 22, 7:00 PM, Strand Theater, 210 Main St, Hudson Falls, NY 12839 Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6455308 

Wednesday, October 23, 7:00 PM, Electric City, 433 Pearl St, Buffalo, NY 14202 Tickets: https://www.prekindle.com/find-tickets/id/-2853509351775795540?2

lifesignsmusic.co.uk

www.keneally.com

www.mattdorseyofficial.com

ProgStock.com

FYC Brian Tarquin & Heavy Friends’ “Beyond The Warrior's Eyes”

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

    Listen to the full "Beyond The Warrior's Eyes" album online at 

 Other streaming links guitartrax.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-warriors-eyes

  https://s.disco.ac/ugckrhvwlcmr

 and https://open.spotify.com/album/3ChSQKUhkpOsQwD9VOfqgo?si=6es3D-BFT1y9Lc1bQ-9-MQ

Best Jazz Performance

 Brian Tarquin Featuring Jean Luc Ponty   “Beyond The Warrior's Eyes”   

and

Brian Tarquin Featuring Eric Johnson & Dean Brown “The Gates Of Valhalla”

Best Rock Performance

  Brian Tarquin Featuring Robben Ford & Hal Lindes “Quiet Desperation”

A heavy and glorious fusion-prog collection, “Beyond the Warrior’s Eyes” is Brian and his friends (Jean Luc Ponty, Eric Johnson, Robben Ford (Miles Davis), Steve Morse (Deep Purple), Dean Brown (David Sanborn), Hal Lindes (Dire Straits), Chris Poland (Megadeth), John Tropea (Billy Cobham), Steve Kindler (Jeff Beck), Carl Verheyen (Supertramp) & Larry McCray (John Mayall), the late Phil Naro, and the Budapest Symphony Orchestra) latest collaborative album. “Beyond The Warrior’s Eyes” mission is to support the charity, Hope For The Warriors, who provide medical care, mental health counseling, professional training and education, physical conditioning and transition services for wounded, ill, and injured Marines and Navy members. https://www.hopeforthewarriors.org/

Fall 2024 Songs

"I Wish You Joy" Dean Friedman male tenor vocals, like a soulful and mindful Billy Joel with coed harmonies and harmonica. "Breathe the morning air" joy joy joy  Joy!!!!  

Kwanzaa’s Pure Light Yocontalie Jackson & the Jennifer Tibbetts Children's Chorus  Gospel, percussion, flugelhorns, piano, mid-tempo, spoken word and singing, female leadsinger & teenage children choir describes what Kwanzaa is and how it's related to "our African past." celebrate community & words that rhyme like unity, responsibility. 

"Smiling" Refestramus prog rock inspired by Crack the Sky but with female vocals kindred to Miley Cyrus. "I'll keep smiling so you can see me." 

Zombie Love Refestramus  uptempo dance with energetic edm fx, keyboards that sound like strings, female vocals, multi-female vocals qualities of being a zombie "Keep fighting me baby, you're driving me crazy, we gotta fight for our zombie love" 

refestramus.bandcamp.com/track/zombie-love-radio-edit

Hometown Jaclyn Bradley female vocals, slow and mellow, midwestern pop-rock, leaving home to travel the world and get married, ultimately finding it in her hometown.  "The things that you run from sometimes save your soul."

One Tribe Orleans Funky guitar and drums mid-tempo like the Eagles' Life in the Fast Lane, John Hall's blues rock voice, "We are all one tribe." chant "we are one everyone we are one" Note: Lyrics shout out conflicts from the 1990s. 

Blackbird  Kj Denhert  piano led jazz version with instrumentals and upright bass solo, Kj has a comforting jazz pop voice, alto, there is a build up vocally towards the end. BIPOC, live recording without crowd noise.

kjdenhert.bandcamp.com/track/blackbird

The Time We Share  Hank Wedel  midtempo, friendly song, male tenor with voice like Richard Thompson, "It's great to see you, we thought you were dead." hook: "It's all about the time we share." Reunion. 

hankwedel.bandcamp.com/track/the-time-we-share-2 

Outrage Olympics  Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius male vocal, tenor in Jack Bruce's range, keyboards into full band led with electric violin. Genesis-inspired. This is about not minding your own business & why people walk on eggshells, cancel culture.

 

FU Dance Doozer McDooze (aka Paul Short) upbeat tempo electric guitar & drums driven, British cockney punk singer/sometimes shouter, rock dance song, Starting fights in person & online. "It's ok to give someone a second chance, but on the third time, give them the FU Dance."  

 

Outrage Olympics by Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius' new music video "Outrage Olympics" due on the group's album, "Impostor!" out October 11 on 7d Media/City Hall Distribution.

The Anne LeightonInclusion Interview Show with Joe Deninzon of Stratosph...

My interview with Joe Deninzon of Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius and Kansas Fame premieres on the Anne Leighton Inclusion Interview Show, seen on YouTube on Saturday, August 31, at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT / and Sunday morning at 1 AM Amsterdam Time.

I Wish You Joy

One of the songs I'm plugging this week: Dean Friedman's "I Wish You Joy"

Robeone Celebrates Bob Moog at 90 and the Moogseum’s 5th Year!

          Michelle Moog-Koussa's TedX Speech on Encouraging Creative People

Robeone (aka Robert Schindler) is celebrating the 90^th Birthday of inventor Bob Moog and the 5^th Anniversary of the Moogseum with a special nod to this founding father of the modern day synthesizer. 

Moog was a pioneer in electric sound, and dedicated his life to musicians, music, and innovation. His inventions innovated the sound, usages, and sizes of synthesizers, hence establishing the brand of the Moog Synthesizer.

The Bob Moog Foundation (founded in 2006) thanks Robeone for his contributions. Says founder Michelle Moog-Koussa, “Robert has supported us in just about every way possible, from frequent financial donations to volunteering to in-kind donations to attending all of our events and purchasing all of our new merch releases. He's always the first to show up to our events, and always offers to do more.” The Moogseum and the Bob Moog Foundation online store features his CDs and vinyl; 100% of the sales of his music there and online benefit the Bob Moog Foundation.

In celebration of the Moogseum’s 5^th Anniversary, Robeone was honored to play “The Star Spangled Banner” on a 1981 Moog Liberation Keytar from the Bob Moog Foundation Archives at Greenwood Field, on May 24 at the Men’s Asheville City Soccer Club match against Marietta, Georgia’s Southern Soccer Academy Kings. Asheville continued its dominance over Georgia with a resounding 4-1 victory! Excerpts were caught by a fan;  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alxb0GNt4DY.

The Moogseum, a project of the Bob Moog Foundation, opened in 2019, and has welcomed over 40,000 visitors from all over the world.  Ms. Moog-Koussa says that the Bob Moog Foundation was founded after communications from “tens of thousands of people from around the world during my father's illness and passing” in 2005. “People sent us testimonials about how Bob Moog had changed their lives, and even transformed their lives, through his instruments. We felt this legacy of inspiration deserved to be carried forward to the next generation.”

Tours of the museum included viewing recent additions of rare instruments and historical materials from Bob Moog’s legacy. Visitors were allowed to play a rare Minimoog Voyager Signature Edition serial number 0176. 

Robeone says, “The importance of Bob Moog’s inventions and his complete passion helped create an industry that still allows musicians to express themselves in ways we never dreamed possible. My life was changed when I heard the Moog solo at the end of ‘Lucky Man’ by Emerson Lake and Palmer. I couldn’t wait to be able to not only play one but to own one. The Minimoog was just being released, and I was saving every penny.”   

Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, the hallmark education project of the Bob Moog Foundation, teaches young children about the science of sound through music and technology . Robeone explains, “With the lack of music education in schools, it is so important to me to inspire the youth of today.” Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool has trained over 200 teachers. Over 30,000 children have been reached through Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool multi-sensory lessons.

The Moogseum is at 56 Broadway Street, Asheville, NC 28801.   828-258-1262  

 

moogfoundation.org/5-years-of-innovation-creativity-and-inspiration-at-the-moogseum/ 

Christmas in July

I'm thankful to be promoting superhero musicians and songwriters--most lately The Kings, Brian Tarquin, The String Revolution, Robeone, Jaclyn Bradley, The Bluestone Sisters, Tony Moore, Refestramus, Joe Deninzon.....  

First, here are some of my holiday songs--all of which I'd love you to consider.

Happy December Jaclyn Bradley  Affectionate singalong that mentions every big holiday: Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, New Year’s into one song! 

Kwanzaa’s Pure Light Yocontalie Jackson & the Jennifer Tibbetts Singers  gospel, percussion, flugelhorns piano, mid-tempo, spoken word and singing, female leadsinger & teenage children choir describes what Kwanzaa is and how it's related to "our African past." celebrate community & words that rhyme like unity, responsibility   

Peace A Dream Robeone  (instrumental, multi keyboards, including acoustic piano and synthesizers, notably a moog. instrumental, slow and steady tempo, flowy, mystical, adventures music starting with a piano and then a range of electronic keyboards  

Tchatchkes Latkes  Rachael Sage She sings the ingredients in this festive ditty which sounds good late night/early morning. Gypsy Oom PahPah Waltz with festive instruments. “Onions Peppers Oy Gevalt!”  

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.   

Auld Lang Syne Tony Moore  Gentle thoughtful, elderly British-sound voice, tenor,"we'll take a cup of kindness"  piano is lead instrument.  It builds into dramatic orchestral key change.

 Jody Quine & the Big Mr. C's recording of my song “Got My Eye on You, Santa” is a dream come true for me as writer.  It's perfect pop song inspired by 1960s girl groups and beloved Katrina and the Waves. 

 Brief updates on some of my artists.

 Jaclyn Bradley's new single, Hometown is live on streaming media. 

Robeone, who's been cheerleading for the Moogseum, is finding interviews about the Moogseum's 5th Anniversary and Bob Moog's 90th Birthday.  He's due an album, "Optimistica," late September on Transglobal Music/Orchard-Sony. Visit his new storefront at https://thebandwagonusa.com/collections/robeone. If you're in Asheville, Robert's got a storefront at the Moogseum at The Moogseum is at 56 Broadway Street, Asheville, NC 28801.  

Tony Moore's "Awake" is a one-man multi-media story with music and metaphors about being a caregiver for his mum, who was struggling with dementia during the pandemic. Iron Maiden's Steve Harris is one of his angels. He performed the show in Somerville, MA; Albany, NY; and New York City at The Cutting Room, and throughout the UK opening for Steve's band British Lion .  Here's the Trailer:  

The Kings' new album "The Longest Story Ever Told" is finding airplay, including on Voice of America, which interviewed the group this past week for Larry London's show, "Crossings." Their song "Nowhere to Go But Gone" is The Summer #RoadTrip Song! 

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius signed a record deal with Trey Gunn's 7d Media (City Hall Distribution), which is home to the new Michael Shrieve album "Drums of Compassion."  Joe’s "Impostor!" album will be out on October 11 with the single "Outrage Olympics" out September 6.  Joe's available to record strings for your music. 

Refestramus, a stupendous prog rock band, helmed by Wizard/drummer/songwriter Derek Ferguson. ProgUK says the group's “Intourist” is “likeable, uplifting… a home-cooked slice of melody rich prog… the smile on its face is infectious.” The new single "Side Hustle" has a Jethro Tull flute sound, and is being promoted to radio by Powderfinger. 

I help with tour press for Grammy winning The String Revolution, who will be in Texas, Florida, California, Virginia before the end of 2024. Some of the dates will be opening slots for the California Guitar Trio, the others for Tommy Emmanuel, who shared the Grammy with TSR for "Folsom Prison Blues."  The group does its own music licensing, Check out their cover of Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean."

Brian Tarquin & Heavy Friends' "Beyond the Warrior’s Eyes" album is mainly fusion with collaborations with electric violinist Jean Luc Ponty and great guitarists including Robben Ford and Steve Morse. The final track on the album is a vocal by Phil Naro, “These Colors Don’t Run.” Flag patriotism. 

Jaclyn Bradley Returns Home and Releases New Single, “Hometown” on July 7

A Buddhist monk stood in singer-songwriter Jaclyn Bradley’s Ireland apartment. “You have it all wrong,” he told her. “Reincarnation doesn’t just happen at the end of life… Being renewed can happen in any instant; you can be reborn at any time.” 

A week later Bradley learned things in that same apartment that led to the end of her marriage and subsequently led to the American singer moving home. The monk, who was her neighbor, worked at McDonalds [true story], so he brought her boxes marked as “nuggets” and “French fries” so she could pack up her life and be reborn.

As a teen, Jaclyn Bradley left the lakeside town of Lorain, Ohio to pursue music. The years and miles away led her on many adventures: studying opera at Indiana University, working in television in L.A., and to New York City where she stopped her roommate from going to work at The World Trade Center on September 11th. After watching the Twin Towers fall from her roof, Jaclyn turned from singing classical works to writing her own songs. 

The road also led Jaclyn to hospitals where she conducted music therapy bedside and in surgery. With motherhood came a move to The Netherlands, then Ireland where she raised her daughter while recording music, making films, and starring as a contestant on The Voice of Holland and Ireland’s Got Talent. 

Arriving full-circle, the journey back to her birthplace of Lorain and the opening of her heart to love again is the topic of Bradley’s latest musical release, “Hometown.”

Lorain is a town famous for its lighthouse; perhaps it was the light of that Lake Erie beacon guided Bradley home. In late 2019, right before the pandemic hit, Bradley moved with her daughter back to the place she was born. “To say I wasn't broken and scared would be untrue,” shares Bradley, “but in the nurturing place that raised me, I was able to thrive, reinvent and find light again.”

This is not that first time Lorain, Ohio has been reverently mentioned by a creative native. Legendary author, Toni Morrison was also born in Lorain and wrote in her autobiographical novel, The Bluest Eye, “Few people can say the names of their hometowns with such sly affection. Perhaps because they don’t have hometowns, just places they were born.” Lorain seems to be the former for Ms. Bradley.

In 2020, she opened a music school, “Rock Town Music Academy” where she now teaches students of all ages to find their unique songs and voices. In just a few years, the school was awarded best music instruction in Lorain County. Currently, it’s nominated for best music school in the area by Cleveland Magazine.

Bradley found love again. Hometown, a song about finding everything you were searching for in your own backyard, was penned in Bradley’s garden with her partner/co-writer Derek Connell. Jaclyn invited her local friends to be a part of the project and throughout the song you may hear chants of friends singing along around a campfire.

Hometown was produced in Nashville, Tennessee by Austin Moorhead (Mickey Guyton, Carly Pearce).

“On the way to the Nashville studio to record Hometown, we were picked up by a Lyft driver from Lorain” proclaims Bradley. “During the drive we shared childhood memories and called mutual friends. It’s amazing how signs and gifts are always all around us if we are open to them.”

As for the song, Bradley hopes that it will touch the hearts of anyone who is connected to their roots. “Sometimes we find that everything we are searching for already lives inside us. The most beautiful trip is always the one you take back to your own heart.” 

“Hometown” and its b-side “Burn for You” will be available on vinyl and all streaming services on July 7th.

Josie Music Awards Nominates Brian Tarquin & Beyond the Warrior’s Eyes for Multi Awards!

   

THE 10TH ANNUAL JOSIE MUSIC AWARDS has nominated Brian Tarquin & Heavy Friends: “Beyond the Warrior’s Eyes” in 6 different categories:
 
Album of the Year (Instrumental): Beyond the Warrior’s Eyes

Music Video of the Year: Beyond the Warrior’s Eyes featuring Jean Luc Ponty

Musician of the Year (Guitarist): Brian Tarquin

Music Production/Producer: Brian Tarquin
Songwriter of the Year: Brian Tarquin

Record Label/Businesses of the Year: BHP Music-Guitar Trax Records, LLC

Complete list: https://www.josiemusicawards.com/2024-official-nominees.html 

The winners will be announced during the award ceremony on Sunday, October 27, 2024, 10th Annual Josie Music Awards at The Grand Ole Opry House.

The Josie Music Awards

The mission of the Josie Music Awards is to honor, recognize and reward excellence, outstanding talents, and remain focused on the creativity across the independent music industry. Acknowledging all music genres, and each are celebrated through one winner in each genre in many of the categories. The Josie Music Awards is the largest music award show in the independent music industry, which brings in thousands from around the globe yearly to celebrate as a privately owned, licensed company without attaching the event to other events in the music industry. The Josie Music Awards is the ultimate recognition for talents in the independent music industry and remains laser focused on the music aspect of the entertainment world. ​There is never any cost to submit material reviewed by an all-pro-panel of judges that boast resumes which include Grammy’s, CMAs, Legendary Clients, and more.

Brian Tarquin
Multi-Emmy award winning Brian Tarquin is an established top rate composer/guitarist/producer. Through the past 30 years he has enjoyed Top 10 radio hits in several formats as Smooth Jazz, Roots Music Awards, NACC Loud Rock, Metal Contraband, Jam Band & CMJ’s RPM charts. His music has been heard by tens of millions on a plethora of television and film scores such as: CSI, Ellen, Extra, TMZ, 60 Minutes, Sex and the City, 20/20, SNL, Godzilla, Seinfeld, Cheers, Charmed, Good Morning America, The Watcher (Keanu Reeves), Desert Heat (Van Damme), The Sender (R. Lee Ermey), and National Lampoon’s Repli-Kate (Ali Landry) to name a few.

In 2024 Brian Tarquin & Heavy Friends lifted up the spirits of our veterans through music with Beyond The Warrior’s Eyes honoring military soldiers who defend our freedoms. This glorious fusion-prog collection is the latest collaborative masterpiece by Brian and his friends featuring Jean-Luc Ponty, Eric Johnson, Robben Ford, Steve Morse (Deep Purple), Dean Brown (David Sanborn), Hal Lindes (Dire Straits), Chris Poland (Megadeth), John Tropea (Billy Cobham), Steve Kindler (Jeff Beck), Carl Verheyen (Supertramp), Larry McCray (John Mayall), Phil Naro, and the Budapest Symphony Orchestra. The album’s mission is to support Hope For The Warriors, who provide medical, mental health, and professional services for ill and injured Marines and Navy members.