Valentines & Love songs

You Hold My Soul Nicole Bacher  piano with female vocal and guitar solo, a classic pop ballad exploring themes of gratitude and dedication towards her partner for their journey together ... "You made me whole, let me be bold, you hold my soul”  

We Talk Without Words Christian Hoff Melissa Hoff (performers): writers: Eileen Bluestone Sherman & Gail C. Bluestone  show tune-jazz, piano building to horn band male, female duet, slow with mid to uptempo build and instrumental break. lyrics on movement, This song offers a loving description of “dancing together.” plie’, we leap from the ground to soar through the air. their movements keep them together.  

When Dreams Come True The Kings  male vocals, acoustic guitar building to full band, ballad, dreamy, wedding song, the power of new beginnings, "it's so easy loving you" Mixed by Terry Brown of Rush, Blue Rodeo fame, 

Silent Conversations  Emily Hurd   Kacey Musgraves-like purity, comforting, intimate one-on-one, gentle flow piano, soprano, organic vocal lilt silent conversation, you tell me a lot, fingertips, if ever your heart is broken.   

Carry Across Jessie Galante female vocals, Anthemic, upbeat gospel-y, "Honey, you carried a cross... I'll carry you across" soulful song about compassion and strength, any sex can sing.  https://soundcloud.com/leightonmedia/carry-across?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

You Got Me Karen Besbeck  slow electronic female singer passion, the song has possession as subtext.“You got me right where you want me, the rain of love falls down to see.  You got me right where you want me—there’s one place I’d rather be. https://soundcloud.com/karen-besbeck/you-got-me?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Yulia Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius (Instrumental)   instrumental slow to mid tempo then slow acoustic violin with a band.  Gypsy jazz fusion, like John Coltrane meets Jean Luc Ponty. “Pat Metheny on violin.” goes from moody to orgasmic and major colors.  

Songs Dedicated to Greta Thunberg & Pete Seeger

Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius playing Arlene's Grocery, NYC on Feb. 27 for StringFest II (presented by SonicVoyageFest and Composer's Now).  Also appearing are Echo of the Ghost & Susan Aguila.  Their hard rock prog song, GAME OF CHICKEN features an electric violin-driven in a mold like Dream Theater, Rush, and Styx. "We're heating up as we run out of time."  People are daring one another to play with risk.  We're busy bickering while the planet is losing it. 

Please listen to the music hall-inspired A TERRIBLE PICKLE  by Folk-Pop songwriter Dean Friedman Some mentions of Australia's nature-- Koalas and eucalyptus trees, all kinds of mentions about the environment, the oceans are rising.    
Los Angeles, hear Dean live at Kulak's Woodshed in North Hollywood, on Saturday night, February 1! #Pre-GroundHogs' Day!

MY RIVER’S RUN DRY Karen Besbeck & Billy Montana (Modern Country) Vocals like Kacey Musgraves, Margo Price, Cassadee Pop   The song is a metaphor for land going barren and love going barren—the “true” lover won't change even though it's too late.

BEEZ (I KNOW WHERE THE BEEZ HAVE GONE) (Americana) Slambovian Circus of Dreams Rock, slow tempo, environment, Americana, vocals like Tom Petty, “Stopped controlling the world,” lyrics offer ideas on how to increase the bees to visit plant life. “the bees are in my yard, I know where the Beez Have Gone,” “Reteaching me the facts of life” “creatures great and small”  

Friends in the New York City/Woodstock region, get ready for an announcement on the Slambovian's Earth Day activities. My UK Friends, the band will be back this summer, and one of the shows will be at Fairport Convention's Cropredy Festival.

POWER FROM ABOVE Dan Berggren (Folk)  The metaphor of the sky and the Christian concept of God,  Gospel-y folk, play on words "Power from Above" the song encourages wind and sun power, "Faith & Respect & Hope for this old earth." traditional-sounding.

Introducing: King Llama, Progressive Rock/Fusion Trio with New Album, RETURN TO OX on July 15

Los Angeles-based progressive rock/fusion trio King Llama is releasing its new album, RETURN TO OX on July 15 on the TTrain Music label. RETURN TO OX is a journey of instrumental compositions with stunningly-weaved elements of rock, jazz, funk, fusion, and hip-hop. With melodic sensibilities and ear-catching chops, favorite compositions include the precisely spry “Sensei,” the explosive bass-driven “Cap’n Mustard Hair,” the rebellious and emotive changes in “Smoking in Ergenzingen” and the introspective jazz journey “Blobo.”

RETURN TO OX is the combination of three instruments—bass, drums, guitars. King Llama’s music commands attention with its melodies, rhythms, and a big fat sound of gritty distorted bass tones mixed with classic wah wah guitar leads. There are complicated drum fills, odd meter and poly-rhythmic beats, coupled with dynamic changes of differing moods and styles. The overall sound is highly stimulating to the progressive and open-minded listener.

King Llama’s members—guitarist Ryan Tanner Bailey, drummer Luis Briones, and bass/baritone guitarist Nico Staub—are all fairly young; their influences come from a range of prog/fusion/eclectic stylings from the history of adventurous music. King Llama’s vibe, being quite original itself, seems to bring out moments reminiscent of King Crimson, Phish, Yes, and Rush.

Ryan, Luis and Nico are all originally self taught, and then they all had extensive training (both privately, and at professional institutions), most recently at Musician's Institute in Los Angeles, and in Nico's case, CAEMSA in Buenos Aires.

RETURN TO OX has a very live feel to it, as the band prides itself on its stage performance, and wanted to capture that on tape. "

Produced by King Llama and GRAMMY-winning producer/engineer Dave Schiffman (Mars Volta, System of a Down, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, nine inch nails…), the album showcases both musicianship and true ensemble spirit. It’s a fun listen for progressive rock and fusion fans.

Left to Right: Luis, Ryan and Nico

www.KingLlama.com
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Druckfarben's SECOND SOUND Called "Best Album of the Year"

Druckfarben photo by Julia Li

(and wins other high praise from critics and industry)

A who's who of the international prog rock community has been responding to Druckfarben’s sophomore album, Second Sound, with acclaim and accolades. A&R man Michael Caplan (who discovered Echolyn, Matisyahu, Los Lonely Boys and Keb’ Mo’) says it’s "the best album of the year so far!"

Prog Rock journal Expose's editor Peter Thelen writes "The entire band is a pretty impressive unit... This will definite be of interest to all fans of classic prog, and particularly bands like Gentle Giant, Kansas, vintage Saga and CTTE (Close To the Edge) era Yes." 

Pop Culture Classic's Paul Freeman calls Second Sound an "impressive album." Powerline writes that Druckfarben is "truly a band to watch." Michelle Wilson of Ink19 says “If you're a prog rock fan, this one is not to be missed.” The Phantom Tollbooth compares Druckfarben to "Yes, Rush, Gentle Giant and Kansas, all mixed together with some Celtic and residual metal flavors on top." Bass Musician Magazine states, “Though the modern Prog band is usually a by-musicians-for-musicians band, Druckfarben is a fantastic exception to this rule and is not only listenable, but also enjoyable to just about anyone.”

Mark Lettieri, guitarist for 2014 Grammy award-winners Snarky Puppy, says: "Druckfarben is a ridiculously intense progstravaganza of a rock band. It's like Yes meets Zappa meets Canadian poutine!"

Tyrone Buccione of T-Mak World writes: “What a great album! I give this bad boy 5/5 stars for just being a bold and powerful progressive rock album with track crossfading and killer tones and another 5/5 for having such amazing written parts and melodies. That’s right, 10/5 stars! I thought Druckfarben’s Second Sound really captured the true essence of rock and roll, and I know it will be well received in the rock community.”

Druckfarben is led by guitarist Ed Bernard and includes bassist Peter Murray (Surrender Dorothy, Ron Sexsmith), keyboardist William Hare (Crystal Shawanda, Abraham's Children), drummer Troy Feener (Full Nine, Tom Cochrane) and vocalist Phil Naro (Talas, Peter Criss, DDrive).

In German, the word Druckfarben means "coloured printing ink." As teenagers growing up in suburban Ontario, Ed and Troy stumbled upon those letters stenciled on mysterious black barrels in their rehearsal space. Although at the time they had no idea what "Druckfarben" meant, they decided it would make a great band name. Many years later, as their dream progressive rock band came together, they knew what to call it.

All five members grew up with a shared love of classic progressive rock. They played their first show in 2008, released their self-titled debut in 2011, and put out a live DVD (Artifact) in 2013. Fans include Kim Mitchell, Nick D’Virgilio (Spock’s Beard), and Maurizio Guarini of Italy's Goblin, plus producers Terry Brown (Rush) and David Bendeth (Bruce Hornsby, Paramore).

Songs from Second Sound cited by the media include "Dandelion," "In Disbelief," and the 19-minute epic title track that closes the album. 

www.druckfarben.ca

Twitter @druckfarben

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