The History of Renaissance w/ Annie Haslam and Jim McCarty

 

Symphonic Rock Pioneers Annie Haslam and Jim McCarty will present the History of Renaissance on November 21st and 22nd at the Wildey Theatre, Edwardsville, Illinois (St. Louis), on November 28^th at the Newton Theatre, NJ, and on November 29^th at the Lansdowne Theatre, PA, in Lansdowne, PA.

Annie and Jim will share an intimate discussion and visual presentation of the band’s extraordinary history followed by a Renaissance performance featuring, for the first time, members of both eras of the band performing their classic songs together.

selfie from Annie

Renaissance had their farewell tour last October 2024 and did not expect to perform live again.  Annie, who’s been at the forefront of the group’s story for 50 years, recently was approached by an Edwardsville/St Louis promoter to return to the Wildey Theatre for a ‘one woman” show! After much deliberation, the idea grew into something bigger when Annie contacted Jim McCarty to be a part of the show and--then—return to the full Renaissance lineup, the band he—initially—co-founded.

A stupendous evening of Symphonic Rock at its finest! "All Renaissance and McCarty fans are invited to experience our coming full circle," Annie says enthusiastically, “that was destined to happen one day!"  

Rising from the ashes of the Yardbirds, Jim McCarty and long-time musical partner Keith Relf envisioned a Renaissance as fusing folk and classical influences with the bluesy rock they'd been playing and giving birth to a new musical direction. When Annie Haslam joined the band in 1971 to sing with her ethereal 5-octave voice, the group became more popular, especially with the progressive rock scene. After Jim left, the line up continued notably with Annie, this combined the poetic emotional words of Betty Thatcher and the timeless musical masterpieces that were created by Michael Dunford, John Tout, Jon Camp and Terry Sullivan. 

Renaissance was reborn in 2009 with Annie and Michael Dunford at the helm, along with keyboard player/musical director Rave Tesar, and a new generation of musicians.

Renaissance 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 the Royal Chorale Society. Renaissance had a top ten hit in the UK with their song “Northern Lights” that still demands airplay to this day.

Annie is “looking forward to singing 'Face of Yesterday' from Jim's band Illusion, which I last performed on a tour of Germany in the early ‘70s. Such a gorgeous song! I’m also excited to be performing with Jim,” who is equally thrilled, stating, “I’ll be talking with Annie about how the band formed and got that sound. Also very pleased to be singing some of my own songs.”

Renaissance is Annie Haslam (lead vocals), Jim McCarty (acoustic guitar and lead vocals), Rave Tesar (keyboards), Mark Lambert (guitars, vocals), Geoffrey Langley (keyboards, vocals), John Galgano (bass, vocals), and Frank Pagano (drums, percussion, vocals).

Left to Right: Frank, Rave, Geoffrey, Mark, and John. Photo by Brian Bortnik 

Row 2: Annie

Jim McCarty and Annie Haslam will be presenting the History of Renaissance Fall 2025 in Conversation and in Concert. Friday, Nov. 21 The Wildey Theatre, Edwardsville, IL (St. Louis) www.cityofedwardsville.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=672 Saturday, Nov. 22 The Wildey Theatre, Edwardsville, IL (St. Louis) www.cityofedwardsville.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=673 Friday, Nov. 28 The Newton Theatre, Newton, NJ https://skypac.org/the-history-of-renaissance/ November 29 Lansdowne Theatre, Lansdowne, NJ http://www.etix.com/ticket/p/81373625/the-history-of-renaissance-featuring-annie-haslam-and-jim-mccarty-lansdowne-lansdowne-theate

Fall Songs from Soul Moves Music

Meet Josh Lewis, who fronts Anita Squeeze. They've got great hard rock sound with influences of the Black Crowes and Rolling Stones.  Josh's yearning tenor reminds me of Axl Rose.  I heard ZZ Top-style guitars on his song THROW ME A LINE.  It's about the loss of a father, and how his "ocean of tears lead me to dry land... Throw me a line." 



Phoebe Legere is touring, writing songs, and teaching children at her Foundation for New American Art. Earlier this year her children's chorus performed songs created in New York City's Lower East Side from the days that Native Americans ruled Manhattan till now, with a rewrite of a Ramones' hit!
This versatile songwriter's LOCAL WINE has delicious double-entendres like “wrap myself around you like a grapevine,” This is the New York version of the song.  We'd love to personalize it for you.

Rebecca and "Kathy Mattea" rhyme!

 Rebecca Loebe loved her debut on Mountain Stage, Charleston, WV.  In addition to Rebecca, featured performers were Shawn Colvin, Lucy Kaplansky, Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis, and Kacy & Clayton.  This broadcast was hosted by Kathy Mattea.

Rebecca's comforting song, GHOSTS has a great lyric, "Give up the ghosts, at least the ones you love the most--they'll never hold you as close." Her friends and mine, Darin and Denby at Blue Corn Music are administering the songs on her latest album, also called GHOSTS! 832-649-7147, denby@bluecornmusic.com, daria@bluecornmusic.com   



Dean Friedman and John Batdorf perform at the legendary MY FATHER'S PLACE on Oct. 5.  He is the "special guest" for the Steven Page Trio on select dates in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, New Jersey.  Steven was in Barenaked Ladies, who covered Dean's "McDonald's Girl," a teen idol song from the point of view of a 15-year old baseball player to an "angel in polyester" working at McDonalds. The song was also used in a McDonalds' commercial.   

One of my instrumentalists, Joe Olnick has a new fusion album, IGUANA is available for syncs.  "Don's Theme" features his electric guitar in a thoughtful vibe similar to Pink Floyd, Alex Skolnick, Kyuss.


Listen to Rob Bonfiglio's WARM LOVING CHRISTMAS.  He's one of Brian Wilson and Carnie Wilson’s long time musical partners.  Wilson Phillips also recorded this song with all the imagery of mistletoe and writing our names in the snow!  


We just got word that my partner Karen Besbeck has a song, HIGH LOVE will be in Netflix's "Sweet Magnolias" in 2020!  Yay!  It's like Kelly Clarkson updating Dottie West's "Country Sunshine."

BEHIND THE CURTAIN by Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius is knocking it out of the ballpark.  It's an aggressive rock song about deception OR transparency and lack of.  Uses “Wizard of Oz” keywords, especially “Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain.” Joe and his band Jason Gianni-drums (The Ultimate Queen Celebration, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rock of Ages, Neil Morse Band), Michaelangelo Quirinale-guitar (Thrilldriver), and Paul Ranieri-bass (Mark Wood, Circuline, Rock This Town) have been streamed 3 million plus times on social media.

ProgStock is happening in Rahway, NJ on Columbus Weekend, along with Jane Getter, Robert Berry, Nektar, Rachel Flowers, and Saga.  Saga's leadsinger Michael Sadler was blown away by electric violinist Joe Deninzon at late night showcase at ProgStock last year. said, "I never heard someone approach the instrument that way. Reinventing the way you look at the violin. It’s taking a traditional instrument, and doing your way."

Joe Deninzon and I co-wrote "The Greatest Lives" about what Muhammad Ali would want us to know.  It's going to be on an album by South Africa's Thembeka Mnguni.  Look for a US release on sports radio Jan. 17, 2020.  Thembeka is a superheroine version of Etta James and Cissy Houston combined.  




FAIR WEATHER by Gary Lucas & Jann Klose is a fingerpicking guitar blueser about dealing with psychopathic "friends." Gary has a number of film score performances including “Dracula Vs. Frankenstein” at the Chutzpah! Festival, in Vancouver on Oct. 30  and the 1931 Spanish-language “Dracula” in Mexico on Nov. 2 and 3.  More dates at GaryLucas.com. Jann's vocals was described recently by No Depression as a "Folk version of Sam Cooke!" He opens for the Yardbirds on October 10 in Rockville, MD, has a song in the upcoming movie, MARRIED YOUNG, and sings Gandhi's words in the soundtrack of ONE LITTLE FINGER. Email me for ONE LITTLE FINGER. Visit http://www.theyardbirds.com/tour.html.



NEVER TAKE LOVE FOR GRANTED by the warm folk singer Dan Berggren is one of my favorite Christmas songs with the hook, “You’ll never take love for granted if you always give love in return.”  

The Yardbirds On Tour in May

The Yardbirds


The Yardbirds will be playing east coast and Ohio dates this May. A true institution, in the brief period from 1963 to 1968, The Yardbirds made an indelible mark on the music and culture of the time, and then on future generations.

To the casual music fan, The Yardbirds are best known as the band that honed the skills of future “guitar gods” Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page; and for their slew of chart hits, including “For Your Love,” “Heart Full of Soul,” "Shapes of Things," “I'm A Man,” and “Over Under Sideways Down.” However, led by core members and songwriters Jim McCarty (drums), Chris Dreja (rhythm guitar/bass) and the late Keith Relf (vocals/harmonica), the band's experimental explorations also provided the crucial link between British R&B, Psychedelic Rock, and Heavy Metal, while pioneering the use of innovations like fuzz tone, feedback and distortion. Even their 1968 break-up set the stage for Rock 'n' Roll's future…leading Jimmy Page to form the New Yardbirds, later re-christened Led Zeppelin.

Reuniting decades later, McCarty and Dreja with a new generations of talented players including the raw talents of young lead guitarist Ben King, bassist Dave Smale, and vocalist/harmonica player Andy Mitchell, the group has been steadily touring and making new music.

The Yardbirds' 2003 CD, BIRDLAND on Steve Vai's Favored Nations label featured guest appearances from Vai, and friends Brian May, Joe Satriani, and Slash.

In 2007 Favored Nations released the YARDBIRDS: LIVE AT BB KINGS, again showing the power of the band, and its legacy of great songs.

This season, The Yardbirds return to the States under the leadership purposeful and insightful Dreja and McCarty and the future music superstars: King, Smale and Mitchell.

May 21 Parilla Center Rockville, MD
May 22 Chesapeake Blues Fest Annapolis, MD
May 23 Tangiers Akron, OH
May 25 Sellersville Theatre Sellersville, PA
May 26 BB Kings New York, NY
May 27 Boulton Center Bay Shore, NY
May 28 Showcase Live Foxborough, MA
May 30 Remember The Music/Heroes Virginia Beach, VA

http://www.theyardbirds.com