“Poe Park 2 AM,” New Song by Hank Wedel

 

­ ­ The Public can finally listen to Hank Wedel’s “Poe Park 2 AM” now on all streaming media!   https://streamondistro.lnk.to/PoePark2am   “'Poe Park 2 AM' is about my ate-night romp at the Poe Visitor’s House, Bronx, in the 1990s, hoping the legendary writer might pass the torch," says Hank.       The song’s been played in both the UK and USA, including on Larry Kirwan’s Sirius XM Radio show and Iain Anderson’s BBC show.     Hank Wedel's working with Irish producer Declan Sinnott, well known for his work with Irish folk singer legends Christy Moore and Mary Black. “Poe Park 2 AM” will be on Hank’s upcoming album, tentatively titled “The Rakes of Mallow.”  Look for a fall release. Musicians on “Poe Park 2 AM” include Mary Greene on backing vocals, Hank’s “Open Kitchen” bandmates James O'Sullivan on harmony vocals and Brian Carroll on percussion. Hank plays acoustic guitar and sings on the track with Declan on slide guitar and orchestrating all the rest in production.   Born in Dayton, Ohio (1963), Hank was raised in New York City and in Mallow, Co. Cork. Based for many years in Cork City, Ireland, the singer-songwriter-guitarist has performed thousands of gigs throughout the world, from the North Pole to Lanzarote (in the Canary Islands), from Maine to Sao Paulo and from Oklahoma to Azerbijan in The Caspian Sea.  He’s played solo and with various bands, most notably “Princes Street,” “Open Kitchen” and “Small Town Talk” Over the years, he has been a regular visitor to NYC,  performing at well-known Irish venues as well as songwriting showcase venues downtown.    Among the artists Hank’s performed with are Shane McGowan, Mary Black, Kila, Philomena Begley, Bono and Christy Moore... Christy covered Hank’s song “Listen” and made it the title track of his best selling album on Sony Records in 2009.   Hank and Irish mandolin maestro Ray Barron have reconnected live in Cork City, finally, now in the 27th year of a Monday night residency at Charlies Bar.     On St. Patrick’s Day 2002, in the wake of September 11, Hank and his band Open Kitchen were invited perform his song entitled “New Yorkers” on the Observation Deck of The Empire State Building.  In 2007, Hank made a special guest appearance on “AzeriStars,” a TV show in Baku, Azerbaijan with world-renown Mugham singer Gulyanag Mammadova singing Hank’s song, “Maiden’s Tower.”   In 2012, Hank released a single entitled "Mighty Fine." The track was his first ever digital release and it reached No. 4 on the Irish iTunes Singles Chart within two weeks of release. Hank’s 2016 album “Living In The Land of Love,” produced by Christian Best is available across all streaming platforms.   Poe Park 2AM  (Wedel) IMRO   Verse 1 Feeling' The Heatbeat of The City sittin' down on Poe's front porch Chillin' out the pulse of the city, yeah hopin' that Poe would pass the torch but the caretaker growled (get outta here!) and away we did crawl Under the gate with my guitar and 'all...       Verse 2 Strollin' down The Concourse she had her shows in her hand Strollin' down The Grand Concourse I could not understand why The Caretaker growled and away we did run. All we were doin' was havin some havin some fun...     Instrumental Break   Bridge: You know The Bronx is so battered So bloodshot so torn But Poe Park can be mellow at 2 .... in the morn!       Verse 3: Feeling' The Heatbeat of The City sittin' down on Edgar Allen Poe's front porch Chillin' out the pulse of old New York City, yeah... Hopin' that Poe would pass the torch but the caretaker growled (get outta here!) and away we did  fly... FLY...HIGH!    C Hank Wedel (IMRO)

Noisy Paul Presents Brijitte West

Brijitte West talks a lot about songwriting with her US promoter (and my occasional co-partner-in-crime) Paul Ungar. Listen and buy her music at brijittewest1.bandcamp.com/album/lockdown

I helped a little on this project. Brijitte talks about songwriting and being raised in a big family. It's important for her co-writes to be in-person. www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7gKyemLx9Q

Beautiful

One of the songs I'm working this week.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeNLDBHuuJg

#songwriter #Singersongwriter #AwardWinning #YoureBeautiful

“Celebrating Earth in Song” at Carnegie Hall with The Indie Collaborative, April 25

Musical Performers w/ a Story of Purpose    

Come and see more than 20 award-winning IC artists perform Celebrating Earth Day in Song, which features a unique blend of the musical genres (rock, classical, jazz, Americana, theatrical) at this legendary venue.        

The storyline of this three-act/two-part (with one intermission) presentation begins with the possibilities and newness of “The Beginning” and continues with the “Reality” of the situations. What happens in the end? Hope? Wisdom? Evolution? After Act Three, the entire cast performs our traditional Indie Collaborative finale, "We'll Stay Together." 

Join us April 25, at 8 PM, at Carnegie Hall.​

This show was originally scheduled for April 2020, but was put off to April 2021, and then once again to April 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The artists are extremely excited to make this dream a reality.

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The show takes place on Monday, April 25, 2022.

Doors open at 7:30PM

Show starts at 8:00PM​

Standard tickets: $60 each

Students/Seniors: $40 each

 

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Produced by Eileen Sherman and Grant Maloy Smith

Emcee: Grant Maloy Smith

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Meet Our Performers

Dr. Alan Storeygard is as dedicated to his music as he is to medicine, weaving jazz, blues, and classical music with six albums.

Amy and Alex Otey These multiple Grammy nominees have played many Americana and Children’s events including Michelle Obama’s White House Egg Roll. Alex, a superb solo and band jazz artist.    

The Bluestone Sisters Eileen(lyrics) and Gail (music) brought their music to the New York City Stages, for a range of collaborations with the Broadway community, including their Emmy Award Winning holiday show, The Odd Potato, whose studio album features 20 Tony Award Winners.  Eileen is co-founder / co-producer of the Indie Collaborative and this event.

Benjamin Lerner is the great grandson of Irving Berlin with a focus on recovery. CLEAN is his brand---his album, a weekly column for Vermont News Guide and Seven Days, and the radio show on WEQX-Manchester, VT.  

David S. Goldman is an award-winning multi-lingual singer/songwriter who performs in genres of Blues, Latin, Acoustic Rock, Pop/Jazz, and World. “Few people on earth were born to sing, but lucky for us, David Goldman is one of them,” says folk singer Christine Lavin. 

Elaine Romanelli Educator, Lyricist. Performer. Songwriter, Vocalist, Country, Folk, Musical Theatre, Pop, and Classical structures for musical theatre and for liturgical use. Composer-in-Residence at the Church of St. Matthew and St. Timothy in New York City.

Grant Maloy Smith Billboard top 10 Folk-Americana artist, Grant is a co-founder/co-producer of the Indie Collaborative and emcee of this event.

Helen O’Shea Princeton, NJ -based “AmeriCeltiCana” band leader of two groups--The Shenanigans and The Shanakees, originally from Limerick, Ireland.  

Jerome Brooks Jr. Known for his work in Art= (Love)2, Power, Mother Courage and Her Children, Halston, Godfather of Harlem, Rock Band 3, and solo album “Committed By: Jerome.”  

Leti Garza Austin-based singer/songwriter/artist performs World Latin music with a social activist’s sensibility.  

Mike Greenly has 11 Billboard-charted Dance/Club hits, and collaborated with the legendary Nile Rodgers.  His co-write, “I See You” with Grant Maloy Smith is the Masterpiece Living theme of a new anti-ageism campaign.

Mowgli Gianitti Bassist, Vocalist, Composer, and Teacher. His original band Satyrdagg is 8-piece wall-of groove sound. 

Noshir Mody Multi-award winning Indian-born, NY based jazz guitarist, known for his “EthniFusion” rock & philosophy, with a new album, "An Idealist's Handbook: Identity, Love and Hope in America 2020"

Ricky Persaud, Jr and his brother LilNicky Persaud fuse contemporary hard electronic rock and are  multiple award winners.

Ryan VanDenBoom thrills audiences in the new Michael Jackson musical, MJ, nightly, at the Neil Simon Theater.  Started his career in the Broadway revival of ANNIE, plus touring theater, film, and TV.  He’s performed with the Chicago Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestras.

Sophia Agranovich Ukrainian born classical pianist is a Steinway Artist and Julliard graduate, where she taught piano. She has been described by Fanfare Magazine as "a bold, daring pianist in the tradition of the Golden Age Romantics."

Thomas Hutchings is a popular New York City saxophonist, producer and podcast host, performing with artists from Grover Washington to the Beastie Boys, syncs on TV.   

Yocontalie Jackson is a Gospel performer, writer, producer. This multiple award winner is a recipient of the IDEA Legacy Lifetime Achievement award.  

The Venue:  Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, 152 W 57th St, New York, NY 10019

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Tickets available at the Carnegie Hall box office and on the Carnegie website:

carnegiehall.org/calendar/2022/04/25/celebrating-earth-day-in-song-0800pm

Meet the Singer Songwriters Starring in PBS Special with Holocaust Survivors April 26-May 24

WE REMEMBER: SONGS OF SURVIVORS  

Musicians and Filmmakers Available for Interviews

Witness the healing powers of Music and Friendship as Holocaust survivors share their stories with songwriters on 450 PBS Stations. The hour-long documentary will broadcast between April 26-May 24, and then in the fall. 

WE REMEMBER: SONGS OF SURVIVORS will premiere the week of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, on Tuesday, April 26, at 8:00 p.m. ET on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video app.

WE REMEMBER: SONGS OF SURVIVORS follows four working singer-songwriters (Michael Veitch, Elizabeth Clark, Kelleigh McKenzie, Jude Roberts) hired by the community arts organization SageArts in New York’s Hudson Valley. Through a program offered by Jewish Family Service of Orange County, they visit local Holocaust survivors to create original songs based on their conversations. The film documents the relationships that develop and the songwriting process over many months, culminating in an emotional live concert where the survivors and songwriters are celebrated by friends, family and the community. 

“At a time when the world is faced with the horrors of war and hatred, we wanted to tell this hopeful story of perseverance and love,” said Ilene Cutler, co-producer of WE REMEMBER: SONGS OF SURVIVORS.

In-depth interviews with the survivors — Rita, Tibor, Tommy and Freide — and access to rare personal archives lead to revealing stories, many of which have been deeply buried in their memories for decades. At the same time, the songwriters — Michael, Jude, Kelleigh and Elizabeth — create video diaries to document their own thoughts and feelings about the experience of telling a Holocaust survivor’s story through song.  Michael reflects, "Working with Rita was a life changing experience for me and I know every artist in this project received a similar gift songwriting with their Holocaust survivor."

“Many documentaries exist about the Holocaust. However, few have taken such a unique approach to telling these horrific stories. We wanted to shed light on the devastating experiences of Holocaust survivors while celebrating the possibilities of healing through the power of music,” said Tim Miller, co-producer of WE REMEMBER: SONGS OF SURVIVORS. “Little did we know this film, with its powerful message, would change the lives of both the survivors and songwriters.”

“PBS is honored to shed light on this moving and powerful project, which illuminates the ways in which music can uniquely memorialize these stories of resiliency,” said Zara Frankel, Director of Programming and Development at PBS.  

Produced by Tim Miller and Ilene Cutler, WE REMEMBER: SONGS OF SURVIVORS was written and edited by Timothy Guetterman.    

WE REMEMBER: SONGS OF SURVIVORS will be available for streaming concurrent with broadcast on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video App, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. PBS station members can view many series, documentaries and specials via PBS Passport.  

Visit www.weremembersongsofsurvivors.com

Tempest on Lite Lounge with Dimitri K

New York City Magic This Spring

Felix Cavaliere (The Rascals/Young Rascals) & Micky Dolenz have shows in Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Michigan this season. I’m pitching for his shows at the Patchogue Theater on Long Island (May 14) and Manhattan at the Palladium Times Square on June 3. He’s doing interviews for his new autobiography, “Memoir of A Rascal.” See more dates at www.felixcavalieremusic.com.

The Indie Collaborative features top indie artists that have won Grammys, charted, made the news, and get along with other musicians! Helmed by Emmy winning playwright Eileen Bluestone Sherman & Top 10 Folk Americana artist Grant Maloy Smith, this diverse group will present “Earth Day Celebration” on April 25 at the Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall. Two artists: Ukranian-born classical pianist Sophia Agranovich and “MJ” actor/singer/dancer Ryan VanDenBoom. A number of performers (Sophia, plus jazz-blues/classical keyboardist Alan Storeygard, Celtic singer Helen O’Shea, children’s artist Amy Otey) have medical and health profession histories. www.indiecollaborative.com.

 

Coming to 450 PBS stations this April 26-May 24 (and then in the fall) is the Woodstock-created documentary “We Remember Songs From Survivors.” Find their publicist by checking out the “PBS Press Release” link by clicking below. My artist Michael Veitch appears on it; he recently had the #1 song “Valentine’s Day” and #16 album, “Wachtraum” on Folk Radio according to the Folk Alliance Charts.  www.weremembersongsofsurvivors.com

 

Composers Now and the ShrineNYC presenting Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius and One More once featuring John Dinklage’s Electric Violin Summit at the Shrine, in Harlem. Twitter.com/ComposersNow . Listen to Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius' new song "The Prism," which will appear on their upcoming album, "Behind the Curtain, Live From ProgStock."

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjjjYY0HQTg

Kathy Zimmer & her band perform at the Rockwood Music Hall, April 28, at 7 PM. kathyzimmermusic.com. Singer-songwriter with a rich voice, and songs about today's world.

 

My roster of songwriters are on a playlist, that I dedicate to Greta Thunberg and Pete Seeger. Sample some of the songs at anneleightonmedia.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-thank-you-greta-thunberg-pete.html_.  

 

And finally, I’m thrilled to have Phoebe Legere home in New York City once again, performing every Saturday night, from 7-10 PM, at the Tudor City Steakhouse, 45 Tudor Place, NY, NY. For more information, call: 212-682-4000. tudorcitysteakhouse.com. Enjoy Phoebe's new music video, "Freedom Loving Heart."

Start Spreading the News: New York is back! – The Incomparable Phoebe Legere Lights Up the Skyline!

 

­ ­  Celebrate Spring with The Incomparable Phoebe Legere   Tudor City Steakhouse is proud to announce that Phoebe Legere, internationally famous musician, personality and composer, is performing a residency every Saturday at Tudor City Steakhouse at 45 Tudor Place, NY, NY, from 7 – 10 pm.   Miss Legere returns to the New York City stage, playing piano and singing the Great American Songbook from Bowie to Berlin to Broadway and Beyond.   The historic and glamorous Tudor Steakhouse is conveniently located at 45 Tudor Place with expansive views of the East River. Enjoy fine dining, and the distinguished song styling of a world-famous star of TV, radio and movies - “The Incomparable Phoebe Legere.”   Music lovers and fans will recall Legere’s fun and refreshing residencies in Beverly Hills, St. Barts, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong and the Hamptons.   To read more about Phoebe’s plays, paintings, original songs, and NFTs visit www.phoebelegere.com   All proceeds from these appearances go to Miss Legere’s philanthropic work bringing free art & music to the children of low-income communities of color. She is the Conductor and Music Director of the Lower East Side Children’s Chorus and her educational children’s TV show The Color Wheel. Learn more at www.foundationfornewamericanart.org     “Phoebe Legere is the new Bobby Short” –Liz Smith, New York Post   “Legere plays the piano with enormous authority in a style that encompasses Chopin, blues, ragtime, bebop and beyond, and she brings to her vocal delivery an extraordinary palette of tonal color and meticulous phrasing.” – New York Times   ­ ­

The “Thank you, Greta Thunberg & Pete Seeger” Playlist

Songs about the Environment, Pandemic, Leadership, Relationships

   Dan Berggren & Dean Friedman have songs about dialogues with their daughters. Dean about war, and Dan focuses on the health of our planet.

   One Day (A Child’s Prayer) Hannah & Dean Friedman  Originally written for the 1991 Gulf War, the song is relevant now in the midst of one more, senseless, horrific war. Gentle strings and bells adorn a daughter and father duet.  She’s seeing children killed from missiles, The father sings that “One day there'll be no trace of war, disease, pollution.  If only presidents could see through children’s eyes, if only general could hear the babies’ cries.” Lots of comparisons and contrasts like kids fighting over toys with men fighting over land.   For charity info, please visit  deanfriedman.bandcamp.com/track/one-day-a-childs-prayer

    Looking for Answers Dan Berggren  Acoustic folk song with a hopeful, yet trepidatious.feeling about a daughter asking father what the environment will look like when she grows up. Long term / Short term materialism, greed, easy answers, ask questions, learn what's ahead.  The song is loaded with great advice on long-term thinking. 

Two songs about delusional leaders: one from folk singer-songwriter Michael Veitch and the other from wild prog rocker Joe Deninzon.

April Fools Michael Veitch  singer songwriter, male tenor, upbeat folk-rock with electric guitar, with pretty eagles-y harmonies  being fooled by leadership in a most rainy month “behind the curtain lies another strong man.  Pick a corrupt event when you have crazy leaders.  

The Prism Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius  (studio and live versions) dynamic and circular electric violin,  male vocals, rock band live recording, song about delusional leaders who lead with stupidity 

 

One more about crazy leaders-- what a woman thinks of crazy guys in the workforce....

        What’s a Place Like This Doing in a Girl Like Me?   Val Kinzler  uptempo & edgy, spoken word female voice like Kathryn Hepburn meets Tim Curry, spooky music. Pinpoints common pain many women go through in different work situations. The song is about a haunted woman inside of a manmade hell. Clever lyrics: graveyard full of rights gone wrong, weak from being strong. dr. jekyll, watch me hide.  dismember me. 

 

My artists offer solutions about improving the environment. Here's a new song from the Slambovian Circus of Dreams and a classic from John Hall.

Beez (I Know Where The Beez Have Gone) 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 plantlife. “the bees are in my yard, I know where the Beez Have Gone,” “Reteaching me the facts of life” “creatures great and small” chime-y, uses phrase ”yang dang doodle human race” 

   Power John Hall   male tenor, sax, yacht rock sound.  “Give me the warm power of the sun” includes wind and water power in lyrics. "take all your atomic poison power away" "everyone needs some power I'm told to shield them from the darkness and the cold, includes line about corruption” “Some may seek to take control when it’s bought and sold.”  This song was the theme song to the M.U.S.E. Concerts (Musicians United For Safe Energy) and a top 20 hit in 1979.  

A song about the end of the world:  

Armageddon Blues John Roy Zat  male vocals upbeat w/ swing energy & yodels, fiddle, "everybody's singing the armageddon blues.  anybody here know what to do?" keep the music going until... seeing that the world's gonna end, "facebook" and "brew" mentions  

Here are a few different ones that have goal setting thoughts or solutions:

Freedom Loving Heart Phoebe Legere gentle coffeehouse folk song, female voice, gentle guitar, "I got a freedom loving heart, because freedom's got a heart of it own." A gentle encounter with a lying guy, she sings, "I don't know where to start"  

Divided We Fall Bill Leverty  hard rock/classic rock, male vocals, bass, lead guitar,  divided we fall, show me the pain, let me inside. Show me the pain in your heart. And if we find common ground….United We Stand, Divided We Fall.  Song about mending fences in a way that the man wants to see inside his wounded partner’s soul..

   

 

Jann Klose - Sugar My (Official Music Video)

New Music Video by Jann Klose.  #SugarMy

Michael Veitch on PBS This Month, New Song & Lyric Video, Number 1 on Folk Radio

 

­ ­ photo of Michael and Rita Schwartz, born Rita Tepper in Vienna, Austria Photo courtesy of PBS   (Veitch is pronounced “Veech)    Michael Veitch has lots to be thankful for this season.  He’s going to be on over 400 TV PBS stations this April, is promoting a new folk radio single/lyric video “April Fools,” and is celebrating a number 1 placement on Folk radio with the song “Valentine’s Day” this past February.      Michael’s new song “April Fools” is making its way to the folk radio charts. Co-written with Judy Kass; it deals with delusional thinking. The song’s message is about how people literally fool themselves in believing things when they know better. It can be applied to any topic, from romance, personal dilemmas and battles, and world situations—anything that can be prevented.      Michael’s album WACHTRAUM (meaning “wake dream” in German and pronounced "Vock traum ") focuses on each month of the year with insights on life from romance to topical themes. WACHTRAUM is Michael’s 11th album.     In February Michael’s single “Valentine’s Day” hit number 1 and his album, “Wachtraum” hit number 16 on the Folk Alliance radio charts.     Michael and 3 other songwriters (Elizabeth Clark, Kelleigh McKenzie, and Jude Roberts) from New York’s Hudson Valley are part of a collaborative documentary “We Remember Songs from Survivors” on over 450 PBS TV stations starting April 26. They are collaborating with Holocaust survivors. The documentary will premiere the week of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. The show will broadcast again in the fall. The Online Presskit for the program is www.weremembersongsofsurvivors.com.      Michael's song “Veteran’s Day” has been covered by Judy Collins. He’s been mentored by Shawn Colvin and Bernie Sanders.   ####    "April Fools"       April Fools  Here come those April Fools again Knee deep in all their selfmade quicksand Always smiling with a shake of your hand While they try to pull the wool over on us again   The road may bring us pain There’s a cure for what remains We may be drowning in the pouring rain   Here come those April Fools again Selling their souls just like corn in the can Rolling out all the craziest plans Behind the curtain stands another straw man   Living the deluded dream Blind to what it means I’m shocked by all I’ve seen   Here come those April Fools again On the road that’s lead us to the dead end No more fooling you and fooling me The truth is clear as it will ever be   No matter what these fools believe Winter’s gonna turn to Spring Our eyes are open to the dream   ©2021 Michael Veitch (P)Burt Street Music (BMI) ©2021 Judy Kass (P)Judy Kass (BMI) All Rights Reserved