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September 30, 2005
Americana /Alt.-Country Band Kicks Off "Small Town Newspaper Tour"
Americana / Alt-Country band Swinging Steaks are celebrating the release of their new CD, "Sunday Best" by kicking off what they're calling the "Small Town Newspaper Tour."
(PRWEB) September 30, 2005 -- Bass player Paul Kochanski, states, "This is what Americana music is all about, the small towns and cities across the United States... These places are the heart and soul of Americana. We thought it would be great to give the newspapers of these towns a chance to review the CD and talk to members of the band directly, not having to rely on news service feeds or waiting until the band comes to a town near them."
A five-man band out of Massachusetts, Swinging Steaks (www.swingingsteaks.com) are among the originators of the current roots rock/ alt.country movement. Playing together for 15 years, the band has released 5 CD's (on Capricorn Records and Thrust Records) prior to "Sunday Best". The Steaks' second album, "South Side of the Sky" introduced the band to a national audience with two top ten AAA radio singles and appearances on NBC-TV's "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and NPR's "Mountain Stage". Besides headlining their own shows, the band has toured with / appeared with John Fogerty, Los Lobos, Warren Zevon, Poco, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, Paul Westerberg, The Band, Jason and the Scorchers, Hank Williams, Jr., and many, many others.
Swinging Steaks "Sunday Best" is the first CD for new label, First National Records. Distributed nationally by Redeye (www.redeyeusa.com), First National Records (www.firstnationalrecords.com)was started by indie music veteran Dave Witthaus. First National's releases are available at all traditional and on-line music retailers, and through all major download services. To listen to clips of their new CD, please go to www.swingingsteaks.com
KEYWORDS [ Swinging Steaks
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New Heavy Metal Music Portal Goes Live At Metally.net
(PRWEB) September 30, 2005 -- The Lunatic Studios have launched a new online service for heavy metal fans. The "Metal Loves You" music portal at www.metally.net provides lots of information and other exclusive content about this alternative music genre.
Coming along with a beautiful design and a logical navigation, the Metal Loves You portal does provide fans of metal music with a wide variety of features, for example the complete band and artist database at http://www.metally.net/bandlist.htm that contains detailed album discographies of over 300 different heavy metal, death metal and trash metal bands.You can also find a complete lyrics archive with over 100,000 song texts at http://www.metally.net/metal_lyrics/lyrics.htm or download some of the newest live videos and music videos at http://www.metally.net/videos.htm.
"Our goal for http://www.metally.net was to bundle all the information available about this awesome kind of music at one central place and make them easily accessible for everyone. I think we really archived that with this site," said Thomas Höfter, the owner of the Lunatic Studios and the first man behind the Metal Loves You project. "Another of our aims was, not to just copy one of the existing sites about heavy metal. We wanted to create something fresh and unique instead," Höfter adds.
Visitors to the Metal Loves You portal do also get access to exclusive content, like many free MP3 samples and official band font downloads. Constantly updated news for everything that happens in the metal scene and a growing number of album reviews are available, too.
Mr. Höfter invites every fan of heavy metal music and everyone else who would like to learn more about this interesting music genre to visit the Metal Loves You portal at http://www.metally.net and check out some of it's many features.
KEYWORDS [ Metal
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September 29, 2005
U.K. Singer / Songwriter Richard Hingley Joins the Podcasting Revolution
After a successful launch of his website www.richardhingley.com, U.K. singer / songwriter Richard Hingley is set to join the podcasting revolution from October 1st 2005 with the launch of "podcasting @richard hingley.com".
London U.K. (PRWEB) September 29, 2005 -- After a successful launch of his website www.richardhingley.com, U.K. singer / songwriter Richard Hingley is set to join the podcasting revolution from October 1st 2005 with the launch of "podcasting @richard hingley.com".
Podcasting is a method of publishing audio broadcasts via the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a feed of new files (usually MP3's). It has become increasingly popular recently largely due to automatic downloading of audio onto portable players or personal computers, in particular from the iTunes music store. The word "Podcasting" is a portmanteau word that combines the words "broadcasting" and "iPod."
"It seemed an obvious next step in directly communicating with my audience, in creating a monthly or maybe even weekely radio style news broadcasts for users, or should I say listeners, Now I can get the exact message and tone out to this new audience", Hingley commented, "I am extremely excited at the prospect of being my own DJ and creating hopefully interesting audio news casts, special events and interviews that will educate as well as entertain, being listed on the podcast section of the iTunes music store amongst others makes it very easy for people to find and subscribe to this podcast feed".
Podcasting is distinct from other types of online media delivery because of its subscription model, which uses a feed (such as RSS or Atom) to deliver an enclosed file. Podcasting enables independent artists and producers such as Hingley to create self-published, syndicated "radio shows,". Listeners may subscribe to feeds using "podcatching" software (a type of aggregator), which periodically checks for and downloads new content automatically. Some podcatching software is also able to synchronise (copy) podcasts to portable music players. Any digital audio player or computer with audio-playing software can play podcasts.
To subscribe to this podcast simply add the following feed to your podcast software:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Podcastingrichardhingleycom
KEYWORD [ MP3 Player
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DigitalSoundboard.net Announces New Podcasting Service
DigitalSoundboard.net, a leading live musical performance recording download site, announces the company’s new Podcast service.
Emerson, NJ (PRWEB) September 29, 2005 -- DigitalSoundboard.net, a leading online music download store selling live performance recordings via downloads, announced that the company has launched a new Podcasting service. DigitalSoundboard’s Podcasts feature select full-length tracks from the website’s newest releases.
The Podcast service follows closely on the heels of the company’s addition of RSS feeds which provide customers with up-to-the-minute announcements on new releases as they are made available at the DigitalSoundboard.net download store.
DigitalSoundboard’s new Podcast service provides consumers with the ability to freely sample artists' music they may not be familiar with prior to making a live performance recording download purchase. Additionally, the company’s new Podcast service provides DigitalSoundboard.net’s Artist partners with a new way of introducing their live sound to potential new fans on a cost-free basis.
“It’s fairly common knowledge that terrestrial radio is playing content that interests roughly 10 percent of people. Artists outside of terrestrial radio’s mainstream programming struggle to get their music heard by the masses. DigitalSoundboard.net’s Podcasting service knocks down barriers for public access to our artist partners' music,” states Dave Morrison, Co-founder of DigitalSoundboard, Inc. Morrison continues, “We are thrilled to offer this new service for our Artist partners. We view Podcasting as another value-added marketing service that DigitalSoundboard.net brings to all our Artist relationships. Podcasting is proving to be a cost-efficient way of marketing our Artist partners music and driving additional download sales of their music.”
About Podcasting
Podcasting is a method of publishing audio broadcasts via the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a feed of new audio files. DigitalSoundboard.net provides Podcast content in MP3 format, which will play on any computer or portable MP3 compatible player.
Podcasting is very distinct from other types of online media delivery because of its subscription model, which at DigitalSoundboard.net uses an RSS feed to deliver an enclosed file. Listeners may subscribe to feeds using "podcatching" software, which periodically checks for and downloads new content automatically. Some podcatching software is also able to synchronize (copy) Podcasts to portable music players. Any digital audio player or computer with audio-playing software can play Podcasts.
About DigitalSoundboard, Inc.
DigitalSoundboard.net launched their music download service in 2003 and is headquartered in Emerson, NJ. The company’s download store features complete live performance recordings for paid downloads.
To date, DigitalSoundboard has amassed a catalog of over three hundred and fifty live performance recordings from more than fifty Artists. In addition, DigitalSoundboard.net presently is the only download store in the world that offers customers the ability to purchase and download music in super high fidelity 24-bit resolution (DVD quality).
DigitalSoundboard, Inc. is a privately held New Jersey corporation.
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Music Lessons Can Improve Children's Performance in School
Music lessons have been shown to improve children's performance in school. After eight months of keyboard lessons, preschoolers tested showed a 46% boost in their spatial IQ, which is crucial for higher brain functions such as complex mathematics. Frances Rauschrer, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine.
(PRWEB) September 28, 2005 -- The North Shore Women's Journal, http://www.nswj.com October issue reports: The speed at which one learns something is different for different people. Lessons for your child helps increase the speed at which he learns. You're a parent, trying to help your child become a better student in school. Music will increase the speed at which your child can solve problems because learning how to play an instrument makes your child think and helps them to be more coordinated. While learning an instrument, your child uses the same abstract reasoning skills that he uses in mathematics.
"I remember as a child in grade school, playing London Bridge with my classmates as our music teacher played the piano and sang with us." Said Bob Wolfman founder of Wolfman School of Music and online guitar lessons at, http://www.wolfmans.com. "The timing of our movements, joining hands, walking under raised arms, turning, then falling down, and then starting up again was all in cadence with the music." "It was all about the music. Tempo, rhythm, form and structure determined our movements, and we learned to sing the melody accentuating the "All Fall Down!" part, of course."
Through music children can connect their outer environment (the world of movement and sound) with the inner world of feelings and observations. Playing games or moving to music is a powerful first experience in the artistic process. Children learn music the same way they learn language--by listening and imitating. It's this process of listening and imitating that promotes a child's ability to express and articulate thoughts and perceptions.
Learning to play an instrument involves the use of both hands, in which finger play definitely promotes language development, fine-motor skills, and coordination, as well as self-esteem. Young children feel proud when they sing a song and can do the accompanying finger movements. It's always very gratifying for me to see a huge smile come over a child's face when he or she is able to play a melody or phrase they didn't think they could get. Then Voila! The child realizes "Hey, I did it once, so I can do it again!"
Listening to music also teaches important prereading skills. When children learn to strum on the guitar, or play their first chords on the piano, they can play the rhythmic pattern of words. They learn to differentiate between a fast and slow tempo, changes in volume with the music getting louder or softer, and instruments played one at a time and together, etc. When they try new instruments, they notice how each new sound changes the music.
Students of music and other arts continue to outperform their non-arts peers on the SAT, according to reports by the College Entrance Examination Board. As a whole, in 1995, SAT-takers with experience in music . . . scored 51 points higher on the verbal portion of the test, and 39 points higher on the math portion, as compared to students with no experience. And longer arts study means higher SAT scores: in 1990, those who had studied the arts four or more years scored 59 points higher on the verbal and 44 points higher in the math portion, than students with no experience in the arts.
Music lessons have been shown to improve children's performance in school. After eight months of keyboard lessons, preschoolers tested showed a 46% boost in their spatial IQ, which is crucial for higher brain functions such as complex mathematics. Frances Rauschrer, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine.
Wolfman School of Music offers private and group music lessons and also recently introduced an online Guitar course at http://www.wolfmans.com
Bob Wolfman was born and raised in New York City. He began playing guitar at age 11, performing at the age of 13. While in High School at age 15, Bob began doing pro recording studio work as a session player in Manhattan with some of the biggest names in the music industry. At 17 he began touring all over the world with many top name artists in the Rock, Blues and Jazz genres.
Bob has performed/recorded with such greats as keyboard genius Chick Corea, the founding father of Jazz/Fusion guitar, Larry Coryell, and sax legend Grover Washington.
Bob Wolfman has a degree in Performance from the esteemed Berklee College of Music with over two years in Music Education. He is also the founder of Wolfman's School Of Music, originally in Arlington, Massachussetts, one of the most respected and ubiquitous names in the Boston area for music instruction and he is the founder of the popular online Guitar course offered at www.wolfmans.com.
Wolfman school of music offers the very best in high quality music instruction with private and group instruction for guitar and bass, and private lessons for drums and keyboard. For questions contact Bob Wolfman at 978-887-0216 or visit him
On the web: www.wolfmans.com
To learn more about this and also read other interesting articles go to http://www.nswj.com.
The Women’s Journal Newspapers (http://www.nswj.com) are rated the #1 Educational Newspaper in the United States. The Women’s Journal seeks to educate readers as well as provide objective opinions. Each of our national, award-winning Women’s Newspapers™ is an informative, objective and educational local resource for the community. Published six times a year, both in print and online, The North Shore Women's Journal and NSWJ.com, serves readers with the professional best in local businesses by providing valued information in a wide variety of special columns and features.
Smart news for women, http://www.nswj.com.
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Classic Rock Journalist Steven Rosen to Auction Historical Interview Tapes
Steven Rosen, music journalist veteran, is auctioning his personally taped interviews with some of rock's greatest musicians in The Spotlight Auction hosted by Backstage Auctions.
Houston, TX (PR WEB) September 28, 2005 -- Backstage Auctions is proud to present for the very first time a collection of unique and one of a kind rock collectibles in “The Spotlight Auction” set to start October 16th. The auction features a group of renowned music industry professionals who have spent their career behind the scenes. One of these professionals is Steven Rosen, a music journalist with a career spanning over twenty-five years.
Steven Rosen, whose work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Guitar Player, US, Playboy, Creem and a myriad of others, has opened his private library and selected over 160 cassette tapes containing interviews with some of the most notable classic rock musicians and performers.
“The interview tapes being offered in “The Spotlight Auction” are the actual unscripted and spontaneous conversations with some of rock's greatest icons. It is not every day that a fan or collector can own a recorded interview with Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons, Todd Rundgren, Eddie Van Halen or Paul Rodgers, just to name a few,” explains Backstage Auctions founder Jacques van Gool.
Rosen has amassed not only a journalistic library but truly a collection that has historically documented the unscripted thoughts of some of rock's greatest legends. “For a long time I protected this collection, isolating these rare moments I shared with these denizens of rock's dark and delightful menagerie. But now I am ready to share my archives with collectors who will preserve the historical value of these tapes,” explains Rosen.
The auction, also featuring the collections of music industry photographers James Fortune and Billy Tompkins, and lighting and stage designer Bill McManus, will be held online at www.backstageauctions.com. The auction will start on October 16th and will run for one week.
Backstage Auctions is a leading online auction company specializing in classic rock memorabilia direct from the private collections of music industry professionals. Founded on the principles of combining their client's career achievements and popularity with the demand and interest of collectors and fans who desire truly authentic and unique collectibles, Backstage Auctions is the place where rock legends live on.
For additional information go to: www.backstageauctions.com
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Seven Up-And-Coming Female Musicians Selected to Perform at GoGirlsMusicFest - Milwaukee
GoGirlsMusicFest – Milwaukee to Donate all Proceeds to The Lynne Cohen Foundation for Ovarian Cancer Research
Milwaukee, WI (PRWEB) September 28, 2005 -- GoGirlsMusic.com and Buzz Communications, LLC have again teamed up to present GoGirlsMusicFest – Milwaukee, one of thirteen concerts celebrating women in music across the country.
All GoGirlsMusicFest shows have been scheduled to take place throughout the month of October with the one in Milwaukee happening on Saturday, October 8 at the historic Miramar Theatre; cover is $7. The first 100 patrons will receive a commemorative GoGirlsMusicFest 2005 CD with their paid admission.
“This is the fourth GoGirlsMusicFest event that we've coordinated,” said Andrea Hubbert of Buzz Communications, LLC, “and each year we become more and more amazed by the generosity and talent of the performers. But, then again, we already knew that chicks rock!”
This year's fest will feature the music of seven distinctly different female-led artists, including several performers from the Milwaukee chapter of the Chick Singer Night series.
Confirmed performers are:
Julie Moffitt
Rooted in jazz, blues and classic rock, Moffitt's debut album has been described as Sheryl Crow meets Fiona Apple - sultry chick rock. Musical memoirs expressed through piano, guitar and especially her memorably powerful voice, her current CD, “everything I never asked for,” is a collection of original music that captures the uncertainty of life and the emotions of change; at turns melancholy or optimistic, but always reflective and honest.
Carmen Nickerson
Nickerson, a professional vocalist, musician and songwriter, has considerable stage and studio experience. She has written and recorded songs for Virgin Publishing with staff writers The Williams Brothers and also worked as a session singer for Hollywood Records. Nickerson is also one of Hal Leonard Publishing's primary vocalists for their Female Pro-Vocalist Instructional Series.
OVADYA
OVADYA is a new adventure in music. Their current release, "Driftless," can be described as original, neo-psychedelic, world & jazz-influenced rock: Mideast/Celtic/modal textures. From Oud to neo-metal and trance, electric violin to some seriously fly guitar; their Balkan style harmonies and gut wrenching rock unexpectedly takes listeners on an eclectic yet infectiously fun ride.
The six diverse members of OVADYA construct an addictive sound appealing to an audience that appreciates the musical styling of Bela Fleck, Hassan Erraji, Alice in Chains, System of a Down, Phil Keaggy and, yes, Tuvan Throat Singing.
Sunspot
If members of Cheap Trick, Husker Du and Van Halen ever decided to form a new group you can bet it would sound a lot like modern-rockers Sunspot, a raw blend of massive hooks with explosive lead guitars, three-part harmonies with smart lyrics, and visceral energy with take-no-prisoners honesty; their music is designed to make you think, feel, and believe in the power of rock n' roll.
In April of this year, the Wisconsin Area Music Industry bestowed top honors on Sunspot when they were named Group of the Year. This award comes fast on the heels of their 2004 Madison Area Music Association's award of “Loser of the Year” as Best Rock Album.
Alaria Taylor
The 2004 release of Taylor's “Unfinished Business” has been welcomed with remarkable response from fans and critics alike. In the 2004 Billboard Magazine World Songwriting Contest, she picked up honorable mentions in the pop category for “Patiently,” “One Hour a Day” and “Unfinished Business.” Songwriters of Wisconsin, International bestowed four additional awards upon her, including first place finishes for “Patiently” as Rock/Pop Song of the Year and Folk Song of the Year and “This Isn't What I Ordered” as Novelty Song of the Year. 2005 WAMI CD of the Year & Song of the Year nominations capped off a fantastic year.
Taylor is the director of Chick Singer Night - Milwaukee. CSN is the largest and longest running female singer showcase in America. She is also one of the featured artists on the commemorative GoGirlsMusicFest 2005 compilation CDs.
Victoria Vox:
She may not have had much of an audience as a budding performer while growing up in small-town Wisconsin, but that didn't stop her. From the moment she wrote her first "dance hit" on a Casio keyboard in her bedroom at the tender age of ten – eleven prophetic years before actually receiving a degree in songwriting from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston – Vox knew she was hooked.
Seventeen-year-old singing sensation Grace Weber will also perform.
All proceeds from this event, as well as the twelve others across the country, will be donated to The Lynne Cohen Foundation for Ovarian Cancer Research.
Local event organizers have also agreed that a separate donation opportunity will be available to continue raising funds for to continue assisting the victims of Hurricane Katrina and their families.
For more information on the 2005 GoGirlsMusicFest, please visit www.gogirlsmusicfest.com.
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Girl Power Pop Superhero, Cookie Cutter Girl, Makes International TV Debut
Portland, ME (PRWEB) September 28, 2005 -- "Cookie Cutter Girl," a.k.a. Lynn JULIAN, is a Superhero for *our* times who packs her "Girl Power POP" with a PUNCH! "Cutter" is freeing women everywhere from the mold in which society has held them captive. Are *you* a "cookie cutter" girl... or did you "break the mold?" Julian layers FUN LYRICS over POWER POP MELODIES that will be STUCK IN YOUR HEAD for hours. Look out boys ... this is Guitar Rock with GIRL POWER is on over 500 TV & Radio stations! Hear it today at: http://www.CookieCutterGirl.com
Evolving Artists Television is proud to feature Cookie Cutter Girl and her band, Spirit of Sunday, live in concert, performing her hit single "Get the Picture," along with 4 other songs from her new CD, "Cookie Cutter Girl." EATV is seen in 12 countries, and this will be the Girl Power Icon's International TV debut.
You can catch Lynn JULIAN a.k.a. Cookie Cutter Girl performing in venues across New England and her CD "Cookie Cutter Girl" is getting rave reviews and lots of radio play. Julian's goal is to harness her Girl Power to help women help themselves. She preaches "strength through unity, not competition." "Cutter" is a "Girl Power Superhero for *our* times here to spread the word: Sisters *are* doin' it for themselves! No longer need you wait for a white knight, in shining armour, on a high horse, of course, to come rescue you from the dangers of the world. STOP what you are doing... LOOK within yourself... LISTEN to your heart... Be your own hero and save yourself. *You* have the power... THE GIRL POWER!"
Julian's Power Pop CD, "Cookie Cutter Girl," is self released through her record label, "Cookie Cutter Records," and her publishing company, "Cookie Cutter Publishing." Spending 12 hours each day researching promotional ideas, she is a perfect example of an independent artist, that has branded herself and is motivated to sell her own merchandise. The radio singles from "Cookie Cutter Girl" are currently receiving airplay on over 500 TV & radio stations internationally. Hear them today at: http://www.CookieCutterGirl.com
KEYWORDS [ Girl Power
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Saul Davis-Zlatkovsky receives ASCAP award, named Harp Forum Editor of American String Teacher magazine
Saul Davis-Zlatkovsky, Philadelphia harpist-composer received an ASCAP award recognizing the prestige value and performances of his compositions. He was recently appointed Harp Forum Editor of American String Teacher magazine. His music was performed at the Curtis Institute of Music and the American Harp Society National Conference held at the University of Pennsylvania in Irvine Auditorium.
PHILADELPHIA (PRWEB) September 28, 2005 -- Saul Davis-Zlatkovsky, harpist-composer, has received an ASCAP award, annually given to serious-music composing members for “prestige value” and performances of their work.
Mr. Davis-Zlatkovsky’s works were performed in Philadelphia at the Curtis Institute of Music and the National Conference of the American Harp Society in Irvine Auditorium at the University of Pennsylvania, in 2004. He was recently appointed Harp Forum Editor for American String Teacher, the national publication of the American String Teachers Association. He is also Harp Editor for String Notes, the Minnesota chapter publication which received ASTA’s national award for best publication. He recently performed an acclaimed solo recital in remembrance of his teacher, Lucile Lawrence, for the American Harp Society’s Philadephia Chapter. He was commissioned by the Simpson-Flanagan Harp Duo to arrange for them the Mozart Flute and Harp Concerto as a Flute and Harp Duo Concerto.
Musical compositions by Mr. Davis-Zlatkovsky which were performed were Suite Provencal for Harp Duo, a seven-movement work; and American Pictures: Prairie Night, a harp solo. The Suite was premiered by Sonja Wangensteen and Piper Runnion-Bareford of the Curtis Institute of Music, and Prairie Night was premiered by Emily Halpern-Lewis, harp faculty member of Boston University and MIT.
Mr. Davis-Zlatkovsky has been a resident of Philadelphia since 1994. He performs regularly in recital, has performed with area ensembles including the Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and the Presbyterian Churches of Doylestown, Wilmington, Haddonfield, and others. He has a duo, Aeolian Harps Concert Harp Duo with harpist Virginia Flanagan.
Mr. Davis-Zlatkovsky contributes to several publications, including Philadelphia Music Makers for which he is a board member, String Notes for which he is Harp Editor, American Harp Journal, and American String Teacher for which he is Harp Forum Editor. He maintains a website, sauldavis.com, which has an updated version presently on view at ganeydn.com/dacosta, which includes full-length biographies, a photo gallery and lists of works.
ASCAP is the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, America’s oldest music licensing organization. American String Teachers Association is a membership organization for teachers of string instruments: violin, viola, cello, bass, and harp.
QUOTES:
“I am very pleased by this recognition of my work. Being a composer of mostly harp music, I didn’t expect to be noticed by mainstream organizations or established colleagues. My next goal is the publication of my music, to meet the existing demand for copies. I strive for my music to stand on its own merits, not as music by a harpist, but as music by a serious composer, who happens to play the harp and know how to write for it. It must be very difficult to write well for the harp considering how relatively few composers have managed to do it well over the years.”
“I work to incorporate the best traditions in harp music, the best elements of old and modern music, and to write the kind of music we don’t already have in our harp literature. I have written many works already, and hope to continue to have the time to write many more. Although I enjoy copying my music, I would much rather have the time to spend writing something new. I seem to find ideas everywhere.”
“I have always thought of, rather than studying and building a composing “technique” and discipline, to instead cultivate the connection to inspiration, to the mysterious source of music within, and encourage its flow in all circumstances. Apart from my harp teachers and mentors, my main muse was the ballerina Nina Stroganova, who opened something in me artistically that had been dormant or nonexistent before I knew her, along with the danseurs Vladimir Dokoudovsky and Kenneth MacKenzie. I am also inspired by my father, Lionel Davis, who is a musician and composer, who studied at the University of Minnesota.”
“I feel the need to create beauty, to pleasure the audience, and move them as well. I always try to give my music a sense of spine, to connect all the notes with a vital relationship to each other, with a sense of inevitability, and always seek to refresh the listener’s ear with rich coloring or unexpected harmony. I have utilized modal elements in many pieces, and am continually seeking the most natural expression for the harp’s voice. I have branched out into writing art songs for voices and harp, and chamber music. I recently composed a piece called “Portrait in Rhapsody” for trombone and harp, as a musical portrait of the Philadelphia Orchestra’s principal trombonist, Nitzan Har-Oz. I like the idea of capturing something of a person in music, as well as a mood or a place. I have a series of pieces called American Pictures, each one of which is depicting a place or kind of place. I have composed thus far Prairie Night, Prairie Morning and Prairie Wind; and Colrain Meadow in this series. I also love to compose settings for folksongs, which I consider original compositions as they take as much time and thought as any new piece, if not more. I have set at least 85 French folk songs, 8 or so American, and about 5 Sephardic songs, so far. I intend to continue to perform recitals as much as possible, but it is sometimes hard to find enough time to prepare.”
“People always ask me, ‘why don’t I perform my own music?’ I try to tell them, the composing process isn’t complete until I can hear someone else play my music. That way I know how well I have been able to communicate my idea to them, and if it needs any revisions. The purpose of composing is to provide others with music, not myself. As a performer, I need the interchange with the composer of the music, with my own music it is just myself, and I have already spent the time composing the music, so I have less desire to practice it, as it becomes more purely a physical routine, or perhaps I am a little scared of it. Also, I am continually tempted to revise a piece, so that makes it extremely difficult to say it is finally done. My pieces need some time to age as part of the process, so many of them are too new to perform, and the oldest ones don’t represent me quite as well it seems.”
“I was very pleased to have my music performed at the Curtis Institute, as it was where my teacher began her career as a teacher, alongside the great Carlos Salzedo, who is my constant source of guidance. The harp instructor, the great harpist Judy Loman, was very helpful in my music preparation, and the students, Piper Runnion-Bareford and Sonja Wangensteen gave very generously of their time, energy, and talent. The richness of the musical atmosphere in Curtis nurtures me, even though I have never been a student there. I also loved hearing my music in Irvine Auditorium, which is a magnificent concert hall.”
“I was fortunate to have met and known Edna Phillips Rosenbaum, the great Philadelphia harpist and philanthropist. I was able to give her a private performance in her residence at Cathedral Village, and she was the most inspiring audience I have ever had. She was very supportive and a richly interesting person. I was pleased to write about her for Philadelphia Music Makers and the American Harp Journal.”
“I am very proud to be a board member for Philadelphia Music Makers magazine, Philadelphia’s only publication solely devoted to classical music, and one of the few of its kind anywhere. I serve in an advisory capacity, and did so in the first two years or so of its publication, and have now returned to serve again. It is growing steadily and finding steady support and readership. I think it is of the utmost importance to have publications devoted to classical music, and it is significant to note that it is a new publication in a time when so many are ending. I hope to see it become a model for similar publications elsewhere, or to even become a national publication. It certainly is a vehicle for the rest of the world to know about the important music activities taking place in Philadelphia.”
“Having lived in New York City for thirteen years, and in Philadelphia for more than ten, I feel qualified to say that as a whole, Philadelphia values its classical music much more, and it provides a more fertile environment. I hope the classical music world here will continue to grow and to prosper. I was very happy to see the success of our group effort to save and preserve the Boyd Theater, Philadelphia's only movie palace in Center City, which I was involved with from the very beginning.."
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Post-prog Metal Ruby Bullet Has "Nothing Left to Bleed On"
Trio loses guitar player, releases debut album for free download.
New York, NY (PRWEB) September 28, 2005 -- Melodic, post-prog metal trio Ruby Bullet has released their debut album "Nothing Left to Bleed on". The album is available for free download through www.rubybullet.com.
The release came less than a week after guitarist Josh Rivel announced his departure from the project.
For the remaining members, releasing the album for free was an instictual choice. "This took everything we had to make," says bassist/vocalist Suzanne Sterne. "I think we made a really great record and I want as many people to hear it as possible."
The eight track debut was recorded and mixed with Grammy-winning engineer and producer Jason Corsaro (Soundgarden, Motorhead) and features original cover artwork by Amanda Keeys.
And what about not being able perform live to support the record? "The band has been Pete (Vassil, drummer) and I from the beginning," says Sterne. "I'm positive we'll be able to fill the position with the right player very soon."
Sterne and Vassil are currently auditioning guitar players in their New York City studio.
"Nothing Left to Bleed on" is available for download through www.rubybullet.com.
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September 28, 2005
J.Juice releases Johnny B Good Gospel Rap CD
Would You Let Your Kids Listen to This?
J.Juice has released his second CD entitled "Johnny B Good," that will make you walk away feeling empowered and encouraged to shift gears.
(PRWEB) September 23, 2005 -- J. Juice, an up and coming gospel rapper has released his second CD entitled “Johnny B Good”, under his record label, Juicy Records. When asked how he feels about the new album, he commented, “I have Shifted Gears on the new album. I believe that listeners will walk away feeling empowered, inspired, and encouraged to Shift Gears as well.” The CD is packed with positive messages for today’s youth. The first single, “I’m Shifting Gears” will encourage you to spend more time with God. The first single also includes a video directed by J. Juice, show casing several of today’s youth. This video is family oriented and can be enjoyed by the whole family. The second single from the album is “Fire.” It will help today’s youth understand that no matter what you are going through in life, with God on your side, you can do all things. Another song on the album entitled “Run and Tell” helps people to understand that God is a forgiving God. No matter what lays behind in your past, once you accept Christ as your savior, it is buried in a sea of forgetfulness, never to be thought of again. You may be asking yourself, what makes this CD different from any other hip hop/rap CD out there? The answer is simple, J. Juice offers music that is comparable to the secular music market that today’s youth is listening to. Instead of all the negative messages that parents are concerned about their children hearing. J.Juice is offering positive messages that parents are happy to let their children hear. The music still has those catchy hooks and strong beats that attracts today’s youth. In addition, the CD has bonus tracks by J.Juices’ newest group “The Compound.” You are sure to be blessed by their powerful lyrics. Now is the time for you to spread the word to your audience.
For more information visit www.jjuice.com or www.cdbaby.com/jjuice2.
KEYWORDS [ Gospel Rap
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September 27, 2005
A Disgusted KISS Army Puts Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Notice
Fans of the makeup-wearing rock legends KISS announce plans to protest at the Hall of Fame in Cleveland in response to repeated omission of KISS on the Hall's ballots.
(PRWEB) September 27, 2005 -- In response to the announcement of the finalists for this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions, fans of rock group KISS have issued a warning to the Hall: “We're sending in our forces.”
Known as the KISS Army, fans of the make-up wearing, blood-spitting icons say they are tired of the lack of respect given to the 70s icons who are still playing to packed stadiums 30 years after their creation.
“KISS has been America's number one gold record award winning group of all time,” says rally chairman Paul Carpenter. “Look at their impact on the music industry! Artists from Lenny Kravitz to Garth Brooks have said on record that KISS were the most influential musicians in their lives. The fact that year after year the Hall has failed to place KISS on its list of finalists is not just an oversight but a disgrace.”
According to rally co-chair Joe Apple, KISS fans from all around the world are already making plans to converge on the Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland on August 4, 2006 to tell the Hall and the world that KISS deserves a place of honor among the legends of rock & roll. “The KISS Army formed as a grassroots movement by a teenager in Indiana 30 years ago,” says Apple. “We're going to mobilize the generations of KISS fans who have enlisted over the years to make this an event the entertainment world will never forget.” KEYWORDS [ Kiss Alive!
Information about the rally is available at:
http://www.geocities.com/KISSHallofFame
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AUTOLECT: Eclectic Hip Hop album "Every Mans Universe"
Northern, California Official Release date: Nov. 15th 2005
(PRWEB) September 27, 2005 -- Autolect maintains the conscious line of hip-hop, with a more lyrically “heady” touch. The self-professed “Native Tongue Baby” is a rare artist who produces and writes his own material. Resembling his counterparts Mf Doom and Madlib.
“Every Mans Universe
With the success of Kanye West, Mos Def, Talib & Common. Hip-Hop's demand for a conscious message is here.
As "usephasan" from 1998-2003, Autolect received recognition in spots as far away as France, Switzerland, Germany and Japan. His work with producers Dj Shadow, Ralph M, Fanatik, Amani K. Smith and Pomo of Blend Crafters gives Autolect the vantage point. KEYWORDS [ AUTOLECT
Posted by BIGBAER at 09:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
From Motley Crue to Infant Calm: Stay-at-Home Dad Creates Relief For Exhausted Babies and Parents With ‘Infant Calm’ CD
Former music industry executive-turned-stay-at-home dad Michael Preston has created a “white noise” CD to help colicky babies relax into sleep. UrbanBaby Daily wrote, “No need to run the vacuum cleaner every night to get the baby to blow zzz’s: ‘Infant Calm’ is a collection of six household sounds that will calm colicky or fussy babies and help them fall asleep. Some of the hit tracks? How ‘bout ‘Washing Machine Purr’ or ‘Vacuum Cleaner Waltz’ for starters?” [PRWEB Sep 27, 2005]LOS ANGELES, CA (PRWEB) September 27, 2005 -- National retailers are waking up to discover their customers eagerly toting home copies of ‘Infant Calm’ (PRE Records, $9.99) to lull their offspring into a peaceful night’s sleep.
Michael Preston spent fifteen years in the music industry, as director of A & R for Beyond Music and executive producer for the likes of Motley Crue, but his ultimate challenge came when he took on the role of stay-at-home dad to baby Faye. Out of Faye's severe case of colic and Michael's severe case of being at his wit's end was born ‘Infant Calm,’ a collection of “white noise” sounds from vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, washing machines, etc
Encouraged by his wife, Jocelyn, Michael Preston had quit his job in the music industry with an eye to starting his own company while caring for their infant daughter, Faye. The early stages of stay-at-home fatherhood presented the typical quota of sleeplessness until Faye was three weeks old, when colic set in with a vengeance and Faye began screaming uncontrollably for hours at a time. In a moment of “not so quiet” desperation, sometime around 3 a.m., Preston turned on the oven fan. To everyone’s relief, Faye stopped crying and drifted off to sleep, as did her amazed and grateful father. The same scenario played out four days later, when Mom was getting ready for work to the accompaniment of violent crying. Jocelyn turned on the hair dryer and, presto! Instant relief. To expedite this solution, Dad created a CD of these soothing sounds, ready to pop in when the need arose.
A new era of peace reigned in the Preston household. Michael, who had executive produced several well-received albums, including ‘Motley Crue Live’ and ‘Swing This, Baby!’, now had time and energy to put his talents to work creating a new record label, PRE Records. His first release, featuring the soothing household sounds that made it all possible: ‘Infant Calm.’ Says Preston, “The great thing about ‘Infant Calm’ is that it is a truly timeless record. To be able to say that about my first CD is really gratifying.”
Preston decided to use direct marketing to retail outlets, eschewing the traditional route through a record distributor. There were many challenges, but persistence and hard work paid off. ‘Infant Calm’ is now available at Babies R Us, Walmart.com, buybuyBABY, specialty stores, and online at www.prerecords.com.
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D'Angelo got Naked for Voodoo, now after Hummer Crash can we expect more of the same?
D'Angelo who once sang naked for his curiously titled song and video, Untitled (How Does It Feel), said he is ready to continue working on his upcoming album after a car crash left him hospitalized for two days. After capturing two Grammy Awards in 2001, one for best male R&B vocal performance for "Untitled (How Does It Feel)," and the second for his album "Voodoo", D'Angelo had largely faded from the public eye with the exception of several relatively minor drug and alcohol arrests.
D'Angelo, 31, born Michael Eugene Archer, was a passenger in a 2003 Hummer on Sept. 19 when it crossed the roadway and struck a fence ejecting the R&B singer from the vehicle. He was not wearing a seat restraint when the accident occured.
Originally listed in critical condition, D'Angelo suffered only bruises from the crash. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
KEYWORDS [ D'Angelo
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September 26, 2005
Alternative Band The Reach Introduce the World’s First Interactive Album
Press Release - September 26, 2005 The Reach, a New York based alternative band, will become pioneers this week as they embark on a revolutionary experiment: to involve the entire internet community in the recording process. Craig Miller (guitars, vocals)and Tommy Watts (drums) have recorded two albums with The Reach, but for their newest recording, Watts and Miller have something very different in mind.
As The Reach continues preparations for their third album, every song fragment, demo, unfinished lyric, and studio outtake will be published online via weekly blog and podcast entries posted on the Internet. Additionally, Watts and Miller plan to invite public suggestion, allowing anyone to participate in the creation of the final album. “We’re trying to turn the process of making an album into a more interactive experience,” says Miller. “Most bands wait years after a record comes out to release all the little demos, song snippets, and outtakes that lead up to the final product. We’re going to post all that stuff immediately, as it happens, and invite listeners to not only hear the record being made but to participate in the whole process.”
After listening to each podcast, listeners will be invited to discuss what they’ve heard on The Reach’sblog/web forum and to post any comments or suggestions they have for the direction of the song. “If you think we need a French horn solo in the bridge of Song 12, let us know.” Says Miller, “If you’ve got an idea for some lyrics, post it to the blog. We just might use it.” Although Miller and Watts reserve the right to use only those ideas they like, they are excited to see what kinds of innovative suggestions listeners might donate.
The first podcast was posted on August 1, 2005. Subscription information and links to the blog/forum are available at www.thereachnyc.com/podcast.html
Formed in 1994 in Dallas, TX, The Reach began as an alternative rock trio playing throughout the Southwest, and drawing comparisons to R.E.M. and The Cure among others. The highlight of this period was the recording of their debut album, Closer, with veteran Dallas, TX producer Keith Rust. The albums lush yet intense blend of guitars and drums paired with Miller’s unique yet familiar vocal style garnered the band a devoted regional following and substantial airplay. Unfortunately, the band was forced to quit playing live when Miller moved to Atlanta in 1998.
However, encouraged by the popularity of their music from fans on the Internet, guitarist/vocalist Craig Miller and drummer Tommy Watts reconvened in 2003 to record their critically acclaimed album: LIFT. “Amplifier Magazine” hailed Miller as “a top rate vocalist” while “Music Connection Magazine” gave LIFT 7 out of 10 stars and praised the band’s“prodigious musicianship.” The Reach is currently writing material for a third album, with a tentative release planned for winter of 2005.
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