Monday, October 26, 2009
Carolina Country Rockers Win People’s Choice Honor On
New Review of Dangling Success' City Life Album
The Dangling Success is an all-instrumental smooth jazz band that maintains a steady groove throughout their recent release City Life. Rather than focusing on the negative aspects of living in the city the band’s view is one that is positive and alluring as shown on the cover. The picture invites you to a late night jazz club where you can unwind and find yourself in a place that you will want to remain.City Life is an exceptional recording in every way. The band, which consists of Mark Niekrewicz (all saxes), Gioron Wilkins, Sr. (guitar), Mike McDonough (bass), Paul Rossman (drums, percussion) and Daniel Odescalchi (keyboards) are a fine compliment to each other on all the tracks. They maintain an ideal degree of consistency through and through on this CD, enough to please any jazz listener.
“Catch The Groove” is a fine example of what this band produces on a regular basis; it serves as their poster child for the sound created on City Life. With a bevy of original material to present they veer off into cover land taking The Rolling Stones tune “Beast of Burden” and make it their own. In fact as it turns out, it is one of the best tracks on the album. While they do not offer anything new or innovative they are a solid band that can command your attention and easily rival any of their contemporaries in the genre.
With 13 strong tracks to offer up The Dangling Success does not seem to be dangling anywhere at all, they have a firm foothold on their sound, presentation, and recording process and are in position to find great success with many smooth jazz radio stations around the globe.
This CD is highly recommended listening for jazz fans and those that are looking for a nice musical getaway that will provide relaxation and many hours of enjoyment.
http://www.muzikreviews.com/reviews.php?ID=763
Arthur Adams returns with Stomp the Floor
Delta Groove's Arthur Adams shows off his signature blend of soul, sweet rhythm and blues with Stomp the Floor. Arthur Adams has been a popular mainstay of the blues scene in Los Angeles for many years. As the featured house bandleader at B.B. King's blues club in Universal City, Arthur exposed patrons night after night to his soulful blend of silky rhythm & blues combined with his searing guitar and buttery smooth vocal delivery. The Tennessee native got his start early in life at six years old singing in the church choir and later acquired his first guitar as he entered into his teens. His initial inspiration came from guitarist Howard Carroll of the American gospel group The Dixie Hummingbirds, but Arthur also displays an obvious affection and stylistic debt to the six string attack of longtime friend B.B. King.
Arthur traveled throughout the south early on in his career before eventually heading out west and settling in Los Angeles in the mid-sixties. His first album, "It's Private Tonight" released in 1972, firmly established the silky smooth vocal presence and guitar style that still comprises Arthur's signature sound of today. Over the years, Arthur's talent and versatility in the studio proved invaluable as his skills were consistently utilized for numerous recording projects for film and television, along with extensive session work that includes albums by Jimmy Smith, Nina Simone, Quincy Jones, Lowell Fulson, The Crusaders and Bonnie Raitt. In 1991, Arthur played rhythm guitar and contributed two songs, "Mean And Evil" and "Something Up My Sleeve," to B.B. King's album "There Is Always One More Time" on MCA Records. King later returned the favor appearing on Arthur's comeback release "Back On Track" in 1999.
When Randy Chortkoff established Delta Groove Music in 2004 with the label's very first effort "That Represent Man" by The Mannish Boys, Arthur was invited to appear on stage with the band at several of their live performances and was later featured as a special guest on Mitch Kashmar's debut release "Nickels & Dimes." So when Arthur approached Delta Groove about his latest project, naturally he was welcomed in with open arms. "Stomp The Floor" features Arthur Adams' signature brand of soulfully sweet rhythm & blues filled with melodic hooks, classy arrangements and impeccable songwriting, affirming once again Arthur's status and rightful place amongst the genre's most celebrated and beloved artists.
TRACK LISTING:
01. Stomp The Floor (3:35)
02. You Can't Win For Losing (3:47)
03. Don't Let The Door Hit You (4:17)
04. I Know What You Mean (4:00)
05. So Sweet (4:14)
06. You Got That Right (3:48)
07. Callin' Heaven (3:40)
08. Nature Of The Beast (3:16)
09. Thrive On Your Vibe (4:00)
10. You Are Invited (4:07)
11. Around The Sun (4:03)
12. Blue Roots (4:01)
Check out Delta Groove's Arthur Adams e-card here: http://www.deltagrooveproductions.com/music/releases/stompthefloor/ecard/
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Lita Ford Gets Wicked With Queensryche This Fall
The Queen of Heavy Metal, Lita, has teamed up with Queensryche for a fall tour that can only be described as a metal fan's ultimate musical fantasy. Instead of just hitting the road with Geoff Tate and the gang, Queensryche will also be joining Lita onstage for her entire set.
Lita will perform three songs on the tour, including her hit song, "Close My Eyes Forever," which she will duet with Geoff; as well as two new songs, "Crave," the duet with her husband Jim Gillette which debuted at #2 on metal radio and is another huge hit for Lita and "Patriotic S.O.B." with the Queensryche band backing her up.
"I'm so excited about how we're doing this tour," says Lita. "It's a really cool way to do a show. I'm looking forward to getting out there and seeing my fans again as well as meeting Queensryche's fans. It should be a real fun time for all."
There is no escaping the Wicked Wonderland that is Lita's first new album in 14 years when it drops on Oct. 6. Not only will the hardest-working woman in metal be mixing it up with Queensryche throughout October and November, but also advertisements for the new CD will be on nearly 17,000 movie theater screens nationwide during those two months. The adverts will include snippets of Wicked's wonderful ballad "Sacred" for an estimated audience of 17 million to hear.
Lita mania doesn't stop there. In January and February, it hits the friendly skies, as Delta Airlines will feature a 15-minute, three-song music and interview segment in its in-flight entertainment program. She will also be featured in Delta's acclaimed in-flight magazine, Sky. This will reach nearly 20 million passengers on 90,000 flights nationwide during the two-month campaign.
Meanwhile, don't miss Lita as Queen Rima in the video game Brutal Legend out Oct. 13 and in her first family comic book, The Gillettes: Family Business, out in November.
Queensryche with Lita Ford tour dates:
Oct. 15, Louisville, Ky., Coyotes
Oct. 16, Montgomery, Ala., Montgomery Perf. Arts Centre
Oct. 17, Pensacola, Fla., Saenger Theatre
Oct. 18, Asheville, N.C., the Orange Peel
Oct. 20, Charlotte, N.C., the Fillmore
Oct. 21, Raleigh, N.C., Lincoln Theater
Oct. 22, Philadelphia, Theatre of the Living Arts
Oct. 23, Norfolk, Va., the Norva
Oct. 24, Englewood, N.J., Bergen Performing Arts Center
Oct. 25, Westbury, N.Y., Capitol One Bank Theater
Oct. 27, Covington, Ky., Madison Theater
Oct. 28, Columbus, Ohio, Newport Music Hall
Oct. 29, Indianapolis, the Vogue
Oct. 30, Fort Wayne, Ind., Pierres
Oct. 31, St. Louis, the Pageant
Nov. 1, Joliet, Ill., Rialto Square Theatre
Nov. 2, Fargo, N.D., the Venue
Nov. 4, Missoula, Mont., Wilma Theater
Nov. 5, Spokane, Wash., Knitting Factory
Nov. 6, Boise, Idaho, Knitting Factory
Nov. 7, Stateline, Nev., Harrah's Lake Tahoe
Nov. 10, Houma, La., City Club
Nov. 11, Nashville, the Cannery
Nov. 12, Atlanta, Masquerade
Nov. 13, Jacksonville, Fla., Plush
Nov. 14, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Revolution Live
Terence Blanchard's New CD Choices Now Available On Concord Jazz
“Life is all about expansion and evolution. We make choices every day, none of which are right or wrong. They are simply choices that allow us to explore the variety of what’s before us.” -- Terence Blanchard
New Orleans, Louisiana. Choices, the new CD from three-time Grammy award winning trumpet player and composer Terence Blanchard, is set to be released August 18th on Concord Jazz. Recorded in March in Blanchard’s hometown of New Orleans at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, Choices addresses the choices we all make in life – both as a society and on a personal level. Blanchard will premiere Choices at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans on July 31st.
Accompanying Blanchard on the album are longstanding band members Fabian Almazan on piano, Derrick Hodge on bass and Kendrick Scott on drums, along with newcomer Walter Smith lll on saxophone, all of whom wrote significant track contributions to the CD as well (a complete track listing is attached to this release.) Guest artists include writer, speaker, educator and activist Dr. Cornel West, critically-acclaimed guitarist and Blanchard protégé Lionel Louke, and singer, musician and composer Bilal. West performs spoken word pieces on the album with Bilal providing vocals on several of the tracks.
Said Blanchard, “When the spoken word idea came to mind, Dr. Cornel West was the first person I thought of. I’ve always been a fan of his philosophy -- the stances he’s taken and the causes that he has championed throughout his career -- and I thought what better person could I find to put a lot of these ideas into words that can work in this particular musical situation. Bilal on the other hand is a great vocalist and while recognized more as an R&B soul singer, he is a huge fan of Jazz and is very knowledgeable when it comes to the history of music. Bilal is an extremely accomplished, creative and talented musician and it just seemed natural that he should be involved with the Choices project.”
Added Dr. West, “Choices…what kind of human being you’re going to be. How are you going to opt for a life of decency and compassion and service and love. What goes into that kind of choice. That’s the human challenge. To be part of this album is an unadulterated joy because no doubt about it, music for me is continuous of life -- to be able to live the kind of life that I live on the certain kind of Socratic calling of raising unsettling questions. To be able to be in conversation and on an album with Terence Blanchard, that’s serious business…I mean, that’s…that’s a beautiful thing.”
The Ogden Museum of Southern Art’s Patrick F. Taylor Library was chosen for the recording due to its outstanding acoustics as well as its historical importance to the city of New Orleans. The Library, completed in 1889 and a survivor of both hurricanes and decades of neglect, is the only existing building in the South designed by New Orleans native H.H. Richardson. “There couldn’t have been a more perfect place to record this project,” says Blanchard, “The Library itself is a survivor as is this city. While my last album (the Grammy-winning A Tale Of God’s Will (A Requiem For Katrina) stemmed from Katrina’s pain and destruction, Choices will be a celebration of all that has survived and more.”
Blanchard has established himself as one of the most influential jazz musicians and film score masters of his generation, a member of a jazz legacy that has shaped the contours of modern jazz today. With more than 29 albums to his credit, as a musician Blanchard is a multi-Grammy Award winner and nominee, winning earlier this year for his instrumental solo for “Be-Bop” on Live At The 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival. In addition to receiving the award, Blanchard performed live on the telecast along with other New Orleans artists including Lil’ Wayne, Allen Toussaint and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, who were all joined on-stage by singer Robin Thicke. In 2008, Blanchard also won a Grammy for his CD, A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina), a beautifully haunting and impassioned song cycle about Hurricane Katrina and the ravages incurred upon the City of New Orleans and its residents.
As a film composer, Blanchard has more than 50 scores to his credit and received a Golden Globe nomination for Spike Lee's 25th Hour. In 2008 he completed the score for Lee's Miracle at St. Anna, as well as the soundtrack for Darnell Martin’s Cadillac Records. Other film music written by Blanchard includes Kasi Lemmons' Eve's Bayou and Talk to Me, Oprah Winfrey's Their Eyes Were Watching God, Tim Story's Barbershop and Ron Shelton's Dark Blue. He is currently working on the score for George Lucas’ Red Tails and has already completed musical contributions on Disney’s The Princess and the Frog set for release this Christmas.
As Artistic Director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, which he was instrumental in relocating from Los Angeles to New Orleans, Blanchard works with students in the areas of artistic development, arranging, composition and concert programming. He also participates in master classes around the world as well as local community outreach activities in his beloved hometown of New Orleans.
The release of Choices will be accompanied by a worldwide tour featuring Terence and his band.
Visit www.terenceblanchard.com for more information.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
All Hail The Queen! - Lita Ford & Jack Black Star In Video Game, "Brutal Legend"
Already known as the Queen of Heavy Metal, Lita is adding another royal crown to her repertoire as she voices the role of the queen in the forthcoming action-adventure video game, Brütal Legend, out Oct. 13 via Double Fine Productions and Electronic Arts.
Lita joins an impressive list of contributors, such as actors Jack Black (School of Rock, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny) and Tim Curry (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), and fellow metal legends Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Halford, and Lemmy Kilmister, who all lend their voices to the game. Lita plays the role of Queen Rima, while Jack Black plays the main male role of Eddie Riggs, a roadie who is transported to a heavy metal fantasy world in which he needs to save the human race from supernatural powers by using such weapons as a Flying V guitar with magical powers.
"We go out to kick some ass," Lita recently told RollingStone.com about her character. "I get axed, electrocuted, and thrown off a second story building… and I manage to survive the whole thing!"
The game, which will be available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, also features 100 heavy metal songs, including Lita's "Betrayal" from her forthcoming new album, Wicked Wonderland, and her husband Jim Gillette's band Nitro, which contributes the track "Machine Gunn Eddie." Other artists contributing songs to the game include Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Motorhead, Motley Crue, Kiss, Ozzy Osbourne, Marilyn Manson, Ministry, Rob Zombie, Megadeth, King Diamond, Scorpions, Slayer, Anthrax, Sanctuary, Jack Black's Tenacious D, and more.
Brütal Legend, which was created by designer and Double Fine founder Tim Schafer, can be pre-ordered at www.brutallegend.com now. If you pre-order the game, you will be able to download a demo of it on the Xbox 360 Marketplace and PlayStation Network Store on Sept. 17.
Meanwhile, Wicked Wonderland is slated for release on Oct. 6 and can be pre-ordered at www.litaxx.tv.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
SwampDaWamp Release Latest CD, "Rock This Country"
Country fried rockers SwampDaWamp (pronounced swamp duh wamp) from Charlotte, NC unfold their much anticipated 3rd independent release this week (2nd full length) “Rock This Country,” available now in most major digital retail outlets and in physical form at www.SwampDaWamp.com. The album title translates perfectly the content and direction of this 12 track disc which, like the band, crosses the border between rock and country genres and clearly defines what has become the norm for this artist and its label Big Penny Entertainment. “Rock This Country,” was produced by Ken Coomer and Charlie Brocco. “Rock This Country,” is a true American blue collar album throughout and the brilliant efforts of a band that defies being branded by New York or Nashville. Together, the songs and playing skills deliver a statement from a band that truly gets what their audience wants and for a new generation of listeners to find and cling to.
“This record is an absolute evolution of the band,” says band leader Gig Michaels. I think we have captured the energy on this recording thanks to producer Ken Coomer and engineer Charlie Brocco. Working with those guys has been an incredible experience and the result is going to be the best sounding and best vibe the band has ever recorded. I am extremely proud of this record.”
Ken Coomer adds, “SwampDaWamp is big sexy! Guys wanna be them, girls wanna do them. Real Southern Rock like it should be….BIG!”
SwampDaWamp has been slugging it out all over the map for the past 5 years headlining at honkytonks, fairs, biker rallies and performing with greats like David Allen Coe, 38 Special, Confederate Railroad, Marshall Tucker and will continue to do so in the next several months in support of “Rock This Country.”
Previous recordings for the band include their debut self titled “SwampDaWamp,” released in 2006 and “Swampdawamp 2.0” EP In 2008.
SwampDaWamp features Gig Michaels/lead vox & acoustic guitar, David Lee on the drums, Keith Inman and Michael Hough on guitars, Mike Huffman on keys and Cody Bennett on bass.
For more information, music, news and tour dates for SwampDaWamp visit: WWW.SWAMPDAWAMP.COM
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