Growing up on the Islands off the BC coast, Barney Franklin didn't choose music as a career until relatively late in life. Though he'd played in a variety of groups as a teen and his early 20's, developing a song-writing partnership with high school chum Gary Fraser, he'd worked in a fish market, as a courier and in construction.
Going under the name of Brandon Wolf, he formed a band in 1978 with guitarist Doug McFetridge, Will Froese on keyboards, drummer Jack Guppy and Kevin Swain on bass. They honed their chops doing local clubs in and around the Vancouver area, playing all the hits of the day as well as mixing in some of their own tunes. They convinced A&M Records to sign them, releasing a 4 track EP in '79. Simply titled BRANDON WOLF, it was full of what would become Bentall's trademark satirical tongue-in-cheek look at life. Unfortunately tho it wasn't quite what execs were looking for.
Changing his pseudonym to Barney Bentall, he re-grouped the next year with The Legendary Hearts, taken from a Lou Reed album title. Consisting of Wolf-alumni Guppy on drums, guitarist Colin Nairne, Barry Muir on bass and Cam Bowman on keyboards, they again made a name for themselves in and around the Vancouver area. They hired Bob Rock (later best known for his work with Payolas) to produce some demos and headed to the studio, resulting in the independant EP LOSING CONTROL in 1980. But despite some slick production - it flopped.
Bentall again re-grouped - this time for nearly 7 years, touring frequently and re-thinking the whole process. He was signed to a major deal with CBS in '87 and began putting the finishing touches on the latest project. Though execs were pushing Barney o use a slick producer like Rock again, or even Bruce Fairbairn, he was intent on using David Tickle and waited until his schedule permitted it. Recorded at Vancouver's famed Mushroom Studios, most noteable for the work done there by the likes of Heart & Chilliwack, "Something To Live For" preceeded the album and lit up the charts. The self-titled album hit the stores the next spring and and saw "Come Back To Me" and "The House of Love" push the album gold. A more 'refined' version of "Something To Live For" was re-released early in 1988 to coincide with the video, his third, just prior to "She's My Inspiration", their fourth single.
A cross-country tour ensued, following which they began working on the next record. LONELY AVENUE was met by rave reviews when it hit the shelves in 1990. The lead-off track was the first single and "Crime Against Love" paved the way for what looked like another sure-winner, with "Life Cold Be Worse", "I Gotta Go" and "Nothing Hurts Like The Words" also released as singles. The sombre "Dark Nights/Dark Road" also gave an inside look at a more sombre songwriter. But problems with CBS caused them to be dropped, forcing Bentall to once again re-think his strategy.
Sony Music picked him up and released '92's AIN'T LIFE STRANGE, a more interspective look at life. Feeling he had a better idea of what he wanted his music to sound like, Bentall took over production duties with songwriting partner Gary Fraser. "Living In The 90's hit the radio as the first single, floowed by "Doin' Fine", Family Man", "If This Is Love" and "Belly of The Sun" following over the next year. They set out on another cross-Canada tour, also landing some gigs in the US and further entrenched themselves as one of Canada's most entertaining live acts.
The next record came in the form of 19100's GIN PALACE. Slightly more upbeat and arguably his most mature writing, "Do Ya" - the first single - ate up the airwaves and was followed by "I'm Shattered". Other noteable cuts included the title-track and "U Shook Me All Night Long". His now infamous legendary raport with the audiences again hilighted another extensive tour which took him well into '96. While on the road, Sony released GREATEST HITS '86-'96, containing 16 of Bentall's biggest hits.
His next new material came in the form of 'TIL TOMORROW. The eagerly-anticipated record came out in '97 and had some of Bentall's strongest writing to date. The lead-off track "Shoulder of The Road" was indicative of the album - well-written hard pop with tight hooks and seemless melodies. The irony of "Making The Bed (When The House Is On Fire)" harkened back to Bentall's sense of humour which was laced throughout the majority of his material. "So Electric", "Always You" & "Take Me To The Moon" all helped establish 'TIL TOMORROW as Bentall's most diverse record to date. Following some extensive touring he all but dropped out of sight, still making the occasional gig. Barney has signed with True North Records and has released his CD titled "Gift Horse"
"Gift Horse" is available here :
www.rootsy.nu
Batdorf & Stanley
Fans of Crosby Stills & Nash, Buffalo Springfield, “Rubber Soul”, The Eagles, or classic Beach Boys-harmonies are in for a real treat.
Can you imagine what the Rolling Stones songs would have sounded like if Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were California boys with acoustic guitars? Would “Satisfaction”, “Ruby Tuesday”, or “Last Time” have been as powerful if they had been played on acoustic guitars and filled with vocal harmonies? Curious?
So were James Lee Stanley and John Batdorf, purveyors of acoustic rock music for decades. They took 11 Rolling Stones-classics and turned them into something totally unheard of. You don't have to live in California or play acoustic guitar to be enchanted by "All Wood and Stones" ... an amazing collection of Rolling Stones tunes played on acoustic guitars and brimming with joyous vocal harmonies.
“All Wood and Stones” — a unique sounding album of classic Rolling Stones songs.
Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin’ Daddies!
Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin’ Daddies! are one of the most popular bands, blues or otherwise, in the Pacific Northwest. Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin’ Daddies! strength lies in its original blues songs, and choice of obscure blues covers that meld together into a Texas meets Chicago meets Pacific Northwest blues stew. Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin’ Daddies! extremely entertaining stage show features the sexy and sassy, Becki Sue, beltin’ ‘em out front and center.
Becki Sue’s supporting cast is a virtual “who’s who” of highly experienced Pacific Northwest blues greats; Tom “T-Boy Neal” Boyle (5-time “BB” Award winner) on electric blues guitar; the multi-talented and “BB” award winning, Jim King, on harp, tenor sax and vocals, and the “BB” award winning rhythm section, featuring Les “Wild Child” White on upright bass and Jeff Hayes on drums.
The band has performed at most of the major blues clubs and festivals in the Northwest, including The Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland.
The WBS has honored the band with 39 “BB” Award nominations since 2005. Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin’ Daddies! has won 13 of those awards, including “Best Blues Band” in 2006 and 2007, and “Best Blues Recording” of 2008 for their 2nd CD release, “Big City Blues".
A new full length CD, “Big Rockin’ Boogie”, produced by Steve Murray and Tom Boyle, includes seven original songs among its twelve cuts, has just been released worldwide on the Underworld Records label.
www.bigrockindaddies.com
www.underworldindierecords.com
www.myspace.com/bigrockindaddies
Beth Wimmer
"Hello, I'm Beth Wimmer! Thanks for taking a moment to read about me and my music.
Summer 2011 sees my 3rd, full-length album 'Ghosts & Men' receiving praise and airplay in Europe and the USA. 'Ghosts & Men' is recorded with multi-instrumentalist Damiano Della Torre of Como, Italy, and the album features true life stories and fantasy pieces on men past, present, and recently passed away. My song 'For The Living', at the album's conclusion, is my tribute to how we can all live in this world more productively and happily.
I was born in New York, the youngest of five children. I grew up in rural Massachusetts - the east coast of the USA near the woods, the Merrimac River and Atlantic Ocean - with dogs, cats, ducks, rabbits, my brother and three sisters, and most importantly our poet-artist, single mom.
My very funny, bright blue-eyed, guitar-pluckin', Irish folk-song singing Grampa was my darling.
My brother and sisters got into rock and roll and all its side effects when I was about five years old. I saw my mom cry quite a few times, but thankfully, laugh a lot more...
My destiny was put into place when I couldn't stop listening to The Who, Heart, Jethro Tull, Bruce Springsteen. I dreamed of being a singer in a rock'n'roll band. I created an entire stage play based upon Cat Stevens' 'Tea For The Tillerman' album. The Pretenders and Led Zeppelin became essential to my survival as a teenager.
At age 18 I moved to southern California, where my father lived. I sang harmonies live and in studio with various bands in Hollywood, but I continually had an ache to be my own songwriter, my own voice.
I met and fell in love with a swampy-rock band in Los Angeles: the Mojo Monkeys. They broke my heart and inspired me to write songs. I picked up the broken guitar I'd had for years and I started playing it. Words poured out of me and they never did stop. I cried, sang and strummed. Three chords. then five. Now I think I know a good 8 or 9 chords.
First came my all-acoustic CD called 'beth wimmer'. It was mainly for my mom to hear what I was writing. But that collection is still available internationally on CDBaby, and it pleases me greatly that people worldwide continually download the songs from my first release.
I wrote constantly and to my sheer delight, the guys in Mojo Monkeys played on my next CD's. Drummer David Raven co-produced, and I was blessed to have Billy Watts playing electric guitar, and Taras Prodaniuk play bass.
My first, full-length album 'Live Within Live Without' was released in 2004. It was exactly the album I wanted to make, a dream come true. And thank God it was to the liking of many people around the globe. Raven, Watts and Prodaniuk played many live shows as my band with me in Los Angeles, to support 'Live Within Live Without'.
In 2006 I made an EP called 'Lover From Last Summer'. I had a smokin' rock song called 'Self Righteous Son Of A Bitch'. I entered 'S.O.B.' in some contests and the song won some awards and lots of airplay.
2009 saw the release of my full-length 'Miracle Girl' CD. Again co-produced with Raven and with the talents of Watts and Prodaniuk, now my dear friends. This album felt like my soul growing older, more joyful, with more compassion.
I took 'Miracle Girl' with me to Switzerland in 2008 - toured and had a beautiful time! In 2009 and 2010 I was honored with praise from the Europe music world: they wrote about 'Miracle Girl', said it was a great album. DJs played it on the radio and venues offered me shows. In the spring of 2010 I toured the UK, Holland, Switzerland and Italy.
Now I write, record, and perform in Europe and beyond. I meet interesting people, eat the best chocolate and drink delicious wines. I am in love with seeing so much more of this globe than just sunny California, which is always there, sweet and warm beneath my skin, and in my heart.
I feel special, but i know I'm just lucky. I'm happy. I'm healthy. I love humanity even though the most powerful and famous people mainly just sadden and bewilder me. A lot of things break my heart, but everything inspires me."
www.bethwimmer.com
www.facebook.com/Bethsongs
Bill Cave
“Sound Experiment” is the debut release by Bill Cave a.k.a. SymplyBill. It’s being compared to several legends. The album has 13 original tracks with some likened to a modern day Cash, some to Gordon Lightfoot meets Jim Croce, some to James Taylor, others to Townes Van Zandt meets John Prine, but all are SymplyBill.
For an epic & original indie musical journey… Experience “Sound Experiment”.
SymplyBill has created an album that borrows from folk, country and bluegrass, but yet stands in a class all of its own. If you can imagine a sound that makes driving your car fun… That’s SymplyBill.
When you hear it in full stereo, then you’ll understand. Mainly a singer/songwriter/guitarist debut, “Sound Experiment” has some powerful female vocal work (Caroline Pond & Ashley Jo Farmer), solid lead & melodic backup (Rutledge Leland, Louis Eliot & Tag Garmon), and great overall rhythmic guitar for an album that is best summed up as “epic”.
Bill Cave borrows from a life experience that would make a great book but ended up in song. To find his way, he hit the road at 23 and has never looked back. Like “Into the Wild,” but with an alternate ending, so is the life of SymplyBill. Storytelling is a passion, and it is a talent SymplyBill possesses. In one song you might find yourself somewhere in Texas burning up the highway, just a doin it to it, yet in another you’ll be floating through the snowy trees chasing a snow princess in upstate Vermont, and then you might be in the mountains of North Carolina standing in the rain crying out to your best friend. Most find at least one song, if not all, just hits home.
Do you want music that moves heart and soul?
http://www.myspace.com/symplybill
Bill Parker
Growing up in Calumet City, Illinois, on a steady diet of British Invasion bands and Top 40 radio, Bill Parker began his musical life as “a 14 year-old comic relief bass player in a slightly behind-the-times pop group”. He was as much a student of the music flooding the airwaves as he was a player, and the influence of such diverse bands as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Byrds, The Band, The Faces, Delaney & Bonnie and even Led Zeppelin can be heard in his songs to this day.
At 18, he switched to guitar to facilitate the songwriting process. His goal, he told a friend at the time, was to become “the Ray Davies of the Calumet Region”. But there was still one more major influence in his future.
Shortly after graduating from high school, Bill moved to Texas which - unbeknownst to him - had a thriving homegrown music scene built upon what was called “progressive country”. As he tells it, “I got off the plane with a gold Les Paul, and ear-ring, and silver conchos down the sides of my jeans and I thought, ‘Boy, did I make a mistake’. But Texas is where I became a songwriter”. It’s also where he heard Gram Parsons’ 'Grievous Angel' album and “everything finally came together”, the results of which would one day move Carla Duriyea of 'Midnight Rambler' to write “Parker sounds like the lovechild of Gram Parsons and Keith Richards”.
In the years that followed, Bill has written and recorded 14 albums, including 'sex not guaranteed' with legendary vocalist Kathi McDonald and (the as yet unreleased) 'Cruisin’ For The King', which he describes as “the soundtrack for the best Elvis documentary that was never made”.
At the dawn of the 21st century, his song “The Southern Side Of A Northern Town” was used by the BBC’s World Service to close out a 52-part series on the history of popular music from 1600 to 2000.
On his latest release, 'Texas Tales, Vol. 1', Bill moves easily between the heartbreak of “I Thought I Heard You Call My Name” and the beer joint singalong “I May Not Be An Angel,” from the romantic glow of “That Dress Suits You Fine” to the boys-will-be-boys rock & roll of “Funky In the Bunkhouse.”
For all his ready and enthusiastic acknowledgement of his musical influences, Bill Parker’s sound is uniquely his own, combining pop, country, rock & roll, a bit of the blues and even the occasional 9th chord for jazz fans. A self-described “hopeless romantic and shameless purveyor of faded memories and broken dreams”, his performances - sprinkled with stories and anecdotes - are as intimate as an evening at home with an old friend. So sit back, pour yourself a cool restorative, and say hello to Bill Parker, an old friend you never knew you had.
www.route6boogie.com
www.myspace.com/billparkermusic
Bill Price
As a fan of The Beatles and Bob Dylan as a teenager, Price set his sights on being a songwriter. "I don't know if it was the realization that I was always going to be just an average guitar player, or the fact that I always have an opinion, that got me headed in the songwriting direction. But, for whatever reason, I just got that fire. I was inspired by certain music to try and do a similar thing, and I still am..."
Early collaborations with his cousin Dave Price and later on with Mario Noche were also based around writing original music. "Dave was the first person I knew that actually thought about having a 'concept' for a song. Being in my early 20's, I thought that was pretty unique".
The collaboration with Mario Noche was also a fertile creative period. "I think we both respected each other's songwriting ability and that inspired us to always try and bring something of quality to the table".
In 2000 Price recorded his first album of original material, "Bones & Apples". It received airplay in the US and Europe on college and independent radio. He also teamed up with Indiana bluesman, Gordon Bonham to form The Brains Behind Pa - a three, sometimes five-piece band inspired by Dylan's songs and influences. "Gordon and I both have a love of Dylan's music and much that inspired him, so we started a side project to kind of explore all of that music". The result was "Old Hat", a CD EP that contained seven traditional, folk and blues songs. It also received airplay, on college and independent radio stations across the US, in Canada and Europe.
A songwriter that is in a band inspired by Bob Dylan is bound to take the next logical step - that is, write original music for his band. "It's an obvious extension of what we were exploring in all the old songs and Dylan's music. It was time to apply those qualities that we like in all of that music, to our own music. Carve out our own identity". The resulting album, "Better For The Deal", released in May of 2006, has fifteen original songs and strongly reflects the band's influences.
He has continued to perform and record music both with The Brains Behind Pa and other musicians. Price released "The Circus & The Gallows" 3-song CD-single in 2007. In late 2009 he released "With the Eye of a Skeptic...", a full-length, acoustic-based CD.
"It has received some very warm reviews and radio airplay overseas - mainly in Europe", Price explains. "The reception to this record has been the most positive and extensive that any of my albums have received so far. We've had a couple of reviews in the U.K. and airplay in Ireland, which is new territory for my projects". There have also been positive reviews and airplay in Canada, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Sweden, and Croatia, to name a few others, as well as some airplay on independent and college radio in the U.S.
Price's music has continued to gather momentum both locally and in Europe, where the last few CD's have seen healthy airplay and positive reviews from independent radio and media.
Blue Eyed Blondes
A few years ago, Lina Lönnberg and Kristoffer Emanuelsson, two rascals from the countryside, moved to the big city (in Swedish terms) of Gothenburg to make all their dreams come true. It didn't take them long to realize that there was only one way to make their high-flying expectations become reality - They had to form the country duo Blue Eyed Blondes.
Influenced by old-time, folk, gospel, blues and bluegrass, the duo plays rootsy, down-to-earth music, mixing traditionals and modern country music, like Gillian Welch and Townes Van Zandt, with their own material.
At clubs, in shacks, in churches, in beerhouses, at festivals, in coffe shops, whenever they have had the opportunity, they have appeared and spread the message about love, doubt, longing, being dumped and Jesus.
Blue Eyed Blondes proves that you can reach the top, you only have to believe in yourself, have smashing good looks and play in a country band.
www.myspace.com/theblueeyedblondes
Blues Family
When LZ Love & Lightning Red began their 2010 European tour with backing musicians from Croatia and Germany, they didn't anticipate anything beyond a few weeks performing to enthusiastic crowds and adding many new fans. But with each new festival and concert performance, it became obvious that something magical was happening. Strong friendships were forming and great music was being created.
Recording sessions were set up in Split, Croatia and plans drawn to form a world class band. Due to contractual obligations with industry folks in London, Peco Pete was unable to join or record with the new Blues Family. With studio tracks in hand, the entourage headed to Germany to enlist the award-winning drumming talent of Tom Diewock. German legend Ray Frick added vocal tracks to the emergingalbum of original songs and stands at the helm as executive producer.
www.lightningred.com
www.lightningred.com/blues_family.htm
Bob Cheevers: Americana's Master Storyteller
Unbenownst to him, Bob Cheever’s 2007 CD “Texas To Tennessee” foreshadowed a big event in his life... A move from Nashville to Austin which happened shortly after the album was released. Sixteen years as a journeyman tunesmith in Nashville’s country music biz was preceeded by 25 years in the pop field in California which included several major label deals with chart hits under his own name and that of The Peppermint Trolly Company. There were major publishing deals with MCA and Criterion Music, along with two music videos which won a total of 8 Emmys including “Best Musical Composition” for Bob’s song “Big City Gambler” that was in Elvis’ stack of tunes to record. However, the Grim Reaper got to the King before that recording session came to pass.
With the Valentine’s day 2010 release of his live to analog tape “Tall Texas Tales” CD, top Texas producer Stephen Doster (Nancy Griffith/Lyle Lovett) helped Bob add another treasure chest of recordings to his previous 7 commercial CDs and the 8 CD “Cheeversongs Archive Series”, which covers his writing from the 80’s up to the turn of the century in the form of outtakes, alternative versions and unreleased masters.
Bob has spent the last 8 years touring relentlessly in Europe doing at least one 40-60 concert tour each year, as well as playing house concerts and venues in the US, year after year, while his songs are heard on TV, in movies and on radio all over the world. Bob’s favorite "accolade", however, was being opening act on what was to be Johnny Cash’s final tour. That was particularly poignant because Bob’s combo in the 9th grade won a talent show performing Cash’s song “Big River”.
Bob's songs include tales of romance, novelty tunes along with a personal look at the world through his own eyes, including character studies of people who were caught up in situations as different as life during the Civil War, to the simple day to day struggle of life on earth, during any time period. Rootsy, blues-flavoured tales many of which are right out of Bob’s Mississippi Delta birthright, spoken in voices that sometimes sound like whispers in your ear from beyond the grave and other times like a lover’s prayer... But always delivered in a conversational language of the heart.
His new album, “Tall Texas Tales”, is described by his producer Stephen Doster this way:
“When you listen to Bob Cheevers, you'll be hearing a singer-songwriter at top of his game - Bob came to Texas, looked around and began to write about the things he saw. His observations about Texas made me wanna go there... And I’m from Texas. Not only is 'Tall Texas Tales' a wonderful travelogue of my great state, it is full of songs that could only be written by a man whose life is rich with experience and deep insight. Bob Cheeevers is an American classic... Make no mistake about it!“
A master tune-smith, Bob is rounding out his 4th decade as a songwriting troubadour, living out his dream in his laid back, authentic style. About his songs, Bob says:
"I don't know if these stories are true, but they happened to me".
Bob Lanois
"An invitation to collaborate with my brother, master arranger/musician Daniel Lanois took us on the trip of a lifetime through our family's Quebecois roots and ancient European history, driven by the pulse of the big city of Toronto. He enabled my fledgling harmonica style to emerge from a hidden place in the woods to meet the world.”
— Bob Lanois
When you have a superstar for a brother, it’s hard not to hit him up for a little help from time to time. Bob Lanois embarked on creating his first solo album with a musical god on his side. Younger brother Daniel is spoken of in the hushed tones reserved for a deity. And why not, it was U2’s Bono who referred to him as the best musician he has ever known, while “Rolling Stone” gushed that he was “the most important record producer to emerge in the ’80s.”
A celebrated engineer and producer himself, Bob stepped away from the knobs and dials of the control room, and, freed from the tangle of cables and microphones, took a chance with his own collection of songs — varied, moody, engaging instrumental pieces — produced by the genius of Daniel.
“I totally had to ‘give’ while working with Dan,” says Bob. “He demands it and is somewhat of a shaman that way in that he will trick you into revealing your true self.” Bob’s first solo project, “Snake Road” is an exit ramp off the superhighway of contemporary sonic exploration. It envelops the past, while pushing another envelope on what today’s — or even tomorrow’s — music should sound like.
“It’s forward moving. I believe I am more a futurist than I am a traditionalist,” proffers Bob. “I would rather plunge into the future. You can hear it on ‘Snake Road’.” What you will hear is the signature dream like landscape of Daniel, with the surprisingly lithe harmonica of brother Bob piercing and challenging the rich, shifting textures of ethereal backdrop.
The nine tracks on “Snake Road” are anything but ignorable. Nor is the fact that Bob has been on the cutting edge of ambient since Eno spent two years living at his house while pioneering the sound at Grant Avenue Studio in the early 1980s. While it’s hard to imagine the rough and tumble, blue collar streets of Steeltown as a womb for music that’s been referred to as “room colouring” and “sonic wallpaper”, that’s how the story goes.
“Ambient music was born in Hamilton, Canada,” Bob will tell you.
That’s where Daniel and Eno worked on seminal Eno recordings like “On Land” (1982) and “Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks” (1983) — in the studio designed and built by Bob.
While the word “ambient” is literally defined as surrounding and encircling, it doesn’t, according to its creator, necessarily define “Snake Road”. “I don’t consider ‘Snake Road’ an ambient record,” Bob says. “I consider it a timeless piece of work that could have been made at any time in history.”
In fact, he continues, every cut on “Snake Road” has a distinct and memorable melody based on a standard structure of verse, chorus and modulated breaks. “Each and every one is, in fact, a classically crafted piece of arrangement genius of a very structured kind,” says Bob. “It’s almost the opposite of ambient where chance and randomness could even be an element.”
“Snake Road” is not Bob’s first foray into playing on an album, but this record is the first project he can take ownership of — his first solo release. Bob played harmonica on the critically acclaimed “The Shack Recordings” Volume 1” (2005) with Tom Wilson (Junkhouse and Blackie and the Rodeo Kings), an album he also co-produced with the triple Juno winner.
Look for a sequel soon.
“Tom’s been hounding me every day for the last year, ‘When are we going to start?’ he keeps asking.”
Bob Pressner
Singer-songwriter Bob Pressner’s new CD ‘HONOR AMONG THIEVES’ is now available on iTunes, featuring a 13-song collection produced by multiple Grammy-nominated and platinum-selling producer-songwriter David Grow (Blind Boys of Alabama, Lila McCann, Carly Simon, Matt Giraud, Jim Brickman).
The video for Pressner’s “On My Own” from ‘HONOR AMONG THIEVES’, hit Billboard’s “YouTube Most Viewed 24 Hours” chart at #10 for the week of December 29. The video also ranked “YouTube Top Honors” the same week at #10 in the US, #1 in Mexico, #2 in Canada and Argentina, as well as 33 other countries around the world. His bonus-single, also available on iTunes, titled ‘Water Water’, produced by Jim McGorman, is featured in a YouTube video that is approaching 90,000 views
Says Grow of Pressner, “after working with so many established artists, it’s wonderful to produce someone who is fresh and undiscovered – Bob is one of the most artistic souls I’ve ever met”. Adds musician/producer/musical director Jim McGorman (Avril Lavigne, Weezer, Michelle Branch) Bob Pressner's music resounds with the heart and soul of a life well lived. His songs give raw emotions a distinctive voice”.
The cuts on ‘HONOR AMONG THIEVES’ are self-penned by Pressner, and reflect the heart and soul of his burning desire to return to a sense of “Woodstockian” personal freedom, stemming from his traumatic experience as a survivor of the World Trade Center bombing in 1993. As a former commodities trader at the World Trade Center, Pressner’s bombing experience, sparked an epiphany to get out of the trading business and explore his creativity through music. The dynamic, edgy and heartfelt compositions on ‘HONOR AMONG THIEVES’ is the culmination of a recording and live performance career in NYC clubs such as The Bitter End, Mercury Lounge, Lone Star, Roadhouse, Lebarbat and others, coupled with a performance at the International Independent Film Festival at Madison Square Garden, that began in the mid-90s, shortly after the attack.
Pressner was a featured artist at The Forge at the 2010 South By Southwest music festival, and his song “Heart Of A Champion” was the title track of a compilation CD of indie artists dedicated to the 2008 Bejing Olympics.
Boister
"Haunting....Like Dylan with estrogen." - John Barth
"Some Moths Drink The Tears of Elephants" is here, recorded with the late, great Jim Dickinson at Zebra Ranch in Mississippi. Dickinson produced the Replacements' classic "Pleased To Meet Me" and played piano on The Stones' "Sticky Fingers" and Dylan's "Time Out of Mind." He also produced Boister's 2003 "Pieces of Milk."
In the unsuspecting city of Baltimore, singer/pianist Anne Watts and a collective of creative types known as Boister are fashioning music unlike anything else currently coming out of the United States. The press has been especially enthusiastic in Europe, where Jade magazine called Boisters 1997 debut disc 'the album of the decade' and critics lined up to praise the groups subsequent recordings ("Song of the Smoke", "Pieces of Milk", and "Les Foules en Amour"). One French critic likened Boister's music to "scenes shot in the footlights of a tin pan alley bar squatted by the Lounge Lizards and haunted by Kurt Weill, choreographed to Nino Rota with Irving Berlin on moonlit melodies, orchestrated with theatrical effects and pulsing with the fanfare of marching bands". Others have compared Watts to Tom Waits, Thelonious Monk, and Cat Power.
Boister has recorded with regular support from the Maryland State Arts Council. Their discs can be heard on the radio in France, Spain, Canada, Australia, Italy, Germany, Finland, Belgium, Norway, Albuquerque, Charlottesville, Philadelphia, and Lookout Mountain, Georgia.
www.boister.net
www.cdbaby.com/cd/boister6
www.myspace.com/annewattsandboister
Bonedome
Like layered, indie prog-rock, or music David Bowie might have written if he’d been a Texan with anger issues. Like Love & Rockets covering the most vicious songs Elvis Costello ever wrote, or Bob Mould leading a more restrained and catchier ELO. "Thinktankubator" is the product of a musical omnivore, a multi-instrumentalist with a symphonic approach, and a lyricist whose playful way with words seems constantly at war with his massive grudge against the world. Dark, indeed often chilling, it’s an album that rewards each further listening, as layers of guitars reveal hidden melodies and a previously unnoticed line reveals itself to be a subtly clever bit of vindictiveness.
Allan Hayslip has been collecting songs and sounds for nearly 3 decades, first as a reluctant violinist, then as teen chorister, and adding rock 'n' roll bass player, singer, writer and producer in layers on top. He's as happy to draw from ELO as he is Interpol, and has a special affinity for the kinds of continuity that can be extracted from the strange family tree that includes David Bowie, Andy Partridge, Iggy Pop, and David Bowie (!).
The result is "Thinktankubator", a debut album that covers' a soundscape's worth of territory. The sounds synthesized by Bonedome, Allan's legion of fellow sidemen, are comprised of decades of deferent rock references, building a range of songs that build upon familiar rock sounds, that you've somehow never quite heard before.....
B.O.P. Ensemble
Three forces of nature meet in B.O.P. Ensemble, a Canadian super-group, featuring folk legends Bill Bourne and Wyckham Porteous, along with up-and-coming singer-bassist Jasmine 'Jas' Ohlhauser. Combining Bourne's grit, Porteous' warmth, and Jas' energetic devilry, the three manage to catch lightning in a bottle.
Bourne, who is cut from the cloth of a classic troubadour, was called by Texas songwriting legend Tom Russell "a shining light in the North American folk and roots scene."
Porteous matches Bourne's nearly legendary status and was called by Andrew Loog Oldham "Leonard Cohen meets Harry Dean Stanton, a warm, warm, performer whose voice is like a bottle of wine who has matured into a friend."
Jasmine 'Jas' Ohlhauser is the wild card of the bunch, an exuberant 25-year-old who also plays with the Edmonton band Lilys On Mars. With the addition of her dance theatrics, B.O.P. Ensemble shows come close to performance art.
Each of the three is great on their own..... Together they're something truly special.
www.cordovabay.com
www.myspace.com/bopensemble
www.billbourne.com/bopensemble.htm
Born 53
Born 53 plays a forward leaning mix of roots-music, primarily blues, original songs, as well as covers by major songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Ray Davies and others.
The band was founded in 2003 by Anders Lindh, Hans Birkholz and Jörgen Larsson, later to be joined by the Bornettes; Karin Hagberg and Åsa Källen-Lindh.
New album "Foreign Accent" to be released in late March, 2010.
www.born53.com
www.myspace.com/born53
Brad Colerick
Brad Colerick drew a line in the dirt 20 years ago when he gave up making records to make music for commercials. With the release of ‘Cottonwood’ last year, he crossed that line and now takes a big step forward with his follow up CD, ‘Lines In The Dirt’. With contributions from Suzy Bogguss, Larry Klein, Herb Pedersen and April Verch, Dirt fulfills the promise of ‘Cottonwood’. Boasting nine more compelling originals and two well-chosen covers, Colerick takes the listener on a journey through his life and his stories. Once again the playing is sharp and crisp, the songs deep and affecting. Colerick delivers another round of intimate and thoughtful vocals for an album bound to please any fan of honest songwriting and music making. “Cottonwood took 19 years to make,” Colerick says, only partially joking. “I made a couple of records in the 80s, before I came to California, then I succumbed to ‘blue check fever’ as it was known” -- a reference to the color and allure of union residual checks.
During that period, he created music for some of the world’s largest corporations but not for himself. “Two years ago I got serious about my own music again. Cottonwood evolved slowly and included some older tunes, but since then I’ve been playing live and finding my voice as an artist.” Most of the songs on Lines were written in the last year and road tested as Colerick traveled the West, winning converts with his down-home style. The album was recorded and produced by Ed Tree at his Treehouse Studio. “Ed’s like a bodyguard -- he never lets anything get in the way of the song or the vocal, but every player gets a chance to shine.”
Colerick’s music blends Americana, Folk and Country to create smooth, catchy melodies that seep into your heart with a single listen. His finely wrought, plainspoken lyrics find the poetry in everyday language to celebrate the often forgotten moments that make life worth living. “My California” contrasts the dreams of a mid-western boy with the reality of LA, a wry reflection on the perceptions and misconceptions of the Golden State. Its loping beat and chunky rhythm guitar take us down Sunset Boulevard with a perfect combination of wide-eyed wonder and smoggy cynicism. “Juarez,” a story about the hard lives of immigrants, was inspired by a bumper sticker. “My car broke down in El Paso, and I saw a bumper sticker that said ‘Jesus Lives’ as I was looking out over the border at Juarez. I thought, “Jesus lives where? Here? I feel a lot of compassion for immigrants who come and work incredibly hard under difficult conditions to support their families.” The tune has a bluesy, Norteño vibe, a compelling vocal and pedal steel that shimmers like the heat rising off an asphalt road.
“Remember Me” has a nostalgic 40’s feel, and Colerick whistles a sprightly solo that adds to the tune’s classic air. The song has already been licensed for an Etch-A-Sketch ad campaign. The title track is a sympathetic meditation on the paths in life that we all inherit and the choices and inner struggles we face. The music is subtly dramatic with a ghostly pedal steel and soulful organ complementing Colerick’s emotional vocals. There’s also “We’re Gonna Laugh,” a jaunty celebration of love on a credit card; the swampy bounce of “Let Her Fall In Love,” highlighted by the swooning fiddle of April Verch; and a slow, smoky reinvention of the Johnny Cash hit “Ring Of Fire,” with Suzy Bogguss.
Colerick and Bogguss met years ago when they were both struggling performers. When she heard Colerick’s take on the tune, she asked if he would consider making it a duet.
While Colerick’s friends add plenty of sparkle to ‘Lines in The Dirt’, it’s the songs that make the album memorable. Colerick’s understated delivery and beautiful melodies reveal new levels of emotional complexity with every listen. It’s a deep, rich album - a welcome addition to the canon of great American music.
Bravo Johnson
OVERVIEW
ROCK, COUNTRY & JAM MEETS THE OLD TESTAMENT BY WAY OF THE BASEMENT TAPES, INSPIRED BY THE FILMS OF LUIS BUNUEL
In places such as Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Dallas, Houston and New York, the 60's saw the explosion of Hispanic rock bands like Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs, The Mysterians and The Midnighters, challenging the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, if only for more than a brief moment. After Los Cruzados (coming out of the LA punk scene), Union 13 (from East LA) and, of course, Los Lobos, or more recently Los Lonely Boys. Born in San Roman, Bravo Johnson's distinctive style of claw hammering guitar work and signature falsetto tenor singing voice brings the Americana of Tom Petty or Neil Young to the magical theorems of Aleister Crowley, the eight neurological circuits of Timothy Leary, combining it all together in an amalgam of uber hippie California Rock which has seen Hendrik and Los Deltonos share stage with acts like STEVE EARLE, DBT, WILCO, GOV'T MULE, Q.O.T.S.A.
THE CROOKED & THE STRAIGHT (Stone Junction 2008)
In step with indie Rock and Americana, with a take on vocal harmonies and jangly guitars that borrowed as much from the Byrds and Gene Clark, as it did from Zeppelin. They remember the 60’s and playfully scramble sources without making a commitment to any rock fellowship. The songs had been primped and preened into sophisticated pieces in which Roever's guitar, in particular, was used with spectacular versatility, peeling off blues-rockabilly leads in the showboating manner of Jerry Reed.
COME TASTE THE SUN (Stone Junction 2010)
New songs that deftly expands his vocabulary away from Americana and into classic rock. There are plenty of solid tunes all peeking their heads through the band's established not so hard-rock sound and mellow intimate tunes and amp to 11 anthems alike and plenty of subversive elements that split the difference Not unlike Sergio Leone, Ennio Morricone and Alejandro Jodorowsky, Bravo Johnson's explicit employment of reflexive genre clichés in ‘Rider’, and again in ‘Bird’, evokes themes, characters and settings of Americana, divorcing these elements from their ideological base and shifting the spotlight to illuminate some of the metaphysical and phenomenological furniture of modern life.
www.bravojohnson.com
www.myspace.com/bravojohnsonmusic
Brian Dale
Singer, songwriter and drummer, Brian Dale is sought after for his ability to deliver music as passionate as it is intelligent, evident on his recently released CD, "Sticks & Stones".
Brian was immersed in music from the beginning. Raised by dedicated musicians, he developed early appreciation for the musical qualities he exemplifies: expression, diversity, expertise, passion and style.
"Sticks & Stones" is a culmination of Brian's rare musical presence and creativity. Opening track "Free and Renewed" sets the tone for the disc, with it's compelling vocal performance on top of a captivating groove; It also features the moody and soulful trumpet of Latin Jazz Grammy winner Brian Lynch.
Co-produced by Joe Puerta (Ambrosia, Bruce Hornsby) and Kevin Arndt, "Sticks & Stones" is a complete package: extraordinary melodies, lush harmonies, solid grooves, creative writing, consummate musicians-an exceptional work. The outcome is original and fresh, easy to listen to.
Brian has performed with Joe Puerta, Les Lokey, Ambrosia, Peter Mac and Melissa Mathes; and has been a guest performer with many different artists. He is a seasoned session drummer and vocalist with numerous CD's and jingles to his credit.
www.briandalemusic.com
www.cdbaby.com/cd/briandale
Brian Kramer
When Brian Kramer from Brooklyn was barely out of his teens he was hanging out with legendary bluesmen, picking up tips and advice from folks such as Buddy Guy and Junior Wells when they would visit his hometown in NYC.
Junior took a particular liking to Brian, and paid careful attention in showing him the right moves and how to play from the heart. Junior would join Brian on his first album 'Brian Kramer & The Bluesmasters featuring Junior Wells', "Win or Lose". He backed Brian up on almost every track and Brian backed Junior up on four of his songs. Former Rolling Stone, Mick Taylor was also part of these sessions as well as a gathering of the finest, most respected sidemen in the US.
Throughout the 90’s Brian toured and continued to be a fixture within the New York club scene, performing frequently with the great bluesman Larry Johnson, until re-locating overseas, seeking a broader range of opportunities.
He has since travelled the globe touring through the US and Canada, throughout England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Scandinavia, South Africa, Portugal and Japan and recorded and performed with world class artists such as; Eric Bibb, Taj Mahal, Bob Brozman, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Toumani Diabate, to name just a few.
His past CD releases have received great acclaim and praise and many have coined the new praise “uplifting-blues” when referring to Brian’s recordings.
His latest 2010 release, "Myself & Mine" brings Brian back to his core center of just one man and his guitar. It is an intimate profile of his travels and reflections in a raw, stripped-down setting that puts you inside of his stories.
www.myspace.com/briankramerblues
Brian Lee
Seattle based singer-songwriter Brian Lee, chose to call his first full length 10-song album “Moth” because it was the perfect metaphor for his own metamorphosis and emergence as an artist. He fully relates to the creature, finally waking up in his cocoon to become a beautiful flying creature, like the underdog emerging to take on the world. He makes a long anticipated breakthrough with “Moth”, where he heads away from the darkness and towards the light, unabashedly expressing his feelings of love, hate and frustration and painting richly emotional themes.
“I am getting back to the basics of why people write songs”, he says, “sorting through my own life and picking up critically dark and bright points and exploring all of the emotions I felt in those moments. I am keenly aware of the significance and importance of the darker and sadder side of life, like a moth guarding the night” says Lee, “happiness and sadness, like one cannot exist without the other. It is a powerful thing to be able to recognize this and beautify it in songs”.
Brian Wright
Sugar Hill Records is proud to continue its legacy of incredible songwriters with the release of Brian Wright’s "House On Fire". While this is the first label release from the Waco, TX, native, he has built a firm base of fans within and beyond the music industry with two previous releases and tireless touring in the US and Europe. Unlike previous releases, which were both recorded in the studio with a band, "House On Fire" approaches the recording process in a much more relaxed and reflective manner, with Wright playing every instrument himself and handpicking his prolifically written songs into a mindful, well-curated collection.
And make no mistake, this album truly is about the songs. Gems like “Mean Ol’ Wind” and “Live Again” convey the tenderness of the soul which very few songwriters can capture. “Striking Matches” and “The Good Dr” bring the driving sound of a cross-country bound train, bound for heartache or redemption. “Maria Sugarcane” paints with a Southern Gothic brush that would make Flannery O’Connor proud.
“When people ask what I sound like, I usually say I’m somewhere between Woody Guthrie and Velvet Underground”, says Wright. “This album finally allowed me to make the music the exact way it was in my head”.
After spending his early twenties on the Austin/Waco/Dallas bar circuit, playing everything from punk to covers, Wright flipped a coin to decide his future home, either New York City or Los Angeles. Going West won the day. Today, when not touring, he resides in Los Angeles where he is a fixture in the LA music scene. For the last six years he has been the front man and lyricist for his band Brian Wright & The Waco Tragedies, a band that has gathered a devoted audience across the country.
www.brianwrightmusic.com
www.sugarhillrecords.com/publicity
The Britannicas
The words ‘classic’ and ‘timeless’ are often branded about with guitar-based pop music, but that is exactly what you will get with THE BRITANNICAS debut album. The only surprises are the ones worth having. 40 minutes of spectacular hooks and harmonies.
The band consists of 3 seasoned songwriters, multi-instrumentalists and vocalists: Joe Algeri (Jack & the Beanstalk - Australia), Magnus Karlsson (Happydeadmen, The Charade - Sweden), and Herb Eimerman (Nerk Twins - USA). These 3 gifted musicians have all recorded in their respective home studios, and have shared their tracks across the oceans.
Clearly, the tyranny of distance is no impediment to producing great music.
THE BRITANNICAS debut album seamlessly covers the entire palette of classic era pop music – From the jingle jangle of “Those Good Vibrations”, “Don’t Go Back” and “Stars”; the garage rock of “The Girl from Malasaña”; the power-pop of “Baby Say Yeah Yeah” and “One Of These Nights; the more sombre folkiness of “Blue Sky Grey” and “Love Trap” and the outer-worldly psychedelia of “The Other Side”.
For those of you whose taste doesn’t stray far from the 3 holy B’s – The Beatles, Byrds and Beach Boys - these 12 tracks will clearly be one of the most anticipated releases for 2010. No, this is not Brit-pop; if there was ever the need for the term, “international pop”, THE BRITANNICAS just defined it.
www.myspace.com/thebritannicas
Bruce Brittain
Born in Oklahoma, and raised mostly in south-central Kansas, Bruce Brittain grew up listening late into the night to WSL radio, Chicago and Wolf Man Jack from Del Rio. When the sun went down and the signal strengthened, those stations played Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent, Carl Perkins and Ray Charles. Bruce took up a cheap guitar at the age of eight, and was playing in a local R&R band by the age of 12. He shifted to folk music in its mid-60’s heyday, when he joined the fans of singer songwriters such as Carole King, James Taylor and Jesse Winchester. Living in Texas in the 70’s he was introduced to alternative country by the likes of Willy, Ray Wiley, Jerry Jeff, Delbert and Kris. To this formative years stew, he later mixed in some influences of The Eagles, The Amazing Rhythm Aces, Cole Porter, poet Shel Silverstein and Lyle Lovett, stirred vigorously and got a unique blend of Americana R&B music.
Bruce writes for a grown-up audience with references to opportunities and problems beyond the basics of heartache, lust, cheatin’, drinkin’, trucks, momma and prison, not that there isn’t a measure of those things too. He also writes about gold diggers, poseurs, granddaughters, women of a certain age, casual sex, cooking breakfast the morning after and the like.
Bruce lives in Atlanta, GA, surrounded by tall trees, hundreds of books, four cats, one dog and his muse, Mimi, who should get co-writing credit on almost every song he creates. He has five grown children (counting the two sons-in-law), two grandsons, another due in the fall of 2010, and more guitars than he owns up to, for reasons of marital harmony.
www.brucebrittain.com
www.myspace.com/bjbrittain
Barney Bentall
Batdorf Stanley
Becki Sue
Beth Wimmer
Bill Cave
Bill Parker
Bill Price
Blue Eyed Blondes
Blues Family
Bob Cheevers
Bob Lanois
Bob Pressner
Boister
Bonedome
B.O.P. Ensemble
Born 53
Brad Colerick
Bravo Johnson
Brian Dale
Brian Kramer
Brian Lee
Brian Wright
Britannicas
Bruce Brittain
