NEWS FEATURES, August 28 edition, Acoustic Americana Music News, 2008

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"Tied to the Tracks"
ACOUSTIC AMERICANA
MUSIC NEWS
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NEWS FEATURES for Aug 28, 2008
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copyright (c) © 2008, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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WELCOME to the ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC NEWS, our weekly news feature companion to the ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC CALENDAR. Here, you’ll find news for artists and music fans alike, ranging from the immediately useful to the merely informative, from gig opportunities and festival deadlines to early bird discounts, from venue openings and closings to career tips, and hot tips for acoustic music fans.
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The Acoustic Americana Music Calendar with frequently updated posts of upcoming events well into 2009, is available at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com and various other places around the web. We post links for current editions on our Myspace page, but new editions of the calendar are no longer there. Myspace has made changes that limit the size of posts, and that makes it far too time-consuming and ponderous to post the calendar there in far too many small pieces.
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Our myspace site, www.myspace.com/laacoustic is still the place to go for news of the syndicated “Tied to the Tracks” radio show, and its new TV counterpart that launches soon.
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LATEST NEWS FEATURES always post separate from the calendar. Recent editions are available on Blogspot at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com; older archived editions are available on the myspace page (www.myspace.com/laacoustic), by using the “View All” button and scrolling, and if you don’t see what you want, then journey farther back by using the “older entries” button and scrolling, as many times as necessary. You can go all the way back to when acoustic music was made by trees crashing to the floor of the primeval forests when the dinosaurs got too rambunctious.
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MOST RECENT previous News Features posted AUGUST 22, 2008 at
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2008/08/news-features-august-22-edition.html
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COMMUNICATE WITH US about anything related to the Acoustic Music Calendar & News, or “Tied to the Tracks,” at tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com.
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NEWS FEATURES:
August 28, 2008
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1) SINGING COMPETITION REALITY-TV SHOW SEEKS ENTRANTS
The winner gets a fully produced 12-song CD of their music, which sponsors say is valued at over $25,000. It’s the “HOLLYWOOD TALENT QUEST” reality show, a “reality show singing competition to find the best new singers.” They say they invite all styles of music, but look below at the categories that can win. It’s for ages 16 and above, and first round auditions are Sep 12 & 13, with callbacks on Sep 14. Finalists will be selected by industry judges and celebrities for each category of music: pop, rock, R&B, country and jazz / adult contemporary. The grand prize winner will be the finalist who receives the greatest number of free downloads of their single which will be recorded at the Burnley Complex and uploaded at the site. Grand prize winner will receive a fully produced 12 song CD valued by the show at more than $25,000. Free registration on line at www.HollywoodTalentQuest.com.
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Thanks to Jeffrey R. Gund Music & Sound Design and his infolist.com for this news;if you enter, be sure to mention you heard about this from Jeff Gund at INFOLIST.com for priority consideration – just type INFOLIST in the first field (labeled "foreign languages"). We have standing permission from Jeff for you to do that. All entrants must reserve an audition day and time on the show’s site. Space is limited. All entrants will be asked to sign a video release, as this is a pilot for a TV show.
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2) “FOLKTACULAR” RETURNS THIS WEEKEND, WITH DAN BERN HEADLINING
It’s been held concurrent with a bigger and unaffiliated music event at the same time and place (the other event’s attendees were outdoors and overheated; Folktacular is indoors and cool). It’s gone waaay too far into the night so it accommodate everyone in past lineups. It’s served lots of beer and wine and tacos. It’s offered more music on one stage than just about anyplace else under one roof in the same amount of time. And the twice-a-year event persists. It’s “ROBERT MORGAN FISHER’S ‘FOLKTACULAR’” and it returns to the Bergamont Station Arts Complex in Santa Monica in the middle of Labor Day Weekend, this Sunday, August 31, with a huge lineup.
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This time, the headliner is DAN BERN, who will perform a full hour. Robert (www.robertmorganfisher.com) says, “We expect a pretty big response due to the stellar lineup, which includes, as Ed Sullivan used to say, “A fine balladeer, causing quite a splash with the young people … DAN BERN.” Also in the big lineup are MANDA, JOYCE WOODSON, MOTHER NATURE’S ARMY, CHAD WATSON, LEE DOMANN (coming from Albuquerque to perform), SEVERIN BROWNE, DAVE MORRISON, DALE LaDUKE, TIM TEDROW & TERRY VREELAND, GARRET SWAYNE, ALLAN COMEAU, PAUL ZOLLO, PIPER-GREY, “BANJO” FRED STARNER, and ROBERT MORGAN FISHER, who opens the show, in the air-conditioned haven of the Writers Boot Camp Auditorium at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, Bldg. “i.” How do you get all those artists in the same lineup? You start at 4 pm, include food and beverages with the admission ticket, and run the show until midnight. You also have the artists (except Bern) play short sets, and wisely include an “elastic” period at the end for encores. And Robert adds, “Yes, 4-to-12 is a long show – but this is a luxurious auditorium with couches and everything.”
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Many of the artists have performed live on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks,” including LEE DOMANN, SEVERIN BROWNE, CHAD WATSON, DAVE MORRISON, GARRET SWAYNE, DALE LaDUKE, TIM TEDROW & TERRY VREELAND, PIPER-GREY, “BANJO” FRED STARNER, and ROBERT MORGAN FISHER. See our calendar listing for the performance schedule, directions, artists’ web links, and more info. Adv tix / reservations are strongly encouraged.
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3) COFFEE GALLERY SEEKS OPEN MIC HOST
Everyone knows about the world-famous COFFEE GALLERY BACKSTAGE, booked and operated by BOB STANE, the one with the great lighting and sound that always wins the FolkWorks annual recognition as “Best Small Venue for Live Acoustic Music” in the L.A. area. Far fewer folks know about the Coffee Gallery FRONT-STAGE, booked and operated by JULIE SANDOVAL, proprietor of the Coffee Gallery’s coffee-snack / real-fruit-smoothie / gourmet-breakfast-&-lunch / sweets-emporium / art-gallery / free-wi-fi “front half.” The FRONT-STAGE is a simpler, portable, raised stage, and it’s only there when Julie wants to host an event – in addition to the act Bob has booked in the Backstage “show room.” (And a few times they’ve collaborated to host coordinated events on both stages.) Okay, that’s all the pretext.
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Julie tells us she wants to add a WEEKLY OPEN MIC, every Sunday, on the FRONT-STAGE. It’ll be acoustic music only, and since she needs to sleep some time, she’s seeking a host for the Open Mic. If you think that should be you, contact Julie at 626-831-8285, or BohemianJoe@gmail.com.
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4) CATIE CURTIS ON “ETOWN” AIRS THIS WEEK
Depending where you are, it airs on a local station, or on a web simulcast from a station somewhere, between Aug 27 and Sep 2. Check www.etown.org and the specific page www.etown.org/findstation.php for local stations and times. In L.A., etown airs on KSWD 100.3 FM, Sunday mornings at 6 am. You can find a more civilized hour with a web simulcast from elsewhere, using the station finder, or go the main site and get a free podcast or MP3 from their archive. Catie’s appearance on etown was taped earlier this summer along with THE BARENAKED LADIES.
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For those who don’t know about the show, etown's mission is “to educate, entertain and inspire a diverse audience, through music and conversation, to create a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable world,” and etown is heard from coast-to-coast on NPR and other public, commercial, and community stations.
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CATIE CURTIS is touring her new CD, “Sweet Life” (on Compass Records), due Sep 9. http://e2ma.net/go/1293529381/1173617/42866426/goto:http://compassrecords.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=4607, has song samples and more. Label info, www.compassrecords.com and www.myspace.com/compassrecords.
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5) “BARNSDALL ART PARK ANNUAL FUNDRAISING GALA” SEEKS HELP
Funds raised at this event, on Sep 6, support facilities and programs in the park, including the L.A. Municipal Art Gallery, Theatre, Hollyhock House, art classes and more. The Fundraising Gala includes a silent auction, and artists are asked to CONTRIBUTE WORK FOR IT BY SEP 1. They say, “If you have ARTWORK, SERVICES, PRODUCT or ANYTHING INTERESTING please consider donating it. All donations are tax deductible and very appreciated!“ All info at www.Barnsdall.org . Those interested in donating to the silent auction, contact JULIE RASMUSSEN at Julie@alittlebirdytoldme.com.
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6) ROOTS MUSIC DOUBLE-HEADER WEEKEND SEP 6 & 7 AT THE FORD
The two big acoustic-roots-traditional music events in the John Anson Ford Theatre’s season each year are the Celtic Arts Center Concert and the “Bluegrass at the Ford” show sponsored by the Bluegrass Association of Southern California (BASC). This year, they’re on consecutive nights.
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On Sat, Sep 6 at 8 pm, The Celtic Arts Center brings THE WICKED TINKERS and the FINN MacCOOL and SLUGGER O’TOOLE BANDS with the sounds of the Highland clans, bagpipes, drums and Bronze Age horn, blending traditional and new Celtic music.
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Then, Sun, Sep 7 at 7 pm, it’s the annual “BLUEGRASS AT THE FORD” show, with RUSSELL MOORE & IIIRD TYME OUT and CLIFF WAGNER & THE OLD NO. 7. It’s a mountain music mini-festival featuring seven-time IBMA “Vocal Group of the Year” winner RUSSELL MOORE & IIIRD TYME OUT (www.iiirdtymeout.com). Plus, stars and final-round finalists on the NBC-TV series, “America’s Next Great Band,” CLIFF WAGNER & THE OLD NO. 7 (www.oldnumber7.net), who meld traditional sounds with blues and honky tonk.
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There’s more in our calendar listings. The John Anson Ford Amphitheater is located across the canyon from the Hollywood Bowl, at 2580 Cahuenga Bl East, Hollywood 90068; 323-GO1-FORD; www.FordTheatres.org; box dinner orders 310-652-3797.
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7) GRAMMY-NOMINATED INDIE CONTINUES TO SCORE BIG
LISA HALEY (www.lisahaley.com) of LISA HALEY & THE ZYDEKATS gave radio’s “Tied to the Tracks” a five-week exclusive head-start last summer with her album, “King Cake,” then brought the band on the show last fall to perform the tracks live, and made the CD available to supporters of the radio show before it was widely available elsewhere. A few weeks later, the album, on Lisa’s own Blue Fiddle Records (www.bluefiddle.com), was nominated for a GRAMMY in the new “Cajun / Zydeco Album of the Year” category.
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Now, Lisa tells us, “Our GRAMMY Nominated CD ‘King Cake’ charts next week on Billboard’s ‘World Chart,’ position #15. Pollstar, this week, has us halfway up their International box office summary for our European shows, and our US shows are showing strong 90%-100% ratings.” You can track their current ratings position at www.pollstar.com/tour/searchall.pl?By=Artist&Content=LISHALR&PSKey=Y and see their EPK at www.lisahaley.com/presskit_01.html.
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Wow, Lisa! As they say in Cajun country, Voulez les bon temps roulez! As if all that isn’t enough, Lisa adds, “I am in the midst of mixing our new live album in time to submit for GRAMMY 2009.”
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8) KAREN HART A WINNER IN WEST COAST SONGWRITERS GRAND FINALS
Congrats to Karen for winning “Song of the Year” honors for her original, "Mirabelle." Performing songwriter KAREN HART’s songs for motion pictures, including being featured in Showtime's "Snow White" as the singing voice of SIGOURNEY WEAVER, have received critical acclaim from the L.A. Times, Variety, The New York Times, and People Magazine. She has sung at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II, opened for Stevie Wonder, performed at the new Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles, performed in the U.S., England, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Australia, and has often been backed up by a 100-voice choir. And she’s performed live on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks.”
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Karen was awarded the 2005 Barry Manilow / Concord Records Scholarship for "Writing Lyrics That Succeed and Endure." She has been honored with three world premiers of her music at the Los Angeles Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Her award winning choral works are performed world wide. (Big Music, where are you with a recording contract?)
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As for capturing this latest honor, Karen tells us, “It was a perfect weekend in San Francisco, topped off by the Sunday night competition in Berkeley,” where she performed and won at the famous Freight & Salvage. Karen adds, “Thank you so very much for all of your well wishes, and to my incredible friends who traveled so far to show their support. xxoo to one and all, Karen.” Surprisingly, “Mirabelle” doesn’t seem to be available on line, but you can hear some of Karen’s other songs, and read more, at www.karenhartmusic.com and www.myspace.com/karenhartmusic.
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You can hear Karen’s song, “Cold, Cold Christmas – A Soldier’s Song” on Neil Young’s Living with War” web site, at www.karenhartmusic.com/ColdXmas.html. It’s also featured on the Huffington Post at www.huffingtonpost.com/karen-hart/cold-cold-christmas_b_117382.html.
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9) L.A.-BASED PERFORMING SONGWRITER GETS MORE SONGS ON TV
We just heard from PAULA McMATH, that singer-songwriter with the empirical name. She had plenty of news. “I got another couple of songs placed. This time in the upcoming DVD release of the first two seasons of ‘Everwood.’”
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Paula’s latest success is one more proof that the execs running the music biz are out-of-touch with what people want to hear. Music execs are even out-of-touch with the people who select music for youth-oriented TV shows: how many episodes of “Everwood,” or “Dawson’s Creek,” or any of those other “youth-oriented” TV series on UPN (ex-WB series, or newer), and elsewhere on the dial, feature acoustic music with solid lyrics, instead of that sh-thump-thud groove-driven soundalike crap that they continue to tell us is the only thing that’s “commercially viable” -? Age demographics aside, people want real music, with harmony and melody, and not just rhythm. TV series execs know that’s true, even if the dummies who do TV commercials insist on backing everything with sh-thud noise – even commercials for prescription drugs for old people. Meanwhile, talented singer-songwriters like Paula McMath continue to write and perform music that people want to hear, and to pursue their art with no interaction with out-of-touch music execs.
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Paula continues, “Next Friday [Aug 29], I am doing a gig at Mackenzie Hall in Southern Ontario [Canada] for those of you who live in that area. For those of you who don't, I thought I'd send you a quick update about what I've been doing. It's been a productive year in the studio. I've been busy recording my 3rd CD. It will be finished this fall. I'll keep you posted on that.” Keep up with Paula at http://paulamcmath.com/
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10) BUDDY HARMAN, NASHVILLE’S MOST-RECORDED DRUMMER, DEAD AT 79
He was called “The father of modern country drumming” by WSM host and country music historian EDDIE STUBBS. During his amazing career BUDDY HARMAN’s drums and percussion drove more than 18,000 recordings, including ROY ORBISON's "Pretty Woman," PATSY CLINE's "Crazy," JOHNNY CASH's "Ring of Fire," TAMMY WYNETTE's "Stand By Your Man," RAY PRICE's "Crazy Arms," ELVIS PRESLEY's "Little Sister," BRENDA LEE's "I'm Sorry," ROGER MILLER's "King of the Road," and LORETTA LYNN's "Coal Miner's Daughter." We received word from Southern California-based ARCHIE FRANCIS, himself an 11-time winner of the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards as a percussionist, of Harmon’s passing, and of the obituary in the August 22 edition of the Nashville “Tennessean.” Harmon had suffered from congestive heart failure. Harmon was the first staff drummer on the “GRAND OLE OPRY” and the first prominent drummer in country music history. He helped secure country music as a viable, popular and modern art form. WSM’s Stubbs told the Tennessean, "No matter the song, he knew what to play. More importantly, he knew what not to play. Always."
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11) TALKING STICK FINALLY MOVING
Yep, as we’ve reported previously, the Talking Stick’s original location is closing its doors, as the venue happily moves to a new location in Venice. Now, we can tell you that the final show at the original Talking Stick in Santa Monica is this Saturday, August 30, 7-10 pm, with DADDY BONE, PETER QUENTIN, KAYE REZNICK, RICK LESHEVER, AND PERFORMING HOST CANYON ELLEN. That show is at 1630 Ocean Park Bl, Santa Monica 90405. Get there early for good seats. DADDY BONE tells us, “The show starts promptly at 7 o'clock (maybe earlier). Lollygaggers will be sitting outside.” The postage-stamp-sized venue has coffeehouse fare and good sandwiches, and the show is all ages, no cover. After Saturday, the Talking Stick and all its acoustic music shows will be in its new home at 1411 Lincoln Bl, Venice 92091. Keep up with the little venue and its friendly, music-supporting proprietors, at www.thetalkingstick.net.
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12) “THE WORLD FESTIVAL OF SACRED MUSIC” IS COMING SEP 13–SEP 28
It’s got 1,000 artists playing 41 events over a 16 day span, all over the L.A. area. As you know, “world music” is NOT what we cover here; FolkWorks has worked hard to be the place to go for that (www.folkworks.org). It’s quite rare when we make any exceptions here. Those exceptions are always driven by the possibility that the overlapping interests of acoustic Americana fans may occasionally – if demonstrably rarely – go off the reservation. The annual Sacred Music festival isn’t much about Appalachian or bluegrass or Southern Gospel. It is truly a “world” festival, with musical forms that will be familiar to some, and absolute terra incognita to others. We ARE listing the festival’s folk-Americana events in the Acoustic Americana Music Calendar. Beyond that, we decided to do this news feature on the festival, rather than attempt to make judgments on what else to include as calendar listings. So, what’s driving the things we’re including here? The fact that JAMIE PAPISH (www.myspace.com/jamiepapish), award-winning percussionist, and past guest on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks” (as a member of EXTREME KLEZMER MAKEOVER) is all over it. Here, we’re listing the “non-Americana” events that Jamie is playing. All the festival events are at www.festivalofsacredmusic.org.
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> Wed, Sep 17: 8 pm “LOVE PRAYERS ON TANBOUR - MYSTICAL MUSIC IN THE SPIRIT OF SUFISM” featuring HEYRANEH with CHRISTO PELLANI & JAMIE PAPISH on percussion and VARDAN on Armenian Woodwinds, at Earth & Sky Lodge, 5521 S Grosvenor Bl, L.A. 90066. Tix $25 acv, $30 door (limited seating). www.festivalofsacredmusic.org/0917Heyranneh.html.
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> Thu, Sep 18: 8 pm “SOUNDS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN AND BEYOND” with THE STEFANI VALADEZ ENSEMBLE, THE IST WEST ENSEMBLE, and THE AVA NAHAS PERCUSSION TRIO (JAMIE PAPISH performs w/ Stefani Valadez & Ava Nahas) at Murphy Recital Hall at Loyola Marymount University, One LMU Drive, L.A. 90045. Tix $20 adv, $25 door (limited seating). www.festivalofsacredmusic.org/0918Valadez.html.
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> Thu, Sep 25: 8 pm “SEEKER OF TRUTH - AN EVENING OF SUFI MUSIC FROM TURKEY & PAKISTAN” with THE YUVAL RON ENSEMBLE featuring NAJWA GIBRAN and WHIRLING DERVISH AZIZ with special guest Qawwali master vocalist Sukhawat Ali Khan, at the Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N Sepulveda Bl, L.A. 90049. $25 gen’l, $20 Skirball mbrs, $15 students. www.festivalofsacredmusic.org/0925Seeker.html
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13) MUSIC BIZ MAY DEMAND STRICT, LIMITED, & NARROW GENRES, BUT…
When you can bring star power, you can do what you want. He’s been recently featured on the iTunes music store, and now BFM Digital and SRI Records announces RAY BROWN JR's new album, "Friends And Family." The new CD is an all-star album of duets, with Ray joined by folkies MARIA MULDAUR and SOPHIE B. HAWKINS, and a stellar cross-genre who’s-who of music, including DIONNE WARWICK, DR. JOHN, JANE MONHEIT, JAMES MOODY, FREDA PAYNE, MELBA MOORE, DAVID "FATHEAD" NEWMAN, PAUL WILLIAMS, DR. LONNIE SMITH, TERRY GIBBS, SALLY KELLERMAN, DAVE SOMERVILLE, Ray’s daughter HAYLEE, & KIM HOYER. "Friends And Family" was produced by SHELLY LIEBOWITZ.
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Born in New York City, announces RAY BROWN JR. was raised in a family of musical royalty, the son of singer ELLA FITZGERALD and legendary jazz bass player RAY BROWN. "’Friends and Family,’" say its publicists, “reflects the amazingly diverse musical pedigree that Ray possesses. Original and unconventional arrangements and song choices set the tone and unique style of this release. ‘Friends And Family’ shows a completely different dimension of Ray Brown, Jr. with these artists who have come together to create this historic album."
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HAYLEE (Ray's daughter) does a duet with her Dad on her Grandma, ELLA FITZGERALD's, first hit "A Tisket A Tasket," and there’s a live version of "How High The Moon" with Ray joining his mother ELLA FITZGERALD and father RAY BROWN.
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To honor US military veterans, a portion of the proceeds from the download sales of the duet by RAY BROWN JR. and DR. LONNIE SMITH on "Everybody's Cryin' Mercy" will be donated to the National Veterans Foundation. The album will be available at all digital outlets via SRI's digital distributor, BFM Digital. Info, www.bfmdigital.com.
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Now, this raises an interesting point. Big Music’s stand that they only sign artists who appeal to the “magic” (but demonstrably broke) 18-24 year-old age demographic, and they always say that it’s “wholly necessary” for the industry’s survival to do that. How, then, can they allow a project like this to hot the streets? Moreover, who’s likely to buy it, with all those performers whose names are unknown to the “magic” 18-to-24-year-old age demographic? If Big Music’s default-mode premises are correct, this thing should fail miserably. But we’ll bet it does VERY well with the music-buying public.
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14) “DEAR GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER” IS AN ARTIST’S APPEAL
We bring you music video picks in each edition, and this time, we’re also calling your attention to this video. Artist PATRICIA CUNLIFFE (www.joiedevivreproductions.com), produced “Dear Governor Schwarzenegger.” Says Patricia, “[It] is my latest video, made for the students of the Loma Alta LEARNS Program (Pasadena Unified School District).” With the California legislature and the governor playing a game of chicken with the state’s budget, the governor has tried to put all state employees on the federal minimum wage (substantially less than the state’s minimum wage), while all Californians are being told to expect rationed services for those on Medi-Cal, deep cuts to education, and elimination of arts funding. So, Patricia and the kids decided to weigh-in with what it means to them, and you can see it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylV4b4cgot0.
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You can read editor Kevin Uhrich’s mention of the video in the Pasadena Weekly, at www.pasadenaweekly.com/cms/story/detail/?id=6286 and email the link to the video directly to the governor’s office at http://gov.ca.gov/interact#contact.
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15) THIS WEEK’S MUSIC VIDEO PICKS – FOR LABOR DAY
a) First, a musical look at a neglected part of American labor history. We’ve introduced you before to PATRICK KARNAHAN (blackirish28@hotmail.com) of the BLACK IRISH BAND (www.blackirish.com), the songwriter-musician who doubles as renowned painter. This year, Patrick’s art graces the OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware) railroad art calendar, the latest in the retailer’s long series of “train calendars” that have proven very popular with collectors. Meanwhile, with the band, Patrick the musician has done a fine tribute album to wildland fire fighters that’s been heard on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks,” and his latest piece of railroad art is the cover for MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY’s new CD.
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Now, just in time for Labor Day, Patrick sent us the url for his BLACK IRISH BAND music video, “Men of Iron,” a new song that pays homage to the nineteenth century railroad workers who built the first transcontinental railroad across vast windswept expanses of prairie, through rugged canyons, and over the realms of deep snow-clad mountains to connect isolated California to the United States of the East.
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Patrick says, “With Labor Day near, let us remember the Chinese Americans that built the Central Pacific Railroad. As a folk songwriter, I thought it was time to write a ballad based on the Chinese railroad workers. I first wrote a ballad about my Irish that worked on the Union Pacific Railroad. [The two railroads connected with the Golden Spike at Promontory, Utah.] Fellow BLACK IRISH BANDmate RICHARD RESTIVO said to me, 'Patrick, what about the Chinese?' I agreed, feeling that the Chinese were left out of a lot of the history of the American West. I hope you all understand about the great task that the Chinese undertook. Treated so poorly by others, they overcame many hardships to make the first transcontinental railroad one of the greatest feats of history. It is to the Chinese that gave their lives to the railroad that this song was written.” The song is at http://i220.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid220.photobucket.com/albums/dd244/trainfire28/MenofIron.flv
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Patrick says, “My other song, about the Irish on the Union Pacific, 'They Called Them Mic & Paddy', is sung by MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY on his new CD, “Riding the Rio Grande.” (We’ve heard that one, too, and played it on the radio, but there doesn’t seem to be a video available.)
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b) Our second music video offering is “Singer-SongFighter” ROSS ALTMAN. In it, Ross does an original that’s the perfect song for a Labor Day weekend that, oddly enough, punctuates the two political party conventions. Ross knows every labor organizing song since the cavemen formed the first mastodon-overcoat-makers’ union, and he’s being honored at an event on Sep 6 at 6 pm (see the calendar listing). Fortunately, we found this video of him doing his song, “Guess Who’s Coming to the White House.” It’s at www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpCxWRHIuA4.
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Commencing with this edition, we will make you aware of new music CDs and concert DVDs that might interest you. This does NOT represent a change in our emphasis, just a wider one, with Christmas and all the other expenditure-oriented holidays coming.
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16) AMERICANA LABEL HAS BIG CD / DVD SALE
Both KINKY FRIEDMAN and KACEY JONES have appeared live on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks,” with their thoughtfully irreverent humor and both serious and comedic songs. Their labels, Kinkajou Records and its related IGO Records checked-in to tell us about a really big sale, and a chance for TttT fans to get some coveted titles at deep discounts. They say, “These are our lowest prices ever...we're not kidding.” There’s some great stuff on the sale list, including the award-winning tribute that had its world premiere on TttT, “KACEY JONES SINGS MICKEY NEWBURY,” and many of KACEY JONES musical comedy classics, including "Nipples To The Wind," "Every Man I Love is Either Married, Gay, or Dead...LIVE," "The Sweet Potato Queens' Big-Ass Box of Music," "Never Wear Panties to a Party," and "KACEYOKE Volume 1." There’s the classic KINKY FRIEDMAN tribute CD, “PEARLS IN THE SNOW,” featuring TOM WAITS, KINKY FRIEDMAN & THE TEXAS JEWBOYS, WILLIE NELSON, LYLE LOVETT, DWIGHT YOAKAM, DELBERT MCCLINTON, TOMPALL GLASER, GUY CLARK, LEROY PARNELL, MARTY STUART, and more; other albums by KINKY FRIEDMAN, and the DVD, "Proud to Be an A**hole from El Paso;" and albums from BECKY SCHLEGEL, JESSE GOLDBERG, LELAND MARTIN (CDS & DVD), MICHAEL SNOW, RECKLESS JOHNNY WALES, CHRIS RAMEY, GARRISON WHITE, and more. They add, “If your purchase amounts to $30 or more, we'll send you a FREE autographed DVD copy of the KACEY JONES music video, "San Francisco Mabel Joy," featuring KRIS KRISTOFFERSON and WAYLON PAYNE (as seen on GAC and CMT television).”
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There are 56 CDs / DVDs included in the sale. All Kacey Jones items can be personally autographed upon email request (at no extra charge). View all the sale titles and all the artists at www.kinkajourecords.com/cart/specials.php, info, toll-free at 877-999-9975 or www.KinkajouRecords.com.
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17) JOHN McCUTCHEON TO RELEASE LIVE CONCERT DVD
When your web site is FolkMusic.com, you’ve been around a long time. That’s certainly the case with folk icon JOHN McCUTCHEON. John's long-awaited concert DVD will be released in mid-September by Bamboo Concerts of Ann Arbor, MI. Recorded at the legendary Ark, it features many of John's songs and other favorites he covers, plus stories, instrumentals and his always fine performance. Go subscribe to his newsletter and you’ll qualify for the special offer for his newsletter subscribers, wherein Appalseed is offering a pre-release discount of $5 per DVD (a pre-release price of $20, rather than the standard price of $25). John’s newsletter subscriber orders will be the first shipped on release day. Subscribe at newsletter@folkmusic.com then you can order and get the discount at www.folkmusic.com - click on "The Shop." Their offer expires September 15. And yes, in time for the election campaign, the DVD contains John’s “Hail to the Chief” and “Not In My Name.” It also has his classics, “Christmas in the Trenches,” “Ode to Common Things,” and “Leviathan,” plus fiddle tunes and much more, 19 songs in all, and a special interview.
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NEXT WEEK, we’ll bring lots more news.
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copyright (c) © 2008, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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Be sure to check EVERY WEEK for
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+ the extensive and always huge ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC CALENDAR’s event listings at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com, or at www.myspace.com/laacoustic.
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+ news of the “TIED TO THE TRACKS” radio & TV shows coming soon in syndication.
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+ the latest NEWS FEATURES from the acoustic music universe!
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WANT TO CONTACT US?
tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com
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