Local Band Review Podcast #4

Local Band Review Podcast #4 is up! Subscribe on iTunes.

1. Carl Franklin – Waiting for the Summer to Come. Carl is not only a skilled audio engineer, but a musician as well. He plays drums, bass, piano, guitar, and sings.
2. The Rivergods – Squeezin’. They call themselves “a roots/folk/alt.country/ whatever outfit.” This is a nice song about one of my favorite things.
3. Matt Miklus and Friends – Long Time Coming. Matt’s been around the Connecticut scene a long time, best known for his guitar playing in Hubinger St. He’s more of an acoustic guy now. You can hear Matt with the Nameless Trio live on the Sunday Brunch Concert, April 29, 1:00 PM on WPKN 89.5.
4. Little Ugly – Bag of Bones. The Hartford Advocate’s 2011 Grand Band Slam winners show their songwriting prowess here. This is acoustic rock at its finest.
5. Daria Musk – Ghost. Daria is a singer-songwriter with an incredible voice. She unlocked the potential of the Google+ “hangout” feature, and quickly found a global audience.

I hope you enjoy these tracks as much as I do. Get out there and support live music!

If you’d like to submit a track for the podcast, you can use submission page on LocalBandReview.com, or send it to my SoundCloud dropbox.
Send me your sounds

Podcast #3 is now available

You can read all about it over at Local Band Review. The podcast is also available on iTunes, so you can subscribe and receive the new ones automatically. Enjoy!

Technorati tags: podcast, Local Band Review

The Podcast is on iTunes!

As I mentioned previously, I'm doing a podcast featuring recordings from the local music scene. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. and get the latest as soon as they're published.

The first two podcasts are up at Local Band Review. You can read about them over there, along with the other great coverage of Connecticut's music scene. I'm happy to be a part of LBR, and look forward to bringing you the best in local original music.

If you have original tracks you want to submit, leave them  in my SoundCloud drop box.

Send me
your sounds

Technorati tags: Local Band Review, podcast

New Location & Time for Avi Wisnia Concert

Avi Wisnia's performance, originally scheduled for the March 4th Sunday Brunch Concert, has been moved to a new location and time this Sunday.

March 4th – Avi Wisnia *NEW LOCATION AND TIME*
5:00 p.m.
The Outer Space , 295 Treadwell Street, Hamden, CT (21+)
Admission is free, but there will be a free-will offering to support the artists.
This show will not be broadcast. Avi's set will be followed at 6:00 by the venue's weekly jazz series featuring the Colin Wade Group.

Singer/Songwriter Avi Wisnia presents an eclectic mix of refreshingly original songs, finding inspiration in classic Brazilian bossa nova, acoustic American folk, 1950’s west-coast jazz, and contemporary pop. A wordsmith as well as a composer and performer, Avi’s clever lyrics give a knowing nod to those that came before, while his smooth vocals and deft piano skills assure you that this is truly something new.

Michela Musolino and Vincenzo Castellana perform "Sempri amMari - Traditional Sicilian Songs to the Sea"

When: Sunday, October 30, 1:00 PM
Where: WPKN "Studio 207," 244 University Avenue, Bridgeport, CT
On the air at 89.5 FM and online at wpkn.org

The rich musical tradition of Sicily includes many songs that speak of the sea, sing its praises or belong to those whose work connects them to the water.  Musicians Michela Musolino and Vincenzo Castellana join together to pay tribute to Sicily’s sea. Musolino, a vocalist known for her performances of Sicilian Roots Music, and Castellana, a noted percussionist of the Sicilian drumming tradition, have created a work of song, percussion and recitations which illustrate the intimate connection of Sicily, her history and her culture to the sea which surrounds it. They will be joined by special guests:  bassist Vito Galante and oud player Thom Chess.

Castellana has collaborated with Maestro Ennio Morricone, and Musolino has recently performed with Sicilian  singer/songwriter Pippo Pollina at his US debut.

The program will take place on the second floor of the University Of Bridgeport student center in Room 207. The public is invited to join us in our "living room" broadcast location across the hall from the WPKN studios for this hour long performance.

Connecticut Playmakers LIVE on June 5th

Sunday, June 5th, 1:00 p.m.
Connecticut Playmakers has spent the last 60 years bringing the “Best of Broadway” to the greater Greenwich community and southwest Connecticut. Their performance will feature highlights from their most recent production, "A Day, A Night, and Cole Porter."  Special guest hosted Harry Minot.

The concert takes place in WPKN's "Studio 207." Admission is free. Arrive early and join our studio audience.

Technorati tags: WPKN, playlist, Morning Maniac Music, radio

Wednesday Little Feat

7/19/73 Ebbet's Field, Denver, CO



Hamburger Midnight
Got No Shadow
On Your Way Down
Walkin' all Night
Two Trains
Willin'
Cold, Cold, Cold
Dixie Chicken
Tripe Face Boogie
Fat Man In The Bathtub

Tuning/Intro
A Apolitical Blues
Two Trains
Got No Shadow
The Fan
Texas Rose Cafe
Snakes On Everything
Cat Fever
Walkin' All Night
Sailin' Shoes
Dixie Chicken
Tripe Face Boogie

Technorati tags: Little Feat

Buxter Hoot'n at Sullivan Hall

I receive lots of review CDs. There's a big stack on my desk as I type. Sometimes one really grabs my attention. Such is the the sophomore effort from Buxter Hoot'n, entitled In Another Life. Their engaging music lies in a region bordered by country, bluegrass & blues with a Jefferson Airplane feeling.

They'll be at Sullivan Hall in New York on Wednesday, September 22nd. Catch them if you can. 

Technorati tags: WPKN, playlist, Morning Maniac Music, radio

SoupStock Festival today in Shelton

A one day festival celebrating Art, Music, Food and Craftsmanship
May, 16 2010 10:00am – 6:00pm
at "The Slab", Canal St. in downtown Shelton, CT

www.soupstockfestival.org

Soupstock Festival 2010 on Facebook

King For A Day in the studio

Three Kings joined me for brunch yesterday. We had a good ol' time with live music and some tracks from their newest CD.




Left to right: Benj LeFevre, Dan Labich, Randy Funke.

Technorati tags: WPKN, playlist, Morning Maniac Music, radio

Musician's Dictionary

AGENT: a character who resents performers getting 90% of his salary.

ARRANGER: a guy who writes to support a drinking habit.

BALLET: an art form for people with eating disorders

BANDSTAND: the area furthest away from an electrical outlet

BIG BAND: nowadays, an aggregation consisting of two musicians.

BROADWAY PIT JOB: a prison sentence disguised as a gig.

CABARET: a venue where singers do songs from shows that closed out of town.

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME: god's way of telling you that you've practiced too much.

CATERER: a man whose hatred for musicians is unrivaled.

CHANTEUSE: a singer with an accent and no time.

CLASSICAL COMPOSER: a man ahead of his time and behind in the rent.

CLUBDATER: god's way of telling you that you didn't practice enough.

CLUB DATE LEADER: someone who changes his name from Kaminsky to Kaye.

CONTRACTOR: a man whose funeral nobody goes to.

CRUISE SHIP WORK: a gig that gives a musician two reasons to throw up.

DOWNBEAT: the magazine that would have you believe that all jazz musicians are working.

ELECTRIC PIANO: the instrument that enables its player to pay for the hernia he sustained lifting it.

JAZZ: the only true american art form beloved by europeans.

JAZZ FESTIVAL: an event attended by folks who think Coltrane is a car on the B&O railroad.

LYRIC: that part of a tune known only by singers and homosexuals.

MELLOPHONE: an instrument best put to use when converted into a lamp.

METRONOME: the archenemy of chanteuses and cantors.

MOVIE COMPOSER: someone who can write like anyone except himself.

NEW AGE : a musical substitute for Valium.

NEW YEARS EVE: the night of the year when contractors are forced to hire musicians they despise.

ORCHESTRATOR: the musician who enhances a composer's music, only to be chastised for it .

PERCUSSIONIST: a drummer who can't swing.

PERFECT PITCH: the ability to pinpoint any note and still play out of tune.

PRODIGY: a kid who has as much chance at a normal childhood as the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series.

RARE VIOLIN: a Stradivarius, not to be confused with a rare violinist, which is someone over four foot eleven.

SIDEMAN: the appellation that guarantees a musician will never be rich.

STAFF MUSICIAN: harder to locate than a cavity in the Osmond family.

STEADY ENGAGEMENT: look up in Webster's Dictionary under the word ''obsolete.''

24/7: the time signature of the national anthem of India.

UNION REP: a guy who thinks big bands are coming back.

VERSE: the part of a tune that's disposable, except to its composer.

VIOLA D'AMORE: a baroque string instrument and coincidentally the hooker Bach lost his virginity to.

WURLITZER: the Ford Pinto of pianos.

YANNI: a man blessed with great hair for music.

(Hat tip: Feesh)

John Kadlecik sits in with Reckoning

Reckoning's Mike Katzman, left, and John Kadlecik

Erstwhile Dark Star Orchestra guitarist John Kadlecik was called up to the majors and is touring with Furthur, Bob Weir and Phil Lesh's latest band. After last night's show, the faithful converged at Sullivan Hall for an after party with Reckoning. The Long Island stalwarts were surprised when John K. showed up and sat in for some tunes.

Technorati tags: Furthur, Reckoning, Morning Maniac Music, Sullivan Hall

Glenn Roth live on the Sunday Brunch Concert

Influenced both by talented fingerstyle artists such as Tommy Emmanuel, Michael Hedges, and Preston Reid and the bombast and melodicism of bands like Tool and 311, Glenn has developed a style of solo acoustic guitar playing that’s uniquely his own: aggressive, emotional, vibrant, melodic, in turn and often within the same song. Anyone who has marveled at Glenn’s brilliant acoustic interpretation of Iron Maiden’s Run to the Hills, a YouTube hit and a tribute to those early days of air-guitar, can attest to Glenn’s imaginative and virtuosic guitar playing.

Join us in the intimate setting of our broadcast studio for what promises to be a wonderful set of music.

Space is limited. For reservations & directions, call 203-331-9756.

Sarah Blacker live in our studio this Sunday Brunch Concert

Sarah Blacker will make you dance a jig in the street, while she stomps, claps, and cheers you on! She’ll get a kick out of the way the music moves you, and will be equally as moved. She’ll even make your toughest bassist cry with the amount of passion she pours into each musical note she produces. She’ll treat you like an old friend before a show and stop you dead in your tracks once she starts to sing.

Join us in the intimate setting of our broadcast studio for what promises to be a wonderful set of music.

Space is limited. For reservations & directions, call 203-331-9756.

Technorati tags: WPKN, live music, Sarah Blacker, radio

Concert for Haiti

Saturday, Jan. 30th, 7:30 p.m.
FTC on Stage One
70 Sanford St., Fairfield, CT

Technorati tags: Haiti, benefit

Tomorrow on Morning Maniac Music

Dec. 6th WPKN Benefit with ZOoT PLANeT

11:30 a.m. Matthew DeTroy will join us in the studio.
7:30 p.m. Concert at FTC on Stage One, 70 Sanford Street, Fairfield, CT.

Blast away with this crew of seasoned local musicians as they make their debut on Stage One. Delivering sultry and snappy swing era classics diced with jazz and blues, ZOoT PLANeT will teleport you to a time and place where the roots of great music blends with the sensibility of sound in the millennium. Whether you're a rug cutter or a seat tapper, you're in for a treat that's out of this world! The ZOoT crew is - Matthew DeTroy (keys), Carol Piro (vocals), Bruce Couillard (sax/vocals), Hans Broecking (drums), Tim DeHuff (guitar), Rich Zurkowski (bass). In support of live, local radio ZOoT pLAnEt shares proceeds with WPKN.

Dec. 6th Typhanie Monique & Neal Alger

1:00 p.m. Typhanie Monique & Neal Alger will join us for an hour of music and conversation.

While many musical units are formed with a specific agenda, the jazz duo of Typhanie Monique, vocals, and Neal Alger, guitar, came about mostly by chance.  With a background that contains R&B icons Tina Turner and Lionel Richie from her mother's listening habits, Typhanie came to discover jazz in her teenage years.  After studying jazz vocal technique in college, Monique moved to Chicago and formed a successful funk/acid-jazz group Peking Turtle and performed at many venues in the midwest.  Neal too eventually embraced jazz by his late teens but came into it from a different angle; Neal grew up listening and performing hard rock/progressive rock.  Chicago became home for Alger after college as well, and he freelanced with local jazz luminaries and fronted his own trio.

In the holiday spirit of an inclusive 'musical family', YULETIDE GROOVE, the newest project from Alger and Monique, features many special guests including rising Hammond B3 organ star Tony Monaco.  Monaco brings an infectious beat, a rock-solid swing, and warm vocals to the chestnut "Baby It's Cold Outside" while Monique revels in Monaco's vitality, turning in an inspired vocal performance.  A horn trio of trumpet, sax, and trombone brings a lush but not overly sentimental flavor to Vince Guaraldi's "Christmastime is Here" and the classic "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree".  The sultry sexiness of "Santa Baby" is beautifully enhanced by a cha-cha arrangement which features the contagious musical exuberance of latinos pianist Darwin Noguera and trumpeter Victor Garcia.
Technorati tags: WPKN, playlist, Morning Maniac Music, radio

A nice review of Sunday's live McLovins set

As I start to recover from pneumonia, it's a pleasure to read the write-up of the festivities from the McLovins' fanblog, Dave Smith's One and One and One Make Three.

I had no idea how sick I was during this broadcast, and I sure hope I didn't infect anybody.

Here's the audio from the show. How hard did they play? Jason "Basslovin" said it best: You know you played hard when you have blisters on fingers you didn't use.

Technorati tags: WPKN, McLovins, radio

Musical Hallowe'en treats

Here are a few shows worth checking out for Hallowe'en

Caravan of Thieves - FTC Stage One
Cosmic Jibaros -Acoustic Cafe
King for a Day - Two Boots
Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams - Gramercy Theatre, NYC

Sunday Brunch Concerts

Come down and be part of our live studio audience!

Sunday, June 7th, 12:00 noon
WPKN Studio 207, Bridgeport
The Juicy Grapes

Sunday, June 21st, 1:00 p.m.
Kasbah Garden Cafe, 105 Howe Street, New Haven
The Harris Brothers Balkan Band

Admission is free, and everyone is welcome. For reservations and directions, call 203-331-9756.

Technorati tags: WPKN, radio

I have an ear worm!

I'm gonna slash my wrists if I can't get this corny hippie stuff out of my head.