Interview with Dawn Drake

An active musician in New York City’s African, Brazilian, Cuban and Women’s music scenes, Dawn Drake started her career as an electric bass player and percussionist. Now she is known also as a singer-songwriter, composer and bandleader for her band Dawn Drake & ZapOte. She is also a very active teaching artist for several NYC arts organizations including the Brooklyn Arts Council

Dawn began traveling and studying world music through the UC Berkeley Study Abroad Program in Ghana, West Africa where she lived for a year . Upon moving to New York City, she started to play bass and percussion with artists and bands which have included Geoff Mann, The Femm Nameless, Paprika, Samba New York, Beat the Donkey, Obini Ashe, Jojo Kuo, Manmzel(an all-female Haitian Kompa band), Azouhouni Adou, Nepo Soteri and others. During this time she also acquired an MA in Ethnomusicology at the City University of New York’s Graduate Center. Dawn studied and played Afro-Cuban percussion including the sacred Batá drums in New York and Cuba, as well as samba percussion in Brazil, where she played in Rio de Janiero’s Carnaval.  She is one of very few female Batá  players in the US and has played with many well known Batá players in the Cuban community.

She has also shared the stage with Me’shell N’degeocello, Cyro Baptista, Trey Anastasio, Mo’Guajiro, Jorge Alabê and members of Antibalas. She has appeared on The CBS Early Show, and Telemundo TV, PBS, WBAI, and played stages such as Symphony Space, SOB’s, The Zinc Bar, Rockefeller Center’s Rainbow Room, Radio City Music Hall, Brooklyn Academy of Music CAFE, The Walker Art Center, Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Of late, she accompanies several West African artists on Bass. She also continues to accompany Afro-Cuban folkloric dancers on Congas and Batá.

Dawn Drake and her band ZapOte have performed live on Channel 56 in Manhattan  (www.mnn.org) as well as CUNY Graduate School of Journalism’s live radio show entitled “Audiofiles”; WBAI in NYC, KPFA Pacifica Radio in Berkeley, KUSP in Santa Cruz, and WTJU in Charlottesville. They have played in Holland, busked in France and Barcelona, and have played festivals and venues on the East and West Coast of the US. They were featured performers at BAMCafe Live in 2007, 2010 and 2015, the multi-city Bluemont Concert Series in Virginia 2008, the Wisteria Cornstalk Festival and Culturefest WV in 2009, the Downtown Berkeley Music Festival in 2009 and 2010, the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Chili Pepper Festival in 2010, Iowa Women’s Music Festival 2011, Third Street Music Festival Concert Series 2012 & 2013, SisterSpace Weekend 2013, Danbury Concerts on the Green 2014, Mamapalooza 2015. Dawn’s 2 full-length albums are available on CD Baby, www.cdbaby.com/artist/dawndrake, as well as on itunes on www.itunes.com/dawndrake.

Dawn is a recipient of a scholarship from the California Institute of the Arts MFA Performer/Composer program where she has formed another band called Zarija Zmah Global Mixology

Interview with Brigitte Rios Purdy

Brigitte was born and raised in Los Angeles. From an early age, her family cultivated her artistry by immersing her in the rich sounds of blues and gospel. Her father was a blues guitarist and would often showcase her talents at family gatherings. At the tender age of 5, she was hand picked by the choir director to perform her first solo. At the age of 13, her mother heard an announcement on the radio for auditions at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Brigitte competed against hundreds of young hopefuls for a chance to enter the Dorothy Chandler Conservatory. She was selected and subsequently trained by the best in the business.

Brigitte began performing at the Ahmanson Theater and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. She has been blessed to share the stage with talents such as Dionne Warwick, Marilyn McCoo, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and Tierra, among many others. She also enjoyed working with Hal Davis of Motown Records. Among her many vocal gigs, Brigitte was a background vocalist for Paul Rodgers on the Jimi Hendrix/Muddy Waters Tour. She was given the incredible opportunity to tour the globe with The U.S.A. Girls, entertaining the troops overseas for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Brigitte is forever grateful for the opportunities she has been given. She loves people and loves to give of her time and talents. Believing strongly in the power of mentoring, she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in the Humanities and enjoys giving back to her community.

Brigitte uses her sultry, powerful and emotive range to captivate an audience. She can go from a gentle purr to a sonic boom within seconds, while pouring her heart into every note. Her incredible versatility ranges from Classical to Blues, Funk, Rock, Jazz and Soul, each delivered with her unique and passionate style.

Interview with RESH

Multi-talented, multiple award-winning artist RESH has forged a career in the Malaysian and International music scene virtually single-handedly, going from humble beginnings as a sound engineer to becoming one of the most recognizable faces of the Malaysian English music industry in the past eight years.

RESH unleashed himself onto the entertainment scene in 2003 when he released his debut album entitled “Monumental” under the then moniker, Reshmonu. The album took critics and fans by storm with hit singles like Walk Away and It’s You That Matters. The album earned him a whopping seven nominations at the premier Malaysian music industry award show, Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) in 2004, of which he proudly bagged three awards (Best Male Vocals, Best English-language Artiste, Best Engineering for an Album).

He has since established himself as the premier English Language market entertainer in Malaysia, loved and admired by fans worldwide and respected by his peers, and is among an elite few Malaysian artists who have consistently performed as opening act for internationally acclaimed acts touring in Malaysia such as Alicia Keys, Prodigy, Pussycat Dolls, The Black Eyed Peas, Nicole Scherzinger, Girls Generation, and many more. Taking his passion for music one step further, RESH also took on the role of director his music video for ‘The Way It Makes You Move’, which went on to earn him a nomination in the 2008 AIM Awards under the ‘Best Music Video’ Award category.

Most recently, RESH was selected to be featured in the video campaign for THE GLOBAL GOALS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CAMPAIGN, a ground-breaking collaboration of campaigners, public figures, companies and civil society groups. The video also features celebrities and other influential people such as Bill Gates, Matt Damon, 5 Seconds of Summer and more.

Not only does he sing, write, produce, arrange and engineer his own music, RESH is a consummate perfectionist, overseeing virtually all stages in the process of creating an album which includes directing and editing his own music videos, art directing the artwork of his albums, working on his own unique image styling and plugging his music to local radio stations.

Interview with Sergio Stryker of The LIQS

3 piece band, fuzz, Japanese cars,90s wannabes, UFOs and government conspiracy.”  The words red, rag and bull come to mind.  And I wasn’t disappointed.  Liqs are from Chicago, Illinois, and if you haven’t met them before say hello to Esteban Miranda (Drums), /Nick Van Horn (Vocals and Guitar) and Sergio Stryker (Bass and brilliant surname).  Nothing For Me is a 2 track single and was released on the 6th January, and is their third release.  Both tracks are fuzz laden, much to my delight, but are quite different.  The title track is a kick in the face assault to the senses, with a rumbling bass and tight snare drum stopping the wailing feedback from tipping over the edge.  B Side Heartless, is a tighter affair, a more garage/psychedelic song than the A side, with a barrel load of reverb fighting for attention with the ever present fuzz. ( Source https://skipierage.wordpress.com/2016/01/18/liqs-nothing-for-me/)

FROM VENTS
Hi guys, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

We have been good thank you, staying hidden indoor’s from this terrible Chicago winter

Can you tell us more about the story behind your track ¨Nothing For Me¨?

“Nothing For Me” was recorded last year around this time, it was a spur of the moment song we all wrote together, we also recorded the same night we wrote it.

Did any event in particular inspire the song?

“Nothing For Me” was inspired from dreaming and sleep

How was the film experience?

Our good friend Jordan Thomas made this music video for us, and it was a great time filming it. We just hung around drank some beer and filmed random stuff.

The single comes off your new album – any tentative title in mind?

No name for the album yet, but we got some ideas!

How was the recording and writing process?

It was quick and spontaneous, everything was thought out right in the moment; it was quite beautiful.

Where did you find the inspiration for the songs and lyrics?

Lyric’s were written just with random lines and poems from Nick’s journal, the meaning is created from the listener.

What role does Sonic Youth plays in your music?

Sonic Youth plays a huge role in our music. We love noise and experimental music more then anything.

Any plans to hit the road?

We will be trying to tour as much as possible in 2016.

What else is happening next in LIQS´ world?

Just about to finish up this record, and we have been playing a ton of shows in Chicago , as well as working on some fun side projects. - (Source http://ventsmagazine.com/2016/01/19/interview-liqs/ )

Interview with ALEKO

Aleko is an American Singer-Songwriter from southern New Jersey. Debut EP entitled Amity released on October 2, 2015.

Singer-Songwriter ALEKO puts himself on the musical map with his highly anticipated debut EP titled Amity. For fans of City & Colour, Bon Iver and Hozier, Aleko is right up your alley. Hailing from southern New Jersey Aleko provides soothing instrumentation and a modulated singing style which connects with listeners on a personal level.

Picking up the guitar at the age of 8, Aleko found his musical niche early in life. His intense interest in music had driven him to construct melodies and chords on the piano, and dabble in other instruments such as the mandolin and ukulele; even trying his hand at Opera. “I don’t want anything to ever sound forced. I’ve found that bringing a soulful sound out of my music is by simply letting it happen rather than ‘attempting’,” says Aleko.

Influenced by modern classics such as Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Dallas Green and John Mayer among others, Aleko hones his musical skills to create a unique musical experience. His inspiration comes from various different aspects of his life; whether it is the heat of the moment or the reaction to a situation, his music adapts. Aleko brings his insight to the world, without missing a beat.

There have been many turning points in his life that influenced his writing – heartbreak, love, joy, even despair – but Aleko finds a way to express himself through playing music like no other.

Throughout the songs on Amity, Aleko truly brings a heartfelt sound. Standout tracks such as "Why Am I" and "Hold On Me," help bring the album to life, while showcasing Aleko's skills not only as a performer, but as a songwriter as well. His music will leave you with goosebumps, and give you a reason to crave more.

Interview with MAKAR

Check this out on the Loudini Rock and Roll Circus
Hosted by Lou Lombardi aka Loudini
Makar (pronounced Mah-Kar) is a 15th century Scottish term meaning Poet and also a dark and groovy little New York band. A guitar and piano driven indie-rock band that makes Punk and Poet rejoice and dance together.
Makar began with Mark looking for a band to join as a singer and finding nothing appealing, so Andrea said "why don't you write your own songs?" So he did! But Andrea kept butting in and adding her 2 cents, so Mark said, "why don't you write a song?" So she did. And that's where it all began!

 Makar consists of Andrea DeAngelis, co-singer/songwriter/guitarist from New Jersey and Mark Purnell, co-singer/songwriter/pianist from New York.

Beginning in 2002-03, Makar played their first, nail-biting, exciting NYC gigs at places like Luna Lounge, CBGBs gallery, Knitting Factory and Pianos and began recording their 18-song debut album, 99 Cent Dreams, on July 14, 2002 at Multiway Studios in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. In 2005 the debut album, 99 Cent Dreams, arrived and Makar went to work promoting it! The 18 song album got played all over the world on FM, College, Indie and Internet radio stations. 99 Cent Dreams received many wonderful and heartfelt reviews from fans and critics alike such as independentsonly.com*, who called Makar, “a musical genius worth telling people about” and the Windy City Times, who hailed them as “a breath of fresh air.” The album sold thousands of downloads and physical copies. We even did a TV appearance or two!! Makar's first music video for the song "I Hate My Job" directed by Brian Schulz got played on MTV2. Makar made many incredible fans and played many a great show, even got signed to a non-exclusive deal with a little indie label named Sizzleteen Records!

Makar began work on its second album, Funeral Genius, August 2008 at the Seaside Lounge in Park Slope, Brooklyn. It is now available on Amazon.com, CD Baby, Itunes and everywhere digital music is sold in the universe and has already garnered amazing reviews from the likes of Rust Magazine’s Eric Peterson who said "get ready to make some space on your shelf or playlist for "Funeral Genius" and pick it up right away. It's going to be one of your most-loved albums of all time. Essential." Funeral Genius recently landed Makar on the top 300 Best NYC Indie Bands list by Brooklyn’s prestigious Deli Magazine along with such artists as Lana Del Rey, MGMT and Vampire Weekend!

Watch out for tour dates so we can put a rock 'n roll smile on your face while shaking your hips and minds awake. No more living thick and slow my friends! As Jim Morrison used to say “wake up!” There’s a revolution on the internet and in indie music, so come along with Makar on its magical musical journey!
MAKAR Influences

The Beatles, Syd Barrett, Grizzly Bear, The Dandy Warhols, Sharon Van Etten, Ting Tings, Arcade Fire, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Woody and Arlo Guthrie, Belle and Sebastian, Bjork, Blondie, The Runaways, David Bowie, The Carpenters, The Cars, The Clash, Jimi Hendrix, Jaco Pastorius, The Cure, Duke Ellington, Little Richard, Depeche Mode, Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, David Gray, U2, Jerry Lee Lewis, Otis Redding, The Doors, The Smiths, Richie Valens, Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline, Elvis, Portishead, Bessie Smith, Radiohead, Robert Johnson, The Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones, The Who, T-Rex, The Troggs, Yardbirds, The Violent Femmes, The Sex Pistols, Tricky, Run DMC, LL Cool J, De La Soul, Moby, MIA, Simple Minds, KWS, Sonic Youth, Love, Led Zeppelin, Wings, Nirvana, New Order, Bronski Beat, Joy Division, Percy Sledge, Righteous Brothers, Frank Sinatra, Bill Withers, Janis Joplin and The Monkees.

The Wrecking Crew - Did you know that many of your favorite songs were NOT performed by the members of the bands you love?

The Wrecking Crew   - Did you know that many of your favorite songs were NOT performed by the members of the bands you love?
Lou and Kevin discuss some of their favorite “ghost” musicians and talk about the film that pays homage to them.
Music from Loudini Artists: Bright Curse , Big Boy Bloater  , My Stupid Brother

"The Wrecking Crew" (sometimes called "the Clique" and "the First Call Gang") was a loose-knit circle of Los Angeles' top studio session musicians whose services were constantly in demand during their heyday in the 1960s and early 1970s. In varying configurations, often anonymously, they backed dozens of popular acts on numerous top-selling hits of the era. They are considered one of the most successful session recording units in music history.

The group's ranks began to materialize in the late 1950s, but in the early 1960s they fully coalesced into what became their most recognizable form when they became the de facto house band for Phil Spector, sometimes credited as the Phil Spector Wall of Sound Orchestra, playing on many of the hits that he produced at the time, and contributing to the development of his Wall of Sound production methods. After the initial success of Spector's records, they became the most requested session musicians in Los Angeles, playing behind many popular recording artists such as Jan & Dean, Sonny & Cher, Barry McGuire, the Mamas & the Papas, Frank Sinatra, and Nancy Sinatra. They were sometimes used as "ghost players" on recordings credited to rock groups, such as the first two albums by the Monkees, the Byrds' cover version of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" (1965), and the Beach Boys' album Pet Sounds (1966).

Keyboardist Leon Russell and guitarist Glen Campbell later became popular solo acts, while drummer Hal Blaine is reputed to have played on over 140 top ten hits (including approximately forty number one hits).[clarification needed] Other musicians that constituted the unit's ranks were drummer Earl Palmer, saxophonist Steve Douglas, guitarist Tommy Tedesco, and multi-instrumentalist Larry Knechtel (later a member of Bread).

Two of their members, Blaine and Palmer, were among the inaugural "sidemen" inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, while the entire Wrecking Crew was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2008, they were the subject of the documentary The Wrecking Crew.

Birthday Shout Outs:

1936, Born on this day, Roy Orbison singer, songwriter, who had a 1964 UK & US No.1 single with ‘Pretty Woman’ plus over 20 US & 30 UK Top 40 singles. With the Traveling Wilburys he had a 1988 UK No.21 single with ‘Handle With Care’. Orbison died on December 6th 1988.

more

1955, Born on this day, Ray Burns, (Captain Sensible), The Damned, (1983 UK No.3 single 'Eloise') solo (1982 UK No.1 single 'Happy Talk').

More

1960, Born on this day, David Gedge, vocals, guitar, The Wedding Present, (UK indie band, during 1992 they released 1 single every month giving them 12 Top 30 hits, making them the only group to score more than 10 new hits in one year).

1960, Born on this day, Steve Clark, guitarist with Def Leppard, who had a 1987 UK No.6 single with ‘Animal’, a 1987 worldwide No.1 album with Hysteria and a 1988 US No.1 single with ‘Love Bites’. Clark died on January 8th 1991, aged 30 after a night of heavy alcohol consumption combined with prescription drugs.

1964, Born on this day, Simon Matthews, drummer with English group Jesus Jones who had the 1990 US No.2 hit with 'Right Here Right Now' and the 1991 UK No.7 single 'International Bright Young Thing'.

1968, Born on this day, Stan Frazier, Sugar Ray, (1999 UK No. 10 single 'Every Morning').

Band Members

Romain "Shaman" Daut

Max Ternebring

Zacharie Mizzi

Short Description

http://www.brightcurse.com

Booking EU: Ephelmusic@hotmail.fr

Booking UK: Brightcurse@gmail.com

Bio

Deep, dark, hypnotic and addictive, Bright Curse evolves in the Heavy - Psychedelic scene represented by great bands such as Tool, Witch, Sleep..

Website

http://brightcurse.com

Big Boy Bloater  http://www.bigboybloater.com/

“One of the great blues men of our time” Jools Holland, BBC

“Bloater is a phenomenal guitarist!” Mark Lamarr, BBC Radio 2

“I love this guy…he has a voice that sounds like it’s been soaked in turpentine for the last decade!” Craig Charles, BBC 6 Music

“I’m a massive fan of Big Boy Bloater, he’s a charismatic boy with a big voice” Imelda May

“The best R&B guitarist and singer in the UK”  The Blues Magazine

Big Boy Bloater is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, radio presenter and entertainer of the highest order.  His take on roots and R&B has impressed many people within the genre, from the original greats of Blues & roots to modern aficionados.  He is regularly asked to play guitar for legends of R&B, roots and blues and he takes his own band - the Limits - on tours around the globe as well as working his own One Man Show and stepping in as a special guest or session player.  

Bloater has played at many major festivals across the US and Europe, including Latitude, Secret Garden Party, Hop Farm Festival, BluesFest, The Great British R&B Festival, Burnley Blues, Viva Las Vegas and more.  His shows are always impressive, energetic and fun, without losing any musical integrity.  His upbeat songs belie their dark lyrics and intricate arrangements.  His voice has been compared to Howlin' Wolf crossed with Tom Waits – indeed he was a nominee in Male Vocalist of the Year in the UK Blues Awards 2014.  It's a unique show, not to be missed.

He is the presenter of The Blues Magazine Show on Team Rock Radio (the media empire that brings you The Classic Rock Awards) and can be heard worldwide on Saturday and Sunday nights bringing you the best of Blues from the Delta to the modern age as well as exclusive interviews and sessions from the great and good of the blues and roots world.

Bloater has also played for many icons of music and has played guitar behind Imelda May and Paloma Faith and as well as being asked by Sir Paul McCartney to record with him at Abbey Road, he has been interviewed and played sessions on:

Hailing from the tiny mountain town of Ben Lomond just outside of Santa Cruz, CA, the members of MY STUPID BROTHER have been cutting their rock star teeth since 2002, before their voices had even changed. Since then, the pop-punk power trio has matured into a force to be reckoned with. Charged by the friendly sibling rivalry of brothers George and Henry Chadwick(ages 23 and 20, respectively), along with drummer Tyler Raynes(age 21), MY STUPID BROTHER cuts loose on stage, with high-energy, guitar-smashing rock shows that keep audiences engaged and entertained. Their songs are catchy in the vein of Green Day, Weezer, and Blink 182, but have an edge with lyrics and that evoke Kurt Cobain and John Lennon. 

MY STUPID BROTHER has created a buzz within the Santa Cruz and San Francisco Bay Area club scene as well as Los Angeles and Orange County, where the band has turned the heads of top industry professionals. MY STUPID BROTHER took first place out of over fifty bands in Your Music Magazine's 2009 “Your Music Olympicks” Battle Of The Bands. They were voted Best Band of Santa Cruz County. 

Their 2nd CD, What You Need, features guest producers 

Greg Camp (guitarist/songwriter of Smash Mouth) and Tony Sales (bass guitarist/backing vocals from Iggy Pop's Lust for Life and David Bowie's Tin Machine.) 

This band's drive and motivation is key to their success thus far. As the sons of multi gold and platinum audio engineer and producer Daren Chadwick, who worked with recording artists such as Paul McCartney, Chicago, Motley Crüe and The Dead Kennedys, George (guitar/vocals) and Henry (bass/lead vocals) were raised in a studio environment, while prodigy drummer Tyler Raynes grew up in a musical family and has literally been drumming since he could walk. Both George and Henry acted as producers and engineers on the CD, What You Need.

Equipped with a running tour van, MY STUPID BROTHER has maintained a rigorous rehearsal schedule and is stage-ready for shows of all sizes.