Mike Arenella and the Dreamland Orchestra on Governors Island
It was a hot balmy day as we stepped off the ferry onto Governors Island; ten minutes off the southern tip of Manhattan. As Jacqueline and I approached the great lawn in the center of the island, I was transported to another place, another time – much like Owen Wilson was when he stepped into the car as the leading character in the new Woody Allen film Midnight in Paris. Before my eyes the roaring 20’s were alive and well, pages come to life from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book The [...]
Read moreLisa Jackson
The newest six-song, self-titled EP from Lisa Jackson & girl friday is stark, powerful and provocative. It lacks studio glitz and a perfect vocal performance, yet that may just be what gives it such personality and edge. Lisa Jackson, a Fayetteville Georgia native who has been tearing up the New York City underground, was referred to as a “true rock n roll star” by actress Rosie Perez in Page Six (New York Post) in recent months. With songs like “Night Lite of Jesus,” “Mess,” and “Don’t Get Bitter,” the group [...]
Read moreKaren Blixt; Spin This
From the percussion and bass reed version of the Monk/Ferro song It’s Over Now (Well, You Needn’t) and her groove enriched version of the Rogers and Hammerstein classic My Favorite Things, to the her sultry delivery of the Arnold/Walter classic You Don’t Know me, San Francisco jazz scene favorite Karen Blixt delivers a delightfully entertaining and powerful piece of work with her debut CD Spin This. Together with producer Frank Martin and a who’s who cast of musicians, Spin This brings new life to ten contemporary and classic standards; and [...]
Read moreSpill Canvas; One Fell Swoop
One Fell Swoop, the sophomore CD by Spill Canvas, is hard to dislike. From the very first note, this hard rocking band is in overdrive. They slow it down for “This Is For Keeps,” “Secret Oath” and “Bound To Happen,” and display moments of moodiness, but the bulk of this collection is pure stadium rock: a wall of sound to bang on the inside of your head – ooh-ra! Founded by Sioux Falls native Nick Thomas, The Spill Canvas is a tight unit, and the production here, while not dynamic, [...]
Read moreNavigating To Yes; The Elusive Record Deal
(Published in American Songwriter 2005) To get that elusive deal is a combination of knowing when the timing is right, and having a strategy when that time arrives: luck has little to do with it.
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