Marva Wright at Jazz Fest

Antoniette Costa x Kevin Olusola x Tara Kamangar

Singer-Songwriter and The Roots Protégé teams up with Cello Beatboxer / The Sing-Off Winner& Persian Piano / Violin Virtuoso.   Antoniette Costa, Kevin Olusola & Tara Kamangar have released the new video for their collaborative track “Stranded” today (view video). It’s soul, hip-hop and classical music rolled into one unique track full of passion. With a goal of storytelling through musical performance, the three are coming from diverse backgrounds with a common creative ambition. Written by Costa, the song is inspired by the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier as she echoes the sentiments of standing in the shadow of her lover’s first love. It opens with “last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again," the book's famous opening line.  Costa & Olusola previously collaborated on the track “Void of a Legend” which made its way onto iTunes Classical charts across the globe including a peak position of #4 in the United States. The video became an online hit with Okayplayer stating, “You really have to experience it to understand how well it works. The talent here sells itself.” (view video) While living in Philadelphia, Antoniette caught the attention of The Roots A&R and rapper Dice Raw who invited her to an impromptu session. She became part of the musical family and began writing/recording tracks such as "Ready To Make It Work,” where she was joined by Questlove and James Poyser of The Roots and backed by Kindred the Family Soul.   Kevin Olusola became a YouTube sensation with his unique skill of beatboxing while playing the cello. It’s a mix of classically trained skills with his hip-hop roots. Olusola just won the new season of NBC’s The Sing-Off as part of the Pentatonix.   Joining them on “Stranded” is Persian pianist/violinist Tara Kamangar who has been praised as a "huge talent" by the London Evening Standard and “a skilled advocate, playing with nimble technique and lustrous phrasing” by the San Francisco Chronicle. She has performed at some of the top recital halls in the world.   www.antoniettecosta.com / www.facebook.com/antoniettecostamusic / www.twitter.com/antoniettecosta

Video Wednesday

Shannon McNally and Charlie Sexton performing "When We Were Younger."

Deep Trancing: The Hypnotic Grooves, Camel-Skin Bass, and Unifying Spirit of Club d’Elf

Morocco, the country that had fired his musical imagination for more than a decade: In a strikingly vivid dream, he felt himself swimming upwards in the air as fantastic landscapes, mountains, and tiled buildings stretched out beneath him.

The band—a rotating group of players drawn from a pool that includes keyboardist John Medeski, DJ Logic, David Bowie’s guitarists or any number of Moroccan musical icons—swims in the same dreamlike atmosphere, both live—Club d’Elf is currently touring North America—and on their recently released double album Electric Moroccoland / So Below(Face Pelt; April 5, 2011).

Club d’Elf grabs the elusive subtleties of North African rhythms and puts them through their edgy paces on Electric Moroccoland, the first disc of their new two-CD set.  Here, the group is influenced by Morocco’s rich musical heritage and Rivard’s dedication to the three-stringed, camel-skinned, bass-like sintir. On the second disc, So Below, Rivard and company de- and reconstruct musical forms from funk and dub to free jazz, creating an anything-goes exploration that holds true to the spirit of trance and the affinity that connects Club D’Elf’s diverse players and their varying styles.

”The crux of Moroccan music is trance,” Rivard explains. “Trance as a quality in music has always attracted me, whether it’s an extended James Brown cut, or something by Fela or Steve Reich. I’ve always sought out music that allows you to forget where and who you are and to break free from the mind’s constant chatter.”

Rivard’s fascination with Moroccan, and specifically Gnawan music, began thanks to a fellow traveler in trance, the late Mark Sandman of the legendary indie rock band Morphine. One night, Sandman threw on a CD byHassan Hakmoun, Gnawa musician extraordinaire. After begging to borrow the album, Rivard went home and listened to it over and over again. “I never returned it, and that was something that Mark always grumbled about,” Rivard laughs. “I played it constantly, and it became the soundtrack for my life. That’s when I dedicated myself to playing sintir.”

The three-stringed deep-voiced instrument forms the foundation of ceremonies among the Gnawa, whose ancestors came as slaves from sub-Saharan Africa 500 years ago. Their music blends animism and Sufism in rituals designed to induce trance, to contact spirits, and to heal. Rivard began learning to play the instrument on his own, practicing long hours with recordings and trying out rock riffs to see what worked. He also began taking cues from Moroccan musician friends like oud (Arabic lute) player and percussionist Brahim Fribgane, who introduced him to Moroccan émigrés in the Boston area, a community of expats who provided encouragement and inspiration for Rivard during late-night hangs in the basement of a Moroccan store.

Eventually, Rivard’s fascination with the instrument led him to the Moroccan coastal city of Essaouira, where he spent time in the home of one of the great Gnawan malaams (a master of ceremonies and master musician). It was there that he began to grasp just how intense and complex sintirtechnique could be. “It’s amazing what you can do on an instrument with only three strings and a one-octave range. But in the hands of someone like Malaam Mahmoud Guinea, the sintir has infinite possibilities that go beyond the physical act of playing. He uses the instrument as a device to connect with the spirit world. It’s both powerful and humbling.”

Rivard uncovered a whole soundscape of subtleties as he became more and more deeply attuned to Moroccan music. One challenge came as Rivard tried to unpack the rhythmic pattern of the chaabi, a beat in 12/8 with a mysteriously elusive “one.” “Brahim and I used to take long car trips together and listen to North African cassettes,” Rivard recalls. “I’d clap along with him, but then I’d move to the wrong beat and he’d shake his head no. I had to train myself to hear the ‘one’ in the right spot, to really feel how the upbeats and accents worked. Once I got it, it felt like I was initiated into a secret society.”

These details add a richness and depth to Club D’Elf’s music and bring Moroccan sensibilities into unlikely places. Rivard wanted to do a tribute to Sandman, who passed away in 1999, so he and Club D’Elf covered Morphine’s “Rope on Fire”—adding a chaabi beat, electric oud, and a sinuous bass line, propelling Sandman’s hypnotic tune.

Unlikely Moroccan influences struck again when Rivard was improvising at a remote Maine cabin, and a riff from Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” kept sneaking into his sintir line. The song also fit the chaabi, and while it worked as an instrumental, Rivard dreamed of adding vocals. He had a Berber scholar friend translate the lyrics and got friend and frequent Club D’Elf contributor Hassan Hakmoun to sing them. Rivard explains, “Hassan really got into it and added his own extemporaneous touches while Medeski rocked the mellotron,” an analogue keyboard big with prog rock bands like King Crimson and Yes.

While Club D’Elf pays homage to several other musical greats, includingMorocco’s version of Louis Armstrong, Haj Belaid (on “Ambib”) and Nass El Ghiwane (“Ghir Khoudouni”), Rivard and company gain most of their musical insights through improvisatory juxtaposition. “We mine contradictions; combining things that don’t necessarily go together. To that end, we’ll mash up free jazz saxophonist Joe Maneri with rock guitarist Reeves Gabrels [ex-David Bowie]. Or Moroccan strings, Indian tabla, and turntables,” Rivard reflects.

What brings all the disparate, dynamic elements together is the magnetism of trance, a power that cuts across cultures. Along with musical mixtures, Rivard has drawn on diverse approaches to trance, and was as inspired by the thoughts of psychedelic explorer Terence McKenna (whose voice is woven into “Trance Meeting”) in both shaping Club d’Elf and naming the band (McKenna communed with “elf-like entities” on some of his travels).

For tracks like “As Above,” he brought together master Ghanaian drummerDolsi-naa Abubakari Lunna with DJ Logic, creating a fusion of ancient rhythms with modern turntablism, enhanced with a rousing piano part by John Medeski, played on a battered upright in his Brooklyn studio. On “So Below,” Rivard took some of Sandman’s last recordings and carved out a trancey core from layer upon layer of takes, tracks, and musical input from a dozen musicians.

The results, like the band’s live performances, draw listeners in through repetition, atmospherics, and a solid rhythm section meant to fill the dance floor. The songs also hint at the power of trance to do more than just mesmerize the listener, but also to transcend barriers. Much of the new Club d’Elf music developed during rehearsals at drummer Erik Kerr’s Christian church, where Brahim would break into rousing praise of Allah. Yet no one batted an eye.

“Our music is about surrender and giving in to something more powerful than one's self, and as corny as it sounds, really feeling love for your brothers,” reflects Rivard. “It amazed me at how open Erik could be to a different faith, and likewise for Brahim. Certainly life is a lot more complicated than the simple ways of us musicians, but if our little musical brotherhood can embrace different beliefs and cultures, then maybe it’s possible for such cooperation to exist in society at large.”

Best of 2011

We're in the final countdown to the end of the year and that means everyone wants to make a list of what was the best of the year.  Here at Voices to Hear we want to know what you think was the best of the year.  Leave a comment with who you think provided the best music of 2011 and we'll compile it into an end of the year list for everyone to read.

Spotlight: Jefferson Grizzard

Music Promotion via MusicSubmit.com

Webpage: http://www.jeffersongrizzard.com

Location: Rome, Georgia, USA

Description: Jefferson Grizzard is a prolific Roots Rock artist who writes all his own music with a touch of the 60's and 70's rock sound thrown in

Biography: Growing up in small town Rome, Georgia and listening to his father’s records, Back Porch Syndicate Records recording artist Jefferson Grizzard cites The Beatles and The Band as the major influences of his musical heritage. The release of his first album, “A Crack in the Door,” a collection of Country and Rock and Roll songs, takes us back to the 60’s and 70’s era and into a world reminiscent of the stylistic murmurings of such artists as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Donovan and Kris Kristofferson. At the age of thirteen, Jeff became serious about his guitar and writing. By the age of eighteen, Jeff’s musical portfolio contained over 100 songs, good songs, songs containing an earthy heart and soul more readily displayed in the life of someone who had lived many more years. As a freshman at St. Edwards University in Austin, Jefferson continued to write and frequented the local bars, clubs and hangouts studying acts, observing, learning, taking to heart every note of music, every portion of life each artist had to offer. He absorbed everything, fodder for songs, depth of soul, every life experience he could cram into his memory banks. He took to the stage on numerous occasions to find an audience swept away by his sounds, a man who’d found his destiny and is gaining momentum. After his freshman year, Jeff decided to pursue his dream full time and returned to Georgia devoting every waking minute to his music. Soon he traveled to Nashville and to Sound Emporium Studios where, after weeks of recording and later, months of tracking at The Temple in Rome, the project was complete. Released on March 19th, 2010, “A Crack in the Door” has been met with a wide array of critical acclaim. Jefferson Grizzard is a name that will soon make the music world sit up and take notice, living out his “Americana” dream and proving to the world that once again, Small Town U.S.A. is where the meat and guts of true southern music is born. And if you think nothing important ever comes out of a small, southern town, grab hold and ride the rocket that is Jefferson Grizzard, soaring into the stratosphere.

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Shannon McNally: Freedom To Stay

Spotlight: Black Dawn

Music Promotion via MusicSubmit.com

Webpage: www.blackdawn.net

Location: Carle Place, NY, USA

Description: BLACK DAWN's influences include: Pantera, Sabbath, C.O.C., Machine Head, Slayer, Maiden, Zeppelin, Life of Agony, Godsmack

Biography: Black Dawn is 4 musicians, a faithful road manager, a growing legion of fans (ranging from rowdy adolescents to toothless old men and women), a respect and appreciation for the sound of silence, and a suitcase full of aggressive and passionate hard-edged music. "Black Dawn is following in the footsteps of the few, the proud and the heavy..." (Musicians' Exchange) ENZO: "Our music appeals to a large age group, one night we were playing a show and we had just finished a song and this deranged old man got up on stage and started dancing. He had three teeth missing and had his underwear hanging out of his pants. He liked us so much that he took his money out and starting handing it out to everyone in the band..." MATT: "And then there was the time we played at that dive in Queens and that fat old lady with the fur coat and no teeth started bumping and grinding to the music. We kind of appeal to everyone, young and old..." The original incarnation of Black Dawn was created in 1992 when Tom Kelly hooked up with a local Long Island bass player. Originally intending to have the band be a hobby, over the years it has evolved into a very serious affair. TOM: "I hate to use the word 'hobby' to describe what I do with the band because that puts it in the same category as stamp collecting and building models. This is so much more than just a hobby. It's a way of life..." "Black Dawn has been labeled 'New York's Hardest Alternative Rock Band'. But f*ck that. They're not alternative. They're metal. The way it's supposed to be..." (Backwash Zine) Black Dawn's CD's "Absence of Time" (1999) and "Age of Reason" (2004) charted on dozens of college alternative and loud-rock radio stations throughout the Northeast and earned the band a folder full of praise. The band strives to stay fresh and vibrant in a genre that is muddy and dark; aims to be positive amidst lyrics that are manic, frustrated and angry; breathes new life into a musical style that is often over saturated by stale, "been there, done that" local bands. Much of this originality can be attributed to principle songwriter/vocalist/guitarist Matt Kotten. Although the music he writes is heavy and angry-sounding, his lyrics are passionate and emotional. This contradiction gives the music a fresh twist and sets the band apart from other bands in the genre. In addition, Matt feels that the music benefits from the strong connection the band members have to each other. MATT: "We really know how to work well with each other. I write the music and lyrics, but I'll also really get inspired by [drummer] Enzo - the way he plays. I totally vibe from that. And the other members will add their input in arranging once the songs are done." "These disturbed hardcore rock dynamos bring new meaning to soul music...as in 'my soul has been possessed by music'... Their passion for these satanic symphonies has helped them emerge as one of the best bands of it's kind on Long Island and resurrected that kick-ass type of music we call unadulterated heavy metal..." (Long Island Entertainment) PETE: "How do the fans react? Hopefully, they leave a show bloody and beaten but totally fulfilled..." The members of Black Dawn stay honest by being true to themselves and true to the music, and after years together, they know how to make the band machine work smoothly. Besides their obvious musical roles, they also have their unspoken roles within the band: Matt is the sensitive one - he brings the aggression into the songs. Tom is the serious one -- he brings stability and helps keep the music together. Enzo is the crazy one - he adds the power behind it all. James is the cool, collected one - he brings the soul into the music. JAMES: "The most important thing is that you never settle on just trying to please an audience by playing what you think they want to hear and see. If something is bothering you about what you're playing, then change it. If something is still bothering you after that, then don't play. Maybe complete silence is the sound you are searching for to complete that masterpiece..."

Press Release: "The Musically obsessed (and I use th term more literally than you know) foursome is lauded as "New York's Hardest Alternative Rock Band". " - The Musicians' Exchange "Based in New York, they are straight out of the Pantera and Slayer camp of heavy metal, with a touch of Life of Agony thrown in for variety. Its songs laced with madness violence and despair, Absence of Time is a dark aggressive CD that should appeal to most metal fans. " - Ed Johnson, The Inside Connection "The CD is "fat" all the way around when it comes to the sound. Thick, crunchy guitars and thud-like thundering bass and drums stick out like a jagged hunk of rusted metal ready to impale all in its path. " - Long Island Entertainment "Good angry vocals, crunchy guitars, and pounding drums. What else can you ask for from a good heavy rock band. " - Joanna D, Hotindienews "Age Of Reason contains a blend of a Sabbath meets Pantera by way of ‘80s thrash metal, laden with moody vocals not unlike Life of Agony or Alice in Chains. " - Mike SOS, Crusher Magazine "Black Dawn has been labeled "New York's Hardest Alternative Rock Band." But f*** that. They're not alternative. They're metal. The way it's supposed to be. " - Backwash, Issue 7

Simply Six: Steven Graves

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew
they wanted  to   be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed
Sullivan show,  to   another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan
half a decade later.  Is there  such  a defining moment for you?

Its hard to say, but I guess it was when I was about 5 yrs old listening to the Beatles, Motown, Jackson 5, Creedence and others.  I could feel this music in my soul.  It made me feel alive.  I knew there was magic in music and that it was something I would always have in my life.    When I was younger I always thought of myself as a guitar player.  It was about 10 years ago that I realized that I could express so much more by singing as well and then I started writing my own music, and there was no turning back!

2 . When you’re not creating music what are you listening   to?  Who are some of

your favorites?

I love the old school records and artists such as The Subdudes, Derek Trucks Band, Ben Harper, Robben Ford, Mark Knopler, Lyle Lovette.  I absolutely love everything that David Gilmour does!   Same goes for Jerry 

Garcia.  Ocassionally I like to listen to old CDs from the 70's era like James Gang, Pat Travers, Eagles, Eric Clapton, JJ. Cale, and Neil Young to name a few.   And then there are the 60's music compilations that I love too.  That music was so free and loving!   When I want to be on the quieter side I like Kirtan chants, and meditation music like Carlos Nakai.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record

or live?

I would have to say that my greatest moment is still in front of me.  Everyday I wake up and feel gratitude for my ability to play music, to connect with the audience and hopefully make the world a better place through the music that comes through me.   Everytime a new song comes through me, I am amazed and thrilled.    I can't wait to share it with the world.  I try to live in that space where anything is possible.  My last CD Release Party was  certainly a magical day, we packed the place, beautiful outdoor  garden, band sounded awesome,  and  it was an amazing  time!

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something   to  listen   to?

How much can music influence current events?

I believe that music ABOVE all other cultural elements in our time, has had the greatest influence on our world, more than all the politicians combined.  Music has always been the catalyst for change.  From the rock n roll of the 1950's breaking down the racial barriers,  to Motown of the 60's providing the music soundtrack for our lives as the civil rights movement blossomed.   The popular music of the 60's Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Rolling Stones, the Bryds, Cream, CSNY, etc. the list goes on and on this music brought millions of people together for a common consciousness   The counter culture, the environmental movements, gay rights, feminism, Malcom X, Mohamad Ali, they all coinsided with massively popular music.    In more recent times, there have been all the great benefit concerts, Farm Aid, Micheal Jackson's "We are the world".   John Lennon's imagine.  I feel that as artists we have a responsibility to reflect something positive and offer inspiration in our music.   I  hold this goal  for all that I do in my life.

It seems to me that much of popular music today has less to do with the message or with emotion, depth, or musicianship, but more with selling a product.   This is not to say that there aren't thousands of GREAT artists out there making quality music and saying something positive with their music as well.   I believe that there remains a enormous population of folks out there who still love music and want to hear music that makes them feel good, moves them and makes an impact on their lives.    I hope in some way to have this type of impact on people and to make this world a better place.

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected

your career as a musician?

Technology has had a tremendous impact on the industry.   Now almost anyone can record using simple devices such as phones or sophisticated computer programs which are not accessible to everyone.   Internet radio stations, bloggers, on-line magazines, JANGO radio, Pandora, Last FM, you tube, and literally hundreds of on-line sites provide music for free.   This has lead to a title wave of artists and music,  some not very good, and some extremely well done.   There seems to be a perception that music should be free, which makes it difficult for musicians to make a living unless you achieve major success.   On one hand their are so many avenues for my music to heard, and most of them are free.   On the other, its very difficult to be heard or even listened to over the flood of music and musicians.   Also culture has shifted to some degree away from the days when you would look forward to sitting down with a bottle of wine or six pack of beer, a joint, and listening to side A and side B of a record.   Pink Floyld's Dark Side of the Moon comes to mind!  Music in the not so distant past was more of an active experience.  Now many artists sell more music for 3 or 4 second cell phone ring tones then they do CDs!   A sign of our instant gratification, minimal attention span, popular consumer culture.  However, out of much this seemingly soulless and shallow experience, millions of people and thousands of artists are getting back to making great music and performing at house concerts, festivals and other venues where its about the experience and connecting with people.   Also the computer age has altered the quality of music.  MP3's compromise the musical integrity of the sound, but there's no getting around their convenience and popularity.  Digital recording has for the most part replaced analogue which most will agree was a higher quality, bigger and warmer sound.  For my recordings, Blue Coast Records has mastered them, trying to achieve the highest quality most analogue-like sound possible.  Social networking is both a blessing and  curse for us musicians!!    Sometimes I need to remind myself that I need to be playing my guitar, writing music, rehearsing, etc. and not spending hours on the computer trying to promote my music and attempting to be heard by the masses!

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of

shoes would you be?

I would have to say barefoot!   When you go barefoot you are able to connect to the energy of the earth!   I believe we are all being called to reconnect to ourselves, to each other and to our planet.   Barefoot in the forest, barefoot on the beach, connecting to the land and to mother earth.   Symbolically barefoot is back to the basic human element.  No  consumerism, no looking  good, no pretense, just feet for walking, we all have them, we're all the same when you get down to it, and we all have a path to walk, individually and collectively!

Shannon McNally: Bohemian Wedding Prayer

Simply Six: Lord T & Eloise

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you?

Watching Run-DMC tear through Aerosmith's rehearsal space wall.

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?

The Bee Gees. Lamb of God. Michael Crackson. Not Drake.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

The release of a third full-length album means the most. 

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?

I believe it is more influenced by culture than it influences culture, but certainly it has the power to change the world, usually one listener at a time. 

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?

Technology has democratized the world of music. It enabled us to record, produce and distribute albums on our own, which is huge. 

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

A pair with diamonds on the soles. 

Shannon McNally at Louisiana Music Factory

Simply Six: Alexis Foxe

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you?


 My defining moment was in Brazil working at The Rock in Rio music festival in 2001.  I had just come back from a long day of working directly with artists such as The Red Hot Chili Peppers, REM, Neil Young and realizing how human and normal they were.  I was lying in bed, reflecting, writing a song, and that was the moment I knew I wanted to be a song writer.  The moment I knew I wanted to be a singer came later.  I was in New York working with a producer on a song and we needed a vocal track.  There was no one else around to sing what we were working on and I got on the mic and from that moment on I knew.  I just wanted to stay on that mic making music with my own voice.


2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?


The Beatles, The White Stripes, Joao Gilerto, The Black Keys, Gorillaz, Diplo, Mark Ronson, Nina Simone, Billy Holiday, Serge Gainsbourg, Donna Summer, Florence and The Machine, Adele, MIA, Lady Gaga


3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?


My favorite moments are in the studio when the song I'm working on suddenly declares itself, even if it's not finished yet.  The song is born.  Those moments are the greatest for me.  That said, it was extremely special for me to perform with my own dancers for the first time this Labor Day weekend in Puerto Rico at the Medalla Light Festival.


4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?


 Music can change people.  And people determine the world.  A song or a band can define a movement, a zeitgeist, and affect change on every level, both minor and major. 


5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?


Technology has changed the way people discover and access music, which means it's also changed the way musicians market and distribute themselves.  I, like every other musician out there, use mostly internet-related technology to promote my music and to sell it.


6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?


 I would be satin slippers.

Spotlight: Ari Neufeld

Music Promotion via MusicSubmit.com

Webpage: http://www.arineufeld.com
Location: Penticton, British Columbia, Canada
Description: Ari Neufeld: Full Contact Folk Artist
Biography: Raised by missionaries and in performing arts troops from a very young age, Ari Neufeld has traveled most of the world engaging in a bright spectrum of trades, circumstances and creations. His onstage presence is augmented by a rich history of performance in a wide variety of arenas. From in-house lounge artist, to music teacher and workshop enthusiast, to folk festival involvement (largest audience: 16,000, Salmon Arm Roots & Blues, main stage), to house-concerts (toured Canada from Victoria to St John’s with VIA Rail Canada, while performing on board in the lounge cars), to community contributions (gallery, theatre and event performances), Ari has averaged 150-250 live performances a year and has serenaded over 120 weddings in the last 8 years. Ari’s passions as an artist supersede his one man ambush (guitar, stompbox, body percussion, banjo, piano, harmonica) with interests in comedy, painting, carpentry, cooking, theatre, architecture, sculpting, writing, photography, pyrography, film and being a lover and a father. All of these texture his stories, melodies and rhythms with unique insight and disarmingly hilarious honesty. Presently, Ari lives on an acreage in Penticton, British Columbia (Canada) with his wife and 3 kids, working out of a wood shed-converted studio.
Press Release: ari neufeld November 11th, 2011, Okanagan based Rocker Ari Neufeld is scheduled to kick off his 12 day tour away from home at Curtis Glas Manor in Calgary, Alberta at 7:30pm. After this he travels over to Winfield, Alberta to play in the "You Made the Cut" music festival in Hidden Springs farm. After that he goes back to Calgary to play once more before heading to the United States of America and works his way down to a Texas pub where some of Ari's very own heroes and inspirations have played live. For a full list of these events and details to the locations go straight to his Tour's Page or go straight to the Home Page and have a look around. You can also view his Sonic Bids Ari's first independent album sold 500 units. First record deal was with Remnant Records in 1999. Ari's most recent release was a live album recorded at the Dream Cafe in Penticton, British Columbia. In 2010, Ari has opened the stage for Michael Bolton. Neufeld has even played in the Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival in 2009 for an audience of 19,000+.

Shannon McNally at Folk Alley

Coco Robicheaux: October 25, 1947-November 25, 2011

It's been reported that Coco Robicheaux died earlier this evening.   While at the Apple Barrel Bar on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans he suffered some sort of medical emergency while visiting the bar and was rushed to the hospital.  Coco Robicheaux was born Curtis John Arceneaux in Ascension Parish.  

The bust of Professor Longhair that greets visitors as they enter the famed New Orleans' nightclub Tipitinia's was created by Coco Robicheaux.  As many times as I've seen Coco perform I've probably seen him on the side of the stage, listening to so many other acts, it was obvious that Coco loved music.  Seeing Coco meant that you were more than likely going to see Irene Sage, she was found singing backup for Coco at every show I ever saw him perform. 

I have a Jazz Fest hat that besides just wearing I've been collecting autographs on.  I'm not a big fan of collecting autographs of just anyone.  But one of the names signed across the top of my hat is that of Coco Robicheaux.  I remember getting it at a Jazz Fest when he was at the music tent signing autographs, standing in line, which is something I rarely do for an autograph.



There are some singers that just connect with you and you feel that connection immediately.  It was that way when I first heard Coco sing.  I'm not even sure where I first heard him, but that gravely voice that was perfect for the songs of spirit and magic he sang.  I am going to have a regret that I can never go back and change now, the last French Quarter Fest I left after Irene Sage performed and before Coco took the stage. I wasn't feeling well and it was getting late and I had to go to work early the next day, I rationalized it as I'll have lots of other chances to see Coco sing.  And now I don't.

Coco Robicheaux felt like one of those heads on Mount Rushmore, larger than life and eternal.  He seemed beyond age, I've been seeing him for years and he has seemed the same every time I've seen him, forever caught at that age of wisdom that his songs came from.

Shannon McNally: The Hard Way

All-Access Planet: globalFEST 2012 Opens New Spaces for Traditions Transformed

Malian roots rap and sensually fresh samba. Eerily avant jaw harps and 21^st-century tarantella. Heritage never sounded so cool.

Whether continuing famous musical lineages or pushing forward on new paths, the artists of globalFEST (January 8, 2012 at New York City’sWebster Hall; full info at globalfest.org) show how world music has matured from a quaint, catch-all niche to a meaningful, deeply rooted challenge to the musical status quo. Artists are crafting history into new sounds.

This year’s edition of the annual world music showcase and all-night party includes three U.S. debuts, as well as several fresh programs and approaches from a bevy of respected global performers.

BélO: Haiti’s acoustic innovator and social activist channels his home’s deep and diverse Afro-Caribbean roots with catchy, reggae-inflected songs.

Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino: Southern Italy’s hottest band revitalizes the ancient ritual pizzica tarantata, said to cure the deadly spider’s bite with frenzied trance dances.

Debo Band: Boston-based crew reinvents the Golden Age of Ethiopian and East African funk and jazz.

Diogo Nogueira: Brazil’s red-hot samba (and television) star adds a contemporary twist to the beloved rhythms of Rio.

M.A.K.U. Sound System: Queens, NY-based Afro-Colombian underground band’s roaring guitars, bold brass, and hard-hitting Latin beats and vocals bring down the house.

Mayra Andrade: Golden-voiced Cape Verde-born singer brings a Parisian and Brazilian flair to her island roots with a new acoustic trio.

SMOD (U.S. Debut): Malian folk rappers, featuring the son of Amadou and Mariam, work serious lyrical flow to create Afro-Rap, wrapped in Manu Chao’s signature globe-trotting production.

The Gloaming (U.S. Debut): Irish and American roots supergroup (Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill, Iarla Ó Lionaird, and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh with NY’s indie pianist Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman), marries edgy but harmonious, sparse yet beautiful elements to age-old and new tunes.

The Silk Road Ensemble: An international collective of virtuoso musicians from around the globe, this ensemble carries on the cross-cultural legacy of founder and artistic director Yo-Yo Ma, drawing inspiration from the historical Silk Road and contemporary musical crossroads.

Wang Li (U.S. Debut): France-based Chinese jaw harp master-improviser creates wildly unexpected and deeply meditative melodies, discovering the infinite nuances that breath, tongue, and throat can make.
Yemen Blues: Yemeni-Israeli electrifying singer and his global band make Mediterranean sounds rock and soar.

Zaz: French street sounds meet quirky global influences in young singer's plush bluesy voice.

***

Though many of this edition’s artists have taken up the torch from family members or musical mentors, they are reaching into new sonic territory, whether they are funkifying cumbia or transforming the role of the spike fiddle or jaw harp. globalFEST, as America’s vital world music springboard event coinciding with the annual Arts Presenters Conference (APAP), aims to bring musicians to ears and even into venues once closed to global artists.

“In addition to summer rock and folk music festivals, we’ve started to see an embracing of world music throughout the performing arts field, including more traditionally classical venues,” explains festival co-organizer Bill Bragin (Acidophilus: Live and Active Cultures). “Many of this year’s globalFEST artists are performers who would be appropriate in more traditional concert halls, which are responding to the desire to diversify their programs.”

The goal of access has been at the heart of the festival’s mission since it was founded post-9/11, when dedicated global music presenters looked to restart the stalled influx of international music at a crucial moment. globalFEST remains committed to supporting exchange—both cultural and economic—and has emphasized artists of note from Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, and from Haiti since the earthquake that struck there in 2010.

“globalFEST needs to constantly be aware of its mission,” continues co-organizer Isabel Soffer (Live Sounds). “We spotlight artists we believe presenters will want to book, will be successful in their venues and will bring new audiences. Our curatorial decisions are made with this in mind, and in this way, we feel we can encourage presenters to rethink artists that are on tour.”

2012’s festival promises to indeed be great, filling the multiple, varied performance spaces at Webster Hall with irresistible dance sounds, reflective beauty, and singer-songwriter intensity. globalFEST’s emphasis on access—access to the U.S. market for innovative musicians, continued access to new global music for music fans through reasonable ticket prices supported via globalFEST’s  Kickstarter campaign—now extends beyond good times in the early January cultural doldrums.

With support from the Ford Foundation, the globalFEST Touring Fund is launching to support festival alums on U.S. tours, as well as creating a new program to reimburse festival performers for expenses related to their globalFEST appearances. This, added to ongoing support from founding sponsor, the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, will strengthen the festival’s ability to find uncommonly good, often unheard sounds and bring them to the States.

“Starting this edition, we will be able to offset some of our artists’ expenses, the cost of coming to New York to play a showcase festival,” notes globalFEST co-organizer Shanta Thake (Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater). “It will encourage musicians and expand the pool of artists who can commit to that investment. We are excited about the possibilities these new programs will create to widen globalFEST’s geographical and musical scope.”

“Global citizenry is a priority for France, and for many people worldwide. We support globalFEST in hopes of sharing the multicultural musical heritages of France-based, France-produced and Francophone artists," says Emmanuel Morlet, Director of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, the festival’s on-going supporter since its first edition. “From increasing cultural understanding to the real economic role the festival plays for emerging performers, now more than ever globalFEST plays a great role in connecting people across political boundaries.” And gets them dancing while doing it.

globalFEST, Inc. is a not-for-profit production presented in association withLive Sounds, Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater, Acidophilus: Live & Active Cultures and The Bowery Presents. Support provided by The Ford Foundation and The Cultural Services of the French Embassy with additional support from the French Music Export Office, recognizing France’s pre-eminent role as a hotbed of global music activity. The globalFEST media sponsors are WNYC Radio and NPR.org. Artist visa services are provided courtesy of Tamizdat. Publicity services are provided by rock paper scissors, inc.


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 All-Access Planet: globalFEST 2012 Opens New Spaces for ...
 Roadworthy: globalFEST, the Preeminent Global Music Springboard ...