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Showing posts from January, 2013

Rae Morris Update,  Plus Cool New Video,  Way Back When (2013)

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Saturday Video :  We were quite taken with Rae Morris' debut EP , released last fall. She is an enormously talented singer-songwriter, and this week she announced that she is starting to record her first full length album. Here is what she said on her Facebook page. Good morning my friends! Just wanted to let you guys know that today i'm starting to record my album! Making a record has been something I've dreamt of doing for a long time, and it feels incredibly surreal. In meantime, here's a little video for you all that we filmed in Amsterdam a few months ago. It's an accapella version of my song Way Back When and I hope you enjoy.... Thank you for everything, Rae xc Photos courtesy of Rae Morris Bonus Video:  This is "Walls". Rae said, "I was lucky enough to perform my song Walls with 4 members of the Halle orchestra. This is how it turned out...." Rae Morris - Grow (EP) Rae Morris - Don't Go Rae Morris' Web

Jackie Ryan,  Jazz Singer,  New Album Just Released,  Listen Here (2013)

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We tend to temper our enthusiasm when encountering a new (to us) artist, and in the case of Jackie Ryan's new album, Listen Here, we might say something like, this album brings a fresh new approach to old school vocal jazz, and that Jackie's rich voice is accompanied by a top notch jazz band, and that the result compares favorably to the work of Jane Monheit. Jazz Times Magazine apparently has no such reserve, saying (about Jackie), "one of the outstanding jazz vocalists of her generation and, quite possibly, of all time - rivaling the dexterous sass of Sarah Vaughan and the scintillating verve of Diana Krall." The first song draws a good picture of what's in store with producer/arranger/bassist John Clayton giving the band a good workout, while Jackie lays down an impeccable vocal. Listen to "Comin' Home Baby" Photos courtesy of Jackie Ryan As a sometime composer of lyrics and vocalese (writing lyrics, word for note, to a jazz solo

Hot Feet – New Folk Rock from the U.K., Wood House EP (2012)

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Several weeks ago, Hot Feet's publicist blogged about an evening spent in Cambridge, seeing Hot Feet and going out for dinner at a pub across the street. I had been listening to their fine debut EP, Wood House, and at that moment I had the thought that if I could magically be anywhere in the world, I could not think of any better way to spend a Friday night than to be in Cambridge, England, doing exactly that. Here's why. Photos courtesy of Hot Feet Based in Stroud, Hot Feet has been enthusiastically received everywhere they play, including some nice supporting gigs with Lucy Rose, King Charles, and Emily and the Woods to name a few. They have also been embraced by radio, BBC 6 Music, Amazing Radio, and Folk Radio UK. They have recorded live sessions for Balcony TV, Folk Radio UK , The Tea Sessions, and a recent set for the Songs From The Shed Sessions, as follows, "Pine Needle Blues". The five beautiful songs on Wood House were written and performed

Saturday Video: Grace Pettis - Ebb and Flow (2013),  You Are the Cowboy (2012)

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Photos courtesy of Grace Pettis. Grace Pettis' sophomore album, Two Birds, made our list of the best albums of 2012, for a lot of reasons, not the least of which was her appealing voice and her indelible songs that seemed to spring directly from experience and her heart. Grace just released the second video from Two Birds. "Ebb and Flow" is a beautiful song and a beautiful video. Last September, when Two Birds was released, the first video was for "You are the Cowboy". Bonus Video : In October, Grace took a full band out to do a short record release tour of some very intimate venues. The tour culminated October 26th with a very special show at Blue Rock Studio in Wimberley, Texas, which was where Grace recorded both of her albums. For the benefit of everyone who couldn't get to see the tour and to celebrate the Two Birds album, they webcast the concert with high definition video and excellent sound. This is a video they put together of the hi