Parker Library interviews local artist Danny Huber

Here's our two-part interview with Danny Huber, a Douglas County-based independent singer-songwriter who is our featured artist in the Live Local Music Series at 2pm on Saturday, Sept. 24, at Parker Library.

Part I


Part II

From ReverbNation: Join venues nationwide and celebrate 'Live Music Night'

This is from ReverbNation:

You're invited to join "Night of Sweet Relief"

ONE NIGHT, HUNDREDS OF LIVE MUSIC EVENTS

AND THOUSANDS OF FANS!

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund and ReverbNation want you to join an exciting annual event called "Night of Sweet Relief." One evening, nationwide, designated to celebrating live music performance -- encouraging music fans to venture out, support artists on stage and benefit musicians in need.

Since 1994, Sweet Relief has distributed millions of dollars to pay for medical costs, housing, food and other vital expenses of ill, disabled and elderly musicians. On Saturday, October 15th, hundreds of live music events taking place in arenas, theaters, clubs and bars will participate in supporting this cause by building in a $1 donation to their ticket price or door cover charge. Even if you are unable to build in a donation this year, we still welcome your venue's participation.

As part of our commitment to independent musicians, ReverbNation has pledged support for this one-of-a-kind multi-venue benefit. First, we're reaching out to you and other venues in our database to invite even more participation (there are already dozens signed on from California to NYC).

Click here to sign your venue up for “Night of Sweet Relief.”

Second, we're donating $25 to Sweet Relief for every venue that has an active ReverbNation Venue Profile on October 15, up to $2,500. Venue Profile -- our Facebook app for venues -- is free, easy to set up and built to engage your fans and their friends. Don't have Venue Profile yet? It's quick and easy to set up!

Questions? Email info@sweetrelief.org, call 949-677-0974, or visit nightofsweetrelief.org.

Thanks,

--ReverbNation Staff

Want to participate but don't have a show scheduled? Have a show scheduled but need an additional artist or band? Let us help you find the right artists, contact festivals@reverbnation.com.

Danny Huber flier

From Jasco of The Symbols re line-up changes; performance dates

From Jasco of The Symbols:

I’ve noticed in my life of playing music with bands that there always seems to be a lot of interest in how bands form, how they break up, and about member changes. The formation of a band is usually full of excitement and hope for good things to come. When bands break up or have membership changes it can be fairly straight ahead or full of drama.

The Symbols have currently undergone some line-up changes and I’ve heard many versions of the "story," none of which are quite accurate, but all of which are entertaining. It kind of reminds me of the grade-school game where everyone sits in a circle and one person whispers a phrase to the person next to them. That person then is supposed to repeat the phrase verbatim to the next person, and so forth until the phrase gets all the way around the circle to the one who first whispered it. The results are usually that the phrase has been mutilated into something completely different by that time.

So, just to let any Symbols followers know what is happening, here it is straight from us: Our old bassist, David Becher has chosen not to continue with us. He is currently pursuing other musical projects in the region. He did a great job for us and we wish him well. You can see our new bassist Ray Martinez at upcoming shows. Ryan Sapp will still be playing drums with us, but due to his busy schedule we’ll have Hans Mueller on drums at many shows, and Mike Ray will be playing with us occasion as well.

Of course Mer Sal will still be charming you with her voice, and unless the rest of the band isn’t telling me something, I’ll be playing guitar.

Here’s a list of some places to catch The Symbols in the near future. The best thing you can do to support us is to come listen to a show and bring all your friends. Thanks in advance.

7pm on Friday, Aug. 12, at JJ’s Corner in Frederick: acoustic duo, Mer and Jasco
10pm on Saturday, Aug. 13, at The Pioneer Inn in Nederland
5pm on Sunday, Aug. 14, at The Larimer Lounge in Denver
9:30pm on Friday, Aug. 19, at The Crown Bar in Cheyenne
10pm on Saturday, Aug. 20, at The Vault in Fort Collins
Sunday, Aug. 21, at Chris’s House in Saratoga, Wyoming: acoustic duo, Mer and Jasco
10pm on Thursday, Aug. 25, at Chippers Lanes in Fort Collins
8pm on Friday, Aug. 26 at The Alibi in Laramie
Saturday, Aug. 27, at Wahoo’s in Fort Collins

Download a FREE copy of our latest single Rules Rules Rules here.

Just something to listen for at the end of the tune, all the instruments gradually morph into vocal facsimiles. It was a fun mixing experiment for me.

Musically,

Jasco

The Samples at Casselman's 2nite

Good recommendation for tonight:

Friday 8/12 8pm at Casselman's Bar and Venue

KBCO and Twist & Shout presents:

The Samples 2011 Tour

Also Featuring: Xiren & The Heyday


Tickets available at http://www.casselmans.com/

A conversation with rapper / producer Lenny Lenn of Aires Jackson duo

By Jeanie Straub
JStraub@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

Lenny Lenn and his brother, James Ray, make up Aires Jackson, a rap / producer team with a new album out recently called Independent that features a ton of extra-fabulous guests.

I first found out about Lenny Lenn (aka Leonard Jackson) because I follow King F.O.E. on Twitter and Lenny Lenn and F.O.E. are fairly close, so I got to start following Lenny Lenn and then began to love and value his tweets almost more than anyone else's. A recent but routine example: "Artist: If the crowd is thick at the beginning of your performance and by the end it is extremely thinned out, go practice."

Lenny Lenn definitely calls it as he sees it and cuts to the chase, doesn’t mince words and doesn’t waste them, either.

I always wanted to know more about Lenny Lenn since I love his insightful tweets -- especially after I heard the new album, so I started direct messaging him on Twitter and then emailing him. (I also wrote a review this month on the new album for this month’s Colorado Music Buzz, so check that out, and download the album for free at http://airesjackson.bandcamp.com/album/independent.)

Here’s what I found out: Although he started rapping as early as high school, he’s officially been doing music since 2001, their first album KIN: It’s a Family Affair dropped.

Says Lenny Lenn about his life: "I graduated from CU-Denver with a degree in Audio Engineering then I worked in radio for a while I ran the promotions department at U-102 (an old hip-hop station) then I got hired on at Clear Channel where I was a writer and a producer for the Lewis and Floorwax morning show. I also was an on-air talent for Kiss 95.7 'Saturday Night Party Mix' as well as a specialty show on KBPI called 'Sunday night Fusion' where we played rock and rap songs. I then helped start up 96.1 'The Beat' in Colorado Springs, where I did a show entirely produced from my basement where I played nothing but local artists. ... I also had a show on Mega 95.7 with DJ Psycho ... where it was a live DJ and we played anything we want -- locals, no playlist. That was fun."

Lenny Lenn has two solo albums -- Commercially Underground and Grinding -- one mixtape with DJ Psycho -- he's the DJ Lenny Lenn is the rapper -- and two Aires Jackson projects. The first one was Two Years and a Day and this current project, Independent.

Says Lenny Lenn: "In my spare time I currently mix / master every major project to come out of Colorado. Well, not every one, just 75 percent of them. That’s the short story."

CMB: Do you get a lot of comments on the honesty / integrity of your tweets? You must get a lot of retweets.

Lenny Lenn: No not a lot of RTs, but I think folk pay a lot of attention to what I do tweet. ... The folks I’m talking about know who they are.

CMB: What kind of reception have you gotten so far on Independent?

Lenny Lenn: Great from the folks who have heard it. Everyone loves the album. Just need to get more folks to listen.

CMB: How easy was it to pull together all the guest artists for Independent?

Lenny Lenn: It was pretty easy. We just picked up the phone and asked. Some folks didn’t get on there for whatever reason, but, oh well, can’t be mad. Just keep it moving.

CMB: How valuable is it to be imbedded in “the scene” when it comes time to do an album like Independent?

Lenny Lenn: Very. We wouldn’t have got the features we did and folks wouldn’t have cared. This album showed how in the scene we really are.

CMB: What do you love and / or hate about the hip hop scene in Colorado?

Lenny Lenn: Love the improvements in quality (beats, rhymes, presentation, shows). Hate the separation, jealousy, hating, and overall lack of support.

CMB: Anything else you want to add?

Lenny Lenn: Follow me on Twitter @lennylenn.

New 7,000-square-foot music venue in Parker opening tomorrow (Friday, Aug. 12, 2011)

Colorado Music Buzz is booking the musical acts for Servino's Underground, which is located off Mainstreet in downtown Parker at 11020 S. Pike's Peak Drive. The opening is set for tomorrow (Aug. 12, 2011). Be there or be rectangular.

Danny Huber doing Live Local Music Series at 2 p.m. on Sept. 24

Upcoming: This September 24 our Live Local Music Series will feature local artist Danny Huber. He plays at 2 p.m. at Parker Library.

This is actually his second visit, as he was in one of our first-ever performances when he was in the band Ten Feet Tall.

Here’s a write-up on Huber from Tom Murphy of Westword fame:

Since he was a kid, Danny Huber has been playing music. Like a lot of people, he started out with classical instruments like violin and trumpet. Unlike a lot of people, Danny was also something of a prodigy. But his parents weren't the social-climbing, type-A personalities that produce neurotic children that play Carnegie Hall at a perilously young age. So Danny pretty much grew up as one of those people of immense talent and ability in more than one area who most of his co-workers only really know for their affability and skill at their jobs.

So would have been Danny's path as well as someone with a good family and great kids in the suburbs. But somewhere along the line, Danny got the yen to share his music with at least some small corner of the world. He took up the guitar as a youngster. Inspired in part by finger picking wizard Leo Kottke as well as by Peter Buck's mastery of the textured melodies, Danny taught himself, or so this story will insist, how to play deceptively simple phrases and tasteful leads on both six and twelve-string guitar. Most rock musicians stop at the six because they can't wrap their heads around twelve.

Unless you press him, Danny won't tell you he was in a cool little power pop band, as its bass player no less, called The Wind-Up Merchants that toured at least twice well outside of Colorado or that said band opened for legendary underground bands at the equally legendary 15th St. Tavern (Denver's equivalent of CBGBs). Whether that would be noise rock adventurists Arab on Radar, pop genius John Vanderslice, Evan Dando of the Lemonheads, Carissa's Weird and Poor Rich Ones. It's the kind of thing indie rockers would brag about for years but Danny doesn't do that.

He went on to actually make money in music by playing in cover bands for a while and he had fun but mostly it taught him more discipline with his craft. Sometimes Danny will play a solo gig with just him and a guitar and the imagination and intelligence behind his lyrics and his songwriting are not the kind of thing that went into Ziggy Stardust or OK Computer or the like. Danny is perfectly capable of such flights of fancy. But the best of his material aims, as does the fiction of John Crowley, at finding the remarkable in things people might find mundane because they've been too conditioned to looking for something in your face and larger than life. You won't find Crowley's transmogrification of Lord Dunsany's fantasies in Danny's music but if you take a chance to listen closely, you'll get a gleaning of that magic and inspiration that some people can find in the every day. A humble genius of subtle pop songcraft or an avid and talented student of master songwriters with far better than average technique? A charlatan with overblown critical praise? Take a listen, see the man play and judge for yourself.

-- Tom Murphy, July 15, 2011

Interview with Keith Schneider of grassroots local music pub Colorado Music Buzz magazine

Here is our three part interview with Keith Schneider, editor and publisher of Colorado Music Buzz magazine, our favorite music industry publication. We interviewed Keith on Tuesday, Aug. 9, here at Parker Library. We talked about all things local music, about Colorado Music Buzz and what that is like, and about playing rhythm guitar for the local cover band Kelli*Said.

Part I:



Part II:



Part III:

Lots of briefs about Local Music

Check out Radiation Romeo

The website is www.RadiationRomeo.com. It is a full costume band (like KISS).

News from The King Stan Band: Live in Highlands Ranch this Wednesday

Greetings from The King Stan Band featuring; “Stan” Stroman on guitar, Ted Loughry on guitar, John Gallagher on bass, and Mark Marusin on drums.

Thanks for all who came out to see us at the International Blues Competition at the Dickens Opera House. Competing against some of Denver's Best blues bands, The King Stan Band won the preliminary round! The Final round to see who is Colorado's best blues band will be held September 25 at the Buffalo Rose in Golden. Come on out and root us on to Memphis!

**** Upcoming Shows **** Upcoming Shows **** Upcoming Shows **** Upcoming Shows **** Upcoming Shows **** Upcoming Shows **** Upcoming Shows ****

Wednesday, August 3rd, 6pm: Spotlight on the Plaza -- Highlands Ranch. As part of a special event by the Highlands Ranch Community Association, the King Stan Band will be playing a free show! Bring a lawn chair, cooler, the kids, your neighbors, and have a fantastic time with the King Stan Band. Located at the Town Center north 1100 Sgt. Jon Stiles Drive (just west of Garbanzo's), Highlands Ranch.

Saturday, September 10th 4pm at the Legendary Little Bear Saloon in beautiful downtown Evergreen. The Little Bear is one of the oldest and most popular venues in the Denver area. The food is great! The bar is great! We will be opening for a national act. The Little Bear is located at 27895 Highway 74, Evergreen 80439; 303-674-9991.

Sunday, September 25th (time TBD) at the Buffalo Rose in downtown Golden. The King Stan Band will be competing in the Colorado Finals of the International Blues Competition. Winners go on the compete in Memphis, Tennessee in February. The Buffalo Rose is located at 1119 Washington Ave, Golden; 303-278-6800. The Competition begins at 2pm.

More dates to come, for more information, tickets, and merchandise: see our web site at www.KingStanBand.com or come be our fan on Facebook!

Thank you to all who have come out to see us in the past and thank you all for coming out to see us in the future!

The King Stan Band
Rhythm and Blues with soul …

Symbolism – July 2011
The Symbols Band Newsletter

Hi,

Due to a busy schedule, I haven't written a Symbols band newsletter in a couple months. During that time, we've been on the road to Kansas and Oklahoma, writing new songs, and recording them -- 7 done and 8 more started, shooting videos (2 shot, none edited), playing shows, swapping band members, auditioning for TV shows, and working on new merchandise ideas. I'll have more info on our activities and try to write something a bit more philosophical next time. For now, here is a list of upcoming shows. Hope to see you at one, and thanks for your support.

Musically,

Jasco

The Symbols

• Aug 4th Boulder County Fairgrounds, Longmont CO, 5pm
• Aug 6th Garfield County Fairgrounds, Rifle, CO, 4:30pm
• Aug 13th Pioneer Inn, Nederland, CO 10pm
• Aug 14th Larimer Lounge, Denver, CO 5pm
• Aug 25th Chippers North, Ft Collins, CO 10pm
• Aug 26th Alibi, Laramie WY, 8pm

News from The Flash Mob

*** Free download of our latest studio track ***

Hello all!

Check out our latest studio track, "Steal Away," for free -- even download it to your favorite device and listen whenever, wherever you like!

All you have to do is follow this facebook link and "like" us:

"Steal Away" by The Flash Mob – 2011 http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Flash-Mob/20487936622?sk=app_2405167945

We hope you enjoy the track! If you do, please share it with your friends, family -- anyone! Stay tuned for more studio tracks to be released in the near future ...

PEACE & LOVE ...

THE FLASH MOB (Wayne, Kyle, Dave, and Fink)

* The Flash Mob -- now on Pandora Radio *

For the latest on these shows and everything else that's been going on with The Flash Mob, visit our website at www.theflashmob.com.

From Jerry Barlow, Celtic Fingerstyle Guitarist

Greetings on this warm August day!

Hope all of you are enjoying your summer! I have had a rather different summer -- totally immersed in the creation of my new CD and not performing much so as to have the time for that project (stay tuned for the Grand Announcement – Ha!).

We are still fitting pieces together for my fall tours and will have that information on the website (www.jerrybarlow.com) in the very near future, so stay tuned.

Best wishes,
Jerry

Upcoming at Herman's Hideaway

August 12, 8pm: FRESH FRIDAY!!! Feat: Made Fresh Daily, Fresh Breath Committee, S.T.O.I.C., and special guests Team Latchkey

Bringing fun, high-energy, live hip hop to the Colorado music scene and beyond, Made Fresh Daily is here to put your mind at ease and take you to levels of sonic pleasures that most conventional hip hop fails to attain. Never the same twice, ever-evolving, MFD isn’t satisfied until the dance floor is packed, your senses are caressed, and all pre-conceived notions of popular hip hop music …

http://www.hermanshideaway.com/show/detail/47912

$4.00 / $8.00 day of show

September 9, 7:30pm: Funkiphino w/ What Happened Saturday (more TBA)

The 13-piece funk sensation!

$5.00 / $10.00 day of show

http://www.hermanshideaway.com/show/detail/48562