John Common & Jess DeNicola -- did I mention that we LOVE you?

Yes. We had a very nice time and LOVED the great indie tunes and the fun library stories! Please come back with the full band this summer. (Or just stop by and wander the stacks strumming on the guitar and singing when you feel the need.)

Flobots tomorrow nite ...

From the Flobots camp ...

"THIS WEEK IN FLOBOTS! SURVIVAL STORY will be in stores 3/16. In case you didn't know, that's the name of our new album. We can't wait for you to hear it and perhaps play some songs for you live this year."

Catch Jonny5 "Rhymes of the Day" at http://youtube.com/flobot5.

FRIDAY 3/12: CD RELEASE CELEBRATION! in Denver at The Ogden ...

"We'll be back home for the CD release celebration taking place at the Ogden Theatre. We've reserved some tickets for "day of" people to buy at the venue the night of the show! So come on down and bring some friends!"

"In other news... the WHITE FLAG WARRIOR video will be released VERY SOON. Please keep an eye on flobots.com for the details. We're talking REALLY SOON. Got it?

"HELP US SPREAD THE SURVIVAL STORY!!! Yeah, yeah, commercials and paid ads are all well and good, but what really matters are the fans getting excited about the new album and telling their friends. This is an old school call to arms for last minute promotion for the album! Will you help us get the word out far and wide? Here's something really easy we're asking you to do for the next week or so, or even just a few days. Go to http://flobots.com/music/help-promote-survival-story/ -- choose an avatar there and use it for your profile photos on your social network profiles. (Facebook, Myspace, Twitter). There's even a neat Twitter background wallpaper you can use! We thank you in advance!

"GETTING TRICKY? There's a rumor out there that we've hidden subliminal messages and stories within our album and CD case that are leading to buried treasures of some sort. We assure you that nothing happens when you play our songs backward, except for sounding like Jonny5 and Brer Rabbit were yelling with the Atlantic in their mouths. Got that?"

DB and the Catastrophe to raise money for victims of earthquake in Chile

From the camp of DB and the Catastrophe:

"We are playing with some great bands at Sidekick's, 2695 W. 92nd Ave in Federal Heights. Come check it out. We will be passing the hat ... to raise money for the victims of the earthquake in Chile. You may not know that our drummer, Diego Valenzuela, and his family are from Chile. Luckily, none of Diego's family were hurt but lots of folks need our help.

"Chilenos en Colorado have set up a fund at the Bank of America to help friends and family. So come on out and have a good time and help us raise a few extra dollars for those in serious need. We have discount tickets at www.myspace.com/dylanbusby.

"We should be hitting the stage around 10:30 or so. Hope to see you there!"

The Congress releases debut album on March 11 at The Walnut Room in Denver

This press release came from Scott Lane of The Congress. He's a great guy, and space is unlimited, so I'm running it in full:

"By the time this thing makes its official debut in March, the weather will (hopefully) be warm enough to justify rolling through town with the windows down, a smile on your face and The Congress keeping your head bopping." -- Kiernan Maletsky, Westword

"You can't really understand until you see them live ... to hear art this good, to experience such a series of incredible moments is not something you forget." -- Meredith Ripple, Magazine 33

"Best new albums for 2010." -- The Colorado Sound

The Congress, a five-month-old Americana Rock band from Denver will be releasing their debut album, titled The Congress, on March 11 at The Walnut Room.

The album was recorded at Macy Sound Studios by John Macy, who is well known for engineering Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Matt Morris, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, and Gladys Knight, as well as playing pedal steel with Ricky Skaggs and The Railbenders.

The album was co-produced with Daniel Clarke, who is well known for performing, recording, writing, and producing for Ryan Adams, K.D. Lang, and Mandy Moore among others.

Both Macy and Clarke will be joining The Congress on pedal steel and keyboards, as well as a full horn section, for the March 11 CD Release party at The Walnut Room.

The album was met with high praise by press and critics in Richmond, Virginia, where The Congress performed for an immediately sold out pre-release party for friends and family.

"Their self-titled CD is phenomenal, and each track blows me away," says Magazine33's Meredith Ripple. On the Colorado front, The Congress has received radio airplay on KBCO and KTCL in Denver, and in Fort Collins, Summit County, Aspen & Carbondale, and Telluride as well.

The Congress has also been making an impact in the global community, as the song "Back Where You Are" was donated for use in a Haitian Relief commercial campaign airing continuously on CNN and CNN Headline news.

The Congress will perform at The Walnut Room on March 11. Doors open at 7:30 pm with special guest openers Science Parter and Eleanor. Tickets are $12 in advance at TheWalnutRoom.com, and $15 day of show, and include a free copy of the album.

Review: Fresh Breath Committee

“I ain’t a storyteller, more like a master teacher.” That line from the Fresh Breath Committee’s self-titled LP could be true. The classic Hip-Hop CD is so good; it takes you back in time to when Popular music in general was more substantial and expressive. Says Fresh Breath MC/singer/producer Flawless: “The whole album is just a metaphor for reviving what real Hip-Hop should be. Raw essence with conscious lyrics and a soulful vibe.” If you aren’t knocked out immediately, the tracks certainly grow on you. Either way there is a sense of history here, as though the group – which consists of Flawless, MC/singer Purpose, MCs Fo Chief, Kontrast and Catch Lungs, singer Crystal, producer Hi Res and DJ SkipRipkin – grew up listening to Motown and as artists learned to integrate the best of a sort of Motown-inspired sound while mixing in original beats, boom-bap flavoring, and powerful original styling. Their fresh approach makes Hip-Hop as a genre seem more significant, more artistic and more valuable as a contribution to music.

FBC does have a connection with the past -- one MC, Catch Lungs, mentions in a promo video what his young mother listened to when he was growing up (masters such as Dr. Dre) -- and at some junctures influences are plainly felt. One song has an undeniable Fugees-esque quality. But the past isn’t the only element from where they draw their strength. One critical component is the luxuriant voice of singer Crystal, who adds such lush, integral vocals that I see her as being more than just a huge score for the crew. They simply would not have put out the same caliber CD without her presence (she’s got a nearly perfect R&B voice and is the sort who sings in a campus a cappella group in her spare time). Not that the flow isn’t fierce, too, and two other singers, both men, do hold their own, including Flawless, whose voice is amazing on several standout tracks. Lyrically they don’t shy away from taking on more interesting themes than the standard bitches, hoes and 40s -- that gets my vote every time. It’s just that they need to thank their lucky cosmos that Crystal hasn’t yet been snatched up by Big Music.


Twitter.com/FreshBreathCo
MySpace.com/FreshBreathCommittee

Review: J. Blitz, Flashes of Greatness

Guy gets relocated, innocent, pawn-like, from his one true home of New Orleans. Guy is a rapper. We, the listeners, know that our dear Everyman rapper was not just by force of hurricane displaced from his one true home; we know of the debacle that is the human side of Hurricane Katrina. We know the tragedy, the travesty, and -- WOW -- here’s a talented rapper right from the source.

So ... what exactly would you want or even expect him to rap about? J. Blitz, this undeniable, enormous talent, focuses most of his energy on the tired side of Hip-Hop, breaking new ground only in that I’m unfamiliar with another song * about women noticing and dwelling upon the speaker’s shoe size -- excited to talk to him because, you know, they think there is a correlation between having huge feet and being well endowed. (A woman squeals with delight: “Damn, you’ve got some big-ass feet!”)

It isn’t that I expected a young man to tackle FEMA head-on, the Bush administration or the still painful way in which Hurricane Katrina illustrated where we’re really at with race in this country, but tell me in 14 tracks this guy who has an innate ability with rhyme and flow, and who has a nice, strong voice reminiscent of a Will Smith yet is more urban and worldly, couldn’t try just a little bit harder to make like he’s got a mind to change the world? After all on his website it says: “Growing up in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward, J. Blitz experienced … crime, violence, drugs, corrupt politics, and social injustice.” That, we’re told, was “contrasted by a strong Pro-Black, socially conscious community, and exposure to culture, soul, and diversity.” And then: “All of which is reflected in his music.” (Sigh: He says very specifically in one song that he is not out to change the world.)

On a CD where he alludes to having read Malcolm X, he merely skates next to a darker, more intellectualized rap that not only would distinguish him, but also that many folks are actually hungry for. Please. Dive right in to those messy, urban, political themes – I don’t care if you say you’re going to overthrow the government. I’d rather hear that than a list of celebrity names and pop culture references. J. Blitz may be afraid to take on the heavy responsibility that comes with real world themes; After all, Michael Jordan, one-time hero to ghetto youth of Blitz’s generation, told the world it was up to Nike, not Michael Jordan, to do the right thing when it came to Nike shoes being made in Indonesian sweatshops. Blitz does give us the distinct impression (“You got a better chance of being saved by FEMA” he warns in “Niggaz from the South Can’t Rap”) that he could have thoughts of challenging the status quo and that this CD could have been a masterpiece had he chosen to go down that road instead of testing a single toe.

The CD isn’t a total loss, and it is precisely those tracks -- such as the standouts “Niggaz from the South,” “Home,” a soulful ode to his real home (that Denver could never measure up to, the song implies), and “Drink Too Much” (“I think that I drink too much but I drink ‘cause I think too much”) -- that hint this is just a stop along the way to something (potentially) great -- great and devastating. Let’s hope J. Blitz gets back to the studio when he realizes not only did he get fucked out of his native New Orleans, but life is short and Denver’s full of a million talented Hip-Hop artists rapping about nothing much at all.

* I’m not saying it isn’t funny and a great song in its own right, just that it would have been better had it been a light element on a mostly serious, fight-the-power-style tour de force.

Sounds like: A Will Smith who is more urban and worldly

JBlitzMusic.com

A taste of Jones & Raine last night was awesome!

Chris Edmonds, Julie Jones and Brian Raine of country smash Jones & Raine play a solo acoustic hour for Parker Library's Live Local Music Series at 7 p.m. on Jan. 30, 2010, at the library, a branch of Douglas County Libraries. They kicked some serious butt, and the 42 fans of both the band and the library LOVED life that night.

Next up: Get a mouthful of F.O.E., Westword's Best Hip-Hop MC of 2009, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27, at the library!

Don't forget where to be next Saturday evening!

Support Local Music + Local Libraries + Local Music at Local Libraries -- all in one fell swoop!!

Man Common and BFoL ...

(Apologies for the poor quality!)

Where I'll B 2nite ...

(Yes. Again: too much Twitter.)

Anyway, I'm excited to say I'm going with three friends 2nite 2 see John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light CD Release Party for Beautiful Empty at Cassleman's in North Denver.

Says man Common of the show:

Invite your friends; they'll think you're urbane and fabulous. Come party it up with John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light, Achille Lauro, Danielle Ate the Sandwich, original independent short films inspired by the new record, and box art (also inspired by the new record).

I promise to try to remember to bring the office camera so I can post a brief video clip here in case you can't be there because you'll be over with the other hipsters -- such as my colleague Colbe Galston -- at George Clinton & Parliament / Funkadelic.

(Tough call!)

But, hey, Common's gotten A TON of press, including a well done piece in Westword by the always astute Dave Herrera -- whose writing is always a pleasure -- as well as a "Steal This Track" nod in Reverb (the song is "Same Scar"), which is put out by the last-standing newspaper of record Common lovingly calls Denver Postage.

I would not be surprised if this show ends up being sold out -- the buzz has been building for weeks -- but, if you can get tix, you should go without question. Notes Common via his Twitter feed:

Answer: Yes -- you can still get in to the show tonight! We have day of show tickets available at the door. :) See you soon!

Beautiful Empty is great. Or, as Herrera less inelegantly puts it:

They succeeded, because the first thing you notice about Beautiful Empty is its spaciousness: The voices of Common and [Jessica] De Nicola blend together seamlessly and never strain to compete with one other, much less with the other instruments. On the song "Same Scar," for example, moaning cello lines harmonize gracefully with an accordion as it inhales and exhales gently, weaving an impressively elegant backdrop.

(Yes. I know. As I said, I LOVE Dave Herrera's writing and read it as often as I can.)

You can check out samples from the CD all over the place -- the buzz, as I was saying, is, and please forgive the cliche: palpable -- as well as via the John Common website.

Tell me it isn't "impressively elegant."

And see you there?

Oh, and I almost forgot:

JOHN COMMON AND JESS DE NICOLA ARE COMING TO DO OUR LIL SERIES ON MARCH 27!

(SCORE4US!)

Stay tuned for deets!

Quote of the day from 'New Face of Jazz'

I LOVE the below quote from Sonny Rollins and wanted to put it in some form or another on Twitter. It is from the upcoming book The New Face of Jazz by Cicily Janus and Ned Radinsky.

(I love the quote, and since Janus is in Colorado as we speak, I'm letting this squeak its way into a Local Music item.)

The quote I LOVE from Mr. Rollins ...

"I’d like to see people feel more optimistic so young musicians can come along and feel they have a platform. Be encouraging. They should feel optimism around them. It’s good to be encouraged and to know your music means something."

Here's what Janus has said, via an email list, about her interview with Mr. Rollins:

"As one of the most esteemed musicians of our time, I felt quite honored to take time with him and was granted a small look into his ideas and philosophies. We did not talk equipment, or specific dates in clubs or tunes, we did not speak of rumors or criticisms of his past performances. It's pointless when he's been interviewed hundreds of times on those subjects, as I don't think I would have touched upon anything new or particularly revealing. You can find that information on dozens of websites and magazines throughout the past few decades. Also, I think it is more important to learn life lessons from someone who has endured the ages and changes this music has brought about in his lifetime, and most of which he has played a role in. I believe we need a connection to this music. We need to be able to establish a common ground that was once a large part of the music industry. That can only be achieved by bringing out the humanity in this music. The human experience is something we all have, whether musicians or not, in common."

You can pre-order The New Face of Jazz via Amazon. Janus and Radinsky will be making their way around the country for signings and like events beginning in July.

If you'd like to schedule a talk or join the mailing list, email Janus directly at newfaceofjazz@gmail.com. You can follow her on Twitter at jazzwriterchick.

For jazz lovers, Janus recommends sites such as www.nineteen-eight.com and www.maxxjazz.com for great buys.

Here are a few of her recommendations:

Ted Nase: The Mancini Project
Noah Preminger: Dry Bridge Road
Sean Jones: Roots
Chanda Rule: I Too Speak of a River
Melody Gardot: My One and Only Thrill
Miles Okazaki: Generations
Mike Moreno: Between the Lines
Ken Hatfield: String Theory
Aaron Parks: Invisible Cinema
David Weiss: The Mirror
Marcus Strickland: Of Song
EJ Strickland: In This Day
Marcus Miller: Marcus
Wynton Marsalis: Standards and Ballads
Sonny Rollins: Road Shows, Vol. 1
Arturo Sandoval: Trumpet Evolution
Carli Munoz: Maverick
Darcy James Argue's Secret Society: Infernal Machines
Tom Harrell: Wise Children

Both the cover of The New Face of Jazz, shown here, and the quotes are used with permission of the authors.

Click here for the link for the book on Amazon.com ...

Jones and Raine cometh ....

That's right. Julie Jones and Brain Raine of Jones and Raine will come out to do an intimate solo show for Parker Library's Live Local Music Series.

Mark your calendars!

Parker Library's Live Local Music Series presents Julie Jones & Brian Raine of Jones & Raine at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 30, in Room A at Parker Library.

Come out to enjoy an hour of the best live country music in the Rocky Mountain West!

LOVE Hometown for the Holidays ...

I love Hometown for the Holidays on KTCL 93.3.

At what other juncture -- beside shows like KTCL's Locals Only -- can you hear, on corporate radio, bands like The Epilogues?

The Heyday?

Love.45?

Reno Divorce?

Vices I Admire?

DB & The Catastrophe?

(Uh-huh. Just sayin'!)

I myself LOVE DB & The Catastrophe and was waiting for the review copy I sent to cataloging to come back to us so patrons could check it out.

Lo and behold, the copy is AWOL. Too bad because I gave them a great review.

We'll have to figure out what happened to the disc. Meanwhile, here's the review I wrote for Colorado Music Buzz back in July when the CD first landed in my lap.

Stay tuned on the missing copy and be sure to get yourself on the list for this one. Hopefully it will land itself back in our arms!

Rock: Dylan Busby -- DB and The Catastrophe [EP]
http://www.ColoradoMusicBuzz.com/Index.asp?LinkTo=A240

This is going to sound like such a weak, weak cliche, but I swear this is the best way to put this: The first track of this self-titled EP is appropriately titled -– the CD knocked me out. (Eek. That was bad, huh? Sorry.) Really though, as far as Post-Punk Punk goes, this is the stuff of dreams. And while "Knocked Out" knocks out folks like me, Dylan Busby and his buddies -- he enlisted Tyler McGoffin, Ricky Brown and Diego Valenzuala -- will also have mass appeal with lovers of Ska and the whole Alt-whatever (fill in the blank) mob. DB and The Catastrophe offers up four very energetic and well-produced singles -- and big brownie points for the fabulously hip and earth-friendly packaging. (Note to other artists: If you’re going to go hard copy, please, please, please: enough with the jewel cases. A sleeve with some cool artwork -– like what DB and The Catastrophe having going on -- is just so much more now.)

MySpace.com/DylanBusby

If I didn't already mention it, you're going to want to check out Falling to Fly on Dec. 11 in the chapel at the Parker Mainstreet Center!

Falling to Fly? Move over Joni Mitchell, Jewel, Ricki Lee Jones -- on and on.

Find out for yourself on Dec. 11 when the acoustic pop-folk duo is the featured band in Parker Library’s Live Local Music Series.

This special event, co-sponsored by the Parker Cultural Commission, will begin at 7 p.m. in the chapel at the Parker Mainstreet Center.

Check out the demo songs from Falling to Fly's debut here.

Here's what ace folk guitarist Cat Layton said via email about her history with singer Kaitlyn and the start of Falling to Fly:

"Kait and I have known each other for almost 10 years and we were both aware of each other's musical abilities, but it wasn't until high school that we started playing together.

"Our first gig was our school talent show and it went wonderfully.

"The two of us decided to create a band and by that summer we had our first demo out called Ivory, which is all cover songs.

"Since then we've played places such as the Shining Star in Nederland and Cervantes in Denver.

"Recently we've started to write our own songs and are looking to record them soon."

So ... check them out No. 1 because they are really quite good and you want to catch them on their way up but also because, hey, you want to support them early on in their career when they need people -- and ears -- to take a chance on them!

You won't regret it. I don't book performers who suck!

Thanks from Jeanie

Andrea Ball CD due out soon ...

Andrea Ball recently announced that her new album, "Dial Tone," will be released at the beginning of 2010.

"This has been a quite the process," says Ball. "I can't wait to share it with everybody!"

Find anecdotes on her blog, about which Ball says: "And, yes, all the stories are true -- even the one about the blueberry muffin."

Fabulous Peter Szog show + solid turnout for Parker Library's Live Local Music Series DESPITE crappy weather

This first vid from last night's Live Local Music Series installment, featuring classical guitarist Peter Szog, is just a short clip from my favorite song he did last night, Tchaikovsky's Arabian Dance.

The second vid, at the very bottom, is just to show my superiors what a solid turnout we had!

Thanks goes to Peter Szog for a strong performance and to the Parker Cultural Commission for giving us the downright snazzy + spacious auditorium at Parker Mainstreet Center as a venue while Parker Library proper, where the series usually holds court, finishes up a face-lift, and a shout-out to my BFF Rick Thompson for helping out with this show as well as to a comrade, Parker Library's resident techie and our myspace.com/colorado_music gal Linda Vincent, for turning out to the performance. Ms. Linda has come to three or four shows in the series, mostly because she likes the music we feature but also to show support for the library and what we're trying to do with local music.

I was pleased with the turnout last night considering the weather -- the library proper had been closed for the previous two days, and I considered pushing for us to cancel this performance as I was worried about extremely low turnout. One thing that we had working for us, however, was that folks had been stuck indoors for a couple of days and really wanted to get out, sucky roads or not.

While I'd like to see the library overrun with 300 fans of local music at any one event, this is designed to be an "intimate" series, and we realistically want to try and average 50 people or more -- we're averaging a bit less right now, so that's something we're looking at in terms of choice of genres and in terms of targeted marketing.

Last night's attendance was 51. Top turnout was for the old-school bluegrass band Kantankerous -- I stopped trying to count after 107 when they played at the library proper.

The worst turnout was for hip-hop, but we'd be willing to take a look at that genre again. Maybe FOE on a Friday or Saturday evening at a venue such as the Parker Mainstreet Center, where we had Szog? I'll have to sell that one -- and talk FOE into doing it -- but I think it would be FAB!

The second lowest was for a specific folk artist (she's actually fabulous, there were a number of things working against that show) -- I can't say folk because we've done OK with folk before -- and then lowest above that was death metal, if I remember correctly.

The second highest, if I remember correctly, is about a tie between Angie Stevens (local queen of Americana / alt-country scene) and the classical duo of Susan Townsend on flute and Don Hilsberg on harp. Jazz also does great. Classic rock cover bands such as Velocity Rocks -- a definite yes. Joe Fornothin' -- let's just say they are up there at the top in attendance for reasons much more than just the rock/alternative genre they serve up. There's raw talent and a big fan base to consider in that recipe.

Alternative as a genre on its own merit averages about 40 on average. Folk for some reason does so-so. (Maybe 20 or higher with the exception of the five that turned out for the one I mentioned above).

The next gig -- on Dec. 11 -- is with the two young ladies who make up Falling to Fly, who you are definitely going to want to catch on their way up, before their first Grammy.

For the next leg, January to May -- there is a possibility of one or more summer shows next year if we do especially well from January to May -- I am especially fond of the possibility we may be able to kidnap country act Jones & Raine from Highlands Ranch; they garner a lot of praise and radio play and would most definitely be up there with Kantankerous in terms of attendance if I get them to commit to our series. The bigger the act the more likely they might be on tour or whatnot. That's true of Jones & Raine and the indie solo act who I would give my left arm to have play for us but who also is very, very busy and next to impossible to schedule: Kyle Galanaugh!!

Stay tuned, cowgirls and cowboys!

(Here's the second video, which is just to show the good turnout despite the weather. It is a bit dark, so you can't really tell, but for the first time ever I ran out of feedback forms. I only printed 30 because I thought we would be lucky to have 10 people turn out!!)

If you have free time 2nite!

Can you tell I'm on Twitter just a bit too much?

Now about @JohnCommon playing 2nite at the Walnut Room (BTW, in other news, Bemused is opening tonight for The Guilt Complex -- with Jason Vigil and the Gristle Gals -- at Casselman's.

Here's the deets from John Common, who is just a fun writer overall ...

I'm playing a tres cool show ... Oct. 22 ... at the inestimably great-sounding Walnut Room. I will be playing the show with the lovely Jess DeNicola and the beguiling Dave Preston. How's that for a power trio? Also playing that night: Liz Clark, Tessa Perry and Melanie Susuras. Not to turn this into a gender thing, but I just realized I'll be the sole male songwriter of the night. Hmmm ... Interesting.

"Fear not, it's an early show--you will get your beauty rest. Not that you need it.

Will you come? Say yes.

Here are the DETAILS of the show and a way to buy TICKETS for you and
your date:

http://www.thewalnutroom.com/show/detail/23996#tickets

I've been reading Emerson lately ...

John

johncommon.com
twitter.com/johncommon
facebook.com/jcommon
myspace.com/johncommon
hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com

P.S. We're looking for graphic artists to collaborate with on band merch. Here's the idea, delivered by yours truly. And yes, that's the best shark I know how to draw:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF_wabxGEIQ

====================
Other Upcoming John Common gigs:
====================

8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5: Meadowlark
John Common with LSW, Joseph Pope III and Jesse Torrisi
$6

Saturday, Dec. 12: Curious Theatre
John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light Denver CD Release for Beautiful Empty
Details coming. Save the date!!

FREE Kyle Galanaugh show this Monday ...

Here's the skinny on Kyle Galanaugh. It has been a while since he has shown his face because he has been writing more than EVER. He will finally be playing these new songs live at a FREE all-ages show -- with comp ticket -- this Monday, Oct. 26, at the Soiled Dove Underground.

"I have the pleasure of sharing the stage with Red Cortez," says Galanaugh.

You must email him at kylegalanaugh@hotmail.com -- better yet, join his mailing list and then email him -- to get the fre tickets. Otherwise there is a charge at the door.

The details:

Soiled Dove Underground
7401 E. 1st Ave.
Denver (Lowery)
Monday 10/26
7pm
Cost: Free with comp ticket
All Ages

Kyle: "Looking forward to seeing you all."

www.kylegalanaugh.com
www.myspace.com/kylegalanaughmusic

So many CDs from which to choose, so little time! (Click to make list large, legible!)

What you should be doing on Halloween ...

Next up in Live Local Series: Peter Szog, classical guitarist! (He's awesome. Does 100 shows a year. Score for you this one is FREE!)

Oh and Jeanie got a shout-out from Saints

Oh my. Did I not tell you how very much I LOVE Saints? Well, words on paper paid off about mid-month when I received a shout-out via the Saints fan list:

"It's the middle of September and in Denver it's raining like it was Glasgow in July. What's going on? Since the last time of writing, we have had some lovely press by some lovely people and it feels nice to be recognized by music types. You can see some clippings at the bottom of this page. Thanks to Jeanie Straub in particular ... holy shit!!"

[Note: It isn't lost on me that they might actually be making fun of me because all the other music writers knew a lot more about Brit pop than I did. I just loved the music. I didn't even know it was Brit pop.]

More news from Saints via fan list:

"We will be out playing in November for sure, so we will definitely let you all know when and where as soon as we know."

BTW you can follow Saints on Twitter at saintstheband -- on myspace they're at http://www.myspace.com/saintstheband.

PRESS CLIPPINGS

"'Colorado,' a tribute to the Gaults' adopted home whose sincerity more than compensates for its sentimentality. While Saints' success at striking this balance comes across as extremely natural, it's tougher than it seems. After all, if it were simple, everyone could do it." Michael Roberts, Westword

"This EP should be all over KTCL and the rest of the world, what with the outstanding guitar riffs and Rob Gault’s fabulous voice, the obvious talent pooled instrumentally in regards to composition and melody, coupled with rare polish and true originality." Jeanie Straub, Colorado Music Buzz

"(Saints) is currently working its way into the scene from the outer reaches. The strength of Saints' vibrant, earnest Brit pop should ensure that it's a short trip." Dave Hererra, Westword

Slow news day, Jeanie's Friday + BEMUSED ...

It is a slow news day -- it is also my Friday -- so I'm just going to turn the floor over to the folks over at Bemused ...

From: Bemused Booking
Subject: CD + Show review consideration and coverage
Date: Monday, 28 September 2009 19:48:54 0600
To: [Local Music at Parker Library via Jeanie's CMB email]

Hello!

We are a new local band in Denver called BEMUSED ... and we just recorded an EP, "Departed Ones," which we have been supporting by playing myriad shows around town.

We actually just had our disc reviewed in Westword ...

We would also like to have one of our live shows considered for coverage and review as well.

A few different places that we have played previously are the "Hi-Dive," "Quixotes," and the University of Denver.

Listed below [is] our up-coming show:

10/14 -- 8:30 p.m.
Hermans Hideaway
Denver 80210

We would love to have you come check us out and see what we're all about live, too!

Ciao!

Christian Seith + BEMUSED
[Telephone number omitted for obvious reasons!]
www.MySpace.com/BemusedDenver

Angie Stevens news ...

We don't mean to seem all like, well, you know, like we're all attached to Angie or whatever. We do think she is a princess and that she totally rocks. She is our favorite child of Local Music. We have all her albums and a big-ass signed poster in our living room and whatnot ...

OK. Get on with it, Man! We like her, OK? Move on!

Whew! OK. Onward: Here's the latest news and some dates, straight from Angie's feed -- with some screenshots from fav Angie youtube clips!

"I just got back from the Americana Music Conference in Nashville. It was an awesome experience -- I learned a ton and got to see and even meet some of my Americana heroes. I even sat in with RCPM, which is always an honor and a blessing. I can't wait to go back next year and hopefully play it with my band as well ...

"I couldn't be more excited about playing Swallow Hill, Daniels Hall, on Friday, October 2nd. It will be my first time playing the big room. We'll have some special guests [making] appearances throughout the night, and this time there will be two additional artists on the bill that I am honored to be playing with: Catherine MacLellan and David Berkeley. Both of them have gotten a ton of national attention and I've been listening to them nonstop. Check them out for yourself! This is going to be a great evening so be sure to get your tickets now!

http://www.davidberkeley.com/
http://www.catherinemaclellan.com/

"In November, I will be joining Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers on tour. The dates are being finalized now, so keep an eye on the calendar, and we'll send out an update soon! Here's a clip of me and Roger singing "Green and Dumb": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hftu6_ZhGKM

"ALSO: a big thank you to everyone that came to our shows over the busy summer. We had so much fun and can't wait to see you at the fall/winter shows! Listen and Feel baby!"


Upcoming Angie shows ...

10/02/2009 ... 8 p.m.
Swallow Hill: Daniels Hall
71 East Yale Avenue
Denver 80210
(303) 777-1003

**** Midwest Tour with Jen Korte ****

10/09/2009
Copper Cup
725 W. Main St
Cherokee, Iowa

10/10/2009
NE Palace
2500 4th St NE
Minneapolis, Minn.

10/11/2009
Ecce Yoga Studio
216 Broadway
Fargo, North Dakota

10/12/2009
Venue TBA
Rapid City, South Dakota

"A GOOD TIME WILL BE HAD BY ALL!"

The Calf Branders are some super-fun folks and I LOVE it when they say that: "A good time will be had by all."

What a super-fun way of using the passive voice!

They are fun, too, because they are the type to put everything in uppercase when posting anything to their fan list. With stars. And exclamation points.

** LAST SHOW OF 2009! **
** THE CALF BRANDERS! **
** FRIDAY OCTOBER 2ND **
** Skylark Lounge -- 140 S. Broadway, Denver **
** 9:30 to 1:30! **

** Branding season has started for us Calf Branders! We suddenly realized that we all got so busy branding calves that we did not have any dates available the rest of the year to get together and play for y'all again in 2009! C'mon down to the Skylark this Friday and we might pretend it is New Years Eve. We'll be playing again in 2010! **

** A good time will be had by all! **

Here's more news on this hyper-local band -- you'll understand the hyper-local once you read the info -- straight from Lance Bakemeyer, bassist:

"The Calf Branders have written a song that Dwight Yoakum will be using on his next release. (A song that I wrote).

"I am a Douglas County native -- the bass player -- the ranch I grew up on is now Canterberry Crossing in Parker. The golf course, homes, New Hope Drug Rehab -- I raised cattle on there from 1972 to 2001. The idea for the Calf Branders was due to our calf branding parties that we had on the ranch (on Tomahawk Road -- Bill Daniels ranch now). At one time this ranch went from East Parker Road to Hilltop (North and South) and Tomahawk Road to Rowlety Downs (East and West).

"I also compete in Rodeo. My son and I competed in the Douglas County roping events (local roping) in August. 2009 marked the 33rd year I competed.

"Thanks for your interest -- Lance"

Thanks for being so fabulous! We love you, Oh Calf Branders! WOO!

The Motet -- WOO!

Download the new Motet album, Dig Deep, FREE at http://www.themotet.com/digdeep/motet-dig.deep.zip

At the Halloween weekend shows this year, The Motet will be performing the music of Sly and the Family Stone.

More from the Motet camp:

"We are especially excited for these shows because we will be joined by some phenomenal musicians from the west coast. In addition to Motet regulars Dave Watts, Joey Porter, and Dominic Lalli, we will be featuring former Sly and the Family Stone guitarist Gail Muldrow.

"Gail played on the 1975 Sly and the Family Stone record I Get High on You and has recorded and toured extensively with Sly bassist Larry Graham’s Graham Central Station. In addition she has also toured with Merle Saunders and JGB (among countless other artists).

"Gail is a fantastic vocalist as well as a slamming funk guitar player so she will undoubtedly be a huge addition to this year’s line-up.

"Also, we are binging in from Portland Oregon our ever-popular vocalist Jans Ingber, singer extraordinaire Paul Creighton, and the most raw and funky bassist west of the Willamette: Dan Scollard. And last but certainly not least, the omni-present and always charming Cecil “P-Nut” Daniels will be joining us with his futuristic electro-trumpet!"

The dates are as follows:

Oct. 28: Hodi's Halfnote (Ft. Collins)
Oct. 29: Fox Theatre (Boulder)
Oct. 30: Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom (Denver)
Oct. 31: Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom

New Age News: Chad Beall ...

BIG NEWS FROM A GUY WE LOVE, CHAD BEALL:

"I have the honor to open for internationally recognized, Grammy-nominated solo pianist David Lanz. David is well known for his masterful compositions and was a pioneer in bringing audience interaction with 'solo pianists.' I have been influenced by David's life and music and am blessed to have the opportunity to play a few songs before he plays! Many Thanks to Bob Baker and David for this opportunity!"

Some deets from the Chad Beall site:

DAVID LANZ FEATURING SPECIAL GUEST CHAD BEALL

7 p.m. Oct. 3, 2009
Baker’s Piano Center
2670 E. County Line Road, Suite A, Highlands Ranch
Box Office: 303-730-7779

As I mentioned, we had a bunch of staffers pick Local Music CDs and write brief reviews. A few days ago I got one from Gail Broyles on Chad Beall:

Original and soothing piano melodies with several guest vocals make this a great choice ... for life.

Chad Beall, I should note, was the first to perform in Parker Library's Live Local Music Series. In fact we owe it to Chad Beall for starting the series, because he approached us -- me and Allison Lyons, a hipster librarian who was my Local Music partner-in-crime until she up and decided to move to New Zealand.

Side note: Did you know you can actually have a piano moved just for one performance? (Yeah. Uh-huh. Me, too!)

Anyway, it was a great night, and I think we had about 50 people. One of my colleagues, Linda Vincent, came and really enjoyed it. She ended up purchasing Chad's first CD, Dedications, at the show. (See, you can also sell CDs at the show if you perform in our series!)

Another side note is that I had no idea what all New Age* represented as a genre. I thought it was the music massage therapists play in the background when they are not playing classical. It can be that, but it can also be contemporary and romantic piano. That's Chad Beall: original contemporary and romantic piano.

We did not end up moving a piano in the library -- we had the performance at the University Center at Chaparral, which has an awesome concert piano that the nice folks that make up the Douglas-Elbert Music Teachers Association let us use. They had just purchased it and those nice folks let us use their shiny new piano for, um, a song.

(Were the cliche police looking the other way? Whew! ;)

So ... what Chad Beall is up to, straight from the horse:

Album: It is still in the adding instrumentation phase. It will probably be there this whole month of September. Cross your fingers and send good wishes that I can complete everything with enough gusto to ensure that my new CD releases before Christmas! Worst case scenario: Valentine's Day 2010.

Thank you all for your continued support and don't forget to spread the word about my music. I'm looking forward to sharing the updated website functionality and new CD with you in the near future!

* Here's Wikipedia on New Age music: New Age music is defined more by the effect or feeling it produces rather than the devices used in its creation; it may be electronic or acoustic, or a mixture of both. New Age artists range from solo or ensemble performances using instruments such as Westernpiano, acoustic guitar, flutes, harps and many others, to electronic musical instruments, and Eastern instruments such as sitar, tamboura, tabla; and instruments from all other parts of the world, the ... singing in languages from all around the world.

(Can you tell I'm SO not one of those librarians that can't see any role for Wikipedia.)

Status report! John Common: Hiatus

Update from John Common before a brief hiatus: The new record, Beautiful Empty, is "pretty much done."

The Denver release party will be 12/12 at Curious Theatre. "That night is gonna be crazy cool," says Common.

More from Mr. (un)Common:

We're taking a break from music for a month or so ... to rest up for all the flashing and lighting and blinding that we'll soon be doing.

Enjoy your September. I sure will.

If you are not tuned-in enough to know better, here's stuff about John Common, straight from the horse -- at the very bottom I put a bunch of places to chat at him / follow him.

He's cool. He gave us this image of him, above. It is sort of, um, sexy.

JOHN COMMON & BLINDING FLASHES OF LIGHT

John Common sometimes wishes he were a filmmaker or a painter, but due to a run-in with his older brother's record collection at an impressionable age, he ended up with a bad case of the rock and an obsession for making music instead. He's constantly writing songs -- they range from raucous and snarly, to beautiful and introspective.

John plays with an incredibly talented group of musicians, artists and friends, drawn from Colorado’s indie music scene: Jess De Nicola (voice), Keven Meyer (bass, vocals), Wes Michaels (cello, saxophone), Adam Revell (keys, vocals) and Scott Davies (drums, samples). They are that unique kind of band where each player is an artistic force in their own right, but when they all play together something rare happens: musical conversation.

Beautiful Empty ... will cause short films to spontaneously appear in your head with its lush arrangements, gorgeous harmonies and cinematic lyrics.

It’s music that can pin you to the wall, break your heart, or just send you off thinking for a while.

Visit www.johncommon.com for more information.

DISCOGRAPHY

Beautiful Empty (TBA)
Spill EP (2007)
Why Birds Fly (2007)
Good To Be Born (2006)
The Longest Street In America (2003)
Collecting Empties (1999)

FORTUNATE OCCURRENCES

2009 Lyons Folks Festival Finalist
2009 Westword Nominated Best Pop Artist
2009 Denver Music Scene Top 10 Songwriters
2008 Telluride Troubadour Finalist
2008 Westword Nominated Best Singer/Songwriter
2007 Lyons Folks Festival Finalist
2007 Mover and Shaker / Best Local Release -- Westword
2007 Best Local Release -- The Denver Post
2006 Most Intriguing Discs -- The Onion
2006 Westword Nominated Best Singer/Songwriter

PRESS

"Hard to classify, John Common plays a brand of upbeat indie rock that makes use of a wide array of instruments from trumpets to xylophones. His band Blinding Flashes of Light is comprised of several talented musicians culled from the vibrant Colorado indie scene who provide the backdrop to his insightful and powerful lyrics." -- DENVER METROMIX

"John's clever lyrics and perfectly crafted songs are outdone only by his huge and prolific body of work. This guy puts out a solid album twice a year. No wonder his songs are good. He also has a killer band." -- Denver Music Scene, Top Ten Singer-Songwriters

"A brilliant, extremely ambitious disc... Denver's finest rock recording of the past decade." -- WESTWORD (Good To Be Born)

"Why Birds Fly is even more uncommon than its acclaimed 2006 predecessor ... the aural environment Common creates is so sumptuous that it rewards repeated listens even as it confounds expectations." -- WESTWORD (Why Birds Fly)

"It may seem difficult to imagine a guy named John Common living a highly individual life, but believe it ... his creative curiosity and detail-oriented aesthetic distinguish him from the drooling pack of earnest singer-songwriters." -- THE DENVER POST

"Raw, yet sophisticated pop." -- THE ONION

MOST INTRIGUING DISCS OF 2006 -- THE ONION

"With all the craft of a consummate songwriter, John Common builds songs that dig beneath thick skins and lazy thinking. He deconstructs them with the abandon of a mad scientist, resulting in a disc that's as rich in texture as it is drenched in tenderness." -- THE ONION

"Every aspect of Common's squirrely melodic sensibilities and unerringly tight playing and production are featured here." -- THE DENVER POST

"A rich mix of samples, guitars, and lyrical intensity in a quieter version of 'Bends'-era Radiohead or the missing step in Wilco's leap from 'Being There' to 'Summerteeth.' The music is complex and innovative without sacrificing catchy hooks or raw energy in a wide range of styles and tempos." -- COLORADO MUSIC BUZZ

"The auspicious debut of former Rainville frontman John Common shares intellectual shelf space with mid-period Remy Zero and Radiohead. With supple vocals that glide from intoxicating purrs to forceful croons, Common weaves his way through intelligent, cinematic material that's thoughtfully augmented by well-placed samples, subtle brass accompaniment and murmuring keys." -- WESTWORD

"This album portrays a band with the skills to embellish a writer who has a foot in the motherlode of great songs." -- AMERICANA UK

"Common has achieved the musical equivalent of picking up seven tiles in a game of Scrabble and being able to lay down “bezique” on the first turn. " -- FIVE MAGAZINE, TAOS, NEW MEXICO

"It would be much too easy to use John Common's last name as a pun to describe his 'uncommon' skills as a singer-songwriter, but what the hell." -- SANTE FE REPORTER

"His face is a familiar one around town -- although it's not as recognizable as his voice." -- THE DENVER POST

"Drawing as much from Radiohead and Yo La Tengo as it does from Wilco and the Jayhawks, the group folds elegant melody into brooding experimentalism -- an epic, adventurous sound that will be showcased on an upcoming full-length debut." -- WESTWORD

"Common writes a great song just about every day ... 'Good To Be Born' is a Matthew Sweet-meets-Queen rock opus filled with catchy songs and layers of clever vocals ... Damn him." -- 5280

"There are songs that make me want to drink til morning, you see ... Songs that make me wish I'd somehow gone home with that handsome stranger who smiled when I looked up from my book. ... Songs that make me want to be loud and messy and get into lots of trouble, when normally I am quiet and neat and only get into medium amounts of trouble. ... Songs I've caught myself putting on repeat when it's 2 a.m. and I have to wake up at 6." -- A GIRL

johncommon.com
twitter.com/johncommon
facebook.com/jcommon
myspace.com/johncommon
hitrecordandplay.blogspot.com

Trust me on this one, people. ;)