INDIE NEWS BEAT April 11, 2005 Edition
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Miss Kristin... The Secret Of Your Heart
* VersusMedia Announces Digital Signature Service For Film Licenses
* Jon Fritz Returns With When It's Over...
* Toronto Indie Musician Launches Of Indieguitarists.com
* Test Of Time Imprint Launched
* Country And Bluegrass Internet Radio Station Nominated For Award By Live365
* LOVE At First Take
* Unsigned Artists Join Together For Tsunami Relief
* Worldwide Release of PENETRATOR "Penetrator" by Sonic Age Records
* April Moon With Songsalive! Norcal April 22-24 Workshops And Showcases
* Divorce Records And Astro America, LLC/IDN Ink New Deal
Miss Kristin... The Secret Of Your Heart... Emotionally Charged CD Delivers The Goods!
2 High 2 Die Records is proud to announce the newest release from singer/songwriter Miss Kristin, entitled The Secret of Your Heart. This marks the third release by Miss Kristin and follows on the success of her previous CD "You Can't Hide Love!" Her new release is scheduled to be in stores on January 3, 2005.
The 10 tracks on The Secret of Your Heart comprise a commentary on passion and relationships. With this theme as her palette, Miss Kristin delivers deft compositions that range from the in-your-face "Love You Later", in which she takes control of a relationship on her own terms, to "Let Me Show You My Love", a song of reconciliation and support ("I'll make sunshine out of rain ..."). Blessed with a vocal versatility that matches the emotional spectrum of her songwriting, Miss Kristin's voice can be likened to a cross between Pat Benatar and Grace Slick, while remaining wholly her own. She also displays her soft side on several tracks, using her affecting vocals to draw the listener into another world.
Miss Kristin composed all 10 songs and displays her talents on production and rhythm guitar on The Secret of Your Heart. The CD offers a rich collection of ballads, dance songs and poignant moments such as with the hauntingly beautiful "Stardust". At turns provocative, comforting, yearning and confrontational, The Secret of Your Heart reflects on themes that touch us all.
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VersusMedia Announces Digital Signature Service For Film Licenses
VersusMedia would like to announce the addition of its Digital Signature service which provides artists from around the world the ability to sign and seal legal licensing agreements electronically. VersusMedia's Digital Agreement signature service utilizes a new technology that allows individuals from around the world to legitimately sign and seal legal agreements online, called e-signatures, and then distribute copies to all parties involved for safe-keeping. This allows filmmakers and musicians the ability to work together globally without ever seeing each other in person.
From the first step to the last, the entire "Sign, Seal, and Deliver" process can take only a matter of hours to complete. The process starts with either a filmmaker or musician who must already be a current member of our site. They have the ability to request a signature from anyone, even those who are not currently members. Once both parties have digitally signed the legal agreement, our system generates a sealed PDF copy for the users' permanent records.
As an added ability, musician members can now authorize us to license out entire songs directly through our website at a price they set. This allows a filmmaker to sample a low quality version of any song, and then purchase the film license directly through our website. Once both the filmmaker and the musician (who owns the rights to the song) sign a required digital agreement, the filmmaker will be sent a high quality version of the song to use in their film.
Currently, over 650 film music requests have been assisted to date through our services, and we hope that the addition of these new services will only make the unity between independent filmmaker and musician stronger.
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Jon Fritz Returns With When It's Over...
Born and raised in New Jersey but currently based in northern Virginia, Jon Fritz is a man whose talents include not only the remarkable singing, songwriting, and guitar playing skills he displays on his new album, When It's Over..., but also a knack for acting, which he has put to use in lead roles in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Jesus Christ Superstar." He has also written a rock opera about his own life that he hopes to debut sometime in the near future, but for now the focus lies on When It's Over..., his fourth solo album to date.
Work on the album began last summer when Fritz crossed paths with acclaimed producer Wayne Mitzen. The two joined forces to create JonWayne Productions, the outlet through which Jon recently released his latest recorded effort, and it just so happens that Wayne also plays bass in Jon's band, Jon Fritz Power Trip, along with drummer Marc Stauffer. The trio is currently working to expand its already impressive fan base by touring extensively in support of When It's Over..., and bringing a little bit of both melody and mischief to the stage every night.
"Jon Fritz lands near the Eagles, Neil Young, and Pearl Jam with his finely produced and well written collection of tunes in When It's Over... We find Fritz's identity and voice wonderful, intimate, personal, and comparison-less... Overall, the CD and performances are professional and high quality...All indications are that Fritz is ready for the national attention his talent deserves. We look forward to more and his continued evolution into a unique musical voice." - Ear Buzz
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Toronto Indie Musician, Monica Yonge, Founder/Publisher Of Indieguitarists.com
The indieguitarists.com web site offers a place where guitarists can promote themselves and their band. Guitarists can list their web site for free to the indieguitarists database. If guitarists don't have a web site they can sign up for an indieguitarists.com web page so they can be added to the database. The database is divided by gender and music categories where web sites are listed.
Guitarists are encouraged to promote themselves and their band by submitting articles for publication on the indieguitarists article and new pages. "A lot of time and money could be invested towards promoting a band but if the band breaks up there goes the promo along with the old web site. Guitarists now have a place to promote themselves and their band", says founder Monica Yonge. Indieguitarists.com is dedicated to promoting guitar players, it publishes two spotlight guitarists, and two interviews each month.
Indieguitarists.com has recently interviewed guitarists Tony "Wild T" Springer and David Gogo. Look for these guitarists on indieguitarsits.com in the month's of April and May.
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441 Records Corporation is proud to announce the launch of a new label imprint, TEST OF TIME Records. In the modern recording era, it has become increasingly rare for quality collections of superbly preserved projects to be presented to the public. One such series of remaining rarities is the East Wind Masterpiece Collection line from Japan. 441 Records Corporation now introduces on Compact Disc some of the best sounding Jazz from the late '70s on its new TEST OF TIME trademark that will feature over thirty important, fantastic recordings.
TEST OF TIME recordings are being released in the United States in CD format for the first time. These titles simply have not been available. The collection includes works by jazz greats such as Art Farmer, The Great Jazz Trio, Andrew Hill, Hank Jones, Sheila Jordan, Al Haig, Sadao Watanabe, Joe Sample, Junior Mance, Don Friedman and many others. East Wind presented one of the most complete collection of recordings by The Great Jazz Trio, which we will now make available.
Commented Harvey Rosen, President of 441 Records, "We are very excited to bring timeless recordings of excellent quality that were engineered and packaged with great care to discriminating jazz fans in the U.S. Even after 30 years, these titles definitely stand on their own. They have clearly withstood the test of time."
The first four albums to be released under the TEST OF TIME trademark in March and April, 2005 are Hommage (sic) by Andrew Hill, At the Village Vanguard by The Great Jazz Trio, Yesterday's Thoughts by Art Farmer and Confirmation by Sheila Jordan. All of these albums are unique and historic in each artist's respective discographies.
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Country And Bluegrass Internet Radio Station Nominated For Award By Live365
RAM Radio, an internet radio station, was recently nominated for two awards by Live365 Â Best Country Music Station and Best Station to Discover New Music.
The 24/7 station plays today's country and bluegrass music side by side with the pioneers of the sound. By playing "the Circle...Unbroken," a listener can expect to hear the history of country music starting from the earliest moments of recorded history, played on an actual 1897 graphophone, to the latest traditional country releases and today's vibrant independent artists.
A typical day on RAM Radio will take listeners on a journey through the country music timeline. They'll hear a 1903 banjo tune by Fred Van Eps, as well as music from Jimmie Rodgers, the Carter Family, Uncle Dave Macon, Hank Williams, Bob Wills, Bill Monroe, Ernest Tubb, Loretta Lynn, and George Jones, right up to Dale Watson, Dwight Yoakam, and Mark Chesnutt. They will also discover the traditional musicians that are not played on typical country radio, like JB Beverley and the Wayward Drifters, Scott H Biriam, and Kenneth Brian.
RAM Radio's directors, Sam Sattler, Roy Ryan, and Pam McCluskey, started their station out of frustration with mainstream country radio. "The legends of country music are still recording music, but radio is not playing them. Loretta Lynn won GRAMMY awards for her album," says Pam McCluskey, "but you'd never find it on the FM dial. Aside from subscribing to satellite radio, there really isn't any place for fans of traditional country music to listen to the music they love."
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It all started with NYC-based progressive pop/rock band RIPE's appearance in the upcoming film "Why George" by director David Sonkin. As RIPE's own Leia Thompson (the lead in "Why George") shot a bar scene with RIPE on stage, it was love at first take for David and for RIPE.
The timing was perfect; the music of RIPE, especially single "Bring Me Back", was getting it's finishing touches for RIPE's upcoming CD. Then, RIPE's "Bring Me Back" won an honorable mention at the Billboard International Song Competition, arguably the world biggest song contest.
In the meantime, David Sonkin started dropping by RIPE shows around NYC. Then, he started to bring a camera or two, for "research purposes". Over the weeks, the connection of RIPE and HiLo was getting stronger and stronger. Our biggest joint venture to date will be at the end of April 2005, as David heads a full-blown production of a revolutionary one-of-a-kind music video/short film formed around the soundtrack of RIPE's "Bring Me Back".
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Unsigned Artists Join Together For Tsunami Relief - Artists For Hope
Artists for hope, a cooperative of unsigned Christian musicians/artists, has formed to put their time and talent together by releasing an compilation CD. The CD is titled, "Artists For Hope  A Compilation of Michigan Independent Christian Artists To Benefit The Tsunami Relief Effort In Asia".
The CD showcases the diverse array of artists who contributed to the project, and has something for everyone to enjoy. It is also a testimony of what can be accomplished when a group of individuals come together as a team. Even without any kind of corporate backing or major support, these artists have turned out an excellent and enjoyable music compilation.
80% from the sale of each CD will be donated to World Vision (www.worldvision.org) to support their efforts to rebuild communities devastated by the tsunami. World Vision is a non-profit organization that focuses on rebuilding independent communities in Third World countries.
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Worldwide Release of PENETRATOR "Penetrator" by Sonic Age Records
PENETRATOR from Toronto and the rest of the world better be ready for this heavy and powerful debut from Penetrator. The phrase "action speaks louder than words" works so well in this case as PENETRATOR backs up everything they preached about what they would sound like before "Penetrator" was released. Intense Power Metal gets an amazing wake up call from PENETRATOR as BULLDOG Bess (Guitars) and Maxel Black (Vocals) put together one of the best Canadian metal duo's not yet heard of in this country's history. These two guys along with David T Green (Bass) and Simon Vanderzand (Drums) tear through nine tracks of heavy metal passion and fury.
The title track that leads off the CD has this superb power metal riff that will no doubt have you screaming for more. "Spread The Mind" and "Guns and Whiskey" explode with BULLDOG Bess' incredible riff mastery. Maxel Black's vocals on "Unleash the Fury" take you to another world of the power metal genre. With so many bands out there following the same path one after another, PENETRATOR takes matters into their own hands creating a sound they can call their own. PENETRATOR is making a lot of noise! Some may try and follow suit, but only one shall remain on top. PENETRATOR has all the tools to remain number one for many years to come.
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April Moon With Songsalive! Norcal April 22-24 Workshops And Showcases
Gilli Moon, artist and Songsalive! president will be heading up to the Bay area to perform, speak and share with our songwriters community. She kicks off her Norcal trip on Friday April 22 at a Songsalive! house concert style showcase at Rose Street House of Music in Berkeley, sharing the stage with talented artists including Lila Nelson, and L.A based artists James Hurley, Holly Light, Dina Gathe and Steven Kacsmar.
On Saturday April 23 she will conduct a special "Path to Artist Empowerment" seminar for artists of all genres, at Rose Street. If you want some spiritual and practical artist nourishment, this is a must-attend seminar.
In the evening of 23rd, the the L.A artists including Gilli will be performing at the Sacramento Songsalive! Showcase at Fifth String Music, one of the most intimate performance spaces in California.
On Sunday April 24 Gilli will complete her whirlwind trip by hosting the San Francisco Songwriters critique workshop at 11am, where songwriters can come to get feedback on their songs, listen to Gilli and author artist Jaci Rae give some career building advice, snack on some finger food and be entertained by the L.A artists performing in the round at the end.
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D1 has just signed an agreement with Divorce Records. Under the terms of the new deal, the first project to be released will be from an amazing country singer-songwriter; Rick Monroe. Rick's album is titled "Against The Grain" and will be in stores June 21st, 2005.
This singer-songwriter is amazing live and plays a mean guitar to boot. From the early indications Rick is going to shoot up the charts on radio & he'll put some spark back in the retail marketplace.
Rick's songs tell tales of life, love and tragedy through out the album, and makes you want to get up and dance. The first single from "Against the Grain", "I Remember The Music" is already getting pretty good airplay on many country radio stations across the nation.
Divorce Records business team is headed by Bill Ferguson - Business & Legal Affairs and Harlan Lansky - GM for the label. It's a family affair at Divorce Records, Bill is Rick's brother and they are partners in the music business, so this kind of loyalty will go a very long way in a very tough business. Harlan Lansky is a seasoned veteran in the music business and a very close friend of Jay Gordon's for many years. Everyone at D1 & IDN is very excited about this record and are counting down the days until it's retail release.
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Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © Tag It 2005 - Republished with Permission
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