INDIE NEWS BEAT August 9, 2006 Edition
* 
A Band From Delaware Is Releasing Their Debut CD, "Reason For Being"
* Jazz Chanteuse Mellani Day Releases Genre-Breaking CD 'Mostly True'
* AirPlay Direct Launches FREE Electronic Press Kit / EPK Service
* Dualtone Records To Release Debut Solo Album From Carey Ott
* Jodi Jett To Perform At Midpoint Music Festival On September 22
* Indie-Music Wants Your CBGB Stories!
* Findaway World Redefines Easy Listening, Launches New, Pre-Loaded Music Playaway
* Miles Davis At The Blackhawk, Now On Your Squeezebox
* A New Type Of Record Label-Indie Label Meets Ad Agency
OldScool, a Delaware-based recording band, is releasing their debut CD, "Reason For Being" (
). What started out as a recording project, with seasoned, musician friends, soon morphed into the realization that a very refreshing sound was developing, and, it needed to be heard. Right from the beginning, the recordings had reflected a signature style of a band who had been playing together for many more years than what was actually the case. And, the sound was infectious.
Founded by songwriter, Lionel de Bernard, OldScool is an association of select, seasoned, rock musicians from the Delaware area. Lionel says, "Destiny enabled me to connect with friends who are currently playing or have played with some notable bands, such as Chubby Checker, and, Tommy Conwell and The Young Rumblers."
OldScool's retro-rock influences help create a sound (think of REM, Toots and The Maytals, The Clash meet David Byrne} that is uniquely dynamic, original, with an old school charm, and, is yet, very much contemporary. "They don't sound like any other band...OldScool is truly unique and refreshing," said one New Jersey fan attending the 28th Annual June Jam Festival, in Houston, Delaware on June 17, 2006.
A CD album of original songs written by Lionel de Bernard, and recorded by OldScool, "Reason For Being" is a mix of styles. According to Lionel, "Reason For Being" is raw edge, old school rock with ska-reggae elements, straightforward intensity, that melds retro, rock-rattling guitar rhythms, skillfully blended harmonies and huge, highly infectious melodies.
So, if you find yourself searching for rock music, packed with catchy grooves that does not insult you with adolescent lyrics and bombard you with urban, headache-producing, drone-like, drum machine beats, then, "Reason For Being" by OldScool may be just what you need.
Source: 
Jazz Chanteuse Mellani Day Releases Genre-Breaking CD 'Mostly True' on August 8, 2006
Colorado-based Jazz chanteuse Mellani Day announced the release of first full-length, genre-breaking album 'Mostly True', co-produced by renowed jazz pianist Eric Gunnison. The original vocal jazz-centric tunes feature a rich mix of genres from smooth jazz & blues to reggae & calypso, as well as two Billboard honorable mentions, "True Love" and "Progress," and a bluesy version of Huey Lewis' hit, "I Want a New Drug!"
Mellani and her band The Dazed will be introducing her album to fans this August 25 at The Millinneum Harvest Hotel in Boulder, CO as a part of the 99.5 The Mountain Radio FAC (Friday Afternoon Club) series. Fans can also check out a review of the album in the October issue of Jazz Times' Vox CD review column.
"Mellani's sultry voice flows over the jazzy blues rock and Eric Gunnison's lush piano. Lyrically she tells us intimate tales of what's on her mind the night she penned them..." J-Sin, Editor at Smother.net
Mellani previous three song EP, 'Shy to Sure," was welcomed with rave reviews, with two of the songs - "Shy to Sure" and "Jade to Sapphire" - winning honorable mentions in the 2004 Billboard World Songwriting Competition.
Track Listing
1) "If They Only Knew," a blues rock rager
2) "Something to Swear By" -- call it spy jazz
3) "Progress," a reggae jazz romp (with a bit of R&B thrown in) which received a Billboard Song Competition Honorable Mention
4) "I Want a New Drug," a fresh and jazzy take on the hit song by Huey Lewis
5) "You Can Get There," encouragement that could be a TV show soundtrack
6) "Yesterday's Lei" - say it out loud and you'll know what this reggae song's about
7) "So Much of Nothing," a calypso dream of time in warmer places reminiscent of a Jimmy Buffet classic
8) "My Heart," is written about the sweetness and sadness of living with someone who has a long term illness
9) "Power Struggle," blues for poor Atlas, who has a job to do but wants to enjoy life a bit
10) "Joy Tonight," reggae again - Lord knows, I don't have enough...,
11) "Don't You Hate It?," a cynical question in jazz clothing, and finally
12) "True Love," Celtic-style wedding song as the bonus track and another Billboard Song Competition Honorable Mention!
Source:
AirPlay Direct Launches FREE Electronic Press Kit / EPK Service
AirPlay Direct is pleased to announce the launch of our new Electronic Press Kit / EPK service. This exciting new tool will allow artists and labels to send their artist press kits out electronically to the professional music community and media outlets worldwide... FREE. No more mailing expensive hard copy press kits, or even paying for expensive EPK services any longer.
Now when you register with AirPlay Direct our FREE service offerings will include:
An AirPlay Direct artist web site to promote your music to radio programmers around the world
3 - "broadcast-quality" tracks uploaded and made available to radio stations globally for one year
Real-time Download Tracking Reports that allow you to track which stations have received / downloaded your songs for airplay; and the date and time of download
New Electronic Press Kit / EPK that contains, photo, bio, music, contact information, etc. Use your EPK to promote your music to industry professionals such as radio programmers, print media outlets, live venue / concert promoters, managers, agents, etc.
"As part of our on-going commitment to indie artists and labels, we will continue to create, develop and deploy exciting new 'smart tools' aimed at helping to educate and empower the professional independent music community. If you are willing to work hard and smart, these resources will truly help to level the playing field for you. We are often asked the question, how can you afford to deliver these great services at no charge?" The answer is simple, AirPlay Direct's revenue comes from advertising, sponsorships and repeat business. Robert Weingartz, CEO - AirPlay Direct
Source:
Dualtone Records To Release Debut Solo Album From Chicago Singer-Songwriter Carey Ott
Dualtone Records sets out on a new road with the release of Chicago based singer-songwriter Carey Ott's debut release, Lucid Dream. In stores on October 31, 2006, the CD is now available digitally on iTunes and all major digital download sites. Notably Lucid Dream entered in the top 5 downloads on eMusic in its first several weeks out, is currently in the top 5 for the month and continues to hold its own alongside The Raconteurs, Sufjan Stevens, Dashboard Confessional, and Johnny Cash.
In its five short years as the indie label that could, Dualtone has become known for releasing roots oriented gems, including albums from June Carter Cash, Bobby Bare, Charlie Robison, Radney Foster, BR549 and a stellar line of vintage releases including The Silos, The Reivers and Townes Van Zandt. Nominated for nine Grammy awards, garnering three wins, Dualtone has quickly established a reputation for excellence amongst the industry. With that in mind, Dualtone is proud to announce the latest addition to their roster, Carey Ott. A singer-songwriter in the tradition of Jeff Tweedy and Damien Rice, Carey likens himself to a working class singer-songwriter aiming for substance over hype.
Performing Songwriter magazine has said, "If Radiohead went Americana, you might get Carey Ott. On his gem of a debut, the Chicago-based singer summons the Kinks' trick of combining lilting vocals with punishing guitars, and the insightful 'Daylight" sounds like a lost White Album track. However, Ott is already more than the sum of his influences."
Dualtone Co-President Scott Robinson explains, "A lot of people might see this as a departure for us, but it has always been our intention to put out great music and not just from an Americana background. From the beginning we intended on fostering great singer-songwriters from a more indie rock background, we just hadn't found the right one until now." Dualtone found their decision to be a fruitful one from the start, as Carey's song "Am I Just One" was picked up immediately for a featured slot on the edgy television drama, Grey's Anatomy and was again featured in one of the closing episodes of the season. With a stamp of approval from A-list TV and stellar reviews out of the gate, Dualtone made the decision to move the retail release date from Summer to Fall in order to make sure that every opportunity was given Lucid Dream. Robinson furthers, "We truly believe this is a great record and we want to make sure we are taking all necessary steps to make sure it gets its heard."
Source:
Jodi Jett To Perform At Midpoint Music Festival On September 22, 2006
Alt country rocker Jodi Jett will perform at the Midpoint Music Festival in Cincinnati, OH on September 22nd. Her set begins at 9 PM at Alchemize, located at 1120 Walnut Street.
MPMF is the biggest festival in the Midwest. It drew 50,000 music fans in 2005. This year, Cincinnati USA will host 300 artists from the US and abroad. There will also be three days of speakers, panels, workshops, mentor sessions, and exhibitors.
Jodi released her debut album, Revelations, this Spring through Love Rock Records in New York City. Revelations continues to receive significant airplay on non-commercial and college radio formats since.
Revelations showcases classic songwriting encased in Jett's distinctly modern and sometimes sardonic storytelling style. Revelations was co-produced by Jodi and Phil Palazzolo (New Pornographers, Gordon Gano of Violent Femmes, Radio4).
Source:
Indie-Music Wants Your CBGB Stories!
As the legendary CBGBs in New York closes its doors on September 30, the staff at Indie-Music.com wants to send off this influential indie venue in style by sharing your stories. Share your favorite punk rock moments with us and let other musicians and fans in on the secret to this eponymous club. Stories from the stage, favorite shows, bizarre exchanges and magical musical moments are all welcome! Personal photos may also be featured (just send us a JPEG or GIF).
While CBGB is set to reopen in Las Vegas in the future, this Bowery mainstay will most definitely be missed. Many independent artists have gotten a running start because of the belief Hilly and the gang have in the musicians of the world. Tell us what CBGB means to you! All submissions should be sent to heidi@indie-music.com and those received prior to August 25 may be published for the September 9 issue online at Indie-Music.com.
Source:
Findaway World Redefines Easy Listening, Launches New, Pre-Loaded Music Playaway
Findaway World, a leading manufacturer of innovative digital audio formats, announced that it has launched the first music Playaway, adding to their existing product offerings aimed at solving the complexities of digital technology. The announcement was made at the National Association of Recording Merchandisers' (NARM) annual convention held in Orlando, Florida.
Playaway's music content comes from recent partnerships including, Rhino Entertainment and Razor & Tie. Music offerings available on Playaway through these partnerships include:
* KIDZ BOP To Go 1 & 2 Â Over 40 tracks of hit songs sung by kids for kids. KIDZ BOP is the top selling children's audio series in the U.S.
* The Definitive Collection  A collection of tracks from chart topping artists that defined music in the soul, rock and pop genres. Artists include, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Grandmaster Flash and many more.
Not an MP3 or CD player and not software, Playaway is the first pre-loaded digital audio content player. Half the size of a deck of cards, Playaway is packaged with earphones, a lanyard and a standard AAA battery to allow for immediate listening. Additionally, Playaway has a universal headphone jack that works with almost any type of headphone or mobility accessory.
Because content is pre-loaded on an encoded chip, the music Playaway offers one of the most secure platforms for musical content. Using clearly marked buttons, specifically designed for musical functionality, including shuffle and equalizer settings, Playaway gives listeners the optimal music experience, with fidelity equal to or greater than most downloads.
"Technologically simple, Playaway offers consumers an alternative to complicated downloads, and comes with added player functionality to standard CDs," said Blake Squires, Founder & Chief Development Officer, Findaway. "We launched an extensive collection of audio book content this past holiday and we are excited for our music content debut this holiday."
Source:
Miles Davis At The Blackhawk, Now On Your Squeezebox
Slim Devices, makers of the affordable Squeezebox and audiophile Transporter wireless streaming audio players, announced the latest Å’Slim Showcase'. August sees the focus on Miles Davis at The Blackhawk, San Francisco in 1961. As part of the celebration, Slim Devices has partnered with Radioio, a leading provider of DJ driven internet radio station, to add special content and run competitions to win Squeezebox player. The webcaster's radioioJazz station (http://www.radioio.com/radioiojazz.php) will be featured in Slim Devices collection of Internet radio services available free to every Squeezebox owner. Slim Devices and radioio will also jointly issue a t-shirt featuring artwork from the concert poster.
"When asked if I would be interested in a collaborative effort between radioIO and Slimdevices that would allow us to feature one of the most significant benchmark events in jazz - I jumped at the chance," said Dr Mike Matheny, host of radioioJazz. "If you are a fan of Miles' fusion efforts such as 'Bitch's Brew' or 'Amandla', hearing him in the heat of the hard bop era will introduce you to another spectrum of his ability.
"Internet radio represents a great way to explore the world of music." Said Patrick Cosson, VP sales and marketing at Slim Devices. "No matter where you live or how niche your tastes, you're bound to find something new you like out there. That's the beauty of Squeezebox and our new Transporter players. They bring the breadth of Internet Radio and the audio quality of your hifi system together."
This month-long celebration of Miles Davis at the peak of his Hard Bop period is part of an ongoing series called Å’Slim Showcases'. Future months will feature the works and concerts of artists ranging from Jazz to Rock, from the 40's to the 00's. The aim is to use today's technology to deliver the best of all music from all era's regardless of location or age. Of course, such a classic gig from San Francisco's famous Blackhawk club was an obvious choice for a company based in the Bay Area like Slim Devices.
Source:
A New Type Of Record Label-Indie Label Meets Ad Agency
The Romann Group announced today it will launch a new record label and music entertainment company, Romann Music Entertainment.
The Romann Group is a New York based advertising agency, which uses innovative advertising approaches for its clients like Verizon, BMW, Direct TV, The US Army and Benihana Restaurants. Romann Music Entertainment will be an integrated music and entertainment company, using the ad agency's platforms, marketing experience and branding knowledge in the launching of its music company's artists and songs.
Romann Music Entertainment has formed an alliance with Intent Media Works. Intent Media will serve as the music company's Internet distribution system, using Intent Media's new DRM and Avatar window technology to bring music and related merchandise directly to the consumer.
Romann Music Entertainment will be a singles record label, enabling its artists to deliver new songs to fans upon the immediate artistic completion of each song, without the constraints of the traditional album format. Songs will be available on-line through all normal Internet music sites such as iTunes, eMusic, Urge, and all major P2P sites. Additionally, Intent Media Works will enable the fan and consumer to buy direct through a Å’one-click' system via the company's DRM and Avatar window technology.
Along with the music label's traditional marketing and promotional efforts in launching it's artists, the ad agency division will work closely and cohesively with the label, aiming to generate branding opportunities, cross-promotional opportunities and ad campaigns for the label's artists. Artistic integrity will always be priority one, with ad integration occurring only when it is synergistic with the artist's music and vision.
Success in music and launching singles has already been achieved by The Romann Group in its campaign for The Benihana Group's restaurant, Haru. Bringing in a top Miami dance-house DJ / producer, the dance track, "Haru," was created and serviced to clubs and radio programmers nationally in January 2004. Within weeks the song climbed the Billboard Hot 100 Dance Chart and achieved a top 5 position. Billboard Magazine featured an article about Gad Romann, praising the Romann Group's pairing of great music and innovative advertising.
Source:
Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © MusicDish LLC 2006 - Republished with Permission
Comments