INDIE NEWS BEAT Week of January 9, 2004
INDIE NEWS BEAT
Week of January 9, 2004
* Wampus Multimedia Releases Arms of Kismet's Debut CD "Eponymous"
* Garage Radio Enlists Best Of 2003
* National Singing Contest Auditions On Target For January Kick-Off In Toronto
* HMS Music Industry Lunch
* GoGirlsMusicFest NYC Benefiting The Rock "n" Roll Camp For Girls
* RadioDevil.com Launches Online Music Community for Indie Artists and Fans
* MusicDish Launches "Career Check" Interview Series
* Free Women's Jazz Class Taught By Turiya Mareya
* Frank Black To Keynote 2004 DIY Convention
Wampus Multimedia Releases Arms of Kismet's Debut CD "Eponymous"
U.S.-based indie label Wampus Multimedia introduces Eponymous, the debut CD from postmodern pop alchemist Arms of Kismet. Featuring ten slices of sincere irony, Eponymous drops echoes of Beck, Freedy Johnston, Bob Dylan, Aimee Mann, David Lowery and a gaggle of other great songwriters into a Waring blender... and reconstitutes them as something fresh and new.
From fractured Americana ("Cuckold of Titan," "Sepia Eyes") to beatbox hip-pop ("Karma Never Forgets," "Beautiful Career," "Standby"), Arms of Kismet paints new and abandoned genres in shades bright, soft and psychedelic. From updated '60s melodicism ("Hang," "Foldback") to new-breed alternative rock ("Are You My God," "Alive and Awake," "Sail Seven"), Eponymous is a canny synthesis of styles, a neo-"singer-songwriter" album more adventurous than confessional.
Written and produced by Mark Doyon (who released three CDs in the 1990s as Wampeters) and mastered by Jon Astley (Tori Amos, Jools Holland, Pete Townshend), Eponymous mines existential terrain. Blending traditional instrumentation with atmospherics, samples and blips, it considers what it's like to be born and not know why, what it's like to know death awaits but not the hour of its arrival. Pitching a tent between the camps of Americana, hip-hop and classic rock, it summons a warm, analog vibe that sounds as natural in a coffeehouse as it does on a car radio.
Doyon, who published a book of fiction, Bonneville Stories, in 2001, thinks of Eponymous like a collection of short stories. "Songs speak in a more emotional way, maybe, but they're still stories with characters and plot and a point of view. They're compact fables."
Eponymous features Washington, D.C. indie-scene denizens Kowtow Popof (Eat My Dust), The Crowd Scene (Turn Left at Greenland), Janna Audey, Rob Santos, Eamon Loftus, Scott Goodrick and others.
Garage Radio Enlists Best Of 2003
In the spirit of all that is independent music, Garage Radio has assembled its top artists to produce a CD that will help to benefit the Songs of Love Foundation in their quest to bring joy and medical attention to children in need. A gathering of Garage Radio's 19 most revered acts has been compiled for one album, christened "Best of 2003," goes on sale 1.12.04. Proceeds from sales of the CD will be sent to the Songs of Love Foundation (http://www.songsoflove.org), and used to help children in over 300 hospitals who suffer from terminal or rudimentary illnesses.
"It was a hard decision, picking who would be on the CD we had so much kick-ass talent to choose from," stated John Foxworthy, Garage Radio's Co-Founder, "This album represents some of the greatest talent on the planet and we thank them for the privilege of letting us use their music to benefit this cause."
National Singing Contest Auditions On Target For January Kick-Off In Toronto
Fun-loving Canadian Idol-EH!, announced today that they are on schedule to start the cross-country initiative in Toronto, at Sam-Sher Production Studios, on January 3rd, 2004, to audition and listen to Canadian vocalists who wish to participate in the National SING LAUGH EXPRESS All Ages Singing Contest and Variety Show Finals, scheduled for July, 2004, in Calgary. Those unable to make an audition in person are invited to submit an audio or video tape, CD or clip, of their vocal ability, as their official entry into the contest.
Each winner of the 3 age categories of the National contest, 7 to 12 years, 13 to 17 years, and 18 years and older, will receive a Prize Package, including a Scholarship through Canadian record label, Rammit Records. Since developing the SING LAUGH EXPRESS format (which can be best described as a cross between Star Search and the Ed Sullivan show) to include greater youth involvement, it became obvious to Canadian Idol-EH! that there was a need to showcase youth performers.
The HMS Music Industry Luncheon began in the spring of 2003 with the expectations of gathering a diverse crowd of music industry professionals and those generally interested in music into an informal and friendly atmosphere. Harold Childs (an industry veteran), Marty O'Toole (an entertainment attorney), and Seth Owen (a manager/A&R rep) envisioned it as a weekly event that would become synonymous throughout the industry as a place to drop in for a quick bite, have fun meeting new people, enjoy good conversation and potentially create future connections. We purposely made it a point to make it relaxed.
Currently the industry is in reforming itself. A new generation of professionals is emerging. The HMS weekly luncheon is becoming a key focal point for casual conversation, hearty laughs, and enlightened mingling amongst individuals with similar music industry interests.
2004 GoGirlsMusicFest NYC Benefiting The Rock "n" Roll Camp For Girls
GoGirls Music.com is proud to present the 4th annual GoGirls Music Festival, New York. Sponsored by Women Who Rock Magazine, this showcase will be a benefit performance for the Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls. This day camp for girls from around the world, ages 8 - 18, offers them an opportunity to learn the basics of creating rock 'n' roll music on the instrument of their choice. The girls receive instruction from professional musicians such as Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney. The inspiration and instruction from their musical mentors helps these young girls fulfill their dreams & achieve their own musical goals.
The New York City event will take place on Friday, January 16th, 2004 at Fez on Lafayette St. The show will feature some of New York's most promising female artists joining together in support of this worthwhile cause. Performers include: Rachael Sage, Jen Chapin, Erin Hill, Allison Cipris & G-Spot. Emcee/Hostess for the evening will be comedienne Goddess Perlman. This will be an unbelievable show. All of the women involved are amazing performers and the event promises to be one seriously rockin' evening!
RadioDevil.com Launches Online Music Community for Indie Artists and Fans
RadioDevil.com today announced the launch of its new Indie Music web portal www.radiodevil.com. The website offers communication and collaboration tools for Indie musicians, songwriters, and the fans of Indie music, as well as their already popular Multi-Genre Internet Radio serving the Indie Music Community.
The site features Music Dish news articles on various topics relevant to Indie musicians, web link directory, message boards, shareware downloads, and other Interactive tools designed to assist in the promotion of Indie music.
Commenting on the website launch, CEO James Wilson says, "We are excited to be able to offer a place on the web where Indie musicians and fans can gather, exchange ideas and information, and pursue their passion through interaction with others of like mind and interests. It is our vision for RadioDevil.com to be a very community-driven site. We encourage article and news submissions from artists of all genres and fans. RadioDevil has provided a forum section, chat room and shout box to stimulate discussion within the community"
The content is built around the idea to make the site appealing not only to artists, but also to draw the fans closer with an online community feel. RadioDevil.com offers musicians and fans the chance to submit CD reviews, Discographies, news and post events such as concerts and CD releases on the sites Event Calendar.
MusicDish Launches "Career Check" Interview Series
MusicDish announces a new interview series to be launched in February 2004 called "Career Check." The series will explore how individuals pursuing careers in the music industry are addressing the everyday issues in their career development.
"There are a lot of 'how to' books, articles, resources and interviews for aspiring artists, musicians, songwriters, producers and the like, many of which are featured on MusicDish," said Anne Freeman, MusicDish Senior Editor. "These are great resources, typically written by people who have achieved success in the industry.
"The Career Check interview series will take a very different strategy though. The point of Career Check is to highlight the 'real-life, right now, on-the-road-to' realities of career development in the music industry as seen by people who are actively engaged in the process. Most of the songwriters, artists and others to be interviewed won't be familiar to our readers, but they are the ones who are 'coming up' by the new rules of the music industry - today's music pioneers."
"Ironically, Career Check mirrors the growing importance of 'reality storytelling' that has been such a fixture of broadcast & cable TV," noted MusicDish founder Eric de Fontenay. "I'd like to think we're taking the best parts of 'reality storytelling' to educate as well as entertain our readers."
Frank Black To Keynote 2004 DIY Convention
The fourth annual DIY Convention: Do It Yourself in Film, Music & Books has announced that its Feb. 5-7 event will be keynoted by alternative music pioneer Frank Black.
The three-day gathering will be held in Hollywood at the Barnsdall Art Park and the Derby nightclub, offering panels, workshops and showcases focused on independent musicians, authors, filmmakers and entrepreneurs.
From the beginning of his career as a founding member of the seminal Boston alternative rock group the Pixies, through his pioneering solo work with digital downloads and unedited releases, Frank Black has been an uncompromising and adventurous artist whose music has always been at the forefront of the next wave.
Black will discuss his career, the state of the entertainment industry and his surprising plans for the coming year in a one-on-one conversation with fellow Boston refugee and noted journalist/radio talkshow host Johnny Angel.
Free Women's Jazz Class Taught By Turiya Mareya
What: Women still remain largely out of sight in the Jazz World. Turiya Mareya, a professional Jazz Artist for over 30 years is seeking to mentor and inspire women Musicians to move to the next level of Art and Professionalism.
The class is offered for pianists, Drummers, Wind Players, String Players and Vocalists. The Class uses a variety of techniques pulled from the traditions of American Jazz, Africa, Latin America and World Music to Stimulate Creativity and develops improvisational skills. Classes include: The Art of Improvisation, Scales and Chords, Rhythmic Concepts, Latin Jazz- Montuno and Clave, Jazz Harmony, Jazz Theory, Composition, Arranging. Meditation, Inner Listening, Performance and Practice Techniques, Booking, Promotion. Web Presence.
Who: Turiya Mareya Performs on Piano, , And Bass Clarinet. She is a composer and arranger. She just released her latest CD, La Luz Eterna. She is the Musical Director for the Kokopelli Latin Jazz Ensemble and the Mahaba Jazz Trio. She will be Artist in Residence at the WorldBeat Center through the Spring. She has performed at The Idyllwild Jazz Festival, Big Sur Jazz Festival, Calle Diez Latin Jazz Festivals and numerous venues in Southern California, Tijuana, New York and Mexico City. She has opened for sucn artists as Poncho Sanchez, Arturo Sandoval and Jane Bunnett. She recently returned from Spain where she was performing and teaching. She currently lives in Canada.
Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright Tag It 2004 - Republished with Permission