Label: AMAdea Records

Album: Nuggets Of Gold

Genre: Traditional Folk

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ARTIST DESCRIPTION

Zhelyazko Zhekov is one of the famous producers in the field of the Bulgarian’s folklore. He is also musician, composer, arranger, teacher and as a whole – connoisseur of the Bulgarian traditional and national music.

During the years Zhelyazko Zhekov collaborate with many of the renowned musicians and performers of the traditional Bulgarian music. Despite of this he is always in search of young talents.

In his album collection “Nuggets of Gold”, there are compositions that represent the national creation of the South-eastern region of Bulgaria. This is a place with very specific colour of this genre of music.

Listen to the music and get into one different world.

In addition, Zhelyazko Zhekov has included a bonus tracks – 4 instrumentals from the performed music inside the album, which are FREE FOR USE, like home performing, karaoke or even available for remix with another style or instruments. NOW you can insert a blend from this marvelous music into yours.
MUSIC QUOTES

Bulgarian music has achieved special recognition for these odd-metered melodies and the unique vocalizations and once a person develops a taste for this style … it becomes addictive. One reaches dizzying heights of pleasure when savoring this musical experience — it lasts for hours and hours. You find yourself humming the melodies or tapping your toes or fingers to the odd meters unconcsiously even when the music stops. Bulgarian music is an acquired taste but once you develop it – you definitely want to experience it more often. This CD is a delightful smorgasboard for those who have had a bite of this style of music and want to expand their musical horizons.
- AMAdea Records, BULGARIA

AVAILABLE ALSO on iTunes

Seattle, Washington — WildLife, Gary Paul Bryant’s 10th CD, is quickly climbing jazz and world music charts, airing on more than 100 radio stations from Australia to Europe to the U.S. and topping 120,000 streams and downloads in recent weeks on Soundclick.com alone. Yet, you’ve probably never heard of him.

Gary Paul Bryant’s WildLife – musicdish

Recording from his home studio north of Seattle, Washington, Bryant reflects an evolving reality of today’s music industry, where artists who take advantage of new technology can build dynamic careers outside the mainstream.

“People are surprised to find that you can have a strong international fan base and a satisfying career operating in your own niche, a bit below the pop culture radar,” said Bryant.

After an early experience with the traditional corporate recording industry, Bryant began marketing and publishing his own material in the 1980s, a time when producing an album on your own could cost as much as buying a house and marketing meant hauling hundreds of vinyl albums to radio stations and retail outlets.

Then came the 1990s with new recording technology and, of course, the Internet. Music web sites like iTunes, Rhapsody and Napster gave musicians access to worldwide audiences and gave fans an unprecedented selection of genres and styles. Tech-savvy songwriters willing to adapt to the new medium found that making a living through music was no longer an unlikely dream. Bryant’s affinity for technology soon moved him from acoustic pianos and guitars to music workstations, sampling software and digital distribution.

“What really made it interesting for artists is that, in addition to all of the recording and performance gear going digital, support services like CD production, digital distribution and promotion were adapting to the technology in a big way,” said Bryant. One such company, CDBaby.com, founded in 1997 by musician Derek Sivers, has paid more than $80 million directly to artists.

Bryant’s first album, Just a Word, was digitally remastered and released as an anniversary edition in 2004. Seattle Times music critic Patrick MacDonald summed it up: “Exceptional piano work!”

In May 2005 came Imaginary Piano, a high-energy collection of jazz motifs, followed by a collection of original and classic Christmas piano solos, Midnight Clear.

Melding power rock with jazz and classical music, his 2007 project, Big World, reached the No. 1 Jazz spot at SoundClick.com, was featured Jazz selection at Garageband.com and made the Top 10 Jazz playlist at Broadjam.com.

Wildlife, released in August 2008, includes 13 upbeat instrumentals that combine classical, rock and jazz elements. It’s available from iTunes.com, CDBaby and other digital outlets. For information, visit http://www.GaryPaulBryant.com

Polarity/1, the multi-genre artist best known for bold, honest, hard-hitting songs, is releasing a brand new instrumental record titled Music From the Other Side. Fitting to the title, the album consists of smooth, jazzy tracks much different from louder albums like Yankin’ the Food Chain. Polarity/1’s music has been incorporated by dance theaters and documentarists, including Danny Schechter’s feature-length film documentary ‘In Debt We Trust and Battery Dance Company’s 26th Annual Downtown Dance Festival last year.

Music From The Other Side is the soundtrack for a dance performance by Lisbon’s Quorum Ballet. The Other Side’s principal objective is to fuse the style and art of the dance of Lisbon and New York. The work is the collaboration of choreographers Daniel Cardoso, Jonathan Hollander and Thaddeus Davis, artistic directors of Quorum Ballet, Battery Dance Company and Wideman/Davis Dance, respectively. Dark, moody, erotic and aggressive, it explores the theme of oppression, which has always been an issue for the people on both sides of the Atlantic. The piece examines the roles of the different agents: the instigator, the oppressor, the oppressed and the observer.

The most impressive song is the vocals version of “Fulano de Tal,” included on the album as a bonus track. Also noteworthy is the exotic, media-infused sound of “Land O’ Debbies.” The entire albums feels like the fusion of every type of media coming together to blend spooky, unique melodies that echo through every track. What really drives the record, though, is the steady, trance-like beat that proves impossible to ignore.

The music of Polarity/1 is exactly what the name suggests – “conjoined opposites,” including the new (cutting-edge electronica, hip-hop and nu-jazz) and the old (roots music of America, including blues, funk, country and early jazz, Brazil (samba, pagode, etc.) and West African groove science).

You can check out Polarity/1 for yourself and learn how to purchase Music From The Other Side by heading to http://polarity1.musicdish.net

Stepping Stone Approach Brings Electronic Drumming and Music Within Anyone’s Reach — No Computer or Audio Knowledge Necessary

Synesthesia Corp. (http://www.mandaladrum.com) today announced the release of a new EZ Version of its Virtual Brain software, designed to allow anyone — even those with no musical or technical knowledge — to be able to make music using the company’s wildly popular, patented high-def drum and synthesizer, the Mandala 2.0. The EZ Version will be available starting Thursday, July 3, 2008.

‘If you can listen to a QuickTime movie or iTunes on your computer, then this software will make sound for you — there’s nothing more you need to do except install it onto your computer,’ said Vince De Franco, Synesthesia founder and CEO, and inventor of the Mandala.

The software comes with 75 presets offering pre-arranged musical combos, with self-explanatory names like piano only, piano scale, piano and bass, snare only, snare + position pitch, snare + velocity pitch, etc.

The software automatically detects and configures the Mandala. With the ‘help’ function activated, the EZ software provides rollovers to explain everything that appears on the screen, helping users change the pre-configured settings if they want: they can choose instrument combinations (drawing from sounds and instruments that are built into the computer already), configure up to four different zones of sound across the drum pad, choose scales, modify sound effects and more.

The EZ Version also has:

* 175 instruments and drums (accessed from within Windows or Mac operating systems)
* One operating window for ease of use
* 21 musical scale choices, and nine scale pattern choices
* Three different adjustable sound effects: pitch, pan and modulation
* The ability to alter sound effects with strike position and velocity
* Graphic representation of zone strikes and position ring strikes, so users can see the various zones of sound across the drum pad
* Ability to save new presets
* A panic button to immediately stop all sound
* A ‘Get Started’ button takes users directly to the Mandala Virtual Brain EZ Webpage for help and updates

‘There are a lot of features in our standard Virtual Brain software that only advanced players would want to use,’ said De Franco. ‘So we’ve created a lighter version that streamlines the core function of the software, while maintaining the features that have made the Mandala so popular with beginners and pros alike.’

Both the EZ and Standard Versions of the Virtual Brain software will be included with every Mandala; both are available online for free download at http://www.mandaladrum.com. In fact, even without buying the Mandala, anyone can download the software and tinker with it — on its own, or with other PC or Mac-compatible musical devices.

Whenever they’re ready, players using the EZ Version can step up to the standard version of the Virtual Brain software. It includes 10x more sound effects, can handle up to five different drums plugged into the computer, increases the range to seven configurable zones of sound per drum pad, and comes with a custom library of professionally produced, proprietary sound samples derived from more than 100 other instruments. It’s professional audio software, allowing players to synthesize a host of new sounds and expand their drum kits and sample libraries at will.

Synesthesia also is producing a series of video tutorials for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. The company will make them available on its website and on YouTube later this year. The series of videos will walk users through the entire process of using the Mandala — from physically connecting the drum to a computer, to using the EZ software, on through to setting up advanced audio techniques using the pro version of the Virtual Brain software.

The Mandala 2.0 retails for $349, and is available online at mandaladrum.com. Each Mandala is hand-crafted and thoroughly tested before it is shipped.

About Synesthesia
Synesthesia Corporation (www.synesthesiacorp.com) is exploring new sonic terrain with the Mandala™, its patented high-def drum and synthesizer — the only electronic drum that faithfully emulates an acoustic drum, and then transcends it. A new kind of synthesizer, the Mandala offers the world’s fastest trigger, precise strike detection across the entire pad, and a musical range so wide it can be the top of the line Black Beauty® Snare Drum or virtually any other instrument imaginable. The Mandala plugs into PC or Mac via USB cable, and works seamlessly with most major mixing programs. Co-developed with professional drummer Danny Carey of Tool, Mandalas are used by professionals and hobbyists the world over. Vince De Franco — inventor, physicist and musician — founded Synesthesia to develop his state-of-the-art electronic sensor technology and to use it to create products that inspire imagination and exploration. Based in Laurel Canyon, Calif., the company currently has several other products in development.

Label: AMAdea Records

Album: U

Genre: POP/Electronic

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ARTIST DESCRIPTION

Founded in 2001, Gravity Co. started out as a side project, working on the soundtrack to the computer game Trans, side project turned to full-time and they haven’t looked back since.

In early 2002 Gravity Co. made their debut, releasing their first single ‘Away’ accompanied by an art-school style video directed by Gravity Co.’s Producer Georgi Stanev. The bands first try topped MM TV’s (Bulgaria’s most popular music television) International Airplay Chart, holding on to the #1 spot for three consecutive weeks. ‘Away’ would later be included in NovaXposure – the monthly compilation released by ‘Radio Ventures’ with songs by Elton John, Sarah Connor, Alcazar and others.

Gravity’s second single ‘Mr. No One’ would set the critics straight, as to the bands potential, taking a play-list space in BMG’s official weekly video compilation, alongside Carlos Santana and Christina Aguilera.

The band stretched the boundaries further when Bill Withers granted official permission to record and release a cover version of his all time classic ‘Ain’t No Sunshine.

‘Away’, ‘Mr. No One’ and ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ all made the cut for Gravity Co.’s highly anticipated debut album ‘U’ released December 13th 2002. Gravity, have since been identified by an original electro pop sound, with warm vocal melodies over pumping electro beats.

An instant success, ‘U’ brought home the first music awards – ‘Best Debut’ and ‘Best Pop/Dance Album’, from MM TV’s annual awards (the Bulgarian equivalent of the Brits).

Having released two celebrated albums, known for their engaging stage antics – performing full capacity venues and supporting the likes of the Stereo MC’s, Fun Lovin’ Criminals and more recently Ladytron – Gravity Co. teamed up with a wide range of popular Bulgarian DJ’s to remix some of the band’s hits.

AWARDS

- ‘Best Debut’ and ‘Best Pop/Dance Album’, from MM TV’s annual awards (the Bulgarian equivalent of the Brits).
- Holding on to the #1 spot for three consecutive weeks in the MM TV’s (Bulgaria’s most popular music television) International Airplay Chart.
- ‘Wings’, the first video by a Bulgarian Artist with airplay on MTV! Boasting Giorgio de Chirico inspired 3D animation – courtesy of one of Bulgaria’s finest Alexander Sokerov – ‘Wings’ would be played 13 weeks running on MTV’s World Chart Express.
- ‘Best Band’ from the annual MM TV awards of 2005. An additional ‘Band of the Year’ award was presented by Melo TV Mania’s annual awards.
- ‘Best Rock/Alternative Song’ for ‘What I Want’ (‘Instinct’ 2005) from the annual MM TV awards 2006
- On the 25 of March 2007, minutes before taking the stage to contribute a mind-blowing ‘Empty World’ against a multi-media frenzy, on the night of the BG Radio Music Awards Ceremony, the boys were called to the stage to collect the ‘Best Band Award’.
- Gravity Co. are the uncontested winners at the MMTV Music Awards, with the record 4 statuettes:
Best Pop/Dance song – Empty World
Best Pop/Dance Album – Mixedup
Best Band
Best Music Video – Empty World /Directed by Valeri Milev/

MUSIC QUOTES

The debut album “U” by the most successive Bulgarian’s band Gravity Co. is from those releases that on the first listen, you knew something amazing was happening but didn’t quite grasp it. By the second listen, you are hooked. By the third, fourth, and fifth listens, you realized you had stumbled upon a rare gem. The album range somewhere, between pop and electronic music with eminent contemporary elements, which sometimes even goes beyond the expectations. But to those with patience and an ear for the sublime, this will become one of the most rewarding and satisfying electronica albums of the decade. The sheer talent in this record is staggeringly high. Not only these guys have reached a new tier of studio production and aesthetic precision, but on top of that, the vocals are truly incredible. More importantly, it’s noticeable in the sequencing and mastering of each perfectly-layered sound. Listen on a solid, high-end system, and all the textures will open up and dance across the room in perfect balance. “U” has achieved a new level of greatness and this is easily some of the best music albums you could have in your collection.
- AMAdea Records, BULGARIA

If you like you can check the CD here.

When we last left John Corda, in the guise of drum ‘n’ bass superhero Mashed Buddha, on his full-length CD subdue your mind, he was adding elements, musical elements, to a genre that doesn’t go much past mechanical repetition in rhythm and bleating electro sounds for tunes. To this, he added ideas such as composing songs – with themes that are developed, different levels of sound density, build ups and break downs – and adding elements of funk, rare groove, and heavy bass. Mashed Buddha conceives of his songs and his entire records in compositional terms. In other words, on Zen Conspiracy he keeps things moving like in any good story.

The title track has a stately intro and then the jungle groove kicks in like the opening credit sequence of the coolest noir romance. The relentless, ecstatic drum beat undergirds soulful piano, skittering synth sounds, and deep bass that rumbles with syncopation like dub reggae on ecstasy. The break down adds the earthiness of Afro-Cuban drums and percussion and Latin piano loops that evoke noir mystery. The song’s elements mix, match, swoop down and buildup to unexpected plateaus of resolution. Like his preview EP Four Keys to Zen, this record brings in the element of jazz improvisation. Corda plays a solo that jazzes out but in the soul/blues styles of Ramsey Lewis or Stevie Wonder. This organic, earthbound element offers a nice contrast to the electronica, pumping more blood into the music.

Simplicity returns with the brief interlude “Laz” . Based on a simple funky lick and clocking in at about 90 seconds, it still has a verse and chorus, played on rich sounding keyboards and a skittish percussive track over a phat drum beat, which makes this an actual song. This leads to the next cut, “Temptation” . This song has an easy groove that invites sampling for a rapper, but only one that is having an early ’90s flashback. The multiple tracks of clavinet-sounding keyboards are simply fresh. Corda’s solo has an unfettered joy in its tap dancing rhythms and dense melodic runs. The shifting harmonies keep the music from getting static, and the orchestration of the various melodies and sounds, all building off of one simple riff, are a lesson is how to write a killer track. The keyboard runs drop out, multiply, layer over, and move away from each other. Mashed Buddha always has something happening in his songs.

“Hype” shows how much nuanced feeling can be communicated through electronica. The beat, a bouncy soul rock groove that is mixed with a recurring sound of reverse echoes or a camera shutter – hype, ya heard? – and low end synth licks, is perfect for the psychedelic vogueing that is going on… in my mind. Over top of this rolling river of sound are mysterioso vocals of a self-help nature by the mind-bender Uri Geller; who mutters phrases like, “part three stay positive, relaxed and confident” and “part one clearing your mind” that also cleverly herald another instrumental layer or counter melody from the keyboard. Each element added is not only complementary, but of a different texture. After the break down, previously heard parts of the song – Fender Rhodes chords, wailing synthesizers – come back, but in a developed or altered state. The synth gets edgier, the hype shutter sound gets denser, the low end blasts forth with a nasty fuzzzzz sound.

Just when you thought he would wane a bit from the killin’ ideas and playing, he picks up the pace and not only gets more intense, but weirder. “Tryst” is perhaps the quintessential song on the CD. The beat is jungle drum ‘n’ bass at its most frenzied. The keyboard lick is a combination of chords and melody filtered through the densest white noise. The drum beat is mixed with percussive ghosts of sound that flit around like insects. A counter melody plays with a sound like the spectral organ of Mike Ratledge of the Soft Machine. The piece builds like a hiker climbing a slope to the level peak, resting, then climbing the next hill. In the middle of the song, there is the almost traditional electronica break down. But unlike the cliched break with a bleating mechanoid pulse or a wannabe Latin keyboard riff, here the song rolls into a swirling tsunami of electronic and percussive sounds. The crashing of the waves slides into a heavenly cloud of soulful jazz. Here, Corda takes a piano solo that rocks one soulful statement after the other, bringing that old time freedom jazz feeling to end of the musical journey.

“Arcane Persuasion” ends the CD with a slow, stately, Gothic finale. A pipe organ opens, then the bleating mechanoid sound I dissed earlier comes in, but morphs in and out of demented glockenspiel notes and fuzzy tubular bells.

Let’s be clear: I wouldn’t say I’m an electronica fan by any stretch. Most of it is boring and soulless and uninspired. It says a lot about an artist when he can take parts of a style of music one hates and make music one likes. It’s like turning s%$t into gold. His next record should be called The Alchemist.

http://www.mashedbuddha.com
http://www.myspace.com/mashedbuddha

Since 1995, USA Songwriting Competition has been honoring songwriters from all over the world. Winners came from Australia, Japan, Canada, UK, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, USA, etc. Past winners have gotten recording contracts, getting their songs on film, TV as well as getting cuts with major artists. The 2005 Winner of the country category had his winning song cut by Faith Hill. The 2005 winner of the pop catgeory was signed by MySpace/Interscope records.

Entries must be entered by May 30, 2008 or earlier. The entry form can be found at: http://www.songwriting.net/tagit.html

The nylon string guitar paralleled his musical interest while his was developing as an artist it coincided with the discovery of Antonio Carlos Jobim. JoJo eloquently states, “Discovering Jobim was like a warm wind blowing through his soul.”

JoJo currently has two instrumental releases, Bossa Nuevo Vol. 1-Light of Love (Cool Groove, Hot Guitar) and Bossa Nuevo Vol. 2-The Offering. The companion CDs focus on the artists’ penchant for Latin-Instrumental-Jazz. The two CDs create a nice atmosphere for leisurely listening pleasure or it has the flexibility for movie soundtracks or background music at parties or restaurants. Bossa Nuevo is the offspring of the World Beat JoJo discovered through Carlos Santana when they were making their way to the top in the early years. The universal feelings and atmospheres it brings forth while listening has no boundaries.

JoJo Styles is currently preparing the release of a new CD titled Back to Monterey (which contains Spanish and English lyrics) that he produced and co-wrote with a singer named Rosanna Rainz. He is also working on his third instrumental album, and then plans to release a few albums of his own rock songs soon that have developed over the years.

Visit the JoJo Styles for updates or if you would like to stream tracks, listen to samples of the new release, and purchase music, visit his My Bands Music Profile.

Contact: JoJo Styles
Company: Casa Grande Records
Address: 1777 Abram CT. San Leandro, CA 94577
Tel: 510-357-7773
Email
JoJo Styles Website

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It seems that everything took an uplifting turn in 2006 when Gunnar and Amethyste started to collaborate more extensively on several projects ranging from Trance – Dance to Ambient. They finally decided to meet in February of 2006 in NYC, then shortly after their first meeting, Gunnar came to spend 3 months in the USA focusing on music composition and production. Their love for each other fueled the creation of Amethyste’s debut CD titled “Ethereal”. Gunnar’s extreme composing ability really showcases Amethyste’s soothing and dreamy ample vocal range. The beautiful music that Amethyste and Gunnar Spardel create have been heard in radio stations in Europe as well as many internet radios. Ethereal warms the heart and shines light upon their acclaimed and distinctive style of music.

MUSIC QUOTES
Delicate and sublime with a stirring of ecstasy dancing over a driving powerful intoxication is what you will find if you listen to Amethyste’s masterpiece – “Ethereal“. If you listen to the album from start to finish you will first encounter silky washes of sound with ethereal vocals. Floating on air is the feeling that Amethyste creates as soulful and ethereal voices of the mysteries above and below soar across an ocean of stars into a celestial downtempo mood. “Ethereal” goes beyond inspiration to new levels of creativity where modern technology and ancient longings collide. At times it is crystalline perfection and at others the warm sounds completely surround you enveloping you in a dreamy haze. Behind the scene of “Ethereal” is also the magnificent composer Gunnar Spardel, who lays down a set of deep ambient beats that creates a tantalizing ebb and flow of exotic sexy moods as a magical calm is unveiled by a journey within the smooth grooves. Amethyste is one of the most profound influences over mainstream Chill out artists, through a new, innovative artistic panache.
- AMAdea Records, BULGARIA

Purchase CD at CDBABY HERE

Purchase MP3 Album at iTunes HERE

Listen to free music at MySpace HERE