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Cheryl Hughey Promotions

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Vibes Alive Releases After Hours

Los Angeles, CA

Vibist Dirk Richter’s story is about discovery and passion. Before Dirk was even old enough to go to school, he was hanging out at the local music store. At the tender age of four, Dirk was intensely studying music on a daily basis. By the time he was five, Dirk was gigging as a sideman with other youngsters in a band called the Tax Exemptions.

Influenced by Jean Luc Ponty, Jeff Lorber, George Duke and Lionel Hampton (because of swing music), Dirk became a serious mallet player by the age of eight. After high school, he studied at Pasadena City College w/Gary Foster (who had a Monday night big band), thoroughly immersing himself in the local Pasadena jazz scene.

It was in Pasadena that Dirk would meet his future partner in songwriting crime, Randall Crissman, a guitar playing television and movie composer with a string of credits that includes the likes of MTV, CBS, FOX and Nickelodeon for shows like Oprah, Dancing with the Stars, Joe Millionaire, Access Hollywood and The View.

Together, they would pen their first album, Vibes Alive (1997-Syndrome Records), which featured the stellar cast of Jeff Lorber, Luis Conte, Jimmy Johnson, Jimmy Haslip and Carlos Vega. Jonathan Widran of All Music Guide would declare, “…Richter takes charge, carrying cool melodies atop those trademark Lorber rhythms and harmonies on 70’s throwbacks like the Hammond B-3 and the Wurlitzer Electric piano.”

Following the release of the Vibes Alive album Dirk Richter and Randall Crissman would form a band named after the album and would head to the studio to record a second album. Scheduled to be released in 2008 via Swingding Records, After Hours combines the stellar cast of the 1997 release with a few new all stars for a hot sound that will sizzle the airwaves.

More on After Hours by Vibes Alive:

The collection of tunes in After Hours is a tapestry of kinetic exchanges between an incredible cast of musicians. These sessions capture the essence and spirit of the music in its most uninhibited form. A master conductor, Richter uses the vibes as a paintbrush that accentuates the communication between each gifted artist. According to Richter, the music is about “going back to the basics of creating music.” It’s about making music without boundaries.

With all the format changes in the industry, the time is ripe for musical change and that fans are eager to have music that is fresh and alive. The team of Dirk Richter and Randall Crissman offer up a sound that is unique, spirited and passionate. Add in solid songwriting and a stellar cast and you have a winner.

After HoursMusician List:

Dirk Richter: vibes, keyboards

Randall Crissman: guitar, synth bass

Jeff Lorber: synthesizer,Wurlitzer electric piano

Gary Meek: sax & flute

Luis Conte: percussion

Vinnie Colaiuta: drums

Jimmy Johnson: bass

Putter Smith: acoustic bass

Bob Summers: trumpet

Written and arranged by Dirk Richter and Randall Crissman

Produced by Randall Crissman

For those who are just hopelessly “out of the loop” { } and still have no clue what the “Music and Spirit” blog is, read on!

I have been running an interesting blog on MySpace now for the last nine months or so, at www.myspace.com/musicandspirit. There are currently 40 AMAZING artists in my Top Friends who are all very much worth supporting. In addition, there are many more in my modest friend space which is currently at 150+, most of them musicians.

The blog itself consists of about 35 entries, some extensive, showcasing artists’ lyrics and additional material provided by the artists themselves, in addition to several reviews by myself. The word “spirit” in its title is NOT a reference to dogmatic spirituality. I consider a good love song to be “spiritual.”

This site and blog are open to any songwriter who wishes to message me and send a friend request. I reserve the right to decide on the suitability of the material– please review my profile page, listen to the artists, and look at the blog itself. You will see that there is a wide variety of styles represented, and you will be able to judge for yourself if this is a place where you’d like to have your music “found.” It is free, and will remain free, forever.

And be sure to read the top blog entry, my interview with the “Awesome Artist of the Month”, who is currently Annika Fehling from Sweden! The profile song, which you hear before you go to the blog, or after you go back to the profile page, is one of hers.

Currently, I am receiving spontaneous friend requests from really good artists, EVERYWHERE! Germany, Japan, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Norway, Britain, and of course, the USA. It is good, free exposure for any artist who has “the right stuff.”

Be Well–
Blogger Van
http://www.myspace.com/musicandspirit

Hit songwriter Craig Bickhardt has released a song written for his son, Jake, who has Cerebral Palsy. The song was posted this week on his popular blog, Ninety Mile Wind — www.ninetymilewind.blogspot.com. It is also available for free download from his website at www.craigbickhardt.com, or it can be streamed from his My Space page — www.myspace.com/craigbickhardt — where it has been garnering a lot of listener response. The song, titled “Giant Steps”, speaks inspiringly about the father-son relationship and the challenges both face as they tackle life with a disability.

“You’re just a little boy clinging to your father’s hand
Your legs are working hard keeping up with your old man”

But Bickhardt’s confidence in his son’s future carries the song to an optimistic conclusion.

“Soon the day will come when you’ll run ahead of me
Certain of yourself and what you’re gonna be
But whenever you stumble and lose your stride
May you never lose the boy down inside
Taking Giant Steps”

He posts an accompanying journal entry in his blog further highlighting the difficulties of life with a Special Needs child.

“There are days when life with my son is challenging, and a dark horizon looms three hundred and sixty degrees around me. And then there are those days of singing blue sky, when I know I’m a lucky to have him. On those days my heart is an eagle’s feather and I am made for rough winds.”

Bickhardt, a former Nashville resident who has written award winning songs for Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, B. B. King, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, Art Garfunkel, David Wilcox, Tony Rice, Pam Tillis (#1 song, “Between Dances”) and many others, is currently on tour in the north east. He will be appearing in at The Sellersville Theater with Beth Nielsen Chapman, and also at The Philadelphia Folk Festival in August. His other music is available through itunes, CD Baby.com, Amazon.com, and his website www.craigbickhardt.com

The JUNE edition of Bandit has just been published to my strictly limited number of subscribers world-wide.

Another brand new batch of world-wide labels, publishers, managers, producers, etc all eager to get involved with new music and artists. This month we have a top producer looking for a female singer for a major label project, a studio based label looking for a band that plays “real” music, more labels looking to sign acts in the PUNK, ROCK, SOUL, DANCE, POP and HIP HOP areas and some managers and publishers looking to discover brand new talent - and more, All kinds of stuff!!

Look through this latest issue by clicking through to
http://www.banditnewsletter.com
and see all those people in there who want to review your type of music. Send them your demo and who knows, they may be knocked out by it!

Get to the front of the queue by starting to proactively interact with people ready to invest in you!

Try Bandit’s great service for just $2 / 1 ukp and get the current JUNE issue, the JULY issue, the 3 latest back issues, PLUS 2 FREE REPORTS - “The Bandit Guide to sending demos” AND ” How to get noticed by the Music Business”, by signing up for the intro subscription deal at

http://www.banditnewsletter.com

If you agree that Bandit will bring you solid, useful, up to the minute information for you to use to get your music heard by the right people, do nothing more and enjoy your monthly issues,
If not just cancel in the next 30 days and pay nothing more!!

Regards
John Waterman Editor

Leon Newton is considered a new songwriter while actually he has been writing songs for over ten years. It was only a couple of years ago that he decided his talent for writing could lead to commercial success.

It all started when he began entering songwriting contest and the recognition and encouragement he received motivated him to seriously consider songwriting as more than a hobby.

Although Leon has written in various genres of music; such as folk, blues, rock, rap and Christian, his main forte is country music. Leon says “I write country music because you can tell stories about life and the struggles that we all go through. In fact, if you take time to listen, you can learn a lot from country songs.”

Someone must be listening as Leon was named a top finalist in the 2007 SongOfTheYear.com competition in the country music category with his song, “Love Story.” In 2006, he received recognition for two songs he entered in the competition, “Cintia” and “Global Warming.”

Leon says of his song “Global Warming,” I wrote the song because this is a serious matter not to be taken lightly. I feel that I, as a songwriter, and including other music artists, have a responsibility to help raise public awareness on such issues. Music is an art form that can touch us and actually cause people to act.”

To Leon songwriting is more than just writing words and composing and arranging music to go with the lyrics, it is the ability to infuse life into the words and paint a picture with the music. He believes it is what we visualize and hear that makes people want to dance, act for a social cause or sit back and listen to the lyrics and enjoy the beat.

To emphasize his writing talent, Leon recently scored 8 out of 10 possible for his song, “Country On My Mind.” The honor was for evoking an emotional response from listeners and it was bestowed by CMT’s (Country Music Television) 8th Annual Nashville Songwriters Association International Song Contest.

On another note, Leon wrote a song titled “Race Car Junky” out of respect for the drivers of NASCAR and motor sports around the world, and the fans that love the sport.

Leon’s goal is to be a respectable songwriter who can create music that will inspire people, music that will move the listener. Music, that when people hear it, will recognize it as a Leon Newton song. Samples of Leon’s songs can be heard at www.cdbaby.com/cd/leonnewton and www.phonesherpa.com/leonnewt

http://www.songfacts.com/writing/2008/04/american-idol-song-selection.html

Make It Your Own - you probably don’t know who sang “I Can Dream About You,” which makes it a perfect choice.

Futz With The Arrangement - It worked for David Cook with “Billie Jean,” and it can work for lots of other songs, including “Torn” and “Bizarre Love Triangle.”

Avoid The Overdone - “Unchained Melody” has run its course.

Does a great Karaoke song translate to Idol? Not according to the folks who do it for a living. Kimberly Starling of The Karaoke Informer explains: “The typical good karaoke songs tend to lack the uniqueness needed for an Idol contestant to stand out.” Her list of songs that work in Karaoke but would bomb on Idol include “Friends In Low Places,” “Santeria,” and a surprising choice by The Ramones that works every time.

http://www.songfacts.com

I have been running an interesting blog on MySpace now for the last eight months or so, at http://www.myspace.com/musicandspirit . There are currently 32 AMAZING artists in my Top Friend who are all very much worth supporting. In addition, there are many more in my modest friend space which is currently at 100+, most of them musicians.

The blog itself consists of 30 entries, some extensive, showcasing artists’ lyrics and additional material provided by the artists themselves, in addition to several reviews by myself. The word “spirit” in its title is NOT a reference to dogmatic spirituality. I consider a good love song to be “spiritual!”

This site and blog are open to any songwriter who wishes to message me and send a friend request. I reserve the right to decide on the suitability of the material– please review my profile page, listen to the artists, and look at the blog itself. You will see that there is a wide variety of styles represented, and you will be able to judge for yourself if this is a place where you’d like to have your music “found.” It is free, and will remain free, forever.

Currently, I am receiving spontaneous friend requests from AWESOME artists, EVERYWHERE! Germany, Japan, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Britain, and of course, the USA. It is good, free exposure for any artist who has “the right stuff.”

Be Well–
Blogger Van
http://www.myspace.com/musicandspirit

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

This coincides with the release by MusicDish of Amy’s most memorable radio performances through a new downloadable MP3 album “Amy Speace - Live On Radio.” Gathering nine tracks from performances on Ft. Collins’ KRFC 88.9 FM, NY’s WFUV 90.7 FM and Boston’s WMBR 88.1 FM, as well as syndicated show The Art of Song, the album is available for download at http://www.musicdish.net/amyspeace/mp3/

John Platt’s three-hour tour of tunes strikes a balance between the “Joni Mitchells/Harry Chapins/Jackson Brownes” and “lesser-known but equally talented” singer/songwriters. Guests have ranged from icons like Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Loudon Wainwright, and Judy Collins, to WFUV mainstays like Dar Williams, Bruce Cockburn, and Luka Bloom, to emerging artists like Richard Julian, Sonya Kitchell, and Ben Taylor. With his gentle probing John helps us to know more about the music - and who the artists are as people.

From the rustic rush of “Step Out of the Shade” to the bittersweet lilt of “Water Landing” to the gentle acoustic intimacy of “Two,” Songs for Bright Street’s 12 original compositions (plus a slyly countrified reading of the Blondie classic “Dreaming”) showcase Speace’s unique gifts, offering catchy Americana with indelible hooks, sharply observed lyrics and a gritty urban edge. Among those impressed by her sassy songcraft is legendary folk-pop songstress Judy Collins, who chose Songs for Bright Street to release on her new Wildflower label.

Amy Speace has already won a loyal grass-roots fan base, thanks in large part to live performances that merge warmth, humor and emotional immediacy, and to a tireless touring schedule that’s already taken her across the United States. She’s also won considerable critical acclaim, with The Village Voice observing that Speace is “taking her Americana away from twangy contemplation toward tangy confrontation” and noting that she’s “not another of those breathy would-be child poets, but a real singing writer of songs.” Time Out New York stated, “Amy Speace plays sweet, twangy folk music with a clear voice and an innocent vulnerability,” while The Nashville Scene noted that she “balances wry humor with open-hearted honesty.” And renowned Nashville critic Robert K. Oermann, writing in Music Row, dubbed her a “new star.”
http://www.amyspeace.com

The MP3 album gathers 9 live tracks from performances on Ft. Collins’ KRFC 88.9 FM, NY’s WFUV 90.7 FM and Boston’s WMBR 88.1 FM, as well as The Art of Song, which was featured last summer on all 118 radio stations nationwide that syndicate the show. The album is available free for download at http://www.musicdish.net/amyspeace/mp3/

AMY SPEACE’S “LIVE ON RADIO” TRACKLISTING

* The Art of Song - with Dillon and Vivian Nebitt, Live from Taos, New Mexico
1. The Real Thing (3:00)
* KRFC 88.9FM Ft. Collins - Live at Lunch” (08/24/06)
2. Double Wide Trailer (4:02)
3. Row Row Row (4:49)
4. Shed This Skin (5:45)
5. Two (3:21)
* WFUV 90.7 FM New York - City Folk Sunday Breakfast” with John Platt (12/11/06)
6. Dreamin’ - with James Mastro (3:19)
7. Step Out of the Shade (4:07)
* WMBR 88.1FM Boston- “Troubador” (10/12/06)
8. After The Flood (3:33)
9. Make Me Lonely Again (4:49)

Amy Speace has already won a loyal grass-roots fan base, thanks in large part to live performances that merge warmth, humor and emotional immediacy, and to a tireless touring schedule that’s already taken her across the United States. She’s also won considerable critical acclaim, with The Village Voice observing that Speace is “taking her Americana away from twangy contemplation toward tangy confrontation” and noting that she’s “not another of those breathy would-be child poets, but a real singing writer of songs.” Time Out New York stated, “Amy Speace plays sweet, twangy folk music with a clear voice and an innocent vulnerability,” while The Nashville Scene noted that she “balances wry humor with open-hearted honesty.” And renowned Nashville critic Robert K. Oermann, writing in Music Row, dubbed her a “new star.”
http://www.amyspeace.com