New York, NY – Not Fade Away Records announced the release of Hell’s Kitchen Rock n Roll legend Tim Young’s latest album “The Cost” on major online retail stores this September 9th, 2008. Produced by Mark Meisel and Bob Becker of Counter Clockwise Music of Detroit and mastered at Cincinnati’s Sound Images by Dave Davis, the album was unveiled at a pre-release party on Sunday July 27th in the Klub Room at mid-town Manhattan’s Connolly’s Pub.

“‘The Cost’ is about dealing with loss and the processes one might use to help get things back to a better balance in life,” explained Tim. “Loss can cover a lot of ground but ‘The Cost’ is focused on two areas in particular: love and freedom – how each are tied together and how each must maintain their autonomy in order to flourish.”

What the press is saying about Tim Young:

“Just when I despaired of ever again hearing tight, passionate, honest, slam-bang ROCK, along comes Tim Young. You just don’t get this kind of stuff every day. It comes from a talent that has worked out in the “gym” to develop itself, and a maturity that reminds you just what personal rock and poetry are all about. Tim Young is the real thing.”
- Eliot Camaren, The Clinton Chronicle

“Young’s unschooled, urgent vocal delivery and lo-fi aesthetic combined with his solid and energetic guitar playing and fertile creativity places his music at the intersection between urban folk, heartland rock and outsider music.”
- Jon Sobel, Blogcritics Magazine

Websites
http://www.timrocksweb.com/
http://www.myspace.com/timnycyoung
Booking: http://www.sonicbids.com/timyoung
Radio: http://www.airplaydirect.com/TimYoung

About Tim Young
Tim Young is a veteran to the New York music scene for nearly two decades. Following the release of NO STRANGER in 2002 he began a string of over 80 shows at the Electric Banana Bar on west 50th street. At the Banana Tim was able to solidify a great fan base, record a live CD, and continue to produce new material. Once the Banana Bar closed in April of 2005, Tim was invited to perform weekly at the nearby Bellevue Bar where the act evolved into a duo with the addition of drummer Sand Edwards. Following the stint at Bellevue Bar, Tim Young Band was installed as the house band at Club Siberia.

Young began releasing CDs in 2002 with NO STRANGER, a collection of nine original instrumentals self-produced and recorded at his home studio. For his second release RED, his debut as a solo singer/songwriter, he recorded sixteen original songs that explore the emotional landscape of an artist dealing with the way of life in twenty-first-century NYC. Tim Young’s third CD THE COST features twelve new songs and a brand new version of his own tune “Renegade” from RED. THE COST takes some similar themes but develops them in a more complex way with the addition of a full band. Tim likes to call this record rock ‘n roll. He takes guitar, bass and drums and puts them together in a classy classic kind of way to create music that envelopes not only rock, but also country and folk influences woven into the fabric of rock ‘n roll.

Currently, Tim Young Band performs once a month at Vintage Bar & Restaurant located at 51st Street and 9th Ave. in Manhattan.

From Dorado’s label Natalie Walker’s sophomore album ‘With You’ is now out!

Walker has exceeded all expectations after her debut album, ‘Urban Angel’ with which she received critical acclaim.

‘With You’ is a dynamic album rooted in classic pop mixed with a subtle electronic vibe. Walker has definitely built upon her strength in style and explores various influences ranging from upbeat to wistful to serious while maintaining her chilling angelic tone quality.

Listen

Natalie Walker Official Website

For those of you unfortunate souls that have not discovered this band the lineup is Gig Michaels (lead vocals & acoustic guitar); David Lee (drums); Michael Hough (guitar & vocals); Keith Inman (guitar); Mike Huffman (keyboards, B3 & vocals); and Cody Bennett (bass).

This EP CD is a precursor to the future and it is sure exciting. The band sounds like they are on fire! The first track “Dance” has a risqué video up on You Tube now and surely, it will get its share of plays. The song itself is Swampdawamp at their very best. Again, I heard all the pinpoint guitar licks, the thumping rhythm section and the whiskey soaked vocals of Gig Michaels taking it all to top without a breath in between. “Fire In The Hole” and “Shoebox” keep the Swampdawamp train rollin’ down the tracks with more straight up southern flavored rock with plenty of blues licks in the mix to keep it real. The thing I have always enjoyed about this band is that when they get things warmed up they never let up, it just keeps coming at you full bore. The only thing I did not like about this is that I only heard three tracks and I wanted it to keep going, so I suppose that is a good thing from the band’s perspective. If these three tracks are any indication of what we should expect on the next album then we are in for a treat. They sound like they have kicked it up another notch.

I enjoyed the interview, it got me a little closer to the band and I found out a bit more about their attitude and goals. They believe in themselves and the people that listen to their music. What they have adopted is a grass roots following similar to what bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Molly Hatchet had prior to their meteoric rise to popularity. So watch out, Swamdawamp may be the next big thing coming out the south for all of you rock fans that have kinship to that music.

I look forward to hearing the complete album.

Artist: Swampdawamp
Title: 2.0
Genre: Southern Rock-Blues
Label: Big Penny Entertainment
Website
Source Link

Tracks:
1.Dance
2.Fire In The Hole
3.Shoebox
4.Interview with Gig Michaels & Mike “Scooby” Huffman
5.Interview with David Lee & Dave Cline
6.Live At Rehearsal
© MuzikReviews.com

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

Contact:

Cheryl Hughey Promotions

cherylhughey@charter.net/314-660-1755

St. Louis, Missouri

Dwayne Kerr (Erykah Badu Flutist) Releases New Video Produced by Kerwin DeVonish (Spike Lee)

Dwayne Kerr (Erykah Badu’s Funky Fluteman) has teamed up with Kerwin DeVonish (Spike Lee producer) to release a new video that was filmed on the beaches of Barbados. Click on the link below to view. Available for preview on YouTube, this scenic video features the single “Smooth” (Top 15 Radio and Records and Top 30 SmoothJazz.com) from Dwayne’s 2008 release Higher Calling.

Higher Calling, which features stellar guest appearances by Erykah Badu and Kirk Whalum has received accolades from reviewers. Susan Frances of the Jazz Review proclaimed, “… makes jazz music Higher Callingas beautiful as it comes…” and Abkar Nour of Smooth Jazz Now declared Kerr “an extraordinary groovy flutist.” Lovingly received by radio, the single “Ain’t No Sunshine” with Erykah Badu reached the Top 10 on Radio and Records.

www.dmannsmusicgroup.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNoCZyAlk9w

More about the artist:

Kerr was hired to play as a band member for Grammy Award-winning Erykah Badu in 1998. While touring with Erykah, Dwayne has played in Africa, Italy, Japan, throughout Europe and Scandinavia, on the all-female artists Lilith Fair Tour and television appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, MTV’s Real World, The Oprah Show, Live! With Regis and BET Live.

While touring and recording with Erykah Badu for the past several years, Dwayne added his sound to recordings including Ms. Badu’s version of the Chaka Khan hit, “Hollywood,” which is on the soundtrack/CD to the Spike Lee movie, Bamboozled, on Motown Records and Erykah’s song, “Today,” which is on the Red Star Sounds compilation CD on Epic Records. Kerr played on Erykah’s latest CD, Worldwide Underground, and her previous CD, Mama’s Gun, on Motown Records.

Raised and still residing on Long Island, New York, Kerr attended New York colleges Nassau Community College, SUNY-Stony Brook and SUNY-Old Westbury, where he was trained classically and in jazz. Kerr is a brilliant flutist who is moving the flute into other genres of music not often explored. Connecting with the audience both in a live setting and on recordings is a trait well-respected by others in the industry. “I’ve seen Dwayne inspire many people all over the world with his sound,” said RC Williams, Producer/co-songwriter Higher Calling and Producer/Songwriter/MD for Erykah Badu.

A by-product of his ascending career, Kerr signed a deal with AKG Acoustics in 2001 to endorse an AKG wireless headset system. When not touring with Ms. Badu, Kerr is active in his venture as a solo artist, most notable having performed at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, the Jazz & Broadway Concert at the United Nations and at halftime of several National Basketball Association games. Dwayne has performed on shows with or opened shows for Erykah Badu, Regina Belle, Roy Hargrove, Marion Meadows, Stephanie Mills, Vanessa Rubin and other noted artists.

“As I watch my friend in amazement,” Erykah said of Dwayne, “the high tones and the trills become part of me, helping me to grow on stage. I don’t know which is sweeter, his tone or his soul.”

The release of Higher Calling is indeed a new chapter in the life of this astounding artist. The making of the project was an organic process that evolved into a musical diary of the musicians involved.

Jeff Feinstein, producer & keys, said, “I think I could write a novel on my experiences with Dwayne and “the cast” of Higher Calling. The most important chapter would be on how much your work can intertwine with life, love and believing in yourself. To me, working on the project represented strong earthly proof of why not to give up on my dreams and God…no matter what.”

This band sings and plays with ferocity and purpose. While only three members comprise this progressive rock unit, they sound like much more. A full sound comes at you constructed with guitars, drums, and bass as it swoops down and sucks you into every hair-raising storyline. The Tea Club is Patrick McGowan (vocals, bass, and guitar) with Brother Dan (vocals, guitar) and Kyle Minnick (drums).

As things kick off the album you are immediately brought into the macabre with “Werewolves.” This is a potent tool for mesmerizing you and creating interest and excitement about what you are hearing while intently listening to their own personal take on the legendary transformation from man to beast. Guitars, bass and drums thunder as Pat McGowan bellows “I just need a little time, this is my Mr. Hyde…well I am down and I am wearin’ thin, I can’t help but keep hurting you”, as the words roll off his tongue they cut like a knife right through you. As all of this unfolds, all I can think of is a Halloween night where The Beatles meet King Crimson and they start jamming. This vision kept coming to me throughout the run of this CD. Low and behold, their biggest influences happen to be two of the bands I just mentioned, so there is no shock here, just a bit of validation from the perspective of a listener and music fan. This was the best song on the album and marvelous way to introduce themselves to potential listeners while simultaneously creating some interest to hear more.

I bet some of you are wondering where they came up with the title for the album. I am always pondering what the title and artwork mean. If it is not obvious and in this case, that applies, you have to wonder what the significance is and just how it all ties in to the big picture of a project. The term General Winter, is a name used for the horrible weather the Germans experienced while trying to invade Russia in World War 2. Pat McGowan then added in the rest of the title and the band loved it.

The title track of all things gets the boot because the band thought it did not flow with the rest of the album. In this case, they should have put it at the close of the album and I do not think removing that track was the best decision.

At times, they do pull off some beautiful Beatles like harmonizing so the thought process may have been that this would easily cross over to pop-rock territory. Regardless of those elements, the fans that listen to this music expect bombastic opuses lasting 7-12 minutes, it is the norm, the music is far from being top forty or pop and it does not take long after hearing the way the tracks come at you that they are doing their best to make a progressive album. If you want to hear the title track then visit the band’s profile here http://mybandsmusic.com/members/680/ where you actually can listen to 15 tracks with the option to purchase and find out for yourself where they are coming from. If anything, it entices people to go check it out, so that is a positive gained from a somewhat odd decision to eliminate the title track.

Getting back to the rest of the album-it is solid, not a great piece of work but very good and this band has the potential to be great. What I heard was a steady blend of music that did tend to go back and forth in waves of varying sounds and emotions, which is the standard for the genre. The variations with rhythms, beats and guitars are interesting and definitely not something that you would hear on the radio…there are no 4/4 time syncopations or drum click tracks buzzing in the ear of their drummer, no way. Besides the lead off track, this album did tend to flow together too easily from track to track for this type of music.

What I think needs work here is to develop more complexity with the song structures they already have, which are excellent, by simply adding some layered keyboards or a driving Hammond B3 on a regular basis. With that, the entire picture could change and they may very well become the band they always dreamed of being. Again, this is just the beginning for them and it is a real good start. They wrote all the songs, which is impressive. For three people they make some noise and it will remind you fondly of some other great trios that have come and gone since the inception of progressive rock. They reached their goal to get a stripped down sound removing things like a flute and so forth. Perhaps on the next outing those things will remain with additional instruments to beef up their sound and then they will blossom, as I would expect.

Artist: The Tea Club
Title: General Winter’s Secret Museum
Genre: Progressive Rock
Label: Independent
Myspace
MyBandsMusic Profile

Tracks:
01. Werewolves
02. Cool Smack
03. Big Al
04. Castle Builder
05. Purple Chukz
06. The Clincher
07. Will O The Wisp
08. The Moon
09. Ice Clock
© MuzikReviews.com

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

There’s Only One Woman To Watch Out For

This Summer

The New Album ‘One Man Woman’ – released 1^st September, 2008

After providing backing vocals for Mariah Carey, James Brown and Charlotte Church, Shena, one of the UK’s most versatile vocalists, is releasing her debut album of stunningly sumptuous soul tracks and now she is the star herself!

‘One Man Woman’ due out on the 1^st September is a beautiful collection of ‘stripped down soul’, showcasing Shena’s dazzling vocal style. Whitney Houston and Lauryn Hill have been key influences and Shena exudes their sexy self-confidence and shares their ability to captivate audiences, promising to appeal to an international audience.

Making her mark on the music scene, Shena sang on Michael Gray’s 2004 smash ‘The Weekend’, and performed the track live to the nation on Top Of The Pops.

Singing has always been a passion for Shena. When she was a young girl she was greatly influenced by the baritone voice of her Grenadian father, describing him as a “Calypso Nat King Cole!” Her talent was spotted at an early age and Shena’s school teachers paid with their own funds for professional singing lessons after school to better her chances of having a career in music.

However, life at school was not always so rosy.As she began studying for her A-Levels, she received a less motivating welcome from the new teacher of her music class. She was exposed to her first major dose of cynicism and was forced to deal with prejudice. Although branded as someone that “would only ever become a secretary”, Shena turned the negative into positive motivation, and set out to prove him wrong.

A rendition of an aria from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess won her an unconditional place at the Royal Academy of Music which certainly began to prove the tutor wrong and reinforced her faith in herself. At the Royal Academy she studied classically, but loved commercial music too.

From graduating she got her first big break working with Michael Ball and since then has worked with Luther Vandross, Girl’s Aloud, Sugababes, Angie Stone, Chaka Khan, Lesley Garrett, Belinda Carlisle and Kelly La Roc to name but a few!

Performing on BBC’s ‘Songs Of Praise’ at the tender age of 21, Shena sang “Don’t Cry For Me” in a tribute to the tragic loss of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence. The BBC was inundated with messages from the British public demanding to know who this amazing young performer was, and requesting her to release the track!

Now with six top twenty dance hits under her belt it has been a natural progression for Shena to release her own material. She feels that she has paid her dues as a backing vocalist.
Shena is also a talented writer and has written tracks for Javine and Lemar (Eternal wanted one of her tracks but she kept it for herself!)

Shena is finally taking the next step and releasing her own material. She can currently can also be heard taking the lead vocal on the hit “Watch Out” by Alex Gaudino, which is currently a favourite on Radio 1, Kiss FM and London’s Capital Radio.

www.shena.co.uk
www.myspace.com/shenawinchester

For more information please contact Ian Roberts or Sara Boughton
Zest PR
Tel.0044 (0)20 7734 0206
ian@zestpr.com / sara@zestpr.com

Shena is performing around the UK on the following dates:
26^th Jul 2008 – Liquid, Sunderland
15^th Aug 2008 – Liquid, Windsor
22^nd Aug 2008 – Café de Paris, London
26^th Sep 2008 – Liquid, Basildon

“It’s been a few years since I’ve focused on being a “player” but my involvement with www.totonetwork.com has made me realize how much fun this kind of music can be. In the meantime I’ve been busy making movies like “Local Color”, “Senior Skip Day“, “Payback”, “Spykids” etc. I’m looking forward to doing more of this and I thank you for your support.”

Recorded just prior to 9-11 this collection of songs features some the most famous and talented musicians of this generation:

Greg Bissonette – Drums (currently performing with Ringo Starr)
Luis Conti – percussion (from Dancing with the Stars and James Taylor)
Paul Jackson Jr. – Guitars (from American Idol)
Jimmy Johnson – bass (from James Taylor)
Abraham Laboriel – (the list is too long)
Eric Marienthal – sax (Chick Corea, David Benoit)

Recorded and mixed by Tom Vicari

All songs composed and produced by Chris Boardman

Chris Boardman on myspace

Chris Boardman’s blog

Hit Me Music proudly presents DJ Reset’s first ever studio album, “Speaker Bunny” available now digitally worldwide. The highly anticipated set includes original music written, produced, and performed by DJ Reset, the critically acclaimed recording artist and producer who made history with the first commercial mash-up released on a major record label.

http://www.hitmemusic.com/Crush.mp3

“Speaker Bunny” is out now on Hit Me Music and available at iTunes, eMusic, Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster, GroupieTunes, mTraks, Last.FM, Audio Lunchbox, Ruckus, Mbop, Lala, and Track It Down

For more information and licensing inquiries, please email marat@hitmemusic.com

About Hit Me Music
Hit Me Music, LLC is a music-based content and talent management company with the mission statement to establish and build a global entertainment brand. For new media and latest news on Hit Me Music, visit the label online at http://www.hitmemusic.com

Contact:

Cheryl Hughey Promotions

cherylhughey@charter.net/314-660-1755

G John Martin “Black Ice” Releases Debut CD

Tokyo, Japan
After touring the world and opening a record label in Japan, G John Martin “Black Ice” releases his debut CD, Black Ice.

R&B/contemporary jazz vocalist G John Martin, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA, is an artist who personifies art with unified melodies manifested with balance, life and wisdom. Martin’s musical journey began with the discovery of the bass guitar at the age of seven. By age twelve, he was writing and producing his own and formed a local band. Additionally, he taught himself drums and guitar before developing a unique vocal style that would mark the beginning of his musical career.

Martin’s professional journey began at age eleven during a visit to Hollywood. He quickly caught the ear of performer James Mitchell of the “Detroit Emeralds,” who offered him a role in the development of musical pieces for several projects including his first tour. With Mitchell’s encouragement, Martin quickly moved to study music and began what would become a long history of music production with groups like 7 Mile under the Sony label. World tours would also include the likes of Earl Klugh/George Benson, After 7, Clark Sisters, Universal Nubian Voices (UNV) opening the “The Madonna Girlie Tour” and Japan’s Speed, Anri, Yuki Kokanagi and Ken Hirai, just to name a few.

Within the next ten years, G John Martin felt the pressures and practices of the music business overshadowed his passion of music. Deciding he would no longer work under the influences of corporate ideals and demands, he chose to quiet himself, find spiritual solace and honor his soul. This led him to Japan, a culture based on divination and order. Martin transformed his career into a company venture – JP Entertainment & Nitram Records.

“My life is music. I was a singer when I was born and remain a singer today,” said Martin.

The self-titled CD, Black Ice, marks the solo debut for this R&B singer. The CD is available for sale in Japan and world-wide via CDBaby.com.

www.myspace.com/glynismartin

www.cdbaby.com/cd/gjohnmartin

Contact:

Cheryl Hughey Promotions

314-660-1755

cherylhughey@charter.net

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