Sunday, February 18, 2024

Smiling Horse



Hans Vleugel singer songwriter named Smiling Horse. Raised in a very musical familie. Got his first guitar at the age of eleven. He began to write his own songs at the age of twelve. Made his first studio recording when he was twenty one. The Album ‘Curious is his Ninth studio Album. In collaboration with Racquel Roberts Hans made three albums and several CD Singles. Comes out with the remarkable, topical single 'Climate Change/Chains. Sung by Racquel but all intruments play’d and recorded by Hans.

https://smilinghorse.bandcamp.com/

Thursday, February 15, 2024

UFA



In the Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus)" the 1969 USA and UK #1 hit single by the American pop-rock duo of Zager and Evans, featuring Jake Lee Rau on lead vocals, has already caused a stir, not because it is innovative or original, but because it is -- in the middle of pop music's current creative void -- so immediate and imperative. It’s also built around the pillars of David Bowie’s China Girl and Afrika Bambaataa’s Planet Rock… but with more guitars.

https://www.poesieplastique.com/

Monday, February 12, 2024

Walter Rossi




Rossignuoli (Walter) Rossi (May 29, 1947 – April 29, 2022) was an Italian-Canadian musician who was active from the 1960s to 2000s. As a guitarist, he played for Wilson Pickett and the Buddy Miles Express in the 1960s. With his own bands, Rossi played with Influence and Luke & The Apostles from the 1960s to 1970s. After his tenure with the band Charlee, he worked as a session musician throughout the 1970s with Boule Noire, Michel Pagliaro and Nanette Workman. As a musician, Rossi debuted with his self-titled album in 1976. Following Walter Rossi, he released Six Strings, Nine Lives in 1978 and Diamonds For the Kid in 1980. 

During this time period, Rossi was a nominee for the Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year category at the Juno Awards of 1978. He later won this category at the Juno Awards of 1980. In between the Juno Awards, Rossi was nominated for Rock Album of the Year with Six Strings, Nine Lives at the 1979 Félix Awards. After two additional Felix Award nominations in the 1980s, he released One Foot In Heaven, One Foot In Hell in 1984. He then worked as a music producer in North America before publishing Secret Sins in 2005.

Friday, February 9, 2024

Jim Capaldi




Jim Capaldi teamed up with world renown vocalist Robin McAuley formerly with Survivor and currently with McAuley/Schenker Group. Jim has also teamed up Frontiers Recording Artist Gregory Lynn Hall with The Killer Kings and 101 South for a special project. Jim reached out to both singers who he has followed for many years knowing that they would best enhance his music. Both Robin McAuley and Gregory Lynn Hall have embraced Jim’s music adding their personal flavor and personality to the songs. Individually both singers did an incredible job that Jim is very proud of. Jim Capaldi has been a musician/player his entire life. Having played in several bands in the 80’s and played on some of the same stages that top performers have played on. He also worked behind the behind scenes for both Gibson and Aria Guitars as Artist Relations Director having worked with Steve Vai, Yngwie Malsteem, George Lynch, Vivian Cambell, Neal Schon, Bassists, Rudy Sarzo, Michael Anthony, Neil Murray, Timmothy Gaines, John Taylor and the list continues. 

Robin McAuley world renown singer is featured on “How Could You Be Sure,” co-written with Jim Capaldi. Robin is currently recording and touring with the successful McAuley-Schenker Group. Robin is one of the most in demand singers in Rock. He is currently working on several projects including McAuley- Schenker Group, Black Swan and just released his solo album. Robin was also the former singer in Survivor. Having Robin sing and write the lyrics for “How Could You Be Sure” was magical. Jim Capaldi reached out to Gregory Lynn Hall who knew that Gregory would make a great addition to his song writing. Jim and Greg grew up in the same area and played several shows together in the 80’s. They were even managed by same management company. 

Gregory Lynn Hall currently has a successful solo career and is the lead vocalist for 101 South. His is current project, The Killer Kings is signed with Frontier Records. He has been in the Music Industry since 1975. GLH has recorded with Eddie Money, Air Supply, Ozark Mountain Daredevils and with various band members of White Snake, Sweet & Dio. GLH has performed with members of Dokken.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpQhfqcmuJs

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Russ Lorenson




Who says The Great American Songbook stopped being written in 1959? In 2008, many deemed The Great American Songbook extinct. But Russ Lorenson saw it differently. He curated a show of 'new standards', demonstrating that songs with soul and depth were still being crafted.

Fast forward to the present. While initially recorded with the intention of a 2009 release, this album of songs from New York City in 2008 had been shelved. But now, 15 years later, these rediscovered gems validate Lorenson's belief: many have indeed evolved into the new generation's standards.

Every track on this album draws inspiration from composers who themselves have been torchbearers of the classic standards—artists like Michael Feinstein, Harry Connick, Jr., John Pizzarelli, and more. Their modern compositions, echoing with undertones of jazz classics, stand as testament to the living, breathing, evolving nature of the Songbook.

A terrific voice. Charisma to spare. A delightful raconteur. Impeccable musical taste and vocal phrasing. Unassuming nice guy. They all apply to Russ Lorenson, whose burnished tenor has thrilled audiences throughout the US and Europe. Since his breakout club debut in 2005, Russ Lorenson has established a reputation as one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s leading interpreters of jazz standards. As a singer, he is equally at home whether entertaining a concert hall audience or performing in the more intimate cabaret setting. With comparisons to Tony Bennett, Mel Tormé, and Chet Baker, Lorenson has a voice one savors and remembers. It’s no wonder he’s called “San Francisco’s Favorite Crooner.” In recognition of his solid and sophisticated musical vocabulary, Downbeat called him “a showman of taste and discretion.” The Los Angeles Times said that he brings “a supple voice and strong sense of characterization to all his songs.” The San Diego Union-Tribune said that his “relaxed, easy deliveries…seem natural and heartfelt.” The Coronado Journal simply called him “…
irresistible…”

https://www.russlorenson.com/

Saturday, February 3, 2024

Rob Georg




Country music has always been regarded as an american sound bred in the southern regions, but if fans have learned anything from the likes of keith urban, country music can come up from anywhere in the world. This leads us to the german radio cowboy himself, rob georg.
Very few would imagine a cowboy from germany, but rob georg just does not wear the label, he lives the lifestyle. He spent the first chapter of his life as a professional equestrian athlete in the discipline of cutting. Here cowboys work cattle from horseback, all in true country fashion. He has won various championship titles that have led him to participate in the highly endowed tournament, the world series.

For an entire decade georg was traveling across american cutting arenas with his trainer dean terry. With the many miles spent together on the highways, the two soon connected a deep friendship. When terry passed away in january 2018 and georg’s beloved soul horse "primetime shorty" also crossed the rainbow bridge just one month later, a world broke down for the cowboy. To clear his head, he decided to take a break from ranch life.

And so, the passionate amateur singer flew to nashville “music city u.S.A.” tennessee to work on his singing skills with a professional vocal coach kristin k. Smith (katie mac, jilian steele, casey derhak, smithfield, and josh dorr to name just a few).

Encouraged by her words, georg began recording his music and never looked back. His debut single "push that horn", a tribute which he wrote in memory of dean terry, was released in june 2018 and is still being played in every cutting arena in the u.S.

Since then, georg has released several country singles further demonstrating his songwriting talent, as well as his vocal prowess. Georg also knows how to captivate his audience live, whether on his first u.S. Tour from denver to seattle, on stages on nashville broadway scene or the biggest country music events in europe, such as the country music meeting berlin or the western experience in the netherlands - the cowboy casts a spell over the audience.

​in 2020 georg’s debut album "radio cowboy" was released to much praise which to date has racked up more than a million streams on spotify alone. The official videos have been viewed over 2. 7 million times. So far, five singles have been released to radio, reaching an incredible number of 17 #1 positions on various u.S. Charts. His latest radio release "this old house" just spent two weeks at #1 in the u.S. National radio hits country chart and has made the jump to #1 on the new music weekly charts. Fans and music critics are equally enthusiastic:

• "... A great, very catching album, which is certainly one of the strongest "german" productions of the past 10 years ..."
country.De (germany's largest online country music magazine)
• "honestly, there isn't a sub-par track on the album, mostly because of the wealthy, enticing voice of rob georg, oh so appealing."
rawckus.Com (rawckus magazine reviews new releases in all genres of music)
• "... Raises the bar in terms of passion, dedication and commitment ..."
artistrack.Com (artistrack magazine evaluates new releases in all music genres)
• "rob georg's skills and talent is unquestionable and every song is more beautiful than the last" indiepulsemusic.Com (indie pulse music magazine reviews new releases of all music genres).

Georg had an insanely good year 2020 - with his album release, he not only celebrated chart placements, invitations to special live concerts, such as the country radio seminar in nashville in february, or streaming numbers - he also won his first international music award at the new music awards "breakthrough country artist of the year", and the fair play country music red carpet award in the netherlands "amazing male voice country pop original". So, it will not surprise you that georg and his co-writers are already busy writing tracks for the second album. 2021 he took the fpcm award home for the “song of the year”.

In his corona lockdown project, a spotify podcast called "country music ain't dead," of which the first episode was released in early december 2020, he supported other country artists from around the world by interviewing them and then introducing them to his 350,000+ social media followers. Management companies and artists were jockeying for interview slots on the bi-weekly artist talk.

But after all, he still is the cowboy that he used to be. Together with his wife mel georg, he runs a ranch in the odenwald forest, germany with horses, cattle, sheep and a bunch of border collies, which mel breeds and trains to be stockdogs. Asked why he's still doing the chores himself, georg answers "the animals are my life, and i can't think of doing something else. This is where i find my inspiration. This is what keeps me grounded."

Georg’s songs reflect the life he leads and the stories he lives to tell.

https://www.rob-georg-music.com/

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Woody Allen and jazz


Woody Allen is a passionate fan of jazz, he began playing clarinet as a child and took his stage name from clarinetist Woody Herman. He has performed publicly at least since the late 1960s, including with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on the soundtrack of Sleeper.

Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band have been playing each Monday evening at the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan for many yearspecializing in New Orleans jazz from the early 20th century. He plays songs by Sidney Bechet, George Lewis, Johnny Dodds, Jimmie Noone, and Louis Armstrong. The documentary film Wild Man Blues (directed by Barbara Kopple) chronicles a 1996 European tour by Allen and his band, as well as his relationship with Previn. The band released the albums The Bunk Project (1993) and the soundtrack of Wild Man Blues (1997). In 2005, Allen, Eddy Davis and Conal Fowkes released the trio album Woody With Strings. In a 2011 review of a concert by Allen's jazz band, critic Kirk Silsbee of the Los Angeles Times suggested that Allen should be regarded a competent musical hobbyist with a sincere appreciation for early jazz: "Allen's clarinet won't make anyone forget Sidney Bechet, Barney Bigard or Evan Christopher. His piping tone and strings of staccato notes can't approximate melodic or lyrical phrasing. Still his earnestness and the obvious regard he has for traditional jazz counts for something."

Allen and his band played at the Montreal International Jazz Festival on two consecutive nights in June 2008. For many years he wanted to make a film about the origins of jazz in New Orleans. Tentatively titled American Blues, the film would follow the different careers of Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet. 

https://youtu.be/P0Y730Przv0?si=wtk7c1PHpqHZKabo