Jay Douglas

 

If you have a hankering for soulful blues and big band swing, then reggae icon Jay Douglas is the perfect choice of sweet, sweet symphony with his newest single, “I’m In Love With You” – available now!

  

Following the release of a string of reggae singles, including “Stone In Love With You,” “Muschange,” and “Pattidemic,” Jay Douglas slows things down and takes a stroll down the bass line to deliver a smashing blues single – “I’m In Love With You.”

  

Jay Douglas has always had a strong connection with blues and jazz, which shows throughout this icon’s catalog. What makes “I’m In Love With You” special is its ability to transport the listener to a time when big bands were the norm and warmly embraced. Warm brass swells and slick guitar riffs draw the listener in, reminiscent of the appeal of jazz bars back in the 60s.

  

“I’m In Love With You” is brimming with rich layers of instrumentation – even on multiple listens it’s hard to narrow a definitive list. That’s always been the appeal of Jay Douglas, and he doubles down on this musical prowess here in his newest single. 

  

With guest features from Hammond organs and Leslie cabinets, they are appropriately accompanied by jazz piano movements by walking bass lines; the whole track feels cinematic in its magnitude.

  

“Many years ago, a promoter allowed me to put a band together for a famous blues singer from the USA whose name is Roscoe Gordon. His music is one of the main reasons we're enjoying Reggae music today. Working with Roscoe gave me so much inspiration for my blues recordings. “I'm in Love With You” was produced by the Maestro Eddie Bullen – lending to that blues style.”

  

Jay Douglas’ ability to connect with listeners and paint a picture with his lyrics is truly something special and always humbling. Growing up in Jamaica, Douglas was drawn to blues, jazz, gospel, country, mento, and calypso styles of music early on. He draws much of his inspiration from this love affair he has with these genres and writes music he loves that he believes will love him back. 

  

“Writing my music gives me a platform to share the truth and experience of my musical journey with others. The idea behind my music is all about the truth, and good vibrations for our souls. Just moving and grooving. The connections between me, my instruments, bandmasters, and collaborators - it's a love affair under one foundation to share with the younger generations who are the gems of the future.”

  

Jay Douglas found his introduction to the limelight in Montego Bay, Jamaica. From there, his natural charisma and irresistible charm have led to a successful and continuing 45+ year career in entertainment, through which he has developed a passion for American Blues, West Indian Rhythms, and Jazz Standards. 

  

Douglas’ tactile and impactful performances are the reason he was announced the winner of NOW Magazine’s “Toronto’s Best R&B Act” in 2006 and Toronto Reggae Awards “Male Reggae Vocalist Of The Year” in 2007. These accolades drew the attention of Seattle-based Light In The Attic, choosing Douglas as the Headliner of the “From Jamaica to Toronto” tour. 

  

More recently, Douglas was nominated for “Reggae Recording of the Year” at the 2012 JUNO Awards and was the recipient of “G98.7 FM Entertainment Award” at the Harry Jarome Awards. His most recent nomination was for his collaboration with General Trees on “Jah Children,” receiving his second JUNO nomination during 2020. 

  

Jay Douglas’ connection to his homeland has been the foundation of his career, which has led Douglas’ to form lifelong friendships and musical collaborations with many of the founding musicians of ska, rock steady, and reggae. His upcoming single teasing his new album is set to feature a collaboration with one of his old friends, the legendary guitarist Ernest Ranglin.

 

 https://linktr.ee/jaydouglasmusic

Durham County Poets

 

There’s no stopping anyone with the right attitude and some ambition and, for Canadian powerhouse blues band Durham County Poets, the drive to get “Back at the Groove Shack” after our pandemic pause is creatively evident with this, their soulful new single and album, Out of the Woods — both available now! 

  

While we all hunkered down for the long haul of COVID, DCP lead vocalist and songwriter Kevin Harvey knew that the time was right to get working on new music that could have the power to uplift and inspire just when we all perhaps need it the most. 

  

“The idea was for it to be a positive, uplifting experience for all involved — creators and listeners,” notes Harvey.

  

The result of this experience? The band’s fifth album, Out of the Woods, produced by Bill Garrett; the smooth, funky, and smile-worthy title track is the lead single that introduces the new collection in both style and substance.

 

From the one-word vocal intro of “alright”, the album’s title track, “Out of the Woods,” takes us down a path heading straight for the light at the end of the tunnel. Along the way, there’s continuous, rhythmic reassurance that everything is indeed going to be alright. 

  

“The number one inspiration for the single ‘Out of the Woods’ was my mother,” says Harvey. “She has always been a rock and the kind of mom that has the ability to set you straight! Get me off my high horse and or kick my behind if I start feeling sorry for myself, and always with love.”

  

We ain’t home yet but we’re out of the woods

Come on now, take a look at this world and start acting like we know we should

  

DCP has a lot to live up to and surpass after scoring a 2020 JUNO nomination for Best Blues Album of the Year for their fourth record, Hand Me Down Blues, and watching it stay on Roots Music Report’s Top 50 chart in Canada for more than 12 months. The album also received two Maple Blues Awards nominations and a Canadian Folk Music Awards nomination for Kevin Harvey.

  

While Harvey is the voice out front, Durham County Poets are a “band in the truest sense of the word,” they share. 

  

“Every member writes and arranges and brings something unique to the table,” says Harvey. “You’ll hear a variety of genres and a broad range of styles.” Those DCP members are David Whyte on guitar and backing vocals, Neil Elsmore on guitar and backing vocals, Carl Rufh on bass and backing vocals, and Rob Couture on drums.

  

“The guys in the band wrote songs that bolster that positive uplifting vibe, it’s peppered all over the album,” he continues. “Even when the content is somewhat sobering and can be a tad weighty, the end result is relevance and beauty, and a bit of humour never hurt nobody either.”

  

Positivity, forward-thinking, and passion are the key drivers for bandleader Kevin Harvey, who has been in a wheelchair since 1981 after what he calls a “stupid accident.“ He sees it as just one experience among many in his life and will not allow it to define or confine him. With the grace of God, the collective power of the band, and the slowly changing views of society towards the disabled, DCP has been able to realize some of the hopes and aspirations they all have as musicians. Harvey sums it up with his personal motto, “Music is a precious gift too important not to be shared.”

  

The belief in and celebration of that precious gift has been palpable when the band has fired up at key festivals such as Ottawa Blues, Rochester Jazz, Montréal Folk, Deep Roots Nova Scotia, Wintergrass Seattle, Port Credit, Ontario’s Southside Blues Shuffle, and the Pop-up “Superfolk” in Morin Heights, QC. 

  

The positive power that a DCP show can have was observed by Bill Hurley of Extended Play Sessions when he wrote, "There's something about the Durham County Poets that leaves you feeling that everything might be OK in the world after all. There's a human spirit that lives in these people and their music is the medium that allows that spirit to roam free."

 

In the coming months, the Durham County Poets will be sharing that spirit with enthralling performances increasing their usual five members to seven with a horn section. They’ll be hitting stages throughout Québec and Ontario and in the U.S. in New England and New York State in support of their fifth album Out of the Woods. Visit durhamcountypoets.com for dates.

Taming Sari

 

Canadian rock/blues band Taming Sari releases their rippin’ new song about being vulnerable in a hyper-exposed world where there are fewer places to hide with the supercharged new single, “No Shelter” — available now!

 

A hard-hitting anthem of compassion and connectedness, “No Shelter” acts as a visceral reminder to cherish the people in your life — especially during an era filled with social trauma. “Things will never be the same, but we still need that crucial support to get through life and be happy.”

   

Beyond its commentary, “No Shelter” is a blistering track that showcases the exceptional musicianship and vocal prowess of each member of Taming Sari. Listeners are treated to a sonically sophisticated song that is the culmination of Taming Sari’s pent-up creativity and energy during the pandemic; as the band says, “‘No Shelter’ is three minutes of pure mental and physical release that we all so desperately need in these times.”

   

The backdrop of the Polson Pier in downtown Toronto set the stage for the recording of “No Shelter” earlier this year in the dead of winter as light at the end of the tunnel came shining through. Drummer Adam Ouellette and bassist Alex Pellerin-Auprix provide the tight backbone of the new single, while guitarist Miguel Kingsberry-Brunette rounds out the rhythm section. The earth-shattering vocals of Warren Meredith pave the way for Taming Sari’s new lead guitarist, Joe Fraser.

   

“No Shelter” effortlessly exudes youthful energy through its meticulous guitar riffs and thunderous drums. “It's also about forming strong relationships that make us feel connected.” Anyone with a penchant for raw, melodic craftsmanship can be assured that the harmonies embedded in the music are as potent as the message. 

 

“Let's settle the score 

know who to blame 

how long can it last? 

thing's will never be the same.”

 

Hailing from across Canada, Taming Sari is a collection of eclectic artists hell-bent on refining their distinct blend of classic rock and blues. This bilingual band has been on fire since the release of their debut album, Thirsty From The Drought, in 2019. 

They have since performed during the intermission of an Ottawa Senators game, made it on the Canadian Active Rock charts, and racked up 200,000 streams and 70k listeners on Spotify with their last single alone. With a long list of recognitions and accolades, the release of their latest single ensures that Taming Sari is one of the most exciting Canadian acts today.

 

 https://www.tamingsariband.com/

Donnie Walsh

 

Donnie Walsh has experienced a lot of things in his over 53 years of playing the blues, since forming The Legendary Downchild Blues Band in 1969 with his brother, Hock Walsh. Perhaps none more rewarding than getting the call that he will be inducted into the North Bay Musicians & Entertainers Hall of Recognition on September 1, 2022, at Downchild’s performance at the Capitol Centre in North Bay as part of the Capitol Centre Bluesfest.

 "It's really exciting to be inducted to the Hall in North Bay as it's where, as a kid, I started to actually listen to music and began to play guitar” states Donnie Walsh.

 Donnie spent his formative years in North Bay, when his parents moved to the city in 1957 and bought The Lakeview Inn in West Ferris, Ontario, now part of North Bay, as it was known then. It was at the infamous Lakeview Inn where Donnie and Hock discovered music on the jukebox.  "At 11:30 every Saturday night it was closing time" says Walsh. "People would load up the jukebox throughout the night to play well past the time we shut down for the evening. Hock and I would sneak in there on Sunday mornings and plug it back in and listen to hours and hours of great music by Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bill Haley and the Comets, Louis Prima, and Keeley Smith, to name a few. It was around this time that I got a steel guitar one Christmas and quickly exchanged it for a regular guitar. Then I took guitar lessons for almost a year from local guitar legend, Russ Smith, who played guitar on a TV show with Irwin Prescott and His Mellowtones."

 He attended grade 7 and 8 at Tweedsmuir Public School in West Ferris and then spent two years at Algonquin Composite Collegiate in North Bay, before heading to Toronto in 1962. Two year later, Walsh began his journey to becoming a full-time musician, forming Downchild in 1969 with Hock, and the rest, as they say, is history.

 Downchild have long been known as the inspiration for Hollywood stars Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi’s hit film The Blues Brothers. In fact, two Downchild songs “I Got Everything I Need (Almost)” and “Shotgun Blues” are found on The Blues Brothers smash album Briefcase Full of Blues.

 Downchild has released 19 albums, including their 50^th Anniversary Live At The Toronto Jazz Festival recording (featuring special guests Dan Aykroyd, Paul Shaffer, David Wilcox, Kenny Neal, Gene Taylor and Erja Lyytinen), won 2 JUNO Awards and over 26 Maple Blues Awards.

 Donnie Walsh wrote Downchild's song “I’ve Got Everything I Need (Almost)” that was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019, where he joined some of the greatest songwriters of our time, including Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, and Leonard Cohen.

 Downchild is a Canadian blues institution with an international reputation. They have shared the stage with blues icons B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and John Lee Hooker to name a few and have performed around the world, leaving fans thoroughly entertained wherever they go. The band continues to perform regularly and are currently on The Longest 50th Anniversary Tour Ever!

 For further information on Downchild see www.downchild.com

Fresh Breath

 

Some songs become known for one standout, dramatic element – a scream, for example – and Ontario-based alt-country duo Fresh Breath’s new single “Find Your Way Home” – available now – just might be one of them. It’s bluesy, it’s catchy, it’s harmony and harmonica-infused, and it also stops the action in the middle of everything for a memorable husky, guttural YEAHHHHHHH.

From their 2021 EP, How Did I Get Here, “Find Your Way Home” explores the question of what it might have been like to have not been born human – “Sometimes I wonder/ How my life would have been/ Had my soul not been placed down here/ In this body wrapped with skin.” The song questions how it might have been to have been born a deer rather than someone who spends their day in an office, a dolphin rather than a factory worker, or even a river whose only job is to rage on. 

“I’d still help you find your/ Find your way home,” the duo concludes.

Overall, the song is about reclaiming and rediscovering one’s humanity by philosophically going outside of it for a little while. “It's a hypothetical question about having your own mind but in a different body,” Fresh Breath explain. “Perhaps a bird or dolphin. Realizing that all living things have their own unique issues and struggles and maybe it would be easier to be a bridge or a river that helps you 'Find Your Way Home.’”

Although it deals with lofty and difficult questions, “Find Your Way Home” doesn’t take itself too seriously. The earthiness of the exercise is reflected in the music video, shot exclusively on an iPhone 12 mini by the band themselves. It shows Josh and Katie Pascoe hanging out on their family farm, chillin’ in the hayloft and the old cow shed, and playing in the sunshine. When that aforementioned YEAHHHH comes, they stop to do a little bit of hair-flipping and headbanging in glorious slow motion.

At the end of the video, they even include a funny blooper. “When we did the slow-motion shot, Katie thought it would be a cool effect to toss her hat – not realizing that it would surely smack Josh directly in the face as he came back up violently fast,” the duo said. “Luckily he wasn't hurt or injured, but what we managed to grab on film was too good not to include as a blooper at the end of the video.”

It’s just one of those things that reflect the duo’s ethos. “We ultimately love to have fun, and try not to take ourselves too seriously,” they share.

 https://www.freshbreathband.com/

Nick Moss

 

 Nick Moss is an American Chicago blues and electric blues musician. He has released thirteen albums to date, all on his own label, Blue Bella Records label. He has played with Buddy Scott, Jimmy Dawkins, Jimmy Rogers and the Legendary Blues Band. More recently he has performed fronting his own group, Nick Moss and the Flip Tops until 2008 and then shortening the name in 2009 to Nick Moss Band. The music journalist Bill Dahl stated that Moss possesses "mastery of the classic Chicago sound."

Moss originally learned to play the bass guitar. He joined Buddy Scott's backing band when he was in his late teens. He played for Scott for two years. After that he played with Jimmy Dawkins. By 1993, he had joined the Legendary Blues Band and played bass on their final album, Money Talks.[3] The band's frontman, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, suggested Moss should switch to lead guitar, and he spent over two years there before they split up.

Moss moved on to play guitar in the Jimmy Rogers band for three years, before he turned to a solo career. His debut album, First Offense (re-released in 2003), billed as by Nick Moss and the Flip Tops, included a guest appearance by the harmonica player Lynwood Slim. His next albums, Got a New Plan (2001), Count Your Blessings (2003), Sadie Mae (2005) and Live at Chan's (2006), were each nominated for a W. C. Handy Award.

Nick Moss and the Flip Tops recorded two live albums at Chan's, a Rhode Island club, the second of which included the harp playing of Gerry Hundt.[4] Moss and the Flip Tops played at Memphis in May and the Ottawa Blues Festival in 2008.[5] The same year Moss produced Magic Slim's album Midnight Blues. Moss later changed the name of his group, which became the Nick Moss Band.

Moss's ninth album, Here I Am, was released on November 22, 2011. It was nominated for a Blues Music Award in 2013 in the category Rock Blues Album. His tenth album, Time Ain't Free, was released in March 2014 and was voted by the editors at Guitar World magazine as One of the Top 50 Albums of 2014.

The band released Live & Luscious on October 30, 2015. It was their 11th album released after a European tour in April that year. It featured live versions of unreleased songs that will be introduced in the following studio album. The 12th album was issued on May 20, 2016, and was a double disc studio effort, From the Root to the Fruit.

The High Cost of Low Living (2018) was a slight departure from the norm, incorporating a significant guest appearance from the harmonica player Dennis Gruenling, plus the release was via Alligator Records.

At the 40th Blues Music Awards in 2019, Moss was named 'Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year'.

His 2019 joint recording with Dennis Gruenling, Lucky Guy!, was chosen as a 'Favorite Blues Album' by AllMusic. In May 2020, the Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling won two Blues Music Awards for 'Band of the Year' and 'Traditional Blues Album of the Year' for Lucky Guy!. 

https://www.nickmossband.com/

Big Joe Williams

 

Joseph Lee Williams, billed throughout his career as Big Joe Williams, was an American Delta blues guitarist, singer and songwriter, notable for the distinctive sound of his nine-string guitar. Performing over four decades, he recorded such songs as "Baby Please Don't Go", "Crawlin' King Snake" and "Peach Orchard Mama" for a variety of record labels, including Bluebird, Delmark, Okeh, Prestige and Vocalion.

Williams was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame on October 4, 1992. 

 

Ben Harper

 

 

Grammy award-winning guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader Ben Harper enjoyed cult status on the jam band scene in the 1990s largely due to the success of his debut album, Welcome to the Cruel World, and its follow-up, Fight for Your Mind, before gaining wider attention near the decade's end. During the 21st century, he transcended the genre to become a wildly diverse performer, collaborator, and sideman who has worked with artists ranging from the Blind Boys of Alabama and Charlie Musselwhite to John Mayer. Harper drew his influences from classic singer/songwriters, blues revivalists, guitar slingers, and jam bands like Blues Traveler and Phish, which meant he was embraced by critics and college kids alike. Despite finding commercial success with the radio single "Steal My Kisses" in 2000, Harper continued to explore different (and often challenging) musical textures during the early 21st century, enjoying a solid fan base at home and a considerable amount of fame in Europe, where he was named 2003's Artist of the Year by the French branch of Rolling Stone.

A native of California, Harper grew up listening to blues, folk, soul, R&B, and reggae. He started playing guitar as a child and began to perform regularly as a preteen. During his adolescence, he focused heavily on the acoustic slide guitar, which eventually became his signature instrument. Harper scored a deal with Virgin Records in 1992 after maintaining a steady schedule of shows in the L.A. area; two years later, he released his debut album, Welcome to the Cruel World, to positive reviews. 

Released in 1995, the politically heavy Fight for Your Mind made for a strong sophomore effort, an obvious growth in musical experimentation and individual declamation. It was also the songwriter's first record to later reach gold status. Harper's third album, 1997's The Will to Live, pushed his blues-oriented alternative folk into the middle mainstream, becoming a mainstay at college radio and making inroads at adult alternative radio. Recorded over two years of touring in support of Fight for Your Mind, The Will to Live also introduced the Innocent Criminals, Harper's longstanding backup band. The Innocent Criminals -- bassist Juan Nelson, drummer Dean Butterworth, and percussionist David Leach -- helped solidify Harper's musical rhythms and emotional diversity over the years to come. 

 Harper's career gained momentum during 1998 and 1999. One of his most successful albums to date, 1999's Burn to Shine, blended his fondness of '20s jazz compositions with urban beatboxing, resulting in a clever and passionate collection of songs. "Steal My Kisses" and "Suzie Blue" were radio favorites, landing him two headlining world tours and an opening spot on the Dave Matthews Band's annual summer trek in 2000. The following spring, Harper issued Live from Mars, a double disc of live electric and acoustic material spanning the previous year's tour and including covers of material by Led Zeppelin, the Verve, and Marvin Gaye. 

 Harper dove into worldbeat on his fifth studio effort, Diamonds on the Inside, which appeared in March 2003. He toured through Europe the following year with the Blind Boys of Alabama, and the two acts entered Capitol Records' basement studios after the tour's commencement to lay down ten tracks together. The resulting collaborative album (issued under the names of both Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama), There Will Be a Light, was released in September 2004, followed by the concert CD/DVD package Live at the Apollo in 2005. 

 Eager to release more material, Harper reconvened the Innocent Criminals and issued the double album Both Sides of the Gun in March 2006. The album reached number seven on the Billboard album charts and rose to number one in Australia. While touring in support of the record, Harper and company began playing a new slew of songs during their evening soundchecks, eventually decamping to Paris and recording the new material within one week. This resulted in two records -- Lifeline and Live at Twist and Shout Records -- both of which were issued in 2007. 

For his 2009 album White Lies for Dark Times, Harper recorded with the band Relentless7, whose members had previously worked with Harper on the track "Serve Your Soul" from Both Sides of the Gun. Harper & the Relentless7 recorded Live from the Montreal International Jazz Festival in July 2009 and released the album early the following year. Afterwards, Harper began working on his first solo album in years, using Jackson Browne's basement as a recording studio and collaborating with Ringo Starr on two tracks. The album's first single, "Rock n' Roll Is Free," was released during the early spring of 2011, followed two months later by the full-length Give Till It's Gone, and in 2012 by the career retrospective By My Side. Harper then moved over to Stax and teamed with blues legend Charlie Musselwhite for 2013's collaboratively released Get Up! It won the 2014 Grammy for Best Blues Album. 

Harper went back to his roots on his next offering. He teamed with his mother, Ellen Harper, a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist in her own right, and the director of The Folk Music Center and Museum in Claremont, California -- which his grandparents founded -- for the recording Childhood Home. Ellen wrote four tunes on the set while Ben wrote six, and they performed together throughout. The album was issued by Concord in May 2014. Next, Harper reunited with his band the Innocent Criminals for 2016's Call It What It Is, the group's first studio album since 2007's Lifeline. Harper and Musselwhite announced a second collaborative album in January 2018 by issuing the title track single to No Mercy in This Land. A second single, "The Bottle Wins Again," was released in March followed by the album on the 30th. The next year saw Harper write and produce gospel legend Mavis Staples' 14th studio LP, the acclaimed We Get By, and in 2020 he released Winter Is for Lovers, an all-instrumental lap steel album. 

 https://www.benharper.com/

Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund GoFundMe Campaign

Steve Aiden just released this song to raise awareness and funds for the Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund GoFundMe Campaign. 

The donate button on Spotify takes you directly to the charity fundraiser, nothing comes to https://open.spotify.com/track/1NOD5NneJ3BaKAz2D06blQ?si=7Ks6m66KQ5CqR3FJu6nymw

I Forget Myself

 I Forget Myself is a professional recording artist with over two decades of experience: from playing in touring bands for over a decade and being signed to a major label in his native South Africa through to writing, recording, producing and mixing his own music. He has just released his fourth full-length album Sing, to commemorate a friend who passed away; collaborating with a longtime session drummer friend and mixing engineer, respectively, to produce his second 11 song Alternative Rock album of note in 2022, which is now available on all major digital distribution platforms.

 

I Forget Myself is also an active online content creator, updating his various social media channels daily. As a YouTuber, he has created a channel with over 850 hours of content, over 120 videos and receiving over 20 000 views in under two years. In addition to releasing music on his YouTube Channel he professionally reviews games and occasionally live streams to platforms such as Twitch and Steam. Most characteristic of his left-handedness, I Forget Myself furthermore is an artist who uses painting as a medium, creating and displaying original artwork and painted tabletop miniatures as well as sharing his photography throughout his travels of the world. I Forget Myself is additionally an aspiring fiction writer who is working on his first fiction novel, currently based in the Asian world city of Hong Kong. Actions most certainly speak louder than words… and there will certainly be no forgetting this memorable musician, artist and creator any time soon.

 https://www.iforgetmyself.com/

Liamkins

 

Liamkins started as the act of Yury (stage name George) Lyamkin, a Moscow based musician and songwriter. He originally formed a band called The Plane in Moscow in 2002 afterwhich NME (New Musical Express, Russian edition) released on its CD his song "One Diamond". Yury then when on to perform in trend-setting Moscow clubs and achieved more fame when Play magazine chose his song "No one can play" for its CD in 2005.

Yury then changed the name of his band to Updiverss, and recorded his first album 'I Am Happy With My Jacket' at the Woodhouse Studio (Hagen, Westfalen) with the producers Siggi Bemm and Dan Diamond.

Updiverss' songs are played by European radio stations (Krass Radio-Germany, Pulse Rated-UK, Radio Netherland, Belarus Radio Stations). Their song "Treasure" peaked at number one in the top 50 of Midnight Special Blues Radio (Paris, 2009). The band took part in many festivals, for example Linz fest (Austria, 2005) and the biggest rock-fest in Russia 'Nashestviye' (2009).

In 2010 Yury formed his current band, Liamkins which regularly performs in Moscow arenas and the internet radio Poptastic Radio.

In May 2012, Liamkins musicians teeamed up with Michael Ponkratyev (drums) and the producers, Andrey Sinyaev and Timur Dolotkazin at MMS Records to create their album "Reason Softly Speaks Or Just Make It Louder". 

 

 "Time Rules" is LIAMKINS new original album, recorded back in the fall of 2021, but the work (mixing) on which was completed by the spring of 2022.
 During this period, another LIAMKINS album "Myth Seller" was recorded and released, which was ahead of the release time of the album "Time Rules". This often happens in the practice of some musical groups.
 

The genre of the presented album is classic pop with elements of soul music and rock and roll. It included 11 songs.
Focus tracks (in the author's definition):
What She Told Me, Happiness Sleeping, Crumb, Let It Begin, Lonesome, My World.
 It does not have "samples", "feats".
Without the use of vocal tuning programs and other artificial post-production techniques.

 

https://itunes.apple.com/ru/artist/liamkins/523154270?l=en  

 

https://open.spotify.com/album/7CzSbof0GvEB7meU0RWahI

Velvet Starlings

 Velvet Starlings is a 60s infused garage rock ‘n’ roll band hailing from Los Angeles and the beach cities of Southern California. Velvet Starlings is becoming a staple in the blossoming neo psychedelic garage rock scene on the West Coast, with several tours under their belt, internationally and across the country. The band was founded by young lead singer, guitarist & organ player Christian Gisborne who is known for his dynamic live stage performance, concert attendance record and impressive Lego collection. Velvet Starlings is rounded out by brother’s drummer Foster Poling and bassist Hudson Poling.

 https://es.velvetstarlings.com/

AudioValley Changes Name To Targetspot

 

 

AudioValley Group, the Belgian company that owns the audio ad tech provider Targetspot, is changing its name to take on the branding of its largest division. AudioValley’s board has approved switching its name to Targetspot. It also plans to sell off the Winamp audio player business as part of what the company says is a “refocusing” on the digital audio monetization business, where it sees strong momentum.

“Our name change reflects our decision to accelerate growth in digital audio monetization,” said chairman and founder Alexandre Saboundjian. “Podcasts, streaming, gaming: in all of these fast-growing markets we are ready to make a difference by capitalizing on our proprietary technologies, a portfolio of massive, international audiences and the trust of leading advertisers. By bearing the Targetspot flag, we are also clarifying our positioning to our customers and shareholders.”

Targetspot makes up nearly all of AudioValley’s business – last year 92% of its revenue came from the ad tech unit. Targetspot has also been growing at a rapid pace. During the first quarter of this year its revenue jumped 34.6% following full-year 2021 results that saw Targetspot revenue grow 50% for the full year. 

AudioValley says the gains have been driven by expansion of its business in both the U.S. and Europe. It says that momentum, as well as new opportunities offered by the digital audio market, are at the heart of its refocusing decision. The company says the changes should enable it to focus more resources on developing Targetspot’s capabilities. Launched in 2007 as one of the original online audio advertising platforms, Targetspot currently works with audio publishers to provide end-to-end integration between advertisers and publishers through both direct and programmatic buying.

“The next step in this refocusing process will be the sale of our Winamp platform, a project justified by the significant investments and recruitment required for its development, which are now incompatible with our new roadmap,” said Saboundjian.

AudioValley says Winamp currently has 80 million monthly active users worldwide with a mix of podcasts, radio streams, audiobooks and other audio content. Winamp was first developed for Microsoft Windows by Nullsoft, which later sold the technology to AOL in 1999 for $80 million. AudioValley – which was then called Radionomy – bought Winamp and Shoutcast from AOL in 2014 in a deal said to have been valued in the $5 to $10 million range. It announced in 2019 that it planned to release Winamp 6 in 2019 but three years later, no update has materialized.

AudioValley’s name change to Targetspot will mean that as of today (June 24) the company will adopt a new stock symbol in Paris and Brussel where its shares trade on the Euronext Growth exchanges. It will become “ALTGS.” The company also announced it plans to release its mid-year revenue report on July 26.

 

JoyCut

 

JoyCut are Italy's underground music pioneers, stalwarts of the DIY underground music scene, who have been making mesmerising, mostly instrumental music for decades. Connecting with audiences worldwide, through live performances across three continents, 74 countries and 216 cities. The last album, ‘PiecesOfUsWereLeftOnTheGround’ took the band to new heights, with a never-ending tour of over 300 dates across North America, Asia and Europe, with the digital mantra #JoyCutNeverStops the band touched more than 60 countries, culminating in a Top 5 European Talent Exchange Programme [ETEP] position. Following a successful TEDx performance in Verona and inspired by their recent vivid travels to the East, JoyCut played a sold-out Venice Biennale show debuting their six-act “Opera” ‘K O M O R E B I’, a soundtrack tribute to Japan: a combination of their dramatic music with visual art chapters that created a world to get lost in. JoyCut have brought their haunting sonic tapestries to Robert Smith’s Meltdown Festival.

 http://www.joycut.com/

Christy

Christy is a professional studio session singer & performer from Memphis, TN. She studied Music Business at Belmont University. She loves live music of all kinds, singing with the radio at the top of her lungs with the windows rolled all the way down and real people who don't take themselves too seriously.

 https://christyhitch.hearnow.com/cant-we-be-friends

 https://dreaminoutloudent.com/home

Cass Clayton

 

 

Music fans who are missing the craft of storytelling through song have gravitated towards Cass Clayton's brutal honesty and clarity of message. "We're All Going Down" is a masterfully told story that plays with dark subject matter both lyrically and instrumentally.

The song's deep, lulling groove harkens back to Mississippi Hill Country gospel music and gradually builds to a screaming modern keys solo and belting vocals. The band's last two albums from 2018 and 2019 have yielded a mature body of work with provoking lyricism and broad influences of funk, soul, blues, and rock. Cass' nondenominational approach and velvety vocal style are held together by a distinctly lyric-centric thread. The band's 2019 album, Play Nice, was #1 in the U.S. on the National R&B Chart for 11 weeks in 2019/20 (Roots Music Report).

 “In ‘We’re All Going Down’ I’m broaching a tough subject, and I have some concerns about the backlash. I don’t ever write something to be controversial, but it seems like I find interest in things that we’re not supposed to talk about. I wanted to write a song about false authority, because it’s a huge issue in the world. I have this huge part of me that won’t go along with the status quo, so this is close to home for me. But the song is also about taking a hard look at our own dark side and not hiding from it."

“I grew up going to my grandma’s Baptist church every week, but my dad would have nothing to do with it. It was a hellfire and brimstone kind of message each week, and Dad was a partier and exactly what the church preached against. But ironically, even though he was an alcoholic, he’s still one of the most ethical people I’ve ever met and has a huge, loving heart. The judgment the church dished out has always been under my skin, so this song got it out once and for all!"

Cass is currently based in Denver, Colorado and tours regionally and nationally. In preparation for the release of a third full-length album, CCB is sharing it's newest single, "We're All Going Down."

 

https://independentmusicpromotionsinc.haulix.com/Media/View/104527 

Jimbo's Garage

 

Jimbo's Garage is a band that combines the hookiest elements of modern heavy rock and traditional hard rock. And now they are releasing their debut album.

 

The band's main architect is the drummer Jimbo Mäkeläinen, former sticksman of Ironcross and Lordi. Vocalists on the album are Taage Laiho (Kilpi, Altaria, Mad Hatter's Den), Peter James Goodman (Conquest, Metal Gods, STUD..) and Maya Liittokivi (Deathlike Silence). Guitars are played by Kari Riihimäki and bass by Jari Riitala.

 

The band's music is an interesting combination of modern heavy metal and traditional hard rock.

 

 https://jimbosgarage.net/

Gerard Bierman

Gerard Bierman, from today on the radio. Listen to JAM 66 Radio on this blog on the radio links on the right column or download the apps.

Info about Gerard on https://www.facebook.com/Fanpage.Gerard.BIerman

Blackfields

 Blackfields (Country Rebels)'s repertoire mainly consists of country songs by Chris Stapleton, Johnny Cash, Tyler Childers, Etta James, the Judds & Loretta Lynn, among others. The band members know each other from their circle of friends and last year decided to make music together. It has since grown into a close-knit club. They take pride in what they do and hope to continue doing so for many years to come! They also started writing their own songs and came into contact with John and Nienke from Neo Music. A warm contact has arisen with these 2 and they are now considered good friends. John and Nienke, together with Blackfields, have developed their first song into a full production. They are also on their way to a full album. Kelly, Rick, Tienus and Marcel (Blackfields) are a striking company, on their way to more! Listen to their debut single “Dissappointed”.

 From today Saturday you can enjoy them on the radio.

Mandy Storm

 

 

Here is Mandy Storm with her third single ‘Run' The 35-year-old Mandy Storm has been working on music for as long as she can remember. In elementary school she didn't skip a talent show or musical and loved it to be in the spotlight. Music was also an important thing in high school, she completed her final exam in music with a 9. She gained experience in singing with guest appearances with J&J two men Company. She took a number of singing lessons at Marion van Iwaarden. Solo she works on her own music and lyrics. 

About 7 years ago Mandy Storm started writing her own lyrics. After writing a lyric, she picks up her ukulele to make a melody. Her head is turning wild with lots of creative ideas. All her lyrics are based on events from her own life. You could say Mandy is giving you a peek into her diary. This also applies to this song Run. It is about having the strength to come out of a period of darkness. Never give up is her motto, and she wants to encourage people who are having bad times, to listen to your inner voice and knowing that after bad times, there will come good times. Mandy really likes music from the '50s, '60s and '70s. You can also hear that in her own music. She likes to put some old sounds in new music. She hopes that people will enjoy listening her new single. One thing is very clear, this song will not be the last one that we hear from her!

 

 https://www.facebook.com/mandystormmusicpage