Suffolk 'n' Cool

SnC 174 - Wed 01 July 2009

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 21:03:00 GMT

Another fine collection of tunes ancient and mostly modern. This week in they've come in from Florida, France, California, Utah and Baden-WÃrttemberg, Germany starting with the Canadians this week and a finely crafted hooky pop track just right for the northern hemisphere summer.
I'm in Ibiza to visit my daughter Jessie this week some of the buildings in the old part of Ibiza Town (photo) are stunning and beautifully lit.

Clever - Whale Tooth (Toronto, Canada)
Whale Tooth are Elise LeGrow (vocals), Norman Maschke (guitar/vocals), Alex Denike (guitar/vocals), Michael McCreary (bass/vocals) and Sep Noroozi (drums) came together in the winter of 2007.
A fine live performance on their MySpace illustrates their energy, well-crafted pop songs and attention to detail. Perhaps Elsie's jazz background lends her vocals an awareness of the musicians around her but together they create a tight, interweaving sound rather than just playing along with each other.
A string of dates next week around Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI, playing venues including Babas, Whipper Snapper Gallery and Foggy Goggle!
www.myspace.com/whaletooth

Colin's heartfelt rant on the kerfuffle about M. Jackson all over the media, on last week's Ourobouros Podcast #106 www.ourobouros.co.uk.

When I die - Geri X (St Petersburg, Florida)
I played 3,000 lines of Defense a couple of weeks ago. This week it is a song that for me has echoes of Peter Gabriel and perhaps a little of the vocal strength of Mel C. When I die is a song that deserves repeated listens, it is a real grower. You can have it now by clicking on the download link to IODA.
Geri X.
"When I Die" (mp3)
from "Anthems of a Mended Heart"
(24 Hour Service Station)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album
www.gerixmusic.com/
www.myspace.com/gerix

A Bre Ludo - Les InÃdits Tziganes (France)
The place where Balkan gypsy and rock 'n' roll meet. Great music and I just love the babelfish translation from the notes on their page at Jamendo:

"Between tradition and modernity, these six troublemakers made the choice of the interbreeding, opening the borders in turn with softness grÃe with the flÃte, the oboe, l'accordion, sometimes with violence by the distortion of the electric guitar and the impulses of the duet low - battery but always in a spirit impresses popular holidays."

OK, it is fast at translating. It is also pretty crap but sometimes deliciously wacky!
http://itzi.free.fr
www.jamendo.com/en/album/27880

Blues Oval - AjT (Bordeaux, France)
Blues Oval has been on the PMN since October 07 when I last played a track from AjT who describes himself as a French geek, Apple lover, Serial blogger and podcaster living near Bordeaux. His music seems incidental but is rather fine, nevertheless. His site is more about Apple computers than music so just enjoy the track.
www.pommehappy.com/

Podsafe Music Network (now renamed as Music Alley from Mevio).
I get the feeling that although the PMN was a central part of what Adam Curry (former MTV presenter) and Ron Bloom (record producer) were doing with their startup company Podshow in the early days of podcasting, the focus has shifted almost entirely to the business of being a general popular media corporation. Shame, but perhaps inevitable.
Of course I may be quite wrong. If so, let me know by leaving a comment at the bottom of the notes for this show.

Profiticus Prolificus-3rd Movement: Dub Interlude - Cirque du Soul (CA)
From the EP Nautical Bean Tapes.
Cirque du Soul are five members from Ike Turner's band. Between tours with the Father of Rock & Roll, drummer Bill Ray procured a weekly gig at the soon-to-be famous Nautical Bean Coffee Company located in a picturesque setting at the harbor in Oceanside, Ca. Feeling the need for creative release, the goal was simple - come to the gig with no ideas in your head, no preconceptions of what would transpire. No predetermined arrangements of classic songs; a blank slate if you will. Some interesting 100% improvised tracks were captured.
Have a delve around on Billy Ray's site (hint, check "past bands").
www.billraydrums.com

Old Love - Kimo Watanabe (Utah, USA)
Rootsy. Raw. Soulful. Kimo has been playing the music that he loves at venues all over Utah and Hawai'i since 1999. He has played at numerous festivals and events in and around the Salt Lake Valley, and his music has been heard around the world on various podcasts and independent music shows.
Kimo Watanabe is a very old friend of Suffolk'n'Cool who I was delighted to hear from this week.
He tells us has a new Roots Reggae getting underway word of which seems to be spreading and some very talented folks want to get involved. The plan was just to recrord an album but it seems that live shows may be a possibility. It was one of Kimo's earlier reggae tunes (Pauoa Valley) that initially caught my ear. The Ukulele really seems to lend itself to reggae. Perhaps it is the percussive sound and lack of sustain that gives it the bite it needs. Whatever, I love it.
www.myspace.com/kimowatanabe

Outlaw - Schizoid Club (London, UK)
I played Mission Man a couple of weeks ago and thought you might like an extra taste of Matt's fine music. Some lovely sutry vocals towards the end.
Schizoid Club
"Outlaw" (mp3)
from "Schizoid Club"
(Per Capita Records)
Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album
www.myspace.com/schizoidclub

Tribalism - Sapiens fx (Karlsruhe, Baden-WÃrttemberg, Germany)
Well, by the time you hear this I'll be in Ibiza so this is just a little warm up prior to Pacha with Jessie. Guaranteed fun!
From the album Tronikum one of seven on Jamendo.
www.myspace.com/lowerinstinct
www.jamendo.com/en/album/46921

Ibiza webcam shows the sunset over the sea. The canopies on the corner of the street are Savannah within the same row of bars are Mambo and Cafe del Mar. Sun is currently setting at around 1930 GMT
http://tinyurl.com/ko5qxb

Back in a few days - catch you next week.

SnC 173 - Wed 24 June 2009

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:12:00 GMT

Music from the US, UK, Canada and Taiwan this week.
Just putting the show notes together and checking the recording I'm very conscious of the birds outside and the young pigeons who are nesting and tap-dancing in the space in the roof of the barn that was supposed to be reserved for barn owls.
I've been up to Norfolk today to visit my dad and thought the Canadians might like a picture of Captain Vancouver who was raised in my birth-town (King's Lynn). Even if you are not Canadian, you are still allowed to like it!

U Suck Noodles - Variety Workshop (Oldsmar, Florida, USA)
Oldsmar's Variety Workshop have an eclectic sound that's not quite jam, not quite reggae, not quite ska -- but it's definitely a whole lotta fun.
Bassist Ryan Reilly, singer Evan Brenner, guitarist Robbie Pereira and drummer Brad Whitsett are skate fiends who have produced videos and even have their own art and video production company.
In January, the band released their debut self-titled CD, which Brenner says "was the culmination of close to two years of dedication and devotion creating music that not only is diverse, but still has an element of mass appeal."
www.myspace.com/varietyworkshop

Blacksmith's Dance - Eastern Block / Goran Ivanovic Group (Illinois, USA)
EASTERN BLOK features classical guitar virtuoso GORAN IVANOVIC, joined by DOUG ROSENBERG on woodwinds, MATTHEW ULERY on upright bass, and MICHAEL CASKEY on percussion.âThe band was originally dubbed Goran Ivanovic Group by founding members Ivanovic and Rosenberg. They teamed up with Ulery and Caskey in 2004. After successfully packing venues throughout the country and honing their musical direction, the band released their self-titled debut album in 2005. The Goran Ivanovic Group record met with critical acclaim, combining traditional folk music from the Balkans along with Latin, flamenco and klezmer elements, European classical influences and American jazz. The track Blacksmith's Dance was selected out of thousands of submissions as one of three finalists in the 2005 John Lennon Songwriting Competition.
www.easternblok.net

Near my ear - Swimming in Speakers (New York, USA)
From their ïrst meeting in October 2008, multi-instrumentalist Chris Clarke and lead vocalist Meadow Eliz knew they wanted to write music together. The snowy, subzero climate of Saranac Lake, New York, lent itself well to winter days spent creating and recording in ChrisÊs home studio, where they crafted the "Swimming in Speakers" demo armed with a Casio, a laptop and a hodge-podge of analog equipment. Jo Sorrell (cello) and Justin Grizzofï (percussion and guitars) add nuance to the tracks, and local NPR station NCPR granted access to their brand new studio for additional recording and mixing.
Swimming in Speakers, the eponymous E.P. is the pair's ïrst collection of demo recordings. From the smoothly burbling synth pop of In Knowing (played a couple of weeks ago) to the slippery delicacy of Near My Ear and the lilting twists and turns of Nevergreen, Swimming In Speakers' sound deïes easy categorization.
www.myspace.com/swimminginspeakers

Undecided - MoShang (Taiwan)
MoShang is a sound jeweller who blends downtempo electronica with Chinese instruments and sounds from the streets of Taiwan.
Made in Taiwan (2004)
Chill Dynasty (2006)
Asian Variations (2007)
Undecided is taken from his 2008 EP Stone Bell
http://moshang.net/

Friday Evening - The Big George Jackson Band
I played a George Jackson tune (The Daddy) on SnC 015. Then I discovered that I'd already played this track almost exactly three years ago.
The band recorded the album in their own homemade studio. It's straight hard-core blues, reminiscent to the raw, biting blues of the fifties. The band sounds tighter than ever before. No wonder that George feels so at home with his friends. His singing is relaxed but intense. I believe you will agree... this man definitely has got Southern in his soul! He does not only write great songs, but has got a unique voice and knows to tell a story... something that's getting rare these days.
George is on the Black and Tan label based in the Netherlands.
www.black-and-tan.com/

Fannie Mae by Grandpa Elliot now on Playing for Change
The latest release from the Playing for Change project. Wonderful voice and harmonica from Grandpa Elliot in Jackson Square, New Orleans.

Ethel's Cats - musicians from Pig Dyke Molly (Cambridgeshire, UK)
Molly dancing is from the Cambridgeshire Fens - last recorded in 1934 at Little Downham, near Ely. It was about entertainment in an area and at a time which saw little of it. It was about a challenge to the 'normal' rules: the Molly is a man dancing in women's clothes (in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, London had its "Molly houses" where homosexual men met to drink, dance (!), flirt, dress as women and... enjoy themselves). It happened in midwinter - especially Plough Monday (see the Whittlesey Straw Bear for a revived similar celebration).
It was a "cadging" custom, to extract money, or a drink. Its dancers wore disguise such as painted faces, goggles, animal heads.
It lay almost forgotten for sixty years... then there was Pig Dyke Molly (named after a drainage ditch) which has been performing since the early 1990s. Their aim is to take the essence of Molly, shake it by the scruff of its neck, and present it in a way that entertains 21st century audiences.
The story goes that there was a lady called Ethel who lived in Ramsey Heights, in the Fens between Peterborough and Huntingdon. Ethel was very fond of cats, as you'd have to be if you had 543 of them.
Unfortunately, Ethel wasn't very rich. In fact she was so poor that eventually she couldn't afford to feed the cats. So the cats got hungrier and hungrier, and one day they got so hungry that they ate Ethel.
And to this day, if children in Ramsey Heights and nearby villages aren't perfectly behaved, they are sometimes warned that "Ethel's cats are hungry..."
www.pigdyke.co.uk

Standing in my way - Warren Charles (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
Warren Charles is brothers W. Peter Jacobson & C. Lucas Jacobson
Their blurb says:

"Warren Charles is a duo of quirky singer songwriters that share (and sometimes fight over) the spotlight. While they typically perform with just piano, guitar, and vocals, they can also play shows as a full band with drums and bass. Whatever the lineup, Warren Charles is perfect for the collegiate crowd who sees intellectualizing over music as a welcome form of procrastination."

Standing in my way is from the latest album, delightfully titled When Chandeliers Sway (2009) which is available on CDBaby and iTunes.
4 Jul 2009 16:00 Venice Beach 4th of July Extravaganza, Venice, California
www.warrencharles.com
www.myspace.com/warrencharles

Saalam (Club Mix) - EMAR (Ontario, Canada)
EMAR (pron. Ehm-Ahr) is an international world music artist. Born in the Balkans and raised in Canada, EMAR's multicultural influences inspire her to sing and record in several languages including Serbian, Hindi, Persian, Arabic and Church Slavonic. Her debut album Sacred Soul is available from iTunes, CD Baby and selected stores throughout Canada and the US.
www.emarmusic.com/
www.myspace.com/emarmusic

SnC 172 - Wed 17 June 2009

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:10:00 GMT

There was a spectacular light show last night outside the barn. After heavy rain from dark clouds the setting sun shot its light across the landscape from a very low angle and so created a spectacular rainbow again a dark sky, highlighting the poplar trees in the meadow. Wow! Sometimes it feels quite unreal living here. And, before you ask, no retouching, digital enhancing or other flim-flammery was used on the photo. That's exactly how it looked from the barn door. Honest!

Rebecca - ist (Leicester, UK)
This time around I'm a bit better informed. Kenton sent me the album Toothpick Bridge, to be released in August.
The band are:
Kenton Hall - Guitars, Hammond, Vocals;
John McCourt - Bass, Vocals, Mandolin, Ukulele;
Flash - Drums, Percussion, Loops;
Brett Richardson - Guitars, Bassoon, Vocals and String Arrangements.
Nice that their MySpace credits the musicians on the Toothpick Bridge album.
You'll find the band at
www.istianity.co.uk
www.myspace.com/ist

Myspace lay off 30% of staff (400 people). It sounds a lot but as a source close to the company said yesterday "If you can't run that site with 750 people, you don't now how to run a business."
http://tinyurl.com/ll58wr

Look for Me - Dudley Saunders (W. Hollywood, CA, USA)
Like k.d. lang and Laurie Anderson, singer/songwriter Dudley Saunders began his music career first as a critically-acclaimed "transgressive" performance artist - only to find the experimental folk music he wrote for his pieces take over his career. ââDescribed by critics as "surreal, modern folk tales," Dudley's performance pieces were a fixture on New York's East Village scene in the late '80s and 90s. But as he began to merge the Appalachian music of his native Kentucky with the post-modern art-rock and jazz he heard at New York"s Knitting Factory, he began to draw an entirely new audience who convinced him to pour all his surreal images into the songs.
Look for me is from the album Emergency Lane.
www.dudleysaunders.com
www.MySpace.com/DudleySaunders

AMPed this week it's Rowley from Dark Compass with an interesting selection of tunes. Next week Colin from Ourobouros. Subscribe at: http://musicpodcasting.org

Love is a Mantra Remix - Astronauts of Antiquity (New York, NY, USA)
Astronauts of Antiquity = your mystery date. They entice you to leave behind limited conceptions of self and music. AoA invite you to celebrate life in a deeper sense. Everything else can wait.
Revel in the AoA sound and relish a pot of funky-luscious neo-soul. Add a pinch of Indian/ Brazilian spice. Toss & serve over a warm bed of jazzy, eclectic pop...and the girl.
"Their vision is to offer up the ancient on a modern platter of undeniable tunes, catchy yet subtle like the muse. "Inventive electro lounge... mesmerizing songcraft!" (The Independent - Chapel Hill)
www.astronautsofantiquity.com/
www.myspace.com/astronautsofantiquity

Raindrops - Duane Andrews (Newfoundland, Canada)
Heavily influenced by the brilliance of early twentieth century French Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, Duane Andrews' unique blend of jazz and traditional Newfoundland folk music is consistently recognized by both industry and fans with awards and accolades.
www.duaneandrews.ca/
www.myspace.com/duaneandrews
http://cdbaby.com/cd/duaneandrews2

Never end up like this - Fresh Body Shop (Nante, France)
From the album The Ugly Army on Jamendo where you can download it free or do the decent thing and buy it for $10. Not so much an ethical dilemma as a question of conscience. There is another way: make a donation.
Pedro (voice, guitar, piano, prod)â
Oli (Live Bass, Synth)
âFyjen (Live Drums)â
Albums: Orgamilk (2006), âMake This End (2007)â and Tasteless (2007)â
Video of "Words Of Happiness" (solo acoustic)
The artist page on Jamendo is at: www.jamendo.com/en/artist/freshbodyshop
www.myspace.com/133439871
www.last.fm/music/Fresh+Body+Shop

Brigitte Bardot - Lola Dutronic (Berlin, Germany and Toronto, Canada)
A French Pop/Electronica duo, who sing really interesting material in both French & English.
LOLA DEE - Voice, RICHARD CITROEN - Music
Brigitte Bardot is from the new 3rd album, LOLA DUTRONIC IN BERLIN recorded over a 3 week period in an abandoned Berlin apartment, and mixed in Toronto. it also features the legendary Mike Garson (of David Bowie's Aladdin Sane fame) on piano.
"We divide our time between Berlin and Toronto. We've put out three albums so far: The World Of Lola Dutronic, the Grammy Award nominated The Love Parade and our newest album, Lola Dutronic In Berlin. We've also appeared on several compilation albums and repackages in Asia and Europe.
Available on iTunes and on CDBaby at
http://cdbaby.com/cd/ldutronic
www.myspace.com/loladutronic

Sonar 2009 - Barcelona's international festival of advanced music and multimedia art
18.19.20 June
Sonar, one of the largest and most diverse music and digital art festivals in the world, is held in the heart of Barcelona for three days in June. More than 80,000 people enjoy a musical line-up that includes many of the best artists in electronic music.
http://2009.sonar.es/en

(Lord It's Hard To Be Happy, When You Aren't Using) The Metric System (feat. Worm Quartet) - MC Lars (San Francisco, CA, USA)
The MC Lars experiment began on his parent's couch, where at an early age he performed groundbreaking songs about not wanting to clean up his room. He was experimenting with tape recorders and computers by the time he hit the fifth grade, but it wasn't until the ripe old age of fifteen that he found Beck and discovered the concept of home-recording beats and music together. This led to a dark period, otherwise known as the Insane Clown Posse Evil/Scary Phase ("Trust me, it wasn't pretty"), of which Lars will deny everything. Soon after, he began performing regularly at hometown open mic nights, ultimately pulling together a style that was inexplicably all his own. As his home recordings developed, he took on the name MC Lars Horris - eventually dropping the Horris because "people often thought it was Lars Whores, which is terrible."
www.mclars.com
www.myspace.com/mclars
MC Lars
"(Lord It's Hard To Be Happy, When You Aren't Using) The Metric System (feat. Worm Quartet)" (mp3)
from "Up End Atom"
(Hartless Hind Records)
Stream from Rhapsody
Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

Blindside - Johnny Neel (Nashville?)
From the album Saddle Up & Ride (truckers Tracks vol 1) which Co-producer Doug Jones kindly sent me.
An interesting approach with a really solid backing band on all the tracks and different taking lead parts on each track. For instance Johnny Neel took the vocals on that track and plays B3 on all tracks.
Doug shares harmonica and guitar duties. A set up as though they all got together and jammed in the studio but the production suggests that it was a lot more carefully done than that. I"m surprised at how impressed I am. I'd never have said that I was a fan of trucker"s music but having listede=ned through these CDs, I'm close to becoming a convert. Not that I"m going to rush to the local truckstop and buy all the cheep trash on a whim, but I thank Doug for opening my ears to another genre.
There will be more tracks in coming weeks - there are some particularly fine blues sounds on these albums.
You can stream the albums or buy from CD Baby.
www.truckerstracks.com

SnC 171 - Wed 10 June 2009

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:07:00 GMT

Delighted to report that I'm back down off the roof. No, I wasn't expecting to take the trip up their either but magpies have been nesting in the main chimney stack and one of the fledglings fell down the chimney a couple of weeks ago which entailed dismantling the woodburner to release it. They've fledged now so it is a good time to clamber up there, stand on tip-toes on the ridge and see what needs to be done before they start on a second brood. I couldn't resist the photo opportunity. Sorry about the camera shake - you should have seen my knees.

Take you home - Final Thought (Barrie, ON, Canada)
Barrie, Ontario melodic pop rock foursome Final Thought released their new EP, Take This Home, (iTunes) in January and have been steadily gigging around central Ontario ever since. Their jaw dropping live incarnation has made many a fan for the young up and coming outfit. This June they will bring their live sets to more stages -including a special charity night the band will be hosting in Barrie at the Royal Canadian Legion. June 20th, Spend an Evening with Final Thought - will be an acoustic night and all profits will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.
They are currently strolling through the Montreal and Trois Rivieres areas.
www.finalthoughtband.com
www.myspace.com/finalthoughtfinalthought

Rohypnol - Trolley (Halifax, UK)
From the album Very Plath.
The album description reads:

So, this would be the 3rd of the 3 Trolley albums. This is the one where it all came together quite nicely, and is still one I'm rather proud of. (Despite it's rather sketchy opener "Affluenza" - Why do I never manage to do satisfactory opening tracks? Too much enthusiasm to get going, perhaps).
My personal faves on "Very Plath" are "Holy Mother Hindlay" which is built on a simple ominous loop which builds and builds throughout the main body of the song, before switching tack and coming to quite an anthemic close). "Song 7" which has a slightly caribean feel to it but manages to take a trip through about another 5 genres before it finishes, without sounding too forced or pretentious, and "Sisters At The Wheel", an industrial dance affair with a huge heart and sing song chorus.
"Very Plath" as a whole does what "Pedigree Joey" did in its finer moments and manages to condense them into more manageable 4 minute chunks - Without the schizophrenia, but with all the adventure left intact. It took me a long time to do this one, but I enjoyed every minute."

www.myspace.com/theremedialset
www.jamendo.com/en/album/29603

Levi Blues - Dala (Toronto, Canada)
Amanda Walther and Sheila Carabine of Dala (the duo's name was formed by combining the two last letters of each artist's name) have come a long way in a short time. The two best friends, who met in their high school music class and wrote their first song together in 2002, have since performed at Toronto's legendary Massey Hall a total of six times. Darlings of the Canadian music scene, Dala are now poised to bring their fresh brand of acoustic pop music to the world.
Dala's last two albums , 2006's Angels and Thieves and 2007's Who Do You Think You Are earned them a total of four Canadian Folk Music Award nominations.
Dala's new album Everyone Is Someone is slated for release yesterday on June 9th. It is a wonderful journey for the listener, bringing together all the elements that set this talented duo apart. The first single, Levi Blues is a delightful throwback to the songs of the 50's and early 60's.F rom the very first line, "I've been waiting for a guy like you; you've been waiting to be my guy too", fans will be hooked.
www.dalagirls.com/
www.myspace.com/dalagirls

A mone Nyina - Abakuya (Paris, France)
The musical project Abakuya was born with the meeting of two musicians, Jimi Sofo (Australia) and FranÃois Essindi (Cameroon), and too k place in 2006 thanks to an exchange travel organized by the Akiba Association in Cameroon. Other musicians came in turn and decided to travel together: thus, Abakuya is a journeyâ.
www.myspace.com/abakuya
www.jamendo.com/en/album/30682

In Knowing - Swimming in Speakers (New York, USA)
Picked up on this via a tweet from Sarah Morrison (@SarahCM) this morning. It being #faibw (Follow An Indie Band Wednesday).
From their ïrst meeting in October 2008, multi-instrumentalist Chris Clarke and lead vocalist Meadow Eliz knew they wanted to write music together. The snowy, subzero climate of Saranac Lake, New York, lent itself well to winter days spent creating and recording in Chris's home studio, where they crafted the Swimming in Speakers demo armed with a Casio, a laptop and a hodge-podge of analog equipment. Jo Sorrell (cello) and Justin Grizzofï (percussion and guitars) add nuance to the tracks, and local NPR station NCPR granted access to their brand new studio for additional recording and mixing.
Swimming in Speakers, the eponymous E.P. is the pair's ïrst collection of demo recordings. From the smoothly burbling synth pop of In Knowing to the slippery delicacy of Near My Ear and the lilting twists and turns of Nevergreen, Swimming In Speakers' sound deïes easy categorization.
www.myspace.com/swimminginspeakers

Mission Man - Schitzoid Club (UK)
Schizoid Club from the UK is really putting together some interesting funk/hop-hop influences together with some downtempo/breakbeat mixtures with their debut self-titled release. Sophia Lolley on vocals and Jazz T producing some fine scratchy noises ... Mission Man certainly has some strong echoes of early James Bond and the like.
Matney - Guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, decks, vibes, programming, engineering mixing and production. Joe Carballo, ears and tea and interruptions for positive words.
Schizoid Club
"Mission Man" (mp3)
from "Schizoid Club"
(Per Capita Records)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

www.myspace.com/schizoidclub

Minoushe - Vagabond Opera (Portland, Oregon USA)
The curtain parts: steampunked Absinthe-era vestments, thirteen languages, an operatic encounter that puts its green-backed silver dollar where its mouth isâsquare in the center of a ringing high C that beckons the zeitgeist in a juicy song. The words go like this: Opera's no longer stuffy and elite; it"s for you and it brims and burns with new life, a gypsy bouillabaisse brewed of Balkan, Jazz, bohemian cabaret, Arabic maquam, vital and reinvigorating, marking uncharted territory. It's a new world opera, a global one. The curtain closes. Encores. Room keys thrown on to the stage. Opera reinvented.
The band's line-up features trained operatic tenor and soprano vocals, accordion, tenor saxophone, cello, violin, musical saw, banjo-lele, stand-up bass and drums.
www.vagabondopera.com
www.myspace.com/vagabondopera

Do Wah Di Di (Youth remix) - The Dirty Strangers (London, UK)
The West London suburb, postcode West 12, begins where the M40 haunches and flies into the capital on an elevated stretch called the Westway. From there it spreads south and east to its snootier neighbours in Chiswick and Notting Hill. The borough is home to the BBC, HMP Wormwood Scrubs, Queens Park Rangers FC, the Dark Compass podcast and (as alleged by themselves) the greatest little rock"n'roll band in the world.
The Dirty Strangers are:
Alan Clayton: Guitar & Vocals
John Proctor: Bass Guitar
George Butler: Drums
Scottie Mulvey: Piano Accordian
By one of those quirks of fate a bunch of guests have been jamming with the core band for over 20 years. The new album W12 to Wittering also features Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and a fine musician who I now recall I once did a UK tour with, Joe Brown.
Keith plays piano on 5 tracks and on All Away is joined by the legendary Joe Brown playing banjo. Ronnie Wood's slide guitar is on two tracks, South Of The River & Gold Cortina. Joe Brown's son Pete produced the album except for Real Botticelli (co-written by Keith as was Bad Girls) which was produced by former Damned founder member, Brian James.
As Kris Needs wrote in Record Collector, "Though the group have some handy mates, it"s their unpretentious zest, veteran chops and ability to plug into rock'n'roll's primal essence which makes them so refreshingly uplifting in these clogged up times."
Take a listen to more tracks on the band's MySpace
www.myspace.com/dirtystrangersw12

SnC 170 - Wed 03 June 2009

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 00:44:00 GMT

We had summer in the UK over the past week. Perfect for a visit to the circus. Well, not just the circus but the Insect Circus, hugely entertaining if a little frightening for some of the children in the audience. It's OK you're grown up so I'm sure you will enjoy it. Take a look at the site - the movies are great. www.insectcircus.co.uk

Music this week from Missouri, New York, Old Yorkshire (UK), Sardinia, Cambridge and California.

Oxygen - Living Things (St Louie the heart of America, Missouri, USA)
Habeas Corpus was released earlier this year and has garnered substantial critical acclaim in the media. Alternative Press exclaimed "âthe danceable beats and grungy atmosphere make Corpus the ideal soundtrack for debauchery in the face of economic depression," while Rolling Stone calls lead singer Lillian Berlin "one of hard rock's more compelling politicos," and USA Today gave the album 3 out of 4 stars.
Produced by Michael Ilbert and Living Things, Habeas Corpus was recorded in Berlin, Germany at Hansa Studios where the band was in residence for nine months, overlooking the remnants of the Berlin Wall.
Living Things will continue touring throughout 2009 and will play a high-profile slot at Lollapalooza 2009 in Chicago's Grant Park on August 8th.
Living Things are Lillian and his brothers Eve and Bosh Berlin on bass and drums respectively, plus guitarist Cory Becker, a longtime friend from their hometown, St. Louis, MO.
Continuing to support their latest album Habeas Corpus, Living Things will hit the road for the Nylon Summer Music Tour 2009. The 18-city trek kicks off June 5th in Seattle at El Corozon. Co-headlining the tour will be Patrick Wolf, Plasticines and Jaguar Love.
JUNE 5 - El Corazon, Seattle, WA
JUNE 6 - Richards on Richards, Vancouver, BC
JUNE 8 - Slims, San Francisco, CA
JUNE 9 - The Roxy, Los Angeles, CA
JUNE 12 - The Oriental Theater, Denver, CO
JUNE 14 - Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis, MN
JUNE 15 - The Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL
JUNE 17 - Mod Club, Toronto, ON
JUNE 19 - Traif Music Hall, Buffalo, NY
JUNE 20 - North Star, Philadelphia, PA
JUNE 21 - The Middle East, Cambridge, MA
JUNE 23 - Highline Ballroom, New York, NY
JUNE 24 - Rock & Roll Hotel, Washington, DC
JUNE 26 - Cats Cradle, Chapel Hill, NC
JUNE 27 - The Loft, Atlanta, GA
JUNE 30 - Granada Theater, Dallas, TX
JULY 1 - Antone's, Austin, TX
www.livingthingsmusic.com/
www.nylonmag.com/?section=article&parid=3013
www.myspace.com/livingthings

Sugar Coat Me - Lucy Bonilla (Bellerose Manor, New York, USA)
Lucy sent me this track during the week. (see also SnC 163).
She recently completed her third release at The Clubhouse in Rhinebeck, NY, under the expert guidance of producer Jim Weider (The Band, Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, Los Lobos). She also welcomed the creative writing talents of Dean Batstone, Jerry Lynn Williams (Eric Clapton) and Jim Weider (www.jimweider.com) to pen various tracks. The title track, Rolling Higher, combines Lucy's feisty vocals with slick guitar licks that hearken to blues greats of yesteryear. The album also includes a re-recording of the first and only song Lucy ever wrote on piano, "Lonely Goes".
www.LucyBonilla.com

Keep on Running
Damian Lewis-narrated documentary telling the colourful story of Island Records, the Jamaican-founded record label built by maverick boss Chris Blackwell which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2009.
The film features a rare, in-depth interview with Blackwell alongside contributions from former Island artists Grace Jones, Toots Hibbert, Amy Winehouse, Sly and Robbie, PJ Harvey, U2, Brian Eno, Spencer Davis, Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens, the B52s, Kid Creole, Greg Lake, Ian Anderson, Trevor Horn, Paul Weller, Richard Thompson and Keane.
News archive and rare performance footage are used to tell the story of the label - its part in bringing reggae music into the world; its expansion into progressive rock in the late 1960s; the rise of Bob Marley into a global star; and the label's reputation for consistently signing, producing and championing innovative acts from the UK and all over the world.
Broadcasts:
Fri 5 Jun 2009 at 21:00 on BBC Four
Sat 6 Jun 2009 at 00:30 on BBC Four
Sat 6 Jun 2009 at 22:35 on BBC Four
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kvd38

Over and out - Hollands (NYC, NY,USA)
Hollands is multi-instrumentalist John-Paul Norpoth and violinist Jannina Barefield. Together, they formed in February 2008 in Washington Heights, New York. Norpoth, formerly the co-lead of NYC-based Butane Variations, is the son of a classical flautist while Barefield is the daughter of Detroit based avant-garde jazz guitarist Spencer Barefield. Together, they combine fuzzy Flaming Lips guitars with Martin-esque orchestral arrangements and traditional folk nods to the Paul Simon's and the Grateful Dead's of years past.
06/21 - Brooklyn, NY @ Cameo Art Gallery w/ In Cadeo at 8pm
07/09 - New York, NY @ Fontana's w/ In Cadeo at 12am
07/11 - Brooklyn, NY @ Lovin" Cup at 10pm
07/25 - Rochester, NY @ Boulder Festival 2009 at 8pm
08/01 - Brooklyn, NY @ Public Assembly at 6pm
www.myspace.com/hollandsss
www.hollandsss.com

Dennis Wynes re: Amazing Radio
www.amazingradio.co.uk/
- playing music only from unsigned bands. Interesting development but on DAB digital radio. It would be interesting to know how the business model might work.

Montezuma - Bert Jerred (Oswego, USA)
Based in New York State way up on the southern shore of Lake Ontario.
This is real is taken from his newest album Ransom. A quite remarkable album which reminds me a little of Dudley Saunders' vocal tone and of some of Springsteen's more authentic moments except that here we have 16 tracks of gut-wrenching reality.
The album and a load more is available through Jamendo.
www.myspace.com/bertjerred
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/bert_jerred

Partly in response to articles in wired.com ( http://3.ly/Wk ) lots of discussion (specifically at Creative Deconstruction) and buzz on Twitter about the demise of CDs and the resurgence of vinyl. I don't really get it. What do you feel?
Why is either better than downloads? If you are downloading and buying physical copies, what sorts of features make you consider buying the record or CD?
Drop me a line at peter@suffolkandcool.com and let's air a few views about what's preferred and why.

Sisters at the Wheel - Trolley (Halifax, UK)
From the album Very Plath. One of quite a few that you can download direct from the Jemndo site quite legally and free.

"Sisters At The Wheel (is) an industrial dance affair with a huge heart and sing song chorus.
Very Plath as a whole does what Pedigree Joey did in its finer moments and manages to condense them into more manageable 4 minute chunks - without the schizophrenia, but with all the adventure left intact. It took me a long time to do this one, but I enjoyed every minute."

One review on Jamendo describes the album as

"Utterly bonkers, yet possibly genius. Quite unlike anything else yr likely to hear anytime soon - Takes in every type of genre and throws them into a big melting pot, a bit of a headfuck, but entertaining as hell."

www.myspace.com/theremedialset

Malloreddus Western - Sardinia Bass Legalize (Sardinia) AQB
A second track from the excellent album Visions Of My Land released May 2008 through the A Quiet Bump net label, based in Sardinia.

"Sardinia Bass Legalize project started in July 2006 after a period of collaborations between King Kietu and Sensitivedub.
Dr Boost from 'Big Island Family' was the vocalist of the 'Tostoine Dub System' project together with King Kietu, from 1999 to 2005. 'Sardinia Bass Legalize' began as an evolution to the 'Tostoine' project..
This is a second chapter by Sardinia Bass Legalize for the Aqbmp label. Comprising seven visions of the Meditrarranean island of Sardinia, by King Kietu and Sensitive Dub with Dr. Boost vocal featuring on Barricada."

If you want to hear more, I played a couple of tracks on SnC 158 in February.
www.aquietbump.com

The Clarendon Road - John Meed (Cambridge, UK)
CD launch party last Saturday. A very hot, intimate and social affair at CB2 in Cambridge, from which everyone emerged as good friends. A cracking show from singer-songwriter John Meed and his "big band". The CD When the music ends is available from his site.
www.johnmeed.net

Get Wanted next Wednesday 10th - The First playing along with The Worldonfire, The Debut and Fighting Fiction.
www.myspace.com/getwanted

Dreaming of you - War Tapes (LA, CA, USA)
"We call it heart-quaking doom pop," says Neil Popkin of the sound of War Tapes' first full length album, for Seattle based indie label Sarathan Records.
The Continental Divide CD release party was at the Ãber-hipster Club Moscow in Hollywood a week or so ago.
The foursome includes Neil Popkin (singer/rhythm guitarist, from Boston), his sister Becca Popkin (bassist, also from Boston), Matt Bennett (lead guitar, from Hawaii) and William Mohler (drummer, from SoCal).
From the very first time Neil, Matt, Becca and William played on stage together in 2006, they have been perfecting the kind of musical explosion you'd expect from a high-end pyrotechnics lab--or Matt's volcanic island home of Hawaii. Such mountainous fireworks require elemental alchemy, and each member provides distinct color and flash. Bassist Becca is a classically-trained pianist and guitarist (but had never played bass before joining War Tapes). William is a jazz-educated bassist and guitarist (but had never played drums in a band before). Matt has roots in the fertile soil of shoegaze and punk guitar styles. Neil evolved his voice and aggressive stage style from his post-punk influences. And Becca notes that, though collectively they play one style of music, they all "love so many different genres of music that the combination is what makes our sound so unique.â
The band will be touring heavily in coming weeks around the USA and Canada. Check their site for details. You can also download this track from their site.
http://wartapesband.com

SnC 169 - Wed 27 May 2009

Wed, 27 May 2009 23:33:00 GMT

A mixed bag of styles this week from New York, New Jersey, Berlin, Jamaica, Colombia, France and Leicester, here in the UK.
I experimented with a video tweet from Tweetie at the end of the show. You may well find it at: http://yfrog.us/13gewz if you really want to. I don't know how long it will be there though.

Remington Steele - ist (Leicester, UK)
From the album Toothpick Bridge. I know I should know more but I've had this track haunting my desktop for weeks and I've forgotten how it got to me but perhaps the fact that I'm following @kerntonist on Twitter says something! Doh.
The band are:
Kenton Hall - Guitars, Hammond, Vocals;
John McCourt - Bass, Vocals, Mandolin, Ukulele;
Flash - Drums, Percussion, Loops;
Brett Richardson - Guitars, Bassoon, Vocals and String Arrangements.
Nice that their MySpace credits the musicians on the Toothpick Bridge album:
You'll find the band at
www.istianity.co.uk

There is a 30 minute interview with my former boss at Island Records, Chris Blackwell on BBC Radio 4 - available as listen again for a few more days only at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qsq5
or go to www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 and search for Front Row for 25 May 09.

Island Records is celebrating 50 years since CB founded it. He sold his share a few years ago but we've a track from his current venture Palm Pictures later in this show.

When I Am A Horse Again - Jessie Murphy - In The Woods (NY, NY, USA)
The band consists of Marcia Webb (flute, pan pipes, and clarinet, Wurlitzer electric piano, and vocals), Amy Corso (horn, flute, vocals, percussion), and Jessie Murphy (lead vocals, acoustic guitar). All three are accomplished musicians in their own right but together they create a unique brand of soulful songs. There's an infectious joy in Jessie Murphy In The Woods' new album, Eight Belles, that sweeps the listener in its wake. By turns ethereal, mystical, spiritual and haunting, the New York City based trio plays with a sense of wonder and discovery that makes them one of 2009's singular new acts to watch.
www.jessiemurphyinthewoods.com/
www.myspace.com/jessiemurphyinthewoods

Kastanien - Leermond (Berlin, Germany)
From the album Castanea - the first Leermond album since a long period of musical abstinence.
Four pieces of electronic music anywhere between cheerfully and melancholic, Schiller and RÃyksopp, ambient and dancefloor, avantgarde and pop.
Actually it's an E.P. but it's an important milestone on the way to a whole album in the future.
http://leermond.jamendo.net/
www.jamendo.com/en/album/45921

Satta Massasanna (feat. Monty Alexander) - Ernie Ranglin (Jamaica)
Ernest "Pops" Ranglin is an internationally known jazz guitarist from Jamaica. He is a huge influential figure in Jamaican Music history and the father of Jamaican jazz guitar.
Recently he was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in recognition of his unique contribution to the islands musical history. This once in a lifetime live in the studio event was put together to commemorate his achievements and features an all star line up of guest musicians including Monty Alexander, Phil Chen, Richard Bailey, Alana Davis, Jeff Lorber, Laurence Juber, Robbie Krieger (Doors), Elliott Easton (Cars), Adrian Young (No Doubt), Elan Atias and others.
Ernie Ranglin
"Satta Massaganna (feat.Monty Alexander)" (mp3)
from "Order of Distinction"
(Milk River Music)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Erk's roadtrip around the states - updates on Twitter where he is erkpod

Do it out of love - Chrissy Coughlin (NY, NY, USA)
Played Big Log a few weeks ago. From her Look Ahead album.
Chrissy's seasoned voice coupled with her warm personality are an unstoppable combination.
2008 was been a good year for this New York City based singer-songwriter. The winter was full of excitement moving to and 'officially' becoming a 'New Yorker', the spring delight of releasing her new CD, Look Ahead, and the summer and fall have been chock full of performances to support her new release.
Chrissy was interviewed by my AMP colleague Erk on ERK Pod show 198 find it at www.erkfm.com/
www.chrissymusic.com
www.myspace.com/chrissycoughlin

Get Wanted have a job going with a great advert on their blog which you'll find linked from their main MySpace at: www.myspace.com/getwanted

You let me down - Ramblin' Dawgs (E. Brunswick, NJ, USA)
From the album Rockin Blues
The Ramblin Dawgs are an energetic rock driven modern blues powerhouse. If Celine Dion is not your style and you prefer powerful guitar driven rock and blues, their CD should be in your music catalogue.
The Ramblin Dawgs formed in late 2007, making waves throughout their local New York / New Jersey communities with energetic rock driven modern blues performances. Driven by Carlos "C-Dawgâ DC's soulful vocals and tasteful guitar playing, Raul DC"s thunderous drumming, Rick Frank's screaming Hammond organ, and Jonas Landau"s rock solid grooves on bass, the buzz continued in 2008 as the band performed relentlessly.
www.ramblindawgs.com/
www.myspace.com/ramblindawgs
http://cdbaby.com/cd/ramblindawgs

La Paloma (12" mix) - Sidestepper (Bogota, Colombia)
Usually there are just two places you can go to hear a five-hour, slammin' DJ set of Afro-Colombian electronic-meets-roots dance music: Bogota and London. And in both cases the outfit behind the sound system is Sidestepper. Though they"ve made waves worldwide with past recordings, The Buena Vibra Sound System is the first album to capture the vibe of their dance club lineup in all its variety.
It may be hard to imagine that a British DJ/musician could get so immersed in the politics of race in a South American country, but that is exactly what happened to Sidestepper founder Richard Blair. It all started when Blair stumbled across a recording session of Afro-Colombian matriarch TotÃ La Momposina while he was working as an engineer at Peter Gabriel's Real World studios. "It sounded like Jamaican music, but deeper and more mystical," says Blair. "There were African drums, but not really. The whole thing took my head off."
A previously unreleased track from The Buena Vibra Sound System album on the Palm Pictures label.
www.palmpictures.com
Sidestepper
"La Paloma" (mp3)
from "The Buena Vibra Sound System"
(Palm Pictures)
Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

Luna luna - Les InÃdits Tziganes (France)
Quand la musique tzigane et le rock se rencontrent, Les InÃdits Tziganes s'en amusent. Ils vous invitent Ã un diaporama sonore festif et Ãnergique qui vous mÃnera au coeur des Balkans, guidÃs par la voix d'une chanteuse d'exception qui vous contera dans leurs langues d'origines les histoires passÃes de ces peuples lointains. Entre tradition et modernitÃ, ces six trublions ont fait le choix du mÃtissage, ouvrant les frontiÃres tour Ã tour avec douceur grÃe Ã la flÃte, au hautbois, Ã l'accordÃon, parfois avec violence par la distorsion de la guitare Ãlectrique et les pulsions du duo basse - batterie mais toujours dans un esprit empreint de fÃtes populaires.
On Jamendo at:
www.jamendo.com/en/album/27880
http://itzi.free.fr/

SnC 168 - Wed 20 May 2009

Wed, 20 May 2009 22:13:00 GMT

A right old mix of tuneage this week with couple of blues tracks, dub de France, straight on rock from New Jersey and the original Cambridge and Norfolk here in the UK, Zydeco from Louisiana, African sounds from northwest London and a little treat for you from Mexico.
Joey Nightmare (photo by JC) showed their commitment as well as their technical skills in London.

You beautiful thing you - Kimon & the Prophets (Newark, NJ, USA)
From the album Roadhouse Party.
Veteran musicians who have long since paid their dues in the NYC club circuit and beyond, the members of the Prophets have been in numerous bands with national releases. Early on Kimon survived a long stint as guitarist and co-writer with an over-the-top, edgy NYC garage band called The Wilsons, later joining Hoboken NJ favorites Fear of Falling as guitarist where he met drummer Rob Savoy.
There they gained much experience in making albums and performing via touring in Europe and the U.S. They both went on to form the electronic rock group Psonica with bassist Pete Diaz, signing with the now defunct Navarre Entertainment. They released their national debut effort, but disbanded soon after due to internal disagreements, at which point, Kimon went on in the following five years to release four critically acclaimed solo albums, methodically cultivating his own brand of protest rock. Most of the material featured Rob Savoy on drums.
In February of 2008 Kimon and Rob were joined by long time friend and musical conspirator Marc Gambino on bass and vocals. Marc enjoyed much European success as a member of the rock band Concrete Jungle and later a six year stint with Asbury Park favorites Maybe Pete. The trio emerged as Kimon & the Prophets. Enjoyable video.
www.kimon.tv
www.myspace.com/kimonk

From Geek.com - Study: pirates are the music industry's largest source of legitimate customers (April 2009)

According to a study conducted by the BI Norwegian School of Management, those who have used peer-to-peer applications, such as BitTorrent, to pirate music are ten times more likely to purchase songs online than those who haven"t used file-sharing applications.
The study polled 1,901 applicants between the ages of 15 and 20. Of this demographic, those who had downloaded music illegally had also paid for legal downloads an average of 75 times; compared with 7 times for those who hadn't engaged in piracy.
This echoes results published by the Canadian Record Industry Association during 2006.
Source http://tinyurl.com/d596hb

Zubremiska - Sirdeck VS Volfoniq (France)
On the Cristaux Liquident netlabel www.lescristauxliquident.org/ where all the music is under creative commons.
Volfoniq is a French electro-dub band, melting reggae and other world music with electronics to create its very own interpretation of Dub. Respecting the roots of Jamaican music, Volfoniq features driving skanks with built-in low-fi and "electronic" moods, always keeping the focus on the heart of dub: bass!
The band is composed by PakuPaku (programming, mixing & effects, melodica), incorporating guests on some occasions.
Some live shows featuring Volfoniq:
23 May Volfoniq + Volatil @ Keep on Dub - Saint Izaire (FR-12)
+ Deapoh & MC Cessman (UK), Waddadda (D)
05 June Volfoniq @ Bergen reggae festival - Bergen (NOR).
+ Zion train (UK), Solo Banton (UK), Mikey Murka (UK), Deadly Huntah (UK), Disrupt & Rootah (D), MC SoomT (UK), Channel One soundsystem feat. Mikey Dread & Ras Kayleb, ...
Download the album at:
http://pakupaku.celeonet.fr/joomla/content/view/28/59/
www.lescristauxliquident.org/

Lead me on - Kelly Joe Phelps (Oregon, USA)
Kelly Joe Phelps is a musician and songwriter from Oregon State who is well-known as one of the best living "bluesman" and lapslide guitar players.
From the album Lead me on (street release on April 15) although the digital version has been available for a month or so. Actually, I think it is a re-release of quite an old album.
"Hundreds of gigs and bloodied fingers led up to his first recording for Burnside Records, an independent label based in Portland, Oregon. 'Lead Me On' was released in June 1994, representing a recording session that was to set up the Kelly Joe Phelps standard for recording practice: "close your eyes and play".
Download the track free here:
Kelly Joe Phelps, Kelly Joe Phelps
"Lead Me On" (mp3)
from "Lead Me On"
(Burnside Records)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

Kimbala - Jose Konda (London)
From the new album Bolingo Na Yo Nkolo on Jamendo. Jose Konda is based in the northwest outskirts of London.
Jamendo album page: www.jamendo.com/en/album/45520
"It has been out there for a good while and I have made a few TV appearance with OBE TV." You can see a few video-clips of these songs on:
www.youtube.com/user/josekonda
palmwine-production.vndv.com/

A good time at Get Wanted last Wednesday. I particularly enjoyed the excirtem,ent and passion with which Joey Nightmare conducted their set. They were first on but turned it on and really got the place going. I'm convinced that some bass players are directed descended from the octopus. Joshua is a prime example and along with Benjamin on drums provided loads of interest, light and shade any yet also a rock solid foundation for all the fancy guitar work by Joeseth and Alexander. The instruments were complementing Tiff's vocals rather then just playing along with the songs. Great set.
www.myspace.com/joeynightmare
Thanks to Kiera and Magda for putting the shows on and creating such a buzz. I'm sorry that I had to leave early to get the train back to Suffolk so Jessie and I missed the headline act of the night The Alexandria Quartet. Although I did hear their drums for days afterwards!
myspace.com/getwanted

Loud bands in small venues - what's the answer?

Lily Allen Keys - The First (Norfolk / Cambridgeshire, UK)
Matt Smith - Vocals
Tim Crane - Guitar/Vocals
Trev Smith - Bass/Vocals
Rob Knight - Drums/Vocals
Ben Knowles - Guitar
The First are a melodic rock band from Cambridgeshire. Completing the lineup during the summer of 2006, the band started working towards the release of their first EP, Straight Through Til Morning. The EP proves the bands ability to blend driving rock sound-scapes with catchy pop melodies, a unique sound that has lead them to support bands such as Wheatus, Gallows, Brigade, Bring Me The Horizon, Bloodhound Gang and Furthest Drive Home, to name but a few, The First are a band that's happy tearing up the stage with indie shoegazers to metalcore screamophiles and every guitar genre in-between.
March 23rd 2009 saw the release of Land & Sea on Lockjaw Records. The bands second EP brings a more hardcore edge to their signature sound. More solos, more riffs and bigger production!
Playing:
21 May The Man On The Moon. Cambridge
Then Get Wanted ( www.myspace.com/getwanted ) on 10 June and into the summer:
24 Jul The Royal Oak, Ipswich
25 Jul Mattishall Annual Beer Festival! Mattishall (Norwich/Dereham)
30 Jul B2. Norwich
8 Aug Fordham Festival, Newmarket
30 Aug SnettFest '09 Snettisham (Norfolk Coast)
www.myspace.com/thefirst

Mi Teniente - Rogelio Gutierrez (Mexico?)
No information available. If you have anything please let me know, it's peter [at] suffolkandcool.com
Rogelio Gutierrez
"Mi Teniente" (mp3)
from "Polkas Famosas 18 Exitos"
(Modiner)
Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

Bad Seed - Kat Danser (Edmonton, Canada)
From Kat's superb 2007 album Somethin' Familiar.
Her 'Swamp Blues' style is steeped in early roots and blues traditions and delivered by her deep, resonant vocals and the soulful sound of her Weissenborn lap slide guitar. Much like a long stretching railroad track, Danser draws a direct line from the Canadian prairie to the Mississippi Delta. She is one part backwoods juke joint, one part plow puller and two parts dusty ol' canvas tent revival. Kat Danser delivers a refreshing approach to roots, blues, and gospel music for the 21st Century.
A multi-instrumentalist, Danser plays the Weissenborn Hawaiian lap slide guitar, a vintage acoustic Gibson, National steel resophonic slide guitar, a tack head banjo and the Zydeco scrub-board.
Danser is currently in production of her third full-length acoustic roots and blues album, is filming a documentary entitled Women in Blues: Turn the Page and is an Ethnomusicology graduate student at the University of Alberta.
You can download that track and order the CDs from Kat's site.
Win a signed copy of the Somethin' Familiar album
After/for which Memphis blues woman is Kat's Minstrel Minnie guitar/bango named? Send me the answer by email to: peter[at]suffolkandcool.com.
Hint: You'll find the answer on Kat's main site.
www.katdanser.com
www.myspace.com/katdanser

Ninth Place - Buckwheat Zydeco (Louisiana, USA)
From Lay your burden down, recorded in Maurice, Lousiana.
The most adventurous release ever by an American music icon. Buckwheat is famous for fusing zydeco"s rhythmic energy to rock, R&B and funk. With guest appearances by Sonny Landreth, Warren Haynes, JJ Grey and Trombone Shorty.
Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural started his career as an R&B organist, and then spent two years with accordionist Clifton Chenier before forming Buckwheat Zydeco in 1979. Besides learning zydeco from Chenier, its universally acknowledged king, Dural also absorbed his mentor's maxim that music with real substance must be based on real-life experience: "I like to hear something with ideas," Chenier once told this writer. "See, a lot of young people don't understand that, they cut a record but they don't tell a story -- and you know why? They ain't got no story to tell, 'cause they ain't been through nothin'."
Buckwheat Zydeco
"Ninth Place" (mp3)
from "Lay Your Burden Down"
(Alligator Records)
More On This Album

SnC 167 - Wed 13 May 2009

Wed, 13 May 2009 08:56:00 GMT

Some excellent new music again this week, mostly from the USA and the UK with a timely intervention from Jamaica.
The show was recorded a few hours early this week as I'm off to London to see Jessie before she heads off to Ibiza and we'll almost certainly check out the Get Wanted night at Mother Bar in Shoreditch, London this evening. I'll report back next week.
Despite this morning's grey sky it still feels good to look out into the treetops from the barn window.

X-Offender - Liquor Box (Encino, CA, USA)
What happens when a group of musically trained Southern California, self-confessed brats, get together to blast out big guitar driven rock? Hmmmâ fun? Yes. Volume? Yes. Energy? Yes. Intensity? Yes. Irreverence? You bet.
They sounded great and started playing parties to make extra money. A girl named Mary saw many shows and it turned out she was a classically trained pianist and sometime singer. She was invited to play and has participated on and off ever since.
In 2008 they decided to make a record, scraped up the money themselves, and went into Electropolis Studios in North Hollywood California to knock it out. The result is Guilty Treasures, which accurately captures the whole point of the band and the record, that is: great songs, pure fun to play and listen to, with style, wit, and power, by musicians who can really play.
They"'re still playing clubs and shows whenever possible, still in various bands, and who knows what will happen with Guilty Treasures, but for now, they're just playing hard and having fun.
Ty Webb: Lead Vocals, Guitars
Morgan Stanley: Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Mary Lynch: Keyboards, Vocals
Guy Gadois: Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Dick Standen: Bass Guitar
www.quasimusic.vpweb.com

Ballad of a boy racer - Catgut (Guildford, UK)
Always good news when a new Catgut release becomes available.
Catgut is Owen Davey, a 22 year old Englishman. Described by Time Out magazine as a bedroom producer of "stunningly croaky low-fi tunes", he has written and recorded seven albums over the past five years. I"ve been playing him since the early days of Suffolk'n'Cool 3 years ago.
Ballad of a boy racer is from his new EP Loop Nostalgia. Catgut is currently working with musicians Martin Ormand and Greg Snowdon in creating a live alternative to his online output.
That should be really interesting.
www.littlecatgut.com
www.myspace.com/catgutmusic

Blind to You - Scott Brunger (Maidstone, UK)

"I'm trying to be a folk songwriter, my lyrics are blunt and to the point and I try to display as much emotion in my songs as possible. I write about my life."

Scott Brunger - Acoustic Guitar/Vocals
Jay Brunger - Bass and Backing Vocals
Paul Jobson - Drums
Tony Brunger - Lead Guitar and Backing Vocals.
www.scottbrunger.com
www.myspace.com/scottbrunger

3,000 Lines of Defense - Geri X (St Petersburg, FL, USA)
Bulgarian-born Florida resident, Geri X, is classically trained on piano & guitar. Her writing, equal parts pleasure and pain, is as riveting & haunting as it is emotional & uplifting. Timeless & contemporary, her eclectic American post-folk sounds like it learned about love and heartbreak somewhere unfathomably older than here. For fans of Jeff Buckley, Fiona Apple, KT Tunstall, Leonard Cohen, Kate Bush, Brandi Carlile, Johnny Cash. This is the first track is from her album Anthems of a Mended Heart on the 24 hour petrol station label.
A fantastic song that highlights everything that is so great about her voice, music, song writing, and orchestration (2 guitars and a drum). It is some sort of anti war song, but it may be about relationships too. Hard to tell. But there is this vaguely Baltic guitar rhythm that runs straight through and a mandolin-like sound that flutters around in counterpoint to her alternating firm and wandering voice. Beautifully evocative and powerful.
www.GeriXMusic.com
www.myspace.com/gerix

Geri X, Geri X
"3,000 Lines of Defense" (mp3)
from "Anthems of a Mended Heart - LIMITED"
(24 Hour Service Station)

Stream from Rhapsody
Buy at mTraks
Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

Don't call her baby - Kitten Cake (London, UK)
Kitten Cake formed in November 2008 when James Stone (Bass), James Persaud (Lead Guitar) and Guy Cullen (Drums) decided that a reinvention of their band, Bowling Green Heroes, was neeeded. Candice Joyce (Vocals & Guitar) was drafted in, and Kitten Cake was born (or placed in the oven at Gas Mark 5 for 25 minutes). Kitten Cake have a distinctive bluesy indie sound: Stone and Joyce write the recipes, Persaud adds more than just a dash of deliciousness while Guy provides the banging great taste that is Kitten Cake.
Join the Kitten Cake Facebook Group for updates and notifications of upcoming gigs.
www.myspace.com/kittencakeband

Museum of Modern Art have a great ad. Thake a look.
www.moma.org/explore/multimedia/videos/37

This is real - Bert Jerred (Oswego, USA)
Based in New York State way up on the southern shore of Lake Ontario.
This is real is taken from his newest album Ransom. A quite remarkable album which reminds me a little of Dudley Saunders' vocal tone and of some of Springsteen's more authentic moments except that here we have 16 tracks of gut wrenching reality.
The album and a load more is available through Jamendo.
www.myspace.com/bertjerred
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/bert_jerred

Galis Caliba - Cashbook Clique (Portland, Jamaica)
From the album Ghetto Genesis Vol 2 from Street Dream records.
Street Dream Records was born on December 10th 2008. This record label was the brainchild of Dwayne Valentine an avid lover of reggae and hip Hop Music. Along with partners Andrew "Binlawâ Suckragh and Ricardo "Scaf B.K.A. Scaffleâ White the signature sound for the label (a perfect blend of Hip Hop and Dancehall Reggae) was created. It certainly is an interesting blend.
The first release for the label "Ghetto Genesisâ which is being distributed on CD Baby.com comprises songs relating to love, heartbreak, social commentary and the signature track for the album, which is viewed by the three as the "Anthemâ aptly titled "Dreaming" (The Street Dream Anthem.)
www.myspace.com/cashbook
http://cdbaby.com/cd/streetdreaming

To hell with love - Di Anne Price & her Boyfriends (Memphis, TN, USA)
From her album The Best Price on the Locobop label.
Memphis pianist-vocalist Di Anne Price channels the spirit of classic blues divas Ida Cox, Alberta Hunter, Stippie Wallace, and Memphis Minnie. Di Anne"s stride piano balances jazz with ragtime and blues in a way that's so old-fashioned it's refreshingly new. Close your eyes, and it's like stumbling into a 1940s barrelhouse. Di Anne"s approach to music is shared with "Her Boyfriends" - drummer Tom Lonardo, saxophonist Jim Spake, and bassist Tim Goodwin. "Playing with them makes my back tingle. It's like making love," Di Anne says.

Di Anne Price
"To Hell with Love" (mp3)
from "The Best Price"
(LocoBop)

Buy at LocoBop Digital Music Lab
More On This Album

SnC 166 - Wed 06 May 2009

Wed, 6 May 2009 22:03:00 GMT

A great mix of music this week from Wales, Italy, France, Israel, England, Philadelphia, Zimbabwe, Toronto and Bergen in Norway.
Quite a mix of styles and a feature on an amazing collaboration project.

Despite cold winds over the past week or so, one of the wild ducks was spotted on the top pond with her brood of nine chicks (right) ... and I thought musicians were difficult to manage!

Drop it doe eyes - Los Campesinos! (Cardiff, UK)
From their album Hold on now youngster.
It has indeed, been a while since we had Los Camps on Suffolk'n'Cool, they have been in Venezuela recently.
www.loscampesinos.com
www.myspace.com/loscampesinos

Gravity - Jambassa (Irpino, Italy)
From the EP The roots and the flowers (released Feb 29)
The deepest roots of black music inspire and hold the electronic essence of Papa Lele and Gamino.
This release explores the musical background of the irpinia crew confirming once again their unmistakable style. Recorded at Q-zone studio in Monteforte Irpino.
6 tracks from the same element: the earth!
Available on the A Quiet Bump net label - waiting for you to download.

"Two platinums vinyls, a mixer, a microphone, the EPS and Atari, the whole coupled with effects a such digital delay generated the bases of the exploration of Dub-Roots made in Irpinia. The first Dub tests under the name of Jambassa take life in the year 2000. Since then research of the ideal "flowâ never stopped, as well through the scenic experiments into live, year studio with a work of production where still while passing by collaborations with musical groups, crew and artists of various musical horizons . Jambassa proposes a dj-set dub roots between the analogical one and digital, while dubbant into live the selections of their clean production accompanied by a skilful dj to the microphone, which makes it possible their live to be a true performance shared with a conquered public."

Got all that?
www.aquietbump.com/jambassa.html
www.myspace.com/jambassa

Playing for Change
Playing for change is a multi-media movement established by Mark Johnson, as he says, "it was born out of the idea that we have to inspire each other to come together as a human race and that music is the best way to do this."
The result of four years of travelling and recording is a remarkable series of films which bring the separate performances together into beautiful virtual collaborations. The video completes the illusion that the artists were all playing together. The effect is captivating and inspiring. I'd have every one of them on the show!
Marley's "One love" features, amongst others:

Roberto Luti (Livorno, Italy) vintage National steel guitar
Menyatso Nathole and Vusi Mahlasela (Mamelodi, South Africa)
Surendra Shrestha and
Tal Ben Ari "Tula", (Tel Aviv, Israel and Barcelona)

Manu Chao (Barcelona, Spain)
Junior Kissangwa Mbouta (Kinshasa, Congo)
Rajhesh Vaidhja (Chennai, India)
Washboard Chaz (New Orleans, USA) among many others.

It has to be seen - here's the link:
www.playingforchange.com/episodes/3/One_Love
CD/DVD available now. Two formats are available:
$13.98 + shipping for CD/DVD
$8.98 + shipping for MP3 CD
mp3 downloads are currently only for sale to customers in North America (USA and Canada) at this time.
www.playingforchange.com

Icons among us (last week's feature)
Comment from director Michael Rivoria and the Icons among us production team:

Peter, thank you for featuring "Icons Among Us" in your show!! I just listened to it and it was really great. I thought the commentary was right on the mark. This doc really was created to show just how much the music has progressed as well as evolved. You really picked up on that. The word "jazz" no longer has to equate to being complex , boring or even historical. This generation of players listen to all sorts of different genres, from rock to hip-hop, etc.. which is influencing the sound and rhythm of the music. Thanks again. Love listening to your show ! ~ M. Rivoira and the Icons team

www.iconsamongus.com

That feeling - Triplexity (Israel and France)
From their 2008 album Live in Triplex City available on Jamendo and as a great quality FLAC version in return for a donation on their site.
Three musicians from three different countries making music together without ever having met: such a story could only happen on Jamendo. And it's the story of Triplexity.
SaReGaMa and Nikila were two Jamendo users exchanging good reviews about their music. Not just out of politeness, but because each one really appreciated the other's work. And then one day of 2007, after SaReGaMa asked Nikila to send him the separate tracks of a composition of hers he really liked so he could remix it, their first collaboration was born, "Morning", followed by a full album, âNot Too Far. This would lay the foundation of what would become the sound of Triplexity: smooth, introspective and mostly instrumental electronica.
And when SaReGaMa wanted to do something "more world music-influenced, more organic", he turned to another Jamendo musician, Hamel1, who plays sax, clarinet and guitar. From this new three-way collaboration came out the track Three 4 Ten. "This was a milestone for Triplexity", says SaReGaMa.
The fact that SaReGaMa lives in the woods of Mount Carmel (Israel), that Nikila is a Belgian citizen currently based in France, that Hamelin lives near Narbonne (South of France), and that the three of them have so far never had an occasion to meet physically was no obstacle. "The way Triplexity works is radically different from the 'rehearsal/concert" model, and that's a really interesting experience, explains Hamelin. I often compare it to studio work, only deferred."
So, will the members of Triplexity meet one day? Maybe even play a gig? There are no such plans so far, but who knows. "I hope to meet my fellow musicians one day, perhaps for a beer, says Hamelin. The idea of making Triplexity a live band is still far-fetched, but nothing is impossible!"
http://triplexity.blogspot.com/
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/Triplexity

She sells sea shells - Joey Nightmare (Chichester, UK)
The first of two tracks by artists playing next week at the Get Wanted show at 333 Mother Bar in London"s fashionable Shoreditch.
"Hailing from Chichester, the band combine Minus The Bear-style technicality with catchy-as-hell saccharine dance-pop. We've got high hopes forthe live show these guys (and girl) can pull off, they're amazing!" - New Slang, Banquet Records
For my money it is beautifully constructed, intelligent pop with enough light and shade and rhythm changes to keep me interested and wanting more.
Let the band know what you think - they really do want to hear.
www.myspace.com/joeynightmare

Spiders - Officer Roseland (Philadelphia, USA)
With the music industry undergoing a drastic facelift, Officer Roseland continues to look for new and innovative ways to reach listeners tired of stale formula and slick mass-production. Aside from employing an arsenal of guerrilla promotional techniques in support of Stimulus Package, their concept album with a distinctly satirical edge, skewering the crass commercialism of the recording industryâand of American society at largeâwith the warped sense of humour that has become the band's signature.
On top of that, the energy, close harmonies and some great rich voices combine to create a sound which is at once classic and yet really refreshing. Clever how they do that!
The band also offers a regular podcast, "Roll Call", available through iTunes, and live concert feeds on their website,
www.officerroseland.com

Mudzimu Ndiringe - Hallalujah Chicken Run Band (Zimbabwe)
Analog Africa is a new series from Alula Records featuring rare legendary recordings from seminal bands that formed the explosive Zimbabwean music scene in the 1970s.
"The Lion of Zimbabwe", Thomas Mapfumo, is Zimbabwe's biggest star, one of the most legendary and best-selling African artists of all time.
In 1973, Mapfumo helped form the Hallelujah Chicken Run Band and, for the first time, began to shift his music away from Western-influenced rock and explore the traditional music of his Shona people, transcribing the scale of the traditional instrument mbira (or thumb piano) to guitar with his guitarist Joshua Dube
The HCR Band was one of the first to develop the staccato style of guitar for which Zimbabwe is known today, and was also one of the first modern groups to sing in the traditional Shona language - a major act of liberation and an act of protest against the Rhodesian government.
This compilation presents 18 of the Hallelujah Chicken Run Band"s biggest and most influential hits, recorded from 1974-1979 and all painstakingly remastered.
Hallelujah Chicken Run Band
"Mudzimu Ndiringe" (mp3)
from "Take One"
(Alula Records)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

Brand New - Emilie Mover (Toronto/New York)
Emilie Mover was conceived in Miami Beach, Florida at the Paradise Beach Hotel. She was born in Montreal on a snowy November evening. She grew up in Toronto and spent some time in New York City where she began singing jazz with her father, saxophonist Bob Mover. She later moved back to Toronto, where she began to play guitar and write songs soon after. She began playing them for an audience at age 20 at the Tranzac Club in Toronto and has been doing so ever since.
Apparently the writers of Grey's Anatomy have a bit of a thing for Emilie, as this is her second song to get featured within an episode of the show this season. For those who can't get enough of Emilie, be on the lookout for yet another song of hers to be in an upcoming episode of CBS's Ghost Whisperer which airs Friday nights at 8.
16 May 2009 rockwood music hall New York, New York
19 May 2009 The Living Room new york, New York
Available on CD Baby and iTunes linked from her site and MySpace.
www.emiliemover.com
www.myspace.com/emiliemover

Dark side of the blues - Alexandria Quartet (Bergen, Norway)
Topping the bill at Get Wanted next Wednesday (they also played the very first Get Wanted night back in November last year.
Based in Bergen, Norway's main student city and the country's unofficial pop epicentre, the Quartet have been holed up in studios and rehearsal rooms for the last 18 months polishing their album.
Martin SkÃlnes - vox, git, keys
Ãystein Braut - guitars
Kim Ãge Furuhaug - drums
Chris Holm - bass
www.thealexandriaquartet.com

SnC 165 - Wed 29 Apr 2009

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:17:00 GMT

A small experiment this week and next in that I'll be including reports on music developments and people that I've come across. Please let me know what you think.
No chance to grab a picture this week but I did have a look through some of the stuff from Long Island and quite liked this one (right). Come to think of it, I could do with another couple of weeks there!

Road to nowhere - Rick Fowler (Georgia, USA)
Rick Fowler's musical honesty creates an unsurpassed morphic resonance between him and his listeners. With a raw soul reminiscent of early Johnny Winter and aural suspense akin to Trower, Fowler delivers the energy, joy, anger and torment found in the very best of blues-rock. Road to nowhere is from his album Back on my good foot available direct from his site or from CD Baby. Credit due to all musicians on the album for some great playing:
BASS: Michael C. Steele
DRUMS: Gerry Hansen, Bill Berry
B3: Tim White, Randall Bramblett
2ND GUITAR: Jonathan Dorsey
RESONATOR: Michael C. Steele
BG VOCS: Sherry Joyce, Michael C. Steele
http://rickfowler.com/
www.myspace.com/rickfowlerband

Life of fantastic - Azoora (London, UK & Ãre, GÃteborg Sweden)
"Azoora" are a blend of acoustic electronica which combines that dreamy shoe-gazing feel with a charming British indie twist. They have recently released their latest EP The Second Coming.
This is their 4th EP and again a big step forward for this amazing band. Beautiful timeless popsongs mixed with electronic burst-outs and a master production. Lean back and let it wash over you!

"Every time I listen to new Azoora tracks I can see style, technique and production improve. Well worth getting your hands on this.â - Rowley Cutler

www.myspace.com/azoora

Gary - Stages of Dan (London, UK)
Formed at the crack of 2008, Stages Of Dan are a London based trio made up of Chris Aliano (Guitar/Vocals), Chris 'Big Chris' Bryant (Bass/vox) and Guy Davidson (Drums/vox).
Lots of live show dates coming up so check out their MySpace at: www.myspace.com/stagesofdan

Icons among us
Jazz had become synonymous with old men listening in respectful silence to music based largely on the movers and shakers of the past century. Now there is a fresh breeze of "jazz with attitude" stirring things up. It really does deserve your attention and that is why a series of documentaries has been made, shining a light on some pretty remarkable and exciting musicians with good stuff to say as well as play.

"It's about time someone had the balls to do a documentary like this" Jamie Cullum (jazz singer, multi-platinum artist)

www.iconsamongus.com
www.myspace.com/iconsamongus

Abataka - Kinobe and Soul Beat Africa (Kampala, Uganda)
Kinobe (pronounced CHI-NO-BAY) is a brilliant multi-instrumentalist from Uganda whose early abilities in traditional African music quickly garnered acclaim on the world stage. Born in 1983 near Lake Victoria, he began playing music at the age of five, and five years later travelled to the Netherlands with a group of musicians for his first international performance. It was this trip that introduced him to the diversity of musical traditions throughout the world, opening his ears to new sounds, and launching a life-changing interest in world music. In the years that followed, Kinobe traveled the African continent, performing with such figures in African roots music as, Youssou N'dour, Salif Keita, Angelique Kidjo, Oliver Mtukudzi, Baaba Maal, Ismael Lo, and many others. He is a lifelong student, teacher, lover, and purveyor of the great diversity of African musical traditions.
Soul Beat Africa is the new voice of Ugandan music, the inspired synthesis of African roots and world music, of traditional and modern instrumentation. These musicians represent the new vanguard of Ugandan performers, gifted instrumentalists steeped in the music of their homeland, but with ears opened to the sounds of the world at large.
Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa
"Abataka" (mp3)
from "Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa"
(Multicultural Media)

More On This Album

All the way down - Jeannine Hebb (Brooklyn, NY)
Jeannine Hebb, an award-winning songwriter and vocalist, has been studying, performing, writing, and rocking out since she was 11.
At 20, Jeannine graduated magna cum laude from Berklee College of Music, having studied with some of the best in the business (Gabrielle Goodman, Pat Pattison, Livingston Taylor).
Great track on video on YouTube.
http://sonicbids.com/JeannineHebb
http://myspace.com/JeannineHebb

El Naranjal - Rogelio Gutierrez (Mexico?)
No information available. If you have anything please let me know, it's peter [at] suffolkandcool.com
Rogelio Gutierrez
"El Naranjal" (mp3)
from "Polkas Famosas 18 Exitos"
(Modiner)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

Madame Pamita dates in UK
May 14    The Gladstone Arms, London, SE1 1QN
May 15    The Alma, London, SE19 2TA
May 16    Matsu, London, E3 4PL
May 17    Dr. King's Jailhouse/East Dulwich Tavern, London (East Dulwich), SE22 8HJ
May 19    The Cricketers Arms, Keighley West Yorkshire, BD21 5JE
May 20    The George Tavern, London (Stepney), E1 0LA
May 21    The Harlequin, Sheffield, S3 8GG
May 22    Brooks Blues Bar/Telegraph pub, London, SW15 3TU
May 23    The Lantern Theatre, Sheffield (Netheredge), S7 1NF
www.madamepamita.com

Say no More - Enrico Crivellaro (Italy)
From the album Mojo Zone, recorded in Udine, Italy. Enrico Crivellaro is a former protege of Ronnie Earl, Duke Robillard and Kenny Burrell, ENRICO CRIVELLARO has fast become one of the most dynamic and inventive young guitarists on the Blues Scene today. Best known for his guitar work with the James Harman Band, Janiva Magness, Finis Tasby, Lester Butler's "13" and the Royal Crown Revue. Enrico has stepped up to the plate and recorded a truly genre bending all instrumental Blues Guitar showcase with MOJO ZONE.
Enrico Crivellaro
"Say No More" (mp3)
from "Mojo Zone"
(Electro-Fi Records)

Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

SnC 164 - Wed 22 Apr 2009

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:52:00 GMT

Remix is a bit of a theme this week, with a couple of very interesting initiatives encouraging you to have a crack at "the dark art".
After a false start to the Kerplunk (our own form of free-style PÃtanque) season at the Three Horseshoes pub in Charsfield last week, we are hoping for less rain tomorrow evening. Our rules are few and far between with insults freely traded, a few good beers consumed and absolutely no scores kept; it is purely for laughs. At some stage we may even stream the proceedings live. Now there's a frightening thought.

Bontemps Roulez - Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra (NY, NY, USA)
Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra are an 11-piece explosion of love and righteousness specializing in Groovy New Orleans-inspired Roots Rock/Soul with a Gospel feel but without the religious overtone - kind of secular gospel! If you want to hear more, I first played BroJo on SnC 160 around a month ago and George Smyth featured Bro Jo on the Eclectic Mix podcast last week at www.eclecticmix.com
www.brotherjoscephus.com/
www.myspace.com/brotherjoscephus

Kira Fontana has been in touch this week and turned me on to a remarkable new(ish) talent.

"I've recently been tuning into one of the most amazing things going on in the world of music. If you don't know about him yet, 28 year old Venezuelan phenom Gustavo Dudamel is an electrifying force."

This flamboyant, passionate and young, Venezuelan conductor is one of the biggest stars in classical music. Bob Simon's CBS report here or at:
www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=3841774n

Watch CBS Videos Online

Home - Kira Fontana (LA, CA, USA)
On her debut album, The Inner Revolution, songstress Kira Fontana triumphs in embracing an emotional rawness without fear, while also exploring a soul-searching mysticism that's undaunted in recognizing life's ever-changing moves. Like SinÃad O'Connor and Tori Amos before her, the San Francisco Bay Area-born artist approaches such a task with unshakable power.
Another of the tracks from Inner revolution has a video on YouTube: at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrZrUM7W2lU
www.kirafontana.com

Real World project
I've been quite intrigued by a project set up by Real World called Real World Remixed which takes home mixing a stage further. As the site describes the process:

"Download our 'sample packs' - multi-track recordings. Use the 'sample packs' to create remixes of the original tracks using whichever software, technology and techniques you want, but please don't infringe anyone's copyright. Upload your mix back to this site and join the community in voting, commenting and discussion in the forum."

Samples from Games without frontiers - Peter Gabriel.
My favourite remix .. so far, Deaconesque's "Tumbledown to the piccolo snare" remix. You can hear the whole remixed track here.

There are currently 14 packs of materials to download and remix.
The latest pack is a collaboration between Real World Records and World Sessions of Setal by Daby TourÃ. There are some mouth-watering sounds â
Check it out for yourself at:
http://realworldremixed.com

What Walks Outside My Window? - Christopher Rees (Llanelli, UK)
Title track from his fourth album.
San Francisco may sound an unlikely place for a young guitarist, singer and songwriter from Llanelli (South Wales) to start his musical career but that's where the story begins for Christopher Rees.
In 1994, after playing guitar and developing his song writing skills during his time at Cardiff University he packed his bags and like his hero John Cale bought a plane ticket to New York.
Katy Rowe adds her irresistible violin to the frenzied bluegrass of Kicked Out By Love and drummer Dan Tilbury (The Snakes, Redlands Palomino Company) provides inspired drumming throughout. Rees stretches himself to take care of all other instrumentation including guitars, banjo, mandolin, lap steel, church organ, piano, bass, choral backing voices and chapel shaking, foot stamping, hand clapping percussion!
The track is from IODA so there's a free download here.

Christopher Rees
"What Walks Outside My Window?" (mp3)
from "What Walks Outside My Window?"
(Red Eye Music)

Buy at Rhapsody
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

www.christopherrees.co.uk
www.myspace.com/christopherrees

Conversation with Clare Veniot this past few days - 46Bliss. They have been running a remix project in the form of a competition for others to remix their music. In fact they made a bunch of tracks available and had a fantastic response from remixers around the world, the best of which are released on two albums Remix me away: volumes 1 and 2. They are available from CD baby and iTunes. I played 8 o'clock train a few weeks ago on SnC161. That was a remix by PKP Express of a track on the 46-Bliss album Wish me away. I realised that I'd only heard remixes, so Clare very kindly offered to sent the two original CDs over from Brooklyn. Great listening they are too. The barn has been resonating to them since they arrived on Monday morning.

The way you are - 46 Bliss (Brooklyn, NY)
Take a look at www.acidplanet.com/46bliss while you can to discover the winning remixes.
www.46bliss.com/

From Dave at The Bugcast (www.thebugcast.org/)

I'm having a serious problem with my some of my shows not playing back on the iPod Touch/iPhone. It's intermittent and inconsistent.
Apparently shows that don't play on the iP* do play back successfully on iTunes itself.

Any problems with SnC playing on anything? If so, please let me know, peter@suffolkandcool.com

Badness Outta Style - Peter Runks (Nassau, Bahama)
Tawanto Saunders A.k.A "Peter Runks" was born on November 12th 1977 on New Providence island (Nassau) Bahamas. Peter Runks grew up in the ghetto and faced all of the struggles and pressures that ensued.
Peter Runks pursued his talent for singing and recorded his first album titled "Divine Vessel" in September of 1998 with Bahamian producer Dillon McKenzie at Commonwealth Recording Studio in Nassau,Bahamas.This endeavour led to an American state to state tour with L.G.Wise and D.C.P in the year 2000.
In July of 2001, Peter Runks made a musical pilgrimage to the birthplace of reggae music, Jamaica, to record the first set of singles for his Sophomore album entitled "Let Loose The Prophets". While there he recorded at Anchor Recording Studio with producer Rudy Valentino and worked with noted producer and sax player Dean Frazier.
He recorded his debut single "Save Your Soul" on the "Copy Cat" riddim produced by Ray Ambrister for Buff Boo Records.
In July of 2008, Peter Runks recorded his second single titled "Badness Outta Style" on the "Promise" riddim also produced by Ray Armbrister for Buff Boo Records.
Peter Runks is the Vessel of Divinity, Ordained by the Trinity,
Preaching Lyrically and Substantially, Righteousness with Integrity, Which shall Subdue the Wickedness of Humanity, who pervert Justice with Wrong Concepts and Profanity.
He's just a Subsidiary, Shedding Light and Truth where there is Fallacy, Bestowing Strength to the Weak and Weary, Giving Thanks to the King of Glory, Jesus Christ His Majesty...Bless.
The Divine Vessel just Manifest.
www.myspace.com/peterrunks

iTunes reviews and ratings
I think it's time to spread the word about Suffolk 'n' Cool. It would really help if you would take a couple of minutes to rate and review the show in iTunes. You'll be able to access your home "My store". I think you just need to follow this link.
If not, log in to iTunes, search for suffolkandcool, click on the SnC logo and then you'll be able to "Rate this podcast" and "Write a review".
If you want to leave a rating or review on another store that would be great. It is a little more complicated but not too bad a process. If you go to the iTunes front page, right at the bottom you can switch to another store (e.g. UK, USA, Australia, France, wherever), find the show, drop the rating and review in and return to the front page to go back to your home store. Thanks, eversomuch, that's really appreciated.

The Optimist - Stan Harrison (NY, NY)
Stan Harrison has recorded and toured with some of the most outstanding people in the music business, including David Bowie, Radiohead, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Serge Gainsbourg, Duran Duran, Talking Heads and many others. Now, he is stepping out as a solo artist with a CD containing 10 of his original instrumental and vocal compostions, accompanied by artists such as Philip Bailey and Phoebe Snow.
www.stanharrison.com
www.myspace.com/stanharrison

Codger posted a comment on the shownotes (you can comment too by clicking on teh comment link at the end of each show's notes) to suggest that in playing the polka track last week I'd turned the weirdness up to 11.

Taquito Militar - Orquesta TÃpica Argentina (Argentina)
From the album Tangos Famosos (Instrumentales y Cantados) Vol. 1

Orquesta TÃâpica Argentina
"Taquito Militar" (mp3)
from "Tangos Famosos (Instrumentales y Cantados) Vol. 1"
(Modiner)

Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

SnC 163 - Wed 15 Apr 2009

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:48:00 GMT

A rather quirky show with some great tunes from around the world.
Having said, in the show, that spring had arrived in Suffolk, I'm now frantically trying to get the show uploaded before the current thunderstorm knocks the power out completely. UPS has been working every few minutes so I've not lost everything â yet.
This week's picture is one of the very few bits of Marley memorabilia I have, a very used plectrum. How do I know it was his? Because I bought it, a few more and a couple of Fender Twin Reverbs for the band - at Manny's Music Store in NYC!

Rolling Higher - Lucy Bonilla (Bellerose Manor, New York, USA)
Lucy has expanded her tour grounds from Canada down the U.S East Coast.
She recently completed her third release at The Clubhouse in Rhinebeck, NY, under the expert guidance of producer Jim Weider (The Band, Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, Los Lobos). She also welcomed the creative writing talents of Dean Batstone, Jerry Lynn Williams (Eric Clapton) and Jim Weider (www.jimweider.com) to pen various tracks. The title track, Rolling Higher, combines Lucy's feisty vocals with slick guitar licks that hearken to blues greats of yesteryear. The album also includes a re-recording of the first and only song Lucy ever wrote on piano, "Lonely Goes".
www.LucyBonilla.com

Tomorrow - Kiran Hungin (London, UK)
Originally from the north east of England, Kiran Hungin has been playing solo on the London acoustic circuit for a few years. I had the good fortune to see and interview her in Norwich for SnC 040 back in November 2006. (The interview starts at about 15 mins).

"i have had the good fortune to work with some amazing musicians, but i had just always craved that feeling of having a musical family; a little crew to join me in the the ups, downs and everything in between. and to be honest, i just want a band behind my tunes.. to add that much needed element of 'kick-ass ness that i want!â

A little over a year ago she took the step of creating a band.

"i'm so happy with the band. it is honestly the first time i just feel like the music is totally how i envisaged it from the early demos, when i was playing only a piano part, but hearing much more in my head.â

You and me - Kiran and the Nght Owls (London, UK)
From the EP The Worry Tree
The production is top notch. Without too much fancy arrangement the integrity of the songs is retained totally intact. The band underpin the songs which, with a less accomplished singer, might be described as a sparse touch. On this album it is as though the band is filling the sound out a little whilst taking a step backwards to allow Kiran's voice find its full expression without straining. The result is magic - a dreamy quality is there but the songs are direct and heart-felt.

UPDATE:
Sorry. Yes, there were some gig dates here but it transpires that they were for last year - and all my efforts in trying to pronounce the unpronounceable were in vain! I'll update with current dates as soon as I hear.

The EP will be in the iTunes store in a few weeks but it is much better to buy physical CDs direct from Kiran - besides which, the band gets all the money which helps support the music; good for everyone. Contact Kiran through MySpace or at kiranandthenightowls@hotmail.com
www.kiranandthenightowls.com/
www.myspace.com/kiranandthenightowls

How many miles - Sarah Bear (London)
When I asked Sarah for this track she replied:

"Wow, how many miles is very old.. i think that was my first bit of production! Josh (AKA Everyday Junglist) has done a blinding new version in Yoda Room. Indeed i showed up and put a vocal on the end."

www.myspace.com/sarahbearsounds
www.myspace.com/theyodaroom

Island 50 celebrations are coming up next month for the once indie label. Film director Phil Low who also worked at Island was in touch this week to remind me that founder Chris Blackwell received a special honour at the Music Week magazine awards in London a couple of weeks ago being named as "the most influential figure in the last 50 years of the British music industry."
He was picked from a shortlist of 20 including Sir George Martin, who signed and produced The Beatles.
CB set up Island Records, with Â1,000 in 1959. By co-incidence Music Week is also marking its 50th anniversary this year.
The label signed pioneering artists including Jimmy Cliff, Traffic, Nick Drake and Roxy Music in the 1960s and '70s, and, of course, CB discovered future reggae legend Bob Marley in Jamaica in 1972.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7990614.stm
www.island50.com

Bang Bang - Nadine Loren (LA, USA?)
Swiss-born singer/songwriter, Nadine Loren attributes her unique style to her upbringing in both Germany and New Zealand. A true artist, Loren combines musical genres, fusing various styles with an obvious European influence. Her highly anticipated debut album, Living in Wonderland launched Thursday, November 13th, 2008.
Loren's songs combine folk, electronic, pop and rock music elements and feature English, French and Italian lyrics that utilize operatic influences to add a quirky theatricality to her melodies. Two of her songs, Wonderland and Look Me in the Diamonds, were recently picked up for a European compilation entitled 'Bad Girls Don't Cry' also featuring Duffy, Ayo, and Amy Winehouse.
www.nadineloren.com/
www.myspace.com/nadineloren

Angels - J.S. Marti (Palma de Mallorca, Spain)
Recommended by Organic Despair ... again. It is on Jamendo so get over there and get it for yourself.

"This collection of songs was composed at a time that dictated that my music should be direct, without many devices, so I decided to only record it with acoustic guitars and voice there isn't even any reverb."

www.myspace.com/jsmartimusic

Chris Blackwell on signing with labels
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWiCie0-NZM

Je t'aime je t'aime - Lola Dutronic (Berlin, Germany and Toronto, Canada)
A French Pop/Electronica duo, who sing really interesting material in both French & English.
Je t'aime je t'aime is from the new 3rd album, LOLA DUTRONIC IN BERLIN recorded over a 3 week period in an abandoned Berlin apartment, and mixed in Toronto. it also features the legendary Mike Garson (of David Bowie's Aladdin Sane fame) on piano.

"We divide our time between Berlin and Toronto. We've put out three albums so far: "THE WORLD OF LOLA DUTRONIC", the Grammy Award nominated* "THE LOVE PARADE" and our newest album, "LOLA DUTRONIC IN BERLIN". We've also appeared on several compilation albums and repackages in Asia and Europe.

Available on iTunes and on CDBaby.com at http://cdbaby.com/cd/ldutronic
There is also a wonderful track Brigitte Bardot on their MySpace.
www.myspace.com/loladutronic

Sign spotted in an Aldeburgh hotel window on Monday:
Locally caught fish served daily on our menus

Chimer (alternative version) - Trolley (Halifax, United Kingdom)
From the Jamendo album A Companion For Joey : PedigREMIXED

Please note : This is NOT a new Trolley album. (A new Trolley album is underway, however.)
Rather, it is a collection of Remixes, Outtakes and Alternative versions of tracks recorded around the period of "Pedigree Joey" (The 2nd Trolley album). As its title suggests, it acts as a companion to that album - rather than just being the bits that weren't good enough to be included in the first place.
Whilst this is a fairly madcap and lunatic sounding bunch of tunes, it's hopefully a blast of high-octane fun to listen to. I do still think it holds together as a surprisingly cohesive whole, despite its unhinged and chaotic sound. The aural equivalent of dropping acid, then going to an all-night funfair.

www.myspace.com/theremedialset

La Capsula - Los Hnos. Prado (Mexico)
From the album Las Majores Polkas. Download it free using the IODA link below.
Los Hnos. Prado
"La Capsula" (mp3)
from "Las Mejores Polkas"
(Modiner)

More On This Album

My Happy - Lindsay Katt (NY, NY)
She is a new name in the landscape that welcomes female singer-songwriters. Her style however, is entirely her own.
Self-taught, in the mountains of Montana, she developed her own unique process, taking chances with her sound and lyrics. The resulting melodies are haunting, uplifting, poignant and quirky.
Filling Venues in NYC like "The Cutting Roomâ and "The Knitting Factoryâ
Lindsay held her CD release party for her debut record Picking Out Boxes at "The Living Room" in NYC in February.
(Mastered by Legendary music engineer Greg Calbi)
She is so excited to be able to finally share the product of her hard work.
www.myspace.com/lindsaykatt

SnC 162 - Wed 08 Apr 2009

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 22:34:00 GMT

Recovery from Podcrawl is progressing as quickly as can be expected. The day started wonderfully well for Jeremy G and I at the very welcoming Market Coffee House near Spitalfields Market in London.
Apparently a former market pub (from when Spitalfields was a proper market with pubs all around to quench the thirst of market porters, often from very early in the mornings) it is now meeting the urgent needs of caffeine starved podcasters.
You'll find it at: www.marketcoffeehouse.com/
Since I was driving it was a day of light drinking but it was still a blast and very tiring.

She blows my socks off - Too Slim and the Taildraggers (USA)
On Burnside Records. No more info than that. Download it via this link.

Too Slim And The Taildraggers
"She Blows My Socks Off" (mp3)
from "Wanted: Live"
(Burnside Records)

Stream from Rhapsody
Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

Hieroglyphe - Spleen (Argenteuil, France)
From the album Les algorythmes de venus on Jamendo (2006)
+
The Job - Spleen
From the album For the great dj also on Jamendo - released a couple of months ago.
The Spleen project started in 2002 and is still going strong.
http://perso.orange.fr/Spleen.Music/
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/spleen

Keira tells me that Get Wanted has line-ups prepared for the spring summer period including performances form Pharaohs, The Gadsdens, Royal Treatment Plant, The Worldonfire, The First, Haunted by Humans, and Fighting Fiction.
Just Â7 on the door or a laughable Â5 in advance
www.myspace.com/getwanted

Old Fashioned - Mathematics (Somerset, UK)
3 piece band from Somerset (that's near Bath, where Colin Gazely is baased). They've had interest from major labels such as Mercurty Records and have recently played on Radio 1. They are playing the Get Wanted gig at Mother Bar in London"s fashionable Shoreditch tomorrow night 9 April.
8 Apr 2009 [SKIVING SCHOLAR] Plymouth w/ Swim Team
9 Apr 2009 [333 MOTHERBAR] Shoreditch, London w/ wehaveagetaway
13 Apr 2009 [CLUB ELUSIVE] Ashford, Kent w/ Nick Harrison + Lights Go Blue
www.myspace.com/mathematicsband

Scenester Ma Ma - The Danforths (St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN, USA)
From the album Amphibian on Modern Record Label

"The Danforths are not only a high-five between three incredible musicians, but also an ethereal holy trinity that is the one real Chris Danforth. Pluralizing his name and using it as the nom de plume for his projects alludes to the kind of musical schizophrenia from which Danforth suffers. His head is filled with so many sounds, structures and ideas that he is forced to allow each voice to have its turn at the helm. The Danforth hone perfectly amalgamated quirk-pop to a more mature conclusion. Combining found sounds, field recordings, synth and guitar-led songs, they craft lo-fi psych pop that Ink 19 called "an orchestral, angular, epic take on panoramic sunshine music like some long-lost Elephant 6 track calling in from the twilight zone."

The Danforths
"Scenester Ma Ma" (mp3)
from "Amphibian"
(Modern Radio Record Label)

Buy at Modern Radio
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Podcrawl 3 (London) - the site will gradually be supplemented with pictures and recordings.
http://podcrawl.blogspot.com/

Book of clouds and rain - Secret Archives of the Vatican (UK)
From the Babylon Halt album which is available from brokendrumrecords.com

Die to live (original remix) - Luthea Salom (NY, NY)
From Sunbeam Surrounded By Winter
Tour dates in Europe:
Tue, April 14 - 19:00 - eppingen, baden-wÃrttemberg
Thu, April 16 - 20:00 - kassel, germany
Sat, April 18 - 20:00 - hamburg, germany
Sun, April 19 19:00 - berlin, germany
Mon, April 20 - 21:30 - frankfurt, germany
Tue, April 21 - 20:00 - tier, germany
Wed, April 22 - 20:00 - mc muller's irish-american pub, linnich-kofferen
Thu, April 23 - 20:00 - bochum, germany
Sat, April 25 - 21:30 - munich, germany
Then to Spain in June details from her site at:
www.lutheasalom.com/
www.myspace.com/lutheasalomsongs

Debt Collector - Blessed House (UK)
From the Holy Residents EP.
Blessed House are 2 mc's (Guest House and Bibs) representing Leeds, UK. They've been rapping for about 5 years and doing live shows for about 3 years. They have played in Leeds, Cambridge, Buxton, Huddersfield... Blessed House have worked with numerous producers but their main producers are Organised Mess. Organised Mess is a collective of UK Hiphop producers based in Leeds and Oxfordshire. Members include Potentc, Grndyzr, Melon and Stature.
BudaBeats netlabel has some interesting music available
www.budabeats.com/releases.htm

Comin' Home - Memphis Nights (Australia) Music Submit
From the excellent 14 track sampler album spanning the choice works of the previous releases and most popular tracks "Tales from Tin Alley".
Australian artist - with the American Name. Old School Funk/Rock and Blues - Meets new School Sounds. The result.....Memphis Nights.
I started off in the city of Melbourne, Australia, and fled to the country for "The peaceful life". The deal was to hibernate for a decade or so, and it was there in my little van in the High Country that I wrote and recorded on cheap audio cassettes.
About 350 songs later the quiet life went loud.
Emerging to put together a 4 piece swamp/rock band: "The Swamp Cats", we played for 5 years in just about every backwater bar, party and major festival that was going at the time, and its was during this time I was given the name of Memphis Nights because of the American influences and style of music. Having such a large number of originals and having played the regional circuit for so long I soon out grew the scene and needed bigger and better things.
At the end of 2003 some guy in a suit convinced me to head back to the city, having to leave the band. So, as a soloist with my Bass guitar and my own recordings, I played with a variety of musicians and played at all levels and classes of venues achieving minor successes, while pursuing a market for the recordings.
The market in Australia is a strange oneâ.in 2008 I made my voyage to Europe. Armed now with 5 finished albums and a new hunger to re-invent and re-launch again. Working with new musicians and a fresh look, I record and and plays live with a new band while looking to market the music to Europe, Asia, America and beyond.
With a blues voice, working with drum and bass techno samples, I'm half country - half city. A guy who had to escape the small alpine Australian country van for Europeâ.
www.myspace.com/memphisnights
www.cdbaby.com/memphisnights

SnC 161 - Wed 01 Apr 2009

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 23:36:00 GMT

My thanks to Pete Cogle for pointing out that I'd left the MP3 file out when publishing the show last night. Doh! It is in now but if you subscribe to the show and found 161 a bit quiet, you may need to download it again. Sorry.
PS Thanks to Graham Holland for posing for the picture too :)

A frantic week again with yesterday spent in London, loads of work pressure and Podcrawl to plan for as well as hosting the AMPed show for Monday.

Some great and varied music again this week with quite a few tracks from New York and others from Los Angeles, Ontario, London and Buenos Aires.

It seems to be spring around The Barn. Quite a few frogs have been making their way to the pond today (right), with just one thing on their mind and I'd say you can see it in their eye.

My Machine - Queen V (New York, NY)
From the album Death or Glory.
My Machine, is an unrelenting, speeding ride, is about being "a proud sexual woman in the face of all the guilt and shame women are supposed to feel." She explains, "It felt good to vent my frustrations with people who are afraid or intimidated by my Catherine The Great size appetite for passion and intensity." V makes her case for wanting to "just get down to it," with her deep, heavy breaths layered over Tom Morello's ferocious guitar riffs."
www.queenv.com
www.myspace.com/queenv

8 O'Clock Train - 46 Bliss (New York, NY)
The voluptuous alto voice of Clare Veniot gives way to a satiny upper register that feels timeless in its simplicity, providing a perfect balance to the technological mastery of vocalist, programmer and keyboardist David Cooper and electronic drummer Jack Freudenheim, creator of ambient music software Sounder.
46bliss, perhaps best known for their song The Way You Are featured on the show Veronica Mars and CSI-NY, and In A Long Time, one of the most played songs in podcasting, are releasing a 2-CD set of 46bliss tracks reworked by remixers from 6 countries. The 46bliss campaign in support of the CDs is called 20 remixes in 20 weeks, during which they will release a remix a week to the public via PodsSafe Music Network, Myspace, Facebook etc.
www.46bliss.com/
www.myspace.com/46bliss

Nothing less than you - Stan Harrison (New York, NY)
Stan Harrison has recorded and toured with some of the most outstanding people in the music business, including David Bowie, Radiohead, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Serge Gainsbourg, Duran Duran, Talking Heads and many others. Now, he is stepping out as a solo artist with a CD containing 10 of his original instrumental and vocal compostions, accompanied by artists such as Philip Bailey and Phoebe Snow.
www.stanharrison.com
www.myspace.com/stanharrison

This sentence will ruin/save your life - Born Ruffians (green go remix) (Ontario, Canada)
Guelph, Ontario's shouty dance funk pop band, Green Go comprise
Ferenc Stenton, Jessica Tollefsen, Kyle Squance, Mark Andrade, Adam Scott.
They are releasing the Green Go Remix Project Vol. 1. Explosive remixes of everyone's favorite Canadian indie rock tracks from Born Ruffians, the Rural Alberta Advantage, Women, Gentlemen Reg, and The D'Urbervilles are re-wrapped in the synth heavy, freak out inducing, sweaty ways Green Go have become so well known for.
GoGreen are gearing up for the release of their debut full-length album, Borders, at the Ebar in Guelph! On 16th of this month (April).
A whole string of live shows around Ontario and Quebec this month.
www.greengomusic.com

Invisible - Wendy and Lisa (Los Angeles, CA)
From White Flags of Winter Chimneys.
Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, better known as the legendary duo Wendy and Lisa, have released their new album, White Flags of Winter Chimneys.
White Flags of Winter Chimneys is Wendy and Lisa's first album since 1998's Girl Bros. Self-produced and self-released by the duo, the album is a gorgeous kaleidoscope of song-compositions with influences ranging from trance to electronica to 70's funk and straight up rock and roll.
You should be able to stream the entire album right here.

http://wendyandlisa.com
www.myspace.com/gbnmusic

Ice Cube Massage - Lord Numb (UK)
From the current Numb the pain album from Dedpop.
Lord Numb is one half of revered DJ duo The Reject Club, the other half being Spidersleg. They play regularly in Holland and at various select venues in Olde Lahndan Tahn, init?
Lord Numb has been supplying electricity for the Monkey Machine since the glorious death of all music. He favours the guitar and synthesizer above all else.
The 2008 EP Comfortably Numb is also available for free download both are at:
http://dedpop.co.uk/lordnumb
www.myspace.com/lordynumb

Podcrawl on Saturday
www.podcrawl.blogspot.com/

AMPed on Monday
The show, AMPed 173 will be available from Monday. While youâre their take a listen to some of the other shows in the player. There are links to all the member podcasts on the front page of the AMP site or on the links page at Suffolkandcool.com
http://musicpodcasting.org

La Luz del Ritmo â Los Fabulosos Cadilacs (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
From their album of the same name on Nacional Records.
Recognized for their groundbreaking fusion of ska, rock, tropical, punk, reggae and Latin rhythms, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
Back after a seven year hiatus, Buenos Aires's acclaimed Latin-rock outfit, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, have reassembled to release the highly anticipated La Luz del Ritmo (The Light of Rhythm).
They became stars in their native Argentina throughout the late 80s before propelling the Latin Rock genre into the international spotlight in the 90s. Songs like "Matador" and "Mal Bicho" were anthems for a generation and inspired thousands of youth and musicians across the globe. Los Fabulosos Cadillacsâ reputation led to recording collaborations with a variety of stars including Mick Jones (of The Clash), Celia Cruz, Ruben Blades, Deborah Harry (Blondie), Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth (of the Talking Heads).
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
"Malbicho" (mp3)
from "La Luz Del Ritmo"
(Nacional Records)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

SnC 160 - Wed 25 Mar 2009

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:32:00 GMT

I'm back from The Bahamas and still somewhat jetlagged after 18 hours or so travelling including an almost sleepless red-eyed special trans-Atlantic flight. Yes, the sea really was that clear and an amazing colour. From the position of the rudder on the wreck of the Imperial, the final command was probably "left hand down a bit ... NOW!"

Steppin Up - Ramblin' Dawgs (E. Brunswick, NJ, USA)
From the album Rockin Blues
The Ramblin Dawgs are an energetic rock driven modern blues powerhouse, formed in late 2007 and making waves throughout their local New York / New Jersey communities with energetic rock driven modern blues performances. Driven by Carlos "C-Dawg" DC's soulful vocals and tasteful guitar playing, Raul DC's thunderous drumming, Rick Frank's screaming Hammond organ, and Jonas Landau's rock solid grooves on bass, the buzz continued in 2008 as the band performed relentlessly.
www.ramblindawgs.com/
www.myspace.com/ramblindawgs
http://cdbaby.com/cd/ramblindawgs

I've just had 24 highly enjoyable hours in London including an evening at the QuecumBar in Battersea which is the adopted home of French swing jazz (a la Django Reinhardt and StÃphane Grappelli). Just a jam night but a very high standards of musicianship, very good food and a great atmosphere. www.quecumbar.co.uk

Have faith believe - Tom Browning (Parkend, Gloucestershire, UK)
I had a MySpace friend request from a young British musician called Tom Browning deep in the Forest of Dean a couple of days ago. I think it is the straightforward honesty of his playing that appeals.
"I'm soon to be playing in pubs once I've got a covers set together. I also hope to be going on the stage with a set of orignals too! I play a Taylor 110-E."
www.myspace.com/tbrowningmusic

This Is Not The Fire - My Tiger My Timing (London, UK)
Another contact through MySpace. My Tiger My Timing are Anna, James, Harrison and Gary and formed in 2008 in south east London. Their debut single This Is Not The Fire is produced by Andy Spence of New Young Pony Club and released April 6th 2009 on download through Silver Music Machine.
31 Mar 2009 Cargo w/ Yo Majesty, London
4 Apr 2009 Big In Japan @ 60 Million Postcards, Bournemouth
11 Apr 2009 Be @ Proud, London
17 Apr 2009 Blow Up @ Chorlton Irish Club, Manchester
24 Apr 2009 Slutty Fringe @ Cargo, London
1 May 2009 Hinterland Festival, Glasgow
15 May 2009 The Great Escape, Brighton
28 May 2009 Broken Yolk @ Bardens Boudoir, London
www.myspace.com/mytigermytiming

I hope you'll never come back - Organic Despair (Montpellier, France)
Organic Despair haas recommended quite a few albums through Jamendo - all are worth a listen. Now it is his turn to get a play.
"PassionnÃ de musique Organic Despair anciennement "Jesus First Christ" s'Ãprends de jouer de la guitare.... un premier groupe rock psychÃdelique nÃ mais se disloque assez vite..
From The Unfaced Album on Jamendo.
http://organicdespair.jimdo.com/
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/organic.despair

The Empire - Danny Shayler (south-west England)
Danny Shaylers songs contain a healthy dose of cynicism about nationhood and the power of one nation over another. A sentiment that I fully endorse.
It has taken a while to get this track from singer, songwriter and actor Danny onto the show after my chum Nicky Valentine met up with him when they were both appearing in the UK hospital drama Casualty (I think Danny was Nicky's patient).
Danny plays guitar in Chris Jagger's band "Atcha" and has recently put a band together to play his own music.
www.myspace.com/dannyshaylerband

I've been converted - Kelly Joe Phelps (Oregon, USA)
Kelly Joe Phelps is a musician and songwriter from Oregon State who is well-known as one of the best living "bluesman" and lapslide guitar players.
From the album Lead me on due for street release in a couple of weeks on April 15 although the digital version has been available for a month or so. Actually, I think it is a re-release of quite an old album.
"Hundreds of gigs and bloodied fingers led up to his first recording for Burnside Records, an independent label based in Portland, Oregon. 'Lead Me On' was released in June 1994, representing a recording session that was to set up the Kelly Joe Phelps standard for recording practice: "close your eyes and play".
Download the track free here:
Kelly Joe Phelps, Kelly Joe Phelps
"I've Been Converted" (mp3)
from "Lead Me On"
(Burnside Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

Some Day Baby - Kat Danser (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada)
I played a track from Kat Danser a few weeks ago and subsequent correspondence has resulted in the arrival today of her CD Somethin' Familiar.
Her '"Swamp Blues" style is delivered on the waves of her deep, resonant vocals and the soulful voice of her Weissenborn lap slide guitar. She is one part backwoods juke joint, one part plow puller and two parts dusty ol' canvas tent revival. Kat serves up a refreshing and original approach to roots, blues and gospel music in the 21st Century. Kat is a national touring and recording artist, based in Edmonton, Alberta. Early in 2007, she released her second full-length album, filled to the brim with eleven new roots, blues and gospel originals. This album is a richly textured exploration of 'sin and salvation' featuring west coast guitar maniac Steve Dawson (Zubot & Dawson) and the legendary Linda Tillery.
Me, I just love the sound and the songs - here is a talent to be reckoned with.
www.katdanser.com/
www.myspace.com/katdanser

A child shall lead - Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra (New York, NY, USA)
Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra are an 11-piece explosion of love and righteousness specializing in Groovy New Orleans-inspired Roots Rock/Soul with a Gospel feel. BroJo is more than a musical and visual spectacle, it's a movement - a Revolution of Love. No one on the planet brings it quite like Brother Joscephus - righteous, feel-good music with a message of positivity.
www.brotherjoscephus.com/
www.myspace.com/brotherjoscephus

SnC 159 - Wed 18 Mar 2009

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:00:00 GMT

A rather different sort of show from Long Island in the Bahamas so it just seems right to pull up a selection of Caribbean feeling tunes off my MacBook, even if most of it originates in Europe. I think it is all available from Jamendo at www.jamendo.com
This weekâs show has, I suppose, been part sponsored by Maxâs Conch Bar where Gary (right) kindly provides a wi-fi access point (at a modest cost of two beers - which you also get to drink!) for the south of the island and by Dave and Fiona Lincoln who have generously provided hospitality, great conversation, diving facilities and transport to Maxâs.
So, next time youâre feeling peckish in the Bahamas or anywhere else, check out Maxâs for the finest fresh made conch salad and a Kalik beer. Itâs on the Queenâs Highway at Deadmanâs Cay, Long Island.
I'll update these shownotes and give the album links when I get proper internet access at the weekend. (Done)
Don't forget the spirit of the message on the wall at Max's:

Life's journey is not to arrive safely at the grave in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy shit, what a ride."

I'll update these shownotes and give the album links when I get proper internet access at the weekend. (Done)

Subsistance - YAM (Preignac, France)
From the album Demo. They now have a full album called Live available on Jamendo.
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/yam
http://yamstaff.nuxit.net

Here we come - Screamin' Tubes (Marseille, France)
From the album Do you reggae?
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/screamin.tubes
www.zoumail.com/screamintubes

Every other day - Metisse (Forbach / Saint-Avold, France)
From the album Jeunesse.
http://www.jamendo.com/en/artist/metisse
http://metissereggaesite.free.fr

It's time - Screamin' Tubes (Marseille, France)
From the album Screamin" Tubes
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/screamin.tubes
www.zoumail.com/screamintubes

Dialogue de sourds - Danakil
From the album Dialogue de sourds
Frustratingly, I can't find it on Jamendo any longer. If you can find anything, please let me know. This is too good an album to simply disappear!

First Riddim - TRIBUMAN & Jammin' Orchestra (Strasbourg, France)
From the album New Style in a New Vibe.
www.patchworkproduction.fr/tribuman.html
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/TRIBUMAN_Jammin%27_Orchestra

N'dogoni i toloman lÃ - Taya Wooden (Abidjan, Ivory Coast)
From the album Mone Zion
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/tayawooden
http://tayawooden.blogspot.com

23 maggio - Men in Route (Padova, Italy)
From the album 'Ndemo!
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/Men_in_Route
http://www.myspace.com/meninroute

Wisdom - Taya Wooden (Abidjan, Ivory Coast)
From the album Mone Zion
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/tayawooden
http://tayawooden.blogspot.com

SnC 158 - Wed 25 Feb 2009

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:03:00 GMT

45 minutes or so of the finest new music from around the planet - well, from Germany, New York, UK, India, Georgia, Italy and Gravesend!
Spring well and truely sprung on Saturday in Aldeburgh here on the Suffolk coast (right), where us celebs hang out together ;-)

C'mon Babe - The Dots (Dresden and Berlin, Germany)
If the sound is vaguely familiar - it doesn"t surprise me because The Dots also opened last week's show.
From the 2007 album Fashion For The Dressed And Naked, available on Jamendo, as is the 2008 5-track EP Fake modern love songs.
Art Hustle - Vocals, Percussion
C.Blitzschutz - Bass, Vocals
MKO Swillus - Organ, Vocals
Dr.Valentine - Guitar, Vocals
Nils A. Antiknock - Drums and Percussion
www.the-dots.de/
www.jamendo.com/en/album/25550

Die to Live - Luthea Salom (New York, NY, USA)
From the excellent Sunbeam Surrounded By Winter, produced between NY and Skopje, (Macedonia) by Malcolm Burn and Luthea herself.
www.lutheasalom.com
www.myspace.com/lutheasalomsongs

Faking the Thousand Mile Stare - Catgut (UK)
A new album from the enigmatic Catgut who, quite fittingly produces quirky, idiosyncratic and quite charming songs.
Catgut is based somewhere in the UK and reveals very little about himself. Do visit his site though.
www.littlecatgut.com

Mystic Dances - Sagnik Basu & Krishnaroop Chakravarthi (Kolkata, India)
From the Jamendo album Sheherezad - The Tales of the Wandering Prince.
"We began playing by playing unconvention in front of convention...
What we mean is we experimented in the classical genre in front of rock appreciating crowd. What came in the end are two albums after which we discovered who we truly are.
At the end of Shehrezad we incorporated all that the new world of music has to offer - New Age, Fusion, Ethnic etc and this evolution will continue years after Shehrezad.
Shehrezad is close to our heart because in it we have incorporated all we have learnt in the journey of music.
Sagnik - Sarod, Keyboard, Bass, Drum Arrangements
Krishnaroop - Tabla, Duff, Khanjira, Voice on Sheherezad
Sarang Sheth - Vocals
Prem Joshua - Mantras in Guru - The Master
www.jamendo.com/en/album/37207

Fusion - something of a dirty word - and I'm not the only one to think so. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Kay

I Know It Sounds Funny (The Spank Me Song) - Woof / Ken Clarke (Georgia, USA)
A thoroughly odd track - it almost feels politically incorrect - we're all victims of the thought police aren't we?
Ken Clark, Rick Fowler, Sherry Joyce, John Williams
www.myspace.com/woofwoofband

Codger's been earning his keep as the interwebs plumber over the past couple of days, helping me shift a site from one hosting provider to another. My worry is that he suggests payment in beer and my suspicion is that he'll be expecting payment when we meet up for the podcrawl. Oh dear, dear dear.
He played a track by Sardinia Bass Legalize on the Dub Zone
(http://thedubzone.blogsome.com/)

Barricada (feat Dr. Boost) - Sardinia Bass Legalize (Sardinia)
From the excellent album Visions Of My Land released May 2008 through the A Quiet Bump net label, based in Sardinia.
"Sardinia Bass Legalize project started in July 2006 after a period of collaborations between King Kietu and Sensitivedub.
Dr Boost from 'Big Island Family' was the vocalist of the 'Tostoine Dub System' project together with King Kietu, from 1999 to 2005. 'Sardinia Bass Legalize' began as an evolution to the 'Tostoine' project..
This is a second chapter by Sardinia Bass Legalize for the Aqbmp label. Comprising seven visions of the Meditrarranean island of Sardinia, by King Kietu and Sensitive Dub with Dr. Boost vocal featuring on Barricada."
Barricada was produced and mixed by King Kietu @ Big Island Studio - Olbia - Sardinia (Italy)
Born here - extended version (by Arrogalla) produced and mixed by Arrogalla @ Radio indipendÃntzia Studio - Bologna (Italy)
www.aquietbump.com

Let it go - Alexis Vear (Atlanta, GA, USA)
In 2004 Alexis released her debut album, Never Give Up, an acoustic record full of heart and soul.
Alexis was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. After relocating several times, in 2005 Alexis moved from Greensboro, North Carolinaâ. to Atlanta, Georgiaâ.. where she has enjoyed a vibrant and supportive music scene. In late 2006 she began working with local Producer Geoff Melkonian who"s past credits include Modern Skirts, Megan Coffee, and YOU just to name a few.
Her newest release Let It Go is a very strong album that you can get from CD Baby, iTunes and elsewhere..
www.alexisvear.com/
www.myspace.com/alexisvear
http://cdbaby.com/cd/vear2

Crashland - Tom Allalone & the 78s (Gravesend, Kent, UK)
From the album Major Sins (Pt. 1).
The band are headlining the Get Wanted gig at 333 Mothers Bar on 10th March along with Komla and The Yakataks who both received great support when they played Get Wanted back in December.
With more to be announced...check out www.myspace.com/getwanted for updates. Tickets: Â5 in advance, Â7 on the door.
"...This impeccably dressed troupe plays blisteringly energetic and classic rock'n'roll (think Elvis Costello and The Attractions covering Billy Fury by way of The Godfathers), and does it very well indeed too." The Times
"...This check-shirted Gravesend chappie and his backing band have filled our heads with dreams of the Happy Days diner and thousands of unjustly unloved Vincent Vincent albums. Ace." The Fly
www.myspace.com/tomallalone

There is likely to be a break in transmission for a couple of weeks or so but if you're feeling short of music there is loads in the S'n'C, archive accessible right here in the shownotes - see the player top right?
Subscribe through iTunes to make sure you don"t miss a beat. I'm already looking forward to getting back into the normal swing for sure from 25th March. If I don't catch you before then have fun and enjoy your music.

SnC 157 - Wed 18 Feb 2009

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:20:00 GMT

What a relief to be getting back into some interesting music again. Most of the week having been spent catching up with mundane admin stuff, VAT (tax) returns included.
Really very cold over the weekend when Roy and Gwyneth came to visit - but we had a good time anyway, despite the fact that there is no central heating in the house. Then on Monday suddenly spring arrived to the extent that I was able to put the roof down on the car and still be comfortably warm. There is hope folks.

The Boys are Alright - The Dots (Dresden and Berlin, Germany)
"THE DOTS play rock music with unusual boldness" according to Babel Fish and who am I to argue, except that the English version of their site suggests that "THE DOTS play British indie-rock".
From the 2007 album Fashion For The Dressed And Naked, available on Jamendo, as is the 2008 5-track EP Fake modern love songs. It was recommended by Organic Despair through Jamendo.
Art Hustle - Vocals, Percussion
C.Blitzschutz - Bass, Vocals
MKO Swillus - Organ, Vocals
Dr.Valentine - Guitar, Vocals
Nils A. Antiknock - Drums and Percussion
www.the-dots.de/
www.jamendo.com/en/album/25550

Forget about love - AnnieMac (Ashland, Oregon, USA)
AnnieMac's original music is a tasty mix of R&B riffs, soul grooves, with a rock 'n' roll edge. Their vibe is reminiscent of earlier eras, but with a sound all their own.
Since starting AnnieMac in January of 2006, Joe Diehl and Annie McIntyre have brought the band from playing in McIntyre"s living room to being heard in Starbuck's all across the world with their new CD, Ignition. McIntyre and Diehl rediscovered each other years after the musicians, who had played together in one of McIntyre's former Bay Area bands, had moved separately to the beautiful southern Oregon town of Ashland.
From the album Ignition which is available at CD Baby, Amazon and iTunes.
www.anniemacmusic.com/
www.myspace.com/anniemacmusic
cdbaby.com/cd/anniemacmus

Ils m'ont tous dit... - Outred'encre (Serignan, France)
From the album Le Refus. A posthumous album for dOutred'encre after the release of which singer and comnposer Alexis Guerin quit the band. And I guess that"s about the end of the story.
The album was recommended by Organic Despair - from whom I've had a few good suggestions.
www.jamendo.com/en/album/35486

I want to know you - Jean Synodinos (Austin, Texas, USA)
From the album Lucky. It has been a while since I played anything by Jean. I was hoping to meet up with her at SXSW this year but I've decided not to go, I've just not been able to fit that in with all sorts of other commitments. May try to get over for NXNE (Toronto) in mid-June. If you know anything about NXNE, give me a shout I'll be very pleased to hear from you.
Third Coast Music says: "Synodinos is amazing... she has excellent moves as a songwriter and is an accomplished acoustic guitarist, but her big gun is the marvel that is her voice."
There is a nifty video on her site.
www.jeansynodinos.com/
www.myspace.com/jeansynodinos

Angry Busdriver - CSW Studio (Madrid, Spain)
Gael22 recommended an EP by the C.S.W Studio a.k.a. "The Bobby Experience" - an open-minded Ambient/Experimental/Progressive project. They are open to all kind of collaboration.
From Les Fonds De Tiroirs (2008), is one of five albums on Jamendo
http://thebobbyexperience.blogspot.com/
www.jamendo.com/en/album/20662

I played Pauline's Taylor's track Hackney Crystal on SnC a couple of weeks ago and I submitted it to the Association of Music Podcasting weekly update show AMPed. It is included in AMPed 166 presented by Daniel Johnson Jr. of "Journey inside my mindâ podcast out of Cincinnati, Ohio, who seemed to have a bit of fun with this show's name.
http://journeyinsidemymind.com/

Excerpt from AMPed 166

There is a link to JIMM and all the other AMP member podcasts on the Network links page on the SnC site.

Solo Flying Mystery Man - Pauline Taylor (London, UK)
From the album A Simple Life
www.paulinetaylor.co.uk
www.myspace.com/paulinetaylor

Gnawa of Power - Secret Archives of the Vatican (UK)
Codger played a couple of track recently which reminded me how good they are.
"We mix drum'n'bass, breakbeats, dub, dubstep and triphop with flavours of Indian, Persian, Turkish and Arabian traditional music and more, Recently we've been exploring some Moroccan influences and we did a couple of small gigs in Morocco last summer."
From the album Babylon Halt available an mp3 download from any number of sales sites including: iTune, Amazon, Rhapsody and eMusic. Full list on the SAV site.
www.brokendrumrecords.com/

AMPed is now on Twitter
http://twitter.com/musicpodcasting

Street Sound - The Pimps Of Joytime (Brooklyn. New York, USA)
Played a track from the Pimps a while back - high time for another.
The genre-defying Pimps of Joytime pay homage to funk, afrobeat, latin and hip hop, combining loops and live playing in a way that is seamless and infectious. The joyful noise you'll hear is a heady musical gumbo sure to get you moving. Their eclectic debut album High Steppin' is available now on Wonderwheel Recordings.
www.pimpsofjoytime.com/
www.myspace.com/pimpsofjoytime

SnC 156 - Wed 11 Feb 2009

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:21:00 GMT

An all N. American selection this week. Honestly, I don't plan it that way.
Sadly I'm now flying the show solo, since my producer, companion and great friend Artois (right) was diagnosed with fairly advanced liver cancer on Saturday and immediately put down. I think a few of us have seen enough pain for one lifetime. I just hope someone will be able to do the same for me when the time comes. NO, not yet you fool!

She got too big for her body - Neal Fox (FL, USA)
Another outing for the magnificently cunning Fox by the name of Neal, this time with resonance of In the Midnight Hour I rather thought. What do you reckon?
I really don't need to say much about Neal. His work speaks for itself over at
www.wireduck.com

Putting on my Catsuit - Sez Guiljan (San Francisco, CA, USA)
From the album On to the Next released just a couple of weeks ago.
Sez began playing piano at the age of four but a few years later traded it in for the classical viola. She taught herself how to strum guitar at sixteen and since then has picked up the cello, bass, Autoharp and accordion.
Sez Giulian moved to San Francisco in 1997 from Philadelphia. Since then she has gigged regularly throughout the city's bars, cafes and theaters as well as recorded with top local musicians.
On to the Next is a blues-and-jazz-infused indie collection of 14 intimate songs. Giulian also skillfully plays all of the instruments on the album. Her songwriting is sharp, catchy and unpredictable, and her lyrics are wry and clever poetry.
The album is be available online and digitally through iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, Rhapsody and others. Visit her site for a list of sales locations.
www.sezg.com
myspace.com/sezalicious

Spivey have put a clip from Suffolk'n'Cool 155 onto their MySpace player - neat idea chaps and much appreciated. See what I mean at www.myspace.com/spiveymusic while you're there you'll be able to check on their live dates coming up in Dallas on Saturday then a couple of dates in Lubbock, Texas, where Buddy Holly was born. (Isn't it the 50th anniversary of Buddy Holly's death this week?)

Ruleta rusa - Cordero (Brooklyn, NY, USA)
From their album De Donde Eres.
Fronted by Ani Cordero and her nail-it-to-the-back-wall voice, Cordero can set the scene for a golden, reverby, south of the border sunset or an ill-conceived encounter with a stranger in the back booth of a dimly lit bar.
This powerful, Brooklyn-based quintet (horns, re-verby guitars and a drummer that defies you to NOT get out of the chair and shake it) is equally at home amongst the New York art rock scene or the vibrant Rock en Espanol movement, pegging both with heaping amounts of sassy spontaneity and sexy Latin styling. Cordero's sound and aesthetic has nothing less than an undeniable romantic flair.
Before stepping to the front of the stage and settling down in Brooklyn with hubby Chris Verene (formerly of Rock*A*Teens), Ani played drums in the much acclaimed surf outfit, Man or Astroman?. Cordero has toured and recorded with a winding cast of notable characters, including Calexico (the fruit of a recorded, but never released collaborative album). They've also supported Neko Case on her 2004 Tiger Sessions Tour and have shared bills with everyone from Los Lobos to Rosie Thomas and Lucero.
www.bloodshotrecords.com/artists/cordero/
http://corderomusic.com/
www.myspace.com/corderonyc

Big Log - Chrissy Coughlin (New York, NY)
From her Look Ahead album.
Chrissy's seasoned voice coupled with her warm personality are an unstoppable combination.
2008 was been a good year for this New York City based singer-songwriter. The winter was full of excitement moving to and 'officially' becoming a 'New Yorker', the spring delight of releasing her new CD, Look Ahead, and the summer and fall have been chock full of performances to support her new release.
www.chrissymusic.com
www.myspace.com/chrissycoughlin

Drip Dryin' - The Two Man Gentleman Band (New York, NY, USA)
America's premier itinerant neo-vaudevillian swing duo.
From the very eponymous album Drip Dryin' with The Two Man Gentleman Band on Serious Business Records.
The record release concert is being held this Friday, 13th at The Jalopy Theater in Brooklyn.

Dear Friends,
Our record release spectacular promises to be no less than, well, spectacular. It features us, Curtis Eller (our favorite acrobatic yodeling banjoist), and the Minsky Sisters (the loveliest and most talented tap dancing duo we could ever dream of). Join us, won't you?
Friday, Feb 13th, 10pm
The Jalopy Theater
315 Columbia St., Brooklyn, NY
Click here for Directions
$10 admission
What's that you say, gentlemen? Friday the 13th and Valentine's Day Eve? Indeed. Frightening and Romantic, a perfect summary of The Two Man Gentlemen Band.

You can download a couple of tracks quite free from their site.
www.thetwogentlemen.com
www.myspace.com/twomangentlemenband

Strangest places - Astronauts of Antiquity (New York, NY, USA)
Astronauts of Antiquity have bridged various musical worlds to create a realm all their own. And while their journey has taken them around the globe, on their new album, Rocket Science For Dummies, they have brought it all back home, delivering an album that is seamless and mesmerizing.
Their music has been called everything from "urban-electro-organica," to a "jazzy, neo-soulful, electronic exploration," but more than any genre, what defines Astronauts of Antiquity is the musical and life partnership of India on vocals and B. Rhyan on guitars. The two first ran into each other - literally - at the airport, while India was rushing to make a flight. Three years later, the two once again encountered at one of India"s performances in Milwaukee. Backstage after her show, B. Rhyan was instantly captivated by India and sensed something more than simply a kindred spirit - he saw the possibility of a music and soul partner. (Only years later did the two recall their original chance encounter, which made their meeting feel even more like destiny.)
Originally an alternative rock act, India, and B. Rhyan birthed what would become Astronauts of Antiquity at of all places, a festival they were playing in Poland. India recalls, "We were an alt/rock band, but the last song we did was a dub influenced song, and the people went crazy. I think we were all like, 'Holy Shit, we're on to something here!"
www.astronautsofantiquity.com/
www.myspace.com/astronautsofantiquity

Bartalk - Erik Scott (Chicago and California, USA)
A session man through and through I suspect. Best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Sonia Dada, and Flo & Eddie, Erik has also recorded with dozens of other artists, including Carl Palmer, Kim Carnes, Pops and Mavis Staples, and Signal. In addition to providing soulful low notes, he is a composer/producer who has written and recorded for movies and TV.
www.erikscottbass.com

Twitter and real networking
Ariel Publicity www.arielpublicity.net

My Baby - Kat Danser (Edmonton, Canada)
From Kat's 2007 album Somethin' Familiar.
Her 'Swamp Blues' style is steeped in early roots and blues traditions and delivered by her deep, resonant vocals and the soulful sound of her Weissenborn lap slide guitar. Much like a long stretching railroad track, Danser draws a direct line from the Canadian prairie to the Mississippi Delta. She is one part backwoods juke joint, one part plow puller and two parts dusty ol' canvas tent revival. Kat Danser delivers a refreshing approach to roots, blues, and gospel music for the 21st Century.
A multi-instrumentalist, Danser plays the Weissenborn Hawaiian lap slide guitar, a vintage acoustic Gibson, National steel resophonic slide guitar, a tack head banjo and the Zydeco scrubboard.
Danser is currently in production of her third full-length acoustic roots and blues album, is filming a documentary entitled Women in Blues: Turn the Page and is an Ethnomusicology graduate student at the University of Alberta.
You can download that track and order the CDs from Kat's site.
www.katdanser.com
www.myspace.com/katdanser

SnC 155 - Wed 04 Feb 2009

Wed, 4 Feb 2009 20:07:00 GMT

A strange situation arose this afternoon. Just before recording the show we seemed to have two Suns. The second bright patch really was in the sky, rather like a very short bright section of rainbow. I guess it must have been something to do with the atmosphere and the low temperature.
Some unusual diversions this week too - even into the world of rap. No hang on, this is interesting.
Lots of music from the PMN this week and it just happens that all but a couple of tracks are from the USA.

Glide - Woof Woof / Ken Clarke (Georgia, USA)
Ken Clark, Rick Fowler, Sherry Joyce, John Williams
Gig coming up at The Classic Centre in Athens, Georgia on 21 Feb
One unusual song on the MySpace "The spank me songâ - take a listen.
www.myspace.com/woofwoofband

Lips - Spivey (Dallas, Texas, USA)
Ryan Spivey: guitars, vocals, synth...
Josh Boucher: drum programming, bass, keyboards, backing vocals
The lost art of classic radio hits, the lonely cowboy songs, the palate of sounds in psychedelic rock, and the underlying groove are the ingredients of SPiVEY's music.
www.spiveymusic.com/
www.myspace.com/spiveymusic

We can fly - Lachi (Brooklyn, NY, USA)
From the album Ugly Beautiful.
Independent Music Awards finalist Lachi has lured the hearts of many with her honest lyrics and enchanted sound. Lachi is a powerful and enchanting singer/songwriter, who's music can best be described as piano-driven, jazz-influenced alternative rock.
Sultry, smooth, intelligent and bold, Lachi commands cleverly crafted, insightful yet quirky lyrics. They steer away from mediocrity and carry with them a message of natural beauty and internal conflict, managing to captivate the hearts of many. She holds a deep connection with her music, which can be felt and shared with everyone who watches her on stage. Along with band mates Andrew Boxer on drums, Andre Donatien on guitar and Jamie Diaz on bass, this Manhattan-based singer/songwriter reveals her heart and mind as she unleashes her eclectic musings.
www.ulachi.com
www.myspace.com/lachimusic
www.cdbaby.com/cd/lachi

Tuesday - E.P.Hall (Indiana, USA)
I can't believe that Suffolk'n'Cool is the only podcast to have picked up on E.P.Hall on the PMN.
e.p. hall is a songwriting project based in bloomington, indiana known for its sentimental vocals, bookish lyrics, growley synth lines, and fingerstyle guitar. The project's influences include various diy, new weird america, and freak-folk mini-movements.
www.ephall.com/

Good Evening (Dream Big) - Outasight (New York, NY, USA)
When Outsight's music bursts out of the speakers, what emerges is the sheer musicality of what he's doing - a combination of catchy hooks, masterful flow, intelligent lyrics and irresistible beats. The New York based rapper has lived a life completely immersed in music of all kinds, and it shows in the range and quality of his records. His upcoming album, From Here To Eternity, will be forcing Hip-Hop tastemakers to continue to take notice of this supremely talented rapper and singer, and is sure to expand upon his growing fan base.
Show at the Blender Theatre at Gramercy in NY on February 16 at 8pm
www.thriftshophiphop.com/
www.myspace.com/iamoutasight

Cruise Control - Azoora (London, UK & Ãre, GÃteborg Sweden)
"Azoora" are a blend of acoustic electronica which combines that dreamy shoe-gazing feel with a charming British indie twist. They have recently released their debut EP Tall Tales in which they have two alternative takes of each of their tracks, having both original tracks, and remixes.
www.myspace.com/azoora

Hackney Crystal - Pauline Taylor (UK)
The former ballet student and hardcore tequila drinker released her first, self-titled album across Europe in 1999 to critical acclaim. Her music has been described as a blend of 'folking soul' and 'urban campfire blues'. After a break from the live scene, Taylor returned in summer 2005 with a spectacular opening set for Morcheeba at Somerset House. Taylor released the beautiful A Simple life in the same year having just signed a major publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music. She also features on both Dido records, P*NUTs debut album Sweet As (Cheeky Records/BMG, released Sept 2003) and Jason Sparks Heroes and Villains (Botchit and Scarper, released 2004) and has written with ex spicegirl Melanie Chisholm and new artists Kristian Leantiou, Paolo Nutini, Belle and The Hempolics. Pauline recently signed a record deal with new and exciting indie label Fred-Label and is currently working on her third album due for release in Autumn '07. [What makes me think the bio is a bit out of date? P]
www.paulinetaylor.co.uk
www.myspace.com/paulinetaylor

Walk Away (Sunburn in Cyprus mix) - Lovespirals (LA, CA, USA)
This is from a collection of remixes of chillout duo Lovespirals. Anji Bee sensual vocals and Ryan Lum's soulful guitar & keyboards have been remixed by numerous artists in various styles.
Anji has her own show The Chillcast with Anji Bee at www.anjibee.com/
www.lovespirals.com/

SnC 154a - Fri 30 Jan 2009

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:20:00 GMT

John Martyn 1948 - 2009

My personal tribute to a fine musician and big man.

Selecting just a few clips to play has been a painful process, not because of the memories it brings back but because there are so many masterpieces that have to be left out.

Another great sadness is for all the people who never experienced him play live and now, never will.

With twenty mainstream albums (and almost as many side project releases) to his credit, there is lots of music to listen to and it sounds as fresh and exciting today as it did when first released.

Solid Air and May you never are taken from Solid Air (1973) and Rainbow and Fisherman's Dream are from Sapphire (1984) [not 88 as I said].

There is a great clip from a BBC documentary about John at:
www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/music/features/john-martyn.shtml

www.johnmartyn.com/

(Audio reposted)

SnC 154 - Wed 28 Jan 2008

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:07:00 GMT

A "roit ol' mix" of music this week. You'll appreciate that despite the name of the show, most of the music I play comes from pretty much everywhere else in the world. This week is unique in that two tracks have connections with Suffolk.

'til the wheels fall off - That was Something (Michigan, USA)
That Was Something wants to make music that after all the trends, clothing and styles are over, still stands tall with an original pop sound that is still easy for people to familiarize themselves with. Their new EP, Down, But Not Out, produced by Rob Freeman (Hit The Lights, Cobra Starship)
Some gigs, with The Somophore Attempt and Go Crash Audio, coming up:
1 Mar The Mint Los Angeles, California
3 Mar The Unity Center, Roswell, New Mexico
5 Mar Jack's Patio Bar, San Antonio, Texas
6 Mar The Max, Dallas, Texas
9 Mar Jerry"s Bait Shop, Kansas City, Missouri
www.myspace.com/thatwassomething

If I was a seed - Charlotte Greig (Cardiff, Wales)
It's strange the way that music finds our ears. I was doing some work on a project here in the village and I found that the local school (for 5-11 year olds) was mentioned in an singer's bio.
"I first learned traditional songs as a child at a village school in Charsfield, Suffolk (Ronald Blythe later wrote about the village in his book Akenfield)
If I Was A Seed was recorded during the Down In The Valley sessions, but only previously released on a Bucketful Of Brains sampler. However, she has five albums as well available from her site along with a couple of free tracks.
www.charlottegreig.com/
www.myspace.com/charlottegreig

Falco Hase - Project Mahlen Goscht (Cottbus, Germany)
From the album #3 Doktorium [The ElektroBaer Sessions]
www.elektrobear.com/

Tunes at the Shoes at the weekend - assorted accordions, banjos and hammer dulcimers gathered at the Three Horseshoes in Charsfield for some fine traditional Suffolk music and a few pints of equally fine Victoria Bitter on a very cold and frosty night. Not much singing this session but some great tunes, generally played in sets of three, as you"ll hear.
The regular music night is held on the second Friday of every month and it is completely free.
If you want to know what's happening and about the beers you can register for Ale Mail the weekly beer oriented newsletter from Martin and Emma. Just drop a message to me and I'll pass your address on.

An image of you - The Chatham Singers (UK)
The Chatham Singers is the latest outlet for Billy Childish's blues work. Their first album was released in 2006 and although Billy had been playing and recording blues for over a quarter of a century, this is the first LP has made in this genre in for many years. As well as featuring great tunes, Heavens Journey also served as a showcase for many new poems that have been recorded by this legendary painter, writer and musician.
Julie is American by birth and her father's family are free Blacks and Winyah Indians from North Carolina.
The Chatham Singers are: - Billy Childish - Vox / Guitar Nurse Julie - Vox / Bass Wolf Howard - Drums and & 'Bludy" Jim on Harp On the new album they are joined by guests James Taylor (The Prisoners /James Taylor Quartet) on piano and Hammond, Graham Coxon (Blur) on occasional guitar
damagedgoods.co.uk/band/?c=The-Chatham-Singers

Closer to being here - Rendezvous Park (Helsinki, Finland) Jamendo rec by Organic Dispair
Rendezvous Park started in January 2008 when Kai Kousa and Mikael Nousiainen decided to put together little demos and improvised tracks they had been recording on the side of their other band project. It was felt that these tracks wouldn't fit into the massive blues-rock soundscape of the other project, so they decided to have another band just for these songs. What started as a simple side project has now evolved into something more serious.
Musically they draw influences from French minimalism, post-rock, movie soundtracks and diverse collection of artists.
They write, perform, mix and produce all their material.
Rendezvous Park is:
Mikael Nousiainen - piano, glockenspiel, percussions, drums programming, recording and mixing
Kai Kousa - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, electric bass, music videos and graphic design
http://rendezvouspark.wordpress.com

For your love - Marching Band (LinkÃping, Sweden)
Formerly known as Second Language, Erik Sunbring and Jacob Lind realized their musical connection while attending college. Together, they began to play around with an array of more eccentric musical instruments such as xylophone, marimba, banjo, vibraphone and unique vocal harmonies. The result of this experimentation is found within their eclectic 12-track album.
Their critically acclaimed debut album Spark Large features an assortment of instrumentation that delivers atmospheric folk and Indie-Pop.
http://marchingband.se/
www.myspace.com/marchingband

Marching Band
"For Your Love" (mp3)
from "Spark Large"
(U & L Records, Inc.)

Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

Militante - Carlos de Nicaragua (France, Barcelona)
Carlos Wiltshire, alias Carlos de Nicaragua, was born in Bluefields, on the Nicaraguan Atlantic coast. His name is not only in reference to his country of birth but mostly in reference to the legendary Indian chief Nicaraocai, philosopher, ferocious warrior and fighter. Carlos de Nicaragua was one of the precursors of the sound system concept in Paris.
In Paris, latinos, french and africans dance during the concerts under the blazing fire of a Nicaraguayan named Carlos and his band "Familia", pioneers of the salsa reggae style. His admiration for the reggae prophets Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear [...] pushed him to dedicate himself to this music, reinventing it and mixing it with the tumbao of dancing rhythms from the Bronx and other great salsa capitals.
Carlos is about to launch into a tour as he explained:

yes I Suffolk
Happy New year...Jah Bless.
What a gwaan I & I music a rule.
I will be in Germany on tour fi the release of I new album
MILITANTE .2O/2/2009 TO 28/2/2009
Soon.
BLESSINGS.
CARLOS DE NICARAGUA

There is a video that you just have to see at: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MHqYGt6ejqE
www.myspace.com/carlosdenicaraguayfamilia
http://cdbaby.com/cd/carlosdenicaragua

SnC153 - Wed 21 Jan 2009

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:31:00 GMT

Congratulations are due to the people of the USA for electing Barack Obama to serve as their president.
The inauguration yesterday was hugely impressive (even on TV here in the UK) and gives confidence that enough of the people are behind him to bring the perception of USA back into the realm of civilisation again. UK next?
Having said all that, most of the music this week seems to be from Canada and France. Oh well.

This city's a mess - Said the Whale (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
Although Said The Whale's sounds may sometimes be labeled "poppy" and "bouncy", the band makes it clear within the first ten seconds of listening that it is NOT a band to take lightly. This is indie pop-rock at its finest!
Howe Sounds/Taking Albonia builds on the success Said The Whale has already attained in Vancouver. It's apparent that Said The Whale is a product of the thriving independent music scene in Western Canada and the Northwest USA, yet Howe Sounds proves that they are still able to stand out as a compelling up-and-coming band.
The collective brainchild of Ben Worcester and Tyler Bancroft, now recently turned five-piece band, Said the Whale has accumulated a solid fan base from a litany of previous bands (My Buddy Dave, The Millionaires, WordsOverMusic), and Said The Whale are quickly winning over new fans with every show.
March 6 - Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret
www.myspace.com/saidthewhale

AMPed show162 went up on Monday - if you'd like to check it out please do at musicpodcasting.org the player is on the left.

Weight in Gold - Tony Kehoe (Liverpool, UK)
Our Graham at It's a Frog's Life Acoustic Podcast put me onto Tony Kehoe.
Tony is a returned native of Liverpool and is building a reputation for himself having taken to playing and singing around 8 years ago.
www.myspace.com/kehoesongs

Prairies - Ours to Destroy (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
Ours to Destroy are a band from Calgary Alberta with a talent for adding modern indie edge, psychedelia and found sounds to folk music. We call it Anarchist Folk Rock.
Anarchist Folk Rock: a genre where compositions start in the realm of folk or rock with solid story telling and melody but venture deep into the realm of experimentation.
"We've released a bunch of tracks off our first album as free downloads. The entire album will be released over the next two months as we gear up to release our 2nd full length album during 2009."
All the tunes on their MySpace are available for free download. Go to the band's MySpace blog for links & full info.
www.OursToDestroy.com
www.myspace.com/ourstodestroy
http://cdbaby.com/cd/ourstodestroy

G Spot
Jeremy Gugenheim called by with a track for us from his blues podcast. It's not that often that The G Spot comews to find you!
www.smallsystems.co.uk/thegspot

Nos Larmes - The Duo (Paris, France)
Claude Langlois and Pascal Mikaeliain who have been playing together and apart for the past 10 years.
Jeremy will doubtless tell you more on The G Spot
BTW Nos Larmes actually means "Our tearsâ
14 Feb The Duo en Quartet Ã Le BelvÃdÃre, CHAMPIGNY/MARNE, Ile-de-France
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/theduo/
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/theduo

feat project instruu 2 - Stouffi the Stouves (Lille, France)
From the Jamendo album the featuring project volume 2 A very interesting, experimental setup taking snipets from other people and making something quite extraordinary from them.
Vavrek says, "the third track...inspired my own little personal revolution. :) love it !!!!!!!!!â
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/STOUFFI_THE_STOUVES

PC Podcast show 250 will be going up on Saturday
Congratulations to Pete Cogle and my thanks for putting me onto some of the more wonderful (and sometimes weird) music.
www.petecogle.com

Bodmin Dubbing - Bagas Degol (Penzance, Cornwall, UK)
The band is Rick Williams (clarinet), David Twomlow (bag pipes and soprano saxophone), and Dave Trahair (tabor drum and percussion).
From Penzance in the far west of Cornwall, BAGAS DEGOL has a fast growing reputation on the Cornish music and dance scene with their distinctive style of traditional music delivered with a powerful, raw edge. Their name in Cornish means 'Feast Day Band' in recognition of the occasion for which they originally came together - to accompany the famous Tom Bawcock's Eve lantern procession in Mousehole.
From their magnificent album Party like it's 1399, still (just) available from Cornish Music - but hurry.
http://cornishmusic.com

Skeletons in your closet - Rick Fowler (Georgia, USA)
I played a track from Rick in the summer. Rick Fowler's musical honesty creates an unsurpassed morphic resonance between him and his listeners. With a raw soul reminiscent of early Johnny Winter and aural suspense akin to Trower, Fowler delivers the energy, joy, anger and torment found in the very best of blues-rock. His album Back on my good foot is available direct from his site or from CD Baby.
http://rickfowler.com/
www.myspace.com/rickfowlerband

Cradle - The Joy Formidable (Mold, N. Wales)
The Joy Formidable are Ritzy Bryan, Rhydian Dafydd and Matt Thomas
The beginnings of TJF began several years ago, when school friends Ritzy and Rhydian chatted on a night out in their hometown of Mold, North Wales. Both opinionated and madly into music, an instant respect was formed and they began meeting regularly at the legendary Buckley Tivoli; then a North Walian mecca for local and touring bands. It was a source of much inspiration to the musically aspiring pair; alongside Ritzy's parents enormous, exhaustive record collection. Nevertheless, in an otherwise provincial, sleepy setting, itchy feet and a fleeing were inevitable; Ritzy to Washington DC and Rhydian to Manchester, where they enjoyed separate but strangely parallel journeys as singer songwriters. It was a single phone call that reunited them, this time they would write together, but it was little known that a more intense partnership would develop between them.
www.myspace.com/thejoyformidable

SnC 152 - Wed 14 Jan 2009

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:41:00 GMT

The snow has gone but after a prolonged very cold spell. Perhaps we do need some form of central heating in the house - for next year. As I came over to the barn early this morning, the moon was still glinting through the trees.

Hot tips - The D'Urbervilles (Guelph/Hamilton/Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
The D'Urbervilles began in the Toronto suburb of Oshawa, Ontario as a means for childhood friends and underagers Tim Bruton (guitar, synth) and John O'Regan (vocals, guitar, synth) to see rock shows at local bars. These enterprising young men played a few gigs and liked performing enough to keep the band together even after they had reached the legal drinking age. After a few months they had left town for arts school at the University of Guelph, Ontario, where they met future band member Kyle Donnelly (bass).
Since adding drummer Greg Santilly following the album release, The D'Urbervilles have not only further refined their raw yet heartfelt brand of carefully measured exuberance, but finally got themselves a van and hit the road for real. Touring invites soon arrived from respected Canadian acts such as You Say Party! We Say Die!
Keep an eye out for The D'Urbervilles in 2009 when they unveil a new collection of casually devastating pop songs at South By Southwest showcases and venues across Canada and the United States.
www.myspace.com/thedurbervilles

Count to ten - Brenda Xu (California, USA)
Singer/songwriter Brenda Xu was born in Harbin, China (near Russia's southern border), arriving in the U.S. to live with her grandmother at age five. When she was ten, her mother joined them and began teaching Xu piano. She was in high school when she got her first guitar and began writing songs. "When I first played around town at open mics, it was a little duo with a friend of mine. We played three shows, but then I started writing songs on my own."
Her first local solo gig was in January 2007 at Hot Java Cafe in Carmel Mountain Ranch. She sometimes performs and records with guitarist Ivan Cheong, occasionally with a bassist as well.
brendaxu.com
www.myspace.com/brendaxu

She's coming - Azoora (UK)
"Azoora" are a blend of acoustic electronica which combines that dreamy shoe-gazing feel with a charming British indie twist. They have recently released their debut EP Tall Tales in which they have two alternative takes of each of their tracks, having both original tracks, and remixs.
www.myspace.com/azoora

Before Beauty - Secret Archives of the Vatican (UK)
We mix drum'n'bass, breakbeats, dub, dubstep and triphop with flavours of Indian, Persian, Turkish and Arabian traditional music and more, Recently we've been exploring some Moroccan influences and we did a couple of small gigs in Morocco this summer.
Quite a few tracks available for download from their site.
www.brokendrumrecords.com/
myspace.com/secretarchives

Isn't that so - Bethany and Rufus (New York, USA)
"Unbelievable!" is the word most used by audiences when first hearing Bethany & Rufus whose cello and voice duo breaks new musical ground, sliding with seamless ease between groove, jazz and a gritty, unvarnished approach to traditional folk music.
www.bethanyandrufus.com/

A reason to Dub - King Dubby (Angers, France)
From his brand new album Chapter 3 available on Jamendo.
"Voici mon 3Ãme opus feat. myself.
MÃlange de mes influences reggae, dub, dub roots....et plus encore...
I hope that u will enjoy it !!!!
TÃlÃchargez le, critiquez le , bref faites le vivre !!!!!!"
kingdubby.hautetfort.com/
Download the album from Jamendo

Skanking Fool - The Uptones (Berkeley, CA, USA)
Formed in 1981 in Berkeley, while they were still in high school. The Uptones were the first band devoted to playing Ska on the West Coast. The Uptones played to skanking crowds all over the West. Several of their recordings were regional hits, and for a time they were the most popular band in the Bay Area.
www.uptones.com/
www.myspace.com/uptoneska

The Uptones
"Skanking Fool" (mp3)
from "Skankin' Foolz Unite!"
(Fun Fun Fun Records)
More On This Album

Moody - Do-Up (Russia)
Band's composition:
Karina Karinian - voice
Papa Lion - voice
Alexander Bogomolov - keyboard
Evgeny Timshin - bass
Ignat Kravtsov - drums
Vadim Shukurov - sampler, flute
DO-UP band got together in 2006 in Yekaterinburg. Having introduced the first concert program, DO-UP become a constant guest at all type of fashionable events, presentations, and fashion shows. In 2007 DO-UP celebrated its 1 year anniversary playing their solo, they also presented their radio program ÂDO-UP timeÂ that has already become something of a cult. The joint performance with such legendary groups as "De Phazz" in 2008 and later with "Touch & Go" became the turning point in the biography of the group. These concerts had a tremendous success in front of thousands of listeners, which has proved the relevance of Do-UP"s work not only to smaller premises, but also to the large concert halls.
http://do-up.ru/
Download the Acoustic Lounge album from Jamendo

This week I'll be presenting AMPed - the weekly showcase for the Association of Music Podcasting. I"ll not be picking the tunes, they are submitted by member podcasts so there is bound to be a bit of variety.
It's my first time presenting the show so by all means get along after Monday and see what a mess I"ve made of it!
musicpodcasting.org

Galway Girl - Sharon Shannon and Steve Earl (Ireland)
The title track of the Best of Sharon Shannon was written by Steve Earle while he was spending some time living in Galway writing a book. It was first recorded by Earle and Shannon in 1999 for Shannon's hugely successful 'Diamond Mountain Sessions" album. The song has been gaining in popularity ever since, boosted by since the airing of the Magners cider ads in which it featured.
Mundy has been performing the song at Sharon Shannon Big Band shows across the country in recent times and had the opportunity to perform it with Steve Earle at last year's Cambridge Folk Festival much to the festival goers' delight.

Sharon Shannon, Steve Earle
"The Galway Girl" (mp3)
from "The Galway Girl - The Best Of Sharon Shannon (Bonus Track Version)" (The Daisy Label)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Sig tune: Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA)
www.jimmiebratcher.com/

SnC 151 - Wed 07 Jan 2009

Wed, 7 Jan 2009 23:13:00 GMT

It's still really unusually cold here in eastern England. It means that the caffeine intake has been moderated because the water supply pipe to the Barn is frozen solid.
However, the novelty is wearing off now and I am resolved to get a proper hearting system into the house before next winter - this is rather a recurring new year resolution!

Mister Highway Man - The Aces (California)
The Aces have attitude and a different idea of how to play Blues. They reduce the Blues to pounding riffs and a distorted wall of sound topped by wailing harp. They were among the first to absorb and recast the drone riff-based Hill Country Blues style, and The Aces do that their own way.
They have their own slicked back greased hair in a wind-tunnel look attached to a permanent sneer and a pushy stage presence.
www.acesfan.com/

A message from Jez, percussionist and more with the Dana Wylie Band.

Bow and Arrow - e.p. hall (Indiana, USA)
e.p. hall is a songwriting project based in bloomington, indiana known for its sentimental vocals, bookish lyrics, growley synth lines, and fingerstyle guitar. The project's influences include various diy, new weird america, and freak-folk mini-movements.
www.ephall.com/
www.myspace.com/ephallmusic

Fuck the Fed - Neal Fox (Florida, USA)
Following on from his excellent Something's Wrong last week. The track that I implored you to look at on his site. Even if you've herd it now, do it anyway. Follow the link to "stuff" and check out Neal's other work while you're there.
www.wireduck.com

African Dream - Halo and Kemal
MN2S Classic Dubs is a stunning collection of Milk n 2 Sugars (MN2S) masterpieces edited by Halo, featuring some of house music's most momentous moments and encompassing nearly a decade of classic MN2S Dubs available from (amongst others) Beatport - search by label: MN2S Recordings, then by Artist Halo and it'll pop up.
Thanks to Dave at Milk 'n' 2 Sugars for making that clip available.
www.mn2s.com/
www.beatport.com

How it ends - DeVotchKa (?)
It wasn't too long ago that a weary band hauling a violin, a tuba, an accordion, and trumpets into rock club were told they must be in the wrong place; when a band fusing musical elements from across the globe needed to fight to be considered a rock band instead of being marked by the dubious 'world music" tag.
A decade ago, DeVotchKa drove an overstuffed tour van onto a very different musical landscape. Ten years later, it seems the world has caught up with them.
How it ends is the title track of this seminal release from DeVotchKa currently scores the trailer for Gears of War 2, one of the most anticipated video games in history (for more information, please visit www.gearsofwar.xbox.com). Much of the album is also featured in the indie-hit movie, "Little Miss Sunshine.â
01/30/09 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
01/31/09 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
02/02/09 - West Hollywood, CA - Viper Room
02/04/09 - San Diego, CA - The Belly Up
02/05/09 - Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse
02/06/09 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre
02/07/09 - Lubbock, TX - Jake's Place Sports CafÃ
02/08/09 - Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa
02/13/09 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
http://devotchka.net

The Unruly Ones - Dana Wylie Band (England, Canada, Taiwan)
I played a couple of tracks a few weeks ago on SnC148. You'll find more about the band on the shownotes for 148. High time for a bit more from this excellent band of highly skilled musicians who I think are still in Taiwan - wise move!
www.danawylie.net/
www.myspace.com/danawylieband

If you are in London next week and fancy a night out you could do a lot worse than shuffling along to 333 Mothers Bar in Shoreditch where Get Wanted has outgrown Mondays and moved to Thursday nights. On the bill are: Leters from London, The Super Nashwan Kids, Bright Young Sons and The World on Fire
www.myspace.com/getwanted

Good thing - Robben Ford (California, USA)
Robben Ford is one of the premiere electric guitarists today, particularly known for his blues playing as well as his ability to be comfortable in a variety of musical contexts. A four-time Grammy nominee, he has played with artists as diverse as Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis, Bonnie Raitt and more.
www.robbenford.com/

The G Spot Jeremy Gugenheim's blues podcast is available.
In iTunes, just click Advanced > Subscribe to podcast and type or copy in the feed address: http://sse.myzen.co.uk/thegspot/?feed=rss2

Sig tune: Happy - Jimmie Bratcher
www.jimmiebratcher.com

SnC 150 - Wed 31 Dec 2008

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:26:00 GMT

Another grey and cold day in the UK with frost hanging around all day and the prospect of freezing fog overnight. At least the weather can only get better.
The music will, I hope prove cheering with a slightly longer show this week including a track from my "Find of the year 2008" - Luthea Salom (right).

Hesitations and Cliches - Verona Red (Chicago, IL, USA)
Chris, Mike, Tony, Taz
Date: 2 Jan 09
Venue: Martyrs'
Address: 3855 North Lincoln, Chicago, IL, 60613, US
Details: Verona Red 9:30
Dirty Blue 10:30
Cobalt & The Hired Guns 11:30
www.myspace.com/veronared

Nightmares and appointments - Jenny Gillespie (Chicago, IL, USA)
Jenny: vocals, piano, guitar
Josh Stewart: cello and bass
Alan Ollendorff - pedal steel
John Knecht: drums
Jenny has worked as a waitress, a nanny, a hair model, a bed and breakfast concierge, a poetry teacher, and currently, a children's literature editor. But music has always remained her north star. Born in central Illinois, she has lived in Virginia, Rhode Island, Paris, and Austin, Texas, and currently calls Chicago home, where she performs with her band and soaks up the seasons of a vibrant city.
In 2008 she recorded Light Year, her first full-length album, funded mostly by donations by fans, at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio with additional production by Darwin Smith at Austin's Cacophony Recordings. Anticipate a West Coast tour in spring 2009. The album which will be available tomorrow Jan. 1 on iTunes and CDbaby.

UPDATE:

"Hi Peter. Thanks so much for featuring Nightmares on your great show. Unfortunately the CD won't be available for sale until January 15 due to some complications with the art work (missing font files! ahhh!) If you want to note that on your show notes, that would be great."

Consider it done Jenny! Those font files are elusive little chaps - hope you manage to round them up. Perhaps if any anyone spots them - probably looking a bit lost and hungry by now, they could just let us know where they are and we'll get the font warden to bring them in. ;)
www.myspace.com/jennygillespie

Gorgeous Behaviour - Marching Band (LinkÃping, Sweden)
Formerly known as Second Language, Erik Sunbring and Jacob Lind realized their musical connection while attending college. Together, they began to play around with an array of more eccentric musical instruments such as xylophone, marimba, banjo, vibraphone and unique vocal harmonies. The result of this experimentation is found within their eclectic 12-track album.
Their critically acclaimed debut album Spark Large features an assortment of instrumentation that delivers atmospheric folk and Indie-Pop.
They have a gig at Luminaire in The King's Head in Kilburn, London on 8th Jan.
http://marchingband.se/
www.myspace.com/marchingband

Marching Band
"For Your Love" (mp3)
from "Spark Large"
(U & L Records, Inc.)

Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

Utopie - San'jyla (Vannes, France)
From their first album Premier Pas, which is "le fruit d'un travail commencÃ sur scÃne et dans les caf'conÃ du grand Ouest.â
LÃ oÃ l'envie de partager des bonnes vibrations sont plus fortes que tout.
Le groupe est composÃ de :
- D'une section rythmique (batterie - basse - percussions - guitares - claviers)
- D'une section de soufflants (flÃte traversiÃre - sax tÃnor - sax alto)
- De chants (2 leads, 1 choeur).
www.sanjyla.com

Something's Wrong - Neal Fox (Florida, USA)
Something's Wrong, is a kind of primer for the song I'm not going to play this week called "Fuck the Fed". Really you do have to see the video. Follow the link to "stuff" and check out Neal's other work while you're there. Such a talent.
www.wireduck.com

Upon seeing Simone - Stewart Francke (Detroit, USA)
With hard work, great songwriting and soulful singing, Stewart Francke has found true indie success in today's rough & tumble music business. He's made ten highly praised CDs, the most recent being Stewart Francke Alive And Unplugged at The Ark, to be released in on January 20, 2009 through Blue Boundary Records and Burnside Distribution. His previous CD, Motor City Serenade, was recorded with the legendary Motown session band the Funk Brothers. Stewart has sold 50,000 records-all without a major label and its promotional muscle.
Building his devoted audience one person at a time over the years, Stewart is now known as one of the most exciting and beloved live performers around, playing his own headlining shows as well as support touring with the likes of Sheryl Crow, Warren Zevon, Steve Earle, Chris Isaak, Robert Cray, Shawn Colvin, Hall & Oates, Michael McDonald, Stevie Winwood, Eddie Money, Foreigner, Chicago, & many others.
Now performing with his own Detroit Soul band, Francke"s show is exciting, smart, humorous, and loaded with a warm, soulful vibe that makes every night pure magic.
www.stewartfrancke.com/
www.myspace.com/stewartfranckemusic

Murray's Wives - Ruth Theodore (London, UK)
Another track from Worm Food, Ruth Theodore's fine debut album. 13 tracks of beautifully twisted, political and personal mayhem. Her style of delivery makes you really listen and the effort is well worthwhile. You can get the album as MP3 from Jamendo but do yourself a favour and go to her site and get it in gleaming CD quality for just Â9.99
www.ruththeodore.com
www.jamendo.com/en/album/17052

When I'm dead write me a song - Pie Boys Flat (Queens, New York, USA)
From their album Uproot the Island.
Pie Boys Flat hit the NYC music scene in 2003 with their unique blend of Reggae, Blues, and Funk. Their writing shows influences ranging from Bob Marley to Jack Johnson to Sublime to Paul Simon and has melded into a form of ethnic Rhythm and Blues that sits firmly in the pocket of a style all its own. Laced with soaring three-part harmonies, their music is the manifestation of a many year friendship and collective musical intuition. Patrick Hambrick (Guitar/Vocals), Fitz Harris (Percussion/Vocals), and Jason Liles (Bass/Vocals) met in the late 1990's at Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia, where the trio formed a bond that is now apparent in both their writing and performing.
www.pieboysflat.com
myspace.com/pieboysflat

Accidents - Luthea Salom (New York, NY, USA)
From Luthea Salom's fine new bittersweet album Sunbeam Surrounded By Winter produced between NY and Skopje, (Macedonia) by Malcolm Burn and Luthea herself.
I think that if pushed to make a choice I'd say that Luthea is my find of the year 2008. Then the struggle is to narrow the choices to a single track.
On the face of it, just another girl with a guitar, but there is something else which I find utterly entrancing about the music from Luthea who is part Spanish and part Canadian.
www.lutheasalom.com
www.myspace.com/lutheasalomsongs

Thanks to all the artists, labels and enlightened managers who have seen the benefit in making their music available for me to include in the show over the past year. Your trust in the new way of working is appreciated.

SnC 149 - Wed 24 Dec 2008

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:49:00 GMT

Energy levels were running very low earlier today but 45 minutes or so of interesting music has sorted that problem out completely. It really must be the cheapest therapy available - and pretty damned effective too.
A rich mix of styles and challenges for you in this week's show including a rare phenomenon and on, and on ... - a sing-along track on Suffolk 'n' Cool, right at the end. Of course, the combination of Lauren Fincham and strong coffee could have something to do with it!
As the inspiring Ashley Brilliant says: "I have explored and rejected every other possibility, life, after all, is for having fun."

R'N'R en la radio - BadRriles (San Roque, Cadiz, Spain)
Pepe: Voice
Juan: Drums
Miguel: Bass
Andres: Guitar
www.myspace.com/badrriles

Something in the air - Lauren Fincham (Jacksonville, FL, USA)
Southern eclectic folk artist, Lauren Fincham has performed in, and organized several Indiegrrl concerts and benefits.
Discography: Perfect Pain - 2007 Burning Tree - 2001 Show & Tell - 1997
She is currently working on new cds and songs, watching the eclipses, and seeking that ever elusive perfect cup of coffee.
www.laurenfincham.com/
www.myspace.com/laurenfincham

Sweet swing - Trafic de Blues (Chateau du Loir, France) Jamendo
From the excellent and very varied album Fin de Cavale.
Roman Stadnicki (TOURS) : Harmonica
Jonathan Truillet (TOURS) : Guitare Solo
LÃnaÃc Hureau (NANTES) : Guitare Rythmique
Fabrice Lecoffre (TOURS) : Basse
Fabien Beillard (AIX EN PROVENCE) : Batterie
Pierre Poussin (TOURS) : Sax Alto
Damien Brosseau (TOURS) : Sax TÃnor
Vincent Foussard (CHOLET) : Trombone
Alexandre Loyau (RENNES) : Percussions
www.traficdeblues.fr.st - which doesn't seem to work so go for:
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/trafic.de.blues

Trafic de Blues featured on Jeremy Gugenheim's The G Spot - a brand new specialist blues podcast which is being crafted by Jeremy Gugenheim. The first show went up last week and I hope we can expect more. It"s really good to have someone who knows a bit to guide you through a form of music. You can subscribe through iTunes. More about how you can find the G Spot when Jeremy gets back and can tell us!

Let me in - Stereoaccident (Noord-Brabant, Netherlands)
As of 20-04-2008 StereoAccident continued under the name Signal to Shore, Comprising of Vocalist/Singer-Songwriters Chris Valentijn and Australian Shaun S Marshall.
Signal to Shore are the lastest acoustic duo out of The Netherlands. With lilting melodies, powerful vocals and hook laden tracks they are sure to have written one of your new favourite tunes. Comprising of Vocalist/Singer-Songwriters Chris Valentijn and Australian Shaun S Marshall, Signal to Shore creates and performs songs in their purest form, 2 guitars and vocals. Cutting out all the extra bells and whistles the songs have a honest and pure feel. Take a listen to an acoustic version of that song at:
www.myspace.com/signalstoshore

Solid Ground - Poxfil (France)
Iâve played a few Poxfil tracks but I know little about the artist, except that:

Poxfil est un collectif de moi tout seul. Y'a plus personne qui veut jouer avec moi, sauf peut Ãtre mon pote Georges, mais il me coÃte cher en pack de biÃre !

So Poxfil is a collective him himself all alone, but if he thinks beer is expensive in France, he should try to UK. Three albums are currently available on Jamendo.
www.poxfil.net
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/poxfil

Spankology - AfterThem (East Brunswick, NJ, USA)
Afterthem describes their sometimes polished...sometimes raw music as "Avant Garage Funk"...Keyboardist and alleged vocalist Dave George sites Frank Zappa as one of his musical heroes .... Lead vocals are done mostly by Joy Epting but they also have featured guest singers Laurel Barclay (of New York rockers "Daddy") and Liz Matta ... who also plays sax but neither are on this track - I think.
Dave says you should hurry and buy their music while it is still inexpensive because even as you read this they will be attending conferences and seminars so they can take their music to the "next level".
Windy Jones...Bass...
D.George...Keyboards...
Joe Positive...Guitars...
Richard Johnson...Bass
Tomar DeFresco...Vocals
Giraffe is taken from their new CD Time Is Fun When You're Having Flies
cdbaby.com/afterthem8
www.myspace.com/afterthem

Lying back - Fire in our eyes - Azoora (GÃteborg, Sweden and London, UK)
"Azoora" are a blend of acoustic electronica which combines that dreamy shoe-gazing feel with a charming British indie twist. They have recently released their debut EP Tall Tales in which they have two alternative takes of each of their tracks, having both an original, and respective remix to tantalise most tastes. The album Long Time Standing is well underway to being completed this year. It will offer more of a wide mix of genres, being a double album with original and remixes presented separately.
London based multi-instrumentalist John Purcell produces the band. Vocals are provided by the songwriter Paul Loader who now lives in GÃteborg, Sweden and travels back to London to record in the studio with John, Ben Cochrane provides live drums and Trudi Laurence the fantastic backing vocals.
www.23seconds.org/azoora.htm
www.myspace.com/azoora

Dancing with my Brother - Entire Cities (Ontario, Canada)
Entire Cities are riding high on the success of their latest album, Deep River, the product of ten musicians using banjos, violins, flutes, pianos, minimoogs, singing saws, trombones, whatever else they saw fit to bring their work to life. The result is a heady mix of country, indie, gospel and rock.
www.myspace.com/entirecities

Can't beat fun - Thom Hopkins (Oregon, USA)
From his album Cloud Writing.
www.thomhopkins.com/

Sig tune: Happy - Jimmie Bratcher
www.jimmiebratcher.com

SnC 148 - Wed 17 Dec 2008

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:59:00 GMT

Still rather chilly here in Suffolk - a kind of deep persistent cold that permeates the house ... and my poor old bones! A pretty impressive sunrise this morning over the meadow with the old oak trees against the sky.

The Winter Blues - Robin Grey (Hackney, London, UK)
I thought I had played a track by Robin a few weeks ago, but now I can't find it. I've certainly been listening ... a lot ... having been put onto him, through Jamendo, by Carolyn who points out that he was responsible for mandolin and bass on Ruth Theodore's excellent album Worm Food which we've heard a couple of tracks from on this show as well as playing bass on the Blue Swerver album which, again we've heard on SnC.
The Winter Blues is from his album I love Leonard Cohen on Jamendo. Robin is normally located in a small white room with a blue door tucked away in a leafy corner of Hackney, East London, where he makes music.
Inspired by the timeless work of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Ani Difranco amongst many others, he colours in his songs about love and life with guitar, banjo, ukulele, mandolin, piano, double bass, organ, percussion toys, and any other instruments he can afford and fit into his little studio.
Robin has asked if I can recommend any places locally where he could come and play. He is also on the lookout for potential house gigs, so if you have a decent sized room and can muster a respectable size crowd give me a shout and I'll pass the word on. Alternatively send Robin a message through Jamendo or his site.
www.robingrey.com
www.myspace.com/robingrey

Ladylike - Amber Ojeda (San Diego, CA, USA)
I'll admit to being surprised that I really liked this. I'm not normally a great can of soul and R&B but this is magic.
Amber Ojeda is a singer- songwriter based out of the San Diego Metro area. Equal parts talent and ambition Amber has managed to precisely dial into the new digital world of music. She is continuously included on the MySpace Top 100 Artists Charts in the Jazz/Soul/R&B division. Her music can most recently be heard on the Style Networks new hit show "Dress My Nest" in addition to feature film placements.
Amber's musical approach centers around the blending of jazz and soul with hip hop undertones.. Her voice lends itself to the likes of Jill Scott and Alicia Keys with the poetic flow of Erykah Badu. With a growing fan base, looks and a distinctive voice, Amber is destined to be in the R&B/Soul/Jazz annals of music. PLEASE ENJOY FREE DOWNLOADS OF MY MUSIC AT www.trueanthem.com/amberojeda
www.amberojedamusic.com/
www.myspace.com/amberojeda

Message from Andy Fidler expressing his appreciation for the wax cylinder recording by Madam Pamita on last week's show SnC147

A message from Madam Pamita:

Hi Peter!
I love your show - thank you so much for including me as part of such a great mix of music...and for reciting my copy with your spectacular brit enunciation! As it should be! As it should be! As an old punk rocker from way back, i feel like i fit right in your show - old time music is punk rock circa 1915! That's what's great about podsafe network... i get turned on to such terrific podshows, such as yours! Needless to say, I've subscribed via itunes, so i'll be listening in often!
yes, i recorded these tracks on real wax cylinder equipment from the late 1800s - absolutely no electricity used in the process! It was an amazing experience. i've attached two photos - one of me in front of the recording gear and one of the actual cylinders to prove i'm not making this up.

The pix are on the new Gallery page on the main SnC site.
I saw a production of "Marie" a one woman show which takes a look at the life of Marie Lloyd, the Queen of the Halls around the turn of the 19th/20th centuries, which as a review in The Stage says:
"Elizabeth Mansfield, as Marie, describes the music hall atmosphere in three or four lines of dialogue and immediately the audience can see, hear and smell a crowded music hall.
Mansfield is as spiky and wonderfully bawdy as Lloyd was. The songs are made very much part of the narrative and many are sung, as was the fashion, with an opening spoken verse. Mansfield has the audience joining in the chorus and, at the same time, enjoying her performance and voice - the very essence of music hall. She confides in the audience just as a music hall star would.
When the play is over, the audience leaves with a greater understanding of the impact of Lloyd on popular entertainment."

Madam Pamita is planning a trip over to the UK to play a few dates and hopes that one will be near Suffolk. I hope so too.

OK This is the pops - Orpheos (Berkeley, CA, USA)
Bay Area producer Orpheos DeJournette stands poised to write the next chapter in a revelatory musical journey with the release of his debut LP, The Mirror With No Reflection. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Orpheos first broke ground as co-founder of West Coast dance pioneers, Mephisto Odyssey, enjoying both popular and critical accolades long before electronic music had hit the mainstream.
After a string of seminal original productions made their mark on dance floors and in after-hours parties worldwide, the group was chosen to remix the Jane"s Addiction comeback single, So What. The four Mephisto remixes charted on Billboard's maxi-singles chart for six weeks and remain the only remixes ever sanctioned by Jane's Addiction. A slew of remix work for Static-X, Los Amigos Invisibles, and Soul Coughing followed.
Never one to remain content with past achievement, Orpheos amicably left Mephisto to begin work on his solo artist career. Four years in the making, the LP of his new material infused with shockingly original production work, as the producer has meticulously and single handedly written, produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered every song and created each sound and vocal from scratch.
The Mirror With No Reflection LP possesses a sense of craft and an individuality sorely lacking in most contemporary music. That said, listeners will note hints of Massive Attack, David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails and Pink Floyd supercharged with a groove-oriented attack that is immediately accessible, but, ultimately, unique to Orpheos alone.
www.orpheos.net/
www.myspace.com/orpheosmusic

Pat Steir - Cagey House (Maryland, USA)
Cagey House has been releasing free podsafe music since 2005--through Umor-rex, Nishi, and Jamendo.
"There's a new Cagey House album on Jamendo. [which I couldn't find last month] It's called Earth Covered A-Frame. Most of the tracks have been up here before. Lots of them have computer-generated vocals. It's pretty nice, if I do say so myself.â
www.myspace.com/cageyhouse
www.jamendo.com/en/album/33394

I'm always here for you - Josh Charles (Brooklyn, New York)
I played Josh"s song The Answer a month ago on 144 but thought you'd be interested to hear something a bit more bluesy with a brilliant deep south piano sound. A very straight recording with no discernable enhancement to the voice - what you hear is what you get.
"Since I was a kid, I've played the gamut -- the worst dive bars with piano keys so jagged that I cut up my fingers every night, some amazing concert halls, outdoor festivals, great clubs and even floating theaters at sea. My mentor/teacher and friend is Dr. John and I can say that I am blessed to have had the opportunity to learn from a master."
Josh has just released his debut Josh Charles EP which features members of Dr. John's band, his touring band, and was recorded in New Orleans and New York.
www.joshcharlesmusic.com/
www.myspace.com/joshcharlesonline

I want your love - Axisgallery (UK and Italy)
The nucleus of Axisgallery are Brit Nick C and Italian Paolo Baldini who met in Florence in 2004 while DJing the local nightclubs on a European Tour . Both have a leftfield approach to music and soon started working together on remixes of old rock songs such as Billy Squiers 'Stroke' and Black Sabbath's 'Neon Knights' which rocked the local dancefloors . Drafting in old friend and socialite Princess Anya LeGalle on vocals and a boozed out Scottish guitarist Pip 'maddog' Kiernan - they set out to create their first album 'Dynamics Of Synergy'
Axisgallery have just released their third album Disturbing Behavior which references their experience of 'Haut de la Garenne' and refines their sound to a more mainstream Rock/Dance crossover.
www.axisgallery.co.uk/
www.myspace.com/axisgallery

Message from Jez, guitarist, percussionist and formidable harmonica player with the Dana Wylie Band.

We're touring in Asia at the moment, Taiwan to be precise.
I just got back from listening to a fantastic Finnish Jouhikko (kind of sarangi/fiddle-like thing) player here in Taipei. He's called Pekko Kappi, and is quite something.
I finished listening to show 144 and will check out some other episodes when I wake up. It's a great show. Contrast! Colour! Yes! The whole idea of podcasting was immediately appealing, but yours is so f*%king good. Glad to hear such a wide taste in musicks.

St James Parish Bus and One Lucky Bastard - Dana Wylie Band (England, Canada, Taiwan)
Graham Holland at It's a Frog's Life Acoustic Podcast suggest that the band contact me.
Moving to Taiwan in 2003 in search of a quiet place to write, she was surprised to find herself immersed in a thriving ex-pat music scene. When she played her demo for Englishman Jeremy Hellard, he said, "I'd have liked that better if I had played on it", and the Dana Wylie Band was born. A swinging drummer, guitarist, vocalist and uniquely expressive harmonica player, Jez proved the perfect accompanist, moving seamlessly between the various idioms in which Wylie chooses to compose.
After more than a year of touring Taiwan, including two long-term residencies in Taipei nightspots, they moved to England and joined forces with virtuosic and in-demand jazz bassist, Nye Parsons. Nye has developed a formidable reputation over the last decade, and his lyrical, melodic style hovers between jazz and folk and perfectly complements Dana's fluid song-writing.
www.danawylie.net/
www.myspace.com/danawylieband

Do Rasta Works - Jah Jah Yute (Jamaica)
From the 2007 album Words Power on Sound.
Jah Jah Yute was born with the name Steadman Shearer, in the parish of Hanover, Jamaica in a little district called Rock Spring.
His father owned a nightclub with a sound system called Sir King B. Jah Jah was first performing as a DJ, on this sound system.
One evening Jah Jah heard the Sound System of Black Star playing and during entertainer time, instead of dj-ing he started singing free style of his spiritual meditations.
Jah Jah went to Kingston and was introduced by a friend to the owner of Mixing Lab Studio where he met Bunny Wailer, Yellow Man and others.
While visiting Montego Bay he was directed to African Symbol Studio where he recorded his first couple of songs, "Do Rasta Work" and "Too Much Slackness Inna Di Music".
www.jahjahyute.com/
www.myspace.com/jahjahyute68
http://cdbaby.com/cd/jahjahyute

SnC 147 - Wed 10 Dec 2008

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:35:00 GMT

A really interesting selection of music again this week, quite a bit from the UK plus tracks from Nashville, New York, California and Denmark. There are a couple of rather quirky tracks that you should look forward to.
Really cold, even in the barn, as I put the show together, but probably not as cold as it is out on the Dunwich marshes by the Suffolk coast where these semi-wild ponies keep the vegetation down and where Dartmoor ponies are being used to regenerate the landscape after years of commercial forestry.

Once, Twice, Again! - Dartz! (Teeside, UK)
From the sampler album from Deep Elm "Bonfire of Trust".
"In the last few years the northeast corner of England has produced a cluster of post-punk bands with a penchant for spiky riffs and melodic vocals. The Futureheads and Maximo Park have garnered the most critical attention, but Dartz! are now making waves of their own.
Once, Twice, Again! reminds us that, first and foremost, the band is here to make you move. Still, pigeonholing DARTZ! as anything other than an extremely intelligent, complex and exciting band would be doing them an injustice. Off-kilter riffs and catchy choruses rip a melodic groove into your brain while intersecting instrumental passages are compelling enough to keep the hipsters zigging and the punkers zagging.
20 Dec Academy 2 Newcastle UK.
www.myspace.com/darts
www.wearedartz.com/
Dartz!
"Once, Twice, Again!" (mp3)
from "Deep Elm Sampler No. 8 "Bonfire of Trust""
(Deep Elm)

Buy at Deep Elm Records
Buy at Rhapsody

Enough of you - The Sugar Dames (Nashville TN, USA)
Nashville, Tennessee has long been a city revered for it's music, but if you should ever wander into the outskirts of the city you might encounter the unique and wonderful sounds of a seductive duo known as The Sugar Dames. Amongst lonely antebellum homes, farm relics and rolling hills the Dames have been hiding away--hard at work on their first project. Jenn Palmer and Christina Elen are hardly your typical musicians.
Having both been solo acts for 5 years and have been a group for the past two years, The Sugar Dames deliver music that is a hybrid of the past and present, an all encompassing style. "We're influenced by anything and everything from the alternative genres to the classics, from Debussy and Tom Waits to old black gospel and Etta James." says Palmer.
You can get the album Sirens of the broken heart from iTunes.
www.myspace.com/thesugardames

Tammy is Lez - Esiotrot (UK)
From their excellent album Seven Apples
Cat, Matt, Adey and Duncan formed Esiotrot in the late 80's when they got together to play Tortoise covers backwards. Soon Thomas Stimson joined on vibes, and they went on to perform a series of incendiary live shows, which so inspired Roald Dahl that he was moved to name his latest book after them. After the recording of their now legendary debut album "Schmesiotrot" they recruited brass section Thom punton and John Edom, to record some overdubs and play some shows, and they ended up never leaving. After releasing an EP on unpopular records, and playing a radio session for Hugh Stephens, Esiotrot went on to record their great lost album, 7 apples, which is now due to see the light of day as a series of split seven inches.
Esiotrot's first EP sold out, but now available to download on itunes and napster (under Esio Trot rather than Esiotrot, if you wonder why you can't find it!).
15 Dec (Monday) they are playing the Get Wanted night at 333 Mother Bar on Old Street, EC1 in London along with Komla, The Yakataks and Ryco Saints.
www.myspace.com/getwanted
www.myspace.com/esiotrotschmesiotrot

F for Fake - ray On (London, UK)
frank okolo (hum)
matt donovan (drum)
shane gilliver (strum)
My thanks to Jessie for spotting the band and organising the contact.
www.myspace.com/rayonmusic
www.rayonmusic.com

Slow Guns - The Homosexuals (New York, USA)
The Homosexuals are often credited as godfathers of the D.I.Y. movement, Bruno Wizard with guitarist Anton Heyman, bassist Jim Welton and a cast of revolving collaborators accumulated a treasure trove of other-worldly art-punk in the late 70s and early 80s, shunning the sniffs of big-label bloodhounds, only sporadically performing, and self-pressing tiny quantities of their own records only to disband completely by '83.
Serious Business Records proudly presents Love Guns?, the first piece of new vinyl issued by The Homosexuals since the early eighties. The band's first ever US tour recently concluded with mesmerizing original writer / vocalist / auteur Bruno Wizard fronting a young band of tough-as-nails New Yorkers.
The three songs that comprise the heart of the Love Guns? EP are "Slow Guns," a full-scale 70-s styled, hook-laden, anti-establishment punk anthem, "3AM (Pink Pony)," a sweet, slow building slice of bedroom pop, and "Don"t Touch My Hair," a future-world mutant-disco dance-floor banger.
The Love Guns? EP is being initially released as a hand numbered 300-piece 10" vinyl pressing. Bruno Wizard has hand written a story across the entirety of the 300 pieces, with a unique sentence, a fragment or a few words appearing on each copy. Fans can compare their unique inscriptions, upload photos, and slowly piece together the entire story at www.thehomosexualsloveguns.com. This pressing is extremely limited so interested parties should order their copies NOW. http://seriousbusinessrecords.com/releases/show/45-Love-Guns-

He's in the Jailhouse now - Madame Pamita (California, USA)
"In the spirit of bounteous munificence, Madame Pamita presents the most tantilizing, most mesmerizing, most edifying experience of augury and prognostication the world has ever known. This mystic seer and musical prodigy does nothing less than spiritually transform those who witness her act. The powers of the vibration of unselfconscious music coupled with the mystical science of fortune telling allow her to access the depths of the human soul and once there to tranfigure it with the power of divine light."
She travelled to Long Island, New York to make 13 wax cylinder recordings.
Enter into the curious and sublime world of Madame Pamita's Parlor of Wonders, an old-time medicine show filled with mysticism, music and melodrama: an entrancing array of spectacles both quaint and queer!
Madame Pamita plays songs written both by herself and by those who have moved on to the great beyond - rural blues, old time, jug band and proto-jazz numbers about romance and revenge and mirth and mayhem.
www.madamepamita.com/

LÃter fra SelsÃ - SelsÃlÃter (Denmark)
SelsÃÂlÃÂter
"Totur fra SelsÃÂ" (mp3)
from "LÃÂter fra SelsÃÂ"
(GO' Danish Folk Music)
Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

Chicken on a Raft - Pyrates! (Exeter, UK) direct
Pyrates! was finally formed properly as a band during the summer of 2006, an offshoot of the pirate nights we've been having around Exeter for the last 3 years, there are only so many verses a group of drunk people can remember during a night out!
Pyrates! are a sea shanty, folk, drinking, rock, songs of the sea type band, performing a variety of traditional, revival and alternative folk music all in our very own musical way!
www.myspace.com/ukpirates
www.pyrates.co.uk/

Out of it - Brad Sucks (Ottawa, Canada)
Title track from the album recommended to me by equalconquest over on Jamendo.
With his cheeky, disillusioned, home studio-recorded folky yet rocky songs, Brad, a 31-year-old musician from Ottawa, inevitably gets compared to Beck quite often. As much as it can be a compliment, no artist likes to be told they sound like another; but by now Brad has gotten to terms with the parallel. "It used to bother me, I took it as 'hey you're a crappy Beck impersonator with no ideas of your own!' But other musicians told me they get compared to Beck all the time also. So maybe it's the musical equivalent of 'tastes like chicken'.
On the other hand, getting compared implies getting heard. Brad started posting demos on the internet a few years ago, then released his first album, I Don't Know What I'm Doing, at the beginning of 2007, which started getting him some attention pretty far away from home. That's even how he got around to exotic places like Jamendo: "I started selling a bunch of albums to Europeans and got some emails suggesting I put my stuff on Jamendo. After I got enough, I finally checked it out and it looked like an interesting crowd of people. Lately I've been digging Professor Kliq a lot, for example."
Eventually, his music circulated in ways he wouldn't have imagined, ending up in ads for cars and condoms, or with "heroes of mine saying they like my music" and "artists doing well these days citing me as an inspiration. That feels awesome."
So now would probably be a good time to take things to the next level professionally. Brad has been considering getting help with press and booking gigs. But in the meantime, he's managing everything alone, while hoping that the new album, Out Of It, makes his music income go up (he's also into web design). "I'd like to do a bit of touring in the new year but Ive got to figure out if it makes sense money-wise. Other than that, I've got a lot of music I'm working on, as well as some stories and a few other things that I'm excited to get to."
www.bradsucks.net/
www.jamendo.com/en/album/31187

Sig tune: Happy - Jimmy Bratcher
www.jimmiebratcher.com

SnC 146 - Wed 03 Dec 2008

Wed, 3 Dec 2008 22:52:00 GMT

A couple of electronica tracks on this week's show from a very cold Suffolk along with some fine music from around the world. A call from one of our featured artists gives an insight into the life of a hard-working independent musician.
Most of the leaves on the trees outside the barn are gone now.

Those Damn Things - Ahmond (Brooklyn, New York, USA)
Ahmond is a singer-songwriter and instrumental composer. He has just released a self-produced debut album called A Boy You Once Knew.
On the album, and in live performances, you will hear Ahmond playing a variety of folk instruments such as mandolins and woodwinds, as well as heavier electric guitars.
Violins, cellos, and percussion often accompany Ahmond's haunting voice like on the epic track Go to Africa, which is getting Graceland comparisons.
www.ahmond.com/
www.myspace.com/ahmondband

Littleblood - Jenny Gillespie (Chicago, IL, USA)
Jenny: vocals, piano, guitar
Josh Stewart: cello and bass
Jenny Lee: violin
Wendy deBias: bgv
John Knecht: drums
Oops. Correction: Jenny just got in touch to point out that the above is the live band line-up.

"This however isn't the lineup that is featured on Light Year (except for Josh on bass/cello and John on drums.) I actually DID do all of the harmonies for every song on Light Year. My boyfriend Andrew Mason played accordian on "Littleblood" and Adam Ollendorff played pedal steel." [Thanks for letting us know Jenny.]

Jenny has worked as a waitress, a nanny, a hair model, a bed and breakfast concierge, a poetry teacher, and currently, a children's literature editor. But music has always remained her north star. Born in central Illinois, she has lived in Virginia, Rhode Island, Paris, and Austin, Texas, and currently calls Chicago home, where she performs with her band and soaks up the seasons of a vibrant city.
In 2008 she recorded Light Year, her first full-length album, funded mostly by donations by fans, at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio with additional production by Darwin Smith at Austin's Cacophony Recordings. Anticipate the release in January 2009, along with a West Coast tour in spring 2009. The album which will be available Jan. 1 on iTunes and CDbaby...and if you want to be alerted to it, to email Jenny at begtodiffa@gmail.com.
If you really can't wait, get along to Green Genes in Chicago on 18 Dec to catch Jenny live.
www.myspace.com/jennygillespie

A clip of a well known song â

Fly like a beagle - Transient (Gloversville, USA)
A prolific artist with loads of stuff for you. a sudden soft implosion of noiselessness is a special release for Dusted Wax Kingdom by Transient - your ticket for a colourful journey from oldschool breakbeat worlds through experimental trancy ambience to glittering IDM planets in new downtempo and trip-hop dimensions.
I was put onto him my a fellow traveller in the land of Jamendo "sapiensfxâ who describes the album as "10 stars, great tunes and a must have" He (or she)'s dead right. I could have played any track from the album, They are all quite different but hugely engaging.
www.noisyvagabond.com

Join Jamendo (free) and not only will you have access to more music than you'll ever be able to listen to (currently a little over 13,000 albums) but you could go to my page at www.jamendo.com/en/user/clithers click to add yourself to my friends and we share links to interesting finds. I know I'll never find all the good stuff on my own!

Kick and Holler - Dare Dukes (Savannah, Georgeia, USA)
The songs that make up Dare Dukes' new album, Prettiest Transmitter of All, are a striking combination of incisive intelligence and sweet, doleful hooks. Looking past the shiny surfaces of American life, the singer-songwriter chronicles the everyday world, mining the margins for the eccentric characters and bizarre events that are the heart of his music.
"America is a crazy, scary, and fascinating landscape," Dare says. "The reality is a lot more interesting to me than what the nightly news depicts. The way I see it, it's a place filled with eccentric characters, all on their own strange mission--some nuts, some saner than the rest of us. These missions, these people, they are what my music is about."
I was chatting with Dare earlier and he was telling me that he's off to Vietnam for 3 weeks to eat lots of delicious food! He's also got a couple of great shows coming up in Athens, Georgia in the new year with a couple of great bands, Producto and Don Chambers + Goat, the latter of which is a Valentine's day extravaganza, whatever that is, but Dare's going to have to try and write a few songs for the occasion - he says his songbook is sorely lacking in love songs.
www.daredukes.com
www.myspace.com/daredukes

Sandy - Grace Valhalla (Nancy, France)
Great to hear that Grace Valhalla has a new album out on Jamendo it's called Summer Camp.

Hello !
After more than a year, I publish my new album Summercamp. I'd have liked to finish it earlier, but it isn't always easy to find time (and inspiration!) for composing. I hope those who waited after it will forgive me, and that they'll not be too disappointed!
You'll find many analog sounds, 8bit sounds and guitars in this album. I wanted something warm, a soft music of summer; the summer is over now, but I hope this album will remind us of its memory, and extends it a little longer.
I sincerely thank all those who supported me so far, leaving me messages here and there, wrote to me, donating me, encouraged me...
I wish you a very good listening.
Musically,
Grace

http://gracevalhalla.hautetfort.com/
http://myspace.com/gracevalhalla
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/grace.valhalla

Terje Nordgarden called in from Bologna, in northern Italyâ

Path of Love (piano version) - Nordgarden (Oslo, Norway)
Almost an extra track on Nordgarden's current album, this minimal piano version of the title track just blows me away.
If you have suggestions for places Terje could play, perhaps around New York next spring, let me know and I"ll pass on the word to the man himself.
www.myspace.com/nordgarden

SnC 145 - Wed 26 Nov 2008

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 01:18:00 GMT

OK, I'm getting travel sick - or at least sick of travel now. However, the journey back from Birmingham tonight was lightened by a look in at the Eurostar station at St Pancras (London). This delightful statue of the windswept (and train loving) poet Sir John Betjeman is in stark contrast with the champagne bars which are doing a roaring trade with "the suits" this Wednesday evening. Recession, what rece$$ion?
It feels like time for a break, especially since the winter arrived this past weekend with a good bit of snow which actually settled for a day or two - this is really unusual in November, we don't normally get any snow until January at the earliest. Ah well, Belfast on Friday!
The Wailers didn't like snow in November either.

Hillbilly Hip Hop Shuffle - Ashley Davies (Melbourne, Australia)
I found Ashley Davies' music a couple of weeks ago on Music Submit but it wasn't downloadable. However, Ashley sent me the CD Muscledrum Music 2 from Melbourne, Australia, and now it is here safely in the studio in Suffolk.
One half of Matt Walker and Ashley Davies, he won an ARIA award and opened forn the likes of Bob Dylan and Patti Smith< Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Cruel Sea, Gomez and ZZ Top.
With his new solo project Muscle Drum Music Volumes 1 and 2, Ashley Davies comes to the fore as one of the great drummer-songwriters. A thrilling rhythmic adventure, Muscle Drum Music was recorded almost entirely by Ashley on two drum kits, guitar and harmonica, with no loops or samples. As the CD sleeve says "All instruments on this recording were played."
Find out more at:
www.ashleydaviesmusicanddrums.com
www.myspace.com/ashdaviesmusic

Sadly I'm not at the Jamendo show in Paris tonight but I hope it is going really well. If you have been, give me a shout and let me know.
No lack of travel at the moment, just not to the right places. I was in London AGAIN on Friday and Monday which was a 16 hour day. Travels again today in Birmingham and on Friday another flight to Belfast in Northern Ireland for a few hours - I just need to get through this week and that's it for a while.

L'ete en Hiver (Summer in Winter) - Maurice Gainen (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
The smooth flowing vocal stylings of Karoline Blandin adding her Parisian French flair in L'ÃTÃ EN HIVER (SUMMER IN WINTER)
Producer-Engineer-Saxophonist and Flutist, Maurice Gainen can take you around the world in 50 minutes and seven seconds in his new CD, 7 CONTINENTS-GLOBAL JAMS. This musically diverse masterpiece - two years in the making, features a total of 38 musicians and was created from sessions on the Internet, actually traveling the miles as the title boasts to Antarctica, North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Australia and Asia. "I was finishing my last CD, JAZZ FLUTE JAMS in summer '06. I was reflecting on how I had done music from many parts of the world over my career. So why not make a CD with at least one song from every continent? The songs could be original or traditional....no limits on style. That was not such a daunting proposition living in a place like LA with musicians from so many places and so many musicians versed in styles from all over the world. But I decided to set up a challenge for myself having at least one principal musician in each song actually BE ON that continent. So it was that musical and technical challenge, combined with the fascination of finding and interacting with new musicians all over the world that inspired me. I have been rewarded many times over by the friends made and relationships nurtured on this journey. This is a landmark recording for me. It is one of those special life/career markers that we all hopefully get from time to time."
www.mauricegainen.com/cds.html
cdbaby.com/cd/gainen3

Book of Lies - Miranda Vettrus (Salem, OR. USA)
Miranda Vettrus grew up in an amusement park, makes horror movies with her younger sister, Mariah and writes Go Go's inspired songs at 3 in the morning. By the age of 5, Miranda had already jumped off a 100 foot crane thrill-ride dubbed the Sky-coaster dozens of times. She's written dozens of songs and continues to grow her catalog by the day.
Her other interests include catching salamanders, playing basketball, and hanging out with her pet goats. "My guitar's become my prized possession, then my Mac laptop," Says Miranda. "I love singing and performing. I hope to be doing this for a long time!"
EP Book of Lies is available on iTunes and Amazon through her site, where there's also a rather fine video:
www.mirandavettrus.com/
www.myspace.com/mirandavettrus
http://mirandavettrus.com/music.html

100 Little Reasons - Hundred Little Reasons (UK)
100 Little Reasons are Andrew Grimes and Jim Crane. Find out just a little about them at:
www.myspace.com/hundredlittlereasons

iTunes review, my thanks to Graham. If you'd like toi add a review for Suffolk 'n' Cool you'll find the show on iTunes (search for Suffolk) or use this link to Suffolk 'n' Cool on iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=121289766

Kou Chou Ching - Tiu Tiu Ssu Hsiang Chi (MoShang Little DingDong Mix) (Taiwan)
MoShang is a sound jeweller who blends downtempo electronica with Chinese instruments and sounds from the streets of Taiwan.
OK, so it is probably the most challenging of the 14 tracks on the Asian Variations album - not challenging for you - for me, in telling you what it"s called!
Get comfortable...
Discography:
Made in Taiwan (2004) [CD Baby, iTunes, etc.]
Chill Dynasty (2006) [chilldynasty.com]
http://moshang.net/

Motherless Child (Moshang Remix) - Lovespirals (California, USA)
Title track from the EP in fact, all the tracks are the title track! Anji Bee's sensual vocals and Ryan Lum's soulful guitar & keyboards have been remixed by numerous artists in various styles. This is a collection of remixes of the chillout duo Lovespirals by Chris Caulder, The Black Channel Citizen, Hungry Lucy and Karmacoda as well as a couple of remixes of their own. You can buy Lovespirals music trough an unbelievably comprehensive selection of on-line stores that you'll find on their site.
www.lovespirals.com/
Do check out Anji's excellent Chillcast at: www.anjibee.com

P'tit bonheur - Serge Cabon (Quimper, France)
Very light ion information here but there is just one track on Jamendo which you are welcome to download for yourself. Classic French chanson with a really interesting twist.
www.myspace.com/sergecabon
www.jamendo.com/en/album/31551

Gabor's Electrical Language is 150 this week. If you"ve not had a listen, DO. He finds some excellent music and is at:
www.electricallanguage.co.uk

Mayonme - Carlos de Nicaragua y Familia (Le Havre, Normandie, France)
Carlos Wiltshire, alias Carlos de Nicaragua, was born in Bluefields, on the Nicaraguan Atlantic coast. His name is not only in reference to his country of birth but mostly in reference to the legendary Indian chief Nicaraocai, philosopher, ferocious warrior and fighter. Carlos de Nicaragua was one of the precursors of the sound system concept in Paris.
In Paris, latinos, french and africans dance during the concerts under the blazing fire of a nicaraguayan named Carlos and his band "Familia", pioneers of the salsa reggae style. His admiration for the reggae prophets Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear [...] pushed him to dedicate himself to this music, reinventing it and mixing it with the tumbao of dancing rhythms from the Bronx and other great salsa capitals.
There is a video that you just have to see at:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MHqYGt6ejqE
www.myspace.com/carlosdenicaraguayfamilia
http://cdbaby.com/cd/carlosdenicaragua

Big Pink Blanket - Hundred Little Reasons (UK)
www.myspace.com/hundredlittlereasons

SnC 144 - Wed 19 Nov 2008

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:43:00 GMT

In London again yesterday and after a particularly stuffy-roomed meeting near the Houses of Parliament with a few rather difficult people, a lovely walk up St James' Park and through Horseguards Parade (flags fluttering in the winter sun reflecting off ancient windows) up Charing Cross Road and through Soho to meet Jessie and pass the decorations in Carnaby Street (right). It really is another world. Look carefully and you'll see that the snowman's anus is fitted with a loudspeaker. Fortunately these were not active at the time!

It seems to be the season of missed gigs, I'm going to have to get my priorities sorted out.

Get on with it - Val Emmich (New Jersey, USA)
I played Hurts more later on SnC 141. Since then Val has joined the cast of Ugly Betty, as a recurring character. Val is playing Jesse, Betty's love interst and a musician (no type casting there then). Ugly Betty is screening on ABC in the States.
http://valemmich.com/
www.myspace.com/valemmich

Ibobodub - Manze Dayila and the Nago Nation (St Marc. Haiti)
That song is taken from her album SolÃ. You may have already come across her music.
Haitian New Yorker, Manze Dayila, was inspired to write "CHANGE (The Barack Obama Song)" after being invited to perform at an Obamarama rally in her Brooklyn, NY neighborhood. Inspiration for an anthem stating "Barack Obama is my president," struck one morning in the shower and the rest is now history-in-the-making on YouTube, Myspace & Facebook.
This video is available for viewing and the MP3 single is available for free download on her site.
www.manzedayila.com
www.myspace.com/manzedayila
www.cdbaby.com/manzedayila

Giraffe - Afterthem (East Brunswick, NJ, USA) [Drop.io]
Afterthem describes their sometimes polished...sometimes raw music as "Avant Garage Funk"...Keyboardist and alleged vocalist Dave George sites Frank Zappa as one of his musical heroes....Lead vocals are done mostly by Joy Epting but they also have featured guest singers Laurel Barclay (of New York rockers "Daddy") and Liz Matta...who also plays sax but neither are on this track - I think.
Dave says you should hurry and buy their music while it is still inexpensive because even as you read this they will be attending conferences and seminars so they can take their music to the "next level"
Windy Jones...Bass...
D.George...Keyboards...
Joe Positive...Guitars...
Richard Johnson...Bass
Tomar DeFresco...Vocals
Giraffe is taken from their new CD Time Is Fun When You're Having Flies
cdbaby.com/afterthem8
www.myspace.com/afterthem

The Answer - Josh Charles (Brooklyn, New York)
"Since I was a kid, I've played the gamut -- the worst dive bars with piano keys so jagged that I cut up my fingers every night, some amazing concert halls, outdoor festivals, great clubs and even floating theaters at sea. My mentor/teacher and friend is Dr. John and I can say that I am blessed to have had the opportunity to learn from a master."
Josh has just released his debut Josh Charles EP which features members of Dr. John's band, his touring band, and was recorded in New Orleans and New York.
www.joshcharlesmusic.com/
www.myspace.com/joshcharlesonline

A really interesting set of influences here.
Munya - Yaya Ouedraogo (Shimotsuruma, Kanagawa, Japan)
From his album Clay Bora.
Yaya Ouedraogo, 22, musician from African street is singing the message of peace with African traditional music. Yaya, for long time, has not known his age. But he never thinks it really matters. Once he was asked by his friends when his birthday is, and he answered 'Everyday'. He says that he thanks everyday for that fact that his life is still continuing, and he wants to celebrate for that fact.
He is a survivor: survived through African poverty with his luck and his strong will, When he was in his mother's womb, his mother used 'African medicine' to cease his life, but he survived. When he was born, he was left in the street of Burkina Faso.
www.imeem.com/people/SgBG5FZ

Darkside of the Blues - Alexandria Quartet (London, Bergen and SÃmna, Norway)
I played this track in an "extraâ mini-show that I slipped in last weekend to let you know about the very first Get Wanted night that I wanted to get to but was totally unable to make. I thought the sound here was really interesting - some great vocal work. My thanks to Ãystein for getting the track to me so quickly.
Based in Bergen, Norway's main student city and the country's unofficial pop epicentre, the Quartet have been holed up in studios and rehearsal rooms for the last 18 months polishing their album.
Martin SkÃlnes - vox, git, keys
Ãystein Braut - guitars
Kim Ãge Furuhaug - drums
Chris Holm - bass
www.thealexandriaquartet.com

This - Tryad (USA, France, etc)
I've played a couple of tracks by Tryad in the past couple of weeks and I've been in touch with band-member Vavrek who tells me that Jamendo have flown him over from the States to perform a show with a live band on Wednesday of next week, 26th November. I have been trying very hard to get to get there but it just hasn't worked out, yet. I'm committed to a meeting in Birmingham in the English midlands in the afternoon and I just don't think I can get to Paris in time for the show nor the 6pm press conference. SO frustrating. If you can, it starts at 7pm and is at Glaz Art on Avenue Porte de Villette, Paris 19e quite near the Periferique.
The show features three artists, the Parisian rockers Hype, Drunksouls from Aix-en-Provence (France) and Tryad. Of course all three are on Jamendo.
http://tryad.org/
www.myspace.com/tryad
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/tryad

Promenons nous dans les bois - Drunksouls (Aix-en-Provence, France)
A strange team composed by a former dictator, a pedalo world champion(the famous Brazilian star Borgelao), a vicious missionaire, an Eric Clapton sosie and a couple of Chuck Norris fan twins. Don't be scared by their troubled individual path, just listen to the music they perform together and take a look at the rather fun video at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Bueeu_7aBeE
www.drunksouls.com/
www.myspace.com/drunksouls

The Galway Fiddler - Linda Welby (Galway, Ireland)
A native of Loughrea, and now living in Roscahill, Co. Galway, Linda Welby has a very defined vision of where she is going and what is important to her in life. As a composer, songwriter, multi instrumentalist and singer, music has always been at the forefront for Linda. "I love music and have a great interest in people with stories to tell of the older days of singing and music". Brought up in a very musical household with sessions on a regular basis, local musicians would gather for an all-night song and dance affair.
"The Galway Fiddler is an interesting song as for me it represents the real talent that can be found on the side of the street that isn't always showcased in the music industry".
Other songs on the album A story to tell are more on the country side of Irish but there is a really interesting influence from the like of Pat Boone and other 1950s artists getting in there in a was that really hasn't been heard for a long time. Perhaps now is the right time. Have a listen with fresh ears on her CD baby page where you can also get the album.
www.lindawelby.com
http://cdbaby.com/cd/lindawelby

SnC 143 - Wed 12 Nov 2008

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:33:00 GMT

A week of heavy travelling with two trips to London and one to Ireland four hours after completing the show tonight as well as a most enjoyable visit to the North Norfolk coast (right) to meet up with a friend from a long way in the past.
There really is some great music around and I'm trying to squeeze at least some of it into the show.

You're gonna lose - The Aces (CA, USA)
The Aces have attitude and a different idea of how to play blues. They reduce the blues to pounding riffs and a distorted wall of sound topped by wailing harp. They were among the first to absorb and recast the drone riff-based Hill Country Blues style, and The Aces do that their own way.
www.acesfan.com/

Alone - Tryad (various locations)
Since we last spoke I've done two all night work sessions followed by full days, yesterday a particularly frantic day in London. Gets to feel a bit unreal here in the barn in the very early morning just before dawn. I"ve been playing my current fave album on repeat for days Tryad's Listen. Amazing variety, some possible influences come to light after a few listens.
The album is available on Jamendo
http://tryad.org/
www.myspace.com/tryad
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/tryad

I'm delighted to report that the player seems to be working just fine a gain now (actually, I think it is a new player). How is it for you? So well done Jamendo for solving the technical problem.

Water - Deep 6 Holiday (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
From their Awake at the funeral album
Slightly shambolic sound from Deep 6 Holiday - but not in a bad way. It almost makes you listen harder.Deep 6 Holiday's music resonates with listeners because it allows them a space in which they can comfortably experience feelings that are difficult and taboo. The band's lyrical honesty, coupled with passionate performances, are meant to relate the idea that we are all going through the same types of struggles, and, in that way, we are all constantly connected. From its dark and discordant harmonies to its messages of hope, Deep 6 Holiday's Awake at the Funeral takes you on a musical journeyâone in which you realize that sometimes the only way you can feel at peace is by sitting alone in the darkness long enough.
www.deep6holidaymusic.com/
www.myspace.com/deep6holiday

Note from Steve Marshall in the UK.
Listening and storing? Just because of the sheer volume of material, for me it's mostly MP3s (of which I listen to around 400 per week), but if I really like something I"ll get hold of the CD and import into iTunes at one of the higher qualities which does make a difference. Of course, there is always the anxiety about hard drive failure but I'm pretty rigorous about backups. So, It"s amazing that I'm whinging about having to store all those CDs - they take a little less room than the equivalent in vinyl.
How about you - any good ideas that we can share? Why not pop a comment into the shownotes, drop me a line to peter@suffolkandcool.com
Or leave a message on the MyChingo message machine right nest to this week's show on the shownotes page at suffolkandcool.libsyn.com It really is dead easy and you can re-record the message until you get it how you want it to sound. You never know, there might even be a chance to play it in the show (no guarantees though).

I've never really made a strong connection between the blues and the mandolin - just not obviously good bedfellows, or so I thought until Bert Deivert kindly dropped a track of his in the Suffolk 'n" Cool drop box. This is something of a revelation and I thank Bert for it.
Seems like a Dream - Bert Deivert
This song is on the cd TAKIN' SAM'S ADVICE, released by Bert Deivert, blues mandolinist and American living in Sweden. The song is included on the Yank Rachell Tribute cd at yankrachell.com
Yank Rachell was the most famous blues mandolinist in the world. Right now thee a re a handful of active recording and touring blues mandolinists in the world.
Came in via the Drop.io page at suffolkandool.com
www.deivert.com/blues.html

Graham Holland at the Liverpool-based It's a frog's life acoustic podcast generally plays acoustic music only from the UK (frankly I don't understand all this nationalism in music but that"s another matter) Anyway, Our Graham who is a lovely guy has invited a bunch of AMP member music podcasters to submit an acoustic track from anywhere which he'll feature in future IAFL shows in a "Hopping around the world" feature.
I've a few ideas for a track that I'd like to send but what do you think - any favourites from previous Suffolk and Cool shows that you think should reach a wider audience.
Use the same means of contact to let me know and I'll slip a couple of tracks to Graham - he'll never notice.

Harper Valley pta - Samantha Dann (Queensland, Australia)
I'm not usually a great enthusiast for cover versions but two factors conspired to make an exception this week.
Grumbler put together an entire show (Music and Mumblings 037) of covers but I think that was just as an excuse to cram in more cheesy links than seems quite decent. I just don't know how he keeps a straight face as he does shows like that. Good on yer Grumber.
A cover of the old classic Harper Valley pta cropped up from Music Submit - I don"t know if it is just that it is newer or because it is by an Australian artist but for me it just cuts it as a really fresh take.
There was a great video on Samantha's site too but it has been removed. You"ll find it at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OgMh5fdTerY
www.myspace.com/samanthamdann

OK now this is getting really interesting ... salsa, reggae an unusual blend.
La Jurumba - Carlos de Nicaragua y Familia (Le Havre, Normandie, France)
Carlos Wiltshire, alias Carlos de Nicaragua, was born in Bluefields, on the nicaraguayan atlantic coast. His name is not only in reference to his country of birth but mostly in reference to the legendary indian chief Nicaraocai, philosopher, ferocious warrior and fighter. Carlos de Nicaragua was one of the precursors of the sound system concept in Paris.
In Paris, latinos, french and africans dance during the concerts under the blazing fire of a nicaraguayan named Carlos and his band "Familia", pioneers of the salsa reggae style. His admiration for the reggae prophets Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear [...] pushed him to dedicate himself to this music, reinventing it and mixing it with the tumbao of dancing rhythms from the Bronx and other great salsa capitals.
There is a video that you just have to see at:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MHqYGt6ejqE
www.myspace.com/carlosdenicaraguayfamilia
http://cdbaby.com/cd/carlosdenicaragua

Thanks to Ross Patzelt from Norwich, here in the UK for posting a really nice review of Suffolk 'n' Cool on the iTunes store. If you have iTunes check it out.
Ross has a couple of shows of his own at www.rosspatzelt.co.uk
If you'd like to post a review of Suffolk 'n' Cool, that would be really appreciated.

I mentioned that I was meeting up with Nicky on Saturday after a gap of almost exactly "a lot of yearsâ which went really well, walked on a wonderfully wild North Norfolk beach and a heartening meal at a rather fine restaurant at Holkham called The Victoria.

More travels, I'm off to Belfast in a few hours, very early tomorrow morning (and regrettably back in the afternoon) so it seems only appropriate to play something from across the Irish sea, although in fact this is from across the Irish sea â and the Atlantic Ocean.
Rising Gael contacted me during the week and my thanks are due to Erin for turning round my request for a track in record time to get it into this week's show.
Fierce - Rising Gael (Wisconsin, USA)
Rising Gael is a young Irish band that is setting the standard for modern Celtic music. The driving rhythms played on guitar and drum race with the fast fingers and electrifying bowing of the fiddle. This mix is paired with pure, powerful vocals, resulting in a rich and innovative sound.
This four-piece band is comprised of young and talented musicians who share a passion for music. The versatile guitar playing of Peter Tissot delivers sweet finger-picking and driving rhythm. Added to the rhythm section are the energetic and racing beats of the bodhran, played by Jeff Olson. The flying fingers and electrifying bowing of Katie Dionne add beautiful and commanding fiddle to the band's mix. Layered in the vibrant sound of the group is Erin Ellison's powerful and nuanced vocals. In addition to singing in the band, Erin contributes graceful and technically impressive flute playing.
You can order the CDs and get some great looking gear direct from their website.
http://risinggael.com/
www.myspace.com/risinggael

SnC 142 - Wed 5 Nov 2008

Wed, 5 Nov 2008 22:13:00 GMT

Bonfire night in the UK and my ignorance was evident in the show. At the last possible moment - just as I was finishing the shownotes Our Graham (It's a Frog's Life Acoustic Podcast) Holland sent a note through to say that his new show is up â along with a bit of info:
"Here in the UK we celebrate the anniversary in 1605 when Guy Fawkes and his co-conspiritors failed to blow up King James I during the Stare Opening of the Houses of Parliament. Read more about it at www.bonfirenight.net" Thanks Graham!
Dark and dank here in Suffolk this week so here's a reminder (right) of Ibiza a couple of months ago. We want our summer back!

Blame it on me - The New Duncan Imperials (Chicago, IL, USA)
I know it's only a few weeks since I played High School Soul by the New Duncam Imperials who have been giving Chicago and all points elsewhere a good time for the past 20 years. They have a new album in nearly eight years titled End Of Phase One. Bristling with the kind of straight-ahead-yet-twisted songs that characterize their best work, this album reveals a band that is tough, vital, and still poking rock in the ribs. It's on Pravda Records.
www.newduncanimperials.com
www.myspace.com/newduncanimperials
www.pravdamusic.com/

A relatively laid back and in places almost chilled SnC this week. It is probably geared to what I feel I desperately need - chill, relax and get away from the computers. Saturday looks the best bet for that - meeting up with Nicky who I last saw when we were around 11 years old. Recognition could be a bit of a problem so we are meeting on a huge windswept a beach in North Norfolk where we will probably be the only two idiots foolhardy enough to brave the elements!

Riley B. King - Robben Ford (California, USA)
Echos of James Taylor? From the album Truth
Robben Ford is one of the premiere electric guitarists today, particularly known for his blues playing as well as his ability to be comfortable in a variety of musical contexts. A four-time Grammy nominee, he has played with artists as diverse as Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis, Bonnie Raitt and more.
Robben Ford will present a master class on guitar and music theory for beginning and intermediate level musicians on Saturday Jan 24th, 2009. The class will focus on the basic building blocks of music theory, chord progressions, the use of voicings, listening and improvisation. There will be an emphasis on the importance of the blues in building a strong musical foundation.
www.robbenford.com

Silver - Conductive Alliance (Illinois, USA)
Conductive Alliance formed in 2007, when long time friends began composing music on acoustic instruments that evolved into short, powerful arrangements. Electronics, traditional ethnic instruments, and even children's toys are used in inventive song-writing.
http://myspace.com/conductivealliance

I saw School of Seven Bells last week at The Social in London.
The sort of venue that I quite like - for sweaty rock. The beer was OK, the floor sticky and probably the most vandal proof furniture which was all built into the floors, being cast concrete blocks to sit on and put glasses on. A small venue but that's fine for showcasing a band. It did have probably the smallest stage I"ve seen in a few years though. Indeed the first band up, Daniel Land and the Modern Painters had their drummer and kit set off to the side of the stage.
So far so good but oh dear, the sound was just awful. It did no justice at all to the School of Seven Bells whose singers Alejandra and Claudia Deheza might have saved the air fair and had an early night. I know they were there, they were only a few feet away from me but I heard almost nothing of them. Their keyboard and guitar work complemented Ben Curtis who was playing some very interesting stuff and constructed some remarkable layered sound with half a stage of pedals. There were real problems with the PA, although I don't envy the guy on the desk which is behind the stage (perhaps more of DJ booth) and mixing seems to be done through headphones and occasional attempts to get in front of the stage to take a listen.
I"m afraid I was so disappointed that my companion and I left after four numbers. Not that the band were bad. Indeed it was evident that they were as good and perhaps more interesting than I'd expected the frustration of not being able to hear them was almost worse than not hearing them at all. Not a good call by whoever booked them in at that venue if it was for the purpose of showcasing - although, come to think of it anyone with an ear would have recognised the talent despite the sound.
Connjur - The School of Seven Bells (Brooklyn, NY)
From their excellent album Alpinisms on Ghostly International.
School of Seven Bells
"Connjur" (mp3)
from "Alpinisms"
(Ghostly International)

Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

www.schoolofsevenbells.com/

Two for top cat - Cagey House (Maryland, USA) PMN and Jamendo
Cagey House has been releasing free podsafe music since 2005--through Umor-rex, Nishi, and Jamendo.
"There's a new Cagey House album on Jamendo. [but I coundn"t find it] It's called Earth Covered A-Frame. Most of the tracks have been up here before. Lots of them have computer-generated vocals. It's pretty nice, if I do say so myself.â
www.myspace.com/cageyhouse

Jamendo player problems continue.

On the Day I Found My Hands - The Brilliant Mistakes (Brooklyn, NY) Ariel
From their album Distant Drumming.
The Brilliant Mistakes are a New York City-based band who specialize in melodic roots rock brimming with smart songcraft, vintage pop sounds and lush harmonies. Fronted by two songwriters, Alan Walker and Erik Philbrook, they draw you in with infectious melodies and seductive rock flourishes, then beguile with unexpected sonic twists, insightful lyrics and provocative themes, best exemplified by such envelope-pushing kindred spirits as Wilco, My Morning Jacket and Spoon.
Album sales via the band's website:
www.thebrilliantmistakes.com/
www.myspace.com/brilliantmistakes

How far can I push you? - Deni Bonnet (New York, USA)
Yes, I know I only played Deni's track Too much fun a few weeks ago (actually it was on 129 on 6 August) but I wanted you to hear another tune from this very New York artist.
Both are on Last Girl On Earth, Deni's first, new, full-length album since the 2002 release of the critically-acclaimed CD, Bigger Is Always Better, and it features a collection of new originals, an unexpected re-working of a classic 80"s song and two bonus tracks of alternate versions of two of the songs on the album.
www.denibonet.com/
www.myspace.com/denibonet

Codger's taking a break so, sadly no new PC Podcast and no Dub Zone for a few weeks. I do find myself listi-ening to old Dub zones whilst I'm working the absence of words is ideal. Thanks for them Pete.

Struttin' - Tryad (everywhere)
t r y ^ d is one of the world's first 'virtual bands'. formed across the oceans and spawned by the combination of opsound and creative commons, a growing international number of t r y ^ d members collaborate online, building a body of 'open source music' which can be freely shared, copied and remixed
http://tryad.org/
www.myspace.com/tryad
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/tryad

SnC 141 - Wed 29 Oct 2008

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Suddenly it is very wintery here in Suffolk. A cold blast of arctic air is streaming down the east coast of the UK bringing unusually low temperatures for this time of year - it was still freezing at lunchtime today. All a bit of a shock, I can tell you. Recording a little early this week so that I can get down to London for the School of Seven Bells gig tonight.
We've an apparently all American show this week but it is not all quite as it appears.

Intro / sig tune
Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA)
www.jimmiebratcher.com

South Roxanna Wiggle - Kentucky Knife Fight (Edwardsville, Illinois, USA)
Kentucky Knife Fight is a hardworking, modest 5 piece hailing from Edwardsville, Illinois that combines the influences of early 1970's proto-punk and punk rock groups such as The Stooges, MC5, and Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers with the garage rock of late 90's and early 2000 bands such as The Murder City Devils and The Hives. The sounds of early Van Morrison and dirty blues rock work their way in to the fold, as does a sometimes subtle, and at other times, not so subtle twang of blue grass.
One day, Singer Jason Holler (J-ho), guitarist Nate Jones (the Viper), guitarist Dave Wiatrolik (White Chocolate), Bassist Jason Koenig (Mr. Cool) and drummer "Handsome" James Baker met at a bar, drank way too much Stag, and formed a band the likes of which Madison County had never heard.
Their first LP The wolf crept, the children slept is out now. Available at all Slackers locations, Vintage Vinyl or through any member of the band. ALso on iTunes. Dates coming up around Illinois and St Louis, Missouri.
www.myspace.com/kentuckyknifefight

Incomplete - Yaana (LA., CA, USA)
From her album I believe in love
Yaana Gupta is an Indian Bollywood actress-model-singer-writer, born in Czech Republic in the city called Brno. Yaana has been modelling since the age of 16, in the fashion cities of Europe and Asia. In 2001 she shifted to Mumbai, India where in no time she became one of India's most sought after supermodels and actresses. In 2008 she recorded her first album in UK called I believe in love and soon after that shifted to Los Angeles to pursue her music career.
www.yaanasworld.com/
www.myspace.com/yaanasworld

Later with Jules Holland - oh dear, dear dear!

Guns or Butter - Hot Buttered Rum (San Francisco, CA, USA)
Hot Buttered Rum's political, environmental, and social activism is inseparable from their San Francisco acoustic rock sound. In this election seasonâthe most important in a generationâHot Buttered Rum is committed to energizing like-minded citizens to enact meaningful change. Now, the band is playing political benefits to support Democratic candidatesâand making available free downloads of two of their most pertinent tunes. Buy tracks through their site.
www.hotbutteredrum.net/
www.myspace.com/hotbutteredrum

Adeline - Noush Skaugen (California, USA)
This British artist born in Stockholm to a Swedish mother and a Persian father, raised just south of London in the UK. Her time spent in France and now the States has undeniably added a special flavor to Noush's sound. Classically trained on flute, piano and saxophone Noush playedu in jazz, wind, rock and funk bands as well as the renowned London Barbican Orchestra.
Noush decided to get out of her element in LA, and record the album in a totally new location. This turned out to be Nashville, Music City, where she met with an amazingly talented guitar player and producer, Ilya Toshinsky, who understood her vision for the record, and from there Lost and Found was born. Incredible musicians were found to play on the record, whose credentials are ridiculous. "All the songs were tracked in just a few takes, that's how good these guys are", She says, "I would go into the studio and sing the songs live with the whole band".
Noush Skaugen released Lost and Found June 14, 2008.
www.noushskaugen.com/

I'm not keen on hip-hop. Now I know that's a gross generalisation but it is what I thought and I was not aware of any exceptions, until last week when I discovered Michael Lynche.
Southern Belle - Michael Lynche (New York, USA)
Michael Lynche has been described as a hip-hop artist which, frankly, tends to put me off a bit but listening to him is like hearing the whole of black music in one artist but it doesn't really sound like a mash up of different styles. Existing in the space between soul, modern r&b, funk and hip-hop, his music somehow ties the tradition together while placing his own unique stamp and personality on it.
Perhaps "Dirty Blues" conveys it all.
Michael is playing the Cutting Room in New York tonight then he has a at the Rialto Theater in Atlanta, GA in Atlanta on Sunday. Watch out on his site for upcoming dates.
www.michaellynche.com/
www.myspace.com/mlynche

Double Standards - Patti Rothberg (New York, USA)
Patti Rothberg is a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter whose songs have the power to take over a stadium without losing their lyrical intimacy. Rothberg's razor sharp wit and stark honesty trade barbs in the studio where she thrives in her creative freedom and at last releases an album that reflects her talent as a whole. With material that's split down the middle between hard rock and heartfelt acoustic songs. Rothberg's an electric guitar-wielding rock chick with a novelist's introspection, Patti is the rare artist who can work both sides of the musical spectrum.
AT the last moment `I decided to slip a contrasting track in from Patti to illustrate my point about her voice.
Wavelength - Patti Rothberg
www.pattirothberg.com/
www.myspace.com/pattirothbergmusic

Hurts more later - Val Emmich (Jersey City, NJ, USA)
"Songs can be powerful toolsâlike weapons," muses New Jersey singer-songwriter Val Emmich. "In the past, the weapons of choice for warfare were swords, spears, even longbows - things that could do damage from a distance. Knives and daggers were for more intimate occasions." You might find this talk of weaponry perplexing coming from an artist discussing the significance of his new album's title. Then again, if you're familiar with Emmich and his work, you know there's often meaning lurking beneath the surface. "With knives and daggers," he adds, "you had to figure out how to get close enough to use them."
On Little Daggers, Val Emmich's sixth release, he manages to do just that, drawing listeners close with great pop melodies and playful arrangements while a penetrating lyrical story unfolds underneath.
"Pop music is tricky because we've been trained not to expect much meaning in it. I love big melodies, but I also love songs with a strong, lasting message. The truly great songs somehow marry the two. Lennon was great at it. Marvin Gaye, Paul Westerberg, Burt Bacharach. They all wrote super catchy songs with lyrics that struck a nerve. Those songs make you want to dance but also make you think."
The songs on Little Daggers nimbly balance those two goals - they're simple yet substantial, accessible yet challenging, introspective yet danceable. They also fit together to form a cohesive whole.
valemmich.com/
www.myspace.com/valemmich

SnC 140 - Wed 22 Oct 2008

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:49:00 GMT

This strange voice is getting past a joke. It's seven weeks now â and counting. I've had a few suggestions including chest rub, applied to the soles of the feet and encased in thick socks. How totally romantic!

The first respectable frost of the autumn looked good on the meadow this morning.

Struttin' my stuff - Elvin Bishop (California, USA)
From his new album The Blues Rolls On which harks back to Elvin Bishop's roots, paying tribute to the musicians who inspired him and who also helped give him his start. Supported by an all-star cast of blues royalty featuring B.B. King, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks.
Bishop is a slide guitar great with 45-years of blues under his belt. Rolling Stone has tagged Bishop's music as "raucous," praising his "careening slide and razor-edged bursts, all delivered with unflagging enthusiasm and wit."
www.elvinbishopmusic.com/
www.myspace.com/elvinbishopmusic

I know it couldn't be endorsed in the USA or in the British political establishment right now but something happened yesterday that cheers me to the cockles of my heart. Lots of other things are in a bad shape in our society but it is heartening to see that it is possible for someone have an idea (albeit a witty one), put it into action and strike a chord with far more people than was anticipated.
I noticed a blog post at around 8 o'clock yesterday morning. A campaign had been started to raise Â5,500 ($9,250 US) which, when matched by author Richard Dawkins, would be enough money to put adverts onto the side of 30 buses in London for four weeks bearing the slogan "There"s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
It was hoped that the money would be raised in time for the campaign to run in January. The total was reached two hours later at 10:06 yesterday morning, by 6pm, individual donations, mostly of amounts less than Â10, stood at Â30,186.71. If you want to see how it is doing now, take a look at www.justgiving.com/atheistbus

The same line - Scott Brunger (Maidstone, UK)
I played another track (What a life) by Scott way back on show 53 in Feb 2007. The sheer restrained eloquence of the song blew me away. This guy needs encouragement and a wider audience - then he can get away from playing covers.
www.myspace.com/scottbrunger

Half asleep - School of Seven Bells (Brooklyn, NY, USA)
I was half asleep last night catching up on some listening and a track came on the Electrical Language podcast (www.electricallanguage.co.uk) that had me out of bed and searching the web for the School of Seven Bells.
When my daughters were young they used to sing in the back of the car using those apparently instinctive "bloodâ harmonies that siblings seem to find so natural. School of Seven Bells, apart from being named after a mythical South American school for pickpockets comprises guitarist Benjamin Curtis, formerly of Secret Machines with twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza (formerly with On-Air Library!) The band gets booming beats from laptops, echoing chords from the guitar and the most amazing lilting harmony vocals.
If you liked that you should be able to download it from the link in the shownotes and they have a couple of dates in London next week. Due to a very fortunate co-incidence, and a few urgent calls early this morning, I'll be at the show on Wed 29th at The Social - just off Oxford Street in central London. They are supported by Daniel Land and the Modern Painters.

School of Seven Bells
"Half Asleep" (mp3)
from "Alpinisms"
(Ghostly International)

Buy at iTunes Pre-Release
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Bouba - Ablaye Cissoko, Volker Goetze (New York and Senegal)
The mutual admiration society that is Volker Goetze and Ablaye Cissoko owes itself to a serendipitous meeting that took place in 2001 at the African-European Jazz Orchestra rehearsals in Saint-Louis, Senegal, where they"d been invited to open for Senegalese legend Youssou N'Dour. Despite any cultural barriers that separated them, the German-born trumpeter and the Senegalese kora player and singer discovered they had much in common, both musically and personally. Their commonalities can be heard on Sira, which is an album that reaffirms the maxim that music is the universal language. The album releases in October 2008 on ObliqSound.
www.ablayecissoko.com

Ablaye Cissoko, Volker Goetze
"Bouba" (mp3)
from "Sira"
(ObliqSound)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Glass Corners - Night Artery (Melbourne, Australia)
Despite what your ears tell you, Night Artery is entirely a solo project. Manning all the instruments, Ross Arundale delivers off-kilter, unconventional arrangements laced with cryptic lyrics and dynamic vocals on his debut EP release Capsize your Surroundings.
www.myspace.com/nightartery
www.cdbaby.com/nightartery

Ugly Faces - Ruth Theodore (London, UK)
It has been a while since I've played another track from Worm Food, Ruth Theodore's debut album. 13 tracks of beautifully twisted, political and personal mayhem. Her style of delivery makes you really listen and the effort is well worthwhile. You can get the album as MP3 from Jamendo but do yourself a favour and go to her site and get it in gleaming CD quality for just Â9.99
www.ruththeodore.com
www.jamendo.com/en/album/17052

Gabor Kovaks, over at the Electrical Language podcast (www.electricallanguage.co.uk) was complaining on his show 144 that podcasts should be timed to fit with his journey to work which normally takes 40 minutes. But I don't want him to make his to fit my communte (20 seconds max).

Never say never - The Itals (USA)
Going back a bit for the final track. Originally released in 1985 by The Itals, a reggae vocal group formed in 1976 by Alvin "Keith" Porter, Ronnie Davis, and Lloyd Ricketts. Their following release, "Rasta Philosophy," was nominated for a Grammy Award as Best Reggae Album.

The Itals
"Never Say Never" (mp3)
from "Easy To Catch"
(Rhythm Safari Pty Ltd)

Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

SnC 139 - Wed 15 Oct 2008

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:52:00 GMT

Just been over to Aldeburgh on the coast for a traditional fish and chips supper. Cold though, standing on the beach looking out at the black sea with a few ships lights on the horizon. Had to be done though to help acclimatise Jessie to the food and climate of England now that she's back from Ibiza. She has the most amazing tan though - something of a rarity in the UK this summer. A bit dark for a picture at Aldeburgh so here"s one from the English-Scottish borders taken last week.
Music this week from old-timers and new timers from New York and New Zealand mixed up into a special serving with tracks from Missouri, France and either Jamaica or Switzerland.

Atomic Heels - The Secret Machines (New York, USA) - PMN
Brandon Curtis - Vocals, Bass, Keyboards
Josh Garza - Drums
Phil Karnats - Guitar
The band released their new album Secret Machines yesterday, 14th October.
www.thesecretmachines.com
www.myspace.com/secretmachines

Now I know - Lin McEwan (Baltimore, USA) Ariel
Since arriving in New York, the Baltimore-native has been "gaining notice for her uncommonly deep voice" and for her "soulfully sung and well-written material"âa funky fusion of soul and popâ like Tina Turner or Mavis Staples singing over Keane (The Baltimore Sun; JustSoul).
Along with her talented group of regular players, who've backed everyone from Jesse Malin to Gavin DeGraw, she's appeared at such landmark establishments as CBGB's and the Bitter End, as well as the Living Room, the Rockwood Music Hall, the Cutting Room, Crash Mansion, and Arlene's Grocery. But she still considers Baltimore home and takes her band back as often as possible.
Her success marks a big change for a girl who spent her youth being told that she couldn't sing because her voice was too low. "My voice was so strange for my age," she recalls, "that when I was in the eighth grade, I had to play Santa Claus because the boys voices hadn't changed yet, and I was the only one who could do a convincing, 'Ho, ho, ho.""
www.linmcewan.com/
www.myspace.com/linmcewan

Sometimes Enough - The Black Seeds (Wellington, New Zealand) IODA Promonet
The Black Seeds started turning heads around New Zealand following the release of their debut album, 2001's Keep On Pushing. The album received widespread critical acclaim, including being named one of the top 50 albums of the year by Rip It Up Magazine, and eventually reached gold sales status.
Into The Dojo began to take shape in May 2005, when band members Barnaby Weir (lead vocals/guitar), Daniel Weetman (percussion/vocals), Mike 'Fabulous' August (guitar), Bret McKenzie (keys), Jarney Murphy (drums), Tim Jaray (bass) and Lee Prebble (sound engineer) once again converged on The Surgery studio in Wellington. The next 12 months were spent balancing constant touring duties and side projects with writing and jamming new songs in the studio. The result of this year-long creative process is 13 tracks of The Black Seeds' most mature and accomplished music to date.

The Black Seeds
"Sometimes Enough" (mp3)
from "Into the Dojo"
(LOOP)

Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

www.theblackseeds.co.nz

Green Bananas - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) - PMN
Jimmie explained how the track came about, "Green Bananas was a moment in the studio. We were cutting the track and Brandon Draper the drummer just went off on the march at the end. We just had to go with it and build on it. I tell the story on the REV TV page of my web site it is a really cool story about living life NOW and not later.â
What "laterâ is that then?
www.jimmiebratcher.com

Six out of fifteen of the tracks on the first page of the PMN this evening were "holidayâ songs, including a versiobn of Oh little town of Bethlehem. How many more times do we really need to hear that. How utterly depressing.

No we can't - Music for Cap (France) - Jamendo
From the album I miss me on Jamendo.
Minimal information on the site and on their MySpace but you can check out the album on Jamendo, then buy the full fidelity CD direct from the band. There"s a link on their MySpace.
www.musicforcap.com
www.myspace.com/musicforcap
www.jamendo.com/en/album/5278

Having a party - Lee "Scratchâ Perry (Jamaica and Switzerland) IODA
Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry), on March 20, 1936, in Kendal, Jamaica.
In the early 1970s, Perry was one of the producers whose mixing board experiments resulted in the creation of dub. In 1973, Perry built a studio in his back yard, The Black Ark, to have more control over his productions and continued to produce notable musicians such as Bob Marley & the Wailers, Junior Byles, The Heptones, and Max Romeo. With his own studio at his disposal, Perry's productions became more lavish, as the energetic producer was able to spend as much time as he wanted on the music he produced. It is important to note that virtually everything Perry recorded in The Black Ark was done using rather basic recording equipment; through sonic sleight-of-hand, Perry made it sound completely unique. Perry remained behind the mixing desk for many years, producing songs and albums that stand out as a high point in reggae history. The track is taken from his new(ish) album Scratch Came, Scratch Saw, Scratch Conquered.

Lee "Scratch" Perry
"Having a Party" (mp3)
from "Scratch Came, Scratch Saw, Scratch Conquered"
(Megawave)

Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

www.myspace.com/leescratchperry

Accidents - Luthea Salom (Manhattan, NY) PMN
Again saving Luthea's music 'til last so you can dash off and buy the album Sunbeam Surrounded by Winter from part Spanish and part Canadian singer/songwriter Luthea Salom. More details in the shownotes for SnC 137.
Luthea will be touring in Germany soon - you lucky people. We really must get her over to the UK.
www.lutheasalom.com/
www.myspace.com/lutheasalomsongs

SnC 138 - Wed 08 Oct 2008

Wed, 8 Oct 2008 19:19:00 GMT

All a bit frantic this week having spent Friday driving north to Richmond in Yorkshire en route to Northumberland. Fantastic hotel in Richmond (pic) and a great time with some very old friends in Northumberland going up a ravine to a spectacular waterfall - why spectacular - rain all day had swollen the normally fairly placid beck in Hareshaw Linn to something of a torrent. Why? Jenny's birthday celebration included a surprise meeting with best part of a dozen of her oldest friends at said waterfall. Pictures on my Flickr site if you're interested.

Alone in a Room With You - Looker (New York, USA)
The Shangri-Las backed by the Pixies. "One collective stiletto heel in the Brill Building circa 1963 and the other in what used to be CBGB." Put the top down, turn it up, sing along.
Born from the collaboration of childhood friends Boshra al Saadi and Nicole Greco, Looker began as a hot summer's experiment in Manhattan's lower east side back in 2003. Since then the band has grown with the addition of AJ Lambert on bass and Robbie Overbey on drums.
Boshra AlSaadi-gtr/vox
Nicole Greco-gtr/vox
AJ Lambert-bass/vox
Robbie Overbey-drums/vox
http://seriousbusinessrecords.com/artists/show/13-Looker
www.lookernyc.com
www.myspace.com/looker

Guardasecretos - Cordero (New York, NY, USA)
Ani Cordero created and fronted a new bilingual indie-rock band in Tucson, Arizona in early 1999 and called the group by her Puerto Rican family name, Cordero.
By 2000, Ani had moved to New York City and reformed the band with her husband, music/art star, Chris Verene (formerly of The Rock*A*Teens and D.Q.E. ) and a revolving backing band. Cordero eventually cemented the line-up by adding the sensitive horn and dramatic keyboard playing of Omar Akil (nephew of hit songwriter Frankie Lymon) and melodic and danceable bass playing of Eric Eble (Reid Pailey Trio).
In 2006, Cordero inked a new record deal with the Chicago-based label, Bloodshot Records and expanded their reach with the release of their third studio album "En Este Momento" and an ever-growing reputation for blazing live shows. "Their marvelously rambunctious gigs usually wind up as street parties outside the venue." The Village Voice
http://corderomusic.com/
www.bloodshotrecords.com/artists/cordero/

Caroline - Brian Wallen (Indiana, USA)
Brian Wallen is a very busy singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist with six albums to his credit, 100 shows a year, and a unique sound all his own. He plays ten instruments, having picked up his first guitar six years ago (when he was aged ten).
Brian has arranged, performed, recorded, produced and mastered everything you hear on his projects.
He also has a band (Blue Lightning) which he leads playing alongside Glen Thurston, Avery Perry and Marty Price.
http://brianwallenmusic.com/
http://myspace.com/bkwallen

As I am - EMAR (Ontario, Canada)
EMAR is an international world music artist. Born in Belgrade in the former Yugoslavia, now Serbia) and partly raised in Canada, EMAR's multicultural influences inspire her to sing and record in several languages including Serbian, Hindi, Persian, Arabic and Church Slavonic.
On her debut album, EMAR: Sacred Soul, released September 3rd, 2008, EMAR worked with three renowned producers to create her ethereal, spiritual sound: Genie Award-nominated Sean Eyre, Canadian Music Awards winner for Best World Music Group 2007 - Andrew McPherson of Eccodek and noted film composer Igor Vrabac. Playing on five of the album's tracks is World Music multi-instrumentalist Boris Sichon.
www.emarmusic.com
www.myspace.com/emarmusic

Harry Knuckles - Project Grand Slam (CA, USA)
PGS plays instrumental music that features great songwriting and masterly musicianship. Melody, rhythms, grooves and skillful improvisation combine into one special sound. It's not rock, it's not pop and it's not jazz - it's Project Grand Slam!
Project Grand Slam's debut album, Play, features "The Captain of Her Heart" with internationally renowned guest vocalist Judie Tzuke. Her hit Stay With Me Till Dawn was chosen by the British public as one of the 50 best British songs from 1952-2002. "The Captain of Her Heart" was an international Top 10 hit in 1986 for the group Double. "Captain" was produced by Haim Cotton and Jan Roeg. An instrumental version is also included on the album.
The rest of Play features 11 original compositions by Project Grand Slam produced by the legendary Frank Filipetti (Grammy Award for James Taylor's Hourglass).
The musicians of Project Grand Slam are:
Robert Miller - electric bass and composes.
Haim Cotton - keyboards and composes.
Ron Thaler - drums
Gilad Ronen - saxophone
www.projectgrandslam.com

Low Tide - O Death (New York, NY, USA)
New York outfit O'Death's third LP, Broken Hymns, Limbs and Skin, feels like a giddy junkyard hoedown, from the panicked fiddle screeches of opener "Low Tide" to the celebratory gallop of closer "Lean-To." At times it sounds morose or contemplative, but underneath the melancholy is a gospel fervor - bashed from paint buckets, banjos, guitars and anything else in kicking distance - that defines their sound. Since 2007's buzzed-about Head Home, the quintet, which contains vocalist/guitarist Greg Jamie, vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Gabe Darling, fiddle player Bob Pycior, bassist Newman and drummer David Rogers-Berry, has evolved the possessed americana-meets-gypsy-punk of recent years into a more urgent, unrelenting celebration of life, death and everything in between.
http://kemado.com/
http://odeath.net/
www.myspace.com/odeath

Hasa - Abiyou Solomon (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)
AIT Records proudly presents the celebrated Ethiopian musician and arranger, Abiyou Solomon, and his latest CD, In Search of My Roots. This one-of-a-kind recording truly captures the soul and spirit of eight distinct Ethiopian tribes. The traditional songs and harmonized sounds demonstrate the beauty and diversity of the Ethiopian people, comprised of many tribes that have lived in peace and harmony for thousands of years. In Search of My Roots is Volume 1 in a series of CDs showcasing unique tribal songs from throughout Ethiopia.
AIT Records, Inc. is the first and leading producer of Ethiopian music outside of Ethiopia. The melodies, rhythms and instruments of Ethiopia have forged a rich musical tradition - one of the oldest in the world. Since 1990, AIT has sought to shine a spotlight on our unique culture, offering Ethiopian performers the opportunity to showcase their talents and share their country's history with the global community.
Available now as a six-CD set or as individual CDs, The Ethiopian Millennium Collection features breakthrough performances by Mahmoud Ahmed, winner of the 2007 BBC Radio 3 Award for World Music; and Alemayehu Eshete. The complete set immerses the listener in an eclectic mix of signature Ballads, Chic-Chic-Ka (Iskista), Dance, Instrumental, and Traditional Ethiopian music that blends Ethiopian and Western instruments.
www.aitrecords.com/
www.myspace.com/aitrecords

3 for 10 - SaReGaMa / Triplexity (France and Israel)
Put out as a single this is a product of the ever fruitful collaboration between Nikila, SaReGaMa and Hamelin BÃrengnier. This is actually the enhanced version in Triplexity's album Between Light and Shadow.
SaGeRaMa says on his Jamendo page: "I'd like to say special thanks to all those listeners who have expressed their appreciation through donation. Besides that it's really encouraging it also helps me to purchase instruments and equipment and improve the quality of music. The best method is DONATING DIRECTLY TO ARTIST , because this way the artist gets your donation immediately with less fees."
The word Triplexity is combined of two words: triplex and complexity. Triplexity is a virtual band, its members never met each other face to face, all the collaborations came to live thru the Internet. Every member comes from a different musical background, together, they blend their knowledge and inspiration and give life to their unique music with a fresh new sound.
He also points out that "Audio quality of the music offered on Jamendo in best case reaches 190 kbps, which is quite reasonable for evaluational purposes but definitely not enough to experience the richness of original sound (1411 kbps). If you'd like to feel how this music sounds for real you can obtain a lossless FLAC version of this album on my website."
http://saregama2.blogspot.com/
http://triplexity.blogspot.com/

SnC 137 - Wed 01 Oct 2008

Wed, 1 Oct 2008 22:21:00 GMT

It seems that we are safe from the new Circle Line or whatever was in Switzerland that the New York Times referred to as as "the Large Hardon Colliderâ - I can only assume that someone has put hardon into their spell check dictionary! Seems it has a touch of dysfunction problem now. There was a lot of speculation about whether we were all going disappear into a black hole but actually I'm not in the least worried. As soon as it was switched on the weather cleared up and we had a few days of what is called "Indian" summer last week. Of course that has finished now and it's more like spring with sunshine, a brisk breeze and heavy showers.

High School Soul - The New Duncan Imperials (Chicago, IL, USA)
From their Pravda Records album End of Phase One. Due for release next Tuesday, 7th October
It's hard to believe it now, but before 1989 no band had ever combined the explosive elements of white trash culture, Dada art and Chuck Berry. There was a gaping hole in the fabric of popular entertainment and the New Duncan Imperials sewed it up. Springing to life in Chicago almost 20 years ago, the band startled the club scene with its overpowering live show and reckless disregard for boundaries, confronting unsuspecting crowds with a blizzard of gloriously heavy riffage and free-association lyrics that ran the course from the Brady Bunch to Friedrich Nietzsche.
The NDI saga began in Chicago in the spring of 1989. Bored with the straight-ahead approach of the band they were in, Pigtail Dick (guitar and vocals), Skipper Zwackinov (bass, balloons, and vocal), and Goodtime Dammit (drums, drums, drums) began playing for laughs in the basement of Pigtail's mom's house. "She really, really hated us," Goodtime recalls. "That's when we knew we were onto something." The band focused on laying strange yet sharp lyrics. "Most of our songs were about food, or driving, or how to prepare intricate chicken dishes while driving," says Skipper. "A lot of people didn't get it, but the ones who did loved it." Their first gigs, noisy slugfests in cramped dives around the seedy parts of Chicago, are now the stuff of legend. It wasn't long before the band was the toast of the town, and soon one of the most widely-read rock critics in town, Bill Wyman of the Chicago Reader, had anointed them "The Best Band in the City." The Chicago Tribune followed suit (adding the word "live" to the title), and the boys were in business.
www.newduncanimperials.com
www.myspace.com/newduncanimperials

Hell - Jen Lowe (Conneticut, USA)
A real struggle to know which song to play next from Jen's album From this end of the Hallway. The entire album is beautifully crafted and Jen"s vocals are right in your ear (well it works for me). Of particular interest is the percussion. I could seriously have played any track, indeed I did a few times before picking one entirely at random!
Jen Lowe is a sincere songwriter who writes straight from the heart. Her lyrics are direct and thoughtful, as she wastes no time getting the heart of the matter. Having been a full time touring percussionist and drummer with many national acts, Jen's sense of the song writing process is strong.
Her blog reports that "I am going to be playing my annual Butterfly Stitcn gig on Nov. 8th at Lumberjacks Camp Ground for the Womens' Festival held there. This means I will be back in town. I am looking for a gig for Friday night. House concert perhaps? Holla if you got something."
www.jenlowe.com
www.myspace.com/jenjenlowe

Down to the River - Kompoz (Florida, USA)
I just came across this exciting use of web and digital technology. Kompoz is a social workspace for musicians.
Use it to compose new music with other artists around the world. Got an idea for a song? Record a track. Upload it. Then invite others to add drums, bass, vocals or anything else! All music is created under the open licenses of the Creative Commons. Just like this show. The only problem is that I don't know who was involved in the track!
www.kompoz.com/

With all my heart - Marcela (from who knows where?)
A remarkably low tech recording of a very simple song - it just works.
From her Number 2 album - that's the title, No. 2
I"ve been trying to find out more but to no avail. I hope we can discover something through Jamendo where you can download that track and a couple of others. If you know any more, please let me know. As you'd imagine, no website and no MySpace so no links. Can you help out?

Chatting with Jayme Gutierrez who is based in Spain during the week. He has oput together a great little video as part of a competition. Now there are three things I"d really strongly suggest that you do:
1.   Go to the YouTube link www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLpLXXzY6ec and check out the video. I'm sure you"ll be impressed.
2.   Rate the video by clicking on the relevant star just below the player window. That's what will help Jayme in the competition but then,
3.   Add a comment to make connection with Jayme and then Share by clicking the Share button. I bet there"s someone who would love to see it, and vote!
www.myspace.com/jaymegutierrez

Cookin' with Cohen - David Bennett Cohen (New York, USA)
"Mr. Cohen isn't the average hippie gone Wall Street, he's also a certifiably smokin' barrel house rumba boogie-woogie piano player in the James Booker/Professor Longhair/Dr. John vein."
More specifically he provided the distinctive keyboard sound for Country Joe and the Fish way back in the 60s. Over the years, he has played and/or recorded with The Blues Project, Mick Taylor, The Luther Tucker Blues Band, Elvin Bishop, Hubert Sumlin, Melvin Van Peebles, Happy and Artie Traum, Arlen Roth, Eric Anderson, David Blue, Tim Hardin, Norton Buffalo, Jerry Miller, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Buddy Miles, John Cippolina, Huey Lewis, Michael Bloomfield, Bob Weir, John Kahn, Johnnie Johnson, Jimmy Vivino, Jay Owens, Debbie Davies, Byther Smith, Bobby Kyle, Rocky Lawrence, Johnny B. Gayden, Sandra Feva and others.
www.davidbennettcohen.com/

Heartbeat - Melissa Ferrick (Boston, MA, USA)
Acclaimed indie folk singer-songwriter Melissa Ferrick released her 9th album Goodbye Youth on her own label Right On Records September 16TH, 2008. The album will be sold exclusively at digital retail and on tour per Melissa's request. "Touring is my livelihood, and indie retail is dead. It seems like the younger my fans get, the harder it is to get them out of their houses so I decided to give them two options to buy my new album: 1. Stay in your bedroom and download the new album, or 2. Get out of your computer speakers and have a tangible experience."
The album is available on iTunes.
www.melissaferrick.com/

Bonita - The Pimps of Joytime (Brooklyn, NY, USA)
The genre-defying Pimps of Joytime pay homage to funk, afrobeat, latin and hip hop, combining loops and live playing in a way that is seamless and infectious. The joyful noise you'll hear is a heady musical gumbo sure to get you moving. Their eclectic debut album High Steppin' is available now on Wonderwheel Recordings.
Native New Yorker Brian J founded the group in the eclectic confines of Brooklyn in 2005. As lead singer, guitarist and producer, Brian J whips the tracks into shape flanked by a 5-piece band.
www.pimpsofjoytime.com
www.myspace.com/pimpsofjoytime

Dragonfly - Luthea Salom (New York, USA)
Sunbeam Surrounded by Winter is the new bittersweet album from part Spanish and part Canadian singer/songwriter Luthea Salom, produced between NY and Skopje, (Macedonia) by Malcolm Burn and Luthea herself. This is her second album and it's evocative, immediate, poetic, luminous, personal, innovative and though rooted in different cultures, it has a clear identity of its own.
This new work of 12 original songs (plus one cover - Rebel Rebel by David Bowie) doesn't only reflect the surprising energy of this devout guitar player but also her original and free spirited melodies, all lead by a sultry and at the same time, cutting voice that can sometimes be soft and sweet and others sour, but always painfully honest.
www.lutheasalom.com/
www.myspace.com/lutheasalomsongs

SnC 136 - Wed 24 Sep 2008

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:12:00 GMT

A new track from an old friend this week, plus some tunes from the rcrdlbl.com collection mixed up with the best of new independent music wherever it comes from.
Suffolk and Savannah seem to be suffering the onset of autumn. Jessie took great delight in the first decent rain for months in her part of the Mediterranean. The aftermath left a great shading to the usually blue and gold sea at sunset last night. Savannah is the club/bar where she has been working since May and is right here in the picture from the Ibiza sunset cam (right). Try here for live pics.

One Rock - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA)
Jimmie Bratcher has been providing the signature tune for Suffolk 'n' Cool for almost three years now so he should need little introduction but it has been a while since he had any new tunes available. In fact, the previous tunes went up onto the PMN in November 2006. He also has a new album out to follow up on the very successful Red. This one is descriptively called The Electric Rev.
www.jimmiebratcher.com/

Discovered rcrd lbl thanks to Pete Cogle. Quite a resource with loads of tracks available for streaming and many for download. The usual ethics apply, Creative Commons and by all means point to the site from your blog, website, MySpace or whatever. Getting traffic to the site helps support it.
www.rcrdlbl.com

The Miner - Bell (Brooklyn, NY)
Olga Bell is a Russian-born, Alaska bred, conservatory trained Brooklynite and, on the 2008 EP she is joined by Jason Nazary, Grey McMurray, Mike Chiavaro, Gunnar Olsen and Ryan Ferreira
Find out a little more for yourself at her MySpace.
www.myspace.com/whoisbell

Grapevine - The Bedford, Norwich (Oct 15th line-up) Ana Silvera, Azadeh and Mark Fawscett bookings at 01603 666869.
www.myspace.com/grapevine4music

A touch of Gotan project feel in here
Bleez - Magdam (Ile-de-France, France)
From the Jamendo album Escuchar
"I have a rather simple objective: I count on my listeners to help itself with the realization of the album of MAGDAM! by making some gifts. They can listen to the compositions of the group besides on MySpace by typing magdam."
www.myspace.com/magdamlegroupe

Heal the World - Pato Banton (California, USA)
From the album Destination Paradise
With a Grammy nomination to his credit and international chart topping collaborations with the likes of Sting and UB40, Pato has put his mark on the world with the release of Destination Paradise. Undoubtedly his best recording, DP features 12 originals that move the body and inspire the mind.
www.patobanton.com/

East of Ealing

"Peter, thanks a billion for playing our song "Are we there yet ?" Listened to the rest of your show, and enjoyed it massively ! Looking at your name, were you ever related to the Suffolkn'good festival that used to happen up your way ?
Its only that we want to play as many festivals /beer fests/wine tasting etc etc as poss next year....if you hear of any that might suit our punk pirate music ....let us know !

Stephanie Graffitti (for E.O.E)

www.eastofealing.co.uk
www.myspace.com/eastofealing

Bonus - Jayme Gutierrez (JaÃn, Spain)
Another track from the solidly excellent album Wompychew. I played Cats and Rats back in April. You can hear four other tracks at his MySpace.
www.myspace.com/jaymegutierrez

I'm becoming interested in the way that remixes take a song and transform it. Example:
This Truth - Lovespirals (California, USA)
Lovespirals blend Rock, Jazz, Blues, Soul, Folk and Electronica to create a dreamy, sensual vibe featuring the smooth, soulful guitar & Rhodes piano of Ryan Lum and the seductive vocals & romantic lyrics of Anji Bee.
www.lovespirals.com/
www.thechillcast.com/

This Truth - Grooveblaster Mix (N. Carolina, USA)
The Grooveblaster is living proof that the end justifies the means. Whether it's going head-to-head on the ones and twos with collaborators, riding the pause button on an old analog 4-track to create a fly loop with the human factor, or keying in the ill echo chamber chill, the Grooveblaster makes 'tricknology' work.
www.thegrooveblaster.com

Many remixes available at http://www.lovespirals.com/podsaferemix
Click on the comments link at the end of these notes for news direct from Anji.

Easy Street - Sean Bones (New York, USA)
Sorry, I can't find any more. You can download that track for yourself at
www.rcrdlbl.com/artists/Sean_Bones/music
www.myspace.com/seanbones

I played Play Bomb from Izzie Voodoo in last week's show and it has been in my head all week. (It seems Colin Gazeley at the Ourobouros podcast has the same problem.) I had a note of thanks from Izzie and reminder that she has her own show which I'm now subscribed to and I hope you'll be able to join me in enjoying at www.voodooquotashow.co.uk

Note from Kimo Watanabe with a link to a video on his site:
"What better way to close out the week than with a classic reggae track. I just posted my version of No Woman No Cry and hope you enjoy it."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOXMjl7eXpo

A final track from rcrdlbl.com which I know Codger has played in PCPodcast over at http://pcpodcast.blogsome.com/

Dance, Dance, Dance - Lykke Li (Stockholm, Sweden)
Say hello to your new favorite Swedish songstress. Her name is Lykke Li, she is twenty-two years old, and her debut four-song EP, Little Bit, out on her own label LL Recordings.
Recorded in Lykke Li's hometown of Stockholm and New York City, and produced by Bjorn Yttling of Peter, Bjorn and John, the songs on Little Bit are a reflection of Lykke Li's globe-trotting upbringing, marrying sounds that are diverse and worldly. Again you can download the track from her page on rcrd lbl
www.lykkeli.com/
www.rcrdlbl.com/artists/Lykke_Li/music

SnC 135 - Wed 17 Sep 2008

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:00:00 GMT

Using someone else's voice this week on account of how mine has gone missing!
I was in the historic (and very small "city" of Ely (near Cambridge) yesterday to meet up with Merle and Carole, distant relations from British Columbia, who are over for a couple of weeks and will be touring England, Scotland and Wales. A warm welcome to them and to you. I'm not sure that the gargoyle up on the cathedral wall (picture, right) felt the same way.

Congo Square - Chris Daniels & the Kings (Colorado, USA)
Chris Daniels & the Kings is a rootsy funk and swing horn section band with a Memphis and New Orleans groove.
Chris Daniels & the Kings in the tradition of Blood Sweat & Tears, Booker T. and the Memphis Horns and Tower of Power.
Chris has toured Europe more than 15 times and played in the States from South Carolina to Seattle, New York City to LA. The seven piece rockin' band, called "funky-blues" by the Europeans, is an all out "horn band" celebrating their 23rd year of making great R&B,Funk, "jump blues" and rock n roll. Congo Square is from their album Live Wired which was recorded at seven gigs in Colorado, Holland and Italy. You can buy it from their website.
www.chrisdaniels.com/

Sig tune:
Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA)
www.jimmiebratcher.com/

Breathe - Jean Synodinos (Austin, Texas, USA)
It's all been said in previous shows, but just in case you didn't hearâ
Jean is always out to push the envelope a little bit more with each song and each show. Energetically. Enthusiastically.
With songs that skate between genres, Jean jumps from rock to jazz to pop in order to find the right groove and tone for each song. Known for her dynamic performances, she lives to "read the room" and deliver shows that keep audiences returning for more.
Following up on her acclaimed debut CD Lucky, Jean has just released Breathe. Picking up where Lucky left off, Breathe's eleven tracks groove even harder musically and dig even deeper lyrically. The disc features thoroughbred performances by Charles Rieser on guitars (The Scabs, Boombox), Brad Houser on bass (Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians), and Rob Hooper on drums (Guy Forsythe, Colin Gilmore).
www.jeansynodinos.com/
www.myspace.com/jeansynodinos

H-2 - J. Blasco (Barcelona, Spain)
From the album Lounge House by Javier Blasco Serrat.
Not a lot of information, just:
Saludos .
J.Blasco.
http://jaopticamusic.blogspot.com/
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/j.blasco

Play Bomb - izzie Voodoo (Barnsley, UK)
izzie Voodoo is a solo artist creating a vivid, highly unusual yet accessible sound.
Her music maintains a dark exciting edge whilst switching between full, highly produced alternative, sometimes industrial, vocal and guitar and bass orientated electronica, and bittersweet ballads, each song led by her layers of sultry, breathy vocals.
Music to die for (with tongue firmly in cheek)....
Her outstanding reputation as a recording artist and producer, coupled with huge theatrical experience both on and backstage has also led to many exciting other collaborations with musicians from varying genres and from all over the world.
In her recorded material she is: Song Writer, all vocals, guitars, bass, hard and soft synths, electronic percussion, engineering/production.
Signed to BasilicaMusic.
You can find more information about izzie Voodoo by visiting
www.izzievoodoo.com
www.myspace.com/izzievoodoo

Eldoret - Amelia Ray (Madrid, Spain)
From her album ON. The second track I've played. This is the gospel tune, Eldoret, based on the violence in Kenya ("This has the trappings of another genocide")
Amelia Ray's music is at once rock, jazz, country, gospel, pop, and blues. "Once you realise how closely connected different styles of music are, you can start to play with the boundaries of those styles, and create something new and invigorating. But at the root, I'm always trying to make good, old finger-snapping music that makes you perk up your ears, and move your feet."
California-born vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Amelia Ray currently resides in Madrid where she performs original soul rock music solo, and with her band, The Conjugal Experiment. A young music scene veteran, Amelia has been performing in the United States and in Europe for almost 20 years. She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, was a featured artist for Radio Campus Lille in France, and even performed in Iceland. She has shared the stage with Chuck Rainey, Elliott Randall, Rob Bargad, Maia Sharp and Kenny Aronoff, to name a few. Since her arrival in Spain, she has graced such renowned stages as Sala Clamores and The Bourbon Cafe in Madrid, and the Casa de las Conchas in Salamanca.
www.ameliaray.net
www.myspace.com/ameliaray
http://cdbaby.com/cd/ameliaray3
You can see a video (filmed live at Zanzibar in Madrid) on her MySpace page

Carry the Light - Kelly Richey (Cincinnati, OH, USA)
As a teenager, Richey practiced guitar 12 hours a day. "I never set it down,â she remembers. "I took it to school, I took it to the kitchen table and if I took a walk it was strapped on." Now, when she picks up her guitar, anyone within earshot is compelled to listen. A working musician since her teens, she began her professional career as a member of the Arista Records group Stealin' Horses; in 1990 she formed The Kelly Richey Band, with whom she has become both a national and international touring artist.
Take a look at her videos on YouTube at http://tinyurl.com/5orlu3
Since establishing her own label, Sweet Lucy Records, Richey has released 10 albums and a live DVD, as both a solo artist and as The Kelly Richey Band. As an extension of Sweet Lucy Records, she built a studio where she records her own music and works with other artists.
Richey's involvement with music goes way beyond recording and performing. A longtime private guitar instructor, in 2003 Richey began developing a Guitar Workshop and a Blues History program to take into the schools.
Richey created Music for Change, a 501(c)(3) non-profit committed to music education in today's public schools; a variety of programs offering live performances, lectures, and interactive participation serve to facilitate learning opportunities for students while keeping the history of American music alive and prospering.
www.kellyrichey.com
www.myspace.com/kellyrichey

Hush - Ben Senterfit (Red Hook, NY, USA)
Deeply steeped in roots music, Ben Senterfit"s music collapses the boundaries between the classic American singer/songwriter and retrofitted hip-shaking funky-45s. Influenced by such visionary musicians as Bill Withers, Curtis Mayfield and Willie Nelson, he delicately walks the line between hard hitting grooves, undeniable musicianship and crafty songwriting.
www.bensenterfit.com/
www.myspace.com/soulwave

Halfway Home - Radio Nowhere (Oakland, CA, USA)
From their album Days Between Stations.
Radio Nowhere is a rock/pop band from Oakland, California. A friend once told them that they sound like Pete Townshend produced by Prince, and that sums it up pretty well.
The band was started by Mike Baker, who writes all the songs and does the singing and guitar playing, as well as anything else that needs doing (like, um, writing the band bio).
I'm supposed to tell you about all the great clubs we've played, the records we've sold, and the rock stars we've partied with, but I think that gets boring really fast - don't you? Here"s what you should know about Radio Nowhere:
1) When I was growing up, my family would drive from the Bay Area to Idaho every summer, and my mom would make up stories to go along with what we were seeing along the highways. So I got imprinted with the whole combination of music, empty roads and stories early on - hopefully it shows up in our songs.
2) When I was six, I trawled through my dad's record collection looking for the shiniest, most colorful album cover and played the lp inside, which turned out to be Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Psychedelicized at six--it's hard to recover.
3) I write most of my songs while I'm driving, on an ancient Casio keyboard bungee-corded to the passenger seat. This is not safe.
4) I have rocked crowds of several hundred people with nothing more than an acoustic guitar and a well-timed Britney Spears cover (were they sober? No).
If sound is familiar, I first played Radio Nowhere last November on show 90 so a long overdue and very welcome return.
www.radionowhere.net/

SnC 134 - Wed 10 Sep 2008

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:06:00 GMT

Back from a flying visit to Ibiza, where my creaking old bones were taken out to Pacha well past their bedtime (we didn't leave to GO there until about 1am). My what a classy joint. We were on the guest list (of course) but a bottle of beer and a gin and tonic cost 27 euros (about Â22 or $38).
However the whole experience was well worth every euro cent. Utterly amazing. There's a bit of recording from the club later in the show.

A Mile Above a Small Town - Christian Brown (Cedar Falls, Iowa, USA)
Born in isolation on the frozen arctic plains of Fairbanks, Alaska in Dec. 1985, Christian Brown had difficulty adhering to the stern social structure of a small Midwestern college town when his family relocated to Cedar Falls, IA in 1992. Aside from a few very close friends, Christian mostly kept to himself, wasting his days developing creative pass-times, and marveling at Midwestern technologies such as TV and Radio.
www.christianmbrown.com
www.myspace.com/christianmbrown

Back from Ibiza - what a great time, if a load too short a time. Great to see Jessie and to meet some of her friends in the amazingly close community of "the workers" who make sure that the whole club and music scene on the island keep working.
Fantastically hot and bright after the grey "summer" we've suffered here in the UK. I realise now that I could have done with a week instead of a couple of days.

Clair de Lune - K-valeoun (Lambesc, France)
From the Paris: 1989 album on Jamendo
Groupe touche-a-tout, groupe... mais tout seul ! Entierement fait a l'ordi, je me revendique des influence electro, dance et techno avec un petit faible pour la House des annÃes 80-90.
Ecoutez et donnez votre avis
No website that I could see so check the music at:
www.jamendo.com/en/artist/kvaleoun

Delirar - BaÃeros (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Ten musicians (although they look more like 30 in the photo on Jamendo) took the stage to deliver a powerful combo of songs that cover different rhythmic horizons, characterized by constant fusion between a multitude of styles: ska, reggae, rock, rumba, cumbia, tango and others. The identity of the banda is reflected in climates and passages that generate not only the touch of the various instruments, but also in the imposing and original staging that frame the show at a unique moment.
The track Delirar is taken from their album Menos De Lo Mismo.
www.banierosweb.com.ar

Are we there yet - East of Ealing (probably W London, UK)
Welcome on board the Blackship ! You are now journeying with the roots-rock crew that are EAST OF EALING. Enter the mosh pit with like minded punks , grannies, grockles and gobshites for a world trip of musical mayhem! Catch these pirates of the 21st century, they are bound for Hell or Glory........ well, since Codger has already played them I think we can make a fair guess - see what you think.
Live shows coming up on Friday at Filty's, Twickenham and on 25th at Staines Riverside Club.
www.eastofealing.co.uk

AMP
Good for musicians too: Making a song or two available to podcasters is a very cool way to get your music heard by hundreds of music lovers. Simply pick the Creative Commons (CC) license that best suits your needs. With a Creative Commons license, you keep your copyright but allow people to copy and distribute your work provided they give you credit â and only on the conditions you specify.
You keep control of your intellectual property while granting podcasters limited use for free. You get exposure and podcasters get content for their programs. They will drive traffic to your website or the online store of your choice.
www.musicpodcasting.org

Song 7 - Trolley (Halifax, UK)
From the album Very Plath.
The album description reads:
So, this would be the 3rd of the 3 Trolley albums. This is the one where it all came together quite nicely, and is still one I'm rather proud of. (Despite it's rather sketchy opener "Affluenza" - Why do I never manage to do satisfactory opening tracks? Too much enthusiasm to get going, perhaps).
My personal faves on "Very Plath" are "Holy Mother Hindlay" which is built on a simple ominous loop which builds and builds throughout the main body of the song, before switching tack and coming to quite an anthemic close). "Song 7" which has a slightly caribean feel to it but manages to take a trip through about another 5 genres before it finishes, without sounding too forced or pretentious, and "Sisters At The Wheel", an industrial dance affair with a huge heart and sing song chorus.
"Very Plath" as a whole does what "Pedigree Joey" did in its finer moments and manages to condense them into more manageable 4 minute chunks - Without the schizophrenia, but with all the adventure left intact. It took me a long time to do this one, but I enjoyed every minute."
www.myspace.com/theremedialset

Ibiza house music - so what's it all about then? I went to see what I could find out with the aid of Jessie Clitheroe and Sarah Malloy my two guides to the delights of Pacha and El Divino. Ok so maybe it was just because I saw Roger Sanchez working but the energy of the man is just amazing - a seven hour set!

Mashitup (Shir Khan Remix) - The Young Punx (London, UK)
Also recently back from filming in Ibiza for a show on Flaunt TV.
It's all gone Pete Tong (from the Young Punx blog at www.yourmusiciskillingme.com
"Contrary to popular belief when the above phrase is used, it hasn't actually gone horribly wrong and we haven't been invaded by the coke badgers either. It's good news. No, it's great newsâ Tracking us down through the power of good-taste (and great PR), Pete Tong will be playing [played] the Shir Kahn remix of 'Mash It Up' on his Fast Trax show this week (Friday 5th)."
www.theyoungpunx.com
www.myspace.com/theyoungpunx

SnC 133 - Wed 03 Sep 2008

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 03:41:00 GMT

A very different location for this week's show since I was on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza getting an education about dance music including an unforgettable visit to Pacha and the VIP area at El Divino.
Absolutely stunning and a real ear opener. My thanks to Jessie and her colleagues in Sant Antoni for arranging everything in a packed flying visit from Monday to Wednesday. Picture shows the mobile "studio" set up by the door to the apartment. Yes, that's the sea right outside the door - beautiful, and right next door to Savannah, nextdoor but one to Cafe del Mar and next door but two to Mambo - how cool is that!

Tumbleweed Blues - Howlin' Tumbleweeds (Illinois, USA)
Chicago Rhythm & Blues that sounds like 4 boys conceived, born, and raised in a swamp on the Mississippi Tennessee Border.
www.myspace.com/howlintumbleweeds

For Centuries - Roger Eno/Plumbline Remix - Dive Index (New York)
A collaboration featuring vocals by Natalie Walker, Merz, Cat Martino, and Ian Masters (of Pale Saints). Produced and co-writtten by Will Thomas (aka Plumbline) who releases albums on the Hydrogen Dukebox label.
www.neutralmusic.com
www.myspace.com/diveindex

Drop my end of the bone - Jean Synodinos (Austin, TX, USA)
Jean is always out to push the envelope a little bit more with each song and each show. Energetically. Enthusiastically.
With songs that skate between genres, Jean jumps from rock to jazz to pop in order to find the right groove and tone for each song. Known for her dynamic performances, she lives to "read the room" and deliver shows that keep audiences returning for more.
Following up on her acclaimed debut CD Lucky, Jean has just released Breathe. Picking up where Lucky left off, Breathe's eleven tracks groove even harder musically and dig even deeper lyrically. The disc features thoroughbred performances by Charles Rieser on guitars (The Scabs, Boombox), Brad Houser on bass (Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians), and Rob Hooper on drums (Guy Forsythe, Colin Gilmore).
www.jeansynodinos.com/
www.myspace.com/jeansynodinos

Si Si Bueno - Riboflavin (San Diago, California, USA)
They would describe themselves as 'skhitzophreninc rockers' - not because they suffer from any specific mental illness. Its simply because they refuse to be boxed into a specific genre, in one song they can be thoughtful and serious, both musically and lyrically - in another they produce a rabble rousing row. "As good as a million Zimbabwean dollahâ
www.myspace.com/riboflavinsd

The River Song - Amelia Ray (Madrid, Spain)
From her album ON.
Amelia Ray's music is at once rock, jazz, country, gospel, pop, and blues. "Once you realise how closely connected different styles of music are, you can start to play with the boundaries of those styles, and create something new and invigorating. But at the root, I'm always trying to make good, old finger-snapping music that makes you perk up your ears, and move your feet."
California-born vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Amelia Ray currently resides in Madrid where she performs original soul rock music solo, and with her band, The Conjugal Experiment. A young music scene veteran, Amelia has been performing in the United States and in Europe for almost 20 years. She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, was a featured artist for Radio Campus Lille in France, and even performed in Iceland. She has shared the stage with Chuck Rainey, Elliott Randall, Rob Bargad, Maia Sharp and Kenny Aronoff, to name a few. Since her arrival in Spain, she has graced such renowned stages as Sala Clamores and The Bourbon Cafe in Madrid, and the Casa de las Conchas in Salamanca.
www.ameliaray.net
www.myspace.com/ameliaray
http://cdbaby.com/cd/ameliaray3

5-0 Blues - Corey Harris (Illinois, USA)
A native of Denver, Colorado, Corey Harris fell in love with music at an early age, and made his own music with a toy guitar he received at the age of three. 5-0m Blues is from his 1997 album Fish Ain"t Bitin'.
"After a debut that established his mastery of the Delta idiom, [Harris] does something really hard - proves he's big enough to fool around with it...His virtuosity springs to life."
_Robert Christgau, The Village Voice
Corey Harris is now half of Vu du Menz with Henry Butler, also on Alligator Records.
www.alligatorrecords.com/

It's just how it seemed - Plunkett (Italy)
Been played by all the usual suspects Dark Compass, Orobouros, PC Podcast et al.
The independent alternative folk rock duo formed in 2004 by singer-guitarist Ian Plunkett and ex A&R and producer Lara Bartocci.
The first album of this independent band is 14 Days, released in 2006. The overall feel here is acoustic, but with more sophisticated arrangements and deeper musicianship than most work in this genre. Warm, melodic, and artfully crafted songs are in the best tradition of British Folk-Rock, a succesful cross between Nick Drake, Mark Laneghan and the Beatles. Standout tracks include the starry-eyed "Picture" as well as "The River", "Up A Hill" and "Breathe".
Ian and Lara Plunkett - a world-class singer-songwriter team
A highly poignant and engaging album. In 2008 the duo releases the second album Folk Songs, music made and enjoyed in the interstices of a working life, in fast lunch breaks and short evenings and bone-weary weekends, music to lift up the spirit, open up emotions, reconnect people to the profound undertow of feeling that labour in the field or factory can dull and numb. Most of all, though, the music offered to us here stirs the soul: the vocal blend of Ian's warm East Anglian timbre with Lara"s dark, gently inflected Italian accent, combined with a treasure trove of punchy tunes and soaring harmonica and crunching guitar will set you up for the day.
www.plunkett-music.com

Fait nÃant - SystylÃ (Grenoble, France)
In existence since : 01.2003
Un cri explicite qui dÃnonce et malmÃne les travers d'une vie, un appel Ã la conscience et Ã la responsabilitÃ de chacun, une musique piquante et saccadÃe.
Une caresse satirique qui stimule et Ãveille les sens d'un homme, une invitation Ã la communication et au partage, une musique relaxÃe et dynamique.
Neuf musiciens, amis, dont l'envie est de diffuser une musique positive et festive, sans se voiler la face sur ce qui nous tracasse. Frapper pour se dÃtendre, danser et s'entendre, s'Ãtendre sur les choses qui nous touchent, toucher les durs comme les tendres. Partager...
SystylÃ [sistailÃ]:
auteur compositeur interprÃte
Groupe de neuf grenoblois mÃlangeant le ska, le rock, le reggae, la funk, pour le plaisir des petites et des grandes oreilles => festif, colorÃ, pÃchu, engage
(Group of nine resident of Grenoble mixing the ska, the rock'n'roll, the reggae, the funk, for the pleasure of small and the large ears = festive, coloured, pÃchu, engaged.)
www.systyle.org

Screen to screen (Beat Pharmacy remix) - Dive Index (New York)
Second (and very different) track from Dive Index.

Thanks to Jessie, Sarah and Nik for the "studio" facilities in Ibiza today.

SnC 132 - Wed 27 Aug 2008

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:55:00 GMT

Harvest at last - been delayed by dreadful wet weather. The neighbours are out with their combines, tractors and trailers getting what they can from the fields around the farm. In fact, a track up to some fields passes right behind the barn, as you'll hear!

Love me when I leave - The Dares (Whittier, CA, USA)
When most bands tell you they've had to "grow up in public," they're talking about getting pushed into the spotlight before they've had a chance to find their voice. But for Whittier, California, trio The Dares, who started playing when twin brothers and co-founders Ben (guitar/lead vocals) and Matt (drums/vocals) Peterson were all of 8 years old, the idea was a bit more literal. These boys-to-men literally grew up in public, forming a band when their peers were still dabbling in youth-league sports and landing a major-label contract with Jive Records before they"d even finished high school. Today, as the trio's powerhouse spin on pop-punk tradition is making clear, The Dares are ready and able to grow even bigger.
www.thedares.com/
www.myspace.com/thedares

Define yourself - Peter Greenstone (Austin, Texas, USA)
Peter Greenstone is one of the relatively small section of artists that I consider to be worthy of featuring on the show from time to time.
He is an independent musician, a singer/songwriter producing his own sound from his home studio in Austin, Texas. Freely stepping across and often defying genres, Peter mixes acoustic and synthetic sounds and tones to create an atmosphere in his music that is sometimes surreal, sometimes haunting, sometimes whimsical, but always personal. You can buy his album of the same name (Broken Symmetries) or any individual track through his site.
www.petergreenstone.com/

Thanks for letting a few other folks know about SnC - it is showing in the download stats. I'm not obsessed by numbers but it is gratifying to see the audience grow.

Leave the Borough - The Soor Plooms (Salisbury, UK) [Jamendo]
"Rural Rhesus Negative Electro Pop Punk Trash"
Named after a type of Scottish boiled sweet, the Soor Plooms are an electro pop-punk group based in Salisbury, UK. They are led by multi-instrumentalist Glenn Ploom and were established in January 2007.
The Soor Plooms" music features analogue synthesizer and drum machine
sounds from vintage models such as the ARP Odysey, ARP 2600 and Roland CR-78.
A debut double A-side single (Leave the Borough/Meet you at the Assizes) was released in January 2008 and is available from Jamendo at www.jamendo.com/en/artist/The_Soor_Plooms.
A follow up single (We are the lean Men/Escape) was released in May 2008 and they can be downloaded from their MySpace.
Recorded at X-26 studios, Salisbury UK.
www.myspace.com/soorplooms
www.last.fm/music/the+soor+plooms

Aftermath - Twilight Dementia (Washington DC, USA)
Twilight Dementia's music is a testament to the strength of partnership and that the whole is often much more than the sum of its parts. Their debut, self-titled album, Twilight Dementia, is a bold and daring statement of purpose that demonstrates the group's unwillingness to play anyone's game other than their own. The Washington D.C. based duo's engrossingly atmospheric and ethereal rock is the product of a duo that seemed destined to find each other.
www.twilightdementia.com/
www.myspace.com/twilightdementia

"What if those heavy things cracked their little brittle bones to the marrow?" - Voodoo Economics (Philadelphia, USA)
From their album If::then::ininami
Alison Conard - vocals, keys, guitar, electroniques, production
Justin Gibbon - drums, electroniks, klang
Jeremy Prouty - bass, electronics, vocals
Justin and Alison were part of a now-defunct Portland band called Episodic.
"Uneasy listening. This is a good thing."
"It's like...Dr. Seuss mixed with metal."
http://voodooeconomics.info/
www.myspace.com/voodooeconomics

Pete Cogle calls by to explain benefits of AMP (Association of Music Podcasting) for listeners.
www.musicpodcasting.org

Message from The Clerks
YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH!!
ALL THE BEST FROM GERMANY!
AND MANY THX FOR SUPPORTING US ON YOUR SHOW!!!
ARE WE ABLE TO GET A COPIE, TO USE IT ON OUR WEBSITE???
MAY THIS BEER TRUCK CARE FOR YOU IN 2008:

|^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| || )____
|...BIER TRUCK..........| ||'|";, __)
|_..._..._______===|=||_|_____)
"(@)'(@)"""''"**|(@)(@)***(@)

REGARDS!!!
DER GERO UND DIE CLERKS

At the Movies - Blue Swerver (Hackney, London, UK)
We spend baffling lengths of time glueing sorrowful lyrics, shy trumpet, nimble jazz and glitchy electronica together in a refined but still slightly cut and paste manner to form a sort of Chet Baker meets Massive Attack by way of Paul Simon sound which strives forward fuelled by the honesty of our intentions and a small quota of smugness which acts as an adhesiveâ
I've been listening to the album all week and I promise the glue works, this is intelligent song-writing, artful arrangement, skillful performances and clean recording at its best. Although slightly retro in its jazzy approach, this is very much music of our time and could just catch on big-time. It deserves to.
Track credits:
Guitar and Vocals - Adam Green
Electronics - Contrawise
Bass - Robin Grey
Drums - Joe Allen
Keys - Ben Oliver
Produced by Marc Specter and blueswerver
Engineered by Marc Specter and Robin Grey @ Sandy Lodge Studios
www.myspace.com/blueswerver

Contacts networks, webs and memory
Some people from the increasingly distant past are clear in my mind but have no context others have rich context but there's a hole at the centre of the web, like a blind-spot, where I know there's a strong connection but I can't see it right now.

Tasky - Blue Swerver
Are these childhood references culture specific - let me know.
www.myspace.com/blueswerver

Leave The Blues Behind - Kelly Richey (Cincinnati, OH, USA)
As a teenager, Richey practiced guitar 12 hours a day. "I never set it down,â she remembers. "I took it to school, I took it to the kitchen table and if I took a walk it was strapped on." Now, when she picks up her guitar, anyone within earshot is compelled to listen. A working musician since her teens, she began her professional career as a member of the Arista Records group Stealin' Horses; in 1990 she formed The Kelly Richey Band, with whom she has become both a national and international touring artist.
Take a look at her videos on YouTube at http://tinyurl.com/5orlu3
Since establishing her own label, Sweet Lucy Records, Richey has released 10 albums and a live DVD, as both a solo artist and as The Kelly Richey Band. As an extension of Sweet Lucy Records, she built a studio where she records her own music and works with other artists.
Richey's involvement with music goes way beyond recording and performing. A longtime private guitar instructor, in 2003 Richey began developing a Guitar Workshop and a Blues History program to take into the schools.
Richey created Music for Change, a 501(c)(3) non-profit committed to music education in today's public schools; a variety of programs offering live performances, lectures, and interactive participation serve to facilitate learning opportunities for students while keeping the history of American music alive and prospering.
www.kellyrichey.com
www.myspace.com/kellyrichey

My thanks to all the musicians and labels for their kind comments on myspace and for making their music available.
Back next week probably from somewhere quite different. If you can't wait (bet you can!) Pete Cogle hosted PC Podcast from the Barn on Saturday and roped me in for a bit of conversation. You'll find it on PC Podcast at http://pcpodcast.blogsome.com

SnC 131 - Wed 20 Aug 2008

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:18:00 GMT

Another packed show. This week, with something of an acoustic tendency.
Summer still hasn't established but wrap up warm and it's still pretty good on the Suffolk coast. This week, looking across the mouth of the River Deben from Felixstowe Ferry.
Sig tune: Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA)
www.jimmiebratcher.com/

Mind over Maria - Soundside (Long Island, NY, USA)
From their new album Seconds from Sunrise.
Soundside packs a set of full-bodied, full-flavored rock originality into their music. Their high energy tracks are laden with catchy vocal hooks, harmonies, staple guitars, and a rhythm section that put together has their audience reliving their songs in mind well after they are over.
"Soundside brings back the old school rock sound - hard but not metal, and with a touch of grunge, minus the tortured angst." Musicdish.net
www.soundsideband.com/
www.myspace.com/soundside

Who we are - Jodi Martin (Sydney, Australia)
Jodi spent her formative years in the remote desert region of Australias Nullarbor Plain.
Jodi Martin started writing songs when she was five. Noticing this trend, her Mum loaned Jodi her tape recorder. At five, this was a momentous event and confirmed Jodi's obsession with songwriting forever.
Jodi has two major album releases in Australia, Water and Wood (2002) and 15 Minutes Out to Sea (2005) out on her own label Hot Bread Records, available through CD Baby, etc
www.jodimartin.com
www.myspace.com/jodimartin1

Clip from Lady of the Sea - Seth Lakeman (UK)
Seth Lakeman's new album Poor Man's Heaven is out now and there's a 5-track live EP available for free download at: www.myspace.com/sethlakeman
You have to sign up to download and I do sometimes wonder abiout the privacy policies that these deals use. It seems as though they say that they'll not sell it on or anything but that they might change their mind later and because you've used the site now that's tough. Am I being paranoid or what? Views please.

Had enough of me - Darrin James Band (Brooklyn, NY, USA)
Since its independent release last winter, Thrones of Gold by the Darrin James Band has yielded glowing reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. Critics and bloggers are praising Darrin James not only as an intelligent songwriter, but also as a powerful singer and guitarist whose music has an authentic rawness and realism that speaks to audiences in a meaningful way.
www.darrinjamesband.com/
www.myspace.com/darrinjamesband

European Podcast Awards
The Awards are apparently sponsored by Olympus and there are prizes for voters as well prestige for podcasts. You can vote for as many podcasts as you want. Four members of the Association of Music Podcasters have been nominated. To vote, select your preferred podcast(s) from these links, click Vote and rate it for content and design by clicking on the stars (The star shapes on the screen that is - rather than personally clicking Codger and I)! I think you need to sign up for the newsletter if you want to enter to win prizes.
Dark Compass
Dark Horse Radio
PC Podcast
Suffolk 'n' Cool
Don't know any more about it than that I'm afraid.
www.european-podcast-award.eu

Better Place - Sweetbleeders (Phoenix, AZ, USA)
Sweetbleeders' first full-length album bzzzz. A lush space cabaret with dreamy folk songs, analog synth orchestras, and saloon stomps; colorful ruminations on eclectic American balladry.
The Players:
Robin Vining--Primary singer and writer- makes sounds with guitars, keyboards, pianos, anything that can be blown into or struck soundly. Enjoys coffee and putting things in his eyes.
Mark Erickson-- sonic manipulations-makes electrons bleed honey and hot vinegar. Plays with cats. guitars and keyboards and voice.
David Marquez--Basso Profundo Guitaro. Casual smoker. Tears it up in the kitchen.
Steven Dueck--Bangs, Clicks, and Booms. Will eat anything or body.
www.sweetbleeders.com/
www.myspace.com/sweetbleeders

Radiolied - The Clerks (Germany)
The Clerks sind eine Begegnung der dritten Art, stammen sie doch eigentlich vom Planet Orange, der Welt des Offbeat. Von feurigen BlÃsersÃtzen getrieben swingt und groovt die achtkÃpfige SKA-Band - da dauern Konzerte gerne lÃnger als zweieinhalb Stunden. Sixties Rock, Reggae und Rocksteady machen in den Atempausen das Tanzprogramm perfekt.
www.clerks.de/
www.myspace.com/skaclerks

Winelight Club update - this Friday David Goo, Heather McVey, Normal for Norfolk, Caille Sims. (Clip from Heather McVey - www.myspace.com/heathermcvey
www.myspace.com/thewinelightclub

Waiting for the light to change - Jean Synodinos (Austin, TX, USA)
Jean is always out to push the envelope a little bit more with each song and each show. Energetically. Enthusiastically.
With songs that skate between genres, Jean jumps from rock to jazz to pop in order to find the right groove and tone for each song. Known for her dynamic performances, she lives to "read the room" and deliver shows that keep audiences returning for more.
Following up on her acclaimed debut CD Lucky, Jean has just released Breathe. Picking up where Lucky left off, Breathe's eleven tracks groove even harder musically and dig even deeper lyrically. The disc features thoroughbred performances by Charles Rieser on guitars (The Scabs, Boombox), Brad Houser on bass (Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians), and Rob Hooper on drums (Guy Forsythe, Colin Gilmore).
www.jeansynodinos.com/
www.myspace.com/jeansynodinos

Everybody's looking for a meal - Blind Willies (San Francisco, USA)
"Imagine the White Stripes driven by the fevered folk of Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie, and you might get some idea of where the Blind Willies are coming from."
Title track from their album on Diggory Records.
Blind Willies is Annie Staninec, multi-genre fiddler, and Alexei Wajchman, guitarist/singer/songwriter. They met and began playing together in the halls of San Francisco School of the Arts. They're both recent graduates of University of California at Santa Cruz.
Annie has been playing bluegrass/old time fiddle for more than a decade. She's also a consummate gypsy jazz violinist. Alexei grew up in San Francisco's Mission District. After learning to play clarinet and sax, he taught himself to play guitar and began writing songs at 15.
Blind Willies made their professional debut at San Francisco's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in 2004.
Recorded, mixed, mastered by Lemon DeGeorge (Jolie Holland, film Genghis Blues) and Paul Carlsen (Nirvana's Nevermind, Neil Young, John Prine).
www.myspace.com/blindwillies
www.cdbaby.com/blindwillies

The Walls of Byzantium - Secret Archives of the Vatican (London, UK)
I previously played a SAotV track back in January last year so it is high time that they reappeared in the show.
Vince Millett: Production, oud, fretless guitar, other guitars
Louis Counter: Production, tablas, melodica, coffee
Pete Sharpe: Vocals, bass, a general air of coolness
Paul Midgley, Tom Gregory : Arabian percussion - frame drums, darabukas - that sort of thing!
We mix drum'n'bass, breakbeats, dub, and triphop with flavours of Indian, Persian, Turkish and Arabian traditional music and more, Recently we've been exploring some Moroccan influences and we did a couple of small gigs in Morocco this summer.
www.brokendrumrecords.com/
www.myspace.com/secretarchives

SnC 130 - Wed 13 Aug 2008

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:08:00 GMT

Serious clouds around the barn this afternoon. The summer seems to be a write-off. We had half an inch of rain in a single shower this morning. Still, so much great, great music for you - all in just one rather longer show.

Daisies - Sick of Sarah (California, USA)
Sick of Sarah began in Minneapolis, MN in April 2005 as an all-female band with catchy hooks, unique lyrics, and thoughtful, well-crafted music. The band displays talent, passion, and an ever-present sense of humor that shapes many of their songs.
www.myspace.com/sickofsarah
www.myspace.com/sickofsara

New listener? You are very welcome indeed. The show is about giving your ears a taste of something a bit different. Most of which will be entirely new to you. It is also about challenging a few of the preconceptions that we all carry around with us.

Visions - Jack Jezzro (Memphis)
DIVERSITY best describes the artistry of guitarist, bassist, and producer Jack Jezzro. His numerous recordings and productions have sold well into the millions, all while continuing to be a highly regarded studio musician and performer with an extensive resume. However, even more than that, Jezzro has a style and taste that are all his ownâqualities that are a breath of fresh air to the music of today and qualities that breathe new life into the music of yesterday.
His remarkable skill at simultaneously fingering melody and chord changes came naturally to him as a young listener. "I had a stack of Chet Atkins records, and that's how I learned to play," Jezzro reports. "As a kid, I"d want to play all the parts. I'd listen to a tune by James Taylor, The Doobie Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel, or whomever. I"d play the bass part, the piano, the vocalâand I'd want to do it all right there on the guitar."
www.jackjezzro.com/
www.myspace.com/jackjezzro

Delighted to welcome Codger back to the land of the living after what sounds like a really refreshing cruise. Good to have you back on good form. Recordings with wind noise is nothing new is it?

Message from Colin Gazeley at the Ourobouros podcast: "As you may know, The Chiala L's is one of my all time favourite podsafe bands. They've just managed to record some new demos." Thanks Colin, a good one.
Supergroupie - The Chiara L's (Leeds, UK )
Chiara Lucchini - Lead Vocals & Guitar.
Jonny Lee Hart- Lead Guitar & Backng Vocals.
Tim Oldfield- Bass Guitar & Backing Vocals.
Dan Stretton-Drums & Backing Vocals.
Emma Quick - Synths & Extras.
After only a short stint on the Leeds scene playing tight and engaging sets at all of the city's top indie venues (Brudenell, Faversham, Cockpit et al), The L's have amassed a devout following. Recent dates have seen them venture to the country's capital to be once again brilliantly received at The Buffalo Bar, The Dublin Castle and The Old Blue Last. Their relentless touring schedule has not gone unnoticed and along with earning them significant column inches in the international Indie Press, covetable support slots with Shy Child, The Organ, The Whip,Operator Please, Ipso Facto and Vincent Vincent and the Villains.
www.thechiarals.co.uk/
www.myspace.com/thechiarals

The Longer I Run - Peter Bradley Adams (Nashville via Los Angeles via Alabama, USA)
Peter Bradley Adams was formerly one half of the duo "eastmountainsouth" signed by Robbie Robertson to Dreamworks Records in 2002. He has just released his second solo record, "Leavetaking", on Sarathan Records.
Peter Bradley Adams - piano
Les Price - tenor and acoustic guitars
James Digirolamp - accordion
Ian Fitchuck - drums
Jeff Irwin - bass
Katie Herzig - vocals
Recorded by Jason Lehning at Alex the Great, Nashville, TN
20 Aug Eddie"s Attic, Decatur, Georgia
21 Aug Workplay Theater, Birmingham, Alabama
23 Aug Evening Muse, Charlotte, North Carolina
25 Aug XM Radio - Live taping for The Loft, Washington, Washington DC
25 Aug Iota, Arlington, Virginia
26 Aug Gravity Lounge, Charlottesville, Virginia
27 Aug Coffee East Easton, Maryland
28 Aug Rockwood Music Hall, New York City, New York
29 Aug Lucky Star Lounge, Front Royal, Virginia
and thus to France for a few gigs in and around Paris details on Peter's MySpace.
www.peterbradleyadams.com
www.myspace.com/peterbradleyadams

SXSW - I'm planning to be in Austin, Texas (yeah, I know I said Atlanta on the show!) for the music festival in March and hoping to set up a few interviews and low key sessions. Don't know where to stay, any hints, tips and suggestions gratefully received. You can email me through the website www.suffolkandcool.com

J'ai bu mon cafÃ - Passe-Fil (Tannay - Switzerland)
Voice, Guitar, Sampler and Piano
Mes goÃts: GÃnÃsis, Ange, Brassens, Brel, le rock symphonique et les chanteurs Ã texts
From the album Plages Folles (Jamendo) of which he says:
"It is full of songs recorded between 1980 and 1996, worked over again and mp3ized at the request of my daughters who found my old cassettes. Intended to be shared with my friends."
Now we are all friends
www.jamendo.com/en/album/29250

Pretty Part - North American Royalty (Tennessee, USA)
We play music because we love it not because it's cool to be in a band. We formed around our singer Elise Berkes and her unique writing style. The music is a collaborative effort from the groups members attempting to give our listeners an experience that is full of depth and beauty.
www.myspace.com/northamericanroyalty

Music submissions
New feature on the SnC Site - an experiment really - there is a drop.io box for music submissions, audio comments and station IDs. Submit your music from the front page at www.suffolkandcool.com.

Roger - Smitt E Smitty (Massachusetts, USA)
Smitt E. Smitty is me. Born and raised in Detroit. Moved to Boston in 1985. I've been playing drums since grammar school. Never took a lesson, just knew what to do the first time I sat down behind a kit.
www.myspace.com/smittesmitty

Off the center - Kati Mac (New York, USA) Ariel
NYC singer-songwriter, Kati Mac is a successful indie-artist and the best-kept secret you've never heard of! Her accomplishments are impressive beyond measure. She"s worked with legendary artists such as Meat Loaf, Nona Hendryx, Sting, Dr. John. She has produced 4 of her own successful CDs. She has achieved #1 and top 10 positions on various non-commercial radio stations across the U.S. Her music has been has been prominently featured on daytime television and has garnered several Daytime Emmy Award nominations. But at the heart of all that, is an artist courageous enough to tap into the depths of her emotions, both beautiful and difficult, in order to create music that resonates for herself and others. Her latest CD, Poseidon's Son, is the most fully realized expression of her talent to date - a collection of songs sure to impact all who hear it.
www.katimac.com/
www.myspace.com/katimac7

Turn off your radio - beNuts (Bavaria, Germany)
For many years this is Bavaria's best known Ska Band!
www.benuts.de/
If you'd like to comment on the show - one way is to click on the Comments link just below here and slightly to the right! Yes, that's it. I'd really like to hear from you - tell me where you are too.