FRANK RICHARD RELEASES FIRST ALBUM

Music
Frank Richard was born and partly raised in East Texas, but moved north at age 12 with his family to New York when his dad’s job was transferred. Following school in New York City, he headed for California, but got only as far as New Orleans when he called his lawyer who told him, “You better get back here, we’re going to trial.” He’d been arrested in the Columbia student strike against the Vietnam War and racial discrimination. Somewhere on that trip west, he read about the music scene in the little town of Woodstock, NY in the Catskills that had become a mecca for musicians following Bob Dylan’s move there. After his trial, he made his way to the little town of Shady just outside of Woodstock, got a…
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URBAN ACOUSTIC COALITION

Music
Pleased to announce the release of the new album from Jefferson Berry and his band of amazing players, the Urban Acoustic Coalition.  The new album, Double Deadbolt Logic is now going to radio, and the press have been raving. "With their new album Double Deadbolt Logic, Jefferson Berry and the Urban Acoustic Coalition (UAC) deliver a solid mix of blues-tinged folk-rock songs that tell stories about everyday life that all of us can relate to quite easily.  With Double Deadbolt Logic, Jefferson Berry and The UAC have created an enjoyable listening experience that will have you singing along with the songs after just a few listens, which during these crazy times that we are all living through, is a distinctly laudable feat".  AMERICANA HIGHWAYS "Whether playing straight up folk, country,…
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ALICE HOWE FORMAL SHOWCASE ARTIST

Live Performance, Music
Boston's Alice Howe will be appearing at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference in Stamford CT the weekend of Nov 10 for a Formal Showcase for agents, radio programmers, venue owners, industry executives and fellow musicians.  She was selected to appear after a successful showcase last year as part of the FOLK-DJ voting, as she was chosen "by acclamation".  Appearing with Alice will be renowned West Coast bassist and songwriter Freebo.  The two of them have been touring and recording together for the past year.  Alice will showcase songs from her new album, Visions, throughout the weekend. 
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THROWING SHADE

Music
Totally amazing new album from Living Colour, Shade, just out. I'm a huge fan and this sounds like, in some ways, the follow-up to Vivid. The band is rocking harder than I've heard in quite a while, with Corey Glover sounding like he's 25 again. Three strong covers including songs from Robert Johnson, Biggie and Marvin Gaye. The BRC is very much still relevant and still necessary. Strong and important messages, huge drums and aggressive guitars make these songs as powerful as any band coming out of New York could be. Their use of sound bites and interview segments is better than ever. Check out "Preachin' Blues", "Program", "Who Shot Ya", "Blak Out", "Who's That" with horns. Actually the entire record hangs together and flows as an album should, with…
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SUSAN WERNER – An American in Havana

Music
For her thirteenth studio recording, the woman named by NPR “The Empress of the Unexpected” has created yet another unique concept album. This time, it’s An American In Havana, a collection of original songs written during Susan Werner’s recent travels to Cuba. Featuring performances and arrangements by legendary Cuban percussionist Mayra Casales (Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente), the record blends the pulsing rhythms of Cuban music with Werner’s trademark wry, poetic lyrics. Werner’s songs have been covered by Tom Jones and Michael Feinstein among others, and she is composer/ lyricist of the forthcoming Broadway production “Bull Durham, The Musical.” With An American In Havana, she confirms her reputation as, in the words of the Chicago Tribune, “one of the most innovative songwriters working today.” “Werner, a clever songwriter and engaging performer,…
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ANGELS BEND CLOSER

Music
Angels Bend Closer is the first new album in the USA from Jane Siberry in over five years.  Siberry crafts her storytelling while genre skipping through Folk, Gospel, Jazz, R&B, Rock, Electronic, Pop and at times a bit of Celtic.  Her voice is charismatic, vulnerable, soulful, sultry, intimate and powerful, often with an evocative quality that only great singers posses.  http://www.janesiberry.com When Siberry began crafting Angels Bend Closer, she set a clear goal: connecting with the “wider world.” Instead of going for original and esoteric, Siberry sought renewed mainstream accessibility. To achieve it, she went in the exact opposite direction: off the grid. Siberry, it turns out, spends most non-winter months living without running water or electricity at her remote North Ontario log cabin. “It’s so quiet,” she says, “it can actually…
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FAVORITES OF 2016

Music, News, Radio
Here's a random list of my favorite albums and songs from the year.  As always, thankfully, I have no trouble finding new music I love, that will live far beyond the calendar year. David Bowie - 'I Can't Give Everything Away' Band of Horses - 'In a Drawer' The Stray Birds - 'Sabrina' Day of the Dead - 'Cassidy' Tedeski Trucks Band - 'Anyhow' Phish - 'Miss You' Rag 'n Bone Man - 'Human' Parquet Courts - 'Dust' Big Thief - 'Masterpiece' Karl Blau - 'Falling Rain' Animal Collective - 'Floridada' Kyle Craft - 'Eye of a Hurricane' Jim James, Adia Victoria, Chance the Rapper, Margaret Glaspy, Kishi Bashi, Mitski, Norah Jones, A Tribe Called Quest. Some records I returned to regularly over the year included The New Pornographers 'Twin…
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GHOST OF YOUR CHARMS ARRIVING

Music
NEW COUNTRY REHAB love it here. Spearheaded by lead singer and fiddle player John Showman, joined by bandmates Anthony da Costa on guitar, Ben Whiteley on double bass and Roman Tome on drums and backing vocals, the Toronto based collective is back for another extensive run across the US.  With dates already in Nashville, Asheville, Raleigh and now at Grey Fox Bluegrass for the weekend, the band heads back out to Montpelier, Boston, Portland in the next two weeks.  Luxury Motel, the second full record from New Country Rehab, has just been released in the US, and will be supported with touring thru September. Maverick magazine’s Russell Hill describes the band’s sound as ”Successfully merging the old and new in a rambunctious way”and describes the band as having”their feet planted firmly on the ground, this Canadian…
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HEAR THE HARMONIES HERE

Music
TIN BIRD CHOIR - The second album from the band, Homesteady, will be released on July 2 and celebrated with a show at Concerts Under the Stars on Sunday July 14 with WXPN.  The new album is a bold evolution of their signature 'barn rock' sound.  The album, fully funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign, was recorded in the band's barn in Coventryville, Pennsylvania by Kevin Killen, and includes the work of Heather and Eric Hurlock, with bass player Josh Sceurman and drummer Ellen Houle.  With literate lyrics, organic harmonies, urgent melodies, Tin Bird Choir is intelligent and original, simple, fun, often quirky, and sometimes even a little haunting. BURNING BRIDGET CLEARY - The young Celtic powerhouse band is just back from another successful festival showcase, and preparing to spend…
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#1 on FOLK-DJ for the month

Music
  SUSAN McKEOWN - "Everything We Had Was Good" was the #1 most played song for the month of February on the FOLK-DJ charts, which include 150+ DJ's from the US, Canada and Europe.  Fantastic reaction from all corners to this duet with James Maddock.  This is in my opinion Susan's best record in many years, and is filled with songs of passion, vulnerability and conviction.  You should also hear "Patience" and "On the Bridge to Williamsburg". BEN ARNOLD - Just mailed Ben's new album, Circle 'Round the Sun last week.  This Philadelphia writer continues to make solid record after solid record, and the new album is no exception.  Great new songs include "The More Things Change", "Thankful", "January's Gone" and "Float Down Stream" which WXPN just put into rotation…
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