 |
Now Playing: "Love Me Two Times"
by James Lee Stanley & Cliff Eberhardt
from the "All Wood & Doors" CD.
| NEW ! |
|
| James Lee Stanley & Cliff Eberhardt - All Wood & Doors |
JOIN
OUR
MONTHLY
NEWSLETTER E-MAIL LIST BELOW
for exclusive
behind-the-scenes news, photos, info on
private events, CD-Release Parties, Recording Tips, and exclusive offers
& discounts.
Your personal information will not be shared or sold.
SIGN THE MONKEES ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME PETITION HERE !
New Photos !
| John McEuen's most recent Southern California show |
|
| John McEuen, Past-Guest, with Sandy Jacobson at The Coffee Gallery Backstage. |
|
| Matt performed with John McEuen that night. |
|
| Past-Guest, Matt Cartsonis with Sandy Jacobson at The Coffee Gallery Backstage. |
|
|
| At The Roxy for Brian Ray's CD-Release Concert / Party for "This Way Up!" |
|
|
| Sandy Jacobson (our Producer) at Brian Ray's CD-Release Party/Concert for his CD "This Way Up!" |
|
| David is currently working on HIS next release ! |
|
| Sandy Jacobson ran into another past-guest, David Philps at Brian Ray's CD-Release / Concert Party. |
|
|
| Brian Ray performing tracks from his latest CD "This Way Up!" at his CD-Release Concert/Party. |
|
| "The Dreamcatchers" Wrap Party / Tour. |
|
| Sandy Jacobson, on The Great Wall of China. |
|
| "The Dreamcatchers" Wrap Party / Tour. |
|
| Sandy Jacobson on The Great Wall of China. |
|
| "The Dreamcatchers" Wrap Party / Tour. |
|
| Sandy Jacobson on the grounds of The Summer Palace in Beijing. |
|
We would like to acknowledge alphabetically, some of the
Southern California venues that present world-class acoustic
music
in an intimate setting:
click on their image to visit their website.
(If we have erroneously omitted anyone, please let us know !)
Last updated: November 27th, 2011.
John Batdorf - Be Part of His Next CD !
"I just had the privilege of previewing John Batdorf's newest
CD that's in the works...and John just keeps getting better ! This is a finely produced CD, with many of the tracks
containing the same soul as the early Batdorf & Rodney songs like "One Day"...while continuing to be fresh and
new. John explores some new topics, in his usual genuine, articulate, and well-crafted style.
A "must-have" CD !"
-Sandy Jacobson, March 31, 2001-
Sandy Jacobson is the Creator
& Producer of
BackStage:Los Angeles
"L.A.'s REAL Music Interview T.V. Show!"
***************************************************************************************************
NOW AVAILABLE !
The long-awaited CD...
|
| Click on the CD Cover to order ! |
are joined on this CD by the guest talents of:
|
| James Lee Stanley's NEW CD "Backstage at The Resurrection" |
Click Here to preview "Going Back To Memphis"
REVIEW of
James Lee Stanley's new solo CD
"BackStage at The Resurrection"
by Frank Kocher
San Diego Troubadour Music paper:
reprinted with permission
“Eclectic” is a word that gets used a lot in music reviews these
days. For an artist like James Lee Stanley, there just isn’t a way to avoid the label. He is a veteran performer whose
songs range from California-sound country rock to soul/funk, with stops on the way for jazzy pop and gospel-shaded blues.
A frequent San Diego visitor who has been releasing discs since the early seventies, Stanley hits all of the bases on his
latest, Backstage at the Resurrection.
The
beautifully recorded disc, features 12 Stanley originals, and there isn’t a filler cut anywhere. The memorable, catchy
songs have melody hooks that listeners will be humming afterward, delivered in style changeups that showcase Stanley’s
singing and writing talents. A rock-solid singer, his lyrics (on his website, with a nice blurb about each tune) are social
observations and calls to make things better, without being preachy or angry.
Tight, three-part harmonies are a key part of the sound on “Backhand Man,” recalling Crosby,
Stills, and Nash; the vocals are razor-sharp. It takes an old pro like Stanley to nail them this well, and the whole song
is three-part. The beat on “I Can’t Cry Anymore” has more of a funk feel, but the harmonies on the chorus
are still there, as he sings that he is “all out of tears.” Stanley weaves a dark spell on “Coming Out of
Hiding,” a standout track that draws from the laid-back R&B of such groups as War. In the eighties, this one was
a hit for Stanley’s sister Pamela, and it sounds ready for radio again. In the same groove, “Let’s Get Out
of Here” is another winner, pop-jazz with Latin shading, and Stanley’s vocal is rich and soulful.
“Going Back to Memphis” is a bluesy, good time shuffle about returning
to roots, and “Feather River Nocturne” follows, an interesting guitar instrumental that offers a glimpse of Stanley
making his Martin sing.
The quiet mood of “Don’t
Wait Too Long” brings back memories of “Helplessly Hoping” and other good, soft folk-rock harmony pieces
from CSN’s salad days. True to form, Stanley shifts gears again, and “What Would You Do” is pure pop, another
instantly memorable riff with a simple but positive message about working together, “Would there be change or would
things be the same/ Have we already done all we can?”
The title tune is a driving rocker, one of those political/surreal passion plays with characters (St George, Ruth, Luke, Judas
Priest) representing metaphors for the Bush/Cheney cabal. The inspiration is clearly “Highway 61 Revisited” and
this is an update for 2011, with “St George” and his Patriot Act, his buddy Judas, and his kool aid Easter eggs
ready to lead the lemmings off the cliff. Yep, it’s another highlight.
James Lee Stanley proves on Backstage at the Resurrection that sometimes there is no substitute for
experience when it comes to good music. A proven roots artist for decades, he makes diverse, impressive music that succeeds
on its own terms.
Just released...!
Click on CD to go to the artist's website for ordering information.
Discography of our Past Guests
and/or Associates:
click on the artist's CD to visit their website and order the CD's.
|
|
|
|
New Rock-related
Book Releases...
|
| Steve Goodman wrote "The City of New Orleans." |
|
| "Steve Goodman: Facing The Music" by Clay Eals |
|
|
| Grandparents Rock! - The Grandparenting Guide for The Rock & Roll Generation. |
|
|
| Orange County Children's Book Fair |
Meet & Greet
Pat Burns,
author of
"Grandparents Rock!"
at the 2008
Orange County
Children's Book Fair
on October 5th, 2008.
For more information,
click on the image to the left.
|
|
| Click Here to Attend ! |
Click on CD-Release Poster, to attend !
|
Award winning songwriter, singer and musician Brian Ray, best known
as the ultimate sideman guitarist and bassist for Paul McCartney, takes a step out front in the spotlight and releases his
second solo album "This Way Up".
Tracks on the album include the single "I Found You", written by Brian Ray and Oliver
Leiber (son of Jerry Leiber of Leiber & Stoller). The song features a guitar marching band with approximately 40 guitars
"having a guitar tantrum", along with a big marching drum beat. Notably the song also features some of Ray’s rock star
pals: Scott Shriner (of Weezer), drums and bass by Pete Thomas and Davey Faragher (of Elvis Costello’s band) and Adam
MacDougal (of The Black Crows) on wild Wurlitzer piano.
The second single "Happy Ending" is a modern rock, post sexual revolution, where
the hell are we now? kind of song. "It’s about a guy trolling the internet, hooking up, finding ‘her’, then
discovering that HE wants more than just a casual fling, while SHE smiles and slips out the door."
"This Way Up" was recorded and mixed by Joe Zook (Weezer, OneRepublic, Pink, Leona
Lewis) and produced by Brian Ray. |
Track Listing
1. Happy Ending
2. Saturday In The Sun
3. I Found You
4. Hello Lonely
5. Let's Fall Apart
6. This Way Up
7. Rearview
8. Camouflage
9. Very Happy Song
10. Hey Miranda
11. Under The Sun
Release Date: 9th August 2010
CD
available from:
brianray.com (worldwide,
with bonus material)
Amazon.com
cdBaby.com
Digital available from:
brianray.com (worldwide,
with bonus material)
iTunes US
Amazon MP3 US
and other major digital retailers |
|
Brian Ray's
NEW CD
"This Way Up!" is
NOW available...
Brian Ray
Purchase "This Way Up!"
Listen to "I Found You"
|
| |
|
|
| Nathan McEuen's most recent CD - "Scrapbook Sessions." |
NEW RELEASE by NATHAN McEUEN
"Scrapbook Sessions"
On Friday night, June 18, 2010 I attended the CD-Release Party for Nathan McEuen’s new (and third) CD
“Scrapbook Sessions.” Technically and artistically, Nathan maintains
his consistent level of quality in his new recordings and in his live performances,
and kicks it up a notch with each new release. Nathan’s earlier
CD’s “Grand Design” and “Festival” are both “quintessential Nathan McEuen”…yet
provide the listener with different experiences. Nathan’s new CD
is yet another new sensory delight.
“Scrapbook Sessions” has Nathan’s thumbprint…but with this release, he has achieved a new level
of maturity and depth to his already seasoned style. As with his former releases,
it’s hard for me to find a “favorite” track…I like them all.
But, in the first pass, I like “Lately” (a collaboration with Chelsea Williams), “All That Really Matters”, and “Banjormous” (an original banjo tune by Nathan,
that came from growing up hearing his dad John McEuen, play and perform the banjo…and
on this track his dad plays second banjo.)
The audience loved the new songs, and responded enthusiastically!
You can preview and purchase “Scrapbook Sessions” at www.nathanmceuen.com
A complete listing of his concerts can also be found on his site at www.nathanmceuen.com
Sandy Jacobson, Creator & Producer
BackStage:Los Angeles
JOHN BATDORF'S LATEST RELEASE !
"Old Man Dreamin' "
You can preview four of the songs in video form, posted on his website,
listed below: http://www.johnbatdorfmusic.com/video.htmlThe Four (4) videos are
WILL I LOVE YOU FOREVER
WHAT D'YA GOT?
AIN'T NO
WAY
THAT DON'T SEEM RIGHT TO ME
|
| Tol Puddle Martyrs - "A Celebrated Man" CD |
New Release: A Celebrated
Man
by the Tol-Puddle
Martyrs
A sample track from "A
Celebrated Man" will be posted soon...a preview from the Tol-Puddle Martyrs last CD may be previewed at:
New Music Releases...
Visit the Tol-Puddle Martyrs site !
This Article Reprint is used with permission from:
blitz - the rock and roll magazine for thinking
people
Michael McDowell
Editor/Publisher
Since 1975 - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People
FROM
BLITZ MAGAZINE'S WEB SITE:
BITS
AND PIECES - NEWS ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS
By
Michael McDowell
A CELEBRATED MAN:
PETER RECHTER DISCUSSES
THE TOL-PUDDLE MARTYRS’
LATEST RELEASE
New
releases from first generation garage band pioneers are certainly a cause for celebration. In the case of Melbourne, Victoria’s
Tol-Puddle Martyrs, there has been more reason for jubilation in the present decade than there was in 1967, when
the band’s original line up (Peter Rechter - keyboards, Kevin Clancy - lead guitar, Russell Hogan - rhythm guitar, Kieran
Keogh - bass, Len Gaskell - drums) recorded one of garage rock’s definitive classics, Time Will Come.
The
Tol-Puddle Martyrs’ original line up disbanded in 1969. Keyboardsman Peter Rechter eventually went on to acclaim as
front man of the Secrets, whose Feel Pretty Good remains one of the touchstones of the early 1980s New Wave movement.
Rechter’s Secrets persevered until 2002, when the band learned that the Cleveland, Ohio-based Secrets, the vocal group
that recorded the classic The Boy Next Door for Phillips in 1963, was still very much active and performed regularly.
However,
interest in the Tol-Puddle Martyrs had remained strong amongst musicologists and record collectors during the band’s
protracted sabbatical. As such, it didn’t take a great deal of convincing to persuade Rechter that the time was right
for the Tol-Puddle Martyrs to resurface.
Ironically,
the band’s legacy rested primarily upon two singles, the aforementioned Time Will Come and Love Your
Life, as well as the earlier Claudette Jones single that Rechter had recorded with his previous band, Peter And
The Silhouettes. But since entering the second phase of their career, the Tol-Puddle Martyrs have not only been far more prolific
in their output, the benefit of four decades of accumulated experience has given them a finesse and greater sense of urgency
in their material.
Buoyed
by the acclaim afforded their 2007 Psych-Out USA album on the Secret Deals label (which finished at a respectable
number five in the Blitz Awards that year), the current incarnation of the band (Peter Rechter - keyboards/lead vocals, Graham
McCoy - lead guitar, Michael Harold - bass, Ian Langford - drums) has followed suit with A Celebrated Man. This current
collection finds Rechter’s vision as sharp as ever, with twelve originals that enhance the band’s legacy admirably.
A
part of Rechter’s mission statement is fueled by his determination to keep an academic perspective in his work. To that
effect, he remains an ardent student of history and culture. He most recently expanded his repertoire in that respect in October
by exploring the nation of Japan.
“Words
can’t explain how wonderful the people and country were”, said Rechter.
“It
is truly an amazing place.”
Musically,
Rechter maintains a very broad perspective, counting such diverse artists as Burt Bacharach, the Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder,
the Easybeats, Elvis Costello, Cream, the Lovin’ Spoonful, Georgie Fame, the Loved Ones and Johann Sebastian Bach amongst
his primary influences. The music of the British Invasion likewise remains a key inspiration.
“I
guess there will always be touches of the British sounds of the Sixties in my music”, Rechter concurred. “That's the time and genre that's the closest to me, even though my tastes in music are very eclectic.
I love to write uplifting and sometimes strong melodies and riffs in for songs. I like to tell a story, make a statement and
express my feelings wherever I feel and think it appropriate.
“I
like quirky changes and progressions that will surprise, but I also enjoy the predictable. The lyrics to a song are always
very important to me. But they don't always have to have a deep meaning behind them. I like to think that my melodies, chord
progressions, overall feel and words always compliment each other. That is what I always strive for.”
One
track that exemplifies that ethic is Better Man. The track has a basic Hollies feel to it, and in turn celebrates British
psychedelia of the Finders Keepers/Creation variety, with a touch of the horn arrangement from the Beatles’ Penny Lane thrown in for good measure. The results seem to
suggest entertaining a hypothetical scenario, as if the Tol-Puddle Martyrs had been based in England
instead of Victoria.
But
for Rechter, the inspiration wasn’t that complex.
“Better
Man is a personal song about how I try to understand others in the hope of bettering myself as a person, while hoping
that the words will influence the attitude of those who do take a listen” he explained.
Nonetheless,
the betterment of the individual seems to be a recurring theme in this collection, as evidenced by A Celebrated Man.
“A
Celebrated Man is about my son Ben, who is truly like the person in the song”, said Rechter.
“He
loves going to the Melbourne Cricket Ground to watch his football team, drives his sister's car and travels to work each morning
into the city on the tram. It was a song that just flowed out of me from the beginning to the end.
“I
wanted it to be a celebration of how I feel about him. Hence the Baroque fanfare on the Bach piccolo trumpet, which was played
by an old university days friend, from my time at the conservatorium of music.”
As
such, it could be inferred that the aforementioned references to Penny Lane also
reflect a sustained inspiration, as demonstrated succinctly in Fast Lane.
“Fast
Lane is about our experience of London life”, said
Rechter.
“(My
wife and I) spent two weeks in London in 2007. The line, ‘sometimes
you just feel so lonely, nothing ever stops and no one knows me’, was about us walking along Oxford Street, where I had never in my life seen so many people in the one area. I remember
saying to my wife that no one here knows us, we're alone! So again, it's a very personal song.
“Our
daughter was living in London at the time. She helped show
us the ropes of getting around using the Oyster Card, which is the ticketing system for public transport in London. We had a lovely time of it! Went to Liverpool, did
everything Beatles. Visited Windsor Castle,
but Her Majesty wasn't at home at the time! England
is a wonderful place to visit. It and the people inspired me to write the song.”
Interestingly
enough, Rechter seems determined to present multiple perspectives on the issue. His Anybody Else emphasizes the
Kinks-like disenfranchisement of I'm Not Like Everybody Else, albeit with the more aggressive execution indigenous to
the Chocolate Watchband's cover of that song. Yet despite the self-depreciating observations within ("I'm just a lost soul
trying to see what my journey will be"), Rechter espouses optimism by stating, "So I'll make my way to a brand new day, and
I'll find my cause one worth living for."
"Anybody
Else again is in some ways a personal song”, he said.
“(It)
grew out of being constantly harassed by phone calls from people I don't know, trying to convince me to take part in this,
support that. Of course when it comes to writing, one has the license to expand and enhance, but what I was trying to say
is that I will make up my own mind in these areas.”
To
be certain, Rechter has made up his mind to reiterate the impact of the Kinks on the Tol-Puddle Martyrs’ work. With
its New Vaudeville Band/Rudy Vallee-like vocal execution (an engaging motif that was also executed to perfection in the Kinks’ Sunny
Afternoon), Where Do We Start? reflects an ongoing cultural
dichotomy
between the aesthetic innovations made by their cross generational solidarity and the so-called technical advances of the
information age, which by definition has emphasized the here and now with little regard to the accomplishments of pioneers
such as these. The line, "We're all choking and we're mad about it!" seems to suggest as much, although it likewise infers
a more timely component of societal malaise.
“Where
Do We Start is me paying homage to the composer who has possibly been the greatest influence on my work, Raymond Douglas
Davies” Rechter readily agreed.
“I
have never stopped enjoying the songs of Ray Davies. Although well known and respected in many places, he is still very underrated
when it comes to ranking.
“Ray
often stands up for the little person, writes about everyday wonders and was one of the first to make his concerns known about
the environment in Apeman and Village Green. ‘We’re still choking and we're mad about it’
is reference to the song, Apeman and yes I'm mad about the way governments always find a reason why we need to continue
filling the air with filth.
“I
would love to be able to get this song to Ray, just to say thank you for his contribution, which in my mind is simply amazing.”
Technological
advances seem to have equal footing with environmental concerns in Rechter’s mission statement. For that matter, issues
of universal interest likewise fuel his creative muse, as evidenced by The News.
A
cursory review suggests that The News is a lament about the rapid advances of technology superseding the capabilities
of the average individual to assimilate the resultant information accordingly. References to guitarist George Harrison's passing
in 2001 suggest that Harrison and his erstwhile bandmates were a more feasible conduit of
such developments in that the "news" they brought resulted in a sustained cultural impact, rather than the sound byte approach
that characterizes the Fast Lane of the present day rapid technological advancements.
“I'm
an avid watcher/reader of the news”, said Rechter.
“I
like to know what's going on around me. At times I'm amazed by how technology has allowed us to reach, hear, see etcetera
immediately.
“Man
walking on the moon, even though it was 1969, was truly amazing. Here in Australia,
we watched as it happened, as many of the pictures that were beamed around the world came from our observatories and still
amazes me today.
“When
George passed away, I truly didn't know where to turn. It cut deeply enough for me to want to let people know how I felt at
the time. To me, George Harrison was the sensitive composer. His music is full of love and hope. When I listen to it, it has
a similar effect on me as Bach, Mozart and Chopin.”
With
so many weighty issues vying for space within this remarkable work, it was inevitable that at least one track would have to
serve as a means to vent. To that effect, Fast Lane seems to suggest cultural friction in the sense that the melody
itself indicates a longing to default to a relatively carefree, dance-oriented motif with traces of the Isley Brothers' Twist
And Shout, while lyrically the piece seems to parallel a Face To Face-era Kinks lament bordering on social commentary. Pocket
Paradise seems to underscore this theory. A possible impasse between duty and desire?
“Pocket
Paradise is just me saying that when we find something, or someway of quality that truly
works for the betterment of people, don't interfere and change it”, said Rechter.
“Leave
it alone. Or enhance it to include everyone, not just the privileged few.”
Truly
those privileged few include amongst their number those who have been blessed with the opportunity to experience the Tol-Puddle
Martyrs’ music over the past four decades. And A Celebrated Man is more than enough reason to continue the
celebration.
A message from Brian Ray,
guitarist for Paul
McCartney's band...
 |
 |
It has been a little while since I poked my head out to say hello but I've had a nice rest from all the touring we did
with Paul in 2010. What a year!! We played in N America, S America, UK, Ireland, Mexico, Puerto Rico, The White House, Canada
and did the Apollo in NYC and London and SNL as well. And I'm sure I forgotten to name a few places we played. Whew! So much
fun...
So, I have a few cool things to announce.. I'm releasing a free track to you all!! It was an iTunes exclusive
some time ago but never released in the UK or EU.. It's my version of Smokey Robinson's classic smash, "The Tears Of A Clown"
.. hope you dig it! It features my live band, Black Unicorn: Matt Laug on Drums, Peter Thorn on guitar, John Button on Bass
and me on guits, vocal, backing vocals. It was recorded and co-produced with Oliver Leiber at his studio in the Hollywood
Hills.
Also, I'm working on a video for "Under The Sun" from my album "This Way Up" and we will have a date for that soon as
well. Stay tuned for much more news, rock and fun.
Big love to you all!
Brian | |
|
|
|
|
| Christopher Tin's 2x Grammy-Winningn CD "Calling All Dawns." |
|
CONGRATULATIONS TO
CHRISTOPHER TIN
2X GRAMMY-WINNER 2011 !
OFFICIAL GRAMMY WINNER :
53rd Annual Grammy Awards
CHRISTOPHER TIN :
"CALLING ALL DAWNS"
- Best Classical
Crossover Album
- Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists
|
|
|
| Grammy Winner for Best Hawaiian Music Album. |
|
| Tia Carrere - Huana Ke Aloha |
|
CONGRATULATIONS TO
Tia Carrere
GRAMMY-WINNER 2011 !
OFFICIAL GRAMMY WINNER :
53rd Annual Grammy Awards
|
Most recent releases...
Tune in to John McEuen's Acoustic Traveller
Show on XM
Satellite Radio
The Village, ch. 15 (all times eastern) first Tuesday of the month at noon,
then the following Friday at midnight,
Sat. at 6 p.m.and Monday at 6 a.m.
|
