Lisbon is one of the greatest destinations for music lovers. Every summer, Lisbon hosts a lot of musical events, including dedicated festivals for a special type of music such as Jazz, Fado and classical music. Some of these events are free to attend while the others are paid.

Among the events is Festival of Jazz music called “OUT JAZZ” which is one of the main free events every year, beginning in 2006, from the beginning of May to the end of September. Usually the concerts are held in gardens, parks and historical roads of the city. This year the concerts are held every Friday at 6:00 pm and Saturday from 5:00 pm to sundown. The performances include some famous jazz artists from Portugal, such as e Carlos Martins Quarteto, Joana Machado and Filipe Melo Trio.

The schedule of the concerts is announced on their official Facebook page.  This festival is organized by NCS, a Portuguese audiovisual company and Lisbon municipality. This year the festival has signed partnership with LxFactory. LxFactory is a flea market that occurs every Sunday along with the concert.

The idea of starting the Festival of Jazz in Lisbon was started in 2006 to select a working day to relax, dance and to listen to a good jazz music. That’s why they selected Friday to have the concerts in which is a working day in Portugal, later on they added Sunday.

Arco Do Cego Music Festival is another musical event in Lisbon between May 9 and 12. During the event, all concerts play classical music; the symphonies of Beethoven & Mozart.

Fado In Chiado is a live Fado Festival in the city. Fado is traditional Portuguese music using a special guitar called the Fado. Fado was added to UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List from Portugal in 2011. The show occurs for 50 minutes daily starting at 7:00 pm. The entry ticket to the show costs 16 euros.

In 1998, the Fado Museum was opened for public visitors to promote Fado music in society. Visitors can listen and watch unique traditional samples of Fado music and songs which are making parts of the Portuguese culture. Also they can discover the history of Fado music, which was started in the nineteenth century. Within the museum premise there is a school to teach any interested to know how to play the Fado guitar.

Image credit: OUT JAZZ via Facebook

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After bursting onto the indie rock scene in 2003 with their first album ‘Forever to Tell’, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs haven’t looked back as they electrified fans with their sophomore album ‘Show Your Bones’ in 2006 and then came back in two years later with their ‘Is Is’ EP. In 2009 the band debuted a new sound with the album ‘It’s Blitz!’, and now they are back with their fourth studio album titled ‘Mosquito’. However, Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ experimental new sounds have split fans down the middle where people either love it or hate it to such a degree, that even the cover of the album itself has caused controversy. Some fans and critics have dubbed the cover the worst of 2013.

Cover aside, the album has done well on the charts. Released on April 16, ‘Mosquito’ entered the Billboard 200 at number five with 38,000 copies sold in its first week, earning the band their first top ten album on the chart. The album debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 9,150 copies, becoming the band’s third consecutive top ten album.

Compared to their previous albums, ‘Mosquito’ is a characteristic composition with a highlight on songs that experiment with the bizarre. At first listen, most of the songs grab you and make you curious to come back again. The album starts off on a high note with “Sacrilege.” The first single make initial indications of a change in the band’s sound with gospel choirs thrown into the mix at the end, creating a somewhat dramatic ending that the song did not need. Likewise, “Subway” was not in itself a bad song, it was just hard to get through, as it was too long and boring as it dragged on.

The rest of the album makes listening to “Subway” worth the trouble as it continues the liveliness and diversity that “Sacrilege” makes a start at. Most memorable are “Mosquito,” where the band appears to be having fun, and “Area 52″ whose comedic lyrics make for some hints of self-parody. The James Murphy-produced track “Buried Alive” with a guest chorus from Dr. Octagon, a fictional character created by rapper Kool Keith, fits perfectly with the rest of the tracks, despite initial skepticism. “Always” is a romantic ballad with a sequel in the end track “Wedding Song,” rumoured to be the follow-up to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs now legendary love song, “Maps.” These songs provide the album with a strange sense of closeness and familiarity, as the backstory is that Karen O performed it at her wedding to Barney Clay.

Overall ‘Mosquito’ has a listenability that grows on you and gets better with every listen. Yeah Yeah Yeahs move through styles and textures and have managed to capture a sound with an appeal outside of its genre. The album is somewhat choppy though as it moves from song to song but the band’s creativeness minimizes the negative impact in our opinion. ‘Mosquito’ is bizarrely beautiful and eccentric and will continue to be a highly debated album among Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ fanbase.

Review verdict: 4/5

Image credit: Yeahyeahyeahs.com

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VH1 is known for music programming and reality television; however, that will soon change as the network makes its bold, first attempt at a scripted film,”Crazy Sexy Cool: The TLC Story.” The long awaited film will take viewers on a ride from the group members’ beginnings, to their meteoric rise to the top of the music charts in the 1990s and beyond.

Hip-hop artist and television personality Lil Mama will have the honor of portraying the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez. Lil Mama emerged onto the scene in 2007 with her infectious hit single “Lip Gloss” from her “VYP: Voice of the Young People” album. The song attained a Gold certification from the RIAA in 2008, while the album went on to sell 19, 000 copies in its first week and 66,000 copies thereafter. Lil Mama then began serving as a judge on MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew“ in 2008 at the age of 19. This will be her first film.

Keke Palmer has been chosen to portray Rozunda “Chili” Thomas. Unlike Lil Mama, Palmer is not new to the film industry. The 19-year-old has appeared in films alongside Laurence Fishburne (‘Akeelah and the Bee’), Tyler Perry (‘Madea’s Family Reunion’), Ice Cube (‘The Longshots’) and Dolly Parton (‘Joyful Noise’), among others. Of her new role, Palmer tells the Daily News, “I’m excited to be a part of this amazing project portraying one of the members of such an iconic group that inspired my passion for music.”

Drew Sidora will round out the cast as Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins. Sidora’s most notable roles are as Lucy Avila in ‘Step Up’, alongside Channing Tatum, and as herself on “The Game”, a television series. When the news first broke of her involvement in the biopic, Sidora took to her twitter account to thank her fans and share a few encouraging words. “Be sure to always believe in yourself. Never give up! Stay optimistic and persistent and amazing things will come into play!”

Though some TLC fans have expressed doubts that the ladies will be able to pull off their portrayals, VH1’s Executive Vice President of Original Programming and Production is confident that the project will be a success. “With this cast, we are thrilled with the talent assembled both in front of and behind the cameras,” he said. “TLC are truly music pioneers and this movie is a fantastic way to expand our scripted push by combining our audience’s passion for music with their love of story. We know our viewers will be eager to go beyond the headlines and into the surprisingly personal, never before told stories of these groundbreaking women.”

TLC’s surviving members, Thomas and Watkins, will serve as the film’s executive producers.

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It was a cool summer night when James Brown’s own saxophonist Maceo Parker funked up Perth City of Westren Australia, and when it comes to funk time, Mr. Maceo Parker is the man of the hour.

The 7th of February 2013 was the eve of the Perth Festival, and Parker was a perfect match for a night that special. The Perth Festival is the oldest annual international multi-arts festival in the southern hemisphere and offers some of the world’s best theatre, music, film, visual arts, street arts, literature and free community events, For more than 50 years, the three-week long festival that kicks off in February of each year, has been a host for the world’s greatest artists.

At the festival eve, Parker lined up with an “all groove” band, that featured keys, lead guitar, bass guitar, trombone and drums. It was a whole lot of jazz being played but Parker’s jazz is not just any jazz; and definitely not the jazz that would make you want to take five. It was that kind of  jazz that had the audience grooving to each single beat and note for two hours, non stop.

Maceo Parker goes way back to when funk and its father James Brown were teaching the world a thing or two about “the groove.” It was around 1964 when Parker and his drummer brother joined Brown’s band until 1970.

By 2013, the now 69-year-old Parker continues to delight fans in live concerts by not just play his alto saxophone, but singing too. Some see James Brown in Parker when he sings, especially when he gives a Brown’s “HEY!” and a “COME ON!” .

Instrumentally speaking, Parker and his band were playing right and tight whether it was a group song or an instrumental solo. It was an impressive performance where each musician had at least one solo and complimented each other.

And so begins the Perth International Arts Festival 2013, with a special evening by Maceo Parker.

Information about the festival and its events can be found on the festival’s website.

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Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, one-third of super girl group TLC, is ready to make her comeback. At the age of forty-two the raspy voiced songstress is stepping back into the limelight with a new reality show titled “Totally T-Boz” which will premiere on January 1.

The reality show will capture Watkins attempting to reclaim her position in the music industry as well as some of her most vulnerable moments including her divorce, financial problems and life threatening illnesses.

In a sneak peek of the first episode, Watkins meets with music producer Bangladesh (Beyoncé, Missy Elliot, Kelly Rowland, etc.) who expresses his doubts about T-Boz’s commitment to crafting a new album. He has some serious questions for which Watkins does not seem to have the answers. One thing that T-Boz does make clear, however, is that she does not mind proving herself to music consumers.

“I guess I have to prove myself all over again, even if it’s to the world,” said Watkins. “I don’t have a problem doing that.”

Proving herself to the world may be harder than she expects. Indeed, the music industry has seen many changes since her days of girl group domination alongside Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas and Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes. The last full length album that Watkins was featured on was TLC’s ’3D’.  Released in 2002, seven months after the car crash death of Lopes, 3D achieved platinum status in the United States.

That same year T-Boz was hospitalized for four months due to complications of sickle cell anemia. The singer had been diagnosed with the disease during her early childhood and went public with her illness in 1996.  She later became a spokesperson for the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America.

In 2004, Watkins filed for divorce from her rapper husband Mack 10. The two married in 2000 and welcomed a daughter, Chase, shortly after their nuptials. In the years since the dissolution of her marriage, Watkins has had to care for her daughter on her own while battling sickle cell anemia and, most recently, a brain tumor. Mack 10 reportedly owes the singer more than $250,000 in back child support. Her medical issues and lack of support from her ex-husband led Watkins to file for bankruptcy in 2011.

“Totally T-Boz” will also chronicle Watkins’ challenges and joys of single parenthood. The singer is not necessarily alone though. Along for the ride are her support system which includes her younger brother, Koya, cousins Barb and Chris and friend Tae-Tae, as well as her business partner, Tara. “Totally T-Boz” will premiere on January 1 at 8/7c on the TLC network.

Image Courtesy : Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

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Ida Thoresen, a photography student from Norway, explored the world of fandom this summer, specifically the fandom of the American rock band My Chemical Romance. She was in a young teen when she decided to dedicate her life to the art of photography and has since found her inspiration through music, another huge interest in her life.

”This Is The MCRmy” is the project she’s been working on for the last several months and it’s meant to give an insight to the heart of a die-hard fan. A “fandom” is a term used to refer to a community of fans which grow around a certain area or interest. It can be fans of books, movies, TV shows, common hobbies — or in this case, a band.

“My Chemical Romance tend to have extremely dedicated fans who are passionate about the music, the community they have created, and they are often creative and intelligent people,” said Thoresen. “I wanted to explore who their fans are, why they are fans and get to know them. The result this far is very much a celebration and documentation of their spirit.”

Thoresen has been a fan of My Chemical Romance herself for many years and finds the fandom an interesting phenomena. With this project she asks herself a question that is common among fans of many bands: ‘How can a band become such an important part of people’s lives?’

”I can still become a little puzzled over why on earth one band — four guys who create music together — can mean so much to myself and so many people all over the world,” said Thoresen.

She wanted to get to know these fans to find answers, discuss the matter and find what they might all have in common through the fandom they are all involved in. By talking to fans among her own friends and through other communities she found that it was a question that many were curious about, and so decided to show them through the lens of her camera.

“It would have been easy if I had unlimited time and money, but I was on a strict schedule with no budget,” said Thoresen. “I had to dig deep through Internet communities and even newspaper articles to find fans who lived fairly close to me.”

The project involves photos of teenage and young adult fans who have followed My Chemical Romance from different areas of the band’s existence. Each subject is portrayed with something from the My Chemical Romance world that means a lot to them, everything from tattoos or the band’s designed clothes to their proud collections of records and special editions.

“It surprised me many times through it in terms of the visual direction it was taking and how the story was moving along. But to me it still feels like I’ve just been scratching the surface. I realized before I started that this would be a long-term project, and it’s one that I’m more than willing to pursue,” said Thoresen. “It’s a combination of both my biggest passions, photography and music, so I won’t stop until I can look at a finished project and feel that I’m proud of what I’ve created.”

You can see Ida Thoresen’s project “This is MCRmy” on www.idathoresen.tumblr.com and http://magazine.bildernordic.no/photographers/alumni-2013/ida-thoresen.aspx.

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Saturday, November 17, 2012: a special day not only for the people of Perth, Australia, but also the animals. Angus Stone performed a one-of-a-kind event at the Perth Zoo, and with the magical atmosphere of the Perth zoo and the great music Gurrumul, the day sure was special.

It was almost sun down when the grass in front of the stage that was set up for the event was filled with people sitting and waiting; most were couples and families who prepared a nice picnic that suited the atmosphere.

The first line up was from Gurrumul. Gurrumul is an enigma in the Australian music industry. A musician born blind, this unique aboriginal man sings songs about identity, spirit and connection with the land, its elements and the ancestral beings he is related to. His high tenor voice and aura-like persona creates emotion, compassion and a feeling of peacefulness and longing with audiences in Australia and around the world.

Gurrumul started with a beautiful song for the sunset. He continued to surprise the audience one song after another, each with a different and a meaningful topic and lyrics, even though a majority of it was in an aboriginal language that most did not understand.

After almost an hour of Gurrumul performing, Angus Stone and his band members stepped onto the stage. Angus Stone is a 26-year-old singer and songwriter, born and raised along the coasts of Sydney where the beautiful beaches influenced his music. He played music since he was young, but was first discovered in 2006 along with his sibling sister Julia Stone. Both used to perform at open mic nights, where they used to do back up vocals for one another. When they started releasing albums, Angus and Julia tend to alternate tracks in the album, meaning if Angus plays the first song Julia will play the second.

It wasn’t for long till Angus and Julia each made their own solo albums in 2012 with an accompanying tour, which split the beauty of the siblings into two different halves.

During the concert, Angus played songs from his new album ‘Broken Brights’, which was very successful, and favorite tracks like “Bird on the Buffalo.”

Angus also performed a handful of his old songs as well, which sometimes feature him only on his guitars. His old songs are well known and liked by everyone, songs such “Big Jet Plane” from the album ‘Down the Way’.

What makes Angus Stone music special, especially on that night, is the purity of his songs and the special atmosphere they create, which gives the listener the same feeling the singer has. Most felt as if the animals at the zoo are listening and enjoying as well, especially because Angus dedicated one or two songs to the Animals.

Its the first year now where Angus has parted his older sister Julia to seek more in his music. One can only wonder if they will continue on different roads or that one day they will have a family reunion.

Image Courtesy : Angus and Julia Stone

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The crisis in Spain has affected everything and everyone to some extent. Culture is especially suffering the lack of investment, not only from the government but also from citizens. However, on a small island located in the Atlantic ocean, there is a group of people still fighting for their beliefs, for culture as a recipe for the progress of society.

On Tenerife, one of the seven Canary Islands, there is a group of 10 photographers who have organized a cultural event, unique because of it originality. It is a free cultural week named “Diez fotógrafos, diez miradas, cien imágenes” (Ten photographers, ten views, one hundred images).

The event took place September 21 to 29 in the “Centre of Arts and Congress Magma” and there we have found live music, short films from more than 30 worldwide videographers,  and lectures from professional photographers and representatives of international brands, such as Canon, Lomography and GoPro  among other activities planned. Mark Fradley, the head of the group “Ten Diez Movement” agreed to talk with Toonari Post.

Toonari Post: How did “Ten Diez Movement” come about?

Mark Fradley: The idea behind the “Ten Diez Movement” came about after spending many years on-line and being constantly inspired by so much creativity out there from just regular people, from sites such as Flickr, 500px, blogs, Vimeo and other social media. Then came along Facebook where it became relatively easy to share ones artistic expression across a broad audience. This and a passion for art, live music and an embedded belief that working together as a collective is more practical and beneficial then working as an individual.

TP: What the event is all about? Who had the idea of carrying it out?

MF: When I started working on the project back in November 2011 my main concept behind the movement was a cultural one. It was to create a community of people that could work together on various levels & projects and not necessarily just for people based in the Canary Islands. “The event” is just our first step to where we would like to see ourselves in the next few years.

TP: What is the difference between this event and other cultural events?

MF: I think the ability to carry on the concept into other fields is possibly one of the main differences and not having it all boil down to how much money can be raked in from it. That and basing it on the people and being able to offer them a free of charge array of different and interesting activities.

TP: How is the public responding to the initiative?

MF: We are really stoked with the response from the public, local government and the islands’ media. They all seem to want to back the whole deal, it’s a bit overwhelming sometimes how we’ve received so many good critics in such a short space of time. The response has been great across the board and I can only thank everyone involved for we are at now just 10 months down the line.

TP: How are you funded?

MF: Privately. All the project’s funding has been generated entirely from local professional businesses, a small amount to cover general expenditures.

TP: Canon, Lomography or GoPro are helping you with the project. How did you attract the attention of these big enterprises?

MF: This basically comes down to a lot of hard work from the whole team. Myself and the movement’s partner Miguel Issa have spent hundreds of hours projecting different angles to deal with these corporations and successfully we finally got their attention. I would like to think we could put it down to our persistence and professionalism.

TP: The event is focused towards photography; how did photography come into your life?

MF: Yes this event is more focused towards photography. I started my journey at 14 because one of my art teachers was a photography enthusiast and ran a term course there, back in the day before digital cameras were on the scene. We had a darkroom for developing black & white film; I was fascinated.

TP: One of the more discussed economic cuts in Spain in the last months has been the Spanish cinema aids cuts, around 35%. What is your opinion about it?

MF: We don’t want to enter the project into politics, so no comment on that one.

TP:  What expectations do you have for the future? Are you going to organize the event next year?

MF: For sure we are going to be carrying on with project, we are currently at Magma Centro de Arte & Congresos, playa de las Américas, Tenerife and will be extending the exhibition for a month or two more but just as gallery type environment. After this event comes to a close on September 29, we have a couple more exhibitions that will piggy back each other both for local government (in town halls).

TP: The event is completely free, but did you think about charging admission now or in the next editions?

MF: Whilst we are able to offer a free public service we shall continue in that direction. Having said that, there are a few small projects we would like to run in the near future that simply aren’t possible to offer for free.

TP: Personally, what has this event meant to you?

MF: I’m grateful to the 200 plus people involved in the project and grateful for their time and trust. Also thank you for taking the time and I hope you have a little more knowledge about what’s going on, on our little island.

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Lost in the backdrop of most Presidential Conventions is the reality that more than just nominating a candidate is occurring. It’s also a party for both political parties and a showcase for major entertainment acts. Even as the convention was slowed to a crawl space because of the storm, work continued in the Tampa Bay Forum Center for many of the upcoming music acts. Here is some raw video of a sound check for the house band G.E Smith.

Image Courtesy of the 2012 Republican National Convention

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Popularly known as the best acoustic guitarist and one of Australia’s most respected musicians, Tommy Emmanuel launches his Australia tour “Live and Acoustic” for the year 2012. The tour features Workshops and live concerts across all states of Australia South to West starting from August 5-12.

Tommy’s career in music started out in Australia. Considering that he was born and raised there, he started touring when he was only 6 years old, along with his family who noted his talent. Later in his teenage years, he moved to Sydney where he became a famous young guitarist across Sydney’s bars and clubs. It wasn’t long until he started recording professional albums while touring the world.

From the year 1979 till this day, Emmanuel has recorded 24 albums in 50 years in the music scene and is not stopping there. One of Tommy’s lastest albums, “Little by Little,” which was released in 2010, features tracks like “Haba na Haba,” ” Half way home,” and “Smokey Mountain Lullaby,” which made the 2-Cd album a big hit and one of his best.

Wither it’s north or south, winter or summer, Tommy never stops touring the world and showing his good music to people. He has toured many continents and its nations in various jazz festivals. Wherever he goes he is recognized as the “Father of all Guitarists.” He has also performed with many world wide respected artists like Eric Clapton and Air Supply.

Tommy Emmanuel has kicked off his new tour after his latest Christmas album “All I Want for Christmas” which was released in 2011. By September he started the tour, starting in the US and going till he reached Australia.

August 5 will be Tommy’s Masterclass and Workshop at Hindmarsh of South Australia and again, on the same day, is his first gig in the 2012 Australia tour at the city of Adelaide. But most people are expecting the best and the biggest of this tour in Sydney that not only represents the capital of Australia but Tommy’s playground and good old days.

Tommy will continue the tour in Australia till he reaches Perth on the August 12, where his Australian tour ends for the year. But he is not going too far off: his tour continues in New Zealand only two days after.

The two day countdown begins for all who await Tommy’s tour back in his homeland this year.

Image Courtesy of   Tommy Emmanuel

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New York, U.S.A. – A recent clinical trial conducted by The Institute for Music and Brain Science at Harvard University on the positive effects of music on Parkinson’s disease has received substantial support from science activist, Jeffrey Epstein and his foundation, The Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation. The study was conducted with the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

The trial evaluated the effects of ambient music on a group of Parkinson’s patients with severe to mild symptoms. Specifically, the study looked at visuomotor integration, rapid alternating movements (RAM’s) and gait. Twenty trials per category were conducted and measured in milliseconds. The music had a strong metrical rhythm and medium tempos confined to a range of 128 to 192 beats per minute.

Control test conditions of patients were either silence or asymmetrical instrumental music. The results were encouraging: in the visuomotor tests, 40% of those with mild Parkinson’s were significantly faster with ambient music. In the RAM tests, 83% of those with moderate Parkinson’s showed faster results. In the gait tests, 25% of those with moderate Parkinson’s showed faster and larger strides.

“The results are remarkable,” Jeffrey Epstein asserted. “More studies need to be done to show that music improves motor coordination. However, these studies highlight how areas in the auditory cortex are affected, providing a road map for how to duplicate the stimulus and enhance it.”

The Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation is a long-standing supporter of science research at Harvard University. In 2003, it gave a $30 million grant to Harvard to establish the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, which studies evolutionary biology from a mathematical point of view.

Founded by Dr. Mark Tramo, the Institute for Music and Brain Science seeks to advance knowledge about the neurological impact of music and to combat neurological and other diseases using music as a lens into the brain and as a rehabilitator.

Dr. Tramo is an Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and Attending Neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is the recipient of numerous awards for original research on the effects of music on the brain.

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The Beatles had an amazing impact on the music industry and the world at large. A majority of today’s mainstream musicians cannot even begin to compare with the talent that this fantastic foursome had. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the formation of the group, here are ten interesting facts about The Beatles that fans new and old should know.

1. During the week of April 4, 1964 The Beatles held the top five places on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. No other group or artist has ever managed to match this feat.
2. The “man in the crowd,” in which Lennon refers to in the song Happiness Is A Warm Gun, was taken from a newspaper story about a man who was arrested by the police for having mirrors on his toe caps to look up women’s skirts at football matches.
3. On Lennon’s song Girl from the album Rubber Soul, one can hear Paul and George constantly repeat the word “tit” in the background. John also breathes heavily several places. This could have been done to emphasize on the fact that the song had sexual references.
4. What Goes On from the album Rubber Soul was written by Lennon and McCartney together with Ringo Starr. Ringo also wrote Don’t Pass Me By on The Beatles, also known as The White Album, and Octopus’s Garden on Abbey Road. He also sang lead vocal on songs such as With A Little Help From My Friends, Yellow Submarine and Good Night.
5. While Let It Be was the last album to be released by The Beatles before their breakup, most of it was recorded before Abbey Road, their second last album.
6. The album Abbey Road was originally going to be called Everest, named after the brand of cigarette Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick was smoking at the time. Paul McCartney even wanted the Beatles to go to Tibet and pose in front of Mount Everest for the album cover! Other suggestions were Four In The Bar and All Good Children Go To Heaven, before Ringo joked that they could call it Abbey Road.
7. On September 11, 1964, the Beatles refused to play at Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, without guarantees that the audience would not be segregated.
8. The Beatles were featured in an American Saturday morning cartoon series called ‘The Beatles.’ 3 seasons (39 episodes total) were produced.
9. The album Sgt. Pepper was one of the first pop albums to include completed lyrics. They were printed on the back cover.
10. Some of the band’s early influences included Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, Carl Perkins and Ray Orbison. Later, The Beatles were also inspired by Bob Dylan, Frank Zappa, The Byrda and The Beach Boys.

Image Courtesy of  The Beatles

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Carlsbad, U.S.A. – After a successful soft launch beginning in late 2011, Daphne’s California Greek have  launched a multi-platform, new music initiative to discover and foster new music talent through several distinct and complementary digital and social media channels. Daphne’s turned to Hollywood-based DeepMix, known for bringing cutting-edge music to mainstream advertising and corporate settings, to help curate artists and manage the overall program.

The music program, which also involves the development of a distinctive Daphne’s playlist, is integral to cultivating Daphne’s new brand and echoes Daphne’s re-envisioned culture after an ambitious, year-long rebranding effort that has transformed it into a more modern, lifestyle concept that appeals to a broader segment of active and health-oriented consumers.

“Daphne’s is an eclectic fusion of California and Mediterranean flavors and our music – our playlist – reflects that diversity and authenticity,” said Bill Trefethen, CEO, Daphne’s California Greek. “We want to become the place for great food but also to discover new music talent. And we want to provide a platform for these tremendous artists to share their music and their passion with a larger audience.”

Originally called Daphne’s Greek Cafe, the company was acquired in 2010 by entrepreneur Bill Trefethen, who immediately re-imagined the 56-unit, fast casual restaurant chain, which now offers more healthful California-inspired Mediterranean fare, a current remodeling program with interiors featuring a hip California vibe with a focus on re-purposed and sustained materials, and far-reaching grass roots community support program that aligns with the new music program.

Daphne’s music program is built around today’s new music discovery and tastemaker scene, showcasing an eclectic group of emerging artists who span various genres from alternative, rock, singer/songwriter and folk, giving them a multi-platform opportunity to reach new audiences on both local and global levels.

The initiative incorporates both in-restaurant and external elements, including in-house music and videos and an Artist of the Month program with free monthly downloads, special live concerts, and exclusive concert videos. Past Artists of the Month include: Mike Stocksdale, Donovan Frankenreiter, Kelley James, The Jezebels, Elan, Madi Diaz and Portugal.

“For Daphne’s, DeepMix assembled a mix of artists that convey the hip new California lifestyle feeling,” said Dave Curtin, managing director, DeepMix. “Our deep roots in the music industry including acting as artist managers, music producers, music supervisors and DJs will allow us to expand this program to add more interesting new artists and book great names to appear at intimate concerts sponsored for Daphne’s.”

Daphne’s also created a streaming radio channel on its website that’s “Always Free, Always On” and hosted by online radio platform Live365. A just-released, iPhone app will bring that soundtrack to a potentially enormous audience of listeners across the globe. Daphne’s also leverages its multiple social media channels to help spread the word about the new music.

Rounding out the program is a successful “Fuel the Artist” initiative, where Daphne’s caters the soundchecks of bands and musicians touring in Southern California, including Parachute, Kate Voegele, Allen Stone, The Jezebels, Portugal.

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Dave Morecroft, keyboarder/compositor and leader of the British band WorldService Project, goes on telling Toonari Post about their music and their upcoming plans and projects.

Toonari Post (TP): In regard to the different genres of music you blend, what artists have influenced you? 

Dave Morecroft (DM): Late jazz, free jazz, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, all the way of true sounds like contemporary free great from Evan Parker and that school, classical music is very important to me and then I’d say a lot of groove stuff. With groove I mean all the way from Chick Corea, fusion, true tone, Rage Against the Machine, and also some kind of more popish styles and funk.

TP: Why and how did you approach jazz?

DM: Personally, I came to jazz quite late. Before going to the Sixth Form College, so before the age of 16, I literally had heard no jazz ever. I’d just never heard anything. Then, at the age of 16 I heard a lot of stuff very quickly. The first moment for me was when I went to the Alston College and we had a kind of “open day” and as part of it there was also a showcase and the Alston College Jazz Band was practicing and rehearsing for a gig and I sat down and listened to them. I remember they were playing Chick Corea’s ‘Spain.’ That was indescribably ear opening, I hadn’t heard anything like it before, I didn’t know musical sounds like that. It was incredible, a kind of hurricane, extremely affecting. Before I was a classical pianist. It was like an explosion of music for me.

TP: You are running a project called “Match&Fuse,” can you explain what it is about and how it works?

DM: We wanted to meet up with other bands around Europe and help each other also out of the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award, which led to the first Match&Fuse exchange with Norwegian SynKoke. We went on applying for more Arts Council funding and they funded four more exchanges with the German band Schulbus, the Irish ReDiviDeR, the Italian Tribaco and the French Alfie Ryner, and we have nearly finished this stage of the project.

We tried to find bands very like-minded that had a kind of similar mash-up, bands that are looking to combine jazz and improvise music with more contemporary and popular styles, sort of dynamic and energetic bands. It’s been an amazing fantastic experience, we’ve learned a lot. Each time you book a gig in your own country and in their country, it’s a double tour.

Every sort of risk that you run when you go on tour in another country it’s partially eliminated, shouldering the risks. The audience of contemporary and modern jazz is tiny and there is much competition in the music industry. In Match&Fuse there is no competition, it’s sense of joining, helping each other, introducing each other to other audiences, media and places, it’s creating social occasions as well. Linking up and sharing audiences to create a network. Two bands combine countless possibilities of learning and doing.

TP: You also announced the upcoming “Match&Fuse Festival,” which will take place next June in London. Can you tell us more about it? 

DM: The Match&Fuse Festival is happening in June and is a kind of celebration of everything we have done so far. We have four of the five bands coming back to play with us and also bands we plan to play with in the future, 13 bands across 8 different countries, 15th and 16th of June taking place at the Vortex Jazz Club and in Gilett Square in Dalston, East London.

It’s all free entry ,there are a lot of things going on, Match&Fuse Big Band – a mash-up of all bands-, workshops, local school kids, an incredible mix of styles, improvisation, drum&bass, jazz, rock, pop, fusion, punk, experimental jazz, electronica, funk, UK headliners like Led Bib and trio VD. It will be a weekend of music to join musicians and audiences.

TP: What are your future plans and what should we expect from you in the next months?

DM: At the moment, it’s very difficult to think about something else outside of the festival and organize everything to make sure it all runs smoothly. In October, we are going to France for the French lane of Match&Fuse with Alfie Ryner. The 20th of June we play at 12 Points Plus Festival Slovenia, an extension of the Irish 12 Points Festival, similar to Match&Fuse.

We are also doing a recording in Cologne, Germany, for WDR and some gigs. So, June is going to be a very hectic month and in July and August we will take a break. Then we are supposed to be mixing and bringing out the second album that we’ve just recorded and between November 2012 and January/February 2013 there will be other three Match&Fuse exchanges with three more bands.

For news and updates about WSP:

Website http://www.worldserviceproject.co.uk

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/WSP/167984746174

Twitter @WSProject

Youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/worldserviceproject

Match&Fuse:

Website http://www.matchandfuse.co.uk            Facebook https://www.facebook.com/matchandfuse

Soundcloud http://soundcloud.com/match-2/sets/match-fuse-festival-2012-1

Twitter @MatchFuse

WSP Funders: Arts Council England, PRS Foundation and the Polish Cultural Institute

A Punkish Jazz Interview with WorldService Project – Part 1

Image Courtesy of  http://worldserviceproject.tumblr.com

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Los Angeles, U.S.A. – Eighteen-year-old pop artist MANIKA is proud to announce that her much anticipated single ”GOOD GIRLS,” produced and arranged by SoulShock (hitmaker for Whitney Houston, 2Pac, Usher, Backstreet Boys, Pitbull/Chris Brown, JoJo, Brandy, Nicole Scherzinger, X-Factor etc.), will be added to Top 40 Radio, starting June 5th. This fun, energetic pop track is destined to be an anthem for all the “good girls” out there and meant to be turned up loud!

The June release follows her breakout Top 40 pop hit ”Just Can’t Let You Go” featuring Young Money’s Lil Twist. “Good Girls” is the lead single from her debut, five-track EP entitled ”THE MIDDLE OF HOLLYWOOD EP,” slated for release May 22nd  which will also include ”Just Can’t Let You Go .”

MANIKA , a fresh and positive role model for teens, is also jet setting across the nation with special performances. She has been chosen by teen sensation, One Direction, the first British group to ever have their first record debut at #1, to be the opening act on their North American Summer Tour.

In between performances with One Direction, MANIKA, a former Girl Scout herself, will also sprinkle in a few headlining dates for The Girl Scouts of America 100th Anniversary Tour , at which she will perform in front of thousands of girls who are inspired by the star’s upbeat radiance. MANIKA performed last Saturday on May 12 on the Village Stage at KIIS-FM’s Wango Tango alongside Nicki Minaj, Pitbull and Maroon 5.

MANIKA was discovered by the late Frank DiLeo, Michael Jackson’s long-time manager, and revered-music coach CeCe Sammy of UK’s Pop Idol, who now manages her. Her EP is released on Wamaframa Records/CCA Entertainment and distributed by BDG / RED – A division of SONY Music Entertainment.

For more information on MANIKA, please visit: manikaofficial.com

Image Courtesy of  Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

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New York, U.S.A. – Walk Off The Earth’s incredibly popular YouTube cover of Gotye featuring Kimbra’s smash hit “Somebody That I Used To Know” has passed the 100 million view mark, making it the most popular cover song ever posted on YouTube.

The creative video features all five band members playing one guitar and has helped rapidly catapult the Canadian group into online stars. The band performed the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show earlier this year, and the clip of that performance has been viewed nearly 2.5 million times. Their “Somebody That I Used To Know” cover single has been certified Platinum in Canada, and sold over 165k copies in the US.

The band have released dozens of other covers, and fans have responded to Walk Off The Earth’s clever arrangements and beautiful harmonies. Their recent covers of the Weeds theme song “Little Boxes” (originally performed by Malvina Reynolds) and The Beatles’ “From Me To You” have each gotten over 3 million views. Their latest is a cover of Nirvana’s “Polly” that is already at over 1 million views on YouTube, and is available on iTunes.

WOTE have a loyal fanbase, with over 600k subscribers to their YouTube channel and over 490k fans on Facebook. After receiving such an enthusiastic response, Walk Off The Earth have launched a brand new website to act as a hub to keep up with the band.  Check out the new website at: http://www.walkofftheearth.com.

Walk Off The Earth are currently finishing recording original material for their debut release on Columbia Records.  The band will be on tour this summer including a headlining show at LA’s El Rey Theatre and a performance at Lollapalooza in Chicago. A full list of dates is below.

Walk Off The Earth features multi-instrumentalists Gianni Luminati, Ryan Marshall, and Sarah Blackwoodon vocals, Mike Taylor on keyboards, and Joel Cassady on drums.  The Burlington, Ontario band have been together since 2006, and self released two full length albums of original material.

WOTE cover of “Somebody That I Used To Know” on iTunes:
http://bit.ly/xe65hD

WOTE cover of “Somebody That I Used To Know” YouTube video:
http://youtu.be/d9NF2edxy-M

WOTE cover of “Polly” on iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/polly-single/id525521092

WOTE cover of “Polly” YouTube video:
http://youtu.be/WWoKv2eZLo0

http://www.walkofftheearth.com

http://www.facebook.com/walkofftheearth

Image Courtesy of   Walk Off The Earth

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Carslbad, U.SA. – He may be leader of the free world, but little did anyone know President Barrack Obama was also a natural vocalist. This year, President Obama claimed the number one spot in NAMM’s annual survey on America’s favorite “Unexpected Musician,” a personality not primarily known for playing a musical instrument, with a majority of 29%.

Since crooning a few lines of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” at a New York fundraising event in January, the president has captured America’s heart with his surprising talent. In an interview with Barbara Walters one month prior, he revealed that he deeply regrets not having learned a musical instrument in school.

Seasoned Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep (violin) tied with actor Robert Downey, Jr.(piano, vocals) for second-place, both securing 24% of votes, while funnyman Steve Carell came in fourth place (10%) for his flute-playing skills, over “The Hunger Games” star Jennifer Lawrence (5%), who plays the guitar.

The National Association of Music Merchants created the Unexpected Musicians Database in 2010 in response to a Gallup Poll that found 85% of Americans who do not play a musical instrument wish they did in an effort to encourage aspiring musicians by helping them find further musical inspiration from celebrities they already admire.

The extensive list includes professional athletes, actors, politicians and more. From Julia Roberts’ skills on the clarinet to Clint Eastwood’s hidden piano talent, the detailed database offers fans the opportunity to find out just how talented their favorite celebrities really are, demonstrating that anyone can become a musician despite age, experience or profession. The Unexpected Musicians Database can be found at wannaplaymusic website.

This year, as part of NAMM’s National Wanna Play Music Week (May 7-13, 2012), the association commissioned a survey to learn which Unexpected Musicians Americans favor most. Key survey findings include:

• More women (28 %) than men (23 %) were excited to discover that President Obama is a vocalist, while 20 % of women and 27 % of men were excited to learn that Robert Downey, Jr. sings and plays the piano.
• Millennials were most excited to learn about President Obama’s (30 %) and Robert Downey, Jr.’s (30 %) musical talents.
• Meanwhile, survey-takers aged 65-plus were most excited to learn about Meryl Streep’s musical abilities, with 37 % voting for the actress. Streep was also the Baby Boomers’ celebrity of choice at 34 %.

The findings are the result of a nationally representative telephone survey of 1,000 adults ages 18 and over, living in the United States, conducted by KRC Research, April 19-22, 2012, on behalf of NAMM. The margin of error for this study is +3.1 % at the 95 % confidence level. The data was weighted by demographic variables to ensure the sample accurately reflects the U.S. adult population.

Image Courtesy of  cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com

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Los Angeles, U.S.A. – Singer-songwriter and visual artist Mark Cote will be releasing his new concept album, titled Fun House of the Mind, on May 8, 2012. The album produced and mixed by veteran record producer Michael Frondelli, features eleven tracks which converge to create a colorful palette, luring the listener inside a nocturnal, visual world.

Released on May 8, 2012, Fun House Of Your Mind freely integrates pre-rock styles such as blues, jazz, and Vaudeville, with the breezy pop melodicism of late ’60′s-era Beatles. As a former Character Designer with the Disney Animation Studios with works featured in galleries and private collections throughout Southern California, and as a musician, Cote has always been a seeker, delving beneath the surface of everyday life to the depths of his heart and subconscious. His understanding of the visual arts and desire to explore the hidden meanings within has allowed him to create a truly unique visual, musical experience.

Born and raised in Ontario, Canada, Cote’s parents were very conscious about exposing him to all forms of art as a form of personal expression. “There was always music in the house,” he states. “From the moment I was walking upright, I was either singing along to my parents’ record collection or getting my hands wet with paint, creating artwork.”

Mark Cote’s songs, distinguished by his vivid lyrics, playful sense of irony, catchy melodicism and distinct vocal style have been featured in both television and film, and continue to help define the ever-broadening and diverse landscape of pop music today.

In addition to his musical ability, Cote’s talents as a visual artist are in full view within his whimsical, original illustrations that accompany the lyrics in the CD’s booklet. “I always think of music in visual terms”, says Cote. “For better or worse, I think we all have a virtual Coney Island fun house in our heads.”

Image Courtesy of   http://www.markcote.com

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Ontario, Canada – Grammy Award-Winner Keith Urban will get closer with fans when he performs live at Fallsview Casino’s Avalon theatre on August 27 & 28.

Garnering a reputation as one of music’s best live performers, Urban’s distinguished and innovative country-rock sound is sure to deliver a one-of-a-kind concert experience with favourites like “Sweet Thing”, “Days Go By”, “Without You” and “You’ll Think of Me”.

“It’s a thrill to have Keith, who is among the most celebrated country music artists, perform at the Avalon,” said Cathy Price, VP of Marketing at Fallsview Casino Resort. “The intimacy of our venue is a perfect fit for Keith’s shows because it allows him to connect with his audiences.”

Urban has been honoured with Grammy Awards, Country Music Association Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, a People’s Choice Award, American Music Award, Australia’s coveted Aria Award, and most recently he was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.

For the more classic rock-n’-roll fan, Fallsview’s August artist line-up is proud to bring back former Eagles guitarist Don Felder. For three nights he will perform famous hits like Hotel California and Tequila Sunrise. Don Felder – An Evening at Hotel California will perform August 2, 3 & 4.
The complete August 2012 performance schedule for Fallsview Casino Resort is as follows:

Don Felder – An Evening at the Hotel California
Thursday, August 2
Showtime: 8:30pm, doors open at 7:30pm
Friday, August 3
Saturday, August 4
Showtime: 9pm, doors open at 8pm
Tickets start at $25
Formerly of the Eagles and co-writer of the legendary hit, “Hotel California”, Don Felder takes the stage to perform such hits as: “Hotel California”, “Tequila Sunrise”, “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and “Witchy Woman”.

Ron James
Friday, August 10
Saturday, August 11
Showtime: 9pm, doors open at 8pm
Tickets start at $25
Canadian actor, comedian and host of The Ron James Show, Ron James brings his unique blend of wit, sarcasm, and distinct Maritime accent to the stage of Fallsview Casino Resort.

Keith Urban
Monday, August 27
Tuesday, August 28
Showtime: 8:30pm, doors open at 7:30pm
Tickets start at $150
Four-time Grammy Award winner, Keith Urban will ignite the stage in a high energy performance when he performs such hits as: “You’ll Think of Me”, “Days Go By”, “Without You”, “Sweet Thing” and “Long Hot Summer”.

Songwriter’s Night
Friday, August 31
Saturday, September 1
Showtime: 9pm, doors open at 8pm
Tickets start at $20

Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Reba, Vince Gill and so many more have all had hits written by five of Nashville’s most successful songwriters. Now experience Al Anderson, Bob DiPiero, Tim Nichols, Jeffrey Steele and Craig Wiseman live in an intimate setting, as they perform the hits they have written and tell you the stories that inspired each one.

Image Courtesy of   Keith Urban

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NASHVILLE, U.S.A. – Casey Weston, country music recording artist and last season’s finalist from NBC’s “The Voice,” will have a big month.

She will perform the National Anthem for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Saturday, May 12, 2012. She also will do a special event for the VIPs in a private reception.

Weston also will join the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra during their Patriotic Pops program, a star-spangled celebration of America, at the Philharmonic Center for the Arts, at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, May 25-26.

“The 75,000 fans in attendance at Darlington and over 8 million television viewers will listen to one of country music’s rising stars,” stated Greg Terada, who has worked with the top music artists in the world.

“Performing the National Anthem for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway will be another defining moment in my young career,” Weston said. “I’m excited to attend my first NASCAR race, and I can’t think of a better track than Darlington, one of the most historic racetracks in the sport. To have the opportunity to perform the anthem in front of tens of thousands of loyal and passionate NASCAR fans will mean a lot to me.”

Joining Weston in Darlington will be TV Producer and Music Manager Jacques Lambert and Event Producer, Music Manager and Consultant to “A List” Celebrities Greg Terada.

Weston, originally from Naples, Fla., began her performing career six years ago with both original songs and covers. Both originals and covers were well received and her audiences continue to grow. In 2009, Weston released her first album, 10 songs on the self-titled “Casey Weston.”

“I’m thrilled to return to my hometown to sing with the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and see many of my friends and fans who helped me get started. I’ll never forget them. They mean so much to me,” she said.

Following the successful release of her first album, Weston auditioned on the popular show “The Voice” and was one of eight finalists in the inaugural season for the TV show sensation. Following her success on the “The Voice” Weston continues to stay in touch with her friend and coach Adam Levine, front man for Maroon 5.

The post-season “The Voice Finalists Tour” had Weston performing on stages across the nation. Weston has also performed at venues and festivals in Southwest Florida, the Old Rock House in St. Louis, Schuba’s in Chicago, NBC-Universal Studios in Los Angeles and the Women Today Expo in Ventura, California. She has also performed at the Commodore Lounge, Hard Rock Cafe, Rocketown and the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. On the national concert circuit, Weston has opened for Top 40 and country acts such as James Otto, John Anderson, Craig Morgan and Justin Moore.

Follow Casey’s upcoming performances on Facebook at www.facebook.com/caseywestonmusic

Weston is being consulted by Greg Terada, former Executive Producer of Celebrity Fight Night withMuhammad Ali. Terada is known for creating and producing Red Carpet buzz with events such as Charity Jam with Alicia Keys and Kid Rock, the NBA All Star Game Main Event with Run DMC and Ashanti,Manny Pacquiao’s Ring “Walkouts” with “Eye of the Tiger” and Jimi Jamison, the Obakki Foundation Launch with Nickelback’s Ryan Peake and many more.

Image Courtesy of    Casey Weston

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WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA, U.S.A. – Guitar Center and DIRECTV have announced that the 2012 season of their award-winning live performance and interview music television series Guitar Center Sessions will begin airing this May exclusively on DIRECTV. The new season will showcase seven new episodes featuring groundbreaking artists including Alanis Morissette, The All-American Rejects,Colbie Caillat and more.

The season kicks off with legendary guitarist Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators on May 18, at 9pm in 2D hi-definition on DIRECTV’s The Audience Network (channel 239). DIRECTV will also air the series in 3D on DIRECTV’s n3d.

View the trailer here: http://bit.ly/JXHG2v

Guitar Center Sessions features intimate interviews conducted by renowned music journalist Nic Harcourtwhich offer a rare behind the scenes view into the storied careers of music icons and the inspirations behind their music. Each episode also showcases exclusive live performances by the artists captured at Guitar Center’s famous Hollywood, CA location.

“With each episode we aim to present more than just the exceptional live performances given by our guest artists,” says Nic Harcourt. “We provide music fans a glimpse into the creative process behind the music and histories of their idols, revealing their unique stories of successes as well as struggles, offering a realistic inside look at what it takes to succeed as a musician.”

Upcoming Guitar Center Sessions 2012 Episode Schedule:

• May 18th     Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators
• June 1st       The All-American Rejects
• June 15th     Colbie Caillat
• June 29th     Alanis Morissette
• July 13th      Megadeath
• July 27th      Switchfoot
• August 10th  Sublime with Rome

Guitar Center’s musical expertise as the worlds largest retailer of musical instruments and equipment, paired with DIRECTV – the world’s largest pay TV provider – ensures that each episode is delivered in the highest audio and visual quality. This dynamic pairing lead Guitar Center Sessions to receive the International 3D Society’s award for Best Music Television Series in 2010.

“Our goal with Guitar Center Sessions is provide artists, emerging and established, with a highly credible platform to expose their music and riveting back stories to a large audience,” says Dustin Hinz, Director of Music Marketing and Artist Relations for Guitar Center. “By continuing to develop high quality original music programming that focuses on conversations and themes pertinent to the artist’s craft and creative process, Guitar Center continues to further its commitment to helping artists be heard in an ever changing, uncertain music business.”

Since its premiere in August of 2010 with the iconic Peter Gabriel, Guitar Center Sessions has gone on to feature 31 episodes with today’s most compelling artists including, Weezer, Jane’s Addiction, The Cult, CAKE, Jakob Dylan, Blondie, Social Distortion, Seether, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Bush and Peter Frampton.

Image Courtesy of  Guitar Center

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‘Little Broken Hearts’ is an album all about jealousy, heartache, betrayal, and all of the emotions that come with a tough break-up. It is Norah Jones fifth solo album and it is wonderfully beautiful and dark. Those who have been through a relationship that has met its end will love this album.

The record is produced by Brian Burton also known as Danger Mouse. He has collaborated with artists The Black Keys, Gnarls Barkley, and Beck, among others. Burton and Jones make an excellent team as they together wrote and composed all twelve tracks on the record. ‘Little Broken Hearts’ also marks the first time that Norah wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album and it is different from anything that Norah has ever done in the past.

For starters, take a look at the amazing cover. It differs from previous album covers with its striking photo of Norah. The cover art was inspired by the poster to the film ‘Mudhoney’ from 1965. The story behind is that while recording the album at Brian Burton’s studio, Jones saw the poster on the wall as Burton has a collection of Russ Meyer posters in his studio. The poster was right over the couch where she would sit everyday and she thought it would be a great visual with herself as the vixen.

As always, Norah’s vocals are excellent. Her voice is darker than her previous albums, and this album reflects a woman who has gone through an emotional ordeal and as a result is damaged and dangerous, but ultimately in a happier place. The songs are fraught with sadness as she pours out her heart but the album is excellently build around the stages of coping: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

The songs on ‘Little Broken Hearts’ are raw and emotionally charged as Norah wrote the tunes after a rough break-up. The compositions are experimental and unique. There is a mixture of jazzy and upbeat tracks, all the way down to somber, stark, and low sounds.

Brian Burton is truly a master of sound and knows how to woo the listener - the track “Good Morning” is beautiful and elegant, while the track “Miriam” expresses an “I know what you did and you’re gonna pay” attitude with its angry vibe. “Happy Pills” is the most upbeat track on the record with its catchy and jazzy sound. It tells the story of Jones realizing that she is better off alone after being free from a relationship.

In all, ‘Little Broken Heart’s is an excellent album and fans will be pleased. Norah has taken the off beaten path and in doing so has created an amazing piece of art. The album was released May 1 and Norah is currently touring. Visit her site to find out when she’s going to be in a city near you.

Rating: 5/5

Image Courtesy of   asterix611

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New York, U.S.A. – The 2012 ESSENCE Music Festival is excited to announce the addition of Grammy-Award winning singer D’Angelo as he makes his first US appearance in a decade at the 18th annual event taking place July 6-8 in New Orleans. R&B heartthrob Trey Songz will return to the main stage joining previously announced performers Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, Charlie Wilson, Fantasia, Ledisi and more.

The official host each night will be Nephew Tommy, comedian and co-host of the long running Steve Harvey Morning Show. Tank, Mary Mary, Marsha Ambrosious, The Pointer Sisters, Q. Parker & Super Jay, Teedra Moses, Melanie Fiona, Carl Thomas and Rebirth Brass Band are also scheduled to perform.  Additional performances will be announced soon.

ESSENCE is also proud to announce the night-by-night line-up for the 2012 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL with performances and appearances by the top names in entertainment.

The 2012 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL night-by-night line-up is as follows:

Friday, July 6 : Charlie Wilson, D’Angelo, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, The Pointer Sisters, Marsha Ambrosious, Q. Parker & Super Jay, Khris Royal, Kindred The Family Soul, Vivian Green,Stephanie Mills, Gary Clark Jr., Rebirth Brass Band, SWV, Goapele

Saturday, July 7 :  Mary J. Blige, Kevin Hart, Ledisi, Tank, Eric Roberson, Teedra Moses, The Stylistics, Robert Glasper, Dru Hill, The Original Pinettes Brass Band, Stephanie Mills, Big Sam’s Funky Nation

Sunday, July 8 :  Aretha Franklin, Fantasia, Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, Melanie Fiona, Carl Thomas, Alex Boyd, Eve, The Stooges Brass Band, Estelle, Luke James, Raheem DeVaughn,Bridget Kelly

Single day tickets go on sale today for the 2012 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL and are priced from $50 to $300 per person per night.   Meanwhile, weekend packages ranging from $150 to $900 per person continue to offer music fans the best way to enjoy a full three days of entertainment, empowerment, community and special offers.

Now in its 18th year, the ultimate destination for entertainment and inspiration hosted over 422,000 attendees last year. What began in 1995 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of ESSENCE magazine has now grown into one of the country’s “Top 10 Leading Brand Events” by Advertising Age.

The ESSENCE Music Festival is the nation’s largest annual gathering of African-American music and culture. Throughout its history, the Festival has featured an array of performers including Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Al Green, Beyonce, Chaka Khan, Destiny’s Child, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gladys Knight, LL Cool J, Jamie Foxx, John Legend, The Isley Brothers, Lionel Richie, Luther Vandross, Maxwell, The O’Jays, Prince, Rihanna, Stevie Wonder, Toni Braxton, Patti LaBelle andYolanda Adams, among others.

For information about ticket sales, accommodations and the latest news about the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL, visit ESSENCE Music Festival www.essencemusicfestival.com Join the Festival community: follow  on Twitter @essencemusic #EssenceFest and become a fan of 2012 ESSENCE Music Festival on Facebook.

The 2012 ESSENCE Music Festival, in partnership with QuintEvents, has created “ESSENCE VIP Events” to offer fans the ultimate in “insider access”, with exclusive VIP ticket, travel and hospitality party venue packages. The Official packages are available now at www.QuintEvents.com and will be featured on the Official website, www.ESSENCEVIPEVENTS.com in early 2012.

Image Courtesy of   D’Angelo
Photo Credit: jesper skouboelling (denmark)

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Seattle, U.S.A. – Alternative Country Rock band Guns of Nevada is excited to perform at Live Nation and ACM Promoter, Brian O’Connell’s, inaugural Watershed Music Festival. Located at The Gorge Amphitheater in the Pacific Northwest, it’s an ideal setting with breathtaking landscape and sweeping views of the Columbia River. With superstars ranging from Dierks Bentley, Kix Brooks, Sara Evans, Brantley Gilbert, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and many others expect the event to be a memorable experience fans will not forget.

This will be the third time Guns of Nevada has played at the picturesque Gorge Amphitheater.  This time they will be performing songs off their new album titled “SONGS IN THE KEY OF WHISKEY.” To encourage their fans to experience them live, Guns of Nevada is holding a drawing for a FREE pass for the entire three-day festival (valued at $90), plus a “SONGS IN THE KEY OF WHISKEY” CD autographed by the band and currently available for purchase on iTunes.

The drawing and winner will be announced June 23, 2012.  The winner must meet three criteria: registered with the Guns of Nevada mailing list at GunsofNevada.com; “LIKE” the Guns of Nevada Facebook page; and follow @GunsofNevada on Twitter. Winner announcement and details will be posted on the Guns of Nevada Facebook page.

Although considered alternative country rock, Guns of Nevada is a unique mix of Cowpunk meets Americana with their melodic three and four part harmonies, foot-stomping groove and fist pounding rhythms.

According to Dennis Pelowski, Manager of The Meat Puppets “Guns of Nevada’s new album ‘SONGS IN THE KEY OF WHISKEY’ is cool. Go figure. How did a band of Seattle-ites come up showing the talents of true southern soul country – and that includes Skynyrd. You will want this as road trip fuel.” The first single off their new album ”My Bible and My Gun,” can be heard here .

“This is just one of several announcements we have planned for Guns of Nevada in 2012,” says manager, Jaye English, of Spoondog Entertainment Group. If you haven’t seen a Guns of Nevada show, the Watershed Music Festival is the perfect opportunity to catch them live against the Gorge’s visually stunning backdrop.

Three day festival passes will start at $90 and go on sale May 5 at ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com.

http://www.facebook.com/GunsofNevada
http://www.facebook.com/SpoondogEntertainment
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/songs-in-the-key-of-whiskey/id506333465
http://www.livenation.com/Gorge-Amphitheatre-tickets-George/venue/122913

Image Courtesy of    Guns of Nevada

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Hollywood, U.S.A. – After being nominated in four categories by the Indie Music Channel awards (Best Pop Artist of the Year, Best female Pop Artist, Best Teen Song of the Year, Best Pop Song of the Year) which took place at the famed House of Blues in Hollywood, California. Brooklyn Haley took home the coveted Best Teen Song of the Year Award for 2012, on her hit song “Boomerang”

Brooklyn was most recently featured on Billboard Magazine’s Spotlight On, and has been rapidly gaining momentum with her hot single “Crash” and her most recent single “Boomerang”. The video for “Crash” was one of the top most viewed videos according to Kidz Bop, after Brooklyn was featured on many prestigious teen magazines. The video continues to make headlines by gracing the Music Homepage of AOL and Music Choice.

The talented 16 year old singer/ songwriter originally from Academy Texas also co-wrote and recorded five original songs with Grammy Award winning producer Alex Cantrall and Jeff Hoeppner of Radio Nation, best known for the hit song, Jo-Jo’s “Leave (Get Out),” Beyonce’s “Sweetdreams,” and the work they’ve done for Pink, Justin Timberlake and Kelly Clarkson. Of these five songs, Brooklyn’s hit song, “Record n Rock,” was featured in the multi-console video game, “Dance Wars” and “Boomerang” was featured on several episodes of 90210.

Brooklyn will be impacting national radio this summer with her multi city tour, National Television and Magazine Coverage, and her involvement with the anti-bullying campaign “No Bully Tour” which has featured a mixture of Radio Disney and Nickelodeon stars hoping to send a strong anti-bullying message to teens.

This cause in particular is important to Brooklyn because she herself was bullied as a young girl. “Although I was always a friendly person, I found myself bullied and ridiculed at times. I’ve seen this breakdown a lot of spirits and self esteems, I was very happy to be a voice for anti-bullying,” she says enthused. Her incredible performances and participation has led Brooklyn to features on Major networks such as CBS, NBC, and ABC.

For more information on Brooklyn Haley:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/brooklynhaley15
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/brooklynhaleymusic1
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/brooklynhaley

Image Courtesy of   Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

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New York, U.S.A.- Legacy Recordings in conjunction with Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) announces the launch of “I AM AN ELVIS FAN ,” a new campaign which encourages fans, from die-hards to casuals, to vote for their favorite recordings by Elvis from seven musical genres to be provided by Legacy. The top-scoring songs will determine the tracklist for I AM AN ELVIS FAN , a new 21-song collection that will be available starting July 31st through RCA/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.

The seven categories are ’50s, ’60s, Country, Movies, Love Songs, Gospel, and In Concert. The categories and tracks (all listed below) will be posted at www.iamanelvisfan.com where fans will be able to select their three top choices per genre. Facebook and Twitter users will be provided with links to share and spread the experience.

Voting begins today and all votes must be received by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on May 12th. The results will be announced on June 15th. For a limited time, and as a bonus, those who pre-order the I AM AN ELVIS FAN album within the voting period (May 1 – May 12) will have their names included in the package, as space permits. Fans can pre-order the album and submit their name for inclusion in the package at www.iamanelvisfan.com.

The comprehensive “I AM AN ELVIS FAN” campaign, which can be experienced at www.Elvis.com/ElvisFan, encourages fans to “Create, Upload and Wear.” In addition to the creation of the album, fans can also upload a photo of themselves to be used in an Elvis photo mosaic by EPE licensee Fan Mosaics.

Those thousands of images in the fan mosaic will also be used on the I AM AN ELVIS FAN album cover. Photos can be uploaded now through June 1st. The cover art and song results will be revealed on June 15th. EPE will also create a limited edition “I AM AN ELVIS FAN” t-shirt which will be available for purchase at www.Elvis.com/ElvisFan beginning today.

“I AM AN ELVIS FAN” – MUSICAL CATEGORIES

’50s – Selections: 1. That’s All Right * 2. Good Rockin’ Tonight * 3. Baby Let’s Play House * 4. I Got A Woman * 5. Hound Dog * 6. Don’t Be Cruel * 7. Mystery Train * 8. Blue Suede Shoes * 9. Money Honey *10. Heartbreak  Hotel * 11. Shake, Rattle & Roll * 12. All Shook Up • 13. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy.

’60s – Selections: 1. In The  Ghetto * 2. Suspicious Minds * 3. Gentle On My  Mind * 4. Don’t Cry Daddy * 5. Surrender * 6. Good Luck Charm * 7. Devil In Disguise * 8. She’s Not You * 9. Suspicion * 10. The Girl Of My Best Friend * 11. His Latest Flame * 12. Love Letters * 13. Memories.

GOSPEL – Selections: 1. Peace in the Valley * 2. Crying in the Chapel * 3. How Great Thou Art * 4. If I Can Dream * 5. Amazing Grace * 6. Swing Down Sweet Chariot * 7. Joshua Fit The Battle * 8. Take My Hand Precious Lord * 9. Lead Me, Guide Me * 10. He Touched Me * 11. Milky White Way * 12. You’ll Never Walk Alone * 13. Where Could I Go But To The Lord.

LOVE SONGS – Selections: 1. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You * 2. Any Way You Want Me * 3. You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me * 4. One Night * 5. Can’t Help Falling In Love * 6. Love Me Tender * 7. Always On My Mind * 8. Are You Lonesome Tonight? * 9. Unchained Melody * 10. Loving You * 11. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling * 12. It’s Now Or Never * 13. The Wonder Of You.

MOVIES – Selections: 1. King Creole * 2. Jailhouse Rock * 3. Trouble * 4. Return To Sender * 5. A Little Less Conversation * 6. Viva Las Vegas * 7. G.I Blues * 8. Follow That Dream * 9. Bossa Nova Baby * 10. Rubberneckin’ * 11. Blue Hawaii * 12. Loving You * 13. Teddy Bear.

COUNTRY – Selections: 1. I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water * 2. Kentucky Rain * 3. For The Good Times * 4. Guitar Man * 5. Blue Moon of Kentucky * 6. Just Because * 7. Long Black Limousine * 8. I’ll Hold You In My Heart (Until I Can Hold You in My Arms) * 9. She Thinks I Still Care * 10. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry * 11. Welcome to My World * 12. Funny How Time Slips Away * 13. There Goes My Everything.

IN CONCERT – Selections: 1. Polk Salad Annie * 2. Suspicious Minds * 3. Just Pretend * 4. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling * 5. Bridge Over Troubled Water * 6. See See Rider * 7. Walk A Mile In My Shoes * 8. I Can’t Stop Loving You * 9. You Gave Me A  Mountain * 10. An American Trilogy * 11. Burning Love * 12. My Way * 13. A Big Hunk of Love.

www.facebook.com/elvis

Image Courtesy of  ELVIS PRESLEY

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New York, U.S.A. – Following a triumphant, much buzzed about debut at SXSW in March and recently wrapping up her sold-out UK tour, Cher Lloyd (Syco/Epic Records) is back in support of the video premiere for her US debut single, “Want U Back.” The audacious single, is a perfect mix of sugar & spice, infused with Cher’s signature swag, creating pure ear-candy.

The video, which premieres May 1 on VEVO, exposes Cher’s inner Brat as she jealously pursues her ex-boyfriend exclaiming, “I want you back!” US fans will finally get what they have been asking for, “Want U Back” will be available for download on iTunes and other digital services on May 22nd.

Check out the video here: http://vevo.ly/IXt7dh

The press is buzzing about Cher:

Billboard names Cher Lloyd #7 most buzzed about show at SXSW!

“As British engagements with hip-hop and American pop go, it’s amusing and well-done. She’s featherlight, innocuous, and she’s the future.” – The New York Times

“‘Want U Back’ – Haven’t been able to get it out of our heads since we first heard it!” – Idolator

“…’Want U Back’ is simply sensational. In fact, it’s better than that it’s astonishing. Best song of the year so far! Hands down!” – OK! Magazine

“The British songstress, Cher Lloyd, is so badass, her ‘Want U Back’ single artwork couldn’t even begin to capture the entire essence of her swag!” – Global Grind

“Cher Lloyd is on the fast track for SUPERSTARDOM!” – Perez Hilton

The indomitable, Cher Lloyd burst onto the scene less than a year ago with her unforgettable vocals, rap skills and genre-bending X Factor UK performances garnering over a 400 million You Tube views, racking up more than 2.3 million Facebook fans and over 1.3 million Twitter followers. The 18 year-old phenom, co-wrote on her infectious UK debut garnering a #1 single with “Swagger Jagger” and a top five album for Sticks & Stones, which was released in November 2011. Cher is gearing up for her US album debut later in the year.

Image Courtesy  of   Beacon Radio

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Well known in the Afro-Punk community, singer, songwriter, record producer, musician, and rapper Santigold (formerly known as Santogold) is back in a big way with her sophomore album Master of My Make-Believe. Already out in the UK, the album will be released in the US May 1st.

Santi came onto the music scene first working as an A&R representative for Epic Records and then moved on to co-write and produce singer Res’ debut album How I Do. She later became the lead singer of the Philadelphia-based punk rock band Stiffed which released two albums Sex Sells (2003) and Burned Again (2005) until she was offered a solo contract by Martin Heath of Lizard King Records.

In 2007, her initial singles “Creator” and “L.ES. Artistes” were released and received attention from the online media  Her album Santogold debuted in 2008 and was critically acclaimed. To learn about Santigold and listen to her music, visit her website, myspace, Facebook, and Twitter pages.

Master of My Make-Believe is organic and intense as it brings a fresh energy and approach with its multi-generic influences, from the reggae fused “Disparate Youth” to the electronica sounds of “Freak Like Me.” The reggae influence is heavily spread throughout the record as most of the album was recorded in Jamaica.

Drums are also featured heavily on the record. On the track “This Isn’t Our Parade” a taiko drum takes center stage and becomes the heart of the song as it booms and flows smoothly along with Santigold’s voice.

Though her style has been compared to that of M.I.A-on her last record Santogold the comparison is somewhat understandable-on this new album there’s no comparison to make, as it is completely gone. Santigold has new sound and her unique voice shines as she holds her own being the only voice on all but one of the tracks. Though Santi shares vocal duties with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs Karen O. on the track “Go!,”  Santigold’s voice is front and center.

Besides featuring a remix of “Go!” and “Disparate Youth” on the deluxe CD, Santi divulges a new song entitled “Never Enough.”

The theme of Master of My Make-Believe is all about taking control of your environment, being the ruler of your own reality and Santigold masters that beautifully. Santigold has already begun to embark on another tour. Visit her website to see which city she will be heading to next to attend one of her shows and enjoy her music.

Rating: 5/5

Image Courtesy of   Santigold

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New York, U.S.A. – Roger Waters’ extraordinary production of The Wall has smashed attendance records in South America playing to over 750,000 fans across a record-breaking 15 open-air stadiums shows in Chile, Brazil and Argentina.

This is the largest number of stadium shows ever played in South America by an international artist on one tour. The South American leg of The Wall included a record breaking 9 sold out shows in Buenos Aires, River Plate Stadium, exceeding the previous record of 5 nights held by the Rolling Stones (see link below to photos of The Wall in River Plate Stadium).

The Wall, an aural and visual masterpiece, has so far played 150 shows for a gross of US $218M in 27 countries. Due to overwhelming popular demand, The Wall returns to North America in 2012 kicking off this weekend, April 27 and 28th, at the Foro Sol stadium in Mexico for a historic run of 41 performances at stadiums and arenas.

The U.S. and Canadian leg begins on May 1st at the Toyota Center in Houston, TXwith dates through July 14th at the Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA, including 2 nights at New York’s prestigious Yankee Stadium and 1 once-in-a-lifetime night at the world-famous Los Angeles Coliseum, for a total of 9 stadium shows. Tickets are available now at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com.

The Pollstar Music Industry Awards, as voted by the music industry, has honored Roger Waters and The Wall Live with two of the highest accolades – the coveted “Major Tour of the Year” and “Most Creative Stage Production” of 2010. The Wall also won the “Most Creative Stage Production” for a second consecutive year in 2011.

“The best arena show ever. Period.” New York Post

“The Wall Live is flawless. Everyone should see it once before they die.” Philadelphia Inquirer

For press shots of The Wall stadium show at River Plate Stadium, Buenos Aires, please visit:

URL:  http://rogerwatersmedia.com
Login:  TheWallLiveSA
Password:  SouthAmerica2012

Roger Waters The Wall – North American Tour Itinerary

Image Courtesy of   Roger Waters The Wall

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Santa Monica, CA, U.S.A. – Max Sound Corporation, an innovative technology company, that is changing how we listen to music, watch movies, play video games, experience television and communicate on our cell phones, announced a strategic partnership and newest major music industry adopters of the MAXD technology with the entertainment super producers, ROCK MAFIA.

Rock Mafia, is the record production/songwriting team, consisting of Tim James and Antonina Armato. Rock Mafia is credited for writing and producing for a great number of top pop and rock artists, such as Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey, Scotty McCreery, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, American Idol, Disney’s Hollywood Records and has a major label venture with Interscope Records.

People may think it’s easy to define Rock Mafia. A quick glance on Wikipedia tells us that Rock Mafia is one of the biggest pop production teams in the world, with over 50 million albums and 25 million singles sold, along with over 2 billion views on YouTube alone, a seemingly endless pop discography spanning the last decade with hits from Mariah Carey to Miley Cyrus to Selena Gomez. Upon closer inspection, however, there are a few surprises.

One may not know Rock Mafia also wrote and produced some of the biggest records on active rock radio over the past two years, including Sick Puppies’ number 1 single that ruled the Top 10 airwaves for over six months, “You’re Going Down,” to “Odd One,” “Maybe,” and “Riptide.”  Furthermore, following the reproduction and remix by Rock Mafia, Billy Ray Cyrus’ hit song, “Ready, Set, Don’t Go” peaked at number 2 on the country charts.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of them all was Rock Mafia’s debut release as an artist, “The Big Bang.”  The hit song sold over 500,000 in digital downloads independently, gained over 100 million streams as well as over 15 million views of their video on YouTube.

The team is currently hard at work on a Mixtape, rumored to be released sometime this summer, as well as putting the final touches on a groundbreaking animated video for their follow up single, “Fly or Die.” 2012 is shaping up to be better than ever for Rock Mafia.

The double platinum smash, “Love You Like a Love Song” by Selena Gomez, continues to enjoy worldwide success. In addition, their first European smash, “Friends” by Aura Dione featuring Rock Mafia, is currently the  #1 most played song on German radio and has gone top 5 in multiple countries.

“We feel that once every artist hears what MAXD can do for their music, they will want to utilize this incredible technology,” said Rock Mafia Co-Founder Tim James.

“TJ and Antonina are so full of passion for music and constantly speak of the culture, lifestyle, and making music to connect with millions of people.  Clearly, they’re less interested in finding formulas than they are making history. In this ‘strategic partnership’ Rock Mafia will use the Max Sound Technology for all their future projects.

Tim and Antonina were so impressed with MAXD Technology that the duo decided to join the company’s Advisory Board and become ’Brand Ambassadors’ for MAXD. Our Advisory board is proving to be the tipping point for introducing MAXD into music’s vertical markets where compressed degraded audio currently exists and where MAXD provides an unparalleled solution,” said John Blaisure, CEO of Max Sound Corporation.

Rock Mafia’s Co-founders and Music Industry Super Producers Tim James and Antonina Armato are the most recent additions to Max Sound Advisory Board, which includes some of the most influential and respected names in the music/entertainment industry.

They include Legendary Musician Mick Fleetwoodof Fleetwood Mac, Iconic Producer and Engineer Mark Needham, Strategic Artist Manager Carl Stubner, PR Mavens Sugar Rautbord and Lane Davis, Grammy Winner Producer/Songwriter Bradley Spalter, Academy Award Winning Feature Film Sound Designer Frank Serafine, Entertainment Lawyer Frank Correa, Westwood Music Owner Fred Walecki and CBS Radio Executives Todd Cavanah and Erik Bradley

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