Previous Artist Introductions

Berklee College of Music grad Todd Clouser is an impressive young guitarist and bandleader whose music draws from retro grooves, rock and modern jazz. The song, Curtis, from his album A Love Electric, features a sassy, brassy soulful groove framing his guitar lead.
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Mojo Mancini is comprised of five in-demand studio/live players John Leventhal, Shawn Pelton, Rick DePofi, Brian Mitchell and Conrad Korsch. A funky, hot groove married with technical instrumental proficiency…we’re please to present Carbulator, from their self-titled debut album.
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The Cal Payne Project features the aforementioned Cal on sax, with Steve Crumption on bass, Michael Burke on guitars, Jerome Korman on keys and Mark Manczuk on drums. The featured song, Cruise Control, features a sweet blend of sax and electric guitar leads, and brings some solid rock paint textures on jazz groove canvas.
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Cady Finlayson is a NYC-based Irish fidller who enjoys stretching the boundaries and exposing her music to wider audiences. When she met French guitarist Vita Tanga, she saw an opportunity to do just that. They began experimenting with some different sounds…including electric guitar with various pedal enhancements. The result was exciting enough that they decided it was time to push the record button! We’re very pleased to be able to share with your two songs from their collaborative effort Electric Green: Foggy Dew and Itchy Fingers

Sokoband is a jazz fusion trio from the Charlottesville, VA area with nearly 20 years of history under their belts. Tight musical performances and a strong melodic hook infuse their song Coast to Coast with a fun, sweet energy. It’s from their new self-titled album.

Luke Parkin blends various musical genres into his compositions…and he refers to the results as “classitronic” music. From his latest album, EST. MMIX, we’re presenting The Gathering Storm, with a moody groove that sounds like it could fit comfortably into the soundtrack of a modern movie Western.

Marcel Tiemensma is a classical guitarist from The Netherlands who has been performing for over 20 years throughout Europe, as well as the United States. We’re pleased to be able to share two very different pieces with you this time. From the album Sandcastles (inspired by his travels to Hawaii), the haunting sounds of Sunset. Then, from his most recent release, King David’s Way II, his joyous rendition of the classic church hymn Holy Holy Holy.

When I hear music described as minimalist or ambient, I usually run the other way. Too often, this music consists of weak musical ideas repeated ad infinitum. So I didn’t expect much when I switched on Ludovico Einaudi’s music. But I was more than pleasantly surprised! Minimalist it may be, but the basic musical ideas are just lovely, and the creative arrangements really bring it to life. Enjoy three songs from his Nightbook album: Indaco, Lady Labyrinth and Reverie.

I loved the description of Michael Bellar and the AS-IS Ensemble as “a highly excitable, improvisationally eclectic, alt-jazz group”. That really does give you a clue of what you’re in for. As with most jazz entities, the musicianship is top-notch, but the arrangements are tighter, more energetic and more accessible than most of the jazz I run across these days…almost as if they are on a mission, and are determined to take you along. From their album Turned On Turned Up, they’re sharing two pieces: All Things Rabbit and Fur Turban.

The Jason Parker Quartet calls their music “modern traditional jazz” and they are offering up this fresh take the jazz sound with the song Bashert from their album No More, No Less.

Saxophonist Charley Langer brings a sweet touch on the song Gray Skies, from his album Never The Same. And don’t miss the very tasty guitar solo starting @3:50.

Speaking of guitar, Larry Kinder of Larken Productions has a new album of his acoustic guitar creations called Castaway. He’s brought us the title cut to share with you.

Ann Sweeten creates some beautiful piano music…something in the space between new age and romantic piano. From her album Just This Side Of Spring, you can lose yourself in the Light From A Narrow Window.

And finally, Ray Jozwiak has a creative, eclectic piano style he refers to as “gonzo piano”. From the album For The Ride, he’s sharing two songs: Meteors and Mother Chi.

OK…so when asked about my favorite styles of music, KLEZMER isn’t usually near the top of the list. But, then again, I just heard The Alexandria Kleztet…and these guys (and a lady) from the D.C area turned my head. It definitely has “that klezmer feel” mixed in there…but it’s way more musically interesting than any klezmer I’ve heard before. And I suspect you’ll feel the same! The Kleztet is Seth Kibel (woodwinds), Helen Hausmann (violin), Tim Jarvis (percussion) and Scott Harlan (bass). Their new album is Peace, Love and Coffee…and they brought us two tunes to share with you: Bad Coffee (Builds Character) and Harmelodica Theory.

And as long as I’m in a confessional mode…I don’t tend to care a lot for most improvisational jazz, either. I like music that feels like it’s going someplace. But…once again, my preconceptions are shaken…by Sunna Gunnlaugs. For a lady from ICELAND who plays jazz piano, this is very warm music indeed…and there’s a significant “purposeful” quality to it. The instrumental performances are clear and confident…substantive rather than showy…and you truly do feel like you’re on a journey as you listen. Her latest album is Mindful, and she’s offered us the title track to share with you.

Grigor Iliev hails from Bulgaria and didn’t start to pursue music until his mid-teens…first on guitar, then discovering the piano. While his full-time occupation is computer science, his not-so-secret side passion is his modern classical piano compositions. He’s sharing a beautiful piece with us called The Lonely Ballerina.

The National Guitar Workshop features instruction by some truly amazing players. And you’d better be prepared for a master-class in the Blues before downloading Mr. H’s Blues, performed by Harry Jacobson. It just gets sweeter as it goes on…so be sure not to just file it away for later reference. Don’t miss the section between about 3 and 4.5 minutes in.

Cincinnati’s Kelly Richey Band is fronted by a flaming-red-haired woman who plays a flaming blues guitar…and no, it’s not Bonnie Raitt. You’ll love her blues-rock guitar chops, honed over more than 20 years of live playing. From the album Speechless, check out Is There Any Reason and Only The Bird Knows.

At only 21 years of age, Ólafur Arnalds is Iceland’s latest export. Having already sold out The Barbican Hall in London, toured major European festivals and opened for Sigur Rós on their most recent European tour…the future seems bright for this extraordinary talent. Arnalds’ music can only be described as achingly beautiful. He creates a world of delicate symphonic compositions. His music scales the heights perfected by the romantics. Yet by mixing strings and piano with loops and edgy beats it remains equally engaging to the contemporary ear. Check out 3055 and Ljósið from his self-titled album.

El Patapsco is an instrumental rock band from Baltimore, MD…influenced by the usual suspects like Link Wray, Dick Dale and the Ventures as well as contemporary instrumental bands like Man or Astroman, Laika and the Cosmonauts and The Shadowy Men from a Shadowy Planet. That being said, you can hear plenty of punk, reggae, rockabilly and jazz in their songs. They are also big fans of TV and film scores of all eras and often tinker around with Mancini and Morricone tunes as well as more modern stuff such as the Buffy the Vampire Slayer theme. They’ve brought us the title song from their L.R.D.G. album (Long Range Desert Group).

Wacky Southern Current is Marco Cervellin from Italy who, with a little help from his friend Gianni Garbo, recorded these songs at a farmer’s country house and this calm of the surrounding rural scenery had a lasting effect on the songs. Ageless Calm in Times of War contains references to diverse music genres, but also contemporary ambient sounds. They’ve brought us Watercolour.

Our latest addition is Morning Has Broken by Nat Kerr, who performed this song on The Piano Guy series on PBS. He’s one of Memphis’ hottest and most well-known keyboard players, and accompanies blues singer, Barbara Blue, during weekly performances at Silky O’Sullivans on world-famous Beale Street in Memphis. The song itself was a popular church hymn which has appeared in hymnbooks for many years…but was also recorded by Cat Stevens in 1971, becoming a top 10 pop hit in the U.S. in 1972.