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Arkansauce Independently Releases 5th Album, OK to Wonder, April 21

First Single “Up on The Shelf” Out Today

Premiered by Glide Magazine:

Strong lyricism, warm harmonies, and impressive solos abound throughout this track

Get it here → https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/arkansauce/up-on-the-shelf 

Arkansauce
Photo by Phil Clarkin

FAYETTEVILLE, AR — Arkansauce is excited to independently release their 5th album, OK to Wonder, on April 21. The melodies of the Ozark Mountains’ rolling hills and raging rivers can be heard in this progressive string quartet’s distinct blend of newgrass. Arkansauce is Tom Andersen on bass, guitarist Zac Archuleta, Ethan Bush on mandolin, and Adams Collins on banjo. Their music features improvisational string leads matched with complex melodies, intriguing rhythms, and deep thumping bass grooves. Each member sings lead and harmony parts as well as contributes to the lyrics, which offer authentic, intelligent songwriting with hard-hitting hooks. 

OK to Wonder is filled with songs of revelry, wonder, insight, and whimsy—inspired not only from their home state of Arkansas, but also throughout their travels. “We are a band that spends most of our time in the back of a van hurtling toward long nights, good times, and a destiny unknown,” says Ethan. “Our inspiration is gathered by events unfolding in our own adventures in real time. These days, the desire to create, inspire, and redefine within our scene seems to be the main driving force behind our music. From a young age we were huge fans of live music and were introduced to a lot of great music by our families.”

Music Mecca’s Spencer Nachman calls them a “fiery, finger-picking string band… What is apparent at any Arkansauce show is their positivity and desire to uplift the audience’s spirit, no matter the circumstance.”  Americana UK’s Tim Newby writes, “Their take on bluegrass, which is forward-thinking yet still adhering to a traditional model, is powered by their creative and technically challenging arrangements.”

OK to Wonder ‘s 11 tracks were recorded in Fayetteville at Crisp Recording Studio with engineer Darren Crisp, James Tuttle [Leftover Salmon, The String Cheese Incident, Hot Rize, Michael Franti, Cary Morin] on the mix, and Brad Sarno [Son Volt, Jay Farrar] for the mastering.

Beginning with the upbeat “Up on the Shelf,” which Ethan describes as, “a rowdy song about a wild night out and gradually became a much more in depth picture of the ups and downs of a relationship; I aimed to maintain the spirit of the original concept, while trying to depict the stress that partnerships may bring through an honest and unique lens.”

Big City Chicken” harnesses the creative insights gathered during the first few weeks of pandemic quarantine, setting a pulsing, contemplative feel until it reaches a breaking point mid-song and everything turns around into a delightful trip as they celebrate getting back on tour. “First Night of the Tour recalls the “rules of the road,” a fun reminder that “Everybody knows that you don’t unload the very first night of the tour.”

Other songs include an ambitious and stimulating “Coldiron,” the Hartford-esque “How Time Flies,” and the hard drivin’ “My Home in Arkansas.” “I’ll Be Yours gives encouragement to the underdogs of the world, while the empathetic and anthemic “Early Bird” shines and welcomes you to join in. 

Bim Batta,” with its 80s electro/hip-hop flair, is the first of three instrumentals on the album composed by Adams who says, “At some point, I became obsessively interested in how a four-piece bluegrass group might emulate various styles of drum grooves and rhythms.” “The Funky Gorilla” leans into Stanton Moore’s New Orleans funk approach and a delightful “Air Bender” completes the album with its undulating banjo transporting the listener on a magical country western jaunt.

Previous albums include All Day Long (2015), Hambone (2016), If I Were You (2017), and Maybe Someday (2019). The band has extensive roots in their home state of Arkansas (winning the 2021 Arkansas Best Bluegrass Artist of the Year in the Arkansas Country Music Awards) as well as out in the wider bluegrass, Americana, and festival music scenes.  

Having played shows from California to Connecticut over the last several years in addition to two tours in Europe, the band is no stranger to the road. They supported Yonder Mountain String Band for a leg of their summer tour in 2019, played mainstage spots on festivals with bands (including but not limited to) Greensky Bluegrass, Railroad Earth, The Del McCoury Band, Billy Strings, Leftover Salmon, Tauk, The Wood Brothers, and shared the stage with the legendary Sam Bush as a guest.  

For more information and news from the road, please visit www.arkansauce music.com, www.facebook.com/Arkansauce.Music, www.instagram.com/arkansaucemusic, and www.youtube.com/@arkansaucemusic314.

OK to Wonder Track Listing
1. Up on the Shelf 4:25 (Bush)
2. Big City Chicken 6:31 (Bush)
3. First Night of the Tour 3:29  (Bush)
4. Coldiron 5:42 (Bush)
5. Bim Batta 4:44 (Collins)
6. I’ll Be Yours 4:32 (Bush)
7. Early Bird 4:58 (Archuleta)
8. The Funky Gorilla 5:09 (Collins)
9. How Time Flies 4:48 (Bush)
10. My Home in Arkansas 4:11 (Andersen)
11. Air Bender 4:58 (Collins)

Ethan Bush – Mandolin, Vox on 1,3,4,6,7,9,10
Adams Collins – Banjo, Vox on 1,3,4,6,8,10, Piano on 7
Zac Archuleta – Guitar, Vox on 1,7,9 
Tom Andersen – Bass, Vox on 1,3,4,6,7,9,10

Arkansauce Tour Dates

https://arkansaucemusic.com/tour

3/03 Fri – Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, MN
3/04 Sat – Appleton Beer Factory – Appleton, WI
3/08 Wed – High Noon Saloon – Madison, WI
3/09 Thu – Golden Dagger – Chicago, IL
3/10 Fri – Granada Theatre – Mount Vernon, IL
3/22 Wed – Hop Springs Beer Park – Murfreesboro, TN
3/23 Thu – Barley’s – Knoxville, TN
3/24 Fri – Charleston Pour House – Charleston, SC
3/28 Tue – The Camel – Richmond, VA
3/29 Wed – The Southern – Charlottesville, VA
3/31 Fri – Best Booth Bash – Ridgeway, IA
4/2 Sun – Parkway Brewing – Salem, VA
4/13 Thu – Belly Up – Solana Beach, CA*
4/14 Fri – Crescent Ballroom – Phoenix, AZ*
4/15 Sat – 191 Toole – Tucson, AZ*
4/16 Sun – Yucca North – Flagstaff, AZ*
4/21 Fri – Beer City Music Hall – Oklahoma City, OK
4/22 Sat – Backwoods Music Festival – Ozark, AR
4/27 Thu – 123 Pleasant St. – Morgantown, WV
4/28 Fri – Some Kind of Jam – Kempton, PA
4/29 Sat – Private Wedding – Roanoke, VA
4/30 Sun – House Show – Lynchburg, VA
5/06 Sat – Record Bar – Kansas City, MO
5/12 Fri – Sustain Art & Music Festival – French Lick, IN
5/19 Fri – FreshGrass – Bentonville, AR
5/25 Thu – The Lariat – Buena Vista, CO
5/26 Fri – Cervantes Other Side – Denver, CO
5/28 Sun – McAwesome Fest – Castle Rock, CO
6/02 Fri – Dixie Center for the Arts – Ruston, LA
6/15 Thu – Ozark Mountain Soul Fest – Eureka Springs, AR
6/17 Sat – Survivor’s Ball – Lonedell, MO
6/23 Fri – Argentina Vibes – North Little Rock, AR
7/14 Fri – ABQ Biopark Zoo – Albuquerque, NM
8/5 Sat – Keystone Bluegrass & Beer – Keystone, CO
8/6 Sun – Rhythm on the Rio – Del Norte, CO
8/11-12 Fri-Sat – Lovegrass Music Festival – Wilson Lake, KS
* w/ The Brothers Comatose

THE 5TH SUWANNEE SPRING REUNION

MARCH 23-26, 2023

SPIRIT OF THE SUWANNEE MUSIC PARK IN LIVE OAK, FLORIDA

FEATURING 
The Infamous Stringdusters featuring Molly Tuttle 

Sam Bush – Leftover Salmon – Steep Canyon Rangers 
The Earls of Leicester – Peter Rowan – Donna the Buffalo – Sierra Hull
Keller Williams – Jim Lauderdale – Jon Stickley Trio – and more!

DAILY SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
Tickets on sale atwww.suwanneespringreunion.com  

LIVE OAK, FL — Suwannee Spring Reunion takes place Thursday through Sunday, March 23-26, 2023 at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (SOSMP) in Live Oak, FL. Suwannee Spring Reunion is truly a gem of a festival where festival goers experience four days and nights of music rooted in Americana, newgrass, bluegrass, folk, blues, and more. Slip into Spring in the most fabulous of ways—making memories with friends old and new while gathering under the gorgeous, mossy live oak trees in this picturesque setting in the midst of a friendly, family-style environment! 

Suwannee Spring Reunion will feature music on multiple stages including the beloved tree lined Amphitheater Stage, the Porch Stage, the Dance Tent Stage, and the Music Hall Stage. There will be workshops by a wide range of performers at the festival on the Music Farmers Stage, jam sessions at Slopryland and Bill Monroe Shrine, as well as pickin’ parties throughout the campgrounds. The Vending Village will feature a wide variety of arts and crafts, as well as culinary pleasures, with a strong emphasis on original creations and unique items sure to satisfy all.  

We are thrilled to announce the full schedule of events → suwanneespringreunion.com/schedule

Thursday: Sierra Hull performs the sunset slot on the Amphitheater Stage, preceded by Peter Rowan and followed with a Leftover Salmon late-night set. Armchair Boogie kicks off the festival music at 4pm! Others performing Thursday include John Mailander’s Forecast, Mile Twelve, and Hattie & Joe Craven on the Porch Stage. 

Free Range Strange and Sloppy Joe will be performing Thursday sets on the Music Hall Stage. 

Friday sees Sam Bush,The Earls of Leicester, Keller Williams, Donna the Buffalo, Big Richard, Caleb Caudle and more on The Amphitheater and Porch Stages. Jon Stickley Trio closes out the night on the Porch, followed by another late-night set with Leftover Salmon on the Amphitheater Stage. Two other stages open on Friday—The Dance Tent and Music Farmers Stages—bring more music from Peter Rowan, Armchair Boogie, Roy Book Binder, The Grass in Dead, The Ain’t Sisters, Shawn Camp & Verlon Thompson doing the songs of Guy Clark, Nikki Talley & Jason Sharp, Mile Twelve, Sloppy Joe, and Quartermoon

The Music Farmers Stage will have hands-on workshops with Rev Jeff Mosier (banjo), Jared Womack (Dobro), Hattie & Joe Craven (‘Singing with Soul’), Tom Nelly (guitar), and Roy Book Binder (blues guitar). 

Saturday is just as stacked between the five stages. The Infamous Stringdusters featuring Molly Tuttle will play the Amp Stage evening slot, preceded by the Steep Canyon Rangers and followed by a  late-night set with Donna the Buffalo. We’ll see daytime Amphitheater Stage sets by Jon Stickley Trio (they’ll also be late-night on the Dance Tent Stage), Big Richard (also post-sunset on Dance Tent Stage), Hattie & Joe Craven (also on the Dance Tent Stage), and Medicine Springs. Others performing through the festival include Rev Jeff Mosier Ensemble, Jim Lauderdale with Donna the Buffalo, Habanero Honeys, Lee Hunter & The Gatherers, and further music from Verlon Thompson (including a set with Jim Lauderdale on the Music Hall Stage), Roy Book Binder, Free Range Strange, Caleb Caudle, Nikki Talley & Jason Sharp, Shawn Camp, and Quartermoon

Workshops for Saturday include Brett Bass (Building Speed for Bluegrass Guitar), Barry Sager (harmonica), Tom Nelly (guitar), workshop with Joe Craven and a Sloppy Joe Jam set. 

Tania & Magic Moon Traveling Circus will host a Kids Talent Show Saturday morning on the Music Farmers Stage. 

Vassar Sunday brings it all in reunion-style and, as always, Donna the Buffalo will host the closing jam on The Amphitheater Stage– bringing up a plethora of guest performers who performed through the weekend. Sunday brings full sets by Jim Lauderdale Band, Verlon Thompson & John Mailander, Rev Jeff Mosier Ensemble, The Grass Is Dead, The Ain’t Sisters, Belle & The Band, Roy Book Binder, Nikki Talley & Jason Sharp, and Quartermoon. Tania & The Moon Tunes opens with the morning slot on the Amphitheater Stage with fantastic kids performances.

Serendipitous moments seem to spring forth like wildflowers and so many of these incredible musicians have been returning to the park for a long time, often referring to it as a “Soul Retreat” of sorts. It is called a “reunion” for a reason and because of that there’s always an exciting amount of “surprise” stage collaborations between the musicians performing! 

The woods light up to the sounds of campground pickin’ and performers can often be found joining right along with attendees around the campfires. The park itself is a place where kids of all ages can remember why they fell in love with the magic mixture of sights, sounds, and sensations that constitutes a weekend of paradise that is the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. Matching the history on the stage, longtime park hosts, Beth and Randy Judy, are partnering with the Spirit of the Suwannee to make sure that every piece needed to make an epic weekend of music and fun is in place and ready to write the new entries for this new legend. Suwannee Spring Reunion (and its sister festival Suwannee Roots Revival which takes place in October) hold the space for a special couple of music-filled weekends to look forward to and back upon with laughter and love in your heart.

Tickets are on sale now. Suwannee Spring Reunion offers a multi-day Weekend Ticket that includes festival admission for four days of music, as well as primitive camping on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. Children 12 and under are free if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Advance Tier 4 Tickets are on sale now, priced at $200 (includes fees and taxes). Student /Military Early Bird are $185 (includes fees and taxes). Prices advance to Tier 5 on Monday, March 6, so get your tickets now! An additional event car pass is now required to bring a car into the campground—Advance Car Pass: $15 or $20 at the Gate. For complete ticket information and to purchase tickets, visit www.suwanneespringreunion.com/Tickets/.

SOSMP offers guest comforts including a general store, full service restaurant, free showers, indoor bathrooms, and water stations. Upgraded camping, including RV hook ups and cabin rentals, as well as golf cart rentals are currently on sale. Reservations may be made by calling the Park office at (386) 364­-1683. SOSMP is located between Jacksonville, Florida & Tallahassee, Florida about 30 minutes south of the Georgia State line, about 45 minutes north of Gainesville and is host to a variety of events. Please visit the park’s web site at www.musicliveshere.com for further information. 

Suwannee Spring Reunion 2023 Lineup

The Infamous Stringdusters featuring Molly Tuttle
Sam Bush
Leftover Salmon
Steep Canyon Rangers
The Earls of Leicester
Peter Rowan
Donna the Buffalo
Sierra Hull
Keller Williams
Jim Lauderdale
Jon Stickley Trio
Verlon Thompson
Shawn Camp
Roy Book Binder
Rev Jeff Mosier Ensemble
The Grass Is Dead
Big Richard
Hattie Craven & Joe Craven
John Mailander’s Forecast
Armchair Boogie
Caleb Caudle
Mile Twelve
The Ain’t Sisters
Medicine Springs
Lee Hunter & The Gatherers
Nikki Talley & Jason Sharp
Quartermoon
Sloppy Joe
Belle & The Band
Free Range Strange
Habanero Honeys
Tania & Magic Moon Traveling Circus

For more information, tickets, and to reserve camping, please visit www.suwanneespringreunion.com

Bill Scorzari Releases 3 Acoustic Singles to Accompany ‘The Crosswinds of Kansas’

I – 70 East (Acoustic)Out THIS FRIDAY February 17

The Broken Heart Side of the Road (Acoustic) – AVAILABLE NOW! 

Multnomah Falls (Acoustic)Out March 10

HUNTINGTON, NY —  With a rich, raspy voice and a remarkable ear for lyrics and composition, prolific songwriter Bill Scorzari is thrilled to release three acoustic versions of songs featured on his most recent album, The Crosswinds of Kansas (Independently Released Aug 2022): “The Broken Heart Side of the Road (Acoustic),” “I-70 East (Acoustic),” and “Multnomah Falls (Acoustic).” 

“Now that we’ve started a new year (Happy New Year!), it’s great to be able to look back at the good things that have come out of all of the effort we put into The Crosswinds of Kansas… It’s been a long road and I’m so grateful to everyone who has made it all possible,” says Bill. “As a thank you to everyone who has listened to and enjoyed the songs, I decided to release new versions of three tracks from the album, which I’ve re-recorded in a singer-songwriter style, with just acoustic guitar and vocals.”

The album was listed in Americana UK’s Top Albums of 2022! Mark Whitfield writes, The simple use of imagery and clever phraseology make it a very poignant record at times… The pain on some tracks is visceral in its honesty—and Scorzari’s voice is the perfect match for these substantial songs.” 

Today (2/13), Americana UK premiered “1-70 East (Acoustic)” here: https://americana-uk.com/track-premiere-bill-scorzari-i-70-east-acoustic 

Bill Scorzari has captured the sonic embodiment of the Tolkien quote ‘not all who wander are lost’ with each album he’s released, yet The Crosswinds of Kansas bleeds this sentiment with each chord and word. The vivid storytelling balances delicately on masterful musicianship to create a massively memorable album,” writes Nanobot Rock in their Top 10 Discoveries of 2022.

These stripped down versions reflect more of what seeing Bill perform live and solo is like, and had been requested by a handful of terrestrial radio stations. Recorded at his First Thunder Recording Studio in Huntington, NY, the abridged songs were mastered by Jim DeMain at Yes Master Studio in Nashville in 2022.

The Broken Heart Side of the Road (Acoustic)” is the first of the three songs released—Hear it now at  https://billscorzari.hearnow.com/i-70-east-acoustic. Glide Magazine premiered the album version and wrote, “With its melancholy tone, Scorzari lends his gritty vocals to a work of dark Americana roots music…  a song that carries a stirring energy and a haunting tale.” Americana Highways’ John Apice wrote, “‘The Broken Heart Side of the Road,’ is pure Bill. Precise, an impressive composition that’s subtle & striking. Bullseye.” 

“I-70 East (Acoustic)” will be out February 17. Americana Highways’s Melissa Clarke calls it a, “song of the anguished parallels between an elderly mother fading and passing on, and a lover’s betrayal. He’s captured such pain. And the beauty of a Rose.” 

Multnomah Falls (Acoustic)weaves a chronicle of a rainy day’s hike into an account of the trials of change and transcendence. It will be out March 10. 

FervorCoulee’s Donald Tepylske says, “The poetic rhythm of Scorzari’s lyrics is most impressive… Scorzari doesn’t do conventional… Each song envelopes the listener, sharing its secrets and truths.” Jim Hynes of Glide Magazine seems to concur, “To be sure, one needs solitude to appreciate his literate craft, a blend of prose and poetry put to music, a Walt Whitman of sorts for our times… With Scorzari, one hangs not just onto every word, but just about every breath.” 

We hope that listeners will be as moved by the acoustic renditions as these folks were by the originals. Bill has also started working on a new album! It is too early to say when it might be finished; so stay tuned to Bill’s social media for more information as things start to gather momentum and move forward.

More about Bill Scorzari: Born and raised in New York, Bill transformed his life as a New York Trial Attorney to a new life as a full-time musician beginning around 2011. He has independently released four studio albums including 2014’s Just the Same, 2017’s Through These Waves (Produced by Jonah Tolchin at The Bomb Shelter in Nashville), 2019’s Now I’m Free (Produced by Neilson Hubbard at Skinny Elephant Recording in Nashville), and The 2022’s Crosswinds of Kansas (Co-Produced with Neilson Hubbard at First Thunder Recording and Skinny Elephant Recording). Some of the musical artists that can be heard on Bill’s albums include Fats Kaplin, Eamon McLoughlin, Matt Menefee, Will Kimbrough, Michael Rinne, Dan Mitchell, Juan Solarzano, Brent Burke, Marie Lewey, Cindy Richardson Walker, Joachim Cooder, Kim Richie, Chris Scruggs, Laur Joamets, Jonah Tolchin, Erin Rae, John Estes, and Kyle Tuttle, among others.

Scorzari’s music has been well received by the press over the years with nods from those mentioned above in addition to Billboard, Acoustic Guitar, No Depression, The Bluegrass Situation, The Boot, Music City Magazine, Music Mecca, Making A Scene!, The Aquarian Weekly’s Rant ‘n’ Roll, Country Standard Time, The Alternate Root, DittyTV, Beyond A Song, Australia’s Listening Through The Lens, Alt Country Netherlands, and more.   

His music can be heard on the airwaves across the country and beyond! The Crosswinds of Kansas made a handful of DJs’ Year End Lists including KPFA Radio’s Tim Lynch, XPN’s Chuck Elliot, KVMR’s Kim Rogers, WFPK’s Michael Young, and WWSP’s Jim Canales. In 2022, Bill did in depth interviews with WVTF’s Luke Church, Beyond A Song’s Rich Reardin, High Plains Public Radio’s This Is the Place with host Jenny Inzerilo, and The Long Island Sound Podcast with Steve Yusko. The Crosswinds of Kansas peaked at #4 on the Alt. Country Specialty Chart, hit #36 on the Folk DJ Chart, and #85 on The Americana Music Chart. Some of Scorzari’s top spins come from Americana Boogie Radio; WBCM in Bristol, VA; WVMO in Madison, WI; KNOW in St Paul, MN; and KSYM in San Antonio, TX. 

If you have not yet heard The Crosswind of Kansas, listen here https://billscorzari.hearnow.com/the-crosswinds-of-kansas.  
For more information, updates and tour dates, visit ww

ANNOUNCING THE 5TH SUWANNEE SPRING REUNION

MARCH 23-26, 2023

THE SPIRIT OF SUWANNEE MUSIC PARK IN LIVE OAK, FLORIDA

FEATURING 
The Infamous Stringdusters featuring Molly Tuttle 
Sam Bush – Leftover Salmon – Steep Canyon Rangers The Earls of Leicester – Peter Rowan – Donna the Buffalo – Sierra HullKeller Williams – Jim Lauderdale – Jon Stickley Trio – and more!

Early Bird Tickets on sale now atwww.suwanneespringreunion.com  

LIVE OAK, FL — Suwannee Spring Reunion takes place Thursday through Sunday, March 23-26, 2023 at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (SOSMP) in Live Oak, FL. Slip into Spring in the most fabulous of ways—making memories with friends old and new while gathering under the gorgeous, mossy live oak trees in this picturesque setting for four days and nights of music rooted in Americana, newgrass, bluegrass, folk, blues, and more!

Suwannee Spring Reunion is excited to announce the 2023 lineup which features The Infamous Stringdusters featuring Molly Tuttle, Sam Bush, Leftover Salmon, Steep Canyon Rangers, The Earls of Leicester, Peter Rowan, Donna the Buffalo, Sierra Hull, Keller Williams, Jim Lauderdale, Jon Stickley Trio, Verlon Thompson, Roy Book Binder, Rev Jeff Mosier Ensemble, The Grass Is Dead, Big Richard, Hattie Craven & Joe Craven, John Mailander’s Forecast, Armchair Boogie, Caleb Caudle, Mile Twelve, The Ain’t Sisters, Medicine Springs, Lee Hunter & The Gatherers, Nikki Talley & Jason Sharp, Quartermoon, Sloppy Joe, Belle & The Band, Free Range Strange, Habanero Honeys, and Tania & Magic Moon Traveling Circus.

Suwannee Spring Reunion will feature music on multiple stages including the beloved tree lined Amphitheater Stage, the Porch Stage, the Dance Tent Stage, and the Music Hall. There will be workshops by a wide range of performers at the festival on the Music Farmers Stage, jam sessions at Slopryland and Bill Monroe Shrine, as well as pickin’ parties throughout the campgrounds. 

This family-friendly festival has a lot of fun for the little ones too! Complete with a kids area tucked accessibly into the woods, with open areas for running, and a kids parade at the end of the weekend led by Tania & Magic Moon Traveling Circus. The Vending Village will feature a wide variety of arts and crafts, as well as culinary pleasures, with a strong emphasis on original creations and unique items sure to satisfy all.  

The park itself is a place where kids of all ages can remember why they fell in love with the magic mixture of sights, sounds, and sensations that constitutes a weekend of paradise that is the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. Matching the history on the stage, longtime park hosts, Randy and Beth Judy, are partnering with the Spirit of the Suwannee to make sure that every piece needed to make an epic weekend of music and fun is in place and ready to write the new entries for this new legend.

Americana UK writer, Mike Fiorito, writes “Making our way into the park… I was immediately struck by the beauty of the place: majestic cypresses and oaks draped with Spanish moss and swaying in the breeze… There is an air of joy and familiarity about the whole thing. People come together for one reason: to listen to fantastic music acts in a beautiful environment. There were all kinds of people at the event: older people, younger people, families, hippies, Deadheads, men, women, and children.” 

MusicFestNews’ Betsie Green calls it, “a festival all about the love of roots music and the people who make and support that music. From the epic campfire jams to the small and intimate workshops, there was an abundance of opportunities to be IN the music. This is true for the festivillians and musicians alike. Being able to get up close and personal with the music in such an open and collaborative environment sets a standard that most other festivals can only dream of.” 

You can feel the musical history floating through the air and you have people full of intention, both onstage and out in the crowd that are there with respect for the past but also there for the now,” says Live And Listen’s Brett Hutchins

Suwannee Spring Reunion (and its sister festival Suwannee Roots Revival which takes place in October) hold the space for a special couple of music-filled weekends to look forward to and back upon with laughter and love in your heart. Many of the artists look forward to returning each year just as much as the attendees! The atmosphere and the people that gather are uplifting and warmhearted—the perfect end caps to the long festival season. 

Tickets are on sale now. Suwannee Spring Reunion offers a multi-day Weekend Ticket that includes festival admission for four days of music, as well as primitive camping on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. Children 12 and under are free if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Tier 2 Early Bird Tickets are on sale now through Wednesday, December 14th priced at $155 (includes fees and taxes). Student /Military Early Bird are $144 (includes fees and taxes). Tier 3 Early Bird Ticket price of $175 ($160 military/Student) begins Thursday, Dec 15. Get your tickets before the Early Bird Tier2 ends! An additional event car pass is now required to bring a car into the campground—Advance Car Pass: $15 or $20 at the Gate. For complete ticket information and to purchase tickets, visit www.suwanneespringreunion.com/Tickets/.

SOSMP offers guest comforts including a general store, full service restaurant, free showers, indoor bathrooms, and water stations. Upgraded camping, including RV hook ups and cabin rentals, as well as golf cart rentals are currently on sale. Reservations may be made by calling the Park office at (386) 364­-1683. SOSMP is located between Jacksonville, Florida & Tallahassee, Florida about 30 minutes south of the Georgia State line, about 45 minutes north of Gainesville and is host to a variety of events. Please visit the park’s web site at www.musicliveshere.com for further information.

Suwannee Spring Reunion 2023 Lineup

The Infamous Stringdusters featuring Molly Tuttle

Sam Bush

Leftover Salmon

Steep Canyon Rangers

The Earls of Leicester

Peter Rowan

Donna the Buffalo

Sierra Hull

Keller Williams

Jim Lauderdale

Jon Stickley Trio

Verlon Thompson

Roy Book Binder

Rev Jeff Mosier Ensemble

The Grass Is Dead

Big Richard

Hattie Craven & Joe Craven

John Mailander’s Forecast

Armchair Boogie

Caleb Caudle

Mile Twelve

The Ain’t Sisters

Medicine Springs

Lee Hunter & The Gatherers

Nikki Talley & Jason Sharp

Quartermoon

Sloppy Joe

Belle & The Band

Free Range Strange

Habanero Honeys

Tania & Magic Moon Traveling Circus

For more information, tickets, and to reserve camping, please visit www.suwanneespringreunion.com

The Company Stores Independently Release The Family Album
Produced by Galactic’s Robert Mercurio
OUT TODAY – Sept 23, 2022→
https://thecompanystores.hearnow.com/the-family-album  

The Family Album captures those moments of magic…
From endearing to personal and taking that party up a notch.
From their hearts to your soul via your listening device.
Please listen to this on a proper stereo.”
Jammerzine Exclusive: An Interview + Album Premiere, Ryan Martin

The album had me from the opening track, ‘Savannah,’ which could have easily been on a Steely Dan record (notably the guitar parts), by way of the jazz group Return to Forever. The vocals by Ileana Ille glide over the instrumentation much like those of Return to Forever’s first vocalist, Flora Purim, did. Ille’s vocals are but one of the many textured layers that blend together in unexpected ways.”
No Depression, Amos Perrine

“…a whirling musical milieu… Complete with horns to punctuate the high points’”
Americana Highways, Melissa Clarke, Song Premiere: “A New Leaf” 

“The Latin-influenced ‘Maria’ … is about relationships and patterns and is soundtrack-ready. Indeed, you can almost envision it as a theme song to a TV show…” —HVY, Will Phoenix

Watch the Official “Ways” Music Video

CHARLESTON, WV — With Horns, Strings, & Soaring Vocals, The Company Stores release The Family Album today, September 23. The album has received notable mentions in Bass Musician Magazine, No Depression, Beehive Candy, and a slot in Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine’s September ‘Trail Mix’ Playlist; as well as premieres in JamBase, Americana Highways, and Jammerzine. No Depression’s Amos Perrine says, “This Charleston-based band has been making a lot of noise during the past few years. I first saw them six years ago at a one-day festival where they blew much bigger names off the stage. Not in loudness, but rather the quality of their songs and their intricate arrangements.” 

This album tells a story of everything being turned upside down; both personally and across the country,” says Matthew Marks, the primary songwriter for the band.  “It is about family and understanding the triumphs, failures, tendencies, and choices of the people who came before, in order to understand how to successfully navigate where you are going.” 

The Company Stores had plans to hit the road hard, raise funds, and save to record their new album in 2020, then all plans got curtailed and almost all of their live shows and side jobs were canceled due to the pandemic. The songs were written during a time of personal havoc for Marks after his engagement had ended and he moved to his family farm, where he still resides, in March 2020 to help with his Grandad who was dying of lung cancer. While first there, he did a deep dive into his family history and roots lending to the content and mood of the album. They were able to start recording in mid-2021 after a year-long pause once things seemed safe for travel again. 

Ileana Ille

The Company Stores features lead vocalist Ileana Ille’s stunning voice as she captivates the audience with her ability to express raw emotion. Ille says, “I am honored that The Company Stores chose my voice as a vehicle to express the stories in The Family Album. Each song is a collection of the people who have shaped us and the times that made us. I hope the listeners are able to connect with the musicality, storytelling, and creativity and feel at home when they listen to it.

The Company Stores unites many influences to lay down bold grooves amidst dynamic crescendos. In addition to collaborating with Marks on song arrangements, their key/vibes/trombone player Matthew Jackfert, works as a classical broadcaster/composer and host of All Things Considered at WV Public Broadcasting (and he and his family will appear on Family Feud in mid-October). Their music is brimming with beautiful orchestral soundscapes, soaring harmonies, strings, horns, electronic textures, and a tight rhythm section including bassist Michael Micucci, Joseph Cevallos on violin/trumpet, and John Query on drums.

The Family Album was produced by Robert Mercurio, bassist for New Orleans funk legends Galactic. The instrumentation was recorded by Julian Dreyer at Echo Mountain Recording in Asheville, NC. Mercurio stepped in as engineer to record the vocal parts at Galactic’s Number C Studio in New Orleans—including bringing in the Josh Kagler Choral Group to enhance the choruses on much of the album. The album was mixed and mastered by Mikael “Count” Eldridge [Trombone Shorty, DJ Shadow, The Revivalists]. 

Mercurio says, “As a producer, I feel like I saw this band grow immensely as songwriters though the process of making this album. We started working on it before the pandemic, and with their downtime they put in the work it takes to make great songs. Illy blossomed into the rock star she now is—crushing the vocals on every take. I’m very proud of the final product and had a blast working with all of them.” Along with his own band, Mercurio has production credits with an impressive list of artists including Big Freedia, Lyrics Born, and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe.

With keys and vibes at the front, the album opens with “Savannah,” which alternates from dark and melancholy to upbeat and happy verses. Marks says, “This song is about my best and worst day in Savannah, GA. The verse is written in present time, on a day I was on tour and just found out my engagement to my fiancé had ended. The pre-chorus and chorus is me remembering my best day, when we got engaged on vacation in Savannah, GA.”

Press Shots by The Oberports 
Album Artwork by Chris Woodall 

The fiery “A New Leaf,” the second track as well as second single, explores negative patterns in life, with the lyrics, “Damn… what a year. Sucker punched me to the next hemisphere… And now I’m waking up thunderstruck. Right in front of God and everyoneBut now…clarity… A view from the floor that I had to see myself for sure. To turn over a new leaf…” 

With its rockin’ country western vibe “Ways,” the album’s lead single, continues on this theme, but sees the narrator start to recognize how choices made have developed these patterns of behavior that produce similar outcomes. “These old ways ain’t the best ways, just the ones I know… Trails blazed over time in my mind are deciding where I go… Now I gotta find peace of mind, redefine my life…”  “Ways” also sees special guests Walter DeBarr [Song of the Year in Minnesota 2021, William Elliot Whitmore] and Jodi Hall (also on “A New Leaf”) on backing vocals. “Ways” is dedicated to DeBarr, known for his soulful songwriting and deep raspy voice, who sadly passed away shortly after recording with the band.

Maria” sees someone trapped in comparisons of old relationships and incorporates Latin styles and instruments including Flamenco Guitar, Spanish Trumpet, Latin Bird Flute, Congas, Bongos, Timbales, and Talking Drum. 

Old Dog” is told from two perspectives; it has a hip hop flare on the verses—the “Old Dog” who is stuck in the past, afraid of change, and fighting the future and getting old—and heavy guitars and horns on the chorus—the “Boy” who is bluntly saying “stop barking at the shadows.” Jammerzine says of it, “Originality and presence collide in glorious splendor and raucous attitude to define our day and redefine our listening preferences. This is music.” 

Set in the minor key, “Fathers” looks into how mistakes made can be passed down for generations, stuck in a cycle and an ethereal “Blue Tide” calls out to explore the dark depths of oneself. A rock opera, “There Went The Neighborhood” is followed by the progressive “American Dream Girl.” “Some Sunday,” composed and written by Micucci, has a R&B flavor, with a focus on bass and groove. The album closes with a southern rock gospel ambience in “Castles & Cain.

The name “The Company Stores” is a throwback to the old coal mines of West Virginia referring to the store in Appalachian coal towns during the 19th and 20th century where workers were paid in coal money or “scrip,” leaving them with no exit from working the mines. This name not only shows the bands heritage, but also the gritty feel of their music and the meaning behind many of their songs about the struggles of the common man.

“Together we spent countless quarantine hours writing and the rehearsal room, growing as songwriters and musicians, and are getting excited to present what we think will be our greatest record to date.” The Family Album is preceded by Little Lights (2017), also recorded at Echo Mountain Studio in Asheville, and their local debut Rollin’ In (2014). 

Stream/ Order The Family Album at https://thecompanystores.hearnow.com/the-family-album.   

The Company Stores – The Family Album – Track Listing
1. Savannah (4:08)
2. A New Leaf (3:31
3. Ways (3:47)
4. Maria (5:53)
5. Old Dog (4:58)*
6. Fathers (4:07)*
7. Blue Tide (3:47)
8. There Went The Neighborhood (2:43)*
9. American Dream Girl (3:32)
10. Some Sunday (3:58)
11. Castles & Cain (3:54)
*FCC Warning: please note explicit language
Radio edited versions are available for “Old Dog” and “There Went The Neighborhood”

The Company Stores Tour Dates 
10/15 Sat – Spirits in the Sky Fest @ The Bullock Distillery – Charleston, WV
10/28 Fri – Martin’s – Jackson, MS
10/29 Sat – Tipitina’s – New Orleans, LA *w/ Galactic

Keep an eye on their website and socials for tour dates and further news: www.thecompanystoresband.com, facebook.com/thecompanystores, twitter.com/CompanyStoresWV and instagram.com/thecompanystores

###

Leftover Salmon’s Andy Thorn Releases Songs of the Sunrise Fox Today 9/16

Available Now:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/andythorn/songs-of-the-sunrise-fox

“Just a Banjo Player Serenading a Wild Fox” —The A.V. Club

BOULDER, CO — Leftover Salmon banjo player Andy Thorn never expected to go viral. But in 2021, he was in his backyard, playing an improvised banjo tune to a wild fox, when his wife caught the whole thing on video. The video made headlines around the world. Soon, Andy was interviewed on the Kelly Clarkson Show, The Dodo, and A & E’s Neighborhood Wars. Even Political Gabfest discussed the video. A New York Times writer, Ferris Jabr, called it “a moment plucked from Aesop.” 

Andy was stunned by the publicity, and by how many people kept asking him about the song. He finally recorded it (“Aesop Mountain”), along with 14 other banjo instrumentals. The resulting album, Songs of the Sunrise Fox, stands in contrast to the music Andy normally plays with Leftover Salmon. This new album isn’t about the flashy banjo picking favored by jam bands. Instead, it’s the banjo melodies Andy would play for his friend “Foxy” at sunrise. The stripped-down band also features Erik Deutsch [Black Crowes] on piano, Greg Garrison [Leftover Salmon] on bass, and Windfield champ Tyler Grant on guitar. 

Andy Thorn
Photo by Molly McCormick

The first single, “Aesop Mountain,” was released last month asd has already garnered nearly 100,000 listens on Spotify. This is the song from the viral video that started all the Foxy craze (that now has 3.8 million views). Thorn says, “I really enjoyed turning it into a full band tune and Erik Deutsch’s piano brought it all together.” The album also includes an acoustic solo version of the song as the closing track.

Other songs include the upbeat solo banjo tune, “Barry’s Bounce,” which was written right around the time Thorn’s baby boy Barry started bouncing around, while the solo clawhammer number “Stork Bite” was written right after his birth. “Red Sun Salutation” commemorates a wintery sunrise and “Dawn is Coming” feels like the winter storm that it was written about with the addition of Garrison and Grant adding  to the mood. “Monarch Morning” is a relaxing duet with Deutsch on piano; Andy wrote this tune in his backyard while butterflies were swirling around. 

As you keep listening you will hear more of the songs that were first performed for Foxy during the morning light, sun pillars, and sundown as his furry little friend sat down and listened and then trotted along…  Foxy even has kids of her own now. “In a world full of crazy, this brought joy to my soul. Thank you,” Eve S. wrote on YouTube. Andy is thrilled to release Songs of the Sunrise Fox and hopes it sends some joy your way as well.

Andy Thorn: Songs of the Sunrise Fox Track Listing:

1. Aesop Mountain (3:28)
2. Barry’s Bounce (1:40)
3. Red Sun Salutation (2:44)
4. Dawn is Coming (3:42)
5. Stork Bite (2:22)
6. Monarch Morning (3:39)
7. The Morning Light (1:25)
8. Whisker Twitchin’ (1:02)
9. Fox’s Fancy (3:06)
10. Fabled Way (3:45)
11. Trot Along (1:37)
12. Fox Trail (3:05)
13. Sun Pillar (1:54)
14. Silver Thorn (3:24)
15. Aesop Mountain (2:20)

Songs of the Sunrise Fox is available at  https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/andythorn/songs-of-the-sunrise-fox.
Vinyl records are  available to purchase at the website www.andythornmusic.com/shop

More information at www.andythornmusic.com, facebook.com/andythornmusic.com, instagram.com/_thornpipe_, and youtube: Andy Thorn – Thornhub.

Witty and Engaging, Damn Tall Buildings
Independently Release Sleeping Dogs Sept 9

Stream/ Order Sleeping Dogs Today

What Folks Are Saying:

“Brooklyn indie folk trio Damn Tall Buildings have been making their way through the Americana world, releasing a trio of albums fusing roots rock, bluegrass, and swing. In their early days, the band busked together, and today their style captures that same ragtag charm and breezy joy, blending unassuming presentation with narrative observations on the mundanities of daily life.” 
Under the Radar, Caleb Campbell

“With the title song defying conventional wisdom by advising ‘Don’t you let them sleeping dogs lie,’ Damn Tall Buildings delivers an album that is anything but conventional, guaranteed to be played on repeat.” 
No Depression, Nancy Posey

“The group is damn close to excellence with songs like ‘Cold Rain.’ Here the performance is precise & the vocals resonate with vibrancy… ‘Lemons’ is mindful of the late John Hartford & expressive… They’re an engaging trio & they indeed know what they’re doing. What’s an added value is their original music is well-written & executed.”  —Americana Highways, John Apice

“I found their music to be energizing as they sing as witnesses into the world they explore”  —The Long Island Sound Podcast, Steve Yusko

“If you were needing a reason to stomp your feet (other than a tantrum), we have one.” —Dallas Observer

BROOKLYN, NY — Damn Tall Buildings are thrilled to independently release their 3rd album, Sleeping Dogs today, Sept 9. Bluegrass, roots rock, old time, and vintage swing are among the influences on this acoustic Americana trio. Whether sharing lead vocals and instrumental solos or blending their voices into loose, joyous harmony, the three members of Damn Tall Buildings—multi-instrumentalist and primary lyricist Max Capistran (guitar and banjo), bassist Sasha Dubyk, and fiddler Avery Ballotta—delight in entertaining. For a handful of tracks on the album, they brought in special guests on trumpet, drums, flutes, lap steel, and keys to add to their dynamic sound.

Damn Tall Buildings
Photos by Joe Angelini

Sleeping Dogs is a bop about looking things smack-dab-right-in-the-face and is essentially about how it has become almost impossible to not be constantly influenced by current events, media, and all of the other things that surround you in your day-to-day life.

Damn Tall Buildings produced and recorded the record themselves, back and forth between Sasha’s parents house in the south Jersey shore and in Max and Sasha’s apartment in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. After recording, they sent their tracks to Dan Cardinal [Darlingside, Lula Wiles, Josh Ritter] at Dimension Sound Studios in Jamaica Plain, MA to mix and master. Dan also played keyboard on the title track, adding to the texture of the song.

Max says, “With us taking the recording process into our own hands, we were able to set our studio up wherever we saw fit, which completely changed the recording process for us… With this new arrangement we were able to really take our time, which gave us more freedom to really explore the songs without the pressure of running out of studio days. We all love the beach, the ocean and surfing, so we set up shop at the house smack-dab in the middle of hurricane season in the northeast, so we were literally doing takes, then running out to the beach to catch some of the finest waves New Jersey has to offer. I’m pretty sure Hurricane Larry deserves co-producer credits, actually.”

The album opens with, “What A Nice Life,” which has some extra pep to balance out the darker “I-don’t-know-who-I-am-anymore” lyrics: “And it’s been feeling mighty lonesome now that winter’s coming on… Not sure who I’ve been lately… But holy sh*t can barely stand me.” This is followed by an old timey, swingin’ “Dark Window Panes,” in which they ponder a pending apocalypse, accompanied by longtime friend and maestro of sound Garrett Eaton [Dana Williams, Gracie and Rachel] on trumpet.

Podcast” was premiered by Under the Radar who writes, “With ‘Podcast’ the band leans further into their sun-lit harmonies, rugged instrumentation, and lively performances… they deliver some deliciously biting lyrics, taking shots at the entertainment industry’s complacency as the world rushes to its end: ‘Sleeping on the ground/Thinking you’re so profound/Your podcast sucks and I think I hate you…Your bio says your an artist/Filtering all your garbage/Do you know what you’re even saying?’”

The velvety and rejuvenating “Cold Rain” was premiered by AmericanaUK who calls it, “music that is determinedly of Now.” For the song, they are joined by mandolin wizard Dylan McCarthy (a longtime DTB collaborator and 2019 Rockygrass Mandolin Champion) and rock-steady drummer Micah Cowher [STOMP in NYC]. Cowher also lays down the beat on the catchy “Sweet Girl,” with its chorus, “I am not myself, I am everyone else,” which became what the band calls, “the motto for the record; It’s basically our new anthem.” 

Damn Tall Buildings calls Sleeping Dogs, “an exploration to the depths of oneself to discover who we truly are… maybe it really is as simple as buying some new shoes, and feeling really good wearing ‘em, while you cruise down the block on the sunny side of the street.” 

You can hear this cheery sentiment echoed in the deep groove and colorful melodies of “Lemons,” in which the virtuosic flute playing of Anh Phung [Twisted Pine] elevates the song to a new level. This fresh energy can also be felt as the sunshine slips in on “Patio.

The mid-tempo shuffle “Painter” illustrates a re-emergence into the world, with a regained sense of self with its lyrics—“But I’ve got some new shoes baby, and I’m feeling so fine… And it looks like we’ve got blue skies honey, coming up a’ down the line.” Lars Thorson [Kane Brown], an adjunct member of DTB since the beginning, brings the magic of the lap steel to this track.

They slow things down a bit in an ode to waiting, “Quietly Heartbreaking,” written on a beautiful rainy day, and the gentle “My Baby.” Avery wrote “My Baby” for his partner in both life and music (and soon-to-be-wife), Emily Gervaise Moran [Aurora Birch]; to hear her guitar sing over the bridge really brings everything full circle in sound and spirit.

The album closes out with the title track, “Sleeping Dogs,” pulling from the old proverb—“Don’t you let them sleeping dogs lie”—the song emphasizes the theme of the album: don’t ignore life, get out there and live it, take pleasure and meaning from the little things that keep us all connected and growing.

The trio is individually from all over the United States (New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Montana), but were born as a band while attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA in 2013. They started as buskers on Newbury Street in Boston, started touring nationally, and then moved the band to Brooklyn in 2017. Max says, “Brooklyn has an endless influence on our music. Yemeni music on iPhone speakers at the deli. Reggaeton from the street side auto shop across the street rattling our window panes. West African guitar rhythms on the walk to the train. It’s insane. We love it.”

Damn Tall Buildings
Photos by Joe Angelini

Since their busking days, they’ve made two albums—Cure-All (2014) and Don’t Look Down (2019)—and released a self-titled EP in 2015. The band’s music has been praised by publications such as Bluegrass Today, PopMatters, The Boot, Saving Country Music, The Boston Globe, The Alternate Root, Folk Radio UK and more.

Damn Tall Building says, “Our innate desire is to connect with people on a level that’s beyond day-to-day interaction. Our hope is that the joy that making this music brings us will somehow get passed along to the people listening, which they can then take with them to pass along to someone else. It’s a shared celebration of positive energy, and that’s what keeps us cooking.”

Damn Tall Buildings on Tour

9/9 Fri – Coppell Arts Center – Coppell, TX
9/10 Sat – Cactus Cafe – Austin, TX 
9/15-17 Thu-Sat – Walnut Valley Music Festival – Winfield, KS
9/27-29 Tue-Thu – IBMA Bluegrass Ramble – Raleigh, NC
9/29 Thu – The Ramkat – Winston Salem, NC
9/30 Fri – Bourgie Nights – Wilmington, NC
10/1 Sat – IBMA Wide Open Bluegrass Festival – Martin St. Stage – Raleigh, NC
10/13 Thu – Parlor Room – Northampton, MA
10/15 Sat – Glastonbury Apple Harvest & Music Festival – Glastonbury, CT
10/16 Sun – 118 North – Wayne, PA
10/20 Thu – Rockwood Music Hall – New York, NY
10/21 Fri – City Winery – Boston, MA
11/10 Thu – Prius Hall-Ball State University – Muncie, IN
11/11 Fri – Thrasher Opera House – Green Lake, WI

Website: www.damntallbuildings.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DamnTallBuildings 
Twitter: @DamnTallTweets
Instagram: www.instagram.com/gramtallbuildings 
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/damntallbuildings

With Horns, Strings, & Soaring Vocals, 
The Company Stores Release The Family Album Sept 23, 2022

2nd Single “A New Leaf” Out Today
https://thecompanystores.hearnow.com/a-new-leaf

Produced by Galactic’s Robert Mercurio
Recorded at Echo Mountain Recording in Asheville
and
Galactic’s Number C Studio in New Orleans

Watch the Official “Ways” (1st Single) Music Video

Preorder The Family Album 

CHARLESTON, WV — The Company Stores independently releases The Family Album, their third full-length album, on September 23. The powerful and sultry voice of lead vocalist Ileana Ille captivates the audience with her ability to express raw emotion, while the band unites many influences to lay down bold grooves amidst dynamic crescendos. 

This album tells a story of everything being turned upside down; both personally and across the country,” says Matthew Marks, the primary lyricist for the band. “It is about family and understanding the triumphs, failures, tendencies, and choices of the people who came before, in order to understand how to successfully navigate where you are going.” 

No Depression’s Amos Perrine writes, “The album had me from the opening track, ‘Savannah,’ which could have easily been on a Steely Dan record (notably the guitar parts), by way of the jazz group Return to Forever. The vocals by Ileana Ille glide over the instrumentation much like those of Return to Forever’s first vocalist, Flora Purim, did. Ille’s vocals are but one of the many textured layers that blend together in unexpected ways.”

The fiery “A New Leaf” is the second track as well as second single, premiered by Americana Highways who calls it “…a whirling musical milieu… Complete with horns to punctuate the high points’” The song explores negative patterns in life, with the lyrics, “Damn… what a year. Sucker punched me to the next hemisphere… And now I’m waking up thunderstruck. Right in front of God and everyoneBut now…clarity… A view from the floor that I had to see myself for sure. To turn over a new leaf…” 

With its rockin’ country western vibe “Ways” continues on this theme, but sees the narrator start to recognize how choices made have developed these patterns of behavior that produce similar outcomes. “These old ways ain’t the best ways, just the ones I know… Trails blazed over time in my mind are deciding where I go… Now I gotta find peace of mind, redefine my life…” “Ways” also sees special guests Walter DeBarr [Song of the Year in Minnesota 2021, William Elliot Whitmore] and Jodi Hall (also on “A New Leaf”) on backing vocals. “Ways” is dedicated to DeBarr, known for his soulful songwriting and deep raspy voice, who sadly passed away shortly after recording with the band.
JamBase premiered the “Ways” music video and the song was the album’s first single.

Maria” sees Latin influence and “Old Dog” has a bit of hip-hop flare. Set in the minor key, “Fathers” looks into how mistakes made can be passed down for generations, stuck in a cycle and an ethereal “Blue Tide” calls out to explore the dark depths of oneself. A rock opera, “There Went The Neighborhood” is followed by the progressive “American Dream Girl.” “Some Sunday,” composed and written by Micucci, has a R&B flavor, with a focus on bass and groove. The album closes with a southern rock gospel ambience in “Castles & Cain.”

Based in Charleston, WV, the band blends elements of rock and roll, jazz, funk, world music, Appalachian folk, gospel, and other soulful roots music with soaring harmonies, electronic textures, strings, and horns over a solid rhythm section. Along with Ille’s vocals and Marks on guitar, The Company Stores is Michael Micucci on bass, Joseph Cevallos on violin and trumpet, Matthew Jackfert on keys, vibes, trombone, among other instruments, and John Query on drums. Jackfert, who is also a freelance composer and classical music broadcaster, collaborated with Marks on the arrangements in shaping the lush orchestral soundscapes.

The Company Stores had plans to hit the road hard, raise funds, and save to record their new album in 2020, then all plans got curtailed and almost all of their live shows and side jobs were canceled due to the pandemic. The songs were written during a time of personal havoc for Marks after his engagement had ended and he moved to his family farm, where he still resides, in March 2020 to help with his Grandad who was dying of lung cancer. While first there, he did a deep dive into his family history and roots lending to the content and mood of the album. They were able to start recording in mid-2021 after a year-long pause once things seemed safe for travel again. 

The Family Album was produced by Robert Mercurio, bassist for New Orleans funk legends Galactic. The instrumentation was recorded by Julian Dreyer at Echo Mountain Recording in Asheville, NC. Mercurio stepped in as engineer to record the vocal parts at Galactic’s Number C Studio in New Orleans—including bringing in the Josh Kagler Choral Group to enhance the choruses on much of the album. The album was mixed and mastered by Mikael “Count” Eldridge [Trombone Shorty, DJ Shadow, The Revivalists]. 

Mercurio says, “As a producer, I feel like I saw this band grow immensely as songwriters though the process of making this album. We started working on it before the pandemic, and with their downtime they put in the work it takes to make great songs. Illy blossomed into the rock star she now is—crushing the vocals on every take. I’m very proud of the final product and had a blast working with all of them.” Along with his own band, Mercurio has production credits with an impressive list of artists including Big Freedia, Lyrics Born, and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe.

The Family Album is preceded by the 2017 release Little Lights, also recorded at Echo Mountain Studio in Asheville, and their local debut Rollin’ In in 2014. Mother Church Pew says, “The Company Stores‘ Little Lights features a fiery backdrop of musicality that begs for a festival-sized stage and a whole lot of sunshine. It’s punchy, it’s poignant, and it’s perfect” and Jammerzine says it is “filled with emotional highs and empathetic harmonies laid over an almost orchestral level of musicianship.” 

Keep an eye on their website and socials for tour dates and further news: www.thecompanystoresband.com, facebook.com/thecompanystores, twitter.com/CompanyStoresWV and instagram.com/thecompanystores

Presave and preorder The Family Album at https://thecompanystores.hearnow.com

The Company Stores – The Family Album – Track Listing
1. Savannah (4:08)
2. A New Leaf (3:31)
3. Ways (3:47)
4. Maria (5:53)
5. Old Dog (4:58)*
6. Fathers (4:07)*
7. Blue Tide (3:47)
8. There Went The Neighborhood (2:43)*
9. American Dream Girl (3:32)
10. Some Sunday (3:58)
11. Castles & Cain (3:54)

*FCC Warning: please note explicit language
Radio edited versions are available for “Old Dog” and “There Went The Neighborhood”

Press Shots by The Oberports 
Album Artwork by Chris Woodall 

The Company Stores Tour Dates 

9/3 Sat – ACE Adventure Resort – Fayetteville, WV
9/17 Sat – Funktafest- Huntington, WV
10/15 Sat – Spirits in the Sky Fest @ The Bullock Distillery – Charleston, WV
10/28 Fri – Martin’s – Jackson, MS
10/29 Sat – Tipitina’s – New Orleans, LA 

Bill Scorzari Independently Releases The Crosswinds of Kansas 8/19

The Musicians:
Bill Scorzari, Brent Burke, Cindy Richardson Walker and Marie Lewey a/k/a The Shoals Sisters,” Chelsea McGough, Danny Mitchell, Eamon McLoughlin, Fats Kaplin, Juan Solorzano, Kyle Tuttle, Matt Menefee, Mia Rose Lynne, Michael Rinne, Neilson Hubbard, Ty Allison, Will Kimbrough 

The Crosswinds of Kansas Available Now
https://billscorzari.hearnow.com/the-crosswinds-of-kansas

HUNTNGTON, NY — With a rich, raspy voice and a remarkable ear for lyrics and composition, prolific songwriter Bill Scorzari independently released The Crosswinds of Kansas Aug 19. The album was co-produced by Neilson Hubbard and was recorded in part at Scorzari’s studio in Huntington, NY—First Thunder— before bringing it to Nashville (after pandemic restrictions eased) to Skinny Elephant Recording—with a cast of incredible musicians. Born and raised in New York, Bill transformed his life as a New York Trial Lawyer to a new life as a full-time musician. This is his 4th album released, following Just the Same (2014), Through These Waves (2017), and Now I’m Free (2019)—-all independently released to critical acclaim.

The Crosswinds of Kansas was released to radio in mid-July and debuted on the Folk DJ Monthly Chart for July at #36 and climbed to #19 on August 10th on the Alternative Country Specialty Chart. The album is well received by the press with nods from Glide Magazine, The Boot, Americana Highways, Music Mecca, DittyTV among others.

What Folks Are Saying:

“His thoughtful, cinematically shaped songs continue to resonate after repeated listens… To be sure, one needs solitude to appreciate his literate craft, a blend of prose and poetry put to music, a Walt Whitman of sorts for our times… With Scorzari, one hangs not just onto every word, but just about every breath (which unbelievably, you can hear.) Strap yourself in. This album runs for 71 minutes, and some are so emotionally devastating that it’s almost too much to take in at once. Allow yourself the time. The music is mostly surprisingly upbeat even when he is singing about pain and darker times.” —Glide Magazine, Jim Hynes

“It’s the voice of someone who brings a variety of experienced life stories into focus and one that draws you into the heart of each song… It is the kind of music that envelops you” —Lonesome Highway, Stephen Rapid

“The instrumentation and production are superb, while his weather-worn voice embodies the heartbreak and hope in the finely crafted lyrics.” —KPFA Radio, Tim Lynch

“Singer, songwriter, Americana hypnotist Bill Scorzari effortlessly captivates with his forthcoming The Crosswinds of Kansas … Scorzari’s vocals immediately grab hold of your attention with this or any of his previous work, bleeding with honesty and conviction while gravelly capturing your imagination… It is meticulously drawn from the experiences, emotionally-fueled then executed as naturally as the sunset across the plains or the water falling over Multnomah Falls… Expectations were high and Bill Scorzari, naturally, exceeded them with every chord and word…” —Nanobot Rock

“The poetic rhythm of Scorzari’s lyrics is most impressive, the syllables serving as elemental pulse as much as any of the (many) instruments constructing his songs… This is what I find with Scorzari’s songs and albums: there is always something new to capture your attention, something previously missed that reveals itself as it must… ” —FervorCoulee, Donald Tepylske

“…Scorzari’s message is powerful and profound. …this listener cannot get enough of “All Behind Me Now”, “Try, Try Again” and the eleven-minute glorious, meditative opus “Tryin’, Tryin’, Tryin’, Tryin’”. Oh, and “Patience and Time” might well be the most tender and loving song I’ve heard this year. …The Crosswinds of Kansas is an indisputable triumph… an utter joy to review.”  —Listening Through The Lens, Rob Dickens

“Scorzari’s raspy vocals—think Dave Van Ronk with a touch of Steve Earle—add weight to his wise, poetic lyrics and contrast beautifully with the album’s frequently sweet-sounding music, which features a variety of guitars and such other instruments as dobro, cello, piano, fiddle, banjo, upright bass, mandolin, and percussion, not to mention Native American flutes and a Tibetan singing bowl bell. Songs like ‘All Behind Me Now’ and ‘Inside My Heart’ will have you hanging on every word and wondering why Scorzari isn’t famous yet.” —Americana Highways, Blog Critics, Jeff Burger

“A  welcome treasure to my ears… with each lyric, he calls my mind to ponder, the crunch of a gravel road below resonates with a voice that is both conversational and reflective. Bill Scorzari’s music is akin to the musings of  Tom Waits, John Prine, and John Moreland. His songs are a conversation where we can savor his poetry. The message echoes in our souls with every instrumental break. Bill’s music is both organic and timely. With each creative muse, I really can’t wait to see where he leads us.” —The Long Island Sound Podcast, Steve Yusko

“[‘The Broken Heart Side of the Road,’ is] a standout track… With its melancholy tone, Scorzari lends his gritty vocals to a work of dark Americana roots music… a song that carries a stirring energy and a haunting tale.” —Glide Magazine, Song Premiere “Broken Heart Side of the Road”

“He’s captured such pain. And the beauty of a Rose.” —Americana Highways Video Premiere: “I-70 East” 

“Bill Scorzari’s sandy blast suggests he was born to sing tales of the dusty highway. In fact, Scorzari was a trial lawyer in New York City before hanging it up to tour, the setting for ‘I-70,’ in which he fights the literal winds to make it back to the East Coast to care for his mother. The song’s surging melody and Scorzari’s impassioned punk-influenced performance calls to mind vintage Two Cow Garage.” —The Boot’s Weekly Picks, Rachel Cholst 

“I like Bill’s voice & ‘Ocean In Your Eyes’ – that’s the ticket, that’s a great showcase. The resonance in his voice has spirit. Instead of burning kindling, he’s ignited a log. This is what Bill needs with lines like ‘I’m swimming for my life’ – perfect for his penetrating vocals. The words he sings must be believable. It’s here. They need to be words from a voice as lived in as Bill’s.” —Americana Highways, John Apice

“‘All Behind Me Now’… is surprisingly welcoming and perfect for a movie soundtrack. It presents listeners with a sense of perseverance and hopefulness for the future and a lesson in personal perspective” —HVY.com, Will Phoenix

“From New York Trial Attorney to full-time musician, Bill Scorzari makes the seemingly 180-degree transition to a new life look natural.” —Music Mecca, Morgan Brady 

“Bill Scorzari is a master storyteller. He puts it to music and creates pure magic!!” —The Colfax Journal’s Jay Vee Music Review, Jeff Vallet 

MORE ABOUT THE ALBUM

Much of The Crosswinds of Kansas was inspired by his three-month-long Now I’m Free Tour in 2019—which had become a journey of self discovery, with Bill ultimately arriving at a new awareness and desire to adapt and continue to create. He had made his way from the east coast, toward, and around the west coast and back, traveling under two full moons, visiting waterfalls, hiking, climbing, pondering and processing his life experiences of loss, gain and change, and at times composed haiku as a way to pass the time on the long drives between performances, until the tour came to an unexpected early end when Bill learned of the sudden decline in the health of his then 94 year old mother back home in NY.

His journey home, which included travel through some treacherous crosswinds over the Kansas highways, was folded into the story told within the electric-guitar-driven opening track (and first single released) “I-70 East” and its accompanying music video

Upon his return to Huntington, NY, Bill spent the early days of the Covid lockdown finishing the songs for the album, building out his studio, gathering the right instruments to fit the mood, and caring for his ailing mother. He also learned Navajo from new friends that he met when commissioning a Native American flute to be able to recite his lyrics in the language for the closing track, “Tryin’, Tryin’, Tryin’, Tryin’”—a song with an intriguing backstory. 

Scorzari draws inspiration from a full palette of moods and emotions and the 13 original tracks on The Crosswinds of Kansas have many stories to tell. On the lighter side he presents, the transcendent “All Behind Me Now,” the life-affirming “1, 2, 3, Jump,” the fast-moving acoustic jam of “A Ghost, My Hat and My Coat,” and the rhythmic, semi-autobiographical, sound-collage that is “The Measure of a Man.” 

With a heavier brush stroke, Scorzari recounts a hard tale of the destruction of a relationship in the rootsy “The Broken Heart Side of the Road” (the album’s 2nd single and music video). “Multnomah Falls” weaves a chronicle of a rainy day’s hike into an account of the trials of change and transcendence set to cascading mandolin lines. The orchestral “Oceans In Your Eyes” recounts a perilous navigation through an enchanted captivation, and in “Patience and Time” he evokes a haunting nostalgia with wistful melody and lyrical promise. Nostalgia reemerges in the hypnotic, plaintive “Try, Try Again,” and prescience triumphs over uncertainty in the folksy “Not Should’ve Known.” With a mix of contemporary and Indigenous instruments, “Inside My Heart” tells a melancholy story of an unrequited love.

Bill says, “For me, the journey that had begun in 2019 (and in many respects, much earlier), became a journey into the depths of my soul, not just in a nebulous aspirational or conceptual sense, but in its fruition, and this album is a record of many of the ways in which it has all unfolded for me so far. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have occupied my time with this effort and for the opportunity to continue to participate in the dance that is life, through this pandemic and beyond.”

He continues, “It has been an arduous and relentless trek to the ultimate discovery that we are here simply to dwell in the experience of being human and to come to know that wherever that experience may take us, and to whatever heights or depths we may rise or fall in it, it is all nothing less than an unspeakably generous and miraculous gift of life and great love.”

Order or stream The Crosswinds of Kansas at billscorzari.hearnow.com/the-crosswinds-of-kansas.

The CD is a six-panel digipack and includes a 16-page lyric book beautifully decorated with original art by Anna Berman and photography by Jacob Blickenstaff. 

For more information, updates and tour dates, visit www.BillScorzari.com

Vibrant, Rootsy, and Vivid, Damn Tall Buildings

Independently Release Their 3rd Album Sleeping Dogs Sept 9

Presave/ Preorder Sleeping Dogs

Under the Radar Premieres Damn Tall Buildings’ “Podcast”

Brooklyn indie folk trio Damn Tall Buildings have been making their way through the Americana world… In their early days, the band busked together, and today their style captures that same ragtag charm and breezy joy, blending unassuming presentation with narrative observations on the mundanities of daily life. 

With ‘Podcast’ the band leans further into their sun-lit harmonies, rugged instrumentation, and lively performances… they deliver some deliciously biting lyrics, taking shots at the entertainment industry’s complacency as the world rushes to its end.” —Under the Radar, Caleb Campbell

“Podcast” Available Now
https://damntallbuildings.hearnow.com/podcast

What others have said about Damn Tall Buildings:

Virtually unmatched energy and enthusiasm, underpinned by intelligent songs that don’t skimp on the infectiousness… The musicianship is smart and skilled, but still playful and groove savvy” —Saving Country Music

The Carter Family for the millennial generation” —The Boston Globe

Damn Tall Buildings is a damn fine trio, mixing bluegrass, swing, and foot-stomping old-time music you wouldn’t think possible from a band from Brooklyn” —No Depression, Chris Griffy

The natural groove made by a string band seriously happy with the music they are making speaks louder than wordsThe Alternate Root

BROOKLYN, NY — Acoustic Americana trio fed on bluegrass, roots rock, old time, and vintage swing, Damn Tall Buildings are excited to release their 3rd album, Sleeping Dogs, on September 9. Whether sharing lead vocals and instrumental solos or blending their voices into loose, joyous harmony, the three members of Damn Tall Buildings—multi-instrumentalist and primary lyricist Max Capistran (guitar and banjo), bassist Sasha Dubyk, and fiddler Avery Ballotta—delight in entertaining. For a handful of tracks on the album, they brought in special guests on trumpet, drums, flutes, lap steel, and keys to add to their dynamic sound.

Witty and engaging, Damn Tall Buildings’ energizing music finds beauty and glory in the mundane workaday struggle of everyday life: time keeps passing and the seasons come and go, you scroll too much, you smoke too much, you lose yourself, only to sit with yourself and find yourself again, you laugh with your friends, and you look out the window and dream about what else might be out there. It all keeps coming around. You carry on, intent on flourishing and thriving. This is what Damn Tall Buildings sings about, what they seek to share with their audience.

Sleeping Dogs is a bop about looking things smack-dab-right-in-the-face and is essentially about how it has become almost impossible to not be constantly influenced by current events, media, and all of the other things that surround you in your day-to-day life. “Snow Crash” by Neal Sephenson—a bizarre, mind-altering romp through the infocalypse— is high on the band’s reading list. Damn Tall Buildings says, “The impact that things outside ourselves have on us, specifically, the rise of social media and all that comes with it, leads to an exponential increase of people’s awareness of other people’s lives, and how that affects them and how they feel about their life.”

The album’s 2nd single, “Podcast” is out now and was premiered by Under the Radar who writes, “With ‘Podcast’ the band leans further into their sun-lit harmonies, rugged instrumentation, and lively performances… they deliver some deliciously biting lyrics, taking shots at the entertainment industry’s complacency as the world rushes to its end: ‘Sleeping on the ground/Thinking you’re so profound/Your podcast sucks and I think I hate you…Your bio says your an artist/Filtering all your garbage/Do you know what you’re even saying?’”

“Sometimes you just gotta get the lead out,” Ballotta says to Under the Radar. “This upcoming album is all about facing our skeletons head-on (er skull-on?), and ‘Podcast’ is a real tongue-in-cheek commentary on the use of honesty–in the entertainment realm especially. Also, this one is definitely about the end of the world. A nice funk to it. Some sticky icky guitar picking. A little fiddle chuck. Bass thump. Oh it’s all going south for sure, but we are groovin’ to it. When it’s all said and done, life is worth living while we’re here – don’t you think?”

The album opens with, “What A Nice Life,” which has some extra pep to balance out the darker “I-don’t-know-who-I-am-anymore” lyrics: “And it’s been feeling mighty lonesome now that winter’s coming on… Not sure who I’ve been lately… But holy sh*t can barely stand me.” This is followed by an old timey, swingin’ “Dark Window Panes,” in which they ponder a pending apocalypse, accompanied by longtime friend and maestro of sound Garrett Eaton [Dana Williams, Gracie and Rachel] on trumpet.

The velvety and rejuvenating Cold Rain,” the album’s 1st single, was premiered by AmericanaUK who calls it, “music that is determinedly of Now.” For the song, they are joined by mandolin wizard Dylan McCarthy (a longtime DTB collaborator and 2019 Rockygrass Mandolin Champion) and rock-steady drummer Micah Cowher [STOMP in NYC]. Micah also lays down the beat on the catchy “Sweet Girl,” with its chorus, “I am not myself, I am everyone else,” which became what the band calls, “the motto for the record; It’s basically our new anthem.” 

A cheery sentiment echoes in the deep groove & colorful melodies of “Lemons” (with the virtuosic flute playing of Anh Phung [Twisted Pine]), and this fresh energy can also be felt as the sunshine slips in on “Patio.” The mid-tempo shuffle “Painter” (with Lars Thorson [Kane Brown on lap steel) illustrates a re-emergence into the world. They slow things down a bit in an ode to waiting, “Quietly Heartbreaking,” & the gentle “My Baby.” 

The album closes out with the title track, “Sleeping Dogs,” flipping the script on the old proverb—“Don’t you let them sleeping dogs lie.” The song emphasizes the theme of the album: don’t ignore life, get out there and live it, take pleasure and meaning from the little things that keep us all connected and growing.

Self produced and recorded, the album was mixed & mastered by Dan Cardinal [Darlingside, Lula Wiles, Josh Ritter] at Dimension Sound Studios. Dan also played keyboard on the title track, adding to the texture of the song.

The trio is individually from all over the United States (New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Montana), but were born as a band while attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA in 2013. They started as buskers on Newbury Street in Boston, started touring nationally, and then moved the band to Brooklyn in 2017. Max says, “Brooklyn has an endless influence on our music. Yemeni music on iPhone speakers at the deli. Reggaeton from the street side auto shop across the street rattling our window panes. West African guitar rhythms on the walk to the train. It’s insane. We love it.”

Damn Tall Buildings have made notable appearances at MerleFest, John Hartford Memorial Festival, Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Ossipee Valley Music Festival, Bear Creek Folk Festival, BlissFest, and Freshgrass Festival (where they took second place in the 2016 band competition).

Since their busking days, they’ve made two albums—Cure-All (2014) and Don’t Look Down (2019)—and released a self-titled EP in 2015. The band’s music has been praised by publications such as Bluegrass Today, PopMatters, The Boot, Saving Country Music, The Boston Globe, The Alternate Root, Folk Radio UK and more.

Damn Tall Building says, “Our innate desire is to connect with people on a level that’s beyond day-to-day interaction. Our hope is that the joy that making this music brings us will somehow get passed along to the people listening, which they can then take with them to pass along to someone else. It’s a shared celebration of positive energy, and that’s what keeps us cooking.”

Website: www.damntallbuildings.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DamnTallBuildings 
Twitter: @DamnTallTweets
Instagram: www.instagram.com/gramtallbuildings/ 
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/damntallbuildings 

Damn Tall Buildings on Tour

9/2 Fri – Towne Crier Cafe – Beacon, NY
9/3 Sat – Rettich Preserve @ Madison Land Trust – Madison, CT
9/6 Tue – WDVX Blue Plate Special – Knoxville, TN
9/6 Tue – Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge – Madison, TN
9/9 Fri – Coppell Arts Center – Coppell, TX
9/10 Sat – Cactus Cafe – Austin, TX 
9/15-17 Thu-Sat – Walnut Valley Music Festival – Winfield, KS
9/27-29 Tue-Thu – IBMA Bluegrass Ramble – Raleigh, NC
9/30 Fri – Bourgie Nights – Wilmington, NC
10/1 Sat – IBMA Wide Open Bluegrass Festival – Martin St. Stage – Raleigh, NC
10/13 Thu – Parlor Room – Northampton, MA
10/15 Sat – Glastonbury Apple Harvest & Music Festival – Glastonbury, CT
10/16 Sun – 118 North – Wayne, PA
10/20 – Rockwood Music Hall – New York, NY
11/10 Thu – Prius Hall-Ball State University – Muncie, IN
11/11 Fri – Thrasher Opera House – Green Lake, WI