E.Normus Trio Releases “Love and Barbiturates” at The LAB on Aug 2nd

The E.Normus Trio Local Record Release Party
Thursday, August 2, 2012
with J.Ray Goes Beatnik!
Back Stage at the LAB (The Lexington Ave Brewery)
Asheville, NC

On Thursday, August 2nd, E.Normus Trio will celebrate the release of their first record “Love and Barbiturates” with a live concert and video taping at the LAB.  J.Ray Goes Beatnik opens the show.

Born of a weekly Sunday jam session at the now-closed Joli Rouge in Asheville, North Carolina, the E. Normus Trio has been a project of Jay Sanders and Steve Alford since they met playing “Rhapsody in Blue” in 2007. Contrary to speculation, the group is not named for its exotic instrumentation and the ranges they provide, but is instead the pedigreed namesake of Alford’s sizeable leonberger, Norman E. Normus. As a puppy, Norman was a regular listener at those Sunday sessions.

Originally taking an almost whimsical approach to the bare bones horn/bass/drums jazz trio concept, the sound of the group began a major transformation with Sanders’ switch from acoustic bass to the N/S Stick, an 8-string multi-mode instrument that covers the ranges of both a bass and a guitar. At the heart of the huge sound generated by the group is Sanders’ ability to take on two roles at once, covering what would normally be played separately by both a bassist and guitar player. This “one brain controlling two voices,” as Alford calls it, creates an eerie effect in the sound, and results in a symbiosis that is simply unachievable with bass and guitar played individually. This nucleus paired with Alford’s vocalized and primal lead voice, six octaves of sweeping clarinet range, creates a sonic palette unlike any other trio out there. To this mix, add Michael W. Davis, who brings incredible jazz sensitivity coupled with huge power generated not by volume, but with an utterly superhuman control of the time.

Compared to many studio projects these days, Love and Barbiturates was recorded with very little overdubbing. The contra-bass clarinet and alto clarinet on “The Long Boots of Age” are an obvious example of studio magic, but amazingly enough the album is recreated live by the group with very little variance in texture and layering. The debate is still ongoing as to whether this is a jazz, rock, or soul record, or something new altogether. As music genre labels are generally the product of hindsight, that debate will be discussed and determined by others.

E.Normus Trio. Photo By Josh Rhinehardt

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YouTube Contest: Win Artist Passes to Jomeokee and Jam with Del McCoury!

Jomeokee is doing a video contest for a chance for someone to win 2 artist passes and a chance to  jam with Del McCoury at  the festival which takes place on September 14-16th, 2012. 

Del himself will be one of the judges picking the winner!

 

Del McCoury and Jomeokee Music and Arts Festival are proud to announce the “Jam with Del McCoury at Jomeokee Fest” YouTube contest. Musicians are encouraged to submit a video of themselves jamming, soloing and shredding to win the chance of playing onstage with bluegrass legend Del McCoury at the first annual Jomeokee Music and Arts Festival this September 14-16, 2012. One winner will receive 2 artist credentials to Jomeokee Fest and a once in a lifetime opportunity of playing in front of a live audience alongside the Del McCoury Band.

“This is an exciting chance for a fan to take part in a special performance with our friends,” says Del McCoury. “I love festivals that give a you family reunion feel; a big party with friends that you don’t get to see that often. That’s what Jomeokee Fest is shooting for!” He continues, “They gave me a whole stage to treat like a pickin’ party at my house!”

To enter, musicians must submit and upload a live performance video to the Jomeokee Fest YouTube channel www.youtube.com/jomeokeefest. Video entries must be less than two minutes in length. Entrants are asked to submit videos that showcase their skill. Video entries do not have to be of a full song – feel free to edit a previous performance that showcases a solo or particularly engaging moment. All instruments are encouraged to apply, but keep in mind: the winner will be performing with a band comprised of mostly acoustic instruments, therefore, heavy effects are discouraged. The sound for the video must be from the original recording, videos with an audio track overlaid will not be considered. The contest is open to all ages and entries must be received by August 10, 2012.

A panel of judges, which will include Del McCoury, will choose one grand-prize winner and two runners-up. The winners will be announced on August 17th. In addition to playing a song with the Del McCoury Band at Jomeokee Music and Arts Festival, the grand-prize winner will receive two artist passes with access to premium camping during the festival. Runners-up will receive a Jomeokee Music and Arts Festival poster signed by the Del McCoury Band. Full contest rules are available on the Jomeokee Festival website http://jomeokeefest.com/jam-with-del-contest/.

To submit a video or view submissions, visit www.youtube.com/jomeokeefest

For more information about Jomeokee Music and Arts Festival or to purchase tickets, visit www.jomeokeefest.com

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ABOUT JOMEOKEE MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL:

The first annual Jomeokee Music and Arts Festival will take place September 14 – 16, 2012 at the Jomeokee Campgrounds in Pinnacle, NC. Set inside a natural amphitheater, in front of Pilot Mountain, two side-by-side stages will showcase alternating sets of first-class live music. On one stage, bluegrass living legend Del McCoury will curate top notch bluegrass, string and Americana music. On the second stage, fans will get their groove on to sets featuring collectives of funk, jam and world music. Headliners Del McCoury Band and Stephen Marley will be joined by Yonder Mountain String Band, Keller Williams and the Travelin’ McCourys, Jimmy Herring Band, Lettuce, The Everyone Orchestra (Conducted by Matt Butler and featuring Jimmy Herring(Widespread Panic), Melvin Seals (Jerry Garcia Band), Al Schnier & Vinnie Amico(moe.), Michael Kang (The String Cheese Incident), George Porter Jr. (Meters), Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band), Jeff Sipe, members of Lettuce, and more!), The Emmitt-Nershi Band, and many more! Jomeokee is a family friendly festival featuring artist workshops, tent and RV camping, a kids’ zone, late night campfire jams and more. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by a paid adult. Limit 2 kids per adult.

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Suwannee Valley Flood Jam: August 16-17th ~ Peter Rowan, Donna the Buffalo, The Lee Boys and more!

SUWANNEE VALLEY FLOOD JAM:

A BENEFIT FOR FLOOD VICTIMS IN SUWANNEE,
HAMILTON AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES

AUGUST 17-18 AT SPIRIT OF SUWANNEE MUSIC PARK IN LIVE OAK, FL

LINEUP FEATURES PETER ROWAN, DONNA THE BUFFALO, THE LEE BOYS, THE SWINGIN’ JOHNSONS, JAMIE DAVIS, THE HEAVY PETS,
THE LEGENDARY JC’s AND OTHERS

The Suwannee Music Foundation in partnership with The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park today announce Suwannee Valley Flood Jam: A Benefit For Suwannee, Hamilton & Columbia Counties on August 17 & 18 at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL.

On June 24, 2012, Tropical Storm Debby settled over north Florida for 4 days, dumping more than 25 inches of rain in some areas of Suwannee, Hamilton and Columbia Counties. The Suwannee River rose to near record flood levels and dozens of sinkholes developed around those counties, destroying many businesses and homes while making roads impassible. 1500 families were flooded out of their homes – many left without shelter, cars, clothes, food or any worldly possessions. The flood affected over 10,000 other people throughout the tri-counties.

More than 25 bands including Music Park favorites Peter Rowan, Donna the Buffalo, The Lee Boys, Jamie Davis, The Swingin Johnsons, The Heavy Pets, The Legendary JC’s and many more will fill up the special Suwannee Valley Flood Jam line-up.  Full lineup below.

Two-Day Tickets are $45 in advance, $65 at the Gate and include primitive camping. Single-Day tickets cost $20 per day and are available only at the gate. Day tickets do not include primitive camping.

An on-line charitable auction will also be available to those not able to attend.  Whether in person or not, folks will have the opportunity to bid on a variety of great items including artist memorabilia, diamond and gold jewelry, music instruments, collectible items and much more.  Stay connected to www.musicliveshere.com for updates, to view the online auction and to purchase tickets.

One hundred percent of net profits from the Suwannee Valley Flood Jam will be donated to locally based charities, Love INC based in Live Oak, FL and The United Way based in Lake City, FL.

Since the flood began, the Suwannee Music Foundation and the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park have partnered with Love INC. to deliver supplies and provide relief to affected households.   These charitable efforts by music lovers everywhere have helped hundreds of people who in this desperate time of their lives have virtually nothing.  Volunteers at both agencies, along with many others throughout the three counties have donated thousands of hours to help family, friends and complete strangers, wading in waist deep, contaminated water to bring out previous personal belongings, prized children’s toys and helping families find suitable temporary homes.

Suwannee Valley Flood Jam Lineup is as follows: Peter Rowan, Donna The Buffalo, The Lee Boys, The Swingin Johnsons, Jamie Davis, The Heavy Pets, The Legendary JC’s, Mercy Mountain Boys, Beebs & Her Money Makers, Flannel Church, Kofi Burbridge, State Of Mind, Shane Pruitt, Down The Hatch, Main Stream, funkUs, Asheville Flood Commission, Stephanie Renee & Wreckless, Randy & Beth, Catfish Alliance, Chroma, Applebutter Express, Aquaphonics, El Groundscoro, The Resolvers, The Funky Seeds, DJ Craig Heneveld, The Funky Nuggets, Flt Rsk, $BIG BUCKS$ CREW, DJ Triclops, Kidd Yzer, DJ Chef Rocc, C-Minus, Vlad The Inhaler, Mason Masters, Jeff Randall, DJ Ginsu, and DJ Natural.

About Love INC
Love INC. (Loveinc-suwanneecounty.org) is a Non-Denominational Christian organization which is a registered 501(C)(3) charity and operates under the tax exempt guidelines as designated by the IRS. Love INC. has been providing food and services to the people of Suwannee County from day one and has demonstrated a commitment to keeping overhead low and keeping all donations here in the immediate area.

About The United Way
The United Way of Suwannee Valley works to assist at risk households recover from natural disasters.  The Suwannee Valley Long Term Recovery Committee assists at-risk households recover from natural disasters through various social services. These agencies include senior care for impacted house households with residents age 60 and over, legal services to assist with legal issues arising in disaster situations, and various agencies that assist affected households with food, water, household items, clothes, rent, and utility assistance.

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Asheville, NC’s Kellin Watson Performs “Chains of Love” Live with Jam in the Van!

Asheville, NC’s Kellin Watson Performs “Chains of Love”
Live with Jam in the Van!

Check out More Jam in the Van at
http://jaminthevan.com
http://facebook.com/jaminthevan
http://twitter.com/jaminthevan

*** Video Credits ***
Artists: Kellin Watson
Director of Photography: Abran Rubiner
Recording Engineer: John Washington
Post Production by: Adam Weiss
Created & Produced by Jam in the Van, LLC
Music by: Kellin Watson
www.kellinwatson.com

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Galen Kipar Project, Mountain Feist, & Nikki Talley to Perform at Riverlink’s Rivefest on Sat, Aug 11th

Galen Kipar Project Headlines RiverLink’s Riverfest on Sat, August 11th
Also Performing are Nikki Talley and Mountain Feist

Music, Crafts, Food, Beer, and a Parade of Floats!
Saturday, August 11, 2012 in French Broad River Park 1-7pm FREE!
The Park is located at Amboy Road at Riverview Drive. Click for a Map

www.riverlink.org

RiverFest is RiverLink’s biggest party of the year and is back at French Broad River Park in Asheville, NC on Saturday, August 11, from 1-7pm with an exciting lineup of music with Galen Kipar Project, Mountain Feist, and Nikki Talley. RiverFest is a fundraiser for Riverlink to continue their work in revitalizing the French Broad River as a place for everyone to live, work and play. The days event will be filled with crafts, food, beer, and of course, the Anything That Floats Parade of rafts. (seriously- click that link for more on the parade– this is a fun and creative contest for people to make their own wacky floats and ride down the river!)

Galen Kipar Project. Photo by Gary Reckard

Headlining RiverFest is the Galen Kipar Project, who effortlessly crafts a fusion of folk, classical, jazz, and blues. The Galen Kipar Project has been hailed as “complex yet accessible” and “cohesive and poignant” with “experimental folk masterpieces.” Joining vocalist Galen Kipar on guitars & harmonica is Lyndsay Pruett on violin & vocals, Ben Portwood on bass, and Aaron Ballance on the dobro.  In addition to being a great musician, Kipar is a big fan of WNC’s rivers and streams, making the band a perfect fit for the occasion!

Galen’s other endeavor keeps him on the water as he serves as a “trout ninja” (aka. fly fishing guide) with Curtis Wright Outfitters to Western North Carolina which has over 3000 miles of trout waters and streams. He gets much of his inspiration for songwriting while standing waist deep in a river. Galen states in an interview with the WVGazette, “Water, particularly rivers, have many different currents. Music is the same way,” he says. “Music has many different currents, and they all work together. Maybe that’s a little far-fetched, but it’s something that’s always fascinated me.”

True to his inspiration, Galen sings in the song Riversong, “Headin’ on down to the waterside, gonna take some time, to rest my mind. Gonna break there, gonna stay there. For a moment there, I’ll sigh.” Water is a consistent theme in his uplifting music. “I could easily picture myself finding a secluded stream high on the mountain and lying in the warm sun as the Galen Kipar Project played softly in the background,” states writer and online radio host Jeremiah Greer in Magazine 33.

To Celebrate the Occasion, GKP is offering a FREE DOWNLOAD of  “RIVERSONG” Live From The Grey Eagle

“I was hooked right away… Strange, slightly other-worldly acoustic music sung in a sweet, slightly distracted voice. I think of it as a sort of American Primitive, with hits of Sandy Bull in the guitars, Brett Dennen in the voice, Donna the Buffalo in the rustic simplicity, and something altogether new in the wonderful orchestrations… In the words of Tina Fey, when I hear the sounds of this nearby world, I want to go to there,'” says songwriter and host of the Grateful Dead Hour David Gans about Galen’s Music.

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Mountain Feist

Mountain Feist is a groove oriented and high energy progressive bluegrass band, inspired by traditional bluegrass and shaped by music from around the world. The band plays a fast paced, interactive show supported by tight four part harmonies, instrumental features and an eclectic repertoire of original music as well as fresh covered material.” Members Justin Eisenman (guitar and vocals), Matt Dufon (bass, vocals), Neal Crowley (fiddle, banjo, vocals) and Jesse Iaquinto (mandolin, vocals) count among their influences Doc Watson, Waylon Jennings, Junior Brown, Jerry Garcia and Bela Fleck.

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Nikki Talley

Leading off the afternoon of live music will be Asheville’s own Nikki Talley, a hardworking, energetic, mountain girl with a big voice!  Raised in North Carolina and hailing from Asheville, it’s only fitting that her music is as eclectic as the state that boasts the mountains and the sea. Trying to pin down Nikki’s style, critics and reviewers alike have compared her to an early Liz Phair and Gillian Welch, but to leave the comparisons there would be doing a disservice to her fiery stage performance, hauntingly seductive and raw gritty lyrics, lifted by a voice that harkens back to the Appalachian roots from which she was born, and shores up on the edges of contemporary southern rock, country, blues, and jazz.

Nikki’s most recent release Beautiful Charmer has definitely upped the ante production-wise and has a decidedly more country feel. For this project she had a lot of help from a number of collaborators including Grammy-winning alt-country icon Jim Lauderdale. It garnered the #7 spot in WNCW’s top 20 regional releases of 2010 and #23 in top 100 releases

Special Float for the Riverfest Parade!

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Town Mountain Releases “Leave the Bottle” Sept 4th through Pinecastle Records ~ Hard-Drivin’ Appalachian Bluegrass from the Carolinas

Town Mountain Releases “Leave the Bottle”
Sept 4th through Pinecastle Records
~ Hard-Drivin’ Appalachian Bluegrass from the Carolinas ~

“Centered around strong, soulful vocals, and poised to stay put. Town Mountain are true to bluegrass in all the right ways and this new project keeps them firmly connected to the traditions of the genre, while also allowing them to reach out into the broad horizon of string band music. Leave the Bottle comes highly recommended.” –Woody Platt of the Steep Canyon Rangers

“Town Mountain is not reinventing the wheel, but taking the wheel in their hands & driving the music down both familiar roads & out to new territory.” –Mike Bub

“There’s a new mountain in town – Town Mountain – and they get down with heart, grit, soul, and drive! They’ll get you moving!” –Jim Lauderdale

Pre-Order Leave the Bottle
www.TownMountain.net

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Asheville, NC’s Bluegrass Band Town Mountain is excited to release their 4th album, Leave the Bottle, September 4, 2012. Town Mountain is Phil Barker on mandolin & vocals, Robert Greer on lead vocals & guitar, Jesse Langlais on banjo and vocals, Bobby Britt on fiddle, and newest member Jon Stickley rounds them out with his steady bass and rock-solid guitar & vocals. They share the kind of easy-going friendly bond that relays itself through their music. One listen to their instantly memorable songs, and it’s plain to see why Grammy-winner Mike Bub would align with the group to produce Leave the Bottle as well as 2011’s Steady Operator, both through Pinecastle Records. Banjo player extraordinaire and longtime member of the Sam Bush Band, Scott Vestal, also joined the team by engineering the new album, which was recorded at Digital Underground Studio in Nashville, TN.

Town Mountain’s years of touring have created a mature well-traveled sound, a telepathic pickin’ style filled with mesmerizing interplay, and intoxicating rhythms that energize every tune. You hear it in Greer’s straightforward and genuine delivery of vocals that bear the burden of life, love, and loss in every lyric. “His voice has that hint of an edge to it that lends intensity and vitality to what he’s singing,” writes Bluegrass Unlimited. On Leave the Bottle, the band presents 11 original band-member written tunes and one cover (“Loaded” by The Wood Brothers.)

They head straight for your heart on hard-driving songs like “Run Junior Run” and “Don’t Go Home Tonight” (one of two tracks co-written with the Steep Canyon Rangers bassist Charles Humphrey III) as easily as they do on diverse numbers like “Greenbud on the Flower” (a song about cabin fever) and “Leave the Bottle”, which was written by Langlais about being away from the ones you love for long periods of time while on the road. The free-spirited nature of the band’s members running on the proverbial “treadmill of life” is what inspired Greer to write “Up the Ladder”. Another song from the road, “Lawdog”, sung and written by Barker in the manner of Jimmy Martin, is relatable to to anyone that inevitably gets pulled over while trying to make good time traveling. “Four Miles”, written by Britt, is the only instrumental track. What bluegrass album would be complete without its share of love and cheatin’ songs? Town Mountain holds this tradition, while adding funny twists to the story with Langlais’ double murder ballad “Away From Home”.

Thanks to their relatable, unforgettable lyrics along with their arresting stage presence and swagger, Town Mountain manages to rise above the seemingly bottomless canyon of bluegrass bands touring today and, inevitably, they will be traveling close to you sometime soon!

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Ever wonder more about Dreamspider Publicity’s services? Erin answers some of the most commonly asked questions in this fun podcast

Here’s a fun and informative podcast interview with Dreamspider Publicity‘s Erin Scholze, a national music publicist based in Asheville, North Carolina. In this podcast interview, SoConvo asks some great questions that will allow you to get to know what she does more in depth. Being a musician without the proper publicity can be a challenge. Erin discusses how she walks each of her clients through a custom evaluation and steps to make their campaign successful.

Erin Scholze. Photo By Anthony Harden.

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Shannon Whitworth & Barrett Smith’s CD Release Party @ The Altamont Theatre on July 26th

Shannon Whitworth & Barrett Smith
Local Release Party for “Bring it on Home”
The Altamont Theatre
Thursday, July 26th

$12/$10adv
7pm door/  8pm show
18 Church St 28801
828-348-5327
myaltamont.com

(Asheville, NC)– Shannon Whitworth and Barrett Smith are thrilled to announce the release of a new all-covers duo album, Bring It On Home. To celebrate, a local release date is set for Thursday, July 26th at the Altamont Theatre in downtown Asheville. They will release the album nationally this fall.You can listen to and purchase the album at BarrettSmith.com.

In 2010 Barrett joined The Shannon Whitworth Band after swapping places with a member of the acclaimed bluegrass band Town Mountain. Shannon had been touring and recording successfully with this solo project since her days of leading the The Biscuit Burners. Barrett’s contributions quickly developed into a full time touring and recording job, and he and Shannon have been making music  with one another ever since, whether in the band or just for fun… which is how this duo project came into being.

In Bring it on Home, they have taken a departure from their original music to offer up a collection of their favorite songs by their favorite songwriters. From Paul Simon to A.C. Jobim to Sam Cooke, the album features beautiful arrangements of great tunes which are all performed by an all-star cast of musicians from Asheville, NC.

Bring It On Home started as a brainstorming session on a late night, cross-Canadian road trip.  Shannon and Barrett were on tour as an opening act for Chris Isaak, and they spent the long slow drive from Winnipeg to Saskatoon trying to compile the perfect mix tape. Somewhere in the late night hours, they realized that this mix-tape was actually a compilation of the cover songs that they had both dreamed of someday recording – their own random dream tribute album.

Two months later, Shannon and Barrett were in Asheville’s Echo Mountain Recording Studio with a team of great friends and musicians, bringing the album to life. Legendary drummer Jeff Sipe and multi-instrumentalist Mike Ashworth formed the core rhythm section. (Sipe and Ashworth will also be performing at the album release show amongst other special guests.) Justin Ray and Jacob Rodriguez took a break from touring with Michael Buble to contribute to the album on trumpet and saxophone. Virtuoso violinists Nicky Sanders and Nate Leath added string parts to Melissa Hyman’s cello lines. Michael Libramento, of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, stopped in to add keyboard parts.

The result is an eclectic collection of great arrangements. Shannon and Barrett take turns on the lead vocals, backing each other up with harmony vocals and instrumental support. The performances are superb. From the jazzy elegance of Moonglow, to the mystic folkiness of Paul Simon’s ‘Duncan’, to the latin groove of ‘Corcovado’, this album pays tribute to the art of great songwriting, with fresh arrangements that make for a truly great listen. Enjoy!

Bring it On Home ~ Track Listing
1) Bring It On Home To Me (Sam Cooke)
2) Moonglow (Delange, Mills, Hudson)
3) You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor)
4) Duncan (Paul Simon)
5) I Get Ideas (When We Are Dancing)  (Sanders, Cochran)
6) Louise (Paul Siebel)
7) Sway (Molina, Ruiz, Gimbel)
8) Bird On The Wire (Leonard Cohen)
9) Corcovado (Quiet Nights) (A.C. Jobim, Gene Lees)
10)Green Grass (Tom Waits, Kathleen Brennan)
11) I’ll Be Your Lover, Too (Van Morrison)
12) You Are My Sunshine (Jimmie Davis)

Recorded at Echo Mountain Recording in Asheville, NC
Engineered by Julian Dreyer
Mixed by Neilson Hubbard
Mastered by Jim DeMain
Produced by Barrett Smith

BarrettSmith.com
ShannonWhitworth.net

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