Corey Glover, Dave Yoke, Matt Slocum at Atlanta City Winery 9/12 & Chicago City Winery 9/14: Re-Imagining Bill Withers – Live At Carnegie Hall

Corey Glover, Dave Yoke, Jared Stone, Matt Slocum, and Kevin Scott
Come Together as ‘The New Stew’ to Re-imagine
Bill Withers – Live At Carnegie Hall

Live at Chicago’s City Winery on Monday, September 12, 2016
www.citywinery.com/chicago/tickets/the-new-stew-9-12.html

Live at Atlanta’s City Winery on Wednesday, September 14, 2016
www.citywinery.com/atlanta/the-new-stew-feat-corey-glover-presenting-bill-wither-s-live-at-carnegie-hall-in-it-s-entirety-9-14.html

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The New Stew is a “super group” of a rotating cast of fine musicians from all genres of music. Select shows feature Corey Glover (Living Colour, Galactic) on vocals, Dave Yoke (Susan Tedeschi Band, Dr. John, Scrapomatic) on guitar, Jared Stone (Stone’s Stew) on drums, Matt Slocum (Oteil and the Peacemakers, Col. Bruce Hampton & Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Lee Boys) on piano, and Kevin Scott on bass. This project was formed with one focused goal, to pay respect to those recordings that influenced the players and to re-imagine recordings that they feel should be heard and experienced in a live setting.

The first homage was paid, to much acclaim, in Spring of 2016 when the group made its debut in select cities in the east playing the classic Bill Withers – Live At Carnegie Hall album from start to finish. It is more than a labor of love, it is a way to allow the public to experience something again or in many cases the first time and reconnect with this classic recording over four decades since it’s release. The New Stew is continuing to perform the Withers classic this September at the City Wineries in Atlanta and Chicago.  The New Stew is also introducing another album into the mix, Donny Hathaway’s Live recording from 1972 at the City Winery in Nashville.

“The New Stew, a supergroup headed by Corey Glover won over Brooklyn Bowl last night almost immediately by ensuring they’d treat Bill Withers’ Live at Carnegie Hall as plenty more than a museum piece.” Chad Berndtson continues his review, “If you’re going to assemble an all-star band — and that definitely is the New Stew — you’d better bring a little more to the table than a pleasant re-creation or observation, and the group was fast to ensure that this concept would not only be pleasant, but also soul-nourishing in a way Withers himself would easily give thumbs-up.”

Bill Withers’ performance at Carnegie Hall on October 6, 1972, was recorded, and released as Live At Carnegie Hall in the following year. Recorded less than a year and a half since Withers quit his day job to pursue music full time, the then rising soul star commands the historic New York stage with veteran poise and power with songs like “Use Me”, “Ain’t No Sunshine”, and “Lean On Me.” In counting years as a live performer he was a novice but his ability to transform the hallowed venue to a tiny club and hold the audience’s attention like a conversation, a feat that heightens the intimacy of the performance and accentuates the intensity of the songs.

“Singer Corey Glover didn’t have to do too much homework to prepare for his upcoming tour celebrating soul singer Bill Withers’ 1973 album Live at Carnegie Hall”, writes Rudi Greenberg in The Washington Post. “It was the soundtrack to my life,” says Glover, 51. “My parents, whenever there was a road trip, that was the music that was playing.”

Withers’ along with his band moved fluidly, stretching out the songs beyond their initial recorded times, the subsequent jams take the audience on a ride the studio recordings were not able to do. The album ranks at number 27 on Rolling Stones’ list of the 50 Greatest Live Albums of All Time. Live At Carnegie Hall stands as one of the greatest live recordings of all time. and The New Stew is delighted to re-imagine this time-honored performance.

For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/thenewstew

Meet The Players in The New Stew:

Corey Glover
Corey Glover is a singer and songwriter who is best-known for his work in Living Colour and has toured as the vocalist for the funk band Galactic. Corey is a GRAMMY Award winner for Best Hard Rock Performance (Cult of Personality) and was also named best new Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards (1989). Living Colour was also included to be one of the first bands on the inaugural Lollapalooza tour in 1991. With his band Living Color, Corey has released 6 albums. Living Colour blends hard rock, soul, funk and jazz to create a unique sound that is often copied but never duplicated. Cory and his band mates have remained sonic pioneers for over 2 decades. In addition to live music, in 2006 Corey began a co-headlining a national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, playing the role of Judas. Corey performed as Judas with the National touring company until 2008 when he returned to his band to begin work on their next record.

Dave Yoke
Dave Yoke taught himself guitar in his native Anniston, Alabama drawing on the blues enthusiasm of his older siblings. He launched his career as a founding member of the long-standing, regionally popular Second Hand Jive. In the mid-90s, Yoke moved to Atlanta and became an in-demand session player, joining forces with (Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown associate) Dr. Dan Matrazzo. Yoke was then invited to become a full-time member of the oft-GRAMMY-nominated Susan Tedeschi Band and the legendary Dr. John. He is also a permanent member of Scrapomatic, with whom he tours and has recorded three albums. As testament to his blues roots, Dave is regularly invited to sit in with the Allman Brothers Band, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, and Americana artist Kristina Train.

Jared Stone
Jared Stone has done a few things. Played for country music stars, served in the USMC, drove minors across the country for merchandise %, studied music at universities, played a lot of jazz, made records, played on records, owned jazz clubs, built music venues, mended fences, promoted concerts and festivals, directed festivals and some other things that he is sure he can’t remember. He has a bad ankle from running in combat boots too long. He still plays the drums pretty good though and his band is Stone’s Stew.

Matt Slocum
Born in Newton, MA, Matt Slocum began his formal classical training at the age of 8, at the South Shore Conservatory of Music in Boston. At the age of 14 Matt moved to Alabama where he was accepted to the Alabama School of Fine Arts. In the summer of 1991, he attended the Berklee College of Music Performance Summer Program, and was rated among the top 10 musicians in the entire program. Matt is a keyboardist whose skills are predominantly in-demand with southern jazz, funk, fusion & blues musicians. Matt has been a member of the Oteil and the Peacemakers, Col. Bruce Hampton & Aquarium Rescue Unit, Jimmy Herring Band, Jeff Sipe Band, The Lee Boys, Susan Tedeschi band, and the Rich Robinson Band.

Kevin Scott
Born into a musical family in the heart of the Deep South, Kevin Scott takes the traditions of his upbringing and runs with it, forging a path and name for himself in today’s world of modern music. Currently based in Atlanta, Kevin has become the first-call bassist for a variety of performers, spanning many genres, in a city filled with generations of phenomenal players. Whether it be jazz, rock, funk, metal, R&B, hip-hop or any other art form that comes his way, Scott approaches every song with a deep pulse, bright spark, and ever-expanding tone in his playing.

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Enter the Earth Xmas Party feat: The Nth Power & Jamar Woods Trio at Asheville Music Hall Fri 12/6

The Nth Power. Photo by Michael Weintrob

Enter the Earth Xmas Party feat: The Nth Power & Jamar Woods Trio
Friday, December 6th @ Asheville Music Hall
10PM  (9PM Doors)
Tickets: $10 Adv, $12 DOS Ages: 21+
31 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801
http://ashevillemusichall.com

The Nth Power is a marquee ensemble of world-class music lovers on a mission to change the way we hear and experience the power of music. Creating infectious indie gospel-funk, they define what a modern all-star ensemble is for a new generation. The Nth Power embarks on their debut US tour Dec. 3-15, though it’s odd to think of this the group’s first tour considering the players involved — Dumpstaphunk’s Nikki Glaspie, who was Beyonce’s world-touring drummer for many years; keyboardist and vocalist Nigel Hall of Lettuce, Warren Haynes Band and John Scofield’s Uberjam; bassist Nate Edgar of John Brown’s Body; soul evangelist and guitarist Nick Cassarino of the Jennifer Hartswick Band; and West African djembe master Weedie Braimah of Toubab Krewe. The Nth Power is a force best experienced live. Their sound will resonate wholeheartedly, leaving you inspired and enlightened as a music lover and listener. To learn more, watch their insightful EPK, Welcome To The Nth Power.

The Nth Power on Tour
12/03/13 – Gypsy Sally’s – Washington, DC
12/04/13 – The Blind Tiger – Greensboro, NC
12/05/13 – Charleston Pour House – Charleston, SC
12/06/13 – Asheville Music Hall – Asheville, NC
12/07/13 – Pour House Music Hall – Raleigh, NC
12/08/13 – The Vinyl – Atlanta, GA
12/10/13 – 3rd & Lindsley – Nashville, TN
12/11/13 – 2720 Cherokee Performing Arts Center – St. Louis, MO
12/12/13 – Concord Music Hall – Chicago, IL (w/Lettuce)
12/13/13 – Drom – New York, NY
12/14/13 – Thirsty Moose Taphouse – Portsmouth, NH
12/15/13 – The Spot Underground – Providence, RI

For more information, please visit www.thenthpowermusic.com
Facebook.com/TheNthPower
Twitter: @TheNthPowerVibe
Listen and buy music on iTunes

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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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Moses Atwood CD Release Co-Bill with Johnson’s Crossroad at the LAB March 30th

Moses Atwood CD Release

Co-bill with Johnson’s Crossroad

Friday, March 30th

$10, Doors is 9:30 / Show is at 10pm

Lexington Ave Brewery

39 North Lexington Avenue

Asheville, 28801

(828) 252-0212

lexavebrew.com

mosesatwood.net

johnsonscrossroad.com

Asheville’s Moses Atwood will be teaming up with Johnson’s Crossroad for a Co-Bill at the Lexington Ave. Brewery on Friday, March 30th.

Moses will be celebrating the release of his NEW album One Bright Boat. Joining Moses for his set will be Dave Mack on bass, Jacob Baumann on Drums, Evan Martin on Guitar, and other special guests! Moses will also be sitting in with Johnson’s Crossroad (JXR) for a song or two.

Johnson’s Crossroad has a lot in store this year and are going to be heading back in the studio to record a 3rd album. Their 2011 release Mockingbird was voted #7 on WNCW’s Top 20 Regional Albums! Having played around 140 shows in 2011, they continue on their travels and are performing Merlefest for the 3rd year in a row and were added to the John Hartford Memorial Fest in IN and Band Lands Bluegrass in WV in 2012!

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Moses Atwood sets sail with sophomore effort, One Bright Boat
It’s been four years since singer/songwriter Moses Atwood (also known for his work with Johnson’s Crossroad and The Overflow Jug Band) released his self-titled debut. That was in 2008; suddenly last fall Atwood decided it was time to put together his new collection of songs, One Bright Boat. So he rounded up a group of musicians and headed to Waking Studio, the new digs of Bill Moriarty (Dr. Dog) in Philadelphia. There, Atwood and company knocked out the nine tracks in a mere week. The songs, he says, were culled from the years since his first album. While some date back to when he lived in Maine, most were written in North Carolina over the last few years.

Atwood choose Waking Studio because he wanted to take his musicians (including Michael Libramento of Floating Action) out of their routines. And it was time: “I’d found so many ways of circumventing the actual making of the record that I was like, ‘book the dates, get the people and do it.'” A week is a push, but, Atwood says, “Limitations are a really valuable thing in any artistic process — how many limitations and how you impose them is the trick.”

One Bright Boat doesn’t sound pressured or hurried. It opens with rollicking piano, the easy jingle of tambourine and tasteful flourishes of guitar. Atwood’s voice is what colors in the picture, relaxed and rich, rising effortlessly in a warm baritone.

“I’m tired of being the sad man, tired of all the sad songs. I’m tired of living my life like I’ve done something wrong,” he imparts on the spirit-lifting, cloud- parting title track.

If Atwood’s first record paid homage to his troubadour heroes (Woody Guthrie, Utah Phillips), One Bright Boat is less road-weary and more refined as Atwood leaves the minstrel role for that of bandleader in the style of Van Morrison and Randy Newman.

Running like a current through the record is Atwood’s talent for telling a story in fleeting images and washes of sound. These aren’t ballads but modern song-sketches of places longed for and passed through, people met and parted with, time passing. There’s space on each track — an easy flow of tides and waltzes (“California”), of pedal steel accents and Atwood’s comfortable flannel- and-bourbon vocal polished with (on “At Last”) gospel and brass.

“In recording, I feel like you’re recreating or capturing a moment in time,” says Atwood. “With modern recording you’re at constant great risk of losing the value of the moment, losing the essence of what you’ve got going on. But if you go all for capturing the moment, you don’t have a record, you just have a live performance. There’s a balance that the best records achieve.”

For a young artist, Atwood comes admirably close to that balance. It’s an album that rings both fresh and familiar, of-a-time and timeless. With One Bright Boat, Atwood’s ship comes in.

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Johnson’s Crossroad has been described by friends and fans as everything from “Appalachian Soul” to “Hillbilly Metal.”

The band blends blues, roots-rock, folk, bluegrass, and Appalachian Old Time for a sound that The Daily Times’ Steve Wildsmith calls “both mournful and jubilant, breezy and graveyard serious.”  He goes on to comment that frontman Paul Johnson’s voice “barely rises above a growl, but he stretches that sound to encompass the experience of a train-hopping hobo and the wisdom of an old man recalling loves lost and wars fought from the porch of a backwoods cabin.”

Their 2011 album Mockingbird puts songwriter Paul Johnson in line with names like Guy Clark or Zac Brown and his powerful voice evokes memories of folk stars like Taj Mahal or Burl Ives. The Wilmington Star News describes, “It’s gruff and easygoing, like a mix of Tom Waits and Ben Knox Miller of The Low Anthem.“  AmericanaUKexclaims, “With ‘Mockingbird’ Johnson’s Crossroad seem to have just proved themselves to be one of the finest Roots rockers around right now.” The album was voted the #7 Regional albums of 2012 by WNCW!

The sincerity of Johnson’s songs and simplicity of his lyrics make you want to pour a brew, put your feet up or head to the hills. Asheville’s Bold Life call the band a “treat to see live” and says that, “Paul Johnson has a knack for creating powerful visuals with straightforward lyrics.” Dobro, mandolin and fiddle back up Johnson’s clean lyrics on some, other times its simple finger picking to a folksong.

“I like to keep the words simple,” said Paul Johnson. “I try and follow Hank Williams as much as possible, let the words tell the story and the music back it up,” Johnson said.  His inspiration is simple yet intently focused. “I was born in the mountains of West Virginia, I’ve always been in the mountains all my life,” said Johnson who now calls Asheville, NC home.

“This is what I’ve always wanted to do, travel around and pick guitar,” said Johnson, who writes the majority of the songs for Johnson’s Crossroad. Watching his back is mandolin player Keith Minguez, a strong friendship at the core of the group.

“In 1998 I met Paul and I saw John Hartford on my first visit to MerleFest, it was life changing” said Minguez.  Then in 2004 he had enough, “I was 30, living in Florida, drinking with my dad’s buddies and they all said the same thing, ‘drink scotch and water and never stop chasing your dream.’”  He called Paul and in 13 hours was at his door with mandolin in hand.  “If Keith wasn’t around nothing would get done,” laughed Johnson. Friends Corey Lee McQuade (Dobro, banjo, harmonies) and Moses Atwood (keyboard, Dobro, harmonies) sit in on variety of gigs, and often other friends join in support Johnson’s constant search for great sound.

The band is returning to Blue Ridge Big Sky Music Studio (appropriately topping a peak above Moravian Falls, NC) to record their 3rd album in 2012.  Who could resist after the experience they had last time around?  It’s where they’re comfortable, it’s where everything is comfortable.  Making music with friends, fans and family. At the studio, it’s a drive to the county line to get a little cell reception and distraction is not so digital, just were they need to be. They are looking for an early 2013 release and will be spending time over the summer and fall getting the next one just right, working again with John Adair as Engineer and Producer.

Since their first album Blood in Black and White they’ve won spots at national events like Merlefest, Floyd Fest, Music City Roots and Bristol Rhythm and Roots, with tours to the Northeast and Midwest that continue throughout 2012. Years playing the road to empty rooms have passed. Johnson’s Crossroad travels on with over 150 shows and a world of mountains ahead to climb.

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Check out this video of Moses with JXR performing the song “Louisiana” that is on One Bright Boat.

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Sam Lewis’ Self-Titled Americana/Country/Soul Album Releases TODAY Featuring Kenny Vaughan & Co.

Sam Lewis Debuts Self-Titled Americana/Country/Soul Album Featuring Kenny Vaughan And Co. March 13th

Listen to the First 3 Tracks Free & ORDER HERE

samlewis.bandcamp.com

The album is also available on iTunes and Amazon

Sam Lewis. Photo by Susan Urmy

Sam Lewis releases his self-titled debut March 13th. In it, he pulls together some of Nashville’s most seasoned musicians, who have helped put the breath into a body of songs that are as straight-forward and captivating as the man who sings them.

Five years of constant writing, performing and touring have become the nexus of Lewis’ self-titled debut. Along with co-producer Matt Urmy, Sam has woven ten songs into a conversation, between himself, the band, and his listeners. Urmy, himself an accomplished singer/songwriter, assembled a group made up of Nashville’s top session and touring players, including guitarist Kenny Vaughan, keyboard player Reggie Bradley Smith, Derek Mixon on drums and bass player Dave Jacques. Making a surprise appearance on the album is soul chanteuse Jonell Mosser, providing backing vocals on “I’m A River”.

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Early Praise for Sam Lewis:

“There’s so much soul pouring out of this guy’s pores you could bathe in it. It’s like hearing Al Green for the first time.” –Grant Britt, No Depression

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“With his rich soulful vocals, well-crafted songs, and passel of hot pickers, Sam Lewis’ first album is a treasure trove of roots country and blue-eyed soul. Kenny Vaughn’s electric guitar twang combines with Reggie Bradley Smith’s keyboard and accordion to form the harmonic core, while Dave Jacques bass and Derek Mixon’s drums do the rhythmic heavy lifting.” –Steven Stone, Audiophile Review

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“It shows on Lewis’ new self-titled album that he learned from the sources, rather than a copy of a copy; he’s deeply committed to both soul and country streams, and the combination fits him like a second skin.” –Jewly Hight, Nashville Scene

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“Lewis takes simplicity from Willie Nelson, poetry from Bob Dylan, soul from Ray Charles, stage presence from Leon Russell, rich delivery from Van Morrison and combines them to create one authentic, solid message.” –Sarah Garrett, Fishbowl Records

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“Sounding a bit like James Taylor, but bluesier and more country, Sam Lewis shares 10 songs on his self titled debut CD. It’s a consistently good, cleanly produced listen, often about human flaws, weaknesses, and some of the facets of love.”–Tom Geddie, Buddy Magazine

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“The complete artist is one that everyone should be reminded of from time to time – the one who writes, sings, performs and handles every aspect of the form of expression found in music. And this is where you find Sam Lewis, blending a mix of country and soul in a manner such as Van Morrison or Ray Charles. He has a story to tell that is relevant to all in the wake of his new self-titled album.” –Travis Swann, Mufreesboro Post

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“The realness … instantaneously creates a link between Lewis and other famous singer/songwriters like Amos Lee, John Prine and Henry McCullough.” –Greenberry Taylor, Fishbowl Records

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“This one stands up to repeated listening, cut after cut, time after time. It’s time to pay attention to Sam Lewis. He deserves it, and so do you.” –Grant Britt, No Depression

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Early Radio Spins:

WDVX – Knoxville, TN

WNCW – Asheville, NC

KRFC – Fort Collins, CO

WETS – Johnson City

WTJU – Charlottesville, VA

WFDU – Teaneck, NJ

WNTI – Hackettstown, NJ

Fat Music Radio – Grass Valley, CA

Wildman Steve Radio – Auburn, AL

WUSB – Stonybrook, NY

WUSC – Columbia, SC

WQFS – Greensboro, NC

WCOM – Carrborro, NC

WHEO – Floyd, VA

The Songwriter Lounge @ East Nashville Radio

Please call and request to hear more of Sam Lewis
from your favorite Americana DJ’s!

samlewistunes.com

twitter.com/samlewistunes
youtube.com/samlewistunes
facebook.com/samlewistunes
reverbnation.com/samlewistunes

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Free Download of “I’m A River” From Sam Lewis’ Debut Self-Titled Album

Release Date Tuesday, March 13th!  

The album is NOW available on iTunes, Amazon and Bandcamp

samlewistunes.com

“I’m a River has vocal echoes of a country cousin version of John Prine, backed by ethereal background vocals courtesy of Jonell Mosser” –Grant Britt, No Depression

When asked what inspired this song, Sam says, “Temptation. I was feeling a bit broke down when I wrote this. Sometimes I wish I could give more and take less. This song is a combination of admittance -that I can sometimes ‘bite off more than I can chew’, an acceptance- that ‘yes, I am aware of this’ and simply a warning.”

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“The album is no doubt a presentation of the artist, but the subject matter weaves a patchwork and tells a story that is relevant to all and the human condition.” –Travis Swann, Mufreesboro Post

“The incredible storytelling … really blossoms into something personal and soulful in I’m a River… shows the depth Lewis went into in creating these 10-songs, never skimping on details, but at the same time never overwhelming listeners with too much, creating an emotional imagery that isn’t too common today. The realness packed into this track, along with the others, instantaneously creates a link between Lewis and other famous singer/songwriters like Amos Lee, John Prine and Henry McCullough.” —Fishbowl Records, Greenberry Taylor

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Lyrics:  I’m A River

There’s a valley not far from here, beyond the dam where all the water runs real clear you’ll find everything you’ve been looking for, there was a time when I could offer you much more, would you believe it if ever you were told once I was worth more than my weight in gold, where dreams and promises once flowed with such grace, have all been washed up and dried on these banks

you’d run into me and I’d save your life, I’d have you singing I saw the light, but I’m a river full of heart ache that you’ll never swim, take one step closer and I’ll pull you in I’ve seen trouble and I’ve seen pain, I got beat by the sun and I have drowned in the rain and I’ve found it hard to look straight ahead, all I’ve wanted lies on this riverbed, it’s the gospel I heard a man say, you can’t get back what you don’t give away, with every seed I’ve sewn and love I’ve made stay lord knows that I’m ready for the levy to give way

PRE-ORDER  & Listen to the First 3 Tracks:

samlewis.bandcamp.com

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MantraBash Music and Arts Festival ~ Taking it to the next level June 21-23!

MantraBash Music and Arts Festival-Taking it to the next level!
Presented by Stanlee Ventures, LLC featuring The Mantras of Greensboro NC.

MantraBash Music and Arts Festival is right around the corner! Being held on June 21st through the 23rd in the beautiful foothills of Ferguson, NC; this event is sure to make it to the top of your list when considering festivals this summer.

Watch The Mantras from last year’s FloydFest!

Robert Walter’s 20th Congress (with special guest, Galactic drummer Stanton Moore) performs live at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, CA 2009. Get ready for the Robert Walter Trio at MantraBash!

Check out this Particle video from Saint Rocke 12-16-11

Despite the great music exposure, the feeling of happy vibes and intimacy are not always achieved when attending large events. MantraBash is sure to cure that! Capturing the wide variety of jam bands ranging from soulful-funk-rock to electric-folk-grass in the 3-day line-up, MantraBash will exceed your musical expectations while maintaining the comfortable family vibe, which is momentous for the perfect festival. Mantra Bash vending will include a selection of great food, as well as art and crafts.  Hot showers will also be available for public use for a small fee.

Take this opportunity to transcend your current festival experience. Your concept of the best festival in North Carolina will remain a microcosm compared to the MantraBash world to come.

www.mantrabash.com

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Kellin Watson Performs with the Duhks in Raleigh 2/10 and Spindale 2/11

Kellin Watson will be sitting in with old friends The Duhks, as a guest vocalist for two shows this February. With Tania Elizabeth on Fiddle and Scott Senior on percussion, Jordan McConnell on guitar and Leonard Podolak on Banjo and vocals it will be almost all of the original members of The Duhks! It will be a special night, but if you can’t make it, be sure and help us spread the word to others in or around the Raleigh or Spindale area.

Friday, Feb.10th, 8 PM
Fletcher Opera Theatre @ The Progress Energy Center
Raleigh, NC~AND~

Saturday, February 11th, 7:30pm
Foundation Performing Arts & Conference Center @ Isothermal Community College

Spindale, NC

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The most vital acoustic music being made today acknowledges its predecessors and lives in the here and now. The Duhks, a band of skilled, high-energy, tattooed musicians from Winnipeg, Manitoba, have been riveting audiences and winning staunch fans around the world with just that kind of music. The Boston Globe says about them, “Canada’s premier neo-tradsters romp from world-beat to blues, urban-pop to old-timey, with wild-eyed invention, haunting traditionalism, and spine-rattling groove. Who says the Frozen North can’t sizzle, eh?”
NPR says, “The inventive Canadians in The Duhks are widely beloved for their smooth blend of traditional roots music and soul, which they inject with well-placed Afro-Cuban and Celtic influences.” Ultimately though, according to band founder and claw-hammer banjoist Leonard Podolak, the Duhks “just want to play music that speaks to everybody.” Mission accomplished.

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Kellin Watson is a internationally-touring singer-songwriter, whose award-winning sound blends elements of blues, pop, folk, and soul. Hailing from Asheville, NC, Kellin draws on her Appalachian roots to bring both power and rawness to her music. “There are a lot of common talents in the world, but there are very few rare talents. I feel that Kellin is a rare, uncommon talent. Her songs have the ability to take someone gently by the wrist and tell them a story…”  states Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins. The Charlotte Observer calls her, “Jazzy soul and swinging pop comparable to Fiona Apple or a less folksy Ani DiFranco, Watson has an endearing stage demeanor and a killer voice, not to mention soulful songs that don’t fit in any particular box.” Keep an eye out for her 2011 release “Halo of Blue.”

www.duhks.com
www.kellinwatson.com

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Sam Lewis Debuts Self-Titled Americana/Country/Soul Album Featuring Kenny Vaughan & Co. March 13th

Sam Lewis Debuts Self-Titled Americana/Country/Soul Album Featuring Kenny Vaughan and Co. March 13th

Sam Lewis is connecting the dots. Whether crossing genres or state lines, he has pieced together a story people need to hear. His self-titled debut, which releases March 13th, pulls together some of Nashville’s most seasoned musicians, who have helped put the breath into a body of songs that are as straight-forward and captivating as the man who sings them.

Five years of constant writing, performing and touring have become the nexus of Lewis’ self-titled debut. Along with co-producer Matt Urmy, Sam has woven ten songs into a conversation, between himself, the band, and his listeners. Urmy, himself an accomplished singer/songwriter, assembled a group made up of Nashville’s top session and touring players, including guitarist Kenny Vaughan, keyboard player Reggie Bradley Smith, Derek Mixon on drums and bass player Dave Jacques. “It was amazing”, says Lewis, “because I had never played these songs with anybody before, and especially with those type of guys: professional, but also really seasoned musicianship.” Making a surprise appearance on the album is soul chanteuse Jonell Mosser, providing backing vocals on “I’m A River”.

Kicking off with the thick groove of “The Cross I Wear”, every track strikes a balance between light and dark, from the push/pull of Smith and Vaughan, to the way Lewis’ voice melts over the top of the band. “I just fell in love with his music; his delivery and his whole thing,” says Vaughan. “I thought, ‘Man, this guy has really got it going on’, which is very unusual for hardened, grim professionals like us to be impressed by somebody like that. It’s one-in-a-million. It hardly ever happens.”

The combination of Mosser’s and Lewis’ vocals bring “I’m a River” to an almost spiritual level. Every word on the album is a product of Lewis’ careful attention to detail, whether it be the fictional “Bluesday Night” or the autobiographical “Southern Greek Tragedy”. According to Steve Wildsmith, of The Daily Times, Lewis’ writing “conveys the weight of a heavy heart with well-turned phrases and searing images usually reserved for such luminaries as John Prine” that “sets him down a path well worn by contemporaries like Guy Clark and John Hiatt.” He is able to tell the story with only the necessary lyrics, leaving the rest to nuance, and the listeners own discretion.

Recording began in March of 2010, at Eric Fritsch’s Eastwood Studio, in Nashville, TN, with a final day of tracking scheduled for January of 2011. Once complete, it was put into the hands of two-time Grammy nominee engineer Brandon Bell, who mixed everything together. Following a December 2011 appearance on Nashville’s Music City Roots, Craig Havighurst noted, “Beyond the honeyed voice and sparking band (guitar hero Kenny Vaughan included), Sam stood out for his songs, which had that been-here-forever quality. It’s no wonder this guy’s generating buzz… He sings a little like Van Morrison, making it Americana with a groovy twist. Welcome to Nashville. More of this please.”

Music was one of the few constants in Sam’s life. His family never stayed anywhere for long, which meant that friendships were forged between himself and the music he absorbed, from Roy Orbison to Van Morrison to Willie Nelson. The influence of Ray Charles can be felt from the first note to the last beat, making Sam’s debut a complimentary companion to Charles’ own,  two-volume Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. Leaving home as soon as the opportunity arrived, Sam landed in Knoxville, and later Nashville.

Sam has spent hours, in fact years, collecting and arranging the relationships and experiences he has forged. To the average person, they seem like an amalgamation of time and happenstance, but to him, they are the moral of the story. “I never once felt, in this whole process that someone just kind of pointed. No one took me by the hand, but almost every single one of these connections were very personal. I was introduced to these people that helped make this record. These are gonna be people that I’m going to know the rest of my life.” Lewis has drawn us a clear picture of where he’s going, and thankfully, he has invited us along for the ride. ~ Bio written by Samantha Harlow.

 

Upcoming Shows:

2/6 CD Release Show ~ Nashville, TN ~ The Basement

with RB Morris, Kenny Vaughan Trio and Matt Urmy

2/10 CD Release Show ~ Knoxville, TN ~ Barleys Taproom

with RB Morris and Kenny Vaughan Trio

5/24-25 Crawford, TN  ~ Jammin’ at Hippie Jacks

5/18  Johnson City, TN ~ Studio One ~ Johnson City Radio ~

9/14-15 Bristol, TN  ~ Bristol Rhythm and Roots Festival

More dates tba

Video EPK of Album

samlewistunes.com

youtube.com/samlewistunes

facebook.com/samlewistunes

reverbnation.com/samlewistunes

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The Duhks on Tour This October!

The Duhks On Tour this October!

Thur, Oct 6th, 2011   Newton-Conover Auditorium  Newton, NC
Fri, Oct 7th      Pisgah Brewing Company     Black Mountain, NC
Sat-Sun, Oct 8-9th      Shakori Hills Festival    Silk Hope, NC
Wed, Oct 12th     Jammin’ Java     Vienna, VA
Thurs, Oct 13th      Kent Stage     Kent, OH
Fri, Oct 14th      The Newton Theatre    Newton, NJ
Sat, Oct 15th      Infinity Hall    Norfolk, CT

www.duhks.com

The most vital acoustic music being made today acknowledges its predecessors and lives in the here and now. The Duhks, a band of five skilled, high-energy, tattooed musicians from Winnipeg, Manitoba, has been riveting audiences and winning staunch fans around the world with just that kind of music. The Boston Globe says about them, “Canada’s premier neo-tradsters romp from world-beat to blues, urban-pop to old-timey, with wild-eyed invention, haunting traditionalism, and spine-rattling groove. Who says the Frozen North can’t sizzle, eh?”

Since the release of their self-titled album in 2005, the consequent re-release of its Canadian debut (Your Daughters and Your Sons) to their most recent release (Fast Paced World), the band has won admirers as diverse as David Crosby, Dolly Parton and Doc Watson. This isn’t surprising, given the band’s blend of soul, gospel, North American folk, Brazilian samba, old-time country string-band music, zydeco and Irish dance music, folk rock and the attraction to these interwoven acoustic styles. The Duhks’ unique sound has also earned the band a Grammy nomination, one Juno Award, two additional Juno nominations, two Folk Alliance awards and an Americana Music Association nomination for Best Emerging Artists.

NPR says, “The inventive Canadians in The Duhks are widely beloved for their smooth blend of traditional roots music and soul, which they inject with well-placed Afro-Cuban and Celtic influences.” Ultimately though, according to band founder and claw-hammer banjoist Leonard Podolak, the Duhks “just want to play music that speaks to everybody.” Mission accomplished.

2008’s Fast-Paced World was the first Duhks record to feature prodigies Sarah and Christian Dugas. The siblings have been immersed in music their whole lives, thanks in part to their musician parents. “We had a family band that toured across Canada when I was 7 and Christian was 9,” remembers Sarah. “My father had a recording studio in the house, so I grew up hearing a variety of musicians playing everything from rap to rock to world beat. I grew up in a fun and creative environment.”

Joining the band in 2011, violinist Duncan Wickel‘s (formerly of Asheville, NC and now in Boston, MA) studies also began early with classical violin training at age 4. He was soon after introduced to Irish fiddling and has evolved into a wildly diverse and highly accomplished improviser, composer and technician on the violin; which fits amazingly with the Duhks diverse sound.

Guitarist Jordan McConnell also started digging into music at an early age and he started making guitars right out of highschool. He built both the guitar he plays on stage and one of Leonard’s favorite banjos as well. Currently, Jordan’s luthier business is taking off through the roof- a guitar he built was recently played by Seth Avett of The Avett Brothers alongside Bob Dylan on the Grammys!

Sarah and Christian have started playing as a duo and signed with Southern Ground Records (Zac Brown, Wood Brothers, Sonia Leigh). Since then they have played on Zac Brown’s Cruise “Sailing the Southern Seas” as well as the renowned folk and roots cruise “Cayamo”. They released an EP titled “Another Day” in February of 2011.

When not performing with the Duhks, Leonard has been invited into the Cecil Sharp Project based in the UK, as well as a new project, he’s started with some great Canadian songwriters called Dry Bones who performed earlier this year at the Vancouver Folk Fest.

With all of the side projects taking off, this tour is a special and rare opportunity to see the band. According to one blogger‘s live review, “The Duhks have soul in spades and a heart beat that pulses more true than an Ibiza night club. A night spent with The Duhks is summed up best by their own encore, ‘HALLELUJAH!’ Hallelujah indeed.”

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