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Dayton Music

DRI Thrash Out McGuffy’s

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Friday February 22nd six bands threw down their best punk/hardcore /thrash performance bringing back the original spirit of the early 80’s rebellious alternative scene. Spikes, studs, leather, patches, tattooed faces and 12 inch Mohawks were the lay of the land tonight as every Dirty Rotten Imbecile showed up to mosh, thrash out, surf and tumble their way to a good time. Winding Hollow Productions’  second showcase at Dayton’s house of rock proved an initiation of cardio for the more ambitiously exercise minded in the crowd and an all-night free for all for extreme music.

Dayton’s Abortive Issue opened with the pretty, prim and proper Miss Ashley who danced around onstage like she was in her own private padded luxury cell, complete with open sleeved straightjacket and it was playtime. She embodied the spirit of Wendy O Williams fondling the mic like a plasmatic doll. She’s a raging tattooed Pat Benatar screaming in tune with schizophrenic movement, devious eyes and a psycho friendly smile warming up for mosh pit gymnastics. They play with a smack speed and lots of American Pride but those are just their Minor Qualities, and they Trash Talk too, Just for Kicks.

The Hard-Onz

The Hard-Onz

From the snow covered wastelands of Illinois come’s a modern day version of Bad Brains and Fear in hardcover form in the Hard-Onz. Making the treacherous 7 hour trek from the dark, dank back alleyways of Lake County to defeating mother-nature’s fury and passing several overturned semi’s on the way to be here tonight, bringing the smell with them. They earned their way to the McGuffys stage bringing out the old-school noisy but rebellious conglomeration of punk and hardcore that made the sound of the early 80’s the forerunner of the movement. They spent time falling over each other and even turned a few technical mishaps in their favor adlibbing a song or two.  Playing a song with a broken string totally fits the hardcore work ethos. With Leo on vocals the band jams on songs ramming us with colorful tunes about weekend beer, bitches, pigs, unidentified white powder and tramps also hitting Rock Bottom waking up to find a meth lab in the garage and a Hard-core twist on a Minor Threat classic.  They also made the pit user friendly sending their mascot, Richard Hardon the 1st to stimulate crowd participation in the vintage creepy crawl and classic circle dance moves. What they lack in prettiness and grace they make up for with drive and passion, even if they were influenced by the naked talent of GG Allen and they always towel off after finishing.

The m-m-m-m-m metal shop opened for business with Grim State combining thrash, grindcore and just flat out pounding molten metal. It’s a loud noisy state of the union address and it’s Volatile as hell. All the Deadbeats followed the imbeciles in ready to cause/spread Illness.  Turbine engines kicked on in Solitude and the Madness began as people got a little Absent-minded after a few pit hits.

The Legbone’s connected to the knee bone before a slip and slide beer on the floor disconnection. They’re a nice even groove of punk rock and metal with a packed crowd and filled pit showing a more friendly side of hardcore. With the spirits flowing there’s no Pressure. They dedicated an explicative laden crappy tune to the hard work of the Hard Onz. They’ve too happy and fun loving to be pissed off punks, too heavy to be just punk and punk enough to not just be metal. They do Swallow Razors just to prove their baddass’s though. There’s plenty of time for California dreaming after the screaming over. They cover I Drink too Much by The Give Ups who they’ll be sharing an upcoming split release with.  Next up, the prettiest girls in the ugliest town get some love. Troy gets a unique tribute on Drunk Favors for Beer. Judging by some of the crowd at this point What You Are is one dumb, drunk belligerent degenerate waking up Saturday morning saying I Got Pains, with a Two Day Hangover, so you’re at the right place and basically had fun. They officially break out the metal, throwing up the beer after beer after beer after beer… and the devil horns. They sing a double bandaged, double dose of skater tunes about skinned knees, scraped elbows, broken bones and cracked craniums after 6 foot ledge jumps onto soft concrete. If there’s nothing else you remembered from tonight’s intoxicating show remember this…. B stands for belligerent, E stands for every time I get drunk, E stands for everyone I’m hanging with, R stands for ruthie and the process.

Architects of Doom

Architects of Doom

The unholy Dayton Architects of Doom were ready to spread fury and filth with a trigger happy mutiny of loud angry aggression. They open pulling The Trigger on their own loud heavy breed of Iron Maiden meets Arch Enemy with ‘up tempo’ Morbid Angel gathered in the mix. Keith Hamilton’s vocals are a mix of Zakk Wylde and sonic screamers Randy Blythe and the equally bearded Amon Amarth’s Johan Hegg. Danny definitely has some of Eddie’s influence in his fingers powered by Dragonforce. They start a fierce Mutiny playing the Martyr’s dishing out the Ritual Punishment Under a Black Flag of Bloodshed. Black Flag was dedicated to anyone in music or in any kind of art. The Architects earned the night’s most vicious pit… so far. They played new tune Awaken for the first time and new tune Bloodshed. Their sound is a delicious mulligan stew stricken with cool melody with munchy pieces of scrap iron riffs floating in the swirling muck.

DRI

DRI

The 30th Anniversary of those Houston crossover hardcore punk’s with enough thrash to insight a yard full of angry attack dogs DRI began as the Thrashard opened and In The Pit everyone went. A large perpetually moving group of sweaty, hot, stinky bastards and ladies annihilated the floor and each other spreading bloodless DNA everywhere. Kurt and the boys played all the hits and some crowd surfers barely missed hospital time thanks to the heroic patient efforts and skill of the front stage security team. Classic crossover records Four of a Kind, Thrashzone and Definition were well represented also borrowing from the old school pre-hybrid success and some tunes from the mid-nineties. Brecht and Co played with syringes, discussed the Modern World, As Seen on TV with those annoying Suit and Tie Guys. So get Beneath the Wheel and accept your Manifest Destiny because it’s too late to Do the Dream.  Brecht still has that raspy angry spoken word delivery surrounded by the punk-thrash pollutant mixture of the man of a hundred expressions bassist Harald Oimoen, drummer Rob Rampy and original guitarist Spike Cassidy. They’ve brought out the punks, skinheads and metal heads in droves from the early 80’s to present day earning them the status of being the major ‘crossover’ band of the movement. Judging by the crowd of flailing, flying, flowing and falling bodies both standing foot strong and airborne the band can still cause a Molotov Cocktail reaction in people. We’re all family in the pit anyway. Sweat and BO is the indoor version of Acid Rain. Original drummer brother Eric came up and played a few tunes from the very early days. They’ll be touring with fellow hardcore pioneers Suicidal Tendencies in April and Slayer for a few dates in May.

Cityfolk Presents Dervish + TICKET CONTEST

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DervishCityfolk is proud to present the Dervish, the internationally heralded Irish music ensemble, in concert on Friday, March 22 at Stivers School for the Arts. The concert start at 8:00 pm and is reserved seating. Tickets are $25 and be ordered at www.cityfolk.org or be calling the Cityfolk box office at 937-496-3863.

Dervish has won considerable acclaim for its rare skill in “bringing music from the session to the stage,” in the words of co-founding band member Brian McDonagh. Fronted by the charismatic singer Cathy Jordan, the Irish septet is perhaps the only traditional Irish music group in the world to have inspired “tribute bands,” which are found in many countries, but especially so in Russia and Israel.

Inspired by such legendary County Sligo musicians as Michael Coleman and James Morrison (who recorded in the U.S. in the 1920s), Dervish has “truly absorbed the techniques and, more importantly, the soul that has driven Irish traditional musicians through the years and come out of it with all the freshness, verve and timeless appeal associated with the great Irish bands of the 1970s and early 1980s…They carry Irish history with them” (Irish Voice).

The roots of Dervish stretch back to 1989, when five Irish musicians who played together at weekly pub sessions—including Liam Kelly (flute, whistles), Shane Mitchell (accordion), Michael Holmes (bouzouki, mandolin) and Brian McDonagh (mandola, guitar)—recorded an album of traditional music from County Sligo as the Boys from Sligo.

Initially, there were no plans beyond making the album, but that went so well the quintet decided to become a real band—a working band—known as Dervish. Two years later, the band assumed its present format with the addition of singer Cathy Jordan from County Roscommon and All-Ireland Fiddle Champion Shane McAleer. Amazingly, this hard-working band has had only one significant personnel change in the ensuing 22 years, fiddler Tom Morrow (from County Leitrim and another All-Ireland Fiddle Champion) joining the ranks in 1998.

Dervish made its recording debut in 1993 with Harmony Hill and has made a total of 11 albums, all released on the band’s own Whirling Disc label.

“Irish music is one of the oldest forms of music, yet it is influenced an awful lot by other things,” explains Cathy Jordan. “It evolves and evolves. Our sound is very recognizable because of the bouzouki and mandola. And though we have a modern style within the Irish context, you might not say it’s really modern, because it blends in so well. But in actual fact there are a lot of modern influences in there.

“We experiment without straying too far from the roots. We give people something familiar, yet it’s in the genre of traditional music. It’s all the instrumentation of Irish music. But it plays with people’s perceptions a bit.”

Two More Venues To Begin Your Open Mic Night Journey: Canal Street Tavern and Tumbleweed Connection

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Back in the beginning of January, I wrote about my experiences diving into the world of open mic nights. I had been going around the Dayton area scoping out the hidden gems that are playing in town. At these open mic nights, I have noticed some great music being played by artists and bands that have been playing for some time; they are just fine-tuning their music. I have also seen music played by people who are just starting to get their feet on stage. I wrote about the RnR PlayDate, which is on Sundays at One Eyed Jacks in Fairborn. I also talked about the open mic night that is held on Wednesdays at South Park Tavern on Wayne Avenue in Dayton. There are open mic nights that take place at Blind Bob’s Bar and Trolley Stop, both located at the Oregon District. These four events have given many people opportunities to highlight playing music as a way to let yourself get lost in playing, or a chance to start your journey into the music scene in town. However, there are a couple more weekly open mic events that need to be spotlit as well.

Tuesday nights are owned by The Musicians Co-Op, which is held at Canal Street Tavern. To me and many others, Canal Street is a local crown jewel.  I look at Canal Street as Dayton’s version of the legendary CBGB, a concert venue Manhattan that was around from 1973 to 2006. The building hosted great acts from Blondie to The B-52’s to The Ramones. Canal Street, like CBGB, is a place that purely and strictly dedicated to music. The lights are always low, giving the venue a laid-back, intimate atmosphere. The walls are bursting with stories of the music that has been played throughout the years. The unpolished wooden floors have that vintage look and sound to them that others only dare to try to replicate.  The Musicians Co-Op is one of the oldest open mics in town, giving many the opportunity to chance to show their talent.

Victoria Baumgardner onstage at Canal Street Tavern

Victoria Baumgardner onstage at Canal Street Tavern

On a recent blisteringly cold Tuesday night, I ventured to the hollow grounds of Canal Street to witness the talent taking the stage that evening. The whole evening felt like an episode of ‘Storytellers’, with each act telling the stories behind their music. Each performer poured emotion into each note that they played. The first act I saw was Kettering native and teacher Colleen Badenhop. Her piano play was airy and beautiful, with an old soul flowing from the keys. The lyrics were about hardships. It was emotional to sit there and hear lyrics of broken hearts, and hardships that people face. Badenhop even did a stunning version of Extreme’s “More Than Words”. The next act was the host of the night E. Ryan Roth. Roth’s singing was very Alice In Chain’s Layne Staley-dense, moody vocals with haunting harmonies. He had a song that dove into the addiction of caffeine that was simply lasting. The music had a psychedelic echo to it. It was a performance that will keep me thinking about it for a while. The next performance was from the petite, Southern belle Victoria Bumgardner. She started to change the pace of the evening with her folk/country hymns that got the crowd participating throughout her set, singing classic songs ‘Evangeline’, ‘Blue Moon of Kentucky’ and ‘Ophelia’. Bumgardener’s vocals were very Loretta Lynn-like. Amazingly talented, Bumgardner played bigger than her height reaches (which isn’t even close to 5 feet). She gave the crowd the chance to see her impeccable personality, which is playful, open and free. The last performer that I saw at the Co-Op was Trey Stone. Stone brought a bassist and drummer for his set, which was different from what everyone else was doing. He mentioned that he has been currently working on an album (a Kickstarter project that met its goal) for the past 6 months. He played some songs from the album, which had a jazz feel to them. The crowd was glued to Stone’s band- with the fierce piano play, the double bass being strummed with looseness, and the snare drum and cymbals adding a touch of slickness. Fans of Ben Folds Five would have enjoyed this performance. After the set from Stone, I can’t wait to see how the finished album will sound.

Performers at the Tumbleweed Connection's Open Mic Night

Performers at the Tumbleweed Connection’s Open Mic Night

Another great open mic that is starting to find its footing in the Dayton area is happening at Tumbleweed Connection in the Oregon District. Tumbleweed Connection’s bar situated in the middle of our building and there is another bar upstairs on the balcony that looks over 5th Street and all its beautifulness. The structure of the building is very much has a resemblance of one of the fantastic venues that wait on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Tumbleweed Connection just adds another flavor to the Oregon District.

On Wednesday nights, Tumbleweed Connection, along with hosts Barefoot Dan and Dana Farley, gives people the opportunity to come up the stage and grace everyone with their musical abilities. Dan and Dana provide drums and a bass. The hosts provide a guitar amp. All you have to do is come to the venue and play. Tumbleweed Connection is a great place to play for any music genre. The bar patrons always give their undivided attention and will give support for all performers. You never know who will be coming to this open mic. When the musical Shrek was in town recently, some of the musicians from the show came and played a little, and hung out with everyone.

The Musicians Co-Op at Canal Street and Tumbleweed Connection are just two more open mics that you can expand your desire to play music to a crowd if you are beginning, or for the veteran musicians a chance to get out in town and continue perfected their craft. No matter which one you go to, just remember one thing-have fun.

For a list of all upcoming Open Mic Nights in Dayton, just click the link.

Jazz Spotlight: Scott Gasaway and Stivers Jazz Orchestra + Upcoming Jazz March 13 – 26

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Stivers Leader Student Combo (1)Scott Gasaway is the new Band Director at Stivers School for the Arts – though he’s not new to jazz, or to the Dayton area. Born on November 9, 1987, in San Diego, California, Scott’s family moved to Dayton when he was just six years old. Scott credits his mom, Lourdes, with providing him — and his two brothers, Nicholas and Matthew with supporting their education in the arts, an opportunity she did not have as a child.

Scott came up through the Centerville High School band program, which is where, under the guidance of many highly influential teachers, he discovered his passion for music and decided that music was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Upon his graduation, Scott went on to pursue music education and saxophone at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts where he studied under saxophonist Dino Govoni and saxophonist and clarinetist Shannon LeClaire and performed with vibraphonist and composer Victor Mendoza and bassist Oscar Stagnaro.

Upon graduation from Berklee, Scott accepted a position as the high school music director with Hull Public Schools, in the Town of Hull, Massachusetts, where he was put in charge of starting the band program — teaching band, piano and music technology. It was while he was back home in Dayton to visit his family last summer, that Scott received a call from Stivers Jazz Orchestra Director Emeritus Claude Thomas.

Scott had met Thomas when Thomas was a faculty member of the Miami Valley Jazz Summer Camp and Scott was still an aspiring jazz musician. Thomas was calling to say that he had retired from Stivers to focus on composing full-time and that he wanted to recommend Scott for his position. The rest, as they say, is history.

Scott is now responsible for the operation of the band at Stivers School for the Arts, where he teaches music theory, directs the middle-school concert band, the high-school symphonic wind orchestra and the jazz orchestra. “It keeps me on my toes — and I can’t imagine doing anything else,” he says, with great pride and excitement.

Scott will make his debut with the Stivers musicians in their March 18 concert entitled “On the Shoulders of Giants” — a salute to the celebrated Stivers student musicians who captured national honors at three separate Berklee High School Jazz Festivals in Boston and who were invitees and performers at Lincoln Center during the New York City Jazz Festival last year.

The March 18 concert is also a celebration of the release of the new CD “From Boston to New York.” The Stivers musicians will be joined by international jazz artist Greg Abate, who played lead alto sax with the Ray Charles Orchestra and who has recorded with jazz legends Rufus Reid and Kenny Washington. The evening’s program will include works from Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Buddy Rich and more.

Click here for all of the concert details.

Jazz Calendar

Here are some (not all) of the upcoming jazz events for the next couple of weeks:

Today Wednesday, March 13 – Brian Cashwell Trio is at Wright State’s Student Union Hearth Lounge in Fairborn, OH and you can Swing Dance with Lizz & Rex Review at the Dayton Event Connection.
Thursday March 14 – The Dayton Art Institute kicks off with The Shin Sings Orchestra to open it’s 2013 its Vectren Jazz and Beyond series and Gilly’s presents a Funk In My Backyard benefit.
Friday March 15 – the Chicago Fire Comes to Dayton with Brad Goode & Bill Burns at Jazz Central, trumpeter Al Hood plays with the Sinclair Jazz Ensemble and the Classic Jazz Stompers are at Jay’s Seafood all in Dayton.
Saturday March 16 – A St. Patty’s Day Blues Jam with Kevin Dumont and Mississippi Red is at Jazz Central In Dayton.
Sunday March 17 – the Jam Session w/ Kenny Baccus continues at Dayton’s Jazz Central.
Monday March 18 – Stivers School for the Arts presents “On the Shoulders of Giants” with their new director and special guest Greg Abate.
Tuesday March 19 – the JD Allen Band is at the Blue Wisp in Cincinnati and the Part St. Tavern Jazz Jam continues in Columbus.
Wednesday March 20 – the eleven piece Different Hats Band at the Dayton Event Connection.
Thursday March 21 – the Generations Big Band plays Jazz Central in Dayton and the Rick Brunetto Big Band is at The 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant in Columbus.
Friday March 22 – Shawn Stanley Trio is at Carvers Steaks & Chops in Centerville and Stanley Jordan is Nighttown in Cleveland Heights.
Saturday March 23 – C’est Tout Bistro in Oakwood presents James & Moore and the Randy Fankell Jazz Trio will be at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dayton.
Sunday March 24 – Petra’s Recession Seven Band is at the Gallagher Student Center Theater, of Xavier University in Cincinnati.
Monday March 25 – John Taylor Trio is at the Brio Tuscan Grille in Beavercreek.
Tuesday March 26 – Ed Moss & the Society Jazz Orchestra are at the Schwartz Point Jazz Club and Jazz Cab is at The Greenwich both in Cincinnati.

More info and jazz listings can be found at JazzAdvocate.com

Jazz Spotlight: Randy Fankell + Upcoming Jazz Feb. 27 – Mar. 12

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Happy February 27th; Jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon was born on this day in 1923, he was among the earliest tenor players to adapt the bebop musical language of people like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie.  Click here for more information.

Who is Randy Fankell:

I have known and followed Randy Fankell for many years and to this day, he is one of my favorite jazz drummers.

Randy has played drums for mRandy Fankell DMM clipore than four decades, making his professional debut at 18 years of age with the Steve Adams Blues Band.  Following a brief stint in college, Randy opted for education “on the road” spending the 70’s and part of the 80’s traveling and performing with a variety of bands and show groups.  Traveling throughout the U.S. and Canada included working in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Chicago, and many other major venues.  Randy has also performed in Aruba, Norway, Finland and Germany.

In the mid-80’s, Randy settled in Dayton, OH and started to pursue his real love in music – Jazz.  Randy has performed with an array of artists such as Grammy-Winning composer, pianist and recording artist Bill Cunliff, and master bassist, the late great Dave Carpenter whose credits include Buddy Rich and Peter Erskine.  Randy also played with recording artist Randy Villars, Tony Monaco and Doug Simon (Jack McDuff).  From 2003 to 2010 Randy was the house drummer at The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dayton, OH, performing with a variety of artists.

After years of professional musicianship as a ‘sideman’, Randy has moved into the leadership role with the Randy Fankell Jazz Trio/Quartet and has had numerous performances in local venues to include Wright State University and The Crowne Plaza Hotel, downtown Dayton.
Upcoming events:

The next scheduled event is on Saturday, March 23, from 7 – 10pm at the top of Dayton’s Crowne Plaza Hotel, located at 33 E Fifth Street, in their newly remodeled View 162 Room.

Jazz Calendar

Here are some (not all) of the upcoming jazz events for the next couple of weeks:

Tonight Wednesday, February 27 – Arnold’s Bar & Grill presents Todd Hepburn in Cincinnati and you can Swing Dance with Lizz & Rex Review at the Dayton Event Connection.
Thursday February 28 – The Weekend of Jazz kicks off with the Beavercreek Schools free concert at their high school in Beavercreek.
Friday March 1 – The Weekend of Jazz continues with Jeff Coffin and the Mu’Tet in Beavercreek and the Cohesion Jazz Ensemble plays the Thompson House in Newport, Ky.
Saturday March 2 – The Weekend of Jazz holds their all day High School Jazz Band playoffs and presents Ramsey Lewis as the grand finale.
Sunday March 3 – a Live Jazz Party produced by Gene Walker will be at the Hunan Gourmet Restaurant in Whitehall and the Jam Session w/ Kenny Baccus is at Dayton’s Jazz Central.
Monday February 4 – a Jazz Jam hosted by Sandy Suskind Quartet is at the Blue Wisp in Cincinnati and Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra is at the Clintonville Woman’s Club in Columbus.
Tuesday March 5 – the JD Allen Band is at the Blue Wisp in Cincinnati and the Part St. Tavern Jazz Jam continues in Columbus.
Wednesday March 6 – Boudin’s Bistro & Jazz Club presents a Jam Session with Fo/Mo/Deep and Ricky Nye & Rob Lumbard are at Chez Nora in Covington, KY.
Thursday March 7 – the Jazz Central Big Band returns to Jazz Central in Dayton and Rick Brunetto Big Band is at The 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant in Columbus.
Friday March 8 – Shawn Stanley Trio is at Carvers Steaks & Chops in Centerville, OH and Phil DeGreg Quartet is at the Thompson House in Newport, Ky.
Saturday March 9 – C’est Tout Bistro in Oakwood presents James & Moore and Andrew Waters – Smooth Jazz is at the Eastern Palace Restaurant in Columbus.
Sunday March 10 – Art Gore and Friends is at the MidPointe Library in Middletown and there’s at Jazz Jam at Victory’s in Columbus..
Monday March 11 – John Taylor Trio is at the Brio Tuscan Grille in Beavercreek and Mark Flugge, Derek Dicenzo & Jimmy Castoe are at Due Amici in Columbus.
Tuesday March 12 – Ed Moss & the Society Jazz Orchestra are at the Schwartz Point Jazz Club and Jazz Cab is at The Greenwich both in Cincinnati.

More info and jazz listings can be found at JazzAdvocate.com

Alrosa Villa Amplifies Awareness for Autism/TS with Jasmine Cain.

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Writer’s note: my personal thanks and gratitude to the Cautela’s and the Make It Fit Foundation for tonight’s event as I was diagnosed with TS in grade school.

Saturday February 9th the Alrosa Villa in cooperation with the Make It Fit Foundation  held the Amplified Awareness benefit fundraiser for children with Autism and Tourette Syndrome. The evening’s entertainment all volunteering their time and talent included Loboz, Fat Dog and the hot rod riding Jasmine Cain.

Event sponsors included Beckners Costum Cycles, QFM 96, Iron Brothers of Ohio and Boyd’s Goodyear. QFM’s Sue Leighton was there to help MC the event introducing the evenings host and organizer Make It Fit founder Mike Hoover. Fans from 8 different states made the trip for tonight’s show.

 

Loboz

Loboz

Loboz opened cranking out 90 minutes of smooth flowing blues rock paying tribute to the classics and respect to some of music’s most beloved fallen heroes. Beginning with a Chris Duarte female friendly tune and the long bearded boys from Houston say Thank You. They get a little funky with The James Gang and play some sexy Latino attitude for Mamacita. They get original playing a namesake tune from their upcoming CD because somewhere Between Hell and Home you’ve Got to Groove into a swinging night taking the lady out on the town, showing her just how special she really is. If She Came in Through the Bathroom Window around dawn you know it was a good time. They set aside their bikes in favor of a red corvette traveling back to the 80’s with the roof down basking in the Purple Rain. We go to Chi-Town with the fuzzy guitar twirling eliminators hanging out on a bus with Jesus. Then Walk the Dog with the toxic twins of Boston and Scrawl with Mr. Duarte again. Though they’re opening tonight’s show they’re The King Bees playing the blues like they’ve lived the stories of seasoned headliners. But they haven’t ‘weathered’ as many storms as Mr. Vaughan… yet. They might look like the average white blues band but they definitely put some electric gypsy voodoo into their show.

 

Fat Dog

Fat Dog

Fat Dog breaks open the Pearl Jam with an Evenflow of multiple genre gems and classics combined with a Cold Crossfade of collective collectibles that went over cool with the crowd. We get a little dark, deep and introspective with Tool, wait Everlong with Dave Grohl and enlist the crash and burn Bad Company of Johnny. Time for a Journey back in time with some friends from the 80’s Anyway You Want It and a trip to the summer skies of Boston along the way. From Boston to the hair-sprayed dusty old western streets of New Jersey washed in a synthesizer wave of 80’s pop metal where it’s all the same, only the songs change. From the six string streets we go deep in the trenches with The Rooster then Ramble On with Zeppelin. Bassist Nathan Hartley shows off his pipes telling us about love then we get Hot For Teacher and those wonderful grade school memories. They throw out a ‘colourful’ tongue and cheek claim of ownership on the next tune then bust into CM Punk’s favorite theme song. The Good Times, Bad Times keep rolling then everything gets Disturbed by the The Police. The end of the show was a clear Schism of band and crowd. All the pieces fit during the show then they walked off stage.

Straight from the gas guzzling hog wild town of Sturgis comes the raven haired, leather and lace queen of the open road Miss Jasmine Cain. Here to smash your face with a few shots of Jager and a show of originals and covers you’ll want to remember, planting a pretty image in your mind you won’t want to forget. Till the early hours of the morning she weaves her headbanging gothic spell, thrashing out like a mad woman banging out deep soothing, thumping bass lines with attitude and you should hear her scream. Her sound created by red rimmed top hat keyboard playing insanest David Michael Thomas along with her own special traveling band combines the heart of country, the rebel in rock, the dark sinister side of metal with an atmospheric horror movie blend that raises holy Cain.

Jasmine Cain

Jasmine Cain

She blasts into the enchanting nocturnal song of the Nightingale spreading delusional fantasies of hopes and dreams drowned in the wishing well. She breathes out the ice cold embrace of Frostbite then takes us face down in a liquid dream with a Whiskey Kiss. We go back to 1995, a great year to learn to drive and ride officially starting the mileage of life. The engines roar, gasoline and oil burn as we hear the hog-lovers lullaby as she travels down that endless gypsy road the Highway Prophet. She’s a road wise woman with hard living stories spiced with a sweet country slap. An acoustic version was played on QFM’s Arch & Elliot Show the previous morning followed by an appearance at the Columbus Easyrider show. She’s a pretty haunted gothic princess moving under the Evanescence of scattered spotlights, adding her own satin locked touch to Miss Lee’s opus. We get Zombified with a Thunderkiss 30 years before ’95. Whether it’s the whiskey or the past the witching hour, hour talking she’s still got some devil in her lungs proving good loud heavy music is still the ‘international colors’ of the two wheeled roaring beasts. Enter night as the sandman takes over for the Nightingale spreading wicked dreams turning front stage Alrosa into the snakepit. With a cold winter’s moon above Cain is definitely of wolf and woman (and a bit of a Dreamweaver in her own right).

The organ blasted out The Phantoms welcome as the Abbey’s creaky gates opened to a Lady Cain guided tour of Mr. Crowley’s house. Bats on the left, doves on the right, don’t expect to leave tonight. We all yell Hey Man Nice Shot as the drinks pour, she lets out a sensual roar and we keep feeling More Human Than Human. She sings like she’d have your back in a bar fight and flings her bass around playing like she’s its scorned lover. It was time for old Ozzy vs. new Ozzy. It’s just a hand in the bush. Tonight was their first show since November and they’ve had plenty of time to make us their Audioslave. Jasmine reminds us that Life is Beautiful and we’re all the Beautiful People, the beautiful people, in it. She gives us a little bit of a ‘sappy’ Love Song then harnesses the energy to Rage Against the Machine.

As part of the fundraiser, a guitar signed by all performing band members was raffled and won by Derek of Ohio’s Number #1 Biker Magazine Thunder Roads Ohio. After a loudly encouraged encore we got a small slice of Americana from The Boss then saving the enchanting White Winged Dove for the last mesmerizing soulful seduction.

Jasmine Cain has come a long way since being the house band for the Full Throttle Saloon back in 2000. She released her debut album The Inside and title track video in 2004 (wins 2 JPF awards in ’06). Videos for Sweet Euphoria and Help Me are released in ’05. Headlines Easyrider shows three years in a row starting in ’07, releases Locks & Keys in ’08 winning 6 JPF awards for it in ’09 and releases Highway Prophet in 2011 winning Female Rock Vocalist of the year award at the first annual Music City Mayhem Awards. Last year the Highway Prophet video was released and they were nominated for three MCMA awards.

The Make It Fit foundation has spearheaded its push for Autism awareness since November 2011. They’ve worked with professional athletes from MMA, football and baseball also appearing at the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia 2011 and 12. They’ve donated to numerous charities including Autism Speaks, The Autism Society of Ohio, Cookies for Ipads, Recreation Unlimited, Oakstone Academy and several more. They’ve also partnered with the owners of White Castle who donated 10 million dollars to further Autism research and also donated to Ohio State University and Nationwide Children’s Hospital in a joint venture called The Ingram Autism Research Center. Make It Fit will also be donating to The Ingram Center this year and to the Tourette Syndrome Society of Ohio, tsaohio.org. An Autism Motorcycle was built by Kip Meeks and Mark Beckner of Beckners Custom Cycles painted by Steve ‘Copperhead’ Stritenberger and taken to conventions/fundraisers/Easyrider shows, viewed by millions and auctioned off last year. The annual Ohio Ride for Autism will roar through Columbus on July 27 and The All About Autism Car Truck and Motorcycle show will be on August 17. The Alrosa Villa hopes to make Amplified Awareness an annual event.

Autism is described as a neural disorder affecting mental, emotional development resulting in impaired social interaction, communication and repetitive behavior. It is one of three disorders in the autism spectrum (ASDs) the other’s being Asperger Syndrome which lacks delays in cognitive/linguistic development but greatly affects social behavior. Pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) is diagnosed when the whole set of criteria for the other two aren’t met. Autism has a strong genetic base and signs are noticed within the first two years of life. Movies with autistic characters include The Boy Who Could Fly, Rain Man, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Bless the Child and Mercury Rising and on TV’s Parenthood, Grey’s Anatomy, House, Law &Order Criminal Minds, The Shield and most recently Touch.

Tourette Syndrome is an inherited mental disorder onset in childhood characterized by multiple physical (motor) and vocal (phonic) tics that come and go and can be temporary suppressed occurring from an oncoming pre-urge. TS is defined as a tic disorder which are sudden, repetitive, body movements, sounds and vocalizations which include sniffing, blinking, facial movements, body jerks and spasms. Audio tics include making noises, involuntary cussing, swearing and other derogatory verbiage, though the tics generally subside with age. TV shows featuring TS characters include Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Sopranos and The Tourette Guy with documentaries Twitch and Shout, last year’s Magic Camp and the film short Harvie Krumpet. The 2008 TV movie Front of the Class is based on the real life story of TS diagnosed Brad Cohen who became a gifted teacher. Depending on your sense of humor TS has also been lampooned in Deuce Bigalow and mentioned in The Wedding Singer. Celebrities with TS include Howie Mandel, Howard Hughes and Dan Aykroyd. May 15-June 15 is national TS awareness month.

Gaelic Storm Comes to Dayton’s Victoria Theatre + TICKET CONTEST

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Gaelic Storm (1)GAELIC STORM returns to the Dayton area on February 20th at 8pm following the July 2011 release of their dazzling #1 Billboard World Album Chicken Boxer, a heavyweight record that comes out swinging with a mix of empowering anthems and traditional ballads. Chicken Boxer is Gaelic Storm’s third album to debut at the #1 sport on the Billboard World Albums Chart, with What’s the Rumpus? and Cabbage preceding it in 2008 and 2010 respectively. It is also the fifth album to be released on the band’s own label, Lost Again records, and shows the songwriting and musicianship of a band that has made their mark bringing fans to their feet two hundred days per year. With their signature acoustic production, GAELIC STORM blends indie-folk and world grooves with Celtic tradition to serve up a ringside seat for fifteen rounds of pugilistic poultry pounding sound. A regular at the Dayton Celtic Festival, GAELIC STORM will perform at the Victoria Theatre for the first time!

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Through the course of nine albums, the core of Celtic-rock group Gaelic Storm—frontman Patrick Murphy and guitarist-vocalist Steve Twigger—have lived, written and recorded in the United States, far from the overseas environs of Patrick’s native Ireland and Steve’s birthplace of England. So when it came time to find inspiration for Gaelic Storm’s new album, the group’s chief songwriters decided a trip back across the pond was in order.

The result is the dazzling #1 Billboard World Album Chicken Boxer, a heavyweight record that comes out swinging with a mix of empowering anthems and traditional ballads, and the fifth to be released on the band’s own label, Lost Again Records.

“Twigger and I returned to Ireland, driving around the entire coastline in search of Irish music,” says Patrick. “Going back was great and we got some good stories and ideas for songs.”

“That was a really important trip to us,” agrees Steve, who produced the album with help from Patrick and drummer Ryan Lacey. Steve says the journey back to their musical home informs the new album. “The idea of home is all over Chicken Boxer. Whether home is where you were born or where you make your living, that theme runs throughout the album.”

Rounded out by drummer Ryan, piper Pete Purvis and fiddle player Jessie Burns, Gaelic Storm has earned a reputation as one of the world-music scene’s preeminent Celtic bands. With catalog sales of more than 1 million, the group has now had three albums debut at #1 on the Billboard World Albums Chart. (from GaelicStorm.com)

Tickets are on sale now through Ticket Center Stage for $21 each, and may be purchased at the Ticket Center Stage Box Office in downtown Dayton or by phone, at (937) 228-3630 or toll free (888) 228-3630. Ticket Center Stage hours are Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday, noon – 4 p.m., and two hours prior to each performance. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

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Dayton Most Metro Ticket Contest

We have ONE PAIR OF TICKETS to give away to a lucky reader for the Gaelic Storm concert on Feb. 20th – simply fill out the form below and then leave a comment saying that YOU want to win tickets to see Gaelic Storm from Dayton Most Metro (tag us for extra love).  We’ll announce a winner on Monday Feb. 18 – GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to  Laura Rea!

The Last Waltz: Bringing The Movie To Life

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The Last Waltz

A still image from The Last Waltz

“You never know what to expect when they came on stage.  However you know that it was going to be great.”  This is what Jeff Opt said to me while the two of us sat around inside the Yellow Cab building.  What he was referring to in his statement about of the iconic groups of the 60s, The Band.  Jeff Opt is truly special.  He is one of the main coordinators of the yearly event Dayton Sideshow, an annual two day event that highlights the unique art that is being done in town.  Each year, the Sideshow will have a theme to the exhibition that will include a variety of work, which includes video, sculptures, paintings, photography, and live music from local bands.  What the Sideshow aims to do is to help individuals obtain a platform to show off their creations, and also to celebrate the local art scene.  If you haven’t been to one of the previous shows, do yourself a favor and check it out this year during the spring Urban Nights event, which will be taking place in May.  While sitting at the Yellow Cab building, Opt talked about the joys of helping others achieve their dreams.  “It’s a passion of mine.  I love being able to help others.”

For a couple of years, Opt had been dreaming of doing a show that recreated The Last Waltz, the final concert that The Band would perform as a group on November 25, 1976 at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco (the same venue the group made its debut in 1969).  The Band comprised of Rick Danko (vocals, trombone, bass, fiddle), Levon Helm (drums, mandolin, guitar, vocals), Garth Hudson (keyboard, trumpet, saxophone), Richard Manuel (piano, drums, saxophone) and Robbie Robertson (guitar vocals).  The Band was a hybrid of many musical influences, with the Americana folk sound blending in with the psychedelic traits that bands from Cream to Led Zeppelin were built on.  The statement mentioned earlier by Opt was true.  The Band wasn’t the most polished group to come to the stage, but you always were in awe of the way they played music.  It was beautiful how they would bring all these different components into their music.

Sadly, with Robertson wanting to have the group become strictly a studio-only band due to the exhaustion of always being on the road, along with Manuel suffering a severe neck injury after a boating accident, the group decided their to disband and have a farewell concert that will have some of the artists and bands that influenced them along the way, with a large horn section backing them. During the concert, artists from Eric Clapton, to Neil Young, to Bob Dylan performed as well.  The show was filmed by director Martin Scorsese.  In 1978, Scorsese released the documentary of the same name as the show, The Last Waltz.  The movie featured concert performances, and interviews with the band.  The Last Waltz is hailed as one of the greatest concert films ever made in many circles you talk to.  On February 24th, Opt’s vision of bringing the show to town will become reality.  “It is one of my favorite movies.  I just think that it’s cool watching this great band play one last time.  I thought it would be cool to recreate that movie.”

 

An all-star lineup of Dayton musicians rehearses for Such A Night in the Old Yellow Cab Building

An all-star lineup of Dayton musicians rehearses for Such A Night in the Old Yellow Cab Building

Such A Night: A Celebration of The Band’s Last Waltz will be taking place at the legendary jazz club Gilly’s Niteclub, located on 132 S. Jefferson Street, in Dayton, Ohio.  Close to thirty local musicians along with an eight piece horn section will bring the awe-inspiring film to life.  “All these musicians are excited about being part of this project”, explained Opt.  “Most of these guys have never played together.  So, to see this coming together is really cool.” Opt has been working on this project since last October/November, calling up people that he knew would be great for the show.  Each member will tell you one thing when it comes to the show, including Opt, “This show is going to blow some minds.”

The evening will not only be producing excellent live music, but it’s also going to be helping a cause that is going to help a great deal of people.  All the proceeds from people walking in will go to one of the Miami Valley’s great nonprofit organizations, The Foodbank.  Since 1976, The Foodbank has been helping a network of food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, and backpack programs among others.  Being the largest hunger relief agency in the Dayton area, a single dollar will be able to provide eight meals to the hungry.  Nearly 5,000,000 meals a year are provided to children, adults, and the elderly.  It’s just another gesture of gratitude that Opt gives of himself.  “I am firm believer in helping others.  I want to be a good role model for my kids.”

The buzz of Such A Night: A Celebration of The Band’s Last Waltz has been astonishing.  The show was kept under wraps until the past couple of weeks.  It’s now gotten to the point where a small amount of advanced tickets are able to be purchased.  “I didn’t want to have a lot of people not be able to get to see the show.  So by doing just a limited number of advanced tickets, it just gives people a chance to come and watch, and not be turned down”, Opt said.  Opt believes strongly that the show will be something that people will be talking about for days after.  He hopes that maybe if all goes well, maybe we will do something like this again next year and beyond. “I was asked about doing The Who’s Tommy.  I think that would be cool, but let’s get Such A Night out of the way first (laughs)”, Opt mentioned.  Something tells me that Such A Night is truly just the beginning.

Such A Night: A Celebration of The Band’s Last Waltz  once again is on February 24th.  Show time is 7:30pm, and admission is $5.  Donations will be accepted at the door.

Video from the original “The Waltz”

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The Attic Celebrates Its Final Night

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Saturday January 26th over 700 kids jammed the Attic’s positive space to be part of the venues final loud shout out of all day music marathon. 15 bands played the Hot Head Burrito and main stage in door festival starting at 2:30 with States Away and finishing 8 hours later with Beneath the Sky. Bands sandwiched in between included Ignite the Empires, Strangers to Wolves, Witness, The Holy Guile and Hail to the King amongst others.

Event vendors No Where To Go Clothing also donated half the evenings proceeds to The Attic. A raffle was held for a signed Miss May I framed poster by Rockstar Energy, a Woe Is Me signed poster, CD and drumsticks and a Texas in July CD.

States Away

States Away

The day started with the high energy of States Away playing human bumper car on stage as they cranked out their pop punk set including I Tried so hard and Mean What You Say. Corey Davis’ Gerard Way influenced vocals carried the band’s sound. Formed in early 2012 they released their self-titled EP in June and plan on recording, playing shows and depending on the kindness of strangers for sleeping quarters on the road.

In Current Standing opened up the first set of heavy agonized screams, growls and a little calm singing mixed in, including some atmospheric laptop tech effects. Guitarist Trevor Strahans skull guitar breathed out some death heavy tunes including Virtues that prompted the day’s first ‘dance’ moves.

Ignite the Empires crash the stage banging heads with some Cheap Wine. The Attic Alumni return from previous shows including opening for A Plea For Purging to play and Piss Off the crowd with their own brand of loud, aggressive in your face noise. They played the guitar intricacies of Miles of Expectations like a thief in the night then told the tale of Xanie Annie before finishing off in a cartoonish manner playing a select tune for all the Family Guy fans.

We take a short acoustic break with the pierced soothing songs sung by rebellious Kevin Brewer including the Foo Fighters’ Hero.

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Strangers to Wolves

Strangers to Wolves brought their snarling pop metal predatory music next. Silver bullets and fang prosthetics aside their sound echo’s the cold dark woods where the howls come from after midnight. They play an 80’s tribute to their namesake historical rival Lost Boys while sporting some hairy wolfish mullets. The night was guitarist Marcus Springer’s second show with the pack. A new EP will be coming out in March with the single Second Star on the Right.

It could be said that Permission to Live are just a bunch of good hearted, fun loving hard edged, hard wood surfer punks riding the wave to future success. A few new tunes in, they pay homage to Taylor Swift, say Final Goodbyes half way through and get a little Smashmouth bringing some VIP’s on stage to celebrate.

Can we get a Witness please? What we get are a bunch of loud, scream/singing loud blokes blending a computer enhanced sound with a warped mixture of pop sound and legit heavy metal cannon fire. Their opener off the Of Great Importance EP spreads F.E.A.R. throughout the building as they played crowd control during The Ledger, a cheery song dealing with the grief and sadness of loss; check out the video on YouTube.

Lammes Lane performed half their set under the man-made flashing light nightshade and stage mist resembling pillaging and plundering shadowed Viking warriors. They play their music like primal animals no matter Who’s at the Zoo. Their hard thrashing sound accompanied by Obituary meets Death vocals brought the crowd up and over the stage for Showtime. Though their music is Yet to be Scene, their debut CD will be available this spring.

 

Witness

Witness

We Are Forever from Indianapolis brought out the special lighting for their 2nd visit. All the girls screamed as they played tunes from their first record Seasons featuring Lights including Make It Through. Their sound is pretty upbeat pop with a high energy presentation.

Grim State play their music down in the heavy drudges and cold earthen woods where they bring us Creeps, Sheep and Deadbeats. Only songs like Solitude and Valor are slow and trudgy enough to come from the darkest forgotten holler. Also songs like Madness, Illness and Torn show just how Volatile and Unstable these Dayton boys are.

Remember When is a five-some power pop band riding high on the momentum of their Save Your Wishes EP, touring with bands such as Miss May I and their new EP He Said, She Said played with high pop precession.

The next act starts with a pretty Cool Story about a band from around these here parts somewhere. They spread their Holy Guile all over the damn place with wicked spewing venom vocals on full rotation, blasting drums, a unique unsuspected cathedral, turntable effects conglomerate with inserted black metal and techno elements to trans-mutate into a chaotic gelatinous mass of metal love and torture. Imagine a holy conversion by Dani Filth backed by Crowbar cranked to hyperdrive. The next songs called Hey Zeus, Yeah, Zeus! As in, father of Apollo? Mt. Olympus? Don’t mess with them or they’ll shove a lightning bolt somewhere special, Zeus! And you better not have a problem with that. All’s good but noisy tonight in Idahoe.

When imagining Hail to the King, think of Fear Factory with an even more pissed off sounding Burton C. Bell in the form of Kody Hale meets Meshuggah, intensity like a thousand screaming armies and aggressive insanity like the screaming mind of a raging psychotic. Hell explodes raining hails of inner earth onto the ground, through the acrid smoke and debris Hail to the King emerge. They clamp on an iron clad Contagion Clasp and Go for the Throat with a malevolent decimation of sound and some nice melancholy guitar notes. They bring everyone together, pit by pit. They play the lovely sounding Starletta then Saud Ahmed of The Holy Guile came out to help harmonize on one of their louder tunes. They thank the crowd with a final pummeling Gutshot shaking the ribs and rumbling organs.

Cincy’s bloody birds pecking at the body of Christ celebrate their second record A Feast for Crows on Victory records with a pretty Portrait of American Greed. There’s Blood in the Water as the ship goes down and those self-made glorious pompous pulpit Monuments crumble to oblivion. A Glorious new song is heralded before we finish with bitterness and hope of Marilyn courtesy of Corpus Christi.

Pastor Kilby address the crowd

Pastor Kilby address the crowd

A reunion show for the Cincinnati metal growlers as they celebrate everything Beneath the Sky with a packed house of tired but hungry for more metal heads is The Reason they’ll are still here. It’d be a Grave Mistake to leave now being it’s the first time the original lineup played since 2007 and not celebrate to the end. The uncomfortably themed and videoed Terror Starts at Home is followed by a Gunsmoke Kiss for the Goodfellas. We spend ten minutes at the users ball before we find an evening partner before Last Call. They talk about Miss Misery and a tale of near death from the Northside. They mourn a friend at 7861 Blackthorne Drive and finish taking us on Our Last Road as sadly The Attic finishes its decade plus road of the area’s best talent.

Though there’s no set timeframe Pastor Kilby has promised that the Attic concept, theme and everything that made it a great hang out for kids will return in the form of another building or venue depending on when some new positive space becomes available.

Special thanks for on the spot event info, go-to guy the prosperous ‘Mr. Tree’.

Jazz Spotlight: WDPS-FM + Upcoming Jazz Feb. 13-26

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Happy February 13th; Jazz saxophonist Wardell “the thin man” Gray was born on this day in 1921, he was a major contributor to one of the great periods of jazz creativity that ushered in modern jazz. Check out Wikipeda at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardell_Gray for more information.

wdpsJazz Spotlight: WDPS-FM (Support our local Jazz Educators)

WDPS-FM is Dayton’s only jazz radio station. A non-commercial radio station; however, they do accept underwriting. They broadcast from the new David H. Ponitz Career Technology Center in downtown Dayton. The station is staffed by students and the following volunteers: Clay “The Cooker” Collins, Paul and Patti Gehred, Charles “The Ice Man” Stone, Kyle Fisk and Amanda Romero, Slammin’ Steve Wilson, Clifford Darrett, Jim Woodford, Mike Reisz, George Balog, Jazz Cat & Deb, ChrisSmith and program manager Chris “Hippie” Hartley.

(From Ken Kreitzer, communications team leader and station manager):

4 years ago as we were preparing to move to our new studios at the David H. Ponitz career technology center. We decided to make a change in the format of the district’s radio station. When exploring the radio dial in Dayton I found that there was an underserved group of listeners; Jazz was just not getting its due in Dayton radio.

I made the announcement that The Dayton Public Schools’ radio station would become “All Jazz All the Time.” To begin to promote the new format I sought the advice of two people, Ron Gable of Jazz Advocate and Clay “The Cooker” Collins. After our first meeting we formed a partnership that i feel has benefited the Dayton Schools, Jazz Advocate and the local Dayton Jazz Scene. That partnership has sprouted many projects including, work with the Gabriel Foundation, hundreds of hours of on air promotion of local jazz events, free Jazz Listener Appreciation Concerts and much more.

One of the most noted outgrowths of that initial meeting is Clay “The Cooker” Collins being back on the radio in Dayton! Clay is an incredible talent who volunteers to be on the air each weekday and assist with the training of our students in radio broadcasting. Just the ability to interact with someone of his caliber and experience is a tremendous advantage for Dayton students. At the end of the day WDPS is still a teaching tool of the Dayton Public Schools. Students in The Radio & Television Broadcasting Class at Ponitz work on all aspects of running the radio station and web stream. From on air talent, to spot production, to preparing the broadcast logs. It is all about the students! Giving them exposure to Jazz is a great thing! They come to us thinking they will not like Jazz and leave our program with jazz favorites and a bit of knowledge of the jazz greats.

I encourage everyone to listen to WDPS-FM 89.5 Monday through Friday from 9:15 until 4:30 and 24 hours a day on WDPSFM.com.

Jazz Calendar

Here are some (not all) of the upcoming jazz events for the next couple of weeks:

Wednesday, February 13 – Jazz Central presents Blue Wednesday with Jack & Joe Waters and you can Swing Dance with Lizz & Rex Review at the Dayton Event Connection.

Thursday February 14 – James & Moore is at C’est Tout Bistro in Oakwood and CityFolk presents Grace Kelly at Gilly’s inDayton.

Friday February 15 – The Microcosm Trio is at Season’s Bistro & Grille in Springfield and the Classic Jazz Stompers are at Jay’s Seafood in Dayton.

Saturday February 16 – Ron Jones Quartet is at Cincinnati Public Library Atrium and Dave Bixler Quartet is at the Blue Wisp inCincinnati.

Sunday February 17 – the Jazz Education Connection Jazz Jam will be held at Jimmy’s Ladder 11 and the Jam Session w/ Kenny Baccus continues at Jazz Central.

Monday February 18 – Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra is at the Clintonville Woman’s Club in Columbus and the John Taylor Trio is at the Brio Tuscan Grille in Beavercreek.

Tuesday February 19 – the Hot Club of Detroit is at the University of Dayton Boll Theatre and the Part St. Tavern Jazz Jam continues in Columbus.

Wednesday February 20 – Todd Hepburn is at Arnold’s Bar & Grill and the Blue Wisp Big Band is at the Wisp both in Cincinnati.

Thursday February 21 – the Gererations Big Band returns to Jazz Central in Dayton and Jazz Night with Mike Teckenbrock Trio is at Spinoza’s in Beavercreek.

Friday February 22 – Shawn Stanley Trio is at Carvers Steaks & Chops in Centerville, OH and Marc Fields New Quintet are at the Thompson House in Newport, Ky.

Saturday February 23 – Boudin’s Bistro & Jazz Club presents the Bobby Floyd Trio and Andrew Waters – Smooth Jazz is at the Eastern Palace Restaurant both in Columbus.

Sunday February 24 – Phil DeGreg Trio is at the MidPointe Library in Middletown and theres at Jazz Jam at Victory’s inColumbus..

Monday February 25 – a Jazz Jam hosted by Sandy Suskind Quartet is at the Blue Wisp in Cincinnati and Mark Flugge, Derek Dicenzo & Jimmy Castoe are at Due Amici in Columbus.

Tuesday February 26 – Ed Moss & the Society Jazz Orchestra are at the Schwartz Point Jazz Club and Jazz Cab is at The Greenwich both in Cincinnati.

More info and jazz listings can be found at JazzAdvocate.com

Team Void: Dayton’s Own Lucha Libre

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Before you start to dive into the article, please start the music…

The Mexican culture has various lures to it.  From the Meso-American ruins that cover all around the land, the fantastic climate that awaits you at any time, to the rich beauty of the country’s art.  Mexico is a true gem to the world that we live in.  One of the country’s most unique, interesting, and pleasurable attributes that it brings is the history of the lucha libre.

The lucha libre (aka luchador) is Spanish term for “free fighting” in the wrestling community.  The luchador travels all around the countryside getting rid of the crime and corruption that plagued the townspeople.  The masked hero would showcase an aerial display of high-flying maneuvers, along with a dazzling display of moves learned from the Greco-Roman wrestling world.  In 1942, El Santo (“The Saint”) came to the ring and changed the complexion of the masked fighters.  During his career, which spanned over 50 years, El Santo became a huge star in and out of the ring, becoming the symbol of the lucha libres all around Mexico, with several movies and comic books with him as the subject.  That appreciation has landed here in Dayton, Ohio with the lucha libre’s of rock and roll Team Void.

Team Void comprises of lead guitarist Louie Bean Lerma (“El Muerto”), bassist El Bean Lerma (“Infinity”), rhythm guitarist Nate Beam (“Cruzado”), Jon Mercier on drums (“Johnny X”), Gregory Hall (“Blaster”) on trumpet and keyboard.  Team Void also has a couple of musicians as part of the ‘Lucha Superstars’-Gary King (“Slide”) on trombone, Derek Strouse (“Sandman”)  on drums, and on congos Greg Schultz (“La Marmota”).  The band’s trademark is the lucha libre masks that they wear while they are playing live.  “It’s something that you have to get used to”, Beam mentions. “It takes some time, without question.”  El sums it up nicely. “We become part of a role when we wear the mask.  It’s fun and exciting.” The masks, along with the meaning behind the band’s name are simple: “We won’t to make sure that we void the problems that cause bands to not last.  We want to have a corrupt free style with us”, Louie stated.  Seeing the band will throw you off at first, seeing everyone in their character modes, but you quickly adjust.  It’s seeing them without the masks that will catch you off guard. “We have had people at our shows not realize that we just played on stage”, Gregory says.  “One guy saw me at the bar, and started talking about how the band on stage sounded good.  He totally didn’t realize that I was part of the band.  So, I just agreed.  We find it funny.”  No lie-it took me to have a second look also when I first saw the band live.

To understand how the band got together, we have to go back years ago.  In the 90s, Louie was heavy involved with the music scene in the Dayton area, being in two bands that are forever engraved in the town’s history.  He played in one group The Tasties, and he was in The Amps.  The Amps was fronted by The Breeders lead singer, and local native Kim Deal.  The band saw some success nationally, opening for Foo Fighters and playing on ‘Late Night with Conan O’Brien’ show.  However, it was directing, and editing that sparked Louie’s interest more.  As time went on, Louie met his wife El at Canal Street Tavern.  Then, Louie and El met the band throughout the next couple of years.  The group of friends started playing music together, and realized that they had something special.  When you spend 10 minutes with them its crystal clear of the chemistry. They spoke of the time the band went overseas and played (they have a pretty nice size following over the pond).  They joked around about setting up an organ in the headquarters.  They spoke highly of the love of Dayton, and how it’s exciting to be seeing the music scene going through rejuvenation.

There is one unique aspect of the band that you don’t see much anywhere is that they don’t have a lead singer on the band.  In fact there isn’t any singing on their songs.  “We didn’t want to have any singing in our music because we want to have people just enjoy what they are listening to”, explained Louie to me during my meeting with the band.  “We felt with the music we were creating, we didn’t want to have one lead person in the band.  We want people to just take in the music.  By having someone singing, it just distracts you from that.”  The band’s first EP, Gone With The Werewolves is a perfect example of how this concept works.  Each member brings their own specialty into the mix, presenting a surf rock opus with layers of Mexican influence that simply will stop you at your tracks.  The EP also offers the listener sound bites of what appears like they are taken from classic horror films from the 70s.  Gone With The Werewolves is utterly mind blowing with the level of detail.  The lucha libre vibe appears on each song, especially when you hear the playing of the trumpet and trombone.  Listening to the EP, you also feel grateful that there isn’t any singing.  It would simply take away from the dance that the band is executing.  The EP is a shy under 20 minutes, which only leaves you wanting more.

Currently, Team Void is working on their new album, Robot Killer.  The album was intended to be an EP, but the band feels that all the music they are laying down is too good to leave out.  “Get ready for this album.  It’s going to blow some minds”, Beam glowingly stated to me.  After listening to Gone With The Werewolves, I can’t help but agree.  To see the band live, you have a couple of times here soon.  This Saturday at Omega Music at 6, the band will be performing with Five Year Mission, and Sport Fishing USA.  On February 16th at South Park Tavern, Team Void will be hitting the same on the same night with The Madeira.  These are two shows that you simply can not miss.

Music Fans, Check Out: Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet

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jason_becker
Editor’s Note: Although we tend to focus on musical happening in and around the Miami Valley, we also occasionally like to share something music-related that inspires our writers as music fans.  Here’s one such inspiration.  (JF)

Not Dead Yet is an incredible odds defying inspiring story of one man’s true dedication, passion and drive to create incredible music despite insurmountable life obstacles, and dire circumstances. Jason Becker personifies the sheer driving force and spirit of the human artistic will to enjoy life, persevere and make music.

Becker a future guitar prodigy was born in 1969 in Richmond California and exposed to music early by his family becoming proficient on acoustic guitar, harmonica and xylophone at age five. By his early teens he was playing Bob Dylan, Clapton and Van Halen note for note, blowing away local talent contests and variety shows. Becker was very inspired by classical music which influenced his style cranking Bach while friends cranked Slayer. He also had a comical side doing yoyo tricks with one hand while playing with the other.

In his teens Becker replied to an ad, submitting a tape to Shrapnel Records founder Mike Varney who was looking for the ten best guitar players at the time. Subsequently future Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman had come to LA to work on his solo record. Varney suggested a duet to Friedman who after initial reluctance was won over by Becker’s playing and personality becoming fast friends. Their playing so complemented and inspired each other Friedman often said Becker could play his material better than he could. They formed the band Cacophony. His father concerned about his education told the principal Jason had a record deal and was going on tour and asked if he could finish high-school early. He finished six months early with straight A’s

After touring with Cacophony he returned to Japan supporting his first solo CD Perpetual Burn, doing guitar clinics between gigs. One particular clinic drew 800-1000 people validating his rising momentum.

In 1989 at age 20 he auditioned for David Lee Roth, the most sought after high profile gig at the time, earned his spot and recorded A Little Ain’t Enough, released in 1991. During recording he started feeling a ‘lazy limp’ in his left leg and was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) aka Lou Gehrig’s disease, a debilitating condition that rapidly weakens muscle mobility and use of tongue and speech causing permanent paralysis. Becker was given 3-5 years to live. Undergoing uncomfortable and painful therapy while recording and rehearsing his condition progressed to where he could barely play notes or hold the guitar. He told Roth who reluctantly got a replacement.

They tried alternate forms of therapy but nothing worked. Becker went from using canes to a wheelchair in months. In 1992 he met his former fiancé and main caregiver Serrana Pilar. Though he had moments of hopelessness and darkness they believe he never hit the point of giving up. He still had music and ideas in his head he needed to get out somehow.

To accomplish this a computer program was invented using a visor equipped with sensors that would move the cursor on the screen according to his head movements. He slowed down music in his head hitting the mouse with his chin entering intricate and complex melodies note by note adjusting the phrasing and velocity of each one until everything played the way he internally heard it at speed.

>After a near death experience his speech failed and his father invented an eye movement sign language/geometry system so Becker could communicate based on angles. A clear six squared grid with four letters in each square allows him to spell out words and have conversations. First movement is the square, second is the letter in the square. His father’s learned to guess the word after the first couple letters and Becker doesn’t ‘dull’ conversations with filler words, everything he says is important.

“I couldn’t quit on my music, it never even entered my mind. I just love making music and no matter how hard it is, it’s like my drug.”

Becker’s longevity is attributed by his family and friends 20 year care and commitment to keeping his drive, passion and love for music and life alive with a custom made healthy diet and dark rooted sense of humor.

To make music his father plays guitar notes into a computer then Becker organizes them giving instructions on any needed changes. Though they’re no longer together Serrana is his inspiration and taught him what true love is and makes him want to be a better person.

Becker is a global inspiration encompassing the true, unflinching spirit of the human will to never give up.

“I have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. It has crippled my body and speech, but not my mind.”

Becker’s discography includes Perpetual Burn 1988, Perspective 1995, The Raspberry Jams 1999, The Blackberry Jams 2003, Collection 2008 and Boy Meets Guitar Volume 1 of Youngster Tapes 2012.  He also performed on Cacophony’s Speed Metal 1987, Go Off 1988 and David Lee Roth’s A Little Ain’t Enough 1991. Along with two tribute CD’s Warmth in the Wilderness I and IIfeaturing guitarist’s Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Marty Friedman, Joe Becker, Rusty Cooley, and Mattias Eklundh. The album profits were sent to Becker to help with medical expenses. In 2008 Paradise Guitars worked with Becker to design a Jason Becker signature guitar. In 2012 Carvin worked with Becker to design a Jason Becker Tribute guitar that is modeled after the original DC-series guitar he used toward the latter part of his career. In 2011 the inaugural Jason Becker Not Dead Yet Festival was held in San Francisco promoting ALS awareness and the love of the guitar featuring Joe Satriani, Marty Friedman, Richie Kotzen and many others.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (Lou Gehrig’s disease) is a relentlessly progressive degenerative disease targeting the motor nerves and muscles, effecting how the bodies lower and upper neurons communicate and function. When the neurons connected to the muscles from the spinal cord die, the brain loses ability to communicate thus the muscles become inactive. ALS is described as the ‘worst’ disease due to its relatively short window of mortality. Long term symptoms include the break down and eventual loss of mobility, ability to speak and swallow leading to permanent paralysis and death. Scientist Stephen Hawking has had ALS for over 50 years. The ALS Association has committed more than $67 million to find effective treatments and a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease, including the discovery of two ALS genes (SOD1 and ALS 6) responsible for 25% of all inherited cases and the trial of a new drug that targets SOD1.

Learning How To Play Vol. 1

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It all began with a thought…

I grew up in the small town of Jamestown, Ohio.  Jamestown is your typical small town-just about 2000 citizens.  A McDonalds  sits right between a Dollar General and the local pizza establishment, Bentinos Pizza.  You have the two traffic lights that await you when you come to town.  On Friday nights in the fall season, the Greeneview Rams take to the field that is located in the same parking lot of the old high school.  On weekends, you grab a couple of cases of cold, cheap beer and drive out to the outskirts of the town, and into the never-ending acres of country land.  If you have some buddies have trucks that have more rust on it than the paint on truck, strap the rope on the machine, and have a tug and pull shake down.

My family and I lived out in those fields that the hijinks and absurd behavior would take place.  When the threat of tornados circled us, we would drive down the road to our friends of the family’s home.  Mike and Liz Bentley would be ever so gracious and open their doors to us, and let us stay in their basement if the time came to take shelter.  Of course, when you live in the country-tornados don’t scare you till they are knocking on your door.  We would sit on the porch, and watch the movement of the storm in the dark skies.  When the threat would move on towards another town, my folks would want to stick around and talk with the Bentleys.  That meant that Mike would go to a small room which was connected to the living room, and put on some music on his record.  The music room was incredible.  On the wall, each shelving unit would stack across left to right, up and down, with records from all decades.  It was a true sight to see.   Any type of classic rock you could think of, Mike had it.  The collection was impressive-still is in my opinion.

For hours, I would sit down at the kitchen table with my folks, and the Bentleys.  They had daughters, so my sister would go and play with girl toys.  Now, being young as I was-I didn’t feel like playing with Barbie’s, playing with dolls.  I was a boy.  I don’t play with those things.  Who would do such a thing, I thought.  I told myself that I would just sit in the kitchen with the adults, and watch whatever was on the small screen television that hung in the corner of the room.  I would never

watch the shows that were being screened with the volume turned up.  The music would be turned up to the farthest that the level that the volume could go.  The walls shook with the sound coming blaring through the speakers.  It was those nights that I would start the relationship that I have with music.  It’s a small part of why I became a music writer.

As I mentioned in my article about open mics in town, I got to college and wondered what it would be like to pick up an acoustic guitar, and learn how to play.  So, I knew that this wasn’t going to be easy.  I received a guitar for my birthday, and soon enough from there I would start to learn.  Well-that didn’t happen.  I had a friend that would try to show me some chords to play, and my fingers would start to bleed.  I was told that this normal, which never made any sense to me.  Why the hell would you want to do something that was going to make you bleed, and you weren’t really do anything that you think would make you do such?

So there I was, trying to push through some of the pain that the fingers would feel, and play some.  I learned how to play ‘Smoke On The Water’ from Deep Purple.  Alright-I learned just to play the chorus.  I would go to college parties, and try to impress girls with my pathetic guitar play.  It didn’t work.   Apparently, you needed to learn how to play songs about love, and also be a little better looking.  I didn’t possess any of those traits, so I gave up playing.  However, for some reason, I would never give away the guitar.  Is it the best guitar to have?!  Probably not, but I wouldn’t give it up.  I have had it for over 10 plus years now.  It’s always been in the black, nylon travel bag that came with it.  It’s always sitting next to the dresser.  I don’t know why I haven’t just hang it up or do anything with it-I just never wanted to give it up.  That is till now.

Starting this past year, I have been going around the Dayton area and watching some of the best music that is played anywhere in the United States.  I will go to show to show, meet up with the artists and bands that would be playing, and write about them and their performances.  I have been going to open mic nights as well.  Being able to live in Dayton, I notice thThe passion and dedication that these people have is incredible.  It’s something that I want to be part of-this special group of individuals around the world that has taken to playing music.

I decided that this year I would dust off the guitar that have had sitting around for so long, and learn how to play.  I would then sign up and play a set at an open mic night around town.  I want to see how it feels to be able to perfect a craft that makes people come together.  I wanted to learn how to play in order to show my appreciation to the people who go out there each and every night and show their talent off.  I want people to read this and see that it’s in fact not the easiest thing to do.  However at the end of the day, the experience will ultimately show that if you follow a dream, it will come true.  I will be doing a monthly update here.  I will discuss the highest of the highs, and the lowest of the lows.  I won’t be holding anything back.  If you have any comments or suggestions, please share them.

Here we go…

 

 

2013 Gentlemen of the Road Featuring Mumford and Sons comes to Troy, Ohio

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Mumford and SonsAn amazing lineup of bands will be coming through Troy, Ohio – including Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Mumford & Sons, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Vaccines, Half Moon Run, Those Darlins, Willy Mason, Bear’s Den plus more to be announced!

2013 Dayton Does Dayton: 5 Bands To Watch For

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Of all the concerts and shows that people have attended at time or another, there has usually been a cover a song that the act performs.  The artist or band will put their spin on it, either by playing a different riff on the guitar, or by singing it a different way.  A lot of artists will even go as far as recording the cover and releasing their version.  It’s the sincerest form of flattery to be able to have people care that much about the original artist/band’s song to go on stage and perform it live to an audience.

One of Dayton’s rising events focuses primary on this concept, and presents bands from all over town and come play live.  The event is called Dayton Does Dayton, and the two day event will be going on this weekend, Friday and Saturday at the legendary Canal Street Tavern.  The event will be entering its third year by local promoter Louie Wood Jr.  Each band will perform songs from Dayton bands past and present, along with their own material.  With over 25 local bands scheduled to take the stage over 2 days, it would be difficult for most to see all every single one.  Here are 5 bands that you should at least get a chance to check out.

City of Kings

City of Kings is an up and coming band that you should be keeping your eyes on.  The 5 piece group got their start in the small town of Marion, Ohio.  Dalton Sipes, Matt Woodrum, Drew Mosley, and Kevin Hardy all played in different groups in town, playing in battle of the bands shows.  Eventually the guys are synched up and soon realized that their small town wasn’t going to be able to give them the chance to showcase their talent.  So, the guys all packed up and moved to Dayton.  They met lead singer Jake Rose at a wedding of one of the band member’s family. The group’s unreal psychedelic sound mixed with garage rock flair is unreal, and the lyrics to the songs are simply mystifying.  City of Kings is a tour de force that is only slated to become stronger over time.  Be prepared to fall into a trance when listening to these guys.  Their debut album, The Foundation is simply a music lover’s delight.

 

 

Jah Soul

Reggae is extremely popular throughout the world, with the great Bob Marley giving us music that has become a staple of our lives.  The up-tempo, funky beats along with the loose play of the guitar makes anyone and everyone stand up and just to become unrestricting and free from all the problems that they have.  It’s all about having fun with reggae music, we have a band that offers it-Jah Soul.  With their combination of not only reggae, but soul, funk and disco, Jah Soul will be supplying the good times with their music.  The eight member band gets the party going and has the positivity flood the club in the only way the can.  Jah Soul will be bringing a different flair to the weekend that will be anything but boring.

 

 

The New Old-Fashioned

The Midwest is considered to many to be viewed as a hardworking, blue collar area of the United States.  The New Old-Fashioned conveys that feeling in their music.  With the influences of Tom Petty and The Old 97s, The New Old-Fashioned is slowly building a rapport with their fans with incorporating rock and roll with country music.  The lyrics of the band represent the life of living in the lush, beautiful Americana land.  When listening to the band, you instantly notice the band’s outstanding harmonies.  The New-Old Fashioned recently released their self-titled debut in 2012.  If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing The New Old-Fashioned, do yourself a favor and go see them live this weekend.

 

 

Cinder Home

If you have ever listened to Old Crow Medicine Show, Mumford and Sons, and Fleet Foxes know that each of these bands have a folk sound that stands about apart from most.  These bands have seen their popularity rise as of yet because of the low-key vibe and beautiful instrumental play.  Cinder Home belongs with these bands in the picture as well.  The band began with two of the band members hanging around playing music.  They both realized that they had something amazing, and decided to add a couple of members.  Cinder Home not only brings a new age folk sound, but also add elements of bluegrass roots.  The passion of the band playing live is nothing but astonishing.  The crowds that will fill Canal Street are going to be treated to a band that will bring they got, and will without question give everyone something to talk about for days to come after their set.

 

 

William The Accountant

William The Accountant’s sound is anything but ordinary, and that is why they are a band that can’t be missed.  The band brings all types of instruments into their music, including a didgeridoo.  Don’t be surprised if William The Accountant brings a saxophone and some ukulele to their shows.  As far as their sound?!  Try one moment hearing alternative rock to jazz to Caribbean music.  Each of their songs brings an emotional aspect to the front.  Don’t be shocked if the band’s performance stretches beyond the five members.

 

 

 

Dayton Does Dayton will be celebrating its third this year with no plans of stopping.  It has become yet another reason to celebrate the amazing music that continues to be played each and every night.  To check out these bands, and to see the others lined up, Dayton Does Dayton will taking place tonight and tomorrow night, starting at 7pm at the hollow grounds of the great Canal Street Tavern.

A Musical Journey ‘Unbroken’ With Tim Gebard

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The Dayton music scene has people from all walks of life immersed into it.  Go to a show, and you will notice the differences of each and every single person performing.  You have your punk rock bands that wail around the stage, and occasionally throw themselves onto the crowd.  There are the artists and bands that just take the room over, and will not let go till they say that they are done.  You have your dreamers-the people that will not allow anyone to get in the way.  There is also the performer that simply enjoy going on stage and play live, simply just for the thrill on being on stage.  Old and young, no matter the case, there is one thing that each and every artist or band has in common. That is they have love and appreciation for music.

Photo by Jennifer Taylor Clarke

Photo by Jennifer Taylor Clarke

One great example of someone that truly has a love for music is local musician Tim Gebard.  Gebard is currently in the process of working on his newest EP, which is due by April.  His first album, Unbroken Hearts, is available at Omega Music, The Record Gallery, and on his website (www.timgebard.com).

Gebard grew up in Springfield, Ohio and started playing music in his teens.  He grew up listening to the classics – Van Morrison, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd.  He worked at a local record store in Dayton in the early 70’s, where he was able to spin some of his favorite music.  It was great experience for him, getting the chance to branch out and find music that would inspire and influence his music playing.  While sitting down at Ghostlight Coffee recently, Gebard told me a story about an experience he had at the record shop.  He went into detail of when Pink Floyd’s groundbreaking tour de force, The Wall, was released.  “We had to play that record from the minute we opened to the minute we closed”, explained Gebard.  “We all got sick of hearing it.  So, one day we got our shipment and I noticed that we got a record of a woman whose vocals were simply amazing.  We put it on, and immediately sold every single copy within an hour.  It was the latest album from Aretha Franklin.”  That speaks to broad musical influences.

While he was always around the music scene, and many friends went on to careers in the music field, Tim’s playing was limited to his solo acoustic efforts. Gebard would continue to write music throughout the years, always continuing to keep the passion for music running around his body and mind.  About five years ago, he joined with some friends in a cover band called Pocket Change, playing for private parties and events.  Internal conflicts proved to be a struggle.  At one point, Gebard would use his work that he had written and fill in the lead role in the singing department.  Ultimately, the band broke up.  But the experience of singing and writing helped propel him to go into the studio.

In October, 2010, Gebard started recording with Dean Vincent at Studio D in New Carlisle.  He would use all the music that he wrote, and have people come in and help with the process.  He had legendary guitarist Junior Smith come in and play on many of the songs.  Violin accompaniment from the ever-talented Sara Kasten and Susan Heeg would bring orchestral influence to some of the songs.  Contributions from the Toles family, local Gospel music legends (especially nephew Doug Toles Jr.), added another influence to his music.  Ron Hartwell, a noted Dayton-area band leader, added dynamic sax and flute tracks.  And the pedal steel guitar playing of virtuoso Wayne Hobbs brought an incredible country influence on several cuts.  And local singer-songwriter Jayne Sachs sang on several songs.  When Gebard spoke of the people that came in to help lay down the tracks, his eyes lightened up, and the humbleness came and stood squarely right in front of him.  “I still can’t believe that I was able to have all this talent come in and play”, Gebard said.  “I loved how the album turned out.  Ultimately, each artist brought a desire to serve the song.”

Unbroken Hearts is an album that simply will not let you define it as one genre, something that Gebard purposely did.  With each song, there are different influences that sprinkle throughout the album.  From country to rock, from soft to fast, Unbroken Hearts guides you all around the dial of music in its purest forms.  ‘Someone To Believe’ presents a lounge room vibe to the song that gives it a jazz feel.  For the Jimmy Buffet fans, ‘Let’s Find Out’ will fulfill those dreams of lying around on the beach, having a drink with an umbrella in the clear glass.  ‘Crazy ‘Bout That Woman’ is a twang upbeat that would give classic country fans a reason to smile.  Hearts is a warm, inviting collection of songs that dives into the joys of being in relationships, and the beauty of being in love.

Unbroken HeartsThe album Unbroken Hearts has seen some remarkable things tied to the album.  ‘Life Time Love’ was the winner of the 8th Annual International Acoustic Music Awards in the Country/Bluegrass category.  ‘Smiles Without Words’ was Honorable Mention in the Instrumental category in the 2011 International Songwriting Competition.  Several songs are under non-exclusive contracts with A&R companies.  (Note: A song from his upcoming EP – “To Licata”, an instrumental inspired by a recent trip to Italy – was recently named an Honorable Mention in the Songdoor 2012 International Songwriting Competition.)

Another great storyline with the album – Gebard’s son, Aaron, plays bass on most of the songs.  “It was really fun being able to have my son play on this album.  He is extremely talented, and it just added to the joy of making this album”, Gebard said.  Aaron has his own band as well: The Mergs, who have been playing locally for the past several years.

When you listen to Gebard talk, you hear the joys of being able to do something that he loves.  While we sat at Ghostlight Coffee, he spoke of the joys of being able to play with all the great musicians around town.  He spoke about wanting to travel to Nashville and getting the chance to show his talent at the famous Bluebird Cafe.  He talked about recent trips he has taken, and becoming influenced by the local music.  It’s always refreshing and a thrill to speak with people like Tim Gebard.  His love for music is all the reason to support the great music that is being performed live in town.

To see for yourself, Gebard will be performing at O’Riley’s Tavern in Brookville, Ohio on February 23rd.  Gebard will have a band performing with him (Jay Madewell on drums, Todd The Fox on guitar and dobro, Steve Makofka on accordion/etc.).  Aaron Gebard will also be playing in his dad’s band and also be playing with his own band.  The Tim Gebard Band/The Mergs show will start around 8pm.

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