Shaw Down in a Blades of Glory

VH1 Classic is proud to present Shaw Blades’ sophomore album, Influence, out March 6, 2007, as well as their upcoming U.S. headlining tour. Set to launch March 16 in Dewey Beach, DE and conclude April 14 in Agoura Hills, CA, Shaw Blades is led by led by Styx/Damn Yankees guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw and Night Ranger/Damn Yankees bassist/vocalist Jack Blades.

Influence is the duo’s first album since their recently re-released 1995 debut, Hallucination. The self-produced album was mixed by Noel Golden (Matchbox Twenty, Willie Nelson) and Great White keyboardist/guitarist Michael Lardie. Like the debut--and unlike their history-carving decades as icons in the more hard-rock minded Styx, Night Ranger and Damn Yankees--the latest release is rooted in acoustic guitar and organic production, harvesting a decade of musical influences into 11 tracks. From the Mamas and the Papas’ 1963 classic “California Dreamin’,” to Orleans’ 1975 breakthrough “Dance with Me,” Influence offers a track-by-track chronology of the musical era that helped define modern rock.

The duo is making the cross-country trek to promote their sophomore Influence album. Songs from both Shaw Blades’ albums, as well as a selection from Styx, Damn Yankees and Night Ranger, will be performed completely acoustic. For a taste of what to expect at their shows, fans should check out the band’s Myspace page, www.myspace.com/shawbladesinfluence, which features a video clip of the duo performing “Too Much Time On My Hands” (Styx) and “High Enough” (Damn Yankees).

Shaw Blades: “Your Move”- Audio
Windows: http://interface.audiovideoweb.com/lnk/il81win15162/yourmove_audio.wma/play.asx
Quicktime: http://interface.audiovideoweb.com/lnk/nj21quick1506/yourmove_audio.mov/play.qtl

Shaw Blades: “Your Move”- Video
Windows: http://interface.audiovideoweb.com/lnk/il81win15162/yourmove.wmv/play.asx
Quicktime: http://interface.audiovideoweb.com/lnk/nj21quick1506/yourmove.mov/play.qtl

Livin' La Vida Hip Hop

To celebrate the release of the “Hip Hop Life” DVD on April 3rd, Screen Media Films is giving away an entire “Hip Hop Life” wardrobe, complete with grillz, jewelry and pimp cups, all provided by Iced Out Gear.
Featuring Young Jeezy, Rick Ross and Fat Joe, the documentary features some of the country’s top underground freestyle rappers as they face off for “Rhyme City Supremacy.” In the battle, Detroit’s toughest MC battle rappers go head-to-head with Houston’s best street rappers. Check out the contest here.
“Hip Hop Life” is a documentary featuring some of the country’s top underground freestyle rappers as they face off in a battle-royale for “Rhyme City Supremacy.” The documentary pits Houston vs. Detroit. Detroit’s toughest MC battle rappers, who have appeared on Showtime, VH-1 and MTV, face Houston’s best street rappers, all on the verge of stardom themselves. Only one ‘hood’ will survive this intense verbal slaughterhouse and be crowned the ultimate MC Battle city.
AUDIO: Hip-hop Life selections:
Woof Pac - “Capital G’s”
The MOC - “Play Your Position (PYP)”
Finless Brown - “Underground Superheros”

Lisa Paleschi: LIVE!

Lisa Palleschi will be playing a few shows at The Bitter End with a full band to promote her debut album, Released, which was released nation wide October 3rd, 2006. Her 1st scheduled performance will be this Thursday, March 29th at 9:45pm.

Thursday, April 5th, 8:30pm
The Bitter End – http://www.bitterend.com/schedule.html
149 Bleecker St. between Thompson & LaGuardia

Wednesday, April 11th, 8:30pm
The Bitter End – http://www.bitterend.com/schedule.html
149 Bleecker St. between Thompson & LaGuardia

Be there or be square!

Thank God For Heavenly Voices

Manhattan Records released Sasha & Shawna’s Siren, Ryland Angel’s self-titled album and Giorgia Fumanti’s From My Heart on March 6th. Each of these artists appear on PBS’ Heavenly Voices special, which started airing on March 1st.

Sasha & Shawna, Siren:
Despite divergent backgrounds and different methods of rebellion against the classical singing they both adored, that Sasha and Shawna met and ended up releasing Siren, their debut for Manhattan Records, makes a sort of sense as gorgeous as the haunting and affecting recording itself. Produced by the veteran English-born, Los Angeles-based Grammy-winning producer Peter Asher, well-known for his classic work with Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor as well as many other pop artists, and with two tracks overseen by 'The Myth of Red' producer Frank Fitzpatrick, the twelve-song collection is the work of two singers frustrated by musical limits and generously attentive to their current and potential audiences.

Radiohead Fans, Beware!

Ryland Angel:
Think "countertenor" and certain images come to mind: white gloves, brass balustrades and all the dusty conventions of classical refinement. Ryland Angel knows all about it, having sung on many of the world's great concert stages. But there's another side to Ryland: busking in the Paris metro, riding a Greyhound bus across the Texas plains, trading quips with Paul McCartney at Abbey Road Studios and, above all, writing exquisite pop songs. With the release of his self-titled Manhattan Records debut, Ryland permanently reconfigures the classical crossover genre while establishing himself as an important new artist.

Rhiannon...I mean, Absalom

Giorgia Fumanti, From My Heart:
Though she sings with a purity and grace few can match, Giorgia Fumanti remains one surprisingly modest vocalist. No matter that the ravishing Italian-born soprano has already won fans across Europe, Asia and North America with her live performances and 2004 debut CD. She still insists her talent is only a gift, one she eagerly gives away at every opportunity. Giorgia will have another chance to do so with the upcoming release of her new Manhattan Records CD, From My Heart. Produced by Craig Leon, and recorded at London's Abbey Road Studios as well as Wisseloord Studios in Holland, From My Heart will surely vault Giorgia to global prominence. Along the way, she can expect comparisons to artists like Enya and Andrea Bocelli because she, too, deftly straddles the line between pop and classical. But from the start, Giorgia Fumanti sought to put a uniquely personal stamp on her music.

And Sting Fans (Are there Sting fans?), beware as

Carlos Santana & Wayne Shorter: Belong Together Like the Melty Reese's Peanut Butter Cup I Now Hold in My Sweaty Hand

Image Entertainment presents the DVD release of Carlos Santana and Wayne Shorter: Live at the Monteux Jazz Festival in stores February 27th.

It began almost as a lark when Carlos Santana encountered his longtime friend and hero Wayne Shorter on the concert trail in Atlanta, GA, in 1987. Carlos said, "Let's start a rumor that we're putting a band together."

Wayne's eyes got bigger and brighter as he smiled and then responded: "Yeah, Carlos, let's start a rumor."

A few months later the Carlos Santana/Wayne Shorter Band performed its debut concert at The Fillmore in San Francisco, the beginning of a 26-concert tour throughout the U.S. and Europe. The performance of this magnificent band was recorded at Montreux, Switzerland, on July 14, 1988 and includes interviews with Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter and festival creator Claude Nobs.

Watch Me, Also!

Wanna Hear My Macy Gray Impression?

The woman with the most distinctive voice in music is back with a dynamic new effort that spotlights her classic pipes in a variety of soulful and stylistic settings. On March 27th Macy Gray will release her long awaited new album “BIG” on the will.i.am music group/Geffen Records label. She joins Grammy-winning, platinum superstar Fergie as the second artist to be released under the will.i.am music group banner.

Working with a number of producers, including will.i.am, Ron Fair, Justin Timberlake and newcomers Jared and Whitey, “BIG” was mostly recorded at The Record Plant in Los Angeles and features guest artists Fergie, Natalie Cole, Nas, Justin Timberlake and will.i.am. A complete track listing for “BIG” is: “Finally Made Me Happy,” “Shoo Be Doo,” “What I Gotta Do,” “One,” “Glad You’re Here,” “Slowly,” “Ghetto Love,” “Okay,” “Get Out,” “Treat Me Like Your Money”, “Everybody,” and “Strange Behavior.”

Macy Gray first burst onto the music scene in 1999 with her debut release “On How Life Is” and the massive hit single “I Try.” The album went on to sell 7 million copies worldwide and Macy won a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. In addition to making music Macy finds time to give back to her community. She founded the M. Gray Music Academy in North Hollywood, California which provides affordable after-school and weekend music classes for the youth in the area. Always one to embrace fashion, Macy has a women’s clothing line, The Natalie Hinds Collection by Macy Gray, and will soon launch a new line for the curvy girls called HUMPS. Macy has a lucrative acting career having appeared in over half a dozen movies and most recently the Emmy-nominated HBO movie “Lackawanna Blues.”

"Finally Made Me Happy" (For Real? For real for real?)

Astonished By David Martin

“The real value in life is in relationships, not results. Maybe that’s the ultimate result: how much we’ve loved.” – David Martin, July 2006
Something in Your Eyes, Martin’s self-produced debut album, reaches for and attains a lush romanticism that is utterly free of irony and self-consciousness, while offering elegant melodies, dramatic transitions and one memorable chorus hook after another. All of these virtues are dramatically apparent on “Something in Your Eyes”, his first single.
Recall the classic hits of the ‘70s and ‘80s, presented by such craftsmen of the lost art as Billy Joel and Sting, and you realize that David Martin has picked up where these artists left off a quarter century ago. The company David keeps on the record is also testament to talent of this striking new artist. The album was mixed by Jeff Juliano (John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, Jason Mraz), and David surrounded himself with a group of A-list players including Neil Robins (Dirt Poor Robins) and distinct drummer Manu Katché (Sting, Peter Gabriel).
“The coolest part of the recording process is that we all became great friends while making the record,” David says. “That is what I love about music — it always comes back to relationships. My philosophy all along has been to pick the people I felt would provide the right vibe for the record and let them be who they are and do what they do. Everyone brought all they had and poured it out in the recording.”

Something In Your Eyes is available now, and here.

Not Lax For LAX

Yowza! I love me some hot pop tunes. These three Cali youngens deliver just that. In a radio-sphere devoid of modern NSYNCers and folks like Justin changing their tune to suit more mature tastes, we're missing on some cold, stellar, love-lorn jail bait pop.

Well here it is! Lo and behold, and moreover, enjoy!

You can look but don't touch. Wowch!

Forget You Video

Hallelujah, It's Cash!

For the first time in the digital era, a single CD – containing 24 tracks (three of which are previously unreleased) and over 67 minutes of music – is devoted entirely to the music that was nearest and dearest to Johnny Cash’s heart, the sanctified hymns and traditional folk spirituals, contemporary church ballads, and evangelical evergreens that were the cornerstone of every show he ever performed, and nearly every album he ever recorded. CASH – ULTIMATE GOSPEL will arrive in stores March 6th on Columbia/ Legacy, a division of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAIN­MENT, in conjunction with the re-launch of the companion single CD collection, Elvis Presley – Ultimate Gospel. CASH – ULTIMATE GOSPEL was compiled and produced by Gregg Geller, who compiled and produced 2005’s RIAA gold, Grammy Award-winning six-disc Columbia/Legacy box set, Johnny Cash – The Legend, and 2006’s Grammy-nominated Personal File. CASH – ULTIMATE GOSPEL spans the first four decades of the Man In Black’s prolific recording career.

Buy Me, Jeebus!