The artists for 2010 TVIFF Music Fest have been selected:
JESSICA ERIN, country / pop singer and writer
Originally from Illinois, Jessica currently resides in
Los Angeles, working hard to hone her craft as a singer/songwriter.
She has opened for Grammy Award winning duo Montgomery Gentry, Country
star Darryl Worley, & others. Her song "Girls Night Out", was aired
on NBC TV's hit show "Friday Night Lights". Her song, "Follow Your
Heart" has been aired on the soap opera "All My Children".
Jessica recently won the annual Grand Prize for Best
Song from Songwars. Five of Jessica's songs on her CD have won awards
and recognition from respected organizations in the music industry. It
has been said that Jessica has Music City soul with a Windy City
attitude.
PAUL KAMM AND ELEANORE MACDONALD
Modern folk musicians Paul Kamm and Eleanore
MacDonald, from Nevada City, CA., have been writing and performing
original, contemporary folk music for 28 years. They’ve been applauded
throughout the US as well as overseas for the lyrical content of their
songs and vocal blend…a haunting style which weaves unique harmonies
into a rich tapestry of guitar work and storytelling. They've been
featured in Sing Out! Magazine, Air America, Democracy Now! They’ve
been seen on PBS performing on a few episodes of the ‘California
Heartland’ series, and have had their song ‘Calling on Love’ used in a
PBS ‘Visionaries’ segment. Most recently they have a new song, ‘The
Dark Seed’ featured in a upcoming documentary film by Aaron Lucich, ‘We
Are What We Eat’
JULIA KAY
Julia Kay is a 15 year old singer/songwriter from
Chicago. Julia's unique style of blending heartfelt songs with modern
pop production allows her to touch her fans with meaningful songs about
the power of hope and love. Julia is influenced by artists like Flyleaf,
Avril Lavigne, Carrie Underwood, Christina Aguilera and Pink. Like
other incredible talents, this young woman has the ability to make you
truly feel the power and the message of the music that she delivers!
TREVOR DAVIS
The passion and talent of singer-songwriter Trevor
Davis are not to be missed. He seamlessly combines pop, rock, and soul
to deliver well-constructed songs that are highly original. Using rich
metaphors and clever plays on words, he communicates to his listeners
with music that is both thought-provoking and meaningful. On stage,
Trevor captivates his audience with a strong, soulful voice that can
reach to a cutting falsetto with ease, all the while engaging them with
witty banter and dance moves as entertaining as his music.
THE ADAM LASHER BAND
Dave Matthews meets John Mayer with a touch of Maroon 5
and you have The Adam Lasher Band. The Adam Lasher Band is a
Boston-based rock group that was formed in the summer of 2007 while
attending Berkelee School of Music. Guitarist/Singer/songwriter Adam
Lasher of Northern California serves as the bands front man, the soulful
groove/rock quintet has been performing throughout New England’s
hippest venues. The band’s members Brock Pollock on Bass , Enrique Lara
Bish on Drums and Mario Fanizzi on Keys are as equally diverse as they
are talented. Each player brings an eclectic mix of musical
backgrounds.
TAMARA MILLER
Toronto native Tamara Miller is a new name to look out
for, as her song 60 Seconds has been making waves at home and abroad.
Recently featured on CBC Radio and on community-campus radio stations
across Canada, 60 Seconds was also selected and featured on CTV's
television show, Degrassi: The Next Generation. Tamara's music has also
been ranked high on the charts on 92.5 The X and on Toronto's CIUT, 89.5
FM.
ACIDIC
Young band creating buzz in Los Angeles area AND
BEYOND! The band's first full-length album was "Ironic Dreams" in 2009.
It got airplay on college radio stations coast-to-coast. Their songs are
all theirs. Lots of power rockers! They go over really well, live, and
lead singer Mike, really cranks and otherwise goes nuts - especially
when he's got his wireless microphone with him. The bands music is
alt-rock and influences range from Beatles to Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana
to Coldplay, Motley Crue, Led Zep, Mest, the Doors, Green Day, Muse,
Saosin, Rolling Stones, Streetlight Manifesto, Foo Fighters, Arrowsmith,
Velvet Revolver, Deftones, Vandals, Metallica
CHRISTELLE
This Las Vegas based twenty-one-year-old Pop/R&B
artist has taken on countless challenges in her young life and career,
and has successfully met every single one. Her hot new songs herald the
arrival of this very special young artist. Her music will “move your
body and put a smile on your face”. Christelle grew up listening to
French, African and American music, but the music that struck a chord in
her was the American R&B and Hip-Hop of artists like Beyonce,
Ashanti, Brandy, Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Mariah Carey. Christelle has a wide
variety of music from midbeat pop/R&B
BEN BAXTER
Ben Baxter is an Austin new comer quickly growing a
buzz. Their music is a delightful mixture of Ben Baxter, the lead
singers' unique bluesy vocals, backed up by a young talented group of
musicians with the ability to combine rock steady baselines and
meaningful lyrics. They will be featured in next months Studybreaks
Magazine. Ben Baxter has finished their first studio EP which is now
available on iTunes. In March they played a SXSW showcase sponsored by
Oakley featuring Kate Voegele.
LOOMIS & THE LUST
These handsome Californian lads are quickly making a
name for themselves with their exciting brand of pop-rock, full of
catchy hooks and lovely melodies. Their addictive songs will get under
your skin and into your heart. They have been described as taking the
best parts of rock & roll from the past, adding a little funk, a
little Cali surf and molded it into something modern that still captures
that same feeling as listening to Beatles or the Rolling Stones for the
first time.
TARA LEE
Tara Lee is a breath of fresh air. An exciting new
artist who is well-rounded and electrifying! She's originally from VA,
but has quickly adjusted to the big city life. Dancing was her intro,
with classes since age 5 and full professional dance training attained,
she set her sights on New York City. She began teaching hip-hop and jazz
classes in the city to help pay for studio sessions. Tara Lee has
teamed up with producers Sergio Vega (The Deftones, Quicksand) and Jim
Williams (Maximum Penalty) a.k.a- The Jingle Brothers and is turning
heads as we speak!
ELAIN
Born in San Antonio de los Baños, La Habana, Cuba,
Elain taught himself to play the guitar and started singing at the early
age of 7. Today, Elain has carved a name for himself as one of the
most relevant singer/songwriters in the Latin market. His style is
defined by unique lyrics and original music fusion of pop and latin with
a mix jazz, bossanova, flamenco and other rhythms. Elain just recently
launched his second album, “El Disfraz de La Luz” under his own label
Melomania Productions. In this new álbum he offers his listeining
audience 14 songs written by him and in cooperation with other very well
known Latin composers’ Jorge Luis Piloto and Pepe Horta.
SCARLET FURIES
The Scarlet Furies has a curious history. Back in the
70’s, the 5 male members of the band went to high school together in
Whittier, CA and formed assorted bands for about 5 years – among them
The Yanks and Eulogy. Years past and the guys went their separate
ways. When Robert’s 20-year-old daughter, Raleigh, moved to L.A., her
agent asked her to put together a vocal showcase to show off her crystal
clear alto. Robert sought out his old band members to back the gig and
an eerie magic was made. Knowing a good thing when they heard it, The
Scarlet Furies was born. Raleigh brings her waifish, Audrey Hepburn
looks and a vintage Southern Gothic sensibility to the band’s style.
Her lyrics come from some deep, dark place. The guys' instrumentation
and arrangements are determinedly rootsy and acoustic, layering textures
of riffs and vocal harmonies.
LUCI MUSIC
Drawing on her Peruvian roots, Pop singer/songwriter
Luci offers a pop-driven sound that is infused with both Latin, R&B
and funk. Beginning in her childhood years, music was an integral part
of Luci’s life. Throughout her time as a student at Oral Roberts
University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Luci began playing the guitar and
recording her songs, several of which she wrote with friends. She also
performed at various venues around the greater Tulsa area and had the
opportunity to open for a variety of national bands performing in the
area. She draws her unique style from a sea of in?uences varying from
Celia Cruz and Christina Aguilera, to Aerosmith and Stevie Wonder.
SHELBY REESE
This 17 year old dynamo can sing, play the piano,
guitar, write, act and speak Mandarin Chinese! Born in England to a
British mother and an American father, Shelby began to hone her talent
at the early age of four and even at still the tender age of 17, she has
turned some heads in the entertainment industry with her performance
and songwriting skills, collaborating with high profile songwriters,
musicians, vocal coaches and recording studios in San Diego, Los Angeles
and Nashvile.
CROSSED KEYS
Crossed Keys came to life in the winter of 2007 when
vocalist Jaimis Ulrich, guitarist Preston Radomsky and drummer Bryan Bos
crossed into "The Keys" of music. "The Keys" unleash the power of the
beating drum, pounding bass, cutthroat guitar and penetrating vocals.
With the addition of rhythm and lead guitarist Adam London and bassist
Greg Amparan, Crossed Keys has now recorded their second album TERRA
FIRMA. With four songwriters blending rock, country, pop and emotion,
Crossed Keys has etched, in a short time, a manifestation of honesty and
passion delivered with unbridled energy. Jaimis Ulrich takes command.
In both her recordings and live performances, her emotionally charged
vocals and captivating stage presence deliver more than mere words.
Crossed Keys has been noted as a breath of fresh air to the Los Angeles
music scene.
DON PREACH
Born in New Jersey, the son and grand-son of a
preacher, Don Preach was instilled with the belief that positive thought
and action can shape the world around you, though not a belief easily
learned. His much anticipated CD, “My American Dream” , which will
include the award winning song Hero, is the symbol of this movement, and
one that recognizes the good deeds and character of everyday people.
Honing his talent for the past 10 years as an artist and producer,
Preach started STEALTH MODE ENTERTAINMENT, and has collaborated with
national and local artists and producers, including Grammy Award winning
SHANNON SANDERS (credits include India Arie), GHOST KASEN (production
credits include JA RULE, ASHANTI, IRV GOTTI, JENNIFER LOPEZ, MARIAH
CAREY, MARY J. BLIGE, and JANET JACKSON.
ALEX NESTER
With years of professional experience, with profound
life experience, Alex is doing what she was born to do: SING! But she
doesn’t just sing...she writes, she creates, she communicates. Blending
gospel, jazz, R & B, funk, and blues, her music is soul music that
comes from deep within and out through her extraordinary instrument. She
sells a song with a depth of expression that could only come from a
blend of unbelievable, unique raw talent; honed through unusual unique
musical experience; sifted through powerful, unique personal trials. And
now it all comes together for this amazing, young musical giant. As we
finally see the release of her 1st album, get ready...Alex Nester is
definitely...UNIQUE
THE FLUTTERBIES
The Flutterbies are Los Angeles’ hottest alt-country
upstarts. Fierce and fashionable, lead singer Maureen Davis fronts the
band with a dusty, honey smothered voice that oozes sass and soul. The
Flutterbies’ Maureen first came to public attention as part of the
original cast of the Tony-winning Broadway musical Into The Woods
(starring Bernadette Peters). After touring Japan and Russia with
renowned jazz vibraphonist Gary Burton, the diminutive diva capped her
New York career performing at Carnegie Hall before running away to the
circus: the Hollywood rock scene. Soon after arriving, Maureen signed a
publishing deal with Mastersource Music, brainchild of Wayne’s World
actor/musician turned film music entrepreneur Marc Ferrari, quickly
securing multiple song placements on hit TV shows such as House, Dexter,
and My Name Is Earl. In 2007 she became vocal instructor at Santa
Monica’s School of Rock/Rock Nation, teaching kids to wail like rock
stars. And in 2008, Maureen toured America singing raw gospel with
Michelle Shocked before forming The Flutterbies. A smooth lyricist with
a sultry delivery, Maureen sums up her life and her band: “For me, it’s
veni, vidi, voce—I came, I saw, I sang… I flutter by.”
REDSTONE HALL
Led Zeppelin meets The Beatles meets The Doors - raw,
yet intriguingly melodic.
That’s Redstone Hall - an American band based in Los
Angeles, whose sound is built on a foundation of classic rock but
incorporates an exciting array of contemporary rock, pop, and jams
ingredients. The band began playing at venues in the greater Los
Angeles area where they became known for their improvisational jamming
and energetic live sets. Lead singer Steven Rothstein hits the
keyboard with crazed madness and acoustic guitar with a fresh and
delightful sensitivity, captivating the audience with his untamed
charisma. Guitarist Zack Hall‘s mesmerizing solo riffs brings back the
essence of pure rock. Bass player Mac Hadar nails every note. Drummer
Mike Nussbaum has soul on his beats. At their young age, they know how
to drive a crowd into a frenzy.
For more information on the festival and film selections, visit www.tviff.com!!!
During a brief break in an epic performance by his namesake band Friday night at the Agganis Arena, Carlos Santana urged the members of the sold-out crowd to "create a masterpiece of joy out of your life."
And then instead of more talking, the guitar legend decided to lead by example. The joy was in the blissed-out smile he couldn't shake during the jubilant "Life Is for Living," the jaunty steps on display for an impromptu pas de deux with some female audience members, and the unabashed pride he took in his nephew, Berklee student Adam Lasher, matching him lick for lick. "And yes, he's single," he informed the ladies in the crowd with dutiful uncle-style mischief.
His guitar work was likewise inspired, whether playing riff-generating subordinate on newer songs like "Into the Night" or stretching out on piquant lyrical runs up and down his fretboard for vintage tunes like "Soul Sacrifice." Santana has lost none of the zeal for the performing he has done for more than 40 years.
The all-ages audience picked up on that mirth and followed him willingly from the interstellar planetary grooves of his early psychedelic work through detours into Latin jazz fusion with his hot 10-piece band to the pop radio catnip of his latest all-star pairings.
Unlike some of his more self-indulgent jam band descendants, Santana always has a destination in mind for his instrumental interludes. The solos themselves may have been pure improv but he remained mindful on songs like the polyrhythmic "Foo Foo" and the acid blues rave-up "No One to Depend On" of keeping the tension intact in order to give the climaxes more punch.
Vocalists Andy Vargas and Tony Lindsay kept up with the gifted instrumentalists, often lending more soul and grit to songs like "Maria Maria" and "Smooth" than their recorded counterparts. Dennis Chambers remains a monster behind the drum kit and, in concert with percussionists Raul Rekow and Karl Perazzo, ensured that rest for those in the crowd who wanted to dance would come after the show.
Sometime Allman Brothers Band guitarist and clear Santana enthusiast Derek Trucks opened the evening with simpatico sounds from his eponymous group.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
You might see a local hip-hop head, or maybe a fan of the Grateful Dead. You might see a dorm mate or meet here with a weekend date. And you could very well see Marjorie O'Malley eating lunch.
"The food is so good," said O'Malley, assistant vice president for institutional advancement at the Berklee College of Music, in between mouthfuls of roasted veggie panini. "And you never know what kind of music you're going to hear."
Cafe 939 is Berklee's new student-run performance spot and coffeehouse, at 939 Boylston St., adjacent to the Cactus Club. The cafe will showcase Berklee's burgeoning student talent, local artists, and touring acts seeking a small, sleek place to perform.
Memorabilia from famous jazz musicians such as Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Nat King Cole line the wall in one enclave of the jewel-toned cafe. In the hallway leading to the room, a placard explains the significance of a pattern covering the tabletops and floor mats in the building. (Apparently, an experiment in the 1780s involving sand, metal, and a violin bow produced oblique, symmetrical patterns that spawned a method for designing guitars and other instruments.)
The cafe, which has wireless Internet access and Ethernet outlets, began serving food in early December. The first show, on Valentine's Day, kicked off an ongoing lunchtime concert series, which is free and features student performers and Berklee staff on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1 p.m. Evening performances are slated to start in early April; students will book, market, and publicize events, and also work as ushers, clerks, and stagehands. In the summer, Berklee plans to offer a weekly jazz brunch.
Catering to the under-21 crowd, Cafe 939 will not serve alcohol. Nightlife options for the younger set were curbed by a citywide ordinance passed in January 2007, which resulted in Lansdowne Street clubs adopting a strict 21-plus admission policy.
At a recent lunchtime performance, the Adam Lasher Band, composed mostly of Berklee seniors, sifted through slow blues and jazz fusion tunes before a crowd of about 25. Some stared intently at the guitarist's fingers dancing up and down the fretboard during a solo, while others simply soaked in the sounds while typing out papers or studying for midterms.
"Their creation is cool," said Joo Hyun Jun, a freshman business major who sat before her laptop. "I'm going to be coming here a lot."
Stuart Annello, a senior jazz composition major at Berklee, nodded his head to the bongo beat as he lounged on a couch in the performance area. For Annello, a member of the student stage crew, Cafe 939 offers real-world experience.
"Here, it's smaller and simpler, but it's exciting," he said. "You get to learn the work; stage work is a trade. But it's actually not too hard. I love it. And there are a lot of perks, like, I can play the piano and write music when there's nothing to do."
The Cafe 939 management isn't just aiming for the younger crowd.
A Thursday night concert series will feature local bands with middle-aged CEOs, like the Loomers, led by Tom Simons of Partners and Simons, who will perform on April 17.
When the stars arrive - such as Puerto Rican sax player Miguel Zenón on April 2 - Cafe 939 will be ready. Organizers said performers' needs will be accommodated. There's even a posh green room with a leather couch, cushy ottomans, a baby grand piano, and a full-length mirror.
City officials zoned Cafe 939 with a 241-person capacity, but the nature of the show will determine how many are admitted, organizers said.
So far, booking and organizing has been overseen by Jackie Indrisano, hired by Berklee in October as venue manager. Indrisano managed afterHOURS, Northeastern University's on-campus venue, from 2003 to 2006, and her experience includes booking for the closed but classic nightclub The Rat.
"We're trying to showcase not only the amazing Berklee talent on this campus, but from other campuses and around Boston that a lot of people don't see until they get big," Indrisano said.
"John Mayer was doing his thing on this campus before he broke and became huge," she continued. "It'd be great if people from this city can come here and hear these students develop."
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
