by Nick | Oct 10, 2016 | Featured Album
California based prog band Celluloid Winter is this weeks featured artist. Not much is known about them other than a small blip about the music on the bands Facebook page that states:
Meloprogistic Rock = A fusion of melodic art rock with progressive intentions 🙂
Track Listing
01. Aya 12:08
08. Feigning Insanity Pt.II 06:03
Celluloid Winter is Nate Hammer & John Garcia
All songs written, performed & recorded by Celluloid Winter.
Additional Musicians: Patrick Hassani (Drums) & Mike Geluz (Keys on Kodachrome)
Mixed by John G at Cerise Studios
Mastered by Kent Verderico at Blue Ribbon Studios
[bandcamp width=100% height=406 album=2724269744 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none]
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by Nick | Oct 3, 2016 | Featured Album
ERIK NORLANDER GETS SURREAL
Veteran California artist announces new solo album of keyboard-heavy prog rockSurreal is the new full-length visionary album from California keyboardist, Erik Norlander. After two recent highly-acclaimed releases with his Rocket Scientists project,
Norlander now presents the follow-up to his 2009 solo epic, The Galactic Collective, released in several forms including a live DVD/CD set. Surreal continues in that spirit with traditional rock band instrumentation fronted by Norlander’s own timeless, signature keyboards.
Surreal gives both a nod to the past and puts an eye on the future with lush analog soundscapes, real living human grooves and unforgettable melodic lead work that will keep the songs playing in the listener’s head long after the music stops.
Like The Galactic Collective, Surreal is mostly an instrumental affair with 5 tracks driven by keyboard and guitar melodies. But there is a sixth song, the title track, that features vocals by Norlander’s chanteuse spouse, Lana Lane. Norlander writes in the album liner notes, “If there is only going to be one vocal track on an album, it had better be great, right? The vocal range of ‘Surreal’ is rather wide, going from ballad-like warm lows to stadium-inspired powerful highs. And I think as Lana performs these vocal acrobatics in such an honest and skillful storyteller’s style, you don’t even realize the register shifts as they are happening.
”Surreal employs the same rhythm section of The Galactic Collective with Mark Matthews on bass and Nick LePar on drums. The two have toured with Norlander extensively in the 7 years since The Galactic Collective was released and have become an essential element of Norlander’s signature style. Another familiar face is percussionist, Greg Ellis, who played on 3 other Norlander solo albums including his 1997 debut, Threshold. “There’s actually a real thread of continuity with Greg,” says Norlander. “Since The Galactic Collective re-recorded existing compositions, Greg is really the percussionist on the last album of ‘new’ music released under my own name, Seas of Orion, 12 years ago back in 2004!” Ellis also played on the epic 2014 Rocket Scientists instrumental track, “Traveler on the Supernatural Highways.” And to make the Rocket Scientists connection complete, Surreal also features Don Schiff on cello and NS/Stick and Mark McCrite on acoustic guitar.
Surreal also highlights the guitar work of the always-in-demand Alastair Greene and Jeff Kollman, two of Los Angeles’ finest axemen and stellar musicians that Norlander has worked with on other projects. All three guitarists, Greene, Kollman and McCrite toured with Norlander’s band in recent years ahead of this album’s recording, and the well-defined interplay between guitar and keyboards is evidence of that finely built foundation
.
1. The Party’s Overture 07:52
2. The Galaxy Collectors (Album Mix) 10:34
3. Suitcase and Umbrella 07:08
4. Unearthly 08:48
5. Surreal (feat. Lana Lane) 10:46
6. El Gran Final 11:08
Released June 21, 2016
Erik Norlander – keyboards
Mark Matthews – bass
Nick LePar – drums
Greg Ellis – percussion
Alastair Greene – guitars on 1,2,3,4,6
Also
Lana Lane – vocals on 5
Jeff Kollman – guitars on 5
Mark McCrite – acoustic guitar on 3
Don Schiff – cello, contrabass and
All songs written by Erik Norlander (c) 2016 Waking Dream Music, BMI.
This album was recorded between August and December 2015.
Nick LePar’s drums and Mark Matthews’ bass guitars were recorded by
Dylan Roth at Mad Rabbit Media, Uniontown, Ohio, with special
thanks to Greg and Angie Wilkinson.
Keyboards, vocals and Alastair Greene guitars were recorded by Erik
at Think Tank Media, Placerville, California.
Greg Ellis, Jeff Kollman, Mark McCrite and Don Schiff tracks were
recorded at their home studios.
Mixed by Erik Norlander at Think Tank Media.
Mastered by Maor Appelbaum at Maor Appelbaum Mastering in Los Angeles.
Cover art graphic design by Amber Cartier.
Video Links
Surreal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmP2OSAYVvc
The Galaxy Collectors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j9W2RwgNrs
Links
Official Website
Facebook
[bandcamp width=100% height=340 album=2651790732 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 artwork=none]
by Nick | Sep 26, 2016 | Featured Album
“The soulful fury of this talented three-piece, the Travis Larson Band, washes the stink of the recording industry’s lame offerings out into the gutters while unleashing it’s unique brand of instrumental rock fusion (think of a musical stew mixing a thick brown Rush gravy with big hearty chunks of Steve Morse and a dash of Jeff Beck).”
With four records and a full-length performance DVD, the award winning Travis Larson Band is firmly rooted as one of instrumental music’s premiere acts, having worked on record with Steve Lukather (Toto), Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck), Vinx (Sting, Herbie Hancock), Hugh Syme (Rush, Aerosmith) and having shared live billing with Ted Nugent, Los Lobos, Elvin Bishop, Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Kansas), and Bill Bruford (King Crimson), to name a few. Comprised of Travis Larson (guitar), Jennifer Young (bass), and Dale Moon (drums), TLB’s complicated phrasing, impossible timing, and seamless flow cause some to suspect that the band must surely operate from only one, albeit enormous, brain.
Aided by endorsement relationships with Ernie Ball/MusicMan, Electro-Voice, Digitech, Randall, Ampeg, Gretsch, and Sabian this tiny band with the big sound has found its way into the festivals, theaters, clubs and music stores across the nation, not to mention the traveling 53-foot tractor-trailer truck tours and music industry events. Well known for their live performances the Travis Larson Band delivers full throttle rock fusion that soars with originality and mercilessly hooks an audience like a freshly sharpened gaff through the unsuspecting brain of an Arctic Cod.
What ever the Travis Larson Band may lack in predictable synthetic beats and squeaky prepubescent voices, they more than make up for in ass-whoopin’, soul-boosting, brain-bursting guitar music and good ol’ fashioned talent.
Tracklisting
1. Anicca 03:52
10. Distance Between 03:55
12. The Taking Place 05:15
Travis Larson Band
Travis Larson // Guitars & Stuff
Jennifer Young // Bass
Dale Moon // Drums
Anicca was released September 16th 2016
Produced by Travis Larson and Jennifer Young
All songs written by Travis Larson (T.Larson Music / ASCAP)
Guitars, Bass and Stuff Recorded at Treehouse Studio
Drums Recorded at Avalon Recording Studio
Engineered and Mixed by Kip Stork and Travis Larson Band
Art Direction by Yagopeep Productions
Band Photo by Sarah Wilbur
Administration and Social Media by Devon Booth
Follow Travis Larson Band
Official Website
http://www.travislarsonband.com
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/thetravislarsonband/
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by Nick | Sep 19, 2016 | Featured Album
All music & lyrics by Yossi Sassi, except “The Explorientals”: Music by Yossi Sassi, Or Lubianiker, Shay Ifrah, Roei Fridman , Ben Azar
Produced by Yossi Sassi
The Yossi Sassi band
Yossi Sassi – Vocals, Guitars (Electric, Nylon-String, Acoustic, 7-Strings), Bouzoukitara, Bouzouki, Charango, Oud, Saz, Chumbush, Keyboards on “Madame TwoSouls”, “Road Less
Traveled”
Or Lubianiker – Electric Bass
Shay Ifrah – Drums
Ben Azar – Guitar solos 2 and 3 on “Palm Dance”, Electric Guitar on “The Explorientals”
Sapir Fox – Vocals (“Road Less Traveled”, “Bird Without A Tree”, choir on “Wings”)
Roei Fridman – Percussion
Guest musicians
Zaher Zorgati – Vocals on “The Religion Of Music”
Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal – Guitar solos 1 and 4 on “Palm Dance”
Diana Golbi – Vocals on “Root Out”
Roy Zu-arets – Piano
Yoav Efron – Keyboards on “Wings”, “Rizes Kai Dromoi”, “The Religion Of Music”, “Thundercloud”
Bob Katsionis – Hammond and additional keyboards on “Rizes Kai Dromoi”
Ariel Qassis – Kanun
Daniel Hoffman – Violins
Itzhak Ventura – Arabic, Turkish and Persian Ney
Danielle Sassi – Flute
Yankale Segal – Fretless Bass on “Bird without a tree”
Assaf Perelmuter – Lap steel, Diddley bow
Harel Shachal – Clarinet
Dan Piloni Kark, Jonathan Jacobi, Liron Schaffer – Choiron “Wing”
Management & Production Management: Raya Kosovsky
Cover art sculpture: “Suspended orange tree” by Ran Morin,
environmental sculpture & planning
Cover, booklet artwork and photos by Irene Serrano Espejo
Cover art photo by Cobe Tamshes
Band photo by Ami Bornstein
Album Design by Guy Nakash
Legal consulting: Ivri, Kerner & Co .Law Offices
Special thanks to our families and Jeremy Shotts
Engineered and recorded by Liron Schaffer at Jaffa Sound Arts, Tel-Aviv Jaffa
Assistant engineer – Aner Baruch
Guitars technician – Benjamin Millar
Drums technician – Ami Bornstein
Zaher Zorgati recorded by Kevin Codfert @ X-Fade studio
Mixed by Liron Schaffer at Jaffa Sound Arts
Mastered by Jonathan Jacobi at Jaffa Sound Arts
Pre-production & additional recordings by Yossi Sassi at Simplyossi studios
Madame On Steroids:
Arranged by Ben Azar
Guitars recorded by Ben Azar at Ben Azar’s studios
Ben Azar – Guitars
Or Lubianiker – Bass
Shay Ifrah – Drums
Mixed by Liron Schaffer at Jaffa Sound Arts
Quarter to Rizes:
Arranged by Roei Fridman, Yakir Sasson and Elyasaf Bashari
Recorded at Extension Studios by Yakir Sasson
Yakir Sasson – Trumpet
Elyasaf Bashari – Oud, Bass
Mixed by Aner Baruch at Jaffa Sound Arts
“Thundercloud” is dedicated to anyone who lost a dear person.
In loving memory of Shmuel (Shmil) Yair (the biggest heart ever),
Shay Milstein (the midey lives forever) and Amira Salach, my
beloved grandmother. To my father David Sassi, recovering from a
hard stroke – You gave me all the wings I need.
