Monroe, Ian Fitzgerald (from the self-released You Won’t Even Know I’m Gone) For many a year Fitzgerald has plied his trade as a folk singer, a troubadour with an acoustic guitar. Over that time he has earned the respect of fellow musicians, always a good indicator that an artist warrants attention. Let’s give credit where […]
Daro Behroozi of Lucky Chops Dishes on Cooking on a Tour Bus and Why the Band Rehearses in Front of Mirrors
Daro Behroozi, saxophonist for Lucky Chops, recalls the band’s early tours via the NYC subway, discusses the connection between nourishment of appetite and soul and a day, or rather night, job guarding against fires in empty buildings.
Americana 2016: The Sounds, Part 1
Every fall, The Americana Music Association gathers members, artists and music fans together in Nashville for its annual conference. Starting with the annual Americana Music Awards and continuing through four days of showcases and panel discussions, it is a tremendous celebration of Americana music. SHANE NICHOLSON I caught Australian singer-songwriter Shane Nicholson three times over […]
AmericanaFest 2016 – The AMA Awards
Every fall, The Americana Music Association gathers members, artists and music fans together in Nashville for its annual conference. Starting with the annual Americana Music Awards and continuing through four days of showcases and panel discussions, it is a tremendous celebration of Americana music.  Traditionally, the opening of the annual Americana Music Festival was always […]
St. Paul & the Broken Bones – Sea Of Noise
In 1954 Ray Charles took a gospel song, My Jesus Is All the World To Me, mixed in some R&B, and made it into a decidedly secular song, I Got A Woman. Â Soul music was born. Â Like all musical styles, soul music has morphed and evolved into something that’s a lot more popular, but along […]
Jonah Tolchin – Thousand Mile Night
Jonah Tolchin has taken another step forward on his new release “Thousand Mile Nightâ€. The production of the album guides Tolchin to utilize a slightly different style on each song in order to evoke the mood that supports the lyrics. The album was recorded at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. However, it has only […]
Newport Folk Festival 2016- Saturday
Newport Folk Festival 2016- Saturday We arrived at Fort Adams Park in Newport bright and early on Saturday and were greeted with a a lot more heat and humidity. Luckily, the musical acts on Saturday almost made you forget about the sun. From living legends to hot new acts, the day had much in store. […]
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2016 (So Far), the Songs Part 2
This has already been quite a year for songs. Here are just a few of my favorites from the first half of 2016. Shadow in the Window, Michael McDermott (from the Pauper Sky Records release Willow Springs) McDermott reflects on his father’s recent passing, building the song from a tender acoustic opening to an impassioned […]
Mayer’s Picks – the Best of 2016 (So Far), the Albums
It’s been a good year for music so far this year (and the rest of the year is shaping up quite nicely, too). Here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite releases from the first half of 2016. WILLOW SPRINGS by MICHAEL MCDERMOTT Michael McDermott channels life’s hardships, both his own and those […]
Mayer’s Playlist for June 2016
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH My Way Home by Eli Paperboy Reed They say that what doesn’t kill us just makes us stronger. While not quite that extreme, Brooklyn by way of Boston singer-songwriter Eli Paperboy Reed emerges from the ashes of a major label deal gone bad with a remarkable new album. The slick production […]