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Juliette Ashby at the Hotel Café. The beginning of a love affair with America by Patrick O’Heffernan

August 24, 2014

Hollywood. Patrick O’Heffernan. Juliette Ashby was in constant motion. Her hands, her arms, her body all swayed and circled and pointed and touched as she sang, hypnotizing us, drawing us in, capturing us in the heart inside her bare chest. Tall, beautiful and confident, yet down-to-earth, Ashby took the stage Friday night at the Hotel Café in Hollywood and looked over the packed room with a smile of satisfaction and greeting. Statuesque in skin tight black toreador pants and a lime green silk sleeveless blouse open down to her silver belt buckle, seemingly without make up, she radiated not so much sensuality as openness and honesty. The songs she gave us were exactly that – open and honest, and they proved beyond a doubt that she is one of the most talented entertainers on either side of the Atlantic. Ashby is known as a neo-soul, R&B singer-songwriter, but she is so much more. With a high-pitched, almost Jamaican voice that ranges from reggae to soul and R&B, she is simply in a universe by herself. [Read More]

The Grammy Museum and American Express announce An Evening With Dave Mason

August 20, 2014

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and TRAFFIC co-founding member–will make a special appearance at The GRAMMY Museum® in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, September 16. Presented by American Express®, “An Evening With Dave Mason” will feature MASON discussing his musical journey which spans over 37 years encompassing producing, performing, songwriting and being considered one of rock’s great guitar players, along with a brief acoustic performance. Tickets are on sale now at www.AXS.com, charge by phone at 888-9AXS-TIX or 888-929-7849. GRAMMY Museum’s Clive Davis Theater will play host to 200 lucky fans as they join MASON and host Scott Goldman, Vice President of The GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares, to discussMASON’s songwriting process, beginnings in the band TRAFFIC, acclaimed solo career, current touring project “Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam,” his latest release, FUTURE’S PAST (released May 13, 2014) and much more. Dave is touring the U.S. with his new project billed as “DAVE MASON’S TRAFFIC JAM.” Dates are currently listed as: DATE CITY VENUE Sat 8/23 Modesto, CA X-Fest (Downtown) Fri 8/29 Charles Town, WV Hollywood Casino – The [Read More]

Jesse Denaro announces US fall tour dates with Animal Flag

August 20, 2014

Jesse Denaro has announced a US Fall Tour in support of his new album, Dear Love. The tour will also feature Animal Flag. Singer/Songwriter Jesse has done a wonderful job at creating an album full of emotionally driven lyrics, songs that connect the listener and engages them on his musical journey. It is quite a superb journey to be a passenger on as you will experience the ups and downs of life, love and loss. I can only imagine how wonderful it will be to experience the music live. Jesse posted the following about the tour: Hey Guys! This fall I am embarking on my first ever full US tour! I am going out with my best friend Animal Flag and we are supporting both of our new albums (“Dear, Love” & his upcoming self titled EP coming this Fall). Touring takes a lot of time, preparation and money, so if you have a spare dollar or two head over to iTunes, band camp or whatever and pick up “Dear, Love” or any older releases from Matt. [Read More]

Ani DiFranco set to release new album Allergic to Water on October 14th via her own Righteous Babe Records

August 20, 2014

Great news to share! Ani DiFranco is set to release a new album, Allergic To Water on October 14th through her own label, Righteous Babe Records. The album was tracked by herself at her New Orleans home, often while her family slept and creates a hushed vibe to the album. Ani explained more about the album during a statement on her site: “Mostly I worked alone in headphones, in the wee hours, while my family slept. It was empowering but terrifying to have the buck stop with me again in terms of the mixes. The recordings are documents of my current touring band (recorded by Mike in our old victorian house in the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans and also by Andy Taub at a nearby church in the Treme) just laying down the songs. “Many also feature a couple of very choice special guests. My killer band these days consists of bassist and composer Todd Sickafoose, who not only brings an always wonderful and unexpected counterpoint to my guitar with his bass playing, but [Read More]

Check out the video for The Good Has Won by Tamar Haviv featuring Damien Echols

August 20, 2014

Singer-songwriter, Tamar Haviv recently released her debut album You and Me Without Pajamas. With a refreshing range of heartfelt ballads, fun pop tunes and tales, the album features various notable musicians such as Jerry Marotta (Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel, Indigo Girls), Sara Lee (The B-52’s, Ani DiFranco) and Kevin Salem (Rachael Yamagata, Mandy Moore). Tamar has such a fun style to her songs and her magnetic personality shines through. She captures a good mood while delivering some emotionally driven, thought provoking lyrics as in The Good Has Won. This inspirational brings her quirkiness to the forefront and you are so drawn to her infectious style. She really reminds me of Ani DiFranco and this young girl has a very bright future ahead of her. She has released a music video for The Good Has Won and I absolutely love it! It features Damien Echols, renowned author and one of the West Memphis Three who spent more than 18 years on death row for a crime he did not commit. Now living in NYC, Echols celebrates the [Read More]

Jessie Payo comes home to LA a country star with Payote magic by Patrick O’Heffernan

August 19, 2014

Jessie Payo, the diminutive soul singer with a larger than life voice has come home to LA, but more important, she has arrived. After more than a decade of recording, training, touring and singing with superstars like Melissa Etheridge, Jessie has found her county sound, and she created country magic at the Hotel Café in Hollywood Friday night. It’s no wonder her twitter handle is @payoetemusic. She was booked to come on at 9 pm and while she was setting up the crowd poured in, They were here for her. And she did not disappoint them. For almost an hour, she rocked, seduced, mesmerized and united with a full house, demonstrating the maturity and the self confidence of an experienced entertainer. She brought us her own brand of gut-tightening, head bobbing very personal country. Frankly, I had more fun listening to her at Hotel Café than I did at the Wynonna & the Big Noise concert at Century City. Jessie opened with her heart rending “ I will Die Alone”, which sailed through the room [Read More]

Maggie Szabo rocks LA and then heads for New York (but she’ll be back) by Patrick O’Heffernan

August 14, 2014

Maggie Szabo left fans at the Silverlake Lounge with a lightning bolt of a parting shot before heading off to a recording session in New York Monday night. A high energy, beat-driven eight-song set, finished off with her hit single “Tidal Waves and Hurricanes” kept the packed club moving and dancing. Sparks and flames were practically flying out of Maggie and her band she was so on. I have seen Maggie live three times, most recently at the Hotel Café in February, and she has grown and improved orders of magnitude – and she was top rated to start with. Her band Monday night– regular drummer Sam Campbell, the kick-ass Kyle Calvillo on lead guitar, Steven Shook on rhythm guitar and Sonny Kennelly on bass – were so tight they moved with Maggie without a nanometer between them. They showed a Grammy-level of professionalism that was a joy to watch. Maggie was among friends at the Lounge – part of her huge and constantly growing fan base – as she shouted out to various [Read More]