Stars and the Sea - "For You"

Fronted by Shane Gardner (vocals/guitar), this three-piece rock band cites influences ranging from Bauhaus, Peter Murphy, Iggy Pop, Jeff Buckley and AC/DC. Their sound has been described as "a mix of post-punk and British influenced rock." Joe Amey (bass) and Broady (drums) make up the other two-thirds of the band.

Fairly new to the Baltimore scene, their debut five-song EP "8" was recorded at Baltimore's Tribe Mark Studios. The guitar-driven "Come To Me" opens the EP, reflecting various influences, before closing with today's feature song, "For You."

There is not a lot of news to report at this time, however Stars and the Sea are getting ready for an appearance on 98 Rock's Noise in the Basement this Sunday at 11:00. Then, Monday May 3rd, Stars and the Sea will play the Noise in the Basement concert at The Quarter in Baltimore. Tickets for Monday's show is $5 and doors open at 8 PM.

Links: Official | Facebook | Twitter | MySpace | iTunes

Tess Dunn - "Marionette of Me"

I have to admit, when I first discovered Tess Dunn on the MySpace Music charts, I didn't pay much attention to the details. I heard a few songs and liked what I was listening to. So, I contacted Tess and asked to feature her music. As I did my homework, I learned that Tess is 15 years old, and living with Cystic Fibrosis. Or, as she puts it, "I have cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and epilepsy. I'm different."

Tess has been battling cystic fibrosis since birth. CF, an incurable respiratory disease, causes thick mucus buildup in the lungs and one of its primary manifestation is a chronic cough. The night before, and the first day of, her "Darling Just Walk" recording sessions, Tess was dealing with one of those chronic coughs. As her Mother recently told the Santa Cruz Sentinel, "the coughing persisted through that first morning at the recording studio. But on the takes in which Tess was called on to sing, the cough, however temporarily, vanished. She just seemed to power right on through."

Dunn's album, "Darling Just Walk" was produced by acclaimed singer/songwriter Ari Shine, and features singer/songwriters Adrienne Pierce and Carina Round, plus drummer Adam Topol (drummer for Jack Johnson). The album was recorded in four days, a lot considering Tess is in the eighth grade and has a medical routine that includes two hours of respiratory therapy and up to 60 pills a day, seven days a week. In addition to her solo career, Tess sings for the band Too Close For Comfort.

Tess is gearing up to play the Vans Warped Tour on Saturday, June 26th, at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA. Check out her song "Marionette of Me" here, then go buy the album (iTunes link is below). I have a feeling Tess won't be "unsigned" for long, and if she does remain unsigned, it will be her choosing and not due to a lack of interest.

Links: iTunes | Facebook | Twitter | MySpace | ReverbNation

Kermit Ruffins - "Hey Naa"

If you're from New Orleans, you already know that Kermit Ruffins is the King of Treme. But, with the recent success of the new HBO series "Treme," in which Kermit plays himself, a whole new audience is being introduced to his music. His most recent release, “Livin’ a Treme Life”, is inspired by the same neighborhood that is essential to the city’s musical and cultural heritage.

Kermit's sole priority while on stage is to make the people dance. In fact, he won't play a club if there's no dance floor. As he puts it, "I'd rather get people up and dancing than just having dinner and listening. I'd rather be in one of the New Orleans clubs, and I'll only take gigs in places that have a dance floor. There are places around the city that I played for years, but now I won't do it because nobody's dancing."

Often compared to Louis Armstrong, which Kermit humbly accepts, he co-founded the Rebirth Brass Band in 1983. Then, in 1992, a traditional jazz quintet, the Barbecue Swingers was born, mixing music with Kermit's other true love, food. Don't miss his famous BBQ at one of his Thursday night gigs at Vaughan's in New Orleans. But, if you do miss him at Vaughan's, you'll find him at Bullet's on Tuesday. In fact, for Kermit, this week's Jazz Fest schedule looks something like this: Today at Louisiana Music Factory at noon, Wednesday at House of Blues, Thursday at Vaughan's, Friday at Jazz Fest, and Saturday at Rock and Bowl.

If you're in New Orleans, for Jazz Fest or any other time, be sure to make a Kermit Ruffins show part of your itinerary. If you can't see him live, be sure to pick up "Livin' a Treme Life" or one of his other CD's available from Basin Street Records.


Links: Official | Facebook | Twitter | MySpace | iTunes

Anders Osborne - "Standing With Angels"

Today marks the release of "American Patchwork," the long-awaited release from Anders Osborne on Alligator Records. His best work yet, American Patchwork features Pepper Keenan (of Down and Corrosion Of Conformity) on guitar, Stanton Moore on drums, and Robert Walter on keys.

The album kicks off with the B3 and guitar-driven "On the Road to Charlie Parker" backed by the bold rhythms of Stanton Moore. From there, Osborne lays out a mix of emotions delivered with influences of rock, country, soul, and even a reggae-infused "Got Your Heart". Our featured song, the Springsteen-esque "Standing With Angels" deals with the loss of a loved one as they enter Heaven to watch down on others left behind.

There are many aspects to "American Patchwork," but the guitar work is simply phenomenal. Anders is already known for his amazing guitar playing, but add Pepper Keenan to the mix and you're left with nothing short of a masterpiece.

With the release of American Patchwork, Osborne will hit the road hard. After playing three times at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (and many more area appearances during the two-week festival), Anders Osborne will then start a six-week tour of the U.S. on a double bill with The Stanton Moore Trio, followed by further touring with his own band.

Links:
Official | Facebook | MySpace | ReverbNation | Twitter | iTunes | Alligator Records

Jeremy Davenport - "Mr. New Orleans"

In honor of The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival kicking off this weekend, I give you Jeremy Davenport's "Mr. New Orleans" featuring Kermit Ruffins. For those of you who don't know Kermit, he's the Master Chef/Trumpet Extraordinaire on HBO's new hit series, Treme.

Coming from a musical family in St. Louis, and having support from two of the biggest musical families in the Crescent City, Jeremy Davenport was destined to launch his musical career in New Orleans. After studying under the great Ellis Marsalis, Davenport spent 6 years touring with Harry Connick, Jr's Big Band.

In 1996, Jeremy released his debut, self-titled album, followed by "Maybe In a Dream" (1998) and "Live at the Bistro" (2005). His latest CD, "We'll Dance Til Dawn" (2009, Basin Street Records), is his best work yet and showcases Jeremy's unique lyrics and trumpet playing skills.

As expected with any jazz musician in New Orleans, he will be playing just about every day for the next two weeks, showing his skills for the thousands of music fans in town for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In fact, he'll be performing at Jazz Fest this Sunday at 12:55 pm, in the WWOZ Jazz Tent. You can also find him at the Davenport Lounge at The Ritz Carlton on Canal Street.

Links:
Official | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | iTunes | MySpace

Victoria Vox - "Oh I Wonder"

Earlier this month, I introduced you to Victoria Vox and her catchy song, "Summertime." I am excited to feature another of Victoria's songs, "Oh I Wonder" as she is releasing her new album "Exact Change." Over the last six years, she has averaged 125+ gigs a year, including numerous dates in Europe and Canada. This week, she's celebrating her new release with a string of appearances in California (San Diego, Huntington Beach, and L.A.)

Victoria's tour schedule remains very busy. In mid-May, Victoria heads across the pond for a few shows in Europe. She'll return to the states just in time for the Stoop Storytellers Radio Show, June 3-5 in Baltimore, and the Steelbridge Songfest June 6-12 in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Check her website for specific dates, but definitely go see her live!

The official release date for "Exact Change" has been moved to May 25th, but you can order your copy now at www.victoriavox.com.

Links:
Official | iTunes | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | MySpace

Julia Ilowiecki - "Hardest Part"

Julia is another artist that I discovered in the MySpace search for new music. Before contacting her, I had already previewed "Hardest Part" and knew that I wanted to feature it here.

Julia Ilowiecki began teaching herself piano at the age of 10, and spent a lot of time forcing her neighborhood friends to perform her songs. She is a former competitive gymnast and diver, who found her way back to music after an injury forced her to quit competing. After the injury, music was Julia's emotional outlet, resulting in honest stories from the heart.

I don't have any info on a full-length release, but Julia has a few songs available for sale on iTunes. She also has a few shows scheduled across the country to satisfy people in all regions. Through May, she has dates booked in Chicago, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, Nashville, and New York. Check her out live, and send me a report!

Links:
Official | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | MySpace | iTunes

Jonathan Clay - "Lucky To Be Loved By You"

You may have noticed that I am not living up to the song-a-day format. I promise, it will get there. One reason for the lag is that I try to contact each artist before featuring them on the site, and lots of people just haven't gotten back to me yet. To help things along, I decided to go looking for songs. I turned to the MySpace Music charts, started previewing songs and contacting the artists I liked.

One of the first to reply to my email was Jonathan Clay. Jonathan is from Austin, Texas and is very passionate about his songwriting. It seems that Jonathan is very comfortable telling his life story through his songs, and is anxious to let his fans in on the last few years of his life. In fact, after a short stint with a major-label in 2007, Jonathan will release his new, long-awaited album "Everything She Wants" on June 15th.

Jonathan has a handful of shows booked throughout Texas, as well as a date booked in Nevada, Missouri. Follow Jonathan on your choice of social networks, and he'll keep you posted as the release date nears and any shows coming your way.

Links:
Official | Facebook | Twitter | MySpace | YouTube

Zeke Martin Project - "Afro Blue"

Zeke Martin is the son of the late Stu Martin, who played with the likes of Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Charles Mingus, Dave Holland and Quincy Jones. At the age of 12, he got his musical debut with Steve Lacy in France. I've been following Zeke Martin since the release of his 2006 CD "Funky Stuff." Prior to that, Zeke had already made a name for himself, performing with Boston's Ed Jones Quartet and Ray Brown Quartet before starting his own group, The ZMP (Zeke Martin Project).

In addition to his own projects, both live and recorded, Zeke has appeared on various other projects including Lori Dow, Persian Blue, and the Mike Delledera Band. His live schedule over the next few months has him performing with The ZMP, as well as sets with Persian Blue, Pat Braxton, and Mystic Chorale before a month-long tour in Malaysia.

Links:
iTunes | Official | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | MySpace

Anders Osborne - "Lucky One"

Many of you have probably never heard of Anders Osborne, and if I had to guess, he probably likes it that way. He's written the number-one hit "Watchin the Wind Blow By" for Tim McGraw, two Grammy-winning songs for Keb Mo, as well as songs for Brad Paisley, Tab Benoit, Jonny Lang, and Jimmy Thackery. His songs have been performed live by many other artists, including "Lucky One" which Edwin McCain introduces by saying "There's a guy named Anders Osborne, and I feel like he wrote my life."

A few years ago, when I first heard Osborne's CD "Coming Down," two songs stood out for me - "Summertime in New Orleans" and "Lucky One," which anyone can relate to while going through life's trials and tribulations. In addition to featuring "Lucky One" by Anders Osborne, you can also check out the video, below, of Edwin McCain introducing and performing "Lucky One."

Anders' long-awaited, new CD "American Patchwork" will be released April 27th on Alligator Records, and features Pepper Keenan (of C.O.C. and DOWN) on Guitar,
Stanton Moore on Drums, and Robert Walters on Keyboards. After a two-week run of shows in New Orleans during Jazz Fest, Anders, Robert Walter, and Stanton Moore launch a six week double-bill tour featuring both Osborne's band and the Stanton Moore Trio.

Stay tuned as Festival of Songs will feature a track from "American Patchwork" to kick-off the release on April 27th!



Links:
Official | Facebook | MySpace | ReverbNation | Twitter | iTunes

Thingfish - "Good Ole Boys" (Cover)

First off, let me apologize for neglecting the site for the past few days. I purposely did not post songs over Easter weekend, but then we had an episode of "Appliance Gone Wild" at the house, and I just haven't been on the computer. So, I'm trying to get back on track.

With that said, today I present you with a cover tune... recorded live... with audio quality that leaves a lot to be desired. BUT, for this cover of the Dukes of Hazard theme song "Good Ole Boys," it just works. You get the feeling that this was recorded in a small, backwoods, good ole boy watering hole. Makes me want to dig up some old Dukes of Hazard DVD's (TV series, not the movie).

The band is Thingfish, from Lake Charles, Louisiana, and they are currently recording their debut CD of original music. The core of Thingfish was formed back in 1990 by friends, Tracy McGinnis and Chad Moreno. After taking time for other projects (Tracy is the lead-singer for the Louisiana metal band, CHOKE), they eventually reformed as an acoustic duo. Soon after, they added a full band and started performing 4 to 5 times a month, both acoustic and electric. Keep an eye out for their debut CD, and if you're in the Southwest Louisiana region, go check them out!

Members: Tracy McGinnis, Chad Moreno, Jackie Crittenden, Brian Fruge, Jason Hine, Alaistar White, Brian Moore

Links:
Reverb Nation | Facebook | bebo

Victoria Vox - "Summertime"

From the looks of her website, Victoria Vox has been a busy woman! In fact over the last six years, she has averaged 125+ gigs a year, including numerous dates in Europe and Canad. She has also released three CD's, appeared on various compilations, and released a custom Christmas card filled with original Christmas songs. And, did I mention she appeared on Leno last December?

Set to record her latest CD, Exact Change, later this month, Victoria gives us a preview of what to expect. I was actually sitting at the Starbucks cafe inside Target when I received the songs from Victoria. Upon listening to "Summertime," I immediately thought how refreshing this is. And, I can't wait to feature more from Victoria in the future! In fact, maybe you'll get another preview from Exact Change before it's released on April 20th.

Victoria's tour schedule remains very busy, with shows booked over the next few months in Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Wisconsin before heading to California for gigs in San Diego, Huntington Beach, and Los Angeles. Then, in mid-May, Victoria heads across the pond for a few shows in Europe. Check her website for specific dates, but definitely go see her live!

Links:
Official | iTunes | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | MySpace

Woody Lissauer - "John Barleycorn Must Die"

Woody Lissauer is still a new name to me, but from what I've heard so far, he is a multi-talented songwriter, composer, producer, and performer from Baltimore. He has toured the world with major label acts, and has infused his solo music with his own "Astro Folk" sound. If you're not familiar with his recording of "John Barleycorn Must Die," it is an English Traditional in which 'John Barleycorn' is a personification of the cereal crop barley, and of the beer and whiskey that is made from it. Woody is currently back in the studio, but has a few shows scheduled in and around Baltimore, including the invitation-only Poezia Gitara (Poetry of Guitars).

Links:
Official | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube