Rock Group “Midnight Daydream” Feat. Son Of Late Guitarist Bruce Cameron To Release Self-Titled Debut Album

The writer, producer, engineer and main performer on the album is Riley Cameron, the son of the late guitarist Bruce Cameron, who tragically passed away in 1999 shortly after releasing his debut LP titled “Midnight Daydream”. An album that featured a plethora of rock legends. Inspired by his father’s work, the only viable option was to carry the musical legacy that his father left behind.

The self-titled album features a blend of hard rock, electronic, hip-hop and various other musical styles that create a modern sound that captures a spectrum of influences.

The “Midnight Daydream” LP is set to release on July 5th, 2023 and will be available on all mainstream platforms, including Itunes, Spotify and Youtube. Physical Copies and merchandise will also be available through their merchandise store via BandCamp.

For more information:
Midnight Daydream BandCamp : midnightdaydreamus.bandcamp.com
Midnight Daydream Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr-GPnIG_beRdyIGPl9Byrw
Midnight Daydream Facebook Page : https://www.facebook.com/MidnightDaydreamOfficial

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Pianist/Composer Larry Kutcher Releases Debut Album For Solo Piano “Kindred Souls” Balancing Technical Virtuosity With Raw Emotional Expression

Having been a session musician for over 20 years, playing, writing, and arranging on other artist’s albums, pianist/composer Larry Kutcher decided it was time to release his own music. His debut album for solo piano entitled “Kindred Souls” was released on March 1st. Each of the album’s 10 tracks tells a personal story, an audio diary of the highly personal journey that led to this debut release.

Says Larry, “This debut album has been nine years in the making. I first intended to release it in 2014, but then life took me on an unexpected roller coaster ride of one serious health crisis after another. As a result, I had to put it on hold for long periods of time. Each piece on the album expresses a unique emotional and spiritual aspect of my nine-year odyssey. Written, recorded, and produced by me in my home studio, much of this music came through me instantaneously and was captured as such. My best work happens when I get out of the way and just let the music flow through me!”

Larry Kutcher began his musical odyssey with the study of classical violin at the age of six. He moved on from there to the drums and guitar, eventually settling on the piano, with which he could more fully realize and express all the music flowing through him.

Influenced by Surrealism, The Beat Poets, The Firesign Theatre, and Frank Zappa, in particular, Larry also developed theatrical and comedic skills. This led him to recording and performing with Zappa alumni, guitarist Steve Vai. You can hear Larry’s stream of consciousness performance art piece “Little Pieces Of Seaweed” on Steve Vai’s CD/EP “Flex-Able Leftovers”.

An aficionado of Prog Rock as well, Larry helped co-write “The Emperor’s Clothes” with Alan and Neal Morse of Spock’s Beard, for their 2010 CD release of Spock’s Beard “X”.

Larry’s extensive musical explorations throughout the years have helped him become very well versed in a variety of genres including classical, jazz, progressive rock, ambient soundscapes, musical theater, and film scores. He is best known for his powerful and intensely personal solo piano work, balancing technical virtuosity with raw emotional expression.

Plans to release a couple videos and to set up some gigs in the Los Angeles area are in the works and will be announced as they happen!

“Kindred Souls” Tracklist:

01 Joyous
02 I Still Remember
03 Haunted
04 Within Her Tears
05 Renewal
06 Ocean Raga
07 Barcelona
08 The Weary Sojourner
09 The Hidden Path
10 To Dance Once More

To purchase: larrykutcher.bandcamp.com

On March 31st, 2023 it will be available on most streaming platforms including:
Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora

For more information:
Website: https://larrykutcher.com/
Bandcamp: https://larrykutcher.bandcamp.com/
Facebook Music Page: https://www.facebook.com/LarryKutcherMusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larrykutchermusic/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LarryKutcher
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LarryKutcher

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Tomorrow’s Legendary Debut Album Re-imagined by Guitar Icon & Founding Member Steve Howe Released April 28, 2023

Tomorrow “Permanent Dream” Released April 28, 2023

• A fresh new version of Tomorrow’s legendary debut album re-imagined by Steve Howe.

• Post-produced using the technology now available on the balance and edits to enhance and re-present what the band were trying to achieve 55 years ago!

• Featuring some less well-known studio tracks, a new title, running order and sleeve, creating the psychedelic masterpiece they always envisaged.

Previously known as The In Crowd, Tomorrow (Keith West, Steve Howe and John ‘Twink’ Alder) came to fame in the 1967 film Smashing Time. During that year the band released two singles, one of which, “My White Bicycle” was inspired by the Dutch Provos, an anarchist group in Amsterdam which instituted a community bicycle program. The follow-up single “Revolution”, according to Joe Boyd’s book “White Bicycles – Making Music” in the 1960s asserted the fact that the band’s performance of the song at the UFO Club was the apotheosis of the 60s UK underground.

This re-issue overseen by Steve Howe, contains new artwork by long-time Yes collaborators The Gottlieb Brothers with new notes by Steve Howe and John ‘Twink’ Alder, and has been remastered from the original mono mixes.

Track Listing:

1 Real Permanent Dream – Version One
2 Hallucinations
3 My White Bicycle
4 Why
5 Revolution
6 Strawberry Fields Forever
7 Three Jolly Little Dwarfs
8 Now Your Time Has Come
9 Claramount Lake
10 Caught In a Web
11 Real Permanent Dream – Version Two
12 The Incredible Journey of Timothy Chase
13 Now Your Time Has Come – Live
14 Shotgun and the Duck – Live

To pre-order:

CD: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/tomorrow-permanent-dream-cd-edition/
Black Vinyl Edition: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/tomorrow-permanent-dream-black-vinyl-edition/
Violet Vinyl Edition: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/tomorrow-permanent-dream-violet-vinyl-edition/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

PARDON THE INTERRUPTION Exudes Raw Energy and Pure Joy on Their New Sophomore Album HOT N’ FRESH!

San Francisco, CA – Roaring out of the fog-shrouded hills of Sonoma and drowning out the chatter, prog-pop troubadours PARDON THE INTERRUPTION (aka PTI) are taking their place and asserting their voice in the storied musical conversation of the San Francisco Bay Area. Available worldwide April 14, 2023, PTI’s sophomore release HOT N’ FRESH finds the band in full stride with nine original tracks mining every corner of the indie-pop-funk spectrum, always with a self-effacing smile and a nod to the progressive rock of the ’80s and ’90s that is the quartet’s uniting influence.

With a powerful energy and a unique sound, PARDON THE INTERRUPTION is a 4-piece fusion outfit that creates original music pulling from genres including rock, roots, funk, soul, ska, reggae, and more. One foot is planted firmly in the past, paying homage to some of the most singular and iconic artists of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. The other is stepping boldly forward, producing original material that is at once nostalgically familiar while also entirely modern and unique. But the nuanced complexity of their music never overshadows the raw energy and pure joy that characterize PTI’s live performances, perpetually keeping audiences glued to the dance floor and ready for more. It’s undeniable fun. It will make you dance. It’s like a perfect pepperoni pizza. It’s HOT N’ FRESH!

Band leader, lead singer, and guitarist David Noble has assembled three of the finest, most versatile session musicians in Northern California, and as PARDON THE INTERRUPTION they have fostered a cohesion that transcends music. PTI’s love for each other and for their craft is visceral. You can feel it. Engineer/co-producer Sean Beresford captured that same energy in the sessions that laid the foundation for the HOT N’ FRESH album, recorded live with minimal overdubs at Calliope West in San Rafael, CA.

David Noble is a San Francisco native who has made stops in Denver and L.A. and is himself among the top echelon of Bay Area guitar-slingers when not fronting PTI with groups like Wreckless Strangers and Poor Man’s Whiskey. As a child of the ‘80s, Noble’s writing successfully synthesizes his love for pop legends like David Bowie, Talking Heads, and The Police with groundbreaking Bay Area art rock/ska artists like Mr. Bungle and Fishbone — deeply personal and deceptively intricate songs sugar-coated with accessible and catchy hooks.

Bassist Rob Fordyce (Peer Pressure, The Ring, Big Brother and the Holding Company) is a force of nature. Yes, he brings the funk, but that descriptor is far too narrow. Fordyce’s propulsive groove and unstoppable enthusiasm are the engine of PTI, the heart and the soul that power the machine, and his explosive chops rival the best the Bay Area has to offer.

Drummer Rob Hooper (aka The Other Rob) may be the most in-demand Americana drummer in Northern California, bringing his gravitas, experience, and rock-solid beats that were honed and hard-earned over decades in Austin, TX, where he worked with Jimmy Dale Gilmore, The Resentments, Carolyn Wonderland, and countless others.

Jamison Smeltz (D8FeX, mRthKon, Ten Ton Chicken) is George’s brother. (Just kidding!) He’s the wild card — the joker — playing an eclectic array of instruments with jaw-dropping proficiency. Smeltz melds the art-pop sensibilities of Bowie and Prince with his shameless love for progressive rock icons like Yes who first inspired him to take up…the saxophone? Yup, that’s Jamison!

With each show PARDON THE INTERRUPTION is demanding the attention of fans of funk, pop, ska, jam, prog, and just plain rock n’ roll. Their new album captures a band at the peak of their skills and creativity, poised to break into major venues and festivals nationwide. Best to catch them while they’re HOT N’ FRESH!

To order or stream HOT N’ FRESH please visit: https://lnk.to/HotNFresh

To order or stream the new HOT N’ FRESH single “Cindy Will Prevail” please visit: https://lnk.to/CindyWillPrevail

For more information about PARDON THE INTERRUPTION please visit: www.ptimusic.com

For press and interview inquiries please contact Billy James of Glass Onyon PR: (828) 350-8158 or glassonyonpr@gmail.com

For digital marketing please contact Jerome Forney of Independent Distribution Collective: jerome@independentdistro.com

Prog Ensemble CAIRO To Release 2nd Album “Nemesis” on May 5, 2023

The eagerly anticipated follow up album from 5-piece award winning progressive rock band CAIRO “Nemesis” will be released on May 5th on Spirit of Unicorn Music.

This studio album, recorded with John Mitchell at Outhouse Studios, taps into contemporary global concerns and demonstrates the band's impressive, genre-defying approach with menacing, angular riffs, pop rock hooks and electronic soundscapes that all beautifully complement powerful and emotive vocals.

In this exciting and purposefully eclectic new album, the band venture into familiar ‘CAIRO rocks’ territory with the dynamic, moving epics. There are also some exciting departures for the band venturing into more melodic rock areas with “The Love” and “Glow,” and upbeat banger “Jumping On The Moon.”

Artwork is by Paul Tippett (It Bites, Frost, Kino, Twelfth Night, Pendragon, Europe, Inglorious, Uriah Heep), with additional artwork consultancy from Andrew Wildman (Marvel Comics, Transformers, X-Men; storyboard artist for Doctor Who; Luther, Poldark).

There is also even a short keys-based orchestral instrumental, “Save The Earth,” which doffs a cap to the likes of the sadly, recently departed Vangelis, and acts as a prologue into the title track.

Track List
1. Asleep At The Wheel
2. Tripwire
3. Glow
4. Rogue
5. The Love
6. New Beauty
7. Déjà Vu
8. Jumping On The Moon
9. Save The Earth
10. Nemesis

To pre-order: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/cairo-nemesis-cd-edition/

For more information: https://cairorocks.com/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Drum Legend Neal Smith To Release the Fourth in His KillSmith Solo Series “KillSmith Goes West”

Founding member of the original Alice Cooper Group and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee

Neal Smith’s newest album, ”KillSmith Goes West,” the fourth in his KillSmith solo series, is heading in a whole new direction partner. Neal’s percussive, musical and songwriting contributions and influence to the world of rock are undisputed. From the ground breaking shock rock direction of the multi gold, multi-platinum legendary band “Alice Cooper,” until the present, Neal has always taken on the challenge of exploring new musical directions.

Neal’s early music influences were not only rock, big band swing, theater and movie music, but also country western. Growing up in Ohio, his mother, who loved live music, would often take Neal and his sister Cindy to Fixler’s Ballroom in nearby Sharon Township. Neal would often dance the “Mash Potatoes” solo with a clapping crown encircled around him, to the live band’s rousing version of “The Orange Blossom Special.” That band consisted of a drummer, guitarist, fiddle player, upright bassist and a blind piano player named Clarence. Now any band with a blind piano player named Clarence has to be a great band and this was a great country band.

In the story-telling spirit and tradition of great singer songwriter legends like Franke Lane, Johnny Horton, Jimmy Dean, Tennesee Ernie Ford, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, Neal continues in that Western spirit with “KillSmith Goes West” and his ten new Outlaw Country Rock songs!!!

Track List
01) Shaughnessy Highway
02) Tequila, Tamales & A Woman
03) Big Wheels Rollin’ West
04) Coffee, Beer & Borrowed Time
05) Pull It Out Smokin’
06) Sunsets Of Gold
07) If Jesus Was A Gunfighter
08) Jukebox Rose
09) Evil Wind
10) Tattooed Cowgirl

Featuring:
Neal Smith (rhythm guitar, keys, drums, percussion & lead vocals)
Rick Tedesco (lead, slide, rhythm, bass guitar, keys & backing vocals)
Peter Catucci (bass guitar & backing vocals)
Pete Hickey (keyboards)
Stu Daye (slide guitar, rhythm guitar & backing vocals, on Tattooed Cowgirl)
Arlen Roth (lead guitar)
Gary Oleyar (fiddle)

To purchase: http://nealsmithrocks.com/store

For more information:
www.nealsmithrocks.com
https://www.facebook.com/NealSmithRocks

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Singer/Songwriter Jim Tyrrell Releases First New Album in 9 Years “Box of Shells”

Singer/Songwriter Jim Tyrrell has released his fifth studio album, and his first album of new material in 9 years! This album includes the singles “The Joke” and “Closing Day” as well as eight other brand new songs, and a Bandcamp-exclusive bonus track.

Says Jim, “The songs on this album are of various ages. Some were finished during the recording process, and some are almost 20 years old. Each is an artifact, a keepsake from a particular time and place - a shell collected on a long walk on the shore. Recording took place at my studio in New Hampshire, and at the studio of Tod Moses in Vermont. Tod provided drums and production of several of the songs as well.”

Jim Tyrrell has been a mainstay in the New England music scene for the last 30 years. He has written and recorded four solo albums (and two with folk trio The Midweeklings). He performs over 200 solo, duo, Dueling Pianos, and full band shows annually, and over the years, Jim has opened for Don McLean, Ellis Paul, The Avett Brothers, John Prine, and Weird Al Yankovic.

In closing Jim writes, “These songs are deeply personal, but I invite you to find your own meaning in them. And thank you for listening. “

In support of his new release, Jim will be performing many of these songs in concert. Explore Jim’s interactive website filled with exclusive instrumental tracks to accompany the album. You can check out that website here: www.Boxofshells.com

To purchase
Streaming:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/jimtyrrell/box-of-shells
Bandcamp:
https://robojackrecords.bandcamp.com/album/box-of-shells

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Irish Prog Ensemble M-Opus Featuring Jonathan Casey of The David Cross Band To Release New Concept Album “At The Mercy Of Manannán”

M-Opus are a 4-piece prog rock band from Ireland, with an unusual twist. Fronted by TV/Film composer Jonathan Casey (David Cross Band), the group releases concept albums from specific years in music history, creating an imagined, stylistic discography. They have released a 1975 album, a 1978 album and next, they unveil their 1972 album, “At The Mercy Of Manannán.”

The album follows a crew of mariners, who set sail on a hazardous mission and encounter ancient Celtic gods on their journey. In Irish mythology, Manannán was a King Of The Otherworld and sea god. “At The Mercy Of Manannán” was written and recorded during lockdown and served as an imagined adventure for lyricist Casey; an escape inside. One song, “Na Brúidaí,” is entirely in the Irish language of Gaeilge.

Says Jonathan, “It was an unusual process for me. I was introduced to the guitarist PJ just before COVID, but it was an online introduction, so we didn’t actually get to meet in person for a very long time. While isolated in lockdown, we wrote most of the album, together but apart, emailing each other files. At one point, Mark caught COVID and he had to be isolated from his family. So, he took shelter in his studio and recorded the drums on the album right then and there!”

M-Opus are Mark Grist (drums), PJ O'Connell (guitars), Colin Sullivan (guitars) and Jonathan Casey (Vocals, Keys, Bass). James Dunne has just joined the band on bass, so the ensemble will get to perform live very soon.

In support of their new release, the band has completed a video for “Valley Of Elah.” They are currently rehearsing for M-Opus gigs and Jonathan is also rehearsing with David Cross to perform “Larks Tongues In Aspic” live this year. He is on guitar and vocal duties in the David Cross band.

Here’s what the press has said about M-Opus:

“M-Opus is at the top of their game here... a real tour-de-force

An avalanche of creativity... a pinnacle achievement, an album to be savoured.” - Rocking Charts

“‘Origins’ is quite breathtaking and the more I listen to it the more remarkable it becomes.” – Sea of Tranquility

“A stunning collection of songs.... Simply unforgettable.” - Progarchy

“Elegant and emotional...sublime in its execution” – Uber Rock

“Brilliantly constructed” - Rockmuzine

“Their last album was in my top ten of the year.... and the music is magnificent again.” - Proggen

“Wow. Just Wow... deserves to stand shoulder to shoulder with the best.” - Dancing About Architecture

M-Opus “At The Mercy Of Manannán” Release date Monday 3rd April

To purchase:
https://burningshed.com/
https://m-opus.bandcamp.com/

For more information:
m-opus.com
https://m-opus.bandcamp.com/releases
https://www.facebook.com/mopusbandonline
https://twitter.com/mopusonline

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

ANGEL Fans Get Ready for a new ANGEL Album ONCE UPON A TIME and 2023 Tour, Release New Single “It’s Alright!”

Los Angeles, CA - Legendary rock band ANGEL return with a brilliant, melodic and supremely powerful new studio album titled ONCE UPON A TIME, set for release April 21st on Cleopatra Records. The album features 11 brand new songs, plus three bonus tracks on the CD version, all written by Punky Meadows, Frank Dimino, and Danny Farrow. Meadows proclaims, “We are super excited by the release of the new album. We had a blast recording it, and the band is cookin’! It has everything ANGEL fans expect - epic songs, power pop, heavy rock n’ roll, and it's also deep with lots of surprises! Can’t wait for our fans to lay their ears on it!”

The band is also excited to announce their US Tour with dates kicking off on March 3rd at The Cutting Room in NYC. Many shows have been announced and more will be added. Vocalist Dimino says, “We can’t wait to get back on the road and rock with all the fans. And I am really excited for the new album release, can't wait for you all to hear it!” Tour dates are listed below so grab your tickets and meet and greet passes as some shows have already sold out!

You can stream the album’s first single, the energetic rocker “It’s Alright” on all digital platforms today.

Stream/download the single: https://orcd.co/angel_itsalright

And be sure to pre-order the CD, vinyl and special limited edition cassette versions now! Longtime guitarist Farrow declares, “The new album kicks ass and I hope the fans love it. It is very diverse and has all the elements of the ANGEL sound and more. The band really worked hard to make it great and an album we can all be proud of!”

Order the CD/Vinyl/Cassette: https://cleorecs.com/store/?s=angel+once+upon+a+time&post_type=product

Pre-order/pre-save the digital: https://orcd.co/angel_onceuponatime

ANGEL is also working on a new documentary film with DEKO Entertainment with updates soon.

The ANGEL tour starts March 3rd and you can get your tickets and meet and greets at www.angelbandofficial.com

March 3rd - NYC - The Cutting Room
March 4th - Teaneck, NJ - Debonair Music Hall (Angel with STARZ)
March 10th - Sellersville PA, - Sellersville Theater
March 11th - Akron OH - The Empire ( Sold Out )
March 12 - Westland MI - The Token Lounge
March 14th - Milwaukee WI - Shank Hall
March 15th - Madison WI - High Noon Saloon
March 17th - Edwardsville IL - The Wildey Theatre
March 19th - ST. Charles IL - Arcada Theatre
April 28th - Hollywood CA - The Whisky -
April 29th - Las Vegas Nev - VAMP'D -
August 25th WITH SWEET - Louisville KY - Habana Blues Night Life
August 26th WITH SWEET - Columbus Oh - King of Clubs

Many more dates to be announced soon.

For booking contact -
Ashley Talent International, LLC
Office: 517-467-7777
Cell: 864-209-5428
Email: ATI.AndreaR@Gmail.com
Website - ashleytalentinternationalllc.com

TRACK LIST:
1. The Torch
2. Black Moon Rising
3. It's Alright
4. Once Upon A Time An Angel And A Devil Fell In Love (And It Did Not End Well)
5. Let It Rain
6. Psyclone
7. Blood Of My Blood, Bone Of My Bone
8. Turn The Record Over
9. Rock Star
10. Without You
11. Liar Liar

BONUS TRACKS [CD ONLY]
12. Daddy's Girl
13. C'mon
14. Let The Kid Out

Press inquiries:
Glass Onyon PR
Billy James
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com

CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
www.CleopatraRecords.com
Facebook @Cleopatrarecords
https://www.facebook.com/CleopatraRecords/
Instagram @cleopatrarecords
https://www.instagram.com/cleopatrarecords/
Twitter @cleopatrarecord
https://twitter.com/cleopatrarecord
Youtube @Cleopatrarecords
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCopQ0616Fpfrq8Gt0N-0zOQ
Soundcloud @cleopatra-recs
https://soundcloud.com/cleopatra-recs
Dailymotion @Cleopatrarecords
https://www.dailymotion.com/CleopatraRecords
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https://vimeo.com/cleopatrarecords
Spotify @cleopatra_recs
https://open.spotify.com/user/cleopatra_recs
Linkedin @cleopatra-records
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cleopatra-records

Classic Rock Legends Blues Image Featuring Mike Pinera Rides Again with New “Next Voyage” and Tour!

Blues Image rides again with a new album “Next Voyage” forthcoming and tour. The album features original guitarist and vocalist Mike Pinera, and includes the greatest songs from his history with Blues Image and Iron Butterfly, revisited with orchestra and horn section.

Produced by Michael Franklin, who produced Jon Anderson “1000 Hands part One” and Robby Steinhardt “Not in Kansas Anymore.” In Franklin’s tradition of special guests, the album features Pat Travers, Jonathan Cain from Journey, Charlie DeChant, and others. Also, Michael and Tim Franklin have toured as members of Blues Image for 30 years.

Blues Image is an American Blues Rock band formed in Tampa, Florida in 1966 by singer-guitarist Mike Pinera. Blues Image became the house band at the club Thee Image, which featured bands like Cream, Grateful Dead, and Blood, Sweat & Tears. The band moved to Los Angeles and signed with Atco Records, releasing their self-titled debut album in February 1969. Their second album, “Open” (April 1970), included the hit single “Ride Captain Ride.” Written by Pinera and Skip Konte, the song has been used in many films. Pinera left the band to join Iron Butterfly in the fall of 1969.

Watch the promotional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScX8brFuG68&lc=UgxMCaCcafmaf7v5a9Z4AaABAg

Current Blues Image line-up
Mike Pinera - Guitar and vocals
Tim Franklin - Bass and vocals
Eddie Metz Jr.,– Drums,
Michael Franklin - Keyboards & Vocal

Special Guests
Pat Travers - Guitar
Jonathan Cain of Journey - Wurlitzer
Charlie DeChant - Saxophone
Tommy Calton - Guitar
Steady Joseph – Percussion
Randie Paul soloist on Love is the Answer
Suzie Park soloist on Something to Say
Naomi Bradshaw soloist on Pay My Dues

Horns
Brian Snapp - Tenor and Bari Sax
Charlie DeChant - Tenor Sax Solo on “Ina Gadda Da Vida”
Charlie Bertini-Trumpet
Brian Scanlon-Trumpet

Woodwinds
Jerrv Kalbe - Oboe. Flute & Clarinet on “Ride Captain Ride”.
Charlie DeChant- Flute solo on “Ride Captain Ride”.

Strings
Chamber de Solar
Cello Section leader Paul Fleury
Violin Section leader Olga Kopakova

Choir
Randie Paul
Suzie Park
Naomi Bradshaw
Shopia Hudson
Heather Rice
Michelle Amato
Nana Franklin

Recorded and Mixed at Solar Studios Orlando, Florida
Matt Brown – Recorded, Mixed and Mastered
Horn Arrangements Brian Snapp and Michael Franklin
Orchestrations and Arrangements Michael Franklin
Produced by Michael Franklin
Orhontuul Banzragch - Illustrator
Tom Lupo | Space Coast Pictures – Graphics

Special Thanks- Kurzweil Music, Spectrasonics, IK Media,| Oriolo Guitars ,
TM & Copyright Franklin Music Group Solar Studios LLC. All Rights Reserved

Released on SolarMusic.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158(US) glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Warr Guitarist Jason Blake To Release New Instrumental Progressive Rock Album “Subsequent Ruins” Featuring Marco Minnemann

Jason Blake has been establishing himself over the past few years as “one of the most distinguished technicians on the Warr.” The Warr guitar is a unique twelve-string instrument incorporating the range of a guitar and bass that is played by tapping the strings, a technique known as touchstyle.

Primarily known for his work with the progressive metal instrumental band, Aziola Cry (Sensory Records), Jason Blake has begun to build an impressive resume as a solo artist. For this work, Blake has pushed the boundaries of the instrument while incorporating elements of progressive rock, ambient, and classical. Having released a varied series of instrumental albums under his name, Blake returns with his most ambitious album yet.

“Subsequent Ruins” is the title of Jason Blake’s upcoming instrumental progressive rock album featuring the Warr guitar as the sole melodic instrument along with Marco Minnemann on drums. The songs work as a modern retelling of Rattenfänger von Hameln (The Pied Piper), whereas screens play the title role. The six song album was mixed in Chicago at Gravel Road Recording by Amery Schmeisser and mastered by Andy VanDette (Rush, Porcupine Tree). Hajo Mueller (Steven Wilson, Mariusz Duda) completed the thought provoking artwork for the release.

Says Jason, “As I began writing music for this album, I kept thinking about how phones and other screens have become so addictive and controlling of young minds today. This led me to the idea of creating a soundtrack for a modern retelling of Rattenfänger von Hameln (The Pied Piper). I saw screens as the lead character in the story as they symbolically lead children blindly off of a cliff. I also worked with frequent collaborator, Hajo Mueller to create an elaborate CD package that acts as a lost artbook of one of these children. Once I had the idea for the album in place, I began writing music that I felt worked to tell this story. I typically begin with song titles to help guide the direction that I want to take. I knew that I wanted some longer songs as the center pieces for the album along with some shorter solo Warr guitar pieces that worked almost as interludes. Going into the writing process, I wanted to create music that on the record would sound big with the use of overdubs, but also could be performed solo for quieter settings. Once the music was written, I knew that I wanted a drummer that could take the music to the next level and so I reached out to Marco Minnemann who supplied the perfect accompaniment. The music was then recorded on and off over the summer of 2022.”

In support of his new release, Jason plans to release at least one video for this album that is almost complete. He is currently working on bringing this material out live in the louder settings and will continue to perform solo shows that will include some of this material. He is also very excited to be a part of the 7D Media family and look forward to working with them on this release.

In closing Jason has this to say, “I hope that people join me on this solo progressive rock journey that I am about to begin. While I feel like the music has some similarities to my band, Aziola Cry, it is different in that this is all Warr guitar. I think that as a result, it takes a unique approach to the music. Speaking of Aziola Cry, I have just completed writing the next album for that band and hope to have new music by the end of the year.”

Here's what the press has said about Jason Blake:

“He once again confirms why he is one of the most distinguished technicians on the Warr.” - Betreutes Proggen

“As much an album as a soundscape for a personal apocalypse the album reads like a soundtrack to a futuristic dystopian film.” - Ghost of Cult Magazine

“The Compromise Rationale” deploys seven expansive new songs totaling more than forty-two minutes of engaging, unpredictable, instrumental exploration of an incredibly diverse sounding instrument delivered with impeccable precision.” - The ProgSpace

“At once cinematic, haunting and image-provoking, this is truly musical food for emotional thought.” - Prog On

“An aural feast of different sounds.” - Sea of Tranquility

“Blake is so fluent on the Warr guitar, he can make it sound like a bass or keyboards. It was hard to believe these sounds only came from one person.” - Music Street Journal

Jason Blake - Subsequent Ruins

Obsolete Perception 3:46
Pretense of the Herd 9:54
Follow I (Emanated Hook) 4:42
False Streets of Entanglement 5:07
Follow II (The Coercible Leash) 5:05
A Bleak Outcome 10:33

Jason Blake - Warr guitar
Marco Minnemann - Drums

Recorded at Gravel Road Recording by Amercy Schmeisser and Lakeshore Studios
Mastered at Evolve Mastering by Andy VanDette
Artwork and Design by Hajo Mueller

Release date: March 17, 2023

To purchase:
https://jasonblake.bandcamp.com
https://www.jasonblakemusic.com/store
https://www.7dmedia.com
https://music.7dmedia.com

For more information:
https://www.jasonblakemusic.com
https://www.Facebook.com/jasonblakewarr
https://www.instagram.com/jasonblakemusic/
https://twitter.com/jasonblakewarr

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Roots Rock Singer-Songwriter and Guitarist Griff Peters To Release Debut Solo Album Canyons and Waves Feb 10, 2023

Nature has always been spiritually grounding for singer-songwriter and guitarist Griff Peters. A few years ago, when the San Diego, California-based roots rock artist was mired in a heart-wrenching personal struggle, he went out to the beach and sat down on a rock formation. There, Griff asked himself this question: if he was told he had a year to live, what would he do?

The answer was simple—make his solo debut, Canyons and Waves (Impropriety Records), a deep and sincere body of work crafted by a skilled and experienced artist with a worthy message of hope within darkness. That very rock formation graces the cover of the album, and from that fateful day on, Griff’s life has been powerfully transformed. Griff says “This is the long-awaited showing-up for my own life as an artist. The music paints a picture of an inner-knowing and the rekindling of hope when we feel lost. Canyons and Waves is a musical journey illuminating the Healing Path from darkness and pain back to gratitude and presence. Imagine the “Canyon” as the mysterious and intricate groove on a vinyl record. The “Wave” is the transformative sound energy coming forth… amplified, multiplied… leading lost souls homeward.”

Griff’s signature musical voice is best described as “artistic roots-rock,” an amalgamation of rural Americana, blues, folk, elements of avant-garde, prog, and album-side rock.  Besides being a sage and sensitive songwriter, and soulful vocalist, Griff is a subtly virtuosic guitarist and a tone poet. He can coax a bevy of soundscapes with just his hands, from dirty Delta-blues, to stinging and firey rock, to pastoral folk, to sensual and lyrical slide playing, to sweet country filigree, and beyond.

Griff is a musician’s musician who as a sideman guitarist has performed, recorded and toured internationally with artists such as John Mayer, Billie Myers, Bryan Beller (Joe Satriani, The Aristocrats, Dethklok), Nina Storey, and the Mike Keneally Band (Frank Zappa, Andy Partridge, Steve Vai). Griff is the founder of Hilltop Frog Recording Studios, and the indie label Impropriety Records.

“Griff Peters plays gorgeous guitar” - Mike Keneally

Born into a musical family in Southern California, Griff started playing piano when he was very young. He quickly infuriated his piano teacher by neglecting beginner’s classical studies in favor of learning intricate ragtime and boogie-woogie songs by ear.

After discovering his grandfather’s old electric guitar at age 14, Griff discovered his passion and innate abilities to play Chicago electric blues and more modern blues rock. By his senior year in high school, he was sneaking out early to study music at the local college. Soon, Griff was a teen professional musician with a full schedule. He attended college classes in the morning; gave guitar lessons in the evening; and gigged in smoky bars late at night. Eventually, he graduated with honors from Berklee College of Music.

Griff would go on to have an impressive career in music, but the need to create his own solo album was always present. “I finally dispensed with all the excuses, purged my calendar and focused my mind towards creating a serious artistic statement. Immediately, musical ideas just flooded in,” Griff reveals. Canyons and Waves is the result of this all-consuming outpouring of songs. “The songwriting and recording stage was a prolific period of happy insanity. I wrote, recorded and produced all the music at my own facility, Hilltop Frog Studios in California. From the very beginning, I envisioned the Canyons and Waves album as a vinyl release. Vinyl enjoys undeniable appeal and clout, especially in modern times. The proven combination of both sonic excellence and time-tested longevity remains the artistic high-water mark of the recorded music medium. I’m very blessed to see my vision of this album fulfilled as a deluxe double-vinyl album with exceptional artwork and quality, like my favorite records from the past.”

Outside of music Griff enjoys exploring the deep spiritual aspects of nature, art, photography, and the Zen practice of rock balancing. Griff’s photography is intrinsically linked to the Canyons and Waves experience, with his 24-page liner notes of breathtaking images featured as a visual compendium to the music on the deluxe 45-RPM 180-gram double-vinyl available at griffpeters.com. “I wanted to compliment the auditory experience of the songs with striking visuals of peace, hope, and joy from different stages of my life,” Griff shares.

Griff will be promoting Canyons and Waves with shows and videos of the songs being performed live in the studio, onstage, and in breathtaking natural expanses. He will also be performing and releasing more new songs in the months ahead. Reflecting back on his epiphanic journey, Griff says: “Music says things that cannot be said otherwise. It reaches people’s hearts in places that cannot be reached by any other way. I’m using music this time around to transcend barriers and gently say ‘Hey - I’ve been there, too, but now I’ve found a better way.’”

Release date: February 10, 2023

To purchase: https://griffpeters.com/shop/

For more information:
Website: https://griffpeters.com
Facebook: @griffpeters https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=587117619
IG: https://www.instagram.com/griffpetersmusic/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Keyboard Legend Rick Wakeman To Release New Concept Album “A Gallery Of The Imagination”

Released on 24th February 2023 on Madfish Music

Keyboard legend Rick Wakeman will be releasing his new concept album “A Gallery Of The Imagination” on February 24, 2023 on Madfish Music.

The initial idea for “A Gallery Of The Imagination” stems from Rick’s first piano teacher, Mrs Symes, with whom he studied from the age five until his time at the Royal College of Music. She taught him that music was like painting pictures: that when you play, you are painting pictures through music, an important lesson that Rick never forgot.

Having written a vast array of new music recently, all of different styles, Rick recalled the advice of his beloved teacher and decided to present the tracks for the new album as if they were pictures in a gallery. Just as there are many different styles in an art gallery, so there are many different musical styles on “A Gallery of the Imagination”. It contains many clear prog influences, especially in the Moog solos and there are also two solo piano numbers, which reflect Rick’s classical roots and show influences from the Romantic period. Equally important is the strong song and melodic influence on “A Gallery Of The Imagination” with eight unconventional vocal tracks, with Rick’s distinctive descriptive music carefully arranged around the lyrics.

Examples of the variety contained within the album are the fun yet wistful elements in “A Day Spent on the Pier”, a track describing time spent at the seaside, written in Southwold and evoked by Rick’s own memories of happy childhood days spent on the helter skelters in Brighton and Clacton and on the pier in Southsea. Rick wrote “The Eyes of a Child” with his thirteen grandchildren in mind, aware of the responsibility of trying to fix the world for following generations whereas “Cuban Carnival” celebrates the light-hearted fun times Rick spent in Cuba with his band, the English Rock Ensemble. As listeners take a musical walk-through Rick’s “Gallery”, they will find more than enough to fire the imagination and come up with their own mind paintings whilst listening to his new album. Fans can get a taste of what’s to come with the first single “The Dinner Party” available on streaming services https://RickWakemanMadfish.lnk.to/AGOTI

Says Rick, “One of my great loves is going to museums and art galleries and seeing all the different types of art, so I thought, why not a music gallery... the Gallery of the Imagination? People can paint their own mind pictures to the different types of music that are on the album. It is very diverse and for me it works very well because the concept holds it all together”.

One of the ideas Rick would like to pursue around album release is for listeners to draw or paint their own pictures or even create sculptures to the music which, in turn, could be displayed. “It is a very tactile album,” Rick explains. “I’d like to feel that people can actually touch the music.”

The line-up on “A Gallery Of The Imagination”, as with Rick’s previous album “The Red Planet”, features The English Rock Ensemble: bassist Lee Pomeroy, guitarist Dave Colquhoun, drummer Ash Soan and on vocals Hayley Sanderson, famous for her work as a vocalist on “Strictly Come Dancing”, with each artist recording their individual parts in their own studios. Join Rick for a stroll around “A Gallery Of The Imagination” – as he says: “A gallery that belongs to everyone”.

“A Gallery Of The Imagination” Trailer: https://youtu.be/Lvbm3cj0U1s

“A Gallery Of The Imagination” Track List
01 Hidden Depths
02 The Man In The Moon
03 A Mirage in the Clouds
04 The Creek
05 My Moonlight Dream
06 Only When I Cry
07 Cuban Carnival
08 Just A Memory
09 The Dinner Party
10 A Day Spent On The Pier
11 The Visitation
12 The Eyes of a Child

“A Gallery Of The Imagination” will be released on the following formats and is available to pre-order here: https://RickWakemanMadfish.lnk.to/AGOTI

• CD (jewel case)
• 2 disc set - CD+DVD inc. surround sound audio & hi-res stereo
• 2LP in gatefold sleeve
• 2LP on clear vinyl in a gatefold sleeve
• Super Deluxe Limited Edition multi format set featuring 2LP, CD & DVD inc. surround sound audio & hi-res stereo plus a 24 page perfect bound book presented in a lift off lid box
• Digital

Keyboard engineering: Erik Jordan
Mixing & editing: Erik Jordan at The Nursery
Additional mixing: Toby Wood
Mastering: Simon Heyworth at Super Audio Mastering
Producers: Rick Wakeman & Erik Jordan
Executive Producer: Rob Ayling

For more high res images please see: https://www.madfishmusic.com/media/rickwakeman/

RICK WAKEMAN - LIVE IN THE UK

For more information:
www.rickwakemansmusicemporium.com/
www.rwcc.com
www.instagram.com/rickwakemanmusic
https://www.facebook.com/RickWakemanMusic
https://twitter.com/GrumpyOldRick

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Unquiet Music Ltd New Concept Album “MEMEmusic” Feat. Members of King Crimson, Lifesigns, Stick Men, Earthdiver, Yang and Others Now Available For Pre-order

To be released on 3 February 2023 - Pre-order from 18 January 2023

Unquiet Music Ltd releases a new concept album titled “MEMEmusic” and features Jon Poole of Lifesigns, Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto of King Crimson, Markus Reuter of Stick Men, Adrian Benavides of Earthdiver, Frédéric L’Epée of Yang among others.

“A pretty ‘out there’ album I played bass on earlier this year.” – Jon Poole

“Things that manage to reconcile my need to hear new things without losing my deepest roots” – Mixed by Stefano Castagna

“Warning: Save your psyche and stay away from this highly disorienting sequence of nerve-rewiring pieces.” - Trey Gunn (King Crimson, David Sylvian) 

On February 3, 2023, ambitious multi-form music project Unquiet Music Ltd issues its second official album “MEMEmusic” on CD and download (via Bandcamp). The album is composed by JP Rossi, and produced by Markus Reuter (Stick Men, Reuter/Motzer/Grohowski, Anchor & Burden), crossing multiple boundaries between the electronic and the acoustic, between complexity and simplicity, between deep contemporary classical structures and textures and punchy art rock drive.

The first Unquiet Music Ltd album, 2020’s “In the Name of... (A Prayer for Our Times)” was an exploration of verticality and the arrow of time throughout a man’s life, or through mankind’s history. While in some respects “MEMEMusic” does act as a continuation of its predecessor, both in ideas and concept, it features a different approach and theme. Whereas “In the Name of...” was vertical, “MEMEmusic” is, in comparison, rather horizontal; and deals predominantly with communication and the notion of the individual. Reflecting on human interaction, and on how this has changed due to significant global changes and challenges over the past three years, it is firmly music for its time. The musical journey is divided in two parts, with the first half of the album being more industrial and electronic while the second turns towards live acoustic performances and to romantic and entertaining songs.

The central theme of “MEMEmusic” is the re-discovery of language - not the only tool with which we can connect to other people, but obviously one of the best - and to realize we are unique individuals precisely because differences exist. At the same time this profound but simple idea is delivered predominantly via music, which allows the listener to wander into their own universe without the weight of any message if they so wish. The cover and booklet also reflect the welcoming of diversity with their collaged images from photographs and paintings, plus AI techniques generated by Swiss multi-media artist Tobias Reber and comic book drawings and characters created by Denis Rodier (Marvel, DC, Milestone Media).

More accessible and reflective than “In the Name of…”, much of MEMEmusic is a conceptual effort based around instrumentals and some striking one-man choral composition. However, the album also diversifies from previous work in containing several stand-alone songs. These blend Rossi’s complex contemporary classical inspirations (fiercely building on and developing inspirations from Dmitri Shostakovich, Steve Reich and Philip Glass, and incorporating large-form ambient pieces and mediaeval-esque hocketing work) with influences from the boundary-crossing, thought-provoking art rock of David Bowie, King Crimson, David Sylvian and Stick Men. Also drifting through the mix are Cuban strings and trumpet, plus frequent and loving references to the languages and expression of the jazz tradition, with the spirits of Billie Holliday, George Gershwin, Ella Fitzgerald and Nelson Riddle finding their way into the string arrangements and some of the vocals. (See if you can also spot visitations from certain beloved jazz standards, adding their presence to the stew...)

While based around Rossi’s own vocal, keyboard and electronics work, “MEMEmusic” benefits from the participation of many talented international musicians. Continuing their work with the project alongside Rossi and Reuter are Frédéric L’Épée (Yang, Shylock, Philharmonie), Samira Brahmia, Raphaël Terreau, Khliff Miziallaoua, while the new album also welcomes fresh Unquiet Music contributors Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson), Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson, Stick Men), Jon Poole (Cardiacs, Lifesigns, The Dowling Poole and The Wildhearts), Adrian Benavides (Earthdiver), Troy Jones and Thommy Lowry.

Video presentation of the album here: https://youtu.be/6pPNB1JEqoE

Album tracks:

1. Meme 09:16
Words: JP Rossi, Georges Bataille. Music & Arrangements: JP Rossi
Voices: JP Rossi, Raphaël Terreau. Bass Key, Organ Synth, Soundscapes: JP Rossi. Voice & Bass Processing: Adrian Benavides
Music video: https://youtu.be/grzVu50Bla4
Song presentation video: https://youtu.be/ucam0GgdDpA

2. I Succumb 07:24
Words, Music: JP Rossi. Arrangements: JP Rossi, Adrian Benavides
Voices, Keys & Electronics: JP Rossi. Guitars: Adrian Benavides. U8 Touch Guitars ®: Markus Reuter. Electronic Drums, Traps & Buttons: Pat Mastelotto
Music video: https://youtu.be/9AtiO8iBi-E
Song presentation video: https://youtu.be/_z7vQOAOxo4

3. Towards The Edge 09:37
Words, Music & Arrangements: JP Rossi
Voices: JP Rossi, Raphaël Terreau, Khliff Miziallaoua. Keys & Electronics, Handclaps: JP Rossi. Guitars: Khliff Miziallaoua. U8 Touch Guitars ®: Markus Reuter. Bass: Jon Poole. Drums: Troy Jones
Song presentation video: https://youtu.be/_6suGPuNiwo

4. Lament 09:35
Music & Arrangements: JP Rossi
Voices (Diphonic): Raphaël Terreau. Voices Looping: JP Rossi.
Song presentation video: https://youtu.be/_6suGPuNiwo

5. Commuting Communion 08:56
Words, Music & Arrangements: JP Rossi
Voices: JP Rossi, Samira Brahmia. Guitars: Frédéric L’Épée. Keys & Electronics: JP Rossi. U8 Touch Guitars ®: Markus Reuter. Bass: Jon Poole. Drums: Troy Jones
Song presentation video: https://youtu.be/mR4ZfgnDqiU

6. Sometimes Love 09:52
Words, Music & Arrangements: JP Rossi. Strings Direction: Thommy Lowry
Voice, Keys, Soundscapes: JP Rossi. Violin: Amelia Febles Díaz, Lisbet Sevilla Brizuela, Camila Martel Pérez. Viola: Lizbet Sevilla Brizuela. Cello: Annette Antunez Guevara. Double Bass: Lino Piquero Bueno
Song presentation video: https://youtu.be/Gy8GErfR4bA

7. I Do Remember The Feeling 09:41
Words, Music & Arrangements: JP Rossi
Voices : JP Rossi, Samira Brahmia, Raphaël Terreau, Khliff Miziallaoua. Trumpets: Thommy Lowry. Violin: Amelia Febles Díaz, Lisbet Sevilla Brizuela. Viola: Lizbet Sevilla Brizuela. Cello: Annette Antunez Guevara. Double Bass: Lino Piquero Bueno. Keys & Electronics: JP Rossi. Bass: Jon Poole. Drums: Troy Jones
Music video: https://youtu.be/ypFlcHNo5-w

8. Nemo Point 06:22
Words, Music & Arrangements: JP Rossi
Voices : Samira Brahmia, JP Rossi, Raphaël Terreau. Keys, Electronics, Soundscapes: JP Rossi. Stick, Upright Electric Bass: Tony Levin. Drums: Troy Jones
Song presentation video: https://youtu.be/wKUxQUA34fE

9. Music (Is The Way Out) 03:35
Words, Music & Arrangements: JP Rossi
Voices : JP Rossi, Raphaël Terreau, Khliff Miziallaoua, Samira Brahmia. Fretless Bass: Jon Poole. Organ Synth: JP Rossi.
Song presentation video: https://youtu.be/HPwwOYwzbyM

Recorded at La Maison Rouge and musicians’ studios 2020-2022
Strings on “Sometimes Love”, “Strings Of Love”, “I Do Remember The Feeling”, and Trumpet on “I Do Remember The Feeling” recorded at studios DBega, La Havana, Cuba

Mixed at Studio Ritmo & Blu, Italy, by Stefano Castagna *
* Except “I Succumb” mixed in Austin, Texas, by Adrian Benavides
“I Succumb” stems mixing by Stefano Castagna
Strings of “Sometimes Love” pre-mixed by Khliff Miziallaoua

Mastered by Lee Fletcher
Produced by Markus Reuter for Unquiet Music Ltd

Digital collages based on images by Tobias Reber, Denis Rodier, JP Rossi

“I Succumb” and “Sometimes Love” use samples from freetousesounds
https://www.freetousesounds.com/

“Commuting Communion” and “Sometimes Love” use samples from “Flinch” by TUNER – with kind permission
https://multitrack.bandcamp.com/album/flinch-multitrack-session

Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnquietMusicLtd/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@unquietmusicltd8294/videos
Instagram @Unquietmusicltd
Bandcamp: https://unquietmusicltd.bandcamp.com/album/mememusic

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: +1 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Instrumental Riff-Rock Masters APE SHIFTER To Release Third Album 'Monkey Business'

Since their inception in November 2015, APE SHIFTER has released two full-length albums and completed four European club tours encompassing Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and The Netherlands.  They have shared the bill with Villagers of Ioannina City, Loudness, The Skull, White Cowbell Oklahoma, Baron Crane, AC/DC´s Chris Slade, and Mörglbl, among others. Festival performances have included Zytanien (main stage), Burg Herzberg Festival, OBOA, Free n Easy, ArtRock Festival, Fehmarn Open Air, Festival Kult!, and others.

On Friday, March 31, 2023, APE SHIFTER releases their third album Monkey Business.

From rockin’ 70's riffs played with punk rock ferocity to creeping metal grooves and all out bashers, APE SHIFTER gives new meaning to intense simian instrumental rock from the nasty pits of the Hellabrunn Zoo.

Born on Friday the 13th in Washington, D.C. and raised in Laurel, Maryland, Jeff Aug is a cool underground guitarist who lives at the foothills of the Alps in Southern Germany for the last 20+ years. He has toured with Allan Holdsworth, Soft Machine, Greg Howe, Stu Hamm, Albert Lee, and has performed shows with Jawbox, Shudder To Think, and Ice-T & Bodycount with his old band. He’s worked with John Stabb from Government Issue, has been touring and recording with Anne Clark for the last 20+ years, and has been touring as a solo guitarist for the last 25+ years. Jeff can also be heard on the Atari Teenage Riot album “Is This Hyperreal?” (Dim Mak Records / Digital Hardcore Records). Jeff is also a Guinness™ world record holder, setting the world record for the “most concerts performed in different countries in 24 hours” twice (2009, 2012). Filling out the line-up is bass virtuoso Florian Walter from the band Less and drummer Kurty Münch known for his stint in the German punk band Rotting Carcass.  

Watch the “Mind of You” video: https://youtu.be/4BjeSzLDVAI

Tracks
MPU 2:05
Stampede 2:14
Misery 3:08
Promises of a Progressive Future 4:21
Ahab 4:31
Dregs of Doom 4:07
Purple 2:21
Cure 1:57
Gucci, Baby! :15
Mind Of You 3:23
Shitkicker 4:27
Lying In Wait 6:57

Credits
Recorded in January 2022 at Sounzz in Seifen, Germany.
Mixed & Mastered by Tim Hecking.
Produced by APE SHIFTER.
Artwork, layout graphics, and cover photo by Chris Lakriz.
Back cover photo by Bernd Kuhn.
all compositions by Jeff Aug, arranged by Ape Shifter and published by Protozoa Music

Ape Shifter use Hipshot accessories, EVH/Charvel, Floyd Rose, D´Addario strings, Planet Waves cables, F&P, and Dunlop picks & guitar accessories.  Ape Shifter wear Earebel.

(c) & (p) 2023 Brainstorm Records / Heavy Progressive Records

LIVE
presented by ECLIPSED & Guitar Magazine

31.03.2023 DE-Ulm, Jugendtreff Hexenhaus
01.04.2023 DE-Immenstadt, TimeOut Jugendhaus
02.04.2023 AT-Salzburg, Rockhouse
03.04.2023 DE-Reutlingen, FranzK
08.04.2023 DE-Annaberg-Buchholz, Alte Brauerei
13.04.2023 AT-Graz, WAK
14.04.2023 HR-Zagreb, TBA
15.04.2023 SI-Ljbujlana, Channel Zero
21.04.2023 DE-Heilbronn, Emma23
22.04.2023 DE-Karlsruhe, KoHi
…to be continued…

What the press have said…

“Hard rockin’ guitar instrumentals that deliver a real PUNCH. Good solid stuff that'll make the walls and floors SHAKE.” - BABYSUE.COM

“With no deficit of trios that drive metal wedge into fusion context, guitarist Jeff Aug has a special edge to stand out on: his experience in punk zip and acoustic flip alongside regular rock moves. All of this informs the American expat's new venture whose debut, recorded in only two days to seize the moment's immediacy, is a charming, if complex, endeavor.” - DMME.NET

“In some ways they remind me of Trapeze, at others Taste, with an overblown rich guitar sound, and the rhythm section just trying to hold it together while Jeff goes nuts. Sure, there are progressive influences here and there as well, but mostly this is about good solid Seventies instrumental rock, with the emphasis on ROCK.” -
Kev Rowland/Progarchives

“The eponymous debut album is filled with powerful electric compositions, riff-based over clear playing and drenched in a very pleasant, dirty sounding well of electric effects. Nasty post rock influenced songs with hunches of fusion, brought in the most beautiful way. Ape Shifter is a very strong instrumental rock album that shows elements from post to shred added with a QOTSA desert touch.” - Pedro Bekkers/BACKGROUND MAGAZINE Netherlands

“Hard hitting instrumental progressive rock that wears all the influences of the last 40 years of rock hell raising proudly on its sleeve. Merrily taking you from hell to heaven, this power trio just plain isn't here to screw around. A crew of proven chopmeisters, this is where the real underground begins. Simply killer stuff.” -
MIDWESTRECORD.COM

“The album is an 11-track celebration of how prog rock sounds today. Chock full of all instrumental tracks, it brings together those rockin’ 70’s riffs, but here plays them off against a punk rock ferocity, adds in swirls of arching metal grooves, and presents an eclectic prog rock album quite like none I’ve encountered in the past decade.” - Exclusive Magazine

“Musically, (Jeff) Aug’s style of playing is very reminiscent of Joe Satriani, Gary Hoey, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, with minor hints of Tony MacAlpine thrown in for good measure…there is not a single dull moment to be found here. The style of songwriting found here, is heavy at times, packed with plenty of catchy grooves, hooks, and an overall sound, which just gets you into the mood to rock out to Jeff’s talented and skillful playing.” - Sarjoo Devani, EXPLICITLYINTENSE.COM

“... shares a lot of DNA with fret wizards like Joe Satriani, Tony MacAlpine and Steve Vai. So it’s definitely one for the widdlers out there. It’s also on the heavy side with some chunky seventies styled riffs in there. Animalistic and aggressive are two ways to describe Ape Shifter a new intense, progressive and loud instrumental species of rock that is set to be uncaged upon the world...” - SIGHTSANDSOUNDSOFNOTE.COM

Pre-Order the album on CD and/or vinyl via e-mail at: info@MAXIMUMBooking.com
https://apeshifter.bandcamp.com/

Artist Management & Booking by MAXIMUM Booking: info@MAXIMUMBooking.com  

For more information: www.ape-shifter-com, www.facebook.com/apeshifter/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: +1 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com
Album copies for promotion and review available upon request. Artist is available for interviews. All press inquiries to Billy James at Glass Onyon PR

Multi-instrumentalist Matt Dorsey To Release New Progressive-Pop-Rock Album “Let Go” Feat. Marco Minnemann and Dave Kerzner

“Let Go” is a new collection of songs written and recorded by multi-instrumentalist Matt Dorsey. Stylistically it stands as a blend of all the artists and bands that influenced him including, Rush, Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, XTC, The Police, Peter Gabriel, Steely Dan and more. It can be described as progressive-pop-rock. On it Matt sings and plays guitars, bass, keyboards, percussion and, on two of the songs, the drums. Marco Minnemann provides drums on three tracks and Jonathan Mover on another three. Dave Kerzner performs a keyboard solo that he wrote for one of the songs.

Says Matt, “‘Let Go’ is a collection of songs that cover many aspects of life. I studied philosophy in college and the first song I wrote following my studies was MAN, which is something of a summary of the human condition and a celebration of the mystery and miracle of human existence. Following my college days, I shifted my focus from western to eastern philosophy and you can hear a sense of that influence in the song Echo which expresses a deep connection with all living things. ‘Let Go,’ too, is a reflection of the eastern philosophical tradition expressing a sort of taoist disposition toward the flow of things and a zen-like non-attachment. Waiting for the Fall and Castles Made of Sand are a bit darker, expressing a more existential despair, the one about perpetual failure and the other about the fleeting nature of time. But, to round the album out, Compromise, Dangerous and Impossible Friends are more straight-forward love songs. Life is many things. Art should reflect that. ‘Let Go’ is an album about the philosophy of life.”

The album contains 8 tracks recorded almost entirely at Matt’s home studio in Orange County, except for the drum tracks provided by Minnemann and Mover, and the keyboard solo by Kerzner. The album was mixed by Matt and mastered by Andy VanDette. The album artwork was created by Ed Unitsky.

Matt Dorsey is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist from Orange County, CA. Best known as a founding member of Sound of Contact he has also played with Beth Hart, Dave Kerzner, In Continuum, and most recently with the all-star progressive rock cover band ProgJect.

Says Matt, “I hope those who listen to my music actually get something meaningful or useful out of it, even if it’s just the enjoyment of the rhythms and melodies or the tapping of the foot. If one gleans anything more deeply significant, all the better. If I’m honest, I write and play music entirely for the sheer joy of it. I guess that’s a bit selfish to say. That said, I know there is power in music, to be sure, and it can move people in very potent ways. I feel privileged to be a part of that. I guess to sum it up my message is simply, life is extraordinary and we would do well to look longer and more carefully at it.”

photo by Andy Wright

Track List:
1. Castles Made of Sand
2. Compromise
3. Waiting for the Fall
4. Man
5. Impossible Friends
6. Echo
7. Let Go
8. Dangerous

Release date: April 7, 2023
Pre-Order Campaign date: January 13, 2023

To purchase:
Physical Product https://thebandwagonusa.com/collections/matt-dorsey
Digital Product https://mattdorsey1.bandcamp.com/music

Find Matt Dorsey Online:
http://www.mattdorseyofficial.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/matt.dorsey.1291
Matthew Dorsey (@mattdorseyofficial) • Instagram photos and videos
Matt Dorsey (@MattDorsey18) / Twitter

Inquiries about Matt Dorsey:
Management Assistance: Rita Kay Drew
The Band Wagon USA
115 Pearl Street
Cortland, OH  44410 USA
PH: 1-440-227-9216
Rita@TheBandWagonUSA.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Zappa Alumni Mike Keneally To Release New Album “The Thing That Knowledge Can’t Eat” feat. Steve Vai, Eric Slick, Nick D'Virgilio and others!

Frank Zappa alumni Mike Keneally will be releasing his new solo album “The Thing That Knowledge Can’t Eat” on Feb. 24, 2023. Pre-orders are available NOW at store.keneally.com. The eagerly awaited release features guest appearances by Steve Vai, Eric Slick, Nick D'Virgilio and others.

Says Mike, “This is my first new solo album in seven years - the last one was ‘Scambot 2’ in 2016, so this one has really been a long time coming. About half of the material on the new album was in the works prior to the pandemic, but the other half was created at home in lockdown in 2020 and 2021, and all the finishing touches were placed on the songs during 2022, so it's been in the works for a while. I've never done so much work on an album on my own, so the learning curve was steep, but I did have help from friends all along the way, including farming out tracks to drummers who were also locked down at home. I wrote all the songs, and the lyrics of the later songs definitely reflect the strange times during which the album was finalized. A lot of my past albums have been lengthy, extended works, but this one is a tight 42 minutes, nine songs - I think it goes down pretty smooth but it travels to a lot of different places along the way. I'm extremely happy with it, and very grateful to finally be able to share it with everyone.”

Watch the first video from the album for the song “Celery” (featuring Steve Vai): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ndhNYBWtxA

“Keneally is the leading progressive rock genius of the post-Zappa era.” – All Music Guide

Long acclaimed as one of the world’s most creative and intense guitar and keyboard players, Mike Keneally’s talents as a vocalist, songwriter, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist are nearly unequalled in rock music. Keneally has released over 30 albums of his original music since 1992 (including special editions and limited releases), and has built a body of work of remarkable inventiveness and originality. The stylistic variety present in his work indicates Keneally’s abiding love of good music above all, regardless of genre distinctions.

Keneally played in Frank Zappa’s final touring band in 1988, performing as a vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist. He’s appeared on many of Zappa’s albums, and has been a touring and recording member in the bands of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Devin Townsend, as well as a member of the Adult Swim metal band Dethklok. He has also recorded or performed with Robert Fripp, Wayne Kramer, Kevin Gilbert, Solomon Burke, Steve Vai, Chickenfoot, Bear McCreary, Henry Kaiser, Michael Manring, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Andy Prieboy, Mullmuzzler, The Persuasions and many others.

Known for his innovative, unpredictable live shows with his own band Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins, Keneally has played extensively in the United States and Europe, in contexts ranging from solo and duo concerts, to performances with large-scale orchestras. His 52-minute orchestra-with-guitar suite “The Universe Will Provide” received its world premiere in 2003, featuring Keneally as guitar soloist fronting Holland’s Metropole Orkest. The US premiere of “Universe” occurred at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles in 2011. 2012’s album release was “Wing Beat Fantastic: Songs Written by Mike Keneally & Andy Partridge,” a collection of material written with ex-XTC leader Andy Partridge; the album was widely acclaimed, and ranked highly on numerous critics’ “Best of 2012” lists. 2016 saw the release of his grand conceptual work “Scambot 2,” and was the last new Keneally solo album until now, with the upcoming February 2023 release of the brand new “The Thing That Knowledge Can’t Eat.”

As of late, Keneally has been performing live with other ex-Zappa alumni as part of The Zappa Band, the only official Zappa Trust-sanctioned band playing the music of Frank Zappa live. He has also been playing with the group ProgJect, performing many of the classic ‘70s progressive-rock songs that Keneally grew up loving. He is also a member of a new band called The Bird Brain, who released an acclaimed 3-song EP late in 2022, with more new music coming this year. With the release of his new solo album in 2023, Mike will be doing a series of Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins shows this year featuring a retrospective selection of material chosen from all the primary solo albums across his over-30 year career.

Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins upcoming shows:
Jan 13 – The Grand Ritz, Escondido (advance record release party/concert for The Thing That Knowledge Can’t Eat) – 7pm https://www.showpass.com/the-thing-that-knowledge-cant-eat/
Jan 14 – Alvas Showroom, San Pedro – 7pm https://alvasshowroom.com/event/mike-keneally-beer-for-dolphins-with-travis-larson-band/?fbclid=IwAR2v9pvrNbxU6OLAKDP-n0qLJZCpHVcY__PHMJOmrlL9IS95hD6_otZETiQ
Jan 15 – Alvas Showroom, San Pedro – 4pm https://alvasshowroom.com/event/mike-keneally-beer-for-dolphins-with-travis-larson-band-2/?fbclid=IwAR0YgXZ7HS7-Q6YFW3AkeyHxsj64zmHOdvX9Cv-3YvA3rnI-V2NXYmjGiAU
Jan 16 – The Siren, Morro Bay – 6:30pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mike-keneally-beer-for-dolphins-with-travis-larson-band-tickets-487326515727?fbclid=IwAR3TW0lPglUSf_vpGRpmr22Jo8mQ4Y6U5SEX4LZ52JtEqYDPabeqayydRo8
Jan 17 – The Baked Potato, LA – two sets, 8 and 10pm https://www.thebakedpotato.com/events/keneally-larson-tuesday-january-17-2023/?fbclid=IwAR2Q25wjyhiDYN_OlKt7g0t5WK-q3raS1y_gkN7Ud0g07c2di1HhC0ZHSNw

To purchase: https://store.keneally.com/products/mike-keneally-the-thing-that-knowledge-cant-eat-cd-plus-download

For more information:
patreon.com/MikeKeneally
facebook.com/MikeKeneally
twitter.com/mikekeneally
instagram.com/mikekeneally
mikekeneallymusic.bandcamp.com/music
keneally.com
store.keneally.com
youtube.com/c/mikekeneallychannelofficial

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com