He's universally acknowledged as the founding architect of new age music. The Grammy and Golden Globe Award-Winning Kitaro has achieved global acclaim over a more than three decade long career with a signature sound and a pioneering fusion of cultures, techniques and spheres of consciousness that are truly his own.
Kitaro's latest project, "Sacred Journey Of Ku-Kai Vol.4" was nominated for 53nd Annual Grammy Awards, and it was Kitaro's 14th nomination to date.
As a Grammy and Golden Globe award-winning artist, this incredibly prolific composer and performer has continued his reign in the international spotlight and at the forefront of musical innovation ever since the release of his debut solo album, Astral Voyage, in 1978. His numerous recording highlights include 1980's Volume 1 in the revered Silk Road series which is considered an all-time masterpiece with subsequent volumes only adding to its luster, 1987's The Light of the Spirit (a collaboration with Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and Kitaro's American breakthrough), 2000's Thinking Of You, which won a Grammy for Best New Age Album, as well as Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai, a multi-volume series of albums inspired by the tragedy of 9/11. Kitaro garnered a Grammy Nomination for all series of Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai to date.
He embarked on his Love and Peace Planet Music Tour in 2007, a tour that took Kitaro to the four corners of the globe, shining the spotlight of his musical message on audiences as he inspires fans from around the globe to unite as one.
Through the course of his career, Kitaro has sold millions of albums, CD's and DVD's worldwide. Kitaro's atmospheric, powerfully emotive, and multi-textured music truly defies the constraints of any genre. Most fundamentally, at its heart, Kitaro's music is always about sending a profound message of peace and spiritual development, both personally and globally.
Ralph Buckley is a singer/songwriter/performer from Seattle, Washington. He has been involved in the Seattle music scene in one way or another for the past 20 years. His music has always reflected the injustices and obscenities inflicted upon society.
Jacksonville Beach, FL-based Radical Face is primarily Ben Cooper, who is also one half of similar quiet-is-the-new-loud duo Electric President. Both have inked deals with German label Morr Music. Highlighted with light orchestral flourishes and acoustic guitar, Radical Face's early recordings included an EP and album titled The Junkyard Chandelier. In March 2007 Morr issued Ghost, a concept album about houses retaining memories.
And the days blur into one And the backs of my eyes hum with things I've never done
Sheets are swaying from an old clothesline Like a row of captured ghosts over old dead grass Was never much but we made the most Welcome home
Ships are launching from my chest Some have names but most do not If you find one, please let me know what piece I've lost
Heal the scars from off my back I don't need them anymore You can throw them out or keep them in your mason jars I've come home
All my nightmares escaped my head Bar the door, please don't let them in You were never supposed to leave Now my head's splitting at the seams And I don't know if I can
Matt Geissler, Evan Lecker, Jordan Mccune, Sally Tawfik, Jordan Brace, Sam Lee
Holy Fiction is the new project formed by members of Ethan Durelle, Pilot Drift, Hemyah, and A Pacific Model. Eager to create music that is both listenable and intelligent, Holy Fiction is currently crafting songs in a much different fashion than their former outfits.
On February 23, Holy Fiction released their first full length album, “Hours From It”. “Hours” was crafted from a concise batch of songs that were both personal and vibrant. Their music is as angular as it is rounded, lingering as it is succinct, effortless as it is strenuous; like a desert flooded after a storm.
"Each track [is] the ideal canvas for the voice of singer/guitarist Evan Lecker. His rich, powerful vocals are on full display as he croons heartfelt lyrics on songs like the 90s-throwback “Golden City Lights,” the slow-burning lament “Hours From It” and the unshakeable “More Than Ever.” - Paste Magazine
“lush chamber pop threaded with faint folk flourishes and enough energy and eeriness to resist deadly descriptors like ambient” - Houston Chronicle
"Holy Fiction is that organic experimental rock that's perfect to listen to when you feel like you're really in the know" - Houston Press
"Full of character, Holy Fiction’s Americana/folk style sticks out of the pre-defined genre" -TheAlbumProject
“a stunning masterpiece of sound, and is already one of my favorite collection of songs from this year” - CarryYouAway
"damned impressive" - Spacecityrock
"a melodious, complex, rewarding indie-rock listen" – IndependentClauses
“vibrant soundscapes that rise and fall with Evan Lecker’s voice, leaving listeners yearning for more” - AustinTownHall
"Hours From It, showed me all their talents: the direct, catchy melodies, the falsetto heights and grumbling depths of lead singer Evan Lecker’s voice, and the lyrics at once heart-rendingly honest and confoundingly obscure." - Curator Magazine
“as if Peter Gabriel’s pop, Days of the New’s folk rock and Pink Floyd’s mellowness were mixed in a blender to make this 38-minute tour de force” –The Collegian
“Absolutely love this album” –The Pop! Stereo
"It would be a shame to miss a band playing chamber-indie-rock this well" -29-95.com
The diversity of Josh Garrels’ music represents the textured patchwork of both the nature and nurture of his upbringing. The roads that draw the map of his life trace through various stops. At one time or another, Garrels has been a “son of a hippie commune, skater boy, suburban drug dealer, music/design student, coffee roaster, urban shepherd, and now nation- and globe-trotting minstrel of hope and healing.”
As he reflects back on those experiences and contemplates the way forward, he leans into his faith, his family. His new album, Love & War & The Sea in Between, serves as the canvas onto which he sketches those thoughts in musical forms. Regardless of one’s own stance on matters of such import, the album is a gorgeously transcendent collection of songs. Garrels is the first to offer that people don’t have to agree with his beliefs to dig his tunes.
And he’s right. So much of pop music, these days, is overflowing with nothing more than ego and posturing. When an artist steps out of that mold to offer something truly of themselves, the impact is felt in ripples and waves. Anyone in search of music that speaks to their better angels, as it were, would do well to check out Love & War & The Sea in Between.
NoiseTrade: Some artists make the same record over and over. You don’t do that. You continue to explore and expand with each new work. Do you think what holds some people back is a lack of imagination? Talent? Courage?
Josh Garrels: I think the key idea that you hit upon is that of “exploration.” Imagination, talent, and courage all require an inquisitive spirit to be the power source in propelling us forward. There are infinite variables and configurations to explore within any one song – from melody to performance to engineering – and as a writer/performer/engineer, I’m always searching for what will make each song emerge as a unique entity. The thing about exploring is that you hit a lot of dead ends, but when you find something that works, it’s exhilarating. Without a fascination with unexplored possibilities, the creative process grinds to a halt and, sadly, we’ll end up repeating ourselves as we camp out on the grounds of familiarity and safety.
NT: Explorations of longing in poetry and song are some of humanity’s most beautiful expressions. You contribute your fair share to the lot. As the Sufi poet Rumi wrote, “Everything has to do with loving and not loving.” Do you think that’s a fair assessment?
JG: I think so. Yet, the word “love” itself is so hard to pin down in our culture, that that quote could mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. For me, “loving” would be defined as a selfless giving of oneself for the sake of others, without condition of reciprocation or return. As faulty humans, we experience this truly divine form of loving sporadically, and, for some, it’s never experienced at all. Most mass culture and media culture are driven by the precepts of “not loving,” which would be withholding ourselves from each other, exploiting others, and demanding our rights in return. Yet we’re made for loving, so we live with a deep longing that continues all our lives. When a song or poem truly reminds us of what we all know is there, we can’t help but respond.
NT: Do you find that people are hungry for musical connections – and other interactions – that address life’s larger questions? That invoke and relate to something deeper in themselves? After all, there are no “baby, baby, baby” lines in your tunes.
JG: For sure. Ultimately, I think that all people, either consciously or subconsciously, are drawn to the arts, because art speaks the language of the soul. And every soul is searching for connection to transcendent answers to life’s over-arching questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What happens when I die? Is there a God? These are some of the questions that form every person’s worldview, and how we answer these affects how we navigate life. As Pete Seeger says, “[there are] people who say that music is just an attempt to make life live-able. It’s true to a certain extent, that’s one of the purposes of music – to help you survive your troubles, help distract you from your troubles. But some music helps you understand your troubles, and as you see here … some music can help you do something about your troubles.”
NT: Your sound is a hybridization of Citizen Cope, Sufjan Stevens, M. Ward, and Jose Gonzalez – but, in some ways, is more accessible than any of them. Do you ever consider making your lyrics more broadly inclusive in order to reach a wider audience?
JG: It’s an honor to be compared with the likes of those guys, for I’ve got ‘em all in my iPod. I’ve always known that choosing to explore the intricacies of my faith in Christ would be a potential disconnection for many listeners. Yet, I’ve been compelled to do so, not out of a sense of obligation or to proselytize, but because when I’m honest with myself … I can’t escape how interesting, mysterious, and life-changing the whole thing is. I turn these things over in my mind and heart a lot, and the songs become a sort of tool or vehicle for me to flesh out what’s happening within. I do this as much for me as for the listener. I think to abandon this subject matter for the sake of being palatable to more listeners would be dishonest, both to myself and to them. I think it’s authenticity that people listen for first. I can connect with songs from Black Sabbath, The Sex Pistols, Prince, or Polyphonic Spree without being compelled to believe what they’re singing about. Yet, I’m compelled to listen because they’re believable.
NT: The monetization of art is an interesting topic. Why have you stepped away from that model by offering your new album for free? How do you see the intersection of art and commerce evolving in the future?
JG: A few things came to play in my decision to give away this latest album for free. First, I asked my fan base if they would be willing to help fund the project on the front end, and their response to this invitation was awesome. Because of fan-based funding, I was able to finish the project without going into debt. (Every other project I’ve done has put me in debt $10-12,000 … which then is paid off with album sales.) I had no hole I needed to fill in with this album, so to speak.
Second, this may sound weird to some, but at a crucial moment near the completion of the album I sensed God ask me, “Will you give this one to me?” It was actually a hard choice for me. The practical man in me pondered the ramifications of this decision for not only myself, but also my wife and two children. But then, if you think God might be asking you to do something, you kind of know what the right answer is the moment the question’s asked. All this to say, giving the album away wasn’t some high-risk promotional idea I dreamt up. It was actually never my intention. Yet, the fact that the work was already paid for (by others!) set me up to let go of it seamlessly, and demand nothing in return. Now, on the flip side of the decision, it’s been such a joy to give away something that was so precious to me. I feel like I blindly stumbled into a wonderful new way of approaching my vocation and the transmission of my work. Just as there are limitless possibilities in regards to how to craft a song, I’m learning there are new and creative ways to be a working artist in the global marketplace.
Good Man's Brother is a relatively new name to the local music scene but the story of this band actually begins nearly 10 years ago when Lead Guitarist/ Vocalist, Billy O'Con and Bassist, John Mallard first met.
"I'd just lost a bass player and John had just lost a gig", says O'Con. "We were introduced through a mutual friend and have been playing together ever since". That's often the way these things work out, a couple of random occurrences, a fortuitous introduction and, next thing you know, you've got something going on. So it was for these two.
Mallard tells us that, "Over the years, Billy and I have had a LOT of different musicians on stage with us and we've played under a few different names. We were 'The Yardcats', 'The Convix', we even played for nearly five years as 'The Executives' while backing legendary Blues and Mo-Town Diva, Betty Lewis. But, through it all, Billy and I were always the constant".
Flash forward to early 2009. O'Con and Mallard had gotten a nice big taste of the Festival Stages while playing with Betty Lewis and decided that putting together a Powerhouse Trio and marketing the Festival Scene would be something they'd love to try. "Ya know", says O'Con, "it never mattered who we were with or how many people we had on stage with us, we have always really shone in the Festival setting. We figured, why not? Let's give it a shot".
The only thing they were missing was a Drummer. "Over the years, Billy and I had played with some absolutely MONSTER drummers. Of course, as luck would have it, we were at this time rotating two different guys who, for various reasons, were unable to commit full time", says Mallard.
Enter another fortuitous introduction to long time Shreveport veteran Ron Petitt. "Yeah, we really hit the Jackpot with Ron", says O'Con. "From our first gig with him after just one rushed rehearsal, it just fit".
And so, here we are. The first reaction that people typically have when hearing this Trio for the first time is to look around for the other three musicians that surely must be hidden somewhere. These guys have such a HUGE sound that there's no way it should be coming from just three guys. But it does. The Music ranges from the old to the not so old and is a great blend of Funk, Texas Blues, and just good old fashioned in your face Rock-N-Roll.
"We don't have any gimmicks", says Mallard. "we're just three guys doing what we truly love to do. It's simple, it's honest, and it connects". Connect, it does. And it does so in a very LARGE way for such a very small band.
BIILY O’CON: Guitars / Vocals
When you say the name Billy O' Con anywhere in the ArkLaTex one thing comes to mind. Magical hands. Well, maybe two things. Magical hands and a voice that sounds like no one else's. When you say Billy O'Con in Natchitoches and surrounding areas another thing comes to mind. The Legend. The Icon. Of course, Billy will quickly(and humbly) tell you that he's no legend. His friends and fans will tell you otherwise. They will tell you that they proudly dubbed him The Legend at a very young age when he was playing every gig in Natchitoches and impressing people with his magical hands and distinctive voice. Billy picked up his first guitar at age five and never put it down, except of course, to trade it in for bigger and better or older and truer. The Icon has impressed some pretty impressive names in the music industry and, to his credit, has built up a list of very diverse accomplishments. The good news is, Billy O'Con just keeps on gettin' better and better and has no intention of ever giving up his passion. The Legend = GREAT SOUND and a TRULY MOVING MUSICAL EXPERIENCE !
Other Credits Include....
Starred as Jim Croce in the award winning “Last Night in Natchitoches” –( Best Music Documentary – New York International Independent Film Festival.)
Finalist in International John Lennon song writing contest 2009.
Guitarist for Star Search Finalist and CMT “Star of Tomorrow” finalist, Tareva Henderson
Guitarist and vocalist for blues legend Betty Lewis
Headlined for well known festivals throughout the Ark-La-Tex such as the Baton Rouge “ Fest-for-All” and the “Natchitochets Christmas Festival”.
Opened for nationally known artists such as Monty Montgomery, Little River Band, John Fred, Luther Kent, Wayne Toups and many others.
JOHN MALLARD: Bass Guitar
John Mallard's musical journey began at the age of 7 when his late father bought his first guitar. 37 years later his journey still continues. He played his first professional gigs at the age of 13 and, by 16, was doing Call-In Work as Tubist with the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra. He spends all of his Stage Time these days strapped behind a Bass Guitar. He's a founding member of Good Man's Brother and has played with Lead Guitarist/ Vocalist, Billy O'Con for nearly 10 years. Together, they formed two thirds of Betty Lewis' back-up band, The Executives, and played throughout the South Central United States. John also did time as the Session Bassist at Bossier City recording studio, Precision Digital Audio. "Those years were probably my most musically educational", John says. "On any given day I never had a clue what I would be doing until I showed up and started doing it. It definitely taught me to be versatile".
John can be found these days laying down the Bottom in Good Man's Brother with O'Con and Drummer, Ron Petitt. "I love this band", he says. "There are no gimmicks. no distractions. It's just three guys doing what they truly love to do. I think that's a big part of what people are connecting with". Whatever it is people are connecting with, there is definitely something going on with this band. We'll leave it up to you to hear it for yourself.
RON PETITT: Drums
Ron Petitt has been playing drums in the Ark-La-Tex music scene for the last 25 years. He has anchored the rhythm section for such bands as Open Eyes, Tangent, Double Duce, 3 Chord Truth, Chris Solomon Band, The Eric Craig Band, Identity Crisis, String Theory, Jerry Beech, The Core, Derek Gustafson Project and Double 11 just to name a few. Ron often gets the call when a live drummer is needed if one of his many local musician buddies has a spot to fill. Stylistically there is not much Ron hasn't experienced on the drums. From Heavy Metal to Jazz Swing, he has done it all. Now with Good Man's Brother, Ron is getting to utilize that experience. G.M.B. covers such a wide variety of styles and genres. "What makes it even better", says Ron, "is that this band knows when to jam on a song rather than just attempting to duplicate the radio."
When he is not busy playing he enjoys being out on the scene supporting his many friends on their gigs and making new friends as well.
Radio Days are Italy's answer to the pure Power Pop perfection, an ideal mix between the beatlesque melodies of the sixties and the seventies punk energy.
They know how to combine the sounds of early Elvis Costello, the Rubinoos' vocal harmonies, Big Stars' screeching determination and the Knacks' easy listening melodies. Born in 2003 as a side project of the Retarded (historical Italian punk rock band which played more than 300 shows all over Europe and two US tours), Radio Days succeed in being one of the best Italian Power Pop bands, creating a personal style and focusing on an intense and active live show.
“We're a band from Italy and we love the pop side of rock'n'roll. We have toured Italy, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic and played great festivals such as Purple Weekend in Leòn, Pop Circus in Milano and Lee Rocks in Firenze with such bands as Paul Collins Beat, Blues Magoos, Rakes, Maccabees, Good Shoes, Those Dancing Days, Teenagers, Marky Ramone, Frank Popp Ensemble, Squire, M.O.T.O., King Brothers, Unwed Sailor, Methadones, Leftovers, Chixdiggit, Mcrackins, Teenage Bottlerocket, Parasites, Kepi Ghoulie, Mojomatics, Zatopeks, Mach Pelican, Riff Randells, Leeches, Temponauts, Tunas and many more...”
