Month: December 2015

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A Grateful Dead New Year’s Eve with Crazy Fingers and Unlimited Devotion

Crazy Fingers performed their first official show at a private party at Ultimate Farms in Delray Beach FL on Halloween, 10/31/90. A splendid time was had by all. The original lineup was Bubba Newton on bass, Pete Lavezzoli on drums (both still in the band today), Mike Greene on rhythm guitar, and Al Zilinsky on lead guitar. Mike and Pete both shared lead and harmony vocals. The band went through a series of brief changes in the lineup, including Dave Harris on guitar and vocals; Craig Woloshin, also on guitar and vocals; and vocalist Lisa Johnston.

Crazy Fingers finally settled on its longest lasting lineup in 1993, when Corey Dwyer and Rich Friedman joined, with Corey originally on keyboards, and Rich on lead guitar. Both Rich and Corey also sang, joining Pete to give Crazy Fingers a three-part vocal sound. The band continued to build its fan base by playing weekly shows and expanding their repertoire–including many rarely performed GD songs that other tribute bands had never touched. Within a year of Rich and Corey’s arrival, the band began touring the state of Florida, opening for national acts, and writing original music which has been recorded on two CDs to date.

By the mid 90’s, keyboardist Josh Foster began joining the band for special events and statewide shows, eventually relocating from Tampa to become a full member in 1998. In 2001-02, Alan Martinke of Aquaphonics joined the band on keyboards while Josh was on hiatus for school. In 2007, Rich took a leave of absence for family time, and longtime friend and colleague Billy Gilmore joined on guitar and vocals, having already formed the Grass Is Dead with Bubba and Corey. Rich returned to the band in 2011. Each bandmember has explored other projects, as seen in their individual bios by clicking on their photo above. At present, the current lineup of Crazy Fingers is once again its longest running lineup of Bubba, Corey, Josh, Rich, and Pete.

The band has played over 2500 live shows, allowing Crazy Fingers to sustain a devoted following and a nationwide reputation as one of the premiere Grateful Dead tribute bands.

Crazy Fingers has had the honor of sharing the stage with such acts as the Band, Ziggy Marley, the Neville Brothers, Warren Haynes and Gov’t Mule, Little Feat, the Radiators, Merl Saunders, Zero and Steve Kimock, Melvin Seals and JGB, Buddy Miles, Country Joe McDonald, Jefferson Starship, Dark Star Orchestra, and Donna the Buffalo. Crazy Fingers has also hosted prestigious guest musicians who have played with the band onstage, such as Vince Welnick of the Grateful Dead, Melvin Seals, Steve Kimock, Buddy Cage, Buddy Miles, David Gans, Ed Volker of the Radiators, and Stu Allen of JGB, to name a few. Crazy Fingers has also appeared at many prestigious festivals including Langerado, Sun Fest, Magnolia Fest, Harvest Fest, and others.

The first Crazy Fingers original studio CD, Come On and Dance, has sold out, and new copies have not been yet printed, because the band is considering a remix of the CD. The band’s second studio CD of original material, Strange Life, remains available on the website through Paypal, and can also be purchased at live shows. Strange Life is a blend of several different styles of music including blues, folk, country, and good old rock and roll. Crazy Fingers is currently working on a third CD of original songs, and perhaps a remixed Come On and Dance, so stay tuned and come join us at the shows!

We thank you and love you all for being a part of our family!

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Pink Talking Fish and The Heavy Pets as “The Heavy Pets perform Walrus: A Beatles Tribute”

Pink Talking Fish is a Hybrid Tribute Fusion Act that takes the music from three of the world’s most beloved bands and creates a special treat for fans of the music.

Pink Floyd, The Talking Heads and Phish are all more than just bands… they are Phenomenons.  Their creations have artistically inspired people and their mindblowing live performances have brought people together to form a special sense of community around the love for their favorite band.

Although the music from each act is different, Pink Talking Fish has discovered that fusing the material together creates an amazing story.  The epic emotion of Pink Floyd…. The funky, danceable layerings of The Talking Heads…. The multitude of styles, unique compositional structures and pure fun of Phish…. to merge these three into one gives music lovers a special experience.

Pink Talking Fish features Eric Gould on bass, Richard James on keyboards, Zack Burwick on drums and Dave Brunyak on guitar.  This is a band created by musicians who love the music of these acts.  It’s purpose is to heighten people’s passion for this music by creating something fresh and exciting for fans.  

Discovering connections is part of the fun:  Pink Floyd’s “On The Run” seamlessly fitting in the middle of the composition of Phish’s “You Enjoy Myself”.  Perfectly placing Phish’s “Sand” into the groove of The Talking Head’s “Slippery People”.  

The story is ever evolving.  The experience is always exciting.  Come join Pink Talking Fish for the ultimate fusion tribute and celebrate the love of this music in unique fashion.

The Heavy Pets are an American rock band that blends rhythm & blues, jazz, funk, disco and reggae with rock & roll. Called “a living, breathing, force of nature” by Relix Magazine, the Pets are known for their soulful songcraft and powerhouse live performances. Riding high on the success of their most recent studio effort, Two Horses, look out for The Heavy Pets as they continue to hit the road hard.

“Nice big balls.” – Dennis Cook, Jambase

The group became an instant Sirius radio sensation in 2007 with the release of their double-disc debut album, Whale, driven by hit tracks “Operation of Flight” and “Sleep.” First embraced by the jam scene for their raw talent, their crossover sound that is showcased on their self-titled album, also dubbed a “Top 10 Album of 2010” by The Huffington Post, propelled them into the periphery of mainstream music. Returning to their acoustic roots on Swim Out Past the Sun (2011), THP’s guitar duo set aside their electric axes for a more organic approach. The Heavy Pets followed up those polished efforts by releasing the Everywhere Sessions: Volume 1 EP, recorded live in the studio with accompanying videos of the three songs “Chew,” “Help Me Help You” and “The Day the Sun Forgot to Rise.”

Major festival darlings, THP have taken the stage at Bonnaroo, Jam Cruise, High Sierra, Gathering of the Vibes, All Good, Wakarusa, Mountain Jam, Langerado, Bear Creek, Summer Camp, Catskill Chill, AURA and their namesake PetZoo.

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97.3 HITS SESSIONS with Rachel Platten

A vibrant singer and songwriter of uplifting pop anthems, Massachusetts native Rachel Platten started piano lessons at age four and began writing songs while in college. While finishing a degree in international relations from Trinity College in 2003, she self-released an R&B album titled Trust in Me, and eventually obtained a record label internship while abroad in Trinidad in 2005. During her stay, she sang backup for a band performing before large crowds throughout the Caribbean and determined to try to make career in music, moving to New York City in 2006. Over the next few years, she worked on preparing her sophomore album, and toured at every opportunity, including support spots for the Strokes, Regina Spektor, Rusted Root, and Ziggy Marley. Along the way, she began to land licensing deals for advertising and TV series, and her song “Seven Weeks” appeared in the 2009 romantic comedy The Good Guy. Her second album, Be Here, which included collaborations with Fredrik Thomander (*NSYNC), the Wizards of Oz (Avril Lavigne), and Jerry Abbott and Grant Black (Julian Velard), was finally released by Rock Ridge Music in the spring of 2011. The single “1,000 Ships” hit number 24 on Billboard’s Adult Pop Songs chart, and she toured on and off in support of the album for the next two years. Meanwhile, the U.S. cable TV show Jane by Design (2011-2012) used her song “Work of Art” as its theme, and multiple Platten songs appeared on Pretty Little Liars, also on the ABC Family network. Her song “Smile” was co-written with Dave Bassett and Christopher Umana (aka C4) for the 2014 film Annie, and an empowering single titled “Fight Song” from her third album was released in late 2014. Early the next year, Platten announced she had signed with Columbia Records. She then opened for Andy Grammer’s tour with U.S. X Factor winners Alex & Sierra into the spring of 2015.

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99Jamz Uncensored starring Rick Ross

Tattooed with pictures of AK-47s, Miami’s six-foot, 300-pound rap figure known as Rick Ross embraced his city’s reputation for drug trafficking on his debut single, “Hustlin’,” in 2006. While Atlanta and Houston artists were establishing their cities as Southern strongholds, Ross aimed at putting Miami back in rap’s national spotlight. Ross, real name William Roberts, grew up in Carol City, Florida, an impoverished northern suburb of Miami. Influenced by artists like Luther Campbell and the Notorious B.I.G., Roberts formed local rap group the Carol City Cartel and began rapping in the mid-’90s. (He took his rap name from Los Angeles drug kingpin “Freeway” Rick Ross, who ran one of the largest crack cocaine distribution networks in the country during the ’80s and early ’90s.) Ross had a brief stint on Suave House Records, former label of Eightball & MJG, before he ended up on Miami-based Slip ‘N’ Slide Records, the label home of Trick Daddy and Trina. During the early to mid-2000s, he became popular and well-known locally through touring with Trick Daddy and appearing as a guest on a few Slip ‘N’ Slide releases, but didn’t release any solo material until 2006.

Once “Hustlin'” caught the ear of a few executives within the national industry, a bidding war ensued that included offers from Bad Boy CEO Sean “Diddy” Combs and The Inc. (formerly Murder Inc) president Irv Gotti. Nonetheless, Def Jam president and veteran rapper Jay-Z signed Ross to a multi-million-dollar deal. The Miami anthem “Hustlin'” went on to receive gold status from the RIAA in May 2006 and sold over a million ringtone units before the physical release of his debut album, Port of Miami. Released in August 2006, Ross‘ debut was Slip ‘N’ Slide’s first project under the Def Jam partnership, and it went to number one on the Billboard album chart. His follow-up, Trilla, was released the following year, prefaced with the Cool & Dre-produced title track. Early 2009 saw the release of Deeper Than Rap, an album greeted with numerous positive reviews in the hip-hop press. In early 2010 he released the Teflon Don album featuring the hit single “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast).” The star-studded God Forgives, I Don’t followed in 2012, with guest shots from Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige.

At the start of 2013, he announced details of his sixth studio album. He enlisted the help of Scott Storch and DJ Khaledas executive producers and released the pre-album single “No Games” featuring Future. The album, titled Mastermind, landed in March of 2014 with the simultaneous release of the single “War Ready” featuring Young Jeezy. Just six months later, Ross announced that he would be releasing his seventh studio album, Hood Billionaire, toward the end of 2014. The album arrived in November of that year and was preceded by the singles “Elvis Presley Blvd.” and “Keep Doin’ That (Rich Bitch).” In 2015 he dropped Black Dollar, a high-profile official mixtape that featured production from J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and Jake One. The mixtape previewed that year’s official album, Black Market, which landed late in the year, along with the accompanying single “Sorry” featuring Chris Brown.

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Glass Animals with Gilligan Moss

Glass Animals vocalist and songwriter David Bayley draws influence for both music and artwork from his involvement in the world of medicine and neuroscience (at just 22 yrs old, he has studied both) creating a sound with it’s roots spread between the electronic and live instrumentation. The result is the warm, narcotic space between a downbeat, slow-burning groove and electro-pop catchiness.

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Silverstein with Senses Fail

Silverstein

The fifteen year career of Silverstein has firmly established the group as an institution within an industry characterized by flux and mercurial vogue. Once again we are reminded that since their inception in 2000, the band’s commitment to innovation remains unfaltering.

Leading the rise of aggressive, melodic punk to the forefront of our attention, the band cultivated a sound and work ethic that has brought them from basements and community centers in Burlington, ON, to main stages, and global festivals. The success of the group’s debut full-length, When Broken Is Easily Fixed (Victory 2003), marks a paradigm of the musical American (Canadian) Dream, as the band found themselves sharing both a label and countless stages with their musical idols. The marriage of melody and aggression on this effort and others since, cemented the band within an influential position of their own.

The subsequent success of Discovering the Waterfront, and Arrivals and Departures can be credited to the aforementioned zeal for innovation, and work ethic, culminating in a 25th spot on Billboard’s top 100, a Juno nomination, and alternative music fame. A Shipwreck in the Sand, Rescue, and This is How the Wind Shifts anticipate and facilitate the latest from a group disinterested with creative complacency as Silverstein now enters yet another chapter of their decorated career. “We have gotten better as musicians and songwriters. We want to deliver better songs each time,” Paul Koehler promises. “We have so much more to offer. Our last record was our best record to date and we can do ever better this time. We’re proud of that and we’re going to work really hard to achieve it.”

The journey from Burlington to over 40 countries manifests itself in the sounds of six full-length albums, countless EPs, and singles- though perhaps never more saliently than it is heard now. Some 1,760 shows, and over one million albums sold have yet to satiate the dynamic five piece, nor their eager listeners worldwide.

Senses Fail

Comprising vocalist James “Buddy” Nielsen, guitarists Dave Miller and Garrett Zablocki, bassist Michael Glita (former percussionist for Tokyo Rose), and drummer Dan Trapp, New Jersey outfit Senses Fail developed a slick amalgam of post-hardcore chuggery and emo heartbreak that recalled fellow New Jersey-based group Saves the Day. Formed in 2002 in Bergen County, Senses Fail quickly issued a debut EP and began gigging regularly while maintaining a thriving Internet presence. Drive-Thru Records took notice and signed the group in late 2002. A revamped version of the From the Depths of Dreams EP appeared in April 2003; it featured improved sound, one new song, and an acoustic version of the track “Ground Folds.” A tour with the Used wrapped up the year in successful fashion, while From the Depths of Dreams cracked the Billboard 200 and helped poise Senses Fail for a commercial breakthrough.

After more heavy touring and a bit of label drama, 2004’s Let It Enfold You — named after a Charles Bukowski poem — was released that September through Vagrant/Drive-Thru; a deluxe edition with bonus tracks arrived one year later. The band also contributed a cover of Suicidal Tendencies‘ “Institutionalized” for 2005’s Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland video game soundtrack. Relentless touring persisted before the bandmates began work on their sophomore effort, which saw Senses Fail hitting the studio in May 2006 with producer Brian McTernan (Thrice, Cave In) and a new guitarist, Heath Saraceno (the former Midtownmember wound up permanently replacing Miller, who’d previously left the group). A main-stage spot on the American Warped Tour helped the revised band hone its chops, as did a stint with the Taste of Chaos tour in the U.K. Both appearances led up to the release of the explosive Still Searching, which deemphasized the band’s screaming vocals in favor of an energetic, emo-tinged sound.

Bassist Mike Glita left the lineup one year later, and Hot Water Music‘s Jason Black climbed aboard as a temporary replacement during the recording of Life Is Not a Waiting Room, which arrived in October 2008. The following year, guitarist Heath Saraceno announced he was leaving the band. He was replaced by Zack Roach, and shortly afterwards the band returned to the studio. In 2010, their fourth album, The Fire, was released on Vagrant. The group’s fifth studio long-player, the well-received Renacer, was the first Senses Fail album to not feature founding memberGarrett Zablocki, and would be the last outing with longtime drummer Dan Trapp. In 2015 the band inked a deal with Pure Noise Records and released Pull the Thorns from Your Heart.

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The Soul Rebels

2014 was an explosive year for THE SOUL REBELS riding high from touring four continents including Europe, Australia for the second year, debuting in China, selling out shows in New York City, collaborating with artists spanning from Joey Bada$$, Big Freedia, Lotus and The String Cheese Incident to sharing stages with Kanye West, The Allman Brothers Band, Gary Clarke Jr., John Mayer, Jack White, Dave Mathews and Disclosure. Closing out the year, The Soul Rebels toured with Trombone Shorty and returned home to record the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival’s official soundtrack, quoted by the iconic festival as “Soul Rebels, the soundtrack of Jazz Fest 2015”.

How do you follow up a year like that? As only The Soul Rebels can, with a jam packed plan for 2015 featuring touring with Umphrey’s McGee and Michael Franti, shows with Lettuce, Soulive and Joey Bada$$, collaborations, major festival appearances world-wide, recording a new album produced by Eric Krasno and an annual residency with special guests Rakim, Pharoahe Monch and Black Thought of The Roots at New York City’s Brooklyn Bowl.

The Soul Rebels started with an idea – to expand upon the pop music they loved on the radio and the New Orleans brass band tradition they grew up on. They took that tradition and blended funk and soul with elements of hip hop, jazz and rock. The band has settled on an eight-piece lineup that can be heard on their international debut release Unlock Your Mind. The Soul Rebels built a career around an eclectic live show that harnesses the power of horns and drums in the party like atmosphere of a dance club. When not touring, The Soul Rebels’ weekly show at New Orleans’ Le Bon Temps Roulé is known to erupt with the kind of contagious, shout-along musical mayhem that The Rebels bring with them wherever they perform.

On their travels, The Soul Rebels have collaborated live and played with notable artists and bands including Metallica, Green Day, Maceo Parker, Galactic, Slick Rick, Trombone Shorty, Joey Bada$$, Rakim, Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Big Freedia, The String Cheese Incident, Rahzel, Pharoahe Monch, Styles P of The Lox, Eric Krasno, Suzanne Vega and John Medeski as well as being billed on shows with Snoop Dogg, Alabama Shakes, Estelle, Cee Lo Green, Arcade Fire, Ice Cube, George Clinton, Shaggy and many others.

The Soul Rebels have been a mainstay at festivals all over the world, from the stages at Bonnaroo, SXSW, Outside Lands, to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Electric Forest and Austin City Limits, to recent festival appearances at the Bryon Bay Bluesfest in Australia, Shanghai Jazz Festival in China and the Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Soul Rebels continue to chart new territory as they combine topnotch musicianship and songs with grooves that celebrate life in the time-honored New Orleans style.

“The Soul Rebels, New Orleans’ finest brass ensemble…” –VICE

“The Soul Rebels are the missing link between Public Enemy and Louis Armstrong.” –VILLAGE VOICE

“New Orleans’ top-shelf brass ensemble The Soul Rebels…wind-wielding wizardry of New Orleans’ finest.” –OKAYPLAYER

“Brace yourselves folks, these men are quickly solidifying themselves amongst NOLA’s proud big brass elite… and seem intent to sublimate the homogenoustones of the contemporary urban music landscape with the lush instrumentation of our culture’s root.” –OKAYPLAYER

“The Soul Rebels are rebelling against one, albeit detestable thing: starchy paint-by-numbers music.” –VIBE

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