New music available for airplay now! Preview tracks with stream player, request download or CD with the form below. Full album in stores Jan 20, 2022 for AAA, Noncomm, Americana, Folk, Women, Classic Hits.
Iconic Grammy-winner Janis Ian releases her final album Jan 20, 2022 - The Light at the End of the Line. "I'm Still Standing" available for radio now. Look for US tour dates all year in 2022.
New music available for airplay now! Preview tracks with stream player, request download or CD with the form below. Full album in stores Nov 19, 2021 for Americana, AAA, Noncomm, Folk, Standards, Jazz.
Artist: Willie Nelson
Playlist: Willie Nelson Family
Album: Willie Nelson Family
Label: Columbia/Legacy
Release Date: Nov 19, 2021
Formats: Americana, AAA, Noncomm, Folk, Standards, Jazz
Country Gospel-Flavored Collection Features Definitive Performances of Songs Penned by Willie Nelson, George Harrison, Kris Kristofferson, Hank Williams, A.P. Carter and Others. Willie's Family Band Includes Sister Bobbi Nelson, Sons Lukas Nelson and Micah Nelson, Daughters Paula Nelson and Amy Nelson
New music available for airplay now! Preview tracks with stream player, request download or CD with the form below. Full album in stores Nov 19, 2021 for Americana, AAA, Christmas, Noncomm, Folk, Texas.
Chris Berardo's double Christmas single features the classic cover and the original "This Year," both produced by David Abeyta (Reckless Kelly). "This Year" is a deeply personal but universally relatable holiday tune. It celebrates life and serves as a reminder of what we have and a remembrance of what weāve lost: āthe love, the laughs, the photographs and our fair share of tears.ā
Family Bible (Claude Gray, Paul Buskirk & Walt Breeland)
In the Garden (traditional)
All Things Must Pass (George Harrison)
I Saw the Light (Hank Williams, Sr.)
In God’s Eyes (Willie Nelson)
Keep It On the Sunnyside (A.P. Carter)
I Thought About You, Lord (Willie Nelson)
Too Sick To Pray (Willie Nelson)
Why Me (Kris Kristofferson)
Country Gospel-Flavored Collection Features Definitive Performances of Songs Penned by Willie Nelson, George Harrison, Kris Kristofferson, Hank Williams, A.P. Carter and Others. Willie's Family Band Includes Sister Bobbi Nelson, Sons Lukas Nelson and Micah Nelson, Daughters Paula Nelson and Amy Nelson
Chris Berardo's double Christmas single features the classic cover and the original "This Year," both produced by David Abeyta (Reckless Kelly). "This Year" is a deeply personal but universally relatable holiday tune. It celebrates life and serves as a reminder of what we have and a remembrance of what weāve lost: āthe love, the laughs, the photographs and our fair share of tears.ā
Paul Kelly introduces his brand new holiday album, "Christmas Train." Paul Kellyās first Christmas album is an extraordinary 22-song double collection that travels across the centuries, from a Latin hymn to well-known carols, from a traditional Irish folk ballad to new Kelly music written for Christmas poems. There are songs with an unmistakable local flavour like Three Drovers and Swing Around the Sun, and a sparkling new version of one of the greatest Australian Christmas songs of them all, Kellyās own How to Make Gravy.
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Add this now to your holiday music playlists – a brand new recording of Australia’s national Christmas song – so famous, they gave it it’s own holiday, “Gravy Day.”
New music available for airplay now! Preview tracks with stream player, request download or CD with the form below. Full album in stores for Americana, AAA, Noncomm, Folk. Christmas.
Great songs from the new album Poetica to consider for any specialty airplay around the Jewish High Holidays. Rachael Sage, a descendent of the Baal Shem Tov, provides comments below on the relevance of these chosen songs.
We – Dave Eggar and I – picked this poem, because it had a mournful, funereal quality to it and it felt in a way, like a kind of kaddish (prayer for the dead)…As we learned of thousands and eventually hundreds of thousands of people all over the world lost to the pandemic, the emotional weight became so inconceivable that many simply became numb, watching the news. But eventually, nearly everyone was touched directly and had lost a loved-one, including myself. So in arranging this piece we tried to honor the memories of loved-ones who passed over the last year and a half, instilling into the track the compound loss of so many who were unable to go comfort those who were sick or to have traditional memorials, whether at synagogues or other places of worship.
DAYS OF AWE
This particular piece is kind of my version of Patti Smith-meets-Joan Jett. The title of the poem is taken from the English translation of how the Jewish High Holiday period is described, and is a metaphor that relates atonement to behaving rashly and selfishly within a romantic relationship. In Judaism ā and most religions ā of course there is a time, a season, for virtually every ritual and myriad laws for how to treat loved-ones with kindness and compassion. The poem describes someone being accountable and remorseful for their misguided actions, while highlighting their own lack of faith in ‘karma’. The duality of pain revealing truth and misdeeds garnering perspective are prominent Jewish themes, especially during Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah when we seek a clean slate after repenting. Cynical lines like “I’ve seen too many mensches suffer / while the shlemiels won the prize” give way to self-awareness, and the kind of mindfulness for which one strives during “Days Of Awe”. In many ways this poem seemed to reflect the unprecedented times we are in, where at every turn we are faced with opportunities to either uplift or alienate one another…to connect or divide. The electric guitar on this track feels raw and even a bit aggressive, but the strings add more of a thoughtful polish to the devolving chaos, which seemed to work well with the duality contained in the language.
ENGAGEMENT
I was very fortunate to be able to recruit renowned klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer to perform on this track! He is so soulful and absolutely steeped in Old World Jewish music that from the first note he plays, it’s impossible not to feel a certain sacred, Eastern European soulful quality in his performance. It felt like a very appropriate choice of instrumentation because the piece chronicles a broken bond, and the tragic, intractable lover whose ‘engagement’ has been severed, and whose unbridled passion continues to burn, however unrequited.
PULPIT
This poem was written several years ago but it felt especially relevant this past year, which of course, is the incredible thing about poetry and how it can be reinterpreted. The piece describes the challenges of channeling one’s awareness of world events and human suffering into something as seemingly trivial as a ‘gig’, let alone a gig on Shabbat. The show becomes a kind of temple, the stage a pulpit, and the audience a congregation. Music becomes the source of light and hope for those who’ve made the effort to gather together and to receive comfort through catharsis, and for the subject of the poem, there is no choice but to be grateful for community, and for the opportunity to instill hope through artistry.
A FATHER’S NACHUS
A Father’s Nachus is a tribute to that timeless Jewish term describing the pride one loved-one feels in the accomplishments or qualities of another. Typically, parents feel ‘nachus’ for their children and in this piece a child flips that paradigm, describing the pride and “rachmanus” (joyful compassion) they feel for their beloved father, who though frequently away, nonetheless manages to be an exceptionally loving and emotionally present parent and mentor. By the end of the piece it is clear that both father and child share equal amounts of ‘nachus’ for each other, and that the elder generation has blessed the younger with with deep seated values, with learning, and most importantly, with unconditional love and acceptance.
With its proud horn lines and retro string hooks, the debut track “Thanksgiving” from the self-titled album POETICA is a psychedelic spoken-word ode to individuality in all its complex glory. Directed and animated by NLX, the video evokes the beatnik era with clever typewriter-inspired imagery, a decidedly committed (red/black/white) color-scheme, and a visual flow that perfectly reflects the stream-of-consciousness vocals. Percolating percussion and sparse bass lines support playful wah guitar riffs in this sensual, empowered music-poetry feast for the eyes, ears and mind.
Video Directed & Animated by NLX
“Thanksgiving” Song Credits:
Rachael Sage: vocals, percussion
Dave Eggar: cello
Kelly Halloran: violin
Mike Visceglia: electric bass
Walter Parks: wah electric guitar
Russ Johnson: trumpet
Doug Yowell: drums
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New music available for airplay now! Preview tracks with stream player, request download or CD with the form below. Full album in stores Oct 22, 2021 for Americana, AAA, Noncomm, Folk, Jazz.
POETICA
“Thanksgiving” and Poetica album playlist
MPress Records has just released “Thanksgiving”, the first track/video by Poetica, a spoken-word concept album conceived, produced and engineered by 6-time Independent Music Award winner Rachael Sage. The video premiered in Guitar Girl (US) and Noctis Magazine (UK). Poetica is an adventurous fusion of poetry with jazz, classical and Americana musical elements in the vein of Leonard Cohen and Laurie Anderson. It aims to create a connection and shared experience via the unifying power of words. Adventurous yet familiar in its intimacy, Sage’s voice is perfectly at home in the absence of typical song structure.
The full album out 10/22 is now available for airplay and follow “Thanksgiving” on this playlist.
the First Track Ahead of Forthcoming Album Self-Titled Poetica Album Out October 22nd
“mesmerizing…thoughtful, pensive and flush with an emotional flourish, all carefully and adeptly executed…simply superb” ā Goldmine
“I absolutely love the Poetica pieces!!! Very moving. Such magical musical backdrops throughout…it is mesmerising!” ā Howard Jones
MPress Records has just released “Thanksgiving”, the first track/video by Poetica, a spoken-word concept album conceived, produced and engineered by 6-time Independent Music Award winner Rachael Sage. The video premiered in Guitar Girl (US) and Noctis Magazine (UK). Poetica is an adventurous fusion of poetry with jazz, classical and Americana musical elements in the vein of Leonard Cohen and Laurie Anderson. It aims to create a connection and shared experience via the unifying power of words. Adventurous yet familiar in its intimacy, Sage’s voice is perfectly at home in the absence of typical song structure.
With its proud horn lines and retro string hooks, the debut track “Thanksgiving” is a psychedelic spoken-word ode to individuality in all its complex glory. Directed and animated by NLX, the video evokes the beatnik era with clever typewriter-inspired imagery, a decidedly committed (red/black/white) color-scheme, and a visual flow that perfectly reflects the stream-of-consciousness vocals. Percolating percussion and sparse bass lines support playful wah guitar riffs in this sensual, empowered music-poetry feast for the eyes, ears and mind.
Beginning as a duo collaboration under lockdown between Sage and her longtime cellist Dave Eggar (Esperanza Spalding, Duncan Sheik, Corinne Bailey Rae), Poetica soon evolved into a full-blown, cinematic spoken word album, with Sage producing and engineering the project in isolation with limited gear she happened to have with her while on tour while sending files back and forth to bandmates and guest musicians from every genre. From over 200 poems written both during and prior to lockdown, Eggar ā whose parents are both poetry professors ā volunteered to help Sage select the 18 spoken-word pieces that eventually comprised the album.
“Writing song lyrics is very different for me than writing poems,” says Rachael Sage. “Poems come from a much more subconscious, mysterious place that I would almost describe as a kind of soul-searching. It’s a very spiritual process for me and I usually learn something after the fact, once each poem is written. I’ve been really enjoying the absence of any kind of song structure while creating these arrangements, and I also greatly credit Dave Eggar for supporting this vision, and my writing, unequivocally.”
In addition to three-time GrammyĀ® nominee Dave Eggar, contributors to Poetica include renowned klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer, Spooky Ghost guitarist (and longtime David Bowie bandmate) Gerry Leonard, jazz trumpet player Russ Johnson, drummer Quinn(Janelle MonĆ”e) and UK-based blues harmonica player Will Wilde. Frequent musical partners Kelly Halloran (Michael Franti), Doug Yowell (Suzanne Vega), Jack Petruzzelli (Rufus Wainwright), and James Mastro (Patti Smith) contributed violin, drums, and electric guitar, respectively.
Tour Dates:
8/31 – New York, NY – City Winery (Rachael Sage & The Sequins)
9/10 – New Haven, CT – East Rock Concert Series @ Never Ending Books (Poetica)
9/12 – Somerville, MA – The Burren (Poetica)
9/30 – New York, NY – Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3 (Poetica album release show)
10/14 – Chicago, IL – Uncommon Ground Lakeview (Poetica)
10/25 – Knoxville, TN – WDVX Blue Plate Special (Poetica)
10/29 – Duluth, GA – Red Clay Music Foundry (Poetica)
About Poetica
Poetica is a creatively ambitious musical spoken word project distilling a poetic spirit through text, voice and music in the spirit of Leonard Cohen, Patti Smith and Laurie Anderson. What began as a remote duo collaboration between Rachael Sage and Dave Eggar eventually evolved into a full-blown spoken word concept album, with musicians contributing from around the globe on arrangements fusing elements of jazz, classical and Appalachian folk. Musical contributors include renowned klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer, Spooky Ghost guitarist (and longtime David Bowie bandmate) Gerry Leonard, jazz trumpet player Russ Johnson, and drummer Doug Yowell (Suzanne Vega). For more information, visit poeticaproject.com.
New music available for airplay now! Preview tracks with stream player, request download or CD with the form below. Full album in stores April 30, 2021 for AAA, Noncomm, Americana, Folk.
Beautifully uplifting and deeply personal, Amy Speace has made the most revealing album of her career with There Used to Be Horses Here. Recorded in Nashville in just four days, the award-winning songwriter pulls directly from her own childhood memories, coming of age in New York City, and losing a parent while learning to become one.
Mastertone Studios, NYC, 1965ā¦Amidst mounting friction with producer Paul Rothchild, Fred Neil walks out on the unfinished sessions for what was to be his debut album, āBleecker & MacDougalā. Fearing he wouldnāt return to the studio, his friend and guitar player, Peter Childs, invited him down to the Greenwich Village apartment he shared with John Sebastian, at 38 MacDougal. According to Childs, āthe best chance to get Freddie back wouldnāt be to try to persuade him verbally, but to get him over to the apartment for a bit of music-makingā. What transpired on that afternoon was a legendary singer-songwriter and his long-time accompanist making music for the pure joy of it, a one-of-a-kind private performance, captured on Ampex reel to reel, and stored for over fifty years!
The story behind these previously unreleased recordings was beautifully told in Peter Lee Neffās 2019 Fred Neil biography, “Thatās The Bag Iām In”. Fred and Peter Childs perform songs that would later wind up on āBleecker & MacDougalā (āTravellinā Shoesā, āCountry Boyā, āGone Againā, āCandy Manā, āLittle Bit Of Rainā), a definitive āSweet Cocaineā, and two PD songs that donāt appear on any other Fred Neil album; the traditional folk song, āOnce I Had A Sweetheartā, and the African-American spiritual, āBlind Man Standing By The Road And Cryingā. The latter is our personal favorite, and despite the biography mentioning the song cutting off before it ends, Delmoreās tape magically contained the complete performance in all its glory. Fred takes the song on a personal and deep journey, and Peter adds the most perfect musical touches. Itās also the first appearance on a Fred Neil record of one of the many Spiritual songs that were often a part of his live repertoire.
