The voice has always been part of Simon Goubert's life.
First, in the theater background of his childhood, it was spoken in all its forms. Sometimes whispered, other times recited, in the end it was always applauded.
Then it was sung. Whether divine when illuminating György Ligeti’s Lux Aeterna, velvety as Billie Holiday’s or husky like Tina Turner’s, the voice has always transported Simon Goubert... all the way to his meeting Magma.
His ten years collaborating with Christian Vander, whose music revolves around voices, have taught him to fine-tune this very special instrument.
Throughout his career, Simon Goubert has always used the voice, be it singular or plural, subtle or orchestral. But for this album, the musician wanted the voices to be front and center: Stella Vander giving life to Pierre-Michel Sivadier’s lyrics, Annie Ebrel elevating Breton poems and, finally, American rapper and slam poet Mike Ladd.
The instrumentalists are also an eclectic group of kindred spirits, first-rate artists met by Simon Goubert over the decades.
These musicians, whom Simon has always admired, excitedly embarked on this new journey with him. To succeed in this unprecedented adventure, these performers and improvisers have pooled together all of their know-how.
Gathered around Simon Goubert, these artists form an extraordinary band with Michel Edelin (flutes), Vincent Lê Quang (saxophones), Sylvain Kassap (clarinets), Sophia Domancich (piano), Emmanuel Bex (organ) and Hélène Labarrière (double bass).
With all of those talents combined, Simon Goubert has delivered his most beautiful album: the one that most resembles him.
The renaissance of 70’s power keyboard legends, American Tears is in full force with their second release in as many years, White Flags. Not only are they influenced by keyboard-driven progressive rock of the album-oriented 70’s such as Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis, and Deep Purple, they helped define the genre. Founder Mark Mangold’s boundless musical energy and skill spawn critically acclaimed, yet commercially unsuccessful releases Branded Bad and Tear Gas in the mid-’70s. American Tears would morph into Touch in the early ’80s yet remain clouded in anonymity. Mangold moved on to collaborate with artists such as Michael Bolton, write hits for Cher and Benny Mardones, and release his solo records.
The band’s current incarnation unearths an ambiance from a time in rock history when keyboard solos reigned supreme. Tom Scholz’s masterful Hammond organ solo on Boston’s Smokin comes to mind. Mangold’s keyboard riffs are rife with passion and energy. The moment you feel him about to wind down and wrap up, he reinvents the song and takes it to another level. In this regard, American Tears defies formulaic structure. To the delight of the listener, these songs keep going and going. After all, if you’re enjoying the ride, why would you want it to end?
In a recent interview on The Final on VinylPodcast (or play below), Mangold quotes Pete Townsend when The Who was accused of sounding self-indulgent and pretentious “Thank you very much,” said Pete, clearly proud of being labeled as such. Mangold is justifiably proud, as well.
Listening to his vocals on White Flags, one is reminded of the soul and range of The Cult’s Ian Astbury. Each song on White Flags is consistently upbeat with a broad array of tempos and melodies. Two of the more soulful tracks which accentuate his vocal range come in the form of “Give me More” and the album’s closer “White Flags.”
To Mark Mangold, White Flagsis about surrender and sacrifice.Giving up the battles and giving all of oneself is a sure path to freedom. The lyrics, vocals, and driving power keyboards echo that refrain.Those who remember American Tears from the ’70s will enjoy this next chapter in their evolution while an emerging fan base is sure to keep growing.
Rate the Tracks Tracks: 01. Turn U On 02. Wake up City 03. Hell or High Water 04. Waltz of the Angels 05. Fire Down Below 06. Give Me More 07. Love is Love 08. Turn the Page (Blue Dog) 09. Pitch Black 10. Keep on Movin’ 11. White Flags
NYC - Art Rock & Jazz Folk Fusion artist Potter's Daughter to release holiday-themed single “This Winter's Child” on November 1st, 2019! The single will be available both digitally, and as a CD single for the band's debut on MRR, the single made its debut during pre-sales at this year's ProgStock.
Potter's Daughter was formed in New York City while Dyanne Potter Voegtlin was studying classical piano performance at the Manhattan School of Music. A pupil of Robert Goldsand and Mike Longo, Dyanne searched for the marriage of classical theory and virtuosity with the freedom and innovation of jazz both in study and performance. Together with a rotating group of masters from many schools of music, Dyanne performed regularly in New York City, as well as in north-eastern Pennsylvania.
Now, together with long-time friend, Amit Chatterjee, (producer, arranger, and guitarist), and Ian C. Voegtlin (composer, bassist, guitarist, and saxophonist), they are looking forward to releasing their second single, “This Winter's Child.” This single returns to the acoustic and eclectic sound of their debut album, “The Blind Side.”
Featuring beautiful virtuosic piano and haunting vocal melodies, “This Winter’s Child” is indicative of the Progressive Folk style of Potter’s Daughter’s vocal music. Potter’s Daughter’s unique mix of Progressive Folk vocal music and instrumental Prog/Fusion makes them one of today’s most interesting new artists!
Recording and Production Info: “This Winter's Child” Featuring Ian C. Voegtlin: Bass and Guitar Dyanne Potter Voegtlin: Piano and Vocals Amit Chatterjee: Percussion Lyrics by Ronda Dubiel and Dyanne Potter Voegtlin. Produced by Amit Chatterjee Cover art by Ian C. Voegtlin
Quotes: “…Great writing and performing. Absolutely beautiful and rich music…brilliant, poetic, fresh…” - Grammy Award winning composer and arranger Lee Johnson (The Grateful Dead Symphony)
“…just beautiful..I love your voice, and chord progressions are sublime” - Jon Anderson (lead singer of progressive rock band, Yes)
Longtime fan of Todd Rundgren Julie Dye attended his show in Cleveland on May 6th and presented Todd with a Braille version of his book “The Individualist” that Chelsea, her blind daughter, had made by hand.
As the first leg of the current White Album Tribute tour featuring Todd Rundgren, Micky Dolenz, Christopher Cross, Joey Molland and Jason Scheff was ending in Washington, DC on October 20th, Todd thought of presenting the book to the Library of Congress (specifically the National Library Service For The Blind And Disabled division).
A presentation at the Librarian of Congress Ceremonial Office was held the morning of October 21. Todd flew Julie and Chelsea to Washington to attend the DC concert and the ceremony the following morning.
The brief ceremony was held in the Librarian’s Ceremonial Office at the historic Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library Of Congress on Capitol Hill. The Library was represented by Karen Keninger, Director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Jason Yasner, Deputy Director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, and Mark Sweeney, Principal Deputy Librarian Of Congress.
The second leg of the White Album Tribute tour resumes on November 30th in Pittsburgh.
Ahead of the release on 25th October, of the new solo album, All This Will Be Yours from Bruce Soord, the multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and frontman for The Pineapple Thief, Soord has revealed his video for the title track.
The new album, described by Soord as an observational record, it is inspired by the joy felt by the birth of his third child juxtaposed by the local deprivation in his hometown and with the release of the title track Soord explores these themes more “This song was literally inspired by walking with my new-born daughter in my hometown of Yeovil. I love my hometown, but it's got its fair share of problems. I was taken by the contrast of this smiling soul staring up from her pram, surrounded by lost souls. Drunks, addicts, the hopeless. Near me is a notorious drug den. No windows, no electricity, no running water. But nevertheless, it is a hive of activity. Lifeless addicts drifting in and out. So our only choice was 'to push past 158'. Myself, turning a blind eye. The community turning a blind eye. But don't get me wrong, I love my hometown. And the people in it. All this will be hers.”
Bruce continues “The video was created by George Laycock and produced by Blacktide Phonic/Visual, who I’ve worked with previously, was shot in London rather than Yeovil as a way of, hopefully, reflecting the universal themes of the song. Talking of the themes, they are not universally bleak. There is plenty to be worried about. But there really is plenty to be hopeful for as well”.
Tracklisting: 1. The Secrets I Know [02:24] 2. Our Gravest Threat Apart [04:14] 3. The Solitary Path Of A Convicted Man [03:44] 4. All This Will Be Yours [06:04] 5. Time Does Not Exist[03:33] 6. One Misstep [04:00] 7. You Hear The Voices[06:54] 8. Cut The Flowers[04:35] 9. One Day I Will Leave You [05:17]
All This Will Be Yours will be released on CD, LP, digitally and as a deluxe hardback book 3 disc edition featuring the album on CD, with an extra CD of acoustic re-workings and bonus studio tracks plus a DVD with All This Will Be Yours as a Hi-res 24/88 WAV stereo album, Hi res 24/88 WAV acoustic album and Hi res 24/88 WAV bonus studio tracks, all of which will also be available in 24/88 DTS 5.1 surround. PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE HERE https://brucesoord.lnk.to/AllThisWillBeYours
“He’s created something remarkable” - Classic Rock
“A journey that would please fans of Floyd and Steven Wilson” - Total Guitar
“Soord has genuinely created something truly outstanding” - Prog
“Deceptively simple, emotionally rich, this album shows Soord at the peak of his powers” - Echoes and Dust
Bruce Soord has confirmed he’ll be supporting his new album with live shows beginning early next year – look out for more dates to be announced soon:
Jan 25 – NL – De Cacaofabriek, Popzaal, Helmond Mar 20-21 – NL – Prognosis Festival – Eindhoven
THE PINEAPPLE THIEF will be playing their first ever North America tour in November and December 2019: Nov 19 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse Nov 20 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre Nov 21 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage Nov 22 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer Nov 23 - New York City, NY - Sony Hall Nov 24 - Boston, MA - The Sinclair Nov 26 - Quebec City, Canada - Palais Montcalm Nov 27 - Montreal, Canada - Corona Theatre Nov 28 - Toronto, Canada - Mod Club Nov 29 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom Nov 30 - Detroit, MI - The Crofoot Ballroom Dec 1 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge Dec 3 - Guadalajara, Mexico - C3 Stage Dec 4 - Mexico City, Mexico - Lunario del Auditorio Nacional Dec 6 - Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre Dec 8 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom Dec 9 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre Dec 10 - San Francisco, CA - Slim's Dec 12 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre Dec 13 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - Rickshaw Theatre Dec 14 - Seattle, WA - Neumos
Bruce Soord online: Facebook, twitter & Instagram: @bsoord
Giving an official release to some wonderful historic concerts previously only available to a few people, keyboard legend Rick Wakeman is releasing Box Of Boots: Set of 10 Live CDs: Official Bootleg Series on December 2, 2019. This is a response to these concerts being heavily bootlegged throughout the years and continuing the trend of Frank Zappa, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Pearl Jam... Rick has decided to make stand against the bootleggers and supply official bootlegs which have been cleaned up in the studio, packaged in a great way at a fraction of the price saving fans from buying them off the black market!
The box set is a limited edition of 1,000 units. Each contains a signed and numbered certificate.
The box set contains:
Boston USA 1974 Live At Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA October 5th 1974
Osaka Japan 1975 Journey To The Centre Of The Earth Koseinekin Hall, Osaka Japan, 21st January 1975
Vienna, Austria 1976 Vienna Ensemble 1976 Live In Vienna Kurhalle, Oberlaa
Preston UK 1981 Live at Guildhall Preston, November 16th 1981
Sheffield UK 1981 Live at the City Hall Sheffield, UK November 21st 1981
Daphne Du Maurier Festival UK 2001 17th January 2001
Tokyo Japan 2008 Solo Performance in Tokyo 2008
Rick Wakeman and the English Rock Ensemble Cropredy, UK 2010 Live at Cropredy Festival, Oxfordshire, UK, 2010
Tokyo Japan 2014 International Forum Hall, Tokyo 1st July 2014
Osaka Japan 2014 Sankei Hall 30th June 2014
Release date 2nd December 2019
Keyboardist, songwriter, producer, television and radio presenter, and author, Rick Wakeman is best known for his work with progressive rock band YES, which spans across five tenures between 1971 and 2004 and for his solo albums released in the 1970s. Wakeman's discography includes over 90 solo albums that range from several musical styles. He has made many television and radio appearances; in recent years he became known for his contributions to the BBC comedy series “Grumpy Old Men,” “Watchdog” and his radio show on Planet Rock that aired from 2005 to 2010. Wakeman has written three books; an autobiography and two memoirs. In 2017, Wakeman was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of YES.
Gonzo Multimedia is releasing the highly anticipated debut studio album from Rodney Matthews and Jeff Scheetz with Oliver Wakeman titled “Trinity” and is now available for pre-order.
World renowned British fantasy artist and drummer Rodney Matthews and American rock guitarist and Director of Education at TrueFire Jeff Scheetz, along with British award-winning composer and former Yes keyboardist Oliver Wakeman are to release a prog rock album inspired by Matthews’ fantastical images.
Having illustrated over 140 rock album covers Matthews knew who to call upon to play across the ten eclectic tracks composed and arranged by himself, Scheetz, Wakeman and TV/film composer and multi-instrumentalist Pete Coleman. The stellar line-up also includes none other than legendary Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman on the title track, three bass players – Asia FJP’s John Payne, Magnum’s Tony Clarkin and in-demand jazz/blues/rock session player Steve Amadeo – and world class saxophonist Charles McNeal, plus vocals by Sarah Prothero and narration by Mark A. Williams.
The distinctive styles and diversity of contributions from these musicians lends perfectly to the largely instrumental album, encapsulating in music, images both familiar and new, from the thunderous ‘Heavy Metal Hero’ and dramatic ‘Night on the Bare Mountain’ to the majestic ‘Mirador’ and ethereal ‘Trinity’ (and everything in-between).
The album will be available on CD and double Vinyl with bonus tracks. Also, for collectors, both will be included in a lavish limited-edition boxed set, accompanied by Matthews’ illustrated guide to the artwork, two giclée prints and a set of eleven postcards.
Of the album, many years in the making, Matthews says: “I’ve waited all my life to record an album, to do so with this group of high calibre musicians was beyond my wildest dreams - and trust me, being a fantasy artist, I can dream pretty wild!”
