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Congratulations
to
The Lil Ray Neal Blues Band
Bringing home third place out of
160 acts at the IBC
(International Blues Challenge)
Way to Go--it's only up from here!
"Most of us go to our graves with our music still inside of us." -unknown
Thanks to those who don't !!!!!
Note from Gregg
Wright Feedback Welcome
NEW RELEASES
Marcia Ball
Peace, Love, and BBQ
Peace ,Love , and BBQ is perhaps the most multi-faceted and deepest album of
Marcia's career. From the pure New Orleans fun of "Party Town", "Watermelon
Times", and "Right Back In It", to more serious commentary on Katrina and
it's aftermath with the probing "Where Do You Go" and the inspirational
"Ride It Out", two of her more arresting compositions(the former co-written
by Tracy Nelson, who also appears on it). Contributions by Dr. John,
Terrance Simien, and Wayne Toups add to the Gulf Coast ambiebce. Plus,
Steven Bruton's production is terrific,especially in the way that he frames
Marcia's performances of "Miricle In Knoxville" and "Down In The
Neighborhood" with a fascinating soundscape. Marcia has described Peace,
Love, and BBQ as the album she's proudest of in her long career, and its
easy to hear why.
CD review by
Mary4Music
click
CD
KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD
cle
C
Article
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER
Released July 10, 2007
Mem
Limited Edition Jazz
Fest EP
Chris
Thomas King 2006 DVD “Juke Joint, you can never go home again,
” featuring never before seen footage of the original Tabby’s Blues Box."
click here for story
Death By Corporation
Greetings friends and music lovers! This month, I'd like to get
something off my chest, that's been bugging me for quite a while.
I'd love
your opinions on this.
Traveling the planet as a professional musician, I come across large
cross sections of people, nationalities, opinions, ideas, outlooks and
attitudes. I always find people and places fascinating. Naturally,
folks
often approach me with various thoughts on music. One common thread
through all this I find a bit disconcerting, is the idea that "Man, they
just don't make music like they used to!" My reaction to this idea
is
always the same . . . "Bullshit, ya just gotta know where to look!!!!"
Music didn't die at the end of the ' 70's and '80's! Hell, there's
more excellent, cutting edge music being made now, than at anytime
before. Music artists can now record, produce, release and control their
music on an unprecedented scale. But nowadays, you don't hear about it.
Why? Because the music industry, like everything else, has been
hijacked
by huge global corporations.
These gigantic corporate beasts, kill all the natural vitality and
beauty in whatever they touch. With no understanding of anything but the
blind pursuit of profits, they suck the life out of everything ! How many
times have you seen a great local Mom & Pop restaurant with excellent
food & friendly service, go corporate (Mom & Pop's on every corner
between here &
Timbuktu!!!) only to find the food now sucks, the service is
lousy and everything's overpriced!
Global corporations have taken over radio, record labels, print media,
television, and more. Radio playlists and formats (especially here in
the U.S.) are restricted to what the corporations say to play; usually
artists on labels associated with the parent corporation. (hey . . .
isn't that illegal?) As a result, new artists are shut out. Without a way
to be seen and heard, they are literally killing us! This is one
form
of Death by Corporation. Increasingly, they're deciding what we see,
hear, eat, wear, put on our shelves and to a growing extent, what we
think. This bullshit has to stop!
Corporate types have no business making creative decisions, anymore
than I have directing the launch of the Space Shuttle! It's been my
experience, that they have no love nor understanding of artists and their
craft. Artists are generally, individualists, free thinkers and very
opinionated! The corporate response to this is Brittney and all the
assembly line Video Vixens. Put 'em in a video and BAM!!! Who needs
talent or
singing ability? Let me state here; VIDEOS ARE NOT MUSIC!!
Videos
nearly killed REAL music! You can put anyone on camera and lip
synch.
Milli Vanilli anyone? Yesirree Bob, rampant, unchecked corporatism
is
like a giant Anaconda, slowly squeezing us all, to death! Think fuel
prices are bad? Wait'll they get ahold of the water!
However . . . all is not lost. There are so many wonderfully
innovative, intelligent musical artists. Technology has put control of the
music
into the hands of the artists, where it rightfully belongs. WE DON'T
NEED NO STINKING RECORD LABELS! And Boy, do they hate that! In
fact,
they hate all free speech, thinking, individualists and
do-it-yourselfers. Beleive me people, there is a wealth of beautiful music
being made
everywhere. Musicians!! We need to take our music to the streets. True
musicians are Doctors of the Soul. Now more than at any time I can
remember, it seems people have a great yearning for some Soul healing.
Forget corporate radio. "Classic Rock" and "Oldies" are code terms for
playing the Same Ol' Tired Ass Shit. Man, I love my old records as
much as the next guy. But if I hear "Stairway to Heaven" one more fucking
time on the radio after 34 years, I'm going to drive down to the
station, kick in the door, lock the Program Director in a closet, take
over
the mic, plug in and play MY shit louder than a 747, live on the air!!!
So, the next time you see that local band hawking their CDs at the
gig, pick up a copy. Support the local Mom & Pop eatery. Celebrate life,
love, families & nature. Celebrate art, music & culture. The fuel crisis
is just the beginning of our potential enslavement by giant, global
corporations. I steadfastly reject the notion of death by
corporation.
Fuck 'em . . . I'll walk and play acoustic!
New CD release later this month!
Keep on Rockin'