{"id":28963,"date":"2016-04-24T09:43:08","date_gmt":"2016-04-24T13:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=28963"},"modified":"2016-04-24T09:38:06","modified_gmt":"2016-04-24T13:38:06","slug":"on-stage-extra-pagliacci-performed-by-delphi-opera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=28963","title":{"rendered":"On Stage Extra: Pagliacci performed by Delphi Opera"},"content":{"rendered":"

Classical options for a sweet Sunday<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>Staff Writer, The Times<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"pagliacci\"If you\u2019re looking for a concert to attend this Sunday and want to shift into classical mode, you\u2019re in luck because two concerts in the area can fill the bill.<\/span><\/p>\n

On April 24, Delphi Opera will present Ruggiero Leoncavallo\u2019s signature verismo masterpiece \u201cPagliacci\u201d at Padua Academy\u2019s Roberto Hall (905 North Broom Street Wilmington, Delaware, 302-384-8075, http:\/\/www.delphiopera.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe chose to do \u2018Pagliacci\u2019 because it is one of the great masterpieces,\u201d said Delphi Opera founder Eve Edwards during a phone interview this week. \u201cAnd, it bears relevance to our sponsors — the Wilmington Friends of Italian Culture and the Da Vinci Society. \u2018Pagliacci\u2019 takes place in the south of Italy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s the commedia dell\u2019arte in the second act. It\u2019s just a great all-around opera. It\u2019s got it all. It\u2019s like a Hollywood blockbuster — great passion, illicit love tryst, violence, and great desire.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Commedia dell\u2019arte is a form of theatre characterized by masked \u201ctypes\u201d which began in Italy in the 16th century. In opera, verismo (which means \u201crealism\u201d in Italian) was a post-Romantic operatic tradition associated with Italian composers such as Giacomo Puccini, Pietro Mascagni, Ruggero Leoncavallo and Umberto Giordano.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI particularly love verismo repertoire,\u201d said Edwards. \u201cIt connects with opera fans — and with people new to opera. It\u2019s more visceral than other styles of opera and that\u2019s why it connects with audiences. The first act and the second act mirror each other. It\u2019s a very interesting construction of a story.<\/span><\/p>\n

Three years ago, Delphi Opera produced its first opera — \u201cLa Boheme\u201d — and followed with \u201cMadame Butterfly\u201d in 2014 and \u201cLa Traviata\u201d last year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re doing the complete \u2018Pagliacci\u2019 — two acts,\u201d said Edwards. \u201cIt\u2019s a brief opera — one hour and 15 minutes. In the past, we\u2019ve done operas that were abridged slightly. The first three were all longer operas and we had to make judicious cuts. It broke my heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis one doesn\u2019t have to be changed. It\u2019s preceded by a 50-minute concert of Italian music. Jerry Kalstein will present a pre-opera mini-talk and will also be doing narration between the acts. We want to educate audiences about opera.\u00a0 This is a high quality performance with wonderful singers and musicians.<\/span><\/p>\n

Leoncavallo claimed that he based the story of \u201cPagliacci\u201d on an incident from his childhood — a murder in 1865, the victim of which was a Leoncavallo family servant, Gaetano Scavello. The murderer was Gaetano D’Alessandro, with his brother Luigi an accomplice to the crime.<\/span><\/p>\n

The incident resulted from a series of perceived romantic entanglements involving Scavello, Luigi D’Alessandro, and a village girl with whom both men were infatuated. Leoncavallo\u2019s father, a judge, was the presiding magistrate over the criminal investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Delphi Opera cast and directorial staff features Richard Nicosia (Canio\/Pagliaccio), Eve Edwards (Nedda\/Colombina), Todd E. Ranney (Tonio\/Taddeo), Charles Schneider (Sylvio), and Clifford Bechtel (Beppe\/Arlecchino), with additional featured concert artists, mezzo-soprano Andrea M. Arena, bass-baritone Edward Bogusz, and bass Daniel Glaudel, with Joseph Krupa (Music Director), Howard Zogott (Stage Director), and Jerry Kalstein (Narrator\/Lecturer).<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Delphi Opera — https:\/\/youtu.be\/okaS0sy8418<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The performance at Padua is scheduled for April 24 at 2 p.m. The pre-opera mini-lecture will be held at 1:30 p.m. All tickets are $10.<\/span><\/p>\n

There will be another \u201cclassical\u201d concert on April 24 featuring music from a different location inside the classical music genre.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Imani<\/a>

Imani Winds<\/p><\/div>\n

A blend of classical and jazz music will be featured when the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society presents Imani Winds in a matinee show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, 215-569-8080, www.pcmsconcerts.org<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Imani Winds — Valerie Coleman, flute; Toyin Spellman-Diaz, oboe; Mark Dover, clarinet; Monica Ellis, bassoon; Jeff Scott, horn — has established itself as one of the most successful chamber music ensembles in the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since 1997, the Grammy nominated quintet has taken a unique path, carving out a distinct presence in the classical music world with its dynamic playing, culturally poignant programming, adventurous collaborations, and inspirational outreach programs.<\/span><\/p>\n

With two member composers and a deep commitment to commissioning new work, the group is enriching the traditional wind quintet repertoire while meaningfully bridging European, American, African and Latin American traditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been together 18 years now,\u201d said Ellis, during a phone interview Wednesday from her home in New York. \u201cWe found each other through our flute player Valerie. It was her idea to put together a woodwind quintet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the coolest things is that we\u2019ve brought a new sound to woodwind quintets. We have a hard-hitting sound. Our seventh album is coming put this May. It\u2019s called \u2018Startin\u2019 Sumthin.\u2019\u00a0 We recorded it over a few months in 2013. It took us awhile to get everything together. It\u2019s a fun collection of virtuosic arrangements and original compositions by Valerie and Jeff. There are a lot of jazz elements — and even a tango piece by Aster Piazzola.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Imani Winds\u2019 touring schedule has taken them across the globe. At home, the group has performed in the nation\u2019s major concert venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Disney Hall, and Kimmel Center.<\/span><\/p>\n

The group is frequently engaged by the premier chamber music series in Boston, San Francisco, Portland, Philadelphia and New York, and has also played virtually every major university performing arts series. Festivals include Chamber Music Northwest, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, La Jolla Music Society, Virginia Arts Festival, Bravo! Colorado, and Ravinia Festival.<\/span><\/p>\n

In recent seasons, the group has traveled extensively internationally, with tours in China, Singapore, Brazil, and throughout Europe. Recent season highlights include debuts at La Folle Journee in Nantes, France, and in London\u2019s Wigmore Hall. In 2015 they also debuted at Paris Jazz Festival and were featured at the Huntington Estate Festival in Australia.<\/span><\/p>\n

The group continues its Legacy Commissioning Project, in which the ensemble is commissioning, premiering and touring new works for woodwind quintet written by established and emerging composers of diverse musical backgrounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Legacy Project kicked off in 2008 with world premieres by Alvin Singleton and Roberto Sierra. Since then, projects have included works by Jason Moran, Stefon Harris, Danilo Perez, Simon Shaheen, and Mohammed Fairouz.<\/span><\/p>\n

The group\u2019s fifth album on E1 Music \u2014 titled \u201cTerra Incognita\u201d after Wayne Shorter\u2019s piece written for the group \u2014 is a celebration of the Legacy project with new works written for Imani Winds by Shorter, Jason Moran, and Paquito D\u2019Rivera.<\/span><\/p>\n

The group\u2019s program at the Art Museum will include a piece by D\u2019Rivera — \u201cA Farewell Mambo.\u201d Other numbers include \u201cRed Clay and Mississippi Delta\u201d (Valerie Coleman), \u201cScheherazade\u201d (Rimsky-Korsakov arr. by Jonathan Russell), \u201cContrabajissimo\u201d (Astor Piazolla arr. by Jeff Scott), \u201cSix Pieces for Wind Quintet\u201d (Anders Hillborg),\u00a0 and \u201cDance Mediterranea\u201d (Simon Shaheen arr. Jeff Scott).<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Imani Winds — https:\/\/youtu.be\/ai6AFMV9S4Y<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Philadelphia Museum af Art will start at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20, $18 for seniors over 65, $10 for students with ID and $5 for children under 12.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"We<\/a>

We Banjo<\/p><\/div>\n

Warm weather is here and so is the arrival of Celtgrass. But, you won\u2019t find Celtgrass on area lawns.<\/span><\/p>\n

Celtgrass is a term used to describe the music of We Banjo 3, an award-winning traditional Irish music quartet. On April 25, We Banjo 3 visit the area for a concert at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

We Banjo 3 feature a seven-time All Ireland fiddle champion and another All Ireland champion on fiddle and bodhran. The band\u2019s debut album \u201cRoots Of The Banjo Tree\u201d was named \u201cTraditional Album Of The Year\u201d by The Irish Times and their most recent studio release \u201cGather The Good\u201d picked up four \u201cAlbum Of The Year\u201d awards.<\/span><\/p>\n

We Banjo 3 blends traditional Irish Music with Americana and Bluegrass to create its hybrid style known as \u201cCeltgrass.\u201d Featuring banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, vocals and percussion, We Banjo 3 make a bold and extraordinary musical statement.\u00a0 Modern rhythms, traditional melodies, virtuosic technique and innovative arrangements of music and song add up to a blazing live show.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band includes two sets of brothers, Enda and Fergal Scahill and Martin and David Howley, Collectively they are among the most celebrated and distinguished musicians in Ireland today. They have been at the forefront of Irish banjo and fiddle for more than 20 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Martin Howley is a seven-time \u201cAll Ireland\u201d Banjo champion while Enda Scahill, who is also an author on Irish banjo techniques, holds four.\u00a0 Multi-instrumentalist Fergal Scahill is one of the most acclaimed fiddlers in Irish music and an \u201cAll Ireland\u201d champion on fiddle and bodhran. Multi-instrumentalist David Howley is the group\u2019s vocalist and also provides the band with its rhythm section.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMe and my brother, we grew up in southern Galway — in Ardrahan,\u201d said David Howley, during a recent phone interview from a tour stop in Sacramento, California. \u201cThe two Scahill brothers grew up in east Galway — in Corofin. \u201cWe got to be great friends over a number of years.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur paths crossed a number of times a while back. They played a show at Siansa (National Concert Hall in Dublin) and we were mesmerized by their playing. Over time, we met each other at clubs and competitions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne year, I was playing guitar in a competition that had three rounds. In the first round, I had Martin play banjo with me. In the second round, I had Enda play banjo with me because Martin had gone on holiday. In the third round, which was the finals, I asked both Enda and Fergal to play with me.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was strange to have two banjos alongside me. I won the competition and we realized it was a lot fun playing together. Me, Martin and Enda all play banjo — but in different styles. I play banjo like guitar.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So, the four talented musicians continue to play together — and to expand the scope of their music beyond the shores of the Emerald Isle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe had different levels of interest in Americana and bluegrass,\u201d said Howley. \u201cA friend from Chicago sent us a mixtape of some bluegrass music. Prior to that, my dad had been a big fan of country music and bluegrass. So, my brother and I grew up with it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2012, We Banjo 3 released its debut album \u201cRoots of the Banjo Tree\u201d and followed with \u201cGather the Good\u201d in 2014 and \u201cLive in Galway\u201d in 2015.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOn the first album, we just explored the roots,\u201d said Howley. \u201cAfter that, we met a lot of bluegrass musicians when we were touring and that shaped a lot of the music on our next album.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The rest is Celtgrass history.<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for We Banjo 3 — https:\/\/youtu.be\/wMnTMJEC2l4<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Sellersville Theater, which also features poor Man\u2019s Gambit, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $19.50 and $29.50.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nightAnother concert on April 25 will feature bands from the opposite end of the popular music spectrum.\u00a0 Heavy metal rockers Night Demon and Visigoth will share the bill at Kung Fu Necktie (1248 North Front Street, Philadelphia, 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Southern California\u2019s Night Demon recently announced that the band was embarking on the first leg of the \u201cFinal Curse Tour\u201d alongside Metal Blade recording artists Visigoth. Night Demon, which features Jarvis Leatherby, Dusty Squires and Armand John Anthony, is touring in support of its debut album \u201cCurse of the Damned\u201d (Steamhammer Records).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re calling it the \u2018Final Curse\u2019 so I don\u2019t know — it might be the last time we play it,\u201d said Leatherby, during a phone interview Tuesday from a tour stop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. \u201cWe\u2019re playing the album in its entirety.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe album came out in January 2015. It made 30 different Top 10 lists and was picked as album of the year in five different publications. That\u2019s even more impressive because it came out at the beginning of the year and a lot of other bands save their albums for a fourth-quarter release.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of the touring we did supported the album\u2019s popularity. We did 230 shows last year — in Europe, all over the United States and in Latin America. When you make something good, you want to give it a chance — and give the fans a chance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The album definitely has made an impact. It is an album filled with intense music and powerful riffs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe write shorter songs than most metal bands — three minutes not five minutes,\u201d said Leatherby. \u201cWe recorded the album in late 2014 at Bright Mountain It\u2019s Joe Martin\u2019s studio in Keene, California, which is in the mountains near Tehechapi. We used a lot of vintage gear and they have analog converted there.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve already recorded our next record and we used the same studio. We tried recording it locally in L.A. and it was a pain. When you\u2019re trying to record close to home, there are too many distractions. Going to Keene allowed us to get away from all those distractions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs of now, we haven\u2019t played any of the songs from the new album live yet — except for one new instrumental. With a one-and-a-half year your, we\u2019ve been playing these songs a lot and they\u2019ve morphed. Now, we\u2019re playing them the way they were recorded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the last tour of this cycle. We\u2019re playing the whole album — which we didn\u2019t do before. We start the show with a couple non-album songs and covers and then the stage set changes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA huge banner of the album cover drops down behind the band and we start playing \u2018Curse of the Damned.\u2019 We\u2019re actually playing it in reverse order — finish-to-start — and it works.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Night Demon — https:\/\/youtu.be\/8g9_MVNTzwg<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"visigoth\"With a musical heritage that features Donny and Marie Osmond, the Osmond Brothers and the Mormon Tabernacle, Salt Lake City is not a place many people would associate with heavy metal music. Fans of Visigoth do not fall into this group.<\/span><\/p>\n

Visigoth is a band from Salt Lake City that released its first EP \u201cFinal Spell\u201d in 2012 and its debut album \u201cThe Revenant King\u201d in 2015. Its music is not for the timid.<\/span><\/p>\n

The quintet — Jake Rogers (Vocals), Leeland Campana (Lead Guitar), Jamison Palmer (Guitar), Matt Brotherton (Bass Guitar), Mikey T. (Drums) — plays power metal with a force that can keep eardrums vibrating long after the music has stopped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe metal scene in Salt Lake City — mostly black metal and death metal — is small but tight-knit,\u201d said Rogers, during a phone interview Wednesday as the band travelled from Atlanta to its next tour stop in Raleigh, North Carolina. \u201cWe\u2019re a heavy metal band.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot all of us are originally from Salt Lake City but we\u2019re here now. Lee and I played in a band before Visigoth that was my first real band. It was a traditional metal band — and short-lived. We played only three shows and then our drummer moved away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA while later when we were at the University of Utah, I called Lee and said I wanted to put another band together but that I wanted to sing instead of playing guitar. We just built the band around that. We got jamming again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had known Matt since eighth grade so we got him on bass. It was a revolving door for drummers for awhile. Then, Mikey saw us play and said — hey, I\u2019m in your band now. That was in 2010.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That got the ball rolling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe started by recording a self-financed EP,\u201d said Rogers. \u201cWe\u2019re from the middle of nowhere so it took awhile for anyone to notice. The album is mostly old songs. It\u2019s a retrospective of our early years. But, when we signed with Metal Blade, the record company wanted a record.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe had spent years playing tons of gigs. Then, we cut the album with Andy Patterson at Boar\u2019s Nest Studio in Salt Lake City. We finished at the end of 2013 and it came out in the first quarter of 2014.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Visigoth plays heavy metal that hearkens back to the golden age of ironclad riffwork and powerful vocals. The five veteran musicians pay tribute to the titans of steel with an earth-shaking sound that shows a deep reverence for their roots.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Visigoth\u2019s realm, there are no frills, no gimmicks — there is only heavy metal. The band\u2019s brand of heavy metal fit perfectly within the ranks of Metal Blade Records, who brought the band on board to release its debut full-length album.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve already written more than we need for our next album,\u201d said Rogers. \u201cWe had an album\u2019s worth of material before the last album was released. But, on this tour, we\u2019re playing all old songs — except one new one. We\u2019re really excited to get back in the studio to start recording some new songs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Visigoth — https:\/\/youtu.be\/2oclDVweTR4<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Kung Fu Necktie well start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"javier<\/a>www.electricfactory.info<\/span><\/a>) and Javier Colon at the World Caf\u00e9 Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400, philly.worldcafelive.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Colon, who was the winner on the inaugural season of NBC\u2019s \u201cThe Voice,\u201d is set to take his recording career to the next level with the April 1 release of \u201cGravity,\u201d\u00a0 his fourth album overall and his first for Concord Records. The 15-song album, on which Colon wrote or co-wrote all but three songs, marks a creative milestone for the artist.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The singer-songwriter-guitarist was born in Stratford, Connecticut, the son of a Dominican father and Puerto Rican mother. He pursued a degree in music education from the University of Hartford\u2019s Hartt School.<\/span><\/p>\n

While studying, Javier also performed as vocalist and percussionist in EmcQ, a soul\/funk band led by lead guitarist Ian McHugh. His first break came when he was asked to be a vocalist with the Derek Trucks Band from his home in Connecticut.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI joined the Derek Trucks Band in 200 and was with them about two years,\u201d said Colon, during a phone interview Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen EmcQ opened a show for Soulive, the DTB\u2019s guitarist Eric Krasno knew Derek was looking for a lead vocalist so he recommended me. I learned so much from Derek and the guys. Derek is the best guitar player on the planet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After touring with the Derek Trucks Band for nearly two years, Colon left the band in April 2002 and signed with Capitol Records. He released two albums with Capitol Records — \u201cJavier\u201d in 2003 and \u201cLeft of Center\u201d in 2006.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was very inexperienced with the music industry and didn\u2019t know what to expect when I signed with Capitol,\u201d said Colon. \u201cI got released by Capitol on 2006 and was free again. Then, five years went by and I couldn\u2019t land a record deal.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNothing was working. In 2011, I had one more prospect with Blue Note — and then they passed. I thought that was the dagger in my career — thought it was the end. I had a wife and two kids so I was thinking about doing something else.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, I got a call from my manager about \u2018The Voice.\u2019 I was skeptical at first but friends told me — you have to do this. I went and it changed my life. I\u2019m very grateful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

On June 29, 2011, Colon and Stevie Nicks performed \u201cLandslide\u201d together. At the end of the show, the voting results were announced. With more votes than any other contestant,\u00a0 Colon won the first season\u00a0 and received $100,000 in cash and a Universal Republic recording contract.<\/span><\/p>\n

Later that year, Colon released his third album \u201cCome Through for You\u201d on Universal Republic Records. The album reached the Top in the U.S. Rhythm-and-Blues charts. He since has left that label and signed with Concord Records, the label that released \u201cGravity\u201d earlier this month.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI cut \u2018Gravity\u2019 at a couple places,\u201d said Colon. \u201cI wrote with a bunch of different people and that\u2019s why I used different studios. We cut songs in Nashville and some in New York and others in L.A.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just wanted songs that felt like me. We had a lot of choices. I wasn\u2019t pressured to write in any particular way. It was a great feeling not having anyone trying to mold me. There was no pressure so I got to do what I wanted. There\u2019s rock, pop, country — a little bit of everything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Javier Colon — https:\/\/youtu.be\/dITC6CErw3M<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at WCL, which has Ernie Halter as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"thirdstory\"<\/a>

Thirdstory<\/p><\/div>\n

New York-based trio Thirdstory — Elliott Skinner, Ben Lusher and Richard Saunders — has been quietly amassing millions of followers online and selling out major venues in cities nationwide with their inventive and distinctive pop and R&B vocal stylings. The group is now in the middle of a national tour with pop songstress.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt all started in high school,\u201d said Lusher, during a phone interview Friday from a tour stop in Charlotte, North Carolina. \u201cRichard and I met at an arts program in Miami where we were both singing. Richard and Elliott met at a show in New York.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLater, when I was in college at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Richard gave me a call and asked me to sing with them. When we girt together, we realized that it was just very easy for us to sing together.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe booked a few gigs when we had only been together about six months — just to get experience. We took it seriously once we saw how well our first YouTube cover video did.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Their humble beginnings included tastefully crafted covers of contemporary artists (Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande) posted on YouTube. It was the Sam Smith \u201cI\u2019m Not The Only One\u201d cover that ultimately landed them a record deal with Verve Records.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we put the \u2018I\u2019m Not The Only One\u2019 up on YouTube, we didn\u2019t have high expectations,\u201d said Lusher, a native of Warwick Parish in Bermuda. \u201cIt got five million views in a couple weeks. It was totally unexpected. That was in December 2014.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a flag. We realized that we connected with people. Then, we ended up signing a record deal with Verve, which is part of Universal. We were originally signed to a developmental deal. As our videos gained more traction, it went to a full record deal.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe went into the studio with producer Malay, who produced the best music by Frank Ocean. We had an instant connection. He produced the whole album. We wrote some songs with Malay and some were written before. We have 10 songs done right now. We\u2019ll put the finishing touches on the album after we finish this tour.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Thirdstory — https:\/\/youtu.be\/M5WB2N6C0HU<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thirdstory will be at the Electric Factory as the opening act for Tori Kelly. The show will start at 8 p.m. and tickets are priced at $37.50.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"the<\/a>

The Loom<\/p><\/div>\n

The Loom\u00a0will be performing at Kung Fu Necktie (1248 North Front Street, Philadelphia, 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com<\/span><\/a>) on April 26 as part of its current nationwide tour in support of its long-awaited new album\u00a0\u201cHere in the Deadlights.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The album was released on April 22 via Crossbill\/Stereocilia along with its lead single \u201cFire Makes.\u201d The loom\u2019s line-up includes John Fanning, guitar, vocals; Lis Rubard,\u00a0 french horn, trumpet, keys, vocals; John Mosloskie, bass, vocals; and Mike Rasimas, drums.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere in the Deadlights\u201d\u00a0was recorded and produced by\u00a0Kevin McMahon at Marcata Recording in upstate New York.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded the album over a long period of time,\u201d said Fannng, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon. \u201cKevin has a studio up near Kingston, New York. He produced most of Titus Andronicus\u2019 records. They have a visceral quality to them that we liked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur first album came out at the end of 2011 and we toured it until mid-2012. When we got back, we started making the new album in early 2013.<\/span><\/p>\n

The themes on \u201cHere In the Deadlights\u201d\u00a0revolve around the difficult time that unfolded for Fanning after a life-upending split from his longtime partner and best friend of 14 years, which was followed by the heavy lifting of rebuilding after the collapse.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen my long-term relationship fell apart, it derailed a lot of stuff,\u201d said Fanning. \u201cI wrote all the vocals in the midst of that period. Then, without listening to them, I decided that I needed to re-do them. I love playing live but the recording proves brings out my self-critical nature.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we went in the studio to make the new album, we had 12 songs but it got over 70 minutes and that was too much. We also had a bunch more stuff that we had recorded that we thought would be an EP. Instead, we ended up with two albums. At the time, I wasn\u2019t really thinking about two discreet groups of songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOn one record, I was fascinated with memory of things and places that used to be big in life and how past experiences inform the way you see the world now. Those were the songs that ended up on \u2018Here in the Deadlights.\u2019 They were the ones for the album we intended to make. The other songs are totally done and they\u2019re a whole other record.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere In the Deadlights\u201d sees a seismic shift in sound and influence from The Loom\u2019s previous output. The new album takes on a more krautrock-inspired, psychedelic direction that features organs stacked on top of organs, endless tangles of words, and noisy guitars set against\u00a0ethereal horns, run through delay pedals.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSonically, things changed a bit in the time leading up to making the record,\u201d said Fanning as he explained how the sonic texture of the new album developed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just love electric guitar. I love the feeling. I was getting into longer, repetitive songs like the ones Kraftwerk made. But, I also wanted lyrics. The idea was to take stretched-out things and put songs in the middle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for The Loom — https:\/\/youtu.be\/VqDGImRd4UI<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Kung Fu Necktie, which starts at 8 p.m., also features Rabbits To Riches, The Bigness and Flat Mary Road. Tickets are $6.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"janiva<\/a><\/p>\n

Magness, who will be performing on April 27 at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/span><\/a>), released her first two albums — \u201cMore Than Live\u201d (1991) and \u201cIt Takes One to Know One\u201d (1997) on her own label Fathead Records.<\/span><\/p>\n

After making three albums on Blues Leaf Records and recording two for NorthernBlues Music, she took her talents to one of the premier blues labels in the world — Alligator Records.<\/span><\/p>\n

Magness released three highly-acclaimed albums on Alligator Records starting with \u201cWhat Love Will Do\u201d in 2008.\u00a0 Next was \u201cThe Devil is an Angel Too\u201d in 2010 and third was \u201cStronger for It\u201d in 2012. Coming full circle, Magness released last two albums — \u201cOriginal\u201d and \u201cLove Wins Again\u201d — on Fathead Records\/Blue \u00c9lan Records<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was very happy to have been with Alligator for six years,\u201d said Magness, during a phone interview Thursday afternoon from a tour stop in Port Angeles, Washington.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love the blues. If you wanted to take away my Koko Taylor or Lightning Hopkins records, you\u2019d have to pry them from my cold, dead hands. I\u2019m terribly grateful to have found a home in the blues community. \u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

The 11 core songs and two bonus tracks on \u201cLove Wins Again\u201d are built on a sonically sophisticated architecture that\u2019s in full service of Magness\u2019 remarkably flexible and generous voice — a voice which can as smooth as honey or as rough as needed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cLove Wins Again<\/b>\u201d shatters genre barriers by melding elements of Americana, soul, rock, pop, country and blues. The album\u2019s title is a mantra that resonates throughout — the concept of love as a physical, psychic and spiritual force that has the strength to conquer negativity, sadness and personal demons.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m an extremely contemporary blues artist — blues, soul and folk,\u201d said Magness. \u201cAs a performer, the lines between genres get blurred. With \u2018Original,\u2019 it wouldn\u2019t have fit with Alligator.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaking \u2018Original\u2019 was an exciting process and the album did very well. Now, \u2018Love Wins Again\u2019 is a very good for where I\u2019m at. It debuted at Number Five on the Billboard charts and is one of the top-played blues albums on radio right now.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat that means is that it\u2019s resonating with people. \u2018Love Wins Again\u2019 is a logical progression from \u2018Original\u2019 — a place where there is tremendous joy, healing and a lot of love.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very pleased with the reception the new album has gotten — and with my band\u2019s live show. We\u2019re playing the whole album and some songs from \u2018Original.\u2019 This is a pretty ferocious band. It\u2019s a very exciting show.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Janiva Magness — https:\/\/youtu.be\/a0ZSJAkbnV8<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Sellersville, which has the Jack Semple Band as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $19.50 and $30.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Classical options for a sweet Sunday By Denny Dyroff,\u00a0Staff Writer, The Times If you\u2019re looking for a concert to attend this Sunday and want to shift into classical mode, you\u2019re in luck because two concerts in the area can fill the bill. On April 24, Delphi Opera will present Ruggiero Leoncavallo\u2019s signature verismo masterpiece \u201cPagliacci\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28965,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7842,7],"tags":[8310,8208,8314,8312,8313,8311,8317,8315,8316],"class_list":["post-28963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","category-featured","tag-delphi-opera","tag-imani-winds","tag-janiva-magness","tag-javier-colon","tag-night-demon","tag-the-lom","tag-thirdstory","tag-visigoth","tag-we-banjo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28963"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28963\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28985,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28963\/revisions\/28985"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/28965"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}