{"id":30890,"date":"2016-07-30T10:10:27","date_gmt":"2016-07-30T14:10:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=30890"},"modified":"2016-07-30T10:12:45","modified_gmt":"2016-07-30T14:12:45","slug":"on-stage-extra-just-say-yes-to-classic-rockers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=30890","title":{"rendered":"On Stage (Extra): Just say ‘Yes’ to classic rockers"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"Yes\"<\/a>

Yes<\/p><\/div>\n

Area music fans that enjoy pop\/rock music with beautiful vocals, tasty arrangements, heartfelt emotion and a bit of classical music in the DNA are in for a treat over the next week.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, the iconic prog\/symphonic rock band from England will be performing on July 31 at Sands Bethlehem Event Center (77 Sands Boulevard, Bethlehem, www.sandseventcenter.com\/e<\/span><\/a>).\u00a0 Then, singer\/songwriter\/vocalist extraordinaire Josh Groban will visit the area on August 3 for a concert at BB&T.<\/span><\/p>\n

In recent years, Yes has been visiting America during the summer months to perform shows featuring a couple of the bands classic albums performed in their entirety.<\/span><\/p>\n

Founded in 1968 by Chris Squire and Jon Anderson, Grammy-award winning recording artists Yes have created some of the most important and influential music in rock history, such as iconic pieces \u201cRoundabout,\u201d \u201cClose to the Edge,\u201d \u201cI\u2019ve Seen All Good People,\u201d \u201cOwner of a Lonely Heart,\u201d \u201cStarship Trooper,\u201d and countless others.<\/span><\/p>\n

The group\u2019s albums, including \u201cFragile,\u201d \u201c Close to the Edge,\u201d \u201cTales from Topographic Oceans,\u201d and \u201c90125,\u201d have been certified multi-platinum, double-platinum, platinum, and more by the RIAA, and have sold over 50 million records total in a career that has so far spanned almost five decades.<\/span><\/p>\n

This year, Yes will be travelling around North America on its summer tour billed as \u201cThe Album Series: Drama + Topographic 1 & 4.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The 1980 album \u201cDrama\u201d — Yes\u2019 10th studio album — marked a new sound and more aggressive direction for the band with the use of modern keyboards and a vocoder. The album peaked at #2 in the UK and #18 in the US and features the single \u201cInto the Lens.\u201d Released as a double album in December 1973, \u201cTales From Topographic Oceans\u201d is a concept album comprised of four interlocking pieces, ranging between 18 and 22 minutes. As the band\u2019s sixth studio album, it reached #1 in the UK for two weeks — where it was the first UK album to qualify for Gold certification based on pre-orders — and peaked at #6 in the US.<\/span><\/p>\n

Following the album performances, the current Yes lineup — Steve Howe (guitar), Jon Davison (vocals), Alan White (drums), Billy Sherwood (bass) and Geoff Downes (keyboard) — will also perform a selection of the band\u2019s greatest hits.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cFor the past few years, we\u2019ve been doing these album series tours each summer,\u201d said Downes, during a phone interview Wednesday morning from a tour stop in Columbus, Ohio.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re working our way through the catalog. \u2018Drama\u2019 was an important album for me. It was my first album with the band.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1980, pop duo The Buggles (keyboardist Geoff Downes and singer Trevor Horn) acquired Brian Lane as a manager. The pair had had a worldwide hit with the single \u201cVideo Killed the Radio Star\u201d and were working in the same rehearsal complex as Yes. The duo already had a song called \u201cWe Can Fly From Here,\u201d which they thought would be suitable for Yes and which they consequently pitched to the band.<\/span><\/p>\n

At this point, the departure of Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman, which had been kept secret from everyone outside the Yes inner circle, was revealed to Horn and Downes and it was suggested that they join Yes as full-time members.<\/span><\/p>\n

Horn and Downes accepted the invitation and the reconfigured band recorded \u201cDrama,\u201d which was released in August 1980. The record displayed a heavier, harder sound than the material Yes had recorded previously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere were definitely changes when we recorded \u2018Drama,\u2019\u201d said Downes. \u201cYes went from a band that was known for playing these long pieces to being more of a rock band. When John Anderson and Rick Wakeman left, the other guys were looking in different directions for the band. I think it helped propel Yes into a whole new genre. I think we injected a whole new technical aspect — not just in sounds but also in writing. That album showed that Yes could expand into a new musical style. In our 1980 tour, we played three or four tracks off the album. It\u2019s a great album to play because there\u2019s a lot of lively music in it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTales From Topographic Oceans\u201d is one of Yes\u2019 iconic classics.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very much a Holy Grail,\u201d said Downes. \u201cWe can\u2019t do it all in this show because it has four sides. 1 and 4 were the most representative sides of the album. We knew we wouldn\u2019t have the time to play the entire album so we use the bookends. It enables the audience to go on a journey. It\u2019s nice for audiences to hear it in its original form. It\u2019s important for us to stay faithful to the original because fans expect to hear the songs as they know them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The most recent album by Yes is \u201cHeaven & Earth,\u201d which came out in 2014.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not playing any songs from the latest album but we play a lot from albums over the course of the band\u2019s career,\u201d said Downes. \u201cWe play about six or seven of the band\u2019s most popular songs. It makes for quite a long show — about two hours and 45 minutes with an intermission.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

The tour hit a recent snag but was not derailed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The trek will proceed as originally announced in light of the health update issued yesterday (7\/18) from drummer Alan White, who recently underwent a successful surgery to repair an injured disc in his lower back.<\/span><\/p>\n

As White noted in a letter penned to the fans on www.yesworld.com<\/span><\/a>, with rest and physical therapy, he will be rejoining the band as soon as physically possible. Until then, White\u2019s good friend Jay Schellen will sit in and perform with the band.<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Yes — https:\/\/youtu.be\/XMyx-Oc0S_I<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Sands Bethlehem Event Center will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $45, $55 and $65.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"groban\"<\/a>Josh Groban will bring his \u201cJosh Groban: On Stage Tour\u201d to the BB&T Pavilion (1 Harbour Boulevard, Camden, New Jersey, 856-225-0163, www.livenation.com<\/span><\/a>) on August 3. He is touring in support of his Gold-certified album \u201cStages,\u201d which was nominated for a 2016 Grammy Award for\u00a0Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStages,\u201d which is the seventh studio album by Groban, consists of favorite songs from Broadway musicals. Some of the featured tracks are \u201cWhat I Did for Love\u201d (from \u201cA Chorus Line\u201d), \u201cBring Him Home\u201d (from \u201cLes Mis\u00e9rables\u201d), \u201cOver the Rainbow\u201d (from \u201cThe Wizard of Oz\u201d) and \u201cYou\u2019ll Never Walk Alone\u201d (from \u201cCarousel\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an album I had in the back of my head since I was young,\u201d said Groban, during a recent phone interview from a tour break in Los Angeles.<\/span><\/p>\n

Groban\u2019s first album was a self-titled disc released in 2001. His first four solo albums have been certified multi-platinum, and he was charted in 2007 as the number-one best selling artist in the United States. He has entertained fans across the globe with his multi-platinum albums and DVDs (over 35 million sold worldwide), electrifying live performances, and comedic film and television appearances.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 35-year-old Los Angeles native is the only artist who has had two albums appear on the Top 20 Best-Selling Albums list of the past decade, according to\u00a0Billboard. He has appeared in the feature films\u00a0\u201cCrazy,\u201d \u201cCoffee Town,\u201d and \u201cMuppets Most Wanted,\u201d as well as on TV shows such as \u201cThe Office,\u201d and \u201cIt\u2019s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSeven albums later, a lot of paths are taking me through musical theater. \u2018Stages\u2019 was a passion project. It\u2019s been well-received and I\u2019ve been touring it over the last year. It took about eight months to make. The unsung heroes are the arrangers and the orchestras. It took awhile to find what songs were right for me — for my age and my voice. I had about 30 songs at the start and recorded 18-20 of them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Co-incidentally, Groban is headed to Broadway later this year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNatasha, Pierre & The Great Comet\u201d will open on Broadway this fall, starring Josh\u00a0Groban\u00a0as \u201cPierre\u2019 and\u00a0Den\u00e9e Benton\u00a0as \u201cNatasha\u201d in their Broadway debuts. Created by\u00a0Dave Malloy\u00a0(\u201cPreludes,\u2019 \u201cGhost Quartet\u201d) and directed by\u00a0Rachel Chavkin\u00a0(\u201cSmall Mouth Sounds,\u201d \u201cPreludes\u201d), the show will open at Broadway\u2019s\u00a0Imperial Theatre\u00a0on October 18.<\/span><\/p>\n

The musical \u201cNatasha, Pierre & The Great Comet\u201d is billed as \u201ca theatrical experience like no other\u201d. Malloy\u2019s inspired adaptation of a 70-page slice of\u00a0\u201cWar and Peace\u201d\u00a0puts the audience just inches away from Tolstoy\u2019s brash young lovers as they light up Moscow in an epic tale of romance and passion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBack when I was recording \u2018Stages,\u2019 I didn\u2019t know that I\u2019d be going to Broadway,\u201d said Groban. \u201cI love this role. It\u2019s going to be a really nice feather in my cap. \u2018Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet\u2019 was an Off-Broadway show that now is totally transforming the Imperial Theatre into a Moscow supper club.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe music is by Dave Malloy and it has a real genre-bending way of telling stories. It\u2019s exciting to bring a new show to Broadway. I always knew I would do Broadway at some point. It was in the back of my mind since college. It was my original dream. After 15 years of touring and recording, I had to put on the brakes to do this show. It\u2019s a big commitment so you have to be passionate about it — and I am.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Josh Groban — https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=61DiWi00d2w<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the BB&T Pavilion will start at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $28-$152.50. He will also be performing at the Borgata in Atlantic City on August 5.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Stephane<\/a>

Stephane Wrembel<\/p><\/div>\n

Area fans are always treated extremely well by French jazz guitarist\/composer Stephane Wrembel. They love him and he loves them back. It\u2019s a muscle love affair that shows in his area performasnces<\/span><\/p>\n

Last year at the World Caf\u00e9 Live, Wrembel brought his special \u201cDjango A Gogo 2015: Made in France\u201d show to Philly as one of the few stops in the North American tour.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a tribute to\u00a0gypsy guitar legend Django Reinhardt.<\/span><\/p>\n

On July 30, Wrembel will perform with his band at The Venetian Social Club (8030 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-380-2588, http:\/\/www.hotclubphilly.com<\/span><\/a>). This show is hosted by the Hot Club of Philadelphia as part of the Chestnut Community Concert Series.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since 2002, Wrembel has released seven CDs. \u00a0His most recent recording, \u201cDreamers of Dreams,\u201d was released in 2014 as the follow-up to his international success \u201cOrigins,\u201d the album that includes \u201cBistro Fada.\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On \u201cDreamers of Dreams,\u201d Wrembel channeled all of his musical influences and blended them with his experiences in Africa, Asia, Europe, Central America and the United States to create a musical adventure into the realm of dreams.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn my live shows now, it\u2019s just my music,\u201d said Wrembel, during a phone interview Monday afternoon from New York, his adopted hometown for th3e last 16 years. \u201cAt times, I do play some Django.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Philadelphia show will be something different. It\u2019s acoustic — a trio with two guitars and bass. I love to do the trio thing with the acoustic side of the music. It is a history of Django\u2019s music in chronologic order.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt shows the evolution of Django\u2019s style from the start to the late 1940 and early 1950s. I do this show very infrequently. The concert in Philadelphia will be the only time I do the show this year.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Born in Paris and raised in Fontainebleau, home of impressionism and Django Reinhardt\u2019s music, Wrembel was classically trained in a music conservatory starting at age four. His life took a decisive turn in his late teens when he first discovered the music of Django Reinhardt and the Gypsies.<\/span><\/p>\n

He spent the next ten years of his life learning, playing, and expanding on this musical tradition. This hard work gave Wrembel the technique, but the time spent playing around the campfires and trailers of the Gypsies gave him the soul \u2014 both necessary ingredients for him to master his art form.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wrembel has done a lot on his own to keep Reinhardt\u2019s music alive. Several years ago, he staged a tribute show in New York called the Django A Go-Go Festival. The event was a huge success and has become an annual event in Manhattan. In 2011, Wrembel took the show on the road \u2013 including a visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI learned the music of Django in France \u2013 in gypsy camps near Paris,\u201d said Wrembel. \u201cI learned it the traditional way \u2014 by being with the people and hearing the music being played. The music brings people together.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI started playing guitar when I was 15. One of my earliest influences was Pink Floyd. I discovered Django when I was 18 or 19. I grew up in France where Django worked his art. I really discovered how incredible he is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Stephane Wrembel — https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aUnBY8PNB8U<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Venetian Social Club July 30 will start at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $22.<\/span><\/p>\n

With Philadelphia being the city where the first female presidential candidate was nominated, it seems only fitting that there is some great music by female acts being performed live in the area this weekend — Garbage and Kristin Kontrol at the Fillmore, Joan Jett and Heart at the BB&T Pavilion and Sarah Jarosz at the Ardmore Music Hall.<\/span><\/p>\n

On July 30, Kristin Kontrol will open for Garbage (fronted by Shirley Manson) at Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia, 215-309-0150, www.thefillmorephilly.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Kristin

Kristin Kontrol<\/p><\/div>\n

Kristin Kontrol is the new project from Kristin Welchez –formerly known as Dee Dee, leader of the internationally-acclaimed rock band Dum Dum Girls.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dum Dum Girls was Welchez\u2019 guise for the best part of a decade. After posting her bedroom recordings online, she caught the ears of Sub Pop, assembled a group of badass, black-clad cadets and toured the world. Over the course of three albums, four EPs and numerous singles, Dum Dum Girls morphed from the \u201cgirl group gone band\u201d to a plush noir-pop group.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last year, Welchez put the name Dee Dee in limbo, reassumed her given name Kristin and recorded a killer album titled \u201cX-Communicate\u201d with producers Kurt Feldman and Andrew Miller.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, what was most important was to find a vehicle3 to move forward with,\u201d said Kriston Kontrol, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from New York. \u201cI knew when I started writing in last July that I was going to write and record an album that wasn\u2019t going to be Dum Dum Girls.I used to have songs that I wrote that didn\u2019t fit with Dum Dum Girls — songs that I would use for solo projects. Garage rock and girl groups — I didn\u2019t want to be pinned down to that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So, Kontrol took control.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to finish an album the way I wanted and then do shows,\u201d said Kontrol. \u201cInstead of guitar, this time I was writing on keyboard. I wrote about 40 songs that I then abandoned. I realized I was trying too hard to write differently. So, I went back to writing on guitar. It was liberating to be able to do what I wanted to do. After the last Dum Dum Girls record, I knew I wanted something that wasn\u2019t more of the same. I had reached a ceiling about how far I could go with Dum Dum Girls and have people accept it — how far you can go when you have a band that is locked in an aesthetic. With Dum Dum Girls, I knew what I could do within the parameters and I remembered that. With the new project, it took awhile until I figured out what I was trying to do. It was about including all I wanted. With my current landscape, there is a lot of crossover in genres.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can do play all the new songs live. But, on this tour, I only have a 30-minute set. So, I\u2019m having the experience of chiseling it (set list) down to what works best.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Kristin Kontrol — https:\/\/youtu.be\/I6KvbQoOy3A<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Fillmore, which features Garbage as the headliner, will start at 9 p.m.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tickets are $40.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"joan<\/a>There are a lot of female-fronted rock bands these days. In addition to the two acts at the Fillmore, there are acts such as Sleigh Bells, Tegan and Sara, Pretty Reckless and the Mynabirds — to name just a few.<\/span><\/p>\n

One thing they all have in common is how much they owe their existence to the two acts that will be performing at the BB&T Pavilion on July 31– Joan Jett and Heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

These acts featured females fronting male bands — Ann and Nancy Wilson in Heart and Joan Jett. These were ladies who could not only sing, they could rock as hard — or harder — than their male counterparts. Both were major factors in the 80s era of the MTV-fueled music scene.<\/span><\/p>\n

How hard did they rock?<\/span><\/p>\n

Joan Jett\u2019s list of signature songs included \u201cBar Reputation,\u201d \u201cI Hate Myself for Loving You,\u201d \u201cDirty Deeds,\u201d \u201cLove Hurts,\u201d \u201cI Love Rock and Roll,\u201d \u201ccrimson and Clover,\u201d and \u201cDo You Wanna Touch Me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Heart\u2019s long and impressive list of hits featured big-sellers such as \u201cBarracuda,\u201d \u201cAlone,\u201d \u201cWhat About Love,\u201d \u201cThese Dreams,\u201d \u201cMagic Man,\u201d and \u201cCrazy On You.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

They rocked in the 1980s and they\u2019re still rocking now. And, they\u2019re still rocking as hard as any band out there — without testosterone.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the BB&T Pavilion, which also feature Cheap Trick, will start at 6:30 p.m. Tickets range from $25.25-$100.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Sarah<\/a>

Sarah Jarosz<\/p><\/div>\n

If you want to go out on July 31 and hear a female singer whose music is more on the softer side, consider the show by Sarah Jarosz at the Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been around music for as long as I can remember,\u201d said Jarosz, during a phone interview Thursday afternoon from a tour stop in Alexandria, Virginia. \u201cI\u2019ve been singing my whole life — ever since I was a little girl growing up in Wimberley, Texas.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jarosz as earned her credibility in the world where contemporary folk, Americana and roots music intersect. She is a talented multi-instrumentalist (mandolin, octave mandolin, guitar, and banjo), an expressive and distinctive vocalist, and an accomplished songwriter.<\/span><\/p>\n

A frequent guest on \u201cA Prairie Home Companion,\u201d Jarosz has appeared on \u201cAustin City Limits,\u201d the BBC\u2019s \u201cTransatlantic Sessions,\u201d \u201cConan\u201d and \u201cThe Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She has been nominated for multiple Grammy awards including two from her third album \u201cBuild Me Up From Bones,\u201d as well as several Americana Music Association Awards. Jarosz just released \u201cUndercurrent,\u201d her fourth album for Sugar Hill Records.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI picked up mandolin when I was nine and I got obsessed with it,\u201d said Jarosz. \u201cLater, I also started playing guitar and banjo. I had heard mandolin on records from my dad\u2019s collection and always liked the sound.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI saw a music video for Nickel Creek at CMT and that made me really want to get a mandolin. A family friend lent me a mandolin to play. I liked it so much that my parents bought it from them and gave it to me as a Christmas present.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEarly on, it was bluegrass. I went to a weekly bluegrass jam in Wimberley. I fell in love with the people, the community and the music. It took me a year or two to get proficient on mandolin — being obsessed and practicing non-stop. My earliest influences were Nickel Creek, Tim O\u2019Brien and Gilliam Welch.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI made my first album when I was still in high school. I signed with Sugar Hill when I was 16 and made my first album when I was 17. I kept making albums and going to school. I recently graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jarosz, even when a student, still found time to record her own albums and get involved with side projects.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith \u2018Undercurrent,\u2019 I took some time off after touring a lot and working on other projects like I\u2019m With Her and \u2018A Prairie Home Companion,\u2019\u201d said Jarosz.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had a lot of time to build up songs — about two years. \u201cThis time, I wrote mostly on guitar. I had a lot of new music ready to go when I went in the studio.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Sarah Jarosz — https:\/\/youtu.be\/ofNDjpsVtYw<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Donovan<\/a>

Donovan Woods<\/p><\/div>\n

The show on July 31 will also feature Donovan Woods as the opening act.<\/span><\/p>\n

JUNO Award-nominated singer\/songwriter Donovan Woods will release a deluxe edition of his fourth album, \u201cHard Settle, Ain\u2019t Troubled,\u201d in the United States on August 12.<\/span><\/p>\n

The critically-acclaimed album recently garnered a 2016 Polaris Music Prize nomination, an award given to the best full-length Canadian album based on artistic merit and selected by a panel of music critics. Featuring 10 original compositions, the deluxe edition includes four live tracks recorded as part of a live show at the Harbourfront Centre Theatre.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI started recording the album last July,\u201d said Woods, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon from Toronto. \u201cI made the album at a studio in Toronto called The Lincoln County Social Club.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI moved to Toronto after growing up in Sarnia, Ontario. Now, I\u2019m living in both Toronto and Nashville. I had been going to Nashville for a week every month for a few years so I decided to get a place of my own there — especially since I got a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been into songwriters. I had a dad who really liked songwriters. I just had an urge to write songs from a really young age. It took me 20 years to finally get it down.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Woods\u2019 first album, \u201cThe Hold Up,\u201d was released in 2007. His song \u201cBrand New Gun\u201d was featured in the movie \u201cNumb\u201d starring Matthew Perry. His song “Wait and See” was featured on \u201cDegrassi: The Next Generation,\u201d and his song \u201cMy Cousin Has a Grey Cup Ring\u201d was used in commercials for the Grey Cup.<\/span><\/p>\n

His second album, \u201cThe Widowmaker,\u201d was released in 2010, and his third album, \u201cDon\u2019t Get Too Grand,\u201d came out in 2013. Woods\u2019 song \u201cPortland, Maine\u201d (co-written with Abe Stoklasa) has also been recorded by Tim McGraw. His song \u201cLeaving Nashville\u201d (also co-written with Stoklasa) has been recorded by Lady Antebellum singer Charles Kelley.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up with country music and gravitated back to it — with a little more Americana,\u201d said Woods, who also grew up playing the uniquely Canadian sport of curling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe new album was recorded over a four-week period. I\u2019m a stickler about being sure there are 11 goop options before I go into the studio. A lot of the songs were written with guys in Nashville. And, I road test songs a lot. It\u2019s an obvious barometer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Donovan Woods — https:\/\/youtu.be\/HlHYoqKSZkk<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Ardmore Music Hall on July 31 will start at 7:30p.m. Tickets are $22 in advance and $26 day of show.<\/span><\/p>\n

The house will be rocking on August 2 at the Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/span><\/a>) when then venue in Montgomery County presents a show featuring George Thorogood and the Destroyers with the Mike Eldred trio as the opening act.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Mike Eldred Trio is a\u00a0roots supergroup with Eldred (formerly with Stray Cat Lee Rocker) fronting a band with bassist John Bazz (from The Blasters) and drummer Brian Fahey (from The Paladins). The band is touring in support of its new album \u201cBaptist Town.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis, \u201cBaptist Town\u201d is steeped in the rich history of the South and the folklore that is so important to American culture. The catalyst for the record is the small neighborhood outside Greenwood Mississippi where legendary blues guitarist Robert Johnson was murdered in 1938.<\/span><\/p>\n

The track \u201cSomebody Been Runnin’\u201d references the final chapter of Johnson\u2019s \u201cdeal with the devil\u201d made at the crossroads — and some say fulfilled — in the tiny community of Baptist Town the night he died.<\/span><\/p>\n

The record also focuses on the poverty and racism of the past, and still existing in the Deep South today. Baptist Town remains mostly as it did in Johnson\u2019s time and offers a stark contrast to the surrounding city of Greenwood, Mississippi.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded \u2018Baptist Town\u2019 in June 2013,\u201d said Eldred, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon as he travelled from Phoenix, Arizona to Irvine, California.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt took a long time to come out because we were looking at labels to put it out. We got turned down a lot. They had too much on their plates and told us we weren\u2019t a widely-known band.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, Sony popped up and they were into it. There were a couple guys at Sony who were also musicians and they were into it. Al Moss, an Americana radio guy, told us to send it to them and it was good advice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sun Studio is a legendary studio in Memphis that was owned by Sam Phillips. The long and impressive list of acts that recorded there includes Elvis Presley, Howlin’ Wolf, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Roy Orbison, James Cotton, Carl Perkins, Rufus Thomas and Jerry Lee Lewis.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were only in Sun two days,\u201d said Eldred. \u201cYou can\u2019t record there during the day because they have tours. You have to go in during the evening, set up, track until dawn and then take down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI produced the album and the engineer was Matt Ross-Spang. He\u2019s been working there for awhile. Certain areas of the room just sound different. It depends where you stand. There\u2019s no isolation. We all played live. You can\u2019t play loud — even though it sounds loud.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had done a lot of pre-production for the album. We had to practice a lot playing all the basic tracks. It\u2019s all analog there and most of the songs were first takes. That gave us time to add some vocals.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Mike Eldred Trio — https:\/\/youtu.be\/KSLzFBpSEdk<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Keswick will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $49.50 and $69.50.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dominick Farinacci, who will be performing on August 3 at South Jazz Parlor (600 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, http:\/\/www.southrestaurant.net\/<\/span><\/a>), is one of America\u2019s top young jazz trumpeters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ironically, trumpet was not his instrument of choice when he was getting started in music<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy uncle was a professional drummer in Cleveland and I wanted to be a drummer too,\u201d said Farinacci, during a phone interview Friday afternoon from Cleveland.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had a drum set and was all ready to go. But, when I was joining the school band, they really needed a trumpet player. So, I started to play trumpet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It was obviously a great choice — even though he may not have known it back then.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI started playing trumpet in sixth grade,\u201d said Farinacci. \u201cI started listening to jazz when I was really young — Louis Armstrong and Harry James. I heard a recording of Louis Armstrong\u2019s \u2018A Kiss to Build a Dream On\u2019 and that was my introduction to my life in jazz. I also got into Errol Garner, the great piano player. Then, I was listening to the be-bop guys like Clifford Brown. When I heard Clifford Brown the first time, it changed my world.\u00a0 After that, I was listening to players like Duke Ellington and Miles Davis. That helped build a really solid foundation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When he was 17, Farinacci performed a festival in Cleveland, opening for Wynton Marsalis and his big band. Marsalis was impressed with Farinacci and invited him to New York a few months later to perform as a special guest with him on a live PBS broadcast.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen my high school band opened for Wynton, we got to go backstage,\u201d said Farinacci, who has won numerous international awards and compettitions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI played a couple songs for him and we had a jam session that night. He helped create a new jazz program at The Juilliard School and invited me to enroll. He became a great mentor to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Farinacci just released his Mack Avenue Records debut album \u201cShort Stories,\u201d which was produced by legendary producer Tommy Lipuma and featured performances by Christian McBride, Jacob Collier, Steve Gadd and Gil Goldstein.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band he will be performing with will be different but the music translates to an incredible live show that comes from Dominick\u2019s experiences overseas as the first Global Ambassador for Jazz (Jazz at Lincoln Center).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe started to plan for the album four years ago,\u201d said Farinacci. \u201cWe ended up recording the album in two days. The pre-production was everything. It was an involved and intense process and having a great producer like Tommy really helped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m playing all the tracks from the album in my live show now. The live band is different — piano, bass, drums and percussion — but it is a band that really gets the music\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Dominick Farinacci — https:\/\/youtu.be\/IjRbg6xr_ek<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at South Jazz Parlor will have show times at 7 and 9 p.m. Tickets are $20.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff,\u00a0Staff Writer, The Times Area music fans that enjoy pop\/rock music with beautiful vocals, tasty arrangements, heartfelt emotion and a bit of classical music in the DNA are in for a treat over the next week. Yes, the iconic prog\/symphonic rock band from England will be performing on July 31 at Sands Bethlehem […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30892,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[7426,8682,8681,8678,8680,8679,8677],"class_list":["post-30890","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-heart","tag-joan-jett","tag-josh-groban","tag-kristin-kontrol","tag-stephane-wrembel","tag-yes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30890","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=30890"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30890\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30900,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30890\/revisions\/30900"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/30892"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30890"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30890"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30890"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}