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“The Best Music You’ve Never Heard!”
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Station News Vol. 1 No. 2 May 2016
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When I was coming up as a young
musician getting exposure was a
matter of spreading the word, and
circulating flyers or posters. None
of the local bands had recordings
to sell. Today it is a much different
scene. Smart young musicians are
making great use of social media
to extend their reach around the
world. This was unimaginable in
our day. Bands today have a
strong web-presence to help them
with exposure and selling merchandise. No tool is more effective
at achieving this than Bandcamp!
BC has three account types: artist,
fan and label, each with the ability
to connect, follow, listen, and buy
the music that appeals to them.
Aside from that Bandcamp promotes musicians on their blog, in
their live music feeds, and on
their homepage. WJKO is a member and we have connected with
many of our artists on Bandcamp.
I cannot imagine operating a band
today without utilizing Bandcamp.
The WJKO Page on Bandcamp is:
https://bandcamp.com/wjko
If you are looking for more exposure and sales, check them out.
Bandcamp is a rock-solid
platform for artists to sell
their music and merchandise
to their fans, and a thriving
community of enlightened
listeners who get that the
best way to support the
artists they love is by directly giving them money .
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Bandcamp, 2015. We're now a team of 28, spread throughout libraries, cafes, coworking spaces and home offices all over the world, but united by a love of music
and a desire to help those who make it.
From the Bandcamp website:
Bandcamp makes it easy for fans to directly connect with and support the
artists they love. We treat music as art, not content, and we tie the success of
our business to the success of the artists who we serve.
To date, fans have paid artists $151 million using Bandcamp, and $4.4 million in the last 30 days alone.
We consider that a fine start, but only a start. We continue to work tirelessly to
build an enduring service, one that treats artists fairly, puts them in control, and
is integral to them building sustainable careers. This approach has earned us
our most valuable asset: trust. More than anything else, the trust of artists everywhere is what makes Bandcamp work today, and it’s what will make
Bandcamp grow far into the future. Whether you’re an artist, fan, label, or all
three, we hope you’ll be a part of it. https://bandcamp.com/
“The Best Music You’ve Never Heard!”
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The Imperial Crowns of Los Angeles is a highly energetic
rock and blues band with a trainload of soul! They
made their fame touring Europe in 2003, 04, 05, 06 and
07, rocking packed houses in Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic,
Serbia, Slovenia and Italy! Amid their busy schedule
they still managed to crank out four CDs and a DVD of a
live concert in Bonn, Germany. They are hard at work
on their fifth CD and a European tour to support it.
Imperial Crowns were one of the very first bands to
become part of the WJKO family and they can still be
heard regularly. The great musicianship in this band
comes from: Jimmie Wood, lead vocals, harmonica,
guitar; J.J. Holiday, Guitars, Vocals; and Billy Sullivan,
drums, vocals.
Jimmie Wood: Harmonica, Guitar Vocals; Billy Sullivan: Drums, Vocals;
J. J. Holiday Guitars, Vocals
world. I have been friends with Billy since 2005, but meeting
J.J and Jimmie last year solidified it in my mind that they
were dedicated to remaining one of the best rock-blues
show bands in the world. The energy level of this band is
rare and exciting! The more I listened to their music ,the
more I wanted. I eventually obtained all 4 CDs, and played
them incessantly. I have never seen the live DVD, but judging
from the CD, it must be wild!! When they release their 2016
tour dates I will post them on the station’s website and in
the newsletter. I hope they schedule some North American
dates. I would love to see them live! In the meantime, I will
just have to bask in their glory on CD. One thing in, their music endures. I still have many go-to favorites for recreational
listening, “Lil Death”, “Preachin’ the Blues”, “Big Love Generator”, “The River”, “Big Boy” the list goes on. I dig their
brand of rock and blues. I anxiously await their new material.
The Doctor prescribes more Imperial Crowns! (Not Crown
Imperial).
Upon witnessing THE IMPERIAL CROWNS...
You SHALL be left with an impression which
WILL stay with you for a good long
time. These days, there are those who feel
that... The Blues & It's People should be kept
"pure"... locked up in a museum... left lifeless or living in the past. Well, The Imperial
Crowns say NO to that! Preachin' the blues
everywhere they go!!!
When I first heard the Crowns, I nearly dismissed
them as just another rock band playing rock-blues.
Then I listened and I was struck by the power of
the band and how deeply they felt the music.
Their songs have a lot of soul and convey their
own message of spirituality, love, sex, blues and
rock ‘n’ roll. They are also very accomplished musicians. J.J. Holiday is one fantastic guitarist who
displays a lot of great ideas when he plays. Jimmie
has a fire burning in him to “preach the blues” and
he does! One listen to Preachin’ the Blues Live!
makes you wonder how he survives a performance. Place that on top of Billy’s power drumming and you have one of the best bands in the
Star of the West
Hymn Book
Imperial Crowns
Preachin’ The Blues LIVE
http://www.imperialcrowns.com
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“The Best Music You’ve Never Heard!”
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Infusing elements of lucid,
indie space rock and harmony-driven alt-rock, Canvas People produces a
distinctly unique brand of
new age music. Reminiscent of contemporary acts
such as Kings Of Leon,
Death Cab For Cutie, and
My Morning Jacket, Canvas People creates an enchanting blend of booming 3 part harmonies and
shaded, seductive indie
rock grooves.
Based out of Austin, TX,
the 4-piece rock group is a
spot-on representation of
the quality original music
coming out of the “live
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Canvas People
Support Canvas People on Indiegogo
Canvas People was a deliberate
effort to push our music into the
experimental folk genre, but as
we’ve progressed and as the new
EP indicates, we’ve returned to
our indie rock roots, with a
greater emphasis on group composition and energetic rock performance.”
We're an indie rock band based out of Austin, TX. We like to
play music for people who like to listen.
music capitol of the world”. Their upcoming record "City Boy Slump" (set to be released
later in 2016) perfectly captures this young band’s ability to channel classic, sophisticated musical ideas, and mold them into entrancingly captivating modern rock songs. Lead
single, “Astronaut”, takes listeners on a journey through pulsating drum grooves and
melancholic, syncopated guitar riffs, while laid back chiller “Parking Lot” incites memories of the nostalgic indie rock era of the late 90s. Lead singer, Kyle Taylor, commented
on the group’s progression since their release of "Sirens" in 2014: “At its conception,
A world away from Texas in the Netherlands, Stage Republic produces “Pop
Music with a little bit of 80s and a lot of
now. Stage Republic, founded in 2013
in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, has an
instantly recognizable sound reminiscent
of the 80s superacts like Duran Duran,
U2 and David Bowie combined with the
best of Dutch beats and the trademark
voice of frontman Raven.
The first album Firstage is being praised
for its variety in styles by reviewers. The
album unites disco, pop, rock, dance and
country-folk under one umbrella. The
sound balances somewhere between
European-pop-group and American-rock
-band with a different emphasis in each
song. From the Skope Magazine review
Joining Taylor is Wes Maxwell on
lead guitar/backing vocals, Luke
Williams on bass/backing vocals,
and Pat Epley on drums. Williams
and Maxwell’s harmonies coupled with Epley’s tasteful drumming provide the perfect back
drop to lead singer Kyle Taylor’s
superbly crafted songwriting.
Stage Republic
Sirens is a Top-Ten Pick on WJKO!
Click the image to buy the CD or
downloads. You won’t be sorry!
of the album: "Hooks Around
every corner". "Authenic".
"For some modern pop that looks to
the 80s for its influences, go no further
than Stage Republic’s Firstage." The
songs of Stage Republic deal with
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ambitions and relations
in a fast changing
world. The desire to
have what you can’t
have. To do the unthinkable. Achieve the
impossible. There is often a dark
undertone or double meaning.
HIGHLY Recommended! Give
them a chance.
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Blues Orphans A Pittsburgh Tradition Since 1979
Finding a band these days that have
been together for over 40 years, playing
weekly, recording regularly and still going strong is an undeniable rarity. That’s
what you have in the Blues Orphans.
They “have been performing original
genre-bending roots music since 1979.
Based in Blues and Bluegrass with
punk-funk hip-hop-polka flavors, it’s a
cauldron of hysterical new Americana
for the 21st century.“ The band, and
their music is really a vehicle for delivering Robert’s poetry which offers a Mark
Twain sense of humor and sarcasm as
he comments on daily culture. His
brother Andy, an absolute harmonica
virtuoso, said, “Bob’s pen is the benchmark of the band.” And he is not lying! I
have been captured by Robert’s poetry
since I first heard it 40 years ago. To be
sure the configuration of the band has
undergone regular changes over the
decades, but they consistently deliver
their brand of rambunctious hysteria.
WJKO plays the music of the Orphans
often, and we even have a program
called “The Musical Poetry of Robert
Gabig.” If you are in Pittsburgh on a
Dr. Nelson Harrison, Mark Custer, Andy Gabig, Robert Gabig, Dave Yoho, Dave Erny
weekend chances are good
you will find them playing at
one of the local establishments. For fantastic fun go
see them. It is a unique experience you won’t regret,
but leave expectations at
the door and revel in their
Hystericana
Root Rot
Corn Creek
Travesty
Neighborhood
Beat
Schism ‘n’ Blues
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friendly, humorous approach to entertainment. It’s a really good time!
The Blues Orphans have be going for nearly
40 years running, they have over 150 original songs in the repertoire (over 400 all together). I have been with them in Chicago,
NY, New Orleans and in the green Appalachian hills on a several decades long fact
finding mission to learn the American roots
music. Robert and Andy have played on the
streets from NYC to SF, and all stops in between, Nashville, Montreal, and for the
past 6 years in Paris. Still making musical
assaults. “The most fun to us is taking liberties with punk-funk doo-wop hip-hop polka
flavors and adding it to Blues and Bluegrass
to get a 21st century approach to folk music. Humor is the biggest asset,” says Robert. Aside from the Blues Orphans Robert
has lent his creativity to
the Bluegrass Police, a
CD full of songs with
socio-politico-enviro
topics plus a lot of just
pure nonsense, which I
co-wrote. Robert is a
Bluegrass Police
modern-day Bard. Dig
World Patrol
him on WJKO!
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In 2009, Big Mean Sound Machine formed in Ithaca, New
York with one goal: to create music that stimulates both
the Body AND Mind. The result has become a fiery exhibition of artfully conceived dance music that truly is Big
and Mean. Today, BMSM comprises a collective of over
15 analog artists spread out over the Northeastern United States, who strive day in and day out to reanimate
and reinterpret a fusion of Afrobeat, Funk, Jazz, Latin
and many other styles, all through a postmodern lens.
addition, in 2012 Big Mean released Warrior, a joint
effort with vocalist Jay Spaker a.k.a. J-SAN (John
Brown's Body, JATAS), and in 2013, the band released an album with Ghana's Yao Foli "Cha Cha"
Augustine (Mosaic Foundation, The Ndor Band) supporting the Ndor Eco Village project in Foli's home
village. Recently, BMSM digitally released the single
"In the Name of What?" to promote their upcoming
studio album "Contraband" which was tracked live
Anyone who has witnessed The Machine live in action
knows that their performances are among the heaviest
and the sweatiest. Anyone who has heard their studio
releases also knows that they can refine this complex
sonic force with maturity and clarity that allows each
composition to blossom to its fullest. As of January 2013,
their performative efforts have extended to the big
screen as well. With the release of DR. IGUANA: LIVE IN
THE STUDIO, a live DVD shot at Grammy Award-winning
studio Electric Wilburland, Big Mean Sound Machine
adds more critical acclaim to that received from their CD
releases Marauders (2012), and Ouroboros (2011). In
and is due to be released May 31st, 2014 on vinyl,
and CD (Angry Mom Records) as well as digitally.
The band maintains a busy performance schedule,
captivating cities throughout the Northeast United
States and beyond, spreading further each week.
And for those like-minded souls who are tired of the
status quo, there is good news: BIG MEAN SOUND
MACHINE HAS OFFICIALLY ARRIVED.
You can say again! This band smokes hot FIRE! Their
Afrobeat always reminds me of Fela Kuti. They are a
powerful band of well-accomplished musicians who
lay down the Afro-groove unlike any other!!
http://www.bigmeansoundmachine.com/
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“The Best Music You’ve Never Heard!”
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American Artists For You To Know
I first heard Bonnie Barnard’s music in 2002 when I received her CD These
Reasons at my office. At the time, as a music publisher, I was receiving dozens
of CDs per day. Her music stood out, captured me and rapidly became one of
my daily choices for recreational listening. Her new CD Catch Her If You Can
picks up where the first left off. I waited anxiously for more Bonnie music and
was righteously rewarded. Her songwriting is superb and I am left wondering
why she hasn’t been signed. Her music is in the Americana/country vein and
her voice stands alone in the world of copy-cat music. Her cover of “Stop
Draggin’ My Heart Around” far surpasses the original as did her cover of
“Heart of Gold” from These Reasons. If you like great American music, you
will love Bonnie’s songs. I do, and I am very particular!
Black Cat Moan has coined the phrase "New Vintage Blues" to describe their
music -- a modern blues sound that looks to the source of early recorded blues,
like Robert Johnson, for inspiration. "Black Cat Moan pays homage to the era of
blues that birthed its honored child, jazz, and its bastard son, rock and roll,"
says one Pennsylvania music critic. The band encompasses the best of several
eras through its three members talented musicianship and varied backgrounds.
Noting a void among today’s standard blues bands, this trio of musicians came
together to play music that harkens back to early folk field recordings, and to
the kings of Chess Records. Black Cat Moan does not mimic other artists of that
era, but instead brings a new vibe to a classic art form.
Zach Bodoloski, Drums
Check this band out! They are creating art my friends.
George Byich, Guitar
T.K. Mundok, Vocals
Charlie Peterson, Pedal Steel;
Michael Kaufman, drums;
Scott Woeckel, guitar, vocals;
Moose McMains, bass
Dan Bubien is a singer/songwriter/
guitarist from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. With a career that spans over two
decades, Dan is constantly refining and redefining his
craft with a wide palette of tones and textures,
sounds and styles, to express his songwriting through
an open, honest and wide catalog of real
songs. Rooted in soul versed in styles from blues to
funk, roots-rock to reggae, alt-country to singer/
songwriter. Dan’s new album, Empty Roads, is a collection of original music co-written with talented
Fireflies & Gasoline
Gentleman Road was a little bit of a
surprise for me, because when I first met
Scott, he was playing jazz. However, I
remembered that he was a pivotal member of The Tremors with Parker Nusbickel and that was a sassy country-flavored
band. This CD seems to be a continuation of what he was trying to do with
them. My favorite is “Love About Music”
because it tells my story. All five tracks
are well-done! They are currently performing around Southern California. I’d
like to hear more songs!
writer and friend Roman Marocco
and features the best of the best in
Pittsburgh’s music scene.
Dan is recent friend of WJKO and it is
our pleasure to play his music. We
have a lot of great musicians on the
station and Dan stands tall among
them.
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“The Best Music You’ve Never Heard!”
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Jazz is being sadly underrepresented on WJKO to my dismay. Most of the jazz players I contacted agreed to send
music but failed to do so. Our collection is thin, and so is our budget, so we are unable to schedule any meaningful
presence for jazz. We ran Vespertine Jazz M-F at 5 PM (Pacific) for a month, but it did not develop into a popular
show. Fixing this will become a priority in the coming months. Meanwhile, the cats we do play are outstanding!!
The Venerable Jazz legend Roger Humphries
cut his teeth in the Horace Silver Quintet of
the 1960s!That’s him on the jazz standard
“Song for my Father.” I have been friends
with Roger since the 1980s and it is honor
to play his music on WJKO. After returning
to Pittsburgh from the road, he has been
the cornerstone of jazz activity in the city.
He hosts an annual Jazz on the River event
for the Roger L. Humphries Sr. Music Scholarship Fund, holds down a big band, and
performs regularly around town. Pittsburgh
has proclaimed Feb. 23 as Roger Humphries
Day! Great man and legendary drummer.
Phil Lewis is a former
student from UCLA. The
Quartet is a traditional
jazz ensemble with a signature melodic swing
that has led folks to call
it melodic jazz.
Piano virtuoso David Budway
is among the finest pianists,
jazz or otherwise, anywhere!
He has recorded and performed with Branford Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Stanley
Turrentine, Hubert Laws and
Jeff ”Tain”Watts. Performing
and Recording credits include
Jimmy Heath, Jon Faddis, Louie Belson, Mark Murphy, Marlena Shaw, Ravi Coltrane, Joe
Pass, Randy Brecker, Wynton
Marsalis and George Benson.
For 12 years, he entertained
The Richard Glaser Quartet
plays straight-ahead jazz in
the LA area. I met Richard
and drummer Mark San Filippo when I taught at UCLA.
This is a very refined band,
professional in every sense.
In New York's most revered Piano
Bar "Brandy's" located in Manhattan's Upper East Side. Fabulous
musician and great friend!
Floyd King and I have been friends for
over 20 years. I haven’t seen him much
since he moved the NYC. To record this
CD he called some of his pals like: Roger
Humphries, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Curtis
Lundy, brother Carl King, Noriko Kamo
and Hideo Kitagawa . They put together
a groove that is soft at times then hits
hard!
Aki Rissanen, a pianist from
Finland “is a tremendously musical, passionate and soulful person
and has a high energy level. He is
one of the best young pianists I have
heard in years” - Dave Liebman
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Paolo Pavan is a jazz composer from Rome, Italy.
"This is acoustic modern
jazz - but its a modern
form of "old school jazz."
From the soft and sensitive
to the hard driving, this is
Jazz!
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Brazilian Beat
Anyone who knows me, knows I am passionate
about Brazilian music and culture. I have spent
some significant time there and made many great
friends. Among them Edvaldo Santana from São
Paulo. I met Edvaldo in 1994 after a concert at
SESC Pompeia where I told him he was going to be
a star. And he his! He has released a dozen CDs
each with their own character and feel. His music
is philosophical, poetic and compelling. I met Lula
Queiroga in the late 1990s at his studio in Recife.
This guy started out on the same album with the
now world-famous Lenine. His music is sophisticated and thought provoking. His musical style is his
alone, one of the most unique Brazilian artists I
know. During a research trip in 2000, I met the
remarkable Silvério Pessoa at Lula’s studio. He is
Edvaldo Santana
Lula Queiroga
Adolar Marin II
Kiko
Klaus
Maurício Pereira
Silvério
Pessoa
Diogo
Cadaval
WJKO Member News
Chuck Jonkey recently finished a project (which
took over 2 years) composing music for a huge
section of Disneyland, Shanghai. This was the
first time they had ever commissioned all original
music for one of their theme parks. Usually the
music they use is from a film or cartoon. Chuck
composed almost 5 hours of music (46 songs).
Congratulations Chuck!!
immersed in Pernambuco’s musical heritage and his music is a reflection of his studies. Fantastic music from Brazil’s Northeast. Kiko
Klaus is another musician from Recife, now living in Belo Horizonte, who impressed me with his compositions. We met in the early
1990s and I have been digging his music ever since. His music is very
creative and well-performed. The last three artists I met online and
invited them to join the WJKO family. Diogo Cadaval from Rio de
Janeiro is a designer who makes great music on the side! Adolar
Marin II and Maurício Pereira are from São Paulo and I got to know
their music online and connected with them. They are great people
and musicians. Adolar has a video series where different artists visit
him at his house. Check out the series Na Minha Casa. Maurício is a
composer, singer, saxophonist, journalist, radio announcer, actor
and producer. He has six CDs under his name. I hope to do a more in
-depth profile of our Brazilian artists, one-by-one.
WJKO is actively searching for more Brazilian artists to include in the
playlist.
Tune in for Brazilian Beat Monday through Friday at 9 AM (Pacific)
WJKORadio.org Newsletter Is produced to promote and support the musicians we play on our station. This newsletter
is interactive. Click on the images and links to explore the artists. The content of this newsletter was created using
information from the artists’ own websites. If we have printed something in error, please contact us immediately at
WJKORadio.org . Thank you for your support. Listen often and tell your friends. This is “The Sound Of Independents!”
This newsletter was prepared for WJKO Radio.org by ethnomusicologist and music curator Dr. Jack Bishop
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