MusicDish's blog

Url: http://www.ylotana.com

The music revolution has begun and its name is Ylotana. With a totally new and unique concept to branch from, this electro fusion band is known for its infectious grooves and ground breaking 4D entertainment hybrids.

Taking music, graphic art, animation, video and literature this multimedia group combines artistic disciplines in a way that seamlessly flows together, offering a never before seen multidimensional encounter.

With Anatoly Podkopov at the helm, it is little wonder! This savvy former businessman left behind a hugely successful company in pursuit of his musical goals, and thankfully, his gamble paid off. To date, he heads a group of talented DJ's, musicians, sound engineers, visual artists and writers who enthusiastically bring his artistic vision to life.

What is most exciting about this music/art fusion is that it not only feeds the mind, it replenishes the soul. Dance for the Snow Queen is a prime example of this enrichment, as it is one of five short storylines that embody five individual projects within Ylotana.

The underlying idea of Dance for the Snow Queen is the concept of disillusionment that can occur in adult romance. The music that accompanies the piece echoes the sentiment luring you into a dark decadent world of whirling melodies and beats.

One cannot help but get caught up in the message behind the music, indeed, the Ylotana experience could very well serve to educate as well as enthrall.

Intrigued? The pick up an Ylotana CD today. The music is exquisitely packaged in a digipack format and is also accessible via digital download through over 250 online retailers.

Visit www.ylotana.com to get a taste of what this innovative team has to offer before they begin to take the world by storm.

Url: http://www.billortiz.com/
Sound: http://audioloom.com/Public/BillOrtiz/WordPlayRemix.mp3

December 4, 2009 - San Francisco, CA - Bill Ortiz, Santana's longtime Supernatural Trumpeter, who has been receiving nothing but accolades since the July release of his debut CD, From Where I Stand, announces the release of the K-Maxx-remixed Hip-Hop single, Word Play, featuring the vocal talents of FEMI. K-Maxx, aka Ken Hopkins, is a legendary San Francisco Hip-Hop recording artist, producer, also the host of KPOO FM's wildly popular new music program "Ghetto Gumbo".

As a recording artist, K-Maxx has released several popular underground CDs during the Bay Area's 'Rap Reign' in the 90'. As producer, K-Maxx has worked with other leading Bay Area Rap and Hip-Hop artists, including Tower of Power's Lenny Williams, who recently cracked the nation's Top 30 Urban AC charts, Too $hort, Andre Nickatina, and King Tech, to name only a few.

Ortiz is quick to point out, "I've been a big fan of K-Maxx for a longtime, and I love his production skills." While K-Maxx is a gifted Hip-Hop producer, he's also a gifted multi-instrumentalist, who is as proficient on a piano, guitar, and bass as he is with a mixing desk and sampler. "K-Maxx thinks like a musician," continues Ortiz, "and he comes from classic R&B background, like I do, so we share a common music vocabulary that also includes Soul and Hip-Hop. This is what makes his production style so unique."

When Ortiz discovered that K-Maxx was playing the track Word Play from debut CD, From Where I Stand, to his "Ghetto Gumbo" audience, Ortiz states, "K-Maxx is an amazing barometer and supporter of Bay Area music and musicians and it was a complete surprise and honor to receive his recognition. It wasn't long after we got in touch and put the wheels in motion for him to produce a Hip-Hop remix of Word Play."

Word Play was remixed at San Francisco's iconic Pyramind Studios, and final mixing was a done by Steve Heithecker with Bill Ortiz and K-Maxx.

The most authoritative national music industry magazine, Music Connection, states, "Contemporary jazz trumpet greats have a run for their money now that longtime Santana sideman Ortiz enters the urban jazz scene with this chillin', artsy yet infectious, easy grooving debut." Keith Hannaleck of MuzikReviews.com gives Four Stars and states, "It comes as no surprise that his solo effort From Where I Stand turns out to be first rate material." Carlos Santana states, "Bill articulates the beautiful language of jazz without losing the purity and innocence of a child. It's a wonderful experience to share music every night with him."

To receive a review copy of From Where I Stand, or the remix single, Word Play, or to see Bill Ortiz live in February 2010, when he returns to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino's Joint, contact Christopher Buttner, at chris@prthatrocks.com.

For Radio enquiries please contact Adam Liebovitz at ASL Media at telephone: 949-448-9444 or via e-mail at adam@aslmusicmedia.com or Brian Gerhard at Rocket Shop Promotions by email brian@rocketshoppromotions.com. For US distribution enquiries contact Steffen Franz or Ben Lang at Independent Distribution Collective, telephone: 415 292-7007 or via e-mail at sales@independentdistro.com

Email: bethanyrufus@musicdish.net
Url: http://bethanyandrufus.musicdish.net
Sound: http://musique.fnac.com/a2741804/Bethany-Live-a-FIP-CD-album?PID=2&Mn=-1Μ=-13&Ra=-28&To=0Ν=1&Fr=

New World/Folk/Roots group The Bethany and Rufus Roots Quartet will be performing songs from their live 12 track CD "Live A Fip" on December 8th at Paris' most reputable jazz-club, the New Morning. The quartet was invited to perform live on Radio France's Live A Fip radio series following a promotional radio spot for the Les Nuits Atypique festival. The Roots Quartet includes the duo Bethany and Rufus (Bethany Yarrow and Rufus Cappadocia), along with Fulani flutist Yacouba "Denke Denke" and Afro Haitian drummer 'Bonga' Jean-Baptiste.

Bethany And Rufus Roots Quartet
Tuesday, December 8th at 9:00 PM
7 Rue des Petites Ecuries, Paris
01 45 23 51 41
http://www.newmorning.com

The Bethany & Rufus Roots Quartet's Live A Fip CD's strength lies not just in each artist's singular talents, but in their capacity to combine their abilities in a way that complements each member of the group to bring about a sound that is unique and groundbreaking, while incorporating concerns about global injustices, violence, and inequalities. Live A Fip is the product of a world where people and societies are interconnected, converging, and in turmoil.

"A diabolically funky bass is joined by the song of a fulani flute and the cadence of a voodoo drum, and the cello bows under an incantation of the ancestors... a revelation of Les Nuits Atypiques Festival of Langon and the love at first listen of studio 105 of Radio France, the folk duo Bethany & Rufus have transformed themselves into a post-modern quartet for an evening of spellbinding music." - MONDOMIX

About Bethany And Rufus Roots Quartet
Bethany as the daughter of legendary 60's Folk singer Peter Yarrow (Peter , Paul & Mary) draws from the many songs that her father collected as part of the seminal folk movement of the 60s. Yacouba has dug deeply into the folkloric Hausa, Djerma, Peul and Songhai traditions of Niger and Bonga is the descendant of a very rich lineage of Vodou ceremonial drumming and song. Bonga has also traveled extensively through Haiti collecting and learning the different manifestations of Haitian song and folklore. Rufus has taken the cello into previously unknown realms and is noted for his collaborations in African, Arabic, and American music forms and also has a solo CD Songs for Cello on the Daqui label. Individually all of the members of the group have been instrumental in expanding the role of traditional forms in their respective musics. It is with this background that they have come together to create a sound that although based around the song forms of American traditional music reaches back to a common root that has inspired everyone involved.

http://bethanyandrufus.musicdish.net
http://www.bethanyandrufus.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bethanyandrufus

To request mp3 tracks for review as well as interview requests, contact:
Eric de Fontenay
MusicDish
bethanyrufus@musicdish.net
+1 718 278 0662

Both successful musicians, Michelle Holmes and Steve Pinkney have teamed up to form Crazy Aunt Mary, a Los Angeles-based modern rock and blues band that aims at always having a good time. The duo has put together a video called "A Little Bit Better This Christmas" which is sure to make you smile and get into the holiday spirit.


Hope might really be possible in this jazz holiday classic by Crazy Aunt Mary. Holmes (vocals, bass, and keys) and Pinkney (guitar) are sure to give a bright start to your holiday season this year. This music video was directed by Bob Kent.

For artist biographies, more music, and contact information:
http://www.crazyauntmary.com

Email: mediarelations@chicagobluestour.com
Url: http://www.chicagobluestour.com
Sound: http://www.chicagobluestour.com/bluestour/mp3s/BlueCadillac_live_trio_ChainsawDupont.mp3

Blues University® and the City of Chicago invite music fans to celebrate the vitality of the blues, from Chicago and beyond, on Saturday, January 16th. Join the Chicago Blues Tour™, a "pub crawl" event, connecting 8 of Chicago's famous lounges featuring live blues as it departs from the "hub" of the tour, Lizzie McNeill's, at 400 N. McClurg Ct. Tickets ($45) include all transportation and admission charges for a nightlong blues adventure, with 12 live blues bands performing all night long. Buses depart from Lizzie's every ten to twenty minutes from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m., and then begin shuttling between clubs until 2:00 a.m. Tickets are available through the Chicago Blues Tour website, www.chicagobluestour.com, or by phone via Ticketweb at 866.468.3401. A limited supply of tickets may be available at the door, but advance tickets are strongly recommended, as the tour often sells out. For further information, visit the website or call the toll-free BluesLine at 866-LIVEBLUES (866-548-3258). Maps, schedules, and an FAQ are also updated frequently at the website.

The Tour continues its tradition of featuring emerging blues artists and the dynamic evolution of blues, with "young gun" guitarists Travis Feaster, Noah Wotherspoon, and Samantha Fish, who write original songs that push the idiom in new directions, from Feaster's blues-rock twist on Southern Soul, to Wotherspoon's psychedelic-glam spin on Delta rhythms and narrative. Rising guitar stars like "Chicago Blues Challenge" finalists Chainsaw Dupont and Toronzo Cannon, as well as favorites of Chicago's soul-blues underground, Super Percy and Fantastic L-Roy, and even Chicago veterans like Killer Ray Allison and Vance Kelly, infuse their blues with inventive hybrids of jazz, rock, soul, funk, and even hip-hop elements. The Tour emphasizes off-the-beaten-path, classic lounges on Chicago's south and west side blues circuits, with audiences drawn from the neighborhood, who favor entertaining variety over purity of tradition.

The Chicago BluesTour™, now entering its 20th anniversary year, is part of a slate of "Chicago Blues Weekend" events (www.bluesweekend.com) that are anchored by Buddy Guy's legendary annual stand at Legends. The events also include weekend "Blues Shuttles" to clubs featuring West Side Soul, South Side guitarists, Blues Women, and Chicago's famed "Blues Alley" on the North Side, as well as a visit from a traveling showcase, the Kansas City Blues Caravan, at Rosa's.

Blues University® sponsors classes and events that expand the understanding and audience for blues music. The Chicago Blues Tour™, which showcases the wide variety of modern blues talent on display in Chicago, began in 1990 as the West Side Blues Tour and has expanded in scope to include live blues venues throughout Chicago, and has helped promote blues with assistance from the Mayor's Office of Special Events since 1998. Blues U.® maintains an online archive of blues information and also launched a blues news service, BluesWire, in 2008.

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Winter 2010 Chicago Blues Tour™
PARTICIPATING CLUBS AND PERFORMERS:

LIZZIE MC NEILL'S, 400 N. McCLURG, 312- 467-1992
MC: CRAZY KATIE
(continuous music from 8:30 p.m.) ("Young Guns of Blues Guitar")
• WT FEASTER BAND (from Indianapolis)
• NOAH WOTHERSPOON BAND (from Cincinnati)

TASTE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER 6331 S. LOWE, 773-873-6700
(continuous music from 8 p.m.)
• SUPER PERCY & HIS SOUL CLIQUE
• SAMANTHA FISH BAND featuring special guests Lewis Cowdrey & John Paul Drum
("Kansas City Blues Caravan")

CHECKERBOARD LOUNGE 5201 S. HARPER, 773-684-1472
(9:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.)
VANCE KELLY & THE BACKSTREET BLUES BAND

LEE'S UNLEADED BLUES 7401 S. SOUTH CHICAGO, 773-493-3477
(8:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.)
SHORTY MACK & THE MAGNIFICENT BAND
with special guest MZ. PEACHEZ

LINDA'S PLACE 1044 W. 51ST ST., 773-373-2351
(8:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.)
FANTASTIC L-ROY & THE BULLETPROOF BAND

THE WATER HOLE, 1400 S. WESTERN AVE., 312-243-7988
(7:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.)
(continuous music from 7:30 p.m.)
• CHAINSAW DUPONT AND THE BLUES WARRIORS
• ROUGH CUT

FOR THE GOOD TIMES LOUNGE, 5545 S. DAMEN AVE., 773-310-0398
(8:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.)
"KILLER" RAY ALLISON & THE KILLER BAND

ROSA'S LOUNGE, 3420 ARMITAGE AVE., 773-342-0452
(continuous music from 8 p.m.)
• TORONZO CANNON & THE CANNONBALL EXPRESS
• TAILDRAGGER & HIS CHICAGO BLUES BAND

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CHICAGO BLUES WEEKEND SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
(full details: www.chicagobluesweekend.com)

Friday, Jan. 15

Buddy Guy appears at Legends
Buddy Guy's Legends, 754 S. Wabash
Advance Tickets required: www.etix.com, $40
9PM

Blues Shuttle: BLUES WOMEN, GUITAR, & HARMONICA:
NORTH SIDE/WEST SIDE
Congress Hotel Tap, 520 S. Michigan
Advance Tickets required: www.chicagobluesweekend.com, $55
departs 8:50, 9:50, 10:50 PM (returns you to Congress Hotel)
3- 1/2 hour Blues Shuttle departs from the Congress Hotel and includes admission & transport to the following shows
• Kansas City Blues Caravan at Rosa's Lounge
• West Side All-Stars at Catfish Corner
• Blues Women Showcase at Blue Chicago

Saturday, Jan. 16

"REAL GUITAR HEROES" CD AUTOGRAPHING SESSION
Congress Hotel Tap, 520 S. Michigan
5PM to 7PM
8 blues guitarists meet and greet fans before the start of Chicago Blues Tour:
Vance Kelly, Toronzo Cannon, Noah Wotherspoon, Travis Feaster, Samantha Fish, Chainsaw Dupont, Killer Ray Allison, Lewis Cowdrey

Chicago Blues Tour: 8 CLUBS, 12 BANDS pub crawl
Advance Tickets recommended: www.chicagobluestour.com, $45
Lizzie McNeill's, 400 N. McClurg Ct.
8PM

Sunday, Jan. 17

Gospel Brunch
House of Blues, 329 N Dearborn St.
Advance Tickets required: (312) 923–2000, $37.50, (buy 3, get one free)
10 AM

Buddy Guy appears at Legends
Buddy Guy's Legends, 754 S. Wabash
Advance Tickets required: www.etix.com, $40
9PM

Blues Shuttle: SOUTH SIDE GUITAR / WEST SIDE SOUL
Congress Hotel Tap, 520 S. Michigan
Advance Tickets required: www.chicagobluesweekend.com, $55
departs 6:45, 8:00PM (returns you to Congress Hotel)
5- hour Blues Shuttle departs from the Congress Hotel and includes admission & transport to the following shows
• Smilin' Bobby / Elmo James Jr. at Keynote Lounge
• Killer Ray Allison at For The Good Times Lounge
• Shorty's West Side All-Stars/Willie White at Gene's Playmate Lounge

Blues Shuttle: BLUES WOMEN & GUITAR - NORTH SIDE
Congress Hotel Tap, 520 S. Michigan
Advance Tickets required: www.chicagobluesweekend.com, $55
departs 8:50, 9:50 PM (returns you to Congress Hotel)
5- hour Blues Shuttle departs from the Congress Hotel and includes admission & transport to 3 of Chicago's premier blues clubs
• Peaches Staten / Blues divas at B.L.U.E.S.
• Charlie Love & the Silky Smooth Blues Band at Kingston Mines
• Lindsey Alexander & L.A.B.B. at Kingston Mines
• Blues Women Showcase at Blue Chicago