Gretchen & The Pickpockets working on new album
New England’s queen of neo soul Gretchen Klempa took time out of a busy musician’s schedule to update us on the state of her band Gretchen And The Pickpockets. The group has temporarily reduced their three gigs a week schedule down to three gigs a month so they can invest time in getting their next album together.
Acoustic guitar virtuoso Shun Ng discovers communication through music
Acoustic guitar virtuoso and vocalist Shun Ng has done well for himself since he arrived in Boston, Massachusetts a few years ago. Born in Chicago, raised and educated in Singapore, Ng has received awards and nominations, worked with industry big names, and created a massive following. Many in the New England music scene discovered him […]
Julie Rhodes, a rapidly rising star on the New England music scene
Sometimes an artist comes out of nowhere, burns like Roman candle, and sets the music scene alight. Boston’s Julie Rhodes is one such artist. She is on a roll. Her debut CD continues to rack up rave reviews and her live shows are drawing crowds. After one year in the music business, she snagged a […]
Try these New England music scene CDs for stocking stuffers
OK music fans. It’s that time of year again when we are all looking for that perfect stocking stuffer for that special person in our lives. Since we are all part of this thing we call the greater-Boston/New England music scene, I suggest we give our loved ones CDs from all of our favorite artists. Several CDs for the last several months stand out. A few older ones too.
Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers to perform at GSBS Memphis fundraiser Nov 20th at Jewel in Manchester, NH
Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers are at it again. After competing in the International Blues Competition in previous years under the auspices of Boston Blues Society, this January they’ll be representing the Granite State Blues Society. With all the years of experience Harpe and her band have in the blues field and in this international competition, it’s a safe bet they’ll put in a strong showing in Memphis. For the time being, Harpe and her band are focused on helping the New Hampshire blues society raise enough money for her and the other GSBS competitors to travel to the competition. The event, titled The Road To Memphis Starts Here will be held on Sunday, November 20th at Jewel night club in Manchester.
Alison Keslow has come a long way; nominated for her second BMA
Bassist Alison Keslow has come a long way. Keslow began playing copious gigs in her youth as a Berklee College Of Music graduate with a degree in Bass Performance. After making the rounds of greater-Boston venues since the 1990s, she has released two CDs, including last year’s well received Bass Dharma, and she’s been nominated for a Boston Music Award in the Jazz category for the second year in a row. She was still feeling high about last year’s nomination when this year’s was announced.
Laura Brereton sums up this year’s OnStage series at Medford’s Chevalier Theatre
Singer-songwriter, music teacher, and arts administrator Laura Brereton has had her hands full lately. She’s been helping to manage and assist the OnStage Music Series at the Chevalier Theatre in Medford, Massachusetts. Brereton’s OnStage series are shows that take place with the audience on the stage with a band or singer-songwriter in a café style setting. With a capacity of 112, it makes for an evening of intimate music.
After 30 years in the business, the blues have still got Cheryl Arena
Cheryl Arena just got back from one of her teaching camps and was in a very good mood during this interview. “I think too many people in this world spend a lot of their time complaining about things they don’t have or they don’t get or bitching about something somebody didn’t do,” Arena said. “I like to appreciate the good things in life and look on the bright side and give credit and thanks where it’s due. Where people have helped me, I’d like to acknowledge that.”
Ilana Katz Katz is taking blues fiddle to new places; playing Nelson’s Candies on October 22
Ilana Katz Katz has been on the greater-Boston blues scene for only a short while. But, she’s already turning heads with her Appalachian folk influenced fiddle playing and she’s also been teaching people that fiddle was once an important instrument in blues music. As for her name, Katz Katz, she put her original family name Katz next to her husband’s name, which also happened to be Katz.
Adam Ezra Group, Salisbury Beach gearing up for seventh Ramble, August 27
Adam Ezra Group is busy gearing up for their seventh Ramble event. An all day music event that supports veterans of the United States military and their families, Adam Ezra Group will perform a lengthy headlining set after a series of bands and singer-songwriters take turns using two stages that stand about 50 yards apart […]