Music FridayLive!

Indie rock trio John the Gun was formed in New Jersey in 2013 consists of long time friends John Cusumano, Corrado Rizzi and Dan Jernick  who have evolved a sound that is both pop and prog, balancing aggressive rock and delicately nuanced instrumentals. They are on the cusp of national recognition with openings for headliner bands like Alien Ant Farm.

Evan Taylor Jones is an eclectic soul-rock artist and singer/songwriter from Orlando, Florida, originally from Los Angeles, CA where he and his brothers were raised  by a single mother who died when he was 13. Currently promoting his new music titled, ‘The Sunray Sessions’ Live EP, recorded live in a 14 hour session day at Sunray Recording Studios of Orlando, he tours the world for music and community.

Canadian-born, LA-based Neo-Ragtime  ''Feathered Frohawk Futuristic Art Deco Centric Harlem Renaissance Hep Music'' singer/songwriter/producer Dessy di Lauro is fresh from her spectacular  Las Vegas Show at the Cosmopolitan and new EP released for her 2015   for her world tour in parallel with Madonna’s Rebel Heart tour.

Vanessa Campagna is a young pop singer/songwriter with an accomplished past and a brilliant future who has been described as a precociously gifted vocal powerhouse and a mature singer reminiscent of a young Celine Dion.” She writes songs for films, blows away audiences, rfecsords great songs...she does it all.

LA-based The Walcottsplay high octane “Bluegrass, country  and folk rock that makes people shout, clap and dance   A standout in the crowded LA music scene , they are the essence of West Coast Americana music  that melds country, blues, folk, gospel, jazz and rock in live shows that sell-out and blow fans away.  They are slowly releasing recorded versions of their power-packed live music and we will be playing cuts from their new sampler album.

Melbourne-based Hamish Anderson is a blues powerhouse who at 23 years old, toured the world with the late B.B. King after recording his self-titled first EP with Eric J. Dubowsky (Weezer), Rami Jaffee (Foo Fighters) and bass player Rob Calder (Kanye West).  His second EP, Restless, was produced in Los Angeles with Krish Sharma (Rolling Stones, Counting Crowes)  and released this October. The single “Burn”  got rave reviews and wide play in Australia.  He is bringing his electrifying blues-soaked rock and modern roots songs back to the US this month and we get to talk with him.

Lisa Sniderman is an award-winning San Francisco-based playwright and folk pop artist who creates unique full-length fantasy musicals for audiobooks and musical theater. Recording as Aoede she has won over 35 awards including the Independent Music Awards, the International Songwriting Competition, and was a finalist for the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in 2013 and 2012. Her latest release “Do You Believe In Magic? is an alternative musical/rock opera, now adapted into a musical stage play.

Orchestral pop piano-violin duo, Gracie and Rachel, crafts intricate tunes combining classical strings with haunting vocals and powerful percussion, creating music of starling beauty and stark simplicity. With the release of their latest single, "Tiptoe," Gracie and Rachel's audience has expanded across the country. Their forthcoming debut album, GO is eagerly awaited by their fans who are passionate about the pairs iconoclastic music.

Marla Fibish and Bruce Victor are Noctambule and they play original and traditional music  rendered with lush beauty, sensitivity and humor on an unusual array of strings  -- various guitars in varied tunings, mandola, mandolin, bouzouki, cittern, tenor guitar -- and their blended voices.They take the name Noctambule, French for 'night-owl,’ from a Robert Service poem about a nocturnal ramble through the back alleys of Paris.  Much of their music is poetry set to music and some songs are traditional reels and waltzes.  The first album, Travel In Shadows won critical acclaim and  they have recently released a second album,  The Waking, once again, setting poetry to music and we look forward to talking with both of them this Friday.

Lori Jean has the life experience to sing songs of life and the voice to do it.  Living with head damage from abuse as a  toddler and then later as an adult, she never lost her desire to sing.  In fact, her first words were “mommy, please play a  record”.  She skipped high school to write lyrics, formed a child sibling band, and followed her star – often led by inspiration from Stevie Nicks, The Pretenders and Cindi Lauper.  Her first album, Love of a Child, was recorded with French pop singer Ned Euphorya . Her next single, “Super Lady” is due for release in 2016, but we have it here.  All of her music is dedicated to stopping the kind of domestic violence she suffered, especially to teens. She joins us tghis Friday wsith her story and her songs.

Ottawa-based band MonkeyJunk  plays a blend of swamp-rock roots and blues that in the relatively short time has earned them a collective 20 Maple Blues Awards, two Canadian Independent Music Awards, a Blues Music Award (USA), and a JUNO Award in 2012.   Monkey Junk is three musicians who individually had established careers prior to forming MonkeyJunk: vocalist, baritone guitarist, harmonica and organ player Steve Marriner, lead guitarist Tony D and drummer/percussionist Matt Sobb.  We are delighted that they will join us on Music FridayLive! this week with their new album, Moon Turn Red.

The strands formed in 2011 bring a genre-defying sound they like to call Artisanal.  Thoughtful and provocative lyrics dominate, carried by a piano with a subdued drum and sophisticated guitar grooves.  The result is almost jazz, but not quite – the Strands straddle the line between jazz and pop.  Lead singer Amanda Campbell delivers original material  - much of it written by the band's keyboard and piano artist Susan Ferrari - with a smooth voice, backed by the legendary Richard Green on lead guitar, Ferrari on piano and keys and the founder of the group, Paul, on bass.  Restrained, thoughtful, striking, the Strands stand out and we are glad they are taking the time to talk with us on Music FridayLive!.

Las Cafeteras create a vibrant musical fusion with a unique East LA sound and a community-focused activist message. Their Afro-Mexican rhythms, diverse instruments & inspiring lyrics about love & the fight for justice is infectious.  They remix  traditional Son Jarocho sounds with Afro-Caribbeanmarimbol and cajón beats, poetry in English and Spanglish, and instruments like jarana,requinto, a donkey jawbone and the Tarima. Just back from their most recent tour, they join Music FridayLive! this Friday just before their big homecoming show at the famous El Rey Theater is Los Angeles. We are delighted to talk with them on Music Friday Live.

Jill Jack is a consummate force on stage, powering through country, rock,  folk and blues, leading the band and making friends with the audience.  There is nothing like a Jill Jack’s performance – you get all of her – her, high range voice, her high-octane music, her blinding smile and lots of conversation.  She has played with Bob Seger,  Emmylou Harris, Chris Issak, Loretta Lynn and many other greats.  She is playing the West Coast this week, headlining a show in Los Angeles at the famous Molly Malone's.   And she is active in her Detgroit community and even in Haiti making lives bvetter.Jill Jacks is on tour, on point and on fire, and we so happy she will be on Music FridayLive!

Pullman Standard is a power rock quartet based in North Hollywood, California that began 2008 and has matured into an award winning sound with fans across the U.S. With over 600 shows under its belt since 2011, the band has been recognized for their songwriting skills when their first full length album "Steam Powered Hearts" was acclaimed as "A HIT record" by famed producer Don Was. Their newest single “Static”  was just released and we get to play it for you.

Allison Iraheta (“American Idol” Season 8 finalist) collaborated with producer and bassist / keyboardist Matthew Hager  who worked with Duran Duran and other stars to form Halo Circus, recruiting drummer Veronica Bellino of Jeff Beck and guitarist Brian Stead. The band blows away crowds with infectious, unapologetic, bilingual alternative rock with seductive, powerhouse vocals and crowd-pleasing rhythms. The band is currently putting the finishing touches on its debut album due out in 2015 with Hager producing at 76 Steps Studios in LA.

The Overpass Light Brigade, also known as the People’s Bandwidth, is a loose and inclusive affiliation of people dedicated to the power of peaceful protest and artful activism.  They use  music, art and light that brings a visual element to concerts and other events with that spell out illuminated messages that dance across stages.  OLB was forged in the activist climate of the Wisconsin Uprising to create messages that  shine at night over highways and other public spaces and into concert halls and outdoor music.  OLB enhances music events and at times adds rap and beats on stage. 

Plastic Rhino is a Los Angeles Rock Band with strong 90’s rock influences that has just released a new album, Recondition, after their popular singles “Confessions of A Nobody” and “Let’s Begin” made them a darling of LA hard rock audiences. Their signature riff-heavy sound and howling vocals evoke memories of Metallica’s atmospheric rock.  They are incresingly packing clubs and venue in the Southland and it is time to talk to them about where they plan to take it next.

Militia Vox , aka the Dark Diva and the Black Queen of Metal, is ferocious, badass, loud, honest, existential, hardworking and beautiful.  A multimedia genius in film, music, concert production,soundtracks and television she delivers a message of power, confidence and rebellion.  A classically trained pianist since the age of 7, MilitiaV grew up to become the central figure in bands including Judas Priestess , Swear On Your Life, and Disciples of Astaroth before  going  solo in 2013. Named one of  the nation’s “Ten Fiercest Black Female Rockers,” Militia Vox’s  recent album, BAIT  is riding high and she has just released a new single, Vow. We are welcoming her back to Music FridayLive!

RASHMI is a singer, songwriter, actress, screenwriter and Brooklynite.  She has performed in New York City, Austin, Dallas, Toronto, Philadelphia and Los Angeles,  the Prospect Heights Music Festival, Monrovia Arts Festival, American Cancer Society events and the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.  Her songs have been commissioned for film and dance and theatre.  Her melodic country rock sound is unique, with her varied & diverse influences, and sound great acoustic or with a band. Her new album, PUZZLE was released in  September 2015 on http://www.rashmisingh.com and we get to listen to it and talk about on music FridayLive!