Here's the second original from Sarah Solovay, a live performance of her song Gone that could really use a few more views!
Category : Articles
One of the most important pieces of advice young singers and beginning musicians get is very simple: Don’t give up. You may hear this from close friends, family members and a few loyal fans but even then you wonder of the challenge of music success is worth all the trouble.
If you are learning songs or writing songs and hoping for chances to sing them to an audience, chances are you have experienced times of being “up” as well as “down.” Sometimes you can’t wait to talk and laugh with others. At other times you are just wishing you could avoid all contact with people. These changes can be a challenge but they may provide you with all the material you need to make music.
No matter what you use as “ingredients” for your new song you may discover that one of the major challenges in music is creating songs and performing for people who tend to “seek the lowest common denominator,” in the words of one university music professor. It may be hard to keep reminding yourself that when you bare your soul and sing about your deepest emotions the listening public might not seem to be all that interested.
That’s just the reality of the world we live in, a world of mass entertainment in which music and video are available all the time. We have television and the Internet sending us video and audio constantly. The choices are often decided by large companies who seem to dictate what will be popular. If our music doesn’t seem to be the public’s “choice” at the moment, it may be difficult to keep going.
It’s important not to give up when faced with these challenges because music has always been the universal language. It still is! If your melody is good and you are sincere when you sing or play, people from the other side of the planet can enjoy and benefit from hearing you, even if they don’t understand the lyrics. Remember that even the great folk, jazz and classical music of the past seems to be buried in a hurricane of “average” music at times. But it was still created and performed by passionate musicians and singers.
The true challenge of music is continuing to believe and create when high standards are constantly under attack. If you believe in what you are writing and singing, you must continue to stand for what you know is right. How can this be done? Part of the answer lies in technology. Songwriters, singers and musicians can record and distribute their creations without waiting for an international entertainment corporation to open doors for them.
Young artists, musicians, singers and writers have to continue creating intensely personal work so that future generations will have real choices. Remember that university professor we mentioned earlier? He has challenged young performers by stating that these new artists must find the correct path in a jungle of sound. That’s why we should never give up!
Category : Music News!
Rocky Dawuni walks the talk. Fist held high and dreadlocks flowing, the Ghanaian reggae artist is a rebel among rebels, tackling serious social issues with uplifting ballads and reggae rockers. All while working to challenge everything from infectious diseases to clean water to poverty across the rural communities of his homeland.
On Hymns for the Rebel Soul, Dawuni’s infectious, groove-driven music refuses to play by the rules. He sings about the struggles against corruption, war, and despair, drawing on his own experiences while melding bluesy Motown horn lines with Afro-beat grooves and Arabic percussion. Add highlife afro-pop guitar mingled with polyrhythms and Scandinavian melodies and Dawuni re-imagines a fearlessly global, one-love reggae with contemporary African ingenuity.
Let’s rewind a few decades to where Dawuni’s instinct to innovate emerged in the middle of an army camp under a military government. Under a dimly lit African sky, Bob Marley’s iconic “Uprising” album blares from P.A. speakers at an outdoor bar crowded with soldiers; a little boy takes note of the politically charged lyrics and a rebel is born.
As music entwined with his passion for speaking truth to questionable power, he “went pro,” he says, as a young psychology student at the University of Ghana. “My first band was an accident,” he laughs. “In my first year, I met these four guys who were students there and musicians. Everyone was saying, ‘Why are we in the University if we want to be musicians? Why don’t we form a band?’” And the seeds were planted.
In the late 1990s he took the plunge, and soon Dawuni found himself traveling the world – ultimately releasing multiple CDs and working with musicians like Bono and Stevie Wonder, as well as providing music for U.S. television shows including Weeds, ER and Dexter.
Dawuni has always attempted to compose music that reflected what he calls “global consciousness,” a sense of shared destiny that transcends nationality. Hymns distills this vision, juxtaposing sonic influences from his many recent journeys. “Jerusalem” was written and recorded in Tel Aviv. Over a lilting guitar-based groove that uses a Middle Eastern harmonic sense, an Arabic dumbek rhythm punctuates Dawuni’s lyrics; he speaks of the historic significance of Israel, as well as its impact on his own spirituality.
“Take it Slow (Love Love Love)” was conceptualized and composed during his tour with a group of Finnish pop stars. Incorporating Scandinavian sensibilities, the song features thick vocal harmonies and an unexpected touch for a reggae track: a Finnish folk flute.
Despite Dawuni’s jet-setting and genre-bending ways, his songs speak powerfully to local issues in Ghana. Dawuni aims to change minds about everything from educating young women to accepting people living with HIV, using both pop and traditional music to critique and to inspire.
“First, I am Ghanaian,” Dawuni explains. “I harness local elements into a whole organic form, while the arrangements overall use a contemporary global palette.” While “Walls Tumblin’ Down” is a nod to the old palm-wine acoustic guitar style, the root of highlife music in Ghana, his voice floats over a lush layer of strings and bluesy background vocals.
While singing about the struggles of the everyman, Dawuni “walks the talk.” Many reggae musicians spread the good vibes of peace and love through their music, yet few put their money and time towards real efforts on the ground. Dawuni’s intention has always been to use his music as a primary tool for social change. “I have always used my concerts as a platform to engage social issues,” he says, “and not only as a spokesperson. I personally organize local musicians to work with communities and help them find sustainable solutions to problems on the ground.”
In addition to working with celebrities like Elle MacPherson on behalf of African causes, Dawuni has joined with UNICEF, the Carter Center, and Product (RED) to make a lasting push to stem poverty and quell the spread of HIV/AIDS. “I met some people living with HIV in Ghana,” he recalls, “and they told me that my involvement has gone a long way in helping to reduce stigmatization, encouraging more compassionate responses to the disease. They said they could feel a sea change. This just confirmed my commitment.”
And Hymns for the Rebel Soul will keep all who listen, thinking and grooving.
Category : Music News!
Parked next door to a sandwich truck sits a hand-built, mule drawn “Gypsy wagon,” like an apparition from a bygone era, in the driveway of a contemporary hillside home in Hollywood, California.
Belonging to Fishtank Ensemble, it embodies the wild and wooly journeys of the band’s eclectic and eccentric members—vocalist Ursula Knudson, violinist Fabrice Martinez, guitarist Doug “Douje” Smolens, and bassist Djordje Stijepovic—who share a vibrant passion for unbridled creativity and music with Roma roots. The quartet with a quirky name blazes new musical trails on their new album, Woman In Sin due out May 11, 2010.
“We all met at a performance space called the Fishtank,” explains Knudson, who often finds herself explaining the group’s unusual moniker. “It had lots of windows, so passers-by could peer in on the activities inside like a fish bowl.” The budding ensemble then spent the weekend learning an entire repertoire of Romanian folk music. They quickly got a local gig, when someone asked the name of the band. Caught off guard, Knudson recalls, “I just blurted Fishtank. It doesn’t fit, and I actually like that.”
Their gallop across traditional and original sonic landscapes began in Europe, with serendipitous inspirations, irresistible urges, and love at first sight. It stretches from the echoing caves of Granada to the bombing of Serbia, from rollicking Venice to brooding Transylvania. “We were all guided by unseen forces and random acts of fate,” Knudson reflects.
As a teenager and promising musician, Martinez hitchhiked to Istanbul, collecting a treasure trove of instruments along the way. As jeeps with armed men patrolled the city, Martinez played illegally on the streets to collect enough money to fly back with all his instruments. “One day out of the blue I heard this music near a theatre,” recalls Martinez. “It was just one old guy playing violin and singing in an alley. Nothing more, and I loved it!” Inspired, Martinez returned home to Paris and immediately sold all his instruments, leaving him only with a violin that had been in his family for years. “I wasn’t interested in other music anymore, just the violin,” he says. “I resurrected this long-neglected family heirloom.” His fiddle led him to learn from some of the finest Roma players in Europe.
Smolens also found himself pursuing a passion he couldn’t deny and tracing a Roma route of his own, thanks to some flamenco recordings he just couldn’t get out of his head. He had grown up in the L.A. rock scene, playing drums and hanging out with Billy Idol and Slash of Guns ‘n’ Roses, and had no intention of picking up a new instrument. “I tried to resist for years,” Smolens laughs, “but in the end, I had to learn to play flamenco guitar. It grabbed a hold of my heart.” This unexpected calling led Smolens to the heartland of flamenco—learning from Gitano flamenco masters in the caves of Granada, Spain—and inescapably shaped his musical future.
Passion struck opera-trained American Ursula Knudson as she stood in a mass of masqueraded partiers at Venice’s notoriously decadent carnival one year. “Everyone was just staring at each other. After becoming bored with this scene, I went to a casino where Vinicio Capossela was playing,” recalls Knudson. From across the crowded room, as if by fate, her eyes met with those of a stranger: Martinez, who was playing with Capossela at the time. “He came up to me and we began talking about music,” she continues. Despite having respective fiancés, a year and a half later the two were married. Guided by hidden forces, they soon began their romantic wagon wanderings through Transylvania, and eventually wound up in Oakland, where they teamed up with Smolens.
These traveling troubadours soon picked up exceptional Serbian bassist Djordje Stijepovic, who literally wrote the book on upright slap bass and has lent his trademark slapping style to some of the best rockabilly, Gypsy, bluegrass, and blues acts around the world. Growing up in Serbia, he got his hands on recordings by Elvis and the Stray Cats despite bombs, sanctions, and political upheaval. His masterful bass playing won him gigs with local Romany stars in smoky bars and coffeehouses from the tender age of 13, where the unique pulse and flash of the Balkans became second nature to the omnivorous musician. After moving to US he fulfilled his rock'n'roll dreams playing in a band with Lemmy from Motorhead and Slim Jim Phantom from the Stray Cats.
All these diverse roads led to California, where Fishtank Ensemble became an egalitarian society of like-minded musical overflowing with talent that lend to its rich and varied sound. As this wandering caravan forges new musical trails, each member contributes their own aesthetics and experiences to the collaborative creative process. “I like to start songs,” Smolens notes, “but I really love when the band helps finish them. We all end up shaping them and creating something unexpected.”
Woman in Sin teams with a polyglot array of personally-felt folk influences channeled into vivid original songs like the sexy title track, written by Smolens with extensive input from the group to showcase Knudson’s striking looks and torch-singing persona. Providing a solidly swingin’ foundation for the band, Stijepovic’s bass is virtuosic, upbeat, and sensual by turns, especially in a sultry duet with Knudson, the jazz standard “Fever.”
On “Cou Cou,” Smolens and Knudson mix French and English in a playful tease of original lyrics as Knudson’s girlish voice gracefully drifts between the guitar and violin, with a wink to the Hot Club of France. Reveling in the sounds of Django Reinhardt while adding rock ’n‘ flare, Smolens’ flamenco-tinged gypsy jazz guitar style shimmers.
Echoing the memories of Martinez’ days as a circus performer, a musical saw (played by Knudson) warbles a high-pitched haunting refrain on the lilting waltz “Espanolette.” “The saw is my thing,” says Knudson with a smile. “It works because I am a singer, and it involves the same bodily intuition. People always tell me that they can’t tell the difference between the saw and my voice.”
Stijepovic keeps the party going with an original take on an irresistible Balkan dance form with “Djordje's Rachenitza”. “It’s a big thing in Bulgaria and Serbia,” Stijepovic explains,” but the 7/8 groove also gets people dancing anywhere. So I just had to write my own.”
Inspired by a Kurdish melody, “Nadim” is a blisteringly fast and darkly entrancing jaunt that features percussive bass slapping, virtuosic violin solos, and technically skilled guitar work. The title of the song pays homage to a melody by Martinez’ favorite violinist, Nadim Nalbantoglu. “It was incredibly hard to figure out,” Knudson explains, “but Fabrice loves a challenge. We all worked from the basic melody and arranged something very Fishtank Ensemble sounding.”
Showing the band’s versatility and emotional range, “O Dewel,” is a seductively slow-waltzing, musical prayer. Featuring lyrics in Romanes, a West European dialect of the Roma language, this intensely pensive piece produced a powerful spiritual experience in the studio. “It was a magical moment,” remembers Knudson. “On the first take, there was this point where the music swelled and we all felt it. It’s just that kind of a song.” Shifting gears, “Opa Opa” invites the listener to a raucous celebration by evoking images of dancing Gypsies on tabletops. Knudson notes that, “It’s just a dirty party song from Serbia that is like a volcano of sound.”
With a new emphasis on original material and old-school skills, Fishtank Ensemble has matured into their distinctly odd yet remarkably apt name, performing a self-aware selection of twisting timbres and tempos that capture an ineffable joy. “We want to produce music that people have never heard before, taking audiences to new places, so they can experience a range of emotions that we transmit through song,” muses Knudson. “That is the best thing we can offer: our heart.”
Category : Articles
This week's article is about songwriting.
If you are a singer and a songwriter, you might want to devote some more time to making your songwriting stronger. You can get a lot of enjoyment out of singing and playing. You may even want to put some of your talent on a video then show it to friends and family. From there you can spread the word using some of the great Web sites (like this one) that help you get your message across.
But what if you are also a songwriter? You can write some words on paper or on the computer, try it out with some guitar chords or on your keyboard and there you have it – an original song. Do you want to take it to the next step? In the new world of music it won’t be enough to sing and play and hope for a record contract. In fact, that is the most difficult way to put your music “in the ears” of your listeners.
If you have placed a video on a site such as this, you already know something about marketing your songs and your talent through social networks, music sharing and so on. Fortunately for young singers and songwriters today it isn’t necessary to make a tape or CD and visit recording studios and radio stations to sell their music. You can reach thousands, even millions of people with good Web sites. But don’t just set up a camera and start singing. Pay a little attention to your songwriting and make your presentation as strong as it can be.
However, there is a little more to this part of the story. If you think the traditional way of getting a recording contract is crowded and impossible, you are right. But the new Internet methods of marketing and the self-recording world are also attracting a lot of new performers. That’s where some quality songwriting can separate you from the rest of the pack.
Start your songwriting in one of two places – lyrics and melody. While a lot of new, young singers can put their thoughts and feelings into words, only a few give enough time to melody. It is important to come up with songs that not only tell a story but also are pleasant to listen to. Even if they are sad but powerful songs the main vocal line must be something that stays with the listener for awhile after he or she hears it.
If you feel that your melody and singing need some work but you want to start getting some attention from the “pros” right away, try sending your lyrics to a couple of lyrics contests, such as the contests conducted by songwriting and music magazines. Before you do, make sure you have your lyrics copyrighted. We can get into the details of copyrights later but the key is to make sure you protect your work. At that point you need to find the right people to read your lyrics or hear your song.
If you need help with songwriting, there are plenty of resources online.
Check out Masters of Songwriting: The Best Songwriting Book Around - Great For Songwriters Looking To Get To The Top In Today's Music Industry. Everything Is Here From Creating Commercial Songs, To Marketing, Digital Help, Global Covers, To Reading And Understanding Publishing Contracts.
Or Professional Songwriting Secrets - A Professional Songwriter Finally Exposes His Hot Tips, Tricks, And Inside Techniques On How You Can Write Unique, Powerful, And Catchy Songs Anytime You Want.
Now this one surprised me - how come I've never come across this amazing guy before now?
It's a privilege to feature such a great performer and fab song!
Category : Articles
Ok so this week's article looks at the sticky issue of how to promote your music.
You have some singing talent and get great responses from family members and from a few friends sitting around the house on the weekend. You do have a good voice and have learned some popular songs and may have even written a song or two of your own that people seem to like. Does this mean you are guaranteed to become famous and rich because of your music?
No, sorry, it doesn’t really work that way. Of course, the performers who have become household names draw hundreds, even thousands when the radio, television and newspaper folks simply mention the name. For independent musicians, bands and beginning singers it is necessary to put the word out that you are available for small performances and local gigs.
You can do this with a few different plans. One of the best methods, of course, is the Internet. In fact, social-network sites, free video sites and instant messaging should be used as a primary tool for promoting your music. Not only that, but you should consider such promotion materials as flyers (you can do them yourself on the home computer) and advertising in the local newspaper and on the local radio station.
The resources available at low cost for internet music production are amazing. Try the Music Marketing Manifesto - Advanced strategies, tactics and tips for selling your music on the internet, from major label recording artist John Oszajca.
If you have some luck getting a few local performances on the calendar, you might plan to have some materials available at the gig too. If you haven’t advanced far enough to offer T-shirts and CDs, you could prepare some flyers, hand-outs with artwork and information about yourself and anyone else playing/singing with you, or even make up some cards or small, colorful cards with graphics or photos on them. These will go quickly when you have them on a table or on the stage as you play.
At the next level of promotion you might give some thought to such items as bumper stickers, T-shirts and even posters. Remember, the more you offer about yourself the more people will remember you when it is time for your next performance. The key to good promotion is using the materials correctly. Don’t follow the leader, so to speak. Don’t offer T-shirts just because every other singer or band does. Do it because it would be one of the good ways to present your musical talent.
The other side of promotion involves giving away too much stuff, especially if it is cheaply made and looks unprofessional. There is a happen medium when it comes to promotion materials. Be sure you choose quality over quantity. Have just enough for what you need and maybe a few more pieces just to be safe. Try having a discussion with friends, other singers and with family members to find out what they think. It helps to get ideas from outside sources.
You can even go the whole hog and look at setting up your own label. If you're looking to this, you need ADVICE first. I use ReachFame, the biggest record label database online with 100s of A&Rs, industry listings, record producers etc.
When you are planning ways to promote your music, don’t make the words and art too small. Don’t make them too large either. There is a “just right” for promotional materials like posters, T-shirts, flyers and so on. Practice and become professional, then promote yourself. Good luck!
Category : Articles
This week's article is about singing. Many of us have been inspired to sing. We may hear a great song or a star performer and want to follow their lead. We want to be a singing star too! Whether you have written some of your own songs or want to take good songs from another writer, inspiration is only part of the story.
Many of the great singers who are known around the world for performing in front of hundreds, even thousands of people, got their inspiration from family members, church choir or from singing for a group of friends. But that’s not all there is to it. Some of the best songs ever written and some of the best performances ever given in public were the result of a little bit of inspiration and a lot of practice.
Let’s look at the idea of creating a song and singing it in public really works. Successful songwriters and singers may be able to build a following without being inspired by someone, by a beautiful morning or a difficult time in life. In some cases, the best singers and songwriters sit down at the piano or pick up a guitar and just start. They may even go back to the basics and use a piece of paper and a pen to put down some ideas for lyrics.
This can work for original songs as well as for learning songs already made popular by others. Either way, it doesn’t really happen “by magic.” But don’t be discouraged by the idea of having to put some effort into making your singing better or making your songs better. It is still possible to have a lot of fun performing music, getting your message across with a guitar and your voice. Not all of us will make a lot of money doing this, but the opportunity is there!
If you have already learned some songs, know how to play guitar or piano and have even recorded your performance, you probably have some talent and skills that need to be developed. In fact, one of the basic truths in the music world is that skills and talent need to be shaped and developed so that we can find success.
This process can start with inspiration. If you hear a favorite band or singer, think about learning one or two songs from that group or person. But as you do, stay as close to the original as you can. After all, this is their life’s work too! Once you have done that you will understand more about what it takes to create your own music. In addition to working on music ideas on your own, think about bringing in a good friend or family member. Some of you may have already done that and sing together. Working in pairs or small groups is a great way to get songs just right, whether you write them or just perform a song written by someone else. People like John Lennon and Paul McCartney certainly made the “two heads are better than one” idea work!
Need help songwriting? Check Out:
- Masters Of Songwriting - The Best Songwriting Book Around - Great For Songwriters Looking To Get To The Top In Today's Music Industry. Everything Is Here From Creating Commercial Songs, To Marketing, Digital Help, Global Covers, To Reading And Understanding Publishing Contracts.
- Professional Songwriting Secrets - A Professional Songwriter Finally Exposes His Hot Tips, Tricks, And Inside Techniques On How You Can Write Unique, Powerful, And Catchy Songs Anytime You Want.
