Radio Crystal Blue week of 3/23/14 news


Radio Crystal Blue is sponsored in part by:
Cyber PR: http://www.cyberpr.com
Miles High Productions http://www.mileshighproductions.com
Wampus Multimedia http://www.wampus.com
Radio Crystal Blue is free to share and listen, in accordance with Creative
Commons License 4.0, full attribution, non-derivative, non-commercial.
http://www.creativecommons.org
*****
HOW TO LISTEN:
Each show is usually published by Wednesday or Thursday weekly. There are
now two main hubs where to hear Radio Crystal Blue
(1) via Big Contact, my podcast provider: There is a Feed Player at
http://www.radiocrystalblue.net Just click the link to open it, and select from the
tabs to download and stream the audio from the particular show. You can also
embed the player on your site or blog.
The FeedPlayer is generated with Flash. If you don’t have Flash, you can get
this at http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
These players are also available at http://www.bigcontact.com/radiocrystalblu which
renders the player as a Web page.
Shows on the FeedPlayers are kept for a year.

(2) via Internet Archive: Each podcast includes a dedicated podcast page on
http://www.archive.org with similar download, stream and embed links. Just look for
Radio Crystal Blue and the date of the week I published the show (I use the
Sunday date) The shows kept here will remain in perpetuity.

RADIO CRYSTAL BLUE ARCHIVE PROJECT also on http://www.archive.org Use the search
term Radio Crystal Blue to find older shows from 2004 and 2006, shows that
don’t quite sound like the ones I presently do!
CONTACT:
EMAIL: cblue456@comcast.net
personal FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/radiocblue
RCB FACEBOOK:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=20805478312
LINKEDIN: http://www.linkedin.com/danherman0
VIDEO content: http://www.youtube.com/user/cblue456
TWITTER @radiocblue
STAT BLOG http://www.idealisticstats.wordpress.com
STAT TWITTER: @idealisticstats
DONATIONS to Radio Crystal Blue can be made via the Paypal button at the
homepage.
THE VISION:

My personal and radio vision


—–
PROGRAMMING:
NEXT SHOW will be published on or about March 27 and will be available
for about 1 year. I usually publish on Wednesdays or as soon as possible
thereafter. You will hear music in several segments of top
indie/DIY/underground songwriters and bands.

RCB Novus Ordo is a separate podcast with 6-8 songs, one each from a brand
new
recording. I spin the music and give you the backstory of each artist.

*****
The busiest matter with me these days have not been radio but work, and, especially in the last week, seeking work. The contract job ended rather prematurely and without warning. So I’m back to devoting my energy into that area of my life, and still figuring out how I can manage a living with the savings I do have. I actually have about a month’s savings thanks to that job.

The library is growing a bit again, but submissions remain low, so here are the rules again:

SUBMISSION GUIDLINES
Keep physical packages of reasonable size and weight, as this is a
residence. Please indicate release date. No material released before June
2013
accepted. Material released before then will be added to RCB’s loose
rotation instead.
Compilations or great concept albums, ones I can feature track-for-track,
are highly encouraged.
Digital albums are acceptable if media is not available in other formats.
Artists are also advised to add my email address to their general email
list.

EPK (those are what we call electronic press kits) submissions can be sent
via one of these companies.
SONICBIDS: http://www.sonicbids.com/radiocrystalblue
MusicSUBMIT: http://www.musicsubmit.com
MusicClout http://www.musicclout.com
Search for the words Radio Crystal Blue to find my pages there. You may have
better luck with MusicSubmit as I’m not currently listed with the other two
organizations.
If I like the EPK, I will then ask for a CD

CDs that fit in the above rules may be sent to
Send CDs to
Dan Herman
Radio Crystal Blue
1701 Snyder Avenue, #4
Philadelphia, PA 19145
*****
I likely won’t be reviewing any shows as I did in the last 2 weeks. The financial decisions that must be made don’t involve music, and they won’t until I start earning again. Of course, I control these podcasts, and I can still pay for my own Web access, so I will certainly continue the shows.
*****
INTERVIEW: Yes, I actually conduct interviews once in a while. Maybe if I had a real studio, I’d do this more often. Late in April I plan to interview a songwriter who has written an album and a companion book related to eating disorders. More details will be provided when finalized.

Are there artists you’ve heard on RCB you’d like me to interview? If said artist is not in or passing through Philly, I usually set up a Skype interview. Let me know.

RCB REWIND:
RCB Novus Ordo: Back to the 1-artist, 1-song format for 6 artists this week. Veteran songwriter Moot Davis returns to my radar here. Professor Louie & The Crowmatix release some older material, focusing on the effect of Tom “Bones” Malone, who arranges the horns when called upon. Roxanna is a highly-touted Iranian-American songwriter based in Cali. Eileen Carey has a long history performing, in film, theater and music. Her sound is rooted in both pop and country. IMDB says she was in Basic Instinct and Hoffa, and even was an “Uh-Huh” girl for Ray Charles and Diet Pepsi. Hm. I haven’t found her yet in the old commercials.

RCB proper: “Let’s Do It”….From one of the CD magazine subcriptions I was part of in the 90s came this gem of a single from the “Tank Girl” soundtrack, a Cole Porter cover like you’ve never heard, sung by Joan Jett and Paul Westerberg. The music service itself was around just a few years. The soundtrack is quintessential indie rock (Bjork, Sky Cries Mry, Iggy, Belly, Hole, L7, etc.). The Sprinkle Genies have been around for about 20 years, still keeping it real, keeping it antifolk. I attempt to explain ‘antifolk’ on this show but its best experienced in person. “Springtime” has occasionally aired when the equinox occurs. Segment 1 of 4 short segment this past week included 2 songs with the same title but potentially different meaning (Carla Bian co, Fred Gillen Jr.). Segment 2 contains my favorite from Lukas Nelson (son of Willie) and Promise Of The Real, with a strong Neil Young type of vibe. Segment 3 reintroduces Lindsay May, plus perhaps the angriest song by Carolann Solebello you will hear. Segment 4 gives us another airing of The Chapin Sisters, along with the title track of Linq’s latest album.
FOOD: I suppose I am actually a foodie, enjoying foods that are hearty and flavorful, and also being open to many other cuisines. There’s an Indonesian bake shop just down the block from me, for one. Here are some companies that are generally health-minded and whose products I strongly endorse on Radio Crystal Blue and to you:
Teeccino: http://www.teeccino.com (their coffee alternative is keeping me alive)
Renfro Foods: http://www.renfrofoods.com (The folks behind Mrs. Renfro’s brand of salsa sent me a customized gift pack of 5 jars last year. My favorite by far is their mango habanero, ‘medium-hot’. )
Big Train http://www.bigtrain.com (I drink their Fit Frappe line of protein drinks)
—-
Dan Herman
Radio Crystal Blue
http://www.radiocrystalblue.net
http://www.bigcontact.com/radiocrystalblu
cblue456@comcast.net
twitter: @radiocblue
215 995 2234

****

Radio Crystal Blue/RCB Novus Ordo 3/16/14 audio


Radio Crystal Blue Novus Ordo is a weekly podcast that spotlights brand new music from songwriters and bands. Most of the new music from these artists eventually get heard on my companion radio program, Radio Crystal Blue.
HOW TO LISTEN
Via Big Contact:
Podcast page: www.bigcontact.com/radiocrystalblu
RSS: www.bigcontact.com/radiocrystalblu/rss
mp3: https://radiocrystalblue.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/rcbnew031614.mp3
There are a number of options on the page and in the player to stream and download, as well as to embed the player on your site or blog.
All shows accessed via this player are archived for one year.
This show was published 3/20/14
Moot Davis “Walk Alone” – Goin’ In Hot CD http://www.mootdavis.com
Professor Louie & The Crowmatix “Tired Of The Blues” – Soul Blues CD www.woodstockrecords.com
Roxanna “Close Your Eyes”- single www.roxannamusic.com
Eileen Carey “Joey” – Let It Go CD www.eileencarey.com
Cool Water “Train” – I Am Cured CD www.coolwatermusic.net
Iain Till “Cold Town, Morning Rain” – Oh, Sweetheart Of Mine EP www.iaintill.co.uk

Running time 56 minutos

Here’s RCB proper:

Radio Crystal Blue is my 13-year-old freeform radio program, usually publishing Wednesdays or Thursdays in podcast format.
HOW TO LISTEN
Via Big Contact:
Podcast page: http://www.bigcontact.com/radiocrystalblu
RSS: http://www.bigcontact.com/radiocrystalblu/rss
mp3: https://radiocrystalblue.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/rcblive031614.mp3
There are a number of options on the page and in the player to stream and download, as well as to embed the player on your site or blog. Shows in this FeedPlayer are archived for a year.
Via www.archive.org
Podcast page: https://archive.org/details/RCBlive031614
VBR M3U: https://archive.org/download/RCBlive031614/RCBlive031614_vbr.m3u
Artists who are sharing gigs are denoted with *
This show was published on 3/20/14.
Opening music:
Joan Jett & Paul Westerberg “Let’s Do It” – Tank Girl movie soundtrack
The Sprinkle Genies “Springtime” – Fuzzy CD www.sprinklegenies.com
+++
Carla Bianco “Lean Into You” – All This Time CD www.carlabianco.com
Fred Gillen Jr. “Lean Into You” – Silence Of The Night CD www.fredgillenjr.com
Chuck Schaeffer “Fish On The Line” – Along These Lines CD www.chuckschaeffer.com
Spuyten Duyvil “The Window” – Temptation CD www.spuytenduyvilmusic.com
+++
Hounds Of Finn “Golden Ticket” – Gravity Pulls CD www.houndsoffinn.com
The Kurt Henry Band “Julia In Running Shoes” – From Our Religions We’ll Be Free! CD www.kurthenry.com
Lisa Bianco “Low” – Momentum CD www.lisabianco.com
Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real “Wasn’t That Great” – Wasted CD www.promiseofthereal.com
+++
Julia Massey & The Five Finger Discount “Marquee Malarkey (Letter #2)” – Five Letters From Far Away CD www.juliamasseymusic.com
Lindsay May “Stick Around” – Shimmer CD www.lindsaymay.com
DB Rielly “Wrapped Around Your Little Finger” – Cross My Heart & Hope To Die CD www.dbrielly.com
Carolann Solebello “Backward” – Steel and Salt CD www.carolannsolebello.com
Chris Kokesh “Finding The Edge” – October Valentine CD www.chriskokesh.com
+++
The Chapin Sisters “Sweet Light” – Two CD www.thechapinsisters.com
Eliane Amherd “Steady And Slow” – Now And From Now On CD www.elianeperforms.com
Aztec Two-Step “What Would The Indians Say” – Cause & Effect CD www.aztectwostep.com
Linq “Disconnect” – Disconnect CD www.linqmusic.com
Closing music: Pharaoh’s Daugher “Samai” – Haran CD www.pharaohsdaughter.com
Running time: 165 minutos
Atmosphere: sprung anew
+++
All content on Radio Crystal Blue is free to listen and share via Creative Commons License version 4.0, non-derivative, non-commercial, full attribution. More info: http://www.creativecommons.org
Please consider contributing to Radio Crystal Blue, which cannot truly exist without your support and suggestions for musical content. There is a Paypal button at the homepage at http://www.radiocrystalblue.net

Radio Crystal Blue 3/16/14 news


Radio Crystal Blue is sponsored in part by:
Cyber PR:
www.cyberpr.com
Miles High Productions www.mileshighproductions.com
Wampus Multimedia www.wampus.com
Radio Crystal Blue is free to share and listen, in accordance with Creative
Commons License 4.0, full attribution, non-derivative, non-commercial.
www.creativecommons.org
*****
HOW TO LISTEN:
Each show is usually published by Wednesday or Thursday weekly. There are
now two main hubs where to hear Radio Crystal Blue
(1) via Big Contact, my podcast provider: There is a Feed Player at
www.radiocrystalblue.net Just click the link to open it, and select from the
tabs to download and stream the audio from the particular show. You can also
embed the player on your site or blog.
The FeedPlayer is generated with Flash. If you don’t have Flash, you can get
this at
http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
These players are also available at www.bigcontact.com/radiocrystalblu which
renders the player as a Web page.
Shows on the FeedPlayers are kept for a year.

(2) via Internet Archive: Each podcast includes a dedicated podcast page on
www.archive.org with similar download, stream and embed links. Just look for
Radio Crystal Blue and the date of the week I published the show (I use the
Sunday date) The shows kept here will remain in perpetuity.

RADIO CRYSTAL BLUE ARCHIVE PROJECT also on www.archive.org Use the search
term Radio Crystal Blue to find older shows from 2004 and 2006, shows that
don’t quite sound like the ones I presently do!

CONTACT:
EMAIL: cblue456@comcast.net
personal FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/radiocblue
RCB FACEBOOK:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=20805478312
LINKEDIN: http://www.linkedin.com/danherman0
VIDEO content: http://www.youtube.com/user/cblue456
TWITTER @radiocblue
STAT BLOG
www.idealisticstats.wordpress.com
STAT TWITTER: @idealisticstats
DONATIONS to Radio Crystal Blue can be made via the Paypal button at the homepage.
THE VISION:
https://radiocrystalblue.net/2013/07/28/my-personal-and-radio-vision/
—–
PROGRAMMING:
NEXT SHOW will be published on or about March 13 and will be available
for about 1 year. I usually publish on Wednesdays or as soon as possible
thereafter. You will hear music in several segments of top
indie/DIY/underground songwriters and bands.

RCB Novus Ordo is a separate podcast with 6-8 songs, one each from a brand new
recording. I spin the music and give you the backstory of each artist.

 
*****
To begin matters, here’s an RCB REVIEW of the North Star Bar event on 3/14/14, with headliner Alan Semerdjian:
https://radiocrystalblue.net/2014/03/16/north-star-bar-31414/
PHOTOS at https://www.facebook.com/radiocblue/media_set?set=a.10153925547845725.1073741852.684570724&type=3

VIDEO: http://youtu.be/7zZVpMojByQ

SUBMISSION GUIDLINES
Keep physical packages of reasonable size and weight, as this is a
residence. Please indicate release date. No material released before June 2013
accepted. Material released before then will be added to RCB’s loose rotation instead.
Compilations or great concept albums, ones I can feature track-for-track,
are highly encouraged.
Digital albums are acceptable if media is not available in other formats.
Artists are also advised to add my email address to their general email
list.

EPK (those are what we call electronic press kits) submissions can be sent via one of these companies.
SONICBIDS: http://www.sonicbids.com/radiocrystalblue
MusicSUBMIT: http://www.musicsubmit.com
MusicClout http://www.musicclout.com
Search for the words Radio Crystal Blue to find my pages there. You may have better luck with MusicSubmit as I’m not currently listed with the other two organizations.
If I like the EPK, I will then ask for a CD

CDs that fit in the above rules may be sent to
Send CDs to
Dan Herman
Radio Crystal Blue
1701 Snyder Avenue, #4
Philadelphia, PA 19145

 
 
RCB REWIND:
RCB Novus Ordo: Continued the 2-song, 4-artist trend, I aired a magnificent song by veteran Long Island NY songwriter/performer Ray Lambiase in “Paper In My Wallet” Also delightful is the music of Scott Wolfson & Other Heroes, centered around NYC and Jersey City. Jeremiah Birnbaum, who I had spun solo music of years ago, is the 6th Other Hero in this quintet.
 
 

RCB proper: The tradition continues. Iggy Pop to herald the Ides Of March (near and on March 15th), Capercaillie (their take on a Dick Gaughan song), some bagpipe music from Ireland, and a blistering rendition of “Whiskey In the Jar” by (who else?) Thin Lizzy.Also spun music from the band Rise, whose modern Celtic music via the Isle Of Bute I championed years ago. Noting Black 47’s farewell run of gigs, I had to end the opening segment with the first ‘hit’ the band scored, “Funky Ceili (Bridie’s Song)”. I saw them just once, at Summerstage, a seasonal art series at the Sheep Meadow in NYC’s Central Park, back in 1993, I think. Segment 1: Deni Bonet and Judy Kass are sharing billing somewhere in Tarrytown NY on 3/22. The song I aired from Judy “Better Things” is one of Deni’s own songs, and who appears on violin. Prior to that, I aired the title track of Deni’s own 2012 album “It’s All Good”. Aired a new song from Sugar Lime Blue. Segment 2 was made up of artists with common showcases during this past week’s SXSW event. Apparently there was a cruise, with Sirsy, Jamie Kent & The Orphans, Jeff Campbell, Megan Slankard, Don Gallardo and Shinyribs (Kevin Russell, late of The Gourds). Segment 3: Sassparilla doesn’t share billing with others I gave airplay to re SXSW but they kick off this segment. Rachael Sage’s “Abby Would You Wait” cites an Austin motel. Segment 4: Another segment of SXSW participants. Great to spin Leyla Fences and her unique voice once again, along with a special talent in Melissa Greener. Also, TX native Jan Seides gets heard for the first time since I debut her album “Siren Song” months back. Segment 5: Apologies to you all and to Sharon Goldman as I could not locate her new album, so I spun a tune from her prior album. Adrian Mowry of Beaucoup Blue, and Lizanne Knott (plus Tracy Grammer) are in-the-round at the Macungie Arts Institute, 3/22, Macungie,PA. Closing music, as usual for this seasonal show each year, is a Van Morrison tune.

—-
Dan Herman
Radio Crystal Blue
http://www.radiocrystalblue.net
http://www.bigcontact.com/radiocrystalblu
cblue456@comcast.net
twitter: @radiocblue
215 995 2234

@ North Star Bar, 3/14/14


Friday’s event at North Star Bar was acoustically and aesthetically driven, with talent from NYC and NJ represented well. I hadn’t been to the Fairmount venue in a good while, nor had I the opportunity to quaff a Troegs, very nice crisp local beer, before settling in. The audience was light on attendance but grew a bit more enthused as the evening lasted.
002
Andrew Whitman from central NJ started off in trio format. Andrew, late of the local rock band The Moccasins, is taking a different turn with his music. Andrew was on acoustic, flanked by Carter Murphey on banjo, and Matt Lewis on backing vocals. Andrew mentioned to me that they have been going after a Jack Johnson and G Love sort of sound. They do have that sentiment in place, perhaps Andrew being more like Jack, and Matt as G Love. “The Beat Of Life” along with one other tune toward the end, were my favorites, with very good vocal harmonies. As Andrew puts it on his Facebook page, the songs they play are “songs that get us through the beat of life”. Good, clean fun from this trio. I wonder if there’s a fuller sound to them.
012 017 022Rocky & The Pressers from The Bronx, NY play Philly every month, while touring the Northeast and when they’re not playing An Beal Bocht in their stomping grounds. In fact they were to play on a bill with the sainted King Django in north NJ on Saturday. They had a good deal of merch displayed including T-shirts, CDs and stickers. They are a 6-piece that include 2 guitars, mandolin, percussion, drums and bass. Guitars up front, all else in back. I was instantly recalling the sounds of roots reggae, even ‘lovers rock’, the sort of sound that Gregory Isaacs and Freddie McGregor popularized. The Pressers kept things pretty simple, Danny McDonald was active on guitar for the most part, and contributed tenor sax on a few. I believe it Eric Sullivan at the lead and acoustic, along with Mario Rincon playing one of several guitar-type instruments. Rocky was tucked in back on bass. Part of one tune saw Eric take out a melodica. Favorite songs included “Walk Your Dog” and “Never Dry”. 032 035 036 039

Alan Semerdjian is Mr. Semerdjian to many teens in the NYC school system, teaching English, tho it wouldn’t surprise me if he got out the guitar to teach them words or the art within a song. This is Alan’s life, one that focusing on communicating his thoughts and feelings in a number of ways. They take the form of various sorts of visual art, of poems, and song. As evidenced on his general art website, his artistic experiments led to the creation of ‘artpoems’. Friday’s solo show as the headliner saw him play an extended set, slowly drawing in the remaining audience. One audience member near me was enthusiastic about his song “More”, which did, indeed, raise the vibe of the room. He played a mix of songs from his solo material and a couple from his prior band Surreal. It was Alan’s first gig in Philly in several years and he expressed appreciation for the sound quality. Some of the stage patter was devoted to the very magic of song, using phrases like “talking dreams”. One tipsy local resident in a faded Philadelphia Eagles jacket pranced about during a good portion of the set in front of the stage. Alan was pleasantly amused at the sight.
MORE photos here:

073 075 082 094

Here’s video of Alan (and said patron) with his song “Breakdown”