It was June 2000 when the Mercury Prize-winning, seminal ‘The Hour of the Bewilderbeast’, announced the arrival of the badly drawn genius of Damon Gough. It's been a curious, wonderful, inimitable, unpredictable career so far of major prizes and minor incidents, all possibilities and magic in the air.

Since then he has released four subsequent studio albums - Have You Fed The Fish? (2002), One Plus One Is One (2004), Born In The UK (2006) and It’s What I’m Thinking Part 1: Photographing Snowflakes (2010) – and three film soundtracks, About A Boy (2002, from the film of the same name), Is There Nothing We Could Do? (2009, from the Caroline Aherne film The Fattest Man In The UK) and Being Flynn (from the 2012 film of the same name).

Badly Drawn Boy’s soundtrack to the 2002 film About A Boy, starring Hugh Grant, remains one of Badly Drawn Boy’s most critically acclaimed and successful albums (certified Gold in the UK) and spawned two singles, ‘Silent Sigh’ and ‘Something To Talk About’.

This US acoustic bluesman has more than 12 critically acclaimed albums to his name and he's also enjoyed stage success on, and off, Broadway. Like all the great bluesmen Guy is, at heart, a great storyteller.

Charismatic, inventive, and great fun, a performance with Guy Davis will leave an indelible impression for all the right reasons !

His album 'Juba Dance' was nominated under 'Best Blues Album' and Guy himself was nominated as 'Best Acoustic Blues Musician' for the 2014 National Blues Awards.

'His own compositions are so in tune with the tradition that they seemas though they were written after a hard day in the cotton fields.' (Sydney Morning Herald)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5xrwYxOO-k

Joe D'Urso, an Americana/Jersey Shore/Rock & Roll songwriter, will be releasing his 14th CD on SCR/Schoolhouse Records, titled "Jersey Diner" in January 2018. The CD was recorded in Nyack, Rockland County, NY at OK Records and will feature D’Urso originals as well as a few songs written by some of Rock and Roll’s greatest songwriters.

The CD runs from straight-up Americana rock and roll, singer-songwriter offerings, Jersey Shore and Greenwich Villages influences as well as Catskill Mountain country tinged instrumentation.

Joe has performed in 25 countries with his band Stone Caravan as well as a solo artist. D'Urso remains true to an ideal inspired by the late Harry Chapin: that it is essential to help the less fortunate. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Light of Day Foundation, which raises funds and awareness for Parkinson's disease. Joe is a founding member of PinkFest, whose sole purpose is to battle Breast Cancer, and also sits on the board of WhyHunger and is a founding member of Artists Against Hunger and Poverty. Joe is also the owner of Rockland-Bergen Music Festival and a partner in C.B.G.B.

Website: JDCaravan.com

Her music spans genres, crosses barriers and creates bridges. Her voice soars to emotional heights and reaches down into the grittiness of the soul. Her performances are foot-stomping, heart-wrenching adventures in rhythm, blues, jazz and rock and roll. For more than a decade Miss Emily has captivated audiences across Canada, the US and the United Kingdom with her unique combination of passion and talent. Her most recent record ‘Rise’ featured Gord Sinclair and Rob Baker of the Tragically Hip as well as Chris Brown of Bourbon Tabernacle Choir and Eric Schenkman of Spin Doctors. Support like that doesn’t come along “just because.” Over the years, these renowned musicians have recognized something that elevates her. But that’s the thing with Miss Emily – she uses her talent to elevate others. Her commitment to local and international charities like The United Way, The Schizophrenic Society and Light of Day is unequalled. Perhaps it’s this combination of generosity and an unparalleled musical gift that has allowed her to assemble a list of accomplishments that include:

– Five appearances at the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest – Being the first Canadian on the Light of Day UK Tour – Touring with Canadian Pacific Holiday Train – Opening spots for The Tragically Hip, The Trews and other notable acts, as well as work with Gene Simmons of KISS – Singing “Because the Night” with Bruce Springsteen at Light of Day in 2015 It’s an impressive list and one that will expand soon. Miss Emily is currently working on a new record that traces back to her roots in music and already includes some of the best song-writing of her young career. Emily’s full-length albums to date include: Miss Emily – ‘Rise’ (2014), Emily Fennell Band – ‘Red’ (2009), Sugarplum – ‘Miss Twisted’ (2009) and Emily Fennell – ‘Green’ (2004).

In the words of ROLLING STONE Magazine, “Jeffrey Gaines is the voice of a new generation.”

Jeffrey Gaines has been heralded for his soul-searching lyrics and his powerful live performances.

With only his voice and a guitar for accompaniment, Jeffrey Gaines has earned a reputation as a captivating performer entertaining his audiences everywhere he goes. On the road for over 150 nights a year, Gaines is preparing to record his eighth CD, featuring all previously unreleased songs (first studio album since 2003’s “Toward The Sun”).

Raised in Harrisburg, PA by parents more inclined to spin soul classics by Aretha and Otis than the New Wave and Brit Rock blasting from their son’s room, a teenaged Gaines began playing guitar in several local garage bands covering The Who, The Kinks, and The Jam. He soon decided to set out on his own and quickly landed a record deal in 1992, releasing Jeffrey Gaines, the first of his five studio releases. The album garnered four stars from The Philadelphia Inquirer, describing Gaines as “…an ethereal soul…insistent, impassioned, full of self-knowledge.” 1994’s Somewhat Slightly Dazed, and 1998’s Galore followed suite. Interview Magazine called Gaines’ music “soul-searching” and “refreshingly free of jargon, sentiment or cliché.”

In 2001, Gaines released Always Be (Artemis) to both critical and commercial praise. Featuring his emotional interpretation of “In Your Eyes” and his own soaringly beautiful “Always Be,” the album hit #5 on R&R Callout America CHR/Pop list, also reaching #45 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. The New York Post proclaimed Always Be as “a dozen-song mix…that completely illustrates the depth he is capable of.”

Gaines’ impressive catalogue grew with 2003’s Toward The Sun, produced by Mitchell Froom (Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, and Crowded House). The Boston Globe declared that “Gaines’ soulful, wounded vocals make a case for his being one of pop’s finest singers…an artist who deserves far more attention than some of his more hyped, yet less talented peers.” Mojo noted, “This established soul-folkie’s sexy growl has an underlying edge, making it a memorable album. Heartfelt unpretentious.”

Throughout his career, Gaines has built a rapport with his fans unlike any other in popular music today. Gaines goes as far as letting his fans influence the songs he performs each night. “When its just me playing, I only know the first song I’m going to play, but from there the energy and the vibe tell me what the next song is gonna be. Someone may yell a song, and I’m like ‘Exactly! Good call.’ That’s so fun to me, keeping it really exciting and spontaneous. I don’t even know what's around the corner, and the crowd doesn’t either.” Based on that relastionship with the audience, Gaines released Jeffrey Gaines Live (CD / DVD) in 2004, followed by 2012’s Live In Europe, which was recordied during his 25-city tour with Joe Jackson.

Vini was born January 22nd 1949 in Neptune, New Jersey. He got into music at the age of 6, when he heard Elvis. He played the valve bugle in the Shoreliners Drum and Bugle Corps in Neptune NJ. While in 8th grade, Vini became interested in the drums. Vini met Buzzy Lubinski in 1964 who showed Vini how to play Drums. Soon afterwards, Vini was introduced to Sonny Kenn and Vini joined "Sonny and the Starfires" in 1965. Soon after this Vini was in "The Moment of Truth" with Garry Tallent in 1966. Also in '67 Vini played in "The Downtown Tangiers Rockin' Rhythm and Blues Band" with Bill Chinnock and Danny Federici. When he met Bruce Springsteen in 1968, Danny Federici and Vini asked Bruce to form a band, which they did. Vini introduced Bruce to Carl "Tinker" West when they decided to make this band. It was called "Child" at first then they had to change the name to "Steel Mill". After "Steel Mill" was no longer, the band became "The Bruce Springsteen Band" and then it became "E Street band" with Bruce Springsteen, Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici, Garry Tallent and Vini Lopez. The rest became history. On April 10th, 2014 the E St. Band is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame. "Myself and all of the fella's are very proud of this..!!" Vini has played with all of the musicians from the shore area and is one of the driving forces of the music at the Jersey shore and a true legend of his times. He has played countless charity shows and will always be there if someone asks. Also Vini is a caddie for Mark McCormick, a pro from NJ. They have been together for almost 30 years. Mark, with Vini on his bag, played in the US Open in San Francisco in 2012. Vini now plays regular shows all over the Jersey Shore with "Dawg Whistler" "Only cool people can hear them". The band is Paul Whistler, Jon Sebastion Brice, John Mulrenan and Vini "Maddog" Lopez. They do original songs written by Paul. Whistler. Currently recording a new CD with the band at Acorn Studios in Howell NJ.

James Maddock’s status as a fixture on the Folk and Americana scene is confirmed with every listen of any song in his prodigious catalog. Relix Magazine put it this way: “James Maddock possesses the kind of lived-in craggy voice that would sound authoritative if he were singing the sports pages. Fortunately, he doesn't need to do that because his compositional skills are a match for his delivery."

After fronting the Columbia Records band Wood, whose debut Songs From Stamford Hill was featured prominently on TV shows such as “Dawson’s Creek,” Maddock moved from England to New York City in 2003. His 2009 album Sunrise On Avenue C won a New York Music Award for Best Americana Album, while the follow-up Wake Up And Dream ranked among the top albums of 2011 in WFUV's (NYC) Listener Poll. With the release of Another Life (2013) and The Green (2015) Maddock continued to demonstrate why many consider him to be one of the best singer/songwriters working today. He has performed with Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nile, Aaron Comess (Spin Doctors) and David Immergluck (Counting Crows). According to radio legend Vin Scelsa, Maddock's "heartbreakingly beautiful and exquisitely crafted" music "touches the soul." As a songwriter, James recently had three songs co-written with Mike Scott on the new Waterboys album Modern Blues (which appeared in the Top 50 on the UK Albums Chart), a co-write with Gary Barlow (“Actress”) on Barlow’s new album (2X Platinum), as well as a cut (“Fragile”) on the Dirt On My Tongue album by emerging UK artist Jo Harman. Songs from Another Life have been featured on NBC’s Parenthood and ABC Family’s Switched at Birth. Maddock is a constant live presence in the U.S. and Europe. His new full-length studio album recorded in Brooklyn with his touring band, Insanity Vs. Humanity, is slated to release on September 15, 2017. For up-to-date news and concert schedule, log on to www.jamesmaddock.net.

Rob Dye: Days To Here

The ten songs that comprise Days To Here, the debut CD from New Jersey native Rob Dye, are a journey through the rich landscape of American music’s roots. With feet firmly planted in those roots, Dye’s music incorporates elements of rock, old school country, Stax-influenced R&B, gospel and more while remaining true to the essence of each style. Guitars wail, the pedal steel and piano bring us into a honky-tonk saloon, a trio of singers takes us to church, an accordion whisks us into bayou country, while a saxophone echoes the famed Jersey Shore sound. Through it all, the lyrics tell classic stories of love, faith, drinking and hitting the road.

The songs on Days To Here are split into two sides. The disc’s first 5 songs are straight ahead rock with a touch of rhythm and blues and the last 5 songs are country-based. “I wanted to capture the days of vinyl, when you listened to an album and had to get up and turn the record over,” Dye says. “You were always excited to hear what new and different sounds the other side would bring. The first song on the second side was always great. It had to be or you might not listen to the rest! Neil Young’s Rust Never Sleeps is a perfect example. Side One was classic acoustic Neil – reflective, introspective storytelling – while Side Two was flat-out rock, beginning with the first notes of ‘Powderfinger’ (a song Dye often performs) to the last chord of ‘Hey Hey My My (Into The Black)’!”

From the eerie, ominous minor chord opening notes of ‘Maybe Some Day’ to the uplifting gospel-influenced ending of ‘You Called Me Here’, the five songs on Days To Here’s first side explore lost love, true love, faith, uncertainty and hope. ‘Believe’ and ‘Loose Ends’ are bona-fide Jersey-style rockers, while ‘Precious One’ is a heartfelt, soulful ballad complete with classic Memphis R&B horns. Side Two’s first track ‘Here Comes Loneliness’ continues these themes, but the pedal steel sounds make it clear we are on a ride through country music territory. Along the way, stops are made in Cajun country (‘My Baby Left Me Yesterday’) and honky-tonks (‘I’ll Have Another Drink’), with the ride ending (appropriately) on ‘Cars Trucks And Buses,’ an infectious toe-tapper that recalls classic truck driving songs, complete with rip-roaring guitar solos.

Music has always been a part of Dye’s life. He logs over 150 shows a year, whether it’s as a duo or with a band playing covers along the Jersey Shore to touring the country and overseas in the groups Holiday Express and Light Of Day. “I love music, all styles. Period. It can be a great ballad, a silly sing-along, a hard-hitting social commentary or just a great riff. If it’s written well and moves you, then ‘mission accomplished’ – the songwriter has done his or her job. I’m more than happy to take what these great songwriters have done and share that with an audience. Hopefully my music will do the same.”

To achieve the sounds on Days To Here, Dye enlisted a stellar cast of some of the Jersey area’s finest musicians. “I wanted the right player to bring out the best in each song. Everyone involved delivered beyond my wildest expectations. It truly was a collaborative effort with an eclectic cast of musicians. I am so thankful I was surrounded by such talent.”

The cover of Days To Here accents the CD’s theme and features a beautiful, emotive photograph of two people under trees on a foggy early morning, taken by renowned photographer Danny Clinch. A fellow New Jersey native, Clinch’s resume is a virtual who’s who of today’s music stars, including Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan, Ben Harper, Metallica and many more. The CD’s accompanying images of Dye were taken by rising star Jimmy Hubbard, who has shot bands such as Mastodon, Slayer, Judas Priest and more. For Dye, the days to here are much more than the culmination of years of live shows, writing and recording. It marks the beginning of a journey – for both the listener and the artist. The journey to get to here took many years. The journey forward is just beginning.