Posts Tagged ‘newsong presents’

NewSong partners with Kennedy Center in D.C. to present upcoming ‘Verse –> Refrain’ concert series.

Friday, July 28th, 2017

 

NewSong Music is excited to present in partnership with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. the upcoming three part weekly music concert series ‘Verse –> Refrain: An Exploration of Song.’

In the spirit of community and collaboration, each of the three weekly performances will feature and pair two emerging artists or acts from the NewSong community, to share the stage to explore, perform and discuss their own inspirations and methods of songwriting.

The concerts take place on each of the last three Thursdays in August (17, 24, 31), are free to the public and begin at 6 PM at the Kennedy Center’s Millinneum Stage. No advance ticket purchase is required, and there is no free parking for these free events.

 

Here’s the series lineup:

 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 17
Max Hatt / Edda Glass // 
JBird Shogren

SHOW #1: 2014 NewSong Music grand prize winners Max Hatt / Edda Glass (Santa Fe, NM) and 2016 NewSong award round finalist JBird Shogren (Centennial, WY).

Max Hatt / Edda Glass have “an incomparable spook” (Nashville Scene) and “a unique sound” (Larry Groce, NPR), comprised of Glass’s unmistakable voice and Hatt’s lyrical guitar. Originally from Montana, their award-winning Jazz Americana and wistful interpretations of Brazilian Bossa Nova have taken them all the way to New York City’s Lincoln Center, NPR Mountain Stage, Sundance Film Festival and Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival.

Praised for her “impeccable vocal command” (PopMatters) and compared to a gamut of singers from Astrud Gilberto to Billie Holliday, Glass’s voice is ultimately “one of a kind…you cannot confuse her with another artist” (New York Theatre Guide). Hatt’s equally distinctive guitar work combines the harmonic innovations of jazz with the melodic resonance of folk, creating music that’s “subtly poignant, elegantly funky, and haunting without trying to be” (Nels Cline, Wilco). Together, Max Hatt / Edda Glass evoke a world that stretches from the beaches of Rio de Janeiro to the prairies of the American west, telling stories of little people on great plains, and leaving audiences with a feeling both light and deep. 

J Shogren from Centennial WY (pop 100, 4 bars) has a singular vision of what he is doing musically—Roots & folk music filtered through a contemporary dissonant transmitter. He describes his music as “Catawampus American music”. Shogren plays all over the US & Europe, represented Wyoming in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, and was a finalist in the 2016 NewSong Competition held at Lincoln Center in New York City.

“Brilliant storyteller from Wyoming. Hard Boiled, sometimes dark humorous stories delivered with a voice that clearly have lived through them.” Lennart Persson (SWE) Rootsy

“This could well be one of the first albums, in the hundreds of reviews written, that I simply can’t compare to anyone else or even come close to slotting into a genre.” American Roots UK

RSVP on Facebook

maxhatteddaglass.com
www.jshogren.com/

 

 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 24
Rachael Kilgour // Wilder Adkins

SHOW #2:  This performance features the two most recent grand prize winners of the NewSong Music Competition: 2015’s Rachael Kilgour (Minneapolis, MN) with the reigning and 2016 grand prize recipient Wilder Adkins (Birmingham, AL).

Rachael Kilgour is a Minnesota-based songwriter and performing artist whose sincere, lyric-driven work has been called both brave and humane. The 2015 grand prize winner of the esteemed international NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition and 2017 winner of the Kerrville Grassyhill New Folk Contest, Kilgour has been featured at NYC’s Lincoln Center and by the ASCAP Music Café at the Sundance Film Festival.
 
A versatile performer, Kilgour has shared stages with the likes of indie artists Haley Bonar & Jeremy Messersmith as well as folk legends Greg Brown, Cheryl Wheeler & Lucy Kaplansky.
 
Wilder Adkins’ songwriting gleans as much from the earthy poetry of Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver as it does from the works of folk luminaries Richard Thompson and Bruce Cockburn. He’s a true theosophical spirit, arrestingly taciturn, but possessed of startling guitar skills, a wit as dry as October leaves, and a tremulous, dented voice that’s frankly mesmerizing.
 
Adkins’ songs, steeped in natural imagery, frequently touch upon the subjects of faith, doubt, and as the title of his new album would indicate, Hope and Sorrow.
 
RSVP on Facebook 
 
rachaelkilgour.com

 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 31
Brie Capone / Andy Palmer

SHOW #3: NewSong’s 2017 LEAF Community Arts Contest award round finalists Brie Capone (Asheville, NC) & Andy Palmer (Denver, CO).

Brie Capone is a singer/songwriter and performer from Asheville, NC, and the recent 2017 winner of the NewSong Presents: LEAF Festival Contest. Brie’s video for the single ‘Scars’ from her debut EP Orbit was also selected as a co-winner at the 2017 Music Video Asheville Awards. 

Denver-based Andy Palmer is a former New York City public defender whose three years of living and working in Brooklyn’s trenches clearly provide fodder for the painful truths and ruggedness of his alternative roots-rock sound. 

Palmer’s distinctively gritty vocals and hard luck tales have garnered him favorable comparisons to Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Nick Cave, Johnny Cash, and Leonard Cohen. Westword magazine calls Palmer’s music “timeless” and “epic” and listed his debut CD Sometime Around among one of Denver’s best releases of 2011. Palmer’s music is featured in multiple independent films, including ‘The Boat Builder’ starring Christopher Lloyd and written by Denver’s own Arnold Grossman. 

RSVP on Facebook

briecaponemusic.com
andypalmermusic.com

2016 NewSong grand prize winner Wilder Adkins releases peace anthem “Side By Side” on MLK Jr. Day

Monday, January 16th, 2017

SideBySide-WilderAdkins-NewSongMusic.jpg

2016 NewSong grand prize winner Wilder Adkins releases peace anthem “Side By Side” on MLK Jr. Day

“This is a song about the city of Birmingham, Alabama and the struggles of the civil rights movement in the 1960s,” says Adkins, a Birmingham resident himself. “It is also an anthem for peace and a call to keep hoping and never give up fighting darkness with the power of light.”


ABOUT WILDER ADKINS
Wilder Adkins15698210_881465828570_6907624843770016758_n songwriting gleans as much from the earthy poetry of Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver as it does from the works of folk luminaries Richard Thompson and Bruce Cockburn. His courtly-but-witty lyrics evoke a Deep South Shelley or Yeats, riding a joyful guitar dexterity.

Adkins hails from Marietta, GA, but now lives and writes in Birmingham, AL. He grew up listening to his dad play renditions of Neil Young and Van Morrison songs on an old Guild Jumbo Acoustic. Adkins’ songs, steeped in natural imagery, frequently touch upon the subjects of faith, doubt, and as the title of his new album would indicate, hope and sorrow.

Adkins is the grand prize winner of the 2016 international NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition.


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Three Questions with 2016 Finalist Brad Cole

Wednesday, November 9th, 2016

BradCole

Brad Cole is a New York City-based folk musician who pens songs about the human condition with wit and raw insight. Hints of roots, old school bossa and rhythm and blues set this singer-songwriter apart, and his soulful lyricism thoroughly impressed NewSong judges.

Cole is a musician poised to take off: in the last eighteen months, he has played over one hundred shows and has shared the stage with artists including Chris Stapleton, Shovels and Rope, Ingrid Michaelson, and more.

We asked Cole about his songwriting process, as well as his hopes and expectations for the NewSong finalist showcase at Lincoln Center. To learn more about this exciting musician and to listen to his latest album, Lay it Down, visit his website at bradcolemusic.com.

What is your songwriting process like, and where do you find inspiration?

I look at the world around me for inspiration, and I guess most of that lyrical inspiration comes from those who have fallen and attempted to pull themselves up to a better place. I probably have a new melody idea every day, so it’s usually a matter of putting those inspirations together with a musical expression that is cool and feels good. Then I give myself time to write and finish. Probably the last songwriting muse to inspire me is Patty Griffin.

What made you decide to submit to NewSong, and what does it mean to you to be a finalist in this year’s competition?

I was in the crowd last year, and the show was inspiring. I loved it. Of course I feel honored that this special tune has been recognized by such a well respected group. As far as music curators go, NewSong is the real deal, so I know I’ll be with a great mix of players in a room full of listeners, so that’s huge. Beyond that, just want to be able to share what I do with a new audience.

What is going on your career that readers should know about?

I released Lay It Down in 2016, and the reception has been amazing. So I’ll be touring the US in 2017, primarily east coast, mid south, midwest, southwest and California. I have an April residency planned for Chicago at The Hideout every Wednesday night, and I’m putting the final plans together for a NYC residency this spring 2017.

To learn more about Brad Cole, visit bradcolemusic.com and follow Brad Cole Music on Facebook and Instagram.

Today Is THE Last Day to Submit Your Music

Monday, October 17th, 2016

FinalDay

GOT SONGS? TODAY IS THE FINAL DAY TO SUBMIT YOUR MUSIC!

The deadline to enter the 15th Annual NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition is TONIGHT (Monday, October 17) at 11:59pm PST. Ten finalists will be selected to compete at the prestigious Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City this December for the grand prize, which includes featured prize performances in 2017 back at Lincoln Center AND the ASCAP Music Café at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. The winner will also receive a multi-day professional recording session at the award winning Echo Mountain Recording Studios in Asheville, NC.

As an entrant in the 2016 competition, you are also eligible for exclusive discounts on future recording sessions at Echo Mountain Recording Studios, and you and your music will be considered for additional recording and performance opportunities across the U.S.


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Three Questions With Early Bird Finalist: Middle Child

Friday, October 7th, 2016

Three questions with Early Bird Finalist: Middle Child

MiddleChild


NewSong Music is proud to count the band Middle Child among our Early Bird Finalists. While each of these three musicians has immense talent — and two have established solo careers — the bandmates discovered that they were better together. And we are so glad they did.

Austin Max and Danny Silberstein began writing songs together after meeting at Berklee College of Music in 2013. Terrell Hines soon joined the band, filling in harmonies and playing drums. Together, the trio boasts a psychedelic R&B sound that is inspired by the likes of The Wrecking Crew, Frank Ocean, Paul Simon, and Al Green. Middle Child will release its first official single in the fall of 2016, and we can’t wait for the world to hear it.

We took the time to ask Danny some questions about the band. To learn more about Middle Child, visit middlechildofficialband.com.

What are your biggest inspirations as songwriters?

I think basic human emotions are really the common thread between each of our songs. When we write, we try to take a snapshot of way we are feeling at that point in time. Different harmonies and arrangements tend to evoke a variety of feelings and emotions, so we like to  approach writing songs with an opening mind, both instrumentally and stylistically.

Why did you submit to the NewSong Music Competition?

We were inspired to submit after seeing that the Cardinal Sons had won the competition a while back. We’re fans of their Echo Choir EP, so we wanted to be involved with the people who helped create it.

What’s the one thing you would like people to know about Middle Child?

We are independent artists who came together to make something bigger than the three of us. We love music so much, and would love people to feel that in our music.

Three Questions with Early Bird Finalist: Market Junction

Friday, October 7th, 2016

Three questions with Early Bird Finalist: Market Junction

Market Junction is the name under which Matt Parish and Justin Lofton share their insightful brand of Americana, and NewSong Music is excited to welcome the Houston, Texas-based duo as Early Bird Finalists.

The two friends currently have a single called “All I Really Need” on the Texas Region Radio chart, and they have secured opening spots for artists including Charlie Pride, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Little Texas. We think it’s only a matter of time before we start hearing more about Market Junction, and we are only too happy to welcome them to the NewSong stage.

We asked Matt and Justin a few questions about their songwriting. To learn more about the band, visit mktjct.com.

How would you describe your sound to those who have never heard you before?

We are Americana to our core. If you listen to our record, you will hear elements of folk, country and rock, but the foundation lies in our quest to tell a good story.

What fuels your songwriting?

Justin and I have been best friends for a long time. Our experiences together, along with our families, find their way into our writing. We are suckers for sad stories and hard times.  Artistically, our goal is to paint a picture without drawing the lines too clearly.

What inspired you to submit to NewSong?

We had not heard about NewSong before, but the contest intrigued us. We were looking for a way to showcase our songwriting abilities on a national level, and NewSong seemed to be a good avenue for that.

NewSong Music alum Kelly English records debut album at Echo Mountain Recording Studios

Monday, August 29th, 2016

NewSong Music alum Kelly English records debut album at Echo Mountain Recording Studios

When Kelly English travelled the Lake Eden Arts Festival in Black Mountain, North Carolina to compete in the NewSong Presents: LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter competition last year, she was a relative newcomer to the songwriting scene. Before her submission caught the attention of NewSong judges, she had only performed at coffee shops and talent shows in her Connecticut hometown.

Fast forward to a year later, and English is just wrapping up recording her first full-length album with NewSong founder and music producer, Gar Ragland, at Echo Mountain Recording Studios in Asheville, NC. Further proof that finalists don’t have to win the NewSong competition for the experience to have a major impact.

“Day one of recording was awesome,” says English on her second day of recording. “I was nervous coming in because I’ve never recorded on this scale before, but Gar was so helpful. Yesterday was such a good day, so I was excited coming in today.”  

English toured Echo Mountain when she was in the area for LEAF last fall, but the idea of recording an album at the award-winning studio was just a dream at that point. “I didn’t think that [making an album here] was going to happen, but after the contest, I stayed in touch with Gar, and we decided to record together,” she says. “Gar understands my music and likes my writing, and after visiting the studio last year, I knew I wanted to record here.”

As an entrant to last year’s NewSong Competition, she was able to take advantage of the exclusive, discounted recording package that Echo Mountain offers to NewSong entrants.

English says her experience competing at LEAF was an “eye opener” that pushed her to keep pursuing her career as a musician. “It was so cool,” says the artist of her LEAF performance. “It was the biggest crowd I’ve played to. People were so kind and so into it. You could tell that people were rooting you on as you were competing.”

While English has songs recorded on her YouTube channels and bandcamp page, this is her first album. Putting out a full-length record feels like a natural next step in her career as a musician. “I just hope to play out more and get more people to listen,” she says.  

To learn more about Kelly English, visit her YouTube channel and Bandcamp page.  

2015 NewSong Music Finals Feature: Meet The Judges

Thursday, January 7th, 2016

Ahead of the NewSong Music Showcase & Competition Finals, we wanted to introduce the judges of this year’s event. We are honored to have Erik Philbrook (ASCAP), Michael Selverne, Jordana Phokompe (Lincoln Center), and Gar Ragland (NewSong Music) as the judges of this year’s event. Learn more about each judge below:

ERIK PHILBROOK, ASCAP

erikphilbrook

Erik Philbrook serves as ASCAP’s AVP of Marketing and Communications and Editor in Chief of its Playback magazine. In addition to writing editorial, producing video and managing content for ASCAP’s various media channels, he has interviewed and written about many of today’s leading songwriters and composers from across the musical spectrum, from legendary icons to today’s emerging artists. He has helped lead ASCAP’s advocacy efforts in protecting songwriter rights in the digital age. And he has played an essential role in the success of high-profile ASCAP events such as the Sundance ASCAP Music Café and the ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO, where he has interviewed on stage many top music creators, including Tom Petty, John Mayer, Bon Jovi, ELO’s Jeff Lynne, Ingrid Michaelson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Steve Lillywhite and many others. In addition, Philbrook is a songwriter and musician himself, having recorded three acclaimed albums with his band The Brilliant Mistakes.

MICHAEL SELVERNE

SelvernePhoto

Michael Selverne is a 35 year veteran of the music business.   A trained musician, Mr. Selverne has a diverse career as a musician, producer, publisher, manager, attorney and executive. Currently, Mr. Selverne is producing a record for the Asheville NC Symphony Orchestra featuring artists such as the Steep Canyon Rangers and Rising Appalachia.  Among the many gold and platinum artists with whom Mr. Selverne has worked are: Motley Crue, India.Arie, Hootie and the Blowfish, Guns and Roses, Live, the Wu-Tang Clan, the Fugees, Wyclef Jean, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, La Toya Jackson, Donald Fagen/Steely Dan, Hanson.

JORDANA PHOKOMPE, LINCOLN CENTER

jordana

Jordana Phokompe is the Director of the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center and is responsible for programing its free weekly performance series. Since joining Lincoln Center in 2009, Jordana has developed new programs for the Atrium including Poet-Linc, LCDJ, and AtriumFlix. Previously, she was a consultant for artists and festivals in the U.S., Europe, and Africa and served as the Associate Producer for MAPP International Productions from 2001-2008. During her tenure at MAPP she co-created the Africa Contemporary Arts Consortium.  Jordana received her BA from the New School for Social Research and her MFA from Brooklyn College.

GAR RAGLAND, NEWSONG MUSIC

garragland

Gar Ragland is a music producer, composer, manager and the president and co-founder of NewSong Music. A native North Carolinian (Winston-Salem), Gar began his music career while an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia, sharing bills with acts that include the Dave Matthews Band, Gov’t Mule and the Aquarium Rescue Unit. After working several years in Washington, DC as an environmental economist for the policy think tank Resources for the Future, Ragland relocated to Boston to study composition and improvisation at the New England Conservatory with MacArthur ‘Genius’ Award winning pianist, composer and educator Ran Blake. He then moved to New York City to open NewSong’s Brooklyn studio and office, and eight years later moved to Asheville, NC with his family in 2012 to set up shop at Echo Mountain Recording Studios. He is a voting member of the Recording Academy (Grammys), and is the current board chair of the Asheville Area Arts Council.

Sarah Kervin #InstaTakeover

Wednesday, January 6th, 2016

finalinstagram

Hey Gang,

Sarah Kervin has taken over the @newsongmusic Instagram account for the next 48 hours. She is going to give all of you a BTS peek into the NewSong Music Showcase & Competition Finals, meeting the other finalists, and hanging around her Brooklyn music scene. Follow along here and make sure your follow her Instagram at @skervinofficial!

 

INSTA TAKEOVER!! Less than 48 hours til the #newsongmusic finals @lincolncenter! GET READY!! @skervinofficial #nyc #instatakeover @instagram @donewyorkcity #singersongwriter #singers #writers #nycartists #artists #newmusic #originalmusic #livemusic #newsong #newyork #nyc #nycmusic #newsongs #lincolncenter

A video posted by NewSong Music (@newsongmusic) on

 

Step 1. ☕️! From my fave Brooklyn spot @southside_coffee @skervinofficial #coffee #sarahlovescoffee #newsong #newsongmusic #newsongs #coffeelovers #nyccoffee #brooklyncoffee #caffeineaddict #nycmusic #nyc #newyork #newmusic #nycartists #lincolncenter #tomorrownight #freeshow

A photo posted by NewSong Music (@newsongmusic) on

 

STEP 2. Rehearsal. (With the amazing and talented @rosspederson!!) SO ready for tomorrow! @lincolncenter #newsongmusic #finals 7:30 pm. #freeshow #newsong #newyork #newmusic #newsongs #nycmusic @donewyorkcity @nycgo @nyc24.7 #nycartists #percussion #cajon #box #percussionist #drummer #beats #beatz #lemon #citrusmakesthebestbeats @skervinofficial

A photo posted by NewSong Music (@newsongmusic) on

 

A little #wisdom from @rosspederson. #musiciantime #earlyisontimeontimeislate #musician #clock #newsongmusic #time #rehearsal #percussion #singersongwriter #licolncenter #tomorrownight #freeshow @skervinofficial

A photo posted by NewSong Music (@newsongmusic) on

 

STOKED to meet and hang with all the amazingly talented finalists & @garragland tonight!!! @skervinofficial #instatakeover #columbuscircle #timelapse #newsongmusic #newsongsnewfriends #newsong #newsongs #nyc #nycmusic #lincolncenter #tomorrownight #singersongwriter #singersongwriters #livemusic #livemusicrocks

A video posted by NewSong Music (@newsongmusic) on

 

#hatportraits pt. II of III (not as hi as @garragland) #errbodylikeshats @skervinofficial #instatakeover #newsongmusic #newsongsnewfriends #newsongsnewhats #hats

A photo posted by NewSong Music (@newsongmusic) on

Sarah Kervin is a 2015-16 NewSong Finalist and you can follow her at SKervinOfficial.com.

2015 Featured Performer: Jaime Garamella

Tuesday, January 5th, 2016

Jaime Garamella (New York City, NY)

This series of features highlights the 2015 NewSong Music finalists. Each artist is invited to Lincoln Center on January 7th for the opportunity to win the #NSM Grand Prize. We sat down with each finalist to learn more about their music and background. Hope you enjoy! #wheregreatartistsarediscovered #newsongmusic

BIO
Jaime Garamella has been accused of “combining the quirky song craft of Elvis Costello and Ben Folds with the stylistic vigor of Ryan Adams or Fountains Of Wayne“, and it’s said he “resembles The Spin Doctors, but keeps things fresh with a unique sound and a clear knack for writing lyrics and hooks that are far from boilerplate.” The NYC-based songwriter has a Jekyll-and-Hyde approach — on one hand, writing timeless acoustic tunes steeped in American soul, country, folk, and blues; on the other, jumping off the top of the Marshall stack with his alt-rock band, The Spanish Channel, who have drawn comparisons to Foo Fighters, Maroon 5, and Stone Temple Pilots.

A Regional Finalist in the 2014 NewSong/Mountain Stage Contest, Jaime has recorded two albums and several EPs of his songs.  He has also written music for other artists, indie films, documentaries, TV commercials, radio jingles, and even the theme song for a pro hockey team. As a singer, he has appeared at Madison Square Garden and Carnegie Hall as well as in TV commercials, radio jingles, and even a PBS Kids album. He’s played guitar with bluesman Roy Roberts and rapper Big Daddy Kane. He’s toured nationally both solo and with his band, The Spanish Channel, supporting national acts including Tim Reynolds (of Dave Matthews Band) & TR3 and Alex Skolnick of Testament.  It’s live shows where Jaime’s high energy, charisma, and ability to connect with an audience really bring the music to life.  

Raised in Connecticut, Jaime has lived in North Carolina, Tokyo, and Boston, and now calls New York City home. When he’s not performing, he teaches voice, guitar, and bass and runs the Vocal program at NYC Guitar School.

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Web: http://www.jaimegaramella.com
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/jaimegaramella
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jgaramella
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jgaramella
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/jgaramella