Carbon Leaf has released the first in a new series of EPs, HOW THE WEST WAS ONE. The seven song EP is now available digitally, with pre-orders for the deluxe physical EP now being taken. The physical EP will be delivered in late August. Carbon Leaf has kicked off the Summer of 2010 by touring the Western United States on a journey that took the band up the West Coast, through the Rockies and finishing in Texas. The band will continue to tour throughout August and September, with a series of headlining dates along the Atlantic Coast and up into the Northeast. Carbon Leaf will join Big Head Todd for over three weeks of dates in September. HOW THE WEST WAS ONE is a 7 song EP that was inspired by Carbon Leaf's travels west of the Mississippi over the past five years. This EP is the first collection of songs from some 30+ demos in various stages of completion.

Well into its second year with the same multi-instrumentalist personnel, Carbon Leaf remains Barry Privett, Terry Clark, Carter Gravatt, Jason Neal and Jon Markel. "Being five personalities that contribute to the music is where a 'band
sound' comes from," says Privett, "constantly challenged by one another--that's ultimately a healthy thing." On the horizon: Many forthcoming announcements regarding tour dates and new music.

Genre: Alternative/Folk Rock

Carbon Leaf's site

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Carbon Leaf has released the first in a new series of EPs, HOW THE WEST WAS ONE. The seven song EP is now available digitally, with pre-orders for the deluxe physical EP now being taken. The physical EP will be delivered in late August. Carbon Lea... more

Garnet Rogers has established himself as 'One of the major talents of our time". Hailed by the Boston Globe as a "charismatic performer and singer", Garnet is a man with a powerful physical presence - close to six and a half feet tall - with a voice to match. With his "smooth, dark baritone" (Washington Post) his incredible range, and thoughtful, dramatic phrasing, Garnet is widely considered by fans and critics alike to be one of the finest singers anywhere. His music, like the man himself, is literate, passionate, highly sensitive, and deeply purposeful. Cinematic in detail, his songs "give expression to the unspoken vocabulary of the heart" (Kitchener Waterloo Record). An optimist at heart, Garnet sings extraordinary songs about people who are not obvious heroes and of the small victories of the everyday. As memorable as his songs, his over-the-top humour and lightning-quick wit moves his audience from tears to laughter and back again.

Genre: Folk

Garnet's site

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Garnet Rogers has established himself as 'One of the major talents of our time". Hailed by the Boston Globe as a "charismatic performer and singer", Garnet is a man with a powerful physical presence - close to six and a half feet tall - with a voi... more

Benvenuto a Tutti!  Join the Renovo String Orchestra (RSO) for Viva Italia!, a concert of works by prominent Italian composers. This performance is the first in the RSO’s inaugural season, A Tour of Nations.

The RSO is intent on establishing a strong string ensemble presence in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, as not many opportunities exist for audiences to hear the vast repertoire that exists for string orchestras. In their inaugural season, A Tour of Nations, the RSO plans to take audiences across the globe with performances of works by composers from Italy, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and Germany.

Program
Respighi - Antiche Suite
Rossini - Sonata No.3 for Strings
Puccini - Crisantemi
Donizetti - String Quartet No.13

To purchase tickets visit www.renovostrings.org/

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Benvenuto a Tutti!  Join the Renovo String Orchestra (RSO) for Viva Italia!, a concert of works by prominent Italian composers. This performance is the first in the RSO’s inaugural season, A Tour of Nations.

The RSO is intent on... more

Honeytribe was formed in 1999 in St.Louis, Missouri. Led by singer / guitarist Devon Allman they quickly became one of the top draws in their hometown and won the Jam Band of the Year award in the Riverfront Times Magazine Poll. Some recordings were made , small tours happened and then in late 2000 , Devon disbanded the group to spend time with his newborn son, Orion, choosing to stay in St.Louis and play solo acoustic shows and work on music. .

Now in 2009, a trio has emerged. A power trio. With monster world class bassist George Potsos and new drummer Gabriel Strange , this 3 headed beast has been born. High energy , grooving , bluesy , ass-kickin rock and roll the old school way.

"We ran the 'Tribe format into the ground ! It's not OVER by any means but after almost 300 shows a year for 3 years , I just really wanted to do something different. We'll still play some Tribal songs but I can't wait to find out what a power trio feels like and work some brand new material ...we'll do a few months of touring in America and see how we dig it" -- Devon Allman interview October 2008 Detroit , Michigan.

Genre: Rock/Jam Band

Devon's site

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Honeytribe was formed in 1999 in St.Louis, Missouri. Led by singer / guitarist Devon Allman they quickly became one of the top draws in their hometown and won the Jam Band of the Year award in the Riverfront Times Magazine Poll. Some recordings were ... more

“Back in the old days,” muses resilient troubadour Chris Smither, “writing new songs and making new albums were just chores. My priority was, and still is, performing live. I guess I still write the songs and make the records so that I can go out and play – except that now I actually look forward to it. I’ve learned how to do it, and I’m very eager to get stuff recorded once I’ve written it.”

Recorded in only three days, Time Stands Still is just the eleventh studio album of a career that now spans over four decades. Time Stands Still (Signature Sounds/Mighty Albert) is both pensive and visceral – an album whose songs alternately ponder life’s mysteries in some moments, and let them lie undisturbed in others. Featuring eight new original compositions and a song apiece from Bob Dylan, Mark Knopfler, and 1920s country-blues songster Frank Hutchison, Time Stands Still’s immediate, intimate sound is the direct result of one gig, and the challenge it presented.

Genre: Blues/Folk

Chris' site

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“Back in the old days,” muses resilient troubadour Chris Smither, “writing new songs and making new albums were just chores. My priority was, and still is, performing live. I guess I still write the songs and make the records so that I can g... more

Community Meeting Room, Main Library

In this landmark biography, Jane Addams becomes America's most admired and most hated woman—and wins the Nobel Peace Prize. Author and Evanston native Louise W. Knight will read from and discuss her acclaimed examination of Addam's life and ideas.
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Community Meeting Room, Main Library

In this landmark biography, Jane Addams becomes America's most admired and most h... more

A prominent wind quintet, Quintet Attacca, and an accomplished pianist, Mark George, — each a winner of one of the most coveted awards in chamber music — will join forces in the season-opening program of the Music Institute of Chicago’s 80th Anniversary Concert Series.

 

Quintet Attacca and pianist Mark George will collaborate in two of the four diverse works on the program: Mozart’s exquisite quintet for piano and winds and the world premiere of Chicago composer Mischa Zupko’s "Fanfare 80," commissioned by the Music Institute for its 80th anniversary and written in a style that looks ahead to a new era rather than to the past.

 

Also on the windswept program are the lively and colorful "Aires Tropicales" for wind quintet by Cuban-born composer Paquito D’Rivera and the scenic "Roaring Fork" quintet by American composer Eric Ewazen, which depicts the Roaring Fork River in the Colorado Rockies.

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A prominent wind quintet, Quintet Attacca, and an accomplished pianist, Mark George, — each a winner of one of the mo... more

Eric Lugosch

Eric Lugosch

The Chicago Blues Harp Bash is coming to SPACE on Sunday September 12, 2010.  The Bash is committed to showcasing the finest blues harmonica talent in the greater Chicago area.  This years event will be headlined by the Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton sideman, Jerry Portnoy, and also include Highway RickEy, Harry Garner, Lamont “Harmonica” Harris, Shoji Naito and “Corporate” Kirk Manley.  Grammy Award winning Billy Flynn will head the backing band and the legend, Willie Buck, will be making a special guest appearance.  This event was SOLD OUT the last 2 times!

Genre: Blues

CBHB's site

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The Chicago Blues Harp Bash is coming to SPACE on Sunday September 12, 2010.  The Bash is committed to showcasing the finest blues harmonica talent in the greater Chicago area.  This years event will be headlined by the Muddy Waters and ... more

When you think of “grassroots” and “down to Earth,” you don’t normally think of a movie star. You especially don't think of a movie star the caliber of Jeff Daniels. Yet that is exactly what Jeff has accomplished with his second CD Grandfather’s Hat.

With the follow-up album to Live and Unplugged, Daniels has proven that he is not an actor who sings, but an accomplished singer/songwriter who’s musical talent does not require the support of his acting. Further proof of his talent is supported by the musicians Daniels has performed with over the last couple of years. Although it took him some time to feel comfortable on stage behind his guitar, Daniels’ confidence has matured with his songwriter, being invited on stage to perform a few songs with legends Lyle Lovett, John Haitt, and Guy Clark during their rare “Songwriters” tour. Having his pal Keb Mo’ join Jeff on stage was equally rewarding (Jeff calls it a “free guitar lesson”). From time to time he’s also been fortunate to expand his shows to sold out venues outside of the Midwest.

Grandfather’s Hat showcases Daniels’ range as a songwriter, from the laugh-out-loud humor of “Have a Good Life (Then Die)” to the quiet and poignant lyrics of “Middle of the Night.” His honest, sincere, and relatable approach to the songs on the CD remind us of our own lives, hopes, and dreams.

 

Genre: Blues/Folk

Jeff's site

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When you think of “grassroots” and “down to Earth,” you don’t normally think of a movie star. You especially don't think of a movie star the caliber of Jeff Daniels. Yet that is exactly what Jeff has accomplish... more

Search for “Raul Midón” on YouTube and you’ll find a clip of the New York-based vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter appearing on The Late Show With David Letterman in 2006. Performing “State of Mind,” the title track from his 2005 debut album, Midón unleashes a silky, soulful tenor and dazzling percussive guitar style — a syncopated, flamenco- and jazz-infused approach in which bass, harmony, and melodic lines emanate from the fretboard in one slap-happy storm. If that weren’t enough, Midón busts out his improvisational mouth horn technique, in which he creates a bebop “trumpet” solo entirely with his lips, earning himself a spontaneous burst of mid-song applause from the audience in the process. It’s a virtuosic performance, and one that reveals what has made Midón such an exciting artist to watch over the past few years. 

Having toured with prestigious national and international artists, Lowe is a journey-woman through and through; armed with a beaten-up backpack stuffed with sentimental keep-sakes of a woman both beloved and scorned.  The songs on her debut solo CD, “From the End of this Hallway”, play like bittersweet battle-cries of a great victory won against fallen relationships and personal struggles in a coming-of-age war.  And when the dust settles, there’s the lone voice of Jen’s soul, swaying gently, beautifully, between each song like a feather dropping from the heavens between the limbs of Oak trees.

Johnny Rabb is an active live and studio drummer living in Nashville, TN.  He stays busy drumming and composing music with partner Clay Parnell in the innovative group BioDiesel. He has performed with a wide range of artists such as Maynard Ferguson, Alain Caron, Frank Gambale, Larry Tagg, Tanya Tucker, DJ Hype,  Hank Williams III, SheDaisy, Deana Carter and Mindy McCready.

Genre: Singer Songwriter Guitar

Raul's site - Jen's site - Johnny's site

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Search for “Raul Midón” on YouTube and you’ll find a clip of the New York-based vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter appearing on The Late Show With David Letterman in 2006. Performing “State of Mind,” the title track from his 2005 debut... more

Beginning as a drummer in the seminal 60's San Francisco rock band The Charlatans, and continuing with his unique and legendary Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, Dan Hicks is widely acknowledged as one of the defining figures in American roots music. Having earned a reputation as a true original with his signature eclecticism and humor, Hicks continues to carve his way through a number of genres from proto-psychedelia to western swing and jazz, from tin pan alley to country blues -- all the while cultivating his own unique sound.

The original Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks recorded five ground-breaking and Billboard-charting records for the Columbia, Blue Thumb and Warner Bros. labels. They toured worldwide, and Dan appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine three times.

The newest incarnation of Dan Hicks & the Hot Licks released the wildly successful "Beatin' the Heat" in 2000, featuring collaborations with Bette Midler, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Rickie Lee Jones and Brian Setzer. USA Today called it "one of the blessings of the new millennium." That release was followed by the live CD "Alive & Lickin" in 2001.

Genre: Folk/Jazz/Country

Dan's site

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Beginning as a drummer in the seminal 60's San Francisco rock band The Charlatans, and continuing with his unique and legendary Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, Dan Hicks is widely acknowledged as one of the defining figures in American roo... more

After Yesterday represents the first fruits of that reunion and reflects John’s continuing commitment to the craft of songwriting. Longtime fans will find in its twelve songs John’s trademark twist of lyric and attention to the details that so effectively evoke a time, a place, a person, or a range of emotion. But there are also the stirrings of new musical directions with the evocative addition of percussion from Ani DiFranco’s drummer Andy Stochansky. John also shares his joy at recent changes in his life (namely a 1996 marriage and move to Minnesota, followed by the 1997 birth of a baby boy — Bocephus Mahatma Sinatra Gorka) with cuts such as “Cypress Trees,” “After Yesterday” and “When He Cries.” There is a hardened knowledge, vented and voiced in “Thorny Patch” and “Wisdom.” Story songs and character studies, “Amber Lee,” “Silvertown” and “Zuly” engage the imagination, while a song like “Heroes” invites introspection.

Though a long way from Godfrey Daniels, John Gorka is still honored to be a part of the folk tradition — energetic acoustic music that is not a trend, not a fad, but an expression of everyday life. After Yesterday is the embodiment of that expression — another classic release where his rich baritone voice and unique songcraft weave together in a way that can only be described as “Gorka.”

Genre: Folk

John's site

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After Yesterday represents the first fruits of that reunion and reflects John’s continuing commitment to the craft of songwriting. Longtime fans will find in its twelve songs John’s trademark twist of lyric and attention to the details that so... more

A singer-songwriter who accompanies himself on piano, James began writing the songs on his second album after winding up a year and a half on the road in support of his debut album The Day is Brave, which was released by Decca Records in June 2008 and debuted in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart. Several of its songs were featured on various television shows including Private Practice, Bones, So You Think You Can Dance, and Army Wives. After releasing the album, James hit the ground running to support it from coast to coast.

Genre: Singer Songwriter

Brendan's site

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A singer-songwriter who accompanies himself on piano, James began writing the songs on his second album after winding up a year and a half on the road in support of his debut album The Day is Brave, which was released by De... more

The Mudhounds

The Mudhounds