http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/ From Musikfest to Riverfusion, Croc Rock to Godfrey Daniels, Mayfair to the Allentown Fair -- check in regularly for one-of-a-kind concert and record reviews from our resident pop music aficionados. en-US 2010-01-07T08:07:19-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/01/listen-live-new-concert-venue-in-zionsville-ready-for-big-names-in-2010.html A new music series kicking off in February has announced seven acts — from a legendary delta blues guitar player to a top banjo player to a socially conscious singer-songwriter. Listen Live Music Inc. is run entirely by volunteers and... Music Music News Jodi Duckett 2010-01-07T08:07:19-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/01/shocker-taylor-swift-doesnt-win-award.html It's no shocker that Taylor Swift continued her domination of the People’s Choice Awards’ Favorite Female Artist Award on Wednesday. The real surprise was that Carrie Underwood got revenge for her losses to Swift at the Country Music Awards and... Music Music News John J. Moser 2010-01-07T07:49:43-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/01/jawing-with-a-jonas-youngest-brothers-solo-disc-in-the-nick-of-time.html Five years ago, Nick Jonas got the Jonas Brothers machine rolling by performing on Broadway, then releasing a self-titled solo album of mostly Christian, mostly pop songs — but infused with a soulful, R&B funkiness not unlike the Jackson 5... Music Music News Tower Theater John J. Moser 2010-01-07T01:32:00-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/01/elliott-yamin-says-croc-rock-to-preview-future-acoustic-disc-with-a-twist.html After two soulful – and successful -- discs since finishing third on Season 5 of “American Idol,” Elliott Yamin says he’s about to start work on an acoustic CD. But with his sophomore disc, “Fight for Love,” just eight months... Music Music News John J. Moser 2010-01-07T01:30:00-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/01/jazz-icon-says-in-new-disc-liner-notes-that-style-started-in-allentown.html Jazz piano icon Keith Jarrett, who is credited with single-handedly creating an audience for extended solo piano improvisations, in the liner notes to his latest album gives a startlingly personal account of how he began that style as a boy... Music Music News New CDs John J. Moser 2010-01-06T14:33:51-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/01/another-area-native-to-perform-at-grammy-awards.html Looks like the area will have more than one native performer at the Grammy Awards on Jan. 31. Pink, who grew up in Doylestown as Alecia Moore, was announced Tuesday among the performers at the ceremony for the 52nd annual... Country Music Music News John J. Moser 2010-01-06T12:29:07-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/01/top-3-tickets-going-on-sale-this-weekend-wilco-selena-gomez-and-more.html Wilco, April 10, Electric Factory, 421 N. Seventh St., Philadelphia, 800-745-3000, 215-627-1332. Tickets on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. Selena Gomez, 6 p.m. Feb. 14, Tower Theater, 69th and Ludlow streets, Upper Darby, 610-352-2887. Tickets on sale Saturday at 10... Top 5 Lists Kelly Federico 2010-01-06T11:31:56-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/01/see-new-kids-on-the-block-in-your-town.html New Kids on the Block, the prototype boy band from the 1980s and ‘90s, have released “Coming Home,” a DVD of its recent reunion tour – it’s first together in 14 years. And while owning the disc will give you... Music Music News New CDs John J. Moser 2010-01-06T08:19:46-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/01/idols-bo-bice-allentown-is-a-hot-spot.html Bo Bice, the runner-up on the fourth season of “American Idol,” says Allentown is a “hot spot.” Bice, who will play acoustic shows Jan. 14 at Sellersville Theater 1894 and Jan. 15 at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg, told Lehigh... Music Music News John J. Moser 2010-01-05T01:30:00-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/01/hear-nick-jonass-solo-album.html Nick Jonas, the youngest member of the massively popular Jonas Brothers, started a tour Saturday separate from his brothers with a new side project, Nick Jonas & The Administration. That project also has an album due out Feb. 2. The... Music Music News New CDs Tower Theater John J. Moser 2010-01-04T01:30:00-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/01/local-soundtrack-dave-leonhardts-bach-to-the-blues-jazzes-up-classical-tunes-with-remarkable-style-.html By Steve Siegel Special to The Morning Call The David Leonhardt Trio "Bach to the Blues" Big Bang Records BBR9584 Maybe jazz pianist/composer David Leonhardt should have called this disc "Jazz for Classical Music Lovers." In this remarkable collection of... Music Music News New CDs Jodi Duckett 2010-01-03T22:54:36-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/01/nick-jonass-new-video-shows-you-who-i-am.html The video for Nick Jonas’s first single from the upcoming new Nick Jonas & The Administration side project album “Who I Am” has officially been released, and it’s catchy and touching – if not ground-breaking. The album’s title song is... Music Music News New CDs Tower Theater John J. Moser 2010-01-02T10:05:43-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/vans-warped-tour-to-give-you-hell-allamerican-rejects-to-top-bill.html The All-American Rejects OK, admittedly this list of bands in the Vans Warped Tour lineup is late, but I’m asking that you cut me some New Year's slack. I was busy with the holidays like everyone else. And besides, the... Music Music News Susquehanna Bank Center John J. Moser 2009-12-31T13:32:59-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/greg-allmans-no-angel-but-he-brings-gold-to-penns-peak-show.html Gregg Allman, with more than 40 years of Southern rock behind him, would seem to fit the model of grizzled blues veteran – until he takes the stage. Surrounded by a band of six talented musicians, his voice remarkably well... Concert Reviews Music Music News Penn's Peak John J. Moser 2009-12-31T00:47:59-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/lccc-seeks-community-members-for-chorale.html Lehigh Carbon Community College is seeking people from the community “who share a passion for music and derive joy from singing with others” to perform in its Tri-Cees (Cougar Community Chorale) group. The chorale will be developed through a no-charge... Music Music News John J. Moser 2009-12-30T14:17:30-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/i-listened-to-an-abba-song-today.html I listened to an ABBA song this morning. It wasn’t by choice, really: I had radio station WOGL-FM, 98.1 in Philadelphia – “Greatest Hits of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s” -- on in my car on the way into work,... Music Music News John J. Moser 2009-12-30T12:04:31-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/allman-brother-tribute-a-great-trip-back-to-a-memorable-era.html The Allman Brothers Band has a revered place in 20th century music history, with its mesmerizing southern-style blend of blues, rock and jazz. Sadly, the band burned brightly for too short a time — brother Duane died just two years... Concert Reviews Music Jodi Duckett 2009-12-30T01:10:48-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/taylor-swift-wins-one-loses-one-.html Taylor Swift has won another high-profile performance, but lost another boyfriend. Swift, the country music superstar raised in Wyomissing, Berks County, has been confirmed as a performer for the Grammy Awards ceremony Jan. 31 on CBS-TV. Others performing on the... Country Music Music News John J. Moser 2009-12-29T16:48:32-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/straight-no-chaser-sets-sellout-record-for-stroudsburgs-sherman-theater.html Straight No Chaser, the a cappella phenomenon that vaulted into the public eye last year with a viral YouTube video of it singing “Twelve Days of Christmas” intermixed with Toto’s “Africa,” has become the fastest sellout ever for Stroudsburg's storied... Music Music News John J. Moser 2009-12-29T12:31:27-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/top-10-best-things-about-pop-music-in-the-lehigh-valley-area.html The end of the year is a time for lists, so I thought I’d quickly reflect on some things about popular music in the Lehigh Valley area for which I’m thankful. Here’s my Top 10: 1. We have Crocodile Rock... Allentown Fair Concert Reviews Music Music News Musikfest Sellersville Theater Top 5 Lists John J. Moser 2009-12-29T08:21:10-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/top-ten-tracks-of-the-year.html Let's Face It ... ... we're living in a download culture, and while CD sales continue to plummet, the single has found itself in a new ascendance. Here's 10 songs we couldn't stop listening to this year: 10. Cobra Starship... Music Music News John Micek 2009-12-28T18:34:16-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/top-10-smallervenues-concerts-for-2009-.html On Saturday, The Morning Call published my Top 10 concerts of 2009. If you missed it, you can read (and see clips of the shows on) my list here: http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/top-10-area-concerts-of-the-year.html. But this year, I realized my list was dominated by... Concert Reviews Easton State Theatre Music Music News Sellersville Theater Top 5 Lists John J. Moser 2009-12-28T01:15:00-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/top-10-area-concerts-of-the-year.html It was a year for big concerts. When the collapsing economy should have forced shows to be smaller, it was milestones that kept them big this year: The Spectrum in Philadelphia closed. Coca-Cola Park in Allentown opened. And The Jonas... Allentown Fair Concert Reviews Music Music News Musikfest Top 5 Lists Wachovia Center Wachovia Spectrum John J. Moser 2009-12-26T21:29:33-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/the-best-record-you-didnt-hear-this-year.html Dennis Diken with Bell Sound Late Music (Cryptovision) Normally, when you hear the drummer say, "No, let me sing this one," it's cause to head for the hills. The pop charts are littered with ill-advised trips from the traps to... Music Music News John Micek 2009-12-23T13:19:22-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/what-were-the-jonas-brothers-doing-in-new-jersey-on-monday.html Two of the Jonas Brothers spent Monday hitting the freshly snowy slopes of an undisclosed New Jersey ski area, after spending the weekend on Long Island, N.Y., at a family wedding. Uh, those would be the two brothers who didn’t... Music Music News John J. Moser 2009-12-22T01:15:00-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/frank-zappa-day-in-baltimore.html Frank Zappa, the late iconoclastic rock musician and composer, is even more of an icon in Baltimore, where he was born 69 years ago on Dec. 21, 1940. Mayor Sheila Dixon declared today Frank Zappa Day in the city. And,... Music Music News Jodi Duckett 2009-12-21T18:41:47-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/talking-with-evan-taubenfeld-merry-swiftmas-singer-finds-hes-truly-gifted.html Up-and-coming singer/songwriter Evan Taubenfeld was one of those artists who flew under the radar – he was Avril Levigne’s songwriting partner, toured with Metro Station [they played at Allentown’sCrocodile Rock Café in August] and has his debut album coming out... Music Music News John J. Moser 2009-12-20T01:30:00-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/allentown-native-adam-richman-talks-about-helping-write-merry-swiftmas-touring-with-jessie-james.html Allentown native Adam Richman has been musical director for country/pop singer Jessie James, released three albums of his own work, and co-wrote for up-and-coming singer/songwriter Evan Taubenfeld’s upcoming album (the song “Boy Meets Girl” already has more than a million... Music Music News John J. Moser 2009-12-20T01:01:00-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/david-archuletas-christmas-show-brings-wonderment-holidays-and-his.html It was an astonishing sight: teen and ‘tween girls shrieking at and cheering someone singing traditional Christmas songs Friday at Stroudsburg’s Sherman Theater. But this was an astonishing concert. “American Idol” runner-up David Archuleta sang so well in his holiday... Concert Reviews Music Music News John J. Moser 2009-12-19T12:00:52-05:00 http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2009/12/christmas-from-the-heart-appropriate-title-for-david-archuletas-wonderly-holiday-disc.html DAVID ARCHULETA "CHRISTMAS FROM THE HEART" (JIVE RECORDS) David Archuleta’s “Christmas from the Heart” is exactly that: an expression of love for the holiday that comes from deep in the soul. This is no fun, frosty holiday cheer disc, and... Music Music News New CDs John J. Moser 2009-12-18T11:01:25-05:00