On this second anniversary of PAS, we’re treated to another appearance from White Rhino, a local band hailing from Charleston.

This is the first time  their new bass player, John Kennedy, has performed with the band.

They played songs from their E.P ‘Home Again’  and many more besides, but alas, they didn’t bring any copies of ‘Home Again’  with them, as Aaron Levy explained, holding up a batch of CD covers, with no CDs….

Still a great set nonetheless, and a plea to go buy the CD anyway!

Sitting here in Muddy Waters Coffee Shop in West Ashley, listening to David Berkeley who hails from Atlanta, Georgia.

This evening is another in the excellent Palmetto Acoustic Series, which takes place every other Thursday.

We’re just about three songs into his set, and a most pleasant voice he has, with interesting lyrics.

He has got 4 CDs on sale at the current time, and is performing some from each of these albums in this fifty minute session.

His latest album “Strange Light” can be obtained by clicking on the album cover above.

David finished his set with three songs that he performed off-mic.  As he has such a pleasing voice, which carries well, in this fairly small listening room, his vocal talents still amply filled the room.

Hope you’re having a good summer.  I just wanted to let you know about some gigs I’ve got here in Charleston, SC and then about a small tour to NY in August….

First off, every Wednesday night I’m playing at this cool, little, Italian restaurant called Pane E Vino here in Charleston, SC.  I play out on the patio and it is the perfect atmosphere for listening to acoustic music with a fine meal.  I’m really enjoying it.  I play from 7-10pm.  It’s downtown, off of upper king street, at 17 Warren street.  Come say hello.

Also, the second week of August, I’ll be coming up to NY.  I’ll be playing the Bellini Lounge in Mayville, the College Club at Chautauqua Institution, and the Universal Church of Love’s Bluegrass Festival in Connellsville, PA.  And a few other dates might be added.

Overall, life is good.  Still working on my current cd at Echo Mountain studios in Asheville, NC which I can’t wait to get to you at some point.  And diving more into the music scene here in the low country (but still occasionally visiting my roots in the north).   Hope to see you soon,

Kev

Tour Dates
July    8   Pane E Vino, Charleston, SC, 7-10pm
         15   Pane E Vino, Charleston, SC, 7-10pm
         17   East Bay Crab Shack, Charleston, SC, 10pm
         22   Pane E Vino, Charleston, SC, 7-10pm
         24   Jordan Street Cafe, Brevard, NC, 9pm
         29   Pane E Vino, Charleston, SC, 7-10pm
Aug    5   Pane E Vino, Charleston, SC, 7-10pm
         12   College Club, Chautauqua Institution, NY, 9pm
         13   Bellini Lounge, Mayville, NY, 8pm
         15   Universal Church of Love Bluegrass Fest, Connellsville, PA
         19   Pane E Vino, Charleston, SC, 7-10pm
         21   East Bay Crab Shack, Charleston, SC, 10pm
         26   Pane E Vino, Charleston, SC, 7-10pm

You can also hear Kev on NAB Radio of course.

Alrighty, here’s the latest:
Got some time to kill today?   I’m in the semi-finals of the Bluegrass Channel at OURSTAGE.COM – If you happen to be an OURSTAGE member, you have until midnight tonight to vote and help get me into the finals.  I’m too old for American Idol and I can’t dance, so this is my only chance for fame and fortune.  Thanks.
I was selected to perform at the FALCON RIDGE/GRASSY HILL EMERGING ARTIST SHOWCASE at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival on July 24th. Falcon Ridge is a fantastic festival and I’m just giddy about being up on that stage with 23 other amazing emerging artists (not at the same time).  Festival headliners include Janis Ian, Kathy Mattea, Cliff Eberhardt, and many more.  Details on tickets can be found here.  
My unrecorded song "Lookout Ledge" received an honorable mention in the AMERICAN SONGWRITER Lyrics Contest this month.  I’ll be making a home demo of that tune soon and will let you know when I post it.
In addition to a couple local gigs this month, I’ll be at the VANILLA BEAN CAFE in Pomfret, CT – guest hosting for Lisa Martin’s Songwriter Sessions.  I just finished a song for it yesterday based on this month’s theme (chosen by last month’s audience) "My Younger Years."  That wasn’t too painful.  Heh.
Details for all shows are below.

That’s it for now. Be good. Or not. Your choice.
Jenny
Website
Twitter
Myspace

COMING UP – JULY SHOWS

Thu Jul 9, 2009 – 7:00-8:30 pm
The Vanilla Bean Cafe
Guest hosting Lisa Martin’s Songwriter Sessions featuring Phil Henry, Dennis Caraher, and Rick Berlin
The theme this month is "My Younger Years"
450 Deerfield Road, Pomfret, CT 06259
Sat Jul 11, 2009 – 1:45-2:45 pm – Free
The Shea Theater’s Tines and Tunes Benefit
Joining Katie Clarke & the Green River Band!
Peskeomskut Park in Downtown Turner’s Falls

Thu Jul 16, 2009 – 6:00-8:00 pm – Free
Coop Concerts Thursday Night Series
Outdoor concert at the Energy Park in Greenfield, MA with guitarist and singer/songwriter Tom Carroll and duo Pat and Tex LaMountain.
Katie Clarke and Stephanie Marshall will be putting on some harmonies with me!
Fri July 24, 2009 – 12:00 pm
Falcon Ridge Folk Festival
Emerging Artist Showcase!
The festival will be held July 23-26 in Hillsdale, NY – 4 days of folk music and dance at the foot of the Berkshires! Ticket info is here.

Jenny Goodspeed
http://www.reverbnation.com/jennygoodspeed

An intriguing collection of diverse songs, ranging from Musical Theatre to Jazz to Classical to Pop.

"The Sweetest Thing" is the intriguing new Album from Olivia Beckwith and Michael Buck. Nine stunning songs, written by Michael, covering a wide range of styles, all featuring Olivia’s fantastic voice. Olivia trained at Italia Conti. She is an international singer performing at such venues as The Prince’s Palace in Monte Carlo, the Jazz Cafe in New York and The Royal Albert Hall in London
She also has a background in film and theatre, especially musical theatre. Michael is a composer who writes songs as well as instrumental music.

He has composed the score for several films and an album of some of his instrumental work called "Towards an Unknown Land" is on the market

You can hear this great new album, right here on NAB Radio at various times of the day.

Just wanted to let everyone know of tonight’s ‘Reverend Scarekrowe’s Church of Audio!’ We are featuring bands strictly from Australia tonight so don’t miss out! Show starts at 8PM(ET) and is being simultaneously broadcasted on other station. KEEP ROCKIN!

Rev Scarekrowe

On their riveting and keenly-anticipated fourth album, Leaving Wonderland… in a fit of rage, Marcy Playground  return to action in triumphant fashion. Armed with songs born of an intense and turbulent period in his life, MP’s main man, singer/guitarist John Wozniak, has fashioned a record that digs deep, taking the listener on an exhilarating and satisfying emotional and musical rollercoaster ride. Its creator is justifiably proud of his accomplishment, calling it “by far the best thing I’ve ever done. This is the most personal record I’ve ever made, and I think it’s the thing that will connect most with other people.”

A highly original and melodic modern rock band, Marcy Playground exploded onto the scene back in 1997 with the insanely irresistible hit single “Sex And Candy,” a song that notched [a then-record] fifteen consecutive weeks at number one on Billboard’s U.S. Modern Rock tracks chart… and a self-titled debut album that went on to sell 1.7 million copies. Subsequent albums Shapeshifter (1999) and Marcy Playground 3 (”MP3”)
(2004), while commercially obscure by comparison, showcased two periods of tremendous creative evolution for the group, and have gone on to enjoy something of “cult classic” status among the band’s many loyal fans.
Over the last 10 years, Wozniak has spent a lot of time in the recording studio, on the other side of the microphones, honing his production skills. As owner and operator of famed Vancouver recording studio ‘Mushroom’ from 1999 to 2006, Wozniak recorded and produced Marcy’s third album “MP3”, as well as albums by the likes of Canadian rock bands Stabilo, (including the hit “Everybody”), and The Weekend’s “Beatbox My
Heartbeat.” During those years Mushroom also witnessed the birth of hit records from the likes of Mudhoney, Matthew Good, Tegan and Sarah, Sam Roberts, Hot Hot Heat, as well as Daniel Powter’s multi-platinum self-titled debut album on Warner Bros., produced by Mitchell Froom and Vancouver producer Jeff Dawson. It was Jeff Dawson’s work at Mushroom, on Powter’s pre-production sessions, which initially attracted Wozniak’s ear, and eventually led to a collaboration on Leaving Wonderland… in a fit of rage. Powter himself contributes a fluent piano track to one of Leaving Wonderland‘s stand-out songs, “Gin And Money”, while such notable Vancouver studio players as Darren Paris, Niko Friesen, Simon Kendall, Mark Wilde and Dave Pickell are also featured.

“I think Jeff is largely responsible for why all these songs work together the way they do” says Wozniak. “Having him in the studio allowed me to focus on the creative elements of the songs, the nuances and the performances, and leave most of the production details up to him. We had a difference of opinion here and there, but it resulted in us putting our heads together to come up with something even better than either of us would have come up with alone. It really helped to have that extra brain and set of ears in the
studio.”

Dawson’s technical prowess and the work of mastering maestro Bob Ludwig ensure Leaving Wonderland… maintains a polished sonic consistency while demonstrating a huge dynamic sweep in the style of its material. Eclecticism has always been a Marcy Playground signature, to the point that Wozniak admits that “I honestly don’t know how to describe my music. We don’t have a specific genre, so I just call it all rock n roll.”

The diversity of the Marcy Playground style can perhaps be partially attributed to the nomadic life of its founder. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, John Wozniak attended Marcy Open School (the inspiration for his band’s name). At age 9, his family moved to Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania where, years later, he would record his first solo album, Zog Bogbean-From The Marcy Playground in his bedroom, before spending his college years in the early 90’s in Olympia, Washington. By 1996, record label interest in his work lured him to New York City where he formed Marcy Playground with bass player Dylan Keefe. Stints in Pennsylvania, Vancouver and Toronto have followed, so this is clearly a man who knows something about “leaving wonderland,” or, in his own words,
“the myth of new beginnings.”

The sense of a spiritual quest, a personal emotional journey, is evocatively explored on Leaving Wonderland. The haunting and sparse “Irene” and “Memphis” possess an intimate and rootsy feel light years away from the aggressive sound of tunes like “Gin And Money,” “I Burned The Bed,” and “Emperor,” numbers Wozniak laughingly calls “our big rock songs.” His open-hearted and unaffected vocal style shines on the gently affecting ballads “Good Times,” “Thank You” (“you are the reason I’m the man you see today”), and “Blackbird,” a tender homage to his wife, while the catchy and light-hearted feel of “Star Baby” screams out for radio play.

The fact that Marcy Playground have always operated outside the musical fashion of the day has helped give their songs a timeless feel. Their material has been featured on such soundtracks as Cruel Intentions, Simply Irresistible, Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back (the 2004 MP single “Deadly Handsome Man”) and, most recently, Zack And Miri Make A Porno. For the latter film, the now classic “Sex And Candy” proved a perfect choice.
With the release of Leaving Wonderland. Marcy Playground are itching to get back on the road to both reconnect with their loyal audience and attract new fans. Joining Wozniak and bassist Dylan Keefe is new drummer, Shlomi Lavie. Wozniak is also compiling a collection of Marcy Playground B-sides and rarities for release later this year, so 2009 promises to be a banner year for the band.

So what are you waiting for? Here’s a Playground and a Wonderland that demands exploration.

Tim Taylor solo @ Burns Alley, downtown Charleston, Saturday, June 20th at 10pm

Get along for some great live music

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Yet another great musical evening at Muddy Waters in West Ashley.

First up was Matt Nakoa who played a wide selection of musical genres from acoustic through to Robert Johnson style blues.

Played guitar and piano. From acoustic to Robert Johnson style blues.

Ilyaimy are Rob & Heather and played a great set

Started with an african beat.

Humorous.

Had some shakers. She referred to them as a skull with the brains dried out. All in all another cool evening.