Some Newsy News from Steve2

Hi Readers!

Did you see this mornings headlines? Universal Music (article here) is planning to offer FREE DIGITAL MUSIC DOWNLOADS in December of this year through an ad-heavy website...I guess this is good news? According to the article, the downloads won't play on I-Pods but only on Windows Media enabled type players....and the songs will come with a full set of DRM locks to manipulate listeners into visiting the site (http://www.spiralfrog.com/) for extended listening priviledges and whatnot...

Hey, please don't miss the chance to hear Luca Mundaca for FREE on SAT. SEPT. 9 at UCA in our smoke-free, alcohol free ALL AGES wi-fi enabled coffee mansion!! Luca ordinarily plays Night Town and big shows and festivals, so we are really ecstatic to host her at UCA on Saturday!!!

If you have not seen my latest email newsletter then please sign up for it through the site....the SEPTEMBER CALENDAR is looking good, lot's of talent....and please oh please plan to attend the Edie Carey show on either fri. oct. 6 or sat. oct. 7 (haven't exactly nailed down the date)

Open Mic at UCA will be back EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT in SEPTEMBER...that's right every wednesday night. So be there when you can be, ok?

EARLY WARNING: EDIE CAREY AT U.C.A.

Hi Folks! I am currently working to nail down a date in OCTOBER to bring Edie Carey to the U.C. Arabica - and if the date works out, this will really be a show to catch as Edie has been touring behind a string of strong albums and she is getting GREAT press! Check out her website and PRESS PAGE

Steve2.Net Presents: August Shows Near You

Here is my recent news letter containing infor about shows in AUGUST:

Hi there folks!

It’s been a hot summer and there isn’t any indication that things are
going to cool off anytime soon – so let’s enjoy it while we can! And you
know that enjoying it means getting out of your place and into one of
the original music venues in town for food, entertainment, friends, warm
sounds and cool libations.

Of course, if you’re a musician then your looking for a good jam
session or an open mic night and you know that Steve2.Net frequents only the
BEST open mic nights in town and we are here to tell you where and what
they are (in no particular order):

---------------

University Circle Arabica on SELECTED Wednesday nights during the
summer season (you have GOT to check my site or receive the email
newsletter) with host Steve2.Net starts at 7:30 until about 10pm at University
Circle Arabica 11300 Juniper Rd Cleveland OH 44106 - CAFE PHONE:
(216)791-0300
http://www.steve2.net (for a complete listing of events)

Poor Richard’s Historic American Tavern EVERY Thursday night with
special guest hosts in August and September - starts about 8pm until about
11 at 33312 Center Ridge Rd. North Ridgeville, Ohio 44039 - VENUE PHONE
(440) 327-4449 http://www.thepoorrichards.com/ (for events &
information about this important venue)

Lakewood Phoenix EVERY Tuesday Night with host Xela the Lovely LuvMutha
starts at about 8pm at 15108 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, Ohio – CAFÉ PHONE
(216) 226-4401
http://www.luvmutha.com/ (for all things Xela)

Edison’s Pub in Tremont EVERY Tuesday Night about 9pm until LATE at
2373 PROFESSOR ST. CLEVELAND, Ohio 44113. – VENUE PHONE (216) 522-0006
http://www.edisonspub.com/ (for driving directions and other important
details)

-------------

No matter where you are in Cleveland town you’re never far from a cool
drink and some hot jams!

In addition to hosting and attending many open mic sessions, Steve2.Net
continues to bring to Cleveland many top notch acoustic artists so be
sure to stop into the University Circle Arabica (on the East Side of
Cleveland) or the Lakewood Phoenix (on the West Side of Cleveland) or Poor
Richard’s Tavern (on the Far West Side of Cleveland in North
Ridgeville) for a night of Acoustic Entertainment – waves of acoustic freshness
and an ice cold bottle of beer, a cold latte or a huge frosty green tea
will surely cool you down several degrees!

Take a look at what’s coming:

THURSDAY AUGUST 10: FROM BOSTON – SINGER SONGWRITER TERESA STORCH AT
LAKEWOOD PHOENIX
Teresa has been into U.C. Arabica a few times over the past couple
years, this time the hard working folks at Steve2.Net are bringing Ms.
Storch to the West Side Lakewood Phoenix for an intimate evening of guitar
and voice. Lakewood Phoenix at 15108 Detroit Ave. Lakewood, OH 44107
(216) 226-4401 features FREE WI-FI Internet in a mellow and laid-back
SMOKE FREE, ALL AGES and ALCOHOL FREE environment – this show is FREE of
cover charge and will start at 8pm in the evening – don’t miss the
opportunity to hear the talented and hard working Teresa Storch sing her
heart out in an intimate venue (before she gets huge and famous and
tickets cost twenty five bucks)!


AUGUST 2006 ACOUSTIC ENTERTAINMENT U.C. ARABICA

Saturday August 5
ZACH!
http://www.zachmusic.net/
Original Cleveland Folk Rock

Wednesday August 9, 16, 23 and 30
OPEN MIC NIGHT
Poets, Hippies, Story Tellers, Folkies, Blue Grass Jammers, Singer,
Songwriters

Saturday August 12
NATHANIAL SEER
http://www.nathanielseer.com/
Check payable to Nathan Kroeger
"...an all night Quaalude and whiskey binge with Jeff Buckley and
Leonard Cohen."
-KitMalone.com

Wednesday August 16
MULTI MEDIA OPEN MIC EXTRAVAGANZA WITH LOTSIX
http://www.lotsix.info/
LotSix is a Philadelphia based musician,
songwriter, & performance artist who refers to her unique art as "multimedia
self-karaoke rock": live singing to original prerecorded music with
projected images and lyrics. LotSix treats audiences with smart, funny,
queer-tinged, rock-opera'esque songs accompanied by visuals further
conveying the many dimensions of her angsty wry humor.

Friday August 18
XELA
http://www.luvmutha.com/
An intimate evening of Funky Folksy
XelaKushtik style high jinx

Saturday August 26
NATE JONES
The mellow & fresh acoustic sounds of a Cleveland folksy crooner





Thank you for reading these emails from Steve2.Net and I appreciate all
comments and communications in regard to this newsletter, my blog, or
my website at http://www.steve2.net and please send email regarding
music at University Circle Arabica to music@steve2.net

University Circle Arabica hosts acoustic music in an environment
accommodating both smokers and non-smokers with our music room and first
floor being smoke-free. Our upstairs smoking room is spacious and
comfortable for those wishing to smoke inside. We have a variety of excellent
"quick food" items available from burritos, chicken fingers, salads and
sandwiches to macaroni and cheese as well as fancy deserts, ice creams
and a complete menu of specialty espresso and coffee drinks, loose teas,
soft drinks, and soda pops.

The University Circle Arabica coffee mansion is comfortable, spacious,
and almost a hundred years old, located on the campus of the Case
Western Reserve University in the heart of the cultural district near the
Cleveland Art Museum. U.C. Arabica is an all ages venue for a variety of
acoustic music from solo singer songwriters to duos and trios - we are
alcohol free with free wireless internet so come and enjoy our mellow
environment and the acoustic entertainment – we never charge a cover for
the music and the ALL AGES shows start early at 7pm or 8pm during June
and July.

Thank you from Steve2.Net !!
-----------------------------------
UNIVERSITY CIRCLE ARABICA
11300 JUNIPER ROAD
CLEVELAND OHIO 44106
216-791-0300
-----------------------------------

FULL MOON OPEN MIC U.C.A. WED AUG 9

The Full Sturgeon Moon is WEDNESDAY AUGUST 9 and we will have the acoustic open mic and folksy jam session at University Circle Arabica starting at 7:30 and we will go until about 10:30 or so

OPEN MICS: CAFE LIMBO, POOR RICHARDS

Mr. Xela is playing around town for the next few days - I have RE-posted his newsy EMAIL here in my blog for all those who actually read my blog - ahem, I am making an assumption that someone does read it - you will notice he is hosting an open mic night at Cafe Limbo tonight for those on the East Side. Open Mic tonight at Poor Richard's as well, for those of you on the West Side of town.

SAT.AUG.5 @ 9PM
theUNCANNY XE LA
@THE GROG SHOP
FLIGHT 505 * LEROY'S FROSTED ROCKS * SUN REMNANTS
EUCLID HTS. BLVD. & COVENTRY RD. CLEVE.HTS.OH 216.321.5588
WWW.GROGSHOP.GS

FRI.AUG.4 @ 8PM
XE LA SOLO VOX & GUITAR
@ ARABICA COFFEEHOUSE
E.185th CLEVE.HTS.OH. 216.486.7777

THUR.AUG.3 @ 8PM
XE LA HOSTS OPEN MIC
@ CAFE LIMBO VEG. CAFE & WINERY
LARCHMERE RD. CLEVE.OH. 216.707.3333


THURS.AUG.3 @ 5PM
XE LA SOLO VOX & GUITAR
DWNTWN CLEVELAND WAREHOUSE DIST.
STREET BUSKER STYLES......

UCA OPEN MIC TONIGHT WED JULY 12

Yup, open mic tonight at UC Arabica - uhm, your coming out, right? And singer songwriter Alan Semerjian is at the Barking Spider. Maybe he will come over to the open mic for a song or two!

LAWD PHO & EDISONS IN TREMONT

Last night was the Full Moon, and open mic at Lakewood Phoenix was packed, lot's of social/musical action, Mike Allen came out, we went to Edisons in Tremont after the Pho, and Edisons was packed too, I got to play two songs and had to wait a couple hours to do so, had a huge beer, it was great. This is an well established bar with an emphasis on weekend blues music, great tuesday night open mic, loved it. No pics because I don't have a stupid digital camera - if you want to donate one to Steve2.Net lemme know.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:

Tori Sparks is coming up from Nashville to play UCA on July 18 (this is not on the calendar at the UCA) - I just got her CD in the mail!! I am excited to hear it!

Luca Mundaca is at UCA July 22 for an hour long set of Brazilian guitar and voice

Emilio Basa will be coming down from Detroit for a show at UCA sometime in August

More later!

UCA JULY 2006

Hi! We had a really great Open Mic session at U.C. Arabica last Wednesday night, thanks to all my pals who showed up to play: Noah and Rebecca, Elaine, Mike, Mirriam M., Nelson, Emily F. - thanks soooo much for coming out folks, it makes for a very special evening! I even made a few recordings that night, capturing several songs by Elaine, and a few songs of Emily's as well, maybe you will get to hear them soon! Depending on how 'things go' we may host a couple or a few open mic sessions this July, keep your eyes on the webpage for up-to-the-minute UCA entertainment calendar changes, augmentations, enhancements, etc.

July is gonna be good at the cafe with Matt Gerovac coming to town and playing the Grog Shop June 30 (with Xela and Mifune) and then UCA on July 1 he will play an acoustic solo show - Todd Carey will come to town and play UCA on Wed. July 5 - Allan S. from NYC will be in town at Bella Dubby in Lakewood for a show on Tues. July 11, then he is at the Barking Spider for a show Wed. July 12 - Luca Mundaca will play UCA on Sat. july 22 - and Chris Squier will be at UCA Friday July 28

Jim Snively has a brand spanking new EP out - he has been handing out 'sample discs' of tracks that have not yet been mastered or packaged however he is currently working on a packaging design and will have an actual professional grade CD package out in the very near future, I suppose he will have a CD release party, but he has not said anything about it yet - catch Jim Snively this Thursday as he hosts open mic at Poor Richards Tavern in North Ridgeville

More later ........

SUMMER SOLSTICE OPEN MIC

Hi Folks and Folkies! I hope your getting out of work and getting your butt outside ASAP during these sweet pre-summer days of sunshine and moonlight (we just had a nice full moon this past Sunday) - I have been, and since I am living in Lakewood I am less than 2 miles from the MetroPark entrance and I just dash home, change, and usually just ride my bike right down into the park for some riding. It's great, I love the park, and I love SUMMER! And here it comes - the first day of Summer (and the LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR - SUMMER SOLSTICE) is next Wednesday and or Thursday, June 21 and 22. To celebrate the coming of Summertime, University Circle Arabica will host the Summer Solstice Acoustic Open Mic Night starting early at 7pm and going until about 10 (or 11 if things really heat up). Please plan on attending, we will have good sound, finger foods for the artists, and I will probably struggle with some live recording gagetry as well. See you there!!!

FLIPSIDE AT ART HOP TREMONT TONIGHT

This Friday night June 9th (and the second Friday of each month) catch the Art Hop in Tremont. Tonight you will hear the sounds of Beth Highland and Mark Ronan's band "Flipside" outside Eye Candy Gallery on Professor Avenue. Flipside will play lot's of classic covers, and many original tunes, they have a clean folk rock sound with smooth blended vocal harmonies. Nice bunch of folks!

This is always a great night in Tremont with crowds of people walking about, particularly in the Summer with the galleries all open, the weather nice ... Pizza by the Slice at Edisons after 11 I think - although don't quote me on that exact time but it's something around there - why not pizza by the slice all night long? I don't know why not all night, ask them.

TORI SPARKS AT BARKING SPIDER JUNE 15

Tori Sparks , the singer songwriter from Austin who's name I have mentioned before, is on tour and coming through town on JUNE 15 - she has been swinging through NY and is creating a buzz as she works her way through some of NY best known venues (The Bitter End) - check out Tori's Travel News Tori and her travel mates will play the early opening set at Barking Spider on JUNE 15 at around 8pm. This will be a good set of tunes!

Hey, dig this: Chris Keffer has mastered the new Black Keys album right here in CLE OHIO at Magnetic North Studios! Not that this is news, the Scene or the Free Times already blurbed this, but I just think it's a kinda big deal.

JUNE IN CLEVELAND

Hi folks! You might notice I changed my blog template, and I know it needs customization, I will get to it ... what's been going on in YOUR life? I hope that yer havin' as much fun as I AM! What kinda fun have I been havin'? Well, let me run down a little list for you here:

WHAT I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO:
I have been listening to LUCA MUNDACA and NATE MILLER and WINTER TOOK HIS LIFE among other things ....

WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING:
News papers mostly, not much book reading right now.

It's been really warm and muggy in Cleveland this week, I have been riding my bike and walking around town, visiting the Phoenix Coffee Shoppe - they are trying to expand into a space upstairs of the shoppe, it's going to be real nice, I hope they can get the funds together to do the expansion. They have a CD coming out (thanks to Gary Hoopengardner) that they will sell to raise some money ... there are several local artists on the CD.

STEVE2 & GUESTS AT ENCLAVE SAT MAY 20

Hey, Steve2.Net will be at THE ENCLAVE IN WILLOUGHBY THIS SAT MAY 20 with my new friends SHEELA & JANE (who perform as a multi instrumental duo) -- we will perform together and apart. We will also be getting together, informally, at U.C.A. at 7 on that same day during the hessler fair to 'jam' together before we go to Enclave.

MAY & JUNE & JULY 2006

Hi, been awhile since I have updated my blog, here's some small news:

BEACHLAND BALLROOM was nice last night, G.S. Harper and his friends performing a Townes Van Zant retrospective of sorts...really nice music, I didn't stay long, but heard good stuff.

U.C.A. IN JUNE will be lightly booked, because, lots of reasons. In brief: Zach on Fri. June 2, Jenna, Sean Brewster, and Ben Barr Sat. June 10 (which is also parade the circle) Teresa Storch coming through Wed. June 14, Ben & Dan Fri. 23, and brazilian guitarist (fabulous voice) Luca Mundaca on Sat. June 24

STEVE2.NET & GUESTS SHEELA & JANE AT ENCLAVE: I have recently met Sheela and Jane at my open mic, and we all seem to like each other, so we are jamming a bit and getting some songs to happen between us. Join us at about 7 at U.C.A. where we will be musically goofing around before we go to The Enclave in Willoughby for a more formal show from 9-11

TORI SPARKS OPENS FOR HILLBILLY IDOL AT BARKING SPIDER JUNE 15 Tori is from Austin TX and she is the goodness. She might stop into U.C.A. for a set before the Spider.

OPEN MIC APRIL 26 WITH THE PLAIN JANES

This wednesday will feature an appearence by an acoustic duo name of the Plain Janes! They will start right around 9pm and probably will play for about an half and hour or so - the remainder of the night will be acoustic open mic as usual.

OPEN MIKES AT U.C.A. MARCH & APRIL 06

Ok, the U.C.A. Open Mike schedule is outa whack right now, it has to be that way...it's a flexable type deal-e-o, I like things a little flexible at just this time.

It was that we had open mike night on the first and third wednesdays - at least for AWHILE that is the way it was - change being the order of the day - so, we are having Open Mike Night at U.C.A. this WEDNESDAY MARCH 29 and that is the way it is.

Be there or be square!

And then in APRIL we will have a little different schedule for open mike night - we will hold open mic on the SECOND and FOURTH WEDNESDAYS IN APRIL -- in order to accomdate a couple of N.Y. artists who will be coming through the cafe on WEDNESDAY APRIL 19TH: ALLISON TARTALIA & RHONDA EVERITT so, we will have our open mic night on wednesday april 12 and wednesday april 26. Mark these very important open mic dates on your open mike calendar.

P.S.: We recently 'fixed' a nice ole 12 inch P.A. speaker we had sitting around - so we have just a little bit more umph for our open mic night now, with two nice speakers instead of just one - c'mon in and give our cafe a whirl!!!

See you at U.C.A. for OPEN MIKE NIGHT!!!

TORI SPARKS COMING TO CLEVELAND IN JUNE

TORI SPARKS COMING TO CLE FROM NASHVILLE TN:

Tori Sparks has contacted me by email and has indicated that she will be coming to CLE in JUNE to play a show ... most probably at the U.C.A. but who knows, summer is a ways off still, another interesting stage or show could open up between now and then.

In the meantime, check out her Sonicbids profile and her site, she sounds great, your gonna like it!

STEVE2.NET AT THE ENCLAVE FRI MARCH 31

STEVE2.NET AT ENCLAVE IN WILLOUGHBY FRIDAY MARCH 31 9-11PM:
I haven't played out at the Enclave in downtown Willoughby for a long time, but when I called over there they seemed to remember me right away, so that's gotta be a good thing, right? I have not decided wether or not I will bring an opening act - I played for a couple hours last night at the Starbucks in Rocky River and felt real good about my song list/set list, so I may just tackle this one all by my lonesome, on the other hand, it might be more fun to put on more of a show with at least one other act....hey, you tell me what you think!

EMAIL NEWSLETTERS IN MY BLOG:
Some of you may have noticed that I am re-printing or re-publishing, in my blog, the email newsletters that I get from songwriting friends in CLE - sometimes I may not make it perfectly clear at the top of the article that it's not my voice your reading, however, I have taken note of my own foible and will start to make it clear in the tops of the articles that I am reprinting an email newsletter.

GREG HARPER SHOWS

THIS IS THE GREG HARPER NEWS EMAIL REPRINTED AT THE STEVE2.NET BLOG FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT!!

===================
From Greg Harper (AKA: G.S. Harper)
===================

Greetings y’all! Time for this months update, and it looks like the month of March is going to see me a rather busy boy.

Upcoming shows:

Friday March 10th- The Town Fryer, 3859 Superior Ave. in Cleveland, w/Terry Berrett and Andrew Zeager

Thursday March 16th- I’ll be with Hayshaker Jones at Cowboy Food and Drink, check www.hayshakerjones.com for more details.

Friday March 17th-St. Patty’s day at The Town Fryer! w/Terry Berrett and Andrew Zeager.

Saturday March 18th- Poor Richards Century Tavern, Center Ridge Rd. in North Ridgeville, w/Terry and Andrew

Friday March 24th- TWO SHOWS!! The Agora w/Hayshaker Jones, opening for Cross Canadian Ragweed, then later that night at The Town Fryer with Terry and Andrew.

Saturday March 25th- W/ The Big Bananas at Tommy Rockers in Elyria. Crazy stuff, kind of silly, but a lot of fun.

Friday March 31st-The Town Fryer, w/Terry and Andrew.

That’s what’s cookin’ for March, stay tuned, and come on out and see us anytime. Special thanks to Susie Porter at The Town Fryer, February 10th marked a whole year of Friday nights there, and things just keep getting better. We love you Susie! And here’s hoping for many more! Keep an eye out for next months update, when you’ll hear all about our Tax day extravaganza on April 15th, and the very special Townes Van Zandt Tribute show that I have put together at The Beachland Ballroom for May 15th.

Until next time, thanks for continuing to support live roots music in Cleveland!

Love and Fried Macaroni and Cheese,

G.S. Harper

SUSAN WEBER SHOWS

SATURDAY March 11
Barking Spider Tavern
11310 Juniper Rd in Cleveland
8:30 - 9:30 pm
Susan Weber with Walt Campbell. Gary Hall goes on at 10 pm
______


In both of these one hour shows, we perform songs from my upcoming CD in two great venues...


The Lakewood Public Library has become a regular home to our music. Its excellent acoustics and concert lighting bring performer and audience to a rich time-out-of-mind artistic experience.


The Barking Spider is a cozy, wood paneled listening space with live music every night, tucked inside University Circle. If you are new to the Spider, here are some directions:


The Barking Spider Tavern is located about fifteen minutes east of downtown Cleveland (a little past East 105th) off of Euclid Avenue. At the Euclid Avenue and Mayfield Rd. intersection, take a left (north) on Ford (immediately across from Mayfield.) Go up three streets and take a right (east) on Juniper Rd. On the right-hand side of the street you'll see an Arabica coffee house. Entrance to the Spider is the first driveway past the Arabica driveway, and additional parking is available from the second driveway.


As always, we want you to be part of us and hope to see you soon!


Cordially,
Susan
http://www.susanweber.com

(EMAIL NEWSLETTER REPRINTED HERE AT STEVE2.NET FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE!)

LINKS TO LIVE RECORDINGS @ ARCHIVE.ORG

You may have noticed that I have recently added a 'feedburner' links list to my home page that contains live links to recent live recorded audio that has been uploaded to the Internet Archive I think it makes a great content addition to my home page, what do you think? These live recordings come from all over the globe, and this is a really exciting resource for those of us who love live recorded audio! The Internet Archive has waaaaay so much material available for free download, if your not aware of it's vastness then take a moment or two...of course, your gonna need high speed internet to make sense of it. Happy listening/watching/reading!

SONG WRITING W/ BRENT KIRBY

Roots of American Music "Roots Acoustic Pickin' Circle" on Sunday!!! On the first Sunday of every month, this month being Sunday, March 5th, Roots of American Music will be presenting a "Roots Acoustic Pickin' Circle" hosted by Rick Sockel. It will take place from 2-4pm at the Roots of American Music/Fairmount School of Music space at 3475 Fairmount Boulevard in Cleveland Heights, call (216) 321-9350 for further details.

Jack Fords Shows This Upcoming Week!!!

It's a busy week for the Jack Fords...Monday we hit the Grog Shop for a great show opening for the Damnwells. Wednesday we'll attending the Cleveland Free Times Award Show at The Beachland. Wish us luck! Thursday, we'll be at Guggy's starting to work on the new CD. On Sunday, you will find us at the Beachland Ballroom opening for Joe Bonnamassa. Come out and hear the new tunes if you haven't yet, and if you already have, come join us for a drink or two and let us entertain you!!!

Special Thanks!!!

Special Thanks go to Ryan Humbert and Emily Bates for having me join them for a really great show at Boba in Akron last Friday! I sold out of the CD's I brought to a very attentive crowd. Also, special thanks to Anastasia at the Free Times and The Scene for helping us promote our CD Recording!!!

Songwriting Class- Last Chance!!!

Time is running out to sign up for the my Songwriting class at the new space for Roots of American Music/Fairmount School of Music at 3475 Fairmount Blvd. Check out their website at http://www.fairmountmusic.com/ and www.rootsofamericanmusic.org. Classes will be Tuesday evenings, at 7-8pm with tuition at $130 for the 13 week course (that's right, only 10 bucks a class!) The last day to sign up is March 24th and the first class will be Tuesday, March 28th. I by no means would ever say I'm an expert in the field of songwriting, and I plan to learn as much as anyone, but I am looking forward to facilitating some good dicussions about songwriting. Come join me!!! I know before I had mentioned it would be an "adult" class, but I have decided to invite anyone of any age who is interested in writing songs. Class description: This class is for people who want to obtain some skills to create their own music. While studying the craft of songwriting, students will learn the structure of songs, hooks, lyrical idea, melodies, rhythm and harmony, genre related, and the merging of lyrics with music. The students will listen to music, write songs, be involved in interactive group creative sessions, and present their own songs for constructive critique. Other topics covered will be home recording, copyrighting, andthe business aspect of songwriting. Please e-mail me back at this address or call (216) 321-9350 for more information. And of course, forward this to anyone you might think would be interested. Thanks!

Upcoming shows!!!

Monday March 6th The Jack Fords The Grog Shop 9pm
Opening for the Damnwells www.grogshop.gs 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd. (216) 321-5588
Friday, March 10 Brent Kirby Solo Acoustic Poor Richards's Century Tavern 10pm-1230pm
Brent's first time at The Century!!! Historic Ridgeville www.centurytavern.com
Saturday, March 11 Hayshaker Jones The Winchester
Opening for Commander Cody!!! www.thewinchester.net (216) 226-5681
Sunday, March 12 The Jack Fords The Beachland Ballroom 8pm SHARP!!!
Opening for Joe Bonnamassa!!! We will start right at 8pm sharp!!! www.beachlandballroom.com

(this has been re-published from an email letter from Brent)

RYANN GUITAR ANDERSON E-NEWSLETTER

RYANN GUITAR ANDERSON will be across the parking lot from U.C. Arabica this WED MARCH 1 so come to UCA Acoustic Open Mic then go over to The Barking Spider for a brew and Ryann Anderson:

Wednesday March 1
Barking Spider Tavern
11301 Juniper Rd Cleveland, OH
10:00pm

Thursday March 2
The Place(On Belllfower)
11401 Bellflower Rd Cleveland,OH (Near Case Western Reserve Campus)
6:30-8:30pm

Thanks & take care

MIRANDAS MOON LAST SHOW MARCH 17

These are friends of mine, they are losing multiple band mates to medical studies, they are having a St. Paddy day blowout at Sachsenheim here is the newsletter:

Ladies and gentlemen, as some of you may already know, Miranda's Moon
is playing a final farewell concert on Friday, March 17, 2006. It will
undoubtedly be the greatest St. Patrick's Day celebration of all time.
We knew that the end of Miranda's Moon was approaching, but we didn't
realize it would be so soon.

The Bot Abbas is a such a stellar medical student, that he is willing
to relocate to North Carolina to complete his lab work. A good portion
of his graduate program centers around this continuing project, and
therefore the matter is largely out of his hands.

Jewbacca, aka Penoyar, has decided to finish up his medical studies in
the majestic state of Oregon. Being an outdoorsman and a native of
Washington state, he longs to return himself to the wilderness. Oh, and to
practice medicine as well.

In lieu of all these changes in lineup, Miranda's Moon has decided to
go out in the biggest way imaginable. The concert and party will be free
and open to all, with cheap German drafts and plenty of live
entertainment. We'll be playing nearly everything we know, from electric to
acoustic, and maybe even some piano work. Bring everyone you know and have a
blast!

The venue chosen for this monumentous occasion is the Sachsenheim - a
111-year-old German fortress on the west side of Cleveland. Our main set
will be in the gorgeous 2nd floor ballroom, and the later set will be
on the 3rd floor, which has a great view of downtown. The Sachsenheim is
located at 7001 Denison Ave, right near the Ridge Rd. intersection.
Parking and admission will be free!

Face it, this is easily going to be the best St. Patrick's Day event in
town. And remember, this will be the final opportunity to see Miranda's
Moon! Come say goodbye and have a great time on us.

Here's the show's flyer - feel free to hang it wherever you want!
http://www.mirandasmoon.com/lastshow.jpg

For directions to the show - see our website: www.mirandasmoon.com

Sincerely,
The Moon

CATS ON HOLIDAY AND CLE ORCHESTRA JULY 7

READ: Cleveland "Cats On Holiday" newsletter reprinted here for your convenience!!!

------------------------------------------------

Happy Valentines Day from The Cats!

I hope all you Cat fans are loved by someone! You are all so
deserving. :)

All is well with the band. We videotaped a Tri-C “Crooked River
Groove” program last week. Our good friend Greg Ciolec, brought a bus load
of his students from Streetsboro High School to enjoy the taping. The
kids were a very gracious and appreciative audience and made the
potentially sterile studio a high-energy concert setting. The Cat’s thanked
all the students and staff with a small gift, so Streetsboro should be
overrun by teens wearing the hot new COH t-shirt. The show should air
in the next couple months. We are planning to release it as a DVD as
well.

Cats On Holiday was nominated for the second year in a row in the Free
Times music awards. Please vote for the band to win the best
“Americana” category so we can take home the $1,000,000 prize money. Go to
www.freetimes.com to vote or find the ballot in the latest Free Times issue
and mail in the ballot. The Cats will split the winnings with all
their loyal fans.

The band is currently working on pre-production for a new disc and will
start in the studio in the next couple of months. Denis has been on a
bit of a writing spree and has a bunch of new refreshing tunes. We
also are very happy with our new bass player Brian Wildman. Brian has
performed in the past with Austin “Walkin Cane”, Nightbridge, Kristine
Jackson, Colin Dussault and others. He has added a big bottom to our
“Swamp Pop” sound.

The Cats are very happy to announce a collaboration with the Prayer
Warriors. If you haven not heard them, the Warriors are a unique 20 piece
gospel choir. We are going to join forces for a featured program,
opening for the Cleveland Orchestra’s July 7th public square concert. We
then will perform again at the Ingenuity Festival on July 15 or 16th.
Both groups are very excited about the possibilities of this very cool
collaboration. Stay tuned for more details.

The COH “unplugged” trio will be at the Harp (4408 Detroit) 9:00 on
Saturday Feb. 18. Come on out and sit with the band at the quaint bar and
check out Brian playing the upright bass. It's like seeing the band in
your living room. I hope to see ya soon. As always, Thanks for the
wonderful support.

Denis D. and The Cats
---------------------------------------------

BRIEFLY: WHAT'S HAPPENED & HAPPENING

The U.C.A. recently hosted C.I.M. (Cleveland Institute of Music) pianist Adam Whiting and a couple of his C.I.M friends for an evening of classical music and wow was it ever fantabulous! Adam was joined by Violist Emily Grossruck and Suzuki Violinist Breana Bauman and they played a selection of classical pieces including both of Beethoven’s (Ludwig van Beethoven 1770 - 1827) Violin Concerto Romances 1 & 2 and pieces by composer and violist Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979). This was a real treat for U.C.A. and we hope to have Adam and his associates back at the U.C.A in the very near future – and frequently!

In town recently from Pittsburgh PA was singer songwriter Brad Yoder (coming to U.C.A. Friday March 10) who was found playing a solo set at the Century Tavern in North Ridgeville. Brad gave me a copy of his most recent CD “Used” which I literally have not been able to stop listening to! Brad’s song “Used” has appeared on the new CBS show "NUMB3RS" (on 2/11/05) and has also been played on NPR's syndicated radio show, "Car Talk" – also, his song "2nd Thoughts" has been compiled into the DVD of the 5th season of “Dawson's Creek” (episode #503) – congratulations Brad, I am anticipating your return to Cleveland! That same night at the Century Tavern featured Greg Harper and his newly conceived acoustic trio (guitars, mandolin and violin) and these guys continue to have a successful Friday night scene at the Town Fryer 3859 Superior Ave E, Cleveland, 44114 - (216) 426-9235 and they will be at U.C.A. for a Tax Day Party on April 15 so be there with your laptop to finish your taxes or, if you already finished them, come in and listen to the great acoustic jams.

What is going to happen at U.C.A. this weekend?

Friday Feb. 17
U.C.A. will host an evening’s performance by Detroit Singer Songwriter and Times Beach Records recording artist Audra Kubat . Audra is an established veteran of the Detroit Michigan music scene and a fully realized singer songwriter of particular subtlety and power. If you want a taste of Audra’s music before the show, tune into WRUW 91.1 FM on Thursday Feb. 16 at about 9PM for Cuzin’ Dave’s show “When the Roses Bloom Again” and you will hear Audra perform, live, songs from her albums and probably songs that we have never heard before! Oh, and if you want too, you can listen to live streaming broadcast of WRUW over the awesome Internet...heh. And or if you’re heading up to MI for the weekend, be sure to catch Audra opening for Aimee Mann at the historic Michigan Theatre Monday Feb. 20! Whatever you’re planning to do this weekend, please make time in your busy schedule for the opportunity to spend Friday evening at U.C.A. with one of the Motor City’s most respected, prolific, established, popular and original female singer songwriters!

Saturday Feb. 18
U.C.A. features the acoustic New Grass duo of Brent Hopper and Brittany Reilly! Brent is a veteran of the Florida music scene where he has enjoyed a great deal of touring success with his bands “The Almost Acoustic Band” and “The Grass Is Dead” which have both had huge followings – if you want to hear some of the music just visit the Internet Archive and search for Brent Hopper, there are many live shows available for free download from this site. Brent has only recently relocated to Cleveland with his wife and these two now share a brand new baby daughter as well as their burning passion for Bluegrass, Reggae, Country, Blues, and other old-time music influences which they effortlessly fuse into a smooth, flat-picking instrumentation with sweet vocal harmonies and musical dynamics - they will be playing mandolins, guitars, and probably a couple other instruments during this show.


Just a reminder that U.C.A. is the University Circle Arabica and our first floor library, coffee bar and music rooms are smoke and alcohol free (we do have a spacious smoking room upstairs) and that our shows are all ages’ events. We host the best in live acoustic music at 11300 Juniper Road Cleveland Ohio 44106 216-791-0300 and we offer free wireless internet, coffee, espresso, deserts, and good hearty food. Shows are always free of cover and usually start at about 8:30 PM.

EMERALD FREQUENCY ARE SO GOOD!!!

Uhm, if you haven't heard Emerald Frequency yet then you should come to UCA and catch them. They are a father daughter duo - the only father daughter celtic styled duo in Cleveland for all I know - and they are both multi-instrumentalists and they have SUCH a nice sound! They sing FANTASTIC HARMONIES and they play a very beautiful mix of tunes while alternating lead vocals. They both have great voices with Starlie covering the soothing, sweet, and high lonesome tones while William compliments in a plaintive low to mid range..come hear them soon!

BRENT HOPPER SAT JAN 28 8:30PM

Hi fans! Thanks for clickin' on over here to my lil' ol' space in the webmosphere, I hope you like what I been doin' with steve2.net, I am working slowly on a design revision, but you know how those things go, my motivation and inspiration comes and goes, it's more a labor of love than anything (I don't have any paying sponsors for the site - yet) and I have been working my ears and fingers off to bring excellent acoustic music into the U.C.A. for February, as you must clearly see from next months carefully constructed schedule, it's weekends filled with talented musicians!

In regards to the Brent Hopper show SAT JAN 28:
Brent is a new papa! Yeah! Congratulations to Brent and his musician partner Brittany Reilly on the birth of their recent arrival!! A BABY GIRL! I spoke with Brittany just the other day and she and her new baby are doing just fine, however, she will not be joining Brent for this show SAT JAN 28 - Brittany has assured me that she will be back with Brent for the show on FEB SAT 18 and this is real good news!!

And just tonight I spoke with Cuzin Dave (When The Roses Bloom Again) and we have agreed that Audra Kubat will come to the BRAND NEW WRUW STUDIO for a LIVE BROADCAST on THURSDAY FEBRUARY 16 9:00PM and Audra will play at UCA FRIDAY FEB 17 at 8:30 (I am confident that global warming will not let me down here, it's prolly gonna be, like, 50F)

FEB 2006 UCA ACOUSTIC ENTERTAINMENT

I have been out to a few things recently, appropriately enough – you know, I am supposed to be a major ‘acoustic scene doggy’ but most of the time I don’t get out enough ... there ... is .... just TOO MUCH going on for one guy to make the whole scene.

Hmm, anyhow I have yet to make it out to Sachsenheim at 7001 Denison Ave. CLE OH 44102 but I hear it’s really nice, so it won’t be too much longer before I get over there – they have a huge Chinese new year blowout planned for this coming Saturday Jan 28 so even if I can’t go YOU probably can! I think I read something about sitar music, in the phoenix coffee house room? Imagine that! Check the links embedded in here for more info.

And in regards to shows and scenes, lately The Starloft has been in the thick of things, this woman Jennifer Adams is a one woman promotion machine and she is puttin’ on the dog so check out here site and her myspace place to keep tabs on what is the hippness machine of Starloft. Gosh, starloft.com is a pretty dang cooly cool cleveland type of domain name, dontcha think?

And what is this weird colorful ad I found at Barking Spider last night for an “improvish musical getogether” on Sunday Jan 29 at Barking Spider? It says that the evening starts with a drum jam and ands with a “tapestry of sound” or a “dungeon of noise – you decide” well, I have no idea, and the ad is a nice piece or artwork to singed R. LEWIS 06 whatever it is it sounds multi interesting.

So this weekend is full of cool hippness – just choose your fun from calm and quite to crazy and loud - and get a goin’ with your bad self.

And here are the quieter calmer and more introspective singer songwriterish acoustic options for those of you in the vicinity of University Circle and in the mood to simply sip lattes and surf the internet – stop into the serene environs of the University Circle Arabica.

UNIVERSITY CIRCLE ARABICA ON THE CASE WESTERN RESERVE CAMPUS
11300 JUNIPER ROAD CLEVELAND OHIO 44106 (216)791-0300
FEB. 2006 ACOUSTIC ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR
ALL SHOWS START AT 8:30PM UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Wednesday February 1
Acoustic Open Mic Night with host - Steve2.Net
http://www.steve2.net
Steve2.Net is Steve Wilson – relocated from the Left Coast about 6 years ago and digging the Cleveland music scene as the Entertainment Coordinator and Open Mic Host at University Circle Arabica! This is an acoustic open mic – no electric instruments, drum kits, or amplifiers please – we provide microphones and a PA and we want to hear acoustic folk, blue grass, blues, new grass, classical, jazz, original acoustic music and poetry. We even have an acoustic piano!

Friday February 3
Neo Folk Singer Songwriters - Rebecca Wohlever & Ashley Brooke Toussant
http://www.myspace.com/ashleybrooketoussant

Join us for an evening of songwriters, acoustic guitars, and the pretty voices of singers Rebecca Wohlever & Ashley Brooke Toussant! Rebecca has absorbed the roads, rivers, lakes, lives and passions of rural Ohio and transformed them into an endearingly emotional spectrum of original song and sound. Ashley Toussant sings a mix of original and cover material in a unique breath tone as delicate and dreamy as a summer cloud or a desert mirage.




Saturday February 4
Aggressive Acoustic Folk - Jonathan Penn
http://www.wavethenavel.com/

Jonathan Penn is an Akron native with ten years of guitar under his pick. Though his music doesn’t follow a specific genre (except perhaps the self-invented category of “aggressive acoustic folk”), his influences include Radiohead, Dave Matthews, 100 Portraits, and many artists in between. His distinctive style is created by his repertoire of original music and his penchant for the slightly absurd. Jonathan has not only had the pleasure of performing in a number of venues in Northeast Ohio (The Barking Spider, Thursday’s Lounge, Fuel Lounge, Northside Club to name a few), but he’s had the opportunity to play international venues in Athens and Southeast Asia. His maxi single, Experimental Canvas, is available on iTunes, cdBaby.com, and here on wavethenavel.com. He has his B.S. in computer science, is working on a master’s degree, and lives in Akron with his wife, Colleen.

Thursday February 9
C.I.M. Alumni Pianist- Adam Whiting
http://www.adamwhiting.com/
Adam Whiting is a staff accompanist at the Cleveland Institute of music; he was hired for this position upon graduation from CIM in the spring of 2005 with a double-masters degree in piano performance and accompanying. He was also hired this year as a Suzuki piano teacher at the Cleveland Music School Settlement. He is also returning to his previous accompanying posts at the Cleveland Music School Settlement (since 2004), the Sato Center for Suzuki Studies (since 2003), and the Oregon Suzuki Institute--one-week summer program--(since 2004). He attended the Oregon Suzuki Institute as a student for thirteen years; after a few years' hiatus, he returned in the summer of 2004 as a staff accompanist, at the invitation of the directors of the institute. At CIM, he studied solo piano with Daniel Shapiro; collaborative piano with Anita Pontremoli, head of the collaborative piano department; and cello with Merry Peckham, cellist of the Cavani String Quartet. He began piano lessons at age five with Sr. Patricia Baxter in the preparatory department of Marylhurst University. He dropped out of school in the middle of fourth grade in order to have more time to sleep and practice; his father homeschooled him. A few weeks before his fourteenth birthday, he began taking college classes, because his piano teachers, Sr. Patricia Baxter SNJM and Sr. Anne Cecile Daigle SNJM, announced that he was ready to benefit from music theory classes. After Sr. Anne Cecile’s death in 1998, he began taking lessons from Susan DeWitt Smith. In 2002, after seven years at Marylhurst University, he graduated with a BM in performance; he was only some paperwork short of also receiving an associate’s degree in mathematics from Clackamas Community College, where he took all his academic classes. Having worked with the Cavani string quartet for six summers at the Britt Chamber Strings Camp in Ashland, Oregon (five years as a cellist and the last year as the pianist of a pre-formed piano quartet) and thriving in the non-competitive, supportive, friendly, cooperative, joyous environment that the Cavani somehow created every year, he knew that CIM, their school of residence, was where he wanted to go. He auditioned only to CIM--not to a single other school--and was accepted into their master of music in piano performance program. A year later, seeking more collaborative and chamber music experiences, and impressed by Anita Pontremoli’s awareness of all of his non-solo projects, he doubled up his piano degree with CIM’s accompanying degree, adding an extra year to his projected stay at CIM.

Friday February 10
Folk Rock - John Fegy and Michael Johnson
http://www.myspace.com/johnfegy
http://www.solfirestation.com/about.aspx
http://www.myspace.com/solfire

John is a relative newcomer to the Cleveland Folk Rock scene, a veteran of rock bands and more recently many a late night open mic nights. He has produced a full length CD at Strangelove Recording and has recently been playing solo acoustic sets in the company of a variety of local folk rock acts such as Blue Vertaal and Broke Till Friday at well established institutions of acoustic entertainment such as the Winchester Music Hall and the Merry Arts in Lakewood Ohio.

From Michael's website: Michael Christopher Johnson began his musical career when his parents gave him his first instruments at the age of 11: his father's dusty old cornet and classical guitar. After his first lessons, his teachers saw the immense potential he had. Mike was soon studying classical guitar and jazz trumpet with some of the most respected music educators in the Cleveland area. Under their tutelage, he became an elite trumpet soloist in his high school jazz, marching, and orchestral bands, winning several awards, one of the most prestigious being nominated and then awarded the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award. Later, Mike expanded his horizons into composing music and lyrics by drawing from influences as The Beatles, Dave Matthews Band, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis, Duke Ellington, Joni Mitchell, Ibrahim Ferrer, and Ben Harper. During his college years, Mike refined his skills in performance and composition by taking many of the most challenging classes in music. He also expanded his musical repertoire by learning the cello, mandolin, and dobro. Wanting to record his compositions, he quickly gained experience in recording and producing music through the tutorage of some Cleveland's finest producers and engineers. The culmination of Mike's talents, experiences, and passions was given a name: Solfire. Under this name, he promised himself that the goal would be to "pursue the worthy goal of creating music that would procure the best parts of all genres, and then let them ferment into a melting-pot of all the music that God created on this planet." From pop to jazz to rock, Solfire is starting to truly accomplish the goal Mike set out. "When I set out to create this band, I wanted to fulfill a dream of mine... creating the best music possible. I've have been truly blessed to have amazing people to work with like Michael Seifert [producer], and Lucas Wayne [collaborator]." Solfire has won praise from several award-winning artists such as legendary singer-songwriter and Ellis Paul collaborator Vance Gilbert. Vance described Mike's writing as "wonderfully catchy and lyrically meaningful melodies." Solfire has also gathered the interests of several major labels in both the secular and Christian markets. "I had a chance to be flown out to LA and experience the whole Hollywood scene," says Mike about his visit to Capitol Records. "It was definitely an eye opening experience... that's for sure." Mike's latest recording project is an EP with acclaimed Cleveland, Ohio producer Michael Seifert of Ante Up Audio and Take Manhattan Publishing, "Seifert approaches things like a chess match," says Johnson. "He's always thinking many moves ahead of what's on the board. He's a genius and I frankly couldn't think of anyone I'd trust more with my music."


Saturday February 11
Original Singer Songwriter - Nate Jones
Nate is a young local singer songwriter who has played the UCA a couple of times in the past and he continues to work diligently to write respectable original material, play entertaining cover songs, and gain a local following in Cleveland. Come out to UCA and listen to the ‘New Guard’ of acoustic folk music!

Wednesday February 15
Acoustic Open Mic Night with host - Steve2.Net
http://www.steve2.net
Steve2.Net is Steve Wilson – relocated from the Left Coast about 6 years ago and digging the Cleveland music scene as the Entertainment Coordinator and Open Mic Host at University Circle Arabica! This is an acoustic open mic – please do not bring contraption drum kits (whole drum kits) or amplifiers – we provide microphones and a PA system to use - the acoustic open mic is geared to acoustic folk, blue grass, new grass, classical, jazz, original acoustic music and poetry. We even have an acoustic piano!

Friday February 17
Motor City Acoustic - Audra Kubat
http://www.audrakubat.com/

So much has been made of the Motor City rock and roll scene, and so many great bands have come out of Detroit, how about coming into UCA to hear the “unplugged” acoustic side of the Motor City with Detroit singer/songwriter and Times Beach Records recording artist Audra Kubat – she will be back in Cleveland this night for her second show at UCA. Audra is an established veteran of the music scene in Detroit MI and has many fans that flock to her local shows in the parks, bars, and cafes in and around Detroit where she plays regularly. Having her first CD “Elixir” produced by Rust Belt Studios Al Sutton started Audra on the long road to becoming an independent and fully realized singer songwriter of particular prowess and power. Audra is currently writing and planning her fourth full length CD with Times Beach Records and pulling together her summer tour. Don’t miss the opportunity to spend an evening with one of the Motor City’s most respected, prolific, established, popular and original female singer songwriters!


Saturday February 18
New Grass Duo - Brent Hopper & Brittany Reilly

Brent Hopper & Brittany Reilly share a passion of Bluegrass, Reggae, Country, Blues, and other old-time music influences, fusing them together acoustically... Smooth, flat-picking instrumentation and rhythmic sounds tie their vocal harmonies and musical dynamics together. They will be performing together this fall/winter as an acoustic roots duo around Ohio & the Mid-eastern regions and will be in the studio over the winter working on a new CD projected to be released in spring 2006.




Friday February 24
Lost Classics - Randy Martin
http://www.myspace.com/randymartinthelostclassics
Randy Martin is the lead singer and guitar player with Gorilla Danish. He began playing guitar in 1959. Three years ago, he was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and could no longer play bar chords. Rather than quit, he created an open tuning in the key of B. This unusual tuning and key matched his baritone voice. Over the last two years, he has been performing as a solo act (Randy Martin: The Lost Classics) perfecting his melody-finger slide finger-picking style and creating arrangements of somewhat forgotten R&B and R&R tunes from the 60s into an interesting presentation made further engaging by the information he delivers about the song writers between tunes. Musicians and non-musicians alike are attracted to his unusual styling. He has begun to hit the circuit around his home-base of Cleveland but has performed in Chicago and Milwaukee.


Saturday February 25
Celtic Duo - Emerald Frequency
http://www.emeraldfrequency.com/

Created in the fall of 2003, Emerald Frequency is a Cleveland based father/daughter duo. An indie Celtic band, they're grabbing attention of folks all over the North Eastern Ohio area, and beyond. They play everything from Ani DiFranco tunes to Irish folk songs to an occasional mediaeval melody here and there, not to mention their own original songs.
The Name: Though they're not a total Irish band, their influence and love of Ireland and its music is heard throughout a lot of what they play. In that case, they keep the thought of the Emerald Isle in the minds of the folks who come out to see them perform. (Hence the name: Emerald Frequency.)

Century Tavern Open Mic: Going Strong!!

Hi, this past Thursday night I went off in my lil' speedy car to North Ridgeville (up Center Ridge Road bout 14 miles from Lakewood) to see my friend Chris Nekvinda and his Century Tavern and I was pleasenty surprised to find that the Open Mic is no longer restricted to 7-9pm as it had been followed by Karaoke at 9pm - Open Mic now starts at about 8 and goes into the evening until .... uhm ... whenever? That much at least wasn't clear, after several songs and several beers and several conversations I had to get goin' but not until it was already past 11 thirty and the party was still kickin and Chris was tending bar! He is amazing, he just jumps out from behind the bar and KICKS OUT THE JAMS then goes back and pours more beer until late late - then I imagine he gets up early and goes to his day job - he is a hard cat, and a very talented performer/songwriter no doubt about it and this is a SWEET ROOM to play into and Chris brings a NICE FENDER PA with great sound so c'mon out and jam this open mic!!

My friend Jeff Guhde and I played out in Willoughby tonight at the Johny Malloys and it was real good, a fine crowd of happy hour folks who were good listeners considering that this place is a 'Sports Bar' with about a hundred TV screens (well, I am exagerating a little). Tim the owner wants to bring in acoustic music and so bingo the Open Mic on Monday nights with Jim Snively - and some weekend music. Jeff Guhde will be releasing his first pro CD sometime in FEB and he plays a solo set at Barking Spider on MON JAN 23

Singer Songwriters Rebbeca Wohlever and Ashley Toussant will play back-to-back solo sets of woman powered folk deliciousness UCA in FEB on FRI 3

Wohlever & Toussant: Breatharian's...

Singer's R. Wohlever & A. Toussant enjoy a beautiful complementarity. Perhaps they have both been absorbing nothing but sunlight for months now, and in singing they release the energy into the air through voice and heart. In a single night between them they produced a broad, fascinating and complete emotional spectrum, more tune & tone variety than either one of them could have generated alone. Ashley played a set of covers and originals in a mellifluous and piping sweet voice of pure high summer clean cotton in bloom. Her tone palette is an opiate – powdered and light - devoid of gut or growl – as if she sings from her top most chakra and never looks down. Her quivering vibrato lends the notes she shakes enough shooting starlight that they become momentary denizens of their own sky. Rebecca played an all-original set of tunes with a singing voice and song subject matter by comparison more earthen, a rich loam of sweet top soil - wind in the wheat, clay and fire, wood and water with a similarly applied vibrato lending choice notes and words ecstatic religious emphasis.

These are two highly enjoyable and talented local singing voices, easy on the ears, requiring little more than that to catch the luminous tendrils of sonic subtly. The mix at Boba emphasized the two lovelies with acoustic guitars in both sets sounding edgeless, ethereal, and lunar under the songs.

Really very nice, this was an evening’s acoustic entertainment that was worth the hundred miles commute and needed only a hot cup of tea to realize perfection. And so it was…..BoBa Akron Sunday January 8, 2006….ahhhhhh.

My Blog, MySpace, Sonicbids, Taxi

HERMITING: During Christmass I had the flu bug and more recently I have had a cold and it's been keeping my inside or I have been using my mild symptoms to stay inside. I have been working on my web skills, learning some new style tricks with CSS, and I have been reading. I am currently reading "American Nomads" (Richard Grant) and I have also "On Foot: A History of Walking" (Joseph Amato). I have also been watching movies, "Angels in America" was pretty good - uhm, is there another part to it?

BLOGGY BUOY: My blog CSS template now 'pretty much' matches the template of my webpage, something I have obsessed over, now, for hours. I have been delving into the fine points of CSS - needles to say, CSS rocks! The only remaining major difference between my blog and my webpage are the hyper link colors. I like the cranberry and the yellow, think I will go with those two colors...still thinking about it...don't rush me... Oh, I guess you weren't rushing me.

LOST IN MYSPACE Agh, what a place, so many friends and so many little options to tweak and freak over, it really should be obvious to anyone that MySpace and Sonicbids are competing for a similiar audience: artists creating the holly grail of connectivity: the ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT. Shades of MP3.com more obvious still is that MySpace can get so ugly, people are doing all kinds of UGLY things to the pages - making pages that are T O O W I D E for instance or to dark or too .. ugly... I currently think that I like Sonicbids because it's so homogonized and consistent but it does cost dollars to put up a sonicbids profile...and it costs to drop your profile on opportunities...at anyrate, I dont yet have a sonicbids profile, but my MySpace ad is looking pretty dang sharp, but I only have 12 friends.

SONICBIDS and TAXI: I was speaking with Steve Roth on the phone the other day (he is a Buffalo NY singer songwriter with RAVE reviews coming to UCA in MARCH) and he has yet to catch a single opportunity through Sonicbids after dropping his EPK several times into a few different promotor drop boxes. He is also a TAXI member (it costs a few hundred bucks to join TAXI) and has had several songs reviewed but hasn't made the hookup just yet. I get the TAXI newsletter, that much is free. "it's only a matter of time and persistence" is what I think I said, or something to that effect. And I believe it! Talent and persistence will produce results in the long run, I just know it!

UNIVERSITY CIRCLE ARABICA JAN 2006

It's just about time to launch the new year of LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC at U.C.A. and I have been getting many calls from artists in the North East, Mid West and East Coasts regarding playing at the University Circle Arabica Mansion and I am working to accomodate touring artists in an effort to build network and spread the news that Cleveland is a town for live music - and that Cleveland Artists want to play out of town! So be sure to come to U.C.A. to hear these musical acts at moderate volumes in a smoke and alcohol free environment where we never charge a cover - U.C.A. is an all ages venue with free wi-fi internet!!!

JAN 2006 UNIVERSITY CIRCLE ARABICA ACOUSTIC ENTERTAINMENT

University Circle Arabica January 2006 Acoustic Entertainment Calendar


Wednesday January 18
OPEN MIC WITH HOST STEVE2.NET
ARTIST WEBSITE: Steve2.Net
Come to U.C.A. for our twice monthly open mic event and bring your voice, your instrument and your poems, stories, and songs! We have a small P.A. system and microphones for our guests. U.C.A. does not host full electric punk or rock bands; we feature high quality low-key acoustic entertainment in the genres of folk, pop, light rock, blue grass, neo folk, classical, operatic, jazz, original singer songwriters, and blues.

Friday January 20
Celtic Acoustic Duo and Multi Instrumentalists - Emerald Frequency
ARTIST WEBSITE: Emerald Frequency
From the official Emerald Frequency website (and in their own words):
“Emerald Frequency is a Cleveland based father/daughter duo. An indie Celtic band, they're grabbing attention of folks all over the North Eastern Ohio area, and beyond. They play everything from Ani DiFranco tunes to Irish folk songs to an occasional mediaeval melody here and there, not to mention their own original songs. The Name: Though they're not a total Irish band, their influence and love of Ireland and its music is heard throughout a lot of what they play. In that case, they keep the thought of the Emerald Isle in the minds of the folks who come out to see them perform. (Hence the name: Emerald Frequency.) Influences: Ani DiFranco, Solas, Arlo Guthrie, Loreena McKennitt, the Beatles, and sometimes even Squirrel Nut Zippers!”

Saturday January 21
Pop Rock Acoustic Duo – Ellery
ARTIST WEBSITE: Ellery Music
Ellery in their own words from the official website:
“Ellery's unique brand of alternative-folk had already taken them across the country, building a strong following over the years that swallowed up over 3000 copies of their debut independently released album, "The Ordinary" (2003). The Goldens played more than 100 shows in 2004 at colleges, coffeehouses, bars, radio stations, and events nationwide - with newsletters going out to nearly 1400 fans. When they hit the studio again this year, they recorded with Ric Hordinski - known for his brilliant guitar work and ethereal production sense. (Formerly of Over the Rhine, Hordinski has produced for such musical gurus as David Wilcox and Phil Keaggy.) The resulting "Make Your Troubles Mine" is an undeniably catchy EP, boasting an even more developed sound, along with the lyrical craftsmanship Ellery's fans have come to expect. The Goldens have showed no signs of slowing down; this Fall holds tours into the New England area, all over the Midwest, and out to Montana and back. The response to the new album from listeners and reviewers alike has been noteworthy: Over 1000 CDs were sold in its first six months, and Ellery has been featured in online and print publications including Performing Songwriter, the cover of CiN Weekly for its MidPoint Music Fest issue, and Jumper, an Italian online magazine. "Our hope for this EP was that it would communicate a deep emotion", says Tasha Golden. "That it would be strewn with poignant lyrics and sounds that would deeply resonate with its listeners. So we've been so excited to play the songs to varied audiences and to sense that connection taking place more and more. Justin has said that it feels like a gift; it really does." Live, the Goldens have an infectious stage presence that's both endearing and immediately penetrating. Their easy way with an audience is much of what keeps people coming back again and again, often driving hours to catch the nearest show.”


Thursday January 26
Solo Singer Songwriter – Teresa Storch
ARTIST WEBSITE: Teresa Storch
In her own words and from her official website:
“A performer in the New England scene for the past two years, recently returning from a 5 week national tour (nearly circumnavigating the continental US!), Boston-based singer/songwriter Teresa Storch is constantly moving. Her music has been described as a "bounding folk rock sound...mesmerizing vocal riffs" by Boston's Metronome Magazine and "Vega/Merchant-esque vocals...funky guitar work... fabulously catchy folk-genre'd tunes" by Boston Girl Guide. Her first release 'Muscle Memory' and live shows are gathering her national acclaim. Most recently she was selected amongst the top 25 in the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival 2003 Songwriter's Showcase Competition and was selected as part of the “Boston’s Best Singer/Songwriters” Showcase for 2003. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, it wasn’t until attending college in Colorado five minutes from the famed “Red Rocks Amphitheatre” (where she spent all her money then) that it struck her she wanted to write and perform her own music. Drawn to the folk music scene of Boston, she traversed the country in 1999 to settle in the Northeast. With an authentic desire to connect through music (at 13 she wrote of longing "to move people" through performing), "Moving" is a true description of what she brings to a stage. Writing to remind us (and herself) of what's real and really matters, her rich, engaging voice provides a satisfaction and a sense of home, plus a peek into the struggles of love, life and dreams. Combined with intense, percussive acoustic guitar, she accomplishes well what she set out to do at 13. Her first CD release “Muscle Memory” fuses her desire to move with the rhythm section of Phil Antoniades (drums) and Jeff St. Pierre (bass), typically seen with Todd Thibaud and Barbara Kessler, creating a full sound most often compared to Jonatha Brooke or Natalie Merchant. You will find Teresa wherever she can do what she loves, connecting with people through music, be it in clubs in Cambridge or a subway platform. She has shared stages and sidewalks with the likes of Entrain, Kevin So, and Rachel Sage and played venues in the West and Northeast.”


Friday January 27
Solo Singer of Rhythm and Blues ‘Lost Classics’ – Randy Martin
Join Randy for an evening of unique solo guitar adaptations of familiar rhythm and blues classics, some you will immediately recognize and others may only be dimly lit and misty memories! Whatever he chooses to sing, Randy wields a fabulously expressive voice talent and an entertaining guitar style that he puts to good use wrapping riffs and chord melodies around a host of great tunes!

Saturday January 28
Acoustic New Grass Duo – Brent Hopper & Brittany Reilly
ARTIST WEBSITE: Brent Hopper
Brent and Brittany make a wonderful compliment to one another’s voice and instrument talents singing and playing harmony together on tunes ranging from blue grass standards to original folk songs. These two are high energy multi instrumental talented new grass musicians look for them to grace the U.C.A. frequently as we gear up into the New Year!


FEBRUARY 2006 U.C.A.

A few highlights:

Piano teacher and C.I.M. alumni Adam Whiting will be in the music room on THURSDAY FEB 9 he will be accompanied by a CIM student or two filling our music room with the soothing sounds of piano and violin and or viola

Detroit Singer/Songwriter and Times Beach Records Recording Artist Audra Kubat will be back in CLE for TWO NIGHTS at UCA FEB 17 and 18 !

UCA in FEB 2006 will also feature acoustic performances by these artists:
Nate Jones, Emerald Frequency, Randy Martin, John Fegy and Jonathan Penn

Pete Krebs & Elliot Smith : vintage PDX sounds

I have been surfing around, thinking about singing, songwritering, travelling, playing, performing, touring and thinking about Portland Oregon (having recently had phone conversations with two of my old PDX buddies) - sigh - so naturally I went to GOOGLE looking for the Laurelthirst Public Tavern and instead found the audio home page for one of the most historically significant PDX singer songwriters of all time: Pete Krebs

And Pete has kindly posted several choice MP3 files for listening pleasure - no Hazel sounds though, but a couple of nice songs from Western Electric featuring Elliot Smith - I advise you to drop whatever your doing and head right over to Pete Krebs audio page and do some listening.

Mifune CLE and the Inhabitants NYC

I have been surfing around (probably surfing to much...) and I have gathered up some artists sites/sounds I have been liking especialy and here are a two of them for you to groove with:

The Inhabitants NYC - it's kinda funny the way peoples voices can come and go from one's life, the singer for this band was at one time one of my favorite Portland voices (in so far as singer songwriters go) and I remember him telling me this story of buying a two way plane ticket from PDX to NYC and just disappearing one summer from PDX and going to NY to live there, anywhere, he slept where ever for a whole summer, partied like a madman, and played on the Staten Island Ferry and on the streets - so when he came back and had all these strong songs, I thought that was really cool. So now here he is, more than ten years later, with a spiffy website, an NYC band, and some clean clear respectable sounds, tunes with good arrangements, clear vocal concepts, and lot's of musical space.

Mifune CLE - The SOUND creations that these musicians are making are sweet and contemporary world electronique compositions - this music sounds sophisticated when juxtaposed against what I generally have come to think of as the Cleveland scene/sound, so these sounds stand out against the cocky rock and roll background. These composers/musicians have all played together in one form or another in Cleveland, most noteably with Matt Gerovac in the Serious Aeolian Belfry and later in one of my favorite CLE acts, Matt Gerovac and the Implosion (Matt is in LA these days). And I can hear some of that colaboration here in Mifune, but only a little! Where SAB was kinda kooky, Mifune is easy on the ears with a light and well jammed breezy sound that hints at Chicago and something Jaco-esque.