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We understand that artists have limited budgets and that devoting money to publicity and promotion is sometimes a tough choice. In the spirit of transparency and pride, here are some recent media placements from 2020-2021. Even though it has been a tough few years for the arts, we are still successfully landing high profile media placements for our clients. See below, enjoy, and join us in celebrating our clients’ accomplishments. Feel free to reach out with any questions.

-Founder, Peter McDowell

CLASSICAL:
Fabio Banegas
(feat. George Takei)
Bottiroli Piano Works (Complete), Vol. 2 · Nocturnes

※ James Wegg Review (★★★★) / 5

“Argentinian composer [Bottiroli] deserves a wider audience. […]Thanks to his championing by gifted pianist Fabio Banegas, the world can come to its own conclusions about the output of this late-inning romanticist. […]Banegas delicately balances it all“

※ Cinemusical (★★★★) / 4 — Steven A. Kennedy
“Banegas is an excellent interpreter of these works and has been a dedicatee of the Six Album Pieces. It would seem his skill would be equally adept at other earlier 20th Century Impressionist composers and perhaps he will turn his attention there once he has completed recording the works of Bottiroli. What we have here though is a fine collection of colorful, relaxing works for piano that may entice listeners to continue to join him on these explorations of this Argentinian composer.“

The album also was also kindly featured and embraced by the Star Trek community, with shoutouts from both Roddenberry and Daily Star Trek News — the latter of whom featured the album on their podcast.

Additionally, Peter McDowell hosted a highly successful Q&A session with Fabio Banegas; and the album has been the subject of much Argentinean press, and has been included in various music libraries internationally, notably by BBC Radio 3’s In Tune and All Classical Portland.


FOLK:
Sons of the Never Wrong
Undertaker’s Songbook

 

※ Aiding & Abetting — Jon Worley
“This album is informed by the experiences of the band, but it’s not about any particular place in time. That timelessness is what raises these songs to something approaching spectacular. Sometimes experience is everything.“
※ Midwest Record — Chris Spector
“If you think you know this group their 30th anni disc will change your mind about that. Still mining the quirky vein, they have a whole different sound and vibe going on here with an almost dark, spiritual overtone underpinning the proceedings. Pulling folk in to the future, they’re still singer/songwriters at the core but this outing sets new standards easily that others will want to follow. Some real grown up music for real grown ups.“
Sons has also received the attention of New City with Robert Rodi (who dubbed the album “incandescent“), and of multi-disciplinary musician Michael Miles, who wrote a kind reflection/essay on the group and the album.
The album has been a bit of a runaway success on folk stations around the world, with multiple plays on programs like WFMT’s Midnight Special, WNUR’s Folk Show, WGDR’s Acoustic Harmony, and New Zealand’s Radio Kidnappers’ Folk on Sunday.


AVANT-GARDE:
Fides Krucker + Tim Motzer
Vanishing

※ Make Weird Music — Anthony Garone
“This is one of the strangest albums I’ve heard in a while. Tim Motzer and Fides Krucker have really created something indescribable with this improvisatory composition release. […] I am blown away at Fides’ total spiritual and vocal freedom. It is clear that her body and mind do not inhibit her ability to express herself. That’s really the magic of this album.“
※ Gaesteliste — Ullrich Maurer
“On this first album together, Krucker and Motzer dare to use the principle of instant composing. [..] In this case, it manifests itself in such a way that guitar sounds do not necessarily sound like guitar sounds and all vocal contributions are non-verbal. […] The results are stylistically beyond, onomatopoeic ambient tracks that were conceived as “Sonic Films”, which most closely resemble the more elegiac compositions.”
The album and artists were the subjects of several features, including articles by Esthetic Lens, Vents Magazine, and the highly respected Fifteen Questions, where Krucker talked at length about her remarkable vocal artistry.
The album also received pre-release acknowledgments from the likes of Whole Note (calling it “melodically lush“) and All About Jazz; and has been included in the libraries of the Canadian Music Centre, the University of Alberta, and the CBC.


JAZZ:
Jeremy Siskind
Perpetual Motion Etudes
for Piano

※ James Wegg Review (★★★★½) / 5
“Perpetual Motion Etudes for Piano more than lives up to its name with nine distinct studies that travel with a seemingly endless flow of creativity—ever at rest until every excursion’s double bar is reached. […] The master’s brush can be heard and felt in [pieces like] “Van Gogh’s Dream.” […] Who could ask for anything more?“
※ American Teacher Music Magazine — Leonidas Lagrimas
“Challenging, yet accessible, with polyrhythms and thickly textured voicings serving as the main [exploration].  […] A gem of the new decade.”

Siskind received several shoutouts during his album campaign, from both Downbeat and WBGO lending their support to his livestream shows (in lieu of the pandemically delayed Carnegie Hall performance and world tour), to the late, venerable jazz critic W. Royal Stokes saying it was “a pleasure to listen to.”

Siskind was also the subject of several interviews, including NeonJazz, and celebrated jazz writers Raul da Gama and Debbie Burke. The album is also in the libraries of MPR, WPR, KQAC, and KCRW.


NEW MUSIC:
David Claman
Gradus

※ Sound Word Sight — James Farmingdale

“[A] wide and wonderful variety of compositions on [this] superbly recorded Albany Records CD. […] Claman has given us gems. […] I would strongly recommend Gradus to anyone who cares about new musics in all its contemporary forms.“

※ Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review — Grego A. Edwards

“So relevant poetic and depictive spoken and sung texts mingle with tonal drone and primal tonality, very Post-Romantic, Indian and adagio expressiveness, shifting ratio temporality, in a very stimulating and fascinatingly contrasting program that exudes a lyricality without the trappings of sentimentality and so sounding futuristic in its own way, in an aurally singular way. […] Claman has his own stylistic parameters and they are very nice to ponder. Bravo! Do hear this one.“

Claman was also featured in interviews with Vents Magazine and Florida International University’s Listening Closely podcast and seminar. Moreover, noted New Music composer James Ricci lent a testimonial stating that, “As an informed contemporary composer of our global age, [Claman] draws inspiration from many aspects of culture, history, and style – but with respect, integrity, and a deep understanding of the intricacies that form the basis of music as a unique vehicle of human communication.  The roster of musicians on this album is impressive.  This is a fine collection of interesting and compelling works.”

Gradus is in the collection of various academic libraries, including the Hollins Univeristy, Tufts College, Lehman College, and Toronto Public Library; and has been championed by forward-thinking radio stations like WRUV in Vermont.

Questions?, please email us!

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Features moving guest performances by musicians from both sides of the Atlantic. Project honors the late Kermit Harden, World War II veteran who liberated the French city in 1944.

 

“During the pandemic, and with the distance which separates us, we’ve made
a pure moment of magic together. Thank you.” —Mayor of Thionville Pierre Cuny
On Memorial Day,  Monday, May 31st, 2021, the sister cities of Thionville, France, and Urbana, Illinois, USA honor the memory of those lost – to war and to the COVID-19 pandemic – by releasing a stunning video of the Beatles’ legendary “Let It Be”. Recorded in 2020, the City of Urbana and Thionville collaborated on this recording with the intention of providing joy, inspiration and togetherness, while helping grieving families. American and French musicians and celebrities – all together nearly 50 artists of all ages and origins – participated in this project under the co-leadership of Pierre Ananicz and James Barham.  
“Over the past year, the world has suffered from the COVID-19  pandemic. We  now share renewed optimism and hope as vaccines become available. Music is the universal language and it can help us heal. We’re honored to share this song with our Sister City, Thionville, and look forward to continued collaboration between our communities.” —Mayor of Urbana Diane Wolfe Marlin

Viewers of the video are encouraged to share it far and wide, comment on our Facebook page, and donate to Champaign-Urbana’s Refugee Center. Contributions can be made through the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois at their website www.CFECI.org.

Origins for these two cities’ connections go back to November, 1944, when Thionville was liberated by the American Army led by General Patton. Among the GIs who composed the battalions stationed in Moselle were several men from the Urbana area, including Kermit Harden. Harden was a decorated veteran and held four Battle Stars: Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe. Captured by the Germans in October 1944, he was held as a POW for 45 days before being included in the first prisoner exchange of the war. He returned to active combat and received the Silver Star for Gallantry in Action in Germany, the Bronze Star at the Battle of the Bulge and the Purple Heart in Northern France. For his service to the people of France, he was awarded the Order of the Legion d’Honneur by the French government. Kermit died in 2019 and is survived by his wife Ann, his son Andrew, and daughter Elizabeth.

In 2019, while Thionville was celebrating the 75th anniversary of its liberation, the representatives of Urbana and Thionville officially confirmed the twinning between the two cities. This connection was originally spearheaded by Elise Poillot, a University of Luxembourg teacher who went to the University of Illinois in Urbana as part of a partnership program between her University and the American Law faculty.

Thionville is the second largest city in the Moselle region of France with 42,000 inhabitants, and as it is only a few miles away from Luxembourg, Germany and Belgium and is less than two hours from Paris,  is located in the heart of what is considered the “three borders area”. With a similar population size, Urbana is a city in the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. Outside of the Chicago metropolitan area, it is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois, and is included in the Champaign-Urbana metropolitan area.

French and American artists participating include: Fabien Miua, Rob Krum, Guillaume Vosgien, Candy Foster, Raphael Vitrano, Brandon T. Washington, Andy Abranrantes, Fabien Fritsch, Sam Payne, Cédric Vosgien, Ayla McDonald, Marie Helene Caroff, Patch Adams, Susan Parenti, Claire Cugnart, Bob Pearse, Gabriel Lalegge, Emily Blue, Yakou, Alexandra Choisnest, Maddie Brown, Kevin Roy, Anthony Mura, Quentin Zeimeth, Thomas Lalore, Franck Aubert, Alain Hombourger, Pierre Ananicz, Hannah Scalise, Maggie Ward, Lucia Cogliandro, Kate Levy, Wendy Hundley, Julie Salana, Mallory Simonds, Zilber Karevski, Raeann Dossett, Pascale Adrian, Scott Schwartz, Thierry Hummel, Dawn Clark, Evelyn Underwood, Chloé Gobbo, Dawna Nelson; Instrumentalists include Olivier Karim (drums), Christopher Fuentes (bass), Mickael Sanso (bongos), Rémi Encelle (piano); and the French band Ten Minutes Left (Kev, Flo, Gauthier et Val).

Special thanks to Executive Producer James Barham, and to Engineer James Treichler (Wave Upon Wave).  

 

 

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On Tuesday, June 1st, 2021, celebrated folk-trio Sons of the Never Wrong (Sue Demel, Deborah Maris Lader, and Bruce Roper) are set to release their newest album Undertaker’s Songbook on their own label, Sons 3 Records. The album will be available digitally on all major platforms, and on CD via their newly revamped website: sonsoftheneverwrong.com 

Their ninth studio release (and eleventh overall) launches a 12 month long celebration in 2021-22 of their 30th anniversary as a group. While much of the album was worked on apart (as a result of the pandemic), these 15 songs find them closer than ever. 

Recurring thematic elements include love, loss, land, sea, saints, and martyrs. While often dark, Undertaker’s Songbook is anchored by an unwavering sense of hope and strikingly resonant harmony.  Both cinematic and intimate, this new body of work finds the trio bravely exploring the outer-reaches of their musicianship, while also maintaining the signature Sons’ sound.

Lead preview track Muddy Muddy River displays Sons’ inimitable blend, rife with nuance and lilt. A gospel-tinged mid-tempo in the vein of a reflective Natalie Merchant tune, bluesy hooks abound, carrying the listener along.

Listen to “Muddy Muddy River” on SoundCloud

Shorebird is a sincere, piano-led ballad that celebrates the interpretive skills and vocal acrobatics of member Sue Demel. A solo performance, she sings alongside a beautifully arranged piano part by John Erickson, invoking the likes of Cyndi Lauper and Rickie Lee Jones. Demel also takes the lead on her composition Set Us to Praying, a sparse, spiritual waltz dedicated to the late John Prine.

Om Not This Time finds Bruce Roper’s sobering vocal dancing around a playful rhythmic verse. Demel and Lader create a vocal soundscape against a bed of tablas and gritty guitar. The song itself masterfully blends a brooding synth style with boozy late-night horns, and a grounded, Tom Petty-like vocal performance. 

Deborah Lader’s apt closer In The End earnestly recalls a Jane Siberry-styled meditation, building into a wall of layered voices that include neo-folk singer Karen Savoca. With an underpinning of octave mandolin and a cool, confident drum pulse, the song’s lyric and uplifting melody round off the record with a reassuring calm.

For more about Sons of the Never Wrong, please visit: sonsoftheneverwrong.com

To request a copy for review, please email Peter McDowell: [email protected]

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On May 28, 2021, Los Angeles-based Argentine pianist Fabio Banegas is releasing his new album, Bottiroli Piano Works (Complete), Vol. 2 · Nocturnes, on Grand Piano, the specialist piano label distributed by Naxos. The album notably includes narrations from Mr. George Takei — respected actor, author, and activist best known for originating the role as Star Trek’s Hikaru Sulu.

Fabio Banegas’ newest release displays not only his well-regarded abilities as a pianist, but also his sensitive and thoughtful curation sensibilities.  This volume – the sequel to Vol. 1’s Waltzes – features all world premieres, and continues Banegas’ passion for celebrating the rich, colorful work of his late mentor,  José Antonio Bottiroli (1920–1990). And like Bottiroli, Banegas also hails from Rosario, Argentina, and both have been acknowledged for their contributions to Rosario’s culture. 

Photo by David Carlson

Banegas has made it his mission to highlight “hidden gems” in the compositional world. In 2011,Banegas archived Bottiroli’s works, placing him with the unique authority to curate and establish the legacy of his compositions. This installment features Banegas’ interpretations of Bottiroli’s sparkling nocturnes. The composer had a deep fascination with the night sky and outer space, and these selections paint beautiful, vespertinal scenes.

Selections like Nocturne in  G♭ Major, B59 recall the best of Debussy; while the Six Album Pages exhibit Satie-like, impressionist insights. Elegantly waltzing in pentatonics is the first ‘page’ — specially dedicated Banegas by Bottiroli. (“To Fabio, surely its best interpreter.”)

Image courtesy of George Takei

The record closes with Five Piano Replies: selections that display Bottiroli’s lyrical prowess. Choice collaborator George Takei enters, lending his iconic timbre to sincere, sage, and resonant narration. His legendary connection to Star Trek — a beloved franchise that intelligently promotes exploration, peace, and awe of the universe — makes him a fitting ambassador for these celestially-inspired works.

Takei’s stellar interpretive skills as a narrator should come as no surprise: from his extensive stage and voiceover work, as well as his own personal love of poetry, he more than has the gravitas to deliver Bottiroli’s words. (Incidentally, Banegas and Takei met queuing for an architectural tour in Chicago, and became good friends, bringing this project full-circle as a celebration of cherished people in Banegas’ life.)

Entitled Bottiroli Piano Works (Complete), Vol. 2 · Nocturnes,
the album includes the following works:

※ 1 – 3 Tres Penas de 1984 (‘Three Sorrows From 1984’)

※ 4 – 9 Seis Hojas de Álbum (‘Six Album Pages’) (1976–77)

※ 10 – 13 Cuatro Piezas de 1974 (‘Four Pieces From 1974’)

※ 14 – 15 Dos Nocturnos en el Sol Bemol Major (‘Two Nocturnes in G♭ Major’) (1978/1984)

※ 16 – 20 Cinco Réplicas para Piano (‘Five Piano Replies’) (1974–80)

For more about Fabio Banegas, please visit fabiobanegas.com
For more about George Takei, please visit georgetakei.com

To request a copy for review, please email Peter McDowell: [email protected]

 

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Humanity First: We Are All In This Together

Jenny Q Chai incorporates her exceptional artistry with striking visual elements, including NASA data visualizations, to highlight climate change and COVID-19 challenges. Includes two Bay Area premieres.

Sponsored by San Francisco’s Ross McKee Foundation and featured as part of their Piano Break series, Bay Area and Shanghai based pianist Jenny Q Chai will perform a free evening length concert on Friday, May 7, 2021 at 5:00 pm, Pacific time (8:00pm Eastern time).

This concert will last under an hour and will be broadcast by way of rossmckeefoundation.org/event/jenny-chai-2021-05-07. Pre-registration is not required.

At the conclusion of every Piano Break, the audience can meet the artist and ask questions in a live Zoom Green Room: rossmckeefoundation.org/zoom .

Entitled Humanity First: We Are All In This Together, the concert includes the following works:

Jarosław Kapuściński — Oli’s Dream
György Ligeti — Musica Ricercata No.1 with NASA global warming data visualizations
György Ligeti — Musica Ricercata No.7 with NASA global warming data visualizations
Milica Pavlovic* — Paranosic Bubble (in trouble) with bubble machine and lights
Stephen Sondheim — Into the Woods (arrangement by Andy Akiho)
(with paintings by Camryn Connolly)
Jarosław Kapuściński — Side Effects, with photography by Kacper Kowalski

This will be Ms. Chai’s first solo virtual concert, her first concert designed during the Covid-19 pandemic in the U.S. and her first concert in 2021. *Work by Pavlovic is a Bay Area Premiere.

In Chai’s words, “Globally, we are experiencing the same kind of difficulties, and yet trying to survive, to adapt, to thrive and to hold on to hope. It is a heightened time for us to remember to unite together as earthlings. We must take care of our earth, global health systems, strategizing, communications and planning, in order to survive together.” Last year, Chai gave a TEDx talk, When Classical Music Meets Technology. Chai believes that art needs to reflect the current state of our world, and to raise awareness in people about social issues.

For many years, Chai has been creating thematic programs for issues to reflect our current society, such as her global warming program Acqua Alta which she toured and performed for six years. The works in the May 7th concert by Ligeti, Pavlovic and Kapuschinski’s Side Effects originate from this program. Chai’s performance of the Ligeti works use NASA’s data visualization on global warming’s effect on water. Side Effects is an AI interactive intermedia piece with visuals shot by aerial photographer/pilot Kacper Kowalski, about the earth as its seasons change from summer to winter. The remaining works address humanity: Oli’s Dream is also AI interactive, as it types out a poem about our hopes and dreams with tenderness. The Into the Woods arrangement mirrors how Chai felt about the messiness of being in the US during the pandemic under the Trump administration. 

For more about Jenny Q Chai, please visit jennychai.com
For more about the Ross McKee Foundation, visit rossmckeefoundation.org