2009 August | Skope Entertainment Inc

JESSE SAUNDERS RELEASES “CHAMELEON”

Featured on the 3rd installment of Jesse Saunders’ OLD SKOOL NEW SKOOL compilation series is the DUB version of his new single CHAMELEON. The Originator is back again, this time to take you on a musical journey with his new single CHAMELEON! Herbie Hancock was the inspiration for this Jazz meets Funky booty shaking HOUSE MUSIC release. The DUB brings all the elements of a non-stop, sweat fest on the dancefloor together, while the BASEMENT MIX takes you back to the groove that started it all! Alessandro Otiz lends his hand to the Summer Mixes. Buy: http://traxsource.com/#/title/220992/chameleon Buy: http://www.beatport.com/#release/chameleon/1087006 Known as the “Originator” of House Music, Jesse Saunders wrote, produced, performed and mixed the world’s very 1st house record “ON and ON” on his upstart record label Jes Say Records out of Chicago in 1984. His previous single NOW THAT WE FOUND LOVE garnered major radio play and over 20,000 PLAYS on Sound CLoud! This one is destined to be even bigger! Broken Records: http://www.brokenrecords.us/news/chameleon-jesse-saunders.html SoundCloud Link: http://soundcloud.com/brokenrecords/sets/chameleon-jesse-saunders

ISRAEL: MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT

“Shirim Bakikar” (Songs in the square) was held on Sunday, April 14, 2013 in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square. Songs in The Square is the main ceremony of the Tel Aviv municipality to mark The State of Israel’s Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism. Footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8uWdencL3M With well over 10,000 people in attendance, the concert and ceremony included some of the biggest and best musicians Israel has to offer. The line up included: Idan Raichel, Moshe Peretz, Ethnix, Ivri Lider, Yehuda Poliker, Izhar Ashdot, Yardena Arazi, Yigal Bashan, and others, who sang in memory of Israel’s fallen. Between musical performers were speeches, by among others, the mayor of Tel Aviv… and videos played on screens next to the stage and around the square with pictures of the fallen, and interviews of their loved ones. Not your usual concert experience, there were no applause after the musicians performed, just lots of solemn reflection, along with lots of tears… including plenty by this reporter/photographer… Special thanks to the San Diego, CA based non-profit A Culture of Peace… as well as producer Ayelet Vardi, and Director Jack Maizel for making these pictures and this story possible Written by: Gary Jacobs [...]

THE WOES OF A TRAVELING BAND

The perception of a traveling band to someone who has never been in one, seems glamorous and adventurous. Truth is, it is rarely glamorous but often adventurous. The stories are endless, you have to live it to understand. However, I’m sure we have all been in this predicament at one point or another. The rain was relentless pounding on the streets like needles through a pin cushion. The temperature was dropping and our clunker decided it was not going to crank. Our hearts sank. It felt like we were stuck in a horror movie, looking at all our equipment and thinking of the show we needed to get it to; a sense of defeat fell over us like the rain spilling on the van’s windshield. Here we were, stuck in a dingy hotel room in the middle of no where, in a foreign country about 30 kilometers from our gig. We had no idea where we were or how to get to where we needed to be and time was running out. It was on all our minds, the work, time and energy that we put into getting to this point and playing this show was crucial for our musical [...]

FIDELIS NEW SINGLE “I COULD DO BETTER” DESTINED TO BE CLASSIC

Fidelis is an up and coming songwriter and singer with a flair for hooks with soul. Part neo-soul, pop, piano and even country blues, Fidelis’ single demonstrates that you don’t have to follow the rules to create something articulate and memorable. Skope: Tell us a little about your single “I Could Do Better”. Is it a personal story? Fidelis: On some level it is a personal story, you know as the name implies it’s about a relationship I had a while back, but I wrote the song quite a while ago just after the relationship ended. Skope: Who do you identify most with as an artist? What influences you to write? Fidelis: One of my favourite artist would be Neyo. I think he has great writing but I get inspiration everywhere, from real life situations to other artists such as Usher Frank Ocean, Neyo etc. Skope: Are you a musician as well as a singer? What instruments do you play? Fidelis: At the moment I only play the guitar but I’m in the process of learning the piano. Skope: Did you work with a producer or do you have a home studio setup? “I Could Do Better” MP3: http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/ok1rglr264/could_do_better_3.mp3 Fidelis: [...]

SINGER SONGWRITER ALLIE FOX BUILDING HER OWN “IVORY TOWER”

Country music has recently managed to cross-over into the mainstream scene with great ease. Acts like Taylor Swift, Jessica Simpson and Garth Brooks have proven this to be true. An independent artist from Michigan is paving a similar path for herself. Allie Fox was a hidden gem just waiting to be found. At the age of nine years old she took up the guitar and has not put it down since. When she turned eighteen she applied for a job at Music Today in Virginia. Working there became a spring board for her into the music industry. One of the best perks for working with Music Today was that Allie had the opportunity to be backstage with acts like Dave Matthews, Madonna, and Bonnaroo. Her plans were soon diverted after a close friend of hers died in a car accident. She quickly returned back to Michigan and began working for Magnolia Records and Entertainment. The owner happened to be close friends with Allie’s father who was also a musician. He played with a zydecco band that did national tours. The owner and her father mapped out a plan to set up a blues festival. She in turn joined them on [...]

WELCOME TO THE ZU

OnPlanetZu is creating a scene all their own in LA, delivering high energy dubstep mixed with punk and hiphop. With a new single “Speakers” out and gaining an onslaught of new fans daily, OnPlanetZu is one of those rare acts that you just can’t help but rock out to, tap your foot or raise a metal fist, with MC and songwriter Zu demanding you listen and turn it up. It’s like Run DMC for the A.D.D. generation, good times are going to be had, damnit, so you better get on board! We had the chance to get inside Zu’s brain for a moment and here’s what we learned so far… SKOPE: It was just a few short years ago that dubstep was an underground subgenre, now, it has pervaded into every aspect of our media and culture. It is mainstream America’s new punk rock. What is it that attracted you to dubstep and how did you incorporate it into a hiphop style? ONPLANETZU: I’M ORIGINALLY A HIP HOP HEAD. WHAT DREW ME TO DUBSTEP WAS THE BEATS. I WANTED TO TAKE THE BEATS AND INTENSIFY THE DANCE, NOT WATER IT DOWN, BECAUSE I WANTED TO KEEP THE PEOPLE DANCING AND [...]

A BRIEF HISTORY OF STRING INSTRUMENTS

How have string instruments developed over time, and what have been some of their key innovations? From the earliest lyres played thousands of years ago, to the influence of Middle Eastern music on instruments like the rebec, and through to the developments in electric guitars and violins in the 20th century, the following represents a brief history of how string instruments have developed over time, and what instruments acted as forerunners to what we use today. The earliest recorded string instruments were discovered to have been used in Ancient Mesopotamia in 2500 to 3000 BC – lyres were stringed instruments that had a wooden body and bows, and were held against the body. Lyres provided the basis for what we understand as the classical harp, and have been reproduced in the 20th century, with the originals stored in locations like the British Museum. During the medieval era, stringed and bowed instruments began to emerge around several designs; in the Middle East, the rebec used a half pear shape and three strings for vertical playing, and acted as an important precursor to the violin. The fiddle also originated during this period as a three to fivestring instrument with a larger body [...]

NEED A NEW/REVAMPED WEBSITE FOR FREE? (5/1/2014)

As a musician / band / artist, like any business, your website IS the window to you. Facebook, twitter etc is fine, but to be taken seriously in the music “business” you have to have a professional looking website. This of course can be costly and that’s why we love this fresh approach that web specialists DCI are offering. “For some years now we have taken a very different view on working with clients. We build 100% bespoke websites for FREE – yes you are seeing it right. We know it is really tough for upcoming bands / artists to lay out big money, so we don’t charge a penny upfront, we instead charge a minimal fee of $25 a month for the ongoing upkeep of the site, which means for that very small fee, you have a team of professionals looking after your online presence and if you think that it good, also know that the people running your site for you manage bands, work with labels and more, so you will also receive advice about your music, your career, social media, promotions, getting radio play and more – it’s like having your own personal music manager! Nothing upfront, [...]

RISING POPULARITY OF CHRISTAN MUSIC

While Christian music has a long history in church music, contemporary Christian music is seeing a huge rise in popularity today. The term “contemporary Christian music” incorporates Christian rock and pop as well as songs of praise and worship, and came about through the Jesus movement revival in the 60s and 70s: groups of people who formerly classed themselves as “hippies” decided to turn to Jesus, believing that their former lives were a little shallow. Songs included lyrics about what Jesus meant to those singing them, and Larry Norman, formerly of “one hit wonder” band People!, released his album “Upon This Rock” in 1969. “Wish We’d All Been Ready” from this album became the song the most associated with this movement at the time, and Norman subsequently started his own record label. Mainstream record labels started to jump on the bandwagon, with Word Publishing starting Myrrh Records in 1972. Even artists not previously considered as part of the movement started to incorporate Christian lyrics into their music, with examples including the Judi Collins cover of “Amazing Grace” in 1970, and the Doobie Brothers’s version of The Byrds’ “Jesus Is Just Alright With Me” in 1972. Musicals such as Godspell and [...]

PATRON THE DEPTHMC RELEASES “COME REAL”

Patron the DepthMC released his new single “Come Real” from his upcoming album L.N.C. The new Single is available on ITunes and all major retailers. This new release from an Award winning artist is the exciting first taste of what we can expect from Patron the DepthMC’s upcoming new album. Audio: https://soundcloud.com/patronthedepthmc/come-real-master-1 “Come Real” is revealing some of his deepest thoughts, his most personal emotions, and letting you in on the mystery of L.N.C., to be continued… The whole album will be released on 31st of May. http://www.patronthedepthmc.com

JIMMY RAE CROSSING PATHS WITH BRIDGEWORK

Originally from Georgia, Vermont, John Renaud may have been raised in a SMALL town but he had BIG plans! Renaud is the sole captain steering the ship that is Bridgework. A lot of interesting history surrounds Bridgework, as a band, where the group even got to play at the legendary Whiskey A Go Go and according to John it may have been their “best show” ever! John Renaud continues to carry on the name of Bridgework handling everything and anything you could think of. The hard work & determination has definitely paid off because Bridgework has just released its first full-length album titled ‘Every Now And Then’. Most of the songs on the new record were already written by Renaud with some re-recordings added into the mix. ‘Every Now And Then’ is pretty much the guts & glory behind John Renaud over the last 10 years. Prepare yourself for something very special because this highly dedicated artist had this to say: “I’ve never worked so hard on any one project in my whole life.” “The Game” Acoustic Live: http://youtu.be/Tx-lYdjKkvg J Rae: So this may be lame but I just have to ask anyway; do you have any prior experience working [...]

ABSOLOOT’S NEW ALBUM ‘BANKSTERS’ IS RIGHT ON THE MONEY

Normally when a rapper comes out that has something real to say, he gets squeezed out by all the mainstream noise. Now you do a little dance and a hook, BAM! YouTube sensation [Soulja Boi]. But Absoloot’s new album “Banksters” isn’t just a heady piece of social commentary; it has some tight hooks and production with just the right amount of ‘something for everyone’. So we’re going to find out what this album’s about, he we go… Skope: There are recurring themes of greed and corruption throughout, yet it doesn’t sound overly preachy. So, is Banksters a concept album? Absoloot: Well before I start working on any project I come up with a theme first. That way all the music flows together. I feel this project is as real as it gets. I wanted the music not only to speak for me, but for the listener also. Skope: I like the idea of bankers being linked to modern day gangsters. Don’t you find it insane that the government bailed them out and the managers decided to give themselves huge raises? It seems our culture celebrates failure, when a CEO steps down for doing a crap job, they get huge payouts [...]

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GUITAR SHREDDING

Whether you’re just beginning as a player, or if you have been playing for a while, guitar shredding is one of those techniques and approaches to playing that can take a while to master (at least if you want to get it right). It’s worth briefly covering the basics of guitar shredding, both in terms of what you need to focus on when starting, and some of the technical points that you can develop into your playing. Guitar shredding is based around speed and a series of linked techniques – these include hammering on and hammering off strings, otherwise known as a legato style. You can also alternate picking, string skipping and tapping, as well as muting and sweep picking, which relies on working through ascending and descending arpeggios to create a smooth transition of notes within a chord. In terms of getting used to the basic position of guitar shredding, you’ll need to get used to picking open handed, and having a resting finger in an anchor position to control the speed of your playing; this is usually your smallest finger, meaning that you’ll have to build up your strength. It’s important to be familiar with playing scales when [...]

SHOULD A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN HAVE LIFE INSURANCE?

Professional musicians don’t have a human resources (HR) representative to aid them in selecting the right life insurance policy. In fact, many musicians often go without life insurance, simply because it simply hasn’t come up. Like many freelance workers, musicians overlook this crucial part of personal financial responsibility and sometimes end up paying a hefty price because of it. Rock and Revenue When it comes to life insurance, all musicians need it, especially if they have a family. Families depend on all sources of income, even if the musician is just playing part-time gigs. Losing this income can be significant overtime, not to mention the funeral costs and emotional damage this will cause the musician’s spouse. If the musician is fully responsible for a family’s income, then it becomes even more important that they have life insurance. This is the money that will support the family, should tragedy occur. Life insurance isn’t just about death. Lots of policies also include payouts when the insured party becomes disabled, or needs funds allocated for education, or requires help to supplement a sudden loss of income. For a musician, if something impedes your ability to play, you will likely be able to file [...]

John Pondel, John Pondel

By Skope

August 28, 2009

Listening to John Pondel creates the illusion of having a nice, quiet dinner and some drinks at a jazz club. It is smooth, fun, and sexy, creating the perfect ambiance for the first date: the unpredictable world of improvisation, in this case full of flawless solos that seem to soar over the rest of...
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Sideways Reign, A Stand For All Stages

Expect the unexpected here from a Washington-based band known as Sideways Reign. A Stand For All Stages is music for all faces. This group of musicians blends an interesting variety of rock, blues, folk and even some funk. The meaning behind the band name relates to their “Pacific Northwest roots and as a reference...
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