Sultans of String

3– time JUNO Award nominees and Billboard charting band Sultans of String creates “Energetic and exciting music from a band with talent to burn!” according to Maverick Magazine. Thrilling their audiences with their genre-hopping passport of Celtic reels, flamenco, gypsy-jazz, Arabic, Cuban and South Asian rhythms, the group celebrates musical fusion and human creativity with warmth and virtuosity. Fiery violin dances with rumba-flamenco guitar, while bass and percussion lay down unstoppable grooves. Acoustic strings meet with electronic wizardry to create layers and depth of sound, while world rhythms excite audiences to their feet with the irresistible need to dance.

 

LOGAN BRILL

loganAt the moment Logan Brill emerged into the world and drew her first breath, Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” issued from a boom box in the delivery room. Her parents had selected the strings-driven classic to provide a soothing welcome to the world.

Engaged as Logan was in the process of being born, it’s questionable whether she fully appreciated the gesture, but who knows? The important point is that, from the very beginning, music was present in the life of this Knoxville native whose new album you now hold in your hands.
The offerings on Shut Eye, Logan’s second album—all products of the storyteller’s art—range from gritty blues (Shut Eye) to country (Far Cry from You) to roots (Tupelo) to newly crafted songs that have the soft patina of revered old ballads (Wish You Loved Me).

“Recording my first record, Walking Wires, was enormously rewarding, but it presented me with a pretty steep learning curve,” says Logan. “When I began to work on Shut Eye, I had a much stronger sense of myself as an artist, and I built a collection of songs—a little blues and Americana and a lot of country and rock—that would reflect my tastes, demonstrate my growth and evolution as an artist, and get people out of their seats and onto the dance floor.”

It’s only fitting that Logan would want her music to incline people tomove. By all accounts, she was an active baby, and the adjective her parents most frequently plied in describing her waswiggly. During her first year or two her store of energy was inexhaustible but, as yet, largely undirected. In short, she just wiggled.

 

Grandpa’s Cough Medicine

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“You want hardcore Power Grass that will drop your jaw and get your heart racing? Grandpa’s Cough Medicine delivers- fresh and dark lyrically, these guys are not scared of exploring unconventional subject matter with their truly unique presentation on acoustic instruments. It’s a thrilling musical ride, going in a whole new direction!” – Larry Keel

“Grandpa’s Cough Medicine is the kind of band that will always put you in a good mood when needed!”
– Hank 3

Blazing tempos, outlaw attitude, foot-stomping intensity, acoustic wizardry. These things all accurately describe Grandpa’s Cough Medicine’s tongue in cheek approach to bluegrass music. Carving out a niche that is all their own, they include humor and dark subject matter in their lyrics, yet are fully capable of letting their musicianship do the talking with instrumental compositions. The trio’s seemingly simple combination of flat-picked guitar, Scruggs style banjo, upright bass and two vocals creates a sound so huge, that it can make a six piece band blush. Their first CD “Jailbird Blues” was lauded in their hometown of Jacksonville, FL as one of the “Top Ten Local Albums of 2011″, and their second album “The Murder Chord” was released in August of 2012 to high acclaim. They were the top-voted music act in 2014’s One Spark festival in Jacksonville, garnering lots of publicity and a check for over $11,500. This money was used to record their third album “180 Proof”, which was released February, 6th 2015 and features guest spots from Jason Carter, Aaron Till, Randy Kohrs, Isaac Corbitt and Hank Williams III. In July of 2015 GCM ventured to Lyons, Colorado to compete in the Rockygrass instrument contests. Brett took 1st place in flat pick guitar and 2nd place for dobro. Mikey won 1st place for banjo.

MEMBERS

Brett Bass – Guitar, Dobro, Vocals

The founding member of GCM, Brett Bass was inspired to play guitar at age 11 when he heard the guitar solo in Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train”. He immersed himself into the world of heavy metal electric guitar playing, practicing for hours a day. It was at age 17 that he was bitten by the acoustic bug, hearing how bluegrass pickers were just as fast and technical as his favorite metal players. He began learning how to sing and play Johnny Cash songs, as well as how to pick bluegrass fiddle tunes. The first songs he ever wrote (Many of which are on “Jailbird Blues”) came out in the country/bluegrass style, so he ran with it. The playing of his favorite bluegrass flat pickers, such as: Doc Watson, Bryan Sutton and Larry Keel became his new guitar inspiration, absorbing their styles through albums and instructional DVDs. His songwriting reflects the influence of the decidedly darker subject matter found in heavy metal music. Brett is the 2015 Rockygrass flat pick guitar champion.

Mike “Banjo Boy” Coker – Banjo

Mike Coker had a revelation at age 11, when he heard banjo legend Earl Scruggs playing the theme to “The Beverly Hillbillies” on TV. He told his father that day, that he wanted to play the banjo. He received his first 5-string and began taking lessons in traditional, Scruggs style banjo. He played in a youth band for several years and fatefully ran into Brett one day at a bluegrass jam. They began jamming, collaborating and writing songs, until he was brought into the band. Mikey’s stellar playing and youth earned him the nickname “Banjo Boy” and his presence in the band greatly influenced GCM’s playing, causing them to go faster than ever before. He is also the 2015 Rockygrass banjo champion.

Jon Murphy – Upright Bass, Vocals

Jon Murphy graduated from the University of Arizona, with a minor in music. His musical experience includes playing cello as a teenager, singing in the Arizona Opera Chorus, playing guitar and bass in several different types of bands and he’s released a solo folk album independently. One day he answered a craigslist ad that said “Outlaw country band seeking members” and after one practice, joined GCM. Originally he played electric bass. As the band started heading more and more towards bluegrass, he bought an upright and taught himself to play it. He has put the time and dedication into being a rock solid bluegrass bassist, singer and songwriter.

 

Pierre Bensusan

bensusanhead“The way the guitar would want to sound if it played itself.”

“Bensusan is very much his own animal. It’s like listening to a butterfly, to dappled sunshine coming through quaking aspens. His music flits and darts around like fish in a pool. And his compositions manage to encompass both the calmness of the pool and the flashing of the fish. It’s an entrancing, almost hypnotic thing to watch and hear, as he seems eager to share his journey, his light. I was struck by how the aim of each song was to be beautiful. Not witty, not avant-garde, not new, necessarily, but beautiful. A great craftsman plying his trade. A shepherd with his flock. As I left I felt all of a sudden that I’d been to temple after all. My own sort of temple, and by the end of the service I felt purified, cleansed, and ready for the new year.”

Nyack News and Views (USA, Dan Cohen, Oct 4, 2015)

Winner of the Independent Music Award, in the Live Performance Album category for his latest triple live album “Encore” (2014), “Rose d’Or” of the Montreux Festival for his first album, “Près de Paris” (Switzerland, 1976), “Best World Music Guitar Player ” by the readers of Guitar Player Magazine (USA, 2008), Pierre Bensusan is recognized as one of the premier musicians of our time.

If “World Music” is music that pays tribute to the spirit of a collection of human beings through distinct rhythms, traditional instruments and harmonic colors, French-Algerian guitarist, singer and composer Pierre Bensusan can be recognized as one of the most eloquent and world musicians today.

Born in Oran, French-Algeria, in 1957, when France was decolonizing its Empire, Pierre Bensusan’s family moved to Paris when he was 4. He began formal studies on piano at the age of 7 and at 11 taught himself guitar. Influenced in those early days by the folk revival blooming in Britain, France and North America, Bensusan began first to explore his own diverse musical heritage and then moved to the horizons beyond.

At 17 he signed his first recording contract, and one year later his first album “Pres de Paris” won the Grand Prix du Disque upon his debut at the Montreux Festival in Switzerland.

Described by the L.A. Times as “one of the most unique and brilliant acoustic guitar veterans in the world music scene today”, Pierre’s name became synonymous with contemporary acoustic guitar genius, long before the terms New Age, New Acoustic Music or World Music were invented. He has the ability to make a single guitar sound like an entire band as he brings the audience on a mesmerizing musical journey. And yet, Bensusan is more than what any musician or music lover expects from a guitarist. He is a composer as well as a bilingual and a brave improvisational vocalist, melding whistles and resonant low notes with something like his own scat technique.

There is a sense of something both playful and serious in his work, an unparalleled sense of freedom in his compositions and his improvisations. His “manner” of playing defies classification – crossing world, classical, jazz, traditional, folk and more. None can be isolated as simply “Brazilian”, “Arabic” or “French”; rather, they represent our world in its current state, a world sharing itself, fusing cultures together in ways we have never experienced. A great embassador of peace. Not to be missed!

 

Muriel Anderson

Muriel_Anderson29261Muriel’s new Audio-visual show,”Wonderlust”:
Muriel Anderson’s world-renowned guitar and harp guitar playing is highlighted by a backdrop of stunning visuals by celebrated photo-artist Bryan Allen. Together they bring you on a journey around the globe, full of joy and humanity, with new tunes, old favorites, stories and images.

MURIEL ANDERSON:
One of the world’s foremost fingerstyle guitarists and harp-guitarists, Muriel Anderson is the first woman to have won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship. Her recent CD “Nightlight Daylight” has won top honors in 11 national awards. She has performed/recorded with Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Victor Wooten and the Nashville Chamber Orchestra. Her obvious joy of music, humor and her facility across the genres of folk, classical, jazz, bluegrass and international music is revered by guitarists worldwide. An engaging performer, Muriel’s unique approach to the instrument virtually transforms the guitar into a lyrical choir, then a marching band, then a Japanese koto, then a Bluegrass band, one minute launching into a Beatles’ tune and the next, a Rodrigo concerto. Muriel is host of the renowned Muriel Anderson’s ALL STAR GUITAR NIGHT® and founder of the MUSIC FOR LIFE ALLIANCE charity. In addition, her new program incorporates stunning visuals by Bryan Allen.

Recordings and Publications

Her new double CD “Nightlight Daylight” has won first place in its category in eleven national awards. It features her concept – the first ever interactive lighted CD cover and includes collaborations with her friends and fellow musicians Victor Wooten, Phil Keaggy, Mark Kibble of Take 6, Danny Gottlieb, Stanley Jordan, Tommy Emmanuel, Earl Klugh, Howard Levy, Jeff Coffin, Tierra Negra and members of the Nashville Symphony.

Her recording of “El Noi de la Mare” appears in Woody Allen’s film “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” and her “Heartstrings” recording accompanied the astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery.  Muriel Anderson has released more than a dozen instrumental CD’s, seven instructional DVD’s and guitar books published by Hal Leonard, Mel Bay, and Zen-On Japan.  Her compositions include commissioned classical works for the Nashville Chamber Orchestra and Vox Caelestis Womens Choir, as well as songs which have appeared as title tracks for three albums by various artists.

Music for Life Alliance

Many of her concerts benefit the Music for Life Alliance, a charity founded by Muriel Anderson to help support music education for young people. www.musicforlifealliance.com

All Star Guitar Night

Muriel continues to host the semi-annual live show Muriel Anderson’s All Star Guitar Night, and has three commercially available DVDs of past shows. In addition to the two large shows in Anaheim, CA and Nashville, TN, Produced by Truefire, smaller versions of the show are sometimes presented by individual sponsors across the country.  www.allstarguitarnight.com

Endorsements and Columnist

Muriel has published articles in Guitar Player, Acoustic Guitar, Fingerstyle Guitar, Classical Guitar and Frets magazines, and is currently a regular columnist for Acoustic Guitar Japan magazine. She is a regular guest instructor for Truefire and at guitar workshops across the country. Some workshops are sponsored by her GHS Signature strings. She plays many handmade instruments and endorses Morris Guitars in Japan, as well as Seymour Duncan D-Tar pickups.

Quotes

Muriel Anderson is a good friend and a great guitarist.  She deserves national recognition
Chet Atkins

Just one hell of a great player …a great personality and what I like is the touch that Muriel has on the guitar, the way she plays it like we all wish to play.
Les Paul

She has demonstrated excellent technique and has the fine musicianship to communicate well to her audiences.
Christopher Parkening

I cannot think of another guitarist who seems to have taken over the role of Segovia in popularizing the finger-style guitar as Muriel Anderson has.
Lawrence Long, Knoxville-Oak Ridge Guitar Society

Muriel Anderson is one of America’s Premier solo-acoustic guitarists.  A former National Fingerpicking Champion, she tours constantly, and is founder of Muriel Anderson’s All Star Guitar Night
Guitar Player Magazine, November 2001

Acoustic guitarist Muriel Anderson… has justifiably gained a reputation as one of the world’s best, and most versatile, guitar instrumentalists.
Chicago Tribune July 29, 1997

After reaching the top in her field – she is widely recognized as the premier female fingerstyle guitarist today – Anderson hopes to encourage and inspire a younger audience, to turn them on to the beauty of making music, and maybe in some cases, even turn their lives around.
The Reporter, Melissa Erickson, Nov. 1999

Winner of the 1989 National Fingerpicking Guitar Championship, Muriel Anderson plays with uncommon expressiveness and grace. Her eclectic repertoire includes classical, world music, and traditional bluegrass tunes — all of which she performs with conviction and unerring skill…A protégé of Chet Atkins and Christopher Parkening, Anderson makes music that’s both entertaining and inspiring.
Columbus Press John Morgan, March, 2002

Theme for Two Friends marks a new renaissance for classical guitar and cello! Ms Anderson’s compositions are flawless. Work like this assures me that music in the next century is in good hands.
Illinois Chamber Ensemble Nicholas Fuchs, Music Director Emeritus

Wildcat is not only Muriel Anderson’s best CD to date, it is perhaps the best album of the year.
Steve King and Johnnie Putman of WGN radio

With playing that grabs you by the ear and never let’s go, this is a fine portrait of an artist that just keeps getting better and better fully deserving of a toe to toe spot with the masters that have taught her so well.
Chris Spector, Midwest Record Recap

COMPOSER BIO

Composer, guitarist, and harp guitarist Muriel Anderson has composed music since about age five. She fell in love with the guitar at an early age and learned every style available to her, beginning with folk, bluegrass and jazz. She received a degree in music from DePaul University and went on to study with classical virtuoso Christopher Parkening and with Nashville legend Chet Atkins. Her current CD “Nightlight Daylight” is a culmination of her creative spirit and has won 11 awards including Global Music Award’s Best Instrumental Composition for “A Bakers Dozen.” Books of her original music include “New Classics for Guitar and Cello” and her works have been performed by the Nashville Chamber Orchestra and Chicago’s Vox Caelestis among others. She is founder of the Music for Life Alliance charity and the Muriel Anderson’s All Star Guitar Night®.

Strangled Darlings

StrangledDarlingsJess and George met at party in 2009, with their spontaneous duet of the Prince song, “Pussy Control”. Soon after that they formed a band around a principle of originality and ruthless editing of their work. The name of the band draws inspiration from southern author William Faulkner who would tell his writing students that ‘sometimes in writing you must strangle your darlings’.

The have written and toured as a full band but once they decided to tour the US full time and live in a 20 foot RV, there was only enough extra room for the little dog. Jess is a trained classical violinist but pick up cello and discovered that she was actually a bass player. George found his degree in English Lit pays better as an indie musician and so learned the mandolin.

The music is built on deep sense of rhythm and groove. Mandolin like you’ve rarely ever seen, somewhere between a snare drum and a slalom of notes. The solid body custom cello weaves an intricate counter melody and and percussive groove. The voices and the lyrics are the hidden third member of the band and the story behind the music.The songs work with nontraditional subjects for inspiration. Some song subjects include: the works of great authors (Faulkner, William Blake, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Donald Bartheleme, Anna Ahkmatova) as well as witchcraft in the Civil War, the morality of Somali piracy and the media impact of Neil Armstrong.

Strangled darlings have released 2 full length albums and one EP, receiving praise from hometown and national press alike. They tour the US from Fairbanks Alaska to the Florida Keys and cities and towns in between.

SAM WEIS

12-string guitar virtuoso.  Singer.  Songwriter. Playing guitar since she was seven Sam has made her mark in standard jazz, hard rock (with two touring power trios), steel guitar and modern acoustic 12-string. Her rich alto voice showcases her insightful lyrics and solid songwriting.