Check out this great new release from SQUEAKEY STUDIOS!
Month: November 2021
Greek Interview: Skylight Webzine with DAN ASHLEY and his new album “OUT THERE”
Click Here to Listen to OUT THERE!
Click here to read the interview!
“Dan Ashley is a man of tremendous experience and talents, and music is one of them. His solo album Out There presents 11 tracks firmly anchored in hard-driving rock and roll with masterful forays into lush ballads and Americana. In collaboration with legendary Concord-based producer/engineer/multiinstrumentalist Bill Bentley, Ashley offers a collection of mature, thought-provoking and playful songs.”
Click Here to Listen to The Morning Breezecast Interview with Dan Ashley on iHeart Radio!
“I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Out There, by Dan Ashley and it’s packed full of likely radio tracks. With hints of John Cougar and straight up radio rockers, Ashley is joined by Bill Bentley on guitar, bass and keys, Mike Vanderhule on drums and Cornell CC Carter, Angela Ashley and Angeline Bentley.”
“This quite stunningly opulent new album opens on the free wheelin’ River City and the AOR rocker Redbud Road and backs those up seamlessly with the mid-tempo pairing of both Nothing Now and What Really Matters and then we get the sweepingly beautiful, lo-fi guitar and piano ballad Lucky Stars.
Next up is one of my own personal favorites on this new album, the raucous rock ’n’ roll of Da Na Na Na Na which is in turn followed by the storytelling of Better Life, and then we get the foot-tapping melodies of the title track Out There, the rhythmic rock of Feel the Heat, with the album rounding out on the AOR of We Stayed Home, closing on the mid-tempo balladry of Now and Then.”
“This SF anchor rocks out as a very credible AOR bombast singer that knows how to rock out. You could give this set a blind fold test. You would place it firmly in the 70s but you’d place it a lot closer to Y&T than you would Ted Baxter. It’s clear he knows how to make news as well as report it.”
Click Here to Listen to the Big Blend Radio Interview with Dan Ashley from October 15, 2021!
For Immediate Release – San Francisco, CA – Accomplished singer DAN ASHLEY brings a distinctive voice and his unique life experience to the Bay Area music scene with his exceptional blend of Americana and rock and roll. With the release of his remarkable new album OUT THERE on October 15, 2021, DAN ASHLEY shares in the joy, heartbreak, love, and loss that are part of our common humanity. Backed by a group of extraordinary musicians who have played and toured with an impressive list of major artists, Dan is thrilled to share his new music with his fans.
As a vocalist, DAN ASHLEY has led his highly acclaimed band for many years, headlining notable venues and opening for such great artists as REO Speedwagon, Rick Springfield, Cheap Trick, Eddie Money, Patti LaBelle, Melissa Etheridge and more. He has also shared the stage with many other consummate performers over the years including Dionne Warwick, Neal Schon (Journey), Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), and multiple Grammy winner Narada Michael Walden, among many others. Dan is regularly asked to perform the National Anthem at a variety of events, including for the NBA, MLB, NCAA, and NHL.
The new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE is the result of a powerful collaboration with his long-time friend, music producer, and writing partner Bill Bentley. The pair worked seamlessly together with a shared vision for what the album could be. Also contributing to OUT THERE are well respected musicians such as internationally acclaimed soul artist Cornell “CC” Carter and longtime Y&T drummer Mike Vanderhule. Both were so pleased upon hearing the initial tracks for OUT THERE that they offered to contribute to the material, and as a result elevated the album to a whole new level.
From upbeat and driving rockers to gentle ballads, all with a classic Americana and rock music sensibility, listeners will find a variety of songs on this new release. The title track “Out There” is a reflection on DAN ASHLEY’S lifelong fascination with the mystery and enormity of the universe, asking a basic question: if there is other life out there somewhere, do they suffer the same challenges that we all do? Dan sings, “Out there, is there war, is there pain? Is there even much to gain by tearing each other down, like this theater in the round?” He sings about life’s formative experiences and endless summer days at his childhood home on “Redbud Road,” and salutes Americans across the country for doing what we had to do to protect ourselves and our communities from this pandemic with “We Stayed Home.” And he doesn’t forget to thank his “Lucky Stars” for the undeniable feeling of love, connection, and gratitude that comes with being with the perfect person for you, and the sense of gratefulness all of us should have for the many blessings in our lives.
DAN ASHLEY has been around music and passionate about it his entire life, starting as a child with guitar and piano lessons, and then singing in the junior choir at his church in North Carolina. Always the storyteller, Dan Ashley is also a journalist and news anchor for ABC7 – KGO Bay Area TV, and in his 35 years on television he has reported on a wide range of issues and events that affect our lives. Dan has covered stories all over the Bay Area, the country, and the world, and has received many industry awards including the prestigious DuPont Columbia Award, two Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in journalism, and numerous Emmy Awards for Best Newscast and Individual Reporting.
Dan Ashley also created the non-profit Rock the CASA Foundation to raise money through an annual concert to benefit the CASA organization and other charities, and over the years the event has featured several internationally known bands and artists. Dan is also performing alongside headliner Foghat at the Ojai Nest Fest Veterans Benefit in Ventura, CA, on October 2, 2021!
For more information about DAN ASHLEY and his new album OUT THERE please visit: www.danashleymusic.com
To order or stream the new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE please visit:
https://smarturl.it/DanAshleyOutThere
To order or stream OUT THERE on Bandcamp please visit:
https://danashley.bandcamp.com/album/out-there
For Press and Interview inquiries please contact Billy James of Glass Onyon PR at
(828) 350-8158 or glassonyonpr@gmail.com
For Digital Marketing please contact Jerome Forney of Independent Distribution Collective at jerome@independentdistro.com
###
HAPPY HANUKKAH from IDC!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING from IDC!
Big Blend Radio Interview: MISHA SEEFF on his new album “DREAMHAVEN”
“This episode of Big Blend Radio features Misha Seeff, a highly accomplished and talented teen singer-songwriter who has just released his debut album DREAMHAVEN. His music has a classic acoustic pop sound, and he uses pictographic lyrics to tell stories both fictional and true. The album introduces listeners to a world of fictional love stories, poetic lyrics, and lush melodies, and features instrumentals reminiscent of classic 2000s bands and innovative vocal engineering. More: http://www.mseeff.com/ “
To watch the dreamhaven Virtual Record Release Event click here!
Click Here to Listen to “Dreamhaven” – AVAILABLE NOW!
“This artist is a diamond in the rough just waiting for his moment to shine on the big stage. His new 15-song release begins with the undeniable pop tones of “Now,” as Misha Seeff‘s youthful vocals and bright outlook become very addicting. He digs down deep with the emotional delivery of “April Haze” and rolls out the poetic lyrics of “You And I,” which showcase his songwriting skills way beyond his years.”
Click Here to Listen to the Debut Single “April Haze”!
MISHA SEEFF is a teenage singer-songwriter who grew up in Canada, the US, and South Africa. His music has a classic acoustic pop sound, and he uses pictographic lyrics to tell stories both fictional and true. Now, a mere nine months after writing his first song, MISHA SEEFF introduces a world of fictional love stories, poetic lyrics, and lush melodies with his debut album DREAMHAVEN on September 17, 2021. Featuring instrumentals reminiscent of classic 2000s bands and innovative vocal engineering, DREAMHAVEN feels like a perfect mix of the old and new. To coincide with the September 17 release, MISHA SEEFF will also broadcast a live performance virtual event online featuring songs from the album!
For MISHA SEEFF, music is an escape. It’s how he makes sense of the world around him, and how he deals with and expresses his emotions. He particularly loves telling stories through song. The first song that Misha ever wrote was called “apart,” a ballad that conveys the pain and longing of being far away from someone you love. Misha knew this was a universal experience for people around the world, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, and he understood that music could be one of the most powerful ways of sharing that experience.
DREAMHAVEN includes the first songs the teenage singer-songwriter ever wrote, such as “apart” and “valentine’s day,” and more recent work such as “april haze” and “your eyes.” The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Ben Bernstein at Soniczen Records and Petting Zoo Studio in Oakland, CA, with additional vocal recording by Mark Ambrosino at The Madhouse in Queens, NY. DREAMHAVEN also features guitar work by Dave Shul, bass by Ben Bernstein, and drums and percussion from Andrew Griffin.
Misha says, “Telling fictional stories and turning them into music is one of the ways I process things happening in my life.” In his opinion, an amazing album has a song for everyone, so whether you’re enjoying love, stuck in heartbreak, or moving on, this album is for you. “If nothing else, producing the record was a massive growth experience,” says Misha. “I learned that one of the things people appreciate most about music is vulnerability, that magical moment where you can think deeper than the music and see what the artist was going through when they wrote the song. I wanted to reflect that.” Whether you’re listening to the calm heartbreak ballad “boardwalk” or the feel-good “dream,” MISHA SEEFF’s lyrics shine deeper than the surface-level message.
From a young age MISHA SEEFF had a passion for music and spent much of his childhood participating in community musical theater, taking violin lessons, and teaching himself how to play the piano. Misha began to experiment with writing his own original songs when the theaters went dark during the Covid-19 pandemic. He taught himself how to record and produce tracks and wrote most of his songs in his room on guitar and piano, with no idea he would ever professionally produce or release his material. The title track “dreamhaven” says it all in terms of what the album is about: thoughts and ideas collecting over time and being kept safe in a small corner of the mind.
MISHA SEEFF loves performing live and looks forward to playing some shows in his new home of New York in the coming months, and returning to San Francisco to perform as well.
For more information please visit the MISHA SEEFF website:
To order or stream DREAMHAVEN on digital services please visit:
https://smarturl.it/MSdreamhaven
To order or stream the single “april haze” on digital services August 27 please visit:
https://smarturl.it/MSaprilhaze
To order or stream the single “your eyes” on digital services September 10 please visit:
https://smarturl.it/MSyoureyes
For Press and Interview inquiries please contact Billy James of Glass Onyon PR at
(828) 350-8158 or glassonyonpr@gmail.com
For Digital Marketing please contact Jerome Forney of Independent Distribution Collective at jerome@independentdistro.com
###
UK Review: CJ WASHINGTON Releases His New Pop and R&B Infused LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP
“Cj Washington’s debut outing was the ‘Soulacoutisc’ EP, followed by a second EP, ‘Spend The Night’ – both helping build a fan base which is sure to increase via his third release, a 5 track EP ‘LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS.’ Amongst the highlights is the crisp, finger-clicking opener ‘Upside Down.’ ‘Raindrops’ and ‘Him’ are slower jams and overall the sound might remind you of Joe.”
-Bill Buckley, SouldAndJazzAndFunk.com
“Sacramento soulster serves up a sunlit suite of sweet tunes that seep under one’s skin and stay there. “Love Songs & Low Pass Filters” five numbers find the Californian weave warm sophisticated polyphony out of his vocals, rendering some lines straight, some curled into melismata and some wrapped in effects, and binding everything with constantly shifting rhythms. All the cuts, taken in together, go to show it’s about time Cj Washington come out from the shadow of people he worked with, like P. Diddy, and began to shine on his own.”
For Immediate Release – Sacramento, CA – Set to release his new LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP on November 12, 2021, CJ WASHINGTON is a Sacramento-based pop, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter and guitarist. Inspired by John Mayer, Chris Brown, Stevie Wonder, and R&B singer Joe, Cj Washington began playing guitar as a young kid and has gone on to work with talented and influential artists including P. Diddy. Cj has previously released two EPs, Soulacoustic and Spend the Night, and has also landed credits with Berner & B-Real on their Los Meros album, as well as with Capolow on the track “Lately.”
LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP brings together elements of guitar and hip-hop drums in an up-tempo collection of pop and R&B songs performed entirely by Cj Washington. Co-written with his producing partner Vidal Garcia and friend Devin Wright, the EP was recorded at the WAV Lounge throughout 2020 and into 2021. LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP is full of catchy tracks that get the head nodding while conveying the ups and downs of life and relationships as Cj sees them, such as on the track “Upside Down” about the love-hate relationship between an addict and their addiction, or on the track “Him” about missed opportunities and seeing someone you love with somebody else.
Cj Washington is a talented producer who has worked with several notable artists. In 2020, he contributed production and instrumentation for the track “Live Your Life” from the Berner & B-Real album Los Meros, and also for two songs from the Berner and Cozmo album Respect the Connect, “Mind Racin’” and “What It Came To.” In 2020 Cj Washington also provided production and instrumentation to the Capolow track “Lately” from the album Kid Next Door.
Cj Washington’s music career began at a young age in 2007. His father was incredibly influential in this phase of Cj’s journey, uploading talent show and cover performances to YouTube and helping him to develop his talent as the views came pouring in. They began talking to different labels and in 2009 heard about auditions for a new show called MTV’s P. Diddy’s Starmaker. Cj (then known as Christopherjohn) starred as a contestant on the show that reached millions of viewers worldwide. Filmed in a mansion in Los Angeles, the whole experience was profound for Cj, who learned personally from P. Diddy and gained real world music business experience. Ten years later Cj Washington was also featured on NBC’s The Voice Season 17.
Prior to filming for The Voice in 2019, Cj Washington released his debut Soulacoustic EP. Recorded mostly at home studios, with four of the tracks self-produced by Cj and another three tracks produced by Vidal Garcia, this remarkable debut introduced Cj to the music scene as a fully formed artist with a sound all his own. Soon after his appearance on The Voice in 2020, Cj Washington released his second EP titled Spend the Night. Recorded at the WAV Lounge in Vallejo, CA, where Cj was able to put more time and effort into the production, the Spend the Night EP was a more polished effort that was written and produced with Vidal Garcia and featured A-Wax on the track “Playin’ With Fire.”
Cj Washington currently performs live 3-5 nights a week around the greater Sacramento area. Check out his website for more information and keep an eye out for more material coming soon!
For more information about CJ WASHINGTON and his new LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP please visit: www.cjwashingtonmusic.com
To order or stream LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP please visit:
https://smarturl.it/CjLoveSongsLowPass
To order or stream LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP on Bandcamp please visit:
cjwashingtonmusic.bandcamp.com
For Press and Interview inquiries please contact Billy James of Glass Onyon PR at
(828) 350-8158 or glassonyonpr@gmail.com
For Digital Marketing please contact Jerome Forney of Independent Distribution Collective at jerome@independentdistro.com
Check out the Ken Kessler podcast interview with Dan Ashley on Christmas Music and Christmas Spirit (and lots more)!
Click Here to Listen to OUT THERE!
“Dan Ashley is a man of tremendous experience and talents, and music is one of them. His solo album Out There presents 11 tracks firmly anchored in hard-driving rock and roll with masterful forays into lush ballads and Americana. In collaboration with legendary Concord-based producer/engineer/multiinstrumentalist Bill Bentley, Ashley offers a collection of mature, thought-provoking and playful songs.”
Click Here to Listen to The Morning Breezecast Interview with Dan Ashley on iHeart Radio!
“I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Out There, by Dan Ashley and it’s packed full of likely radio tracks. With hints of John Cougar and straight up radio rockers, Ashley is joined by Bill Bentley on guitar, bass and keys, Mike Vanderhule on drums and Cornell CC Carter, Angela Ashley and Angeline Bentley.”
“This quite stunningly opulent new album opens on the free wheelin’ River City and the AOR rocker Redbud Road and backs those up seamlessly with the mid-tempo pairing of both Nothing Now and What Really Matters and then we get the sweepingly beautiful, lo-fi guitar and piano ballad Lucky Stars.
Next up is one of my own personal favorites on this new album, the raucous rock ’n’ roll of Da Na Na Na Na which is in turn followed by the storytelling of Better Life, and then we get the foot-tapping melodies of the title track Out There, the rhythmic rock of Feel the Heat, with the album rounding out on the AOR of We Stayed Home, closing on the mid-tempo balladry of Now and Then.”
“This SF anchor rocks out as a very credible AOR bombast singer that knows how to rock out. You could give this set a blind fold test. You would place it firmly in the 70s but you’d place it a lot closer to Y&T than you would Ted Baxter. It’s clear he knows how to make news as well as report it.”
Click Here to Listen to the Big Blend Radio Interview with Dan Ashley from October 15, 2021!
For Immediate Release – San Francisco, CA – Accomplished singer DAN ASHLEY brings a distinctive voice and his unique life experience to the Bay Area music scene with his exceptional blend of Americana and rock and roll. With the release of his remarkable new album OUT THERE on October 15, 2021, DAN ASHLEY shares in the joy, heartbreak, love, and loss that are part of our common humanity. Backed by a group of extraordinary musicians who have played and toured with an impressive list of major artists, Dan is thrilled to share his new music with his fans.
As a vocalist, DAN ASHLEY has led his highly acclaimed band for many years, headlining notable venues and opening for such great artists as REO Speedwagon, Rick Springfield, Cheap Trick, Eddie Money, Patti LaBelle, Melissa Etheridge and more. He has also shared the stage with many other consummate performers over the years including Dionne Warwick, Neal Schon (Journey), Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), and multiple Grammy winner Narada Michael Walden, among many others. Dan is regularly asked to perform the National Anthem at a variety of events, including for the NBA, MLB, NCAA, and NHL.
The new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE is the result of a powerful collaboration with his long-time friend, music producer, and writing partner Bill Bentley. The pair worked seamlessly together with a shared vision for what the album could be. Also contributing to OUT THERE are well respected musicians such as internationally acclaimed soul artist Cornell “CC” Carter and longtime Y&T drummer Mike Vanderhule. Both were so pleased upon hearing the initial tracks for OUT THERE that they offered to contribute to the material, and as a result elevated the album to a whole new level.
From upbeat and driving rockers to gentle ballads, all with a classic Americana and rock music sensibility, listeners will find a variety of songs on this new release. The title track “Out There” is a reflection on DAN ASHLEY’S lifelong fascination with the mystery and enormity of the universe, asking a basic question: if there is other life out there somewhere, do they suffer the same challenges that we all do? Dan sings, “Out there, is there war, is there pain? Is there even much to gain by tearing each other down, like this theater in the round?” He sings about life’s formative experiences and endless summer days at his childhood home on “Redbud Road,” and salutes Americans across the country for doing what we had to do to protect ourselves and our communities from this pandemic with “We Stayed Home.” And he doesn’t forget to thank his “Lucky Stars” for the undeniable feeling of love, connection, and gratitude that comes with being with the perfect person for you, and the sense of gratefulness all of us should have for the many blessings in our lives.
DAN ASHLEY has been around music and passionate about it his entire life, starting as a child with guitar and piano lessons, and then singing in the junior choir at his church in North Carolina. Always the storyteller, Dan Ashley is also a journalist and news anchor for ABC7 – KGO Bay Area TV, and in his 35 years on television he has reported on a wide range of issues and events that affect our lives. Dan has covered stories all over the Bay Area, the country, and the world, and has received many industry awards including the prestigious DuPont Columbia Award, two Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in journalism, and numerous Emmy Awards for Best Newscast and Individual Reporting.
Dan Ashley also created the non-profit Rock the CASA Foundation to raise money through an annual concert to benefit the CASA organization and other charities, and over the years the event has featured several internationally known bands and artists. Dan is also performing alongside headliner Foghat at the Ojai Nest Fest Veterans Benefit in Ventura, CA, on October 2, 2021!
For more information about DAN ASHLEY and his new album OUT THERE please visit: www.danashleymusic.com
To order or stream the new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE please visit:
https://smarturl.it/DanAshleyOutThere
To order or stream OUT THERE on Bandcamp please visit:
https://danashley.bandcamp.com/album/out-there
For Press and Interview inquiries please contact Billy James of Glass Onyon PR at
(828) 350-8158 or glassonyonpr@gmail.com
For Digital Marketing please contact Jerome Forney of Independent Distribution Collective at jerome@independentdistro.com
###
Available Today ~ Nov. 20 ~ IRINI “TRIBUTE” ~ A Complete Set of Songs Preserving the Legacy of the Cyprus and London Soul Goddess
Saturday, November 20 is Irini’s one year Memorial. As respect to the songs Irini made, ‘Tribute’ is released on that day to preserve the legacy of the sweetest Soul singer from Cyprus.
Proceeds from this release will be donated to The Cyprus Multiple Sclerosis Society
Please share
Check Irini’s Story on Mixcloud
For further details contact Haji Mike
357 99 614987 ~ email vraggadon@yahoo.com
“It was 1993 when Irini broke into the UK Soul scene by the topping the Charts with ‘24/7 Love’ and ‘Don’t Let The Know’. Born in Cyprus and raised in Hackney, East London, Irini’s life long dream of becoming a singer came to fruition through these special songs. In 1994 she also received an award for best newcomer at The Black Music Industry Awards in London, an award which she shared with Jill Francis. Next came the development of her own label and her first LP, produced by Eric Pascal of New Shoes and Socks Productions. The LP ‘Don’t Make Me Wish’ came out by 1995 on her own ‘Here It Is Records’. Irini had finally arrived with her own soul and rare groove thing, just the way she had dreamt of as a child.
It was around this time that she started showing the first signs of a condition that would dramatically change the course of her life. Shortly after her return to Cyprus that winter, doctors diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis (MS). For the next 25 years MS drained her strength and abilities. It took away the best years of Irini’s life and most of all it took away her passion, music.
As a homage to Irini we transferred all her songs from her original vinyl releases, to get that special vinyl sound she loved so much. Now for the first time all these songs are available on digital platforms worldwide through Blind Dog Records in Cyprus. We release ‘Tribute’ to preserve her memory and support the Cyprus MS Society through the online sales of the release ‘Tribute’.”
Germany Review: CIRCUS MIND “JOY MACHINE”
Click here to listen to Joy Machine!
“The Joy Machine is as colorful and colorful as the band name, CD title and artwork suggest. Funk power and groove are the two pillars on which the quintet likes to take it easy. The focus is on guitar and organ and are supported by an additional wind quartet from time to time. In the second half of the CD, “Errand Boy” and “Three Muses” go a bit in the direction of Brit-Pop, with the first track in particular being quite playful.
Circus minds are really fun and never fail. Highlights are the opener “Are you ready” with a calm pearly guitar and vibraphone-like sounds, “Jazzfest Time”with a great groove, massive saxophone power and accented organ and the final “Troubled Times” , a rhythm’n’blues soul mixture that really boils up to the end, if you think the piece is about to end.”
-Norbert von Fransecky, MusikAnSich.de
Click here to read the JamBands.com interview with Mark Rechler!
“Joy Machine resonates with lead vocalist, songwriter, keyboardist and bandleader Rechler’s adoration of ‘70s classic rock and New Orleans funky grooves. With a who’s who of musicians off the road, Rechler was able to add special guests on all of the album’s hook-filled 10 tracks. That includes Brandon “Taz” Niederauer on opening number, “Are You Ready?” and its roots in P-Funk, Sly Stone and other ’70s rock and soul, Scott Metzger (JRAD) on the title track as well as Nels Cline, Marc Ribot and Walter Wolfman Washington.”
“JOY MACHINE” Featured on the RELIX Digital Sampler August 2021!
“Joy Machine is a fun and swinging album that brings joy back in these special difficult times!“
Click here to listen to the Big Blend Radio interview with Mark Rechler!
This episode of Big Blend Radio’s “Music Monday” show features Mark Rechler, lead vocalist, songwriter, keyboardist, and band leader of Circus Mind. Based in new York, Circus Mind is entering their twentieth year and have just released their third album JOY MACHINE, a fresh explosion of sounds and flavors of the ’70s rock era with a modern twist. Like a three-ring circus, the band can slide seamlessly between rock, funk, and swampy N’awlins grooves, all while referencing some of the best bands of that era with infectious hooks that get stuck in your ear hole. Songs featured on this interview include the title track “Joy Machine” and “Are You Ready.”
More: https://www.circusmindband.com/
JOY MACHINE was featured on the New Rock Music page of iTunes the day of release! Congratulations Circus Mind!
For Immediate Release – New York, NY – CIRCUS MIND is a New York-based rock outfit and the brainchild of ringleader Mark Rechler. The band is entering their twentieth year and are soon to release their third album JOY MACHINE, a fresh explosion of sounds and flavors of the ’70s rock era with a modern twist. Like a three-ring circus, the band can slide seamlessly between rock, funk, and swampy N’awlins grooves, all while referencing some of the best bands of that era with infectious hooks that get stuck in your ear hole. JOY MACHINE released May 21, 2021, and also features Nels Cline, Marc Ribot, Ivan Neville, Walter Wolfman Washington, Scott Metzger, and more.
Now You’re Ready!!!! Here is the Official Music Video for the first single from the Circus Mind album “Joy Machine”
Directed by George Panagakos of 525 Media
Lyrics by Mark Rechler
Music by Mark Rechler and Chris Crosby
Produced and Engineered by Chris Fasulo
The first JOY MACHINE single “Are You Ready?” features guest guitar phenom Brandon “Taz” Niederauer and had an official music video release. Both the song and video are a funky rock throwback that has roots in P-Funk, Sly Stone, and other ’70s rock and soul vibes, all flavors that CIRCUS MIND wears on its sleeve as a badge of honor, from the writing to the production. The title track “Joy Machine” features Scott Metzger (JRAD) and released as a single on May 7 with a special music video premiere. CIRCUS MIND will then gather together in New Orleans with some amazing NoLa musicians including Big Sam to celebrate the JOY MACHINE album release on May 21 with a raucous party and live performance!
Official Music Video for the title track of the Circus Mind album “Joy Machine”
Directed by George Panagakos Music and Lyrics by Mark Rechler
Produced and Engineered by Chris Fasulo
The production of JOY MACHINE began in August of 2019, but it was the Covid-19 pandemic that really set the stage for the record. While some bands took to the internet airwaves to stream performances, Rechler locked down in the studio. “Suddenly we had a ton of time on our hands and we knew we wanted to come out of this with a full album,” says Mark. “I was a man possessed and started writing like a madman!” The band started working remotely but quickly masked up and got down to business. “In a weird way, the pandemic also opened doors for us to find such amazing guests who were not out on tour and were looking to keep busy.”
The previous CIRCUS MIND release Silver Flower was voted Best Indie Album of 2006 by Newsday and put a modern take on influences such as Traffic, Steely Dan, Little Feat, and Mott the Hoople while mixing in NoLa vibe influences like Dr. John, The Meters, and The Neville Brothers. The last CIRCUS MIND single “Jazzfest Time” was released one year ago as an ode to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and featured Ivan Neville andBig Sam. CIRCUS MIND is quite versatile and has opened for national acts (Toots & The Maytals, The Neville Brothers, The Radiators) and had many notable guests sit in on their recordings and live performances (Soulive, Rebirth Brass Band, Cyril Neville).
CIRCUS MIND’s members are diverse in their influences as well as their playing. Lead vocalist, songwriter, keyboardist, and bandleader Mark Rechler plays in multiple bands (such as Falling Water), and has played, toured, and recorded with members of The Meters, The Neville Brothers, The Radiators, Soulive, The Brandon “Taz” Niederauer Band, Rebirth Brass Band, Ivan Neville, and more. Spending five years in New Orleans studying music and architecture helped influence his style and direction, and he always keeps his focus on the hook to keep his listeners wanting more and humming his tunes all day.
Bassist Chris Crosby has a serious case of spider-fingers and can solo as beautifully as any guitarist. A funkster from a family of highly respected musicians, Chris has also studied with Oteil Burbridge of The Allman Brothers Band and Dead & Company. Currently, he has also been busy playing in his brother’s Jason Crosby Band and with New York rock quartet Feverseed.
Guitarist David Berg is rooted in jazz, reggae, and bluegrass. He has toured with Dark Star Orchestra and has played multiple shows with Garth Hudson (The Band). Dave’s fluid rock style keeps CIRCUS MIND in a constant snake-like flow.
Drummer Dan Roth has been banging on things since he was a tyke, and he can’t seem to stop. He’s addicted to crosswords, motor coordination, and avocados.
With over 30 album credits to his name, percussionist Steve Finkelstein has worked with pop icons from Ray Charles and Mariah Carey as well as jam band giants including members of the Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers Band, and Tower of Power. Steve is also an original member and current member of the Funk Filharmonik.
“Joy Machine is a fun and swinging album that brings joy back in these special difficult times!“
“Blues, rock, jazz and funk are fused perfectly across the captivating 10-track disc; the infectious “Mean Mutha Fucka” (with guest Max Newman), Steely Dan-flavored title track, aptly-titled “Jazzfest Time” and poignant “Errand Boy” are definite showcases for how capably Circus Mind fuses its influences into something that is the group’s own. Several of the album’s great tracks are bolstered by the incredible fret work of guest guitarist Brandon “Taz” Niederauer; indeed the funkadelic “Are You Ready” and reflective psychedelia-tinged dreamscape “Air Waves” soar.“
“Funky junkies and sonic jokers outta New York radiate their irreverent merriment across the borders. Using their record as a vehicle of moving people’s mood to where the action and fun displace sore spots and featuring a few respectable guests, the Big Apple players spread light and laughter all around – to a fantastic effect. t’s exactly what we need right now: the joy machine to make us happy – this vehicle of exhilaration.“
“Are you ready to have a blast with Circus Mind? Their latest CD Joy Machine will supercharge your summer with funky jams, rocking guitar, and ear worms that will burrow into your mind and refuse to leave. Mark Rechler (vocals & keyboards) not only knows how to write a hook, he surrounds these melodies with a diverse blend of influences, as each track has its own flavor, and yet this album feels cohesive. Rechler’s unique gravelly voice gives the songs additional punch; he sings from the gut, I can imagine him going for broke live pushing the band forward.
The band has brought in a number of guests such as Brandon “Taz” Nierderauer, Nels Cline, and Ivan Neville among others to add a little spice to the mix. And let’s not forget the core band that is phenomenal, great players in their own right. There is not a clunker to be found here, and this CD is pure summertime fun in the sun. Crank this one up, loud!!”
-Eric Porter, Sea of Tranquility
Translated: “The musical influences on the work of Circus Mind come from seventies groups like Mott The Hoople, Traffic, Steely Dan and Little Feat. We hear that best in songs like “Errand Boy”, “Three Muses” or the bluesy “Nutbag” on which Marc Ribot, known for his work with Tom Waits and Elvis Costello, plays the guitar. The unsurpassed Wilco guitarist Nels Cline provides guitar work on the quietly performed rock ballad “Longing Song.”
Thanks to all these very diverse collaborations, the third album “Joy Machine” by Mark Rechler and his band Circus Mind has become a unique record in this funk, rock and blues genre.”
“This vibrantly alive and kickin’ new album opens on the ’70s guitar funk and foot-tappin’ beats of ‘Are You Ready’ and the jangling pop-psych ambiance of the title track ‘Joy Machine,’ and then backs those up with the funky ‘Air Waves,’ the soaring, horn-imbibed ‘Mean Mutha Fucka’ and then we get one of my own personal favorites, the earnest storytelling of ‘Longing Song.’
Released one year ago as an ode to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and featuring both Ivan Neville and Big Sam, the magnificently upbeat and joyous ‘Jazzfest Time’ is brought forth next and that’s backed by the free flowing ‘Errand Boy,’ the rockin’ rhythms of ‘Three Muses,’ with the album rounding out on the foot-tappin’ ‘Nutbag,’ closing on the lofi, almost-pleading, graveled-vocal outreach of ‘Troubled Times.’”
“Circus Mind’s third studio release, aptly titled “Joy Machine”, is an exuberating cocktail of jazz influenced classic rock, pimped up with a heavy-duty funk kick. Mostly it’s a good-time romp, a slide back to the past with some righteous gems on disposal. Fashioned by Mark Rechler’s love of lushy textured production and spacy, open-ended songcraft springing through top-notch musicianship, the end result is a consortium of hummable, often trippy sounding songs.”
-Daniel Pavlica, The Rocktologist
“They start the album off with the funky, soulful all-out rock assault of “Are You Ready,” which features a phenomenal solo from guest guitarist Brandon “Taz” Niederauer. Circus Mind deliver a southern sounding anthem with the title track “Joy Machine,” featuring some sweet blues licks from the guitar of Scott Metzger, while the smooth, laid-back jam of “Longing Song” highlighted by the addition of Nels Cline floating guitar melody. The band travel down to Bourbon Street with the help of Ivan Neville and Big Sam for “Jazzfest Time,” a tribute to the New Orleans festival. Circus Mind finish up their new album with a return to the funky beats of the instrumental “Nutbag,” which includes some stellar guitar work from Marc Ribot, along the slow blues of the album closer “Troubled Times,” featuring Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Bill Titus.”
“I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Joy Machine, from Circus Mind and it’s a funky music party. Opening with Are You Ready?, lead vocalist and keyboard player, Mark Rechler sets the pace backed by Chris Crosby on bass, Dave Berg on guitar, Dane Roth on drums and Steve Finkelstein on percussion and featuring Brandon “Taz” Niederauer with an outrageous guitar solo.”
“This is an album, I can listen to over and over again”!
“You might as well sit back and enjoy the deconstruction of everything. Here’s a crew making their third record in 20 years and has the big sounding 70s AOR anthemia rock thing down cold—-and it comes across as a welcome return to when straight ahead rock was the sound of the suburbs. With a guest list of pros that knows what it’s about and what to do, something purely commercial never sounded so right. Well done.”
To purchase or stream the new CIRCUS MIND album JOY MACHINE please visit:
https://smarturl.it/CircusMindJoyMachine
To purchase or stream the new single “ARE YOU READY?” please visit:
https://smarturl.it/CMAreYouReady
For more information about the band and the New Orleans Release Party on May 21 please visit:
For Press and Interview inquiries please contact Billy James of Glass Onyon PR:
(828) 350-8158 or glassonyonpr@gmail.com
For Digital Marketing please contact Jerome Forney of Independent Distribution Collective:
###
UK Review: CJ WASHINGTON Releases His New Pop and R&B Infused LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP
“Cj Washington’s debut outing was the ‘Soulacoutisc’ EP, followed by a second EP, ‘Spend The Night’ – both helping build a fan base which is sure to increase via his third release, a 5 track EP ‘LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS.’ Amongst the highlights is the crisp, finger-clicking opener ‘Upside Down.’ ‘Raindrops’ and ‘Him’ are slower jams and overall the sound might remind you of Joe.”
-Bill Buckley, SouldAndJazzAndFunk.com
“Sacramento soulster serves up a sunlit suite of sweet tunes that seep under one’s skin and stay there. “Love Songs & Low Pass Filters” five numbers find the Californian weave warm sophisticated polyphony out of his vocals, rendering some lines straight, some curled into melismata and some wrapped in effects, and binding everything with constantly shifting rhythms. All the cuts, taken in together, go to show it’s about time Cj Washington come out from the shadow of people he worked with, like P. Diddy, and began to shine on his own.”
For Immediate Release – Sacramento, CA – Set to release his new LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP on November 12, 2021, CJ WASHINGTON is a Sacramento-based pop, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter and guitarist. Inspired by John Mayer, Chris Brown, Stevie Wonder, and R&B singer Joe, Cj Washington began playing guitar as a young kid and has gone on to work with talented and influential artists including P. Diddy. Cj has previously released two EPs, Soulacoustic and Spend the Night, and has also landed credits with Berner & B-Real on their Los Meros album, as well as with Capolow on the track “Lately.”
LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP brings together elements of guitar and hip-hop drums in an up-tempo collection of pop and R&B songs performed entirely by Cj Washington. Co-written with his producing partner Vidal Garcia and friend Devin Wright, the EP was recorded at the WAV Lounge throughout 2020 and into 2021. LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP is full of catchy tracks that get the head nodding while conveying the ups and downs of life and relationships as Cj sees them, such as on the track “Upside Down” about the love-hate relationship between an addict and their addiction, or on the track “Him” about missed opportunities and seeing someone you love with somebody else.
Cj Washington is a talented producer who has worked with several notable artists. In 2020, he contributed production and instrumentation for the track “Live Your Life” from the Berner & B-Real album Los Meros, and also for two songs from the Berner and Cozmo album Respect the Connect, “Mind Racin’” and “What It Came To.” In 2020 Cj Washington also provided production and instrumentation to the Capolow track “Lately” from the album Kid Next Door.
Cj Washington’s music career began at a young age in 2007. His father was incredibly influential in this phase of Cj’s journey, uploading talent show and cover performances to YouTube and helping him to develop his talent as the views came pouring in. They began talking to different labels and in 2009 heard about auditions for a new show called MTV’s P. Diddy’s Starmaker. Cj (then known as Christopherjohn) starred as a contestant on the show that reached millions of viewers worldwide. Filmed in a mansion in Los Angeles, the whole experience was profound for Cj, who learned personally from P. Diddy and gained real world music business experience. Ten years later Cj Washington was also featured on NBC’s The Voice Season 17.
Prior to filming for The Voice in 2019, Cj Washington released his debut Soulacoustic EP. Recorded mostly at home studios, with four of the tracks self-produced by Cj and another three tracks produced by Vidal Garcia, this remarkable debut introduced Cj to the music scene as a fully formed artist with a sound all his own. Soon after his appearance on The Voice in 2020, Cj Washington released his second EP titled Spend the Night. Recorded at the WAV Lounge in Vallejo, CA, where Cj was able to put more time and effort into the production, the Spend the Night EP was a more polished effort that was written and produced with Vidal Garcia and featured A-Wax on the track “Playin’ With Fire.”
Cj Washington currently performs live 3-5 nights a week around the greater Sacramento area. Check out his website for more information and keep an eye out for more material coming soon!
For more information about CJ WASHINGTON and his new LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP please visit: www.cjwashingtonmusic.com
To order or stream LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP please visit:
https://smarturl.it/CjLoveSongsLowPass
To order or stream LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP on Bandcamp please visit:
cjwashingtonmusic.bandcamp.com
For Press and Interview inquiries please contact Billy James of Glass Onyon PR at
(828) 350-8158 or glassonyonpr@gmail.com
For Digital Marketing please contact Jerome Forney of Independent Distribution Collective at jerome@independentdistro.com
Independent Distribution Collective Blog 