Roswell artist Jessica Kirk is asking all Roswell and surrounding area based musicians and music industry pros to post their info on the Roswell Music Scene Facebook (Meta) page so that finding the right drummer, guitarist, bassist, vocalist, etc might make it easier for artists to connect. Great idea, Jessica.
To add your name to the list search for Roswell Music Scene or go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/1527649894186092
Chita Rivera hosts UNITED IN SONG: CELEBRATING THE AMERICAN DREAM. The concert taped at Philadelphia’s Independence Hall features Farmington jazz trumpeter Delbert Anderson along with Jencarlos Canela, Judy Collins, Midori, Sandi Patty, Lea Salonga, Paulo Szot, the Washington Ballet, the American Pops Orchestra and more.
Anderson is brilliant instrumentalist, a teacher at San Juan College, President/CEO at San Juan Jazz Society, Artistic Director at DDAT Management, Inc and Co Chair ABQ Host Committee at Western Arts Alliance
The program will air on New Year’s Eve, December 31st on PBS. Check your local listings for time or stream the program live.
Rich Rajacich has released his fourth album in as many years, Grain of Truth. It is a mix of old and new country, ballads and up-tempo tunes and was recorded at the Kitchen Sink Studios in Santa Fe and was produced by Jono Manson. The album features Rajacich on gutar and vocals as well as the talents of Mark Clark, Ronnie Johnson, Jon Graboff, Dave Thom, and producer Jono Manson. Available now on most music streaming platforms. Sample the album at https://richrajacich.hearnow.com/?fbclid=IwAR1QC7OBEA9TaI3Dd4SrSW7p1ZQwGGFM75J-Eg_TXduauVrXKr57EsX6Pis
Check out the newest video from songwriter/producer Jono Manson The video, “Silver Moon” which was produced by Saif Samejo, and his colleagues at Lahooti Studios in Jamshoro, Pakistan, along with filmmaker Haroon Habib. The recording is from my album of the same title and features Warren Haynes, Jason Crosby, Paul Pearcy, Ronnie Johnson, Hillary Smith, and Jon Graboff. Recorded by yours truly, and mastered by David Glasser at Airshow. Words and Music by Jono Manson, Ronnie Johnson and Caline Welles.
Click here to view the video.
Portales, NM songwriter and performer Will Bannister had the opportunity of a lifetime when his song was chosen for the latest Clint Eastwood movie “Cry Macho” shot in New Mexico and released in September.
Will Banister is an indie country music artist whose wholly traditional sound and have lured fans to his vast storehouse of online videos. As luck would have it, Clint Eastwood has become one of those people, so much so that he enlisted Banister to record the song “Find A New Home” for inclusion in his new film.
Banister got a call from Marlon Espino, a film composer working on the film. Espino had called on his old college roommate down in Texas to ask for suggestions on a singer with the right kind of voice for the song. That friend was well acquainted with fellow musician Will Banister and he quickly put the two in touch. A track was sent over to Banister who recorded his vocals at home and sent the track back with the understanding that if the director liked it, they would fly him out to California to record it proper. At that time, Banister thought it was just some kind of indie film.
The director, Eastwood, did, in fact, like it…a lot, and said upon hearing the vocal track, “that guy’s voice is from the top of those speakers down to your feet.” A few days later Banister, his wife and his band were on their way to Carmel, CA to meet Eastwood and perform at his private golf course, Tehama. Ultimately, the decision was made to keep the version of the song just the way it was with no re-recording needed. The song is heard over the closing credits.
The New Mexico Music Hall of Fame announced their 2021 inductees at a dinner held on September 3rd this year. A formal presentation will take place on Saturday, November 27th, 2021 at a ceremony held in Albuquerque.
Inductees this year include the late musician and educator Arlen Asher, Blues and Rock & Roll pioneer Bo Diddly, Latin entertainers the Cordova Family, the late Ernestine Romero, Blues Diva Hillary Smith and songwriter and western singer Michael Martin Murphy.
These are musicians who have all had an impact on the New Mexico Music scene. For more information on the upcoming NMMHOF ceremony, got to https://nmmhof.org/
The 2021 New Mexico Music Awards were held on Sunday, July 25th, 2021 in Albuquerque. Awards were given out in 40 categories including country music, Latin, Blues, Jazz, Folk, Indie Rock and other genres and for non music categories including best recording engineer, best mastering engineer, best producer and best album of the year.
Best album went to Kipp Bently of Santa Fe for his Americana album Rose of Jericho. The Norman Petty Producer Award went to Tom (Panda) Ryan for his recording of Ronny Cox-Live at the Kitchen Sink. Best song honors went to Santa Fe’s Busy McCarrol for her composition Divided States. The Carlsbad band Stranded took home Modern Rock Honors, the Singer/Songwriter category was won by Truth or Consequenses composer Rooster Blackspur who recorded at Wall of Sound in Albuquerque. Taos artist Zephaniah Stringfield won Bluegrass honors and the Las Cruces based band Alameda August won in the Children’s category with their song Hush.
A complete list of winners can be found at http://www.newmexicomusicawards.com/2021-new-mexico-music-award-winners/
We want to, first of all, thank our veterans for their service to our country and to welcome them home.
We also want to remind everyone that some veterans are still dealing with the after effects of battle and that not all wounds are visible. Healing takes time. Please be understanding of our heroes.
Finally, let us honor these brave men and women with some of the music that has come from our veteran’s workshops.
The New Mexico Music Awards in cooperation with listen!nm will begin presenting Therapeutic Songwriting Workshops for veterans around the state this summer and fall. Veterans and songwriters work together to write music that expresses the veteran’s experiences in the military. It can be painful, heartbreaking and sometimes even funny, but always rewarding. Here are a few song that our vets have produced over the past few years.
Just click on the title for a link to a video or audio file.
Ryan Montano’s new song Gemini hit the airwaves across the United States and the world on May 3rd.
Produced by Montano and co-written with guitarist Claudio Toulouse, the cut features Vandell Andrew on Alto and Tenor sax, Me Brown on bass, Arnaldo Acosta on drums, and Steve Figueroa on Fender Rhodes.
Montano has had success around the world on jazz and smooth jazz formats. This is the follow up to his top twenty hit “The Tough Get Going.”
The full version of #Gemini is available here:https://youtu.be/vKuNzI1ziHQ
