Jono Manson, award winning producer at The Kitchen Sink, is creating a new facility in Santa Fe. Current producing partner Tim Schmoyer will remain in the current space and will re-brand the business as Engine70 Studios. Jono will retain the Kitchen Sink brand. Here’s the skinny from Jono.

“This is a completely amicable reconfiguration of our business relationship, and (Tim and I) have committed to continue to support one another in all of our respective current and future endeavors. I will continue to work at the studio, engineering and producing projects for my current and future clients. So, for anyone with projects currently on the books, or in progress, there will be absolutely no disruption of our work together.

The Kitchen Sink will remain my production company and I am also building a new, state of the art, mix and overdub suite here in Santa Fe, which should be ready for action by May 1st (more news on this to follow!). This will not only create a new creative space for me, but allow me to offer my clients options as to how, and where, we work together. Moving forward, I will be splitting my studio time between the two facilities, and of course continue to work on projects with artists from all over the world. I’m filled with gratitude for all of the love, trust, and support I’ve received from this incredible community and look forward to seeing you again, soon.” JM – Santa Fe April 2, 2025

We look forward to great things coming from both Jono Manson and Tim Schmoyer in the future.

Edit

The boys are back! Songwriters Daniel Boling (The Limeliters) and folk icon Tom Paxton have released the first single, Goodnight, and accompanying video from their forthcoming album on Berkalin Records, It Matters to be released on April 18th of this year.

The 16 songs on It Matters  are taken from weekly songwriting sessions Dan’l and Tom have held online since their 2023 album. There are a wide range of topics including tender love songs, a U.S Marine hero horse, biting commentary on politics, society, religion and war, gentle, self-deprecating humor, love of nature, family and community.

Daniel and Tom recorded their upcoming album at The Kitchen Sink studio in Santa Fe, NM with Producer/engineer Jono Manson. Manson and a dozen friends and fellow musicians pitched in on other instruments and a few harmonies, but the overall feel of the album is stripped-down, acoustic Folk.

Tom Paxton officially retired from touring at the end of 2024 after 64 years. Check out the video online at https://youtu.be/ldfUd1SV6MA

Shelia Eden and her band Illumina A.D. have released the video for their new single Aperio. Right out of the gate, the video has garnered nearly 50k views.

Eden studied at the Berklee School of Music before finding a home in New Mexico. She has worked in the film industry in the Land of Enchantment for over a decade all the while writing and producing her own style of music with her band Nepthisis. She was a finalist in the 2024 New Mexico Music Awards.

Learn more about Shelia at https://linktr.ee/Sheilaeden

Learn how the film industry works when it comes to music and what to do to give you the best opportunities to get your music to film and television music supervisors, production companies, gaming, live theater and events and more.

Presented by Jose Antonio Ponce of Jason’s Music Publishing, the event takes place on Saturday, February 22nd at 4:00 PM at Sandia Music and Sound, Sandia Music and Sound-5105 Homestead Cir NW in Albuquerque, NM 87120. Tickets are $5.00 at the door.

Byron Vasquez has opened Sandia Music and Sound in the west side of the Duke City. Located at 5105 Homestead CIr NW Albuquerque, NM 87120 in the Taylor Ranch neighborhood, the new store features products by Marshall, Gretch, Fender, Epiphone, Washburn and more.

Locally owned, the goal is to become a community hub for musicians of all ages and skill levels. Plans include instruction, practice and rehearsal spaces for local musicians as well as performances by local artists.

Find them online at https://www.sandiamusicandsound.com/

The New Mexico Music Hall of Fame award show, will take place on Saturday, November 23rd at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Hosted by former Channel 7 anchor Nelson Martinez and Sandia Labs manager and board member Zach Mikelson, this year’s class includes:

Latin Jazz Master, bandleader, arranger and trombonist Cesar Bauvallet. A graduate of the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory in Havana, the Cuban ex-pat was chosen by Arturo Sandoval as trombonist for Dizzy Gillespie’s All-Star Orchestra (Havana Jazz Festival, 1989) 

The late saxophonist Robert Blea, front man for the band Fat City for over 4 decades, playing keyboards, sax, flute and clarinet. He was responsible for giving many young NM musicians, early opportunities in the business, including Hillary Smith, Michael Hearne, Teri Q, Logan Nix, Casper Gomez and Roland “Stone” Smith. Blea passed away in 2023.

Blues guitarist, session player and band leader Chris Dracup. He’s been a featured performer at some of the top regional music festivals including the Telluride Blues and Brews Festival, Silver City Blues Festival, Madrid and Albuquerque Blues Festivals, Thirsty Ear Festival, Trinidaddio Fest, Taos Solar Fest and more.

He is often featured as an opening act for a wide range of musical artists- everyone from George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars to Joe Walsh, Tori Amos, Taj Mahal, Richard Thompson, Shuggie Otis and many more.

Longtime bandleader and bassist Donny Tesso who celebrates almost 40 years as a professional musician/bassist in all styles of music both national and international. Donny Tesso currently is musical director for Lorenzo Antonio and Sparx and works with many of NM’s finest musicians and bands including Sol-Fire, Soul Divine, Gonzalo, Tobias Rene, Soul Static, Rhythm Divine, Tracey Whitney, Ryan Montano and others. Donny also conducts musician clinics in other cities and states as requested. Donny Tesso, perhaps the most in demand musician in New Mexico.

The Brown Family including Freddie Brown, country artist Bo Brown of Albuquerque who passed away in 2023 was a fun, high energy entertainer. He toured throughout the western US with the Bo Brown Band & AB Brown

The Wickham Brothers, Hank & Lewie, with their adopted brother, Johnny Dacucon, they were a national sensation with their song “A Little Bit Late.” Although the brothers went their separate ways after 20 years of playing together, they still reunited occasionally to play in Taos, Santa Fe and Albuquerque.

The Las Vegas style band, The Pink Flamingos will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Bandleader and Cassanova Recording artist Little Ralph Paiz. The guitarist mentored a young Glen Campbell and has always blended traditional and modern music into a uniquely New Mexico blend.

Tejano Artist/Composer/Musician/Producer, Promoter Alan Muniz, a Multi-Award Winning Artist, from Santa Fe who has earned 15 Grandes, along with Grammy & Latin Grammy nominations.

The show will feature music by Picoso, Chris Dracup, Donny Tesso and Little Ralph.

Link for tickets https://my.nmculture.org/41942/41943

The New Mexico Music Hall of Fame award show is to recognize those who have made significant contributions to our state’s musical culture.

The Eric Larson Endowment at UNM has named cellist Samuel Martinez as its 2024 scholarship recipient. The Eric Larson Endowment was established in 2005 to assist students attending the University of New Mexico and studying in Music or the Recording Arts.

Samuel is a native New Mexican who grew up in a musical family. He is in his final semester of his degree in Cello Performance and is also a private music instructor hoping to inspire his students. The scholarship allows him to leave UNM with no debt as he enters the professional world.

Congratulations to Samuel and our thanks to the staff and faculty of the UNM Music Department and the staff and management of the UNM Foundation. A special thanks goes out to you, our New Mexico music community who have made this scholarship possible on an annual basis with your contributions. You keep the memory of NMMA co-founder, Eric Larson alive.

Richard Cagle has produced and recorded folks like Carolyn Wonderland, Uncle John Turner, Johnny Winter, and Joe King Carrasco as well as others from his studio in the cool mountains of Ruidoso, New Mexico where he owns Montrose Records. Richard has wone a couple of New Mexico Music Awards over the years, but many folks don’t know that he is a blues artist in his own right.

He recently released “Richard Cagle and the VooDoo Choir-Zia Blues”, his first album since 2016. Most of the songs are written by Richard Cagle.

“Zia Blues” opens with “Dance, Dance, Dance” featuring Eric Demmer, saxophone (who played with Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown); Arnold Cardon, guitar; Paul Goad, bass and piano; Danny Cresap, drums; and backing vocalists Wayne and Lou Ann Ellison. “Knockin Me Down” includes Tim Martin, guitar; and Dave Shanks, Hammond Organ. Cagle provides the vocals. Other guests include El Paso’s Sam Barlow on harmonica, Rich Chorne, guitar; Grant Gerondale, bass and Ron Ramelli, who toured with Lavelle White, on harmonica, Mark Kashmar on guitar, Kelley Wright, percussion and pianist Shawn Allen.

The late Sher Katz wrote the closer, “Whadda Think O’ That” which features Cagle singing with lots of emotion and playing harmonica and Sam Shackelford, drums. All in all, a terrific effort from a brilliant producer, engineer and artist.

Available on all platforms.