Fiona's Brush-Stroke Reviews

A Stagey Bank Affair

This concept album offers impressive artwork and two 24-page booklets!

The first single: Sugar Free

A Stagey Bank Affair by Arun Shenoy & The Groove Project:  This album says 'funk!' From the first beat I was engaged and grooving in my seat. The arrangements are excellent and the performances are tight. The instrumentation takes you from funk to jazz, but with rock rhythms. Some great instrumental gymnastics from the flutist (Ravichandra Kulur) amongst other instrumentalists. All A grade players. In 'Art-speak' I'm likening it to a cross between Takashi Murakami (The Warhol of Japan), Leon Zernitsky (Great Jazz painter) but with traditional origins from Paul Gauguin. 

Great work and stunning presentation, the packaging is truly exceptional.

- Fiona Joy

Fiona Joy is an internationally-acclaimed pianist, composer, producer, singer and painter who enjoys reviewing the musical works of her contemporaries by drawing connections between their music and works of art. Visit her website for music, art, jewelry & more.    

Going Beyond Mainstream Music

ZMR Continues A Tradition of Drawing Top New Age, World, Ambient and Electronica Artists to New Orleans...catch the ZMR Awards Tomorrow Night at The Joy Theater!

Deuter: Lifetime Achievement Award, 2016

Zone Music Reporter (aka ZMR) kicked off tonight at The Vacherie!  An impressive lineup of presenters and performers are scheduled for the weekend concert at The Joy Theatre in New Orleans, Saturday May 7, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. 

Fans of new age, world, ambient, solo piano and electronic music are in The Crescent City this weekend to celebrate the greatest artists in alternative instrumental music at the 12th Annual ZMR Music Awards.  A showcase for legendary and newer artists alike, this year’s ZMR Music Awards will feature performances by Darlene Koldenhoven, Erik Scott, Jennifer Zulli, Jonn Serrie, Louis Colaiannia, Paul Avgerinos, Robin Spielberg, Ron Korb and Terra Guitarra. Biographies of the performers can be seen at http://www.zonemusicreporter.com/admin/performers.asp 

The evening’s highlight will be honoring German born, Santa Fe based composer and multi-instrumentalist Deuter for his groundbreaking career, which began with the release of his debut album D in 1971 and has included over 60 recordings. He is known for his meditative style which blends elements of Eastern and Western music, as well as his mastery of a multitude of ethnic instruments and continued exploration of new frequencies and resonances. 

“One thing that is important for me is that I love dancing on the edge of the unknown- to play around and open doors I haven’t walked through before,” Deuter says. It is this very outlook that has kept him at the forefront of musical evolution for over four decades. Over the years, he has released albums with Kuckuck Schallplatten, Higher Octave Music, Celestial Harmonies and New Earth Records. His most recent albums including the compilation Eternity, an album of nature sounds he recorded himself and his newest releases Mystic Voyage, Reiki Hands of Love and Illumination of the Heart, all released in 2015.

David Arkenstone and your's truly, 2014.

The show will be hosted by renowned music writers RJ Lannan and Bill Binkelman, with Award Presentations by Steven Halpern, Jennifer DeFrayne, Tom Carleno, Ricky Kej, Ann Sweeten, Erik Scott, and Candice Michelle. In addition to the performers and presenters, popular artists – many of whom are also nominees -- confirmed to attend include Fiona Joy, Get Tribal, Hans Christian, Andy Mitran, Al Jewer, Lisa Downing, Wouter Kellerman, Jeff Oster, Neil Tatar, Kori Carothers, Josie Quick, Bruce Hecksel, Bob Ardern, Sensitive Chaos, Jeff Pearce, David Nevue, Paul Speer, Barbara Hills, Catherine Marie Charlton, Cathy McIntyre Oakes, Jim Combs, and more, providing a great opportunity for fans, artists, and broadcasters alike to meet and mingle.

Open to the public, the event welcomes music lovers from across the globe, as well as local residents preferring quieter vibes following the city’s famous Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest events. One of the best-priced concerts of its kind, the show includes hours of live performances by myriad ZMR and GRAMMY® award-winning artists, with the awards presentations in between acts. 

Will Ackerman (Windham Hill/Imaginary Road)
 & friends performing in recent years. 

With the continuous growth of the small, privately owned ZMR Music Chart & Awards, several exciting satellite shows are scheduled around town on the nights leading up to the event. Renowned electronic guitarist Jeff Pearce performs an intimate FREE show at Pete’s Pub at the Intercontinental Hotel on Friday, May 6 at 11 p.m. Electronic artists Sensitive Chaos, allthecolorsofthedark with Mark Louque and Proud Father will play on Thursday, May 5 at the Mudlark Public Theatre at 9 p.m.

The ZMR Music Awards are a hugely popular event amongst music industry professionals. A great many recording artists, performers, radio promoters, producers and a slew of industry executives travel from all corners of the globe to attend the weekend-long celebration, which has joined with InterContinental New Orleans as its official hotel partner this year. 

The 2015 event was an overwhelming success, turning into a four-day triumph, and this year promises to be bigger and brighter than ever, with multiple networking and social events rounding out the weekend. For over a decade, Zone Music Reporter has been establishing itself as the premier resource for the best in New Age, World, Electronic/Ambient and Instrumental music. New Orleans’ Joy Theater has become the spiritual home of the yearly ZMR Music Awards. 

Peter Kater (Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree, 2015) & Tina Malia

Winners will be announced live in New Orleans on May 7, 2016; the awards are interspersed with live concert performances, beginning at 7:00pm. There are thirteen categories voted on by Radio Programmers and DJs this year, including Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Piano Solo, Best Acoustic, Best Ambient, Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, Best Chill/Groove Album, Best Electronic Album, Best World Album, and many more. For a complete list of categories and nominees, please visit Zone Music Reporter. A sampling of performances from recent ZMR Award Shows can be viewed here on YouTube. 


Follow the ZMR Awards on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/ZMRAwards 

What to Do in DTLA this Weekend: Wiznu Studio's Artful Salute to Women

The Power of Women - Gallery Gala and Benefit

Fine Art - Spoken Word Performance - Hors d'Oeuvres and Wine Pairings
Benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Saturday, April 9, 7-11 pm
Tix $20 at http://wiznu.bpt.me/ 

DTLA, home of Wisnu Studios; photo by Michael Wisnieux

WIZNU Studio
724 South Spring Street #703
Los Angeles, CA 90014
United States 

Miss that happening art scene you loved in NYC, Chicago, Seattle?  Feel it this Saturday, as WIZNU Studio throws wide its doors this Saturday in it's artful salute to the Power of Women, with a multitude of mediums by and about women's strength and spirit.  Cast aside all those old paradigms, and enjoy food, wine and enlightenment with this forward-thinking group of cutting edge artists and producers.

The exhibition of sculpture, painting, and photography titled THE POWER OF WOMEN is open Saturday, April 9 from 7pm to 11pm at WIZNU Studio  724 S. Spring St. #703, Los Angeles CA 90014.  This gorgeous loft gallery event features visual art of women plus their words and music, with performances by DOLLHOUSE Actress Miracle Laurie and Rockabilly sensation & new Second City discovery Maureen Davis.   Live performers include poetic readings and monologues by award-winning stuntwoman/actress Carly Sunae; SheTech founder, radio announcer & opera singer Rebekkah Hilgraves; and Spoken Wordsters Kelli Ostara & Anna Broome.

Hors d'oeuvres and wine pairings will be served amidst art on display and for sale, with partial proceeds donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

About the artists:

TANYA RAGIR'S art speaks the language of the feminine. Her most recent work - The Warrior Series, centers around states of being; facing internal/external barriers  struggle and loss,  risk and trust. Tanya sculpts in clay. Pieces are fired or cast in bronze, aluminum, stainless steel and polyester resin. Sizes range from inches to monumental. Her art reveals the very process by which the authentic expression of the feminine is centered between opposites, particularly in the historically contentious arena of sensuality versus power.
http://TanyaRagir.com 

DANNY GREENE says "I paint women because to me, there is nothing harder to capture than the ecstatic beauty and power that women possess."  After a near-fatal car collision, Danny, suffering from Post-Concussion Syndrome, was urged by his doctor to paint - for therapeutic benefits. People became shapes and colors, and he started noticing subtle changes of value, which appear to him as triangles of light. He is inspired by the works of Van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Diego Rivera, Francois Nielly, Frida Kahlo, and Pablo Picasso. Danny Greene's hope is for his story & art to touch and inspire as many people as possible. He hopes that everyone becomes aware of their hidden talent dwelling inside them, scratching to get out. http://DannyGreeneArt.com

MICHAEL WISNIEUX's life has been shaped by the love of women. "Mom was the beneficent Leo ruler of our family." Each project Michael has embraced has received the grace of mother Phyllis' love and nurturance. Michael's photographic legacy includes covering the historically influential Chicago music scene of the 1980s and 90s, capturing some of the most prolific icons of rock-and-roll: David Bowie, Dizzy Gillespie, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Peter Murphy and also Janet Jackson and Björk, whose photos are featured prominently as part of his contribution to the POW Gala Exhibit. http://Wisnieux.com

Actress MIRACLE LAURIE - featured live performer - is best known for her role as Mellie on Joss Whedon's DOLLHOUSE, with numerous film and TV projects with Alan Cumming, Garret Dillahunt, Josh Duhamel and Dan Fogler also to her credit.  Her newest project, Insane Jane, based on the cult comic book from Bluewater/StormFront Productions is currently in development. It is the story of a deluded, yet-well-meaning heroine who believes she has super powers and just might. When not acting or producing, she is one half the duo UKE BOX HEROES with her husband, actor Christopher May. http://MiracleLaurie.com

MAUREEN DAVIS - gala host - is lead singer of the popular rockabilly band Maureen and the Mercury 5, who have successfully crossed over from retro rock to mainstream with SRO performances at the star-studded Ultimate Jam Nights produced by Chuck Wright of Quiet Riot. She is "the first female band leader in late night history" (The Star) on Second City's late night talk show AFTER DARK WITH JULIAN CLARK. Davis was in the original cast of the Tony-winning "Into the Woods" with Bernadette Peters, and has toured the world and played Carnegie Hall.  As a TV/film songwriter her music can be heard on CBS, NBC, ABC and the Oscar-winning film "The Descendants" with George Clooney.

ODEYA NINI is a vocalist and composer of contemporary and experimental music. Her work is an investigation of inner dialogue, polarization, cohabitation and the meaning of validity. As both a composer and soloist, her music acknowledges the arch from silence to noise and all its variant sonic exposures.
http://OdeyaNini.com

For more information, press and VIP passes or to schedule an interview, contact Julie Ann Keller at rhythmjulie@gmail.com or 559-287-6698.

Location:
WIZNU Studio
724 South Spring Street #703
Los Angeles, CA 90014
United States 

What to Do in LA This Week: Friday March 4th - Peter Kater & Tina Guo @The Grammy Museum

This coming Friday night, Mysterium Music presents 11x-Grammy Nominee Peter Kater and virtuoso cellist Tina Guo at The Grammy Museum's intimate Clive Davis Theater.  The pianist and cellist are celebrating their new album, Inner Passion, with a tour of Colorado and California. They will perform together and individually, highlighting popular selections from their respective catalogs.

In the video above, they met with no rehearsal and no score – just music and emotion, improvised and recorded live.  “Inner Passion” was released on February 26, 2016 by contemplative music pioneer Hearts of Space Records.  

In addition to being a multi-platinum selling recording artist, Peter Kater has scored the music for over 100 TV and Film productions including 11 On & Off-Broadway dramatic plays.   A humanitarian, environmentalist and leading innovator of contemporary instrumental music, Peter has toured the world and is a proud recipient of the Environment Leadership Award from the United Nations.  He was the recipient of the 2015 ZoneMusicReporter Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tina Guo is an internationally acclaimed virtuoso cellist, recording artist and composer known for her distinct sound and mastery in a wide range of genres in film, television and game scores.  She has been a featured soloist in many of the world’s great symphonies; as well as Cirque Du Soleil’s “Michael Jackson -The Immortal” World Tour; and dozens of block-buster Hollywood films including “Kung Fu Panda 3”, “Batman v Superman”, “Sherlock Holmes”, “Iron Man 2”, and “Clash of the Titans”.   Tina is touring Europe this summer with legendary Hollywood film composer, Hans Zimmer.

Remaining tour dates include:
March 4 - The Grammy Museum, Clive Davis Theater  - Los Angeles, CA
March 5 - Seaside Center for Spiritual Living - Encinitas, CA
March 6 - Unity of Santa Barbara - Santa Barbara, CA
March 12 – The Marin School – San Rafael, CA

Ticketing and Tour information is available here, where one can also get a free download from Inner Passion.

One can buy the album for $10 digitally, or $15.95 for physical copy...autographed copies available while supplies last.

Mysterium Music is a new music resource favored by 1000s of healing practitioners and their clients, Explore their growing catalog at www.MysteriumMusic.com.

Hearts of Space, launched in 1984, was created as an extension of the weekly syndicated radio show Hearts of Space. Centered around contemplative music, the label features music from the ambient, new age, electronic, world, Celtic, classical, and experimental genres.

Full TixLink: http://events.brightstarevents.net/featured/peter-kater-tina-guo-album-release-tour?_ga=1.240198467.1527448430.1453215860  

LOVE Essentials - The Luxurious Artisanal GIFT SET for VALENTINE'S DAY 2016

MYSTERIUM MUSIC and PETER KATER 

EMBRACING THE LOVE

Just in time for Valentine's Day, the celebrated Grammy-nominated New Age album LOVE, by Peter Kater, is finding new fans and myriad promotional extensions in Whole Foods, via MommyBloggers, and in specialty retail stores.  Currently, one's best bet is to order the entire gift set (under $50) via this link!

LOVE Essentials Gift Set - CD, Candle, Essential Oil, ChocoLOVE bar.

The hottest new gift shop in Gettysburg, PA is Zen & Now!  They featured LOVE Essentials and a chocoLOVE tasting on Gettysburg's recent First Friday event, and Mysterium Music founder Trish Bowden was on hand to talk about the gourmet, organic and healing products included to enhance the music.

LOVE Essentials at Zen & Now, Gettysburg PA

The tasty candy bar was custom created by Peter with the organic chocolate company, ChocoLOVE...it offers hazlenuts, toffee, salt and dark chocolate. It has already sold through at Whole Foods, so now it is only available via the Gift Set.

The ChocoLOVE display at WHOLE FOODS.

And to think...it all started with a song, a man, and some improvisations. This, Peter Kater's first solo piano album in over a decade, has already won SoloPiano.com's Album of the Year 2015, and is nominated for a GRAMMY Award; the artist will be in attendance for the awards on February 15th, and making various appearances throughtout Grammy Week.

The LOVE Essentials gift set Love contains and autographed copy!

The label behind this album, Mysterium Music, wholeheartedly champions and supports Peter's vision, and believes in the healing power of his music. Together, they've release FOUR Grammy-nominated albums with very different sounds and themes on each: Light Body, Ritual, Illumination, and LOVE.  

How does one artist create so prolifically? Peter shares his thoughts in this behind the scenes video, "My Life is My Practice."

Family product reviewers are loving the Gift Set, too!!! You can read an independent review of the gift set on New Age Mama and enter to win a free CD!  Airplanes and Dragonflies is also offering a special gift to their audience.

Wishing you a loving and memorable Valentine's Day! Please SHARE the LOVE via our blog link so that more folks - especially your beloved - can find this beautiful, artisanal, gourmet and non-mainstream gift set!  

This post card comes with the set, and explains the goodies within!

Click to Order TODAY, and save on shipping & handling.

Wishing you lots of love this Valentine's Day!

!! MEDIA ALERT !!

2016 HavServe Gala Celebrates Global Volunteerism Efforts in Haiti, Launches New Solar Tech Initiative

Saturday, January 16, 2016 – Silver Spring, MD - The HavServe Volunteer Service Network (HavServe) will gather once again on January 16, 2016 from 6-11 pm in Silver Spring, MD to introduce innovative new programs while also celebrating their local and multi-national volunteers, donors, supporters and sponsors who make HavServe’s work in the rural villages of Haiti possible throughout the year. The event will be at the Silver Spring Civic Bldg. at Veterans Plaza, 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

Approximately 300 attendees are expected for this event -- the 2016 Annual Fundraising and Volunteer Recognition Gala: Unleashing the Spirit of Volunteering in Haiti to Reach One Child at a Time – representing the broad range of individuals supporting HavServe’s pioneering work, from international dignitaries to business leaders, teachers, environmentalists, athletes, musicians and volunteers.  

Highlights of the gala will include the launch of a new solar technology partnership, and the introduction of a new HavServe Board of Directors, including Ambassador Bocchit Edmond, Representative of Haiti to the Organization of American States (OAS), joining HavServe as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors.  Attendees will see how the organization’s solar lamp collaboration with Efficienados Solutions, LLC will light up the homes and lives of school children so that they can do homework at night in their rural villages where there is no electricity. 

Gala guests will enjoy fine Haitian food by Chez Yiamme Cuisine, entertainment by renowned Haitian singer/actor/director Jean-Claude Eugene, and a performance by Liliana Robeson and the Etnika Foundation, followed by dancing to Haitian compass music.  Attendees who purchase tickets will have the chance to win 2 free airline tickets to Panama or Columbia, graciously donated by COPA Airlines. (www.copaair.com)

The 100% volunteer-run, not-for-profit organization, HavServe was established in the wake of the despair and displacement left by Haiti’s January 2010 earthquake and works in rural Haiti to restore a sense of hope and possibility in the lives of children and youth by creating conditions that increase their access to a quality primary education.

Tickets for this fun-filled event are now available only at the door. For location details, volunteer information, or to donate to supporting the continuation of HavServe’s work, go to https://havserveannualgala2016.eventbrite.com

Visit www.havserve.org to learn more about particular projects, to donate, or to volunteer. For more information, contact us via  info@havserve.org or HavServe - PO Box 4173, Silver Spring, MD 20914.

Media interested in covering the event may contact Beth Hilton, the B Company, at  bethhilton(at)theBcompany(dot)com. Press release and event images will be made available following the Gala.

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