Live Review of Vanessa Collier in Durham, NCThe Blue Note Grill  Durham, NCContact: nick.losseaton@gmail.comWeb: vanessacollier.comPlayers: Vanessa Collier, vocals, sax, guitar; Ben Rice, guitar; Justice Guevara, bassMaterial: Blues, blues, and more blues was Vanessa Collier’s calling card this evening. With her perfectly stylized sax playing, she opened a can of whoop-ass and kicked it effortlessly off the stage, and in the process gave a nod to her Texas roots: Ben Webster, Charlie Parker, Pamela Hart and she seems to have jumped into Joyce Spenser’s skin a little bit. Playing all original material, she had no trouble moving through her new record, which she touted with thoughtful and memorable narratives. She introduced each one to this adoring crowd: “Sweating Like a Pig, Singin’ Like an Angel” was a crowd favorite, as was “Wild as a Rainstorm,” both climaxing into blues oblivion driven by her melodic and punchy sax. Ben Rice on guitar provided tasteful, in the pocket fills that left room for her soaring vocals and complemented the smoldering, low-to-the-ground groove.Musicianship: If you were looking for flashy, over-the-top blues-Magoo nonsense, there’s no place for it on this stage, on such a rare and enchanting evening. Collier’s ensemble was a study in near-perfect musicianship, effortless  playing and, with grace and occasional homage to that distant animal Roberticus Johnsonasaurus Rex, she brought the goods, had the near capacity crowd on their feet and hyper-groovin’ to her well-executed original material.  Her rhythm section was as tight as a drum, and sounding shiny and new, like they had been together for decades, without the cobwebs. Standout lower-register magic-man Justice Guevara and his knee-level slung bass (in the style of Dee Dee Ramone and Dusty Rhodes) gave a visual clue, that no matter where we are in the musical spectrum, we owe so much to the blues, a sound style that scratched out its existence over the eons to emerge as this uniquely American music.Performance: This was as sophisticated a performance as it gets. This quartet—with Collier out front calling the show—was a slow-burn study in how to pace a performance, work an audience into a near frenzy and deliver a set of original material that was engaging as much as it was breathtakingly professional. The sound was excellent, very well mixed, there was little if any downtime between songs and the whole experience flowed like Crown Royal poured over #2 sandpaper: smooth with a little bit of grit!Summary: Every now and then, a Texas sax player steps out enough to make her own mark, blaze her own trail and build an impressive resume in a relatively short space of time. Vanessa Collier is an artist who will be with us for a long time since her talent and writing seem to have no bounds and the sky’s the limit for this remarkable cyclone of sound, sax and song.The post Live Review of Vanessa Collier in Durham, NC first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Last Week in DIY and Independent Musician NewsLast week, our tips and advice for the independent, do-it-yourselfers out there covered SoundCloud AI, how to find the right booking agent for you or do it yourself, how to spot. Continue reading
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Music Industry News Last WeekIt was a busy week by any definition, and the music industry news was no exception with new Live Nation lawsuits, a closer look at fair use in AI, and. Continue reading
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Top 25 New Music Critiques 2024Music Connection offers a variety of ways for unsigned artists to receive recognition for creating exceptional music. Each month, for example, our New Music Critiques area spotlights the recordings of a dozen unsigned recording artists. The cream of the 2024 crop is here on the pages before you. 25 remarkable recording artists, plus 20 Top Prospects who are too good to be overlooked. Unsigned recording artists of all genres are welcomed to sign up for a free critique at musicconnection.com/reviews/new-music-critiques.WRENE . . . 8.6Web: wrene.bandcamp.comStyle: Avant-popPARIS PALOMA . . . 8.4Web: parispaloma.co.ukStyle: Folk-popVENDELA . . . 8.4Web: YouTubeStyle: Alt-popVELVET HALO . . . 8.4Web: velvethalomusic.comStyle: Soft popFERAS ARRABI . . . 8.3Web: ferasarrabi.comStyle: Progressive rockNATALIE JEAN . . . 8.2Web: natalie-jean.comStyle: Country-popSIESKI . . . 8.2Web: sieski.comStyle: PopTHE REQUISITE . . . 8.2Web: SpotifyStyle: Pop-punkNO LOVES . . . 8.2Web: noloves.comStyle: PunkX . . . 8.2Web: instagram.com/theofficialxStyle: R&BORAYVIA . . . 8.2Web: SpotifyStyle: R&BJOSÉ JAMES . . . 8.2Web: SoundcloudStyle: R&BJOHNNY STANEC . . . 8.2Web: johnnystanec.comStyle: AmericanaFIIZ . . . 8.2Web: linktr.ee/fiizmusic Style: ElectropopGORDON GOODWIN’S BIG PHAT BAND . . . 8.2Web: bigphatband.comStyle: JazzMAGALI, A CULT . . . 8.2Web: SpotifyStyle: ElectropopRGB . . . 8.2Web: listentorgb.comStyle: PopCASII STEPHAN . . . 8Web: casiistephan.comStyle: Soul-rockKATELYN TARVER . . . 8Web: katelyntarver.comStyle: Singer-songwriterCAITLIN MAHONEY . . . 8Web: caitlinmahoney.comStyle: Indie-popLUCIE TIGER . . . 8Web: SpotifyStyle: CountryHER LEATHER JACKET . . . 8Web: herleatherjacket.comStyle: Pop-punkMIKKI . . . 8Web: SpotifyStyle: AlternativeDOWNTOWN MYSTIC . . . 8Web: downtownmystic.netStyle: Rock ’n’ rollBRENDA RUSSELL . . . 8Web: brendarussellofficial.comStyle: R&BThe post Top 25 New Music Critiques 2024 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

From Amazon Music’s audiobook bundle to WMG’s subscription streaming growth… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe biggest stories from the past week – all in one place…
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Venue Booking Contacts made easy with Booking-Agent.ioNew platform Booking-Agent.io solves two mjor problem for artists and managers trying to book a tour: what are the right places to play and how do I contact the person booking it.
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Live Music Society grants to small venues top $1M in 2024The Live Music Society, a non-profit that helps small U.S. music venues, has awarded 34 new Toolbox grants. This year’s Live Music Society grants are the largest in the organizations history.. Continue reading
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Johnny Marr talks artist development and the record industry’s future as he partners with Epidemic SoundJohnny Marr tells MBW about his new artist development partnership with Epidemic Sound
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Community Record Labels offer musicians an alternativeAs independent music stakes a larger and larger claim in the industry, smaller DIY record labels, known as "community labels," are providing the personal touch.
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Gifts Under a Grand 2024Boss Katana Artist Gen 3 1 x 12-inch 100-watt Combo AmplifierThe BOSS Katana Artist Gen 3 leads the charge of BOSS’s revamped line of Katana amplifiers, taking the series to fresh new sonic heights complete with the company’s evolved Tube Logic technology. This 100-watt, 12-inch combo amplifier is equipped with a sweeping sonic arsenal of six amplifier voices (including a new Pushed voice), six voice variations, and the Gen 3 addition of a Bloom switch to sharpen up your sound. boss.info $599.99 Fender Player II Stratocaster HSS Electric GuitarThe Player II Stratocaster HSS is a stage-ready guitar with contemporary updates to power your performance and inspire your playing. Features include a contoured alder, chambered ash or chambered mahogany Body, modern "C" neck profile, and 9.5“-radius maple or rosewood fingerboard with rolled edges. fender.com$929Roland JUNO-D6 61-key SynthesizerFeature-packed and ready to rock, Roland’s next-generation JUNO-D is a sleek synthesizer that’s ideal for working keyboardists who need instant access to a vast library of professional-grade sounds in a lightweight, budget-friendly instrument. Powered by Roland’s flagship-class ZEN-Core engine, JUNO-D provides a massive arsenal of sounds for instant deployment—plus the expansion opportunities of Sound Packs and Wave Expansions on Roland Cloud. roland.com$899.99Joe Bonamassa 1955 Les Paul Standard Copper IridescentThe Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1955 Les Paul Standard was inspired by one of Joe’s rarer finds: a 1955 Les Paul Standard he nicknamed “The Brown Thing.” The original axe is a prime mid-’50s specimen, boasting typical Les Paul Standard specs, including P-90 pickups and a custom iridescent finish. epiphone.com$849Radial Nuance Select Studio Monitor ControllerThe Nuance Select is Radial’s flagship studio monitor controller, offering a sleek and ergonomic design with extremely low distortion for complete transparency. The result is a pristine signal path for seamless switching between two audio sources and two sets of powered speakers. radialeng.com$699.99Walrus Audio Mako MKII ACS1 Amp and Cab Simulator PedalEquipped with true-to-life amp models, pro-designed cab IRs, and truckloads of performance-ready features, the Walrus Audio Mako MKII ACS1 packs a full-fledged guitar rig into a compact, easy-to-use a stompbox. The MKII ACS1 contains Fender-style cleans, Marshall-flavored crunch, and Vox-flavored chime, plus three additional high-gain models, putting a total of six fan-favorite sonic options at your feet.  walrusaudio.com$449.99Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 4th Gen USB Audio InterfaceThe fourth-generation Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 offers a significant upgrade over previous generations, boasting updated mic preamps, RedNet-derived AD/DA conversion, Auto Gain and Clip Safe features, a Dynamic Metering display, and more. This 18-in/20-out USB-C audio interface includes guitar-friendly hi-Z inputs, a custom-designed headphone amp, loopback, Focusrite's acclaimed Air Mode, and enough outputs to accommodate two sets of studio monitors or your favorite piece of outboard gear. focusrite.com$649.99Fender Player II Jazz Bass Fenders Player II Jazz Bass radiates timeless Fender charm, but under the hood, it's primed for today's players. Everything about the neck is designed for fast and fluid playability, from the Modern “C”-profile with silky satin urethane finish on the back to the comfy 9.5”-radius slab rosewood or maple fingerboard with smooth rolled edges and 20 medium jumbo frets. A classic alder body is available in both timeless Fender finishes and never-before-seen colors unearthed from the archives. Player Series Alnico V Single-Coil J bass® pickups offer sweet highs, growling mids and seismic lows that elevate any genre. fender.com$799.99JBL IRX OneBoasting legendary JBL fidelity and performance, IRX ONE utilizes concert line array-inspired directivity control, resulting in a custom-tuned, C-shaped array. Featuring six 2” high-frequency drivers, the array delivers rich clarity, a wide sweet spot and seamless front-to-back coverage. The advanced 8” woofer features a bass-reflex design that ensures low-frequency response down to 40 Hz. jbl.com$699Alesis Nitro Max Mesh Electronic Drum SetNitro Max raises the bar for both beginner and more advanced drummers, delivering an authentic playing experience with ultra-quiet Alesis mesh drum heads, all in a compact design. Featuring 32 different kits from the renowned BFD drum sample library, Nitro Max offers seamless play along with music streaming services via Bluetooth, a host of built-in learning features, and three months of Drumeo for unlimited lessons.  alesis.com$399AEA R92 Ribbon MicrophoneOffering a classic ribbon character in the form of a near-field, the dual-tone R92 functions as a versatile creative tool with innumerable possibilities. Similar in sound to the AEA R84, but with a more pronounced midrange and minimized proximity effect, the R92 performs brilliantly when up close to brass, guitar amps, kick drum, and percussion. aearibbonmics.com$989Universal Audio Enigmatic '82 Overdrive Special Amplifier PedalBuilt on powerful dual engine processing and world-class UAD modeling, Enigmatic ‘82 Overdrive Special Amp gives guitarists the mythical "D style" tube tones made famous by John Mayer, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, Joe Bonamassa, and Carlos Santana. uaudio.com$399Audigo Wireless mic and iOS appAudigo is the first of its kind integrated solution—a high quality midside smart microphone, an audio+video iPhone app, and bundled cloud services that create a streamlined mobile multitrack recording solution that works anywhere your creativity strikes—not to mention can effortlessly increase the overall audio quality of iPhone videos. audigolabs.com$449Arturia KeyLab 61 mk3 61-key Keyboard ControllerArturia’s KeyLab mk3 is an advanced MIDI controller designed to meet the demands of professional use and integrate seamlessly with software and hardware instruments. With a pro-grade semi-weighted keybed, touch-sensitive controls and innovative creative features encased in a durable, high-quality construction, discover a keyboard built without compromise that musicians can rely on at every turn. arturia.com$549The post Gifts Under a Grand 2024 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Believe unveils new leadership structure in MENA regionLiliana Abudalo appointed Head of Label & Artist Solutions, MENA and Celine Hitti named Head of Artist Services, MENA
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Warner’s ADA appoints Rasti Sryantoro to head up Indonesia, Arisa Maruekatat to lead Thailand, inks deals with DPM, GMM Music“Expanding our operations in Indonesia and Thailand is a crucial step in our strategy to empower artists and elevate their music on the world stage"
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Bandsintown’s Fabrice Sergent joins NIVA Advisory BoardBandsintown's Fabrice Sergent joins the NIVA Advisory Board expanding on the collaboration that launched the innovative Live Independent certification and marketing initiative earlier this year.
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Music Streaming Fraud Guide For ArtistsMusic streaming fraud is a growing issue that can derail a career. Learn how to recognize, prevent, and protect from fraudulent practices with this music streaming fraud guide for artists.. Continue reading
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2024 Music Trends: Deezer shares data ahead of Spotify WrappedDeezer unveils 2024 music trends, top artists, songs and albums of the year with the release of My Deezer Year. Explore the data shaping the future of music.
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