Greg Laswell returns to the Red Room for a February residency. Laswell's music has been described as densely lyrical, deeply melodic indie pop that refuses to settle into predictability. His songs have been featured in a number of television shows, including Grey's Anatomy (four placements last season alone, including an original song called "Off I Go" recorded specifically for the season finale), True Blood, The Hills, 90210, and Smallville. He's also had some success in the film arena, with songs in Confessions of a Shopaholic and My Sister’s Keeper.
Come join Adam and the Waxmen for a little soul, a little love, some peace, and a whole lotta sweaty, dirty, funky rock.
From playing toy guitar to the theme of "Dukes of Hazzard" at the age of two, to endlessly singing Beatles songs throughout his childhood, Mark Hopkins has been a musician since birth. His first instrument was the trumpet in fourth-grade band, but at age 12, he discovered true love: guitar. Within seven months he was playing Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" at a school talent show, and never looked back. Hopkins studied jazz guitar and composition in college, then continued his studies with Baltimore's own Carl Filipiak. Years later Hopkins continued that hunger studying guitar and songwriting at Berklee as a scholarship recipient. With influences as varied as Paul McCartney, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Buckley, and Wayne Krantz, Hopkins's abilities have grown throughout the years to reflect a love of diverse genres and an obvious ability with the guitar.
Considered one of the premier bluegrass fiddlers of his generation, Mike Cleveland performs with his group Flamekeeper.
Mike Cleveland—vocals, fiddle
Cleveland picked up a fiddle at age 4, and his talent was recognized early. In 1993 he made his Grand Ole Opry debut as a guest of Alison Krauss. His list of guest apperances over the years is a who's-who of bluegrass legends, including J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Doc Watson, and Mac Wiseman. After high school Cleveland toured with Dale Ann Bradley and Rhonda Vincent before going on to record several solo albums. Since 2001, he has won the International Bluegrass Music Association Fiddle Player of the Year Award seven times. Today Cleveland is a sought-after guest and an active studio musician. He lives in Charlestown, Indiana.
Tom Adams—vocals, guitar
First gaining national recognition more than 20 years ago as banjo player with the legendary Jimmy Martin, Adams was hailed as Earl Scruggs's heir apparent with his 1990 recording Right Hand Man. A three-time IBMA Banjo Performer of the Year, Adams has performed and recorded with some of bluegrass music's most influential artists, including Blue Highway, Rhonda Vincent, and Dale Ann Bradley. Recently Adams returned to performing on his first instrument, guitar. He lives with his family in Pennsylvania.
Jessie Baker—banjo
Baker taught himself the major chords at age 11 after receiving a ten-dollar pawn-shop guitar from his grandma. He soon gravitated to what is now his main instrument, the banjo. Although he is not yet out of his teens, Baker has played with a long list of artists, including Marty Raybon, Wildfire, and the Wildwood Valley Boys as well as his family band, the Baker Boys. Baler lives in Georgetown, Kentucky.
Jesse Brock—vocals, mandolin
2009 IBMA Mandolin Performer of the Year, Brock has spent a lifetime in bluegrass, starting with his family band at the age of nine. He was an integral part of Cleveland's two solo albums, and was his bandmate for three years in the Dale Ann Bradley Band. Brock is also a solo artist in his own right, with Kickin' Grass on Pinecastle Records. Brock lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Marshall Wilborn—vocals, bass
2009 IBMA Bass Performer of the Year, Wilborn has played with some of the great bluegrass bands, including Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys, the Johnson Mountain Boys, and the Lynn Morris Band. He is also a great singer and songwriter, with songs recorded by Alison Krauss, Doyle Lawson, and others. He is an experienced bass teacher, and produced a set of instruction videos for the Murphy Method. Marshall lives in Winchester, Virginia, with his wife Lynn Morris.
Ryan Cabrera burst into the music scene in 2004 with his hits "On the Way Down" and "True." Since then he has toured extensively and put out several other albums, most recently The Moon Under Water. Come hear the hits and some new material that Ryan is readying for his next release. Also appearing: Samantha Schultz
Barefoot Truth is a five-piece roots-rock band from Mystic, Connecticut. Their upbeat live show features didgeridoo, Weissenborn lap guitar, upright bass, lead harmonica, piano, and a drummer on lead vocals. Their songs are hook-heavy, and their youthful energy makes listeners believe that, yes, maybe each of us can indeed make a positive impact on one another and on our planet. In fact, the band says the concept behind their new album Threads is nothing less than "universal consciousness." They say: "As we emerge from the wreckage of unbridled greed in America, this album aims to inspire us to reset our value meters, and to celebrate life!" This pure, honest spirit is reflected in BFT's growing fan base. With more than 4.5 million spins on Pandora Radio, listeners of Barefoot Truth are building the kind of new media support that can spark mainstream success. A limited number of two-show ticket packages are available. Also appearing: The Sweet Remains.
Barefoot Truth is a five-piece roots-rock band from Mystic, Connecticut. Their upbeat live show features didgeridoo, Weissenborn lap guitar, upright bass, lead harmonica, piano, and a drummer on lead vocals. Their songs are hook-heavy, and their youthful energy makes listeners believe that, yes, maybe each of us can indeed make a positive impact on one another and on our planet. In fact, the band says the concept behind their new album Threads is nothing less than "universal consciousness." They say: "As we emerge from the wreckage of unbridled greed in America, this album aims to inspire us to reset our value meters, and to celebrate life!"
This pure, honest spirit is reflected in BFT's growing fan base. With over 4.5 million spins on Pandora Radio, listeners of Barefoot Truth are building the kind of new media support that can spark mainstream success.
A limited number of two-show ticket packages are available.
Also appearing: Naia Kete.
Steve Sinatra '03, a professional music alumnus, moved to Nashville in 2006 to pursue a full-time career as a studio and touring drummer. Since then he's shared the stage with many nationally recognized artists such as Pat Green, Richard Marx, Fisher Stevenson, Billy Gilman, and currently Little Big Town.
He will be joined by songwriting alumna Megan James as well as two members of the band King Billy: film scoring and performance alumnus Matt Utterback on bass and John Osborne on guitar. Together they will discuss studio work, the Nashville number system, gear, chops, and life after Berklee.
Sinatra grew up in Boca Raton, Florida where his family introduced him to music at the early age of five. As he worked his way through school, drums went from being a passion to being an obsession. He began playing in the local music scene at the age of 15, working for many talented musicians in the South Florida area. After high school, he attended Berklee for three years. When Sinatra is off the road, he divides his time between Nashville and Los Angeles recording demos and records for songwriters and artists such as Nashville Star runner-up Casey Rivers and George Ducas. For more information and music clips, check myspace.com/stevesinatramusic.
Bushwalla plays a unique blend of funk, rock, freestyle, and acoustic hip-hop with a soul deeply rooted in authenticity and optimism. His writing talents came to notice after he cowrote Jason Mraz's debut platinum album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, and sophomore release. Bushwalla's debut EP, Ghetto Blaster (produced by Spooner Oldham), has fans worldwide and is highly acclaimed in the Southern California media circuit. He released his full-length album Autodidactical Freestyle & Radical in 2008. Live, Bushwalla and his 1-2-3 Band experiment with an improvisational party atmosphere, captivating audiences week after week.
Like listening to old bluesmen on your iPod, Bronze Radio Return is about the juxtaposition of the old and the new. The band members share a love for old records and attribute their sound to music that came long before their childhoods, which they studied in college. The way they modernize this traditional American style of music makes them truly unique. Myspace Records brought Bronze Radio Return into their stable of "Friends and Family," the best unsigned bands on the popular portal.
Doug Derryberry (Bruce Hornsby, Ben Folds Five) produced their first EP. More recently, the northeastern band's collaboration with midwestern producer Chad Copelin brought them to a Southern studio. The resulting full-length, Old Time Speaker, has what it takes to please lovers of all kinds of rock 'n' roll.
Soulful, young, and energetic are three defining words for Boston-based, rock-infused, jam quintet Dear Havanah. With their melodic hooks and honest, uninhibited live shows, the band is making waves around the northeast. Dear Havanah will be teaming up with Soulive drummer Alan Evans to record their second album. Evans will be producing the new Dear Havanah album, to be released spring 2010, at Play on Brother Studios.
2009 proved to be a successful year for the band. With their Veggie Co. Records debut on iTunes, Dear Havanah has been touring clubs and college campuses from the Northeast to the Midwest, making new friends and fans at every stop. Dear Havanah is known for their candid, energetic live shows, which stem from the tight-knit friendships within the band. The group has been tirelessly promoting their album, Chasing Butterflies, while writing material for a new record. Visit dearhavanah.com for free downloads of Dear Havanahs live shows, and find out for yourself what audiences are buzzing about.
Elise Hayes likes to describe herself as a pop artist with an r&b/soul sensibility. With influences ranging from James Taylor to Gladys Knight, Elise effectively blends thoughtful songwriting with a soulful punch. She began her musical endeavors in the quaint New England town of Keene, NH. Now a city girl, Elise lives in Boston, MA, where she attended Berklee College of Music. There, she was given the opportunity to perform with and for several music industry giants, such as Barry Eastmond, Steve Winwood, Philip Bailey, Rosa Passos, Howard Shore, and many more. In 2008, she formed the neo-soul group Sutra, and they collectively performed all over New England and the Boston bar circuit (Harper's Ferry, Middle East Upstairs and Downstairs, Harp, Cask and Flagon, Bill's Bar, Church of Boston, Polcari's, Mt. Snow, Henesseys, and the Green Dragon). She was the recipient of an award for Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Performance in 2009.
Tom Howie is a talented 21-year-old singing songs that seem wise beyond his years. His honest lyrics and haunting voice are awakening a deep response in his fans, who are starting to flock to his shows on the East Coast. The young Canadian came to Boston when he was awarded a songwriting scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music. Now Tom is using Boston as home base for playing live shows as well as for his writing and recording projects.Tom recently released an EP called The Chester Sessions with fellow Berklee students. Over the summer he was invited to perform at a music festival in St Barths, and spent a week in the Caribbean playing music there. Back in Canada, he had a production deal with Ashwin Sood, husband to, and drummer for, acclaimed singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan, who appears on several of the tracks from the EP Song Is the Lifeblood. Tom then attracted the interest of some terrific labels, managers and agents and had some radio and TV appearances while playing gigs throughout Western Canada.
KidsJam is workshop which gives Berklee Music Education students, led by Professors Libby Allison and Charlene Ryan, an opportunity to practice their skills in a fun and energetic, performance-style setting. Each session will involve singing, moving, playing instruments, stories, listening, and creating or improvising music. Email kidsjam@berklee.edu for a reservation form.
David Choi is a native Los Angeles singer/songwriter/producer whose songs and tracks have been heard on NBC, VH1, MTV, E!, Travel Channel, PBS, and Food Network, as well as in national commercials overseas. On YouTube, he has more than 150,000 subscribers and more than 40,000,000 total video views.
Greg Laswell returns to the Red Room for a February residency. Laswell's music has been described as densely lyrical, deeply melodic indie pop that refuses to settle into predictability. His songs have been featured in a number of television shows, including Grey's Anatomy (four placements last season alone, including an original song called "Off I Go" recorded specifically for the season finale), True Blood, The Hills, 90210, and Smallville. He's also had some success in the film arena, with songs in Confessions of a Shopaholic and My Sister's Keeper.
David Ryan Harris is searching for the truth in music. He hopes that it is his devotion to the truth that connects him to an audience. Raised in Atlanta, he heard music, melodies, and stories in his head as a child. After experimenting with drums, piano, and other instruments in his teens, he began his love/hate affair with the guitar. David has worked with many great artists, including Dave Matthews, Santana, and Marc Broussard, and is getting ready to head out on tour with John Mayer's band.
Chris Ayer is a Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter who won the 2006 Lennon Award in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, folk category. His album Don't Go Back to Sleep was released in August 2009.
While he was still a full-time student, Jesse Ruben toured relentlessly across the Northeast, building a strong and dedicated following. Since graduating in May 2008, he has promoted Aiming for Honesty from coast to coast in both the United States and Canada. Combining influences from pop, rock, jazz, and folk, Ruben's straight-from-the-heart songs and hilarious storytelling make for an unforgettable live experience for his listeners.
Emma White is a singer/songwriter from Baltimore, Maryland. White has sung at both large and small venues, including the Baltimore Ravens M&T Bank Stadium, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and the Comcast Center at the University of Maryland. In 2008, she was invited to perform for BMI's pop/rock showcase in Atlanta, where one listener said, "Emma White's pop-savvy vocals and sugary groove ooze unabashed hope and undeniable promise."
Since singer/songwriter Brad Byrd rereleased his debut album The Ever Changing Picture in 2003 and his EP Release Me in 2007, a number of his songs have been featured on over 20 television shows, independent films, and national ad campaigns. The single "Never Came Back" topped the singer/songwriter charts on Artistdirect.com as the number 1 downloaded song, ahead of artists such as Jewel, Jason Mraz, and Damien Rice.
Songwriter and multimedia artist Ben Karis-Nix has fortified his reflections on life, love, and the natural world across many miles and media. This year Ben K-N is on the road once again, performing with new sounds-an ensemble of stringed instruments backed by beats, blips, and spacey synths-all emanating from an entourage of his musician pals and a heap of electronic beat-generating gizmos. His music has been featured on the CW show One Tree Hill, MTV'sRoad Rules and Real World, NPR's Weekend Edition, and MySpace Compilation Vol. 1. Over the course of his career Ben has toured or shared the stage with Elliott Smith, Hello Goodbye, Coheed and Cambria, the Roots, and They Might Be Giants.
Casey Sullivan has been writing music since her preteen years. She is now 18 years old and has played in many different venues around Boston, from living rooms to coffeehouses to nightclubs. Her indie folk style derives from many influences, such as Bob Dylan, Regina Spektor, and Conor Oberst. She is now finishing her first semester at Berklee and is working on her first full-length album.
Electro-pop performers Logan 5 and the Runners and LipTease co-headline this explosive evening of music, with special guest Brite Lite Brite.
With icy synths and strangled guitars, Boston's Logan 5 and the Runners are the sound of Britpop thrown into "a neurotic disarray, not from an elitist high, but from a deep-down scavenger low" (Boston Phoenix). Though named after cult '70s movie Logan's Run and inspired by cinema, the band eschews political sci-fi for French New Wave and Valley of the Dolls. Featurette (2009) was released to rave reviews. Members include frontman David Berndt, keyboardist/trumpeter Chris Barrett, bassist Mike DeLisle, drummer Marc Beaulieu, and guitarist Nick Balkin.
Liptease has grown from a concept to an independent work of art. The band has a vibe that is free and eclectic with no boundaries. With many influences, ranging from electronic to r&b to neo-pop, the band is rediscovering today's musical heritage.
Brite Lite Brite's debut album, Universe Universe, marks their move toward organic electronica and a preoccupation with life and our universe. Brite Lite Brite's career highlights include winning the grand prize, electronica category, in the 2007 John Lennon Songwriting contest. The band was chosen by MTV to open the 2008 Choose or Lose Tour, by Platform One Entertainment as part of their Spring 2009 Campus Music Invasion, and by Gap Stores to perform in August 2009 at the largest-ever simultaneous live acoustic music event.
KidsJam is workshop which gives Berklee Music Education students, led by Professors Libby Allison and Charlene Ryan, an opportunity to practice their skills in a fun and energetic, performance-style setting. Each session will involve singing, moving, playing instruments, stories, listening, and creating or improvising music. Email kidsjam@berklee.edu for a reservation form.
Ryanhood returns to The Red Room @ Cafe 939. Also appearing is Daphne Willis, who will be performing as an acoustic trio set.
KidsJam is workshop which gives Berklee Music Education students, led by Professors Libby Allison and Charlene Ryan, an opportunity to practice their skills in a fun and energetic, performance-style setting. Each session will involve singing, moving, playing instruments, stories, listening, and creating or improvising music. Email kidsjam@berklee.edu for a reservation form.
KidsJam is workshop which gives Berklee Music Education students, led by Professors Libby Allison and Charlene Ryan, an opportunity to practice their skills in a fun and energetic, performance-style setting. Each session will involve singing, moving, playing instruments, stories, listening, and creating or improvising music. Email kidsjam@berklee.edu for a reservation form.
KidsJam is workshop which gives Berklee Music Education students, led by Professors Libby Allison and Charlene Ryan, an opportunity to practice their skills in a fun and energetic, performance-style setting. Each session will involve singing, moving, playing instruments, stories, listening, and creating or improvising music. Email kidsjam@berklee.edu for a reservation form.
KidsJam is workshop which gives Berklee Music Education students, led by Professors Libby Allison and Charlene Ryan, an opportunity to practice their skills in a fun and energetic, performance-style setting. Each session will involve singing, moving, playing instruments, stories, listening, and creating or improvising music. Email kidsjam@berklee.edu for a reservation form.
KidsJam is workshop which gives Berklee Music Education students, led by Professors Libby Allison and Charlene Ryan, an opportunity to practice their skills in a fun and energetic, performance-style setting. Each session will involve singing, moving, playing instruments, stories, listening, and creating or improvising music. Email kidsjam@berklee.edu for a reservation form.
Berklee's the Red Room at Cafe 939 is pleased to announce the return of Matthew Perryman Jones. He has previously played the room with the Ten Out of Tenn tour. His latest album Swallow The Sea was released in August and several singles have been featured on Private Practice, Kyle XY, One Tree Hill, and other shows.
For additional details on Cafe 939 shows, visit the Berklee.edu events calendar.
Cafe 939 | 939 Boylston Street | Boston MA 02215 | © 2010 berklee college of music
