JOHN MAYALL For the British blues master, music proves the fountain of youth By Jeff Tamarkin A towering figure among the progenitors of British blues, John Mayall’s dedication to his craft remains as strong as when he first discovered the music. Now 80, the blues pioneer still relishes the road—playing more than 100 gigs a year—and the recording studio. In fact, Mayall’s latest record, A Special Life, finds him as excited as ever—and that’s... 

ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO African music’s premier diva celebrates the power of women Afropop star Angélique Kidjo has been a force in African music for more than two decades. With her new album, Eve, she narrows her focus to capture the sounds and spirit of African women. Produced by Patrick Dillett (David Byrne, Fatboy Slim), Eve is a sunny, pulsing celebration of the resilience of the feminine spirit, sung in various West African languages by women’s... 

JENNY LEWIS Taking her time pays off for the Rilo Kiley singer on a new solo set  After taking three years to write, record and re-record her third solo album, The Voyager, Jenny Lewis cut the final version in a week and a half with producer Ryan Adams at his Pax-Am Studio in L.A. “Once we started rolling, we just ran through all the songs,” she says. While working on the album, the former Rilo Kiley frontwoman—and half of Jenny and Johnny—stayed... 

JASON MRAZ                   Enjoying the creative freedom that comes with multiplatinum success   “I’m still riding on the success of ‘I’m Yours,’” Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jason Mraz admits as he winds through the streets of Tokyo. He’s on his way to the airport after promoting his fifth studio album, YES!, in Japan. “Thanks to that song, my bills are paid, I get to travel the world—and now I’m able to make... 

COUNTING CROWS Frontman Adam Duritz phoned in the inspiration for their latest album In the years following 2008’s Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, Counting Crows toured, released a couple of live records, and paid tribute to their heroes with a covers album. One thing they didn’t do: make a lick of new music. Frontman Adam Duritz took a break from penning Crows material to collaborate with writer Stephen Belber on the play Black Sun. Meantime,... 

LIV WARFIELD HOMETOWN: Peoria, Ill. INFLUENCES: Nina Simone, Etta James, Tina Turner ALBUM: The Unexpected, out now WEBSITE: livwarfieldmusic.com The daughter of a Pentecostal deacon, LiV Warfield grew up in a household where musical entertainment was discouraged, so she set her sights on a different path—as a sprinter. “I kept my voice a secret for more than 20 years,” she says. “Athletics were my primary discipline and the encouraged formula... 

GRACE WEBER HOMETOWN: Wauwatosa, Wisc. INFLUENCES: Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan ALBUM: The Refinery, due October 2014 WEBSITE: graceweber.com Growing up in the Milwaukee suburbs, young Grace Weber drew musical inspiration from a somewhat unlikely source. “When I was 12, I joined a gospel choir in the inner city and discovered this amazing soul scene,” she says. In 2006, Weber earned the prestigious Presidential Scholar in the... 

SEVYN STREETER HOMETOWN: Haines City, Fla. INFLUENCES: Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Yolanda Adams ALBUM: Album due out 2014 WEBSITE: sevynstreeter.com Sevyn Streeter believes the art of live singing is therapeutic for the performer and audience. “Music is emotional. Your job is to make people feel something,” she says. “The best way to do that is to sing and speak to something they’ve personally been through.” Streeter first achieved... 

NATHAN EAST With his first solo album, the renowned bassist shortens his bucket list By Jeff Tamarkin For more than four decades, Nathan East has contributed dynamic and innovative basslines to recordings and live performances by a vast array of artists, including Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and duo Daft Punk, whose Grammy-winning platinum album Random Access Memories features East on 10 tracks, including the smash “Get... 

AIMEE MANN & TED LEO                        Creative chemistry turns songwriting buddies into new duo the Both   She’s a Grammy- and Academy Award-nominated songwriter; he’s a socially conscious punk-rocker. Together, Aimee Mann and Ted Leo turned a friendship honed online into a new project they’re calling the Both. What began as an onstage collaboration grew into plans for an EP, which then expanded into a self-titled album... 

RODNEY CROWELL For the veteran songwriter, patience is the key to creative success   In 2010, Rodney Crowell began the album that would become Tarpaper Sky, recording half a dozen songs before getting sidetracked with other projects: Kin, a collection of songs he wrote with memoirist Mary Karr, and last year’s Grammy-winning Old Yellow Moon, a collaboration with longtime friend Emmylou Harris. “Those beautiful women got my mind off my work,”... 

CONOR OBERST  The Bright Eyes frontman releases a new solo album More than a decade ago, Omaha native Conor Oberst—as Bright Eyes—ignited the neo-folk movement and put Nebraska indie label Saddle Creek on the map. Since then the singer-songwriter has recorded as part of a number of different groups, including Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band. But for his latest, his Nonesuch Records debut Upside Down Mountain, Oberst goes it alone. The... 

JACK BRUCE The legendary bass ace returns with his first solo album in a decade Jack Bruce cemented his legacy when he composed one of rock’s most enduring riffs—the signature bassline of “Sunshine of Your Love.” But his many contributions to the 1960s supergroup Cream—which he formed with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker—comprise but a fragment of a career that’s veered from jazz to metal to R&B. In the years since Cream broke up,... 

MINDI ABAIR A diverse group of collaborators showcases this sax star’s versatility The last few years have been quite a ride for Mindi Abair. She was the featured saxophonist on American Idol in 2011 and 2012. She toured with Aerosmith the same year, and hit the road with E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg—including one night when the Boss himself sat in. She also contributed to Dave Koz’s Summer Horns in 2013 with fellow ace saxophonists Koz,... 

KELLY WILLIS & BRUCE ROBISON When this roots-country couple combines talents, the result is magic It took singer-songwriters Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison nearly 20 years of marriage before they collaborated on a duets album, 2013’s stunning Cheater’s Game. “I always felt we were trying to be protective of our marriage,” says Robison. “We finally agreed that if we were going to work together, we were going to do it the right way. We... 

SINÉAD O’CONNOR The iconoclastic singer reveals her love of the blues on her 10th album Sinéad O’Connor’s new album, I’m Not Bossy, I’m the Boss, is something of a milestone. “I see it that way in terms of being a songwriter,” she says. “In the last few years, I’ve studied and immersed myself in the blues—not the unhappy kind of blues, but the Chicago funky style of blues. Because of that, I feel I’ve advanced and broadened... 

WIZ KHALIFA The laid-back rapper lets the good times roll on another smoking party set Among the artists originally slated to guest on Wiz Khalifa’s fifth album, Blacc Hollywood, was Miley Cyrus. The controversial pop star’s presence probably wouldn’t have hurt sales, but if Wiz is bummed or angry about her track getting cut, he doesn’t show it. This will surprise no one acquainted with the rapper’s work. Born in North Dakota, raised in... 

THE JOHN BUTLER TRIO   An Australian favorite shrugs off labels and limits For more than 15 years, Australian roots-rockers the John Butler Trio have consistently reinvented their blend of acoustic folk and alternative rock. Defying definition has allowed the band to sidestep preconceived notions and stay sonically adventurous. “You don’t want to be limited to a certain type of music,” says frontman and guitarist John Butler. “You want to... 

ROXANNA HOMETOWN: Tehran, Iran INFLUENCES: Julio Iglesias, Olivia Newton-John, Michael Jackson ALBUM: Exotica, out now WEBSITE: roxannamusic.com A native of Tehran, Roxanna has fond memories of a childhood spent listening to her idol, Olivia Newton-John. When her family immigrated to Istanbul, Turkey, during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, she expanded her horizons. “It opened my heart so much more,” she says. “I was able to catch up with the... 

MALINA MOYE HOMETOWN: Cleveland, Ohio INFLUENCES: Prince, Sly and the Family Stone, Funkadelic ALBUM: Rock & Roll Baby, due out in October WEBSITE: malinamoye.com Malina Moye boasts an impressive musical pedigree: Her father was a session bassist and her mother sang backing vocals for Tina Turner. Following in their footsteps, Moye began playing guitar at 9, and fronted the family R&B group Les Moye Ice as a teenager. With a distinctive upside-down... 

CHELSEA BAIN HOMETOWN: Phoenix, Ariz. influences: Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, George Strait ALBUM: All American Country Girl EP, out now WEBSITE: chelseabainmusic.com Chelsea Bain grew up riding horses—a pastime that became serious. A testament to her prowess, she won a dozen national and world championship titles from the American Paint Horse Association. “I’m always up for a good challenge,” she says. “Growing up in that environment made... 

Continued Reading: Joseph Llanes – photography – page 26 – https://mmusicmag.com/m/2015/07/lasting-impressions/ Brian Friedman – photography – Page 28 – https://mmusicmag.com/m/2015/07/freeze-frame/ Chris Baldwin – photography – Page 30 – https://mmusicmag.com/m/2015/07/unflinching-focus/ Buddy Guy – 3-pg Musician – Page 42 https://mmusicmag.com/m/2013/10/buddy-guy-2/ Gregg Allman – 3-pg Musician – Page 44 https://mmusicmag.com/m/2011/08/gregg-allman/ Branford... 

LASTING IMPRESSIONS Photographer Joseph Llanes deftly captures essence, spirit and beauty Art and music figured prominently as factors that propelled Joseph Llanes toward a career in photography. Relocating from Mexico to the U.S. at 12, Llanes was fascinated by the images on album covers owned by his older stepbrothers. After graduating from college, the L.A.-based lensman went on to work with a myriad of entertainers from Coldplay, Lenny Kravitz... 

FREEZE FRAME Photographer Brian Friedman captures onstage moments in a snap Love of music figured prominently in Brian Friedman’s evolution as a photographer. A drummer since age 6, the Long Island-based lensman converted a teen hobby shooting local concerts into a lauded professional career. Vibrant and distinctive, Friedman’s work has ranged from photographing Michelle and Barack Obama to shooting unforgettable performance images (like the... 

UNFLINCHING FOCUS Photographer Chris Baldwin captures lasting impressions of grit and grace Chris Baldwin was smitten the moment he got his first camera at 15, and immediately began relentlessly documenting his love of nature. Following college, he worked as a field biologist before returning to his first love. Based in L.A., Baldwin has established a reputation for capturing striking images in the world of sports, lifestyle and music (like the above... 

John Legend remembers vividly the day that he and Roots drummer and bandleader Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson first met 10 years ago. Legend, then an aspiring singer, songwriter and keyboardist attending the University of Pennsylvania in the Roots’ hometown of Philadelphia, had been drawn to the buzzed-about series of public jam sessions the hip-hop group had been putting on at the Five Spot nightclub on Bank Street. “They were the heart of the... 

HEARING RED Taylor Swift turns up the emotional heat on her latest smash album By Russell Hall t’s midafternoon, and word has been circulating throughout the day that Taylor Swift is set to star as Joni Mitchell in a forthcoming biopic—but nothing’s confirmed. “If you see paparazzi shots of me shooting a movie,” Taylor says, “then you’ll know I’ve signed on to do it.” In any case, it’s quite likely the 22-year-old Swift will sooner... 

LINDA PERRY Blending the tried-and-true and the unorthodox is her hit-making secret By Michael Gallant “If you want to make music that’s safe, something that’s been done before, I’m not that person,” says Linda Perry. “If you want to go edgier, get heavier and dig deeper, I’m your guy.” After gaining recognition as the charismatic lead singer and chief songwriter for ’90s rock band 4 Non Blondes, Perry has built a singular hit-making... 

BUTCH VIG The pioneering platinum producer continues to explore new sonic landscapes By Michael Gallant When Butch Vig helped create Nirvana’s 1991 masterpiece Nevermind, little did he know the project would fundamentally transform the rock world. Though the Grammy-winning, multiplatinum producer had been toiling behind the glass for nearly a decade, that iconic album marked the beginning of a singular career. Following Nevermind, Vig helmed groundbreaking... 

Imagine Dragons finds success takes some getting used to   Sudden fame can be a double-edged sword. Just ask Imagine Dragons’ frontman Dan Reynolds. “It sounds cliché,” he says, “but I never got into rock ’n’ roll for fame or drugs or girls. For me, rock ’n’ roll was about people doing what they wanted to do and saying what they wanted to say. I’m hardly a typical rock star. I have a wife and a 2-year-old daughter, and I love... 

Music Industry Day at Summer NAMM in Nashville   The public is invited to attend Music Industry Day at Summer NAMM in Nashville, a chance to attend the normally exclusive, trade-only music event. Amateur and professional musicians, songwriters, and general music lovers are invited to try new musical products and instruments, attend workshops and sessions, and network with industry leaders. In addition, enjoy live music throughout the day with... 

Doug Strahm – Your Love From Doug Strahm’s debut album “Everything Has Changed” this story is about the love between a father and son that overcomes life’s obstacles and finding the strength in love.  Read More →

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE – HONEY PIE Exclusive track premiere from Jonathan Tyler new album HOLY SMOKES – They have toured with everyone from Grace Potter, AC/DC and ZZ top, to Kid Rock, JJ Grey and Robert Randolph.  Jonathan is currently out on tour all Summer with Butch Walker. – Their song “Devil’s Basement” was used as the theme song for Martin Scorsese Boardwalk Empire for the entire first season.  In... 

J’CHELLE HOMETOWN: Long Beach, Calif. INFLUENCES: Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder ALBUM: J’Chelle, TBA WEBSITE: jchelle.com J’Chelle was preparing to enter law school when her life took a dramatic turn—she auditioned for America’s Got Talent. While the singer-songwriter born J’Chelle Magbitang, only made it to the week three semifinals, she became a background vocalist on American Idol, supporting acts like Mary J. Blige, Chaka... 

Day 3 of The 10th Annual ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO The Writers Jam Brings Attendees To Their Feet as Aloe Blacc, Andrea Martin, Andrew Bird, and Ashley Gorley Close HOLLYWOOD – MAY 2: From left, Andrea Martin, ASCAP VP Pop/Rock Membership Marc Emert-Hutner, Andrew Bird, Aloe Blacc, and Ashley Gorley at The Writers Jam at the 2015 ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO at the Loews Hollywood Hotel on May 2, 2015 in Hollywood,... 

Day 2 of The 10th Annual ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO Bill Withers, Aloe Blacc, Desmond Child, Mali Music, Darrell Brown, Victoria Monet, & Kirby Lauryen Highlight HOLLYWOOD – MAY 1: Bill Withers speaks at Who He Is (and What is He to You): “I Create Music” Interview with Bill Withers at the 2015 ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO at the Loews Hollywood Hotel on May 1, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Tonya... 

Day 1 of The 10th Annual ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO Paul Williams, Ingrid Michaelson, Valerie Simpson, Richard Marx, Kevin Cronin, Toby Gad, Hanson, Goapele, Santigold, Chris Taylor (Grizzly Bear) Top The Bill At Day 1 of The 10th Annual ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO HOLLYWOOD – APRIL 30: From left, Valerie Simpson, Kevin Cronin, Mike Reid, Isaac Hanson, Zac Hanson, and Taylor Hanson at the “I Create Music”... 

JOEL RAFAEL “Old Portland Town” Critically acclaimed, California songwriter and seminal folk artist Joel Rafael releases his ninth album today, Baladista, on Inside Recordings. Inside Recordings, a label created by Jackson Browne and his management team, is distributed worldwide by Alternative Distribution Alliance. “Joel Rafael’s songs are filled with passion and compassion,” says Jackson Browne. “Passion for social justice, and compassion... 

New Toontrack release: Classic Soul EZkeys MIDI Today Toontrack announced the release of a new title for their widely popular line of piano MIDI for EZkeys: Classic Soul EZkeys MIDI. By fusing gospel, blues and jazz with an aura of change and positivity, soul music dominated the charts of the late 1950’s and ’60s. More than sixty years later, some of the timeless anthems of this classic era are covered, interpreted and still play a central part... 

EZdrummer 2 has its first birthday – Extensive deals on EZX sound libraries, free EZkeys MIDI title with EZkeys Sound Expansions On May 6 2015, the second generation of Toontrack’s groundbreaking drum production tool, EZdrummer 2, has its first birthday. To celebrate this event, Toontrack is offering 40% off on EZX sound expansions all through the month. In addition, existing owners of Toontrack’s EZkeys get a free EZkeys MIDI title of their... 

Sweetwater Presents GearFest ’15 – June 12-13 Sweetwater, the number one online retailer of music instruments and audio equipment in the U.S., will present GearFest ’15, a celebration of musicians and the instruments and equipment they use to make and record music, on Friday, June 12 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, June 13 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Sweetwater campus, 5501 US Hwy 30 W, Fort Wayne, Indiana. GearFest is free and... 

Matthew Ryan http://www.matthewryanonline.com AMERICANA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014 http://americanamusic.org Photography by Jeff Fasano http://www.jefffasano.com  Read More →

Miss Tess http://www.misstessmusic.com AMERICANA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014 http://americanamusic.org Photography by Jeff Fasano http://www.jefffasano.com  Read More →

Moot Davis http://www.mootdavis.com AMERICANA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014 http://americanamusic.org   Photography by Jeff Fasano http://www.jefffasano.com  Read More →

Pete Molinari http://www.petemolinari.com AMERICANA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014 http://americanamusic.org Photography by Jeff Fasano http://www.jefffasano.com  Read More →

Phil Cody http://www.philipcody.com AMERICANA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014 http://americanamusic.org Photography by Jeff Fasano http://www.jefffasano.com  Read More →

Rhett Miller http://www.rhettmiller.com AMERICANA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014 http://americanamusic.org Photography by Jeff Fasano http://www.jefffasano.com  Read More →

Robbie Hecht http://robbyhecht.com AMERICANA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014 http://americanamusic.org Photography by Jeff Fasano http://www.jefffasano.com  Read More →

The Fairfield Four http://thefairfieldfour.com AMERICANA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014 http://americanamusic.org Photography by Jeff Fasano http://www.jefffasano.com  Read More →

The Grahams http://www.thegrahamsmusic.net AMERICANA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014 http://americanamusic.org Photography by Jeff Fasano http://www.jefffasano.com  Read More →