Show # 102 - Returning Friends

This week has been especially enjoyable for me because three of my favorite musical acts were in town for live performances. I had the chance to visit with Jamie McLean and his band as they started the first show of their current tour here in Charleston. Jamie is about ready to release his new CD and he and the band sound as great as ever.

A few days later I saw a double bill with The Fire Apes and Ruby James. Ruby is fresh from her CD release parties in both L.A. and Atlanta and was joined on stage once again by her guitarist/songwriting partner Rene Reyes. She featured songs from her new CD "Desert Rose". The Fire Apes finished the evening with another high energy show and performed many of the songs destined for a new CD to be recorded this summer.

Todays show features songs from these talented musicians, as well as other excellent tunes previously featured on The Big Break Music Podcast. Once again, today's lineup is an eclectic mix of genres and styles and fits perfectly with the springtime mood I'm in.

Starting off the set is The Fire Apes and their most popular song Hey Kate. Rolling right after that is a song by Reverend Zen with a strong Steely Dan vibe called My Sigmund Freud.

One of the songs Jamie McLean played the other night is Woman Stay. I've always loved this track off his "This Time Around" CD and it's especially good done live. Another song from a returning artist is Brother Love with Lost Weekend.

A return visit from Tim Hawkins with his infomercial styled song Kids Rock adds a comedy layer to this episode.

After a short promo for my recent interview with Ruby James we then get to hear the the title track from her latest CD Desert Rose. Another shift in musical style in this week's episode comes in the tune Joan Of Arc by 46bliss off their album "Wish Me Away". I continue the set with Baby I Love You by Diana Page and close it out with Southern Highway by Erik Viel.

The band Wiser Time provides a tune that reminds me somewhat of the Dave Matthews band with their song Gonna Be Sure.

I then mellow things out near the end of the show with two wonderful tracks from female artists I could listen to all day. Beth Hirsch starts off with Wholehearted and I close the show with a wonderful rendition of the old "Tbone" Walker song They Call It Stormy Monday by Christi Ana Perez.

Show # 96 - Smooth Grooves

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The response has been very positive on my last show featuring Ruby James. Additional video footage of her live acoustic set is starting to show up on Ruby's Myspace page and on YouTube. I'm in the process of editing several more songs from the performance.  Be sure to keep up to date on her website and her Myspace page.

I've also confirmed my interview with Shane Alexander to talk about his new CD The Sky Below and will be featuring his music and words on an upcoming show.

Today's show has a variety of music styles, which reflects the mood I've had most of the week. The theme leans more towards Jazz, R&B and Soul. It is another of my "Oreo" style shows, where the mood takes on distinct layers going from upbeat and fun, to soulful and unique, then finishing with a chill-out and reflective vibe.

We start off strong with Kelly Mueller and her song Real Love. This woman sings as beautiful as she looks. This lays a good foundation for the debut of a new artist to The Big Break this week, and that is Kerry Politzer. From her 2007 CD titled You Took Me In we get to hear Love Is In The Atmosphere.

I've always been a fan of Martha Redbone, even before my interview with her way back on show # 14. The first track I heard of hers is still one of my favorites which is Hard Livin'. I continue my re-visit with past interview guests by playing Heaven Knows by Dahlia Wakefield (show # 17). That song always reminds me of 70's vintage Olivia Newton John. We follow that up with Love The Beat by Stefanie Seskin and Blue Number Nine. Stefanie holds a special place in my heart as she was my first interview guest (show # 4). Finally I bring that set to a close with Crazy by Whitney Steele (show # 41)

I received a new CD in the mail from Mick Wainman from Digital Music Marketing this week featuring the band Sky Cries Mary. This Seattle based band gets inspiration for their name from the song "The Wind Cries Mary", made famous by another Seattle rocker named James Marshal Hendrix. Their music has been featured in film (Bourne Supremacy) and on TV. From their brand new album release Small Town, we hear Five Train.

My R&B/Soul layer for the show comes from Ola Onabule off his album In Emergency, Break Silence and it's called Parallel Universe. Robin Stine continues the jazz theme from the warmer climates of Florida with her song Never Say Goodbye. Another great tune from Joan Osborne off her album Pretty Little Stranger is called Who Divided.

Nearing the end I build the foundation for the final musical layer of this week show with Beth Hirsch and her song Wholehearted. An episode of The Big Break Music Podcast featuring smooth jazz would not be complete with another of my favorite songs from the lovely and talented Karmyn Tyler called Drifting.

Show # 90 - Rock Out The Year

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On this last episode of 2007 I decided to play some of my favorite tunes from this year that gives the show a high energy level. Once I got it all together I thought the show would make a good workout episode. So this one will be on my iPod when I'm at the gym.

Missed Out by Jag Star Dance by Candy Dulfer Move Your Body by The Failures (no web info available) Oh Face by Beau Hall Soccergirl by Brother Love Say I Love You by Ruby James Fat Eddie's Diner by The Bluescasters Toppy by Rusty Wright Blues band Too Much Of Anything by Jamie McLean Guess She's Right by Sonny Combs and the Kitty Kat Rodeo Low Down Dirty Shame by Mark Kerr Love Tornado by Lisa Dames If We're Too Loud, You're Too Old by Angela Hurt and the Pain Killaz Bad Religion by Jimmie Bratcher Wholehearted by Beth Hirsch

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