Bowser

Just posted Bowser onto the site - which sounds really rather odd when you think of it! Funny thing is that the music doesn't sound anything like him!!!

I often wonder what the title of songs mean to people: there are song titles that reflect what is going on in the track - like Stairway to Heaven or Free Falling - but for an instrumental - I guess you could look at Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells and say they were indicative, onamatapeic almost - but for a session with the title, "Bowser" - what does that say about the track?

You can check it out in its entirety on the front page of www.music2work2.com for a little while before we parcel it up and sell it! ;-)

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Stoked

My computer broke last Thursday....

- All my music goes through my computer.

- I spend over 30 hours a week looking at my computer screen - actually - that's a minimum, its probably double that

- this is how I make my living, so when the computer breaks - its a very, very big thing.


My computer had been put together for me by Richard, my brother - 5 years ago. He knows about this stuff and we built the best machine I could afford at the time ($1500:) big server case, loads of fans, fast motherboard, P4, gig of ram - it was fast and it worked, it was the best machine I have ever owned! Thank you Richard.

Its taken 5 days, but I have a new machine, new dual screen set up, new workspace, new capacities - and again; everything works!!!

Looking forward to posting new music - there is new track that Bowser owns - light piano and strings that should be up in the next week or so. I'm off to play.....

A Review of the Music of Maria DeMaio

One of the things I really like about working with Music2Work2 is that I get to listen to so many different artists and so many types of music.

A MySpace friend of Music2Work2 whose music I enjoy listening to is Maria DeMaio. Maria & the fellas (as the group is apparently referred to) consist of Maria on vocals/piano and as songwriter, Reid Angwin on guitaz/bass, Mike Giordano on bass/guitaz and Mike Stavitz on drums. Their music is classified as Pop/Folk/Indie.

They have an interesting sound. The six sample songs on their MySpace page combine lovely melodies, lyrics that are personal and often intense, sung in Maria's pretty, clear voice. Her voice and the emotion with which she sings remind me a lot of Sarah McLachlan.

I enjoyed all six songs, especially " Her Side." It is clear why Maria & the fellas have formed a growing fan base in the Boston area and beyond. Their newly released first album is available now.

Anne Lovett - A Review

Anne Lovett began playing the piano at age 3 and a couple of years after that began composing her own music. She went on in later years to study at the Paris Conservatoire and the Royal Academy of Music in London. At the Academy, she studied classical piano, jazz, improvised music and composition. Most recently she fills concert halls for her performances and is working on an album.

Anne Lovett is one of Music2Work2's MySpace friends who shares a belief that music has power. Anne believes music can entertain, transcend cultural boundaries, inspire and enlighten. Her music is classified as Classical/Alternative/Experimental.

There are five sample songs on her MySpace page. They are all lovely solo piano pieces, played with passion and skill. I enjoyed all the songs. I especially like "Perpetuum Mobile 1," and "Ludivine," a piece she wrote for the part of the Planetarium Ludiver in Normandy dedicated to children and space exploration. I recommend these as well as the other songs by Anne Lovett.

Guitar Music At It's Best

Do you enjoy guitar music? If so, you will probably want to check out the music of one of Music2Work2's MySpace friends, Nello Angelucci[61]. He has a long history of studying under some of the music greats- first classical guitar, then jazz, and also Flamenco Guitar. He now lives in Japan; his music is classified as Acoustic/Flamenco/Jazz.

The six sample songs on Angelucci's MySpace page are a nice variety of different kinds of guitar music. His skill and versatility are evident in these selections.

All of the songs are lovely and provide a relaxing and calming mood. My favorite of the pieces is "Kio no kumori." It is a beautiful song, with an upbeat tempo.

I really enjoyed Nello Angelucci's music and recommend experiencing it yourself.

What a job!

This week has been devoted to working on getting ready for some of the changes we are about to make to the Music2Work2 website. I have been making two and a half minute and five minute clips of all the sessions in the Music2Work2 catalogue. What a fantastic job, huh? It means listening to each piece of music over and over (while deciding where to make the cuts)- - - can it get much better than this? Boy, do we have some great music!

I have always been aware of how beautiful the music really is. But, listening to hours of it, one after the other, I can safely say that it is really outstanding. It is beautiful music that can be listened to anytime, anywhere. Since I don't compose or perform the music, I can brag on it where my partner may be reluctant to give himself and his music such praise. But, we have a great catalogue of absolutely gorgeous music, so watch the website for the changes and new ways of accessing it.

Just Testing...

This is a test post from Music2Work2 to see how Feedburner handles email subscriptions and email delivery.  I'll stick in a little link to the Kelli site - just for good measure!

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One for the Team - A Review

One for the Team is a MySpace friend of Music2Work2 from Minneapolis, MN. Their music is classified as Indie/Rock/Powerpop. The band members are Ian Anderson - vocals, synth and guitar, Grace Fiddler - vocals, synth, John Kruegar - bass, Elliott Manthey - drums, Bill Caperton - guitar.

The music of One for the Team is upbeat, fun music. There are six sample songs to hear on their MySpace page. My favorite of the samples is "I Promised I'd Grow Up." The vocals are pleasant and the tunes are catchy. The harmony heard in some of the songs is very good.

One for the Team has found their own sound and it delivers a pleasant listening experience. If you like Rock music, check them out!

Ain't No Sunshine...

Bill Wither's early insight into a Man's heart sneaks up on you with it's honesty and brilliance - you might even say: "It Rocks!" We're covering this over at Kelli.com, it sounds amazing - but in the meantime - check out this great video of him introducing it on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1972.

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Dashboard Confessional Rocks my Birthday

I'm listening to Thick as Thieves by Dashboard Confessional.  I love their song Currents - the guitars sound like a cross between Coldplay and AC/DC - I love the register of the vocal and the keys are wonderfully put in - it's hopelessly romantic and passionate - I love the lyric - it says to me that even at the end of things - there's hope for the future - and shit - I'm an optimist - so you know I'm probably gonna dig it.

We're developing a number of covers for the Kelli set - we worked yesterday on Bobby McGee and Ain't no Sunshine - I'm super excited about them both - Bobby McGee in particular.  We took the verse and made it minor and it works - actually - it sent shivers up our spines - Kelli and I did a couple of takes on the 31st - one slow and piano driven - one faster guitar driven - I dig them both.  We're going into the studio tonight to work them up and if things well - we'll have video of them by Thursday!

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Another year ends

Christmas and the holidays are times during which many people take stock of their lives, the past year and the family and friends who have been such an important part of their lives. Music2Work 2 has had a great year and we have made many new friends through MySpace, other music websites and communities, and people discovering our music and registering on our website. We are pleased that so many new friends are enjoying Music2Work2.

We have great plans for 2008 and are looking forward to making changes to our website, adding new music, and exploring new avenues for sharing our music with more and more people.

We wish you all happiness, success and peace during the holidays and the new year.

Andrew and Charlotte
Music2Work2

John Frusciante - A Review

Some people may recognize the name, John Frusciante, as being a member of Red Hot Chili Peppers. He played a 4 year stint with them and then after several years away, rejoined the group. But he also is a solo singer and songwriter and a MySpace friend of Music2Work2.

There are four sample songs on Frusciante's MySpace page, unfortunately only three of the songs will play. My favorite of the three is "The Past Recedes." The lyrics and John's clear, pleasant voice are great, but I especially like the melody and the sound of the different instruments in this one. "The Mirror" and "Goals" are great songs, as well; I wish I could also hear the fourth song, "666."

John Frusciante has apparently had quite a life - parts of it very difficult. But, his music continues to be fantastic and his guitar-playing never better.

Feelin' Alright Coverin' Joe Cocker

Feelin' Alright - the Joe Cocker version - is an awesome track - I first heard it when playing with Stirling Brig - we were thinking of covering it back then.  I was going to link to the versions of the track on YouTube - but I wouldn't recommend them - get the studio version - it's in a different league.  It just has this killer groove - driven by that bongo percussion and insanely simple piano lick.  I'm sitting here trying to work it out on the table - and it's nuts!  The left hand / right hand relationship is just - well - to me - it' just cool!

I'm putting it forward as possible cover song for Kelli - along with:

Gimme Some Lovin -Spencer Davis Group
We Are the Champions - Queen
Me & Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin

I love the fact that we're going to be adding covers to the set - it makes huge sense - and of course, it means we get to play some great songs.  It also means that the pressure's on - the performance has to be unique - has to be Kelli's - has to be as good if not better than the original - and when you're taking on tracks like these - well - I don't think you can ever be "better" - but you can make them you're own if you have big enough balls!

So - how about doing the Joe Cocker track on a B3 organ - give the piano groove to the Bass and just see where it goes from there...?  Instead of having the organ on the Spencer Davis track - have that as piano driven - Me & Bobby McGee would need to be sexed up - instead of the acoustic approach - putting this with the instrumentation from Can't and popping the tempo a bit - Kelli and I did an acoustic version back in 02 that's got an interesting groove to it - we could "Jeff" that up and turn it into an out and out rocker - as for we are the Champions - I have no idea how to approach that!  Of course - there's 4 other players in the room who will all have their own ideas - it's going to be a fantastic experience putting these together.

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A Review of Revolutionary Side Effects

Do you like the cool sounds of progressive rock? If so, check out Revolutionary Side Effects, one of the MySpace friends of Music2Work2. Revolutionary Side Effects out of North Hollywood is made up of band members Mike Blumberg (Guitars, Vocals & Sampling), and Josh Baldwin (Drums, Vocals, Slidewhistle), with help on Bass from a variety of great players.

There are six sample songs on their MySpace page, all of them great. It would be difficult for me to chose a favorite. I like "Hey Western Union Man" and also "Fearless Jam" in particular, but they all provide a pleasant listening experience.

Since their first live performance in 2005, they have entertained audiences with their live improvisations at over 85 shows. Check out this jam band; I think you'll like them.

Keane - A Review

Keane is a fantastic alternative band from the U.K. The band members are Tom Chaplin, Tim Rice-Oxley and Richard Hughes.

Their music is melodic, upbeat tempo, with lyrics sung by a clear, pleasant voice and nice harmony. It seems to be piano/keyboard driven.

Three of the four songs available to hear on their MySpace page are recordings from live performances. I enjoyed listening to all four songs but my favorite is "This is the Last Time" with "A Bad Dream" as a close second.

Keane is one of Music2Work2's MySpace friends and a friend I would recommend checking out. Their band website won People's Choice Award for Best Official Music Site in the 2007 BT Digital Music Awards. Keane are currently working on their third album.

Let the Sunshine in

Apollo Sunshine, a MySpace friend of Music2Work2, can brighten any day with their upbeat, melodic sounds. The band is made up of members Jeremy, Jesse, Sam, Quentin, Oli, etc. Their music is classified as Idol/Religious/Salsa but realistically I would call it Pop, Rock, Electronica...

The songs available to hear on their MySpace page are instrumental except for one, "Magnolia." The vocals, harmony, and melodies performed by these musicians are all enjoyable. My favorite of the songs on their MySpace page is "Gnarls." However, all the songs give you a happy, uplifted feeling.

I recommend checking out their MySpace page and website and letting some Apollo Sunshine into your life.

Sophie Serafino - A Review

Sophie Serafino, a MySpace friend of Music 2 Work 2, is a violinist, singer and songwriter from Sydney, Australia. She began playing the violin at age 3.

Her music seems to be a mix of several genres - pop, rap, funk, rock, classical; these are evident just in the sample music on her MySpace page. Of the four songs available to hear on her page, my favorite is "Liquid Crystal." It is an upbeat, melodic piece with touches of classical and rock.

In addition to her solo performances, Sophie also plays with The String Angels and The String Selection.

I recommend checking out the sounds of this very talented musician.

Yiksiuchit - A Review

One of Music 2 Work 2's MySpace friends is Yiksiuchit from Hong Kong. His music is classified as Pop/Trip Hop. Yiksiuchit "does it all" as far as his music goes - composing, arranging, recording, synthesizer, mixing.

His MySpace page contains 5 very short samples of his music; I wish the samples were a bit longer. All five songs sound like beautiful, melodic pieces. I enjoyed listening to all of them, however, I think "Shadow of the light" is my favorite. This may have something to do with the fact that it is also the longest sample of the five - about one minute in length.

From these short demos, it is clear that Yiksiuchit is a talented musician. I am looking forward to hearing more of his music.

What color do you hear?

I was reading about an interesting phenomenon called synesthesia, in which “stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway.” This cross-over of senses often allows individuals to see letters, numbers, even days of the week in color; regardless of the color the letter is written in, individuals with this ability see a distinct color – “L” may be blue, “M” may be red. Some people with synesthesia also “hear” colors – sounds or music have a distinct color.

When I listen to music, it often evokes an emotion or feeling in me but definitely not colors. The emotion is usually tied to a past experience the music or song reminds me of. Research has shown that synesthesia is not the result of memories. There are several tests on a web site from the U.K., BBC - Science & Nature - Human Body and Mind, that one can take to determine if they have this blending of the senses. I definitely do not have it; I scored poorly on every one of them.

This entire web site is interesting and fun. It examines functions of the mind, personality, etc. in short surveys and psychology tests. And, the best part is that it actually gives you the results.

It's Not Easy Being Green...

At least, according to Kermit the Frog, it isn't. But, if you asked Music 2 Work 2's MySpace friend, Green Man Music, he may tell you differently. Green Man Music is Doug Peters, vocalist, playing guitar and occasional percussion, joined by a variety of other musicians on some of the sessions. Green Man Music is classified as Acoustic/Progressive/Folk.

The four songs available to hear on Green Man Music's MySpace page are guitar driven, folk stories, sung by Peters, whose voice is Dylan-like. My favorite of the four is "Eighteen Miles" because of the change in tempo that occurs several times during this piece.

Green Man Music has 2 albums to his credit - Sacred Water and La Vaquera, and is included on a compilation double cd, Dark Britannica, along with 29 other dark folk music tracks. Another cd, Gingerwitch Green, is planned for Fall '07.

If you are a fan of folk music, I think you will enjoy checking out the songs of Green Man Music.