Blog Archives

Lake Street Dive: 
Henriette

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Live and Breathing
Purchase Lake Street Dive at: Lake Street Dive

How is it that something so unlikely can also be so infectious, so naturally exhilarating? Pulling in familiar elements and irreverently scrambling and recombining them, Lake Street Dive are at once jazz-schooled, DIY-motivated, and classically pop obsessed. Composed of drummer Mike Calabrese, bassist Bridget Kearney, vocalist Rachael Price, and trumpet-wielding guitarist Mike “McDuck” Olson, Lake Street Dive encompasses a myriad of possibilities within its members’ collective experiences, and the resultant music is a vivid, largely acoustic, groove-driven strain of indie-pop.

Recorded at the 2012 Pickathon Music Festival.
Checkout Lake Street Dive’s website.

The Cactus Blossoms: 
Crazy Arms

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Live and Breathing
Purchase The Cactus Blossoms at: The Cactus Blossoms

The Stanley Brothers, the Monroe Brothers, the Delmore Brothers, the Blue Sky Boys, the Maddox Brothers & Rose. Country music has a long-held appreciation for sibling bands, and it seems there’s no sweeter sound than two brothers harmonizing over a sad country tune. Brothers Page Burkum and Jack Torrey have capitalized on this tried-and-true formula with their band The Cactus Blossoms, most recently pulling together a backup band of music veterans: Mike “Razz” Russell on fiddle, Nadine Landry (from the Foghorn String band) on upright bass, and Randy Broughten on pedal steel guitar and dobro.

Shovels & Rope: 
El Paso

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Live and Breathing
Purchase Shovels & Rope at: Shovels & Rope

Shovels and Rope is a Charleston, SC band consisting of Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst. Formed in 2010, they sing harmony driven folk, rock and country songs using two old guitars, a kick drum, a snare, a few tambourines, harmonicas, and maybe a little keyboard sometimes. They tour constantly as a two piece, making as much noise as they can.

Lake Street Dive: 
What About Me

Posted on August 8, 2013 by Live and Breathing
Purchase Lake Street Dive at: Lake Street Dive

How is it that something so unlikely can also be so infectious, so naturally exhilarating? Pulling in familiar elements and irreverently scrambling and recombining them, Lake Street Dive are at once jazz-schooled, DIY-motivated, and classically pop obsessed. Composed of drummer Mike Calabrese, bassist Bridget Kearney, vocalist Rachael Price, and trumpet-wielding guitarist Mike “McDuck” Olson, Lake Street Dive encompasses a myriad of possibilities within its members’ collective experiences, and the resultant music is a vivid, largely acoustic, groove-driven strain of indie-pop.

Two Man Gentlemen Band: 
Please Don't Water It Down

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Live and Breathing
Purchase the Two Man Gentlemen Band at: The Two Man Gentlemen Band

The Two Man Gentlemen Band’s brand of hot, raucous, retro swing is fast becoming an underground sensation. Just a few years ago, The Gentlemen were busking in New York City’s parks and subways. These days, they traverse the country incessantly, playing hundreds of shows per year for ever-expanding crowds of dedicated fans.

Bombino: 
Tamiditine

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Live and Breathing

Omara “Bombino” Moctar, a young Tuareg guitarist and songwriter, was raised during an era of armed struggles for independence and violent suppression by government forces. His electrifying jams capture the spirit of resistance and rebellion while echoing with guitar riffs reminiscent of fellow Africans Tinariwen and Ali Farka Touré not to mention rock and blues icons such as Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Page. Already a superstar in the Tuareg community, with the release of Agadez on Cumbancha Discovery Bombino’s stature as one of Africa’s hottest young guitarists has been revealed to the world.

Lonnie Walker: 
Baby Man

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Live and Breathing
Purchase Lonnie Walker at: Lonnie Walker

Originally a one-man band, Lonnie Walker evolved from the solo spirit of Brian Corum into a collection of friends bound by their shared passion for music and visual art. After years of honing their sound while playing house shows and DIY spaces in Greenville, NC, Lonnie Walker garnered local support from classmates and peers immediately. The additions of Eric Hill, Justin Flythe, Raymond Finn, and Josh Bridgers birthed a sound much more unconventional. Now signed to Raleigh’s Terpsikhore Records, their blend of rootsy americana and dance-party punk has only just started to find traction outside of their home state.

Bombino: 
Untitled

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Live and Breathing

Omara “Bombino” Moctar, a young Tuareg guitarist and songwriter, was raised during an era of armed struggles for independence and violent suppression by government forces. His electrifying jams capture the spirit of resistance and rebellion while echoing with guitar riffs reminiscent of fellow Africans Tinariwen and Ali Farka Touré not to mention rock and blues icons such as Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Page. Already a superstar in the Tuareg community, with the release of Agadez on Cumbancha Discovery Bombino’s stature as one of Africa’s hottest young guitarists has been revealed to the world.

Foghorn Stringband: 
Bring Back My Blue Eyed Boy To Me

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Live and Breathing
Purchase Foghorn Stringband at: Foghorn Stringband

Foghorn Stringband is the shining gold standard for American stringband music, with seven albums, thousands of shows, over a decade of touring under their belts, and two entirely new generations of old-time musicians following their lead. Through all this, they’ve never let the music grow cold; instead they’ve been steadily proving that American roots music is a never-ending well of inspiration.

Los Cojolites: 
Balaju

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Live and Breathing

Los Cojolites are a collective of soneros who currently work and live together in Jaltipan, Veracruz, Mexico. They started in 1997 as a workshop studying their regional dance, a poetry and music known as Son Jarocho. Following the release of their first album “El Conejo” in 2001, they traveled throughout much of Spain, France and the United States playing at such places as the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C, and appearing on the soundtrack of the film “Frida.” Although no longer children, they continue to inspire a younger generation of soneros. By keeping respect for tradition and by having the courage and creativity to innovate based on those traditions, Los Cojolites will continue to contribute quality music to the 400 year old genre known as Son Jarocho.