Americana Songstress Cashavelly Morrison Releases Debut Album 'The Kingdom Belongs To A Child'

Americana singer and songwriter Cashavelly Morrison has released her debut album 'The Kingdom Belongs to a Child'. Combining traditions of Appalachian ballads and melancholic lyrics that deal with her deeply held values, The Kingdom Belongs to a Child is a sorrowful album full of beauty and profundity. Backed up by acoustic guitar melodies played by her husband Ryan MacLeod, Morrison's lyrical voice perfectly delivers the emotional depth of her songs. Digital downloads, CDs, and double vinyls are available here: http://cashavellymorrison.com/store/

As demonstrated in her single releases 'Long-Haired Mare' and 'Pink Dress', which deal with women's and children's rights, The Kingdom Belongs to a Child is about giving a voice to those who are unheard or unseen. The lyrics also draw from Cashavelly's personal experiences through themes of loss, and are laden with imagery inspired by her childhood in a coal mining town in West Virginia. With her music, Cashavelly wants to explore the shared grief and ultimately emphasize compassion, empowerment, and healing.

The album has already garnished positive reviews, with Indie Minded describing it as a "deeply intelligent piece of Americana that represents the universality of human emotion." Indiemunity posited it as an instant folk/country classic, and Famous Last Words characterized it as commendable, and noted that the entire album was played out exquisitely.

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World's Leading Performer Of Hybrid Sitar/Guitar Tours California

St. Louis based composer, inventor and recording artist Todd Mosby performs genre-defying music -- a blend of jazz, classical, and traditional Indian -- for over 35 years. The contemporary acoustic guitarist is the ONLY guitarist worldwide, outside of the royal family in India, whose mastered the 20-stringed Imrat Sitar. Todd makes his second of seven tour appearances -- When Music Worlds Collide -- at Don Quixote on Tuesday, August 18, 2015 at 7:30 pm in Santa Cruz, CA.

The evening features world-renowned, leading solo bassist / Grammy Nominee Michael Manring, Grammy Award winning guitarist Henry Kaiser, and master percussionist / leader in International Live Looping Rick Walker. The group is joined by special guest and world master of Bansuri, Deepak Ram.

When Music Worlds Collide is an evening of Carnatic Fusion, Indian Jazz and cross-cultural rhythmic expression. Each of the five musical soloists have mastered the innovative aspect of their instruments, as well as the East and West element. They will dazzle and astound listeners with their original tunes and collaborations.

"I come from a family of inventors," says the St. Louis-based artist. "in my household growing up, there was always this freedom to go your own way, so I thought 'Why not build an instrument? Why not be a guitar player, but play Indian music? That is just what I did."

Schedule: California Tour

August 15 - Creekside Brewery, San Luis Obispo, CA (8 pm)
American Silhouettes feat. Todd Mosby
"The Most Innovative Hybrid Guitarist of the 21st Century"
(acoustic set + Indian guitar) Free

August 18 - Don Quixote "When Music Worlds Collide," Santa Cruz, CA
Michael Manring, Henry Kaiser, Rick Walter, Todd Mosby,
Deepak Ram (7:30 pm) $12 adv / $15 door

August 19 - Pena Pachamama, San Francisco, CA (7:30 - 10 pm)
Todd Mosby, Deepak Ram, Vikas Yendluri

August 22 - Awaken Cafe, Oakland, CA
Michael Manring,
American Silhouettes feat. Todd Mosby
"The Most Innovative Hybrid Guitarist of the 21st Century"
(acoustic set + Indian guitar) $7 adv / $10 door
August 26 - Jupiter, Berkeley, CA (8 - 11 pm)
Todd Mosby, Deepak Ram, Vikas Yendluri Free

August 27 - The Shed, Healdsburg, CA
American Silhouettes feat. Todd Mosby
"The Most Innovative Hybrid Guitarist of the 21st Century"
(acoustic set + Indian guitar) Free

August 28 - Shine Cafe, Sacramento, CA
American Silhouettes feat. Todd Mosby
"The Most Innovative Hybrid Guitarist of the 21st Century"
(acoustic set + Indian guitar) $6 cash

For a comprehensive list of Todd Mosby performances, visit ToddMosbyMusic.com/concerts. Schedule is subject to change.

About Michael Manring
Hailed as the world's leading solo bassist, Manring has been pushing the boundaries of bass guitar for more than three decades. Building on conceptions from his teacher, the late Jaco Pastorius, Manring has developed a new approach that includes unorthodox tunings, techniques and methodologies. He has earned two gold records, Grammy and Bammie nominations, a Berklee School of Music Distinguished Alumni Award, numerous Bass Player Magazine Reader's Poll awards, including 1994 Bassist of the Year. Manring was also the subject of a PBS TV documentary, "The Artist's Profile: Michael Manring" and a YouTube video playing his iconic solo piece "Selene" with over a million views.

About Henry Kaiser
Grammy Award winner Henry Kaiser is widely recognized as one of the most creative and innovative guitarists, improvisers, and producers in the fields of rock, jazz, world, and contemporary experimental music today. The California-based musician is extensively recorded, as well as having appeared on more than 270 different albums, while scoring dozens of television and film soundtracks. He has released a series of tributes to Miles electric music, including rock, jazz, avant garde, and classical Indian music players. Kaiser has spent two and a half months in Antartica on a National Science Arts and Writers Program Grant. His underwater camera work was featured in two Herzog films which he also produced and composed the score. Kaiser was nominated for an Academy Award for his work as producer as Encounters at the End of the World, however he is known to have an immense collection of guitars, amplifiers, and effect pedals that he has amassed to achieve "sonic diversity."

Rick Walker
Composer, master percussionist, multi-instrumentalist, video artist, inventor, author and educator Rick Walker has been on the cutting-edge of music for 35 years. A founding architect of the World Beat movement in the early 80's, he is now one of the leading lights in the emerging International Live Looping movement.

Todd Mosby
Todd Mosby is a composer and innovator in the field of instrumental acoustic and electric guitar, contemporary instrumental composition, and improvisation. He has mastered multiple musical forms including classical, jazz and Indian raga. This broad spectrum enables him to create works which are highly creative and intelligent. His live shows introduce audiences to constantly evolving, fun music moments! Mosby is currently in production on an acoustic guitar based set of recordings with Grammy Award winner and founder of Windham Hill Records, Will Ackerman. Todd is the first and only guitarist in the world to become a member of the North Indian royal family of sitar, a family that traces its roots back 500 years. Mosby mastered the Imrat guitar --a hybrid sitar-guitar-- that was the brainchild of his mentor Ustad Imrat Khan. Accord-ing to Kahn, "Todd is the most innovative musician of the 21st century." The 20-stringed instrument is the first of its kind, and is designed to bridge Eastern and Western music. Todd Mosby has shared the stage with diverse artists as The Rippingtons, Michael Franks, Spyro Gyra, and Chris Botti. He holds a Masters in Music from Webster University and a Certificate from Berklee College of Music.

About Deepak Ram
World master of the Bansuri, Deepak is an incredibly versatile artist who is well-known for is evocative performances of traditional North Indian classical music, his collaborations with musicians of other genres, and his innovative compositions. He earned Best Instrumental Album in 1999 and 2000 at the South African Music Awards, and has an in-depth knowledge of East-West music traditions.

Mosby Music Group (MMG) is a live music production and licensing agency that specializes in intimate concert presentations. MMG targets small to medium size venues for unique, traditional and non-traditional concerts. For more information on Michael Manring, Todd Mosby or booking other artists, visit mosbymusicgroup.com.

For tour information or to arrange an interview, contact Dawn DeBlaze at 314.766.JAZZ (5299) or email deblaze@gmail.com.

http://toddmosby.bandcamp.com/track/jacks-fork
http://www.toddmosbymusic.com

http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=185673

Lou Ruiz To Perform With TV Star Piper Curda At 'Tween Stars Live' Events in Canada in May

Singer-songwriter Lou Ruiz announced he will be performing live with TV star & singer Piper Curda at two upcoming "Tween Stars Live" Events in Canada May 2nd and 3rd. Piper is best known as "Jasmine" on the Disney Channel TV sitcom "I Didn't Do It". Lou will accompany Piper with acoustic guitar and vocals for her performances in Montreal May 2nd and in Ottawa May 3rd.

The young Houston based singer-songwriter has a sound compared to the style of popular Americana singer-songwriters like Ed Sheeran & John Mayer. Lou Ruiz delivers a unique soulful folk-rock experience. Lou collaborated with Grammy nominated producer Billy Smiley (Johnny Cash, Bebe and Cece Winans) on his latest EP, "The Screen Door". Lou has a beautiful, soulful voice that resonates the heartfelt emotions of his beautiful, self-penned original songs on "The Screen Door". From the edgy strong licks of "Nowhere Train" to the ethereal "Meet Me Here", Lou's Americana songs offer many incredible journeys and musical experiences.

The 25-year old Texas native who studied songwriting and voice at the prestigious Songwriting School of Los Angeles under the tutelage of Rob Seals and had the privilege of learning from hit writers like John Keller (songwriter for Rickie Lee Jones, Aaron Neville, Al Green, Etta James, and Wynonna), Phil Cody (songwriter with Neil Sedaka, Huey Lewis), and Ryan Toby (songwriter for Usher, Will Smith) is excited to be performing again live with the talented Piper Curda.

"I love getting to sing with Piper," says Lou Ruiz. "I'm still trying to find something she's not good at. We usually sing in front of a camera for YouTube, so getting to play in front of an audience together is a real treat. I'm excited to be playing another 'Tween Stars Live' event with her. The last one we did was so much fun!"

After the Canadian shows, Lou will return to the U.S. and kick off a 9-week summer concert tour of Young Life Camps in North Carolina and Colorado performing live for thousands of high school teens at the popular private lifestyle retreats.

Fans can visit www.LouRuizMusic.com for more details and his latest news and tour information.

Lou Ruiz's "The Screen Door" EP is currently available for purchase on iTunes.

Weblinks: www.louruizmusic.com / www.twitter.com/louruizmusic / www.facebook.com/louruizmusic / www.instagram.com/louruizmusic
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JJ Schultz Releases 4th Studio Album

JJ Schultz released his fourth studio album, Carolina, on Saturday August 11th. Following his albums Bustin' Outa Town, Something To Me, and Traveling Songs, Carolina features a stripped down Americana sound, communicating one man’s struggle with love and manhood. With whiskey soaked lyrics, sparse guitars, and a heavenly Hammond B3, Schultz’s Western Roots music weaves a lush, intricate mood.

The album features a combination of Schultz's solo work as well as numbers with his full band. On the solo tracks, Schultz's relaxed and almost casual guitar picking is accompanied by some otherworldly Hammond licks played by Danny Eisenber (Tift Merritt, The Mother Hips, Ryan Adams). When joined by his band, Schultz lets loose and we hear once again the trademark guitar sounds of Scott Robertson and Jeff Cotton, the jazzy thump and bowing of Craig Koozer's upright bass, and Manny Bernal's understated and beautifully tasteful drumming.

Songs from Carolina include the rocking "Karma Come Early", a story about a newly unemployed farm laborer who comes back dish out a little karma. “Karma is just a song about a dude who got fired, and he's kind of upset,” Schultz explains. He explains more in the lyric "Come on now let's get started/Lord knows the river will flow/Come on now this poor man's hungry/Time to reap what you have sown", and the poignant "Alchemy", a wistful story about a man longing for a family - longing for "a house built by hand/on our own piece of land/for you and me/and our family band".

Schultz wrote the songs for Carolina over a three year span from 2007-2010 and recorded them over the following two years. Schultz self-produced the album, Roger Rocha (Four Non-Blondes, The Golden Hearts) provided the studio and engineering, and Michael Romanowski provided the mastering. Mark Tolsted, a Wisconsin based graphic artist, contributed the album design and artwork, as he has for all of Schultz's studio albums.

Originally from Northern Wisconsin, Schultz relocated to San Francisco in the late 90's. While his songs are deeply personal and pull from his life experiences, he cautions “The songs are not photo-realistic self portraits. When I write, I usually write a story, but the story is influenced by what I'm going through at the time”.

His band has been together since 2002. When not touring, Schultz commonly performs around San Francisco at venues including Hotel Utah, Cafe Du Nord, and Bottom of the Hill. His 2011 tour schedule included the main stage at San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury Street Fair.

Carolina will be available on Pandora, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, CD Baby, and at jjschultz.com. You may also purchase from a limited vinyl pressing. For more information on the release concert or ordering from the vinyl pressing, please visit jjschultz.com.

Classical Guitar Virtuoso Jason Vieaux Launches Interactive Online Guitar School With Artistworks

ArtistWorks, the first collaborative global learning community comprised of master artists and ambitious amateurs, announces the JUNE 14TH launch of the online, interactive Classical Guitar School with critically acclaimed guitar virtuoso Jason Vieaux.

In his role as Head of the Guitar Departments of both the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music, Vieaux teaches maximum of 6-8 students annually. This revolutionary online school, the first of its kind for classical guitar, removes all barriers and enables students of any age, ability, or location an unprecedented level of access to studies with Vieaux through ArtistWorks’ Video ExchangeTM accelerated learning platform.

The Classical Guitar School with Jason Vieaux utilizes ArtistWorks’ patent-pending, breakout video technology to create a direct, self-guided, personalized educational experience. The Classical Guitar School includes a definitive curriculum for classical guitar, covering everything from fundamentals through advanced techniques. Each video lesson is offered with multiple angles and in slow motion for optimal learning.

Subscribing students view Vieaux’s lessons and submit video questions, or their own playing via webcam or smart phone for critique and guidance. Vieaux then responds personally to each student with a personalized video response. This Video Exchange Learning™ Platform allows subscribing students to view and subsequently learn from Vieaux - and from watching each other – creating a “virtual classroom” with an ever-evolving curriculum.

“So often in Classical Music, it seems there are so many barriers to studying the art form,” says Vieaux. “There are incredible institutions at which to study, but there are obviously limits as to student capacity. I want access to Classical music education to be limitless – and through my new online guitar school we have achieved that goal.”

Named one of the “youngest stars of the guitar world” by the New York Times, Jason Vieaux is known for his virtuosic and stirring performances, imaginative programming, and uncommon communicative gifts. Recent career highlights include solo performances at Lincoln Center, Spivey Hall and the Chautauqua Festival. In the fall of 2011, Vieaux inaugurated The Curtis Institute of Music Guitar Department with guitarist David Starobin, and he has been Head of the Guitar Department of the Cleveland Institute of Music since 2001, a position he continues to hold. He is also affiliated with Philadelphia’s Astral Artists, with which he gives annual outreach concerts.

The Classical Guitar School with Jason Vieaux http://www.jasonvieauxschool.com is open to guitar players of all ages and levels of proficiency. Subscription fees are reasonably priced at $90.00 for 3 months, $150.00 for 6 months and $240.00 for a 12-month subscription.

Founded in 2008 by former AOL executive David Butler, ArtistWorks, Inc is a Napa California-based technology and music education company that has created a proprietary, patent pending, online Video ExchangeTM Accelerated Learning Platform which allows virtuoso musicians to “teach the world” by presenting their full method, technique or curriculum in HD video to subscribing students. Utilizing simple web cams, iPhones, iPads and more, students are able to submit videos through the site to the ArtistWorks’ instructors for individualized feedback and guidance – creating a two-way, individualized educational experience. ArtistWorks currently offers schools from such world-class, virtuoso artists as: jazz guitarist Andreas Oberg; harmonica artist, Howard Levy; fingerstyle guitarist Martin Taylor; rock guitarist Paul Gilbert, DJ Qbert; classical pianist Christie Peery; rock drummer Thomas Lang, drummer, Billy Cobham, percussionist Luis Conte as well as the ArtistWorks Academy of Bluegrass with banjo player, Tony Trischka, bluegrass bassist Missy Raines, flat pick guitar player Bryan Sutton; dobro player Andy Hall; mandolin player Mike Marshall and fiddle player Darol Anger.

North Carolina Filmmaker Erik Olsen brings Lichty Custom Handmade Acoustic Guitars to Life

The film, “Luthier Jay W. Lichty” was produced by filmmaker Erik Olsen and reflects a collaboration of crafts. During this project Olsen worked with cameras, lenses, lights and jibs while Lichty’s tools included sanders, hand planes, chisels and routers. At its conclusion Olsen produced a film that powerfully captures the spirit and passion of custom guitar builder Jay Lichty while Lichty completed one of his finest guitars to date – a breathtaking Brazilian Rosewood dreadnought guitar.

“Luthier Jay W. Lichty” is a film whose appeal reaches far beyond the interests of a guitar builder or player. As a filmmaker Olsen tells a story that touches all the senses and that takes the viewer on an intimate musical journey into the small luthier shop of Lichty Guitars, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The film can be viewed at www.erikolsenfilms.comhttp://www.erikolsenfilms.com. Further information about Lichty custom handmade acoustic guitars can be found at www.lichtyguitars.com.

Watch Luthier Jay W. Lichty

Contact: info@lichtyguitars.com

About Lichty Guitars
Luthier Jay Lichty builds handmade acoustic guitars and ukuleles in Tryon, NC. He was the winner of the 2010 Made in the South Awards and has top performing artists playing his guitars from Australia to Japan to Nashville. He specializes in working with clients to build heirloom quality custom instruments.

About Erik Olsen Films
A native of Germany, Erik Olsen began learning about photography at a very early age. As a result, he converted his childhood pastime into a career as a television news photojournalist. He continued in the TV news business until making the decision to transform his expertise into a business. Today, Erik is blessed to follow his given passion and pursue what he loves for a living, filmmaking and photography.