{"id":33864,"date":"2020-02-15T09:36:53","date_gmt":"2020-02-15T14:36:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=33864"},"modified":"2020-02-15T09:37:00","modified_gmt":"2020-02-15T14:37:00","slug":"on-stage-carlene-carter-reaches-back-into-her-family-tree-for-new-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=33864","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Carlene Carter reaches back into her family tree for new project"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, <\/span>Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Now that Valentine\u2019s Day is over, it might just be a good time to check out some live music. There are shows with a variety of genre choices around the area on February 15 including country rock\/Americana, jazz\/blues, alt-pop, avant-garde, Hawaiian\/SoCal reggae and singer-songwriter.<\/p>\n

\n
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Carlene Carter<\/p><\/div>\n

Carlene Carter, who has one foot in country-influenced rock music and the other foot in rock-influenced country music, has been performing shows in the area for more than 40 years but none in the recent past — until this weekend.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t been to the Northeast in a while other than my tour with John Mellencamp,\u201d said Carter, during a recent phone interview from her home in Madison, Tennessee. \u201cI\u2019ve toured more in the Northwest.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The singer\/guitarist is part of a very large family tree \u2013 and a very musical family tree.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carter, who will perform in concert on February 15 at Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org<\/a>), is part of a family that is to country music what Queen Elizabeth and her clan are to British royalty.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carter is the daughter of country music legends June Carter and Carl Smith, stepdaughter of Johnny Cash, and granddaughter of “Mother” Maybelle Carter of the original Carter Family.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her first recorded release as a solo artist was on Warner Brothers Records in 1978 when she went to England to record her acclaimed self-titled debut album (with Graham Parker and the Rumour), and\u00a0Musical Shapes\u00a0(with Nick Lowe and Rockpile).<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1987, Carlene Carter joined with the singing trio\u00a0The Carter Sisters, consisting of her mother June Carter Cash and June\u2019s sisters\u00a0Helen\u00a0and\u00a0Anita Carter. Together, they formed a revived version of The\u00a0Carter Family and occasionally performed with Carter\u2019s stepfather\u00a0Johnny Cash.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carter\u2019s most recent solo album \u201cCarter Girl,\u201d which was released in 2014 on Rounder Records, is an homage to the Carter family\u2019s long musical history — and a representation of what the family\u2019s music sounds like in this era. The songs on the album cover many generations of\u00a0Carter Family\u00a0music.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carter shares writing credit on\u00a0one track with her great\u00a0uncle\u00a0A.P. Carter\u00a0(recently in the Billboard Top 10\u00a0as co-writer of the\u00a0pop phenomenon \u201cCups\u201d) — and the track features vocals by\u00a0Vince Gill.\u00a0Other\u00a0guest artists on the CD are\u00a0Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson\u00a0and Elizabeth Cook.<\/span><\/p>\n

That album set the stage for Carter\u2019s next project \u2013 the Carter Family\u2019s \u201cAcross Generations\u201d album which was released late last year on Reviver Legacy Records.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m touring now in support of \u2018Across Generations,\u2019 which came out in October\u2019\u201d said Carter. \u201cI always do some Carter Family but, in 2020, I\u2019ll be doing a lot more.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe show is a conglomeration of 40-plus years of making records. My \u2018Carter Girl\u2019 album was the steppingstone. The \u2018Across Generations\u2019 album covers five generations of our family and its music.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt starts with Sara \u2013 Maybelle\u2019s sister. Her and my grandmother used to communicate musically by sending reel-to-reel to each other. Sara\u2019s grandson Dale is on the album and so is her great-great granddaughter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Carter\u2019s last two projects have delved heavily into the family\u2019s history.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of stuff we found in the archives,\u201d said Carter. \u201cI played a lot of grandma\u2019s style of guitar.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded it at Cash Cabin in Hendersonville, Tennessee and set up the equipment in the living room. With technology, it made it sound like we were all in the same room singing together. It was just surreal to be singing with them. There was a feeling of their presence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJohn Carter Cash produced it. He wanted to do a record with \u2018The Carter Family.\u2019 We had Will Carter and all the living Carters from the last 30 years \u2013 including many third and fourth generations.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe started talking about the project in 2014. It was made over a period of four years. It really started with John Carter Cash going into the archives. With the original Carter Family, we wanted to include something that had never been heard before. We used one of grandma\u2019s tapes. It had to be pure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Carlene Carter \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/8Rr6M4Y4foQ<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Longwood Gardens will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another act featuring a musical family will touch down locally on February 15 when Echosmith headlines a show at the World Caf\u00e9 Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400,www.worldcafelive.com<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Echosmith<\/p><\/div>\n

Even before Echosmith released its debut album \u201cTalking Dreams\u201d in 2013, the Los Angeles alt-pop band had been gaining popularity at an amazing rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Sierota siblings \u2014 Sydney (vocals\/keyboard), Jamie (vocals\/guitar), Noah (vocals\/bass), and Graham (drums) \u2013 grew up in Southern California in a musical household and shared a love for playing instruments and listening to bands as varied as Coldplay, The Smiths, U2, Joy Division, and Fleetwood Mac.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band released its debut album, \u201cTalking Dreams,\u201d in 2013 on Warner Bros. Records. On January 10, 2020, Echosmith dropped its sophomore album, \u201cLonely Generation,\u201d on its own label, Echosmith Music LLC.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe new album has been a long, rewarding process,\u201d said Sydney Sierota Quinseng, during a recent phone interview from her home in Los Angeles.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe wrote a lot of songs and recorded a lot of songs. We re-recorded a lot of songs when we really focused on the album rather than touring so much. We wanted it to feel more personal than ever. The album\u2019s songs were written over the course of a couple years.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen we re-wrote all the choruses and then the bridges. We asked ourselves \u2013 how can this lyric be even more personal? We\u2019re in this coming-of-age period with our lives so there are a lot of changes. There were a lot of last-minute additions which couldn\u2019t have happened if we didn\u2019t take our time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As soon as they could hold instruments, the Sierota siblings began playing music together as kids. They traded the living room for farmers markets and open mic nights, while quietly honing their songwriting chops.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTalking Dreams\u201d earned a prestigious RIAA gold certification, yielding the double-platinum breakout smash \u201cCool Kids,\u201d which notched a quarter-of-a-billion Spotify streams, and the platinum-certified \u201cBright.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2014, Echosmith was named both an MTV \u201cArtist to Watch\u201d and a VH1 \u201cYou Oughta Know\u201d Artist. They have performed all over national TV, from Ellen and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with \u201cCool Kids\u201d to Live!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur dad was a musician and songwriter,\u201d said Noah Sierota. \u201cHe played piano and drums. We all got to learn everything \u2013 bass, guitar, upright bass, synthesizer. And, we all play drums. It makes songwriting sessions more fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith songwriting, we start with what we bring to the group \u2013 melodies or an idea. We write with our dad too. We care about the message we send out. It\u2019s a fun process. Usually, a story idea comes first, and we look for a message.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though the siblings are young \u2013 Graham 21, Sydney 23, Noah, 24 \u2013 they have been doing this for a long time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe started at a very young age,\u201d said Sierota. \u201cAbout 12 years ago, we all played together at a cancer benefit. We played songs by Rage Against the Machine, Rihanna and Coldplay.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEver since then, we were trying to find places to play. We avoided the pay-for-play scene in L.A. \u2013 too much pressure and not my favorite way. We did our first recording when we started having a studio at our house. \u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

The band\u2019s house studio has always played a major role.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe spent many months last year working on the album,\u201d said Quinseng. \u201cWith a home studio, we had a lot of time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of emotional songs on it that you have to feel the emotion to sing it right.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFinally, we finished all the songs and sent them to the mixer. Making an album is a hard thing to do. I\u2019m so glad it\u2019s done. We\u2019re extremely proud of it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Echosmith \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/XbNxbAO9wzc<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at World Caf\u00e9 Live, which has Weathers and Jayden Bartels as opening acts, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Vanessa Collier<\/p><\/div>\n

Vanessa Collier has played shows all over the world.<\/p>\n

On February 15, she will be performing a concert virtually in her own backyard when she co-headlines with Deb Callahan at the \u201cNight of the Mighty Blues Women\u201d show at the Arden Gild Hall (The Highway, Arden, Delaware, http:\/\/ardenconcerts.com\/<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The venue in the small community of Arden is located less than seven miles from Collier\u2019s home in Concordville.<\/p>\n

Still in her mid-20s, Vanessa<\/span> Collier<\/span> has toured all over the world numerous times and has released three solo albums. With searing saxophone solos, soulful vocals, and witty lyrics, her songwriting features a blend of blues, funk, rock, and soul.<\/span><\/p>\n

Collier<\/span>\u2019s impressive vocals and stinging saxophone work saw her light up stages as part of Joe Louis Walker\u2019s band in 2012 and 2013.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2014, her debut album \u201cHeart Soul & Saxophone\u201d won her accolades as a \u201cBest of 2014 Blues Breaker.\u201d In March 2017, she released her sophomore album \u201cMeeting My Shadow.\u201dCollier<\/span>\u2019s latest album \u201cHoney Up\u201d was released on July 6, 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been touring a lot since \u2018Honey Up\u2019 came out,\u201d said Collier<\/span>, during a recent phone interview from her home in Delaware County. \u201cIt\u2019s been almost non-stop. I did 115 shows in 2018 and more than 200 in 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI pretty much always take the band \u2013 except when I go to Brazil to play. Fred Sunwalk, who is from the Sao Paulo area, emailed me a few years ago and asked me to come to Brazil. For the last three years, I\u2019ve gone there at least once a year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sunwalk, a guitarist, singer and composer, is among the top names in contemporary Brazilian blues. With 22-year career, five CDs and a DVD, he performs at the main blues and jazz festivals in Brazil and makes frequent tours in the United States and Europe accompanying international artists.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I tour in Brazil, I use Fred\u2019s band,\u201d said Collier<\/span>. \u201cThey know the music well.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t been in the studio for a while. Making an album every two years seems to be a good number for me. I\u2019m writing songs now for my next album. There will be vocal tracks and instrumental tracks. I always do a mix.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying sax, songwriting, singing \u2013 I think of them as equals,\u201d said Collier<\/span>. \u201cI really enjoy the songwriting process. I\u2019ve always been a sax player. I keep the balance when I\u2019m writing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Collier<\/span> is primarily a sax player, singer and songwriter but is also well-versed in playing clavinet, flute, electric organ, and percussion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was little, I really wanted to play piano,\u201d said Collier<\/span>. \u201cI don\u2019t know why. I started taking piano lessons but didn\u2019t like the teacher, so I quit after six months. I saw someone playing sax on television and fell in love with it. We rented a sax for me when I was in fourth grade. That was in school. Then, I studied with a private instructor for a few years.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, I took lessons with Chris Vadala, who played sax with Chuck Mangione. I studied with him for seven years \u2013 classical, jazz and funk. He started me doubling on flute and clarinet. I still play those instruments. Mainly, I play sax \u2014 tenor, some soprano and some baritone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Collier<\/span>\u2019s latest album \u201cHoney Up\u201d was released just over a year ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Collier<\/span> on her website, \u201cThis album is a snapshot in time of what I enjoy writing\/playing\/singing and brings together my diverse inspirations and ideas and, on this album especially, more of my personality.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, there\u2019s always a purpose to some of my songs as they are based on things I struggle with, like why we can\u2019t listen and respect each other, why we can\u2019t work to find common ground, and why we can\u2019t find our way out of the small boxes we place (or accept) in our lives, but even those songs drive us forward and the music is upbeat and funky.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSimilar to my previous records (which I also produced), the songs on \u2018Honey Up\u2019 pay respect to the traditions and roots of blues music, but branch out with my own blend of rock, funk, gospel, NOLA, and soul grooves and, of course, my love of the saxophone. Each song is different, and I hope you find a favorite (or two or three\u2026)!! Thank you for listening!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe \u2018Honey Up\u2019 album was nominated for Blues Music Award (BMA) Contemporary Blues Album of the year,\u201d said Collier<\/span>. \u00a0\u201cThe album came out last July and did well right from the start. It was a Top 5 Billboard Blues Album and was well-received by radio deejays.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Collier<\/span> was nominated in 2017 for a Blues Music Award in the \u201cInstrumental \u2014 Horn Player of the Year\u201d category. She also won first place in the \u201cLyrics Only\u201d category of the 2017 USA Songwriting Competition. In 2018, Collier<\/span> was nominated in two categories at the Blues Music Awards \u2013 \u201cContemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year\u201d and \u201cInstrumental \u2014 Horn Player of the Year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2019, she was again nominated in same two categories at the Blues Music Awards \u2013 \u201cContemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year\u201d and \u201cInstrumental \u2013 Horn.\u201d She claimed first place in the \u201cInstrumental \u2013 Horn\u201d category.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoney Up,\u201d which had a three-month residency on Billboard\u2019s \u201cTop Blues Albums Chart,\u201d provides a good look at Collier<\/span>\u2019s influences.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith jazz, the first person I was turned on to was Cannonball Adderley,\u201d said Collier<\/span>. \u201cOther major influences were John Coltrane, Junior Walker, and Maceo Parker. Vocally, I started with Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan and that morphed into Norah Jones and Bonnie Raitt.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Collier<\/span> also is a music teacher and has been involved in various \u201cBlues in Schools\u201d programs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in Clarksville, Maryland and then graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston,\u201d said Collier<\/span>, who earned a dual degree in performance and music production, and engineering. \u201cRight now, I\u2019m basically just playing and teaching.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I\u2019m playing live, it\u2019s mostly sax and vocals. I do play guitar on two songs. I use three saxes \u2013 soprano, tenor and alto \u2013 with the majority on soprano. In my current show, I\u2019ve been trying to work songs from \u2018Honey Up.\u201d Generally, I play a blend from all three records.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Vanessa<\/span> Collier<\/span> \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/Ji0x9vkQVcQ<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Arden Gild Hall, which is a co-headline with Deb Callahan, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.<\/span><\/p>\n

The avant-garde show will be a Fire Museum Presents production at the Icebox Project Space (1400 North American Street, Philadelphia, www.firemuseumpresents.com<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Laurie Amat<\/p><\/div>\n

The show on Saturday evening will feature <\/span>Erik Ruin’s Ominous Cloud Ensemble, Laurie Amat and the Bismuth String Quartet.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amat, who is well known for her solo and collaborative performances throughout Europe, including projects with The Residents and Czech scholar\/keyboardist Mirek Vodrazka, will be the busiest of the three acts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do a little set of my own,\u201d said Amat, during a phone interview Thursday from her home in Providence, Rhode Island.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be a 20-minute set vocal piece. I\u2019m going to be doing an acoustic vocal improv \u2013 with movement. Then, I get to work with the Ensemble. With the Ensemble\u2019s musicians and projections, we create a world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Erik Ruin is a visual and theatrical artist living in Philadelphia. Known for his use of paper cuttings<\/a>, printmaking, and shadow puppetry to convey political themes, Ruin\u2019s distinctive style has been featured in several books, art exhibitions, and as a featured member of the Justseeds Artists\u2019 Cooperative.<\/span><\/p>\n

Erik Ruin\u2019s Ominous Cloud Ensemble is an ever-evolving, collectively improvising large ensemble for projections and music, led by visual artist Erik Ruin, recently lauded by the New York Times for his \u201cspell-binding cut-paper animations.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ruin manipulates intricate paper cuts and painted films on overhead projectors to create abstract landscapes and fragmentary scenes that are nonetheless charged with meaning, merging with music that ranges from dark atmospherics to ecstatic peaks of dissonance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Erik Ruin\u2019s Ominous Cloud Ensemble<\/p><\/div>\n

Members of the ensemble include a rotating cast of Philly\u2019s finest musicians, who have collaborated with everyone from Anthony Braxton to the Sun Ra Arkestra to Bardo Pond.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEric\u2019s work is so beautiful,\u201d said Amat, has performed pure-voice, site-specific resonant space pieces internationally in such traditional venues as concert halls, museums and galleries, cathedrals and alternative spaces including castles, bunkers, cisterns, rivers and concrete overpasses. \u201cI\u2019m honored that he asked me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Amat is an acclaimed vocalist, improvisational performer, experimental composer and teacher. Her approach to singing is informed by broad experience including pop, rock, traditional and inventive opera, spoken word, video, dance, theatre and performance art.
\nAmat\u2019s talent for inspiring upcoming vocalists and other artists stems from her focus on the power of the voice as an instrument to convey a pure expression of direct human emotions and story through technique, raw talent and experimentation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy performance tends to be more direct and visceral,\u201d said Amat, who just returned from a concert in Jacksonville, Florida.<\/span><\/p>\n

In January, Amat performed with the Residents when they did their first-ever live shows of their 1988 concept album, \u201cGod in Three Persons.\u201d The shows were staged at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.<\/span><\/p>\n

On stage were the Residents, characteristically clad in masks, joined by Amat. There were two actors, one playing Mr. X, who narrates the show, and another essentially playing a shadow of Mr. X, who provides a physical\/dance accompaniment to the spoken narrative.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe shows at MOMA were amazing,\u201d said Amat. \u201cI had sung the original vocals on the album when it came out in the late 1990s. I was living in San Francisco then.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI moved back east to Providence. I hadn\u2019t seen them (the Residents) for a long time when they came up with the offer to do these shows. It was intense.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt had been since 1996. It was like coming home. It was really, really good. We\u2019d all like to do it again. The MOMA shows stirred my creative side.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Laurie Amat \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/6i8SM-T33B0<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Erik Ruin’s Ominous Cloud Ensemble — https:\/\/youtu.be\/UDi7oSZbGLQ<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Icebox will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8-$15 sliding scale.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Jared Feinman<\/p><\/div>\n

On February 15, singer-songwriter Jared Feinman will present his first show of 2020 when he performs at The Locks at Sona (4417 Main Street, Manayunk, 484- 273-0481, sonapub.com<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

It will be an acoustic show by the singer-pianist from the Philadelphia area \u2013 a show unlike most performed by artists in the genre.<\/span><\/p>\n

At Saturday night\u2019s show in Manayunk, Feinman will be accompanied by a small string group and a world-renowned trumpeter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have a string trio featuring young players who are graduates from the Curtis Institute of Music,\u201d said Feinman, during a phone interview Thursday afternoon from his home in Newtown Square.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be playing my original music with string arrangements to accompany the songs. I\u2019ll also be joined by Arnetta Johnson on trumpet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Johnson is a world-class trumpet artist whose resume includes performing with Beyonce at \u201cSuper Bowl L.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Feinman<\/span> writes poignant lyrics and arranges mournful instrumentals that enhance his vocals and create a sultry mix of jazz and blues. With their mournful and moody style, his signature songs have been coined \u201cmurder ballads.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been into music,\u201d said Feinman, who went to Radnor High and then spent his final two years of high school at The Hill School in Pottstown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI started studying classical piano at age 6 and studied it for 10 years,\u201d said Feinman. \u201cI was also studying jazz piano through high school. Music was more of a hobby back then.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Feinman was drawn to classical composers such as Frederic Chopin and Claude Debussy. He also studied jazz piano under the renowned jazz educator, the late Jimmy Amadie, who had worked with Mel Torme.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Feinman, \u201cI attribute my feel and approach to harmony largely to Jimmy. He was a powerful influence on me as his youngest student when I was only 15.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After graduating from The Hill School, Feinman attended the University of Richmond as a business major.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hit a crossroad at the University of Richmond,\u201d said Feinman. \u201cI wasn\u2019t cut out for school. I jumped ship at Richmond five credits short of graduating with a business degree.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEventually, I made my way to Berklee College of Music and graduated as a voice major in 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought about moving to Nashville after graduation. But I chose Philadelphia. Philly has a good scene with a lot of good clubs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Since returning to his hometown in 2017, Feinman has been releasing singles — starting with his debut release in 2018, \u201cLove Is An Obstacle.\u201d His second single, \u201cAll My Life,\u201d was released in October 2019, and third single, \u201c88,\u201d was released in November 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have no album yet \u2013 just several singles,\u201d said Feinman. \u201cPeople these days don\u2019t want to sit and listen to a full album. But I still plan on making an album.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe album is conceptualized — conceptualized in my head. But for now, I\u2019m just introducing my music one song at a time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Jared Feinman \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/jwPD97u-C4Q<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at The Locks at Sona will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Pepper<\/p><\/div>\n

Pepper is a reggae band that has its roots in Hawaii and its home in Southern California. It also has a home away from home in Philadelphia where it has built legion of fans after years of playing killer shows in the area.<\/span><\/p>\n

On February 15, Pepper will return to the Philly when it brings its \u201cStep To The Local Motion Tour\u201d to the Theatre of the Living Arts (334 South Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1011,http:\/\/www.lnphilly.com<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Pepper is a Southern California-based band from Kona featuring Kaleo Wassman (Vocals, Guitar), Bret Bollinger (Bass, Vocals), and Yesod \u201cYee\u201d Williams (Drums, Vocals). For more than two decades, the trio has travelled around the world performing to sold out crowds. Garnering critical acclaim and amassing a dedicated fan base along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Currently, Pepper is touring in support of its chart-topping album, \u201cLocal Motion,\u201d which spent\u00a015 weeks on the Billboard Reggae Charts. \u201cLocal Motion,\u201d which is Pepper\u2019s eighth full-length studio album, was released via the band\u2019s own label, LAW Records.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe main thing is that this is our first headlining tour in a couple years,\u201d said Williams, during a recent phone interview from his home in California\u2019s South Bay area.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s really exciting because we get to play longer sets. We usually have only 50-minute sets as co-headliners. We hear from our Ohana about the length of the set. We call our fans \u2018Pepper Ohana.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ohana is an idea in Hawaiian culture. The word \u201cOhana\u201d means family in the Hawaiian language, but in a much wider sense, to include not only closer relatives but also cousins, in-laws, friends, race, and other neighbors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bringing the vibe back to the band\u2019s reggae rock roots, the new album is stacked with hot collaborations. \u201cLocal Motion\u201d\u00a0pays tribute to the many days and weeks the three friends spend on the road touring, and the relationships forged both with their fans and the music community alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe cut \u2018Local Motion\u2019 in the last half of 2018,\u201d said Williams. \u201cIt was an interesting project.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Recorded at Great Stone Studios, Sea Major Seven, and the band\u2019s own studio, Kona Town Recording, \u201cLocal Motion\u201d featured a more collaborative approach to production compared to previous releases.\u00a0\u00a0These collaborations included long-time friends Stick Figure, E.N. Young, and Micah Brown of Iration.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a lot of back-and-forth with producers,\u201d said Williams. \u201cWe wanted to hear what different producers would do with the songs. We had four different producers pick songs they were emotionally gravitating toward. We wanted to keep them passionately involved.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded \u2018Neighborhood\u2019 and \u2018Truth\u2019 with Noah Krohn. We cut \u2018Warning\u2019 and \u2018Carnaval\u2019 at a studio in Oakland. Dave from Dirty Heads (David Foral) produced \u2018Brand New Day.\u2019 Wayne Lothian did \u2018Sugar\u2019 with us and Jeff Nisen worked on \u2018We The People.\u2019 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cKaleo and Bret usually start a song with an idea on acoustic guitar and then we build the song. This time, we sent them straight to the producer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been a band for a long time, and we\u2019ve gotten set in our ways. Making this album was a different process. It was all over the place \u2013 in a good way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Williams and his mates knew that it was a good idea to move out of their comfort zone.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Williams, \u201cWorking with the community on this album led us to places musically we never would have gone on our own. Right away, we were at a different starting point than normal — out of our comfort zone and ready to grow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, the process of \u201cLocal Motion\u201d was very different, and the end result sounds like us condensed down to our purest form, for lack of a better term. All the fluff was stripped away so it really is an illuminated version of our essence which just feels and sounds right.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Williams explained the album\u2019s vibe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was weird,\u201d said Williams. \u201cIt\u2019s a throwback but also a progression. The reggae vibe has always been in our music, so we wanted to go in that direction. Our fans always stay with us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Pepper \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/mev_z2Ipxes<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Theatre of the Living Arts, which Kash\u2019d Out\u00a0and\u00a0The Elovaters as openers, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Now that Valentine\u2019s Day is over, it might just be a good time to check out some live music. There are shows with a variety of genre choices around the area on February 15 including country rock\/Americana, jazz\/blues, alt-pop, avant-garde, Hawaiian\/SoCal reggae and singer-songwriter. Carlene Carter, who has […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33866,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7529],"tags":[4765,10193,11878,6518,11879,11877,11880,10533],"class_list":["post-33864","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-carlene-carter","tag-echosmith","tag-erik-ruins-ominous-cloud","tag-featured","tag-jared-feinman","tag-laurie-amat","tag-pepper","tag-vanessa-collier"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33864"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33864\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33865,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33864\/revisions\/33865"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/33866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}