Showing posts with label Cedar Rapids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cedar Rapids. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

YOUR OWN PRIVATE IOWA - Episode 30: Andersen Coates



"Hey, I'm Andersen. I'm a solo artist from Marion, IA, who enjoys writing, arranging, playing, and recording music as a means of self-expression and stress relief. I also lead worship weekly for my church's youth program. My main influences are various indie/folk artists such as Jon Foreman, the Lumineers, and others. My hope is that my music would bring you some of the same joy it brings me."
- from his ReverbNation page

"An independent singer-songwriter from the middle of Iowa, Andersen Coates creates a unique blend of heartland pop rock, somewhere in between the folky rock'-n'-roll of artists such as Tom Petty and the contemporary pop rock stylings of Coldplay and John Mayer."
- from his Bandcamp page

Last Thursday, Andersen Coates a student in the college of Design and fellow Ceder Rapidian sat down with me in the studio! Man this kid can play, what a fantastic songwritter and guitar player! From folk rock, to Tom Petty inspired Indie rock to Jazz guitar he can play it all! It was a lot of fun talking with Andersen and hearing about the work hes doing on an album with his father, I'm super stoked to get a copy and listen to it!

Sunday, October 22, 2017

IMSC Ep 54 - Song 1: "They Want Brains (They're Coming To Get You, Barbara!)" by Mega Blast



"We were a band for about a year and a half before I moved out of state with my then-fiancee (now wife) and my little brother went off to college in 1998. Kevin still performs around Cedar Rapids/Iowa City doing solo stuff and as part of the punk band, CR Dicks (check them out on Facebook). He also performs in a cover band, Julie & the Mad Dogs. Jamie was in many punk bands in the CR area in the mid-90s to early 2000s, including The Pee Pees, Brazil, Wheel and the Fence, and most prominently, The Horrors (they put out two albums on the Southern California trash-rock label, In the Red Records). He now lives in Madison, WI, where he is still involved in the punk/underground music scene.

"We performed a grand total of two gigs and recorded 9 songs that have never been formally released. It's all snot-nosed punk music, most of it I'm still quite proud of although a few songs missed the mark and don't hold up to listening nowadays. If you ever want the rest of the songs for future shows, let me know. You could put out a whole series of episodes on the 90s punk scene in Cedar Rapids & Iowa City -- we are really the tip of the iceberg from those old days."
- from an email by band member Alex Pelzel

Lineup:
Nic Pelzel - vocals, guitar
Kevin Michael - guitar
Alex Pelzel - saxophone, backing vocals
Jamie McLees - drums

CR Dicks' Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/yourgirlfriendsplace/

CR Dicks' BandCamp page:
https://crdicks.bandcamp.com/

The Horrors' page on the Red Records website:
https://intheredrecords.com/collections/the-horrors

To download the whole podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode54/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2054_.mp3

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Sunday, October 15, 2017

IMSC Ep 53 - Song 6: "Electric Skull" by The Surf Zombies



"Surf zombies are those apparently undead standing motionless on a beach watching the waves break. They often are surfers, and can be recognized by the glassy stare."
- from The Urban Dictionary

"Instrumental, all original, hot-rod surf rock and roll 4-piece out of the middle of Iowa."
- from their BandCamp page

"The Surf Zombies raise surf rock from the dead with fast, crazy surf originals that straddle alternative, underground, retro and kid-friendly fun. A Surf Zombies show is some combination of Saturday morning cartoon, beach party and hot rod convention. The jungle rhythms, swirling tremolo of dueling guitars and authentic growl of vintage tube amps make for a truly weird Midwestern wonder."
- from their decription for 2016 Halloween show at The Legion Arts

"Come feel The Surf Zombies. They are all about fun fast melodic surf instrumentals. They sprang forth from the fertile loins of eastern Iowa and have released 4 albums since forming in 2006 according to local legend. At first not everyone understood they meant no harm with these songs with no words, but slowly the people have accepted them as an efficient source of entertainment and now fans from across the globe have discovered The Surf Zombies."
- from their Facebook page

"'We just can’t resist doing it. We have to do it,' insists Brook Hoover as he describes his band’s desire to create original music and take their songs on the road...

“'Quite a few people were saying you ought to put a surf band together and I thought about it, you know, people mentioned it for maybe ten years before we finally did it in about 2006.'

"As the band’s lineup evolved, Hoover invited Tyler Russell, 27, to join the Surf Zombies and the drummer quickly learned it would be fun but a lot of hard work...

"Adds Russell, 'It’s something you have to experience live. As great as our albums are, it’s a different animal live.'”
- from a profile in the Iowa's Creative Corridor website

"Meet The Surf Zombies: We play fast crazy fun surf instrumentals...

"I am the guy who generates hype for the band and plays guitar. They call me Brook Hoover. I spend my days plotting my agenda in a dark dungeon. Someone has to do it. I also write a lot of tunes... Surf Zombies shows make me nervous, but we have stuck with it for about 8 years and it's getting easier and more fun all the time...

"I played instrumentals from a young age and always had a soft spot for the surf sound. My buddies and I were rehearsing when we were about 14 a weird uncle tested one of our guitars and played the slide down and EGBGEGBGEGBGEGBG riff of "Pipeline" over and over then he wandered off with a crazed look in his eye and were were hooked for life.

"Something about surf instrumentals seemed very distant, exotic and alluring to us. It's a happy sounds, but can be pretty heavy and menacing. We also learned "Wipe Out" and played it for our 9th grade talent assembly the whole school screamed like Beatlemania and it's been downhill ever since. I have been out punk rockin in the Midwest since the 70's. We re-discovered our landlocked surf roots a few years back and it's been a thrilling hellride ever since...

"Surf instrumentals can be light and happy, medium tempo, slow and creepy or super fast and heavy. We take a lot of time when writing and arranging our songs, but once we get the sound the way we like it, it's well worth the work. It's the most challenging band we've ever been in... We'd like to thank everyone for coming to our shows and sharing the fun of this exciting form of music!'"
- from their ReverbNation page

Lineup:
Brook Hoover - guitar
Kyle Oyloe - guitar
Joel McDowell - bass
Ryan Hoagland - drums


Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/surfzombiesband/

BandCamp:
http://surfzombies.bandcamp.com/

ReverbNation:
https://www.reverbnation.com/surfzombies

To download the whole podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode53/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2053_.mp3

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Sunday, July 23, 2017

Ep 49 - Song 4: "On Our Way to Jupiter" by Kevin Simnacher



"Old enough to know better, but not too old to ROCK!!!"
- from his Facebook page

"Kevin has played in various different bands over the years. Some just cover bands and a couple that actually wrote and recorded original material."
- from his BandCamp page

"KEVIN'S EARLY BEGINNINGS...

"Well, how early do we wanna go back? Kevin was once an embyo...

"First real stage experience was an 8th grade talent show where Kevin did a mean Johnny Cash impersonation, performing 'Folsom Prison Blues' and 'A Boy Named Sue', winning 1st place. But that was kind of 'nerdy' as most of his peers were into the rock scene at that age. It took a few years to shake that 'Johnny Cash' image as Kevin pursued the 'hipper' rock persona. His first band experiences evolved into the group 'Ratler' based out of his hometown of Vinton, Iowa. Eventually touring the bar circuit in 13 states by 1983, Kevin had some good road experience but no band left as each bandmate ended up marrying and dropping out of the band scene...

"Talk about diversity! The year was 1997, and the Cedar Rapids music scene was either blues-based or country. Kevin got to expand his musical vocabulary by joining the ranks of Cedar Rapids band "Tan Yer Hide", consisting of former rockers turned "NEW" country musicians. Kevin's main responsibilities included covering all of the "fiddle" and "pedal steel" parts, but gravitated towards more "classic-rock" parts as the Cedar Rapids club music scene began to change back toward mainstream and "classic" rock formats.
- from his homepage

Lineup:
Kevin Simnacher - instruments, vocals
Kraig "Wildcat" Spratt - drums


Home page:
http://www.kevinsimnacher.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/kevin.simnachermusic/

BandCamp:
https://kevinsimnacher.bandcamp.com/

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode49/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2049_.mp3

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ISMC Ep 49 - Song 6: "Floyd Bumpers Jr" by knubby



"knubby is a power rock trio from Cedar Rapids."
- from their Facebook page

"knubby is a no-nonsense 3-piece rock band comprised of veterans of numerous Cedar Rapids area bands.

"You've heard the rest, now hear more. Welcome to knubby time!'
- from their home page

Lineup:
John Morgan - drums
Chad Willenborg - guitar/vocals
Jim Scharosch - bass/vocals


Home page:
http://www.knubby.net/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/knubbyrocks/

ReverbNation:
https://www.reverbnation.com/knubby

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode49/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2049_.mp3

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Sunday, June 25, 2017

Ep 48 - Song 5: "Snapshots" Song Cycle: "Crocodiles"/"Rain"/"Sneaky Squirrels"/"A Simple Request"/"Turtle Fence"/"Tuesday and Thursday"/"Spoiler Alert!" written by Lisa Neher and performed by Olivia Betzen and Nate Salazar



"Mezzo-soprano and composer Lisa Neher thrives in the crossroads of the concert hall and the theatre stage... Lisa’s compositions are shaped by her keen sense of dramatic timing and feature aching, lyrical phrases, energetic rhythmic motives, and intensely dissonant pitch clusters...

"She is an active advocate for new music, frequently premiering new works as well as established masterworks of the last fifty years. Lisa is the creator of the One Voice Project, a call for scores, poetry, and prose which will be incorporated into a one-woman musical-theatrical performance in the fall of 2016. Through the call for scores, the project promotes the creation and performance of new works for unaccompanied voice...

Her compositions include solo and chamber music for instruments and vocal works in the operatic, song, and choral genres. Lisa is particularly passionate about writing works that set text and story to music, such as her chamber opera White Horizon, about a nineteenth-century Arctic expedition gone wrong, and her song cycle Snapshots...
- from Lisa Neher's home page

"A composer of unabashedly heartfelt, lyrical music, Lisa’s works include solo and chamber music for instrumentalists as well as vocal works in the operatic, song, and choral genres, which represent her deepest passion."
- from her Facebook page

Lineup:
Olivia Betzen - vocals
Nate Salazar - piano

Photograph by Alisabeth Von Presley
http://www.vonpresleystudios.com/alisabeth

Home page:
http://www.lisanehermusic.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/LisaNeherMusic/

SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/lisa-neher

Olivia Betzen's home page:
http://www.oliviabetzen.com/

Nate Salazar's home page:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-salazar-94209718/

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/Episode48IowaClassicalMusic/Episode%2048_%20Iowa%20Classical%20Music.mp3

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Friday, April 21, 2017

Ep 45 - Song 2: "One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor" by Philbo King



"Independent artist performing original songs, operating Tangent Studio, and doing gigs throughout northeast Iowa

"Philbo has been playing guitar for more than 45 years, starting at the age of 10. He was in many groups over the years, and after taking off time to raise a family, has now decided to get serious about making some music with heart..."
- from his Facebook page

Acoustic and Delta blues performed on authentic delta instruments"
- from his Gig Salad page

Lineup:
Philbo King - vocals, all instruments


Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/philboking/

SoundClick page:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=1157871

To download the podcast, right click on the link below and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode45/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2045_.mp3

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Saturday, December 3, 2016

Ep 38 - Song 1: "O Holy Night" by Jonny Lipford



"In a career that spans fourteen solo albums and countless collaborations in the studio and live on stage, Jonny Lipford has made his mark as one of the most versatile musicians of ancient wooden flutes in the US. Since the beginning of his musical journey with Native-style flutes in 2002, Lipford has always been an enthusiastic trailblazer. His innate ability to uniquely carve a new path bridging cultures and marrying unexpected genres together has certainly been astonishing.

"As an instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, author, instructor and consistently memorable performer, Jonny Lipford is a true inspiration. He conducts himself in a way that makes others feel acknowledged, understood and motivated...

"For his newest musical pursuit, he is still exploring and expanding the boundaries of the Native-style flute, plunging headlong into a more vibrant jazz and pop crossover scene with an ancient instrument. As Lipford progresses and matures, audiences have noticed and awakening happening with both his music and his sentiments. His performances are a fusion of music and message. He utilizes the capacity of music to empower and inspire a diverse crowd.

“'Instrumental music is like abstract art for the ears. It’s timeless and limitless,' says Lipford. That couldn’t ring more true as a quick gaze into the audience reveals people of all creed and color, immersing themselves in the music and message."
- from his home page

"Jonny Lipford is a critically acclaimed and award winning instrumentalist who has taken the Native American flute “outside the box” and successfully branded himself as being the most ambitious flutist in the music industry. Lipford has blazed trails in only a short amount of time since starting his journey with the Native American flute at the age of 13. Gaining popularity worldwide, Lipford has profoundly become the most recognized for ear catching melodies and timeless songwriting."
- from his Facebook page

"When Jonny Lipford played his first native American flute, he didn’t realize the success he’d find.

"He’d discovered the flute while watching cartoons.

“'I saw this character playing a brown flute. It had a different sound than anything I’ve ever heard before ... A quality of sound and soulfulness that no other instrument can produce,' he said.

'Then on Christmas Day 2002, Lipford, 13, unwrapped his future. His first flute.

“'I fell in love,' he said.

"Fast-forward 13 years to find the now-26-year-old Florida-native with about 125 world flutes and a name already made for himself both locally and internationally as a native American flutist...

"All his songs are originals. Music is a way for him to “express what (he’s) feeling,” he said — a 'vessel' for his emotions. And, he said, the flute can be very therapeutic.

“'It’s relaxing and reaches people in different ways,' he said. 'You kind of capture them with the sound of this instrument, and they become infatuated. They get hooked.'"
- from a Cedar Rapids Gazette article by Liz Gabel

Lineup:
Jonny Lipford - flutes, keyboards, synthesizers


Home page:
http://www.jonnylipfordmusic.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/JonnyLipfordMusic/

SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/jonnylipford

To download the podcast, right click and hit "Save as...":
https://archive.org/download/IowaMusicShowcaseEpisode39/Iowa%20Music%20Showcase%20-%20Episode%2039_.mp3

Labels: ,

Saturday, July 23, 2016

IMSC Ep 31 - Song 4: "Invest in This" by Soul Sherpa

http://shadowfoxfotos.com/
https://www.facebook.com/shadowfoxphotography/


"Soul Sherpa is a band based out of Cedar Rapids Iowa that delivers some serious groove. With music ranging anywhere from originals to covers of modern pop.

"Soul Sherpa was pieced together from the remains of members of a jazz combo from Kirkwood Community College. After playing music with each other daily, there was such an indescribable connection that we just couldn't leave behind. Having similar inspirations and aspirations, Soul Sherpa emerged.

"We strive to bring the groove from our hearts to the audience, playing a mixture of R&B, Funk, Pop, Jazz, and Soul music."
- from their Facebook page

Thursday, December 17, 2015

IMSC Ep 21 - Song 1: "Greensleeves" by Jonny Lipford



Jonny Lipford is an award-winning instrumentalist who specializes in music produced with the Native American style flute and various world flutes crafted using wood and bamboo. His movements and melodies on the wooden flutes are done with such grace and agility; one can’t help but be engaged in his music.

He started playing the wooden flute at age 13 and is widely known for adding a contemporary and invigorating flare to a music scene consisting of mostly traditional and relaxing music. His debut album, Transitions, created a trend for his artistry and his second release, Cross Roads, put him on the map as a musician to carefully watch. Since then, Lipford has released several more albums; each gaining popularity amongst the public and music industry professionals. He's a well-decorated artist for being one of the youngest in his industry - truly a versatile flutist and can adapt to any genre of music with an ease that’s unique. However, he is also a musician that knows his heart and artistry to which his artistry remains true.

Lipford is currently working on new music, touring the United States and Canada, teaching the art of playing the Native American style flute to students of all levels and continuing to build his fan base across the globe.

The future for Jonny Lipford, his music and his fans looks very promising. Lipford is a very hard-working individual whose passion lights the way for future projects, fan engagement, touring and producing music. Keep your eyes on this multi-talented artist; great things are happening.
- - from his home page

Lineup:
Jonny Lipford - flutes, keyboards, synthesizers


Home page:
http://www.jonnylipfordmusic.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/JonnyLipfordInc

ReverbNation:
https://www.reverbnation.com/jonnylipford

Friday, October 23, 2015

"Iowa Music Showcase theme (Halloween edition)" by Ross Kendall



"After graduating from college in 1977 with a BA in Piano Performance, I knew that I wanted to be in a band or working in some capacity with music, so this is what this website is all about. As far as being a "multi-keyboardist", instead of just being a piano player or organist, my thoughts are pretty simple. First, with the evolution of electronic instruments, the sound of today's synths are astonishing. To carry a real Hammond organ (and I used to), or grand piano is relatively stupid, mainly because they weigh so much. Second, I compare myself to a drummer. Each drum in a kit has a certain function, and all my keyboards have various functions, as well. It's true, I could change presets like a madman on stage, hopefully, hit all the right buttons. But, as I get older, I can't see all that well in the dark, even with backdrop lighting on stage. So, I assign one keyboard as my piano, another as my organ, another as string/horns and so on. Is it worth it to carry that many keyboards? Well, I get compliments from fans and other musicians that the bands I am in sound just like the original band or even better. So, yeah, it's worth it to me. In fact, the greatest compliment I ever heard was from a fan who had just heard us play "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd. The fan said that they had experienced goosebumps while we were playing the song."
- from his home page

Lineup:
Ross Kendall - all instruments


Home page:
http://www.freewebs.com/rdk-keyboardist/bio.htm

Sunday, March 15, 2015

IMSC Ep 6 - Song 4: "Finnegan's Wake" by Wylde Nept


"Wylde Nept is a cast of colorful characters that specialize in charging up a crowd with raucous pub tunes from all over the Celtic and sea-faring world. Whether the band is playing classic tunes of rebellion, mirthful ballads, maritime sea chanteys, popular originals, or just good, old-fashioned drinking songs, the goal is always to give the crowd a rollicking evening of friends, music, and merriment. Over the past ten years, Wylde Nept has built a loyal following around the fresh, youthful energy they pump into the classic songs of the British Isles."
- from their ReverbNation page

Lineup:
Westan James - Vocals
Steven James - Accordion and Vocals
Jon Southwood - Guitars, Mandolin, and Vocals
Wayne "The Punisher" Twombley - Guitars and Vocals
Brian Fahrner - Bass and Vocals
George "The Littlest Viking" Curtis Jr. - Bodhran, Dumbek, and Vocals


Home page:
http://www.wyldenept.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/WyldeNept

ReverbNation:
http://www.reverbnation.com/wyldenept

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