Music REVIEW: Alternative rock group Scatterheart. Vancouver, B.C. keeps producing great music groups.

Music Review: Scatterheart has range and depth.

Scatterheart proves that once again, Vancouver, B.C. is a hub for great music.

I know it seems like I focus a great deal on Canadian bands but I assure you that it isn’t intentional. Maybe it’s karma or the fact that I include …and Canada in the name of my music/arts/media and light humor blog. I simply listen and search out bands that I believe are worth listening to, regardless of origin and without preference for genre. I like all music. I admit though that I often find myself listening mostly to pop, alternative and rock/punk with the best of the best rap and hip hop thrown in for good measure. (Best by my standards means simply that I like the music, vocals & lyrics and often find the lyrics relevant to the human condition, i.e. they have something worth saying or evoke emotions in me, the listener, and take me on a journey into their world.)

So yes, I found an alternative band this week and yes, they are from Vancouver, B.C. So sue me. (No, wait, don’t! That’s only a figure of speech!)

Scatterheart is unsigned but with a full, richly produced sound nonetheless. You can tell they’re a longtime professional band, meaning, not a garage wannabe but a working, professional band that knows their strengths and plays to them. An alternative band with a strong rock basis apparent in every chord and beat, they are surprisingly versatile. One moment they are riff extraordinaire and high energy, powering you out with stressed vocals and intense musicality. The next moment, or rather song, they are the object of restraint, fluidity and introspective social and emotional angst, pining for a better life.

I can’t tell you who does what, they didn’t list what each member did within the whole. Jesse, Wes, Mike and Doug only listed their names. However, the vocals have a wonderful plaintative feel and the music easily fills the gaps, backing up vocals and building the music into powerful swells when appropriate, moving everything along with nary a hiccup to the whole composition.

The more tender Soothe and the bass driven Shadows were my favorite of their four MySpace selections, but I enjoyed all four offerings.

Check them out at www.myspace.com/scatterheart
And check their site for upcoming live performances as well.

Have a great weekend and always keep the wire live.

CG Anderson
Little Dogs Media
Aha! Blogolicious! Musings and Meanings of Non-Sensical Events …and Canada

This article may be copied in whole or in part, as long as fair use rules are observed, no parts are modified from the original and credit given when quoted or reposted.

If a blog posting does NOT have this note at the bottom, please do not copy or repost it. It is likely in such a case NOT intended for wider distribution and you are requested to honor copyright protections and uses.

CG Anderson is a 10 year new media provocateur involved in media, art, tech, science and the online world. Also a writer, blogger and novelist. CG's comments are personal and opinionated and solely the responsibility of the author, so there. Don't like the opinions, disagree, agree, don't know? Great, make a comment—clean ones will be allowed, netiquette-challenged ones will be ignored!

MySpace site: http://www.myspace.com/ahablogolicious (help me reach 1 million friends, add yourself as my friend now! Especially since my ability to add you is broken—still---and no eta from MySpace on a fix.)
Blog site: http://ahablogolicious.blogspot.com/
URL: http://home.myuw.net/cganders/

Music Review: Rockers Glass City Walls, Argentina's Punk band HaShiSh and MySpace Records

Music Review: Glass City Walls rocks and breaks through the Noise. MySpace Records offers up some great groups. Argentina gives us a Punk HaShiSh with lots of Pop!

A UK Rock Band new/old to the MySpace Scene, a Punk group I can’t understand but Love to listen to and MySpace Records is likely a label with an ‘in’ or pay to play but it still picks some hot ones.

Last week I was down with a virus, so no posting. Any posts would have been nightmares of inane rambling and disconnected thoughts anyway. Yes, yes, yes, MORE disconnected and rambling than normal…but hey, be nice. I’m still feeling like I got tongued by a halitosis-ridden, incontinent Crocodile with a penchant for liver and garlic pizza—or a Presidential candidate. Take your pick. Wait. No. That’s an insult to the crocodile!

Anyway, quickly, a few things on the agenda today. A rock band out of the UK and very new or perhaps very longterm to MySpace, but with a great sound. (They’ve got a new MySpace page. So it’s unclear what their base was earlier. I suspect, like me, they’ve been battling messed up pages and non-working functionality. I’m now on month 6 of no ability to add friends and the usual MySpace ‘please be patient’ customer complaint response.)

Glass City Walls doesn’t have much to pick from on the MySpace page yet, but what is there is wonderful to hear. While the downloads seemed a bit weak on robustness or fullness of sound---you know, that sense of an explosion of music all around you rather than a tinny feel, I expect that could be fixed by a good producer during a professional demo session.

What Amer, Dave, Kieran and John do have are nice vocals, interesting lyrics and amazing technical, virtuoso guitar skills. Those guitar riffs grabbed my attention and held it. With a fuller, more developed sound, these fellows could bring down those glass houses easily. I hope they get signed soon to a label and do just that.

Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/glasscitywallsrock

Another thing I’m going to point out is the MySpace Records page. I didn’t know MySpace had its own label and of course that means a MySpace page to promote itself. With over a million and a half friends, it’s definitely known and kicking to others that it’s been inviting to join. Then again, unlike the rest of us, I’m sure it doesn’t have problems with getting any Add Friends or download problems fixed, nor would it have any restrictions on the number of invitations it can send out to up it friend count, nor would it have to worry about paying for any advertising in order to make the MySpace community more aware of it.

Then again, MySpace has the right to promote itself any way it wants. It gives most of us free pages, and in return, we have to deal with lesser service and being served up to advertisers as an entrée. Such is the way of the web now. No free lunch.

It does showcase a number of great musical groups on its page. I somehow doubt they are up there just because MySpace likes them. After, all it’s a label—right? It’s hard to say whether it picks them or just promotes bands that come to it for help. So, unlike this blog, you probably won’t find the great groups that don’t have great cash backing up there. Then again to be fair…I really don’t know, you decide for yourself.

Still, it’s a start and at least MySpace is taking an interest, beyond just making free pages available and allowing you to try to search through the millions up on millions of pages trying to find that one little gem.

So that makes their page worth a look as well, just look with a critical eye and a handful of salt until it's more clear whether they are a real label or just pay-to-play.

And watch out for free lunches being offered in general, as a reminder about identity theft and phishing…free lunches or free iPods or iPhones or Wii’s…you get the drift, I hope. Or is that I hype? ;)

In particular, check out Sherwood’s Middle of the Night and Kate Voegele’s Only Fooling Myself (Kate’s vocals are amazing.)

You can find MySpace Records as http://www.myspace.com/myspacerecords

On a final note, I haven’t done a full review of them. One, I don’t speak Spanish, but they look interesting and sound VERY interesting, too. Check out HaShiSh, a power punk group out of Buenos Aires, Argentina. They’ve got a great sound, and good sounding vocals...even if I can’t understand the lyrics. Very high energy though and that got my attention, and kept me listening even with the language barrier.

Their page is at http://www.myspace.com/hashishpunk

Hope you all survived Friday the 13^th OK. Personally, I think it followed me to this week!

CG Anderson
Little Dogs Media
Aha! Blogolicious! Musings and Meanings of Non-Sensical Events …and Canada

This article may be copied in whole or in part, as long as fair use rules are observed, no parts are modified from the original and credit given when quoted or reposted.

If a blog posting does NOT have this note at the bottom, please do not copy or repost it. It is likely in such a case NOT intended for wider distribution and you are requested to honor copyright protections and uses.

CG Anderson is a 10 year new media provocateur involved in media, art, tech, science and the online world. Also a writer, blogger and novelist. CG's comments are personal and opinionated and solely the responsibility of the author, so there. Don't like the opinions, disagree, agree, don't know? Great, make a comment—clean ones will be allowed, netiquette-challenged ones will be ignored!
MySpace site: http://www.myspace.com/ahablogolicious (help me reach 1 million friends, add yourself as my friend now! Especially since my ability to add you is broken—still---and no eta from MySpace on a fix.)
Blog site: http://ahablogolicious.blogspot.com/
URL: http://home.myuw.net/cganders/

PROFILE/INTERVIEW: Karen Nielsen, 2006 Aha! Blogolicious! Media Award Winner (Innovation) for film, Perceptions

Profile/Interview with 2006 Aha! Blogolicious! Media Award Winner Karen Nielsen (Perceptions, the movie)

Interview with Karen Nielsen, writer/director/producer of Innovation Winner, a short film using dance melded with narrative, Perceptions

This week, as promised, I profile another of the Aha! Blogolicious! Media Award winners. Karen Nielsen of Blue Finn Productions wrote, directed and produced the short film Perceptions, an intense, dramatic narrative about drug abuse and its terrifying consequences but seen through the tragic, double vision of the woman at the center of the conflict—she exists in two worlds. One is her real but very harsh existence where she cannot escape the misery or the consequences of her drug addiction. The other illusionary world is idyllic and passionate, as seen through the cloud of drug intoxication. One world is mundane and ugly; the other is lyrical and portrayed through imaginative dance and sensual dancers. In showing the drug victim’s perceptions in this manner, it makes it easier for all of us to understand the deadly pull of drug use. Drugs are used to escape reality, but the high is only imaginary and the consequences ultimately dire.

This is Karen Nielsen’s second major film offering as a director. The first, Infinite Moments, another short film about a woman dealing with the night she was raped, has also received rave reviews and acclaim. She has done several other shorts as well as a PSA promoting reading and education in Canada as well as a comedy called HULA. Her work though, seems more typically dramatic in nature and more and more seems to be taking on social issues within the context of her narratives.

Karen was born and raised in Vancouver, BC, Canada and attended the Vancouver Film School. She graduated with a Certificate of Recommendation from the Foundation Film Program I n1996. From there, she worked as an Associate Producer at the Toronto International Film Festival for the show REEL TO REAL and spent three years in Toronto working for Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox and Alliance Atlantis. Karen began her career as a producer and then as a writer/producer. Infinite Moments was Karen’s directorial debut.

[Question] What do you feel your movie is about? (both at the surface, deeper and even personally...)

[Karen] Perceptions is about a woman who is thrust into an alternative reality during a drug induced high where she is dancing in a world of her own. The woman’s perceptions are shaken as her two realities collide. As the intensity heightens and her confusion escalates, she is forced to choose between her two loves.

Perceptions addresses how we can sometimes see ourselves, compared to how we are perceived by those around us. Where the drug addicted woman sees herself as a beautiful dancer when she is high, her drug dealer as a sexy bad boy and her boyfriend as a knight in shining armor. Nothing is black and white, she is not just a strung out crazy drug-addicted woman, she is a person with issues, who is living in an alternative reality to get by. Sometimes people can get through with the support of those that love them and sometimes they don’t. The important thing is not to give up on someone because you perceive them a certain way, if the boyfriend had given up on her she would have died alone with a heartless drug dealer. The dance works in creating the alternative reality, showing how she is seeing everything and really feeling her emotion instead of being distracted by her drug-addicted appearance and only seeing that. I wanted to include the narrative to help the audience understand the journey and be aware of the judgments and perceptions that are made.

[Question] Where do you want to go as an artist? If you just want to be successful and buy matching mansions for you and your mum, that's ok. It's just that most artists I've met usually also have other, deeper goals for what they want to do with their work and what effects they have on the world.

[Karen] I think the world is endless for where I want to go as an artist. Yes I want to make narrative films that make a statement and get in peoples face. Subtlety has never been my style. Film is a wonderful way to reach huge audiences and make an awareness and hopeful change on many issues. One of the most satisfying things for me as a filmmaker is when I am approached by someone that connected with my film, and were moved by it. Just to let someone know that there are other people out there that understand or at least want to understand is so important. Too many people in this world feel that they are all alone.

I am also excited to just go out and have a little fun directing a romantic comedy or a thriller. I think all of my films will always have an underlying message, but sometimes you just need to turn your brain off and have a little fun

[Question] How did you get started? Did you always know that this was what you wanted to do?

[Karen] I started out volunteering at a local cable channel, doing some camera work and assisting the directors. When I started to think that this may fit for me I went to the Vancouver Film School. After film school, I thought I knew what I wanted to do, be an editor but that didn’t fit as nicely as I thought it would. Then I realized, I know what industry I want to be in but I am not sure where I fit in it. So over the years I tried numerous areas of the industry from production, marketing and publicity, post production and producing. Then when I was trying to figure out who should direct a short I had written, I couldn’t think of anyone that knew the story and what I wanted to say with it as much as I did. With the encouragement of my peers I decided to direct my first film ‘Infinite Moments’. For the first time in my life things began to fit and I realized I had found exactly where I was supposed to be in this industry, a director. I haven’t looked back since.

[Question] What is your inspiration for your work? How do you stay inspired in such a tough business?

[Karen] The people around me inspire me for stories and keep me inspired. From family & friends who support me and believe in me to complete strangers who see my films and are moved by them. I truly believe that everyone deserves to find happiness, and part of my happiness comes from making films and I would never let anyone stop me from following my dreams to being happy, no matter what the obstacle. As they always say, nothing in life worth having is ever easy.

[Question] Your movie has a deep social meaning to it (drug use) but you use dance as a way of telling that story. That is very innovative. Why dance? How did you come up with the idea? Is dance being used as more than a story telling mechanism here? Is it also being used as a metaphor?

[Karen] I chose to do a dance film as I wanted the challenge of being able to capture emotion through movement and not words. The music by Kubilay Uner inspired me for the story, as the music came before anything else. I had wanted to do a film revolving around the perceptions that we have of ourselves and that of others, as they are always different. I hate how society in general likes to shoebox everyone into a category. A Drug addict is disgusting and could stop if they really wanted to be clean, they are just throwing away their lives. The statement may be true, but it is not that simple and not that black and white. At the end of the day people are human and have vulnerabilities and insecurities, some more than others. Some are stronger to overcome obstacles and some are not, but that does not mean that they are less of a person because of it. I wanted the lead character in Perceptions to be seen as the strung out junkie who did want to make a change and come clean and have a wonderful future with this great supportive guy (her prince charming). That’s how I presented her, but the dance realm shows her how she sees herself. She needs the drugs to feel strong and beautiful, without them she feels insecure and disgusting, how we see her in the narrative. The dance in the film is her high, and when we are in the narrative we see her reality that she keeps slipping back to. When you see the two worlds, who wouldn’t want to stay in the dance euphoria.

The choreography by Josh Beamish really translated everything from the script along with the performances of the dancers. I learned a lot about the power of movement and expression to convey emotion and story.

[Question] What are you planning next? More dance or other arts being melded with film work? Or more traditional film storytelling?

[Karen] I am planning to do another dance film with ‘Perceptions’ choreographer Josh Beamish in which we are currently applying for funding for entitled ‘The Ballerina’ written by Dennis Goldberg and I am scheduled to shoot a short comedy in April. I am currently working on developing two feature film scripts, one drama and a comedy. I love doing a mixture of genre’s and formats of story telling. I really let the story and/or characters drive my imagination.

[Question] Anything you want to say to your fans about anything, this award, your work, anything?

[Karen] I love that people have embraced ‘Perceptions’, showing that dance is still an entertaining and powerful form of expression that people want to watch. I love pushing boundaries, and having this film represent being an innovator is very exciting and inspiring to continue telling the stories that excite me and allow myself to move outside of my comfort zone and push not only my own boundaries but push everything around me to bring my films to the world.

Thank you, Karen. It was great getting your perceptions!

For more information about Karen, her production company or her movies, including upcoming screenings, please see the information and links below:

Upcoming Screenings:
INFINITE MOMENTS
Okanagan Film Festival March 28 ­ Apr 1, 2007 (Kelowna, BC)
Rebel Planet Short Film Festival Apr 20 ­ 22, 2007 (Los Angeles, CA)
DeReel Independent Film Festival May 3 ­ 13, 2007 (Melbourne, AUS)
Swansea Bay Film Festival Tues June 5 @ Dylan Thomas Centre (Swansea Bay,
Old South Wales ­ UK)

PERCEPTIONS
Swansea Bay Film Festival Wed June 6 @ Dylan Thomas Centre (Swansea Bay,
Old South Wales ­ UK)

For more information on screenings please visit the Blue Finn Productions
website at http://www.bluefinnproductions.com

My Spaces
http://www.myspace.com/perceptionsthemovie
http://www.myspace.com/bluefinnproductions.com
http://www.myspace.com/janitorsoffice
http://www.myspace.com/infinitemomentsmovie


CG Anderson
Little Dogs Media
Aha! Blogolicious!

Please do NOT copy or redistribute this interview (or pictures) without my express permission. This is because any interviews involve other people and their proprietary work, hard work, I might add—so it is a courtesy to them to treat their hard work with respect. Thank you.

Interview with PROJECT Dance of Michigan (Part TWO)

Innovation and Dance are Alive and Well in Michigan!

PART TWO of my Interview with Kathy King and company of PROJECT Dance of Michigan

Link to PART ONE of Interview

This is part two of my interview with Kathy King and her crew of PROJECT Dance of Michigan, an innovative, new dance company that is seeking to expand the senses and cultural experiences of Michigan through dance, including dance classes, amazing performances, and charity and other social outreach efforts. For them, it’s not about money. It’s about dance, creativity and offering up a delectable cultural feast for their community as well as giving young dancers hope for the future and the opportunity to succeed.

This interview has been presented in two parts. This is part two. All photos in both parts, courtesy of Kathy King, were taken by photographer George Petersmarck (www.georgepetersmarck.com). Please do not copy them or this article without my AND Kathy King's express permission.

I was very impressed with this group, and not just because of the images I was seeing of their performances, especially Art Kinetic. I was impressed by their community outreach efforts, their sincerity in trying to bring more dance opportunities and exposure to Michigan and their current level of achievement in so short a period of time.

I was also surprised.

First, by the fact that PROJECT Dance is a non-profit organization (remember, I’m a neophyte in many things “dance”) and second, by the relatively young age of the founder and director, Kathy King. It takes a great deal of determination and drive to create any company, dance related or not, much less make it a success. It’s unusual to find that in a person who hasn’t graduated college yet—not unheard of, but still…unusual…and perhaps more so, since we aren’t talking about a business student out to start their own dot com, or a computer geek/genius putting together the next great technology wave in their dorm room or their parents’ garage. I’ve met many of those types.

No, instead we are talking about a dance company and a non-profit one to boot. This is my first experience with a company and a founder like that! (But then, I fully acknowledge my neophyte status and my own inner stereotypes that I continually struggle to dissolve so that I might see the world more clearly.)

[Question] PROJECT Dance is a non-profit organization? Why go that route (versus say, the dance company/sponsored route)?

[Kathy] Actually, you’d be surprised to see how many dance companies operate as non-profits. I decided to go this route with PDM because I knew that it would be easier for the community to open their arms to a non-profit as opposed to just another person out there trying to make money. I’m not in this to make money, I’m in this to make art and share that art with the community.

[Question] Tell me about some of the things you've done that you are most proud of.

[Kathy] Well, starting this company has been a huge milestone in my life. I’m young, only 21 years old, and this has been my dream, so I guess this would be my proudest moment. Teaching dance also gives me a great sense of pride. When parents come to me and tell me that their children cannot stop talking about “Miss Kathy” at home, I know that I’m doing something right with my life. I love passing my enthusiasm for art on to my students.

[Tiffany] I am proud of Kathy because I have lived with her since she got the idea to start her company. So I have seen everything that she has put in this company and how dedicated she is. Without Kathy, we would be nowhere.

[Question] What are some of the biggest hurdles or setbacks that you've experienced?

[Kathy] We’ve had awesome luck getting the company up and running, but of course, life isn’t perfect. Being young has certainly made people skeptical of my abilities to develop and run a professional dance company. Also, because we are still so new, we don’t have much funding yet. We only get to rehearse and have company classes on weekends because I don’t have the money to pay my dancers to be there every day of the week. That certainly hinders my ability to train the dancers as I wish or work on choreography as often as I would like.

[Question] You seem to be heavily involved in not only groundbreaking and a higher level of performance, but also teaching and charity work. Can you tell me a little about that and what you've done, what you want to do still and what you've gained from those experiences?

[Kathy] I absolutely love teaching people of all ages about dance. I think that if this company is on a mission to creating a stronger dance community in Michigan, we must get out there and work with as many people as possible. We have been opening our company classes to the public so that advance level dancers in the area have an option to take a professional level class at a low cost. We have gone into public schools and taught dance to children who otherwise would never get to experience a dance class. Recently, we held a small benefit concert to raise money for the local food bank. It was a huge success and helped bring the community together, even if just for one night. I want PROJECT Dance to always be remembered as a company that not only put on a great show, but also helped the community in so many ways.

[Heather] We would love to be able to travel more to teach and perform. It has been a great experience teaching these children. It is always fulfilling to share what you do with others. We have taught from the dancer that has never set foot in a dance class to the advanced dancer.

[Question] Tell me about ART KINETIC. It looks like it was an amazing show. What prompted it? What inspired it? What is the basic theme or themes that run throughout it?

[Kathy] Art Kinetic was our very first full-length show as a company. It was an amazing weekend and that good energy will stick with me forever. The title “Art Kinetic” came from the fact that our show was so diverse and full of life, and those two words seemed to capture best what the show offered. Each piece was completely different. We had modern, lyrical, jazz, hip-hop, break dancers, improvisational dancing, and musicians. Our guiding theme was “let’s create something for everyone”.

[Question] You have some still photographs on your MySpace site and your main site of Art Kinetic, and some video clips of practice sessions. Will you have any video clips of Art Kinetic up soon?

[Kathy] Yes! I am getting our show tapes transferred to DVD and will be putting together a little sampling of Art Kinetic to share with all of our Internet friends.

[Question] Where do you want to go with Art Kinetic? Was it just a one time deal—a one time performance, or is it meant to grow into something more (or an annual/semi-annual/etc event)?

[Kathy] At first, the show was planned as just a one time deal. However, I would love to make Art Kinetic our annual winter concert series. I love that title too much to let it be used only once!

[Question] How has the Michigan community responded so far?

[Kathy] I have been very pleased with the way the community has responded thus far. It is funny because people around here honestly don’t understand what we’re doing or the concept of a dance company, but they are so excited about all of our little projects. It has surprised me because there are a few other great professional companies around Michigan, and they have been around for 25+ years, but then here comes this new company and the general public acts as though they’ve never even heard of a professional company. We’re slowly but surely educating the public about what we do, and they are more than willing to listen.

[Heather] The Michigan community has responded with enthusiasm and a great amount of support. We have received many compliments and encouragement for MORE. The community has taken great interest and seems very excited about the new company.

[Question] So? What's next? What does the future hold for PROJECT Dance? For all of you? Where do you want to go? Who do you want to be? What do you want your legacy to be? When it's all said and done, "who are you really?" and "what do you want?"

[Kathy] My number one goal is to get PDM off the ground and into the public eye. I want PDM to become a nationally known company. As for myself, I will always continue to choreograph… it is just what I do. I am so excited to be supporting the arts right now, and I hope that I can be known as someone who always takes the time to help others achieve their goals. There are so many talented dancers in Michigan, but they go unknown because there is nowhere for them to go. I want to be the person they can go to… I want PDM to become a backbone for dance in Michigan.

[Heather] I plan to stay with PROJECT Dance as long as I'm able to. I can't stay in Michigan forever, as I have a husband going through school and what not. I will stay here and support PROJECT Dance as long as life allows me. If I have to leave, I plan to come back, choreograph, and support in any way I can. PROJECT Dance is a cause I believe in and that I am positive will continue to grow and prosper in the future.
As far as my legacy and who I am… I am someone who wants to change the world of dance by giving dancers that opportunity to get the job for the right reasons... To give more opportunities for dancers that won't be demoralizing or degrading... Exploring all forms of movement and choreography.... And to be remembered for putting on a GREAT SHOW!

Many thanks to all of you for taking the time to answer my questions. For more information about PROJECT Dance of Michigan, please go to either their MySpace site or their main website.

MySpace site:

www.myspace.com/projectdanceofmichigan
Main Web Site: http://www.projectdanceofmichigan.org/

Next week, more great stuff...the primary of which will be an interview/profile of another of the Aha! Blogolicious! Media Award winners, namely, Karen Nielsen, the writer/director of Perceptions, a short film that merges dance, drama and social commentary.

Stay tuned!

CG Anderson
Little Dogs Media
Aha! Blogolicious! Musings and Meanings of Non-Sensical Events and Canada…

Image of the Aha! Blogolicious! Media Awards themselves

Many thanks and kudos to Greg Knoyle and Custom Trophy & Engraving (CTE) Awards of Missoula, Montana for doing such an outstanding, quick and error free job on the awards.

Profile and INTERVIEW: Westcott & Rodway, 2006 Aha! Blogolicious! Media Award Winners (Innovation)

PROFILE and INTERVIEW: Aha! Blogolicious! Media Awards (Janus Media Review 2006-2007) Westcott and Rodway

2006 Aha! Blogolicious! Media Innovator Winners

Link to article on all award winners (and instructions for getting a hold of me--for winners that have not responded yet-- to claim your physical trophy) – The 2006-2007 Janus Media Review

Formed in 2005, Adam Westcott and William Rodway met at University while studying music. Combining influences as diverse as flamenco guitar, classical impressionism, improvisational piano, jazz, Jeff Buckley, Radiohead and world music, Westcott and Rodway have created an innovative and unique sound. Originally from Lewisham, south-east London, William Rodway moved to Southend-on-Sea at age 11, where he would spend the next 8 years. It was during this period that he started piano lessons, progressing from simple children songs to improvising melodic blues lines and over jazz standards within a year. His love of improvised and jazz piano reached a new peak when he discovered the Koln Concert by Keith Jarrett, an album that set a new standard of playing and melodic thought that Will relished in. Will has since moved back to London when not at University. Adam Westcott started playing the guitar after an inspired trip to Spain. His flamenco techniques quickly developed, and with the influence of Juan Martin and Paco de Lucia, he has created an instantly recognizable and personal style. After playing a 15 minute slot on local radio, Westcott and Rodway had touched the hearts and souls of the listeners, and came to no surprise that all 220 seats at Exeter's Phoenix centre were sold out when Westcott and Rodway played in June. The show was a massive success and the message board on the Devon website was flooded by audience members saying how brilliant the show was. (source: their myspace webpage, www.myspace.com/westcottandrodway)

These two young men are talented, to say the least. In fact, to say that is a gross and misguided understatement. Their work truly is an innovative blend of classical, improvisational, jazz, flamenco, rock and world music. One quick listen to their music and I was ready for more, as were several readers that sent in comments after they listened as well. Their work isn’t dried and staid same-old classical that most of us fear and few of us love—it’s the finest of the fields, which they meld expertly and imaginatively, and it’s done with flair, drama and best of all, a sense of life, exuberance and living. Vibrantly alive and kicking, I might add. These two could easily change the way most of the world sees “classical music”—proving that “fusion” done right, brings us all something deeply moving and wonderful to experience.

I recently sat down (virtually) with these two via the medium of the moment (email) and got their reactions to winning the Innovator award. They also revealed a bit more about themselves and how they see themselves in relation to their work and the world of music.

Picture of Adam Westcott and William Rodway (will be replaced by one of them holding award when possible.)

[Question] What do you feel your music is about?

[Will] If words could describe the meaning behind our music then it wouldn’t be worth doing. However, if I was to attempt an answer, then our music is about a deep internal exploration of ourselves.

[Adam] It is about all our favourite influences, the ability to play our instruments in the way we do, and the emotional sides of us as individuals

[Question] Where do you want to go as musicians, as artists? If you just want to be successful and buy matching mansions for you and your mum, that's ok. It's just that most artists I've met usually also have other, deeper goals for what they want to do with their music and what effects they have on the world.

[Adam] To take music to a new level. We play a new combination of instruments that has not been seen before, and the fact that each song is a journey and captivates a moment is something special for everyone

[Will] I like the idea of introducing listeners to other genres of music, sound landscapes which they otherwise would not have heard before, then going off to do their own research.

[Question] How did you get started? Did you always know that this was what you wanted to do?

[Will] Ever since my first piano lesson, I heard a voice in the instrument that was incredibly personal to my own. It was like another language, an extended mother toungue.

[Adam] We met at university and started practicing together, and it went from there. I was in Spain when I was 19, and I saw a guitarist walk into a bar, and I was blown away. Since then, I wanted to play flamenco guitar. I was captivated by its magic and beauty

[Question] What is your inspiration for your work? How do you stay inspired in such a tough business?

[Adam] I could be walking down the street and suddenly a melody will come into my head. I once wrote an entire song in my head when I was driving.

[Will] The thing I find inspiring is the total dedication other professional pianists have for their instrument. Their absolute adamant belief that playing the piano is what they were born to do is one I concur with.

[Question] Anything you want to say to your fans about anything, this award, your work, anything?

[Adam] Their support is priceless and we truly have dedicated fans, so thank you !

[Will] To fans of our music I thank them sincerely for their belief in what we do. They are an integral part of the music making process and as always, it’s a pleasure to play for them.

[Question] Anything else you might want to say...completely open here.

[Will] I would like to say thank you for giving us this award, as it’s our first it is all the more special. I would like to thank my mum, dad, Clive, my brother Edward and my piano tutor for 7 years, John Oswin. I dedicate my half of the award to my Grandad Bernard, who passed away in 2005. I would also like to thank Byron Orme for all his work and patience in putting up with us.

[Adam] Thank you for this, it is a special moment to be given this award. I would like to thank my mum, dad and sister Carly for their continuous support, and our publicist Byron who has truly dedicated himself to our music. Would like to thank Chrissie Allen, who helped me and made time out to come and support me at acoustic nights, much appreciated! Our fans are brilliant, cannot thank them enough. Thank you for the award.


***
Thank you so much, guys. You’re truly deserving. Westcott and Rodway’s next show is in Exeter, on March 14, 2007, at the Exeter Phoenix Arts Centre. (Yes, that’s in the United Kingdom, so fans that are non local to Exeter, Devon, England, will have to pummel them about getting a CD or a visit.) Go to their MySpace site at
www.myspace.com/westcottandrodway to check out their music and find other news and upcoming performance dates.

CG Anderson

Little Dogs Media
Aha! Blogolicious!

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Janus Media Review coming soon! Are you in it?

Just to let you all know that I haven't been slacking.

I'm working on this January's past year's Janus Media Review, where in the tradition of the ancient god, Janus, who had two heads, one always looking into the past and one always looking into the future, I will look back at the best of the groups and individuals reviewed on this blog for 2006.

...while simultaneously looking forward into the promise of 2007.

I will also be announcing award winners of the Aha! Blogolicious Media Awards at that time.

In honor of Janus, of course, this will be posted in January (his month namesake) and will be posted on the last day of January.

So Wednesday, January 31, look for the review and the award winners.

CG Anderson
Aha! Blogololicious!
Little Dogs Media

Gordon Michael Woolvett nominated for BLOGOLICIOUS AWARD!

Gordon Michael Woolvett nominated for BLOGOLICIOUS AWARD!

(NOTE: This article is a spoof, but the Award...slightly altered...is now REAL. And yes, Gordon won it. To read about the Actual Aha! Blogolicious! Media Awards, go to this story link. Cheers! CG)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
By Ima Spoofer
Hollyweird, CA. Gordon Michael Woolvett, actor, writer and director was nominated recently for the 2006th Blogolicious MediaMaker Award. Mr. Woolvett was nominated in the Lifetime Achievement category since that is the only category currently still funded by the Academy of Blogolicious MediaMaker Working Group. Other categories in the past included: Best Cross-Dressing Dictator, Most Musical Carpet Cleaner and Least Felonious Child Star. Since all past categories ended in fistfights between the nominees and the nominating committee, no awards were ever actually awarded but most charges were eventually dropped.

Mr. Woolvett is best known for his starring role as Seamus Harper in the Television Series Gene Roddenberry's: Andromeda. However, his work in Elvis Meets Nixon, Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion, Deepwater Black, The Highwayman, Mysterious Island, My Date With the President's Daughter, Sliders, Gator Face and Princes In Exile brought him to the attention of the nominating committee. His excellent work as a screenwriter, proving himself as blessed in talent in two areas and therefore a danger to society and Hollywood filmmaking, was not held against him--much.

His work as a director/writer in Fracture was highly praised as a brilliant opening to a promising directing career. Subsequently, those committee members voting for him solely because of his directing debut were removed because they had not actually seen the film yet and were deemed unduly influenced by a group of leprechauns masquerading as a circus troupe calling themselves, the World's Smallest Giants. Subsequently again, they and the committee members were admitted to the Betty Ford clinic and are now busy selling the movie rights to their story.

Those not having seen Fracture are encouraged to do so and may contact Mr. Woolvett at his website http://woolvettmail.netfirms.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi/YaBB.cgi or http://www.gmwoolvett.com/ in order to find out how to purchase and see the film. The remaining members of the committee have promised to actually see the film, rather than just praise it, in the near future as well.

According to the head of the nominating committee, Mr. Woolvett's nude scene in Rude was the defining moment of the film and clinched his winning of the coveted nomination.

The winner of the 2006th Blogolicious MediaMaker Award for Lifetime Achievement will be announced as usual, after all the contestants are deceased and a reasonable assessment can be made of their life's work. Contestants committing suicide, self-sacrificial or otherwise, are automatically disqualified for cheating. Murdered contestants are re-evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Contestants are not allowed to murder each other in order to increase their chances of winning and will be severely scolded.

Aha! Blogolicious! wishes to congratulated Mr. Woolvett on his nomination and wishes him the best in his future as an up and coming MediaMaker.


This is a satirical spoof, meaning, don't take it seriously.

CG Anderson is a 10 year market researcher and web strategist involved in technology, science and the online world. Also a writer, blogger and novelist. CG's comments are personal and opinionated and solely the responsibility of the author, so there. Don't like the opinions, disagree, agree, don't know? Great, make a comment—clean ones will be allowed, netiquette-challenged ones will be ignored!
Blog sites: http://ahablogolicious.blogspot.com/
URL: http://home.myuw.net/cganders/