Mike Farris and the Cumberland Saints Raise Money for Tennessee Flood Relief

Mike Farris continues spreading his gospel blues sound, this time with the Cumberland Saints in an EP: The Night the Cumberland Came Alive. This compilation features several well known musicians including Sam Bush, Ketch Secor and Gill Landry (Old Crow Medicine Show), Byron House (Robert Plant), Kenny Vaughan (Marty Stuart) and the McCrary Sisters.Not only that, but partial proceeds benefit flood relief and recover efforts through the Tennessee Emergency Response Fund.

Spreading the gospel is nothing new for Farris. His 2009 release Shout! Live Mike Farris was the 2010 Dove Award Winner For Best Traditional Gospel Album. This coming off the soulful sound from Salvation In Lights shows that Farris is multi-dimensional.And it shows in the six tracks of The Night the Cumberland Came Alive, starting with the bluesy harp in the title track to the gospel Wrapped Up, Tangled Up to bluegrass infused gospel Dear Lazarus (that's Sam Bush playing the fiddle). Then the EP travels south to New Orleans with Down on Me, which I can image Professor Longhair or Dr. John playing. This was my favorite track, New Orleans blues. And the EP ends with a rollicking version of Don't Let the Sun Go Down - pure New Orleans gospel jazz.

JJ Grey & Mofro Rock Out The State Theatre

The steadily evolving JJ Grey & Mofro returned to The State Theatre in Falls Church, VA on November 18th and showed why Aligator Records' investment is well worthwhile. Over the past decade, JJ Grey has evolved from a swamp-roots artist to a soulful R&B artist that can dominate a stage. Plus with a full band consisting of horns, keyboards, drums, and the usual - they have a big sound. The one unusual aspect, the absence of longtime Mofro guitarist Daryl Hance, who is now out touring with his own band. 


Getting back to JJ Grey, the band is supporting a new CD, Georgia Warhorse that showcases Grey's soulful vocals and the R&B sound of Mofro. Yet the first song that night was the title track to the last CD, Orange Blossoms, with the rest of the night rotating between these two and Country Ghetto - JJ Grey & Mofro.I'm talking about Diyo Dayo, War, Beautiful World, A Woman, Georgia Warhorse, The Hottest Spot in Hell, Fireflies,  King Hummingbird, Slow Hot & Steady, Everything Good is Bad, On Fire, and The Sweetest Thing. Yea and also the song that started it all, Lochloosa. That even has a more soulful feel know. Go out and see JJ Grey - our favorite Alligator Records artist. We also posted a few videos on the MyJoog YouTube Channel.

Time to Start Preparing for the 2011 Festival Season - Starting with Floydfest

November 23, 2010

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FLOYDFEST CELEBRATES 10 YEAR BIRTHDAY WITH BEST-OF-A-DECADE LINE-UP ANNOUNCEMENT

 

FloydFest, the annual music and arts festival described by one on-line reviewer as a “unicorn in a horse pasture of music festivals” celebrates it’s 10 year anniversary this July 28-31, 2011. Held in the non-commercial National Park environs of the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway, the scenic journey getting to this gem of a festival is truly the perfect warm-up to the event, which takes place on an 80 acre plateau overlooking a scenic gorge.  At 3200’ elevation, the event site features beautiful wooded camping, as well as hiking and bike trails. Spanning four full days, and offering 9 unique stages of entertainment, ranging from the beautifully timber framed Dreaming Creek Main and Hillholler stages to the campy ‘Pink Floyd Garden Stage’ and the homey ‘Virginia Folklife Workshop Porch,’ FloydFest spans genres and generations to truly create a “something for everybody” experience.

The production company behind the event, Across-the-Way Productions of Floyd, Virginia, has in fact dubbed this birthday bash event FloydFest X – the eXperience, and has utilized patron survey feedback to create a blowout line-up that includes favorite and most-requested acts from years past, with an initial artist roster that boasts the best in new and returning artists, including Taj Mahal, Del McCoury Band, David Grisman Quintet, Yard Dogs Road Show, Sam Bush Band, Hot Tuna Electric and Acoustic, Cyro Baptista & Beat the Donkey, Toubab Krewe, Donna the Buffalo, Tony Rice Unit, Pimps of Joytime, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Peter Rowan’s Bluegrass Band, John Brown’s Body, Boombox, New Monsoon, Baka Beyond, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, My Dear Disco, Shane Pruitt Band, DJ Williams Projekt, American Aquarium and 2010 Under the Radar winners Big Daddy Love. As part of the special overall eXperience, each and every artist will give an intimate ‘workshop’ performance on the Appalachian-style ‘workshop porch.’

 

True to long-standing tradition, FloydFest will offer deep discount holiday ticket packages through December 31^st, with 4-day weekend tickets available for under $100. In 2010 FloydFest reached a capacity crowd, and this special 2011 edition is anticipated to sell-out. A limited number of special ticket packages, fittingly dubbed ‘X-spot’ packages, include early arrival, primo camping, and on-site parking. Limited number VIP tickets include backstage catering, parking, on-stage seating, pre- and after-party admission. A family-friendly event, FloydFest features a centrally-located ‘Children’s Universe,’ Healing Arts Village, Blue Ridge to Bayou Dance Tent, Sustainability programs, a Beer and Wine Garden featuring local and regional wines and microbrews, over 100 art and craft vendors, and a ‘Global Village.’

 

For tickets or general information, visit floydfest.com or call 888-VA-FESTS.

 

For press inquiries, please contact Mandy Gresham, mandy@darbycommunications.com or 828.254.0914

MyJoogTV Episode 6: Andrew McKnight at Catoctin Creek Distilling Company

This episode of MyJoogTV features our new favorite folk singer Andrew McKnight and distiller Scott Harris of Catoctin Creek Distilling Company. We discussed the distillation process for organic rye whiskey, social media, government regulation of spirits, and how McKnight and the Harris' are kindred spirits regarding the eat, drink, and play music locally. The Roundstone Rye we sampled was excellent, lighter than many bourbons, but flavorful and completely smooth at the tail.  The highlight of the afternoon was listening to McKnight perform "Letter to Colonel Mosby" while sitting on an oak barrel in front of the still. At wine-compass.com, we are followers of "Free the Grapes, now it's time to Free the Shine. The video is available to download for iTunes and Windows Media Player.

Sarah Siskind Announces Holiday EP: "All Come Together Now"

Sarah Siskind announces holiday EP: All Come Together Now.


>Watch the video for "Stocking" now by clicking here.<

A portion of each album sale will be donated to the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life.

Download now for $5 or pre-order a physical handmade & signed copy at www.sarahsiskind.com
Available on iTunes Nov 30.

"...prodigiously talented with elegant, deeply felt songs" - Paste Magazine

San Francisco (November 15, 2010) - Sarah Siskind announces her first holiday EP, All Come Together Now, a project whose title track "hit me like a rainstorm", she says. "It covered me and would not let go. I knew then and there I had to write and record a holiday album." Sarah has chosen to donate a portion of each album sale to the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life organization in honor of a relative who is currently fighting the battle against cancer. "It's part of the reason I was called to make this album, multiple members of my family have been and are faced with cancer." Featuring all original songs, a refreshing choice for a holiday album, All Come Together Now is universal in its themes of love and family, tis the season or not. Highlights include "Stocking" (video), a "what if" reflection on a teenage romance that gets a shot at redemption and rekindling every Christmas Eve; "Just For You", co-written and co-performed with Sarah's oft touring partner Ari Hest, is a whistling and bouncy ode to finding the perfect gift; and the lilting and warm title track, Sarah's childhood remembrance of the holiday spirit.

Sarah Siskind, hailed as "the best female singer/songwriter in America today" (Steve Binder, legendary TV director/producer), has toured with Bon Iver (he has also covered her "Lovin's For Fools") and The Swell Season, written songs for Alison Krauss (the GRAMMY nominated "Simple Love") and Randy Travis and has been called Nashville's "Best New Voice" by Southern Living. She has performed live on NPR's Tiny Desk and NPR's World Cafe with David Dye and has had music featured on NPR's All Songs Considered and NPR's Song Of The Day. Sarah's latest album, Say It Louder, was called "a masterpiece" by Bonnie Raitt and garnered her a 2009 Nashville Music Award for Americana Album of the Year.

Publicity contact:

Stephanie Fields
Make It Bigger Mama Publicity
415.508.7144
stephanie@makeitbiggermama.com
twitter.com/makeitbigrmama

Robert Earl Keen's Uprising with Randy Rogers Band and Reckless Kelly

&On Sunday November 11th, we attended Robert Earl Keen's Uprising with The Randy Rogers Band and Reckless Kelly at the Bourbon Street Ballroom in Baltimore Maryland. This was the last show of a two week swing through the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, which included a stop at the The Birchmere which we intentional skipped for this show. Should have gone to both. Reckless Kelly started the night playing a 40 minute set. The Braun boys are sure entertaining with front man Willy and multi-instrumentalist Cody impressive on the fiddle, mandolin. He even brought out an electronic mandolin when the band broke out into The Who. And as usual, David Abeyta was great on the guitar - and let's not forget Jay Nazz on drums and Chris Schlek on bass. Of the two, this was the only set where I didn't recognize all the songs. Can't even remember if they played "Nobody's Girl" or "Vancouver". And as is usually the case, I still haven't heard them play Drink Your Whisky Down" at a live show. But a great start to the evening.

The Randy Rogers Band trotted out next and started with several crowd favorites, "Kiss Me in the Dark", "This Time Around", and "Tonight's Not the Night" to name a few. Amazing how two different bands can sound so similar. The one difference with this show from others I've seen was that Rogers seemed to take more center stage. Fiddler Brady Black was present but seemed to keep to one location instead of moving around. But another great performance - can't believe we saw the first two bands in the same show - and then again Robert Earl Keen was still to come.

And this was a typical Keen performance, little new material and practically all old favorites. The one new song, his tribute to Levon Helm: The Man Behind The Drums. The old stuff, I mean all: Corpus Christi Bay, Furnance Fan, The Road Goes On Forever, All I Have Is Today, Walkin' Cane, Blow You Away, Gringo Honeymoon, Feelin' Good Again.. There were many more I can't remember right now - he played a long time. He even sang "Merry Christmas From The Family" as a solo encore. The real encore, Willy Braun and Randy Rogers joining The Robert Earl Keen Band onstage. Wow. Made the hour drive home well worthwhile.

Videos of Reckless Kelly and The Randy Rogers Band are available at the MyJoog YouTube Channel.

Andrew McKnight Week at MyJoogTV

In anticipation of our next episode of MyJoogTV featuring Andrew McKnight visiting Catoctin Creek Distilling; we will be releasing three videos of McKnight and Beyond Borders starting Monday November 15th over at our companion site. These videos were filmed during their performance at the 2010 Labor Day Jazz & Wine Festival held in Herndon Virginia. We've really come to appreciate McKnight both as a songwriter and a musician since hearing him for the first time singing on an oak barrel at the distillery. And yes that unique performance is included in the MyJoogTV episode.The episode also includes Scott Harris giving us a private tour of the first legal distillery in Loudoun County since Prohibition.

November 2010 at MyJoog.com

I'm not sure why November, but for the last two years this month brings 30 days of constant entertainment. We won't be as ambiguous as last year's 20 Days in November; but expect us to get out often to see live music.

Acoustic In-The-Round with Eric Brace + Dan Navarro + Peter Cooper - Jammin' Java Vienna, VA: Friday, November 05, 2010

Umphrey's McGee - Nightclub 9:30 Washington, DC: Friday, November 05, 2010

Chris Smither - Wolf Trap - The Barns Vienna, VA: Friday, November 05, 2010

Girls Guns and Glory - Dogfish Head Brewery Rehoboth Beach, DE: Friday, November 05, 2010

Catfish Hodge - JV's Restaurant Falls Church, VA: Saturday, November 06, 2010

Umphrey's McGee - Nightclub 9:30 Washington, DC: Saturday, November 06, 2010

Colin Hay Rick Derringer - Rock & Roll Hotel Washington, DC: Saturday, November 06, 2010

Toubab Krewe - Red Palace Washington, DC: Sunday, November 07, 2010

Tristan Prettyman - IOTA Club Arlington, VA: Sunday, November 07, 2010

Jason Boland & The Stragglers - IOTA Club Arlington, VA: Monday, November 08, 2010

Robert Earl Keen's Uprising with Randy Rogers Band and Reckless Kelly - The Birchmere Alexandria, VA: Monday, November 08, 2010

Slaid Cleaves - IOTA Club Arlington, VA: Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Shane Hines w/Eric Stepanian - Jammin' Java Vienna, VA: Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Rusted Root with special guest Assembly of Dust - The State Theatre Falls Church, VA: Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Red Stick Ramblers - Artisphere Arlington, VA: Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band - The Abbey Bar Harrisburg, PA: Thursday, November 11, 2010

Donna the Buffalo - Jefferson Theater Charlottesville, VA: Thursday, November 11, 2010

The Infamous Stringdusters and Trampled by Turtles Fly Palomino Tour 2010 - The State Theatre Falls Church, VA: Friday, November 12, 2010

Medeski Martin and Wood - Nightclub 9:30 Washington, DC: Friday, November 12, 2010

Allman Brothers Band - DAR Constitution Hall Washington, DC: Friday, November 12, 2010     The Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile - Friday, November 12, 2010 @ 8:00 PM

Dailey & Vincent - George Mason Center for the Arts Fairfax, VA: Friday, November 12, 2010

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band - Grand Opera House Wilmington, DE: Friday, November 12, 2010

Jamie McLean Band - NightCat Easton, MD: Saturday, November 13, 2010

William Walter & Co. - Whitlow's On Wilson Arlington, VA: Saturday, November 13, 2010

The Black Crowes - Nightclub 9:30 Washington, DC: Saturday, November 13, 2010

John Gorka & Lucy Kaplansky - The Birchmere Alexandria, VA: Saturday, November 13, 2010

Todd Snider - Rock & Roll Hotel Washington, DC: Saturday, November 13, 2010

Bob Dylan and his Band - Smith Center Washington, DC: Saturday, November 13, 2010

Robert Earl Keen's Uprising with Randy Rogers Band and Reckless Kelly - Bourbon Street Ballroom Baltimore , MD: Sunday, November 14, 2010

An Evening with Charlie Hunter - Jammin' Java Vienna, VA: Sunday, November 14, 2010

The Black Crowes - Nightclub 9:30 Washington, DC: Sunday, November 14, 2010

the Subdudes - Rams Head Onstage Annapolis, MD: Sunday, November 14, 2010

The Autumn Defense Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion - IOTA Club Arlington, VA: Monday, November 15, 2010

An Evening with Jethro Tull's IAN ANDERSON - The Birchmere Alexandria, VA: Monday, November 15, 2010

Jenny Owen Youngs - Rock & Roll Hotel Washington, DC: Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Edwin McCain - Wolf Trap - The Barns Vienna, VA: Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Brooke Fraser + Sam Bradley - Jammin' Java Vienna, VA: Wednesday, November 17, 2010

JJ Grey & Mofro with special guest Ryan Montbleau Band - The State Theatre Falls Church, VA: Thursday, November 18, 2010

Richard Shindell - Jammin' Java Vienna, VA: Thursday, November 18, 2010

The Steel Wheels - IOTA Club Arlington, VA: Thursday, November 18, 2010

Jill Andrews - IOTA Club Arlington, VA: Thursday, November 18, 2010

Wicked Jezabel - JV's Restaurant Falls Church, VA: Friday, November 19, 2010

Nothin' Fancy - Lucketts Community Center Leesburg, VA: Saturday, November 20, 2010

Allen Toussaint - George Mason Center for the Arts Fairfax, VA: Sunday, November 21, 2010

Citizen Cope - The Birchmere Alexandria, VA: Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Citizen Cope - The Birchmere Alexandria, VA: Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Seldom Scene & Dry Branch Fire Squad - The Birchmere Alexandria, VA: Friday, November 26, 2010

The Seldom Scene & Dry Branch Fire Squad - The Birchmere Alexandria, VA: Saturday, November 27, 2010

Keller Williams Plays for Kids! - The State Theatre Falls Church, VA: Saturday, November 27, 2010

Bobby Parker - Madam's Organ Washington, DC: Saturday, November 27, 2010

Hackensaw Boys - Jefferson Theater Charlottesville, VA: Saturday, November 27, 2010

Allison Moorer, Shelby Lynne - The Birchmere Alexandria, VA: Tuesday, November 30, 2010