06.29.05 (MusicPortal.com) Guitarist MARC RIZZO reveals himself to be a master musician with deeper musical roots than previously seen while playing with ILL NINO and SOULFLY on his upcoming solo album for Shrapnel Records, entitled "Colossal Myopia." One of the new breed of young guitarists in contemporary bands that has built a substantial following through his years of touring and recording with those groups, Rizzo stepped out recently with several solo projects (including IN PSYCHO BLEEDIA and COMMITEE OF THIRTEEN, whom he refers to as "the true pioneers of the flamenco/metal movement") that began to reveal a phenomenal command of the guitar. A mixture of all the styles of music that MARC RIZZO listens to, the "Colossal Myopia" album unveils him to be a master axeman - with deep musical roots in Metal, Classical and Nuevo Flamenco guitar. "I don't really listen to one type of music, and I think my album showcases that," explains Rizzo. "It's an all-instrumental album designed for music lovers that want to enjoy pure music, without all the politics and negative lyrical content." Rizzo goes on to describe some of the music on the album: "The song 'Colossal Myopia' is one that I wrote while trying to combine heavy riffing with flamenco buleria rhythms. 'Introspection Of An Introvert' is pure shred metal, while 'The Pinata Hits Back' is nuevo flamenco guitar with salsa-style percussion. This entire album is a total trip, and I'm glad to have finally put a record out that combines all the music I love on one record. 'Colossal Myopia' is really just a look into my CD collection, because on one hand I love listening to Paco De Lucia, and on the other I love listening to metal as well. Both styles mean the same to me. I guess you could say it seemed like a natural progression to mix each one into my playing. Both styles actually exude the same vibe to me." MARC RIZZO also has his own recording label in Phlamencore Records, to which he has Hardcore bands ENGAGING THE ENEMY, ONE LUMP SUM and DENY THE MYTH signed up with. MARC RIZZO's raw energy combined with the talent of a new-generation shredmaster is a much needed breath of fresh air for fans of the instrumental Metal/Fusion genre.
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06.27.05 (MusicPortal.com) Up-and-coming Hasidic Reggae singer MATISYAHU will kick off 3 months of Summer and Fall tour dates beginning on July 9th, a precursor to a more extensive headlining tour of his own. Within that schedule, the vocalist is also confirmed to open a week of shows for PHISH guitarist Trey Anastasio's band come August 4th, with whom he guested at the 2005 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival earlier this month. MATISYAHU also recently flew out to Los Angeles to write and record two new songs with P.O.D. for their next album, which is slated to be released this Fall. Reggae fans won't want to miss the singer's special performance at this year's 8th Annual Reggae Carifest on July 10th at Randall's Island Park in New York City alongside other artists including Luciano, Capleton, Elephant Man and more. Meanwhile, MATISYAHU and his band are currently in the recording studio with legendary producer Bill Laswell working on a new full-length album, which will be released later this year via Or Music. Tour Dates: 07/09 Philadelphia, PA [World Cafe Live] • 07/10 Randalls Island, New York City, NY [Randall's Island Park - 8th Annual Reggae Carifest] • 07/11 Matunak, RI [Ocean Mist] • 07/12 New Haven, CT [Toad's Place] • 07/13 Virginia Beach, VA [The Jewish Mother] • 07/14 Masontown, WV [Marvin's Mountaintop - All Good Music Festival] • 08/04 Boston, MA [Bank Of America Pavilion] • 08/07 Cleveland, OH [Tower City Amphitheatre] • 08/09 Indianapolis, IN [The Lawn @ White River State Park] • 08/10 Chicago, IL [Lakefront Pavilion @ Northerly Island] • 08/11 St. Louis, MO [Fox Theatre] • 08/20 Morrison, CO [Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Reggae On The Rocks] • 09/04 Turin, NY [Snow Ridge Ski Resort - moe.down Festival] • 09/08 New York, NY [Webster Hall] • 09/20 Portland, OR [Aladdin Theatre] • 09/21 San Francisco, CA [Great American Music Hall] • 09/22 Los Angeles, CA [House Of Blues] • 09/24 Solana Beach, CA [Belly Up Tavern] • 09/25 Tempe, AZ [Marquee Theatre] • 09/26 Albuquerque, NM [Sunshine Theater] • 09/27 Dallas, TX [Granada Theater] • 09/28 Memphis, TN [Hi-Tone] • 09/29 Nashville, TN [Exit/In] • 10/01 Bloomington, IN [Bluebird Nightclub] • 10/29 Washington, DC [Sixth And I Historic Synagogue]
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06.23.05 (MusicPortal.com) Trojan Records has announced a highly desirable upcoming retrospective by music's most notorious dubster, MAD PROFESSOR. "Method To The Madness" is a deluxe 2-disc set that brings together the best of MAD PROFESSOR's career for the first time, including a host of guest appearances by some of the more popular names in the music business. Featuring artists such as MASSIVE ATTACK, THE ORB and JAMIROQUAI, "Method To The Madness" has been compiled by the MAD PROFESSOR himself, and features extensive sleeve notes by leading Reggae authority Dave Katz. A disciple of Lee "Scratch" Perry, MAD PROFESSOR was, and still is, one of the leading producers of Dub Reggae's second generation. Even now, he is still actively touring. A highlight of upcoming appearances will be at the acclaimed Big Chill on August 6th, where he will be producing Horace Andy, alongside the TROJAN SOUND SYSTEM. In October, MAD PROFESSOR's own studio and label, Ariwa Sounds, will be celebrating 25 years with the "Ariwa Anniversary" tour. Joining him will be Lee "Scratch" Perry, THE ROBOTIKS, as well as select other Ariwa artists. The success of Ariwa Sounds can be put down to the determination of one man, Neil Fraser. Guyana-born Fraser started Ariwa as a 4-track operation in his living room in Thornton Heath, London in 1979, prompted by a lifelong love of Electronic music and Reggae, plus an interest in the sweet sounds of lover's Rock. By 1982, Fraser had moved to bigger premises, styling himself as MAD PROFESSOR and calling his band the SANE INMATES, rapidly acquiring a reputation for eccentric, attention-grabbing records. Though his influences could clearly be discerned, his mixes soon revealed a quality of their own, to a point where an Ariwa recording could be easily differentiated from all others. MAD PROFESSOR's "Dub Me Crazy" series won him a reputation in the Alternative Rock scene, as John Peel was an early champion, frequently spinning his productions. Although more recent times have not seen MAD PROFESSOR dominating the UK Reggae charts with such regularity - Fraser has always shied away from the Hardcore Ragga sound - he retains great respect as well as a loyal following worldwide.

06.20.05 (AP) Latin superstar vocalist GLORIA ESTEFAN, former President Clinton, and members of President Bush's cabinet are among those confirmed for events during the national convention of the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights organization. The League Of United Latin American Citizens is expecting about 10,000 members to descend on Little Rock, Arkansas from June 27th to July 2nd, says Brent Wilkes, LULAC's national executive director. Clinton will headline a presidential banquet at the Statehouse Convention Center on July 1st, said Skip Rutherford, head of the Little Rock-based Clinton Presidential Foundation. "They told us to expect 10,000," Rutherford said Saturday after taking Wilkes, LULAC President Hector Flores and others on a tour of the Clinton Presidential Library. "To have LULAC in Arkansas is huge for us." Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Housing And Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson and Treasurer Anna Escobedo Cabral will speak at some of the week's events. GLORIA ESTEFAN and Cabral are both slated to speak at a women's luncheon on July 1st. Meanwhile, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and his Republican counterpart, Ken Mehlman, are also confirmed participants. A large gala dinner in the Clinton Library's Great Hall is scheduled for June 29th, following a debate among the three declared candidates for Arkansas governor in 2006: Republicans Asa Hutchinson and Win Rockefeller, and Democrat Mike Beebe. Wilkes said Saturday that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and comedian George Lopez had also been invited to speak, but both declined. Arkansas' Hispanic population is still relatively small, with just over 100,000, or about 3 percent of the total population, recorded in official census counts. But that represents a 437-percent increase since 1990, second only to North Carolina over that span, and in response, the Mexican government has announced plans to establish a consular office in Little Rock.
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06.16.05 (AP) It traveled a long way to get here, but "Drumstruck," the widely acclaimed African percussion and dance musical, is sure to receive a warm welcome and feel right at home in New York. The interactive drum spectacular was created in Johannesburg and appeared in Sydney before beginning an open-ended run today at off-Broadway's Dodger Stages. The unusual theater experience features a 2-foot-tall drum at every seat, which surely will appeal to some and be unsettling to others. But the show is performed in about 90 minutes with no intermission, so after the opening curtain, it's not an issue. And while the thought of a drum for each audience member might strike horror in the most skeptical of theatergoers (who only wish their cohorts could remember to turn off their cell phones and suppress their coughs), the audience responds well to the performers' directions. And even when audience participation is not solicited, there are few if any conflicts with onstage music. Instead, the fledgling drummers easily fall into step, thanks to the talented troupe of 11 performers - eight men and three women - who captivate with abundant skill and exuberance. Despite its name, this show involves much more than just beats. Traditional dancing, an ornate set and artfully painted performers adorned in radiant costumes provide colorful splendor for the eyes. The show also includes a handful of lyrical songs built on the distinctive African harmonies that can raise the spirit like a bird in flight. Vocal performances are led by two of the show's female cast members - Nomvula Gerashe (a Johannesburg native and member of the Xhosa tribe) and Ayanda (a South African member of the Zulu tribe, who gained notoriety as a contestant on the TV series "Idols," South Africa's version of "American Idol"). The women delight on numbers such as the enchanting 'Mamaliye,' which translates to "Mother, we thank you." Another of the program's highlights is the gritty "Izicathulo," a dance of gold miners in which the performers bang out wildly syncopated rhythms on their rubber boots. It is something special to see and hear. The show was created by Warren Lieberman and Kathy-Jo Ross, sprouting in 1997 from a series of informal, open jams organized by Lieberman's Drum Cafe in Johannesburg.

[Ethnic News: May 2005]
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