“for the LOVE of Music” with Sara Troy and her guest Deborah Drummand, on air from October 18th
Deborah says, “Next August, my good friend, Corinne and I will walk across Ireland – from Dublin to Galway and on to the Cliffs of Moher – a total of 8 consecutive marathons in support of the music industry. We will be training in Vancouver, Canada and raising money for three incredible music charities, including She Is The Music and Unison. We are focused on endorsing the benefits of music and music education as well as promoting health, wellness and fitness to inspire multi-generational audiences from Gen Z to Boomers. We are determined to advocate for this industry globally and we need your support! Every penny raised will go towards funding music education, critical resources and more”.
We would love for you to come along on our journey to the journey. Yes it’s true! We are raising funds and awareness for the Music Industry by walking across the beautiful land of Ireland. Take a look around the site, and we hope you’re inspired to follow our tour, support our cause, or come to our events !
We will be granting behind the scenes access to all the moving parts involved in seeing this mammoth feat come to fruition – sharing all of the ins, outs, ups and downs! We hope you’re inspired to follow our tour, come to our events and support our campaign! Love, Deb
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“for the LOVE of Music” with Sara Troy and her guests Natalia Tsvi and tenor Gilad Paz, on air from September 19th
In a perfect world, soprano Natalia Tsvi and tenor Gilad Paz – the unique classical crossover vocal duo collectively known as VOCE NOVA – would have taken the “America’s Got Talent” stage and performed their fascinating hybrid twist on Verdi’s “Libiamo” before all four judges and a live audience of 3000. But their audition date, March 14, 2020, was the day Hollywood began shutting down because of the pandemic, and Tsvi and Paz had to wait it out seven hours as the show’s production was scaled down around them. Brief but thrilling and magnetic, the duo gave it their all, shifting quickly from a traditional operatic duet into a high energy number complete with a Moroccan dance beat and a party atmosphere.
Testament to their unique stylistically eclectic approach as what they call a “gateway drug to classical music,” VOCE NOVA may not have won the hearts of the AGT judging panel, but it’s likely that had there been a full crowd behind them, they all would have been on their feet dancing, their hearts pounding and mouths agape at the duo’s infectious energy, risk-taking arrangements and overall sense of joyful fun.
Before they auditioned, Natalia and Gilad honed their act performing before diverse audiences everywhere they could, even holding court at open mics and karaoke clubs in the NYC area during the duo’s early stages. When they sang this same version of “Libiamo” at a dive bar in Brooklyn, the crowd – full of rappers and spoken word artists – lost their minds. As it turned out, the feedback was prophetic of what they would continue to hear after officially debuting VOCE NOVA in 2019. Folks who had never heard opera before were suddenly excited about it, surprised how much they loved it, in awe of the duo’s chemistry and stage presence. AsNatalia says, “They can’t always explain why, but their body just moves. They find themselves shaking their butts and clapping to opera!”
Since making their debut at a high profile fundraising event for a new artist group collective in NYC, VOCE NOVA has honed its craft, perfected its style and expanded its repertoire entertaining at boat shows, wedding expos, event planning conventions – and performances at weddings, including one high profile affair where they led an opera flash mob. Their reputation is earning them renown beyond New York, and they were recently contracted to do corporate events in the greater Washington, DC area.
VOCE NOVA brings their bold array of musical dynamics to their latest single, a dramatic and daring yet wildly irresistible mashup of Schubert’s timeless “Ave Maria” and Hozier’s 2013 hit debut single “Take Me To Church,” its title stylized (like many of their other recordings) “Ave Maria vs. Take Me To Church.” The track begins with Natalia in fine operatic form, singing Latin over a prominent church organ. Just when they’ve got us in Mass mode, Gilad in his pop voice sings “Amen” and dives into Hozier’s impactful, instantly recognizable hook. Then she returns with more “Ave Maria” over a rock guitar groove, leading to the song’s climactic segment where the two sing their individual songs at the same time creating a fascinating point/counterpoint. The piece closes with her singing a towering “Amen” and the two joining forces singing soaring high notes in harmony for the triumphant final chorus.
“At first it struck me as being a bit risky, because we were mixing the sacred with the profane and that could offend some people,” Gilad says. “Not every idea for a mashup strikes us as immediately opening itself to our brand of musical fusion, but this is one that made sense as soon as the words came out of Natalia’s mouth. Because we are veteran business people, we immediately honed in not only on the creative but commercial potential as well. It developed into a brilliant and intuitive mashup.”
“The proof was in the pudding, as they say, when we performed it recently at a non-profit in Soho for an audience that included several women from a gospel church,” says Natalia. “They freaked out about it, and we thought, ‘If the Christians love it, we’re good!’ Of course we know some may not take it as well or interpret it their own way, just as some traditional opera and classical folks won’talways like what we do. The way Gilad and I see it, we’re not hurting the quality of opera music, we’re bringing a fresh audience to it. VOCE NOVA, by its very definition as a fresh voice in crossover music, is all about breaking the rules and singing arrangements outside the box. This is 2022. It’s time transcend boundaries, create bridges and make this our own musical truth.”
Though VOCE NOVA creates its mashups with the energy of live performances in mind, the duo has recorded and released a batch of well-received singles over the past year, starting with straightforward duets of “O Holy Night” and “Time to Say Goodbye” and more recently including their most streamed song “I Will Always Love You vs. Come What May,” “Libiamo Remixed” and the supercool “Habanera vs. Smooth,” which blends the familiar piece from Carmen with the Santana Latin rock classic. All songs in the VOCE NOVA catalog are original arrangements created especially for the duo by top music producer Assaf Averbuch.
Natalia and Gilad met in February 2018 when both were invited to sing at a house concert on the Upper East Side showcasing opera hits. Getting together before the show to discuss repertoire, they quickly realized they had extremely similar life stories and paths in the music world. She was born in Belarus, was raised in Israel from the age of three and came to the U.S. to study opera after her mandatory Israeli Army service. Gilad was born to Israeli parents in the U.S., moved to Israel at age three, came back to the U.S. during his high school years and returned to Israel for five years, including service in the Israeli army. Gilad then returned to the States to study classical singing.
Both grew up singing in youth groups in Israel. She earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Music Performance and Voice and Music Education from Brooklyn College Conservatory and he earned a Bachelor’s of Music in Voice Performance from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. When they met, she had recently recorded a classical crossover album and he had created a classical crossover concert concept.
During that first concert, they performed together, they sang a traditional duet of “Libiamo,” never realizing that just a few years later, they would be using their twist on it for VOCE NOVA’s AGT audition piece. “We knew we were destined to work together,” Gilad says. “From the start, I felt that we both towed that line as classical singers who can also expertly perform other genres, which allows us to switch back and forth naturally. We knew we could create something special in the crossover realm. We started our repertoire going for a broad appeal, combining our voices on ‘Time to Say Goodbye,’ ‘Phantom of the Opera’ and ‘Hallelujah.’ Then one day, Natalia came up with the idea for a mashup of ‘Havana’ and ‘Besame Mucho,’ which was followed by my idea for combining ‘Nessun Dorma’ and ‘We are the Champions’. It was the first time we pursued this musical direction, and it evolved into our musical identity when we worked on the new repertoire that we added to our catalog in 2021.”
“Now,” the duo adds, “we will always be aiming to push boundaries with something that is different but that is truly who we are. One of our dreams is to do a VOCE NOVA performance with a full symphony orchestra. ‘Ave Maria vs Take Me To Church’ is a means towards that goal, a song that synthesizes the essence of what we do and the realization of what we first envisioned for ourselves back in 2018.”
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I have always had a warm spot for Jazz and the Blues, something about the way it moves you, stretching your very soul and feeding the heart. I have put together here, some of my Jazz and Blues podcast guests whose music has soothed and embraced me. All of their music at some point has moved me in some way and when you take a listen to their music, you are listening to their heart and soul.
Enjoy their stories and music, I really feel it will move you too.
The Drummer Loves Ballads is the debut album of John Armato. Featuring extraordinary music, musicians and moods, it was produced and engineered by some of the industry’s top talent. The album was designed to be a new soundtrack for lazy Sunday afternoons, romantic evenings, and melancholy midnights, but you’ll swear it’s a long-lost jazz favorite.
After graduation in 1969 and some experiments with different kinds of music, Darius was ushered into the international jazz scene in the Seventies as a member of Two Generations of Brubeck and The New Brubeck Quartet (Dave, Darius, Chris and Dan Brubeck) under his father’s leadership but also continued playing intermittently with his own groups. He is married to my cousin Catharine, who as managed for decades now.
Marilyn Scott is best known for her Grammy-nominated work as a contemporary jazz musician, having performed with some of the best musicians in the world over the last few decades. As the years have progressed, she has dived deeper into jazz writing and interpretations. Collaborations with many acclaimed artists and musicians have opened and widened her range in a music that’s rich in texture and complexity.
Gerald Albright has a generous invitation for fans of his hit 2014 album: If you thought that mix of deep funk and simmering sensuality was a Slam Dunk, wait’ll you get a load of G. It’s that album’s high octane sequel, which draws even deeper connections to that in-your-face horn-section-magic, of classic bands like Earth, Wind & Fire and Tower of Power.
Adored for her singular magic for making what’s classic contemporary again, Jan Daley is the most multi-talented and beautiful Best Kept Secret in entertainment today. The triple-threat singer/songwriter, actress and playwright connects to audiences worldwide with her authentic, personal presentations touched with just the right amount of razzle dazzle to remind you why she’s at center stage.
The power of Lovewith Lynne Fiddmont is an exquisitely balanced collection of hand-picked classic R&B covers that reveal some of Lynne’s influences and mentors, along with her freshly penned original soul songs that amplify and reflect precisely how those inspirations have helped to shape who she is today – as an artist and as a woman.
Justin Johnson is the founder of “Roots Music School” in Nashville, TN. Under this umbrella, he has released an Instructional Series currently consisting of 5 DVDs and a Book on Roots Music technique and theory. As Roots Music School founder, Justin Johnson has partnered with educators across the country to develop Roots Music curriculum for schools.
Trombonist Geoff Alpert has loved music all his life, studying the craft, learning several brass/valve instruments, playing in bands and composing songs. Inspired by the likes of jazz legend J.J. Johnson, rock band Chicago’s James Pankow, and fusion greats such as Wayne Henderson and Raul de Souza, Geoff studied music as a major at San Diego State University while supplementing his income gigging near and far. Yet he walked away from music for 30 years in the early `80s to be an ideal provider as a husband and father.
Jesse”JTJazz” Thompson, multi-talented composer, pianist and keyboardist, born in “The Land Of Funk” (Dayton, Ohio) attributes his humble beginnings in music to being captivated by a family of musicians: a father who was a professional drummer, Thompson’s mother—a church organist/pianist and his brother Marvyn Wheatley (who recorded and played with Parliament and Slave). Industry influences were soul/funk legends The Ohio Players, Lakeside and Zapp featuring Roger Troutman.
When DeeAnn came back to the project she added a few new, very personal songs, starting with a heartrending, gospel-influenced version of “You Are My Sunshine”, a song she sang to William to put him to sleep when he was a child. Odel’s sensitive yet rousing and inspirational production features members of the Buffalo Philharmonic String Quartet (Roman Mekhulnov).
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“for the LOVE of Music” with Sara Troy and her guest Marilyn Scott, on air fromAugust 2nd
Marilyn Scott is best known for her Grammy-nominated work as a contemporary jazz musician, having performed with some of the best musicians in the world over the last few decades.
A native of southern California, vocalist Marilyn Scott counts among her earliest influences, artists Aretha Franklin, Donny Hathaway, Etta James, Jean Carn and Andy Bey. She began performing in local clubs and fronted soul-jazz bands around the San Francisco Bay area. Among the many friends she made were the guys of Tower of Power, who gave her the opportunity to do backing session vocals with the Oakland-based band. Those recording sessions steered her to making her way back to Los Angeles as a studio session singer, where she performed with musicians and groups including Spyro Gyra, Yellowjackets, Hiroshima, John Mayall, Etta James, Bobby Caldwell and Bobby Womack. Scott’s first recording in 1977, as a solo artist, was a single version of Brian Wilson’s “God Only Knows”, which led to her first album, Dreams of Tomorrow, on Atco/Atlantic. Her discography continued with, 1983 Without Warning, Polygram, 1991 and 1992 Sin-Drome recordings, Smile and Sky Dancing. 1996 and 1998 Warner Bros. releases of Take Me with You and Avenues of Love. The Japanese Venus Records recording, Every Time We Say Goodbye, in 2008.
Marilyn moved to Prana Entertainment and released from 2001 to 2017, Walking With Strangers, Nightcap, Handpicked, Innocent of Nothing, Get Christmas Started and Standard Blue in 2017. Her 2022 release on Blue Canoe Records marks her most recent release, The Landscape.
She has combined her interest in neo-soul, jazz and Brazilian music. She has collaborated with Dori Caymmi, George Duke, Russell Ferrante, Bob James, Jimmy Haslip, Brenda Russell, Bob Mintzer, Perri Sisters, Terri Lyne Carrington, Patrice Rushen and Scott Kinsey.
Marilyn is best known for her Grammy-nominated work as a contemporary jazz vocalist and singer songwriter. As the years have progressed, she has dived deeper into jazz writing and interpretations. Collaborations with many acclaimed artists and musicians have opened and widened her range in a music that’s rich in texture and complexity.
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“for the LOVE of Music” with Sara Troy and her guest Jason Shand, on air from May 24th
I think every artist obviously has their own method for coming up with a good tune. Everyone has their own inspirations. So on that note – no pun intended- I guess if I were to give advice to some young up and comers trying to craft a good song, I’d say to go with your gut… to go with what you’re feeling… to go with what inspires you, because in my opinion, if you do that, it’s coming from an authentic place, and for art to be good, it’s got to be authentic.
Personally, I draw from my life experiences or the life experiences of people I know, or people I may not know first hand, but may observe. I’m inspired by that slice of life, that human connection. Now for me, these slices of life most often go hand in hand with a melody, a bass line, perhaps a lyrical hook, that may evoke an emotion tied to an observation… and the next thing you know, this observation… this inspiration… has given me the tree trunk/main hook of a song, and what follows are the branches/verses that flesh themselves out. Sometimes it’s the other way around with the branches first becoming well defined, followed by the tree trunk… the main anchor of a song suddenly staring you in the face!
There is no real formula… except that I’m drawing from a situation… a storyline… I’m drawing from something that inspires me. It’s very rare for me to come up with anything good when I try writing for the sake of writing with no emotional impetus/connection to spark me.
I truly believe that when you go with your gut… when you go with your feel… when you go with your instinct, when you are inspired from that authentic place, tap into that and the universe will eventually give you something back. That goes for life as an artist/songwriter and I think that also goes for life in general as well.
Not all things that are good are inspiring when it comes to a great song. Extreme sadness/depression, anger, confusion, jealousy, hatred… these emotions have given me great material. Don’t run away from these negative feelings. Confront them, dissect them, and turning them into some poetic expression will probably be cathartic.
‘The Petty Narcissist’, the title track of my new album, without going into personal detail, is an example of a song about a relationship of mine and it was written from a place of enormous pain. It was an extremely cathartic experience for me to write and finish that song and I was able to let all that pain go afterwards. It was healing. And I got one of my best songs out of it!
So to wrap this all up and to bring things back full circle in regards to being an artist/songwriter – go with your gut… go with what you’re feeling… go with what inspires you, because in my opinion, if you do that, it’s coming from an authentic place, and for art to be good, it’s got to be authentic.
ABOUT THE NEW CD:
??The Petty Narcissist, is Jason Shand’s second full length album after 2015’s Because of Zeeva.
“My goal with this 14 song collection was to make a substantive personal pop album that not only catered to this new single driven era, but also catered to the old school of having a full length album where each song flows into the other taking the listener on a sonic journey. There are no fillers on this album. With all fourteen songs – from the 6:36 ‘Seeing You’ opener to the 2:49 ‘Oh Fábio’ closer – being substantive pop singles that flow from one song to the other, taking the listener on a sonic story telling ride, I’d like to think I succeeded.”
Five years in the making, The Petty Narcissist dropped worldwide on January 21, 2022.
LISTEN TO JASON’S NEW SONG XFACTOR, CLICK CHART TO HEAR THE SONG
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