Featured Articles

Bees Deluxe publicity shot

Conrad Warre taking Bees Deluxe to new heights

British immigrant and guitarist Conrad Warre has been spearheading Bees Deluxe for nine years and through eight CDs. The progressive rock, free form jazz, acid blues band gets hit with a lot of labels. Many describe them as complex, but Warre said complex or simple doesn’t matter, as long as the groove is good.

Ana Suppelsa

Chick Singer Night taking it to the burbs; spring concert at Parish Center in Westford, MA May 6th

The local Chick Singer Night organization is putting together another of their spring concerts to highlight women singers in the local area. CSN, a Boston chapter of a national organization, has decided to focus more on the suburbs at this time. CSN will be taking their live show to the Parish Center For The Arts in Westford, Massachusetts, hometown of CSN co-director Marcia J. Ridings.

Mike Zito

Mike Zito co-headlining Six Strings Down tour; bringing it to New England Blues Summit next week

Mike Zito took time out of his busy Six Strings Down tour to discuss his new concert schedule with Tommy Castro as well as his latest album Make Blues Not War. Zito was able to team up with Castro and Castro’s backing band The Painkiller for several weeks, a combo that’s causing excitement throughout the national blues scene. Six Strings Down is coming to the New England Blues Summit at the Cape Cod Resort And Conference Center next weekend, April 28.

Tommy Castro; Mike Zito

Tommy Castro gearing up to rock New England Blues Summit, touring with Mike Zito

You can never have too much of a good thing. Tommy Castro has been gearing up for his Six Strings Down tour with fellow guitarist-vocalist Mike Zito. The two modern blues titans have teamed up in one act to bring exciting shows and arrangements of each player’s songs. Castro looks forward to bringing this new tour to New England next week for the New England Blues Summit at the Cape Cod Resort And Conference Center.

Otis Doncaster; photo credit: Kendal Bush

New Hampshire legend Otis Doncaster continues his amazing career in blues, country, and roots music

Many know of New Hampshire harmonica player and vocalist Otis Doncaster from his band Otis And The Elevators. Many know of him from his decades long association with legendary blues man Luther “Guitar Junior” Johnson, a one time Muddy Waters sideman from an earlier era in the blues music. Many may not know, however, how diverse Doncaster is in his musical tastes and how much of a multi-instrumentalist he’s been over the years. The blues, country, roots, Americana music many have seen him perform over the years is simply his expression of the music he heard growing up in northern New England.

Matt Stubbs & The Antiguas

Matthew Stubbs & The Antiguas found even greater success at The Sinclair

In just over a year’s time, Matthew Stubbs & The Antiguas have become one of the hottest live acts in the greater-Boston area. In addition to guitarist Stubbs, the Antiguas are organist Ken Clark, bassist Mark Hickok, and drummer Chris Rivelli. The foursome play a mighty show with a powerful rocking sound augmented by psychedelic screen visuals. After a year long residency at the Plough & Star in Cambridge, Stubbs has had to move his show to that city’s Sinclair music venue due to its growing size.

Laura Cortese

Laura Cortese makes fiddling cool; playing Irish Music Night in Medford

Laura Cortese has been on the traditional music scene in Boston, around the country, and in other countries for over a decade now. Presenting exciting concert performances and collaborating with other string players, Cortese makes her fiddle as cool as a rock and roll lead guitar. She’s one of three acts scheduled to play in an Irish Music Night, and she discussed that as well.

Gretchen & The Pickpockets working on new album

Gretchen & The Pickpockets working on new album

New England’s queen of neo soul Gretchen Klempa took time out of a busy musician’s schedule to update us on the state of her band Gretchen And The Pickpockets. The group has temporarily reduced their three gigs a week schedule down to three gigs a month so they can invest time in getting their next album together.

Acoustic guitar virtuoso Shun Ng discovers communication through music

Acoustic guitar virtuoso Shun Ng discovers communication through music

Acoustic guitar virtuoso and vocalist Shun Ng has done well for himself since he arrived in Boston, Massachusetts a few years ago. Born in Chicago, raised and educated in Singapore, Ng has received awards and nominations, worked with industry big names, and created a massive following. Many in the New England music scene discovered him […]

photo credit: Louise Welch

Julie Rhodes, a rapidly rising star on the New England music scene

Sometimes an artist comes out of nowhere, burns like Roman candle, and sets the music scene alight. Boston’s Julie Rhodes is one such artist. She is on a roll. Her debut CD continues to rack up rave reviews and her live shows are drawing crowds. After one year in the music business, she snagged a […]