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With the Music Industry Switching to Downloads, Is the World Ready for a $40 Music CD?
New acoustic music label, Blue Coast Records, challenges the current trend and declares value is in the ears of the Discerning Listener.
San Francisco, CA (Billboard Publicity Wire) June 4, 2008 -- Blue Coast Records and Burnside Distribution announced the debut of the critically acclaimed music disc, Blue Coast Collection, making it now available via brick and mortar and online music outlets for the price of $40 USD. While some have balked at the cost of the disc, the audiophile community has embraced it as some of the most realistic acoustic music recorded to date. Using a proprietary recording technique, Extended Sound Environment (E.S.E.), the newly founded San Francisco label creates audio that is holographic. The release is an SACD hybrid disc that has the stereo CD layer, a surround sound SACD layer and an SACD two-track layer on one disc.
Blue Coast Collection has been a well-regarded underground industry secret for the last year. High fidelity speaker companies have been using the E.S.E. recordings extensively to demonstrate the excellence of their products. NHT speakers won the "Ultimate Audio" Award at a Consumer Electronics Show using music from the Blue Coast Collection. Cookie Marenco, founder of Blue Coast Records, quips, "A company selling a $20,000 pair of speakers isn't going to play an mp3 to make a sale."
Last year, music lovers worldwide created word of mouth excitement at forums and chat rooms before the disc made an official debut. Audiophiles suggest if more recordings were as well recorded as the Blue Coast Collection, they would pay the higher price for the disc despite popular trends for downloads.
Fans from a popular USA audio forum said, "The CD is very expensive but I will probably go on record and say it is worth every penny and if all recordings were handled in this manner I would not have a problem paying this amount over and over."
"It is by far the best sounding recordings that I have ever heard…It is not cheap but well worth the price."
"One of the best sounding CDs I have ever heard! The music is hauntingly beautiful. I am definitely going to watch this label."
Though Marenco was a pioneer in the early development of audio downloads, she feels her first responsibility is the marriage of music and sound. "My biggest thrill is that the beauty and magic of the music translates to all languages. Total strangers become friends. It's a powerful sensation," says Marenco. Initially, E.S.E. was an experiment to create holographic surround sound. Marenco handpicked the musicians for the E.S.E sessions whose performances would become the Blue Coast Collection. With co-producer, Jean Claude Reynaud, son of French audiophile speaker manufacturer, Jean Marie Reynaud, the two producers challenged current trends by recording the musicians performing live without headphones and using no digital effects.
"The reproduction of the pure sound of the performances is what prompted us to create a record label. With no pressure of a budget or timeline, we decided our focus would be to capture the music to the best of our abilities," says Marenco. "How much more real can music sound?"
Last year's sale of the disc on the Blue Coast Records website resulted in thousands of SACDs being sold globally. A review from La Nouvelle Revue de Son (a top audiophile magazine from France) led to attention in international audio forums.
"…your Blue Coast Collection SACD … are the most natural sounding recordings I have ever heard! The vocals and acoustic instruments have so much warmth and air around them, it feels like a live performance." - Wrote an Australian fan on www.SA-CD.net
"…the quality of the recording led me to the discovery of another musical universe."- Said an aficionado from France via www.homecinema-fr.com
Marenco was hesitant to release the recording through traditional channels. "We had several offers from large record companies, but we felt they didn't understand the passion audiophiles have for their music. We had seen too many great acoustic recordings turn into 'has been' records left to die in a warehouse," said Marenco. "We felt strongly there would be an audience for our music and our commitment to quality."
Answering to the demand of high quality recordings in the E.S.E. technique, Marenco says a second disc is in the works, a solo piano recording. "We can't mention the name of the artist just yet, but the recording was made on an 1885 Steinway Piano. The recording has no alterations, and sounds as if your head is literally inside the piano." The second SACD is scheduled for release in summer 2008. Previews can be heard on the Blue Coast Records website.
Marenco admits there will be challenges ahead to keep the quality high. "One big issue will be whether Sony will continue manufacturing SACD discs. As much as we love SACD, we plan to release our titles on vinyl and make them available as high resolution audio downloads. Starting with great performances and incredible sound, recorded at the highest quality, allows us to experiment with new formats, and enables us to provide the highest standard imaginable in audio recording as the technology continues to evolve."
For more information and distribution requests, please visit www.bluecoastrecords.com.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
JAZZ GUITARIST, JOEL HARRISON, DEBUTS HIS STRING QUARTET PIECE IN MANHATTAN CONCERT
ACOUSTIC ARTS INTERNATIONAL CONTACT: press@acousticartsinternational.com 650 591 6857
INDUSTRY/TAGS: Joel Harrison, jazz, guitar, concert, string quartet, new music.
EVENT: CD Release Concert for The Wheel
ARTIST: Joel Harrison, Jazz Guitarist
LOCATION: Cornelia St. Cafe:
DATE: Thursday, June 19, 2008, Shows 8:30 and 10 pm, $12
TICKET PRICE: $12
FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
JAZZ GUITARIST, JOEL HARRISON, DEBUTS HIS STRING QUARTET PIECE
IN MANHATTAN CONCERT
New York City, NY (May 27, 2008): On June 19, Intuition Records and Innova Records present a unique concert to debut the CD release of Joel Harrison’s, The Wheel. The concert will take place at the Cornelia St Café on June 19, 2008 with two shows, at 8:30pm and 10pm. The music is a union of jazz and classical string quartet with
The 6 movement suite was composed by Harrison and recorded with the help of a grant from the Flagler Cary Trust in February 2007. The music is a true union of the jazz and classical music traditions, with compositional influences from Appalachia and W. Africa. The impulse for this multi movement suite came from Harrison’s desire to compose a long-form work that was equal parts notation and improvisation. “I wanted to assemble a body of work that contained the intimacy, complexity, and beauty of acoustic concert music and merge it with the raw, grooving spontaneity of jazz”, says Harrison. He adds that “The Wheel is the best piece I’ve ever written, and represents a quantum leap in my development.”
While mostly known for his jazz guitar recordings, Harrison is no stranger to the world of classical compositions. He has been awarded several grants for his classical compositions from New York State Council on the Arts, Jerome Foundation, and Chamber Music America. Joel Harrison’s composition for solo marimba, Fear of Silence, was recently awarded first prize in an international competition sponsored by the Percussive Arts Society.
Tickets are $12 for the event. Call, 212 989 9319 for more information on the concert.
http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com/
More information about Joel Harrison can be found at:
If you would like to review The Wheel, or interview Joel Harrison, please contact:
press@acousticartsinternational.com or call 650 591 6857.
Friday, April 18, 2008
A NEW TWIST IN STYLE FOR A FAVORITE CONTEMPORARY MUSICIAN
FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
April 25, 2008
Contact: Acoustic Arts International PR 650 759 1750
Event: Joel Harrison/ Passing Train CD Release
May 19, 2008 9:30pm, Ticket price $15
Joe's Pub
425 Lafayette, New York City, NY 10003
A NEW TWIST IN STYLE FOR A FAVORITE CONTEMPORARY MUSICIAN
New York City, NY April 15, 2008-- Joel Harrison brings his soulful, creative songs to Joe's Pub on May 19, 2008 in celebration of his new CD release, Passing Train. This project marks Harrison's 8th release as a leader and first release devoted exclusively to his talent as a songwriter. The evening will showcase music from Passing Train, and feature
Washington D.C. native Joel Harrison resists musical categorization. For those who know his work as a jazz guitarist and composer, Harrison's songwriting talent will come as a surprise. Harrison's worn, bluesy voice is used to great effect in material that entertains even as it grapples with deep issues. Harrison's sound stems from a love of American song combined with unusual instrumentation from around the world.
Passing Train (Intuition/ Pure Land) was produced by Ben Wittman, who is well known for his work with Jonatha Brooke and Lucy Kaplansky. It continues along a path first suggested by his 2003 release, Free Country, which featured Norah Jones on vocals and was considered one of the best recordings of the year by many critics. Harrison paints a landscape in which all styles of American music commingle in haunting, poetic, thoroughly original ways. He is equally at home writing songs and complex chamber music, playing modern jazz and bar blues.
Performing with Harrison at Joe's Pub are Ben Wittman, drums; Jordan Perlson, percussion; Henry Hey, accordion, organ, piano; Stephan Crump, acoustic bass; Sam Bardfeld (violin), Greg Clark and Jen Chapin, guest vocalists. All these musicians draw from country, blues, gospel, jazz, New Orleans, and West African genres to create a unique sound. The recording will be released in June 2008 and available at his website and through Amazon.com in the United States, and through Intuition records in Europe.
"Guitarist-singer Harrison describes his music as a trip "along the seams of jazz, country, blues and spirituals, as a gateway to creative music-making." That's an ambitious task, but he brings it off in a collection filled with surprising, but utterly convincing, shifts of musical emphasis. Harrison is on to something both innovative and compelling, and he deserves a much wider hearing."
- Don Heckman, LA Times, Best of 2004
For Pre-Show Interviews/Press Pass/ Disc for review:
Contact PR at Acoustic Arts International: 650 759 1750
For more information about Joel Harrison and Passing Train, please visit: www.passingtrain.com
For more information about Joe's Pub, please visit: www.joespub.com
For more background on Joel Harrison's career, please visit: http://www.joelharrison.com
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Houston Jones at the Noe Valley Ministry, April 26, San Francisco
IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Penny Sur 650 759 1750
Event:
Date:
Address:
Brief: Benefit Concert for Music in Schools Today
Ticket Price: $15 advance, $17 at the door
“We are thrilled to support MuST’s Music Integrated Literacy Enhancement (MILE) program,” said founding members Glenn Houston (guitar) and Travis Jones (vocals). The goal of this program is to enable all 45,000 students in the
“I completely support this program. I learned to play the cello through music in the schools back when the earth was still warm,” said Chris Kee (bass). “I also started playing in school taking lessons and playing in the school band,” said Peter Tucker (drums). “Keeping music education in schools is dear to my heart,” said Henry Salvia (keyboards).
The evening will be a visit to American roots music in a warm, intimate atmosphere. The concert showcases the versatility of the band members who play a wide range of rhythms and genres that keep you engaged.
"Wow! Smoking...excellent...wonderful...awesome…amazing! What a great voice, fabulous lead guitar, one of the best percussionists around. What a great team!” says Dave Stafford, DJ at KKUP about Houston Jones, the band creating a buzz across the country.
Most of the members of Houston Jones were original members of the Waybacks, an internationally acclaimed band. Members of “Hojo” have performed in bands with such distinguished artists as Norah Jones, Jim Lauderdale, Peter Rowan, Bo Diddley, Rickie Lee Jones, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and more. Reviews from Billboard.com called Houston Jones “a wonderful gem”.
Tickets for the show may be purchased at the door for $17 or $15 in advance by calling the
For Pre-Show Interviews/Press Pass/ Disc for review: contact
Penny Sur at Acoustic Arts International: 650 759 1750.
For more about Music in Schools Today, please visit: www.mustcreate.org
For more information about
Friday, February 22, 2008
Kim Baker at the Little Fox March 6, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
Acoustic Arts International
Contact: Penny Sur
Event: Kim Baker at the Little Fox
Date:
Address: 2215 Broadway,
Brief: Benefit concert for Music in Schools Today
Ticket Price: $12 advance, $14 at the door
Kim Baker Concert to Benefit Music in Schools Program
Redwood City, CA – February 22, 2008 – Musician Kim Baker brings her band to the Little Fox Theater Thursday night, March 6 to perform a benefit concert for Music in Schools Today (MuST), a non-profit organization that has been promoting music education in underserved Bay Area public schools communities since 1983.
“Lots of kids dream of singing and playing in front of a cheering audience. I’m living proof that music education pays off,” says Baker, a professional touring musician and CEO of her own record label. “Unfortunately, even when research indicates that music education can be invaluable to a child’s intellectual and physical development, more and more school music programs have fallen victim to budget cuts. Without organizations like Music in Schools Today, this opportunity is becoming out of reach to a lot of our children.”
Music in Schools Today answers the crisis in music education, providing programs that reach more than 10,000 Bay Area children. Baker and her 5-piece band will perform her compelling brand of acoustic-rock at the Little Fox Theater at
Kim Baker is a modern-day troubadour whose voice and songwriting style have been compared to such greats as Melissa Etheridge and Chrissie Hynde. Honest and insightful, her music draws you in emotionally and leaves your mind and heart full and satiated. In 1999, Baker was interviewed by Time Magazine for her pioneering work with internet audio, being one of the first artists to use the technology.
Tickets for the show may be purchased at the door for $14, or $12 in advance by calling The Little Fox at 650.369.4119.
For Pre-Show Interviews/Press Pass/ Disc for review: contact Penny Sur at Acoustic Arts International: 650 759 1750
Acoustic Arts International, located in
For more about Music in Schools Today, please visit: www.mustcreate.org
For more information about Kim Baker, please visit: www.kimbaker.com
Friday, February 1, 2008
Houston Jones at the Little Fox Feb 24, Redwood City
Acoustic Arts International
Contact: Penny Sur 650 759 1750
Event: Houston Jones at the Little Fox
Date: February 24, 2008 7pm
Address: 2215 Broadway, Redwood City, CA
Brief: Benefit concert for Veterans for Peace
Ticket Price: $14 advance, $16 at the door
FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE UPDATED
February 18, 2008
HIGH OCTANE AMERICANA BLASTS INTO THE LITTLE FOX
FOR A BENEFIT CONCERT
"Wow! Smoking...excellent...wonderful...awesome…amazing! What a great voice, fabulous lead guitar, one of the best percussionists around. What a great team!” says Dave Stafford, DJ at KKUP about Houston Jones, the Bay Area Americana band creating a buzz across the country. Their HIGH OCTANE AMERICANA music is a blend of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues and worldbeat with thought provoking lyrics of drama and delight. Get ready to bounce when the band hits the stage with their infectious sound.
On February 24, Houston Jones plays the Little Fox Theatre in Redwood City for a benefit concert. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Veterans for Peace organization.
Along with founding members, Glenn Houston (guitar) and Travis Jones (vocals), are Peter Tucker (drums), Chris Kee (bass) and Henry Salvia (keyboards).
Houston Jones is no stranger to live performance. They have performed at large festivals from the west coast to the Rockies and received attention across the country from industry professionals. Most of the members of Houston Jones were original members of the Waybacks, an internationally acclaimed band. Members of “Hojo” have performed in bands with such distinguished artists as Norah Jones, Jim Lauderdale, Peter Rowan, Bo Diddley, Rickie Lee Jones, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and more. Reviews from Billboard.com called Houston Jones “a wonderful gem”.
The concert event begins at 7pm. Tickets are $14 in advance and $16 at the door.
For more information and ticket purchases contact the Little Fox at 650-369-4119.
Veterans for Peace, an organization of men and women veterans of all eras will be represented at the show. For more information on their organization go to http://www.veteransforpeace.org.
Press and Media passes are available for the show.
Contact us for a pre show interview or more information at 650 759 1750
Contact: Penny Sur 650 759 1750
Event: Houston Jones at the Little Fox
Date: February 24, 2008 7pm
Address: 2215 Broadway, Redwood City, CA
Brief: Benefit concert for Veterans for Peace
Ticket Price: $14 advance, $16 at the door
FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE UPDATED
February 18, 2008
HIGH OCTANE AMERICANA BLASTS INTO THE LITTLE FOX
FOR A BENEFIT CONCERT
"Wow! Smoking...excellent...wonderful...awesome…amazing! What a great voice, fabulous lead guitar, one of the best percussionists around. What a great team!” says Dave Stafford, DJ at KKUP about Houston Jones, the Bay Area Americana band creating a buzz across the country. Their HIGH OCTANE AMERICANA music is a blend of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues and worldbeat with thought provoking lyrics of drama and delight. Get ready to bounce when the band hits the stage with their infectious sound.
On February 24, Houston Jones plays the Little Fox Theatre in Redwood City for a benefit concert. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Veterans for Peace organization.
Along with founding members, Glenn Houston (guitar) and Travis Jones (vocals), are Peter Tucker (drums), Chris Kee (bass) and Henry Salvia (keyboards).
Houston Jones is no stranger to live performance. They have performed at large festivals from the west coast to the Rockies and received attention across the country from industry professionals. Most of the members of Houston Jones were original members of the Waybacks, an internationally acclaimed band. Members of “Hojo” have performed in bands with such distinguished artists as Norah Jones, Jim Lauderdale, Peter Rowan, Bo Diddley, Rickie Lee Jones, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and more. Reviews from Billboard.com called Houston Jones “a wonderful gem”.
The concert event begins at 7pm. Tickets are $14 in advance and $16 at the door.
For more information and ticket purchases contact the Little Fox at 650-369-4119.
Veterans for Peace, an organization of men and women veterans of all eras will be represented at the show. For more information on their organization go to http://www.veteransforpeace.org.
Press and Media passes are available for the show.
Contact us for a pre show interview or more information at 650 759 1750
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