A Train Entertainment

WINNER – BEST HAND DRUM ALBUM

Northern Cree – Ewipihcihk

At the heart of the Northern Cree Drum is a commitment to sing for the people and to their Cree culture. This recording pays tribute to the Round Dance, the social gathering that is at the heart of wintertime in Cree country.

WINNER – BEST POW-WOW CONTEMPORARY ALBUM

Northern Cree – Loyalty to the Drum

Recorded live at the annual Rocky Boy Pow-wow, 6-time Grammy nominee Northern Cree pays tribute to the spirit of their drum with unmatched singing and mighty drumming.

THANKS FOR CASTING YOUR VOTE!!

Amanda Brecker recently recorded her new album entitled “Way To Be”, which is a blend of Brazilian/American contemporary pop music infused with percussive rhythms from different areas of Brazil. The album was recorded in Los Angeles with producers Jesse Harris and Mario Caldato (Bebel Gilberto, Beastie Boys, Vanessa Da Mata, Marisa Monte, Jack Johnson, Planet Hemp), and includes many original compositions by Amanda Brecker. Included on the album is a duet, ‘Ciranda’,’ with Brazilian artist, Tiago Iorc. She also recorded a track, ‘Papo Furado,’ with the participation of Projeto Quabales from Salvador, Bahia. “Way To Be” was released in Japan through Universal Records on July 9th. Brazil and US release to be announced. Stay tuned for updates!

A singer/songwriter from New York City, Amanda Brecker’s talent was notible at a very young age.  At age 5, she easily invented melodies, harmonies and words of her own while singing and playing the piano, which displayed a natural inclination for songwriting.  She comes from a long line of musicians and is the daughter of Brazilian pianist/singer Eliane Elias and the trumpeter Randy Brecker, two very prominent artists on the Jazz scene. Her uncle is the late saxophonist, Michael Brecker. When Amanda was 8 years old, she sang on Eliane Elias’s album “Fantasia,” interpreting Milton Nascimento’s “Ponta de Areia”, a performance that brought the composer to tears. Following the recording, Amanda performed live with Milton Nascimento in Paris when she was 9 years old. Prior to starting her solo career , she sang on several of Eliane Elias’s albums and performed live with her mother on various occasions.

Take a look inside her recording sessions before “It’s Too Late”!

Released as a real ‘snapshot in time’ live album, following her much critically acclaimed and commercially successful debut ‘Dirt On My Tongue’ (not yet released in North America), Jo Harman releases an ‘as is’ live recording by the BBC of her performance last year at The Royal Albert Hall for BluesFest. As well as including favorites from her debut record – including her award nominated composition ‘Sweet Man Moses’ – the album includes Jo’s noted interpretations of classics such as ‘Sideways’ and ‘Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’ as well as previously unreleased original material. The album will be released on digital formats by A Train Entertainment in North America on Tuesday, September 16th.

Since her start in 2011, Jo Harman has turned herself into Europe’s foremost blues/soul/roots fuelled female artist. Remarkably achieved largely by ‘word of mouth’ and dint of hard work and talent, gig by gig, show by show, with little or no PR budget. She is now widely regarded as one of the best and most important artists of that genre to ever emerge from the UK.

Some career highlights include:

•  Voted ‘Female Vocalist of the Year’ at this years British Blues Awards (announced 8/26/14)

• Her debut record, ‘Dirt On My Tongue’ (yet to be scheduled for US release) was licensed in BeNeLux to V2 (Adele, Mumford and Sons, Queens of the Stone Age etc) and made the Netherlands pop album charts

• Her debut album was named ‘International Blues Album of the Year’ by Proper Music Distribution in the UK and is racked in HMV, Fopp and other mainstream record shops

• Jo played nearly 100 Festivals in Europe in last 2 years, including prestigious slots at Isle of Wight, Cheltenham Jazz, Edinburgh Jazz, plus headlining most UK Blues Festivals, including BluesFest, Royal Albert Hall and more.
• Named ‘breakout artist of the year’ (alongside Gary Clarke Jr) by British Blues Bible ‘The Blues Magazine’

• Named by Daily Mirror (UK’s second circulation daily) as ‘best female soul blues voice in UK’ in amongst wide number of mainstream media plaudits; on his BBC Radio 2 show Huey Morgan (Fun Lovin’ Criminals) said ‘sometimes you hear a voice that leaves you speechless…I am’

• Last year Jo was one of only 12 (otherwise household names) appearing at Parkpop in Hague playing to 300k people, as part of an increasingly impressive European Festival resume.

Live festival footage (blues/rock) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y020eI6SwJc

European TV (soul) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKD-i0MFFWY

Studio album (gospel ballad) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYMIi8LyBzM

Tin Hat founder and acclaimed film composer Mark Orton (Nebraska, The Good Girl, Sweet Land) releases the soundtrack for Israel Horovitz’s Paris-based film, My Old Lady. The film follows the journey of a troubled American, played by Kevin Kline, who travels to Paris to claim an apartment his recently deceased father left him, only to find that there’s a catch in the inheritance. Maggie Smith and Kristin Scott Thomas round out the terrific cast, with Orton combining chamber orchestra, accordion and an array of antique and unusual instruments in creating a highly original score that is at the same time old world and innovative.

The film debuts at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7th.

Grammy winning keyboardist, Producer, Musical Director, and world-renowned performer Gregg Karukas exclusively partners up with PLEDGEMUSIC.COM in releasing his highly anticipated CD from his label Nightowl Records, titled “Soul Secrets”.

“Soul Secrets” features the talented Rick Braun, Euge Groove, Ricardo Silveira, Eric Valentine, Nate Phillips, Michael O’Neill, James Harrah, Adam Hawley, vocalists Shelby Flint and Ron Boustead; violinist Charlie Bisharat, Luis Conte and Vincent Ingala! Flavored with lots of grand piano, and also quite a bit of some classic keyboards Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Hammond B3 and Minimoog.

Check out the video for “Soul Secrets” and you can be the first to hear his new music and pre-order the CD, signed by Gregg himself! Pledgers will all be able to go behind the scenes where he reveals some of the “SECRETS” behind his process, and also have access to many exclusive pre-orders and premiums like getting your name in the credits as a “Patron of the Arts”. In addition:

“You can hang at a session in the studio with me. We’ll have an intimate Wine & CD listening gathering, or, I’ve saved one of the best for last; a personal invitation for you and a guest to attend our annual Karukas Family Holiday Party, where many of your favorite LA based musicians join us to celebrate the Holidays with lots of jamming.” – Gregg Karukas

Only 18 Fridays ’til Christmas time and only 45 days to pre-order and get on the VIP list or to share “Soul Secrets” as a gift! Now, if you’ll please excuse us while we find our outfits for the Holiday Party! Would the party theme be My Favorite Season or Girl in the Red Dress?

Pre-order “Soul Secrets” Here