Peter Sterling’s Latest Album ‘The Winding Way’

February 9, 2022 Marshall Cullen

I worked on this record for over one year during the time of the global pandemic and lock down. Tucked away from the world in my home studio, these songs came forth from my heart and soul during this difficult time for all of us. As in music so in life says the back cover. I have found as many others have that our life is not a trek from point A to point B, but rather a meandering journey down the Winding Way with many unexpected twists and turns along the path to the destination of our hopes and dreams. My wish is that this music will uplift and bring joy to your heart and soul as you journey forth. - Peter Sterling

About Peter Sterling
Born in Santa Monica, Peter began playing the piano at 6 years old, first accompanying his brother who was practicing violin. When he was 33 Peter moved to Sedona, Arizona, drawn to its energy vortices, its natural beauty, and its powerful connection to a higher purpose in life. It was in Sedona that Peter discovered his affinity for, or more accurately, his mystical connection with the Celtic harp. It was 1993 and he took to the instrument, without any formal training or lessons, like the proverbial fish to water.

His career as a recording artist began in 1994 with his first album, Harp Magic, released on the World Disc label. Success came almost immediately as the recording was nominated for the Best Instrumental Album award by NAIRD (now A2IM), an organization for independent musicians. His acclaim continued and grew exponentially in the 2000s with multiple nominations from the prestigious website New Age Reporter/Zone Music Reporter, including several nominations for Album of the Year. His albums consistently charted high up in their top 100, including grabbing the #1 spot for his 2013 release, Twilight Serenade. While his recent works are released on his own Harp Magic label (including his 2018 album, Magic Kingdom), Real Music, one of the giants of new age music, released his Shadow, Mist and Light album in 2005. His most recent recognition came in 2017 when he shared the Hollywood Music and Media Award for Best New Age song. In addition, Divine Reflection from Sanctuary of Light won the HMMA for Best Ambient/New Age song of 2021 and Sanctuary won the 2021 COVR Silver Award in the Visionary Music category.

When he is asked, “What is the best part of being a musician?” Peter answers, “Creating music that touches the heart and soul of listeners… bringing peace and healing to people all over the world. I love receiving letters about how my music has touched peoples’ lives.” Peter looks back at his path to the present now and humbled at his worldwide success. Back when he was recording his first 8-track compositions on a cassette tape in Byron Bay, Australia, and then marketing it by going door-to-door to Sedona’s stores, he could scarcely imagine that one day his music would reach people across the planet through international airplay (Pandora, SiriusXM, Soundscapes) as well as on major airlines (United and American).

Composed & produced by Peter Sterling for Harp Magic Music (BMI)
Peter Plays a custom made Lyon and Healy electric Troubador, keyboards, vocals, percussion, freenote chimes, G-Dov Gertzweig/violin, Richard Hardy silver and bamboo flutes, Hans Christian Cello
Mastered by Eric Boulanger, The Bakery Sony studios Culver City

The Winding Way is OUT NOW – via Harp Magic Music

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Jack Nolan releases single Faster Than The Speed Of Change

February 4, 2022 Marshall Cullen

Sometimes a title or line drifts around for years, waiting for a song. Faster than the Speed of Change was just that, slowly waiting in the wings.

Into the dark
I drifted
Left behind
was gifted
To me but I couldn’t see
I heard you calling to me

The slow speed of change, or recognition, which rumbles along to a pulse via Jimmy Paxson’s mallets. A slow mover with a sparseness that invites a searing harmony and a crunching guitar to take the track home. A tribute song to a rich relationship that, at first, someone was too lost, too distracted to recognise.

I turned to look
I heard your voice
Love came
Faster than the speed of change

Jack Nolan is a singer songwriter based in Sydney, Australia, who’s s been performing and releasing music and albums since the mid 90’s. Along with a five-album solo catalogue Jack also fronted The Kelly Gang, with Rick Grossman, bassist for The Divinyls and Hoodoo Gurus along with Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst and guitar player Martin Rotsey. Their 2004 album Looking for the Sun was critically adored along with their energetic live shows of the time.

Within Nolan’s music, mysterious and shimmering chords unite his sound with that of the Americana genre, once quaintly described as ‘Darlinghurst Country’ uniting elements of folk, country, rock ‘n’ roll and ambient atmospheres fusing Nolan’s passion for intensely charged electric guitar and finger-picked acoustic guitar.

Having caught the Tennessee bug while finishing his 2018 album ‘Our Waverley Star’, Jack returned to Nashville in February 2020 for two weeks of recording and mixing with his friend and multi-instrumentalist Justin Weaver, known best as the Dixie Chicks’ guitarist. After the most intense and enjoyable fortnight possible, Jack headed home in March 2020, a day before a hurricane wiped out Nashville, and less than a week before the world changed forever, if the word Wuhan rings a bell.

And so it is, Jacks latest album, Gabriel, released October 2021, keeps the wheels moving on the meaningful passion of this writer and performer.

Faster Than The Speed Of Change single Out Now February 4
Quay Records/MGM.

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Thirty Three Degrees Release New Single ‘Drinking On My Own’

February 4, 2022 Marshall Cullen

Something many of us can relate to coming out of lockdown – the brand new single from Thirty Three degrees – “Drinking On My Own”

Shane Romeyn lead singer and principal writer talks about the new single – : “This song came about in an instant when Chris started playing a Johnny Cash type rolling drum beat. From the outset it felt like a fun song which didn’t need over thinking in its structure or anything to take away its light heartedness. The cords just instantly came and before I knew it the theme was going to be a light hearted crack at falling out with your loved one and nothing you say or do gets you back in the good books. You end up drinking on your own! I’m sure many people have been there before.”

Thirty Three Degrees are an original rock band with a strong groove and some rootsy vibes, from the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia.

After a brief hiatus from the music scene, Shane decided to re-enter the music world and search for like-minded musicians to write and perform with. At this same time, Chris was re-entering Australia from Los Angeles with the same goal. Thanks to musician classifieds on social media, the two met up and at the end of January 2020, Shane Romeyn and Chris Roberts formed the band.

The good vibes and good songs flowed out immediately. Due to COVID-19 gigs were off the table for the most part, so with the temporary assistance and amazing bass work of Chris’ brother Mike, the band decided to instead enter the studio and recorded their debut album.

Song Description

Drinking On My Own
Up-tempo snappy drums start this rocking new single from Thirty Three Degrees. The band kick in and with the song being all about ‘drinking’, the vocals, guitar licks and solo are appropriately gauged. You certainly get the vibe pretty quickly.

Out Now Feb 4 On Foghorn/MGM

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Gareth Koch Releases New Single ‘Rumba Latina’

January 27, 2022 Marshall Cullen

Andalcia Spain, 1975. A young boy sits enthralled at the feet of a flamenco guitarist, feeling the addictive power of this music for the first time. The spirit of flamenco enters his soul forever. Since then Gareth Koch has woven a diverse life in music. In a career spanning over 20 albums he holds a PhD, has won an ARIA, is a multi-instrumentalist & writes across diverse genres.

In its purest form flamenco combines elements of song, dance, percussion & guitar playing. As early as the 4th century B.C, Roman chroniclers praised the dancers of Andalucia. From then on the history of the region saw a succession of invasions & immigrations by Romans, Jews, Vandals, Celts, Arabs, Berbers & Gypsies.

During Islamic rule (711) the exiled Gypsies created a unique music which retained strong Eastern & Moorish characteristics. The guitar put in a relatively late appearance in this musical epic. Its most direct ancestor arrived on the scene in the 17th century in the Christian courts of Spain, before it spread to folk music to such an extent that it has become a national symbol of Spain.

The ‘Rumba’ is now one of the most popular styles in the flamenco genre.

About Gareth Koch
Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a diverse repertory across multiple albums spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.
Born in Milan, Koch began his musical studies on piano and clarinet, and at age 12 was accepted into the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before winning a scholarship for advanced guitar study at the Vienna Academy of Music. He holds a PhD in Music.
In 2002 Koch formed what might be termed the first guitar supergroup. Saffire – The Australian Guitar Quartet soared to number 1 on the classical music charts and appeared on the pop charts. The quartet released a total of 3 best-selling albums.
Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects & in 2020 released two collaborative albums with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church).

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Gareth Koch New Reviews

January 25, 2022 Marshall Cullen

GARETH KOCH

ELIZABETHAN JANGLE

A CHRISTMAS ALBUM

Foghorn Records

The past couple of years has seen the recorded output of classically trained guitarist Gareth Koch rise exponentially to match (almost) that of his most recent musical collaborator, Steve Kilbey, releasing two solo albums, an EP, Code Blue, and now a second EP, Elizabethan Jangle – really a mini-album, its seven pieces succinctly and elegantly arranged and performed – all instrumental, as well as two albums with Kilbey within the past 20 months. This time around, Koch has returned to familiar territory, the music for lute composed by John Dowland (1563-1626), some of whose catalogue he’s recorded for ABC Classical. This time around he’s “reimagined” some Dowland, as well as Henry VIII’s ‘Greensleeves’, and rearranged some pieces from the Elizabethan era for a contemporary audience, the solo lute replaced by flamenco, classical and steel-string guitars, occasionally accompanied by Hofner and Rickenbacker basses as well as the odd bit of bodhran (I think), the additional instrumentation, all played by Koch, never overwhelming the central melodies, which drift between feisty and celebratory and liltingly romantic. ‘Tis pity ‘tis so short a time one gets to share with this remarkable minstrel in this context. Another dozen pieces please! Ensuring some sort of continuity with his even more prolific collaborator, the pastel portrait of Koch gracing the CD’s cover is by Steve Kilbey. Just for good measure, Koch released a third solo album just before Christmas 2021, his take on a variety of Christmas music from medieval through traditional to ‘Little Drummer Boy’, again all beautifully arranged and performed, nothing saccharine, so keen readers might want to grab a copy of A Christmas Album to put away for Christmas 2022.

MICHAEL SMITH

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CJ Shaw Releases Single ‘Ain’t Many Like Lennie’ with Animation Video

December 3, 2021 Marshall Cullen

NEW REVIEW For CJ Shaw’s Album ‘ALL SORTS’

Nominated for a 2020 Music Teacher of the Year ARIA, CJ Shaw is an unadulterated, unashamedly Australiana rather than Americana singer-songwriter, sort of Shane Howard meets Fred Smith if you will. Shaw keeps it all pretty simple too, two and three chords at most as he spins his stories, some aimed at younger listeners – as you’d expect from a teacher – rambling, cheeky ditties full of whimsy – others serving more mature musical tastes with tales that ponder life as it’s lived in this wide brown land. “We would all do a lot less harm,” he suggests in ‘Choose to Chew’, “If we ate our Coat of Arms” – which makes sense of the recipe card for CJ Shaw’s Fair Dinkum ‘Roo Bolognese included! Obviously one of his children’s songs, but hey, we all need a bit of fun once in a while. ‘Werewolves’ straddles the generations, delivered straight-faced yet obviously not to be imbibed in that spirit. The seraphic Hannah Czaben takes the vocal spotlight on ‘Full on Heart’, another gentle two-chord stroll, a rumination on separate lives that could have been more lived more happily together that, along with songs like ‘Lonely Road’, is proof that when he allows himself, Shaw is quite the poignant singer-songwriter.

MICHAEL SMITH

Truth is often stranger than fiction and Lennie Gwyther’s story is no exception. A 9 year old boy who, along with his horse Ginger Mick, traversed 1000 kilometres of Australian wilderness to arrive in Sydney for the opening of the Harbour Bridge in 1932.

Along the way he became a celebrity, admired for his bravery and determination. He even met with the Prime Minister of the time on the ride north. This was during the depression years and heroes were in demand. This unassuming boy was an unlikely icon that united the country as a symbol of hope.

This song was written to teach Australian history to primary aged students (and curious adults alike). The storytelling lyrics allow students, the same age as Lennie, to imagine his courageous three month journey to witness a momentous moment in Australian history. One taken without parents, cars, electricity and, most unbelievably, mobile phones.

The stop-motion music video to accompany the song is made by award-winning animators ‘Eleanor & Giovanni’ and features 3D felted puppets who play out the historical story of Lennie Gwyther. These meticulously hand-made puppets and backdrops create a child-like physicality to captivate the audience – drawing them into this inspiring Australian story.

As the song says – “There ain’t many like Lennie”.

Checkout the Video on todays excellent Premiere courtesy of Scenestr Magazine

Song Description
Ain’t Many Like Lennie
Back to folk with this true to life story song. Mid-tempo, acoustics, banjo, mandolin, drums and bass.

Armed with a guitar and a swag full of harmonicas, singer-songwriter CJ Shaw’s intricate finger-picking, word play and storytelling never fails to captivate his audiences. CJ Shaw’s music is distinctly Australian in style, influenced by Paul Kelly and Slim Dusty. His lyrical storytelling and musicality lends itself to audiences of all ages.

In 2020, CJ Shaw was nominated for an ARIA Award for ‘Music Teacher of the Year’ with Jimmy Barnes as his official ambassador presenting him with the nomination. This prestigious music industry acknowledgement recognised his dynamic and poignant songwriting for primary-aged children. These celebrated songs are woven through his performances and albums, played alongside satirical and storytelling Australiana folk songs.

In 2021 CJ Shaw released his album ‘All Sorts’. Combining the best of his children’s songs with his unique brand of contemporary Australiana, Shaw has dubbed ‘All Sorts’ “the ultimate Family Album”. With over a decade experience touring and performing at music festivals in Australia and Timor-Leste, CJ Shaw is an exciting Canberra musician at the top of his game.

CJ Shaw – Ain’t Many Like Lennie is out NOW December 3rd through Foghorn/MGM
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Jack Nolan releases up tempo single Chit Chatter

December 2, 2021 Marshall Cullen

“As I get older I care less and less about chatter, bitchiness. And I know that conditional love is not love at all. I wrote it with a good friend in mind who was copping it from people that claimed to care.” – Jack Nolan

A hidden gem on Jack’s new album, Gabriel. Don’t let the title dissuade you, there’s a great message here in the lyrics. Up-tempo and full band through-out, this one is a foot tapping sing along.

Jack will be performing live at Link N Pin Woy Woy Friday Dec 10

And so it is, Jacks latest album, Gabriel, released October 2021, keeps the wheels moving on the meaningful passion of this writer and performer.

Credits:
Written by Jack Nolan
Recorded at ‘Welcome to 1979’ in Nashville TN 2020
Produced by Justin Weaver
Engineered by Chris Mara
Mixed by Chris Mara & Justin Weaver
Mastered by Ryan Smith, Sterling Sound Nashville TN
Jack Nolan – Vocals & guitars
Justin Weaver – Electric Guitars, slide, banjo & backing vocals
Jimmy Paxson – Drums
Chris Autry – Bass

Chai Chatter is OUT NOW Quay Records/MGM.

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Gareth Koch Releases ‘A Christmas Album’

November 19, 2021 Marshall Cullen

Imagine timeless European Christmas music played instrumentally, as if upon a choir of lutes. Ancient & exquisite songs, deep within the human psyche, are now newly arranged by ARIA Award winning guitarist Gareth Koch. The interpretations reveal his signature blend of contemporary flair laced with medieval sensibilities.

The arrangements are both elegant & appealing, sidestepping any notion of commercialised Christmas clichés. Re-imagined as troubadour-like ballads or tender Austrian folk songs, each carol receives a unique treatment. The listener is invited into an array of soundworlds, ranging from the early medieval to English folk-revival.

The music of this album leads us away from the bustle of many modern realities. Instead, we are drawn into a gentler universe, filled with subtlety & nuance. In any year, at any time, this album presents a Christmas message we all need to hear.

Song Description
Little Drummer Boy
This timeless mid-tempo classic Christmas carol is dealt with not just using multiple classical guitar parts but with hand percussion and rice shakers.

Ding Dong Merrily On High
An up-tempo and superbly played Christmas piece dating right back to the 1800’s. Even some 12 string electric features in Gareth’s new arrangement.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
A very old piece, dated to the 16th century and referred to in Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’. Gareth recreates the vocal melody perfectly and becomes a terrific hum along piece. Bass guitar rounds out the arrangement featuring multiple guitars: acoustic, nylon string and electric creating a lush sonic tapestry.

A Christmas Album is OUT NOW November 26th – via MGM
Pre order CDs in shrink wrapped double gatefold package below

Order CD from the Official Store or stream/download below

CD’s Also available at good retail record stores across Australia

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Grant Stevens releases single V8 Sandman

November 16, 2021 Marshall Cullen

Irreverence, style, art, honesty, dynamism and the growl of guitars – this is musician and composer Grant Stevens. His metaphor laden lyrics have positioned him as one of the best songwriters in Germany where he has had successes such as “Everlasting Friends” which was used as a television jingle for Holsten Pilsener in Europe, and another of his singles “Sage Ha!” which entered the pop charts in Germany and Europe.

He has recorded several albums and EPs for his bands Nervous Germans, The Soho Jets and Razar, produced by Kit Lambert (producer for The Who).

His music is guitar driven rock with a big dollop of blues and a little twist of country. It’s also melodic with lyrics that reflect his life experiences and engage with the audience. It’s sometimes uplifting and sometimes downright depressing and aggressive, but hey that’s life, reflecting the range of universal human feelings that everybody has at one time or another.

Grant is an Australian artist based in Berlin since the 70’s, giving rise to a musical career full of achievements, as you can find in his Wikipedia profile:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Stevens

After successful tours of Europe and the composition of several musicals of great projection in Germany, Grant presents his new musical album Devil’s Machinery to be released in February 2020.

The first single “V8 Sandman” is a classic blues-rock tune inspired by the memories that many had in the classic Australian 70’s cult wagon of the same name. V8 Sandman brims with energy and life, providing a petrol fuelled boost to your day.

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Daxton Releases New Single Otherside

November 12, 2021 Marshall Cullen

Producing and playing music since his early teens, Daxton’s passion has kept him continually creating new material both for his band and solo career. On stage, Daxton comes across like he was born to play, his unique guitar style blending perfectly with heart-warming vocals.

Daxton has appeared at major festivals including the Sydney Blues & Roots and Tamworth Country Music Festival where he supported artists such as Kasey Chambers and Beccy Cole. He also has had one of his tracks ‘Moody Liz’ featured in the popular American TV series Doll House.

Based in Sydney, Daxton is best described as a blues/rock artist with a twist of pop and rock. He plays slide guitar rock/blues songs with a fresh and innovative sound. The new album ‘Electric Satellite’ is a heavy, rustic blues rock album with psychedelic pop/rock sounds scheduled for release in 2022.

Daxton’s raw and bluesy acoustic guitar and harmonica begin this laid-back mid-tempo blues tune. The drums and bass come in from the chorus to fill out the mix and some subtle guitar riffs add to the hooks. Daxton’s vocal delivery is heartfelt and real, a perfect match to the music.

The song was recorded at home during the recent lockdown. Daxton and his collaborator guitarist Pat Dow, both working in isolation, found a new musician friendly digital recording software system which they both downloaded and were able to swap files back and forwards. The entire album was recorded in this way and just shows how far technology has come as the end result speaks for itself.

Daxton – Otherside is out NOW
Foghorn/MGM

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Out Now Feb 4 On Foghorn/MGM

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Daxton – Otherside is out NOW Foghorn/MGM

Daxton – Otherside is out NOW
Foghorn/MGM