The News Review:
- Live Earth – Rock – Review – New York Times
- From Carp to Cuba
- Americana festival goes back to music’s roots
Live Earth – Rock – Review – New York Times
New York Times – Jul 9, 2007
At Live Earth the 1960s and ’70s performers who often seem to be the only ones to show up for benefits were scarce. Bands like Genesis (in London) and the Police and Roger Waters from Pink Floyd (in New Jersey) were among the elders. It wasn’t an international cultural showcase although aboriginal music opened the concert in Sydney Australia and American Indians performed in Washington D. American- and British-style rock and pop dominated the lineups except those in Africa with jubilant African dance music and China full of sticky-sweet pop. Germany and Japan favored rock and pop but in their own languages. Around the world musicians speakers and videos urged viewers to sign a seven-point pledge including personal conservation efforts and support for an international treaty reducing emissions… Alicia Keys latched on to Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” part of a set full of gutsy soul-music remakes with a new song of her own. A new lineup of the Smashing Pumpkins the hardest-hitting band in the eight-hour New Jersey show roared through a pummeling hard-rock drone whose lyrics were “Revolution blues!” John Mayer leading a band that harks back to late-’60s soul and early-’70s blues-rock played songs like “Belief” and “Waiting on the World to Change” that ponder how effective political convictions might be. While the concert urged people to consume less Kanye West racing through his songs and at one point sprinting the length of the stage as he rapped may well have been riffing on the conspicuous consumption that fills his lyrics. But many bands just pumped out their regular material satisfied to entertain between messages.
From Carp to Cuba
Canada.com – Jul 9, 2007
inc–>From Carp to CubaArea singer to fronts Elmer Ferrer Band at BluesfestPatrick LangstonThe ttawa CitizenPublished: Monday July 09 2007He sings lead for a Cuban blues-rock band that’s got strong jazz inclinations but Anders Drerup’s iPod is currently loaded up with Soundgarden and Hank Williams. Soundgarden you can understand: Drerup who just turned 24 was born a year before the Seattle grunge band raged into existence. But mid-20th century country music boy Hank Williams?”I really enjoy the storytelling aspect of his music” says the Carp-raised Drerup. “It’s just straight him to you. Songwriters try to get so complicated about things but sometimes it’s just the direct and simple messages that get across the quickest and most effectively… inc–>From Carp to CubaArea singer to fronts Elmer Ferrer Band at BluesfestPatrick LangstonThe ttawa CitizenPublished: Monday July 09 2007He sings lead for a Cuban blues-rock band that’s got strong jazz inclinations but Anders Drerup’s iPod is currently loaded up with Soundgarden and Hank Williams. Soundgarden you can understand: Drerup who just turned 24 was born a year before the Seattle grunge band raged into existence. But mid-20th century country music boy Hank Williams?”I really enjoy the storytelling aspect of his music” says the Carp-raised Drerup. “It’s just straight him to you. Songwriters try to get so complicated about things but sometimes it’s just the direct and simple messages that get across the quickest and most effectively. You can tell when he’s happy and you can tell when he’s sad.
Americana festival goes back to music’s roots
State-Journal.com – Jul 9, 2007
Frankfort already has a really good music scene. Howell said they’re trying “to group Americana acts together and promote roots music locally. “Music that is born out of America has its roots in some way shape or form here ” blues rock folk country bluegrass jug band mountain music” Atkins said. “We will have the full spectrum. The Downtown County Band plays “a lot of old jug band and old blues and some of the mountainy fiddle tunes gospel” Atkins said. Howell a chiropractor has a talented 14-year-old daughter Jeri Katherine Howell who will be on stage playing guitar and singing “a bluesy country sound fused with pop-folk and an exhilarating spin on rock and roll” her bio says. Howell and Atkins say they hope the festival will eventually grow into a three-day event.