Two new releases from Joseph General and High Vibration

Joseph General and High Vibration have released their 2nd album in as many months with Praises High. This extremely talented group anchored by drummer Joseph General have won numerous New Mexico Music awards over the past decade. The album was officially released on all digital platforms on March 16th in a high energy party with the Latin Band Baracutanga, Super Versa and DJ Henry at Sister Bar in Albuquerque.

The new album contains 10 cuts all written by Joseph General and all of them are executed flawlessly. The opener is a simple greeting welcoming the listener to the music to follow. The cuts are consistent with the rhythm changing here and there and the vocals and harmonies well thought out. Stand out cuts include Psychological Warfare, One Love, Constant Change and the title cut.

Praises High was recorded at the Recording Center of New Mexico by Jimmy Medina with Joseph General doing all of the preproduction midi keys at home then taking the stem files to the studio and adding the his drums and keyboards. Personnel include guitarist Jonathan Zamora, bassist Alyson Steinman and Kevin Pollock guesting on keyboards. Horns on Praises High were provided by Micah Hood on trombone, Ziggy Garcia on trumpet, and Chadd James on saxophones. Dre Z Melodi guests on one song as well.

Earleir in the year, Joseph General released Own Reality, recorded at his home studio in 2023 by Jose Martinez. General played drums, keys, percussion, sequencing/arranging and all vocals except for music by his featured artists on the album including Bles Infinite, Dre Z Melodi, Jam One, and the late great Akae Beka(from St Croix). Delmone Taylor played saxophones on the album. Old band mates Nathan Kappel on bass and Matthew Korse on guitars. You can hear the difference in the two albums. Own Reality leans a little more toward hard reggae with a touch of Hip Hop. Stand out cuts include the title track featureing Bles Infanite, At Stake featuring Akae Beca and Jah Rain featuring Dre Z Melodi.

Both of these albums are unique in their own way, but incredible listenable and creative. Available on all platforms. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063472483867

Chi-town Sher’s Legacy Album

We were unaware of this album until we heard of the passing of bassist and percussionist Sherry Katz of Ruidoso on March 11th. We did not want Chi-town Sher’s release to go without notice.

The album Legacy for Liara-Into the Blue is a love letter to Katz’s grandaughter recorded at Montrose Studios in Ruidoso and produced by Katz and Paul Goad.

The album is a collection of bluesy little numbers and except for the Rickie Lee Jones cover, Danny’s All Star Joint, all are original songs written by Katz or with collaborators that include Goad, and songwriters Lucinda Weirenga and Jefferson B Hawkins. The album has a roadhouse feel to it, loose and breezy. It’s talkin’ blues and sultry songs with the exception of His Name Was Johnny, a hard ballad about a vet wounded in body and soul.

There are fun tunes like Topo Chico and 4 Dollah 74 Cents and several of the tunes have been entered into the 2024 New Mexico Music Awards. All in all, it turns out to be exactly as its title announces-A legacy for Katz’s granddaughter, sweet and memorable. You can hear a sample at https://chi-townsher.hearnow.com/ or find it on all streaming platforms.

Daniel Solis-The Singer/Songwriter Collection

Daniel Solis’s newest album is a collection of songs produced between 2010 and 2023 entitled the Singer-Songwriter Collection, a sort of a greatest hits released just this month. The album contains some of his audience favorites including A Good Time, My Kind of Friday Night, Up In New Mexico and Airport Bar. There are 13 cuts on the album all together.

Daniel recently took top honors at the New Mexico Hispanic Entertainers Association awards show, scoring in the Crossover Song of the Year category from his latest album is Lo Que Hago Mejor and also was a Country Album category finalist at the 2023 New Mexico Music Awards. Solis is a fixture in and around New Mexico. Not an event goes by in the state without Solis performing, sometimes as a solo artist, but usually on guitar and vocals with his band, drummer Scott Ross, pedal steel master Tony Chavez and bassist Kevin Martin at the Triple 7 Lounge at Isleta Resort & Casino where they serve as the house band.

Solis is a native of Guadalupita in Northern New Mexico’s Mora County about 60 miles north of Las Vegas. His diverse musical background makes him fluent in everything from New Mexico Spanish, Country Music, Rock, R&B and Americana. In addition to the Singer-Songwriter Collection, Daniel has recorded 3 original Country Albums, and 2 New Mexico Spanish Albums. The Spanish albums are featured on New Mexico Music Radio Stations throughout New Mexico.

After graduating from UNM, Solis moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music, which he says forced him to be a better musician and work harder. Her returned to New Mexico after 5 years and has been playing music here ever since. When he’s not playing music, he runs D’Sol Music Services providing studio and live recording and video production. He will be representing New Mexico at the Tejano Music Awards in mid-March in San Antonio. Download his latest albums at www.thedanielsolisband.com

Harry Musselwhite and Kenyon Carter launch Dos Sueños Film and Television Audio Production

Dos Suenos Music Production offers tailored soundtracks and audio landscapes for filmmakers and TV producers.

Harry Musselwhite has become a fixture in the New Mexico entertainment industry. As an actor on Better Call Saul, MacGruber, Behind the Yellow House and more New Mexico productions and as a music producer for film. With writing partner Donald J. Davenport of Santa Fe, he produces the popular podcast The Dungball Express, and as a musical artist he has performed at Carnegie Hall and through the musical capitals of Europe and the United States.

Kenyon Carter is a saxophonist, recording artist, and jazz educator for more than twenty-five years. He has worked as a university saxophone and jazz instructor, and guides musicians across the globe through his popular video lessons and private video coaching. Residing in southern California, Carter is an on call saxophone soloist from Los Angeles to San Diego.

Musselwhite and Carter won Best Jazz Recording for their “Circus March, Mvt. 3” from Denny K. Shoopman’s WebSeries “Irish in Albquerque” at the 2022 New Mexico Music Awards. https://dossuenosmusicproduction.com/

Pull over for Marc and Paula Rhae’s Roadside Distraction

Marc and Paula Rhae Malin have released their latest album, Roadside Distraction, also the name of their band. The album was recorded at The Kitchen Sink Studios and at Frogville Studios in Santa Fe and was produced by George Mahn III from the Dallas area. Mahn has been considering a move to the City Different for the past few years and this is his first excursion into New Mexico music production. The album was mastered by John Gold of Goldmine Audio and Mastering in Montezuma, NM.

This is Marc and Paula’s second effort and contains 11 cuts of an eclectic mix of New Orleans influenced jazzy folkabilly blues. The album features Paula Rhae on vocals and harmony, Marc on vocals, guitar, slide and banjo, bassist Michael Burt, Paul Pearcy on drums and dobro, keyboardists East Side Flash Bennett and Andy Kingston.

Special guests include Robert Lennon on drums, Michael Handler on harmonica, percussionist Mark Clark, Bob Bruen on mandolin, Justin Brandsford on upright bass, Michael Kott on viola, clarinetist Lou Voit, Mark Weaver on tuba, Ollie O’Shea on fiddle, Jon Graboff playing the pedal steel, Jono Manson on electric guitar and Julie Stewart and Mary Beckley Evens providing backing vocals.

The songs move well, with standout songs City of Dreams a good time tribute to Nawlins, Not So Silver Eagle Rides Again and Royal Street Rag. Available online or as a physical CD at https://marcandpaularhaesroadsidedistraction.bandcamp.com/album/marc-and-paulas-roadside-distraction

John David Peters’ In the Living

Singer/Songwriter John David Peters latest release, In the Living is a collection of new music recorded at Ron Crowder’s InCrowd Studios in Albuquerque and published by Peters’ Silver Frog Music. The 14 songs clock in at 48 minutes and reflect Peters’ long history of writing music that is thoughtful and introspective with songs like The Pirate of 3rd Avenue, The Soldier and Devil in the Street leading the way, the latter about the local drug dealer.

His Gordon Lightfoot-esque vocals are haunting at times but, like Lightfoot, can be traditional like on Waiting for a Train and On That Highway Gone. The former school teacher reflects on his time in the classroom in The Daily War where he battled argumentative and apathetic students, low pay and his own demoralization. Ther are other standout moments including Gambler’s Blues, Ring Around the Rosy, The Low Road, the kinky A Package Deal and the unexplainable James Bond Ditty.

With the assistance of Crowder, Peters surrounded himself with top flight talent including Crowder and Fernando Garavito on drums, guitar by Dimi DiSanti, Justin Bransford, bass, piano and accordion by Brant Leeper and Carlos Ruiz de la Torre, fiddle, strings by Karina Wilson and Carlos Ruiz de la Torre, harmonica master Phil Arnold, percussion by Donna Coy and Steven Nery and additional vocals by Rachael Montenegro and Carlos Ruiz de la Torre.

The album is available on all major streaming services and will be available for download soon on Bandcamp. Peters plans to re-release his first album In the Lonely online in the next few weeks. Find out more about him on his website, https://johndavidpetersmusic.com/

Roger Cook brings us a Counterclockwise Day

Guitarist and songwriter Roger Cook’s latest album is a collection of original songs that are at times quirky, heartfelt and even thought provoking. Roger has been a member of a small songwriting community in Albuquerque and has been growing and learning more and more since his first album from a few years ago that had delightful songs like Wonder Bread Elvis.

This time around, Cook is bringing more songs from his somewhat skewed point of view including the title track, the song Mutt, Bumper Stickers and Garbage Day Pickup. He also has a sweet side. Cook writes a love song for his wife every year on their anniversary and for St. Valentines Day and some of those songs are here including You’re the One I Love, One Week at a Time, and 10,000 Hours. His sentimental side eeks through as well on the songs Hello Mama and Be Strong and he takes us along with him on his journey through Red Rock Canyon and a canyon of a different kind, Piano Alley.

Roger Cooks voice and guitar playing are rough and he often struggles to get the instrumentation right, but he is also an experimental guitarist, using alternate tunings to give us new sounds. Despite a few missed notes, his vocals are always sincere and emotional and his performance is a testament to how hard he works to create his music. There are 13 cuts on the album, all under five minutes and you can find the album streaming on most services and is available for download at https://rogercook.bandcamp.com

Dr Hall Releases Modern Love

Although the official release date is February 14th, Valentines Day, Santa Fe Roots artist Dr. Hall’s latest album entitled Modern Love, is available now on most platforms and as a physical CD and as a pen drive. (How 20th century.) This is his 11th album, a mix of country, blues, Americana and ballads with some of New Mexico’s best players contributing to the project. Dave Devlin provides mandolin and steel guitar, Harmonica Michael Handler on harp, Ollie O’Shea playing the violin, Sara Diaz, vocals and Bob Lennon on percussion. The rest of the band is filled out with family with the Dr. and his wife on vocals and Silas Hall on additional percussion.

There’s some blues with the first single, Mad Love as well as the songs My Lavaside Girl and 2-42’s (sounds racy,) the country waltz Early Morning Memories, a jaunty two-step, So This Is Love. The rest of the album is filled out with a couple of ballads, some up tempo rock and roll and a nice little Calypso number. The album was released on Hall’s Smoky Mountain Music Creations label. Learn more about the good Dr. at https://drhallmusic.com/

Debut album by The Lineage Trio hits the mark

Comprised of three of New Mexico’s finest guitarists, Michael AnthonyClaudio Tolousse and John Maestas, this trio has been playing together off and on since Maestas and Tolousse were high school students at Manzano High School in Albuquerque, first taking group lessons and then moving onto private lessons at Anthony’s home.

The project was put together by Tolousse and Maestas to showcase their mentor. There are 12 cuts including Jimmy Smith’s Mellow Mood, Chick Corea’s Matrix, Mingus’ Nostalgia in Times Square and a brilliant arrangement of Wes Montgomery’s Four in Six. Tolousse contributes his composition, Ella. Michael Anthony brings Les is More and all contribute to the song Steps. All of the cuts are arranged by one or more of the trio. There’s even track where the guys talk about how much fun it is to play together before going into the final track on the album, Joe Henderson’s Recordame where the three just sit and play together without accompaniment. The album also features Asher Barreras on Bass and Arnaldo Acosta on Drums and percussion.

Recorded at Empty House Studios in Albuquerque the album was engineered by Matt Tobias, mixed by Nicholas Guttman and mastered by Maestas with photography and design by Ryan Montaño.

Michael Anthony was a member of the Wrecking Crew, a group of in demand studio musicians in Los Angeles that played on nearly every pop and rock album released in the late 60s and 70s. (That’s Mike guitar on the hit Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head.) He has played on countless jazz albums and soundtracks and recorded or performed with Blue Mitchell, Herbie Laws, the Bobby Bryant Orchestra, the Louie Belson Orchestra, Quincy Jones, the Gil Evans Orchestra and with Miles Davis at the Monterey Jazz Festival. He was a member of the Carol Burnette Orchestra where he met his wife, Kathy, a dancer on the show.

Michael moved to New Mexico in 1980 but never slowed down. Michael Anthony was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the New Mexico Music Awards in 2014, has recorded ten albums and written four Jazz Guitar books. Anthony and Tolousse still make their home in Albuquerque where they teach and perform while Maestas has spent the last 10 years in The Big Easy, New Orleans. The album is available for streaming or purchase at https://jmaestoso.bandcamp.com/album/the-lineage-trio

Just a word to let you know that there is another Lineage Trio streaming online through most of the other streaming services, so be sure to get your version from the link provided.

Anna Rudolph releases The Other Side

Singer/songwriter Anna Rudolph’s new album, The Other Side, is available now on all streaming platforms. The album features NMMA award winning songwriter, producer and engineer Jono Manson who provided harmonies and guitar and co-produced the album with Anna Rudolph at his Kitchen Sink Studios in Santa Fe. Anna composed all of the songs and provides lead vocals and rhythm guitars. The album also features lead guitar by Larry Mitchell, Alicia Ultan on viola, percussion by Mark Clark and Ron Johnson on bass. The Other Side fits well into what Anna has done over the past 10 years and six albums. It fits easily into the folk, blues, indie pop categories.

Anna has been nominated numerous times and won two NMMAs in 2017 and 2022. close to home in Placitas and hosts her own segment of Women’s Voices on Community Radio 99.9 KUPR in Placitas Radio with a focus on women’s music and art, called Chasing the Muse and also hosts on KTRC /Radio Santa Fe’s Art Fusion program. She is an artist on Women of Substance Podcasts/Radio, Spotify and other streaming sites. Since 2017, she has had three songs receive honorable mention awards in the international songwriting contest, Songdoor. In 2022, she received two Bronze medals in the Global Music Awards and a finalist nomination and one win for her song, “One Two Three” at the New Mexico Music Awards. Follow her online at https://www.annarudolph.com/