Matt Nakoa
Matt Nakoa is an award-winning songwriter, singer, pianist and guitarist. A modern troubadour, he makes his home on the highways and concert stages of America, touring regularly with folk music icon Tom Rush. Nakoa trained to be a concert pianist before accepting a scholarship to Berklee College of Music as a vocalist. He developed his dramatic songwriting style and guitar chops while playing with his alt-rock band and honed his skills in Manhattanʼs all-night piano bars and concert halls, developing an uncanny ability to command the attention of any audience.
“A hot-handed phenom who can go from Chopin to beer-drenched honky-tonk in one set...he
drops jaws”. Boston Globe
Have a listen:
Slambovian Circus of Dreams
A rootsy rockin' psychedelica, The Slambovian Circus of Dreams have been expanding the borders of the Americana genre with their fantastic stories and performance since the late 90’s in Sleepy Hollow, New York.
Their connection with audiences at shows taps into a greater human-ness and captivates with charismatic band leader Joziah Longo center ring presiding... Joined onstage by bandmates Tink Lloyd (accordion, cello, mandolin, flute) and the guitar-slinging skills of Sharkey McEwen, the Slambovians create a show that is constantly evolving "with a little help from their friends".
Elements of Dylan, Bowie, Incredible String Band, Syd Barrett and The Waterboys flavor the musical mix (Waterboys co-founder Anthony Thistlethwaite is on the band’s new album). Add a good dose of Woodstock-era psychedelia framed in solid songwriting, and you have it.
Have a listen:
Mile Twelve
Mile Twelve is back in motion. From the first manic, dissonant downbeat of their virtuosic new record, Close Enough to Hear, you’ll discover a band that is ready to explode from a restless pandemic-induced hiatus.
Founding members Evan Murphy (guitar, vocals), Catherine Bowness (banjo), and Nate Sabat (bass, vocals) are joined by fiddler and vocalist Ella Jordan and mandolinist Korey Brodsky.
Both of the bands' previous full-length albums, as well as their guest star-packed EP, were recorded in Nashville. But the new challenges of traveling and dodging positive covid tests kept the band closer to home. For this, they chose Sam Kassirer’s legendary Great North Sounds studio in the woods of Parsonsfield, Maine.
This is a band looking forward — simultaneously shoring up their bluegrass foundations while also pushing their musical boundaries and driving into new territory.
This album lets you listen in close to a band that’s matured long with their musical sensibilities. The vocals might be softer, the viewpoint a little weathered, but there’s no chasing of metronomes here, no tuning of vocals.
Have a listen:
The Big Takeover
Traditionalists or progressives? Fronted by the charismatic Jamaican-born singer and songwriter Nee Nee Rushie, the seven-piece New York band The Big Takeover plays original music that is rooted in and reverent toward the genres and rhythms of Jamaican pop: reggae, rocksteady, ska.
They are devotees of Desmond Dekker and the way the old school did it. At the same time, The Big Takeover crosses lines and blends traditions like global pop fusionists. Their deceptively complex arrangements and big hooks connect with the spirit of Motown and the uptown sophistication of the 21st century retro soul and R&B revival scene. That rich sound, along with their rigorous performing schedule and studio work, has been paying off.
Meanwhile, their current standalone single “Rainboots” has scored big with the discerning tastes at National Public Radio. The Big Takeover has appeared live in studio on several NPR stations, while “Rainboots” is in rotation on all of them.
“Led by the powerhouse, Jamaican-born singer and songwriter NeeNee Rushie, The Big Takeover's horn-powered global blend reveals deep fluency in reggae and world music, hints of soul and Motown, and their own infectious brand of pop classicism.” — John Burdick
Have a listen:
The Mighty Soul Drivers
The Mighty Soul Drivers are New England's answer to the allure of Memphis Soul. They mine deep Soul nuggets and breathe new life into them, exposing the cream of Memphis-styled music while creating their own soulful originals.
"The new release by The Mighty Soul Drivers is a groove lovers dream! The Drivers’ smooth and silky vocals ride a deep pocket that carries these songs from start to finish like my ’71 Buick Riviera used to float me down the road. Well done!"
— Tas Cru, 2018 BMA nominee, 2021 Blues Blast Awards and Independent Blues Awards nominee
"There aren't many bands out there that do what The Mighty Soul Drivers do. They understand that true Soul music requires a deep commitment. With their dynamic approach, their thick Memphis grooves, and their fun and funky style, it’s clear that they have made that commitment."
— Dave Keller, 3-time BMA nominee, Soul/Blues singer/guitarist/songwriter
Have a listen:
Canopy
With the belief that music is meant for taking risks, Canopy brings a raw, unfiltered approach to the live music scene. Their sound combines the core elements of rock, funk, blues, and jazz and infuses them with deep psychedelia and hard-hitting, no-rules improvisation. Tight and loose in all the right ways.