The Ghost Lights, a new spine-chilling science fiction thriller, will be available on digital on August 26, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Coming this August from Terror Films is The Ghost Lights, a spine-chilling new science-fiction thriller about a journalist on the search for truth about extra-terrestrial life. The Ghost Lights will be released on digital on August 26 followed by the Terror Films Channel September 2 and Kings of Horroron September 9, 2022. (Terror Films, 2022)
The Ghost Lights – A journalist returns home after the death of her father and discovers a mysterious cassette tape describing strange disappearances and mysterious lights appearing in the skies of West Texas. In an effort to connect with the memory of her late father, she sets out on a cross-state road trip to discover the truth. Billy Blair (Jonah Hex), Katreeva Phillips, and John Francis McCullagh uncover an X-File in this summer’s most intriguing genre jaunt.
“If I were to choose a theme for 2020, it would be loss. And we did lose so much- jobs, our ways of life, and in some tragic cases our friends and loved ones. This film too is about loss and the inevitable regret that follows. We wish we could go back, say something we always meant to say but never made the time, pay attention when we were too self-obsessed to notice, or make a different decision before it was too late. The Ghost Lights seeks to explore the darkness of this guilt and possibilities of reconciliation, even across time itself.”- Timothy Stevens, Director
The Ghost Lights poster. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
KDMG, Inc. will release “Icon” across all TVOD/Digital and Blu-Ray/DVD platforms throughout North America on August 1, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
KDMG, Inc. (Kaczmarek Digital Media Group, Inc.) has acquired the Pretty Sweet Films’ production of filmmaker Tony Ahedo’s touching feature film debut “Icon.”This moving coming of age drama charts the perilous journey to adulthood for our charismatic leads Sam (Parker Padgett) and Ana (Devon Hales). KDMG, Inc. will release “Icon” across all TVOD/Digital and Blu-Ray/DVD platforms throughout North America on August 1, 2022. (Kaczmarek Digital Media Group, Inc., 2022)
Young love’s the topic of so many films, but rarely is it handled with earnest, authentic grace, as we see in “Icon.” Anchored in the touching performances of Padgett and Hales, audiences will find themselves moved much like fellow beloved indie film “The Spectacular Now.” When a surprise pregnancy forces Sam to face many brutal realities of adulthood and responsibility, things spiral rapidly out of control as he simultaneously tries to fight to find his own truth: why his absent father hasn’t been in his life since he was one and is only a fading memory.
Inspired by a true story, “Icon” stars Parker Padgett and Devon Hales along with Julia Denton, Tony Demil, Bryce Anthony Heller, and the feature film debut of Ronald Sansone.
“I am excited for audiences everywhere to see the film and prompt important conversations. My intent is to show the male perspective to a pregnancy in such a way that illuminates the idealization of patriarchy and toxic masculine views of the past and how we move beyond it.” Tony Ahedo.
Adapted from an award-winning short that won the presidents’ award at Ringling College of Art & Design, “Icon” was filmed in Ahedo’s hometown of Saint Petersburg, Florida, just prior to the pandemic. The story pulls elements from his childhood growing up in the mid 90s through the early 2000s in Florida.
“It’s not often we see a good coming-of-age film that breaks down the fundamentals of teen adolescence in a relatable way. I felt this story had an audience and needed to be seen. On behalf of myself and the KDMG team, I am thrilled to be part of Icon’s journey.” – Kyle Kaczmarek, KDMG, Inc.’s CEO
Kaczmarek Digital Media Group, Inc. (KDMG, Inc.) was founded in 2012 to provide a non-traditional, outside the box, hands-on digital approach to entertainment content providers. Deeply passionate about our work, KDMG counsels individuals and companies in all areas of the entertainment industry, including producers, directors, distributors, technology companies, digital retail platforms, sales agents, and cable, telecommunications and satellite companies toward achieving their highest potential.
Pretty Sweet Films is a full-service narrative production company founded by award-winning filmmaker Tony Ahedo based in Los Angeles. Since its inception in 2019, the company has created and collaborated on a wide variety of projects across the country. From romantic coming of age films to raunchy dark comedies to chilling horror thrillers, PSF is prepared to make any story a compelling piece for the eyes and mind. With more than a decade of production experience, PSF is here to make films pretty sweet.
Nate Michaels (Featured Artist), Larry Roberts (Lifetime Achievement), and Meredith Frye (Featured Photographer) will be honored at this year’s Master Musicians Festival. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
In advance of Master Musicians Festival, Somerset, Kentucky’s two-day musical and cultural homecoming taking place on July 15-16, organizers are proud to announce three important awards celebrating a dedication to art and community: Featured Artist, Lifetime Achievement, and Featured Photographer. (Master Musicians Festival, 2022)
This year’s Featured Artist is Nate Michaels, a freelance artist based in Louisville, Kentucky. He was raised on art and rock and roll, spending his younger years gigging in rock bands and traveling the Midwest. As his collection of art began to grow, his music tours turned into a journey of visual art. Now you can find Nate traveling all over the country on his “Have Art Will Travel” Tour. Nate brings life to the eyes of his portraits with an exuberant use of watercolor and India ink, while his more recent ventures have brought him to the endless valleys and crests of acrylic and the gentle slick kiss of oils. Most of his art speaks for itself as you can see the time and effort within each mark, stroke or medium. His history in music and love for the stage has bled through into some of his earlier pieces, as you can find many legends in rock. The art piece created by Michaels portrays what not only festival goers will experience this year, but what the artists will experience as well. Seen from an artist’s viewpoint looking out into the crowd, Michaels captures the gorgeous backdrop of Somerset and highlights the magic set by Master Musicians Festival that while closely captured on canvas, can only be experienced in person.
The 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is Larry Roberts, who was born in Somerset in 1947 and raised to value hard work, pride in community, and service to others. Larry built a successful career as an electrician in many different roles including commercial wiring, lineman, and electrical inspector. Equipped with his electrical expertise and inspired by his love of music and pride in community, Larry served the Master Musicians Festival with passion for years. Present for the inception of the festival, he worked with a crew of volunteers to set up the initial electrical service at Somersport Park, then temporary service at Pulaski County Park, and later on, he worked to install the underground electrical wiring at today’s home for the festival on Somerset Community College’s campus.
This year’s Featured Photographer is Meredith Frye. A self-described wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, military spouse and momma, light lover, and passionate human being, she remembers receiving her first camera at age 8. Her approach to photography has always been to “bring light” into the lives of her subjects, to “find out what we have in common and to bring the light in each other to the surface.” She credits photography for “opening up a space where I can create and visually see the beauty in people and their surroundings.” A longtime friend and supporter of the festival, “Meredith is an incredibly talented photographer and a huge fan of Grace Potter,” says Julie Harris. “At our announcement party, we were so excited to see her reaction when we announced Grace was the headliner, and it was as priceless as we expected. We selected Meredith because of her talent, her love of community, and her love of Grace and music. We can’t wait to see what she produces at this year’s festival.”
This year, over the weekend of July 15-16 in Somerset, Kentucky. Master Musicians Festival, presented by the City of Somerset, will welcome GRAMMY-nominated roots-rock mainstay Grace Potter, the eclectic influences of super-trio The Wood Brothers, a long-time favorite of music fans and fellow musicians-alike, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, and the easy-going swagger of Rayland Baxter to the Horse Soldier Bourbon main stage. This same stage has seen the likes of the aforementioned Doc Watson, Guy Clark, and Willie Nelson, plus many more—the festival’s last few years alone saw Steve Earle, The Counting Crows, and the late, great John Prine take the stage. Additionally, acts like Boy Named Banjo, John R. Miller, and Leah Blevins will give Master Musicians Festival a taste of what the well-equipped future of this music holds.
The full lineup of July 15-16’s Master Musicians Festival includes Grace Potter, The Wood Brothers, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Rayland Baxter, Boy Named Banjo, John R. Miller, Bendigo Fletcher, Leah Blevins, SG Goodman, Justin Wells, Cole Chaney, Tee Dee Young, Multi Ultra, Short & Company, Eric Bolander, The Minks, The Jessie Lees, Ciggy Tuna, Don Rogers, If Birds Could Fly, Daniel Stroud and the Sleeping Dogs, Dark Moon Hollow, Tommy Cate’s Kids Jam, and Sydney Adams.
Passing the torch along to the next generation is a cornerstone of the Master Musicians Festival ideology, so it only makes sense that the festival is exciting for fans of all ages. Kids 12 and under receive free admission with a ticket-holding adult and there are plenty of activities for youngsters to enjoy. MMF partners with Somerset ART Studio to offer a free kids camp throughout the weekend. Kids can participate in instrument making, water balloon fights, bubbles, making glow jewelry, and participating in a special music set curated just for them. This year, local Master Musician and harmonica player Tommy Cate will host the kids’ jam at 3:50p.m. Saturday in the Somersession Tent.
Singer-songwriter Peter Mulvey and rising stars SistaStrings have joined hands for a new studio album Love Is The Only Thing, due out on August 12, 2022. Photo: google
Singer-songwriter-guitarist Peter Mulvey and fellow Milwaukeeans, the in-demand dynamic duo SistaStrings have joined hands once again for a brand new studio album, Love Is The Only Thing, due out August 12 on Righteous Babe Records.A self-proclaimed anti-fascist record, Love Is The Only Thing keeps kindness and compassion in the foreground, following a similar musical path to Mulvey and SistaStrings’ Live at the Café Carpe, which was released in late 2020 and, like the new album, includes drummer Nathan Kilen rounding out the ensemble. Fans can pre-order or pre-save Love Is The Only Thing right now at this linkand get refamiliarized with Mulvey and SistaStrings’ brilliant sound by checking out Live at the Café Carpe right here. (Peter Mulvey/SistaStrings, 2022)
SistaStrings—cellist-vocalist Monique Ross and violinist-vocalist Chauntee Ross—bring all the beautiful versatility of their cello and violin music—along with sibling-strong vocal harmonies—to Love Is The Only Thing. Classically trained string players who grew up singing in church, Monique and Chauntee were destined to defy conventions of genre and race alike, blending R&B, gospel, and classical sounds. Mulvey met the Rosses in 2016, and all three felt an instant kinship.
The bright light of family illuminates this record and all that went into making it. Its existence hinges on the way we take care of each other, from its fan-supported funding to the sanctuary of Café Carpe to the blood sisterhood of the Rosses to Mulvey’s newfound fatherhood. Making Love Is The Only Thing at such a tumultuous time in history reinforced Mulvey’s and SistaStrings’ role as activists just as much as musicians. “Finding refuge and rejuvenation in these songs with this group of musicians was healing and personally some sort of mission statement for why we even make music in the first place,” Chauntee remembers. Love Is The Only Thing explores loss, tension, and the love that sees us through it.
Love Is The Only Thing track list: Shenandoah Soft Animal O My Dear (the Demagogue) Old Men Drinking Seagram’s You and (Everybody Else) Early Summer of ‘21 Five Hundred Days On the Eve of the Inaugural Pray for Rain February Too Song for Michael Brown Love Is the Only Thing
Catch Peter Mulvey on tour: July 28 – Portsmouth, NH – Portsmouth Music Hall w/ Mark Erelli July 29 – Brownfield, ME – Stone Mountain Arts Center w/ Mark Erelli July 30 – Concord, NH – Capitol Center for the Arts w/ Mark Erelli August 18 – Sandwich, NH – John Davidson’s Club Sandwich
Catch SistaStrings on tour: August 5 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum* August 6 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island* August 11 – Salt Lake City, UT – Vivent Arena* August 18 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion# August 19 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center For the Arts# August 20 – Philadelphia, PA – Mann Center For The Performing Arts# August 24 – London, UK – Omeara^ September 9-10 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks# September 25 – Bridgeport, CT – Sound on Sound 2022* October22 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden*
*performing w/ Brandi Carlile ^performing w/ Allison Russell #performing w/ Allison Russell and Brandi Carlile
Sunny Sweeney, with the help of Paul Cauthen, paints a beautiful picture of a hard reminder in “A Song Can’t Fix Everything” from upcoming album Married Alone, out September 23 via Thirty Tigers. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Sunny Sweeney is a country and Americana artist from Texas, currently based in Nashville, TN. Her latest album is Married Alone, a raw, vulnerable exploration of loss, grief, and healing, recorded in Dallas, TX, and co-produced by fellow country artist Paul Cauthen and The Texas Gentlemen’s Beau Bedford. Sweeney debuted in 2006 with the acclaimed Heartbreaker’s Hall of Fame, which announced her as an important new voice in country and Americana songwriting. Sweeney continued to expand upon the traditional-leaning, forward-thinking sound of her earlier work with 2014’s Provoked and 2017’s Trophy, both of which earned Sweeney rave reviews across the country and roots communities. (Sunny Sweeney, 2022)
“A Song Can’t Fix Everything” is the first single from Sweeney’s upcoming album Married Alone—out on September 23 via Thirty Tigers. Produced by Cauthen and the Texas Gentlemen’s multi-hyphenate Beau Bedford, Married Alone is Sweeney’s finest work yet, bringing together confessional songwriting, image-rich narratives, and no shortage of sonic surprises for a loosely conceptual album about loss and healing. The album was recorded at Dallas’ Modern Electric Sound Recorders and mixed by the whole team with the help of Jeff Saenz—beloved Dallas-based producer and owner of Modern Electric—upon his unbelievable return to work after being electrocuted in a freak accident. Fans can listen to “A Song Can’t Fix Everything” now at this link and pre-order or pre-save Married Alone ahead of its release right here.
In addition to the release of Married Alone, Sweeney has a song featured in the upcoming film VENGEANCE, the directorial debut from writer and star B.J. Novak (The Office).
The full potential of the album really revealed itself, though, when a friend sent Sweeney a demo of what would become its title track, “Married Alone.” Though she was not a co-writer on the track, Sweeney felt her own story reflected in its lyrics. The song, which features a particularly emotional guest vocal from living country legend Vince Gill, charts the painful moments sometimes experienced in marriages that have run their course. A few months after securing the song and mining her own vault for a track list, Sweeney traveled to Dallas, TX, to record—alongside Cauthen and Bedford—what would become Married Alone.
Married Alone track listing: Tie Me Up (Sunny Sweeney/Buddy Owens/Galen Griffin) Easy As Hello (Sunny Sweeney/Lori McKenna/Heather Morgan) Married Alone ft. Vince Gill (Hannah Blaylock/Josh Morningstar/Autumn McEntire) Someday You’ll Call My Name (Sunny Sweeney/Brennen Leigh) How’d I End Up Lonely Again (Sunny Sweeney/Channing Wilson/Josh Morningstar) A Song Can’t Fix Everything ft. Paul Cauthen (Sunny Sweeney/Lori McKenna) Want You To Miss Me (Sunny Sweeney/Caitlyn Smith) Wasting One On You (Sunny Sweeney/Buddy Owens/Monty Holmes) Fool Like Me (Waylon Payne/Kendell Marvel) All I Don’t Need (Sunny Sweeney/Lori McKenna) Leaving Is My Middle Name (Sunny Sweeney/ Buddy Owens/Galen Griffin/Scotch Taylor) Still Here (Sunny Sweeney/Lori McKenna)
Catch Sunny Sweeney on tour: 7/15 – Springfield, MO – Southbound Bar & Grill 7/16 – Kahoka, MO – Clark County Fair 7/17 -Yorkville, IL – The Law Office Pub & Music Hall 7/20 – Berwyn, IL – Fitzgerald’s Night Club 7/21 – Milwaukee, WI – Shank Hall 7/22 – Minneapolis, MN – The Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge 7/24 – Omaha, NE – Reverb Lounge 7/27 – Manitou Springs, CO – Lulu’s Downstairs 7/29 – Cheyenne, WY – The Outlaw Saloon 7/30 – Sheridan, WY – WYO Theater 7/31 – White Sulphur Springs, MT – Red Ants Pants Music Festival 8/2 – Rochester, NY – Abilene Bar & Lounge 8/5 – King Ferry, NY – Treleaven Wines
‘Hadestown’ will play at the Majestic Theatre in September and tickets go on sale this Friday July 15, 2022. ‘Hadestown’ North American tour – Photo by T Charles Erickson, used with permission.
‘Hadestown,’ the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best New Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, will come to San Antonio as part of the 2022-2023 North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio Season. The show will play at the Majestic Theatre September 13-18, 2022. Tickets go on sale on Friday July 15, 2022 at 10a.m. through the Majestic Theatre,Broadway In San Antonio, or in person at the Majestic Theatre box office. Ticket prices start at $40. (Majestic Theatre, 2022)
‘Hadestown’ is the most honored show of the 2018-2019 Broadway season. In addition to the show’s eight Tony Awards®, it has been honored with four Drama Desk Awards, six Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical, and the Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical. “It tells a version of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Eurydice, a young girl looking for something to eat, goes to work in a hellish industrial underworld to escape climate-change induced poverty before her poor singer-songwriter lover Orpheus comes to rescue her and together show others the way to escape.” (Wikipedia, 2022)
The North American touring production of ‘Hadestown’ stars Morgan Siobhan Green as Eurydice, Chibueze Ihuoma as Orpheus, Tony Award® winner Levi Kreis as Hermes, Kimberly Marable as Persephone, and Olivier Award® nominee Kevyn Morrow as Hades. Belén Moyano, Bex Odorisio, and Shea Renne play The Fates. The Workers Chorus features Jordan Bollwerk, Lindsey Hailes, Courtney Lauster, Eddie Noel Rodríguez, and Jamari Johnson Williams. The swings for the touring production include Tyla Collier, Ian Coulter Buford, Alex Lugo, J. Antonio Rodriguez, and Cecilia Trippiedi.
The acclaimed new musical is by celebrated singer-songwriter and Tony Award® winner Anaïs Mitchell and developed with innovative director and Tony Award® winner Rachel Chavkin. ‘Hadestown’ marks the first time in over a decade that a woman has been the solo author of a musical: writing the music, lyrics, and book, and is the fourth time in Broadway history a woman has accomplished this creative feat.
The show originated as Mitchell’s indie theater project that toured Vermont which she then turned into an acclaimed album. With Chavkin, her artistic collaborator, ‘Hadestown’ has been transformed into a genre-defying new musical that blends modern American folk music with New Orleans inspired jazz to reimagine a sweeping ancient tale. Following two intertwining love stories — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — ‘Hadestown’ invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers, and singers, ‘Hadestown’ delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience.
The movie adaptation of Delia Owens’ bestselling novel will hit theaters on July 15, 2022. Photo: amazon
Delia Owens is the coauthor of three internationally bestselling nonfiction books about her life as a wildlife scientist in Africa—”Cry of the Kalahari,” “The Eye of the Elephant,” and “Secrets of the Savanna.” She has won the John Burroughs Award for Nature Writing and has been published in Nature, the African Journal of Ecology, and International Wildlife, among many other publications. “Where the Crawdads Sing,” the #1 New York Times bestseller, is her first novel and has been adapted into a movie that will be released in theaters on July 15, 2022. It is at once an ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. (amazon, 2022)
“Where the Crawdads Sing” – For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life—until the unthinkable happens.
Based on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story The Dream in the Witch House, the new horror movie Witch House is now available on digital and DVD. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
From Horror Wasteland Pictures International, releasing for the first time on digital and DVD this July, H.P Lovecraft’s Witch House. Based on the H.P. Lovecraft’s short story The Dreams in the Witch House, Witch House blurs the boundaries between reality, dreams and the beyond. Easley and Ken Wallace scripted the movie, which was shot in Indiana’s Historical Hannah House which is known to be haunted. It is now available through Walmart and in digital through Amazon, iTunes, Tubi, and Spectrum. (Horror Wasteland Pictures International, 2022)
Witch House – Graduate student Alice Gilman (Portia Chellelynn, Hematic Web) is running from an abusive past. She seeks refuge in the infamous Hannah house; a historic home with an ominous past. Determined to prove the possibility of alternate dimensions, she unknowingly unlocks a gateway to unimaginable horror. Facing a series of bizarre and violent events, Alice is plagued by nightmarish dreams of these evil entities. Trapped between the 4th dimension and reality, the diabolical truth is revealed as Alice fights for her sanity and her very soul.
The Balcones Heights Jazz Festival will kick off its highly-anticipated 28th season on Friday, July 15, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
The Balcones Heights Jazz Festival will kick off its highly-anticipated 28th season on Friday, July 15, 2022 and continue with a second concert on Friday, July 29, 2022. Each performance will take place at the Amphitheater at Wonderland of the Americas. Headlining will be Rob Zinn and Jeff Ryan on July 15, 2022 with Tony Saunders opening. Peter White will headline on July 29, 2022 with local Johnny P & the Wiseguys opening. (Balcones Heights Jazz Festival, 2022)
“We are excited to feature live jazz concerts again this summer with two back-to-back July performances presenting a stellar line up of dynamic national and local artists at the beautiful, sparkling Wonderland Amphitheater.” – Director Economic Development & Public Affairs at City of Balcones Heights Lorenzo Nastasi
“Balcones Heights’ uniqueness is that we are dedicated to providing FREE family-friendly, high-quality music for all to enjoy. We are thrilled to welcome the sights and sounds of our signature jazz festival, bringing residents and visitors from all over South Texas to experience our city’s charm and hospitality over these two weekends.” – City of Balcones Heights Mayor Suzanne de Leon
The first opener on July 15 will be Billboard recording artist and bassist Tony Saunders. Saunders is an American bass and synthesizer player who has had an incredible multi-faceted career that has found him “vibin’” with everyone from Eric Clapton and David Crosby to Les McCann, Joe Sample, and Chaka Khan. He has been recognized as a two-time Emmy Award winning bassist, composer, and producer, and is also the son of legendary keyboardist, Merl Saunders
After his performance, headliners Rob Zinn and Jeff Ryan will kick off their show. Rob Zinn is a multi-faceted talent working as a veteran vocalist, trumpeter, and flugelhornist. He is internationally recognized as a smooth jazz artist and composer. In 2016, Zinn emerged as an independent smooth jazz artist and composer with the release of his debut album, “Yesterday Again,” showcasing a multitude of styles including funk, Latin, R&B, rock, pop and urban jazz.
Paired with Zinn will be one of contemporary jazz’s top emerging artists and saxophonists, Jeff Ryan. Ryan, an international sensation, has captivated thousands with his robust jazz sounds. “Double Up” was the first single released in May 2020 from his latest album “Duality.” It debuted as the number one “Most Added” on the Smooth Jazz Billboard. In 2020, Ryan was also named 2020 Billboard Smooth Jazz Artist of the Year. His second single from this album “Sentimental Soul” landed the number one spot on the Billboard Chart and was later named 2021 Billboard Song of the Year.
Opening the concert on July 29 is Johnny P & the Wiseguys, a velvety ensemble led by vocalist, songwriter, and trumpeter Johnny Panzarella. Johnny P is a New York native from a close-knit Italian family. The rat-pack style band plays original tunes as well as innovative musical arrangements of classic favorites. The Wiseguys are composed of multiple talented musicians featuring pianist Travis Davis, bassists Max Garcia Jr. and Doug Bennett, Roger Escobar on tenor sax, David Woodard on trombone, and drummers Johnathan Alexander and Jay “Jaybird” Buried Mitthauer.
Following is headliner and one of the jazz industry’s greatest icons, British-born, LA-based guitarist and smooth jazz artist Peter White. White first played for the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival in 2010 and returned in 2015. This is his third appearance in Balcones Heights. White is set to give a simmering performance to end the summer concert season. White’s lyricism and energy is unparalleled and sure to create a beautiful sound for his broad audiences. He has found huge success in his musical career winning multiple awards through four decades working as a multi-instrument musician, performer, and writer with other artists and solo on his own highly regarded albums.
In 2020, the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival evolved from a summer concert season to a year-long concert series, which was adopted pre-pandemic to spread concerts throughout the year. Since 1994, the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival has captivated jazz aficionados from in and around Texas with a free stellar line-up in the festival’s laid back and family-friendly atmosphere. Regulars or “jazz babies” grab their favorite spots along the edge of the sparkling reflecting pool and fountains of the city’s main hub, Wonderland of the Americas.
The Balcones Heights Jazz Festival is produced through a partnership of the City of Balcones Heights, Wonderland of the Americas, and iHeartMedia. David Muñoz is back again to host as he has at the Jazz Festival every year since the event’s inception. Muñoz, known as San Antonio’s very own “Jazzman,” is serving as emcee and co-producer of the festival. David also hosts “Smooth Jazz San Antonio” on KQXT/Q101.9 HD-2 and iHeart Radio App/Texas Central Region.
General admission to the festival is free and parking is free at Wonderland of the Americas, 4522 Fredericksburg Road, Balcones Heights, Texas. Wonderland of the Americas is located at the intersection of IH-10and Loop 410, just a few minutes from downtown San Antonio and minutes from the South Texas Medical Center.
Hillside seating around the Amphitheater is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Fans sometimes stake out their spots as early as the Monday preceding the Friday concert. Food and beverage vendors will be on-site. Attendees can also visit the Food Court inside Wonderland of the Americas. No coolers and outside food and beverages are allowed at the Amphitheater.
‘High and Dry’ is the first single from 3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1 EP, due out July 8, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Set to release July 8, independent East Nashville-based label and recording studio, 3Sirens, presents a compilation of 80s and 90s artist-chosen covers that make for the perfect summer soundtrack. 3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1 adheres to the label’s mission statement: build community and celebrate great artists all while having a little fun. By doing just that, artists Andrew Combs, Dylan LeBlanc, Caitlin Rose, and more came together in mixing these tracks with the 3Sirens team. (3Sirens, 2022)
In conjunction with Glide Magazine, the label premiered the first track off the collaboration, Andrew Combs’ cover of the Radiohead classic “High and Dry.” Check out the premiere here. To pre-save the track click here and Part 1here. Growing up with Radiohead, Combs shares he chose this track specifically because of the huge role the band played on his own introduction to making music. The soundtracks of Kid A and Amnesiac were just the beginning. Diving into the full Radiohead catalog, Combs credits the band as the reason he began recording his own music in high school. Inspired by their creativity, Combs expresses, “ I love when an artist/band is curious, and always exploring new territories in terms of sound, production, and song structure. I find Radiohead to be the best example of this in the modern age. ‘High and Dry’ is an amazing song – it is simple and to the point, but still so lush and beautiful. Those are the hardest songs to write.”
Creating a space for artists to express their creative freedom and record in an “easy peasy” process is exactly what The Grahams had in mind when they set out on the journey of starting a different kind of label and studio. With Love: Part 1 is a product of that vision flourishing.
Though born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Nashville-based singer-songwriter and artist Andrew Combs cannot say for certain he identifies with any one place in particular. Through years of drawing on ethereal and visceral beauty wherever he can find it, his work is more accurately a measured synthesis of a wide array of “places:” the literal and the figurative, those he has been to and others he has yet to see. His newest full-length album, Sundays (out August 19), is reflective of those varied places that inform Combs’ creative work.
3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1 track list: “Big Love” by Fleetwood Mac, performed by Dylan LeBlanc “One Way Or Another” by Blondie, performed by Caitlin Rose “High and Dry” by Radiohead, performed by Andrew Combs “Somebody to Shove” by Soul Asylum, performed by Kevin Kinney “Something So Strong” by Crowded House, performed by Derek Hoke “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star, performed by The Grahams
3Sirens is a gathering spot for creatives and dreamers, a social salon. A studio built with the premise that to be creative one must exist in a creative space. Of course the state of the art gear and the thoughtfully curated collection of vintage and specialty instruments abound but it goes beyond the material into something less tangible. Fitting, really, that such a space was dreamt up by lifelong lovers and dreamers, The Grahams, who themselves longed for a space to gather, to create art and play music, to collaborate, to stretch out and explore the “impossible,” to let the intangible and unexplainable just happen.
SA Examiner 