Tuesday, 20 September 2016

Robert Miller’s Project Grand Slam Releases New Single “The Queen’s Carnival”

“The Queen’s Carnival” is Title Track and Third Single From Group’s Most Recent Release

New York, NY, September 20, 2016 – Robert Miller’s Project Grand Slam, the jazz rock fusion band led by the acclaimed bassist/composer, is excited to announce the release of their latest single and title track from their new album The Queen’s Carnival. An upbeat, fun tune, Miller describes the track as “a fiesta – a Latin celebration”. The track’s accompanying music video, which will be released on Monday, September 19th, captures the sights of a Carnival celebration, a perfect match for the scenes evoked by the song. “The Queen’s Carnival” is a song that will find its way into your soul and inspire you to get up, dance, and enjoy life.


You can view the music video for “The Queen’s Carnival” via this private link.

Project Grand Slam’s 4th and latest album, The Queen’s Carnival, is available now in digital form via CEN/RED Distribution, a division of Sony Music. This exciting and fresh take on jazz rock fusion features eleven tracks, including nine original songs by Robert and both vocal and instrumental versions of Robert’s reimagined version of the Kinks’ classic, “You Really Got Me.” Dave Davies, guitarist and co-founder of The Kinks, had this to say about PGS’s version of “You Really Got Me” – “Very unique version and I am liking it!”. The new album draws from a variety of influences across genres as diverse as Celtic folk and afro-Cuban rhythms while highlighting Miller’s unique approach to blending jazz and rock into an entirely new sound.

This album follows the successful 2015 release of their third album, “Made in New York”, which featured the hit songs “New York City Groove” and “Fire” (Robert’s highly acclaimed reimagined cover of the Jimi Hendrix classic).

About Project Grand Slam:
Robert originally formed the band in 2007. Project Grand Slamʼs first two celebrated CDs, Play (2008) and Spring Dance (2012), had three top radio singles – “The Captain Of Her Heart” (feat. Judie Tzuke on vocals) from Play, and “Catch You Later” and “Spring Dance” from Spring Dance. The band also had a featured role in the hit NBC-TV series Lipstick Jungle starring Brooke Shields and Kim Raver, with five of the bandʼs tunes featured in the soundtrack and Robert having a speaking part.

In November 2015 the band opened for Scott Weiland (formerly of Stone Temple Pilots) at NYC’s Gramercy Theater. In May 2016 the band opened for 4-time Grammy Award nominee Boney James at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in NJ. In July the band was the featured performer at the Kirby Center For The Performing Arts in PA. In August PGS performed at the Tin Angel in Philadelphia and at Garcia’s at The Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY (following YES). Also in August PGS hosted a CD Release Party at NYC’s Rockwood Music Hall. In October the band will again open for Boney James at the Ridgefield Playhouse and in December PGS will be the featured performer at the Highland Lakes Concert Series in NJ. The band continues to play at various clubs in NYC including a monthly residency at The Groove.

Follow Project Grand Slam:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud | BandsInTown

See Project Grand Slam Live:

September 23
The Groove
New York, NY
October 19
Ridgefield Playhouse
Ridgefield, CT
October 22
The Groove
New York, NY
November 12
The Groove
New York, NY
December 2
Highland Lakes Concert Series
Highland Lakes, NJ
December 3
The Groove
New York, NY

For more information, to request an interview, or for a review copy of “The Queen’s Carnival” single or full album contact:

Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
PO Box 93157
Hollywood, CA 90093
323-871-4821
chip@mileshighproductions.com
http://projectgrandslam.com/

The Thought-Provoking Electro-Pop Group, AOA Announces their Second Single “Future Back”, Out 9/16/16!

The socially conscious trio Astronauts of Antiquity (AOA) are set to release their newest single “Future Back” on September 16, 2016.

Los Angeles, CA, September 19, 2016 - The socially conscious trio Astronauts of Antiquity (AOA) are set to release their newest single “Future Back” on September 16, 2016. The electro- pop group returns with their second stimulating track off of their forthcoming Beyond The Maze EP, available in 2017. The single will be followed with an accompanying music video.

It seems that even with robots love knows no bounds. At least this is the case in the new Astronauts of Antiquity “Future Back” music video. The band teamed up with TribeSound Productions, a Philadelphia based production company to produce this veiled millennial social commentary love story staring.....robots. Nuclear fallout, stunning post-apocalyptic scenery, adventure, and a never ending romantic quest amidst the forces of evil set the tone for this fun and provocative film short. Look for the release by mid-October.


After releasing their debut hip-hop single “Paradise”, AOA showcases their versatility and eclectic talents with a new electronica and alternative pop format in their latest release. Sonic wizard and producer, Ivica begins “Future Back” with a Daft Punk influenced vocal effect that sets a glitchy and experimental tone to the track. The song then eases into lead singer, India’s passionate vocals that narrate the appreciation of love and nature as she expresses her desire for a future of harmony across the world. Her lush vocal melodies are laced over B. Rhyan’s dreamy and funky guitar riffs that are blended perfectly with Ivica’s electro-organic elements. Overall, AOA’s dynamic chemistry creates a vibe of futuristic funk that accentuates their contemporary sound.

In addition to AOA’s unique and refreshing sound in the urban, electronic and pop scene, the collective also offers thought- provoking and motivating words of wisdom within their lyrics. The group’s efforts intend to raise awareness to the many social concerns across the world. AOA’s first single “Paradise” was already featured in a Huffington Post article that discussed the harmful effects of genetically modified organisms. “Paradise” was also featured on other news sources such as Popped Culture.

"First see that all life is sacred, that there is a spiritual spark in every living being from the earth itself down to the tiniest insect. With that equal vision we will be more inclined to make policies based on compassion and the greater good. Without this fundamental shift we will live in a world of fear, which teeters on the brink of nuclear engagement at the hands of those whose motives are not based on higher principles. 'Future Back' is a charming/alarming wakeup call" – B. Rhyan

Aside from informative sites, AOA has been featured on popular hip-hop sites such as ThisIs50, Hip Hop on Deck, SOHH and more. “There comes a time when you think you’ve heard it all but then Astronauts of Antiquity comes smashing down your door in supersonic speed and slaps you in the face with the force of a thousand suns,” says SOHH.

For more information please visit: http://aoamusic.com/

Contact:
Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
PO Box 93157
Hollywood CA 90093
323-871-4821
http://www.mileshighproductions.com

Sunday, 18 September 2016

2017 Big Sur Foragers Festival Dates Announced Festival Announces Partners & Details Tickets on Sale

Big Sur Health Center announced January 13 – 15, 2017, as the dates of its annual Big Sur Foragers Festival.

Big Sur, CA, September 18, 2016 - Big Sur Health Center announced January 13 – 15, 2017, as the dates of its annual Big Sur Foragers Festival. This year’s partners include Carmel Valley Ranch, the sister property of longtime host Ventana Big Sur. Due to renovations at Ventana Big Sur, the Fungus Face-Off and the Grand Chef dinner will take place at Carmel Valley Ranch this year.

The event has traditionally served as a fundraiser for the Big Sur Health Center. The community’s non-profit health center will receive the proceeds from the foraging events to help support the continued presence of local healthcare services in the Big Sur area.

New events for 2016 include:

· A new Friday night winemaker dinner series held at select restaurants throughout Monterey County. Some partners include La Balena, Alvardo Street Brewery and more! Details to come

· Post Ranch Inn will host a Friday night fundraiser for the second year! Details to come.

· Join us for a special evening in the legendary wine room at Hyatt Carmel Highlands. Chef Chad Minton and the culinary team will create a three course meal paired with wines from Bonny Doon Vineyard. The evening will begin with a reception of passed appetizers, wines from Bonny Doon and live music from Dino Vera from 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. At 7:00 p.m. enjoy a three course dinner in the legendary wine room. Meet the culinary team and Bonny Doon Vineyard! There are only 24 seats available. Tickets are $175 per person

Back by Popular Demand:

· An exclusive Friday night dinner at Sierra Mar restaurant at Post Ranch Inn with a special menu and a unique opportunity to enjoy wines from their award-winning wine cellar. This event is limited to 14 people.

· This year’s partners include Carmel Valley Ranch, the summer-camp-inspired sister resort of longtime host Ventana Big Sur that sprawls across 500 acres in the nearby Carmel Valley. Due to renovations at Ventana Big Sur, this year’s Fungus Face-Off and the Grand Chef dinner will take place at this playful destination resort that celebrates a deep connection to the land with passionate culinary, wine and farming artisans, and guest learning experiences ranging from organic gardening and foraging to wine making and lavender and beekeeping workshops. The “Fungus Face-Off” will take place in a beautiful tented setting on the Pete Dye-designed golf course at Carmel Valley Ranch. This popular event sells out early. There are 250 tickets available. Tickets are $65 per person.

· Grand Chef Dinner at Carmel Valley Ranch — details to be announced soon.

· Foraging walk led by local experts at Ventana Big Sur. “Wild Mushroom Walks and Talk” at Pfeiffer State Park led by expert mushroom foragers. This year hikes will be held on Sunday. There are 30 spaces available per walk. Tickets are $60 per person.

For event details visit www.bigsurforagersfestival.org . Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/big-sur-foragers-festival-2017-tickets-26923723582.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.bigsurforagersfestival.org

Thursday, 15 September 2016

Los Angeles-Based Indie Rock Band Cranky George to Release New Single “Nighttime” on September 16

“Nighttime” is the first single from Cranky George’s debut full-length album, Fat Lot of Good, out October 14 in digital, CD, and limited-edition vinyl formats.

Los Angeles, CA, September 15, 2016 – Cranky George, the folk-influenced indie rock band featuring actor Dermot Mulroney and co-founder of The Pogues, James Fearnley, will be releasing the first single from their upcoming debut full-length album, Fat Lot of Good, on September 16. This single, “Nighttime” draws from a variety of influences including legendary Canadian indie rockers Arcade Fire and will be accompanied by a music video, which will also be released on Sept. 16. Cranky George’s album Fat Lot of Good is their first full-length album and will be released on October 14.

Cranky George describes “Nighttime” as “Big in the way that Coldplay is big,” and says that the song is “A siren call for lovers – for anyone who's ever slept beside someone they loved and wished the night would never end.” Featuring Kieran Mulroney on vocals, the song is a mid-tempo song from the heart and draws equally from groups as diverse as Elbow, The Decemberists, Coldplay, and Band of Horses while incorporating dripping guitars and horns at the climax. The accompanying music video features the five members of Cranky George as they perform the song and interweaves the story of a woman in distress, pining and longing for a lost love.

Recorded over a span of five years at Brad’s Seagrass Studio, Fat Lot of Good tips music from the bucket that dredges the confluence of the Danube, the Shannon and the Missouri. The album will be released in digital and CD formats, with a limited edition of 450 double gatefold albums of heavyweight vinyl, each signed and numbered by the band. The music on the record, while diverse, features common threads such as Cranky George’s signature folk-inspired instrumentation – including accordion, violin, mandolin, acoustic guitars and ukuleles.

As a perfect foil to the effervescence of the musicianship in Cranky George, the band’s blend of vocal harmonies, its cross-graining of voices – James’s chiselly drone, the honeyed timbre of Sebastian’s voice, Brad’s incisive falsetto, the Mulroney brothers’ baritones – Kieran’s urgent, Dermot’s lusty – is as sturdy as marine plywood.

Fat Lot of Good embraces fourteen songs, individually divergent, but which together ply a course from haven, round horn and back to harbor, by means of lullaby, torch song, sea shanty and murder ballad – an album which, with compassion, irony, humor and sometimes horror, tells stories of desire, love, loss, cruelty, ruination and pity.

About Cranky George:
Los Angeles based Cranky George has brought together members and musical styles from both sides of the Atlantic to create a unique take on folk-influenced indie rock that is as special and diverse as the members themselves.

James Fearnley, co- founder and accordionist for the London-Irish folk-punk band, The Pogues, and the Mulroney brothers, Kieran and Dermot, siblings from a large, Irish-American family from Alexandria, VA, first came together as neighbors in Hollywood, California. While both of the Mulroney siblings are known for their work on and behind the screen with movies, they are both classically trained musicians; Dermot on the cello, mandolin, and guitar and Kieran on violin, ukulele, and tenor guitar. In 1994, they formed the LA based band, The Low and Sweet Orchestra, which released an acclaimed record, Goodbye to All That, on Interscope Records in 1996. After The Low and Sweet Orchestra split, both Mulroney brothers and Fearnley formed the Cranky George Trio.

During this time, Brad Wood, who has produced records for artist from the likes of The Bangles, Ben Lee, Pete Yorn, and Veruca Salt, was added on bass. To round out the new line up of Cranky George, Sebastian Sheehan Visconti, a sound designer and sound effects editor who notably worked on the television series The Muppets and The Flash, joined on percussion. After five years of work, Cranky George’s full-length debut – Fat Lot of Good – will be released on October 14, 2016.

Follow Cranky George:
PledgeMusic
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

See Cranky George Live:
October 15 – Molly Malone’s – Los Angeles – ‘Fat Lot of Good’ CD Release Party – Tickets
November 5 – Molly Malone’s – Los Angeles
November 19 – Molly Malone’s – Los Angeles
December 3 – Molly Malone’s – Los Angeles

For more information, to request an interview, or for a review copy of “Nighttime” or ‘Fat Lot of Good’ contact:

Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
PO Box 93157
Hollywood, CA 90093
323-871-4821
chip@mileshighproductions.com
http://www.mileshighproductions.com