Category Archives: Music Reviews
I love listening to all different types of music and here you will find reviews and mentions for anyone worthy of one.
Bring Your Friends: Saul Brooks
Saul Brooks began playing music at the age of two when his stepfather taught him to play drums. By age four, he was playing drums in church. At age fourteen his mom bought him his first real guitar and he hasn’t looked back since. The singing came later. “One day I just sat down on the couch and started humming along to a song and thought ‘well let’s see if I can really sing”.
His first live performance was at Happy Valley High School’s talent show where he won first place. After that he began playing shows opening for his close friend and mentor, country singer Cody McCarver. He recently played a role in the film “Vengeance Without Mercy” by Christopher Forbes (release date set for this spring 2013), and is currently producing two music videos for songs on his upcoming CD “Bring Your Friends” to be released this May 2013.
Saul and the band will be hosting Open Mic at Mynt at 135 Calhoun St, Charleston, SC on Tuesday, April 23, beginning at 8PM. They will be doing pre-sales for the CD(autographed), and you can even sing a song with the band! Mynt will be offering great drink specials, and as always $1.00 tacos and $3.00 Margaritas. Come on out and join us, and please, “Bring Your Friends”.
Saul Brooks Band is composed of singer/songwriter Saul Brooks, Lead Guitarist Curtis Vanoy, Bass player Chuck Hendrix, Drummer Brandon Gordon, and Drummer Will Newhouse.
Saul Brooks Band needs your help to be selected as one of three bands to participate in a battle of the bands for the chance to open for Kenny Chesney on May 4th in Columbia, SC.
To vote, go to the Contest page at www.WEZL.com; keyword: “win”.
Voting begins 4/08/13 at 12 noon/EST and ends on 4/17/13 at 11:59 PM/EST
Voting is limited to one vote per verified email address per day.
At the conclusion of the voting period, the Station will select up to 3 semi finalists which will include the submission which receives the most votes. The semi finalists will compete in a live performance at Red’s Ice House on 4/25/13.
An Interview With Musician Juliet O’Day
At what age did you realize you loved music?
I started taking piano lessons when I was six. It was tough to get really good at that age because I would rather be outside with my brother and his friends than practicing. I took-up sax when I was 13. I played in a school stage band and a jazz band that ended up going to Europe one summer and playing in the Montreux International Jazz Festival. I kind of stopped with the instruments when I went to college. I refused to play in a marching band and that is what you would have had to do to be able to play in the school jazz program; it wasn’t for me.
What events in your life do you think shaped you as a musician?
After my freshman year at college, my brother and I were in a car accident. My brother died two weeks after the accident, and I had a head injury that put me in a coma for 6 weeks. It was, and still is very tough because he was my best friend. A few years later I started to get back into playing the guitar. I then did a little banjo, bought a drum set, and learned a little bass. I started to write my own music and that has been really fun.
Who are some of your musical influences?
I have really loved Pink Floyd most of my life. Melissa Ethridge and Sheryl Crow are the ladies I prefer to listen to now. Dave Matthews is a great artist. I really love the alternative folk sound. But, I also love to give all types of music a chance. There is so much out there and you really can miss out if you limit yourself.
Is there any music you won’t listen to and why?
I try to be open-minded about a lot of stuff out there, but sometimes it’s hard. I find a lot of the Hip Hop very degrading to women and find it difficult to think about the young girls listening to it and thinking that they have to do or be involved in some of the crazy junk that they are singing about. I believe it also teaches young boys that this is what girls like and that those things are normal. I can’t believe some of the stuff I hear. I sound like my parents!
What do you want your songs to be about?
I like for people to hear things they need to hear when they need to hear it, to be inspired, something that can give them hope.
Just Released:
My interpretation of Amy Grant’s “Breathe of Heaven” Juliet O’Day- vocals, guitar, and sax. Additional guitar by Craig Smith
If you would like to hear more of Juliet O’Day Music just click on the link.
You can also “like” her page on Facebook by clicking here.
Artist Spotlight: Perfectly Normel People
FOOTLIGHT AND PICCOLO SPOLETO 2012 PRESENT
A NEW COMEDY FROM LOCAL PLAYWRIGHTS
The Footlight Players is proud to present alongside Thomas Burke Heath & Judy Heath the world premiere of their second play, Perfectly Normel People.
For Charlestonians and festival visitors looking to be a part of something special from the very beginning, be sure not to miss Perfectly Normel People, a comedy that asks, “Isn’t every family normal?” This is a hilarious fish-out-of-water comedy about what happens when a college freshman from Kansas moves in with a dysfunctional Italian family from Queens! This funny and poignant memory play takes place in 1981 around the loud, but loving Normellino Family. They have survived many losses in their inner circle and often deal with their pain through biting humor and arguing. When the protagonist young Hadley Smith moves in, a transformation takes place for the naïve mid-westerner, as well as for the hurting family.
Performances include May 25, May 31, and June 2 at 8 pm; May 26 and June 3 at 3 pm; and May 28 at 5 pm. Tickets are $26 for adults and $21 for seniors/students, and must be purchased through Piccolo Spoleto by visiting http://www.PiccoloSpoleto.com or by calling 1-866-811-4111
The talented cast of Perfectly Normel People includes: Sean Marino (Adult Hadley), Steven Cardinal (Adam, Stranger), Katie Holland (Brenda, Rainbow, Bernadette), Jacqueline Helmer (Mom, Clerk, Margaret), Bronson Taylor (Hadley), Scott Cason (Dad), Tripp Hamilton (Frankie), Lara Allred (Angela), Thomas Burke Heath (Johnny), Paulette Bertolami (Connie), and Ross Magoulas (Pops).
Biography:
It was less than a year ago that the Heath’s first show, The Sunset Years, sold out every performance during The Village Playhouse Summer Series. Their plan is to publish their plays and have them produced up the coast at other theatres and hopefully make it to New York. The husband and wife playwriting team originally met up in New York during a regional production of Murder on the Re-Run where they played sniping characters that hated each other and then the two would laugh off stage at the craziness of the plot.
After a year as just friends, Thomas took a chance and kissed Judy and they’ve been together ever since! They were seen on stage 14 years later with Robert Ivey in the Footlight Players’ production of London Suite, which was directed by Clarence Felder. Thomas has also appeared locally in Glengarry Glen Ross, Rounding Third, Speed-the-Plow and The Weir. He plays as the “bad” father in the film Liberating Jesse, which was shown at this year’s Charleston International Film Festival.
For their day jobs, Judy is a board certified psychotherapist and co-founder with Thomas of the Life Guidance Center in West Ashley, as well as the author of No Time for Tears: Surviving Grief in America and the children’s book, I Miss Matthew. She was recently named one of the 50 Most Progressive People in Charleston. Thomas is owner of Heatherwood Entertainment & Media and just finished directing a music video for Charleston Indie Singer/Songwriter John Thomas.
Footlight Contact:
Chrissy Oddi Chrissy@footlightplayers.net
Playwright Contact:
Thomas Burke Heath Thomas@HeatherwoodLtd.com
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT An interview with musician, John Thomas
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
An interview with musician, John Thomas
John Thomas is an emerging singer and songwriter in the Charleston, SC indie music scene who just released his self-titled EP, which contains what many think is going to be his first hit song, “jadeIwannaknow”. He recently shot a video for that tune with Director, Thomas Burke Heath at some iconic sites around the historic city where he resides. The piece is part homage to The Car’s “Drive” video, as well as Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer”, but mostly John at his compelling, charming best… strumming away on his graffiti-art guitar on the beautiful sands of Folly Beach and Charleston.
Check out a preview of the video here
How long have you been singing and playing guitar?
I’ve been singing since I could talk and I’ve been playing guitar for three and a half years.
Did you always know you wanted to be a musician?
I always thought it would be cool to be a musician but I never really thought about actually pursuing it as a career until people started saying I was good at it.
What kind of music/musicians inspired you growing up?
My mom always played Barry Manilow and John Denver, and my dad played Smashing Pumpkins and Green Day. So, I was pretty well-rounded as a kid musically. Both styles have influenced my writing equally.
Is your song “Jade I Wanna Know” about anyone specific?
Yes actually. I wrote it for this girl Jade Weatherford in my Physical Science class sophomore year.
I understand you recently made your first music video, tell me about that experience, who did you work with and what was it like?
Yes I did. The experience was kind of surreal honestly. When it was happening I was just living second to second and trying my best to do what director Thomas Burke Heath was asking, but looking back I’m blown away by what we put to film. Thomas is so intense in his work, and it was refreshing to work with someone who knew what he needed to get done, and just went out and did it. Very point to point. I work that way in the studio so we got along quite well.
When will you be premiering your video?
The music video premieres Friday, April 13th at Music Farm in Charleston, SC
The doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm. The cost is $5 in advance and $10 the day of the show, all ages welcome. The opening act will be Chandler Brown There is also an After Party with The AfterEnglish to follow!
Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians?
My advice would be to make sure you are always doing it because you love it. Sometimes if I’m stressed with dates and stuff it begins to become work for me; I end up not enjoying myself, which was the reason I started in the first place. And if you’re not having fun you might as well quit and get a real job.
I heard your song “Jade I Wanna Know” topped the charts in Charleston, SC have you released it to other areas of the country and if so where?
So far, it’s still a local thing. Apparently some people in Russia have bought the single off iTunes, but otherwise it’s been kids in the local high schools listening.
Where can we get your album?
You can get “JadeIwannaknow” and my EP off iTunes!
For more information on how to get tickets for the launch party click here.
John Thomas EP : Produced by Chris Sholar for Suineg Music Group
