Tag: Blues

Three of a Kind — Triana Makes Live Debut September 13 at Livonia’s Trinity House Theatre

Triana’s GlenBrooke, Julianne Ankley, and Michelle Chenard. Courtesy photo.

Last fall, three friends decided to create a new project.

Michigan singer-songwriters Julianne Ankley, Michelle Chenard, and GlenBrooke formed the group Triana after doing a songwriter round at Lake Orion’s 20 Front Street.

“It was well-received, and we had so much fun performing together that we decided to turn it into something,” Ankley said. “I suggested the name Triana, which means ‘three rivers.’ Since we are three different women with three different styles, it seemed fitting.”

Nearly a year later, Ankley, Chenard, and GlenBrooke are fusing their country, Americana, blues, and rock influences together for Triana’s rich, harmony-driven sound. The trio will share that sound during a September 13 performance at Trinity House Theatre in Livonia.

“We all come from different musical directions, which seem to blend together,” Ankley said.

To learn more, I did an email interview with Ankley about Triana ahead of the show.

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All “Heart” — Ann Arbor’s Bill Edwards Finds Hope and Purpose on New Country Album

Bill Edwards has a positive outlook on “A Home in My Heart.” Photo – Chasing Light Photos

Bill Edwards isn’t afraid to follow his heart.

The Ann Arbor, Michigan singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist searches for clarity and purpose on his new country album, A Home in My Heart.

“It’s not all autobiographical, but I like to think that it’s all feelings I have had,” Edwards said. “I think the idea of hope is important, even if it’s hard to find in these times right now, but it’s something that you have to hold yourself to.”

He shares that sentiment over 10 introspective tracks, which explore taking risks, overcoming obstacles, and having a positive attitude.

“It’s been 18 months since I’ve released anything, so that seems like a decent interval,” said Edwards, who last released So Far in October 2023.

“It’s not like right on the heels of the last one. It’s only 10 songs—this record. I tried to constraint myself; I actually said, ‘I’m gonna do 10 tracks,’ and then I kept writing and recording. I switched in and out a couple, and I played it for my wife and got her input. I played it for some other people and got some input, so this is where I ended up.”

Edwards landed nicely with A Home in My Heart due to its seamless storytelling, infectious lyrics, and upbeat instrumentation. Sonically, the album includes timeless elements of country wrapped in heartland rock, blues, and folk.

“It’s a limited palette compared to some [previous albums],” said Edwards, who plays all the instruments on the album. “That was another intentional thing. I really wanted the record to have a sound rather than going off in all kinds of different directions.”

I recently spoke with Edwards about the inspiration and creative process behind the album.

Continue reading “All “Heart” — Ann Arbor’s Bill Edwards Finds Hope and Purpose on New Country Album” →

The Soundcheck – Jennifer Westwood and The Handsome Devils, Brian Perrone, Hard Luck Pete & The Wrong Way Streets, Marty Kohn, Grooblen and Johanna Beekman & Ben Leinbach

For the September “Soundcheck,” I assembled a collage of new releases that represent a season of change. Whether it’s being resilient, overcoming heartbreak, reflecting on the past or entering a new dimension, each release introduces a different chapter and the possibilities that come with it. I invite you to explore these sonic offerings and see how they relate to your own experiences.

Jennifer Westwood and The Handsome Devils, “Bullet Proof”

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Detroit’s Jennifer Westwood and The Handsome Devils acknowledge the power of resiliency on their latest single, “Bullet Proof.” The soulful, bluesy ballad celebrates being yourself, standing your ground and moving forward despite receiving negative feedback from others.

Alongside bold electric guitar from Dylan Dunbar, Westwood sings, “I’ve heard it all before / I’ve given my best and more / Been locked out / But I just beat down the door / It’s not like me to fade away / Oh baby, I’m bullet proof.”

Those strong words inspire us all to regain our self-confidence and deflect criticism from our detractors. I can’t think of a better song to play when I need some extra encouragement after a tough day. (Plus, Westwood offers strong words of wisdom and support daily for Detroit musicians through the Playing in the Detroit Area Tonight – Music News Facebook group.)

Westwood and husband Dunbar truly shine with top-notch bandmates Chuck Bartels (bass), David Below (drums) and Evan Mercer (piano) on the first track from their forthcoming album. They’re working with Royal Oak producer Bunky Hunt of WhistlePig Music Group and recently completed some additional recording sessions at Memphis Magnetic Recording.

Continue reading “The Soundcheck – Jennifer Westwood and The Handsome Devils, Brian Perrone, Hard Luck Pete & The Wrong Way Streets, Marty Kohn, Grooblen and Johanna Beekman & Ben Leinbach” →

Nocturnal Tendencies – Catriona Sturton Honors Coming Alive After Dark on ‘We Bloom at Night’

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Catriona Sturton celebrates being a night owl on her new song, “We Bloom at Night.” Courtesy photo

Catriona Sturton believes authenticity blooms at night.

The Ottawa, Ontario blues singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist spotlights the honesty and vulnerability people share after dark on “We Bloom at Night.”

“For years, I had wanted to write a song around an idea that Eniid Goodman, a great Canadian songwriter and interpreter of Joni Mitchell’s music, had shared with me,” said Sturton about her new track, which will be included part of the upcoming Night Bell 12-inch vinyl single via J.M.I. Recordings.

“It was about how there are times in life when we can be wide open to who another person is, but that it can also be stressful if [that experience] is [later] followed by them pulling back.”

At the start of “We Bloom at Night,” Sturton sings, “I see the moon / And the moon sees me / I’m used to hiding / Comes so easily / But the moon’s gentle light / Keeps shining on me / Patient and kind / Shining on what I want to be.”

“[Eniid] shared that she had learned … there are cycles in nature of [flowers] opening and closing. When I had mentioned to [another] friend about how flowers open during the day and close at night, he said, ‘What about the evening primrose?’” Sturton said.

“And in that moment, I got the idea of how to express the song I had struggled with for years. It did kind of change my life and is one of my favorites.”

The track also celebrates Sturton’s love of the nighttime and the tranquility that comes with it.

“I am most definitely a night owl and always have been since I was a child,” she said. “I like how people open up when it gets dark. When I’m myself, I feel like I can hear my thoughts better when the town is sleeping.”

I recently spoke with Sturton about her background, time in Plumtree, current recordings, new song and upcoming 12-inch vinyl single, this week’s shows with Detroit folk singer-songwriter Mike Ward and future plans.

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The Detroit Sound – New Live Roots Music Series Debuts Jan. 27 at Aretha’s Jazz Café

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A new live music series aims to showcase the musical “roots” of Detroit.

Known as The Detroit Sound, the quarterly roots music concert series debuts Jan. 27 at Aretha’s Jazz Café with singer-songwriters Jennifer Westwood, Jimmie Bones, John Bardy and Tino Gross.

“There are so many people here that I know who make music, and they never do shows together, and they’re from different parts of the city. We have fantastic music here as good as any other music city, and we need to champion that,” said Westwood, who curates The Detroit Sound with WhistlePig Music Group producer-engineer-mixer Bunky Hunt.

“It’s like, ‘Well, what is the Detroit sound?’ Some people just think it’s garage rock, some people just think it’s Motown, but really what’s happening right now? It’s a lot of things, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be one thing, but for our intents and purposes, it’s going to be more roots-based.”

To amplify those roots sounds, Westwood and Hunt selected a lineup artists and musicians who advocate Detroit’s independent rock, country and blues music scene. They also assembled the all-star Motown-Shoals house band of guitarist Dylan Dunbar, bassist Chuck Bartels, drummer David Below and keyboardist Bones.

“They’re all uniquely Detroit, and these are people who are carving their own path. They’re not listening to the people who run the tech media giants … they’re sticking to their art. These guys all fall in that category,” Hunt said.

“We’ve also got this great house band. These are guys that both play in Jennifer [Westwood’s] band and support me in the studio as well. I kinda use them as my wrecking crew. It’s gonna truly be a Detroit experience, and that’s what we’re gunning for.”

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The New Avant-Garde – Nubdug Ensemble and Amanda Chaudhary Share Cerebral Prog-Jazz-Funk Fusion

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Two avant-garde San Francisco musicians boldly push the sonic boundaries of prog, jazz and funk.

Nubdug Ensemble’s Jason Berry and Amanda Chaudhary seamlessly fuse esoteric lyrics with experimental synths and cerebral instrumentation on their latest ingenious albums, Volume 2: Blame and Meow Meow Band, respectively.

“These albums have both really been connecting with a lot of people. They really inspire both of us to keep going … and things have been improving the past couple of months. Hopefully, we’ll be moving in a more positive place,” Berry said.

“With my music, I’m not looking for acclaim or huge financial sales. These things would be wonderful, but I just want to connect with people. If it makes somebody happy … then it’s like, ‘Mission accomplished.’”

Both Nubdug Ensemble and Chaudhary whisk listeners along genre-bending adventures filled with precious metals, mechanical wonders, white wine and public transportation. Each Volume 2: Blame and Meow Meow Band track instantly brings a welcome element of surprise and enthrallment and repeatedly plays inside appreciative minds.

“I wanted to try these individual sounds, and if you listen back to something like The Residents, I thought, ‘How did they make those sounds and what could I do with that?’ It’s very late ‘70s things with different kinds of technology to get that sort of raw thing, and they use different instruments here … or use this process or that process,” said Chaudhary, who also collaborates with Berry in Nubdug Ensemble.

“I thought, ‘What if I work with this drummer and this synthesizer player and see what happens?’ It turned out to be great, and that’s the genesis of some of the things like ‘North Berkeley BART’ and ‘White Wine.’ Once I started working with Calvin Weston in 2020, it was like this perfect vehicle for recording some of this music.”

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Hit-Worthy Parade – Matthew de Heus Unveils Hidden Gems on ‘Greatest Misses’ Album

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Matthew de Heus shares his multi-genre gems on “Greatest Misses.” Photo – Avram Golden

Matthew de Heus prefers to acknowledge life’s under-the-radar moments.

The Bay City Americana singer-songwriter and bassist thoughtfully unveils those hidden milestones on his new hit-worthy anthology, Greatest Misses, out today.

“I had planned on having two releases. One was gonna be a new EP, but then I was gonna do what I initially called a Greatest Hits album, and it was almost self-deprecating,” said de Heus.

“I wanted to take some of the songs we had already done and put them on one album, so that people who wanted those could get them. I don’t reprint any of the old albums, they’re just gone … because that way if I ever do get famous, they’ll be worth a fortune.”

With Greatest Misses, de Heus assembles a priceless 15-track collection of multi-genre gems, including old favorites from prior releases and three new songs. Filled with melodic hooks, memorable lyrics and clever instrumentation, the album glides through country, power pop, jazz, blues and indie rock terrain.

“Traditionally, in pop music, and in the early days of rock and roll, you might put the same song on more than one album. That was part of it. Though I did want to throw those three new ones up front, I tried to still sequence it like an album, so it was a decent listen,” de Heus said.

“In way, this is almost like a second version of Silk Purses. Andy Reed called that my Goodbye Yellow Brick Road or White Album in the fact that every song is a different genre. Making the songs individually is one thing, but mixing and mastering them so they can sit next to each other on an album is another.”

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Guitar-Driven Destination – MC Roads Brings Bluesy Alt-Rock to The Token Lounge Saturday 

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MC Roads combines blues and alt-rock for powerful guitar-driven sound.

MC Roads thoughtfully travels along a bluesy, alt-rock-fueled highway.

That highway unfolds a promising itinerary of guitar-driven destinations throughout the Motor City, including a Jan. 8 headlining set at The Token Lounge in Westland.

“To me, this is the magical part. I look for souls, and that’s what wisdom has taught me. I look for good people who want to work together like a family, and that’s when the magic starts,” said Mike Cross, MC Roads’ lead vocalist-guitarist and Sponge founding guitarist. “The songs are there, but the band comes in and embellishes it and makes it that bluesy alt-rock, guitar-driven sound.”

Along with Cross, MC Roads bandmates Bobby Guskovict (guitar, background vocals), KK Scofield (background vocals) and Dearl Poore (drums) will fuse that magical sound before a live audience Saturday. They’ll be sharing the stage with Stompbox and The Analog Dogs as part of a special show to benefit Detroit Dog Rescue.

“We’ve been working up the set, and there’s going to be some surprises. All of the tracks from No Nostalgia will show up in the set, and we have some new music that we’re excited to get out there in front of people,” Cross said.

“And we even have some covers. You never know, there might even be a song from my previous band in the set. It should be a good time with Stompbox and The Analog Dogs.”

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High Note – Marc Dorian Shares Uplifting Life Anthems on ‘Another Lucky Day’

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Marc Dorian celebrates positive tales of everyday life on “Another Lucky day.” Photo – 6of6photography

For Marc Dorian, life includes several strokes of luck.

The Commerce Township singer-songwriter and keyboardist eloquently hits the high notes of growth, chance and connection on his latest inspirational album, Another Lucky Day.

“I wanted to have some kind of optimistic message or some kind of offer of hope. The first song, ‘End of the Tunnel,’ sparked things off, and I was working in the basement when I came up with a lot of those little comical lines. It’s not making light of people going through hard times, but it’s saying that we’re all waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel,” Dorian said.

Dorian brings an honest, thoughtful sheen to his 10 uplifting anthems about everyday life on Another Lucky Day. Filled with an enticing mix of rock, country and blues, the album melds warm, nostalgic reflections of the past with eager, optimistic expectations for the future.

“Hopefully, some people will say, ‘Hey man, that song made me feel good,’ because it makes me feel good to do it. That’s what makes me feel the most alive,” Dorian said.

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