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Smooth Jazz Maestro Eddie Bullen Presents an Unforgettable Toronto Boat Cruise Experience July 21, 2023

Eric Alper
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Smooth Jazz Maestro Eddie Bullen Presents an Unforgettable Toronto Boat Cruise Experience July 21, 2023

Join us for an unforgettable evening of smooth jazz with the legendary Eddie Bullen and his special guests, as we set sail aboard the River Gambler for the Eddie Bullen and Friends Smooth Jazz Cruise! On Friday, July 21, 2023, we will be boarding the fabulous River Gambler located at 176 Cherry Street, Toronto. Boarding starts at 6.00 PM, and we set sail at 7.00 PM sharp, so don’t be late! The cruise will return at 11.00 PM, giving us plenty of time to dance the night away.

Early bird tickets are available now for just $100 per person, but be sure to act fast as prices increase to $120 per person after July 7, 2023. Tickets can be purchased online at www.eddiebullen.com or at https://tix.to/eblive/gbjoo

In addition to Eddie Bullen’s incredible smooth jazz band, we are thrilled to announce that he will be joined on stage by some very special guests! Get ready to be blown away by their incredible talent and unforgettable performances.

Dinner will be provided by the world-renowned chef Selwyn Richards from The Art Of Catering, ensuring that our taste buds will be as happy as our ears. And speaking of our ears, we’ll be treated to the latest in contemporary and smooth jazz music by DJ QBONIX, who will end the night with some RnB and Funk classics that’ll keep us moving and grooving all night long.

Tickets can also be purchased at Lock’N Twist located at 7 Ardglen Dr. in Brampton, A Different Booklist, 746 Bathurst St. in Toronto, and Play de Record, 411 Spadina Ave., Toronto.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to experience smooth jazz on the water with Eddie Bullen and his special guests. Get your tickets now and let’s make some unforgettable memories together!

Selina Boland Unveils Highly Anticipated Album ‘All These Hours’ – A Captivating Blend of Acoustic Folk and the Atlantic Ocean Breeze

Eric Alper
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Selina Boland Unveils Highly Anticipated Album ‘All These Hours’ – A Captivating Blend of Acoustic Folk and the Atlantic Ocean Breeze

Selina Boland from St. John’s, Newfoundland, known for her “Acoustic Folk with a touch of the Atlantic Ocean Breeze,” is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of her highly anticipated album, “All These Hours.”

The full-length album features Selina’s latest single, “The Way it Goes” which has already hit the airwaves and streaming platforms. Written in the wake of her mother’s passing, the song delves into the depths of grief and the yearning for a loved one’s presence once again. Selina expresses her sentiments behind the meaning of the song by saying, “It speaks to the journey of acceptance and the hope that springs forth for those who believe they will reunite with their loved ones someday.”

Born into a musical family, the free-spirited, passionate singer/songwriter carries on her late mother’s legacy as she pours her heart and soul into every lyric and haunting melody. Influenced by the rich traditions of Newfoundland, as well as folk music and ‘60s rock, Selina’s music offers a heartfelt and introspective journey for her audience with her poetic storytelling accompanied by the gentle strumming of her acoustic guitar.

All These Hours is a testament to Selina’s exceptional talent and her ability to touch hearts with her music. She offers a collection of soul-stirring songs that explore the depths of human emotions, inviting listeners to suspend their realities and embark on a musical journey that resonates long after the final note fades away.

Selina’s hard work and dedication have paid off as she received nominations for Female Artist of the Year and Pop/Rock Recording of the Year at the MusicNL Awards in 2015, while her second EP, “Second Chances,” showcased her growth as an artist and earned her a live interview and performance on CBC’s “Wake up the ECMAs.” She then embarked on a cross-Canada tour, gracing stages at the East Coast Music Week and closing the tour at the renowned Brigus Blueberry Folk Festival and Squidfest, where she had the honour of opening for Juno-nominated The Once, Sherman Downey, Shanneyganock, and The Masterless Men.

In recent years, the creative and versatile musician has expanded her horizons by captivating audiences across Europe with performances in Ireland, Scotland, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, and an invitation to Örebro, Sweden, where she solidified her place as an international talent. Her third album, “The Cold,” released in 2019, further propelled her career, with notable performances across western Canada including an opening act for Port Cities in Calgary, AB.

Selina has many memorable accomplishments throughout her career with singles, “Orphan” and “Hero,” which reached the Top Ten Songs in the NL section of the National Songwriting Competition in 2008. “Orphan” also served a greater purpose, raising funds for the Bring Me Hope Foundation, supporting orphans in China. Her debut EP, “Defined is Confined,” featured the powerful track, “A Man Riding a Donkey” and was selected for the iTunes AMAZING Compilation, a project aimed at raising funds for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Electro Artist Jayne Imagination Guides Us Through “V Is For Leading, Voice And Son”

Eric Alper
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Electro Artist Jayne Imagination Guides Us Through “V Is For Leading, Voice And Son”

“V Is For Leading, Voice And Son” starts out with a simple, one-note bass beat until it’s eventually accompanied by glittery shimmer, then metallic scrapes like an industrial machine doing its grinding work, and then layers of elegant orchestral instrumentation. The song is dreamy and atmospheric, as well as practical and hardworking, and it juxtaposes the ethereal with the necessary and everyday.

“V Is For Leading, Voice And Son” is the first single off of Victoria, BC-based Jayne Imagination’s, a.k.a. Jayne Murray’s, new album Friends. Murray’s vocals eventually pour into the song, soothing and cooing and floating above the waves of beats as the song morphs into a full-on dance track, only to turn into a singular heartbeat at the end.

“This album was created during a time that I experienced intense stretches of imagination that were akin to dreams,” Murray describes. “When we recall our dreams and try to explain the big feelings and dream logic to our friends or family, it almost always comes off our tongues as much flatter than how we felt while dreaming. My music is an attempt to contain, focus, and reflect those powerful mindscapes.”

Murray creates music in much the same way an abstract painter might arrange shapes or wash wild brush strokes across a canvas. “I went to two art schools and walked out without a degree from either. Luckily, the education I received from both of them was beyond getting the paper for,” Murray explains. “The first art school I attended really opened my mind to imagination. I had a challenging professor, who facilitated this magic door opening and since then I haven’t stopped chasing the ‘magic.’

In fact, Murray’s stage sets often reflect her visual-arts sensibility, and they’re constructed around whatever she happens to be expressing through each individual song. For example, one song might feature a set with party hats, while for another song Murray might hand out heart-shaped arrows to the audience. Murray even owns a traffic light that she hopes to one day program so that it pulses along to the music as well as to the audience’s reactions.

While Murray makes innovative electronic music, she also proudly works as a delivery driver, bumping around town giving people their packages while simultaneously grooving out to the music of her favorite artists, as well as her own.

Bruce Cockburn feat. Susan Aglukark Release “To Keep The World We Know”

Eric Alper
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Bruce Cockburn feat. Susan Aglukark Release “To Keep The World We Know”

“Time takes its toll, but in my soul I’m on a roll,” Bruce Cockburn sings on his latest studio album, O Sun O Moon. Smart and catchy, it’s the kind of memorable line—like “gotta kick at the darkness ’til it bleeds daylight” from his classic song “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” — the world has become used to hearing from Cockburn.

An inspired poet and exceptional guitarist, the award-winning artist has spent his entire career kicking at the darkness with songs that tackle topics from politics and human rights to the environment and spirituality. And he’s not letting up. While other singer-songwriters his age are slowing down, Cockburn, on the eve of his 7 th birthday, has released a dozen new compositions as powerful as any he’s written. You could even say his songwriting is on a roll as well.

Exquisitely recorded in Nashville with his longtime producer, Colin Linden, O Sun O Moon exudes a newfound simplicity and clarity, as Cockburn focuses on more spiritual than topical concerns this time around, looking back and taking stock. “I think it’s a product of age to a certain extent,” he explains, “and seeing the approaching horizon.” Then, lightening the tone, he adds with a laugh: “I think these are exactly the kind of songs that an old guy writes.”

Old or not, Cockburn exhibits a palpable urgency on the opening “On a Roll,” playing a driving resonator guitar with all the vigor of his veteran blues heroes. Similarly, “To Keep the World We Know,” one of the album’s few explicitly topical numbers, bristles with Cockburn’s buzzing dulcimer as he and Inuk music star Susan Aglukark, with whom he co-wrote the song, sing about the growing threat of global warming

Still, most of the songs strike gentler tones, from the jazz sway of “Push Come to Shove” and the folky drone of “Into the Now” to the string-laden “Us All” and the hymn-like “Colin Went Down to the Water.” The latter, one of several songs Cockburn wrote while on a month-long holiday with family on the Hawaiian island of Maui, describes the drowning of a friend. “It’s not about Colin Linden,” Cockburn is quick to point out, “but someone I knew from San Francisco who’d moved to Maui. It was tragic and quite surreal because I got a voicemail message from him when I was in Maui, saying ‘Welcome to paradise,’ and then found out afterward that he’d died.”

Speaking of surreal, another song written while in Maui, the whimsical “King of the Bolero,” is unlike anything else on the album. Over a woozy clarinet and drunken, New Orleans-style horns, Cockburn paints a cartoon portrait of an oversized barroom musician “with a double chin all the way round his neck and a pot belly in the back.” Is it a dream or a figment of his imagination? In a gravelly voice, Cockburn leaves us guessing as he sings “it’s moon high noon—I’m not in my Bed.”

“The people I was with in Maui were quite perplexed when they heard that song,” muses Cockburn. “After hearing the other things I’d written there, they wondered ‘where did that come from?’ It really came from out of the blue. I remembered when I was in high school one of my friends made a crack about an old blues singer who used to come through who he said had a double chin in the back. It was a funny thing to hear at the time and it stayed with me. I didn’t want to make it specifically about a black blues guy, so I mention Minnesota Fats and Fatty Arbuckle as well as Fats Domino and Fats Waller.”

As with so many Cockburn albums, the musicianship on O Sun O Moon is superb. Along with usual suspects Linden on guitar, Janice Powers on keyboards and Gary Craig on drums, the album features bassist Viktor Krauss, drummer Chris Brown, accordionist Jeff Taylor, violinist Jenny Scheinman and multi-instrumentalist Jim Hoke. And Cockburn’s guest vocalists include Shawn Colvin, Buddy Miller as well as mellifluous singers Allison Russell, Sarah Jarosz and Ann and Regina McCrary, daughters of gospel great Rev. Samuel McCrary, one of the founders of the Fairfield Four. The McCrary sisters shine brightest on the title track, whose full name is “O Sun By Day O Moon By Night.” They sing the euphoric chorus of the song which relates, during spoken verses, a dream Cockburn had in which he makes the journey to heaven. “In the dream, which was really powerful,” says Cockburn, “I see myself silhouetted on a ridge with this jar of blood pouring it on the soil. It wasn’t scary or disturbing at all.” Cockburn adds that he wrote the line “and if that sun and moon don’t shine” in the spirit of songs from the folk ballad “Mockingbird” to the blues number “Bo Diddley.”

The album’s jazzy closer, “When You Arrive,” finds Cockburn confessing to feeling his age when he sings “You’re limping like a three-legged canine, backbone creaking like a cheap shoe.” But it’s clearly a song of acceptance, about eventually slipping one’s mortal coil, as he’s joined on the chorus by all of his guest vocalists, singing “bells will ring when you arrive.”

O Sun O Moon includes just one song without vocals, “Haiku,” a four-minute showcase of Cockburn’s fleet-fingered guitar work, where his previous studio recording, 2019’s Crowing Ignites, was a collection of all instrumental numbers. In between those albums, Cockburn, the Order of Canada recipient, 13-time Juno Award winner and Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee released a 50th anniversary box set, greatest hits package and rarities collection.

Never one to rest on his laurels—even when, as he notes, “time takes its toll,” Cockburn keeps finding and conquering new challenges, never repeating himself in the process. “I just don’t want to ever keep doing the same thing,” he says. “I’m grateful that I can keep on doing anything at this point,” he adds. “My body doesn’t hold up and perform the way it once did.”

That may be so. But the legendary musician has just made his 38th studio album. And it may stand as one of his best of his long and storied career.

Internationally Acclaimed Singer-Songwriter David Leask Empowers Empathy With “Feet In Your Shoes”

Eric Alper
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Internationally Acclaimed Singer-Songwriter David Leask Empowers Empathy With “Feet In Your Shoes”

As a lifelong songwriter, David Leask’s radar is always on high alert – for fragments of lyrics and music that can be heard in the ether, or simply in a conversation. And it was a touching conversation about empathy containing one of these valuable song starters that sparked David’s emotionally resonant new single, “Feet In Your Shoes”.

“I’ll take some weight off every mile,
Let me put a little bit of my feet in your shoes…”

After one of his performances for long-term care residents at the Sunnybrook Veterans Hospital in Toronto, David was speaking with a staff member. He had always been moved by the great care and attention from SVH staff for their residents. A line in the conversation stuck with David. “The staff member said to me, ‘if only I could have put a little bit of my feet in her shoes’.” That’s all it took for his songwriting wheels to start turning and a melody was mapped out during his drive home.

At the time, David’s wife Mary Ellen was a full-time carer for her Mom at home who was dealing with dementia and he was very aware of the challenges that people in those kinds of care situations carry – the risk of burnout and feeling invisible, not only to the person they are caring for with dementia, but to other family members as well. Fueled by the carer’s need for empathy – whether in a hospital setting or in his own home – David set out to write the song, “Feet In Your Shoes” and to capture the emotion of a carer’s need for help but not being bold enough to ask.

An early demo of the song also captured the ears and hearts of industry peers when it won top honours at the 2022 Mississauga Summer Song Contest and David set to work on recording the final version at Mississauga’s hallowed Metalworks Studio, co-producing the track with Justin Abedin (Jacksoul/Justin Hines). The track features an all-star cast of stellar Canadian musicians, including Lyle Molzan (Jann Arden), Mark McIntyre (Dean Brody), Joel Visentin (Barbra Lica), Bryden Baird (Feist) and Sean O’Connor (NOJO).

“Feet In Your Shoes” is the first single from David’s upcoming eighth album, “One Ray Of Light At A Time”, targeted for a winter 2023 release. The single features energetic, upbeat production with David’s intimate vocal laid down over an infectious rhythm track punctuated by a horn section, stirring electric guitar and Wurlitzer piano. The story moves your heart while the groove moves your body.

David hopes this song will encourage listeners to think of people in their life who could use some understanding and a helping hand. One way they can do that will be by sending “Feet In Your Shoes” with David’s customizable Mobile e(Empathy)Card to someone you want to let know you’re thinking of them and to offer up some love and support at www.davidleask.com/ecards

A decorated artist with international acclaim, David Leask has been dubbed “the most consistent Canadian songwriting competition winner” by Songwriters Magazine, having won numerous contests including USA and International Songwriting Competitions. Leask is Mississauga Music’s 2021 Songwriter of the Year and his most recent record, “Voyageur in Song” was nominated for the Canadian Folk Music Association’s Contemporary Album of the Year. He loves to inspire other creators as an ongoing songwriting mentor and facilitator.

My Next Read: “Diary of a Rock and Roll Tour Manager: 2,190 Days and Nights with the South’s Premier Rock Band” by Willie Perkins

Eric Alper
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My Next Read: “Diary of a Rock and Roll Tour Manager: 2,190 Days and Nights with the South’s Premier Rock Band” by Willie Perkins
DIARY OF A ROCK AND ROLL TOUR MANAGER chronicles the triumphs and tragedies of the day-to-day touring of The Allman Brothers Band from 1970 to 1976, detailing their rise from obscurity to the absolute pinnacle of rock super stardom. Tour manager, Willie Perkins shepherded the band from their lowly beginnings in smoke-filled bars to six figure payoffs before hundreds of thousands of fans in outdoor venues. He was there for the tragic, untimely accidental deaths of both Duane Allman and Berry Oakley, the ugliness of drug and alcohol abuse, and the love for the music and true brother and sisterhood among band, crew, management, and family members. Here, Perkins writes in detail about the efforts involved in the touring and recording career of The Allman Brothers Band in their early and most productive years. He introduces the reader to some of the colorful promoters who produced the concerts and the interesting historical venues where they performed, many of which no longer exist.

Raphael Saadiq Returns To The Road With Toni! Tony! Toné! For The First Time In 25 Years

Eric Alper
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Raphael Saadiq Returns To The Road With Toni! Tony! Toné! For The First Time In 25 Years

Today, multi-award-winning artist, songwriter, film & television composer, and producer Raphael Saadiq announced Raphael Saadiq Revisits Tony! Toni! Toné!, the Just Me & You Tour, which will grace stages across the U.S. this fall. The long-awaited return of the Oakland, CA R&B legends launches on September 21 in Birmingham, AL, at the BJCC Concert Hall and visits major markets coast-to-coast, rolling through New York, NY, Chicago, IL, Nashville, TN, and Los Angeles, CA, before wrapping the year back in the bay, at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, CA, on November 14 and The Masonic in San Francisco on November 17.

Produced by Live Nation Urban, the tour marks a momentous homecoming as Raphael Saadiq, his brother D’Wayne Wiggins, and Timothy Christian Riley will perform as Tony! Toni! Toné! for the first time in nearly 25 years. The Tonys set will feature classic R&B smashes like “Feels Good,” “Anniversary,” and “It Never Rains (In Southern California),” plus brand-new material. For this expansive, full-evening performance, Saadiq also taps his own deep catalog, performing tracks from his acclaimed solo albums, the music of his short-lived but beloved R&B supergroup Lucy Pearl, plus the hits he wrote for artists like D’Angelo, Daniel Caesar, Brent Faiyaz, Solange and Beyoncé.

“I’ve always wanted to put my family back together,” says Saadiq. “Playing with the Tonys again is a thank you to the fans, the Super Tonians, for supporting all my musical efforts. Without those who were with us from Day One, where would I be? But the main reason is that my father, Charlie Wiggins, would’ve wanted it this way–to see me, D’Wayne, and Tim playing together again.”

Alex Pappademas in the New York Times wrote, “For two decades, [Saadiq has] done it, over and over. As a producer, he’s pulled concise statements out of performers who often default to the diffuse. But as one of relatively few major figures of the hip-hop age who grew up playing in bands, he’s just as adroit at leading from behind as a sideman, steering Mary J. Blige to an Oscar nomination (for “Mighty River,” from Mudbound) or playing bass behind Mick Jagger on a Grammy salute to Solomon Burke.”

A very special artist presale commences on Wednesday, June 21 at 7 am PST/10 am EST. Live Nation and Spotify presales follow on Thursday, June 22, at 10 am local time. General on-sale goes live Friday, June 23 at 10 am local time.

All tickets may be purchased through RaphaelSaadiqMusic.com.

TOUR DATES
Thu September 21 – Birmingham, AL – BJCC Concert Hall
Fri September 22 – Charlotte, NC – Ovens Auditorium
Sun September 24 – Washington, DC – The Theater at MGM National Harbor
Tue September 26 – Baltimore, MD – Lyric Opera House
Thu September 28 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met
Sat September 30 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
Sun October 1 – Durham, NC – Durham Performing Arts Center
Thu October 5 – Boston, MA – Orpheum Theatre
Sun October 8 – Cleveland, OH – State Theatre
Tue October 10 – Louisville, KY – Louisville Palace
Wed October 11 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
Thu October 12 – Chicago, IL – Chicago Theatre
Fri October 13 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre
Thu October 19 – Greensboro, NC – Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts
Fri October 20 – Columbia, SC – The Township Auditorium
Sat October 21 – Jacksonville, FL – Moran Theater
Sun October 22 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre
Thu October 26 – Memphis, TN – Orpheum Theatre
Fri October 27 – New Orleans, LA – Orpheum Theatre
Sat October 28 – Dallas, TX – Music Hall at Fair Park
Sun October 29 – Sugar Land, TX – Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
Fri November 10 – Las Vegas, NV – Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort
Sat November 11 – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater
Mon November 14 – Oakland, CA – Paramount Theatre
Fri November 17 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic

Louis Armstrong House Museum In Queens, NY Celebrates New Center Ribbon Cutting Ahead Of July 6 Opening

Eric Alper
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Louis Armstrong House Museum In Queens, NY Celebrates New Center Ribbon Cutting Ahead Of July 6 Opening

Yesterday, the internationally renowned Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona, Queens held a ceremonial ribbon cutting with fitting trumpet fanfare to celebrate its new state-of-the-art center and archive – the world’s largest for a jazz musician. Opening to the public on Thursday, July 6, the new center will preserve and expand the legacy and ideals of America’s first Black popular music icon, Louis Armstrong.

Opening remarks were made by the museum’s Executive Director Regina Bainand Board Chair Jay Hershenson, followed by speeches from New York State Senator Jessica Ramos, New York State Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, NYC Council Member Francisco Moya, The City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Queens College President Frank H. Wu, Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo and community leaders. Guests were treated to performances by Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz, pianist, composer and curator of the new Center’s Here to Stay exhibition Jason Moran, Danny Jonokuchi, Christopher McBride and the Queens College All-Stars, Calvin Johnson and Native Soul, as well as students from Frank Sinatra High School. Fittingly, the day featured a trumpet fanfare with a line-up of world renown trumpeters: Bria Skonberg, Jon Faddis, Jon-Erik Kellso, Steven Bernstein, Frank Greene, Bruce Harris, Riley Mulherkar, Linda Briceño, Summer Camargo, Kali Rodriguez, David Adewumi, Tatum Greenblatt, and Danny Jonokuchi. The day concluded with a jam session, center open house with tours, archival sneak peek and a special toast.

The Louis Armstrong Center will officially open to the public on Thursday, July 6 – tickets here. Armstrong’s values of Artistic Excellence, Education and Community will be fostered in Here to Stay, a new exhibition curated by Jason Moran that looks at Armstrong’s five-decade career as an innovative musician, rigorous archivist, consummate collaborator and community builder. Grounded in the new building design by Caples Jefferson Architects, the new Center will also be a permanent home for the 60,000-piece Louis Armstrong Archive and a 75-seat venue offering performances, lectures, films, and educational experiences.

It will be a new international destination celebrating Armstrong’s distinctive role in African-Diaspora history and vitality, offering year-round exhibitions, performances, readings, lectures, and screenings through an array of public programs for all ages. With longstanding partners Queens College and the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, and with a growing list of members, supporters and programmatic collaborators, the museum and center will become a Queens-based hub for inspiration and learning, economic development and tourism – from New Yorkers to the world.

“Louis Armstrong was one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, and also a beloved member of the community here in Corona, Queens,” said NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. “This new education center and archive will keep both aspects of Armstrong’s legacy alive for generations to come – both the consummate artist and musician, and the incredible neighbor who treated local kids to ice cream each year on the 4th of July. We’re proud of the city’s major investment of over $10 million in this project, a long term commitment to the cultural vitality of Corona and in preserving the legacy of Louis Armstrong. Schedule your visit to Satchmo’s house today!”

The opening of the Center has spurred the creation of new programming. The Museum just announced the upcoming season of its groundbreaking Armstrong Now, which will feature the creation and debut of new works by Esperanza Spalding, Amyra León and Antonio Brown. An outreach program to local schools was also recently launched, providing trumpet lessons made possible by a donation of musical instruments from Ken Karnofsky, a descendant of the same family who helped Armstrong buy his first instrument.

Credit: Bowery Image Group/Andrew Kelly

This National Historic Landmark museum welcomes its new addition across the street during the 80th anniversary of Louis and Lucille Armstrong moving to the legendary jazz trumpeter & singer’s restored home. Visitors have included Wynton Marsalis, Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Charlie Watts, Ken Burns, Jon Batiste, Ron Howard, Bette Midler and many more.

“Louis Armstrong is the greatest of all American virtuosos,” states Wynton Marsalis, President of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation and Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. “With his trumpet and voice, Armstrong redefined what it meant to be modern by testifying to the range and depth of humanity from the vantage point of the bottom social strata in post-Reconstruction America. Louis Armstrong’s trumpet is the sound of freedom and with it, he left the world so much richer than how he found it. We need his consciousness, intelligence and broad understanding now, more than ever. The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation was the baseline grantor of the Louis Armstrong House Museum and we have been in full support throughout the growth of this historic site. We are so proud of the Museum, and now, the new Armstrong Center. This great achievement is a physical representation of the down-home soulful world of Pops. It is much, much more than just a place. It’s a way for all people from everywhere to physically interact with the profound and deeply moving legacy of Lucille and Louis Armstrong.”

Credit: Bowery Image Group/Andrew Kelly

Working with the museum’s Grammy-winning Director of Research Collections Ricky Riccardi and Executive Director Regina Bain, C&G Partners (MoMA, 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Smithsonian, NASA) designed the exhibition with Art Guild(Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Martin Guitar Museum). The 60,000 photos, recordings, manuscripts, letters & mementos in the Louis Armstrong Archive will be returning home to the block where the Armstrongs lived and built the collection.

Caples Jefferson Architects designed the 14,000-square-foot building to expand the capacity of the historic house museum and to allow many more people to appreciate the legacy of Louis Armstrong, the man and his music. Armstrong was both down-home and revolutionary and this building reflects that breadth. Caples Jefferson kept the building at the scale of the modest neighborhood that he loved, while creating an urban precinct for his music that welcomes in all visitors. This new building establishes the final piece of the campus that now comprises the museum as whole; it now includes the home itself that reflects the personal values of Louis Armstrong, the garden that serves as a place for gathering and a place for live performances, the donated home of next-door neighbor Selma Heraldo, reflecting the deep roots within the community, and the new center, designed as an interpretation of Armstrong’s music, where the public can learn even more about the icon who is Louis Armstrong.

The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation donated the Armstrong archives in the 1980s and provided the funds to purchase the lot on which the new Center sits. CUNY and Queens College officials, working with state and city legislators and executive offices, led the advocacy for the funding of the $26 million building across the street from the original Armstrong home. Funds were awarded by the Office of the Governor, the New York State Senate, New York State Assembly, Office of the New York City Mayor, Office of the Queens Borough President, and the New York City Council. The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York(DASNY) led the construction project. The staff and board of the museum for the past 15 years, including former Director, Michael Cogswell, worked tirelessly to ensure the new building’s success.

The Center and the historic house will be open to the public Thursdays through Saturdays. Tickets can be purchased on the Museum’s website. Advance purchase is highly recommended as tours of the Center and the historic house have limited capacity. Authors, researchers and other scholars can visit the Armstrong archives by advance appointment. For ticketing and more information about the new Center, visit www.louisarmstronghouse.org.

 

Vinyl Records Market size is set to grow by USD 663.77 million from 2022 to 2027

Eric Alper
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Vinyl Records Market size is set to grow by USD 663.77 million from 2022 to 2027

The global vinyl records market size is estimated to grow by USD 663.77 million from 2022 to 2027, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 8.41% during the forecast period. North America is estimated to account for 32% of the global market growth.

Vinyl Records Market – Segmentation Assessment
Segment Overview
This report extensively covers market segmentation by product (LP/EP vinyl records and single vinyl records), distribution channel (online and offline), and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, and South America).

  • The market share growth by the LP/EP vinyl records segment will be significant for market growth during the forecast period. Most of the record labels use LP vinyl as the standard format for vinyl records. The segment growth can be attributed to the increasing demand for retro music. Different colors in LP vinyl records for retro music with creative packaging are also offered by various market vendors to attract customers to the market. Furthermore, EP (extended play) vinyl records were introduced as singles through the vinyl format. Moreover, the rising popularity and promotional activities of EP records would further propel the demand for LP/EP vinyl records. Hence, such factors boost the segment growth during the forecast period.

Geography Overview
By geography, the global vinyl records market is segmented into North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa. The report provides actionable insights and estimates the contribution of all regions to the growth of the global vinyl records market.

  • North America is projected to account for 32% of market growth during the forecast period. The existence of several music publishers and vinyl record-pressing plants across North America drives the market growth in the region. Furthermore, the high GDP per capita indicates the high spending capacity of the population, which allows them to spend on vinyl records. Such factors are likely to increase the revenue generated by the music market in the country. Hence, such factors boost the regional market growth during the forecast period.

Vinyl Records Market – Market Dynamics
Key factor driving market growth
The aesthetic appeal of vinyl records drives the market growth during the forecast period. The medium of music has changed in form and content over the years. But for an audiophile or a music lover, vinyl records are still considered an auratic product.

The ability to represent important events in pop music history and heritage while providing a sense of the cultural background, which is modern and urbane is considered an important feature in vinyl records. Moreover, music enthusiasts collect vinyl records as collectibles, as most records are packaged artistically and presented creatively. Hence, such factors drive the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Leading trends influencing the market 

Promoting vinyl records as special editions or deluxe products is an emerging trend in the market. Young people listen to music on many devices and in different formats. But they increasingly invest in vinyl records for their most loved recordings.

Thus, various market players try to differentiate their product offerings by launching special and deluxe editions of their copies. Additionally, various artists and labels promote their products as deluxe products, quoting a higher price to increase revenue. Hence, such trends boost the market growth during the forecast period.

Major challenges hindering the market growth

Digital music formats challenge the growth of the market during the forecast period. The music industry is going through a transition and the current trend is the streaming format. This format has witnessed significant growth over the past few years.

Moreover, a fast Internet connection has allowed people to access music directly via cell phones or other electronic devices. Hence, such factors will hinder the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Skullcandy Extends Audio Offering Launching All-New Line Of Portable Wireless Speakers Built To Fuel The Party

Eric Alper
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Skullcandy Extends Audio Offering Launching All-New Line Of Portable Wireless Speakers Built To Fuel The Party

Skullcandy today introduced an all-new lineup of powerful wireless speakers. The new Ounce, Kilo, Terrain Mini, Terrain and Terrain XL Wireless Bluetooth Speakers bring an array of features including significant battery life, all-weather rugged engineering and ultra-portable design at accessible price points, without compromising supreme sound. The lineup of speakers is now available globally at select retailers and on Skullcandy.com.

“We developed this line of speakers to extend our consumers’ experience from listening solo, to gathering with friends,” said Justin Regan, Vice Preside of Marketing, Skullcandy. “Purpose built for all-day use, these products last as long as the party, with no limits to how far you can take them.”

The adventure-ready powerhouse lineup of speakers is waterproof with an IPX7 rating and hold enough juice to last all night long. Kilo features a wireless linking system that allows consumers to sync two Kilo speakers to blast music in full stereo. The Terrain lineup is the ultimate party-starter, taking this feature to the next level. Users are able to connect up to 99 of any of the three Terrain models together using SKDY Multi-Link, allowing users to customize and scale the size of their listening experience.

Colorways for all speakers in the lineup include light grey/blue, black/space grey, dark blue/blue blaze and astro dust. Additional details for each speaker include:

Ounce Wireless Bluetooth Speaker – $29.99 MSRP

  • Up to 16 Hours Battery Life 
  • IPX7 Water Resistant – Fully waterproof design means this Bluetooth speaker is able to withstand full immersion down to 3 feet for up to 30 minutes. Acoustically transparent waterproof fabric mesh is engineered to maximize the passthrough of high frequency audio waves, keeping the speaker’s sound bright and crystal clear. Perfect for traveling, camping, boating, kayaking, and other outdoor adventures.
  • Take it Anywhere – Compact and packable design with ballistic nylon strap.
  • Wireless Bluetooth 5.3 Streaming – Advanced Bluetooth 5.3 chip, ensures stable transmission up to 33 ft (10m) long range.
  • Downward Firing Passive Radiator – Surface resonating passive radiator with contoured foot for maximum bass.
  • USB-CTM Input Charging – USB-CTM charging provides a reliable, fast charge to your speaker.

Kilo Wireless Bluetooth Speaker – $39.99 MSRP

  • Up to 24 Hours Battery Life 
  • IPX7 Water Resistant – Fully waterproof design means this Bluetooth speaker is able to withstand full immersion down to 3 feet for up to 30 minutes. Acoustically transparent waterproof fabric mesh is engineered to maximize the passthrough of high frequency audio waves, keeping the speaker’s sound bright and crystal clear. Perfect for traveling, camping, boating, kayaking, and other outdoor adventures.
  • Rugged & Durable – Seamless mesh fabric material and rugged housing ensures speaker’s durability for fearless entertainment.
  • Clip it Anywhere – Included aluminum anodized carabiner along with allows you to attach the speaker’s built-in nylon strap easily to your bag or bike.
  • Wireless Bluetooth 5.3 Streaming – Advanced Bluetooth 5.3 chip, ensures stable transmission up to 33 ft (10m) long range.
  • True Wireless Stereo – Create an immersive stereo sound experience by connecting two Kilo™ speakers to each other wirelessly.
  • Downward Firing Passive Radiator – Surface resonating passive radiator with contoured foot for maximum bass.
  • USB-CTM Input Charging – USB-CTM charging provides a reliable, fast charge to your speaker.

Terrain™ Mini Wireless Bluetooth Speaker – $39.99 MSRP

  • Up to 14 Hours Battery Life 
  • IPX7 Water Resistant – Fully waterproof design means this Bluetooth speaker is able to withstand full immersion down to 3 feet for up to 30 minutes. Acoustically transparent waterproof fabric mesh is engineered to maximize the passthrough of high frequency audio waves, keeping the speaker’s sound bright and crystal clear. Perfect for traveling, camping, boating, kayaking, and other outdoor adventures.
  • Supreme Sound – Exceptional sound quality with powerful bass even at home, the park, or on the beach.
  • Connect to Multiple Source Devices – Connect to two devices at once and easily switch between the audio source with a click of the BT button.
  • True Wireless Stereo – Create an immersive stereo sound experience by connecting two Terrain speakers to each other wirelessly!
  • SKDY Multi-Link – Wirelessly connect up to 99 Skullcandy speakers.
  • Wireless Bluetooth 5.3 Streaming – Advanced Bluetooth 5.3 chip, ensures stable transmission up to 33 ft (10m) long range.

Terrain Wireless Bluetooth Speaker – $59.99 MSRP

  • Up to 14 Hours Battery Life 
  • IPX7 Water Resistant – Fully waterproof design means this Bluetooth speaker is able to withstand full immersion down to 3 feet for up to 30 minutes. Acoustically transparent waterproof fabric mesh is engineered to maximize the passthrough of high frequency audio waves, keeping the speaker’s sound bright and crystal clear. Perfect for traveling, camping, boating, kayaking, and other outdoor adventures.
  • Supreme Sound – Exceptional sound quality with powerful bass even at home, the park, or on the beach.
  • Connect to Multiple Source Devices – Connect to two devices at once and easily switch between the audio source with a click of the BT button.
  • True Wireless Stereo – Create an immersive stereo sound experience by connecting two Terrain speakers to each other wirelessly!
  • SKDY Multi-Link – Wirelessly connect up to 99 Skullcandy speakers.
  • Wireless Bluetooth 5.3 Streaming – Advanced Bluetooth 5.3 chip, ensures stable transmission up to 33 ft (10m) long range.

Terrain XL Wireless Bluetooth Speaker – $79.99 MSRP

  • Up to 18 Hours Battery Life 
  • IPX7 Water Resistant – Fully waterproof design means this Bluetooth speaker is able to withstand full immersion down to 3 feet for up to 30 minutes. Acoustically transparent waterproof fabric mesh is engineered to maximize the passthrough of high frequency audio waves, keeping the speaker’s sound bright and crystal clear. Perfect for traveling, camping, boating, kayaking, and other outdoor adventures.
  • Supreme Sound – Exceptional sound quality with powerful bass even at home, the park, or on the beach.
  • Connect to Multiple Source Devices – Connect to two devices at once and easily switch between the audio source with a click of the BT button.
  • True Wireless Stereo – Create an immersive stereo sound experience by connecting two Terrain speakers to each other wirelessly!
  • SKDY Multi-Link – Wirelessly connect up to 99 Skullcandy speakers.
  • Wireless Bluetooth 5.3 Streaming – Advanced Bluetooth 5.3 chip, ensures stable transmission up to 33 ft (10m) long range.

For more information visit Skullcandy.com or follow along on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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