All the Latest Music News on Nagamag

From a set of improvisations, recorded at Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA. The upcoming collection of piano pieces weaves together genres of ambient, jazz, and classical; and are products of meditations on points of growth and healing.

This effort follows Joe Kenney’s full band/collaborative album “Forth”, released in October 2020, and hearkens back to and expands on the vibe of Kenney’s debut album –also a solo piano album — called “Afflictions and Remedies” (2015). The idea for this newest collection started several years ago, and is the culmination of creating and workshopping “meditations” and other short improvisatory motives, which Kenney has collated on his instagram highlights. This project has been evolving concurrently with the release of Kenney’s collaborative album Forth, which released in October 2020, and is completely different in that if features vocalists and touches on genres of hip hop and funk and more, with a full band.

https://www.instagram.com/joekenneypiano/?__a=1

Joe Kenney is a recording artist, songwriter, and pianist from Philadelphia. The music on Kenney’s four albums and various collaborations span multiple genres, and are reflective of a cohesive blending of classical music theory, jazz fusion, rock, soul, and hip-hop idioms. Joe has garnered praise for both his original compositions and cover arrangements.

​His debut album, Afflictions and Remedies (2015), a solo piano album, received local airplay in Philadelphia and was also praised as a “painting of a piano at work” by Meredith Hairston, who put the album in rotation at WJSU in Jackson, MS.

In early 2016, Kenney went to work on an album of jazz and classical inspired arrangements of alternative rock and top 40 hits. Released in February 2016, the sophomore album 1.5 was recognized on broadcast radio 104.5 Philadelphia and featured on iHeartRadio. DJ Wendy Rollins characterized Joe’s cover of the Twenty One Pilots song Stressed Out as “perfection” and went on to applaud him for “re-imagining songs in a completely different format.”

Following the success of the first two solo piano albums, Joe expanded into different formats, working with a full band and honing in on a jazz fusion sound, while retaining the classically informed harmonies from his first two albums. An EP of three singles would be released in 2017, which would be the foundation and inspiration for the forthcoming 2020 album.

In March 2018, Kenney released 2.5, his third full studio album in as many years. Showcasing multiple styles and varying instrumentation, 2.5 features distinctively energized reinterpretations of eight alternative rock hits. The first half of the album features two full group instrumental tracks and two vocal arrangements, while the second half of the album features solo piano re-imaginings of four others.

In August 2018, Joe made waves with his debut orchestral performance with the Chester County Pops, where Kenney’s arrangement of his own original work Zera was premiered, alongside a performance of Chopin’s Andante Spianato et Grande Polonaise Brillante.
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Amidst an active performing and recording schedule with several bands and collaborators, Kenney’s latest undertaking has been the recording and unveiling of his fourth album, which features six highly decorated vocal artists from the Philadelphia area, on a ten-track original album that has music geared towards markets that cross multiple musical styles. The first single, Another Side (Ft. Joy Ike), released on May 8th, 2020, and was premiered by Neon Music (UK) with a glowing review. It was also featured on The Key/WXPN and selected as the Philly Local pick by highly popular radio personality Helen Leicht. The next two releases, All’s Not Lost (Ft. Laura Lizcano) and Gone (Ft Aaron Parnell Brown) were also met with spectacular reviews.

On October 23rd, the full album, Forth, was released to all platforms. It won a Bronze Medal in the Global Music Awards and has been featured on over 85 Radio Stations in U.S. and Canada.

https://www.facebook.com/joekenneypiano

“Let it Breathe” is an ode to repressed memories. Despite trying to push it away, the shame of the subject’s past choices still lingers. The regret of words unsaid can no longer be silenced. Set to guitar, piano, and violin, this is the last song of our debut EP, Words Unsaid.

https://instagram.com/deerfellow

Deer Fellow is an indie folk-pop duo with a “new wave soul twist.” Based out of Austin, bandmates Matt Salois (guitar, vocals) and Alyssa Kelly (violin, vocals, piano) met at an open mic and were quick to collaborate. Fast forward to present day and coupledom, the two have built a cross-genre sound that “pulls you in right away, stirring romance and broken hearts.”


The duo's vocal harmonies and unique guitar-violin blends have landed them features on KUTX 98.9 Radio, CBS Austin, and EASTside Magazine. Often compared to the likes of Andrew Bird and The Civil Wars, Deer Fellow's debut EP, Words Unsaid, presents a collection of authentic songwriting and soundscapes that “surround and warm the soul." From live showcases with Austin greats to virtual festivals alongside such artists as Grammy winner John Paul White, their style and substance have garnered attention within the indie music industry.


Fans describe their live performance as an experience that “gives that warm tingly feeling, like taking a bath with a glass of champagne.” The group currently plays all around Austin and plans to go on tour in the near future.

https://deerfellow.bandcamp.com/

March 5th saw the release of Swedish artist David Josephson melancholic single “Stockholm är en bra plats att leva på när man är död” (translated as: Stockholm is a good place to live in when you are dead). A jeremiad with a melodic piano and heavy synthesizers about coming back to a place that once was your home. The people, places and dreams that you were ready to give up as you plunged into the unknown just to return again one day with your tail between your legs.

Dajuan is a country singer and hip hop rapper from West Virginia.

https://instagram.com/dajuan_dawson

After its latest success with ‘Sign from God’, March and June has once again dusted off his synth pads and traveled back in time to bring us ‘Remember’ – a retro pop track with 90’s influences reminding us that love doesn’t have a time and place or expiration date. It’s all about letting yourself get lost in the moment and allowing love to remind you who you are: shiny flares of retro grooves traveling at light speed into our times. Remember.

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialMarchAndJune/

March & June is a new music project which combines different energies and vibes.

Behind March and June there is one artist who performs as a producer, songwriter and mix engineer. Born in June, his personality traits are deeply reflected in his music. Duality, moods, feelings, all these can be felt in his music. He’s not aiming to show off using his real name, yet only to assemble his emotions and life experiences. Music is the main character, not himself as an individual.

Throughout the years, he has produced a lot of tracks for many artists all over the world.

He has perfected his craft during the last 15 years, collecting under his belt no less than 3 No 1 tracks and numerous top 10 and top 45 records.

Many of his successful records are the result of collaborations with Grammy winning producers and engineers such as Tom Coyne, Chris Gehringer, Alex Psaroudakis and Luca Pretolesi. Working in Germany, Sweeden, Canada, UK and Eastern Europe got him record deals with Sony Music, Universal, and BMG and other big music labels. As of now, he is a prolific R’n’B, Trap, Neo Soul, Pop, Dance, Garage, Funk, Deep House and Disco music producer.

All the music he’s ever listened to has influenced him in one way or another, especially the 80s and 90s sound.

Taught by his father how to play the drums at the age of 7, he fell in love with this instrument. In a chaotic world, he is constantly looking for a warm sound which comes from the positive as well as peaceful places and people. He's also looking for freedom and mood. The perfect mood.

The pop music influence can be felt when collaborating with other artists from this genre.

March and June project will be shared with the voices that he genuinely loves, not aiming for the spotlights.

https://www.instagram.com/march.and.june/

S. E. Webster is a folk-rock artist born and raised in the deserts of Southern California. S.E.’s music evokes sunsets, sepia tones, and long drives on dusty, far-off roads. With intimate vocals and lush instrumentation, S. E. has cultivated a modern but timeless sound. His music gives voice to feelings of longing and nostalgia for what could have been.

“You & I Would Die” is a 4 song debut EP set for release on February 26th, 2021. The songs trace the arc of a romance destined to end too soon, the victim of circumstance and cross-country moves. As the first chapter of a trilogy, this EP sets the scene and brings the listener along for the ride. The follow-up EP is set to be released in Summer 2021.

S. E. collaborated with producer/composer Erik Groysman (Karmina, Cape Weather, Drunk History) to create a visceral, visually-stimulating experience with the help of mixer Steve Bone (Cape Weather, Mario Jose, Hannah Sumner).

https://www.instagram.com/s.e.webster/
https://sewebster.bandcamp.com/

The first single from my forthcoming album, Enamel (out April 2021). A product of Melbourne’s long 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, written in April 2020 when a year’s worth of gigs had just been cancelled, and featuring samples recorded during lockdown-walks of a broken piano that was left to decay on a suburban street near my home.

Pre-order Enamel on Bandcamp: https://ericabramham.bandcamp.com/album/enamel

Erica Bramham – voice, double bass, guitar, broken piano, samples, production

Isaac Barter – mixing & mastering

https://ericabramham.com/

Erica Bramham is a critically acclaimed vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and composer from Melbourne, Australia. Poetic, inventive and uniquely personal, her work crosses the boundaries between pop, folk, jazz and experimental art music, showcasing her finesse as a lyricist and a captivating performance style that blends song with spoken word and improvisation.

https://instagram.com/ericabramham

This song is part of an album that was written while I was going through the emotions of being diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Although sad and melancholic, The music also conveys a sense of hopefulness. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed creating it.

https://www.instagram.com/Joshuacarltonofficial

Oregon instrumentalist Joshua Carlton toured the world with post rock band This Patch of Sky for the last decade. This lead him to compose music for television and film such as ‘Brand, a Second Coming’ (a documentary film on actor Russell Brand and his battle with drug addiction), and the Vice channel. He has also been featured in the McDonald’s Ramadan commercial, as well as large brands such as Petco. Joshua’s excited to share his new solo project. “This is an album that I absolutely had to write” he says of 2021 debut ‘Moonlight Under the Black Flag’. Joshua was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in February of 2020 and found solace in purging his emotions through the music he was composing. “This music is truly my heart, and I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed creating it”.

https://www.facebook.com/JoshuaCarltonMusic

https://www.instagram.com/lestesiemusic/

Lestesie is an acoustic and electronic music composer and producer based in Geneva in Switzerland.

After a lot of releases, tracks, remixes, ghost stuffs, Lestesie is actually working on new tracks with the goal to always produced some kind of Hybrid dance Music.

https://lestesie.bandcamp.com/track/dark-matter-from-shimani

This song is about choosing to be happy, no matter what obstacles come in your way. It is a motivational rap song, and has an international appeal.

https://www.instagram.com/motivationalrap/
https://twitter.com/motivationalrap