Six top-ranked OurStage bands selected to play BOSTON, July 14
BOSTON, July 14 /PRNewswire/ -- OurStage (http://www.OurStage.com), a
music discovery destination providing professional opportunities for
up-and-coming talent, has partnered with Festival Network's Newport Folk
Festival and JVC Jazz Festival Newport to help identify best emerging artists
for the 2008 line-ups. Six top-ranked artists from OurStage.com have been
selected to play opening slots at the nationally acclaimed festivals.
"We were really impressed with the quality of submissions and the level of
fan engagement on OurStage," Jason Olaine, Vice President of Programming for
Festival Network said. "We found the artist discovery process on OurStage.com
to be extremely efficient and reliable and we look forward to using it again
in the future."
In March 2008, Newport Folk and JVC Jazz teamed up with OurStage to create
an online submission process and competition to find emerging, independent
artists to perform at the 2008 Festival. This competition received 2,304
submissions in the past three months.
American Babies, The Honors, Ryan Fitzsimmons and Sydney Wayser were all
selected to perform at the Newport Folk Festival. Dred Scott Trio and
Ameranouche won slots at the JVC Jazz Festival Newport.
Many of the selected artists have strong, successful histories with
OurStage: American Babies was selected to play Bonnaroo in 2007; Sydney Wayser
won a slot at the New England Starbucks Music Maker competition and an opening
for Kaki King at the SXSW official music opening party. Her SXSW performance
was followed by a 4 city-tour with Kaki King, who discovered her at her SXSW
set, and Ameranouche was a finalist in the New England "College Clash" battle
of the bands.
"We are equally excited about supporting all of these great artists as we
are about OurStage," adds Olaine. "OurStage is among the few new industry
leaders who offers meaningful opportunities for emerging artists to launch and
develop their careers -- they want and do play an active part in their top
acts' development."
At Newport Folk, all of the winning OurStage artists will be allotted
performance slots on both the Main and Supporting Stages, sharing the stage
with acts such as She & Him, Jakob Dylan, Calexico, Gillian Welch, Kaki King,
Steve Earle and Cat Power. The artists performing at JVC Jazz will have
similar opportunities to open for the likes of Aretha Franklin, Sonny Rollins,
Herbie Hancock and Soulive.
"Our mission is to help talented artists achieve critical exposure by
solving the greatest challenge on the Internet today: sorting quality content
from the sea of mediocrity online," Ben Campbell, CEO of OurStage, said. "With
the Internet permanently changing the way music is discovered and distributed,
we are excited not only to support talented emerging artists, but to work with
great partners like the Newport Folk Festival to deliver this music to the
fans."
OurStage.com winners performing at the 2008 Newport Folk Festival:
About American Babies: http://www.ourstage.com/fanclub/tomhamilton
Tom Hamilton is only in his mid-20s, but the guitarist/singer commands his
nursery of American Babies with all the seasoned know-how of someone twice his
age. The band is filled out by some heavy-hitting, Brooklyn-based musicians:
guitarist Scott Metzger, bassist Jim Hamilton, vibraphone virtuoso Kevin
Kendrick, and the highly praised drummer Joe Russo. Such a line-up could
easily create a large, boisterous sound, but the American Babies apply a "less
is more" mentality to these rootsy, country-infused tunes. When Hamilton
strums his guitar, casually wails into his harmonica, and leads the American
Babies in another one of their wistful numbers, he channels a young Gram
Parsons (or perhaps a more sober Ryan Adams). And when the American Babies
wrap their three-part harmonies around Hamilton's twangy baritone, it's not
hard to see this group -- and their young leader -- enjoying a career as
lengthy as those aforementioned luminaries.
American Babies will play the Harbor Stage at 11:30am on August 2nd.
About Sydney Wayser: http://www.ourstage.com/fanclub/swayser
Intimate and playful; placid and serene; melancholy and dark, with
occasional hints of passing sadness: This is the sound of Sydney Wayser, a
twenty-one-year-old singer-songwriter who with her French father and American
mother has lived her life between Paris and Los Angeles. Sydney's music is
rife with tales and adventure; it quite simply draws you into her world,
delicately. Her first album, entitled "Silent Parade," is the ode to
simplicity and a nod to grace that truly defines the impact of Sydney's
writing and voice. Time spent in Paris only ripened her desire to study the
great painters, singers, and iconic figures of both worlds, and fed her mind
and soul with a wealth of experience and vision with which to develop her
music. "Silent Parade" is a moving collection, showcasing a talented, young,
and personable songwriter with a visceral offering of poetry and song that
remarks on the beauty of innocence.
Sydney Wayser will play the Waterside Stage at 11:30am on August 2nd.
About Ryan Fitzsimmons: http://www.ourstage.com/fanclub/ryanfitzsimmons
Originally from Syracuse, New York, Ryan first gained attention at age 14
playing lead guitar in Anodyne, an alternative rock band nominated for a
Syracuse Area Music Award (SAMMY). But after performing in a number of
electric bands, Ryan decided to give up the amplifiers to see what he could do
with just wood, steel and voice. Ryan Fitzsimmons' acoustic world runs the
emotional gambit; the lyrics of Ryan's songs range from gentle, poetic details
to the in-your-face realism of a bar fight and his guitar ranges just as far,
from starry night to thunderclap. Winner of the 2007 "Best Male Vocalist"
award in the Providence Phoenix, Ryan has been engaging audiences with his
distinctive songwriting and dynamic performances. Along the way, Ryan has
shared the stage with performers Ben Folds, Dar Williams, Loudon Wainwright
III, Greg Brown, and Richie Havens, among others. Ryan expects to release his
second solo album in early 2009.
Ryan Fitzsimmons will play the Waterside Stage at 11:30am on August 3rd.
About The Honors: http://www.ourstage.com/fanclub/thehonors
The Honors began initially as a union of friendship in 2003, when Brandon
met Jay while studying at Regent's College in London, England. Though from
different backgrounds, they undoubtedly shared a common interest: good music.
Their experiences in London and ambitions as musicians later re-united them in
Boston where, after two years performing separately, Jay and Brandon
solidified their fate and formed The Honors in January of 2008. Operating out
of their indie label, Wolf Den Studio, The Honors is constantly recording new
material. Stemming from an interest in writing the perfect song, The Honors
brings to the modern musical landscape a sense of value and integrity. Their
sound is fresh and accessible, their attention to detail evident in the
tightness of the grooves and the sweetness of the harmonies. Members include
Brandon Heisler on lead vocals and acoustic guitar, Jay Trikakis on drums and
vocals, Andrew Bayardi on lead electric guitars and vocals, and Roland Nicol
on bass.
The Honors will play the Harbor Stage at 12:10pm on August 3rd.
OurStage.com winners performing at the 2008 JVC Jazz Festival Newport:
About Dred Scott Trio: http://www.ourstage.com/fanclub/dredscotttrio
With his seventh album, jazz pianist Dred Scott and his Trio deliver a
tasty sampling of the downtown cool that has helped them build one of the most
fervent followings on the New York jazz scene. "Live at the Rockwood" reflects
over a year of creative energy at one of the East Village's most overachieving
live music venues. A long-time cult favorite of the jazz scene, Dred Scott has
collaborated with some of the Lower East Side's most sought-after acts,
including Norah Jones, Richard Julian, Sasha Dobson, Bill McHenry, Jay
Collins, Rene Risque and the Art Lovers, Mudville and many others. He has also
recorded on nearly 40 albums and performed with dozens of heavyweights
including Anthony Braxton, John Adams, the Berkeley Symphony (Kent Nagano),
Rickie Lee Jones, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Joe Henderson, Moby, Bob Weir
(Grateful Dead), Zigaboo Modeliste (The Meters), Mike Clark (Herbie Hancock),
Nina Hagen and more.
Dred Scott Trio will play the Harbor Stage at 11:10 am on August 9th.
About Ameranouche: http://www.ourstage.com/fanclub/ameranouche
Ameranouche is a virtuosic trio with an inimitable sound composed on two
acoustic French guitars and upright bass. The rip-roaring, fast-fingered,
U.S.-based ensemble plays acoustic hot jazz and folk rock styles; their music
is a portrait of sonic mastery balancing between both World and American
roots, constantly brimming with Gypsy and Spanish influence. The musicians are
lead guitarist Richard Sheppard, rhythm guitarist Ryan Flaherty and upright
bassist Xar Adelberg. Their music is often referred to as Gypsy Jazz, the
explosive genre created by the great gypsy guitarist and composer Django
Reinhardt. Ameranouche plays original compositions and unique arrangements of
American and Gypsy Jazz standards. The trio's repertoire flies beyond familiar
Jazz styles, which gives the group limitless access to rearranged songs and
original compositions. With the music world's current outbreak of acoustic
groups like Rodrigo Y Gabriella and Bela Fleck, it is no surprise Ameranouche
is finding a welcoming territory on today's new music map.
Ameranouche will play the Harbor Stage at 11:10am on August 10th.
About Newport Folk Festival:
Founded in 1959, the Newport Folk Festival has become an institution
renowned for presenting well-known folk stars alongside the best new talent of
the day in one of the most beautifully intimate settings America can offer.
From Joan Baez, James Taylor and Joni Mitchell, to The Pixies, Bright Eyes and
Wilco, the Newport Folk Festival continues to present nationally known
performers as well as traditional folk and roots artists alongside new artists
from a wide variety of genres including folk/rock, indie rock, bluegrass,
country, alt-country, blues, grassroots and world music.
About Newport Jazz Festival:
The 2008 JVC Jazz Festival Newport continues a legacy begun in 1954, when
George Wein launched the modern music festival era with the first Newport Jazz
Festival. Over the decades the event has become an integral thread in the
fabric of jazz music, the name itself synonymous with some of the greatest
performances in the genre's long history. With a heritage that includes
appearances by Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie to Miles Davis and Ornette
Coleman, JVC Jazz Festival Newport throughout the years has always given
festival-goers a chance to witness musical history on the stage.
About Festival Network:
The Festival Network, LLC (FN) develops, acquires and produces multi-day
music festivals and live entertainment properties in unique destinations
around the globe. FN's predecessor company, Festival Productions, pioneered
the outdoor "festival era" in 1954 with the creation of the renowned Newport
Jazz Festival. FN manages the development and distribution of content derived
from its historical, current and upcoming live music festivals, entertainment
events and sports-related properties. Another division, FN Management,
provides artist management services to a select group of performing artists
and producers. FN, which is privately held, is headquartered in San Francisco,
with offices in New York and Los Angeles.
About OurStage, Inc.
OurStage is a pioneering web platform dedicated to new music and new
artist discovery. On OurStage, artists, fans, & industry professionals all
come together -- to discover, judge, & enjoy the best new music and the best
new artists online -- as ranked by the fans -- in the company's proprietary,
game-proof judging engine. Visitors are able to discover top ranked, already
sorted, music without having to hunt through hundreds of songs to find the
quality. Top-ranked artists receive significant career-building promotion and
support from established artists, industry professionals, and a broad
assortment of partners, including AOL Music, Bonnaroo, Bumbershoot, PLUG
Awards, Newport Folk Festival, JVC Jazz Festival Newport, Paste Magazine, CMJ,
Noise Pop, and many others. Founded in 2007, OurStage delivers music and
related content to over 1.5 million fans in 140 countries each month -- and
has attracted over 45,000 artist-members and hundreds of thousands of
registered Fans in its short history.
For more information, contact:
Jessica Morris
Director of Communication, OurStage
978-244-1440 ext. 247
jessica@ourstage.com
SOURCE OurStage, Inc.
