Barry's Blog
OK, it's been a while. A friend said recently, "By the time you post again, Bush really will be impeached!" Well, not just yet, but here goes:
I've been, of course, busy with myriad projects (that's the kind of lingo you can get away with as a college "prof"), both musical and educational. I continue to teach at The New England Institue of Art (my full time gig) and at Emerson College. I've been slowly but surely working on a Doctorate of Business Degree, majoring in International Business. As part of my studies, I took a class for a week in Chile last Fall, and am taking another one in Prague in May.
I toured Portugal with vocalist Philip Hamilton for nine shows in two weeks in August of 2005 (and for a couple of shows in Agust of 2006 as well). During that trip, I met Cape Verdean singer Dany Silva, with whom I've subsequently made a rewarding musical "partnership", one that has resulted in my practically commuting to Portugal. Dany is not only a warm and wonderful person, but he's also one of the greats of Cape Verdean music. We've been recording two albums over the past year and a half, and it's been a ball.
The first album ( entitled "Caminho Longi") consisits of new material and is completed and about to be mastered. I'm putting clips from it on my Musical Samples page. We're expecting it will be released this Summer. The second album is remakes of several of Dany's biggest hits along with his versions of some Cape Verdean standards. There are several "duets" on this record, including performances by Cape Verdean and Portugese stars like Tito Paris, Paulo de Carvalho, and Rui Veloso. I'll be back in Portugal at least a couple of times this Summer to finish this second album. I've also started an album with Fado singer Maria Jorge in Lisbon.
Other productions I've been working on are a bluegrass album with old friends Jon Macey and Steve Gilligan and an album of Latin jazz with Italian singer Eleonora Bianchini. More details will follow. And The Marshalls are threatening to record a whole new album soon. That will be our second album, but our first new recordings since the eighties! Can your heart stand it?
Hi to all,
I've had some amazing experiences since my last posting. I had the good fortune to do a short tour to Estonia and lithuania with Philip Hamilton. Philip and I wrote and produced an album together which came out last fall. This trip was partly to play songs from and promote the album, and we played at two festivals: JazzKaar in Tallin, Estonia, and KaunusJazz in Vilnius, Lithuania. We played to 1,000 and 1,200 people respectively, and both shows were broadcast on each country's national radio station.
The band was tremendous; Greg Osby on saxophones and Ben Wittman on drums are two of the better-known players, but it was a thrill and a privelege to play with all of them, as well as with Philip, who is surely one of the greatest singers of this or any era. I can't tell you how exciting it was to see hundreds of people dancing to songs I helped write. I'm hoping to do more shows with Philip later this year. I also did a week and a half trip to Tunisia last month, but that was more for fun. I'll keep you posted.
I haven't posted for a while and I know you missed me. Since my last posting, I finished my Masters Degree (in education, from Argosy University) and I may be starting a doctorate soon. Bet you didn't know I had it in me; neither did I, quite frankly.
I also wrote a chapter in a refence/textbook called the
Encyclopedia of Regional American Culture: New England for Greenwood Press. The chapter is on the history of music in New England and I managed to get some of the greats I've worked with or known over the years (i.e. the Sidewinders, Jonathan Richman, Andy Pratt, Wolf, and even Asa Brebner, amongst many others; I had to leave out myself and the family, unfortunately) into the text, as well as well as some heavyweights I've idolized like Charles Ives or Gunther Schuller. So now, before I've perished, I have published (that's a little academic world in-joke for you laypeople). I may upload onto my site an early draft of the sections on the last fifty years or so, for those who are interested.
On the gig front, I'll be doing some Marshalls gigs in the Spring. I am also playing March 26 in Samarra's latest belly dancing show, "Take Me, I'm Yours", at the All Asia Cafe, 334 Mass Ave in Cambridge. It's on Saturday March 26, from 7-10 PM.
On the recording front (is this starting to sound like a combat report?) I've been working on Jon Macey's album. His band is now going to be officially called "Fox Pass". That was the name of the Rat-era band which also included Johnny Jules and Michael Roy from this band, so it makes good sense to call it that. We should have the record out by June or July.
This past November I started recording Patricia Vlieg's newest album. This one is secular, as opposed to
Tus Promesas, her previous album I also produced, which was a religious record. The new songs are inspiring in their own right, and have some tremendous Grammy-winning musicians, like Oscar Stagnaro and Brian Walker, playing on them. We recorded it at Q Division Studios with Bill Crabtree engineering, and we should be finishing it up by May. This should be a career-defining record for Patricia.
Hi to All,
The exciting recent news (is that an oxymoron or am I just a .. never mind) is that we've (Philip Hamilton's album) been nominated for a Boston Music Award! It's nominated in the Blues Category, and we are up against heavy hitters, many of whom I've performed with in the past, like Johnny A, James Montgomery, Roomful, and Susan Tedeschi. I need you all to vote for us. I'll even say please... Please. The listing is :
http://www.nemoboston.com/bma/vote.html
If you do vote, please give my colleagues Bill Crabtree (engineered Best World Music act, III Kings, as well as Philip's album), Pete Peloquin (engineered Hip Hop act, Ed OG, as well as Philip's album) and Dave Lefkowitz (engineered Johnny A's album, which you should vote for in the Best Indy Album category and not in our category as Best Blues Act!) a vote as well. I think if you have the patience you can vote up to ten times.
In other news, my friend Peter Montgomery is just releasing his new album by his group, The Montgomerys. I produced one song on the album, but the whole record is great, and I'll have clips from it up on my site soon.
The gig front is revving up again. The Gospel Brunch is happening at Jasper White's Summer Shack in Alewife, Cambridge on September 26th. I'll be playing with the Rev. Lee Mitchell and a cooking band. I think the show starts at 11AM or so, and the food is (of course) amazing.
The Elvis / Belly Dancing Extravaganza is on again at the All Asia Cafe from 7-10PM in Cambridge on September 18th. We are also doing a special performance of Elvis / Belly Dancing at the Boston Music Awards Show at Avalon on Sept. 29th. That show is invitation only, so try to come to the All Asia if you haven't seen it yet.
I've been recording a cool record with some friends from the old days (from the bands Foxx Pass and Tom Dickie and the Desires) called Jon Macey and the score. We've done five songs so far, and they rock. It will probably be done in early 2005.
Hello again,
The latest news is that we have finished Philip Hamilton's album. It's called "Blues, Rhythm, Rhythm and Blues". Philip and I worked together touring and recording with LaVern Baker in the early nineties and we've been working together off and on ever since. I think this is one of the best records I've ever made. We wrote several of the songs together, and we will be playing shows behind it in the fall. You could check out clips under Music Samples if you like.
I'll be performing the Elvis Belly-dancing show again at All Asia Cafe in Cambridge on Septemeber 18, as well as at the Boston Music Awards Party on September 29. I'll update as we get closer.
May 12, 2004
Lots of stuff happening on the music front.
Shows: Saturday, May 22, 8:45 PM
@ Kirkland Cafe, 425 Washington St. Somerville, MA 617 491 9640: I'm playing with Jon Macey and doing lots of my own songs.
Sunday, May 23, 11:30 AM @ Jasper White's Summer Shack, Alewife, Cambridge: The return of the fabulous Gospel Brunch with Rev. Lee Mitchell. This brings the Gospel crew from the HOB back.
Saturday, June 5, 6-6PM. @ All Asia Cafe, 334 Mass. Ave. Central SQ. , Cambridge: Ya Salam Elvis! An Evening of Arabic Music (well kinda), Rock'n'Roll, Belly Dancing & Elvis! This is Samarra's (Tha's Mrs. Marshall) latest and features Scott the Cat Anderson on vocals with lots of Go Go Dancing.
Friday, June 11, 7-10 PM. @ All Asia Cafe, 334 Mass Ave., Cambridge: The Marshalls take the stage in a rare Boston-area appearance! Kenny, Kevin, Ellie and me: we can't break up - we're family!
I did a radio show on WATD on May 1st with Legends Myles Connor, Lennie Baker from Sha Na Na (I first saw Lennie with the Pilgrims in 1965!), Scott the Cat Anderson, and Al Dotoli on Eddie Bowen and George Denham's "Yesterday's Memories" show. We played lots of Myles" album and Scott's album, which I recently helped produce.
I did a TV show with Joe Viglione at Burlington Cable last week; it will play on lots of stations. Jon Macey and I talked about our crazy careers, played (acoustic) three songs and promoted our upcoming show at the Kirkland Cafe on May 22. I got off a few jokes as well. Maybe they were only funny to me. Here's a rough schedule:
VISUAL RADIO #303
Barry Marshall and Jon Macey guests
Taped at
http://www.bcattv.org Wednesday May 5, 2004
Directed by Joan Rolfe
Airing in:
Burlington
Woburn Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Malden Tuesday 10 PM May 11, 2004
Wakefield Sunday May 16, 2004 7 PM
Brookline Thursday May 13, 2004 Midnight
Somerville Friday May 14, 2004 10 PM
Cambridge Saturday May 15, 22 2004 8 PM
Winthrop Monday May 17, 2004
Cape Cod 114,000 homes on Adelphia, check listing for times
RCN Network Saturday 7 PM, Sunday 7 PM
Newton New TV check listing for times
Boston BNN TV Sunday Midnight May 16,2004 (Monday morning)
http://www.jonmacey.comhttp://www.barrykmarshall.comhttp://www.varulven.com/visualradio.html
April 24
Several new events coming up and some changes to report. Tommorow (April 25) I'll be performing with Samarra's (that's Mrs. Marshall to the uninitiated) Belly Dancing troupe. It's called "One Night in Bangkok" and is at the All Asia Cafe @ 334 Mass Ave, in Cambridge, from 5-8 PM.
I'll be performimg with a rock n' roll band doing some of my original songs and choice covers on May 22nd with Jon Macey @ The Kirkland Cafe in Somerville. Jon hits at 10 PM and I think I go on at 11:15.
We're doing an Elvis-themed Belly Dancing Extravaganza on June 5th @ All Asia. I think this one is a Saturday Night from 6-9PM and is sure to be a blast.
The Marshalls will be playing @ All Asia on Friday, June 11th from 7-10 PM donig some new and old originals as well as some great songs from the past that you forgot to remember to forget.
Philip Hamilton's album is just about finished. It should be released by the end of May and I'll have some clips posted. Philip and I have worked together off and on since the Christmas show days of the late 1980's. He and I toured the world with LaVern (there are some great sories!) and have written songs and performed together ever since. The new album will be called 'Blues, Rhythm, Rhythm and Blues', I coproduced it with Philip, and it includes several songs we wrote together. I hope to join Philip for some shows in support of the record this summer.
