Blogs
Thought provoking lyrics rested upon strong melodic musical landscapes.
One of the most lyrical groups that are unsigned, our style is so unique that everyone will feel it.
UBU REVIEWS
Christeen Oneal----Colonial Country Club
High Point, NC
336-472-7715
94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, and New Years 97, 99, 00
"Thank you for a great night of entertainment. The bands versatility and variety certainly made our Valentine's Dinner Dance a success."
Michelle Benten----Sedgefield Country Club
Greensboro, NC
336-299-5324
We have performed at Sedgefield Country Club over 50 times in the last 11 years. "It was simply amazing on how such a short note your band could accomodate our every need and pull through for one of the most successful nights at Sedgefield Country Club."
Tim Mabe----Fun Fourth Festival
Greensboro, NC
336-274-4595
95, 96, 00
"On behalf of the 1995 Fun Fourth Festival I would like to thank UBU for the great performance at this years Fun Fourth Festival in downtown Greensboro. I know that those who were present during your performance enjoyed UBU immensely."
Albert (Rocky) Rausch----King College
Bristol, TN
615-968-1187
"UBU entertained us at our spring formal and did a great job. I found them to be professional, courteous, flexible, and personable. We had conditions that some other bands would have found problematic, but not UBU."
Sally C. Steele---- The North Carolina Zoo-To-Do
Asheboro, NC
336-879-7250
We have performed for The Zoo-To-Do on four seperate occassions.
"You guys were exellent, and I hope we can get you back next year"
Ray Smith----1999 Special World Olympics
Kernersville, NC
336-992-9560
"U.B.U.'s professional manner and great musical selection created a format for all ages to enjoy. The band really interacted with the crowd and treated our Special Olympians to a night of great fun."
Sharon Kennedy,GM----Country Club Of Johnston County
Smithfield, NC
919-934-4166
97, 98, 99, 00
"The Country Club of Johnston County has hosted the band,.U.B.U., on many occasions in the past. Faron Dawson and all members of the band have always been a pleasure to work with, as well as exceptional entertainment for all the functions they have performed at."
Shirley Patterson, Asst.Mang.----Pine Brook Country Club
Winston-Salem, NC
336-767-2941
95, 97, 99, 00
"The.U.B.U. band made our Presidents Ball the best one yet.They have a vast repertoire, suitable for wedding receptions, dinner parties, dances,etc. It's always a pleasure having them entertain at Pine Brook Country Club. The responce from our members is always positive."
Mrs. Glenda Salerno, chair----Chautaugua Festival
Wytheville, VA
276-228-6855
01, 03
"As usual, the show was energetic and packed with great music and showmanship. We had nothing but rave reviews when the band played at the festival two years ago, and we have had the same compliments this time."
Donna Richardson, chair----Symphony Presentation Ball
Greensboro, NC
336-454-5558
02, 03
"The number of people on the dance floor all night beat all records. In my six years association with the Ball, I have never seen such enthusiasm and envolvement from our guest"
Marcy Parker----Carolina Anesthesiology, PA
High Point, NC
336-882-2567
01, 02, 03
"Our office has booked UBU on several occassions and we have always been extremely pleased. UBU is a band filled with enthusiasm which flows over to everyone in attendance. Their interaction makes the audience become a part of their group. UBU is very professional and entertaining from start to finish." Wendi Schultz,CFE----Department Parks & Recreations
Roanoke, Va
540-387-6078
03
"This past weekend's Virginia Recreation and Parks Society 50th Birthday party celebration would not have been the same without your band! I can only tell you that in my over 20 years of experience working with bands for various events I have rarely found any as accommodating and willing to help as you folks were."
Make Me Whole
Pie Boys Flat to Showcase at Three NACA Conferences
With the release of their new full-length album Uproot the Island, Pie Boys Flat, a Queens based reggae/funk band has been selected to showcase live at three regional conferences of the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA). Fitz Harris (percussion/vocals), Patrick Hambrick (guitar/vocals) and Jason Liles (bass/vocals) of PBF attended their first NACA conferences in 2005, booked a 4-month college tour, and learned the ropes. “We realized the first morning of the first conference that a live showcase means more bookings,” said Patrick, “and because showcases are awarded based on a band’s recorded music, we knew we had to have a higher quality CD.”
PBF was successful with its first two CDs, Come Taste the Pie and Post No Bills, selling over 800 copies of the first during a 2004 3-month tour in the Greek Isles and over 1000 copies of the second at gigs in Manhattan and on the college circuit. “We are proud of both of those CDs and will be eternally grateful to our producer, Tommy Faragher, whose generosity and talent made us sound better than we could afford to sound.” said Fitz, “But we did our first two recordings on a shoestring. Money was always a problem, so during 2005-2006 we saved every cent from our gigs for months and worked other jobs so we could eat and sleep inside, in order to pay for 12 straight days of recording in a bigger studio. Sean Moffitt, a high school friend of mine and now a professional producer, ramped up the value of that investment by giving us a great deal on his time and talents.”
The result is a recording that really showcases the unique sound of this band; a blend of Reggae, Blues, and Funk, laced with soaring three-part harmonies and a fresh blend of percussion and guitars. According to Jason, “It was worth all the work and sacrifice. Each conference gets between 400 and 500 showcase applications for around 40 slots. We were so thrilled to get the first showcase at the Mid-Atlantic Conference that it didn’t occur to us that we would get another. A friend called and told us to login to the Northeast Conference list because we had gotten a showcase there also. When the third one came in from the Mid-America Conference we began to make plans for a big tour. It’s gonna be a great year for us.”
You can check out Pie Boys Flat and hear their music at www.pieboysflat.com or www.sonicbids.com/pieboysflat. Uproot the Island is for sale online at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/pieboysflat.
For Immediate Release October 17, 2008
John “Drumbo” French Reunites Captain Beefheart Alumni for Solo Album
“City of Refuge” in stores November 18
LOS ANGELES—John “Drumbo” French has reunited fellow Magic Band alumni Bill Harkelroad (aka “Zoot Horn Rollo”), Mark Boston (aka “Rockette Morton”), Greg Davidson (aka “Ella Guru”), and John Thomas for a solo recording of all new compositions entitled City of Refuge. The self-produced album was recorded in London and at various locations in the U.S., and lands stateside November 18th on Proper Records.
“I think City of Refuge is important because it re-visits a style of music that was founded by Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart) and developed by various Magic Bands over the years. The music on this album came to me as total inspiration from being involved in The Magic Band reunion project. Listening to the music of Don Van Vliet and singing with the band, I realized that I was re-visiting my musical roots and wondered about how I had strayed so far away,” French says.
As the drummer and music director for revered iconoclasts Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band, Drumbo made central contributions to a handful of LPs – notably 1969’s mind-altering, revered masterpiece “Trout Mask Replica,” on which French first acquired the antic stage-name “Drumbo” – that vastly expanded the parameters of contemporary music. French’s influential contributions can also be found on projects with Frank Zappa, Mallard, Crazy Backwards Alphabet, Henry Kaiser and Richard Thompson, among others.
French plans a U.S. tour in conjunction with his upcoming book, Beefheart: Through The Eyes Of Magic, to be released early next year.
BASIC RELEASE INFORMATION:
Drumbo/City of Refuge Catalog: PRPCD024 Release Date: November 18, 2008
Track Listing: 1. Bogeyman 2. Bus Ticket Outta Town 3. Blood on a Porcupine Quill 4. City of Refuge 5. Abandon 6. Get So Mean 7. Maybe That’ll Teach Ya 8. To The Loft of Ravenscroft 9. The Shirt Off My Back 10. The Wicked Witch of War 11. Whose Side Ya On 12. The Withered Hand of Time
On The Web:
http://www.myspace.com/drumbojohnfrench
http://www.proper-records.co.uk
U.S. CONTACT: Lisa Best
Email: lisa@Properrecords.us
ABOUT PROPER RECORDS
Proper Records is a London-based independent roots music label founded by Malcolm Mills in 1995. Over the past decade Proper has released more than 300 records and spawned several new imprints, including its signature box sets featuring vintage and specialty titles. Recent releases include offerings from Joan Baez, Richard Thompson, Little Feat, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Art Garfunkel, and Nick Lowe. Proper Records Ltd. is part of the Proper Music Group of Companies that includes Proper Music Distribution—the largest distributor of independent music in the United Kingdom.
Roger Mapes: a country,gospel,rock singer/songwriter specializing in spreading love and beautiful melodies. Think The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Handsome Family, and Elvis in a blender. Roger is currently promoting his new CD Roger Mapes and Red Hook Junction.
After many years of playing and touring with his indie/alt/cult/jazz/rock/pop band called Yolanda and the Plastic Family, Roger began to re-evaluate his music and what he wanted to do.
Roger is originally from Muscle Shoals, Alabama and his first bands were bluegrass gospel folk and Southern rock. He has now returned to those roots. His act showcases his powerful and sensitive baritone vocals and inspirational songwriting.
Awards and Accomplishments:
July 2008: Roger's song "Love Divine" is #1 on the Christian music charts (final tier-3 rounds of competition) at Song Vault online radio- http://www.songvault.fm/artists/roger_anthony_mapes.htm
2007 Best Vocalist from The Bear Music Awards and was entered into their Hall of Fame.
http://www.myspace.com/2007bearmusicawards
2005 inducted into the GLBT Hall of Fame:
http://www.glbthalloffame.com/standinginductees.htm
Roger's music reviewed in Billboard magazine by Larry Flick 5 times from 1998-2003. Flick called Mapes "...best unsigned artist of 1999."
CONTACT:
Diana DiGiovanni
Tel:647-400-7956
info@dianasound.com
The Sixth Sign Appears Over DC!
Diana’s First Solo Release is a New Beginning
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA (04/02/08) – The sixth sign is now upon us! However, have no fear - the end is not near. This is not the apocalypse and this is not Washington, D.C. This is the DC Concert Theatre in Toronto, Canada. The time and place are set for a defining moment for Indie music and one very talented Indie musician. Diana’s first solo release is entitled The Great Catastrophe of the Sixth Sign and it’s time has arrived. This is a nexus for a new beginning - and what better place than in Canada?
Diana has compressed extreme artistic talent and genius into one tiny musical molecule awaiting a first breath of oxygen. On an April night, in one giant supernova, a “Big Bang” will unveil five tracks. Diana will unleash an explosion of self-composed songs blended over a smooth style of Urban Rock and “chilled-out” Root Rock. The Great Catastrophe of the Sixth Sign is only a catastrophe if you are a fan of cookie-cutter pop. You won’t find that here … Diana’s music is different. This album is a sign and symbol. It’s a sign that pure and unbridled Modern Rock is still alive and well and it’s a symbol that artists can still touch and impact their audience’s lives. Diana’s performances do just that.
The Great Catastrophe of the Sixth Sign has five tracks with lifting melodies dripping with a melancholy mood – it emanates emotion. It is obvious Diana is an old soul in a young earthly body. It is from her soul that the music is composed and created and it flows freely from fingers well trained in instrumentation. It’s with a duality of style that these five tracks come alive. Her style is sometimes a touch of the brashness of Courtney Love and yet sometimes as gentle and sensitive as the Cowboy Junkies’ Margo Timmins. In songs such as “Something Live Heaven” subtle guitar meets harmonica with soothing and smoky vocals. The influence of master artists and songwriters such as Tom Petty are apparent throughout the album. “No Not Alone” and “Don’t Make Me Cry” are lucid haunting melodies taunting a muse of the human condition with all the feel of the best Pink Floyd ever offered. Diana shows she is a simple girl, with complex ideas. “Romeo is Bleeding” is a perfect example of Diana’s ability to deliver the complex themes flawlessly with simply an acoustic guitar and some slide. Except for some masterful help from bass player Nic DiSanto, The Great Catastrophe of the Sixth Sign is all Diana. The sixth sign has appeared over Toronto … it’s not simply something to see … it’s something to hear. A nexus for a new beginning is upon us – the sixth sign has appeared over Toronto. The question will be were you there to see it? For soon all will hear it!
CD Release Party April 11th, 2008
DC Concert Theater
360 Munster Ave. (Bloor/Kipling)
Toronto, Ontario
www.dianasound.com
