Category: News

The BIRN would like you to win tickets to see guitarists Raul Midon and Lionel Loueke play live at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport on Sunday, March 1.

Raul Midon

Heralded as a “one-man band who turns a guitar into an orchestra and his voice into a chorus,” (NY Times) Raul Midón has collaborated with such heroes as Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Jason Mraz, Queen Latifah and Snoop Dogg. Blind since birth, Midón produced-engineered his 2017 album, Bad Ass and Blind, using special computer software for the blind. The album, which confronts the challenges of his blindness with verve and grace, received a 2018 Grammy nomination in the category Best Jazz Vocal Album. Midón’s 2018 follow up release, If You Really Want, featuring the Metropole Orkest under the direction of Vince Mendoza, was nominated for a 2019 Grammy award in this same category.

Lionel Loueke

Benin guitarist and vocalist Lionel Loueke has received critical acclaim from both his idols and contemporaries on his latest release, The Journey. Paul Simon raves that Loueke is “one of a rare handful of guitarists that move effortlessly between his West African roots and modern American Jazz”, and Sting cites Loueke as “one the most original, essential and inspiring musicians on our planet today.” As a Blue Note Recording artist and member of Herbie Hancock’s band for the past 10 years, Loueke has recorded and toured with artists as unique and varied as Terence Blanchard to singers Angelique Kidjo and Luciana Souza. Praised by Herbie Hancock as “a musical painter,” Loueke combines harmonic complexity, soaring melody, a deep knowledge of African folk forms, and conventional and extended guitar techniques to create a warm and evocative sound of his own.

To win a pair of tickets send an email to tickets@thebirn.com with Raul and Lionel in the subject line. Please include your contact phone information. There will be two winners and each winner will receive two tickets.

Good luck!!

For more information about the show, please click here.

The BIRN

Anna Clendening released her six-song debut EP, Waves, in February, and it is definitely one you don’t want to miss. Clendening is “rebranding what it means to be a pop star by creating uplifting tunes for the betterment of society” (Dominiq Robinson, AXS Contributor). This EP has a perfect balance of familiar yet unique sounds, both production and writing-wise. Clendening’s voice is nice to listen to, and the production of each song leaves you wanting more.

The EP begins with a song titled “Invisible.” The song talks about the struggle of being in love with someone that can’t reciprocate; someone who actually doesn’t know you exist.

“I’m in love with someone who doesn’t know I exist
I stare from afar in my hand-broken heart while I play pretend
I’m in love with someone who doesn’t know I exist
And it’s you, yes, it’s true, you don’t even know it, I can’t ever win”

Continue reading “Album Review: Waves by Anna Clendening”

Tune in to the BIRN for a full week of outstanding live events and special programming.

On Monday, April 22, the monthly Roots Roadshow returns to the Red Room at Cafe 939. The April edition of this celebration of America’s musical heritage features Ariel Wyner, vocalist, mandolinist and founding member of Boston based bluegrass band Ruta Beggars. The show starts at 8:00 p.m. and you can stream it here.

Los Angeles-based band The Palms drops by the Red Room at Cafe 939 on Wednesday, April 24, in the midst of a 12 show North American tour to support their brand new independent release, Televised Daydream. Tune in for a night of psych pop, with a side of hip-hop and folk. The show starts at 8:00 p.m. and you can stream it here.

On Thursday, April 25, the Red Room plays host to two great performers as Greg Holden and Ben Thornewill grace the stage. Holden is a celebrated LA-based singer-songwriter that has placed songs in shows including Sons of Anarchy, Private Practice, and One Tree Hill. Thornewill is the pianist and voice for popular Washington, D.C. trio Jukebox the Ghost. Tune in at 8:00 p.m. to stream the show here.

Continue reading “Listen to Valley Maker, The Palms and Anna Clendening this week on the BIRN!”

Following the release of her long-awaited album Scenery, Emily King is currently finishing up her 2019 tour, with Boston as her third to last show.

King’s opening artist, Jennah Bell, left the audience speechless with her performance. Bell is a Berklee alumnus, which made the Boston show extra special for many of the audience members. Jennah is a singer-songwriter originally from Oakland, California. Her influences are pulled from genres such as folk, soul, R&B, hip-hop, and bluegrass. Her quirky yet fluent style of writing is both compelling and easy to listen to. Her lyrics will hit you hard, and her melodies will leave you wanting more. Not only is Jennah a monstrous musician, but her presence has a surprisingly unique calmness to it. I had the pleasure of speaking to Jennah after her set, and she shared some encouraging words with me without hesitation.

Considering that I had never seen Emily King perform live, I had no idea what to expect from this show other than the fact that it was going to be great. King opened the show with her song “Remind Me,” the first track on Scenery. The moment King strutted out on stage in a show-stopping two piece black outfit with matching sunglasses, I knew this show was going to be one I would be talking about for a while. Her energy was infectious, and everyone in the audience was jumping and dancing around from the moment the song started. Between the tasteful choreography and the tight connection between the band and background vocals, it was impossible to keep your eyes off of the stage. There was entertainment at every moment, and King did not miss one note, even when she was running and dancing around the stage.

Continue reading “Show Review: Emily King Live at the Sinclair”