Tracey Thomas is a bit of a rarity in the music business. She recently celebrated 30 years of making music throughout Northeast Ohio and released two albums at the same time: “Queen of Nothing” and “Ghosts In The Woodwork: The Best of Tracey Thomas.” In the '80s, as the lead singer of Unit 5, Thomas found herself in the heart of the Akron new wave and punk scenes. Today, she is a folk-pop singer/ songwriter with seven albums under her belt. Along the way she’s shared the stage with everyone from Judy Collins and Black Flag, to Melanie and The Black Keys. Buzzbin Magazine: In the e...
Count Basie. Charlie Parker. Duke Ellington. Miles Davis. All were legends of the early jazz scene. Without these greats there would be no modern jazz. Hell, there would probably be no music whatsoever. Akron native Ralph Carney, who know resides in San Francisco, has paid attention quite well and really knows how to fill out a record with his latest group Serious Jass Project. On their latest record, Seriously, Carney has crafted an album that would make the greats of the jazz world blush. As the founding member of Tin Huey and uncle of The Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney, the talented ...
Ask an Akronite where the hippest neighborhood in town is, and they’ll undoubtedly point you in the direction of Highland Square. The eclectic, progressive area is home to dozens of superb, longstanding local businesses, historic buildings and many creative minds. (Earlier this summer, it was announced that the stylish Montrose organic grocery store Mustard Seed Market would be opening their third location here.) On September 3, this year’s installment of the annual arts festival Art in the Square will make one of Akron’s coolest communities exponentially cooler by adding vendors, foo...
SERIOUS JASS PROJECT, FEATURING RALPH CARNEY, RELEASE NEW ALBUM ON SMOG VEIL RECORDS TITLED, SERIOUSLY, WITH COVER ART BY DERF Record Streets On September 27, 2011 Chicago, IL, August 9, 2011 – Smog Veil Records announces Ralph Carney's new Serious Jass Project album titled, Seriously, will street on September 27, 2011. It will be available as digipak CD, download and LP pressed on black vinyl, with eco-friendly recycled content jacket and full color two-sided insert. This collectable vinyl release is strictly limited to a single pressing of 500 pieces. Ralph Carney was a founding...
If there’s one thing the greater Akron area has become known for in the decades since the rubber industry packed up and peaced out, it would have to be unleashing upon the world a number of musically talented oddballs. Personally, I’d much rather see that as our lasting legacy as opposed to the Rubber Capital of the World. We are responsible for the Beefheart-inspired zaniness of Tin Huey, the X-rated (and, at times, just plain fucked-up) country stylings of David Allan Coe, the warped, catchy pop of The Waitresses and, of course, the energy dome-sporting New Wave prophets Devo. And that...
Cool it with the boom booms, Purple Knif is coming back to NE Ohio! For those of you who were fortunate to grow up before cable television, there was a program which warped a large generation of kids like no other program. The late Ernie Anderson, who was known as Mr. Voiceover in the 70s, was better known as Ghoulardi in the mid 60s in NE Ohio. It was his offbeat Cleveland late night show Shock Theatre that entranced teens with his always unconventionally, usually hip hosting of B-rated sci-fi films and playing of obscure music the likes of the Rivingtons' "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow”. ...
Over the years, Akron has produced the occasional musical success story. Devo’s quirky, tongue-in-cheek lampooning of the American Dream has solidified its place in pop culture. After relocating to London in the early ‘70s, Chrissie Hynde formed the Pretenders, who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. More recently, the Black Keys have released seven studio albums (eight if you count 2009’s hip-hop collaboration Blakroc) since 2002, all of which have received widespread praise from both fans and critics. But, as it goes in the music business, for ever...
By D. Beall With jazz, blues, punk, new wave, garage, and experimental sounds, Tin Huey was kryptonite to commerciality and critical categorization in the ‘70s and early ‘80s and eventually faded into, you guessed it, obscurity (though they still play out). This collection of previously unreleased material, their first album in 10 years or so, puts the “odd” in odds and ends. Their smart and playful vocals and lyrics aren’t the driving force here, but they don’t hurt. This is a sextet of songwriters, and with wailing saxophones and keys soloing over riffs that change u...
