Sounds Of Berklee

By Berklee Office of Communications August 4, 2009 Drummer, composer, and producer Terri Lyne Carrington always seems to be ahead of the curve. She began her Berklee studies at the age of 13 and was touring with jazz legends like Clark Terry before she was out of her teens. After more than 20 years of touring with luminaries like Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Al Jarreau, and Cassandra Wilson, she returned to her alma mater to join the faculty. Carrington's debut CD, which featured Carlos Santana, Grover Washington Jr., and Dianne Reeves, earned a Grammy nomination. This month's podcast is a tune—"Sherwood Forest"—from her latest release, More to Say (Real Life Story: Next Gen). The track also features her cowriter George Duke on keyboards and bassist Christian McBride. Carrington headlines with her group at this month's Jazz at the Fort concert.

By Berklee Office of Communications June 3, 2009 Poignant songs and masterful musicianship come together in the music of Nini & Ben, a duo that accentuates its acoustic sound with gritty slide guitar and pedal steel. Nini & Ben has spent years performing all over Europe and Australia, writing songs, and falling in love with the gypsy life style. Having been cowriters since their teenage years, Nini Fabi and Ben Gebert came to Berklee to raise their music another few notches, and it appears to be paying off. Two song of theirs, including this month's podcast feature, "Mother," are featured on the latest disc from Berklee's student-run Heavy Rotation Records. The group has just finished recording its first full length album at Avatar Studios, in New York, to be released in the summer of 2009. Among the many shows Nini & Ben are performing this year are two events that are part of Berklee's annual Summer Concert Series.

May 8, 2009 Student Cole DeGenova—a pianist, vocalist, songwriter, percussionist, and poet from Chicago—studied classical, jazz, blues, Cuban, and Brazilian percussion, but was also influenced by neo-soul and hip-hop. He has performed with or opened for some of Chicago's top artists, including Kurt Elling, Patricia Barber, Jon Faddis, and Corey Wilkes. DeGenova toured the Midwest with Hal Reed and the Mob, and in Switzerland with his original funk/r&b band Apollo Jones. His latest project is a funk, neo-soul, blues, and jazz group called the People's Republic. The group plans to release its debut EP this summer, not long after it performs as part of Berklee's annual Summer Concert Series.

By Berklee Office of Communications January 30, 2009 Dorm Sessions 6, the latest release from Berklee's student-run label, Heavy Rotation Records, features the original songs of nine innovative student bands, including the melodic rock of Model Cars. Pianist/violinist Claudio Olachea began putting together the band in 2006 by looking for bandmates who would help him create intelligent indie rock with strong grooves, melodies, and vocal harmonies. His quest led him to his three talented bandmates: guitarist Matt Berger, bassist Mike day, and drummer Kevin Lynch. "Don't Go Run Away" is one of two tracks Model Cars recorded for Dorm Sessions 6. The album features a wide range of styles, from funk and hip-hop to rock and folk. Hear the bands perform live at the CD release party at the Berklee Performance Center on February 4.

Trio Holiday Mountain, a self-described "dance psych pop workout," has been defying genres since forming in Berklee in 2011. Composed of alumni Laura Patiño '12 (vocals, synthesizers), former Five-Week Summer Performance Program student Zander Kagle (drums, electronic percussion), and Bradley Will '09 (synthesizers, electric bass, vocals), the Austin transplants were recently featured in Spin magazine, which streamed their new E.P., You Be You, Part One, calling it an "all-encompassing pop record that sounds like a mutant fusion of Deee-Lite, of Montreal, and Brazilian Girls." Currently on tour in support of its new release, Holiday Mountain is playing Cafe 939 on May 16, 2015, and can be seen at clubs and festivals throughout North America this year, including Keep Austin Weird and Utopia Fest VII in Texas.

May 6, 2015 by Curtis Killian Around Thanksgiving 2012, after a string of tours performing with the likes of CeeLo Green and Imagine Dragons, multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter DaNiiVORY ‘08 intended to shift focus toward producing her own music. But when she received the call to play keys with Beyoncé, it was an offer she couldn’t refuse. Her second gig: The 2013 Super Bowl XLVII halftime show. “I was still on a high that I was playing with Beyoncé,” says DaNiiVORY, who continued as a member of the superstar's all-female backing band the Suga Mamas in the ensuing Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. “The energy of that stadium was incredible that night, because we're in the middle of the field on this little stage, and there are 50,000 people all around us with glowing phones, and 100 dancers below us. It felt like magic in the air." For DaNiiVORY, the magic is ubiquitous. In addition to Beyoncé and another all-female band backing CeeLo Green, she has toured with South Korean female K-pop sensation 2NE1,

Chrissy Tignor, assistant professor of contemporary writing and production, is a producer, engineer, songwriter, and remix artist, often producing in the pop/EDM genres under the name Data Child. In this episode, Tignor talks about the programs she's started at Berklee, the skills students need to keep up with an ever-changing technological landscape, and gives us a snippet of the new track "Master of My Monster," a song she produced in collaboration with British-based singer Corrina Taylor.

Grey Season is a band that fuses folk and rock to bring its fans five-part harmony, blues-rooted guitar solos, and memorable melodies driven by the plucking of bouzoukis and banjos. The band released its debut album, Time Will Tell You Well, in 2014, a recording that was produced by Benny Grotto, a Boston Music Awards producer of the year; and three-time Grammy winner Justin Guip, at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, New York. Grey Season has been touring in support of the album and recently played a South by Southwest showcase in Austin, Texas. Two members of Grey Season—bassist Ian Jones and banjo player/multi-instrumentalist Chris Bloniarz—are collecting their bachelor of music degrees at Berklee's commencement on May 9, 2015. The other three members of the band are drummer Ben Burns—a fifth-semester student—and alumni Jon Mills (guitar and lead vocals) and Matt Knelman (guitar). The track featured in this podcast appears on Time Will Tell You Well, and Dorm Sessions X, the latest release from Berklee's s

April 21, 2015 by Curtis Killian New York based pianist and composer Mina Yu '12 began playing at age 4 in her native Korea under the tutelage of her mother, an accomplished piano teacher, where her prodigal talents earned her a scholarship to Berklee. With an expansive style rooted in jazz, Yu has toured and recorded internationally, working as bandleader, sideman, musical director and educator. From her upcoming debut album "Papa's Records," released later this month, listen to "Incantation."

April 6, 2015 by Curtis Killian Jason Rueger and Austin Nelson of the Brooklyn-bred duo Curtin released their debut album, One for the Doghearted, in 2014. Largely recorded at Nelson's home studio in Charleston, South Carolina, the album features Berklee alumni Sweeney Tidball ’03 and Andrew Tracy ’04, who also handled mixing, as well as Wilco keyboardist Mikael Jorgensen. From One for the Doghearted, here is Better Ride by Curtin.

By Lesley Mahoney March 10, 2014 In 2005, professor Bill Banfield launched a weekly series at Bob the Chef's (now Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen) in Boston's South End, featuring alumni, student, and faculty jazz musicians. Their collaboration created a new kind of cross-generational sound that fused jazz, soul, and funk while fostering an environment of mentorship. That marked the birth of the group, the Jazz Urbane, and the seeds for an album. Banfield, the founder and director of Berklee's Africana Studies Program, combined his compositions with younger voices for what he calls a "contemporary urban feel." The result: the group's recently released debut album, Playing with Other People's Heads, produced by Banfield's own mentor, the late George Duke, and featuring professor and alumna Terri Lyne Carrington and such alumni as Christian Scott, Alex Han, Grace Kelly, and Greg Osby. In this episode of Inside Berklee, Banfield talks about the group's beginnings and evolution, the importance of being real and

By Kimberly Ashton December 18, 2013 Photo by Phil Farnsworth Michael Sweet, an associate professor who teaches video game scoring, has seen gaming grow from a niche market into a $60-billion-a-year industry. As money has poured into the field, and its technological achievements have soared, games have grown increasingly sophisicated in terms of visuals, storylines, and music. "The video game manufacturers have realized and understood that one of the powerful components of creating a video game is to bring players in on an emotional level, and music is a really great way to bring players in," Sweet said. This audio element ranges from sound effects and design to voice-over talent to fully developed compositions. Berklee is preparing students in the Film Scoring Department to take these jobs by teaching them advanced techniques using state-of-the-art equipment and software, and pushing them to become great writers. Sweet, who is also a Berklee alumnus, has written music for Sony, Microsoft, Disney, Lego

March 26, 2015 By Sophie Maricq and Rob Hochschild The New York-based Gregorio Uribe Big Band is a 16-piece orchestra that blends cumbia and other Colombian rhythms with the powerful sound and arrangements of a high-intensity large ensemble. Led by Colombia-born vocalist and accordionist Gregorio Uribe, the band held a monthly residency for four years at Zinc Bar in Greenwich Village, and has performed at the Kennedy Center, Iridium Jazz Club, and Celebrate Brooklyn Festival, in addition to other leading venues. After spending his teenage years in his hometown of Bogotá, Colombia, Uribe eventually moved to Boston, enrolled at Berklee, and graduated with a degree in music in 2008. Uribe has been an artist-in-residence at Dartmouth College and a commissioned composer for Grammy-winning Arturo O'Farrill’s Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, and has performed with Carlos Vives and Rubén Blades, among others. He was recently named by the government of Colombia as one of the "100 Most Successful Colombians Abroad." In 2

March 26, 2015 By Sophie Maricq and Rob Hochschild The New York-based Gregorio Uribe Big Band is a 16-piece orchestra that blends cumbia and other Colombian rhythms with the powerful sound and arrangements of a high-intensity large ensemble. Led by Colombia-born vocalist and accordionist Gregorio Uribe, the band held a monthly residency for four years at Zinc Bar in Greenwich Village, and has performed at the Kennedy Center, Iridium Jazz Club, and Celebrate Brooklyn Festival, in addition to other leading venues. After spending his teenage years in his hometown of Bogotá, Colombia, Uribe eventually moved to Boston, enrolled at Berklee, and graduated with a degree in music in 2008. Uribe has been an artist-in-residence at Dartmouth College and a commissioned composer for Grammy-winning Arturo O'Farrill’s Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, and has performed with Carlos Vives and Rubén Blades, among others. He was recently named by the government of Colombia as one of the "100 Most Successful Colombians Abroad." In 2

March 9, 2015 by Curtis Killian Founded by Greek-born singer, film scorer and composer Magda Giannikou '08, Banda Magda deftly melds styles from samba to Greek folk to Columbian cumbia. Having studied film scoring at Berklee, Giannikou has caught the attention of everyone from Kronos Quartet to Louis C.K., even singing a duet with the comedian for his hit TV show. In 2014 Giannikou released the album Yerakina with Banda Magda, joined by fellow Berklee alumni Jordan Perlson ’04, Ignacio Hernandez ’07, Marcelo Woloski ’07, Mika Mimura ’07, Keita Ogawa ’07, and Scott Flynn ’07, and coproduced by Fab Dupont ’94. The band has been featured in Carnegie Hall's Musical Explorers Series, entered the Top 10 Billboard World Music Charts, and was named one of NPR's 10 favorite World Music Albums in 2013. Having played concerts and festivals worldwide, including alongside Snarky Puppy, the band is currently on tour and in pre-production of their third album to be released in January 2016. Listen to Sabiá from their late

By Berklee Office of Communications September 2, 2008 Faculty and flutist Fernando Brandão is one of the more than 120 musicians performing at the Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival, September 25–27. His septet will be among the many artists performing in the free outdoor show on Saturday, September 27, in Boston's South End neighborhood. BeanTown Jazz attracted 70,000 music fans to the free concerts last year. The Brandão tune featured in this month's podcast is "Samba Pra Juju," title track from one of his recent recordings.

By Berklee Office of Communications October 1, 2008 Berklee student Shea Rose's MySpace bio describes her as the black Rickie Lee Jones and the female Lenny Kravitz. The Boston-born musician also has an armful of original songs that reveal an expansive emotional range while highlighting her chops as both a vocalist and guitarist. Shea Rose's "Free Love" is one of the tunes on tap for her performance at Berklee's Women in Rock concert, where she'll open for such greats as Nona Hendryx, Terri Lyne Carrington, Cindy Blackman, and Meshell Ndgeocello.

Cordelia and the Buffalo is an electronic indie rock band led by Berklee student Cordelia Vizcaino, a Mexican-American musician, singer, songwriter, and producer. The Texas native—a vocalist who plays keyboards and synthesizers—draws her musical inspiration from Mexican Indian tribes and Native American cultures. She formed the band in 2011 with classmates Yusuke Sato (guitar), Rodrigo Gramitto (guitar), Diego Diaz (drums), Dan McCallum (bass), and Dag Hanken (percussion/synths). With band members hailing from Alaska, Japan, Mexico, Norway, and Venezuela, Cordelia and the Buffalo fuse energetic beats, exotic instruments, powerful lyrics, and strong melodies. CATB's "Hands Like Guns" is one of 11 tracks appearing on Dorm Sessions 10, the latest release from Berklee's student-run Heavy Rotation Records. The new album features music from student and alumni artists, a complilation that mixes rock, folk, indie pop, psychedelic soul, R&B, electronic, and Latin pop.

By Curtis Killian January 29, 2015 Jazz bassist, vocalist and composer Katie Thiroux celebrates the release of her debut CD Introducing Katie Thiroux in concert on Wednesday, February 4 at Cafe 939 and streaming live at wgbo.org via The Checkout - Live at Berklee. Thiroux received a Presidential Scholarship to Berklee in 2006, gaining the attention of alumni Terri Lyne Carrington and Branford Marsalis, and went on to perform festivals around the world as a sideman and leader. She established a quartet in her native Los Angeles featuring Graham Dechter, Matt Witek, and Roger Neumann, and just finished her debut album under the guidance of her mentor, John Clayton, and Grammy Award–winning co-producer Jeff Hamilton. Dedicated to Ray Brown and inspired by a pair of the influential bassist’s stylish shoes she received as a gift, listen to Ray's Kicks from Introducing Katie Thiroux.

By Rob Hochschild January 9, 2015 Three musicians—bassist Alissia Benveniste, guitarist Maddie Rice, and drummer Amber Baker—founded Common Thread as Berklee students in 2013. The band is an all-female collective of like-minded musicians from all over the globe, brought together by a passion for funk and pop music. The group fuses influences from a range of genres, building a sound that brings together classic jazz instrumentation with unexpected elements like recorder. The group has performed around the Boston area and recently appeared at BAMCafé Live at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The tune featured in this week's podcast, "For the One Time," features a horn arrangement penned by student trumpeter Arnetta Johnson. The track was recorded at Berklee's Cafe 939 by a student team from the Berklee Internet Radio Network (the BIRN).