Exposure Concert 4.0

I , absolutely, need to Thank! Wally B Blues for bringing his Fender bass to the Exposure show last night. My active pickup bass died mid-set due to battery failure and Wally was kind enough to bring in his bass, from his car, lickity split! so I could finish out the Space Ace set. Thank You Wally!
Silly me came unprepared without a spare bass and without a spare battery.
It was great fun talking to Suzanne and listening to The Psychedelic Dragons family, Don Roth and Savannah King perform last night! Thank you to Chris Kingston from Metal Militia who showed up to support Space Ace.
Another couple of BIG Thank Yous go out to Suzanne Perry and Gaia Miranda for donating a box of CDs to me to promote this very blog with. Thank You Suzanne and Gaia!!

Brian Mancuso "I Remember Marcy Hill" CD Review

First I'd like to Thank Brian for submitting his CD for review for my music blog. Thank You Brian!
After listening to Brian's 1st CD release it's obvious that Brian is a talented individual who can write songs about and draw inspiration from life experiences that he's had. Any serious musician/songwriter will tell you that any life changing event or important happening, be it good or bad, in one's life is great to use for song writing ideas. That is if you can use that raw emotion and create songs from it, not alot of musicians can do this, Brian obviously can.
Brians music is piano driven and mellow, not exactly what I'm into but still good none the less.
Not alot of guitars or solo playing here, just straightforward songs with emotion filled lyrics.
The first song "A Brand New Day" is about a reconnection with an old friend. I liked the guitar playing on this song.
"Marcy Hill" reminds me of Bruce Hornsby at times, this song is my 2nd fave on this CD.
"Heartbreaker" is written for a friend and missed opportunities at a coffee shop.
The 4th song "New York Blues" is written about dealing with depression.
"Ghosts And Demons" is my fave song on this CD, but it's not because of the title. I like the piano figure that brings this song in and the keyboard break, this song breathes more than the rest. There's more musical space in between the lyrics.

Brian Mancuso is a multi-talented musician and songwriter. This CD sounds like a great beginning to a long and very promising musical career. With a little more experience and musical seasoning Brian should be a great singer/songwriter in no time.
Being a guitarist and bassist I would love to hear more guitar and more musical spaces between Brian's lyrics on his next CD. A couple of piano and guitar solos here and there would add a whole new element to Brian's passion filled music.
After hearing Brian's 1st CD I'm excited to hear Brian's next musical project, I'm sure it will be great!

CD credits:
 Brian Mancuso, Piano, Vocals and Guitar. All Music Copyrights.
 Gaia Miranda, Guitar, Bass, Cello, Production, Recording, Mixing and Mastering. Great Job Gaia!
 Alison Voight, Drums on Tracks 4 & 5.
 Chris Fecio CD Art.
 CD manufacturing by www.cheapcdduplications.com
 Check out Brian Mancuso on the web www.reverbnation.com/brianmancuso

Brian Mancuso

Brian Mancuso 2011 "I Remember Marcy Hill" CD Release Artwork

Visit Brian on Facebook @ Brian Mancuso Music

Brian Mancuso is on Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/brianmancuso

Thank You Brian!

Gaia Miranda "All in Time" CD Review

"All In Time" CD Review, before I start I 1st want to Thank Gaia for submitting her CD for this blog for me to review. Thank You, Gaia!

The 1st track "All In Time" has a really great intro, I enjoy listening to the skillfully fingerpicked acoustic guitar intro, the song has a nice, flowing, melancholy feel to it, it reminds me of a Fleetwood Mac type of song but it still has a unique sound and feel all it's own. "All In Time" contains some very well played lead guitar playing provided by Pat Travers. Pat Travers has been entertaining audiences and releasing top quality Rock n Roll music since the 70's. (See Bio.) "All In Time" is a great opening track.
"Heart of Mine" highlights the unique vocal stylings and talented, excellent, acoustic guitar playing of Gaia Miranda. Her voice is reminiscent of K.D. Lang and Tracy Chapman at times. This track has the classic sound and feel of a song you may have heard on FM radio, or maybe even AM radio, in the 70's. Think "Soft Rock" in a James Taylor type vein.
The 3rd track "Keep on Runnin" is an uptempo Rock n Roll song with a unique and somewhat mesmerizing electric guitar intro which doesnt last very long before the song bursts into a full-out Rockin' tune, this song features some excellent lead guitar playing by Eron Chambers. (See Bio.)
"You Know it's Spring" is another nice, melancholy, mellow song that features Gaia's unique and soaring vocal phrasing accompanied by another, well executed and well played acoustic guitar track.
The 5th song, "The Lone Zone" is another uptempo rocker that features some powerful drumming by Sean Shannon and more excellent lead guitar by Eron Chambers. The guitar pick scratches sound cool on this rockin' track.

"The Sun is High" is reminiscent of "Heart of Mine" and "You Know It's Spring" featuring a solo Gaia on acoustic guitar and vocals.
The final track, "Sweetest Part of Heaven (RoughCut)" strikes me as a Christmas ballad for a former or lost love or maybe a tribute to a lost family member...either way it's a great closing track featuring Gaia on electric guitar and vocals.
You can more find info on Gaia on YouTube, MySpace and Facebook!
"All In Time" is a winner, pick up your copy online on Gaia's website or directly @ Record Theater today!
http://www.thegaiamusic.com/
Thank You Gaia!

Buffalo, NY Guitars

Dave Pontrello's Gibson Ripper Bass.
Here's John from The Path with his USA Custom G&L S-500. Thanks John!

Here's a sweet 1970 Gibson provided by Rick Johnston.
Thanx Rick!

Gaia Miranda's Super Custom Shop Gibson SJ-200 CE in Maple. Thanks Gaia!!!!
Scroll down to see more info on Gaia....

Gaia Miranda's 1995 Gibson CL-50 Supreme.

Gaia's Gibson 12 string Les Paul Custom in silverburst.

Gaia Miranda's 1971 Gibson ES335 Custom Dot.

Click on http://www.gaiamusic.com/ to find out all the latest on Gaia and her band.

Gaia can also be found on Youtube & Reverbnation.
Thank You, Gaia Miranda!!!!

Custom Warmoth '72 Tele

2001 Les Paul Classic Limited Edition

http://www.ericspahrband.com/

Here's Ric Stave playing a couple of killer Electric Basses'. Thank You!!
Click on http://www.thediscoduckband.com/ and/or www.myspace.com/ledzeptributecoda to find out where Ric will be playing near you.

Ossie from Suckerpunch playing a Spector Bass, Thankz Ossie!
www.myspace.com/suckerpunched101
www.myspace.com/ossiepunch

These 2 photos were submitted by danimaltheman from http://www.wnymusic.com/

The white guitar is a Custom Carvin DC 127.

www.myspace.com/armcannon

Thank You !!

Justin Kubiak AKA "Koobs" & "Carcass" playing his '52 Fender Telecaster reissue.
Justin is a Multi-Award Winning Guitarist and I have had the pleasure to perform with Justin on a couple of occasions. Thanx Justin!

Here's Kelly Patrick and his Prototype Jackson Kelly Electric Guitar. Thanx Kelly!