An evening with Howard Jones - It was in 1983 that Howard Jones released his first single 'New Song' in the UK. The expectation was that it might sell a few thousand copies and introduce his fresh new music to an unsuspecting world. The reality was quite different. The single steadily climbed the UK chart to peak at No. 3. Then came the second single 'What Is Love?' which reached No. 2 in the UK and the third single ...the enigmatic 'Hide and Seek' which showed the spiritual side of Howard Jones' writing. This was followed by the first album 'Human's Lib' which came straight in at No. 1 in the UK in April 1984, eventually going platinum and which took the synthesiser and Howard to a new plateau. This success spread across the globe with 'Human's Lib' going gold in USA, Japan, Germany, Italy and Australia. Howard Jones continues to tour extensively all over the world. 2008 will also see a special 25th Anniversary concert in London in September and the release of a brand new studio album. With a large and loyal fanbase and album sales now exceeding eight million this consummate musician and writer has maintained an admirable independence, writing, recording, performing and touring in the way only he knows how. He has proved that he is one of the most talented writers and performers out there. His independent attitude and his ability and willingness to take risks ensure that he continues to operate on the cutting edge of today's music.

Cracker, the group that veritably introduced brash irreverence and irony into alt-rock, are back and in top form on their 429 Records debut, Sunrise In The Land Of Milk And Honey. This rich new trove of sharp-witted songs showcases a bristling, late 70's - early 80's power pop punk aesthetic which hits as hard as it did at the band's formation 17 years ago. Eight albums (one platinum and three gold) and a barrel full of anthemic hit songs later, Cracker endures, using their ability to weave decades of influences into an album that is seamlessly riveting. Today the band stays well connected to yet another generation of fans via internet, many of whom were kids when these alt-rock godfathers were first ruling rock radio. Check them out at the Aladdin Theater July 8th!

At a young age, Shemekia Copeland is already a force to be reckoned with in the blues. While still in her 20s, she’s opened for the Rolling Stones, headlined at the Chicago Blues Festival and numerous festivals around the world, scored critics choice awards on both sides of the Atlantic (The New York Times and The Times of London) and shared the stage with such luminaries as Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Taj Mahal and John Mayer. Heir to the rich tradition of soul-drenched divas like Ruth Brown, Etta James and Koko Taylor, Copeland's shot at the eventual title of Queen of the Blues is pretty clear. By some standards, she may already be there. Copeland's passion for singing, matched with her huge, blast-furnace voice, gives her music a timeless power and a heart-pounding urgency. Her music comes from deep within her soul and from the streets where she grew up, surrounded by the everyday sounds of the city - street performers, gospel singers, blasting radios, bands in local parks and so much more.

"Caught In the Trees" marks the dawn of a new era for Damien Jurado. It may not be a huge departure from some of his past albums musically, but lyrically Jurado has taken a giant leap forward and there is no turning back. Best known for his dark yet fragile first person fictional tales, Jurado now unlocks the door and invites us into his own enigmatic world with an energy and intensity that is all-consuming. Jurado took a full year to make this record, longer than ever before, as he ran away from and eventually found himself in his own songs. He subsequently found refuge in sharing the songs with his closest friends and bandmates, Eric Fisher and Jenna Conrad. Having walked alongside him through this most challenging journey, the songs that came out of it are as much theirs as his. Jurado, Fisher, and Conrad collaborated on the compositions - some much more rocking than Jurado fans are used to, but ever as intense - and pulled in producers Kory Kruckenberg and Casey Foubert to contribute their own unique stylings.

Cowboy Junkies - Cowboy Junkies began their singular journey in 1985 when Michael Timmins (guitar), Peter Timmins (drums) and bassist Alan Anton, one of Michael's oldest friends, began jamming in a garage. Michael and Alan had tried their luck with a couple of other bands, Hunger Project and Germinal, and had recently returned to Toronto after several years in New York and London. The next step was to find a singer. "I never wanted to be a musician," Margo Timmins confides, “but one day Mike asked me to sing. I said yes, but only if I didn't have to do it in front of the other guys. So I sang with Mike for a couple of days, and then he asked, 'Um, do you think it'd be okay if we brought the other guys in now?' I said, 'Well, okay. I guess so, I mean, if we have to.'" The band released its debut, Whites Off Earth Now!!, in 1986 on their own Latent Recordings label. Hypnotic and languorous, it revealed Michael's fascination with Robert Johnson, Lightnin' Hopkins and other seminal blues artists. The band toured the Southern and Southwestern US in support of the record, soaking up the music of Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams and Jimmie Rodgers along the way, which, in turn, inspired their career making album, The Trinity Session. Son Volt - Jay Farrar has amassed a sizable and distinctive body of work since coming on the radar with Uncle Tupelo in 1989. The Search, the fifth album by the St. Louis-based artist under the Son Volt nameplate, takes Farrar's signature juxtapositions of the arcane and the modern to provocative extremes, contrasting the blue highways of a disappearing cultural landscape with a perilous world in which the center no longer holds - a world of information overload, of clueless leaders carrying out sinister agendas, of "Hurricanes in December - earthquakes in the heartland/Bad air index on a flashing warning sign," as the artist sings ruefully on "The Picture." A portion of the proceeds from each ticket sold will be donated to Ethos Music Lesson program. Ethos Music Center is dedicated to the promotion of music and music-based education for youth in underserved communities. http://www.ethos.org/ "Building community through music."

Lebowski Fest is a celebration of all things related to the 1998 Coen brothers cult comedy, "The Big Lebowski." Fans of the film (aka "Achievers") come from far and wide to drink white Russians, throw some rocks and party with an array of Dudes, Walters and Maudes (not to mention a nihilist or two). It's a two-day party that typically opens with live performances and screening of the film the first night and concludes with a raucous bowling party the following night. The First Annual Lebowski Fest was in 2002 in Louisville, but subsequent fests have been held in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, Austin, Seattle, London and Edinburgh. While the Coen brothers continue to maintain a safe distance from the madness they created, the fest has earned the blessing of the Dude himself, Jeff Bridges, who attended the fest in L.A. and even stuck around to sing a few songs.

"Variety for the ears, Vaudeville for the mind", Portland's own eclectic radio variety show recorded here at the Aladdin and aired on OPB radio throughout the state, is back for another season of intellect meets irreverence; interviews with intriguing meets oddball, extraordinary musical guests; original sketch comedy with Faces for Radio Theater, and house band Ralph Huntley and the Mutton Chops. Billed by the Oregonian as "the retro-hip kid sister of A Prairie Home Companion," why don't you come on down and see what all the fuss is about? www.livewireradio.org for schedule and information.

The Weakerthans recorded their fourth album, Reunion Tour, in March 2007, in a recording studio built above a factory on the outskirts of Winnipeg, the cold prairie city where the band was born 10 years ago. The factory produces cases for machines and computers and musical instruments, but only in the daytime; for a week and a half in the middle of winter, after the casemakers departed each afternoon at 4:30, the musicmakers, led by producer Ian Blurton, would arrive and play all night, crafting new sounds and new songs on the factory floor and then driving back to the city through the frigid Manitoba pre-dawn. The result is lush and energetic, infectious, unforgettable—hours after listening to it you may be surprised to find that you still have one of the songs stuck in your head, and what's more, it's a song about curling. Yes, curling: that noble sport of sweeping and sliding that in the snowier precincts of North America is more like a religion than a sport. (Winnipeg, a city of just 600,000 people, has 21 curling clubs.)

Five time Grammy nominee guitar virtuoso Ottmar Liebert and his band Luna Negra start a rigourous touring schedule for the Summer of 2009. In these difficult economic times, experiencing this up lifting performer is a live music experience not to be missed. Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra's concerts continue to break attendance records and we invite you to enjoy these concert events, support live music and bring your family and friends to an inspired evening of music by one of the truly great modern flamenco guitar players. This summer Liebert will release "Spanish Sun" exclusively through Target Stores available nationwide July 12th. Current releases by Liebert also include "Scent of Light" and "Up Close" which are being continuously played on over 90 smooth jazz and specialty stations around the country. The music mix in these recordings blend provocative sounds from fiery flamenco, Brazil and Peruvian rhythm with a touch of texture from ambient electronics and the solid back ups from Jon Gagan on Bass and Stephen Duros on some blazing electric guitar.

With the release of their Grammy Award nominated album Summer Rains, The Ditty Bops continue to bewitch their listeners with iridescent golden harmonies, playful storytelling and a visionary lyrical worldview. Their music has been described as genre-defying, bearing influence of Western Swing, Ragtime, Gypsy-Jazz, Pop, and Vaudeville-era Musical Theater. Teaming up again with Grammy nominated producer Mitchell Froom (Suzanne Vega, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello), The Ditty Bops have generated a work of whimsical invention and exceptional craftsmanship. The band is also well known for its elaborate live shows, which incorporate theatrical elements complete with props, costumes, and skits. Interview magazine says, "these vaudevillian vamps are putting the show back in showmanship." The Bops have been featured on Late Night with Conan O'Brian, The Late Late Show with Craig Fergusson, The L Word, Extra, NPR's All Things Considered, and A Prairie Home Companion, and have toured with diverse performers including Tori Amos, Nickel Creek and Nancy Sinatra. Their music has also appeared on ABC's Gray’s Anatomy, Men in Trees, and in numerous films and commercials.

This June, Alejandro Escovedo will release his 9th solo album Real Animal. Produced by Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T.Rex, Thin Lizzy), Real Animal is a collective journey through Escovedo's various musical incarnations from punk rock to string quintets and is as introspective as it is retrospective. Recalling the people, places and influences that helped shape his career, Real Animal represents the primitive aspect of Escovedo's music - the instinct, the urgency and a survivor mentality that fuels his musical passion. After an eleven-year hiatus from the studio, singer/songwriter Jesse Winchester came back in 1999 with his second album for Sugar Hill, Gentleman of Leisure. Produced in Nashville by Jerry Douglas, the collaboration renewed the artist's enthusiasm for recording that had been abandoned in 1988 after the release of his critically acclaimed project Humour Me. Winchester brought him success with such artists as Elvis Costello, Joan Baez, The Everly Brothers, Jimmy Buffett, Waylon Jennings, Bonnie Raitt and Emmylou Harris -- all who delved into his treasure chest of songs. With the release of Gentleman of Leisure, Winchester is enthusiastic, back on track and back on the road with a wealth of music that illustrates his twenty plus years as a prolific songwriter and singer. If you aren't familiar with Jesse Winchester, it's never too late to start.

Growing up in L.A. in the 60's, Grammy award winning guitarist Lee Ritenour received a rich cross section of exposure to jazz, rock and Brazilian music. From one of his first sessions at 16 with the Mamas and Papas to accompanying Lena Horne and Tony Bennett at 18, his forty year eclectic and storied career is highlighted by a Grammy Award win for his 1986 collaboration with Dave Grusin, Harlequin; 17 Grammy nominations; numerous #1 spots in guitar polls and the prestigious "Alumnus of the Year" award from USC. He has recorded over 40 albums, with 35 chart songs, notably the Top 15 hit "Is It You," which has become a contemporary jazz radio classic. In the 90s, Ritenour was a founding member of Fourplay, the most successful band in contemporary jazz, with keyboardist Bob James, bassist Nathan East and drummer Harvey Mason. The first Fourplay album in 1991 spent an unprecedented 33 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's contemporary jazz chart. Adding to this legacy is his latest CD Smoke ‘n' Mirrors; the recently completed Grammy nominated recording Amparo, (a follow-up with Dave Grusin to their highly-successful 2001 Grammy Award nominated contemporary classical crossover CD) and producer of Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band's latest CD Act Your Age (which is nominated for 3 Grammys.

On the new Blue October album, Approaching Normal, Justin Furstenfeld, moves his band forward into confident new territory as a songwriter and as a storyteller. Steve Lillywhite, the producer synonymous with U2 and five-time Grammy Award winner guided the way and the result is an album that breaks the mold of whatever anyone may think Blue October is. Lillywhite's first attraction to Blue October was the voice. "For me, it's always the voice that gets me first because my opinion on a voice never changes. There are singers and there are expressionists and Justin is both," says Steve, who quickly adds that just as important is the artistry, "Their music really touches people in a way that the music of great artists do. There is bond of passion and trust between artist and audience."

In the five years since we last heard a studio album from Trashcan Sinatras, things have been looking up. After more than two decades in the business the guys behind the 1990's GO! Discs albums Cake, I've Seen Everything, A Happy Pocket and 2004's Weightlifting have decided to throw caution to the wind and get happy. The result - new album In the Music is released on Hensley Records via EMI Music Services on 14 July 2009. "When Weightlifting came out, we toured it for two years, Europe, Japan, Australia and our favourite, the US of A - sold out the Bowery in NYC and the LA Troubadour 3 times in 2 nights, then on to the El Ray. Then we started coming back down to earth. Mostly we've been just writing and playing." says vocalist and rhythm guitarist John Douglas. The band has discovered that they're not for the treadmill approach, or being tied to a label and a deal that demands an album every two years. These new love songs - full of relaxed harmonies, typical Trashcans - were set to arrangements in a back room in the South Side of Glasgow over the summer of 2007, and recorded in New York and Marthas Vineyard over a crisp, cold winter in 2007 / 8. At the heart is a studio process that's new for the boys - of relying on instinct, getting into a groove and leaving the received structure of songwriting and recording behind.

Cross Canadian Ragweed knows all about the ritual of keepin' on -- and leaving nothing in reserve. The Oklahoma quartet has been pushing it to the metal for 13 years, through four studio albums, an equal number of live sets and 260 or so nights on the road every year. They don't skimp. They don't compromise. They play, and live, with genuine abandon and wouldn't have it any other way. "Man, there were never any other options but to stay together and play music," says frontman and songwriter Cody Canada. "We've always wanted to do what we're doing. We never thought we would be Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, but we always wanted to be around for along time." "We figure if we've been around for 13 years, we'll be around for 30." The key is that Canada and company -- guitarist Grady Cross, bassist Jeremy Plato and drummer Randy Ragsdale -- keep doing it better each time out. The latest evidence of that is mission california.., the most ambitious and accomplished album CCR has made to date and a triumph by any musical measure.

Black Francis is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the frontman of the influential alternative rock band Pixies, where he performs under the stage name Black Francis. Following the band's breakup in 1993, he embarked on a solo career under the name Frank Black. After releasing two albums with 4AD, he left the label and formed a backing band, Frank Black and the Catholics. He reformed the Pixies in 2004, and continues to release solo records and tour as a solo artist, having re-adopted his current stage name in 2007. His vocal style has varied from a screaming, yowling delivery as lead vocalist of the Pixies to a more measured and melodical style in his solo career. In a recent interview on CBC's The Hour, Black described his musical transformation: "Pixies were quite abstract in their repertoire, it was kind of surrealist, kind of drop-out lyrics, but instinctively I knew I wasn't going to sing about all of my 'hard times' or whatever because it wouldn't have rang true. Now I've had a good life, I've had some ups and downs like everybody and so you feel you could be a little more Leonard Cohen or something."