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Dear Music Lovers: Today, more than ever, artists have a chance to be heard. I want to encourage musicians and songwriters to excel in their field, to drill the unmined territories of creativity, and express your God-given talent to all the anxious ears awaiting your beauty. Follow your inner sense of music and don't be afraid to express what you find there. I wish you every inspiration and every blessing.
My goal with MusicViews is to introduce music I love to people who may not have heard that particular artist or CD.
For information about how to submit a CD for review, click here.
With love and honor for the gift of music, Kimmy Sophia Brown
View the complete list of MusicViews from One Longfellow Square in Portland, Maine.
(They're also intermixed in the list below.)
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Venue: One Longfellow Square, Portland ME ~ May 8, 2010
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Aug 27, 2010
That night, One Longfellow Square was packed to the gills, and the two men came out and began to play. The darkened house and the lilting tunes (why is it that Irish tunes are always lilting, and yet they are--) thrummed along until the whole bunch of us were on a hypnotic journey with Martin and Dennis.
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CD Review
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Jun 25, 2010
My first impression of the album, without zeroing in on any particular song, was the feeling of how each cut built upon the next, with each song expanding the listening experience. It affected me in a way similar to the way I feel when I read a Paramahansa Yogananda meditation. I get a sense of emotional expansiveness.
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Venue: One Longfellow Square, Portland ME ~ May 7, 2010
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ May 16, 2010
Kenny White, wearing a fedora and glasses, opened for Cheryl Wheeler with his song, "Out of My Element". He plays the piano with a flourish like Elton John and turns an elegant phrase like Randy Newman; "I'm trying to walk straight but the sidewalk is nervous, / my tears need a curfew, my steps need a purpose."
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Venue: One Longfellow Square, Portland, ME ~ May 7, 2010
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ May 13, 2010
Cheryl Wheeler is a laid back woman. She came out on stage full of bonhomie and wearing an outfit that looked just like my pajamas. Cheryl is a born storyteller and has a mind like Mark Twain. She can make ordinary events seem funny by the way she relates them, but behind the wit is a deep and sensitive heart.
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Venue: One Longfellow Square, Portland, ME ~ May 3, 2010
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ May 7, 2010
I was honored to be in the midst of great musicians last night. Four masters of their genres, Ragtime Jack Radcliffe; folk song hunter Dale Robin Goodman; bluesman Sherman Lee Dillon; and "sea chanty man" Jim McGrath, from the Wepecket Island record label, were in Portland sharing their talents. When I see musicians of this caliber I'm struck by their skill, love of music and the fun and goodwill that they share with listeners.
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Venue: One Longfellow Square, Portland, ME ~ Apr 29, 2010
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ May 7, 2010
National Fiddle Champion brother and sister duo, Tristan, (who also plays cello) and Tashina Clarridge, hammered dulcimer wizard Simon Chrisman and banjo master Wes Corbett, play together like a flock of birds, changing directions and weaving in and out with flawless patterns of coordination and grace.
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Venue: One Longfellow Square, Portland ME ~ Apr 29, 2010
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ May 7, 2010
Yowee, it is hard to categorize cellist, singer-songwriter Mike Block! He opened a show for the Bee Eaters and dazzled the audience with his energetic and humorous style. A wiry guy with bright eyes and quick fingers, he began with some Appalachian folk tunes, a Bach piece and then...
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Venue: One Longfellow Square, Portland, ME ~ Mar 3, 2010
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Apr 22, 2010
As my daughter, Grace, pointed out (who attended the show with me), it was interesting seeing both bands synthesize in and out of each other. It made the whole evening feel like the music came from the same gene pool.
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Venue: One Longfellow Square, Portland, ME ~ Feb 27, 2010
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Apr 21, 2010
A lot of Asian music I have heard in the past, such as Chinese opera, is very discordant to me and not pleasant to listen to, but these songs, even with the unusual throat sounds were truly melodic. I found myself crying from the first song, I was deeply moved immediately.
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Venue: One Longfellow Square, January 7, 2010
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Jan 28, 2010
There are a lot of female vocalists out there who have various strengths and talents. Heather’s most notable quality is her impeccable voice. It is imbued with sensitivity and acuity, and is incredibly soothing. She has a great sense of nuance and tone as a song stylist and song interpreter.
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Lucy Wainwright Roche, Rebecca Pronsky, Marie Moreshead ~ at One Longfellow Square ~ December 4, 2009
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Dec 21, 2009
Lucy Wainwright Roche headlined a lovely evening of woman power with fellow New Yorker, Rebecca Pronsky and local artist, Marie Moreshead at One Longfellow Square. It was fun to see up-and-coming musicians touring, and hear their song-writing and performing efforts.
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Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams
~ Venue ~ One Longfellow Square - Portland Maine - November 14, 2009
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Nov 25, 2009
Musically enthralling, emotionally touching, philosophically profound. Joziah’s comments before the song were quite refreshing. Rather than casting blame against anyone, as some artists are prone to do, he said something about taking personal responsibility for what is going down in the world.
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~ Venue: Port City Blue - Portland, Maine - October 30, 2009 ~
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Nov 1, 2009
Katey Branch and Geoff Warner performed a cozy, folksy set last night at Port City Blue, in Portland, Maine. Between Katey’s warm and vivacious personality and Geoff’s nimble fingers, they charmed the crowd with original tunes and a few old favorites.
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~ Venue: One Longfellow Square, Portland Maine - October 22, 2009 ~
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Oct 24, 2009
What a delightful evening, to say the least! Ron Cody with his boyish grin and banjo, rugged Matt Shipman with his guitar, and delicately lovely Erica Brown with her fiddle, played an impressive opening set last night at One Longfellow Square.
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~ Venue: One Longfellow Square, Portland Maine - October 22, 2009 ~
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Oct 24, 2009
Bill Evans, twenty-five year banjo legend and author of Banjo For Dummies, and Megan Lynch, six time National Fiddle Champion, took the stage after a wonderful warm up from the opening act of Ron Cody, Matt Shipman and Erica Brown.
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~ Venue - One Longfellow Square, Portland Maine - September 30, 2009 ~
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Oct 18, 2009
He moved like a dancing cat on the piano stool, lifting and touching down each leg almost as if his body movements were propelling the music along.
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Venue: One Longfellow Square, Portland, ME ~ Sep 30, 2009
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Oct 18, 2009
There must have been a piano in the womb with Bob Malone because he was born with some of the most magical piano playing fingers on the planet. He appeared before a small crowd Thursday night at One Longfellow Square and gave a stunning show that should have been seen by an audience a hundred times larger.
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~ Venue - One Longfellow Square, Portland Maine - August 25, 2009 ~
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Sep 22, 2009
Their show has a very universal appeal, touching on subjects that affect almost everyone. It was a warm and sweet night. Don and Christine came across like personal friends. I just wanted to squeeze both of them when it was over.
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~ Venue - One Longfellow Square, Portland Maine - August 4, 2009 ~
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Aug 11, 2009
Being fans of the gypsy jazz style of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, we attended with much anticipation.
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~ Venue - One Longfellow Square, Portland Maine - August 7, 2009 ~
by Kimmy Sophia Brown ~ Aug 11, 2009
Ramblin’ Red, a foursome of very talented ladies from Portland, Maine, opened Friday, August 7th, for Moira Smiley and VOCO at One Longfellow Square. They performed a set of very classy and original tunes with enthusiasm and rich harmony.
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