Tag Archives: Adrien Reju

Reviews

Live Review: WXPN Welcomes Chris Kasper CD Release Show at World Cafe Live (11/4)

November 6, 2011 – 8:41 pm

Chris Kasper - Nov 4, 2011

Chris Kasper played to a sold out crowd at World Cafe Live (Philadelphia, PA) for ‘The First Hundred Years Are The Hardest’ CD Release Show and it was incredible.  The live version of these songs sounded so unbelievably good that I could not imagine anyone walking away from that show Friday night disappointed.  On stage along with Chris Kasper (vocals, guitar) was Andy Keenan (guitar, banjo), Phil D’Agostino (bass), Kevin Killen (drums), and Jaron Olevsky (keys).  Kiley Ryan and Adrien Reju also joined in on backing vocals for a few songs.  I definitely have some great memories from this amazing show.

Earlier in the evening there was a set by Adrien Reju.  Reju had the honor of opening the show and she played a lovely set accompanied by Jaron Olevsky on keys.  Reju played several new songs and I hope that there is a new album in the works.  To put it plain and simple – Adrien Reju is a great songwriter with a wonderful voice.  It was nice to see Olevsky on keys again (he’s a part of Reju’s band from time to time) because his playing is impressive.  Adrien Reju’s set was followed by a set by Vandaveer.  I apologize for not really paying much attention to Vandaveer’s music.  At that point in the show my mind was too occupied with thoughts of “when is Chris Kasper going to play?”

Chris Kasper - Nov 4, 2011

Upcoming Shows:
11/12/11 – Chris Kasper at Rockwood Music Hall (NYC)
11/19/11 – Vandaveer at Rams Head Tavern (Annapolis, MD)
11/19/11 – Vandaveer at The Red Place (Washington, DC)

 

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Shows

Upcoming Show: WXPN welcomes Chris Kasper CD Release Show at World Cafe Live – Nov 4, 2011

October 29, 2011 – 6:22 pm

Chris Kasper - CD Release - 11/4/11

WXPN welcomes Chris Kasper CD Release Show
with Vandaveer & Adrien Reju

World Cafe Live
3025 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-222-1400

Friday, November 4, 2011 | Doors 6:30pm | Show 8pm | Downstairs Live

Advance Tickets

As fans of Chris Kasper’s music we’ll definitely be there.  Hope to see you there too.

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Reviews

Live Review: Adrien Reju, Pete Donnelly at Tin Angel (9/4/11)

September 6, 2011 – 1:55 am

Adrien Reju 09042011

Well, I don’t know how to play any instruments, I can’t sing, and other than my ability to whistle (it might get me in a band someday) I have no musical talent but my ears always know when they hear music they like.  So, I spent part of my Labor Day weekend taking in the wonderful music of Adrien Reju and Pete Donnelly at the Tin Angel.

Pete Donnelly 09042011

Pete Donnelly (with the help of Freddie Berman on drums and Adam Winokur on bass) played a great set and I loved what I heard.  I’m not familiar with Donnelly’s music but I have been listening to some of his music on SoundCloud and it’s good.  Donnelly was joined by Bandi Barksdale on vocals for a couple songs and that was a nice addition to the sound.  Yes, I’ll be keeping an ear out for any future shows from Pete Donnelly because I think I just discovered a new favorite artist.  YES!

Then Adrien Reju (and band – sorry the only person I recognized was Jaron Olevsky on keys) played an incredible set.  Adrien Reju is a very gifted songwriter and she can really sing.  I LOVE HER VOICE!  Please pardon the outburst but I can act like a real crazed music fan in type (but never in person) because I really am that much of a fan.  Anyway, Reju played a set of new material with an encore of crowd favorites – “Heartless” and “A Million Hearts”.  Oh yeah, Olevsky added hauntingly beautiful keys on Reju’s cover of The Korgis “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime”.  It was a live moment that I won’t soon forget.

 

Music, too much is not enough.

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Reviews

Live Review: Carsie Blanton, Adrien Reju at Tin Angel (Jun 11, 2011)

June 12, 2011 – 9:57 pm

Setting Sun Angel

Thanks to the fun times I had trying to find parking in Olde City on a Saturday evening I made it to the show a little late. I believe I missed about a third of Adrien Reju’s set.  Reju was opening the show this night at the Tin Angel (Philadelphia, PA) with a full band.  I heard her play several new songs and a David Bowie cover and it all sounded SO GOOD.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Adrien Reju is a gifted singer-songwriter with a stunning voice and you owe it to yourself to check out her music.  I wish I had some video from last night’s show because Reju’s performance was a definite treat and a resounding reminder that I really need to stop being so lazy and get to more shows.  I’ve got to get my perfect show-going attendance back.  After all, live music is my medicine.

Carsie Blanton was next and played a duo set – just vocals, acoustic guitar and upright bass.  Blanton is another great singer-songwriter with an incredible voice.  The imagery in Blanton’s songs is very vivid and holds such creativity.   Carsie Blanton announced that she will be working on a new album, Idiot Heart, later this summer in Atlanta, GA.  After hearing a few songs from Blanton’s upcoming release, including the title track, I know Carsie Blanton has a wonderful album on her hands and I can’t wait to hear the finished product.  I would like to wish Carsie Blanton all the best on Idiot Heart.  The show ended with a very impressive sounding cover of Hall & Oats “Rich Girl” performed by Adrien Reju and band with Carsie Blanton.

 

Support live music.

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Reviews

Album Review: Ross Bellenoit – Eight Track Mind

January 23, 2011 – 9:57 pm
Ross Bellenoit-Eight Track Mind

Ross Bellenoit
Eight Track Mind
(2010)

Track list:
01. Mysterious Child (Oh God!)
02. Heart of Creation
03. Now Is the Time
04. Wicked Love
05. Human Nature
06. Speak Clear
07. Different Crown
08. Don’t Tell Me
09. This Time Around
10. Borderline
11. Coda

Eight Track Mind is the debut album by Ross Bellenoit, a name that has been associated with many great artists (Amos Lee, Birdie Busch, John Francis, and The Sweetback Sisters – just to name a few) is finally taking his turn as a solo artist; testing his singer/songwriter skills.  Eight Track Mind has a pop body, a rock and roll mind, and a folk soul which delivers a clever, and genuine effort by Bellenoit.

“Now Is The Time” has the most beautifully haunting backing vocals like a spirit calling from the other side.  “Human Nature” might be familiar to some because of its WXPN airplay. “Speak Clear” starts out small and contained but soon breaks free with a near arena rock appeal.  Wendy Gaynor contributes excellent vocals on “Don’t Tell Me”.  And “you have a face unfit for your tongue ‘cause all that you’ve said isn’t all that you’ve done” are some notable lyrics heard on that track. Oh my, the pedal/lap steel (actually maybe it’s just an electric guitar with impeccable control) – anyways, it adds the most amazing layer to that track (and several others on this album) with so much feeling.  “This Time Around” is the fun song of the album and features Suzie Brown, Birdie Busch, Zach Djanikian, Wendy Gaynor, Craig Hendrix, Chris Kasper, Andrew Lipke, Jaron Olevsky, Allison Polans and Adrien Reju on vocals providing an impervious wall of sound.  Nate Gonzalez’s accordion playing on “Borderline” is impressive and joyous.

All in all, I think Eight Track Mind is a great debut album from Ross Bellenoit and proves him to be a gifted singer/songwriter, solo artist.  I hope that this is only the beginning.  Nice work by Jaron Olevsky (recording, bass guitar), Freddie Berman (drums) and everyone involved in this album.  By the way, I’m definitely feeling the overall production quality on the album – it’s crisp.

[LISTEN] “Human Nature” by Ross Bellenoit from the album Eight Track Mind

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Ross Bellenoit: website | Facebook | Myspace

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Photos

Photos: Adrien Reju, Suzie Brown @ Tin Angel (Sep 25, 2010)

September 26, 2010 – 10:44 pm

Adrien Reju 9-25-10 Tin Angel

Adrien Reju w/ Nate Skiles (guitar), Pete Donnelly (bass), Jeff Pettit (drums)

Suzie Brown 9-25-10 Tin Angel

Suzie Brown w/ Nate Skiles (guitar), Will Wright (bass), Jeff Pettit (drums)

It was a great night of new music previews at the Tin Angel last night with Adrien Reju and Suzie Brown sharing a bill.  Everyone in attendance was treated to hearing Brown’s new, unrecorded album live .  Adrien Reju closed the show with a set of new material as well as some songs from “A Million Hearts” – that is a great album and from what I heard last night Reju’s next album is sounding great too.  Hanging out at the Tin Angel and hearing such beautiful live music was the perfect way to spend a Saturday night.

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Shows

The Lowlands Reunite!

February 17, 2010 – 2:07 am

The Lowlands Return to Philadelphia…

The Lowlands, Philadelphia’s beloved bluegrass project featuring: Chris Kasper, Adrien Reju, Todd Barneson, and Jeff Hiatt, will reunite this weekend for a few, very special performances in the Philadelphia, PA area.  The details about these upcoming shows are listed below.  If you have a chance to make one of these shows I highly recommend you do so.

2-19-10 BL Friday, February 19, 2010
THE LOWLANDS
The Blinkin Lincoln (at Holy Smoke)
473 Leverington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19128
with: Eb Hawkins Band
9:00PM

Saturday, February 20, 2010
THE LOWLANDS
Sellersville Theater 1894
24 W. Temple Avenue, Sellersville, PA 18960-2421
opening for: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
3:00PM and 8:00PM

The Lowlands: website | Myspace

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Reviews

Adrien Reju: Barnaby Bright: at Tin Angel (1/2/10)

January 3, 2010 – 11:10 pm

Adrien Reju

It was just last Saturday that I was at the Tin Angel for the Chris Kasper and The Great Unknown show.  They are some of my favorite musicians and they put on an excellent show.  So, seeing Adrien Reju and Barnaby Bright at the same venue on the same day of the week but a week later had a slight déjà vu feel.  Anyway, on with the current show at hand.  The three member NY based band Barnaby Bright opened the show with a good performance.  I really liked their music and give them some originality points for instrument selection.  Was that some kind of organ Rebecca was playing?  Also, what was that music box sounding instrument Nathan was playing? Whether I get an answer or not will not change that fact that Barnaby Bright creates good music and is worth a good listen.

Adrien Reju had the headlining slot and deservedly so because she is extremely talented, her music is incredible, and her voice is amazing.  This time Adrien Reju had a full band with her: Freddie Berman (drums), Jaron Olevsky (keys), Nate Skiles (bass), and a guitarist.  Reju began her set with “Heartless” – that’s my jam!  Truthfully, I like all the songs on her current album, A Million Hearts (here’s the proof ), so what a treat it was to hear those songs live again.  The set ended with an encore – a cover of “Fever”.  Wow, that was great!

Upcoming Shows:
Adrien Reju
Jan 09 2010 Pete’s Candy Store (Brooklyn, NY) w/ Shannon Pelcher
Jan 16 2010 Club Passim (Cambridge, MA) w/ Vance Gilbert

Barnaby Bright
Jan 14 2010 House Concert (Babylon, NY)
Jan 29 2010 The Living Room (New York, NY) w/ Andy Mac, Katy Pfaffl and Alex Gross
Apr 10 2010 House Concert (Freeland, MD)
Apr 24 2010 House Concert (North East, MD)
May 01 2010 House Concert (Lancaster, PA)

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