Marty Halpern

Marco mirrors McCartney with a little help from his friends

July 21, 2022
Marty Halpern

Marco Benevento’s musical influences are limitless. From psychedelia to jazz and everything in between, these references are easily identifiable throughout his musical resume. On his latest release, he threw these influencesˆa studio full of keyboards and other obscure instruments into the pot at once. The result, “Benevento,” is a genre-defying exploration caused by being home-bound during the Covid pandemic.

Nicki Bluhm-ing Again in Nashville

June 27, 2022
Marty Halpern

Nicki Bluhm’s rise to fame coincided with the late 2000s musician gold rush to San Francisco – she’s California to the core. But, after life changes sent her east to Tennessee, the singer/songwriter had new stories to tell, which turned into a brand new album.

One Weekend Only – A New Norm of Live Music

June 10, 2022
Marty Halpern

“At the end of the set in Brooklyn, I said to the guys imagine what it would be like if we were able to do this six nights in a row? You’d love to keep doing it. But that’s not the reality.” – Chris Harford

Seth Walker Puts His Troubles Behind Him

May 17, 2022
Marty Halpern

Seth Walker – Photo: Joshua Black Wilkins

The last few years have been rough on Seth Walker even without the chaos caused by COVID-19. Dealing with the end of a long term relationship, the musician decided to pack up and move from Nashville, TN to Asheville, NC, not far from where he grew up. He needed the Blue Ridge Mountains’ tranquility to try and answer some serious life questions, and the fresh air and family time were exactly what Walker needed.

Joan Osborne Unpacks a Treasure Trove of Goodies

May 3, 2022
Marty Halpern

Everyone has boxes their attic that are never opened, filled with old books, clothes that don’t fit, and memories of the past. Those memories hold more value than the items themselves.

When Joan Osborne got around to opening her boxes, she unearthed a career’s worth of recordings, interviews, and photographs – enough material to release “Radio Waves,” a collection of unreleased recordings spanning her entire career.

Stuart Bogie and Joe Russo Unleash A Collaboration for the Ages

March 25, 2022
Marty Halpern

For years Stuart Bogie and Joe Russo have collaborated on numerous musical projects. In studio or on stage, the synergy between the two is something special, and it’s on display with “The Prophets in The City.“

Scott Metzger pays homage to bats, Katy Perry, and Hindu slide guitar in “Too Close to Reason.”

March 18, 2022
Marty Halpern

There’s plenty of Scott Metzger’s music to be heard in the world. The guitarist has been creating music for over two decades, from WOLF! to his role in Joe Russo’s Almost Dead.

Despite such a prolific career, one thing has been missing from his resume: a solo record. With “Too Close to Reason,” Metzger can finally cross that benchmark off his list.

CATS Recasts with Neal Casal Disciple

March 3, 2022
Marty Halpern

When Circles Around the Sun (CATS) founder Neal Casal passed away in 2019, it was clear his wish was for the band to keep at it, a big challenge for a band that was never meant to exist. When the dust settled after Casal’s death, bassist Dan Horne, keyboardist Adam MacDougall, and drummer Marc Levy followed their leader’s wishes, and kept the music going.

Grateful Shred Still Hotter than Nashville Chicken

December 3, 2021
Marty Halpern

After a meteoric rise from obscurity to a national touring band, Grateful Shred has made the most of its time in the spotlight. The initial lineup, featuring Clay Finch and Sam Blasucci alongside Shred core two Austin McCutchen and Dan Horne, woke the Grateful Dead cosmos with a unique laid-back harmony driven sound. The band literally went from playing the Shakedown Street vendor area prior to Dead and Company shows to touring the United States.

Tom Hamilton and Holly Bowling Find the Right Lacuna in Lacuna

November 17, 2021
Marty Halpern

You can add Ghost Light bandmates Tom Hamilton and Holly Bowling to the list of musicians who will release some out of the box music because of covid. The guitarist and pianist are set to release Lacuna an almost hour-long improvisational journey that took place at Hamilton’s studio while the world was shut down for the pandemic.