New Artist: Monica Ott

Today's NEW featured artist is Monica Ott, whose debut album "Only Human" is set to release at The Bitter End Thursday, October 1 at 8:30pm! Also be sure to visit her brand new website- www.monicaott.com for more information, downloads, and show dates. Here's a little info on Monica, who received Honorable Mention in the prestigious New York Songwriter's Circle contest:

"Singer/songwriter, Monica Ott is proving to be what the term is all about. Hailing from Baltimore, and relocated to New York City, Monica's not a self-proclaimed singer/songwriter because she writes a couple lines of a song, but is, instead, involved in the process every step of the way. From the original conception of the words to the evolution of the music and melodies and final production, Monica Ott's personal goal is to showcase the story of each song. That said, her debut album Only Human was just recently released. Only Human has been called 'a modern album with a timeless sound'."

Welcome to NYC Artists Scene Monica! We'll be sure to take a listen!

Zach Hurd: New Beginnings

For a city that bolsters such beauty, power, and culture, it’s not hard to understand why people are often intimidated by her presence. Talent is abundant, seeping out of the aged, familiar cracks on the streets, echoing softly in the branches of the massive trees that have seen generations grow up and move on, whispering in our ears as we stroll down the streets our beloved artists once walked on, feeling the same nerves and anxiety that exist today. For Zach Hurd, a tall, quiet singer-songwriter hailing from Maine, his chiseled features and calm exterior were a simple façade, masking the concerns and fears of moving to New York.

Hesitant to relocate to the city after years of playing out in Maine, Connecticut, and New Jersey in addition to touring the country with his former band “Causeway,” Zach worried he would fall into the path he’d seen so many musicians succumb to- get a day job, work endlessly to pay rent and make ends meet, and eventually forgo music because there just wasn’t enough time. Fortunately, Hurd has experienced quite the opposite; he found himself inspired by and able to identify with the positive vibe in NYC. “New York has this reputation of being so saturated with artists and musicians, and I guess it is in some ways,” Zach explains. “But when you’re here and you’re doing it- it doesn’t feel quite so unattainable… It gave me a new sense of determination and urgency to really be involved in what I’m passionate about.”

Growing up in a home where both parents were singers, one of Zach’s first memories was observing and hearing his mom sing. “I remember seeing it and thinking ‘Wow, that’s amazing,” Hurd recalls, grinning. “My mom has this really powerful voice and she just connects with people.” While Zach inherited the singing genes, he lacked in the stage presence department, opting to play and write songs on his electric guitar in the privacy of his room or as a part of a group. Bands like Nirvana, Jimmy Hendrix, Green Day, and Pearl Jam were influences in his early years, and after learning many of their songs and beginning to write his own, Hurd and a friend were ready to take on an open mic freshman year of high school. “I could have wet myself I was so nervous,” laughs Zach, recalling the memory.

Over time, the nervousness wore off, and Hurd continued to hone his skills throughout high school and college, eventually forming Causeway with Barbara Pecirep and booking college tours throughout the country. The duo moved to Middletown, NJ as an attempt to get closer to New York City, but after a year and a half Zach decided to break out on his own, picking up and moving to Williamsburg two years ago. The move was an attempt to start focusing on his own music and ambitions, and felt a bit nerve-wracking at first for the new kid in town. “When I moved here, it felt like I was starting all over again,” Hurd confesses.

The singer-songwriter began playing out everywhere he could, making connections, playing open mics such as Spike Hill and Heartland, and re-visiting the New York Songwriter’s Circle, an organization he was already familiar with during his time in Causeway. Feeling apprehensive about going solo and unsure how it would be received, Zach was pleased to find it opened some new doors for him, helping to meet new people, boost his wavering confidence, and obtain feedback and support on new work.

Now Hurd is preparing to release his latest album “Changing Landscapes,” recorded at Thump Studios in Greenpoint, and features Hurd, Richard Levengood (the owner of Thump) on drums, Nick Sullivan on bass, and Norman Vladimir, Lourdes Santiago, and his mom Laurie Hurd on back up vocals. After years of trial and error, Zach is extremely proud of the finished product, and looking forward to the upcoming record release show at The Living Room on August 27 at 8:00pm. “I took more risks,” Hurd reveals, “It’s experimental in places. I wanted to try new sounds, think more out of the box.”

Often lyrically inspired by the more challenging parts of life, such as relationships gone wrong and death, Zach also finds himself stimulated by creative people and fellow artists, observing life through a new, metaphorical pair of glasses. “People who are always creating inspire me to want to go back to my apartment and write,” claims Hurd, adding, “I’ve been moved a lot lately by painters and visual art. Living in the city there’s so much of it- its so visually stimulating. There’s so much to work with.”

As time passes and life continually evolves, Zach’s love and passion for music grows exceedingly evident. Determined to maintain a career based on longevity and a wonderfully loyal fan base, much like singer-songwriters James Taylor and Beck, Hurd greatly admires creativity and classic resonation, striving to produce the same qualities in his own work. “The music is really important to them,” Zach notes. “Yeah, they’ve had some hits that allowed them to continue their careers, but it’s easy to see it’s not about the hit song, it’s about doing what’s right for the music… Just doing what you love.”

An artist who has quietly crept into the NYC music scene with his inventive, captivating sound and a warm sincerity that instantly draws you in, Zach is bound to make giant strides in the wake of his latest album. Understanding the importance of overcoming hardships and insecurities and pushing yourself to get to the places you need to be, Hurd is the upcoming artist to watch- securing a place on the stage and a place in the hearts of enthusiastic audiences and familiar faces that make the “Big Apple” seem that much smaller.

For more information on Zach please visit www.myspace.com/zhurd or find Zach on Facebook at www.facebook.com/zachhurdmusic. Be sure to check out the Record Release of "Changing Landscapes at The Living Room this Thursday, 8:00pm and get your copy!

Tonight at the Canal Room!!

Tonight the Canal Room presents the Artists You Should Know Series, featuring a fantastic line-up of artists....

CALEB HAWLEY- NYC Artist Caleb Hawley dazzles the crowd with his high energy, audibly stimulating performances! A master guitar player, Caleb has impressed audiences throughout the New York City indie scene, from packed house, standing ovations at The Living Room to thoroughly entertaining crowds at Rockwood Music Hall and The Bitter End. Currently working on his next CD, Caleb is sure to captivate you with his subtle humor, powerful vocal cords, and excellent command of music and sound.

TINA MATHIEU- A beautiful songstress whose power and soul intensely seep through her lyrics, Tina brings life to the stage and honesty to the song. With songs like "Little Secret" full of truth and relatability, Tina exudes messages in her music that bring a sense of comfort and empathy to her passion, raw style.

ZACH HURD- Preparing to release his next full length album, Zach has been diligently playing his way around the NYC music scene. Impressing the most popular venues, Zach cultivated a devoted fan following, who are drawn to the incredible array of acoustic funk mixed with a dash of soul pop. After delivering a standout EP in 2008 titled "The Small Places," Zach is excited to finally share his "Changing Landscapes" at The Living Room record release show on August 27.

JOHN SCHMITT- This aggressive singer-songwriter, who placed third in the New York Songwriter's Circle contest for his powerful song "Ophelia," has made on obvious commitment to spread his music around, playing gigs all over New York and beyond. John's love for music is apparent both onstage and off, working for the NYSC hosting their "Loft Series" and consistently supporting other artists and colleagues throughout the community. Passionately expressing his life experiences through moving and entertaining lyrics, his full length, self-entitled CD is now available for your listening pleasure.

CHRIS AYER- Tonight marks the CD Release of Chris Ayer's latest album! After major success placing as a finalist in the New York Songwriter's Circle for his song, "Awake," Ayer has been back in the studio putting together an album that's sure to please his eagerly awaiting fans. Spending an equal amount of time in home-base NYC and touring the country, Chris infuses his acoustic singer-songwriter sound with a folk twist that can both soothe and move the soul while keeping the body stirring to the beat.

To learn more about these artists visit their myspace music pages:

www.myspace.com/calebhawley

www.myspace.com/tinamathieu

www.myspace.com/zhurd

www.myspace.com/johnschmitt

www.myspace.com/chrisayer

Be sure to head to the CANAL ROOM- www.canalroom.com- at 7:30pm TONIGHT to check out this talented group of artists!

Deena Goodman: The Queen of the Scene

No grass grows under Deena Goodman’s feet, the fiery songstress and powerful promoter of New York City’s independent artist community. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Deena is well-versed in all aspects of the industry, from performing and booking to songwriting, socializing, and selling. Well-known by friends and colleagues as the founder of Rebel Spirit Music, an organization formulated to help network and nurture the artist scene; Goodman has been immersed in the NY music world since moving to the city at age 18, and continues to share her whirlwind force of talent, passion, and philanthropy on every road she travels.

Diving head first into the music business on both ends, Deena spent most of college songwriting, meeting producers, and interning with hard-hitting companies like Warner Brothers Records and the prestigious PR firm Susan Blond, with whom she got a job upon graduation. Choosing to heavily pursue a solo music career, Deena eventually left Blond’s agency, picking up the position of Saturday night party promoter with client The Canal Room, and spent the rest of her time lighting up the stages of Mercury Lounge, Bowery Ballroom, and Joe’s Pub with her mesmerizing, soulful voice. A brilliant networking force, Deena simultaneously started bolstering relationships with fellow artists through BMI, strategically booking shows with musician friends who drew strong followings such as Casey Shea, Atomic Tom, Wes Hutchinson, and Brent Shuttleworth.

Four years into her musical pursuit fate stepped in and handed her an unfortunate card- a cyst was discovered on Goodman’s vocal chords and surgery was required, rendering an uncertain future for her singing career. Not willing to walk away from the life she worked so persistently to build, Goodman took a new approach to the industry. “I was always as good of a businesswoman as I was a singer, maybe even a better businesswoman,” Deena reveals. Using the necessary sabbatical as an opportunity to try something new, Goodman joined forces with Dean McCarthy, a fellow music enthusiast, to create and promote events through their newfound organization, Rebel Spirit Music. The goal was simple: to discover great music, perform it for big audiences, and in turn get the individual artists to start playing with one another, promoting a “troubadour, 1970s hippie-vibe” that translated beautifully into the current scene. Deena enlisted the great and powerful Rockwood Music Hall as the main venue for these events, which hosts Rebel Spirit once a month since its inception in December 2007. “The fact that it’s at Rockwood really helps because it’s the center of music for most of the community in the Lower East Side,” Goodman explains, crediting Rockwood’s senior booker Tommy Merrill with intelligently constructing which acts perform each evening. “[Rebel Spirit and Rockwood] work hand-in-hand very well together.”

Rebel Spirit Music Series has since expanded to include venues like the Canal Room, where Deena also works as a booker, and Tavern on the Green during the summer season. Drawing industry representatives, artists, and music lovers from all over the city, the concept has been warmly received and is eternally evolving. Goodman had the first ten months booked in her head from the start, pulling from friends and contacts she made during her involvement with the New York Songwriter’s Circle, and pairing those with new, undiscovered gems McCarthy found hidden throughout the city and Brooklyn. “People really like the community vibe,” she notes, observing that most advertising for the series comes from positive word-of-mouth.

In working first with the Songwriter’s Circle, Goodman was able to establish friendships with groups of musicians, getting to know the different cliques who played together both professionally and socially. Becoming increasingly aware of the importance of introducing people, Deena proceeded to blend the lines of the groups that had formed. “Cliques are not a bad thing. They are what help artists cultivate, grow and support themselves,” she states confidently and smiles, “I just think they should all know each other.”

Goodman excitedly shares what Rebel Spirit has brought to the scene: “People treat each other as artists, put each other in their bands, feature their friends in sets, utilize each other’s talents to make their shows better, and bring these different personalities to the light of their audiences.” So many of these artists would not have found each other if not for sharing the common stage, further proving the incredible power music has of bringing people together.

The organization’s home base can be found at www.rebelspiritmusic.com, a website developed “by artists, for artists,” that grabs writers, photographers, PR people, and other resources and displays them at one table for everyone to feast on. Deena wisely rationalizes, “It’s better to pursue something as a group than one-on-one,” which has been a major factor in the success of this useful coalition of artistry. One of Goodman’s goals is to develop the website even further- expanding the database, promoting additional series, and tie in more industry representatives. “It’s all about building a name for this grass roots community of artists doing everything for themselves,” Deena affirms, showcasing a passion for this project that’s parallel to the sparks that fly when she takes the stage.

An exemplary model of the duality between business and the arts, Goodman is inspired by good lyrics, perfectly executed live music events, happy audiences, music lovers, people who believe in sharing the wealth, and most of all, people. The strong, confident, and dynamic enthusiasm she emits is simply captivating, and her well-constructed words and devotion to the indie music journey will hook anyone eager to hear, know, and discover more.

To learn about Deena as a singer-songwriter please visit www.myspace.com/deenagoodman. To be further educated in opportunities with Rebel Spirit Music check out www.rebelspiritmusic.com.

Caleb Hawley: Welcome to the Show.

If the culture and arts of New York City were to be an integral part of a daily diet, Caleb Hawley would be the main course. This well-balanced musician understands the value and importance of entertainment, incorporating humor, song variety, audience participation, and even a few sweet dances moves that flavor even the quietest venues. No stranger to the stage, Hawley has spent the past year touring the country, playing colleges, coffee houses, and a medley of local music spots, impressing audiences with a uniquely powerful voice and charming stage presence.

Hailing from the Midwest, Hawley is the youngest of three and grew up in a household with musician parents and a singer/songwriter brother. “Our vacations every summer were never to Mexico,” Caleb says, “We went to folk festivals.” Formal music lessons started at age 11, first with the drums, moving onto the guitar. Inspired by rock music like Metallica and Nirvana, Caleb joined the jazz band with dreams of pursuing the electric guitar. With three possible life goals in place at age 16, it was the singer/songwriter path that won, beating out college music professor and singing in a local acappella group. After high school he spent a year at community college, transferring later to Berklee College in Boston to complete his music degree. The move to New York came directly after graduation, along with marriage to high school sweetheart Samantha.

The 24-year-old’s music is a delicious blend of acoustic, funk and pop, with a dash of “white boy soul.” Growing up listening to a song’s lyrical content led to Hawley’s folk-based writing, but a significant jazz background gave way to gospel and blues influences. Another highlight of the act is Caleb’s use of the loop pedal, an increasingly popular instrument used by guitarists “to create looping layers of melody or texture during a live performance.”

“I first started using it at colleges because they wanted to hear pop songs,” clarifies Hawley. With a bag full of tricks to “spice thing up," including a musical caterpillar, wooden spoon, frying pan, shaker, and whistle, the audience is treated to radio hits like “Senorita” and “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough,” along with Caleb’s personal introductory rap, a clever, catchy marketing technique to introduce his website.

A true observer of human nature and social aspects, Caleb was originally drawn to satirical music, citing Randy Newman and Nelly McKay as two major influences. “What comes to me naturally is making fun of people,” Hawley laughs, but understands, “I love funny music, but I’ll listen to the CD and few times and that’s what it’s good for.” As a result, recent songs have taken a more serious turn, with chords that sing of beauty, sadness, struggle, and hope. The outcome: Music you can listen to over and over again; time capsules of the writer’s life.

The next wind of Caleb’s tour swirls through major cities like New York, Philadelphia, Des Moines, and Portland, as well local gigs in Nebraska, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. A self-made musician, Hawley started booking tours when he was 16, taking the family van to various locations in the Midwest. One of the most difficult aspects of this lifestyle is the do-it-yourself attitude that must prevail in order to succeed. A lesson taught at a young age: “The effort you put into it in the long run will get you further.” This is particularly true in the NYC scene, loaded with options and talented young artists; it’s hard to stand out in the crowd. Previously discouraged by the “hard to impress” atmosphere in New York, Caleb felt an enormous boost of confidence and energy after a warm reception at Rockwood Music Hall last week. “It was amazing,” he said, “When the crowd is good it is easy to feed off of.”

One of the top 12 finalists in “New York Songwriter’s Circle” last year, Caleb continues to perform with this incredible operation, next appearing in a live showcase at World Café Live in Philadelphia. The networking provided by this intimate and exclusive group offers publicity to the artists, a chance put forth their most powerful music, and camaraderie between producers, musicians, and club owners. Another remarkable facet of the New York artists scene, “Songwriter’s Circle” brought Hawley one step closer to his short-term goal: to be able to walk into any town, at any given time, and draw a crowd of fifty strangers who are there solely to see him play.

What will lure these crowds is Caleb’s phenomenal ability to capture the energy of a performance. “That’s something that has always been important to me, putting on a full, entertaining show. As a solo singer/songwriter, you can be so much like everyone else, so you just have to keep switching it up. I strive to make the show fun,” Hawley explains. "Fun" is certainly the vibe radiated at a Caleb Hawley show, where you walk away smiling, happy, fulfilled, and enthused; a main course that satisfies so wholly, there’s no need for dessert.

For more information and tour dates please check out www.calebhawley.com or www.myspace.com/calebhawley.