MajorWho Media

Roger and The Gypsies - -Pass The Hatchet

2011-02-10T07:31:00.003-05:00

Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers

2011-02-02T12:03:00.001-05:00

Sound of Noise, written and directed by Ola Simonsson and Johannes Stjärne Nilsson.

here we are now, entertain us

2010-10-13T16:54:00.001-04:00

Threshold Studios favorite piano madman Eric Lewis' unique interpretation of Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'

Kathleen Supové CD Release, August 17th @ Le Poisson Rouge

2010-07-27T11:32:00.001-04:00

Kathleen Supove announces the release of her new CD THE EXPLODING PIANO on the MAJOR WHO MEDIA label. The CD release concert will be held on Tuesday, August 17, at Le Poisson Rouge at 158 Bleecker Street in New York City.
The concert starts at 7:30, with doors opening at 6:30.
In addition to performing music from the CD, there will be :
-Video by Joshue Ott to go with Anna Clyne’s piece ON TRACK.
-New video created live by Jennifer Stock for ISABELLE EBERHARDT DREAMS OF PIANOS by Missy Mazzoli.
-In addition, there will be a special guest, media/video artist Peter Schmideg “performing” a work he created and revised for this event, based on the performance artist Marge Cameron, and inspired by SUTRA SUTRA by Randall Woolf.
-REVOLUTION by Dan Becker will have a video specially designed for it by Safy Etiel (V.J. name: Sniper), an Israeli artist living in Berlin.
-Rounding out the show will be A SHAKING OF THE PUMPKIN by Michael Gatonska, which features his custom-designed accessories and is a video in itself.

Also: a fake fashion show, auction, contests, and…a discount on the new CD.

Engineer Craig Alvin on How to Dial in Your Sound in Any Studio

2010-05-26T14:17:00.000-04:00

"they saw him standing there"... so they cheered him on...

2010-04-16T14:13:00.004-04:00

So many great things happened at Road Recovery's benefit at Arlene's Grocery, but one of my favorites was Jeremy Sklarsky's heavy metal karaoke version of the Beatles " I Saw Her Standing There". The audio is horrific, but the first minute or so of crowd encouragement is priceless:)
More to come...

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir - 'Lux Aurumque'

2010-03-25T09:20:00.000-04:00

Here is a fascinating and innovative video that pushes the envelope of what can be done with creative inspiration and technological collaboration;

PRODUCED AND MANAGED BY: Scott Haines COMPOSED AND CONDUCTED BY: Eric Whitacre

Representing 12 Countries:
Austria
Argentina
Canada
Germany
Ireland
New Zealand
The Philippines
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States of America

Master Class Series: Road Recovery and Eric Clapton at Madison Square Garden!

2010-02-22T13:23:00.011-05:00

It was a magical night at Madison Square Garden on Feb 20th, 2010 when Eric Clapton invited the Road Recovery participants to a backstage Master Class prior to his sold out show with Jeff Beck. Mr. Clapton spoke from the heart and revealed that life as a celebrity has all the same twists and turns (tho perhaps somewhat more trappings) and access to ways and means of coping as everyone. His thoughts and insights will remain with each of us forever.

Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck ripping it up on stage. Jeff Beck did a piece called 'Corpus Christi Carol' made famous by our long missed brother Jeff Buckley that was supurb!

Eric Clapton and Road Recovery

Eric Clapton, quite literally, reaching out to everyone in the room

Another Todd Alsup and MajorWho NACA Showcase!

2010-01-21T13:58:00.004-05:00

Another MajorWho and Todd Alsup NACA success! Todd was selected for a showcase at the Mid-Atlantic Festival, a smaller NACA conference for schools in the region that didn't attend the main conference in the fall.

This is another great opportunity for Todd to perform for hundreds of student talent buyers and bookers from college campuses across the region. Todd already has a full calendar of college dates in the spring and we'll be looking to build on that success at the MAT Festival and continue to book more college dates throughout the Spring and Fall of 2010.

Here's a great shot of Todd hanging with Matt Pinfield backstage at the John Varvatos Road Recovery event from last week. Photo by Tracy Ketcher.

On gospel, Abba and the death of the record: an audience with Brian Eno

2010-01-21T10:13:00.000-05:00

There's a great interview with Brian Eno this week by Paul Morley for The Observer. Here is one of my favorite excerpts concerning his work with U2 and Coldplay. Follow the link to read the whole interview.

On working with U2 and Coldplay at the same time:

"It was fine. A few jokes. I felt like a philanderer who was with another woman and might make a slip and call her by the wrong name in bed. I had one computer that had all of the Coldplay stuff and all the U2 stuff. I had to very carefully label each folder because I was paranoid that I might end up with the same basic track for each group and I wouldn't notice until it was too late. There was a chance the same track might have appeared on both albums."

Read the whole interview here.

Here's a great shot from the Road Recovery John Varvatos Benefit

2010-01-15T09:19:00.006-05:00

I still have a hard time believing that these three guys closed the evening singing "I'm An A$$hole" on stage...

Road Recovery Benefit @ Varvatos Store (CBGB) a great success!

2010-01-08T13:02:00.008-05:00

What a night! MajorWho was thrilled to help support Road Recovery's benefit concert last week at John Varvatos' store in NYC. His store is located in the old CBGB's and gets used occasionally as a performance space. So many of the performers and Road Recovery staff walked in with nostalgia in their eyes, remembering back as many as 30 years since their first gigs they played and attended at CBGB's.

Emceed by longtime Road Recovery supporter Matt Pinfield and his radio partner Leslie Fram, the show opened with performances by Road Recovery Performance Workshops, followed by the Road Recovery Staff band including: Knox Chandler on bass, Adam Roth on guitar, Mark Boquist on drums, Owen Comansky on guitar, Tom Dudley bv's- and Road Recovery house band Crazy James. It is such a thrill to see the kids perform the songs for a packed house that we've produced and recorded with them in the studio. The staff band was joined by MajorWho artist Todd Alsup, who sat in on keys and sang a fantastic version of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground."

Road Recovery Participants Meet With Peter Frampton Before The Show

Following the opening bands, the first of the two headliners performed. Denis Leary and The Enablers (featuring Road Recovery staff Adam Roth and Owen Comaskey) did their hybrid comedy-rock routine, including some of Denis' more well known songs such as "The Rehab Song," "F*** You," and his most famous, "A**hole."

Then came the headliner - the legendary Peter Frampton. Peter played a mostly acoustic set, but was joined by a keyboard player and bassist. The crowd loved hearing his classics - "Show Me The Way," "Baby I Love Your Way," and "Do You Feel Like We Do." He broke out the Framptone guitar/vocoder sound to raucous applause. For his encore, Frampton did his rendition of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and then invited the Enablers on stage for a reprise of "A**hole."

The show was packed, John Varvatos was a gracious host, and was a terrific night for Road Recovery. All of the artists voiced their overwhelming support for Road Recovery, who both raised money and awareness for their cause. Congrats to Gene Bowen, Jack Bookbinder, and the entire Road Recovery family for such a successful event. We look forward to many more amazing Road Recovery events and collaborations in the new year.

John Varvatos with MajorWho Artist Todd Alsup

Distant Partners, Distant Portraits

2009-12-31T12:29:00.000-05:00

Brooklyn composer Randall Woolf gives some insight to the Brooklyn Philharmonic January 24, 2010 concert "Distant Partners, Distant Portraits" at the Brooklyn Museum.

Moby @ MajorWho with Road Recovery

2009-12-18T18:39:00.003-05:00

Road Recovery's Performance Workshop program and house band Crazy James, who meet, rehearse, and record in our studio every Monday , are being visited by a special guest this evening. Moby is a DJ, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer who has sold millions of records and had his music in hundreds of commercials and movies. He is also a philanthropist and and activist, serving on the boards of several non-profit organizations. He is just one of the many renowned artists and music industry professionals who have stepped up to act as mentors to the participants in Road Recovery's programs.

amanda palmer - "gaga, palmer, madonna", a kitchen-ukulele-blogsong

2009-12-18T10:28:00.002-05:00

I love Amanda Palmer and the way she's engaging her fans with the use of Twitter, YouTube and other web tools. Amanda is fiercely independent and carving out quite the niche. There are many artists out there taking advantage of social media to engage their audiences, but I think Amanda stands out in her vision and creative inspiration.

David Sanborn - I Believe It's Your Sh*t, Marvin

2009-10-22T09:43:00.001-04:00

A little while back I was invited by Dave Sanborn to sit in on the recording sessions for his upcoming album on Decca. The clip opens with a brief shot of Dave Novik, label president, laughing as the camera pans to Phil Ramone, the producer.

Phil and Dave swap stories about some of the most legendary personalities in music; Frank Sinatra, Billy May, Marvin Hamlisch, etc. This is followed by a sweet Joey DeFrancesco organ solo. AWESOMENESS.

CONTAINS PROFANITY: NSFW

Todd Alsup + MajorWho @ NACA

2009-10-16T20:44:00.004-04:00

We're here in Lancaster, PA - home of the Amish, Shoo-fly pies, and the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) Mid-Atlantic Conference. We're presenting MajorWho artist Todd Alsup at our booth, meeting student talent buyers from colleges around the region.

Todd's got a showcase tomorrow afternoon, which is a distinction most of the exhibitors would die for - it's a chance to perform for the entire convention and reach all the delegates in a single shot. Last year after his showcase in Hartford, our booth was mobbed with talent buyers.

Here's a quick pic of Todd talking to students at our booth.

Last year's showcase translated into a slew of great college gigs for Todd and we're already off to a great start this year.

Todd Alsup News - PBS Placement and NACA Showcase

2009-10-05T16:29:00.003-04:00

Fun news from the world of Todd Alsup. Major Who recently found out that Todd's song "Good Fight" from his EP "Facts and Figures" is going to be used in the PBS show "Road Trip Nation." This show is a perfect match for Todd's song, which talks about pursuing your dreams. Way to go on getting this license!

About the show (from www.roadtripnation.com):

It all started with four friends and one dilemma: "what do I want to do with my life?" Fresh out of college and unsure about the career paths in front of them, they were determined to expose themselves to more than just the traditional life roads. They hopped in an old RV, painted it green, and hit the road to talk with inspiring people from all walks of life to find out how they came to do what they love for a living.
Today, Roadtrip Nation has evolved into a PBS series, three books, an online community, and a student movement. We send people on the road who are interested in exploring the world outside their comfort zone, talking with individuals who chose to define their own road in life, and sharing their experiences with our generation.

In other fantastic news, Todd was selected as a showcase artist at this year's NACA Mid-Atlantic conference. It is the second year in a row Todd will have a NACA showcase. It's quite an honor to be one of the only musicians chosen for showcase out of hundreds of submissions. Todd will have a chance to perform for hundreds of college students that book talent for their campuses. 50 shows or bust!

2009-09-30T09:13:00.002-04:00

I first came across Roc Raida when he was invited to perform at Lincoln Center Festival 2000 where I was a production manager. He composed an amazing piece for the 'turntable as an ensemble instrument' segment that he played with the Xecutioners. I don't have any footage of that but here's a clip of Roc in action. Pretty amazing stuff. Roc Raida truly did elevate the art of the turntable. RIP Roc.

Christina Roberts Show and support for Malaria No More!!

2009-09-09T14:01:00.001-04:00

NYC Concert Promo from Nairobi

September 9th, 2009 | Posted by Christina Roberts

I’m in Kenya this week working with a team of logisticians who are crucial to Africa’s current race to scale-up mosquito nets. But the minute we end our session here on Thursday, I’ll be racing back to New York so I can perform with the New York Songwriters Circle on Monday night.

Modeled after the famous “Writers in the Round” nights at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe, the NYSC showcases up-and-coming songwriting talent from around the world. Intimate concerts like these always remind me of a song’s power to communicate where mere words might fail us. That’s why I wrote “A Closer Far”, a song born out of my own experiences working in Africa on behalf of Malaria No More. I’m looking forward to performing it along with other favorites of mine and I hope to see you all there.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of “A Closer Far” support the ongoing work of Malaria No More. Buy the song here. To hear my music, check out MySpace.

Categories:Africa, Christina, On-The-Ground

"Nippon Ga Dai Suki" (Japan We Love You!) ------- The Orion Experience

2009-08-10T14:52:00.005-04:00

We had such a blast making this song in Threshold Studios with these guys. They came back with this video, which I think takes it to a whole other level. Enjoy!

Todd Alsup gets another NACA Showcase!

2009-07-15T13:24:00.006-04:00

Todd Alsup and Major Who Booking have once again impressed the college crowd, being chosen for a second year in a row for a NACA (National Association for Campus Activities) showcase - this time at the Mid-Atlantic festival in Lancaster, PA.

There were over 700 submissions for only about 50 showcase slots, of which fewer than 15 were given to musicians.

Todd will be performing for 1000 student talent buyers from colleges across the region. Last year, Todd's Northeast Convention showcase translated into a slew of gigs up and down the east coast, and we're sure that with this year's showcase we will build on that success in the coming school year.

MajorWho Gets Copland Grant!

2009-07-15T12:59:00.003-04:00

MajorWho has received a grant from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music to produce a record of piano music performed by Kathleen Supove. The record will consist of pieces by contemporary American composers such as Daniel Becker, Missy Mazzoli, Anna Clyne, Michael Gatonska, and Randall Woolf.

Congrats to Kathy - we look forward to working together on yet another project.

From http://www.coplandfund.org/

In keeping with his lifelong devotion to contemporary music, Aaron Copland created the Fund and bequeathed to it a large part of his estate. The Fund was officially announced to the public in 1992. The Fund’s purpose is to encourage and improve public knowledge and appreciation of contemporary American music. The fund operates three grant programs and also grants permission for the use of Copland’s music.

For a full list of this year's grant winners, visit http://www.coplandfund.org/news.html.

Songwriters Hall Of Fame, Todd Alsup and Lamont Dozier !

2009-06-17T23:40:00.005-04:00

I had a wonderful evening last night with Todd Alsup at the Kaufman Center for the 2009 Songwriters Hall of Fame Abe Olman Scholarship for Excellence in Songwriting awards ceremony.

This year's scholarship winners

This year Todd was selected as one of the showcase artists on the 2009 Songwriters Hall of Fame CD for his song "The Good Fight" and spent the evening mixing it up with current and previous recipients of the award including Wes Hutchinson and new Major Who and Threshold Music Studios friend Kirsten Thien.

Preceding the award ceremony there was a Master Class given by songwriting icon Lamont Dozier, of Holland-Dozier-Holland, the songwriting powerhouse who created the Motown Sound, writing the hits for the Supremes, the Temptations and many more. Real words of wisdom and insight from a legend!

Todd and I spent some time with Lamont, who was also celebrating his 68th birthday! A brief list of Mr. Doziers credits include: Where Did Our Love Go, Baby Love, How Sweet it is (To Be Loved by You), Stop! In The Name of Love, I can't help myself (Sugar Pie Honeybunch), Standing in the Shadows of Love, and You Can't Hurry Love.

Todd Alsup w/ Lamont Dozier

Kirsten Thien - Featuring the legendary Hubert Sumlin in the Studio!

2009-06-17T12:48:00.007-04:00

Great session down at Threshold Studios this week. Kirsten Thein, who was recently honored with a Songwriter's Hall of Fame Abe Olman Scholarship, came down to record some basics with her band. Kirsten has a classic sound and a great, smoky voice.

Kirsten Thien

Kirsten was backed by as good a group of musicians as you're likely to find, including Steve Holley (who played drums with Wings in the 70's!), Erik Boyd on bass (and producing) Tommy Mandel on keys (check out his credits btw), and Arthur Neilson on guitar.

The biggest surprise of the day was the arrival of Hubert Sumlin, who sat in on guitar for two songs. Hubert is on Rolling Stone's Top 100 Guitarists of All Time list. He played with Howlin' Wolf in the early days and is a major influence on the British guitarists of the 60's who basically set out to copy American blues players. Jimmy Page even stole a Hubert Sumlin lick for Led Zepplin's Lemon Song. Don't be surprised if he finds himself into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...

Jeremy and Engineer Dan Myers w/ Hubert Sumlin

Alec Gross on Nefarious Bovine Radio

2009-06-17T12:43:00.003-04:00

Alec Gross' "All The Pretty Women", recorded at Threshold Studios, featured this week on Nefarious Bovine Radio:

Eclectic Free-Form Internet Radio. Twice a month the Nefarious Bovine brings you nonsensical ramblings and an eclectic mix of music.

Listening Party!! Christina Roberts releases new track to support Malaria No More

2009-06-13T10:51:00.007-04:00

MajorWho has just finished a track with the wonderful Christina Roberts. She works and supports for an organization called Malaria No More. They made a big splash a few months back when Ashton Kutcher challenged CNN in a race to a million twitter followers - Ashton said he would give 10,000 mosquito bed nets to the organization if he won. Well he did, and CNN donated bed nets too. Then Oprah jumped in and offered a bunch as well. We didn't know know important these bed nets were until we started to pay attention- and boy, they really do!

"A Closer Far" is Christina's way of combining two passions to raise awareness and funds to support work that she care's about. The song is inspired by her experiences of the last 3 years working with Malaria No More, an organization determined to end malaria deaths. Unbelievably, 1 million people still die from malaria each year, mostly in Africa.

When you download "A Closer Far", a portion of the proceeds will go to support the ongoing work of Malaria No More. You can stream the song from her Facebook page (bottom left column) and download it at CD Baby: http://cdbaby.com/cd/christinaroberts2

In 2008/9 MajorWho was happy to jump in and produce the track with her. Todd Alsup even lent his time to work with Christina on the arrangement. We had some great musicians play on the track including Rich Mercurio on drums, Jay Rodriguez and Chris The Berge from Groove Collective on fulani flute and percussion, and MajorWho regulars Risa Binder on backing vocals, Jim Farkas on guitars, and Hans Glawischnig on fretless bass. And as always, mixed by Steve Greenwell.

You can hear the track on Christina's Myspace. You can "attend" the listening party on Facebook!

Here is the press release for the song:

Life has been a smorgasbord adventure for Christina Roberts, and she wouldn't have it any other way. Raised in Texas and currently based in New York City, the threads of songwriting are woven throughout Christina's childhood and coming of age, the years after spent working in Washington, DC and her latest experiences in Africa. In 2006 Christina was introduced to Malaria No More, an organization determined to end malaria deaths. Unbelievably, 1 million people still die from malaria every year, mostly in Africa. Affected and inspired, Christina immediately went to work full-time for the organization.

Christina's latest studio project, "A Closer Far", is born out of her work in Africa and a new perspective. "The world is probably mostly unchanged from a few years ago, but the way I see it is different - and I suspect I'm not alone. I can no longer imagine that it is us, here, and them, there. We live in a time of incredible awareness of each other's life circumstances. Media, travel, the global economy - these things are bringing countries closer together than ever before. I don't feel guilty for being born to an easy life, but I do feel connected to those who are not. I am compelled to participate in the effort to make things better."

Delivered in Christina's distinct, smoky vocal, a "A Closer Far" is a lush trip through her experiences and realizations of the last few years. To learn more about participating in the fight against malaria, visit: www.MalariaNoMore.org

Christina Roberts

Todd Alsup - "Your Body Is A Wonderland" John Mayer Cover

2009-06-11T19:37:00.004-04:00

We were in the studio recording some video of Todd and he started to warm up with this beautiful little ditty- so we kept the cameras rolling:)
Hope you enjoy.

check out todd's myspace...
Help spread the word! We can't do it without YOU!

'Onwards' by Jim Jarvis

2009-05-27T10:46:00.002-04:00

Onwards from AKQA on Vimeo.

(via monoscope)

Eric Lewis Plays "Mr. Brightside" for Obama at the White House

2009-05-14T17:09:00.003-04:00

The words, the music, the man..

2009-05-13T15:49:00.000-04:00

Road Recovery concert at Sing Sing 5/2/09

2009-05-13T13:41:00.007-04:00

5/2/2009 Road Recovery Performance/Educational Seminar for prisoners in honor of Wayne Kramer. What an AMAZING DAY with AMAZING PERFORMANCES. History was made this day.

Major Who was proud to participate and record the entire event.

Photos by Tracy Ketcher

James Joseph Walsh Sr. 1934- 2009

2009-05-01T09:54:00.008-04:00

As many of you may already know, my loving dad - JAMES JOSEPH WALSH Sr. passed away Thursday April 30th after a long illness that took a quick turn for the worse in the recent weeks.

Walsh Family- 1980something..

If you knew him, you know he was an awesome guy, loved by all, and was one of the most humble, compassionate and giving men on the planet. My dad was truly selfless..

Though devastated, we are rallying as a family to get through this difficult time and will be making arrangements for his going away celebrations this weekend including Catholic tradition wake and funeral mass.

James Joseph Walsh Sr. 1934- 2009.
Wake: Matthew Funeral Home on Staten Island
2508 Victory Blvd. • Staten Island, New York 10314 • (718) 761-5544

Hours: Saturday May 2: 7pm-9pm
Sunday May 3rd: 2-4 and 7-9.

Mass: Holy Family Parish:

366 Watchogue Rd. Staten Island, NY 10314 • (718) 761-6663

Hours: Monday May 3rd 2009: 11am

Burial: Cemetery of the Resurrection: Immediately following Mass.

361 Sharrott Avenue. Staten Island, NY 10309 (718) 356-7738

Get directions

In the selfless tradition of my fathers life we hope, that in lieu of flowers, you might consider making a donation to one of the organizations that remain very close to my family's hearts..

Father Jim Mckenna Memorial Fund
The Road Recovery Foundation.

Thank you all again for all of your concerns and wishes in the last few weeks.
Be well,
James Walsh and Family

Road Recovery Benefit Concert 2009

2009-04-29T14:17:00.007-04:00

Please join us on Friday evening at The Nokia Theater for the annual Road Recovery benefit concert. A spectacular show honoring Wayne Kramer and featuring Perry Farrell, Tom Morello, Iggy Pop, Jerry Cantrell, Wayne Kramer, Billy Bragg, Bun E. Carlos, Don Was and Gilby Clark.

Tickets are $25 and all proceeds go to benefit the Road Recovery organization and its outstanding programs for helping young people battle addiction and other adversities. Road Recovery harnesses the influence of entertainment industry professionals who have confronted similar crises and now wish to share their experience and knowledge.

Hope to see you there!!!

Alec Gross @ The Living Room + Another great Alec Promo Video

2009-04-24T17:33:00.002-04:00

Alec Gross @ The Living Room
Thursday 4/30
8 PM

Check out his talkin' blues jingle promo for the gig:

"Talking Living Room Commercial Blues" 4.30.09 from Alec Gross on Vimeo.

Todd Alsup - How I'm Made NEW SINGLE

2009-04-15T14:44:00.003-04:00

Todd Alsup's newest single - "How I'm Made" is complete! It's a monster of a song - great melody and lyrics, huge arrangement featuring Aaron Comess(Spin Doctors) on drums, Rich Hammond (Joan Osborne) on Bass, Jimmy Farkas (Joss Stone, Jonas Brothers,DeSol) on guitar and Clark Gayton on horns. And of course, Todd lent his piano and incredible vocal to this track.

You can hear the song over to the right on the MajorWho Jukebox, and on our myspace.

Produced by Steve Greenwell with MajorWho.

2009-04-07T11:00:00.004-04:00

TONIGHT!!

April 7- @ Le Poisson Rouge, $15 (for 2 sets) 7pm Jennifer Choi, 8pm Susie Ibarra Quartet with video by Makoto Fujimura. Jenny will be the opening act for the Susie Ibarra Quartet joined by Bridget Kibbey, harp, and Kathleen Supove, piano, and Susie Ibarra, drums/percussion in an evening that will feature women composers and performers!

The first set will be all solo violin pieces by Wang Jie 'Serenade in Isolation', Annie Gosfield Lost Signals and Drifting Sattellites', Susie Ibarra's 'Black and White', PLUS Jacob TV 'Capriccio', then we'll be settling into some fine improvisations based on Susie's folkloric and fantasia like compositions. For more information: www.lepoissonrouge.com

Hope to see you there!

www.jenniferchoi.com

Road Recovery Benefit Concert 2009

2009-03-31T13:47:00.003-04:00

Please join us for a celebration benefit concert for Road Recovery on May 1st at the Nokia Theater. Musical performance by Wayne Kramer, Jerry Cantrell, Tom Morello, Perry Farrell, Don Was and Billy Bragg. More info here.

Jezebel Music props for Todd Alsup

2009-03-30T16:28:00.002-04:00

Here is a very cool recent review of Todd Alsup from Alicia Dreilinger of Jezebel Music.

March 30, 2009

Todd Alsup

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT NYC
It’s always a pleasure to discover new pop music that excites – because, so often, at best it succeeds at being merely pleasant and chummy. Fortunately, singer-songwriter/pianist Todd Alsup proves that some pop can still transcend the suspect platitudes most listeners have come to expect. Alsup accomplishes this by balancing his serious musicianship – his piano chops have merited a sponsorship by Yamaha – with a hint of gentle playfulness. Consequently, his talent never feels forced upon the listener. Rather, his songs shimmer with warmth, allowing them to be pensive and personal without ever teetering on standoffish and insular. He admixes into this recipe his significant vocal range. He hits the notes right, with an integrity equal to that displayed by his piano playing. In addition to venues outside of the city, Alsup frequently performs around town at places such as Rockwood Music Hall. As his career keeps galloping forward, be sure to check out its vital velocity.

by Alicia Dreilinger

www.toddalsup.com

Todd Alsup and Neil Diamond at NYU !!

2009-03-26T19:48:00.009-04:00

Todd Alsup was asked to perform this week @ the NYU Skirball Center in NYC during an event honoring his friend and former NYU Professor / President Emeritus Dr. L. Jay Oliva. Todd's 2 song set went along with performances and speeches from several other entertainment / business alumni including Neil Diamond , Broadway stars Elena Shaddow (Light in the Piazza Natl. Tour), Peter Lockyer (South Pacific) and Baakari Wilder (Noise/Funk) in addition to Todd Alsup, jazz musician Matt Shulman, sportscaster Kenny Albert and more. Todd and Mr. Diamond had a chance to chat it up at the reception afterward and we managed to get a pic..

Turned out to be a nice excuse to get my suit on.. AND my Neil on- because, i must admit, i am a full on Neil fan. Having Todd on the same stage was very special..

SXSW- Tricky and DEVO!

2009-03-26T18:56:00.010-04:00

A new friend of mine is managing Tricky. He played at least twice while we were in Texas and these were some pictures from the gig at the Austin Performing Arts Center. Jack Bookbinder, Gene Bowen and I saw him there. Tricky is a real trip- and puts on an intriguing show. I enjoyed his performance immensely.

Then there was DEVO on the same billing...

I had the opportunity to spend some quality time with Bob Mothersbaugh the day after this gig. I let him know i believe i now have permanent hearing loss after their performance. It was LOUD and FUN!

Some of my trip to SXSW... Wayne Kramer=MC5 + DEVO= hearing loss X 2= xtra good times:)

2009-03-26T16:39:00.009-04:00

Jack Bookbinder, James Walsh, Wayne Kramer, Gene Bowen, Maragret Kramer

I've just returned from a very fun trip to Austin for the SXSW music festival. Along the way I was lucky enough to hang out with "some guy" named Wayne Kramer from a band called MC5 and his better half - wife Margaret:) Salt of the earth- I had some really good moments with them. Here are some things i've learned about Wayne's past and present. I hope you enjoy them as much as i have..

Wayne Kramer (MC5), Bob Mothersbaugh (DEVO)

Eric Lewis Striking Chords

2009-03-25T17:59:00.004-04:00

Eric Lewis sets fire to the keys with his shattering rendition of Evanescence's chart-topper, "Going Under."

Care Bears On Fire

2009-03-15T13:54:00.003-04:00

Last night I went to Brooklyn to check out S-Curve artists Care Bears On Fire at The Bell House. We've been working with them at Threshold Studios and wanted to hear what they sounded like live. For a bunch of thirteen-year-olds, they really are impressive. I think these kids are gonna hit big. Here's some footage I cut together of them in the studio. Enjoy!

Care Bears On Fire @ MajorWho from Sheldon Steiger on Vimeo.

Paula Valstein @ Joes Pub...

2009-03-05T22:17:00.001-05:00

Paula Valstein from adriana kaegi on Vimeo.
Shared from Bluhammock Music

Liz Lemon!!!

2009-03-05T13:15:00.002-05:00

A brilliant piece of recombinant art if ever there was one. Add a star if you're a 30 Rock freak. Who isn't?

Eclectic Method - 30 Rock (Jack's Laugh Remix) from Eclectic Method on Vimeo.

Horns anyone?? Todd Alsup gets his horn on -new tracks on the way..

2009-03-01T20:20:00.004-05:00

Todd Alsup and Clark Gayton during the tracking of a horn arrangement for Todd's new track 'How I'm Made'.

Eddie Allen also played on the session..
They were great... my cell phone camera sucks..

Alec Gross kills 'em dead at Canal Room. Cassidy rocks out..

2009-02-28T16:14:00.008-05:00

What a great night of friends, fans and music we had at the Canal Room this past week during Alec Gross' EP release party- featuring an earlier set by The Cassidy Project.

I've included a couple of shots below, and will post up some of the music and video when it becomes available, but if you missed the show- well.. that's your bad.

These photos were provided by Alec's friend Nicole Caldwell and edited by MW. Her blog is: kobiashimaru.blogspot.com

The show also proved to be a who's who of local musicians showing their support including Todd Alsup, Katy Pfafll, Phil Galitzine of Atomic Tom, Mark Miller of Spuyten Duyvil, Nate Campany, and more..

More Alec Gross Hilarity

2009-02-22T12:57:00.001-05:00

Alec has found (easily) the funniest way to promote his gigs. Take this one for example. It's a "commercial" for his upcoming gig at The Canal Room on February 26th.

Alec Gross at Canal Room from George Gross on Vimeo.

This is Alec's EP release party and an opportunity to see him with a full band- horns, dobro, bv's, electrics, acoustics and drums. Its sure to be a great hour of music! We would love to see you there..

Alec will go on at 9, following a set by Cassidy from Antigone Rising.

The Orion Experience

2009-02-18T14:02:00.005-05:00

Jon Weber (drummer) plays guitar on The Orion Experience's 'Nipon Ga Die Ski'. Single to be released on a hot pop label in Japan this Spring.

Steve Lillywhite visits Road Recovery and MajorWho

2009-02-16T19:57:00.010-05:00

We were thrilled to host Road Recovery's most recent guest, uber-producer Steve Lillywhite.

Here's some of the text from Road Recovery's press-release about the event.

New York, NY: MajorWho Media (www.majorwho.com) graciously hosted Grammy Award Winning Record Producer Steve Lillywhite for his second Road Recovery Master Class!

For more than ninety minutes, Steve Lillywhite, the man behind so many historical rock albums, ‘produced, mixed and mastered’ a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Road Recovery’s young adult program participants and staff.

Steve Lillywhite captivates Road Recovery youth & staff sharing his personal and professional life experiences

Steve Lillywhite started his career in the recording studio in 1972 at the bottom rung of the ladder as a tape operator at Phonogram's Marble Arch studio in England. Soon enough, however, he became an engineer himself and began producing bands on the side.

Lillywhite has produced some of the most successful albums from such internationally acclaimed artists as U2, the Talking Heads, and the Rolling Stones, and some of the most trend-setting albums by such musical pioneers as Siouxsie and the Banshees, Ultravox, the Psychedelic Furs, XTC, the Pogues, World Party, Morrissey, Dave Mathews Band, Phish, Matchbox Twenty, and Ours. In 2006, Lillywhite was awarded producer of the year at the Grammy Awards.

Without missing a beat, Steve Lillywhite turned the tables on the dozen Road Recovery young artists who call themselves Crazy James and invited them into the recording studio control room of Major Who Media. Once in the comfortable setting of the recording studio’s control room, Lillywhite listened to rough mixes of new Crazy James material. After exploring all the elements of the young artists’ work, Lillywhite urged everyone to take chances within themselves and never settle both musically and personally!

Steve Lillywhite at work, listening to rough mixes of new Crazy James material

Steve Lillywhite (center) surrounded by a grateful
Road Recovery and Major Who Media staff

Be on the lookout for Steve Lillywhite’s latest projects he helped produce that are due for commercial release in March 2009:

Blue October – Approaching Normal (Universal)
U2 - No Line On The Horizon (Interscope)

March Madness Music Gigs

2009-02-10T17:06:00.009-05:00

So you thought fun was over in February? Guess Again! March is just as hoppin! Get ready for some great performances by Alec Gross, Diane Birch, Paula Valstein, Todd Alsup and many others!

March 2nd
8pm: Diane Birch @ Ella Lounge

March 3rd
9pm: Paula Valstein @ Joe's Pub

March 6th
8pm: Alec Gross @ Think Coffee

March 10th
8pm: Supove @The Stone

March 12th
8:30pm: Diane Birch @ Cornelia Street Cafe

March 13th
9pm: Wes Hutchinson @ Rockwood Music Hall

March 19th
7pm: AtomicTom @ Pianos

March 26th
8pm: Casey Shae @ Union Hall

March 27th
8pm: Todd Alsup @ Rockwood Music Hall
8:30pm: Katy Pfaffl @ Bar4 in Park Slope
9pm: Shayna Zaid @ Rockwood Music Hall

March 30th
3pm: Alec Gross @ Eastern Connecticut State University

Upcoming Shows! Fun-filled February!!!

2009-02-10T16:37:00.011-05:00

Here are some of the hottest Indie performers you don't want to miss! The weather starts to warm up and people come out from hibernation, what better way to enjoy it than with some music...

February 10th
7pm: Diane Birch @ Irving Plaza

February 12th
8pm: Risa Binder @ Westpoint Military Academy
8:30pm: Diane Birch @ Cornelia St. Cafe
9pm: AtomicTom @ Canal Room

February 13th
8:30pm: Katy Pfaffl @ Living Room
9pm: Wes Hutchinson @ Rockwood Music Hall

February 14th (Valentine's Day, don't forget those flowers!)
11am: Paula Valstein on WPKN Radio
12pm: Shayna Zaid on WPKN Radio
8pm: Todd Alsup @ Mattison Park

February 16th
8pm: Diane Birch @ Ella Lounge

February 17th
8pm: Wes Hutchinson @ Pianos

February 22nd
7pm: Lights Resolve @ Mercury Lounge

February 23rd
8pm: Diane Birch @ Ella Lounge

February 26th
8pm: Alec Gross @ The Canal Room (Record Release Party!!!)

February 27th
8:30pm: Katy Pfaffl @ Bar4 in Park Slope

February 28th
8pm: Casey Shea @ Pianos (with special guest Wes Hutchinson on bass)
11pm: Shayna Zaid @ Rockwood Music Hall

*More info regarding addresses and cover charge at bottom of blog*

Warsaw - The Arrival Part I

2009-02-08T16:48:00.001-05:00

Music by Warsaw Village Band

Warsaw - The Arrival Part I from Stefan Markiewicz on Vimeo.

Great Article about Alec Gross

2009-02-03T16:13:00.004-05:00

Alec Gross making waves in the blogosphere! Check out this great article.

Highlights:

"Rose Tattoo has been on my playlist non-stop for a fortnight. Alec is one of the most beautiful singers I have heard in a long time, with a distinct tone, and the innocence that he can convey through his songwriting makes him my favorite folk singer performing right now...

...With Alec we get all of the pure sensibility and the tradition of the genre, but with songs that aren't from the public domain! "Carver Spring Massacre" reminds me of cruising in my old truck with only one folk tape in the dash - some Irish singer I've never heard of - but the song creeps inside as though it's been in the air for a century. It's very impressive. I can already tell that "Rose Tattoo" will be on my best of 2009. Well done, Alec!"

Her Morning Elegance / Oren Lavie

2009-01-31T00:36:00.001-05:00

1981 primitive Internet report on KRON San Francisco

2009-01-29T10:27:00.001-05:00

This whole internets idea seems very far fetched...

Deja Vu for Jeff Buckley’s Mom, Drummer & Road Recovery

2009-01-26T07:51:00.011-05:00

Here's the text from Road Recovery's last newsletter. Its been quite a couple weeks for them and we're proud to have been a part of it.

Deja Vu for Jeff Buckley’s Mom, Drummer & Road Recovery

New York, NY – 14 years later, Major Who Media’s recording studios, once the rehearsal space for the late artist Jeff Buckley, became the backdrop for Buckley’s mother Mary Guibert and Buckley band drummer Matt Johnson to participate in Road Recovery’s Master Class Series.

January 2009 kicked off for Road Recovery uniting Road Recovery’s Jack Bookbinder of Jeff Buckley's management team and Gene Bowen, Buckley’s tour manager, with Mary Guibert and Jeff’s band mate Matt Johnson inside the late artist’s rehearsal space now the home of Major Who Media.

(L-R) Jack Bookbinder (Road Recovery), Major Who Media’s – James Walsh & Sheldon Steiger together with Gene Bowen (Road Recovery) surround Mary Guibert (Jeff Buckley Music) come together for Road Recovery young people.

In 1995, James Walsh of Major Who Media owned a recording studio that was originally located next door to the Jeff Buckley band rehearsal cave. As neighbors occupying a Dungeness basement in a residential NYC apartment building, a friendship developed between Buckley, Bowen and Walsh. After Jeff Buckley’s accidental drowning in 1997, Gene Bowen knocked on Major Who Media’s door and offered Walsh Buckley’s old space...the rest is history…

(L-R) Jack Bookbinder (Road Recovery), James Walsh (Major Who Media), drummer - Matt Johnson and Gene Bowen (Road Recovery) reminisce about days ago…

During the two Master Class Sessions Matt Johnson and Mary Guibert wove an intimate conversation with a small group of Road Recovery teens and young adults illuminating the twists and turns of their life and career story. Independently, Guibert and Johnson described in great detail their daily quest toward ever finding meaning, understanding and purpose in what drove them; their inner passion toward a life with meaning.

Above: Drummer – Matt Johnson (right corner) ‘kicking it’ about his life with Road Recovery young folks during his Master Class session.

(center) Mary Guibert (Jeff Buckley Music) sharing the love with Road Recovery’s young people, staff and Major Who Media’s James Walsh (far right) after her Master Class.

Even in the wake of great tragedy and loss, Guibert summoned everyone to ‘be their own hero’ by being accountable to themselves through evolving an honest relationship within and the outside world intersecting them.

At the conclusion of each Master Class session with Matt Johnson and Mary Guibert, an unending musical exchange erupted in true Buckley style!

Matt Johnson (center) building a beat with Road Recovery’s young people during his Master Class session.

Matt Johnson finishes his Master Class behind the kit jamming with Road Recovery’s house band Crazy James inside Major Who Media’s recording studio.

"I recommend this experience for people on both sides. I got to meet new people, play music, and talk with others about life…The gift of life!!! Road Recovery is about sharing. I love this organization." – Matt Johnson, drummer

"I have so much respect for these young people. They are constantly dealing with daily challenges to their sobriety with so much courage and integrity. I am in awe of them." – Mary Guibert (Jeff Buckley Music)

For more info about Road Recovery, visit www.roadrecovery.org

UPCOMING EVENTS

* Thursday, January 29th – Metallica’s James Hetfield hosts Road Recovery Master Class

* Caron is presenting their own Concert & Silent Auction to benefit Road Recovery (for the Keeping It Real Program) on Thursday, February 19^th at 8:30 PM at the John Varvatos store (previously the legendary CBGB’s).

Caron is selling tickets for $50.00 each and their phone/email address is provided below.

There are NO complimentary tickets as it’s a 100% fundraiser. This is an open-bar event and alcohol will be served.

Crazy James is performing a short set, along with three other bands. Please read and feel free to circulate the below e-flyer to all those interested to help push ticket sales for February 19^th! If you prefer the flyer in another format, please let us know. More information to come about Road Recovery’s own fundraiser concert in the Spring 2009 for those who enjoyed last year’s concert at the Nokia.

Frederick '11 Years'

2009-01-25T22:09:00.002-05:00

I just love this video. The song, the concept, the design.

Fredrik - '11 Years' from Iris Piers on Vimeo.

11 years is the second music video to be released of Fredrik's Na Na Ni album.
The video was shot in an abandoned train station in rural southern Sweden by Dutch experimental filmmaker Iris Piers, and later merged with landscapes of black and white trees.
For more information about the artists please visit:
sagomusik.com
irispiers.com
thekorarecords.com

Aerial View of Inauguration Ceremony

2009-01-20T18:32:00.002-05:00

Alec Gross- New Music!

2009-01-12T16:59:00.008-05:00

Are you tired of the same old music on the radio? What radio??
Want to hear something new and exciting? Of course you do..

Check out new music from MW singer/songwriter Alec Gross!

Alec's got a knack for creative songwriting- anywhere from comical, to serious and meaningful. If you've been following our artists you already know who he is. Now check out LADY ROSES.

If you like what you heard on his myspace page- you're in luck! Alec's performing Wed. Jan 14 @ 11pm at Rockwood Music Hall and Fri. Jan 16 at Gizzie's Candy Shop and February 26th at The Canal Room in NYC.

Adam Green at MajorWho

2009-01-10T19:53:00.004-05:00

Indie songsmith Adam Green has spent the last few days at MajorWho recording the soundtrack for an upcoming film. Engineer Dan Myers joined the crew..

here's a little something from Adam..

Todd Alsup with Rich Hammond and Aaron Comess

2009-01-10T14:56:00.007-05:00

MajorWho and Steve Greenwell are doing another track for Todd Alsup with Aaron Comess (think Spin Doctors) on drums and Rich Hammond (Joan Osbourne) on bass.
Sounds GREAT!..

pss.. Todd's track "MONDAY" is mixed and will be up on the sites by the end of next week.

January 2009 Newsletter

2009-01-08T19:39:00.003-05:00

Click here to view MajorWho Media's January 2009 Newsletter.

We'll be posting all future newsletters as links on the blog for you to check out.

Happy Thursday.

Great LIVE Performances, coming up!!

2009-01-07T16:09:00.010-05:00

Look out... Some great shows coming your way!

From Wednesday Jan 7- Jan 11, Kathleen Supove and Cory Dargel 'Removable Parts' playing January 7th through the 11th at the HERE Center as part of the Under The Radar festival. Check New Amsterdam for showtimes.

Thursday (Jan 8) nights are usually pretty big party nights, so why not start off your night at The Bowery Poetry Club? A great band, The Orion Experience, will be playing there at 8:30pm! Bowery Poetry Club is located at 308 Bowery (btwn Houston and Bleeker)

Friday night (Jan 9) Wes Hutchinson will be playing at Rockwood Music Hall at 9pm. Rockwood is at 196 Allen Street. Prepare yourself for a night full of great musicians!

Friday night is hoppin! Jan 9, Spuyten Duyvil @ An Beal Bocht in Riverdale. Be there at 9pm sharp!

Saturday night (Jan 10) and nothing to do? Why not head back over to Rockwood Music Hall for a spectacular performance by Shayna Zaid? She'll take the stage at 11pm; what a great way to end your fantastic night out!

Turn that lazy Sunday (Jan 11) into a party Sunday! Lights Resolve will play at Maxwell's @ 7pm. Maxwell's is located at 1039 Washington Street in Hoboken, NJ. Lights Resolve will also be performing at Highline Ballroom Thursday, Jan 15 @ 7pm (431 W 16th).

Double Whammy! Paula Valstein and Alec Gross set to take the stage at Rockwood Music Hall, Wednesday, Jan 14! A night full of music you don't want to miss. Paula will perform at 9pm, and Alec takes the stage at 11pm.

Alec Gross performs again on Jan 16 at Gizzie's Coffee @ 8pm. Gizzi's is at 16 w 8th

The Orion Experience plays LIVE Saturday, Jan 17, at Maxwell's in Hoboken (1039 Washington Street). Stop on over at 8pm!

Hope this gives you some ideas of what to do!!

Alec Gross and Paula Valstein at Rockwood!

2009-01-06T13:42:00.014-05:00

Wednesday Jan. 14, at Rockwood Music Hall!

... One night, Two great shows by Paula Valstein and Alec Gross!!!

Paula Valstein @ 9pm
Alec Gross @ 11pm

Rockwood Music Hall
196 Allen Street
18+ with valid ID
No Cover!!!!

We hope to see you there!
Come early for the best seat in the house!

We are proud to announce that Alec Gross has just finished is brand new EP! Be sure to CHECK IT OUT! Also, MajorWho is currently in the studio working with Paula to create some fantastic new songs, so be sure to keep checking in!

MajorWho Media is an artist development, music production, and management company founded by James Walsh and Sheldon Steiger. Visit our website and blog for community updates.

Merry Hanukah, Christmas, and New Years

2008-12-25T11:36:00.001-05:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Casey Shea featured on NYTimes blog "Freakonomics"

2008-12-23T11:40:00.004-05:00

Check it out! Good friend of MajorWho, Casey Shea, was featured yesterday in an entry in the Freakonomics blog on the New York Times website (the paper of record!).

The Freakonomics dudes put Casey's song, "Everybody’s Getting Bailed Out (Except for Me)," in an article about the latest in "Recession Pop Music."

The Latest in Recession Pop

By Stephen J. Dubner
If things keep going as they are, Billboard is going to have to start a new Hot 100 chart just for songs about the Great Recession.

Earlier we posted a music video of “Fannie Mae Eat Freddie Mac and Cheese.” Here now are two more recession blues:
“Credit River,” by Constantines:

Constantines - Credit River

And “Everybody’s Getting Bailed Out (Except for Me),” by Casey Shea:

“Credit River” is noisy and apocalyptic; “Everybody’s Getting Bailed Out …” is hushed and hopeful. They are both worth a look and listen.

Very, very cool.

Road Recovery: Happy Holidaze on Q104.3

2008-12-22T15:33:00.006-05:00

Our recently completed holiday track, "Happy Holidaze" by Road Recovery's house-band Crazy James was aired over the weekend on Q104.3 in New York. DJ (and big Road Recovery supporter) Jonathan Clarke played the track and had some lovely words to say about Road Recovery.

Listen to Jonathan Clarke's Intro

You can hear the entire song on Road Recovery's website.

Gene Bowen of Road Recovery recording a hidden vocal track on "Happy Holidaze"

If you are interested in supporting Road Recovery, click here to find out how you can help.

Gerald Menke plays pedal steel on Lady Roses by Alec Gross

2008-12-19T20:01:00.003-05:00

End of Year special.. New songs and Happy Holidaze!

2008-12-19T15:51:00.004-05:00

As we wind down our year, and finish up some new tracks, MajorWho- James Walsh, Sheldon Steiger, Jeremy Sklarsky and Carla Bissi would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and successful 2009.

Please take a moment to check out some newbies in the MajorWho jukebox below..
Alec Gross: Lady Roses.. just beautiful..

Royse Brothers- RB: It Is You! Its not mastered yet- but we wanted you to hear it..

Todd Show at Rockwood

2008-12-01T16:27:00.013-05:00

Come get in the Holiday Spirit with a spectacular, heart warming performance by Todd Alsup!

**The weather outside might be frightful, but the music will be delightful!**

Rockwood Music Hall
196 Allen St
Friday, December 12 @11:00 pm

No Cover! 18+ with valid ID

Come unwind with a great night of music- but be sure to come early for the best seat in the house!

Bring your friends and spread the word!

MajorWho Media is an artist development and music production and publishing company founded by Sheldon Steiger and James Walsh. Visit our website and blog for community updates.

Paula Valstein, Panic

2008-11-21T15:56:00.006-05:00

Paula Valstein & Producer Sheldon Steiger

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're back in the studio with Paula Valstein. 'Panic' is an amazing song with a string arrangement by Randy Woolf and special guests bassist Graham Maby and violinist Jennifer Choi. Keep listening.

Highlights: NACA Northeast Conference

2008-11-11T11:26:00.011-05:00

This weekend (Nov. 6-9) definitely turned out to be a great one at the NACA Northeast Conference. Although it was cold and rainy outside, it sure was warm and welcoming inside the CAMP Marketplace! Our booth was bustling with curious college students; walking away with Todd Alsup gift bags and a one-of-a-kind song by Alec in the making.
A few booths down from us were these crazy guys with all sorts of exotic animals! Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Well, not really, but he had an alligator, a South American raccoon, a fox, a couple snakes (Todd's favorite), a bobcat, and a chinchilla! I was happy to have pet both the fox and the chinchilla (cutest animals ever!)
Todd was given the chance to shine by performing at the 11:00 showcase on Saturday morning. As usual, he gave the performance of a lifetime, engaging the crowd with his energetic personality and voice. He did awesome singing in front of a crowd of more than 1,000+ people! Alec Gross had a great following as well and was in the running to perform a few songs for the on-sight selected showcase.
After Todd's showcase, we all relaxed outside. Slowly, the students emerged from the room and came over to congratulate Todd on such a wonderful performance! Later, at the 4pm CAMP Marketplace, our booth was flooded with students who wanted to meet Todd. Many of them told him how amazing he was, while others mentioned how much they connected with his music. Todd was a celebrity for an hour, and we must have given away almost 80 bags! It was CRAZY! Alec did well for himself too! Alec wrote 50 personalized songs for enthusiastic students. Every student that heard their song reacted with overwhelming joy and laughter!
Overall, it was a successful weekend for everyone. We met some great people, made some awesome friends and hope to visit them at their campus in the near future!
The picture above is the MajorWho Booth #629! From the left- Jeremy Sklarsky, Carla Bissi, Alec Gross, James Walsh, Todd Alsup.

It's A New Day - will.i.am

2008-11-09T01:34:00.001-05:00

This is awesome:

We all win!! Congratulations AMERICA

2008-11-05T09:35:00.003-05:00

A new dawn of American leadership is at hand…

Todd Alsup in Billboard!

2008-11-04T14:07:00.008-05:00

(Click to read the full text of the article)

Here's a great article written by Katie Hasty in her Billboard Underground column about Todd Alsup.

Here are some highlights:
...Alsup's buoyant attitude and bright, high-energy music could hit a home run with new, young fans...

...With a style on par with Gavin DeGraw or OneRepublic, Alsup's music could find a place on the radio with any number or pop-oriented stations. "Pop and soul and R&B don't have to be mutually exclusive he says...

Thanks Katie!

NACA - Great Success!

2008-10-29T18:43:00.006-04:00

Carla Bissi, Todd Alsup Jeremy Sklarsky, James Walsh, and Alec Gross at the MajorWho Booth at NACA MidAtlantic 2008

MajorWho is back home after a great weekend in Lancaster, PA at the NACA Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference. MWM was there with artists Todd Alsup and Alec Gross. They made a lot of great contacts with student leaders and activities planners from colleges across the region.

NACA is really an incredible thing. Students want entertainment on their campuses, but don't have the means on their own to seek out artists, especially independent ones. This gives artists like Todd, Alec, and the others we work with at MajorWho the chance to directly reach the bookers on these campuses.

We're really looking forward to another conference next week in Hartford, CT, where Todd will be showcasing - which we noticed really does make a huge difference. We had a great time there to be sure - but we can't wait to reach the people the best way we know how: Todd singing at the piano for 700 college students.

2008-10-23T12:45:00.002-04:00

Todd Alsup Halloween Concert!

2008-10-22T11:58:00.016-04:00

Looking for some Halloween fun?

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31st

TODD ALSUP & NICK HOWARD

@ The Canal Room

285 West Broadway - NYC

$12 - doors open at 7:30pm

A spooky night full of fun, music and great costumes!

Come out for a Halloween Costume Concert at The Canal Room - a super hot venue in downtown NYC. Todd Alsup will be joining amazing singer/songwriter Nick Howard (check him out at www.myspace.com/nickhoward) for a great evening of music! It'll be the perfect way to start off your Halloween night - costumes are welcome and encouraged. Hope you'll come and join us - bring friends!

The Brothers Roysman.. RBOH

2008-10-17T14:27:00.008-04:00

Justin and Jordan Roysman (aka) RBOH have been laying down tracks with MajorWho for their soon to be released EP. These brothers write catchy feel good songs and harmonize in a way that only brothers can.. Take a listen to 'Good To Be Alive' and 'She's Leaving' in the MajorWho jukebox and their myspace profile. You'll be hearing more about these guys soon- we promise.

Its the little things:) Todd Alsup and YAMAHA

2008-10-17T14:01:00.008-04:00

Todd Alsup has recently been endorsed by Yamaha, what a great honor! Click on the following links to check out his picture on the Yamaha website!

Alec Gross News

2008-10-16T20:36:00.001-04:00

If you haven't already heard it, you have to got to hear Alec's most recently completed track - "Carver's Spring Massacre." You can hear it on our jukebox or on Alec's Myspace. Its really a special track, and everyone here is extremely proud of it.

Alec heads off to Lancaster, PA to attend the NACA Mid-Atlantic conference. Alec will be there with MajorWho, along with Todd Alsup, to meet student reps from colleges all across the region to line up some college gigs. He'll be there for most of the weekend, except for a short detour back to NYC to play a CMJ showcase at Rockwood Music Hall as part of Rebel Spirit Music.

Also, stay tuned for Alec licensing news as MTV Networks has requested Alec's "Until You're Mine." As soon as we know where they're going to use it, we'll be sure to tell you.

OAR, AT&T Blue Room Session

2008-10-15T16:35:00.008-04:00

Richard On, Carla Bissi, Marc Roberge

Marc Roberge and Richard On from OAR were in the studio laying down some tracks and doing an interview for the ATT Blue Room Sessions today. They did four songs that will be up on the Blue Room site sometime soon. Look for it. That's our new assistant Carla Bissi in the middle..

Todd Alsup gets Yamaha Endorsement!

2008-10-15T14:28:00.004-04:00

Very exciting news from the halls of MajorWho. We're proud to announce that Todd Alsup has been elected as a Yamaha Endorsement Artist. Todd will join a select list of amazing artists who Yamaha helps support, including Elton John, Paul McCartney, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Sara Bareilles, Gavin DeGraw, and Sheryl Crow.

Out of a long list of applicants to this program, Todd was one of the very few who were chosen. Yamaha picked up on what we've known since we met Todd - he is an artist with tons of talent and untold potential.

Other exciting Todd news:
Todd's song "The Good Fight" has been put into rotation on college radio stations around the Northeast and Midatlantic regions - at least 15 stations (that we know of) have added him in the last week alone.

Congrats Todd on all the success!

Obama-THAT ONE ( mocean worker )

2008-10-11T09:04:00.001-04:00

Adam Dorn strikes again!! We've been following Adam since his early days on Palm / Sputnik 7 (remember that?). This is great fun...

Don't Vote

2008-10-03T10:41:00.001-04:00

My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

2008-09-30T10:15:00.002-04:00

Billy Harvey - Lipstick On A Pig

2008-09-12T10:53:00.001-04:00

Wes Hutchinson's "Move On" on Gossip Girl

2008-09-09T16:23:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to Wes Hutchinson! His song 'Move On' was placed on this season's hottest CW show, 'Gossip Girl'.

Thanks, Alex Patsavas, for realizing how great Wes is and putting his song in the show.

We'll hopefully have a youtube clip showing this to you soon...

ScoreFest 2008 - Featuring; Steve Horowitz & The Code Ensemble

2008-09-09T11:52:00.003-04:00

Hey! Check out our buddy Steve Horowitz and The Code Ensemble this Wednesday and Thursday at The Barrow Group Theater. It promises to be an amazing show.

Details:

ScoreFest 2008: "Visions & Re-Visions of Classic Film Works"
Featuring; Steve Horowitz & The Code Ensemble

Date: September 10-11, 2008 (Wednesday & Thursday) 6pm
Location: Barrow Group Theatre
312 West 36th St., Third Floor
New York, NY 10018
Time: 6PM-11PM
Tickets: Available at the door, or online at www.smarttix.com
General Admission: $18 per/night; $30 both nights
Students: $12 per/night; $20 both nights

Todd Alsup @ Rockwood Sat. 8PM; NACA SHOWCASE!, etc...

2008-09-04T11:50:00.002-04:00

Todd Alsup back at Rockwood Music Hall! Todd will be performing with his band this Saturday night at 8 pm.

Rockwood Music Hall
196 Allen St. (Allen St. and Houston St. on the Lower East Side)
8-9 PM. Come early as space is limited and will fill up quickly!

Todd was recently selected to showcase at the NACA Northeast Conference Spotlight High in Hartford, CT. Todd was one of the few musicians chosen to showcase out of hundreds of submissions to perform for the student talent buyers and bookers for scores of northeastern colleges and universities. MajorWho Booking will be attending both the Northeast and Midatlantic Conferences representing both Todd Alsup and Alec Gross who are sure to book tons of gigs.

Wes on Gossip Girl, Todd on Sirius Radio

2008-09-04T09:14:00.007-04:00

Congratulations to Wes Hutchinson! His song 'Move On' is placed on this season's hottest CW show, 'Gossip Girl'. Check it out this Monday at 8/7c. Thanks, Alex Patsavas, for realizing how great Wes is and putting his song in the show.

It's going to be a busy fall for Major Who with new songs in production for Todd Alsup, Alec Gross, Paula Valstein, Red Badge of Honor and more. Todd is going back on Sirius Radio's OutQ tomorrow (Friday, 10AM, channel 109) for a live interview and performance with Larry Flick.

See you on Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and in the clubs.

AT&T Blue Room Returns with Little Big Town

2008-08-26T12:33:00.006-04:00

MajorWho was visited by Little Big Town, a country music vocal group on EMI, yesterday for another killer AT&T Blue Room Session. The band was a lot of fun - catchy songs and great harmonies.

We've had our fair share of country and bluegrass musicians come through the doors for Blue Room shoots, and the one thing they all have in common is their outstanding musicianship.

Little Big Town was well rehearsed, sang 4 part harmonies that were beautifully in tune with each other.

Little Big Town being interviewed in the studio

Kathleen Supove and Morgan Packard at le Poisson Rouge

2008-07-28T17:34:00.000-04:00

(Le) Poisson Rouge translates to “the red fish” in French, and if last Tuesday was any indication, this is one classy fish. The venue takes the place of the historic Village Gate on 158 Bleecker Street, towering over smaller restaurants and tiny clubs. It’s apparent from the imposing doorway that this is far from a local mom and pop. And when one descends to the subterranean stage, the feeling only intensifies.

Morgan Packard + Joshue Ott

Morgan Packard and visual artist Joshue Ott began the night. Beginning with microscopic clicks, the set initially had more silence than sound. Morphing into ice crackles, with accompanying visuals, the performance was as focused on aesthetics as it was sonics. It concluded in spontaneous fashion, as Packard, who had been hunched over a laptop, broke out a saxophone, while Ott took an accordion. It was a startling finale: human presence in a sea of technology.

Video: Morgan Packard - Tremble (Live at Mutek 2008)
Official Site: Morgan Packard

Kathleen Supove

Kathleen Supove was a more personable figure, chatting with the crowd between songs. The centerpiece of her set, “The Other Piano,” was equally loquacious. Described as a long story told at a bar, the piece meandered at times, colored by outbursts that resembled conversational outbursts. The 37-minute composition was assisted by composer Morton Subotnik’s laptop, but the subject title was the most prominent presence. Supove’s fingers flickered across the keys, eloquently telling a cryptic tale.

Video: Kathleen Supove at (Le) Poisson Rouge (7/1/08)
Official Site: Kathleen Supove

Roland Li is a new addition to the MajorWho team. His personal blog is ÜberDrivel.

2008-07-21T11:41:00.004-04:00

Two of my favorite artists, both of whom we're working with very closely, are performing at 9PM tomorrow (Tuesday 7/22) at two different venues. I'll just put them both out there and you can decide which one you'd want to go to if you're around and inclined.

The first is pianist Kathleen Supove at (le) Poisson Rouge. Kathy will perform THE OTHER PIANO, a large, meditative new work by Morton Subotnick, with special guest Morton Subotnick, and music from emerging New York composers Missy Mazzoli and Anna Clyne. Also appearing: Laptop artist Morgan Packard and video artist Joshue Ott.

The other show is the lovely and brilliant Paula Valstein at the Canal Room. Beautiful voice, beautiful songs, amazing vibes. Honest and inspiring songwriting and performance - 'simply mesmerizing', says me.

That's it. Take your pick. Both different. Both great. Both at 9PM.

Infamous Stringdusters, AT&T Blue Room Session

2008-07-17T12:14:00.004-04:00

I'm recording these guys right now for the AT&T Blue Room shoot. Amazing! We've been privileged to work with so many great artists.

New Radiohead House Of Cards video

2008-07-15T22:57:00.002-04:00

This is beautiful. 3D plotting technology.

http://code.google.com/creative/radiohead/

Kathleen Supove and Jonathan Kane at le Poisson Rouge

2008-07-04T10:46:00.012-04:00

Happy Fourth of July!!!

le Poisson Rouge is my new favorite venue. They've done an incredible job designing a beautiful space, with a great sound system, comfortable vibe, and friendly staff. I'll be attending many more shows there.

What an amazing show this was. Supove played a program of really cool compositions that included Randall Woolf, Frederick Rzewski, and Jacob TV. Shown here is a clip of 'Same Sky' by Carolyn Yarnell. The piece features a beautiful projected video shown here in the clip.

Downtown New York city legend Jonathan Kane and his band February followed. These guys were stunning. Riffing traditional blues grooves that grew steadily into a beautiful explosion of sound. Vintage guitars and amps, and about the most amazing drummer I've seen since Buddy Rich. Hints of Velvet Underground too. Here's a clip of them performing on WFMU, my favorite radio station.

Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ

2008-06-26T15:10:00.008-04:00

Todd Alsup and Paula Valstein enjoying a brief moment between their sets at the very classy Mattison Park. Todd and Paula both performed last weekend at the Wave Gathering Music Festival in Asbury Park. Unfortunately we don't have any shots of Alec Gross, but he assures us the video is spectacular. Everyone had great gigs and enjoyed the company of many Asbury Park locals and good friends.

Todd also performed on Sunday night at Georgie's in AP to a very enthusiastic crowd and they booked him on the spot for another gig later this summer.

Another part of the Wave Gathering Festival was a series of panel discussions. Our good friend Steve Greenwell sat on a panel to discuss recording and producing, while MajorWho's James Walsh took part in a panel on artist development with Ron Haney (Near Records), Colie Brice (AERIA Records), and Mark Swersky (The Melody Club/Sony Music Publishing). Panels were great and very informative..

Asbury Park, for all of its musical history, is still in its development stages and is undergoing a number of changes. The town is seeing a great deal of investment that will hopefully spur growth. There is a small group of dedicated people who are working hard to develop new cultural opportunities for the town - restaurants, clubs, music venues. We'll be watching closely to see how things take shape. Special thank you's go out to Gordon Brown and Scott Stamper for all their effort making MajorWho artists feel welcome.

MajorWho Media

Roger and The Gypsies - -Pass The Hatchet

Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers

here we are now, entertain us

Kathleen Supové CD Release, August 17th @ Le Poisson Rouge

Engineer Craig Alvin on How to Dial in Your Sound in Any Studio

"they saw him standing there"... so they cheered him on...

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir - 'Lux Aurumque'

Master Class Series: Road Recovery and Eric Clapton at Madison Square Garden!

Another Todd Alsup and MajorWho NACA Showcase!

On gospel, Abba and the death of the record: an audience with Brian Eno

Here's a great shot from the Road Recovery John Varvatos Benefit

Road Recovery Benefit @ Varvatos Store (CBGB) a great success!

Distant Partners, Distant Portraits

Moby @ MajorWho with Road Recovery

amanda palmer - "gaga, palmer, madonna", a kitchen-ukulele-blogsong

David Sanborn - I Believe It's Your Sh*t, Marvin

Todd Alsup + MajorWho @ NACA

Todd Alsup News - PBS Placement and NACA Showcase

Christina Roberts Show and support for Malaria No More!!

NYC Concert Promo from Nairobi

"Nippon Ga Dai Suki" (Japan We Love You!) ------- The Orion Experience

Todd Alsup gets another NACA Showcase!

MajorWho Gets Copland Grant!

Songwriters Hall Of Fame, Todd Alsup and Lamont Dozier !

Kirsten Thien - Featuring the legendary Hubert Sumlin in the Studio!

Alec Gross on Nefarious Bovine Radio

Listening Party!! Christina Roberts releases new track to support Malaria No More

Todd Alsup - "Your Body Is A Wonderland" John Mayer Cover

'Onwards' by Jim Jarvis

Eric Lewis Plays "Mr. Brightside" for Obama at the White House

The words, the music, the man..

Road Recovery concert at Sing Sing 5/2/09

James Joseph Walsh Sr. 1934- 2009

James Joseph Walsh Sr. 1934- 2009.Wake: Matthew Funeral Home on Staten Island2508 Victory Blvd. • Staten Island, New York 10314 • (718) 761-5544

Hours: Saturday May 2: 7pm-9pmSunday May 3rd: 2-4 and 7-9.

Mass: Holy Family Parish:

366 Watchogue Rd. Staten Island, NY 10314 • (718) 761-6663

Hours: Monday May 3rd 2009: 11am

Burial: Cemetery of the Resurrection: Immediately following Mass.

361 Sharrott Avenue. Staten Island, NY 10309 (718) 356-7738

Get directions

Road Recovery Benefit Concert 2009

Alec Gross @ The Living Room + Another great Alec Promo Video

Todd Alsup - How I'm Made NEW SINGLE

Road Recovery Benefit Concert 2009

Jezebel Music props for Todd Alsup

Todd Alsup

Todd Alsup and Neil Diamond at NYU !!

SXSW- Tricky and DEVO!

Some of my trip to SXSW... Wayne Kramer=MC5 + DEVO= hearing loss X 2= xtra good times:)

Eric Lewis Striking Chords

Care Bears On Fire

Paula Valstein @ Joes Pub...

Liz Lemon!!!

Horns anyone?? Todd Alsup gets his horn on -new tracks on the way..

Alec Gross kills 'em dead at Canal Room. Cassidy rocks out..

More Alec Gross Hilarity

The Orion Experience

Steve Lillywhite visits Road Recovery and MajorWho

March Madness Music Gigs

Upcoming Shows! Fun-filled February!!!

Warsaw - The Arrival Part I

Great Article about Alec Gross

Her Morning Elegance / Oren Lavie

1981 primitive Internet report on KRON San Francisco

Deja Vu for Jeff Buckley’s Mom, Drummer & Road Recovery

Frederick '11 Years'

Aerial View of Inauguration Ceremony

Alec Gross- New Music!

Adam Green at MajorWho

Todd Alsup with Rich Hammond and Aaron Comess

January 2009 Newsletter

Great LIVE Performances, coming up!!

Alec Gross and Paula Valstein at Rockwood!

Merry Hanukah, Christmas, and New Years

Casey Shea featured on NYTimes blog "Freakonomics"

The Latest in Recession Pop

Road Recovery: Happy Holidaze on Q104.3

Gerald Menke plays pedal steel on Lady Roses by Alec Gross

James Joseph Walsh Sr. 1934- 2009.
Wake: Matthew Funeral Home on Staten Island
2508 Victory Blvd. • Staten Island, New York 10314 • (718) 761-5544

Hours: Saturday May 2: 7pm-9pm
Sunday May 3rd: 2-4 and 7-9.