ALEXANDER KARIOTIS
and the ROCK OPERA ORCHESTRA
www.AlexanderKariotis.com

The Orchestra
ALEXANDER KARIOTIS (lead singer/composer/lyricist/arranger)
DIANA CHAROS REILLY (flute)
JOHN CONTE (keyboards)
JULIA FISAHN (background singer)
JEUTG BECJ (rhythm guitar)
PETER SECKEL (lead guitar)
RUTH ZUMSTEIN (violin)
DANA BLASÉ FORTUNATO (background singer)
AIMEE WILLIS (background singer)
NATE WHITE (double bass)
PAUL DAVIS (drums)
DAVID SYNDER (musical director)

The Composers
Alexander Kariotis
Giacomo Puccini
Jules Massenet
Francesco Paolo Tosti
Alessandro Stradella
Vincenzo de Crescenzo
Ruggero Leoncavallo

Laurie Beechman Theater
West Bank Café
www.westbankcafe.com
407 West 42nd Street (off Ninth Avenue)
(212) 695-6909
September 22nd & 28th, October 5th & 19th, All Shows at 8 PM

Triad Theater
158 West 72nd Street (between Amsterdam & Columbus Avenues)
(212) 362-2590
November 8th & 27th @ 7:30 PM


If you like your opera with flutes, cellos, violins, guitars, and even tambourines juiced with lots of electricity, ALEXANDER KARIOTIS and the Rock Opera Orchestra has one heck of a concert for you. Kariotis has taken compositions by the masters, added a pulsating beat, injected folk/rock arrangements, and stirred it all up with high energy and spirited execution. In most instances he starts out in the traditional operatic form and mid-song blows it all to smithereens ending with a full-out crescendo.

Alexander Kariotis has an amazing operatic voice, and when he and the Rock Opera Orchestra are in sync, they are a force to be reckoned with. It’s a big sound and the Rock Opera Orchestra needs a big venue. There’s a great deal of innovation, creativity and talent here. And at times they all seem to be competing with one another rather than enhancing and highlighting the collective effort. Occasionally the audience is left to their own devices to put it all together. Luckily there’s enough happening on stage to amuse and distract anyone that may get lost.

- Laurie Lawson -
 

KAREN BLIXT: Spin This
www.karenblixt.com

A HiFli Records Release
with
JOEY DeFRANCESCO: Hammond B-3, Vocals
BUDDY MONTGOMERY: Vibes
RUSSELL FERRANTE: Piano
ALEX ACUNA: Percussion, Drums

Available at www.CDBaby.com and www.amazon.com


KAREN BLIXT has a rich, creamy voice perfect for the free-range jazz on her debut album “Spin This.” This musical offering is full of fun and commentary. “Carefully Taught” from South Pacific is haunting and soulful while a duet with Joey DeFrancesco on “When You’re Smiling” is bright and breezy fun. The Sound Of Music’s “My Favorite Things” becomes a sensual ballad under Blixt’s sultry execution. And if coming up with funky arrangements for some of our favorite classics isn’t enough for you, Blixt and album-collaborator Frank Martin have written three new songs including the politically passionate title song (as well as “Kitchen Blue” and “Something So True”). “Spin This” is impressive for a debut album and leaves you with the hope that it is only the first of many more for Karen Blixt.

- Laurie Lawson -

Clear Channel Entertainment presents

PETER CINCOTTI: On The Moon
with Special Guest: JIMMY SCOTT
Vocals, Piano, Arrangements: PETER CINCOTTI
Bass: BARAK MORI
Saxophone: SCOTT KREITZER
Drums: MARK McLEAN
Guitar: JEFFREY MIRONOV
Percussions: BASHIRI JOHNSON

There’s a reason that 21-year-old PETER CINCOTTI is the top-selling
pop/jazz recording artist at Concord Records. Quite simply, he’s
fantastic! In addition to a voice that defines what jazz is all
about, Cincotti also composes, arranges, and plays one of the meanest
pianos around. He takes standards like “St. Louis Blues,” “You Don’t
Know Me,” “I Love Paris,” and “Sway” and infuses them with freshness
and excitement. A prime example of his unique approach is an exquisite
guitar arrangement played by Jeffrey Mironov in “Bali Ha’i.” His own
compositions, “Lonely Rose,” “The Girl For Me Tonight,” “I Changed The
Rules,” “He’s Watching,” “On Stage Tonight,” and the title song, hold
their own in this impressive lineup, and a few may even become
standards. Add the superb acoustics of the beautiful new Rose Theater
at the Time Warner Center, and you’ve got jazz at its best.

Alas, the limited performance is over but that doesn’t mean you have
to miss the Cincotti experience. The gentleman has two CD’s (Peter
Cincotti and On The Moon), a cameo appearance in “Spider-Man 2,” and
a featured role in the upcoming Lions Gate film “Beyond The Sea.”
Peter Cincotti - catch him while you can. This guy is headed for
the moon!

- Laurie Lawson -

                 ALEXANDRA BILLINGS: Being Alive
                  Produced by RALPH LAMPKIN, JR.
                       www.lampkinmusic.com


ALEXANDRA BILLINGS has a strong, passionate voice with just
the right blend of vulnerability and vitality.  The songs on her CD
"Being Alive" reflect both qualities, sometimes on the same track. 
In an eclectic variety of popular tunes, she takes on the bright and
bouncy "Rhythm/Got Rhythm Medley" and "Some People" right
along side with the poignant title song and "Come Sail Away."  No
matter the genre, Billings gets her message across.  Her "Haunting
Medley (It's Too Late/Holding Back The Years)" is just that -
haunting and beautiful while "Fifty Percent" is full of determination
and spirit.  Available at www.amazon.com, "Being Alive" is an
honest and powerful music venture.  To read our review on
Alexandra Billings: Before I Disappear, her one-woman tour de
force, click here.
          
                      - Laurie Lawson -

                 KENNY DAVIDSON: Goodnight, Baby
               All Songs Written by KENNY DAVIDSON
                      www.kennydavidson.com


KENNY DAVIDSON'S debut CD, "Goodnight, Baby," should be
dedicated to those who have loved and lost and loved again.  Songs
driven by the hope or promise or disappointment of love are almost
like anthems to the human spirit.  Each has a concise, gentle beat
manipulated by Davidson's high and passionate voice; there's a
folksy aspect to this endeavor.  "Conversation Killer" and "Start
Anew" are almost playful, while the sincerity in the title song and
"I've Touched Your Life" comes through loud and clear.  "Falling
Down (Won't Let You Out)" does a clever slide from blues into rock. 
"Goodnight, Baby" is an interesting first album by a multi-talented
performer you'll probably be hearing more from in the future.   You
can purchase it by clicking on the website above.
          
                      - Laurie Lawson -

            REBECCA SPENCER: Wide Awake And Dreaming
                         www.LMLmusic.com

                    Piano: PHILIP FORTENBERRY


The beautiful soprano voice of REBECCA SPENCER reaches out
from her new CD, "Wide Awake And Dreaming," and touches your
heartstrings.  Her execution is so precise and accomplished that she
sings and you listen.  It's that simple.  Standards like "I'll Be Seeing
You," "The Willow Song," and "On My Way To You/I've Got You
Under My Skin" are full of passion and intensity that command your
attention.  The operatic scaling in "An Affair To Remember" is
absolutely haunting, and her rendition of "A Taste Of Honey" may be
the most sensuous ever.  Backed by the impressive talents of pianist
Philip Fortenberry, each offering is a song to be savored.  If you
don't mind chills up your spine and tears in your eyes, REBECCA
SPENCER'S "Wide Awake And Dreaming" is the CD for you. 
Available online at LMLmusic.com now and at record stores
everywhere in June, treat yourself to an aural delight.
          
                    - Laurie Lawson -

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