Free Henry! Summers on Neptune in All About Jazz

All About Jazz

By Susan Marie

"Sometimes, everybody's getting in my mind / Oh Lord, I can't break through this time / sometimes, there can be no reason or rhyme / for the things I cannot rewind."

"Smoke," the first tune on Free Henry's! new release, "Summers On Neptune," embodies everything currently void in the music industry. Poetically, artistically, and lyrically, "Smoke" is radio ready. "When you're there you know / you gotta swim towards the waterline / scrape for the waterline / swing on a vine to a canopy / it cannot be these senses around." Press play and listen to "Smoke" when defining perfection.

"Summers on Neptune," produced and arranged by Free Henry!, is an 10 track masterpiece recorded at Introspec Studios. Featuring the finest Visual Art Design of Michael LaDuca, (The Corporate Jesters, Inc), mastering by Audio Magic Studios (Mike Rorick) in Buffalo, NY, and guest saxophonist, Nate Feder. The entire CD is 100% USA made down to the recycled paper and plastic. Photography credits include: Matthew Buckley and Ryan Richards, (Richards also engineered and mixed), causing this entire release to be created by Buffalo based business and artists.

Free Henry! Is made up of Bob Buckley: vocals, lyrics, acoustic guitar, piano / Derek Presti: bass guitar, piano / Alex Foote: electric/acoustic guitars, piano and Pat Mannella: drums and percussion. Free Henry! has begun a revolutionary intensity redefining rock and roll, jazz, blues and pop. They take what was, create what needs to be, melding that into their own sound.

"Sailboat Senses" is intuitive and cohesive. "Spirits are so high, and we're walking through the next day / we're searching for a brighter way to get a little bit more sunshine / and all of these good people have an open invitation to this happy conversation." Bob soars with a spectral vocal range while Pat is driven with his military-neo rock percussion. Alex just makes his Fender wail with a groovy wah wah rock pop retro that compliments Derek on his jazzy back beat bass lines that bring them all full circle.

Listen to a live one-hour interview with the band on Think Twice Radio. The 2009 Buffalo Music Awards has nominated Free Henry! for Best Original Rock Band and Alexander Gavin Foote for Best Original Guitarist, vote here. Summers On Neptune", the 2009 release by Free Henry!, is available now available here. And go here for a free mp3 download of "Sailboat Senses". Free Henry is in constant flux.

They have performed with The Guess Who, Rusted Root and most recently in NYC. They are positive, uplifting, raw honest energy and continuously seek new places, cities and musicians to perform with and at. Every tune on "Summers On Neptune" is fantastic. Like every single song on this CD, each member of Free Henry! holds a gift, a surprise, insight and God given talent. Free Henry! may stand side by side, but each of them, like their songs, are complete, a work of art, divine.

Free Henry! recently won a Buffalo Music Award for Best Original Rock Band 2009.

One Hour With The BloodThirsty Vegans

Check out this awesome clip on the BTV website  


One hour interview with The BloodThirsty Vegans: Alex Mead, (My Rap Name Is Alex), Janna Willoughby, (MC Vendetta), Dave Harter, Bryan (Brrrn) Lohr and Kim. A rotating musical family based on having fun, making music, creating peace and speaking the truth through music.

Their new CD, "Let The Feast Begin" is fantastic and due for release December 2009. Please listen as we talk about how they came about, storytelling, Nickel City, Dave's drum set, Brrn's anti Christmas and spectacular versions of "Do You Even Know", "Class War", and "Buffalove."

Thank you Alex, Janna, Brrrn, Dave, Kim and Ben (who is off creating his own world peace.) I had so much fun and you are raising consciousness with your music. Keep going, don't look back, laugh, and keep dancing.

Listen HERE

Ken Rutkowski: Response To Love Center: the ThanksgivingGIVING

Eight years ago, the owner of Outer Limit Recording Studio, Ken Rutkowski, recalled a story told by his mentor of a Thanksgiving tradition of giving that he started years before, based on his poor childhood. Despite his own financial struggles, the power of the story inspired Ken to start his own tradition, now called the “Thanksgiving GIVING.”

Following his mentor’s advice Ken contacted Sister Johnice and The Response To Love Center, an organization in an impoverished area. Ken asked if a meal could be taken to an individual or a family in need. He literally scraped together enough money to deliver a turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, yams, corn, pies, whipped cream, juice, coffee, milk, etc. - everything one could possibly need for a bountiful Thanksgiving meal. This began an annual tradition between Outer Limit Recording Studio and Sister Johnice.

In 1985, the The Response to Love Center was founded to begin a ministry to the East Side of Buffalo. Sr. Mary Johnice, CSSF, a core of Felician Sisters and countless volunteers transformed the first and second floors of a former parish school building into a compassionate haven for the poor. The Center is dedicated to helping poverty-stricken individuals and families. We empower people to take responsibility for their lives and encourage self-sufficiency through dignity and compassion. We develop relationships with individuals and introduce them to people and programs that will assist with their individual problems and needs.

Since Ken began this in 2002, donations have doubled each year. It has become a moving experience for so many people who depend on it now for nourishment, holiday spirit, and most of all a renewed sense of goodwill. It is Ken’s deepest desire not to have to turn anyone away. Last year his commitment doubled to 64 meals amounting to over $3,200, much of it coming out of his own pocket. Close friends and family, a large number of Outer Limit Recording Studio clients, and corporate sponsors also made contributions to help reach that goal. Keeping with that tradition, Ken is committed to giving 128 Thanksgiving meals for 2009, requiring roughly $6,400.

This year, Ken is asking for help from anyone willing to join in and participate through a donation. Outer Limit Recording Studio is offering a recording incentive for anyone willing to help. If interested, you can contact Ken at the studio at 886-0554 for more details. Please join Ken and Outer Limit Recording Studio in this year’s donation and share in capturing the wonderful feeling of a “Thanksgiving GIVING!”

Families provided with Thanksgiving Dinners: 2002: 1 Family 2003: 2 Families 2004: 4 Families 2005: 8 Families 2006: 16 Families 2007: 32 Families 2008: 64 Families.

How you can help: Food and drink list to fulfill the goal: 128 turkeys (28 - 20lbs. or more, 100 - 20lbs.), 128 cans of cranberry sauce, 128 small boxes of stuffing, 128 cans of corn/carrots, 128 large cans of yams, 128 boxes of instant mashed potatoes, 128 half-gallon milk containers, 128 half-gallon juice containers, 128 desserts, 128 tubs of whipped topping, 768 servings of coffee (6 per family), 768 servings of tea (6 per family), 128 packages of dinner rolls, 128 packages of butter, Some susbstitutions are fine. If money can be saved, then more families can get what they need. Generic/store brand/name brand products are all fine.

Contact: Outer Limit Recording Studio 1313 Walden Avenue Buffalo NY 14211. To catch Ken and his volunteers in action before Thanksgiving or during delivery, please call him at: 716.886.0554.

Help a small local business with a very big heart spread goodwill this Holiday Season.

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Susan Marie
http://www.susanmarie.info
http://www.thinktwiceradio.com
New York USA 2009