Ramon Taranco: This Just In

Vin Rega has come up with yet another amazing poster for Ramon. See it on our "Pix n Artwork" page. Enjoy the poster, write down the details and don't forget to mark the February 4th performance on your calendar.

Ramon's band is hotter than ever - unlike the winter chill on New York streets. So treat yourself to a little bit of Havana, a little New Orleans, and a whole lot of Manhattan funk, jazz and blues.

Ramon will be playing at The Groove in the Village on February 4th. Our "Hear Us Live" page has the details for all upcoming gigs.

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"Spirit of Muddy Waters" from Ramon's Adventures of Bo Segovia CD, has received more known airplay than any other Taranco track.

Here are excerpts from CD reviews that praise this song ....

My favourite track is ‘Spirit of Muddy Waters’, a superb blues track." - Peter Van Laarhoven - UNITED MUTATIONS, BELGIUM: Vosselaar (Jan 21, 2009)

“…[Ramon's Adventures of Bo Segovia CD features] a number of New York's best singers…such as… Taranco himself singing "The Spirit of Muddy Waters." - Rudolf Radnai - MUSZEROLDAL, HUNGARY: Budapest (May 11, 2010)

“Check out Spirit Of Muddy Waters; Mississippi blues gone electric in a highly listenable song.” - Wildy Haskell - WILDY'S WORLD, USA: Amherst, NY (May 18, 2009)

Shows & Radio Stations that play Spirit of Muddy Waters...

* "Blues Deluxe" (Arlington Texas - syndicated to 100+ stns)
* "La Maza Blues" (Buenos Aires - syndicated to 100+ stns)
* Midnight Special Blues Radio (Paris France)
* Kanal Blues (Paris France)
* Reddog Media Bluzzradio (Paris France)
* "Spirits" on WDR Funkhaus Europa (Cologne Germany)
* AgF - Auf Gute Freunde Radio (Mannheim Germany)
* “Roots and Fusion” on PURE FM (Manchester UK)
* "Rock ‘n’ Blues Today" (Italy)
* "La Esquina del Blues" on Radio Havana (Cuba)
* Mojo Club Radio (Bucharest Romania)
* The Blues Channel, Radio Vipernet (Bucharest Romania)
* "Beginnings" on WUSB FM (Long Island NY)
* Bigupradio (Oakland CA)
* Indie 104 (Los Angeles).
* Streetcorner Internet Radio (Houston TX)
* Native Radio (Taos New Mexico)
* "Blues Connection" & free form on RadioRockCafe
..... (Montreal Canada)


SPECIAL RECOGNITION

* Buenos Aires, Argentina: La Maza Blues host, Pablo Pineiro, played Spirit of Muddy Waters on his program that celebrated the 100th birthday of Muddy Waters. The show is widely syndicated across 9 South American countries, Mexico, UK, France & Spain www.lamazablues.blogspot.com

* Paris, France: Paul Bondarovski, owner/music director of Midnight Special Blues Radio listed Spirit of Muddy Waters at #38 on his April 2009 Top 50 Chart (with rankings based on listener response)

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On November 23rd, Rick Stuart once again played Ghost Dance Instrumental on his exceptional, very eclectic "Roots & Fusion."
www.pureradio.org.uk The January 22nd 2010 show was the first time Rick played Ramon's music on air. Thanks so much Rick!!!

Roots & Fusion Playlist No.145 - 23/11/11
1. Hush – Deep Purple – Powerhouse
2. Good Man – Buffalo Clover – Low Down Time
3. Wooden Ships – Crosby, Stills & Nash – Crosby, Stills & Nash
4. Hell or High Water – David Hope & The Henchmen – Hell or High Water
5. Why Would You Not Want To Go There? – Hoots & Hellmouth – Salt
6. Bones – Dave O’Grady – Dirty Little Secret
7. Voodoo Walking – Mama Rosin w/ Hipbone Slim & The Kneetremblers – Louisiana Sun
8. Don’t Shout – NavaCross – NavaCross
9. Slowburn – Meschiya Lake & The Little Horns – Lucky Devil
10. Teardrop – Larkin Poe – Summer
11. A Passing Glimpse – Pharis & Jason Romero – A Passing Glimpse
12. Mi Salvador / What’s Happenin’ – JT Nero – Mountains / Forests
13. Across The Black Prairie – Black Prairie – Feast of the Hunter’s Moon
14. Red Rocking Chair – Black Prairie – Feast of the Hunter’s Moon
15. Bone Creek – Moonhill – One Eyed Jack
16. Call Across The Canyon – Davy Spillane – Pipedreams
17. Crest – Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook – Night Song
18. Ghost Dance (instrumental) – Ramon Taranco – www.ramontaranco.com download
19. Montreal – Sultans of String – Move
20. Mad World – The Albion Christmas Band – A Sound In The Frosty Air
21. Where Lucifer Lingers – Pauline Alexander – Live at Glasgow Cathedral
22. So... – Erin K Hill – Something Fierce
23. Outamachek – Tamikrest – Adagh
24. Nightwalk – JuJu – In Trance

Our "Chronicles of Bo" page now has testimonials from Ramon's present and former guitar students.

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New York's Gotham Radio has added Ramon's "Spirit of Muddy Waters" and "Sugar Cane Rider" to their daily rotation. You can tune in to Gotham Radio through their website at www.gothamradio.com where they have world music and R&B shows plus lots of freeform programming that features indie artists from around the globe.

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"Sugar Cane Rider" is now on the WORLD FM playlist. You can tune in through the station's website at www.live365.com/stations/elvrother. World FM plays all genres of pop music in multiple languages. Sugar Cane Rider combines Spanish and English lyrics.

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On August 31st Ramon and his band, Ramon Taranco + His Havana Blues Revue, played to an enraptured audience at Visions, an institute for the blind in Manhattan. The audience was really 'into the music' in what turned out to be one of the most exciting concert experiences the band has had. Our "Here Us Live" gig calendar has details.

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On Wednesday June 1st, Ramon and his band performed at Astoria New York's beautiful Hellenic Cultural Center.

The concert's opening set featured Ramon playing a virtuosic solo guitar set encompassing a broad range of musical styles. The second set was a band performance. You can hear some selected pieces from this concert's live recording on the "Kick Back n Listen" page. Our "Pics 'n' Artwork" page has the poster designed by Vinny Rega.

Band Line-up: Ramon Taranco + His Havana Blues Revue: Quartet
* Ramon Taranco (guitar/vocals)
* Buster Hemphill (bass)
* Judd Neilsen (organ/piano/ harmonica)
* Yahoteh Kokayi (drums/percussion)

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On April 10th, Ramon did a live interview on "Radio Libre." You can listen to the show on our "Kick Back n Listen" page. We'd love to hear your opinions about this show. Leave us a note on our guestbook - "Please Don't Leave."

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Two more DJs on KEXP have played 'Snow Scorpion' so Ramon has had 5 airplays on 3 KEXP shows. Snow Scorpion: March 16 2011, DJ Kevin Cole; Nov 17 & 29 2010, DJ Cheryl Waters; & Nov 21 2010, DJ Quilty 3000. Yoruba Cuba: 2009. All 3 DJs host free form shows called "Variety Mix" that play rock & eclectic music.

It's cool that the University of Washington's KEXP (90.3 FM) also broadcasts in NYC (91.5 FM). So New Yorkers can tune into KEXP to hear great west coast music programming plus NYC-produced talk and news radio shows. International listeners can tune in from the KEXP website http://kexp.org.

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Indie Jazz Cafe, out of Somerset New Jersey, is featuring Ramon's Isolation Blues this week.

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RAMON TARANCO + HIS HAVANA BLUES REVUE played at Monroe College on March 1st. For details, see our "Here Us Live" page. Go to "Pix n Artwork" to see the poster Vin Rega designed for the event.

The core band these days consists of Yahoteh Kokayi (drums & percussion), Judd Nielsen (organ & piano) and Buster Hemphill (bass.) Here's some backgrounders on these super talented musicians:

YAHOTEH KOKAYI

Yahoteh Kokayi was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and began playing djembe at the age of 6. Two years later, he transitioned to drum set and has stuck with that ever since. With the djembe serving as his introduction to music as an art form, African rhythms and syncopation have remained a staple of his drumming.

Noticing Yahoteh’s talent early on, his mother enrolled him in a number of music programs, eventually landing him a spot as the drummer for the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music’s Adult Jazz Ensemble at age 16. Playing in his high school jazz band and gigging with a local organ trio, he honed his skills and earned a scholarship to Florida International University.

While in Florida, Yahoteh gigged with many of the local acts in a variety of musical settings, co-founded an avant-garde night at club “Bed,” co-created a blues night called Stone Groove (which is still running at the “Vagabond,”) and was the drummer for the weekly jazz night at the Delano hotel in South Beach.

Eager to expand his musical horizons, Yahoteh returned to New York City in January, 2010. Freelancing in NYC, he has worked with the indie recording artist Twin Shadow, co-founded the indie band Cedric Needs Us, and is the drummer for the up-and-coming afrobeat band, Underground Systems Afrobeat. He currently tours with Underground Systems Afrobeat, is preparing to record Ramon Taranco’s next album, and performs regularly as a sideman throughout NYC.

Video, audio and other links for Yahoteh:

Yahoteh’s original tunes
http://soundcloud.com/yahoteh/ghostbumps
http://soundcloud.com/yahoteh/swimming-in-the-current

Photos etc.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Yahoteh-Kokayi/100000959841038

Bands
Ear Tap - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jhu0LD_BfQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntCKMqMOy_M&feature=related
Cedric Needs Us - http://www.myspace.com/cedricneedsus
Underground Systems Aftrobeat - http://www.youtube.com/user/UndergroundSystem1

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JUDD NIELSEN

If Judson Nielsen’s musical style had to be described with one word that word would be soul. As a keyboardist and Hammond organ player he has performed across the country with his own ensemble and as a sideman. Nielsen’s music is highly percussive, which led him to New Orleans where he played with Walter “Wolfman” Washington and The Roadmasters as well as “Trombone Shorty” and Orleans Avenue. Upon his return to New York in 2006, Nielsen’s band was chosen as the musical accompaniment on a promotional tour for ABC’s Dancing With The Stars.

Nielsen holds residency at Two Boots Brooklyn in his native Park Slope and plays regularly with two different trios. Both of Nielsen’s ensembles feature Yahoteh Kokayi on the drums and cymbals.

Judd has been described as one of the most talented up-and-coming Hammond organ players in the New York area. He was also featured by Nick Spitzer on his New Orleans-based, widely-syndicated NPR radio show, American Routes. Judd played live on the show segment called “New York II: beat of the Boroughs.” Hear the show at http://americanroutes.publicradio.org/archives/show/622/new-york-ii-beat-of-the-boroughs

Website:
http://www.juddnielsen.com

Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jhu0LD_BfQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntCKMqMOy_M&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jd2N0yvt1g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnNQHRLeVJU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjVYt0UfTtQ

CDs:
Judd recorded with 3 bands in New Orleans:
Fatter Than Albert (Erin’s Runaway Imagination, 2006); Walter “Wolfman” Washington (Doin’ the Funky Thing – 2008, with Judd featured on 4 tracks); http://www.louisianamusicfactory.com/showoneprod.asp?ProductID=5881; and Jealous Monk (Sun Up to Moon Down, 2009) http://www.jealousmonkmusic.com/bio.html and most recently recorded in New York with Miz Metro (Unlimited, 2009) http://www.reverbnation.com/mizmetro

BUSTER HEMPHILL

Buster's experience as a professional bass player is so extensive, it's best that you visit his website to learn more about him. www.busterhemphill.com Listen and watch Buster play. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0ew4ZKG-OI Awesome!

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Host Rafa Jovine, played Ramon's R&B/reggae classic, Babes Elusive on the Sept 17th (episode 26) VENTs Music podcast which regularly has over 100,000 listeners. Ramon's most popular blues/rock track, Spirit of Muddy Waters aired on the July 9th (episode 16: pt 2) podcast. Both shows are archived on blubrry and iTunes... http://www.blubrry.com/ventspodcast/ramontaranco http://itunes.apple.com/mx/podcast/ventss-podcast/id437147489

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Indie Castle radio out of Fayetteville, North Carolina, has added Ramon's Yoruba Cuba and Buffalo Skies to their playlist.

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"... he's very much worth listening to, also when singing."

These are the words of German music journalist, Mojo Mendiola. (full review on "The Word is Out" page) Although Ramon is primarily known for his superb guitar playing, his vocals are beautiful too. On The Adventures of Bo Segovia, you will hear Ramon singing solo in the verses of Isolation Blues and throughout Spirit of Muddy Waters and Ghost Dance. The Music From the Bermuda Triangle CD features Ramon's vocals on Sugar Cane Rider, Hard Work and the title track. We rotate tracks from both CDs through the audio page of Ramon's EPK [www.sonicbids.com/ramontaranco] so you may get to hear them for free. You can buy both CDs at www.cdbaby.com.

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It's a joy to know that some DJs and shows play Ramon's music constantly over an extensive period of time ie Kanal Blues (Paris France) has had "Blues Keep Thrillin' Me" & "Spirit of Muddy Waters" on their playlist since Feb 27th 2010.

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"Spirit of Muddy Waters," from Ramon's Adventures of Bo Segovia CD has been added to the playlist for Soulful Tears Radio - a new internet radio station out of Delaware.

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Rukus Radio has added Taranco tracks to their playlist - a great kick off for 2011! If you are interested in exploring the music of independent artists, tune in and listen. Better yet, request one of Ramon's songs at http://rukusradio.ning.com