DAVE STEVENS

Dave Stephens(guitar)BORN:United kingdom1955 - MUSICAL HISTORY:Started playing guitar in early teens and graduated from playing pop/rock to jazz/rock and from there to bebop and beyond. Received critical acclaim from top American jazz producer Michael Cuscuna. Recorded various limited release albums over the years and also contributed to jazz magazine radio shows during the 1980's and 90's. Recently contributed and performed on accompanying CD to Adrian Ashton's 'The Bass Handbook' (Backbeat Books). also recently released a CD of piano and acoustic guitar duets with pianist Paul Smail to great acclaim by top musicians, composers and fans alike (see myspace.com/smailandstephens).

Dave also does selected solo concerts on acoustic guitars. Various solo CDs are available by contacting Dave direct. "Great playing & fantastic sound!" (Peter Oxley) "Nice Sound" - " Flying the flag for creative and melodic improvisation"(John Etheridge) "Sensitive & exciting - eloquent guitar!" (Teignmouth Jazz festival) "I really enjoyed the playing" (John Scofield), "Very nice.....I like your material! (Eumir Deodato)

Dave has recorded and released two new solo albums of original material, “Summer Nights” and “Impressions of Wes”.

Also during the year Dave and pianist Paul Smail have been working on the follow-up to their 2007 CD “Red Boats & Blue Skies”.

The new CD, scheduled for release, summer/autumn 2010 will feature special guests and will focus primarily on Paul and Dave’s interest on music from around the globe.
Also during the year, Dave and Paul had the thrill of seeing and meeting one of Dave’s big heroes, Al Di Meola in Geneva. A concert that was simply staggering in it’s beauty and technical prowess. Truly magical!!
Watch out for further update

http://www.myspace.com/davestephensuk

http://www.davestephens.org.uk/index.html

ARTIST OF THE MONTH NICKY SWANN

Nicky Swann is developing into a fine singer-songwriter. Her delivery is warm, soulful (sometimes gritty) but always spiritually tinged. She lists Patsy Cline, Carole King and Janis Joplin as her big three. A passionate performer, she uses elements of folk, blues and country to tell her tales of love, hope and death.

After splitting from her covers duo and long term guitarist in 2006 Nicky searched for a replacement but was disappointed by those she auditioned. Determined to continue, she decided to take on the role of guitarist herself and quickly expanded her three chord repertoire and was gigging again after six months. She started to write new material and relaunched herself as a singer-songwriter.

Since then she hasn't looked back and her achievements to date include, recording with the top multi-instrumentalist Phil Beer (Show of Hands), winning the Artsbase singer-songwriter award, supporting many top UK artists including Clive Gregson, Roy Bailey and Megson as well as American artists Corrine West and Brooks Williams. She has headlined the acoustic stage at Transition Festival, supported Show Of Hands at Chagstock and is a regular performer at Dartmouth Music Festival. She has also performed for BBC Radio with the award winning folk singer and fiddle player Jackie Oates.
She is currently working on her new album "Matches and Dispatches" due for release in March 2010. It is, simply put, a collection of songs about love and death. Eleven original tracks, a reworked cover of The Beatles classic "I Want To Hold Your Hand" (given new life away from its pop origins) and a new arrangement of the traditional Welsh poem "All Through the Night" (Ar Hyd Y Nos). The album was recorded at The Sawmills Studios in Cornwall and features performances from double bassist Rick Foot, cellist Bethany Porter, and pedal steel player Alan Cook.

She has achieved a growing, well respected reputation in such a short space of time, singing from the heart and captivating audiences with her emotionally honest delivery.
The new album "Matches and Dispatches" will be released in March 2010 with live dates and radio throughout the year.

www.nickyswann.com or http://www.myspace.com/nickyswann