Hey, look! It’s two brand new tunes from Andrea Gillis! With husband Marc Pinansky on drums, James Rohr on nutty keys, Mike Castellana on guitars, Ed V bassing and producing, and Pat “Denzel” Dicenso engineering, these two tracks showcase two sides of Gillis you’ve probably heard around town for the last 15 years.
Mike Castellana
John Powhida International Airport – Airport Life (BC)
If you feel like you’ve been waiting a minute for the new JPX album, you’re probably right. But, it’s been worth the wait!
The new release from John Powhida International Airport finds our hero J-Po (and an all-star cast) in top form. 15 songs of smooth soul, funk, rock, and prog-art madness on a range of subject: Relationships, drinking, procreating, traveling, playing hide and seek, the mad world of music, and the people who make it. Horns, pulsating synths, guitarmonies, searing guitar solos, mad harmonies; this album has it all.
Jon Lupfer co-produced and engineered a many of these tracks, and others in the Q family of engineers also helped along the way.
My personal favorites? It’s hard to choose when you’ve got an album of great tunes like this, but Ridgfield Park always brings a smile, and Airport Life with its nod to Bowie and Zappa is a real blast.
Related: We released a JPX 45 a few years ago as part of our Rock and Soul 45 series. You can pick it up here. It has two songs on it – Daddy’s the Man, b/w Surrender To The Disco Knightz.
Blue Ribbons – Gas Station Girl (Video)
Here’s another video from the Blue Ribbons session in Studio A.
The Blue Ribbons
The Blue Ribbons, a band familiar to anyone who’s set foot in Toad in Porter Square on a recent Tuesday night, recorded AND shot a completely live album in Studio A, in October of 2013.
They spent an afternoon setting up the band: Mike Castellana plays guitar, Jeff Charland and Tauras Biskis on bass and massive drums respectively, and bandleader James Rohr on our baby grand and synths. The Blue Ribbons sound a little like the Band at moments during their set at Q. They can extend a song, or keep it simple and quick. They’re all great players who are busy in multiple bands around town.
On the Q Division end of things we had Matt Beaudoin engineering the recording, and Joe Tooley working sound in the room.
The folks from Gypsy Pixel brought multiple cameras and shot both sets. They have released four videos, and a full length LP (which Matt mixed and mastered).
Here’s one called Foolin’ Around:
