Thursday, June 23, 2005

THE LEVELHEADS VOTED BEST IN PHILLY!

Thanks to everyone who came out to support us at the TLA -- especially those who have never seen us before and all of those who traveled big distances to be there -- we owe it all to you, and hope you had as much fun as we did!

So what happened?

Well, we're not going to Boston - but we came in SECOND of fourteen bands (as voted by industry judges) in the regional finals! We played a fantastic set and walked away with a bunch of awards and prizes (the most for a single band), and have the utmost respect for our friends who did win - Restoring Poetry In Music, from Washington DC - and congratulate them wholeheartedly! However, we were told by the Emergenza folks that we should be very proud of our achievement, because it essentially means that we ended up being the top band from the Philadelphia chapter of the contest - which is quite an honor. We really couldn't have hoped for more!

In addition, all of the bands voted for their favorite band of the night, and we WON that award! To be voted "Best Band" by our peers was about as high as we could get - an amazing feeling. We won a bunch of great effects gear as a result of that award.

But it didn't stop there - I was voted "Best Bass Player" by the panel of judges and received a brand new Ampeg amplifier as a result, and our drummer, Russell Gellman got "Second Best Drummer" from the judges - also winning some great gear (each instrument had a "Best" and "Second Best" category).

So, we consider our run in the Emergenza festival a glowing success and would like to thank you again for all of your support. We have already noticed the doors it has opened for us - and hope to see you soon at our next shows at the North Star, Grape Street, and the newly announced show at Abilene's on South Street!     

        I've recently gotten hooked up to myspace.com, a neat friends website.  I have The Levelheads on there as well as my own personal page.  Some of my more recent blogs are on that site, so if you'd like to check out more of what I'm up to on a personal note, go to  http://www.myspace.com/bassdream.

        Also, The Levelheads are currently up for review on garageband.com!  Check us out, give us feedback, click here: http://www.garageband.com/artist/TheLevelheads!

Tuesday, May 31, 2005

        The Levelheads have made it to the Emergenza Festival FINAL ROUND!  We will be playing the legendary TLA (Theatre of Living Arts) in Philadelphia, PA this June.  This is such a fantastic opportunity for the group.  I remember when we first signed up for the battle of the bands, we all said that we would be happy to make it to round two at the North Star.  Now that we've advanced to the finals, we have completely exceeded our expectations.  All of it is thanks to our close friends, family and fans.  Without you, we would not be able to celebrate this momentous opportunity.

        Here are the particulars:

        You blew us away with your monumental support at the North Star!  Now is your chance to see The Levelheads take main stage as we compete against some of the best original bands in Philadelphia.  We're going up against 12 bands--6 of which are eliminated for having the least amount of votes.  We need you there!  E-mail me now to set up a ticket exchange.  Tickets are $15.  Purchasing them at face value is greatly appreciated, but if money is tight and/or you'd like to purchase several quantity, we'll take $10.

E-mail Jim for ticket information.

        Thanks for keeping up with your favorite bass playing Levelhead and don't forget to fall in love with another one of the fabulous four!  Buy our CD for all the tasty grooviness that you crave and really sink your teeth into all that is level.

Sunday, February 27, 2005

        Here's some interesting news: Numinosity is back!  For those who have been following the different bands I'm in, you'll remember that Numinosity was put on hiatus some nine months ago.  After some serious life changes, Michael and I have pulled ourselves back together to regain focus and get ourselves back up to speed for recording early this summer 2005.  Like our last resurgence over a year ago, new material is bursting at the seems and will inevitably end up on the new CD.  All in all, this will be a very positive record and I'm looking very much forward to sharing the music with the world.

        The Levelheads have made it to round 2 of the Emergenza Festival!  As if that weren't cool enough, we're the #1 voted band in Philly!  It's all thanks to our fans and people who came out and voted for us.  Round 2 is at The North Star in Philly on May 15th at 8:30 PM.  This is a crucial round because after this it's off to the semi-finals at the TLA!  We can get there with your help!  Contact me to purchase a ticket.  We are subsidizing the tickets to make then all more affordable for everyone this second time around.  Tickets are originally $12, but we are selling them for $5 - an incredible deal for the night of awesome music everyone will be exposed to.  

        Happy New Year!  I can't believe 2004 is over already.  A lot has happened this past year and I'm really psyched to announce that I have one of my first real CD releases coming up this month!  The Levelheads spent most of 2004 preparing for our first EP, a six song testament to all the material we have worked on since the band started in mid 2003.  The album, entitled "Ready Set Go" is slated for release at our upcoming battle of the bands show at The Five Spot in Philadelphia.  The show is being put together by Emergenza, an international organization for original music.

        Want to grab a piece of the action?  Good!  Check us out on Friday, January 14th at The Five Spot to support The Levelheads and grab your own copy of this awesome new CD!  Tickets are still available and they go for $10.  E-mail me to purchase!

        In other news, one of the guitarists from Downsite had some major surgery on his shoulder, so he will not be able to play with the group for a while.  There has been talk about continuing to play without him until he is finished rehab, but nothing set in stone.  More on that after Emergenza!

        I've recently gotten hooked up to myspace.com, a neat friends website.  I have The Levelheads on there as well as my own personal page.  Some of my more recent blogs are on that site, so if you'd like to check out more of what I'm up to on a personal note, go to  http://profiles.myspace.com/users/10172303.

        Also, The Levelheads are currently up for review on garageband.com!  Check us out, give us feedback, click here: http://www.garageband.com/artist/TheLevelheads!

        It's election day!  Choose or lose, and remember if you don't vote, you can't complain!  So here's the scoop:  I just joined a new metal band called Downsite and have less than two weeks to learn their set before the next gig at Katmandu in Trenton, NJ, November 10th.   For more details, visit www.downsiteband.com or e-mail me.

        The Levelheads CD is complete!  We are in the final stages of duplication and are planning to have them available this December 2004!  There is talk about an acoustic set at Pizza Rustica in Philly, PA on December 3rd.  Keep up to date with The Levelheads at www.thelevelheads.com!

        One more important note about The Levelheads, we are performing at the Emergenza Festival at the Five Spot in Philly, PA.  This is a huge battle of the bands showcasing local bands as well as, your favorite Levelheads, so please come out to our next gig and ask us about tickets.  They are $10 a person.  Again, more info on the official Levelheads website.

Be well!

        The Levelheads have just finished recording their first album!  The six song EP features new songs that the band has been working on over the last year.  The album is in its final stages of mastering and duplication.  Check The Levelheads website for more up-to-date info and a future CD release party date!

        In other news, Numinosity is on a short hiatus while Michael recovers from a wrist injury.  As soon as he is back to normal, recording will begin on a new album featuring complete versions of the samples on the website.

        The videos I made for this site have been posted on the Levelheads website.  Connect with the Levelheads at www.thelevelheads.com.  There are also songs from a recent practice to give listeners a taste of what we're up to.  The recording will start in 3 weeks.  In the meantime, the band is catching up on some vacationing and summer fun kind of stuff.

        Numinosity is taking the same kind of hiatus.  The good news is, since I'm recording with The Levelheads, I'm going to get to know a new studio and producer.  If things work out well with the other band, then I might just foot the bill for recording in a studio.  We had originally thought about recording in our basements.  That's all fine and dandy, but for not a whole lot of money, we'll have many more tracks, mics and know-how behind us in a studio.  Check us out at www.numinosity.us for more updates on the dynamic duo's progress.

Friday, July 9, 2004

        Okay, check out the Levelheads page on this site.  I have updated it with new video footage from one of our gigs in Philly this year.  Go there now!

        In addition to having some Levelhead video footage, I have been hard at work putting together a DVD of a Numinosity show recorded in Princeton, NJ.  The DVD will be available at future shows.  This is a great little taste of things to come when we release our first album this winter.  More on that in the coming weeks.

        The Levelheads will be recording a short EP album this summer to capture the essence of the last year of collaboration as a band.  In that time, we have managed to write 7 new songs (as well as bits and pieces of many others).  They are also, just a taste of what is to come for future releases.

        I have recently been invited to an open mic night in nearby Trenton, by an old guitarist friend (originally from Plunk Fusion) who asked if I would be interested in putting together a blues group.  This is an avenue that has always interested me and up until now, I hadn't had the opportunity to really dive in.  Needless to say, I told him I was in and I'll keep you posted on our future performances (open mic or otherwise).

        Be well.

        What a month!  First, I thought I was playing a park concert with Numinosity.  Second, I thought we would have started the recording of the new album.  The concert was cancelled for a number of reasons, as was the recording.  It turned out there was a scheduling mix up between bands and we got bumped to an earlier time.  I couldn't get out of work early, so that was that.  Additionally, Michael had hurt his wrist doing some heavy lifting in his basement, so we thought it best he didn't try and force himself to play injured.  The latter has also been part of the reason for our delayed recording--but not so much that as the sad fact that both of us have blown monitor speakers!  Not a week later than Mike's Tannoy blew out did my nine-month-old Event blow a transistor.  That was back in May.  It's nearly July and my speaker is still sitting at some repair center waiting for parts.  I am very unhappy with Event and intend to write a letter informing them of this situation.  I'm a firm believer that these companies need feedback, both good and bad.

        Okay, so enough ranting.  What's the news you ask?  I have put all of my down time to the best use as possible and produced a DVD of the last Numinosity show in Princeton.  It has turned out way better than I would have ever imagined.  We included five songs from the show, digital quality sound, a couple of camera angles and an audio commentary track to boot!  A close friend of the group has helped to design some killer packaging and we'll be using it as a promotional tool to book more gigs and share the music with show-goers.  It will also serve as a nice "in-the-meantime" sampling of Numinosity until the CD is completed later this year.  We are also looking into CDbaby.com as a means to market the DVD to a wider audience.  More on that in the near future. . .

        That's what's been happening on the BassDream front.  Thanks for checking out the site.

        Greetings!  I have news of an upcoming Numinosity show in Princeton, NJ in the coming weeks.  It should be on or about the weekend of June 12th.  I will post the date and whereabouts as soon as they become known to me.  In the meantime, please keep your schedule open for that weekend.  This will be an easy-to-see outdoor show and we may have a cool lightshow as well.

Jim

        Thank you for supporting Numinosity at the Unitarian Church in Princeton, NJ.  We don't often have the opportunity to play for a crowd of people as receptive as you are to the kind of music we play.  Our set was recorded on two video cameras with a digital soundtrack for clean audio reproduction.  My goal with this is to produce a DVD keepsake of the performance and make it available to people on the web via streaming Real Video.  Stay tuned for more updates on that as well as future performances by Numinosity.

        Also, check out our new website:  www.numinosity.us!  It is loaded with sound samples and some excellent interactivity thanks to our very own web guru.

Friday, April 30, 2004

        Another thank you to the University of Pennsylvania's Veterinary Students for having The Levelheads play for their First Year Skits & BBQ.  We had a great time playing and really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the BBQ to kick back and dig into our original material.  We look forward to playing again in the city as well as other venues in the surrounding areas.  More on that in the near future.

        Please check out our new website: www.thelevelheads.com!  It has the latest news on what the band is up to as well as a few sound samples and pictures.

        Thanks to all who came out to support Numinosity and The Levelheads at LaTazza 108 this Saturday!  A special thanks to the UPENN Veterinary students -- your support was awesome.  It was Numinosity's debut performance and The Levelhead's first "real" gig, so the bands were very excited to put on a great show for all.

        There is a lot in store for both groups in the coming months, so check back often to see when we're playing next.  Also look forward to new websites to visit and download cool pictures and sound bytes.

January 13, 2004

        Happy New Year!  Speaking of new, check this out:

        The Levelheads, my newest original band is scheduled to play at La Tazza, 108 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA on February 7, 2004.  The band is performing with a bunch of artists including my very own Numinosity (slated as the opening group!) and featuring live improv-painting by Todd Marrone (local Philly artist).  Here is the lineup for that evening:

        8:30 - Numinosity
        9:15 - Mary Bichner of Box Five (solo piano and vocals)
        10:00 - Julia Brown (w/Russ Starke & Russell Gellman)
        11:00 - The Levelheads
        12:00 - The Brian Donahue Band (w/Russ Starke & Russell Gellman)

        This is going to be THE show to see!  Not only will you have the opportunity to see some really cool  bands with interchangeable musicians, there will be drink/food specials, live art/displayed art and possibly some raffles/giveaways!  Where, you ask?

                La Tazza 108
                108 Chestnut Street
                Philadelphia, PA  19106
                215-922-7322

        Oh, and if you're a regular at the site, yes, I'm still alive.  Thanks for visiting!  Now go sample the music on the sounds page!  Oh, and be on the lookout for new samples from Numinosity and The Levelheads in the coming weeks.

October 27, 2003

        Such neglect.  These pages are beginning to look like a ghost town.  Then again, it may be your first time visiting this site.  In that case, welcome!  Without delay, here's the news:

        The group consisting of Russ Starke, Russell Gellman, Brian Jacobs and myself has taken form as well as identity;  we are The Levelheads.  The band is scheduled to perform live at Cafe Rustica in Philly on November 14th.  It is going to be more of a showcase, but we are playing a full set of tunes from Russ, Russell as well as a few old favorites that will blow your mind!

        The return of the Bass & Drums duo has been rapidly expanding into a creative force that took Mike and I by surprise.  After recording the "ambient" version of Cloud 10 I didn't know if we were going to come up with anything close to that level.  I proved myself wrong when I stumbled across a cool effect that I placed on the back burner.  The new sound is subtle, but adds just the right touch to a piece that Mike and I named Jokalaylau--inspired by the Imajica and the many journeys one may embark upon while listening to such a song.  A sample of this song is on its way.

        As for news on John Mazzarella, we have decided to nix the duo project.  It didn't seem to fit either of our styles the way we had hoped.  It turns out that we just like hanging out together, so we're going to do that without our respective instruments and hold off for larger band gigs with a more dedicated drummer and perhaps a saxophonist.  That may happen soon enough.  In the meantime, John's focusing on his first solo album and promoting solo gigs.

        There is a lot happening and it won't be long before there are more opportunities for me to be gigging with a bunch of different situations.  Mike and I are putting together a set of ambient music that we are going to perform live in coffee houses and eclectic bars.  The Levelheads are going to continue developing our sound and add more venues to the show list.  Between those two and a potential cover band on the horizon, it's going to be an awesome winter with very little hibernation.

Jim 

August 21, 2003

        Lots of news for today.  First, a new band has formed.  We're not quite sure what to call ourselves yet, but the name will be upon us soon enough.  The group consists of Russ from BKJ on guitar/vocals, Russell Gellman on drums, Brian X on rhythm guitar, Abby on vocals and myself on bass.  I'll eventually get around to making a band page for this new group.

        I reunited with Michael Raven so that we can continue what we started as a duo last year.  The material that we both came up with was very different and worth reviving.  So, we put aside our differences from January and are starting fresh with our second go at a duo.  We also have to work out a name for the duo among other things, so stay tuned for more updates on this unique project.

        I will be playing at Woody's Roadhouse in Farmingdale on September 20th!  It's a Saturday, so please come out and support the band.  We're adding new songs to the set list as well as some more original material that we plan to have worked out with our drummer, John Oaks.

        Last, but not least, I'm forming a cover band with James Douglas from Human Rhythm.  We're still in the process of lining up guys to jam with and then we'll be hitting the bar scene.  This will run predominantly through the central Jersey areas and perhaps surrounding Philly suburbs.

        I just moved to a new house, so the last couple months have been pretty busy.  Looking back, I'm amazed I was able to squeeze in as much as I did.  Seems like I'm back to my usual schedule--working, and playing in a couple bands.  I gotta say, though, I'm mega psyched about the new Russ project and reunion with Mike.  Two hot new original projects couldn't have come at a better time!

Until next time. . .

July 6, 2003

        Happy Independence Day!  Fireworks were cool this year.  I got eaten alive by mosquitoes--to the extent of about 20 bites.  I'm a walking candidate for West Nile.  Either that or a living, breathing vaccine.  Anyway, let's talk about recent musical events!

        The gig I played with Russ Starke in Philly was awesome!  He had a ton of people there and they were all screaming for more!  But since we had only a few tunes worked out, we stopped while we were ahead of the game.  Russ is currently looking into future dates while Steve, our current drummer, is still in town.  Steve is a music student in Toronto, Canada, so he'll be leaving by the end of August.  Then we'll either continue as a trio (2 guitars and bass) or find a replacement drummer.  More news from Russell Starke and The State Champs will be available soon.

        I spent the rest of June playing various gigs with John.  He's been experimenting a lot with his new Gibson Echo Plex looping toy.  It's been able to record a bar of himself and loop it back while adding a vast soundscape of vocal harmonies on top of his rhythms.  A cool toy, although limiting from the bassist's perspective.  It's challenging to play with because it's a lot like playing with a metronome--you have to be totally precise with your placement of the beat.  But I digress, a solo looping device is meant to be used for a one-man-show.  I'm sure John won't mind if I sit out while he's looping.

        Additionally, I've been working with a cat named Matt Santry.  He's a singer/songwriter in the Philly area with a cool style and good connections within the Philly circuit.  I'll be playing a gig with him at the Grape Street Pub on August 8.  More details will be available soon.  In the meantime, please check out his website at www.mattsantry.com.

        Last, but not least, I've been working with Human Rhythm over the last couple months in an attempt to find a drummer and work out material for future gigs.  We have had little luck so far and disbanded once again.  However, Jim and I are going to continue working together to form a cover band with a new drummer.  That being said, we are looking for a vocalist--male or female--to front the band while the band takes care of the rest.  The music we're interested in covering will be hard rock, STP, Creed, Incubus, Tool, Puddle of Mudd, as well as some classics.  For female vocals, we would be covering whatever songs she would be comfortable with singing.  If you are or know anyone who would like to front a group, please send me an e-mail at webmaster@bassdream.com.  

June 10, 2003

        Greetings!  Here's the news for this month.  John Mazz has a lot of great gigs booked for us all month.  Check the schedule above for the dates and times.  John and I sent out a postcard containing the dates and times of our next performances, so I'm looking forward to seeing you at one of the shows.

        Oh, and just in case you're wondering, there is a date scheduled for June 13th, with Russell Starke.  Russ is the former guitarist for Beau Koo Jack.  He recently released his new album Centerlight which features the completed versions of some of the old BKJ jams he introduced to us.  He's assembled a band consisting of himself, another guitarist, drummer and me on bass.  It's going to be a kick-ass show with an awesome set from The Starke Quartet (otherwise unnamed).

Be well,

Jim

May 7, 2003

        Hi!  Another update for the more recent news page...

        If you visit the bands page and scroll to the way bottom, you'll see a little icon for a group that I worked with called Beau Koo Jack.  The band was a three-piece, experimental rock band driven mainly by some really cool ideas that Russ Starke, the guitarist, brought to the group.  It has been years since the quiet end of BKJ, but those years were far from lost.  Russ has been hard at work recording an album with much of the material that was originally shared with BKJ.  His CD Centerlight is in post production right now.  Please visit www.russellstarke.com to connect with Russ and sample some of the music.  I think you'll find an interesting resemblance to the old BKJ recordings I have for download.

        Now that Russ has a completed product, he's formed a little three piece group to play some local gigs.  I am honored that he asked me to play bass, considering how nostalgic his music is to me.  We are currently scheduled to play a cafe in Philly on June 13th.  Please check the shows page for address and time.

peace,

Jim

May 4, 2003

        Thanks for checking out the site.  Now that spring is here, I've been keeping myself especially busy while doing whatever I can to get out of my house.  The search for a new drummer with Human Rhythm is progressing as we audition a new guy each week.  It shouldn't be long before we hook up with someone who fits the mold.

        I would like to congratulate my older brother Bobby and my new sister Bobbie (aka B-squared) on their new marriage.  It was an exquisite wedding and I was honored to have participated as a groom's man.  I'd also like to thank John Mazz and John Oakes for being part of the wedding band.

        Speaking of the Johns (and I don't mean Porta-Johns), I'll be playing some more Woody's gigs with them--the next one coming up on Friday, May 30th.  Also, Mazz has a Sweet Dreams gig booked for the two of us.  Check the shows page for address and contact information for all my gigs.

        Now that the weather is more permitting of outdoor activity, take advantage of this awesome time of year and work on your farmer's tan.  Play horseshoes with the neighbor's, read a book in the sun and by all means throw those outdoor parties featuring awesome bands!  Need a band?  I got you covered.

peace,

Jim

April 14, 2003

        Lots going on friends!  I bought a new bass guitar.  It's an acoustic fretless by Michael Kelly guitars.  The company did me an incredible service by sending me a post-production replacement for a defective bass that I purchased through them earlier.  I have already used it in conjunction with John Mazzarella's music and I'm really looking forward to recording with it in the near future.

        Human Rhythm is starting up again.  I have been working with Jim and Mike to audition drummers for some future gigs that they have booked.  I'm content with the way things are going.  So far, we've auditioned two drummers and the overall vibe of the group is just so much more relaxed.  We're going to make collective decisions on future events and begin a whole new writing process that'll include me.

        I just recently purchased a new hand drum.  It's a doumbek from Syria!  Very cool drum.  It will be a nice compliment for some of my songs.  I've also come across a really cool drum that mimics the sound of the ocean!  That's going to be incredible for adding the white noise textures heard in the middle of Cloud 10.  I'll pick that one up soon enough!

        Now that I've spent so much time talking about myself, why not sign my guestbook with your feedback?  Oh, and don't miss my next gig at the Zen Den Cafe in Woodbridge, NJ.  I'll be performing with John Mazz from 8-10pm.

peace,

Jim

February 10, 2003

        I have to say, January was quite a month!  Not only has my band schedule been extremely busy, but my day gig has been equally as exciting.  First, several gigs with John Mazz were awesome.  We played Woody's and The Laughing Lion which were a blast.  Then John and I met up in New Brunswick where he is intending to book us some more local gigs.  We'll be playing at Tumulty's on the 28th.  John is working on getting us a date at Marita's too.  As for my day job, I've been promoted to Manager!  It doesn't get much more exciting than that!

        In addition to all the gigging with John, I've been busy with T and Mike jamming out all kinds of progressive funk!  Very cool stuff.  The band is playing for a private party sometime in May (at least that's what I've been told).

        In more recent news, an unfortunate clash of creative funk (if I may coin a phrase) has resulted in Michael's resignation from The John Mazzarella Band.  John and I played the last Woody's gig together as a duet.  It went quite well, I must say.  The reaction we got from the crowd was mixed as usual, but not bad by any means.  Many of the waiters and bartenders said they didn't even notice we were playing without drums.  I was most concerned by their impression because they were already familiar with how the band sounded with drums.  I'm still in the dark about where this leaves Mike and I.  He hasn't called to touch base with me about how to handle the other projects he and I are involved with.  He probably just needs some time to cool off.

        In other news, I have decided it's time to get my own place and start the recording/creative process with a clean and fresh slate.  I am planning on moving to the Fairless Hills/Bristol area of PA.  That should get me closer to the action on the Philly front and gigging in places around the city.  I'm very much looking forward to it!

Jim

January 23, 2003

        I'm excited to announce the beginning of a new approach to performing live via our new group, The Eclectic Collective.  What is it?  I don't know exactly.  It's John, me and Mike from the FLO, only, we're not playing what we would with the FLO.  We will have a completely different setup on stage as well as a completely different approach to playing.  The venue hosing us is The Town Grind in Denville, NJ.  It is a coffee house that has different and unique acts--perfect for what we intend to do with the new group.  Essentially, we will be a "jam band."  However, we'll take jamming a step further and introduce nuances of techno via my E-mu, instances of world music with Mike's hand drumming and something quite different for John--his electric guitar!

        Our virgin performance will be on February 12, 2003.  Don't miss it!

                      Jim

January 11, 2003

        Happy New Year!  I am very pleased to announce that I have updated the website so that all of the audio and video files are working again.  I ran out of web space on my old server, so I had to bite the bullet and buy some additional space.  Now, there is no limit to the amount of music or videos I can share with you.  Please check out the latest Future Love Orchestra videos from Woody's Roadhouse.

                       Jim

December 2, 2002

        John Mazzarella & the band has been performing at Woody's Roadhouse in Farmingdale, NJ to crowds of varied taste.  As the band accumulates more and more cover material, we have been playing songs that are familiar to a wide range of listeners.  John's original material is very fresh, with catchy hooks and melodies that listeners are bound to take home with them.  November 2, and 30th marked our first and second gigs at Woody's with our third coming up on December 7.  We sent a postcard with show dates and times to the people who have signed Mazz's mailing list and are looking forward to seeing more of our fans at the next show.  Thanks for your support!

-Jim