fbpx

Share the Music!

Subscribe to the MusicXplorer mailing list for updates and upcoming articles… SUBSCRIBE NOW!!

A form of popular music which evolved from rock and roll and pop music during the mid and late 1960s.

SEBA JAR STAGE

Sebastian LaBar and Jaron Gulino of Tantric

danme2018May 23, 2022Leave a comment

Sebastian LaBar and Jaron Gulino of TANTRIC

MACH22, Slash, and Jeff LaBar

Guitarist, Sebastian LaBar and bassist, Jaron Gulino, of Tantric, talk with MusicXplorer about when they first met in 2014, when they were both in Philadelphia-based band, MACH22, through their current gig in Tantric.
Sebastian started playing guitar when he was a teen and was influenced by his father, Jeff LaBar (guitarist of band Cinderella), Angus Young, and all guitarists that have played with Ozzy, including Zack, Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee, and Tony Iommi. Jaron started playing bass when he was a teen because he thought the instrument was pretty cool, and a bassist is always in demand due to the lack of them.
Sebastian and Jaron joined the band, MACH22 in 2014, fronted by Lamont Caldwell on vocals. Soon after, they recorded the debut album, Sweet Talk Intervention, engineered by Ronnie Honeycutt, and produced by Sebastian’s father Jeff LaBar, of Cinderella. The band produced two more recordings, the EP Like My Chances (2015) and the EP Working Off The Clock (2017) before Sebastian and Jaron joined Tantric.

Tantric and Muddfest

Jaron had been doing gigs and holding down a day job, but gave up the desk job when he joined Tantric in 2017. He had been doing some gigs that involved drummer, Troy Patrick Farrell. Troy asked if he would be interested in helping him with Tantric, and he immediately jumped on the opportunity. Soon after, Tantric needed a guitarist when Tommy Gibbons left.  Jaron immediately thought of Sebastian. He was a great fit and joined in late 2017, and have been playing together ever since. The band often shares tours with Saving Abel, Puddle of Mudd, Trapt, and Saliva, especially during Muddfest, a summer tour headlined by Puddle of Mudd.

 

Interview with Sebastian and Jaron

Tantric- Letting Go

Here are links to Sebastian Jaron

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MUSICXPLORER NEWSLETTER HERE

IMG 1818

Danny Miranda of Blue Oyster Cult

danme2018May 15, 2022Leave a comment

Danny Miranda

A Bassist Living the Dream

Danny Miranda, a bass player from Long Island, had his first major break when he auditioned for Blue Oyster Cult in 1995 (a story that Danny tells in the video interview below) after their temporary bassist, Greg Smith, had decided to work with Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow. It wasn’t as if he were going in cold for the audition, since he already knew BOC songs and had previously jammed with Eric Bloom in the past. Danny stayed with BOC until he auditioned for the We Will Rock You musical in 2004. When Brian May began to put together the Queen and Paul Rodgers Tour, Brian asked Danny to be part of it. Playing with Queen and Paul Rodgers was a Rock n’ Roll Fantasy for Danny and a dream come true. After the Queen and Paul Rodgers tours and album The Cosmos Rocks, he then went on to play with Meatloaf until 2017. Later in 2017, he then found himself rejoining BOC. Eric Bloom and Buck Dharma told Danny that BOC is his home and he is always welcomed. Blue Oyster Cult is working on a new album to be released soon, so stay tuned!

Video interview with Danny Miranda

Blue Oyster Cult “Godzilla”

Here are links to other things related to Danny Miranda

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MUSICXPLORER NEWSLETTER HERE

Ron Wikso Cher Band

Ron Wikso- Drummer

danme2018May 8, 2022Leave a comment

Ron Wikso- Drummer

The Caribbean, Cher, and Gregg Rolie

Ron, a native Long Island, New Yorker, started playing drums at the age of seven, and attended Berklee College of Music in Boston at 17.  He is best known for working with Cher, Foreigner, David Lee Roth (Van Halen), The Storm, Gregg Rolie (Santana/Journey), and many others. Ron is currently on tour with Steve Miller.
After a year at Berklee, Ron sailed the Caribbean playing on cruise ships and in St. Maarten for a few months. In 1982, he found himself headed out to sunny California, and tried to get any gigs he could. Before long, he was soon making connections in the music scene.
Ron’s first break came in 1989 with Cher, with whom he stayed until 1992. This is where he then began playing full time in Gregg Rolie’s band, The Storm. Ron and Gregg have remained great friends over the years, having recorded and toured together through 2019.

Studio Work and Steve Miller

When Ron is not out touring or doing session work for others, he offers services from his own home studio, including custom drum tracks, and coordinating/producing/mixing various projects for clients from all over the world. Another project Ron has, is with his significant other, Marcy Requist, called Circle of Comfort. The first album they did, released under Marcy’s name in 2016 is called, Covers of Comfort.
On August 19, 2021, Ron received a call saying that Steve Miller’s long-time drummer of 33 years, the great Gordy Knutson, had a last minute personal matter that meant he would be unavailable to perform at a show that was booked on the 21st, only two days later at the Jones Beach Amphitheater in New York. Ron was asked to play in Gordy’s place at that show, which he did, and shortly thereafter, Gordy decided to move on from the band and Ron was asked to join full time.

Interview with Ron Wikso (Part 1)

Ron with The Gregg Rolie Band

Here are links to Ron

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MUSICXPLORER NEWSLETTER HERE

IMG 1849

Russell Javors- Billy Joel Guitarist (Part 1)

danme2018May 31, 2021Leave a comment

Russell Javors- Guitarist

Liberty DeVitto & Billy Joel

Sometimes Rock ‘N’ Roll dreams come true, and in the case for guitarist Russell Javors, it happened with Billy Joel.
When Javors was a teenager, he sought out folks to be in a band to play his songs. When he heard his friend Liberty DeVitto playing-out one night in the popular band, New Rock Workshop at the club, My House, in Plainview, New York, he knew that he found his drummer. Soon they included friends Doug Stegmeyer on bass and Howard Emerson on lead guitar, and formed the band, Topper. Another band that was popular at My House was The Hassles, featuring Billy Joel. As time went on, the members of Topper did various gigs to make money, and Billy Joel went to LA to record his first three albums. Joel moved back to New York, and asked  Doug Stegmeyer, who toured on his last album, Streetlife Serenade, to find him a band. So Stegmeyer called DeVitto, and soon after, called Javors, Emerson, and saxophonist Richie Cannata. They recorded Joel’s next album,Turnstiles. Javors, DeVitto, Stegmeyer, and Cannata stayed with Joel on The Stranger, 52nd Street, Glass Houses, and Songs in the Attic. Javors played rhythm guitar with Joel until 1989.

The Lords of 52nd Street

In 2014, the original Billy Joel Band,  consisting of Javors, Cannata, and DeVitto (with Stegmeyer, posthumously), were inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. After the reunion, Javors, Cannata, and DeVitto officially formed The Lords of 52nd Street band. The group took the name from producer, Phil Ramone,who had named them that when he recorded with them. The trio set out to find other musicians, most notably singer and pianist David Clark of the Joel tribute band, Songs in the Attic

Interview with Russell Javors (Part 1 of 3)

“It’s Still Rock & Roll To Me”

Here are links to Russell

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MUSICXPLORER NEWSLETTER HERE

Rod M

Rod Morgenstein-Drummer

danme2018May 1, 2021Leave a comment

Rod Morgenstein- Drummer

Dixie Dregs and Grammy Nominee

Rod is a New York native, founding member, and drummer of the Dixie Dregs, a six-time Grammy nominee. Rod is a professor, teaching percussion at Berklee College of Music, in Boston, Massachusetts. Recently offering, Drum Set Warm-Ups, touted as the definitive text for developing and improving all aspects of drum-set playing.  He is also a columnist for Modern Drummer magazine.
The beginning of the Dregs started in 1973, when he attended the University of Miami in Florida. There he met Steve Morse, Andy West, and Allen Sloan, playing under the official Studio Music and curriculum title of, Rock Ensemble II.  At the university, The Dregs recorded their first album in 1975, The Great Spectacular, as a class project.
The Dregs had a rough time getting signed and were turned down and told their music was difficult to market because they were a jazz fusion band had no vocals, odd timing, and that their music combines rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk, and classical influences. The group was finally signed to Capricorn in 1977, and recorded several albums before they temporarily disbanded in 1983. Rod then joined Steve Morse’s new band and stayed for two albums before wanting a musical change to try something both new and challenging. The Dregs last reunion was a tour in 2018.

Winger and Other Projects

Rod moved back to New York City and began auditioning for jobs, one of them turned out to be a band that Kip Winger was forming. Two months later, Rod received a call from the band, and they were off to record their self-titled, debut album, Winger, in 1988.  It went double platinum. Winger followed up in 1990 with In the Heart of the Young. In 1993, they released the album, Pull, as grunge came in and changed the music scene. The band decided to take a break, but got back together in 2002, and have had sporadic reunions since, and continue to do so as time permits. Winger will be releasing a new album in 2021.
Rod’s other projects include the Rudess/Morgenstein Project, an instrumental progressive power-duo, featuring Rod and Dream Theater keyboardist extraordinaire, Jordan Rudess, with two albums to their credit. Rod is is involved with jam band, Jazz Is Dead, which features creative improvisations of the music by the Grateful Dead.  Another project is, Platypus, whose two recordings feature: John Myung (Dream Theater), Ty Tabor (King’s X), and Derek Sherinian (Planet X). The music is a mix of instrumental and vocal tunes that blend many different styles together. An offshoot of Platypus is The Jelly Jam, a power trio featuring Rod, Ty Tabor, and John Myung. Their debut release came out in 2001, and The Jelly Jam, ‘2’ was released in 2004.

Interview with Rod Morgenstein (Part 1)

Dixie Dregs “Patchwork”

Here are links to Rod

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MUSICXPLORER NEWSLETTER HERE

Bruce Engler

Bruce Engler-Singer/Songwriter

danme2018April 19, 2021Leave a comment

Bruce Engler- Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist

A Passion for Blues and Rock

At an early age, Bruce was fascinated by guitars and built his own guitar when he was just seven years old, and he has been playing ever since. Bruce is a blues-based singer-songwriter, and his influences are: Eric Clapton, The Allman Brothers, and Jackson Browne to name a few. Bruce has played with many well-known musicians including, Wings’ drummer Steve Holley, bassist Paul Page from the Ian Hunter Band, and DownTown Mystic guitarist/vocalist, Robert Allen, and many more. Bruce has appeared onstage playing blues-rock music at New York City, Los Angeles, and San Diego venues for over three decades. Bruce’s songs have been featured on prime time TV shows in the U.S., as well as internationally. Bruce has also had a career in the audio side of the music world as an audio technician for music videos, movies, radio, and more. His song Goodbye was used in the television show, ZOO. His publishing company is called Twincliff Music.

New album- The Landing and other work

Bruce’s new album The Landing was released November 20th, but the first single was released earlier in 3020, titled, Not You and Me. The album is Bruce’s first new album in seven years.  His previous two releases are Go Back (featuring Steve Holley, Paul Page, and Robert Allen) released in 2012, and Hudson River Anthology, released in 2013. The single and video from the album, Somewhere In-Between, has received a lot of attention. The video was directed and shot by Netherlands based DP, Roeland Bentvelzen.  Music features Brett Engler on Drums, Dave Hedden on Percussion, and Angus McEachern on Bass Guitar.

Jamsphere Magazine had this comment

“Bruce Engler’s vocals are captivating all the way through and the songwriting writing is just brilliant.” – Jamsphere Magazine, January, 2020

Video interview with Bruce Engler

Here are links to other things related to Bruce

Video of “Not You and Me”

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MUSICXPLORER NEWSLETTER HERE

 

 

thumbnail johnBarclay

Jeff Kazee (Part 2 of 2)

danme2018April 12, 2021Leave a comment

Jeff Kazee- Part 2 of 2

Southside Johnny Bandleader

In Part one with Jeff, we discussed his influences and moving to the New Jersey area in 1993 and when he joined Rock/Soul band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. We also talked about meeting with guitarist G.E. Smith and saxaphonist Mark Rivera, and when G.E. took Roger Waters to a club in Long Island that Jeff was playing at. During the Covid Pandemic, Jeff created the Living Room Lounge where he was able to raise over $10,000 for the Fulfill NJ , to help folks in need.

Bon Jovi and Early Elton Trio

In Part 2, we talk to Jeff about when he auditioned for Southside Johnny and met Jon Bon Jovi and Steve Van Zandt.  We then continue when Bon Jovi asked him help out on keyboards for the bands 2003 tour This Left Feels Right Live and the Have a Nice Day Tours from 2005 until 2006. Kazee also filled in for David Bryan on keyboards and vocals for night five of Bon Jovi’s 2010 London O2 Arena residency as Bryan was attending The Tony Awards in NYC.
In 2009, Jeff joined Fab Faux drummer Rich Pagano and Asbury Juke bassist John Conte in an ongoing side project performing music selected from Elton John‘s Trio Years (’70-’72), entitled Early Elton Trio.

Video interview with Jeff Kazee Part 2

Early Elton Trio-Take Me To The Pilot

Here are links to Jeff

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MUSICXPLORER NEWSLETTER HERE

MX Photo

Tommy Mandel

danme2018March 22, 2021Leave a comment

Tommy Mandel

Paul Simon to Bryan Adams

Tommy Mandel is a keyboardist who has played with many well-known musicians, but is best known for recording and playing with Bryan Adams from 1981 through 1998. He grew up in the New York City area and began studying music at the age of six. Mandel studied songwriting with Paul Simon at NYU in 1969-70, in a class that included The Roches.

Ian Hunter, Ellen Foley, and more

Mandel was involved with the band, Stories, in the mid seventies and in 1978, his friend Paul Jacobs helped him to go on tour with the National Lampoon Travelling Road Show. His career started taking off from there.  In 1979, he began recording Ellen Foley’s debut album and met Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson, playing on three albums with them from 1979 through 1981. Since then, Mandel has worked with David Johansen (aka Buster Pointdexter) of the NY Dolls, Dire Straits, John Waite, Little Steven Van Zandt, and more.

Solo Recordings

In 1981, Mandel released his first solo recording with the EP, Tommy Mandel on Songshop Records.  He has released several solo recordings since, including in 1984, Music for Insomniacs and The Secrets of Marital Bliss. He has also composed and recorded a song cycle based on the touring experience, entitled, Starlight, featuring the vocals and writing talents of Marianne Faithful, John Waite, Joe Cerisano, Fran Eckert, Jeff Southworth, and Pete Hewlett. In the nineties, Mandel compiled the following CD’s of his instrumental compositions:  Themes for Dreams (his favorite), Music for Insomniax II (sleepy synths),and recently, “Every Dog,” and The Enlightenment of Age, and most recently, Curio-City.

Video interview with Tommy Mandel (Part 1 of 2)

Bryan Adams”Run To You”

Here are links to Tommy

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MUSICXPLORER NEWSLETTER HERE