Wes McGhee - Heartache Avenue - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The White Tornado is Iowa City keyboardist and songwriter Bill Peterson, who honed his playing skills in the fertile blues and jazz jam scene of Eastern Iowa. Peterson is joined on this album by bassist Kevin Dawson and drummer Steve Bennet, as well as a host of other skilled area musicians on horns and percussion for a number of tracks. The White Tornado's debut album, Seek Shelter, consists of 10 original tracks written and arranged by Peterson. They encompass a variety of styles, from infectious piano-pop tunes to funky, beat-driven songs with almost hip-hop style delivery. All the songs benefit from Peterson's quirky sense of humor, while striving to maintain deeper, often personal meaning. Peterson grew up in Marshalltown, Iowa, where he began taking piano lessons at the age of 10. Managing to remain only subconsciously aware of the 80s and 90s music of his youth, he found himself much more intrigued by the jazz records in his parents' collection and the geek rock listened to by his Dungeons & Dragons-playing peers. Upon moving to Iowa City to attend the University in 1995 - where he has remained since - he was drawn into the multitude of blues, jazz and funk jams in the area, garnering the nickname The White Tornado and over the years obtaining a hands-on education in musical theory and stage performance that perhaps delayed obtaining his degrees in Physics, Mathematics, Astronomy and Philosophy. Peterson has played with a number of groups in the Iowa City area, including the Blue Tunas, the Johnny Kilowatt Band, and Public Property. An avid writer of stories, poems and songs since youth, it was inevitable that Peterson's music would spawn it's own project eventually. From 2004-2005 Peterson fronted the drums, bass and piano trio Band for Life, performing in the Iowa City and surrounding areas, playing much of the original music that would form the basis of the

Wes McGhee - Border Guitars [COMPACT DISCS] date 04/12/1996

Mägo de Oz, this time, brings us the story of a witch on Halloween night. An album with songs that retain their 100% Mägo DNA, but with a more modern sound. There are very Celtic songs, other very fun ones that evoke nostalgia for songs of yesteryear, and others with prose bordering on poetry. The music shows us a very mature Mägo with very recognizable and catchy melodies, where Celtic music and metal coexist to create full and dynamic songs, all led by a nuanced voice and the signature register of singer Rafa Blas, who embraces the classic sound of the Madrid band, giving it a previously unknown flavor. In short, Halloween, witches, cemeteries, violins, and bagpipes in a musical coven from the best and oldest Folk Metal band, who never cease to surprise us with each of their albums.