'Black Zulu' ~ Review by Trish Hennessey ~ Hybrid Jazz

Gino shared this new song with me earlier today and here's what struck me about "Black Zulu."  It's a warrior's walk back in time … there's some Weather Report here and the fierce call of Chuck Mangione.  But it's more … Gino is courageous with his creativity and I feel the the passion at the core of this song makes it an anthem.  It's personal - I think of the President of the United States, who I love.  And his hard journey with racism, baiting and turmoil deliberately caused around him.  "Black Zulu" give me hope for 2014 - now the warrior is going forward!  Armed with confidence and geared for battle.  To pave the way for the America of our dreams.  THAT is what the song gave me.  Let it give YOU a gift - or a lift.  It will be played lated in the 3 p.m. hour of "Hybrid Jazz" this Thursday.  www.blogtalkradio.com/HybridJazzFromTrishHennessey.

If you strive to please everybody and be everybody's friend, chances are you're not making an artistic difference.  During our parent’s era “the baby boomer era,” being different was considered honorable. But in the Gen X era where you get trophies just for participating, they are afraid to stand out, its about their network of friends, not wanting to be ostracized, being a carbon copy of everyone around them. And that's one of the reasons music is so formula.

Music is best when it's individualized, when the artist lets or insists on making his/her voice heard, and not catering to the “suits” who believe they know best. Take the Beatles for instance, they refused to do another's material, insisting on doing their own and "Please Please Me" went to number one. They weren't afraid to go their own way.

Its not about believing you know better, like a child who thinks he knows more than his dad. Its about questioning authority.  Today artist seem to be afraid of losing Facebook “friends” and Twitter “followers”.  Today’s artists seem afraid to stand out, afraid of criticism, they don’t seem to want to be seen as different.

The “suits” pretend to be looking for the new and the different.  There are artists that have people dropping their jaws, chances are they're not going to last very long.  Just because some don't like your music and art, that doesn't mean you're on the wrong path. The key is to be different AND marketable. Look at Steely Dan, they put a twist to their music, and they were embraced by a public that believed it hated the jazz influences Steely Dan was selling. 

As an artist you're ahead of the game, expect to be censored and criticized.  If you're not experiencing resistance, if you don't find people trying to rein you in, chances are you're not shooting high enough.  Dare to be unpopular.  Because that's where the germ of true popularity begins.  Just saying …..

Everything must change …. Nothing stays the same …. Times, they are ah changin !!

Have a jazzy and beautiful day !!

'Black Zulu' Coming Soon

When you buy from an independent artist you are buy more than just a painting or a novel or a song.  You are buying hundreds of hours of experimentation and thousands of failures. You are buying days, weeks, months, years of frustration and moments of pure joy.  You are buying nights of worry about paying the rent, having enough money to eat, having enough money to feed the children, the birds, the dog.  You aren't just buying a thing, you are buying a piece of heart, part of a soul, a private moment in someone's life.  Most importantly, you are buying that artist more time to do something they are truly passionate about; something that makes all of the above worth the fear and the doubt; something that puts the life into the living.  - Rebekah Joy Plett ~ Much Love ~ Gino ~~~  God will take you places you never ever dreamed ~~~

Entrigue Magazine ~ September Issue ~ Featuring Gino Goss

http://entriguemagazine.com/main/EM/index.php/59-em-publications/entrigue-magazine/371-digital-issues

Just Don't Want Another Broken Heart

Listeners don’t want to hear what artists have to say, they don’t want to think about artists at all.  And too many artists just want to pile drive listeners into submission, with endless e-mails and tweets telling them to take an hour out of their day, if at all possible an hour every day for a week, to let their song/album sink into their brain.

Artists are all wondering…what it will take to get noticed.

First we have to establish relationships with the fans, prospective fans and more internet radio deejays than we can count.  Then we have to feed them something so infectious that not only would the deejay not stop playing our song, but the fans will throw their arms up in exultation.

Listening doesn’t have to be difficult. Sure, there are exceptions to every rule, stuff you don’t get the first time through. But now, with so many options, people don’t endure that which is not pleasing, they move on, so if you think repetition is your friend, you would be wrong.

The basics never change. You’ve got to practice, be original and wait for your moment, then you have to deliver.  That’s how we crafted Just Don’t Want Another Broken Heart.   You get it the first time you hear it played and you want to hear it again and again.

It’s incredibly easy.  But it’s incredibly hard.

What makes a “Hit” - You don’t need a lot of money, you don’t need any of the trappings, from looks to Facebook friends to an uncle in the business, you’ve just got to have that one indelible cut, that makes people need to hear it more.  It works in every genre of music. As for Just Don’t Want Another Broken Heart you’re captured by the sound of drums and then the strings, guitar and horn come in and your head starts to spin and you ask that classic question…HOW DID THEY COME UP WITH THIS AND HOW SMOOTH CAN IT GET!

I have often said, that the mark of a great artist, is someone who leads us into the unknown and we can’t help but follow.  It’s what’s being played in your car, home and on your job, loved by music lovers of all ages and all genres.  It’s something transcendent,  pure and easy.

Entrigue Magazine

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=13ffc36c7c989d35&mt=application%2Fpdf&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2Fu%2F0%2F%3Fui%3D2%26ik%3Df53fd42c32%26view%3Datt%26th%3D13ffc36c7c989d35%26attid%3D0.1%26disp%3Dsafe%26zw&sig=AHIEtbRucuIaQIMLDr0nl3BwH3bpD2rK0Q

July Jazz Artist Feature

VOODOO MAGIC Gino Goss. Feat Amanda Bellino

Gino Goss

Gino Goss  ~ Diana Broomfield thanks for having me on Conversation ~ it was a pleasure and joy talking with you !! I thank God for His many blessings !!

Gino Goss & Gary Fuston | Egyptian Drifter | CD Baby Music Store

Gino Goss & Gary Fuston | Egyptian Drifter | CD Baby Music Store
Now available the hot new track by Gino Goss and Gary Fuston, Featuring the vocals and santoor of Sachin Paul

What's Going On !!???!!!

I know this blog won't be popular ~ but someone has to step up to the plate and state what I see as the obvious. The consensus today is we're faced with a new and ever changing music industry. Otherwise known as the haves (mainstream) and the have-nots (indies). Now, more than ever, there's a dividing line. You're up ...or you're down. Seems to me the joke has been on us indie artists. Why?Because we don't support each other the way the mainstream artists do, collaborate in the studio and pull together a terrific tour.

We're now in the Internet era. We've got people telling us there's a market for everything online! Put it in the iTunes Store, it'll move. Truth is most material barely moves or not at all. At this rate its best you keep your day job, unless you're one of the lucky ones gigging 3 or 4 nights a week - at a local club. We seem to be fighting what is commercially accepted. In other words, “mainstream” is trying to tell us there's no place for original independent music. Let’s face it mainstream is "gaming" the system. Major labels buy YouTube views, they "pay to play" be it through DJ payouts, Ad Agency payouts, movie and TV music director payouts. The game is so stacked against us that if we knew the truth we wouldn't even start. We love making and playing music, its our breath and soul. If we can sell some CDs or MP3 downloads, book a few gigs, or go on tour, great!

As I see it, the key to our success is not mainstream. We must, in the new year, develop a one for all and all for one attitude way of doing things. We've got to support one another in our endeavors, support other indie’s new release and ALL their efforts to promote that release. Heck, we must go beyond support, help that brother or sister, post their video on your Facebook pages, twitter your followers, tell them about your brother/sister's musical endeavors. Next we've to band together to not only collaborate in the studio, and develop tours. I say "tours" because there are enough of us indies to blanket the U.S. with Indie tours and festivals. Shake those tours and festivals up and move them around one group is on the East coast touring; a second group on the West coast touring; while a third group is working the Midwest. Mix that up - keep it hot, keep it fresh. Did I mention that our music is fresh, new and has all that swagger - its every bit as good, if not better than the "mainstream" music ! We've the talent, we've the combined resources, but we haven't gotten to a point where its truly a One for all and All for one mentality. We're all still viewing this as a competition. I've said for the longest and truly believe - if one makes it we all make it, that is if we truly come together as brothers and sisters in music and make it happen !! Keep in mind ~ we're not getting any younger ! If you think this is a joke - keep doing what you're doing and see where you are this time next year !! Sitting back watching yet another award show filled with the Justin Biebers, Adeles, and Katy Perrys raking in the titles of "best in the industry." Now you tell me - how many years have we been making music and can you truly say they're the "best in the industry" - I think not ! As for me - I hear hits everyday from indie artists.

The bottom-line and as they say "at the end of the day"… its time for us to make a change !! I would like to personally thank all the radio stations that support and play indie music - giving us a voice each and every day !!
God will take you places you never ever dreamed !!!!