music

Katie Basden To Perform Songs From “The Mahogany Door” During Dream Factory Family Fun Day

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June 6, 2011 (Graham, NC) – Katie Basden, a 19-year-old singer/songwriter from Durham, NC, and a new name in country music, will perform for the first annual

Singer/songwriter Katie Basden

Dream Factory Family Fun Day in Graham, NC, on June 11, from noon to 1:20 p.m. at 104 East Elm Street behind the Colonial Hardware Store. On her song list are two songs from the new soundtrack CD for “The Mahogany Door.”

J. Mark Boliek, author of “The Mahogany Door,” a fantasy-adventure book for young readers, will be on hand to sell autographed copies of the book and to donate the proceeds to the Dream Factory of Central Carolina.

The Dream Factory is a national non-profit organization founded in 1980 that serves critically and chronically ill children ages three to 18 by granting “dreams” for them. The local chapters are run entirely by volunteers.

Basden will perform “Rear View Mirror,” a song she wrote that she allowed Boliek to use on his book’s soundtrack CD. She plays acoustic guitar and provides the vocals on the CD track.

She will also perform “Goodbyes,” a song written by Mark Boliek with Mary Alice Bell specifically for the soundtrack.

“With her charisma and big voice, Katie is a terrific young talent with a bright future ahead of her,” said Boliek, who also co-owns Split Rail Multimedia LLC in Durham with his wife, Jill. Split Rail Multimedia produced “The Mahogany Door” CD.

The Dream Factory Fun Day will go on until 4 p.m. and include three bands, inflatables for kids, a fire truck, and an information booth offering the latest efforts of the Dream Factory as well as volunteer opportunities. For more information visit www.dreamfactoryinccnc.org.

To hear Katie Basden’s performances on “The Mahogany Door” soundtrack CD, go to www.jmarkboliek.com/the-music. She also maintains an active Facebook page.
About Katie Basden:

Katie Basden grew up in Durham, NC and attends Belmont University in Nashville, TN. As a singer/songwriter, she was inspired by country music from a young age. The daughter of singer Anne Basden, Katie honed her talents during years of singing in her church and in school. She hopes to leave her mark on country music much like her favorite singer/songwriters Miranda Lambert, Alison Krauss, and Victoria Banks. Katie can be found on Facebook and YouTube.
About The Mahogany Door:

Published by Split Rail Books in Durham, NC, The Mahogany Door is a new fantasy-adventure book for young readers written by J. Mark Boliek as the first book in The Bruinduer Narrative trilogy. An all-original-music soundtrack CD by the same title accompanies the book when it is ordered through the author’s website www.jmarkboliek.com/cart. Songs from the CD can be downloaded at most online sources for music including iTunes, Amazon MP3, Napster, and from the Facebook source WaTunes. For more information visit www.jmarkboliek.com.

The Marc Hoffman Duo To Perform in New Jazz Club in Raleigh

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BetDeez Jazz Lounge welcomes Charlotte-area recording artist

Marc Hoffman, composer, pianist, vocalist, recording artist

 

February 6, 2011 (RALEIGH, NC) – The Marc Hoffman Duo, led by pianist and vocalist Marc Hoffman with a special guest on bass, will make its debut appearance at BetDeez Jazz Lounge in Raleigh on Saturday, February 19, from 9 p.m. until midnight.

 

Hoffman and his duo, trio and quartet are well known in the Charlotte area for their appearances at jazz clubs, concerts, and other special events, most recently at the Ritz Carlton in uptown Charlotte. They have also performed nationally and internationally for music festivals and corporate events, and have entertained crowds at the North Charleston Coliseum in Charleston SC; the Speedway Motorsports Inc. and the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, both in Charlotte; the Annual Old Town Blues & Jazz Festival in Rock Hill, SC; and the Grove Park Inn in Asheville.

 

The BetDeez Jazz Lounge performance will introduce Raleigh-area music fans to Hoffman’s eclectic repertoire of original jazz combined with his own arrangements of standards and popular tunes, from Cole Porter to Billy Joel.

 

A native of Salisbury, NC, Marc Hoffman is a Virillion Music recording artist and a member of BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc). His latest CD, Curioso, is an all-original collection of tunes representing as many styles of jazz as there are tracks on the CD.  Curioso followed the release of a single track from the CD entitled “Hefti” (a tribute to his former composition professor, the late Neal Hefti), that DJ Jellyroll Justice of WWOZ in New Orleans says “makes you smile with its delicate riffs and uplifting swing.”

 

BetDeez is a private, members-only club that caters to over-30, smooth jazz fans and adheres to a specific dress code. The club is located at 4860 Grove Barton Road, Suite 104, Raleigh, NC 27613. For more information, visit www.betdeez.com or call 919-571-2999.

 

For more information on Marc Hoffman, visit www.marchoffman.com.

 

About Marc Hoffman:


Marc Hoffman received his degree in composition from the North Carolina School of the Arts and studied film composition at USC. He also attended The Dartington International Summer School of Music in Devon, England. His composition teachers have included David Ott, Leo Arnaud, Neil Hefti, and Sherwood Shafffer. A member of BMI and the American Composer’s Forum, he is founder and artistic director of the Salisbury School of Music. For more information, visit www.marchoffman.com and www.myspace.com/marchoffman. He is also available on the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), All About Jazz.com, and on Facebook under Marc Hoffman Music.

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Salisbury School of Music To Offer Jazz Improv, Theory

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Artistic Director Marc Hoffman fills a gap in area music education.

 

January 19, 2011 (SALISBURY, NC) – Beginning in February, the Salisbury School of Music in downtown Salisbury will begin enrolling students in its new Jazz Improvisation and Jazz Theory classes for the Winter/Spring 2011 semester.

 

“More so than in any other forms of music, jazz encourages and even depends on improv because no two jazz musicians are going to play a song the same way,” said the school’s founder and artistic director, Marc Hoffman, who will teach both classes. “And of all the musical education available in the Salisbury area, including our own school’s, jazz improv and jazz theory have been woefully missing. It’s time we change that.”

 

Hoffman, who released his own all-original jazz compilation CD “Curioso” last year, also pointed out that a firm grounding in music theory is the backbone of jazz improvisation.

 

“We’re confident that interest in and turnout for the classes will be sufficient to start a student jazz band at the school. We have been encouraged by the success of our Summer Band Jam that we began last June. The band that formed from the camp has performed many times and just completed recording of its first EP.”

 

A study conducted at Johns Hopkins in 2008 found that when jazz musicians improvise, they enter “a remarkable frame of mind, during which, all of a sudden, the musician is generating music that has never been heard, thought, practiced or played before. What comes out is completely spontaneous.” (Dr. Charles J. Limb, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.)

 

“Learning how to improv with jazz can take a music student to a level of creativity he or she has never experienced before,” Hoffman said.

 

The Salisbury School of Music Jazz Improv and Theory classes will begin in February. Class times will be determined after registration.

 

The music school in Salisbury is also now registering students now for:

  • Shared and private violin instruction (Monday afternoon and evening)
  • Shared and private guitar lessons (Monday and Thursday afternoon and evening). Styles include rock, pop, Christian and jazz.
  • Private instruction in all woodwind and brass instruments (Tuesday and Wednesday evenings)
  • Yoga for singers and instrumentalists (class times to be announced)

 

 

The Salisbury School of Music offers private and group instruction in vocal and instrumental music for all ages, and classes in a variety of music topics. For more information, visit www.salisburyschoolofmusic.com or contact Marc Hoffman at 704-633-8188.

 

About the Salisbury School of Music:

 

At the Salisbury School of Music, all classes emphasize music theory along with technique in order to develop the “whole” musician. All instructors are professional musicians and experienced teachers, most with advanced degrees in music. The music school also encourages student teachers and usually places them with beginning students. The studio is located on the second floor of the historic Meroney Theater, 213 S. Main Street, in Salisbury, NC 28144,

New York City Jazz DJ Weighs In On “Curioso”

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WLTW-FM’s Helen Little comments on Marc Hoffman’s eclectic CD.

(CHARLOTTE, NC) – Helen Little, the midday DJ for WLTW-FM (106.7) in New York City, recently reviewed Curioso, the all-original jazz CD by Marc Hoffman that Virillion Music released this year. Her comments underscored the eclectic intention of the compilation.

 

Of the title track, “Curioso,” Little said: “’Curioso’ is one of my more favored. It was bright, fun, yet not too simplistic. It seems to have a very visual sound to it, with captivating changes.” (Gary Dalkin of Film Music on the Web has called it “an amiable stroll though classic piano, bass, drums, jazz trio territory.”)

 

Another stand-out for Little is “Aila Leya,” the only vocal tune on the CD and intentionally reminiscent of the jazz-rock of the late ‘70s, early ‘80s. “It has a mild Lyle Mays-[Pat] Metheny-esque feel to it,” she said.

 

Likewise, “Pontified put me in mind of JL Ponty,” she said, as was the composer’s intention.

 

“This track was Inspired by my appreciation for Jean Luc Ponty, especially his music from the late ‘70s to early ‘80s,” Hoffman said. “And I had the pleasure of personally giving Ponty a copy of the tune when I first wrote it.”

 

Yet the “most interesting and engaging track” on the CD to this New York DJ is “Q,” a lyrical dialogue and a tribute to the strength of one of Hoffman’s piano students at the Salisbury School of Music in Salisbury, NC where he is Artistic Director. His student was battling a life-threatening illness at the time he wrote the tune.

 

“Her calm strength was so inspiring,” he recalls.

 

Overall, Little said she “liked the variety of musical textures” on Curioso.

 

“And eclecticism was the point,” Hoffman said. “I wanted to represent as many styles of jazz as there are tracks on the CD. To have a radio personality like Helen Little note the variety of musical textures is quite a compliment.”

 

Curioso has enjoyed air time on the famous WWOZ-FM in New Orleans, the NPR station WFSS-FM in at Fayetteville State University, KTU Jazz Radio in Kaunus, Lithuania, and on “All That Jazz with Brian Parker” in Malaga, Spain.

 

MP3 versions of all tracks on Curioso are available on iTunes and at CDBaby.com. Selected tunes can be heard on Marc Hoffman’s website www.marchoffman.com.

 

WLTW-FM’s studios are located on the Avenue of Americas in New York City. For more information, visit www.1067litefm.com.

 

About Marc Hoffman:

Marc Hoffman

Curioso, an all-original, eclectic jazz CD, is Hoffman’s third recording through Virillion Music. It follows “Long Way Home,” featuring piano music that blends jazz, easy listening and Hoffman’s unique style of composition and performance; and his jazz-flavored “Christmas Time” collection of original tunes and new arrangements of traditional seasonal standards. Curioso began as a compilation of various jazz tunes Hoffman wrote over two years initially entitled simply “Jazz.” After excellent feedback, Hoffman decided to remix and re-master all tracks for wide release and to re-name the CD for his personal favorite in the collection, “Curioso.” For more information on the artist visit www.marchoffman.com.

 

The Marc Hoffman Trio Performs One-Hit Wonders

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The Salisbury-based recording artist returns to The Blue Vine

Recording artist Marc Hoffman

 

November 26, 2010 (CHARLOTTE, NC) — The Marc Hoffman Trio will return to The Blue Vine in downtown Salisbury for another “Blast From the Past Evening” of tunes primarily by bands that became known primarily for one song on Saturday, November 27, from 9 to 11:30 p.m. There is no cover charge.

 

Recording artist Marc Hoffman and his trio have prepared a play list full of “one hit wonders” for the Saturday night performance as well as other favorites. The trio includes Terry Peoples on bass and Chris Garges on drums.

 

“It’s always fun to play close to home at The Blue Vine,” Hoffman said. “It’s an opportunity to perform a lot of music I don’t get to do anywhere else.” Great crowds, too!”

 

As a composer, pianist and vocalist, Hoffman regularly performs a repertoire of original jazz and his own arrangements of standards, ballads, and pop in clubs, concerts, jazz festivals and other public and private events. He often performs with his trio, but he also works as a soloist.

 

Hoffman and bassist Sean Tarleton performed Beatles hits at The Blue Vine in August. More recently, Hoffman joined his old band, the once-popular “Fahrenheit,” for a reunion concert of Classic Rock cover tunes at The Blue Vine.

 

For more information on Marc Hoffman, visit www.marchoffman.com.

 

For more information on The Blue Vine Wine Shop & Wine Bar, go to www.thebluevine.com.

 

 

About Marc Hoffman:

 

Virillion Music recently released Curioso, Marc Hoffman’s third CD that features an eclectic blend of all-original jazz. Curioso followed Long Way Home, a CD of piano music that blends jazz, easy listening and Hoffman’s unique style of composition and performance; and his jazz-flavored Christmas Time collection of original tunes and new arrangements of traditional seasonal standards. A composer, pianist and vocalist, Hoffman received his degree in composition from the North Carolina School of the Arts and studied film composition at USC. He also attended The Dartington International Summer School of Music in Devon, England. His composition teachers have included John Corigliano, Leo Arnaud, Neil Hefti, and Sherwood Shafffer. A member of BMI and the American Composer’s Forum, he is also founder and artistic director of the Salisbury School of Music. He lives in Salisbury with is wife, Anne, and their daughter August. For more information Marc Hoffman and his work, visit www.marchoffman.com and www.myspace.com/marchoffman. He is also available on Facebook under Marc Hoffman Music.

New Jazz CD: Recording Artist Marc Hoffman Releases “Curioso

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July 13, 2010 (CHARLOTTE, NC) – Virillion Music recording artist Marc Hoffman has announced the release of Curioso, an all-original jazz CD that features Hoffman on keyboard and vocals, Tim Gordon (Mr. Groove) on sax, Grammy nominee John Sharp on guitar, Terry Peoples and Nathan Scott on bass, and Gray Fallin (The Brubakers), Mike Lanier and Ryan Scott on drums and percussion.

Curioso follows the release of a single track from the CD several weeks ago entitled “Hefti,” Hoffman’s tribute to his former composition professor, the late Neal Hefti.

” ‘Hefti’ makes you smile with its delicate riffs and uplifting swing,” said DJ Jelly Roll Justice of WWOZ-FM in New Orleans.

” ‘Hefti’ is one of those great tunes that is instantly recognizable within two to four notes [of the opening lick] — no easy achievement, and very satisfying, “ said Preston Ryback, composer, arranger, orchestrator, and owner of Shore Club Studios in Vancouver, BC.

Marc Hoffman © Jon Taylor

The Curioso project began as a compilation of various jazz tunes Hoffman had written over two years, representing as many styles of jazz as there are tracks on the CD. He initially entitled the quickly mastered collection “Jazz” and intended to use it to pitch tunes to TV and film projects.

“After circulating what I thought was the finished product for a few months, I was delighted by the response,” Hoffman said. “So, two years after the initial project was completed, I decided to remix and re-master all tracks for wide release and at the same time rename the CD Curioso after my favorite piece in the collection.”

Producer and engineer Jerod Jacobs of Charlotte, NC, co-mixed and co-mastered the CD with Hoffman.

Curioso combines tunes that are inspired by other musicians’ work with tracks that were inspired by events in the artist’s life. Besides, “Hefti,” which channels the light, lyrical work of Neal Hefti, there’s “Pontified,” Hoffman’s take on the late ‘70s music of Jean-Luc Ponty; “Introspective,” smooth jazz reminiscent of David Benoit; and the Vince Guaraldi influence apparent on Curioso.

For “Q,” Hoffman wanted to capture what he observed as the “calm strength” of a former piano student of his who was battling a brain tumor during the three years he worked with her. A friend who died suddenly inspired “Bender.”

“I imagined a desolate night in NYC as a reflection of my sadness over his passing.” Hoffman said.

Other tracks are more lighthearted, such as “Thumbs,” which evolved from a spontaneous rhythm Hoffman started playing on his desk one day, “literally with my thumbs.” “Dog Days,” which features “a soulful sax solo by Tim Gordon,” represents a winding down during the Dog Days of summer. And “G Min” is a modern jazz swing piece that offers up a John Sharp guitar solo.

Hoffman is as well-known for his vocal performances as his instrumentals, but “Curioso” contains only one vocal piece, “Aila Leya.” He explains:

“I was looking for syllables that fit the melody and sang the first thing that came to mind. I then went to a word meaning reference and found that both of these actually mean something! This one is reminiscent of the jazz-rock of the late ‘70s to early ‘80s.”

When Hoffman circulated the initial release of the collection, Gary Dalkin, editor of Film Music on the Web, wrote in a review:  “Hoffman brings a light, fluid grace to his eloquent improvisations, the tone largely optimistic though shot through with an enquiring spirit which adds an intriguing melodic quirk to the disc.”

Tracks from the new CD can be heard on Marc Hoffman’s website www.marchoffman.com and at:

— Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Curioso/dp/B003V2RK34/ref=sr_shvl_album_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1278950891&sr=301-2

— CDbaby.com:

Search “marc hoffman”

— iTunes:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/curioso/id381207594?i=381207648&ign-mpt=uo%3D4.

For more information on Marc Hoffman, visit www.marchoffman.com.

For more information on Virillion Music, go to www.marchoffman.com/virillion.htm.

About Marc Hoffman:

Composer/pianist/vocalist Marc Hoffman received his degree in composition from the North Carolina School of the Arts and studied film composition at the University of Southern California. He also attended The Dartington International Summer School of Music in Devon, England. His composition teachers have included David Ott, Leo Arnaud, Neal Hefti, and Sherwood Shaffer. A member of BMI and the American Composer’s Forum, he is also founder and artistic director of the Salisbury School of Music. He lives in Salisbury with is wife, Anne, and their daughter August. For more information on Marc Hoffman and his work, visit www.marchoffman.com. He can also be found on Facebook under Marc Hoffman Music, on MySpace, and on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com).

Marc Hoffman Channels Neal Hefti for Tribute Single

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Marc Hoffman © Jon Taylor

“Hefti” precedes release of new CD

April 14, 2010 (CHARLOTTE, NC) — Ahead of the release of his remixed and remastered CD Curioso, North Carolina jazz composer/performer Marc Hoffman has released a single entitled “Hefti” that’s dedicated to Neal Hefti, the popular composer and arranger most people remember for the “Odd Couple,” “Batman,” and “Barefoot in the Park” theme songs.

Hoffman studied film composition under Neal Hefti at the University of Southern California. And like much of Hefti’s more popular tunes, Hoffman’s “Hefti” is light and effervescent, with a catchy piano motif that listeners will find themselves whistling hours later.

“Neal was one of the best composers/arrangers of the 20th century and one of the nicest guys in the world,” said Hoffman, who originally recorded the single in 2008. “He oversaw a six-week session at USC, and during that time I became more familiar with his music. In later years I began including his tunes in my own performances, and in 2006 I wrote ‘Hefti’ as a tribute. I sent him a copy of the CD before it was even mastered, and I’m so glad I did. He called to thank me a few weeks later. That meant more to me than I can express.” (Neal Hefti died in October 2008).

The single (3:49) features Marc Hoffman on piano, Tim Gordon on sax, Terry Peoples on bass, and Mike Lanier on drums. It can be heard on Hoffman’s website, www.marchoffman.com and at http://www.marchoffman.com/hefti.mp3. A video of a performance of “Hefti” is available on YouTube.

A prolific composer and performer (solo, trio, quartet and orchestra), Marc Hoffman’s previous CDs include “Long Way Home,” a collection of original piano solos; “Christmas Time,” a jazz-flavored CD with new tunes and new arrangements of traditional favorites; and “Dream of God,” a collection of original and traditional songs. Upcoming performances include an April 22 solo appearance at Founder’s Hall in downtown Charlotte, NC, as part of the Acoustic Concert Series, and an April 23 performance of the Marc Hoffman Trio at The Blue Vine in Salisbury, NC. For details, go to www.marchoffman.com/calendar.htm.

About Marc Hoffman:

Composer/pianist/vocalist Marc Hoffman received his degree in composition from the North Carolina School of the Arts and studied film composition at the University of Southern California. He also attended The Dartington International Summer School of Music in Devon, England. His composition teachers have included David Ott, Leo Arnaud, Neal Hefti, and Sherwood Shafffer. A member of BMI and the American Composer’s Forum, he is also founder and artistic director of the Salisbury School of Music. He lives in Salisbury with is wife, Anne, and their daughter August. For more information on Marc Hoffman and his work, visit http://www.marchoffman.com. He is also available on Facebook under Marc Hoffman Music, on MySpace, and on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com).

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