The ART in FIRE

Introducing Visalia’s Romanced Records/ An Evening with Jake Shimabukuro

Sound Tracks

by Aaron Gomes

Friday, January 29, 2010
ROMANCED RECORDS SHOWCASE:
The Whiskey and the Devil Chaplain
Aaron Strumple
Travis Aicklen
Kip Fox
$5, 21+, 9:00pm
The Cellar Door
101 W. Main St., Visalia

If you’ve gone down to the Visalia Fox Theatre box office to purchase tickets, chances are you bought them from Ryan Stillwater.  Then, when you attended the event, you probably saw Ryan Stillwater buzzing around the theatre as the evening house manager; ensuring that your concert experience was superb.

In addition to staying very busy at the Fox Theatre, Stillwater has combined his music industry contacts, promotion experience, and love for music, to passionately start up his own independent record label.

Romanced Records is Visalia’s new and exciting record label!

On Friday, January 29, the Cellar Door will host the Romanced Records Showcase, featuring performances by all four of the label’s artists:  The Whiskey and the Devil Chaplain (Visalia), Aaron Strumple (Colorado), Travis Aicklen (Visalia), and Kip Fox (Arizona).

What follows is an interview I conducted with Romanced Records owner Ryan Stillwater…

Aaron Gomes: What is the Romanced Records mission?

Ryan Stillwater: Romanced Records was started from a desire to see an extremely talented singer/songwriter (and close friend of mine, Kip Fox) reach his full potential as a professional musician. Together, Kip and I released an EP and booked our own tour in California and Arizona. This desire became the simple purpose of Romanced.  The label exists to help talented people succeed with their professional endeavors in music.

Each of the guys are true songwriters. I can honestly say that the music they write is some of the best, creative, and honest stuff I have ever heard.

A.G.: What can we expect from the Romanced Records Showcase at Cellar Door?

R.S.: The Showcase is going to be epic! Arizona’s Kip Fox is going to kick it off with just his acoustic guitar in true singer/songwriter fashion. His vocals are just going to blow the crowd away.

Next, Visalia’s Travis Aicklen and his band are going to play some straight indie-rock n’ roll. His songs like “Some Say” and “Maranatha” have become local favorites.

Playing the third slot is Colorado’s Aaron Strumpel.  Strumpel will be playing some solo stuff from his album “Chair and Microphone”- a one-take compilation of all acoustic songs. He’ll also be debuting some very creative, full-band songs from his critically-acclaimed latest release, “Elephants”.

Local alternative country rock favorites The Whiskey and the Devil Chaplain will headline the evening; debuting some new material that is in the works for their upcoming full-length album.

A.G.: Are there any upcoming releases that you are particularly excited about?

R.S.: Yes!  The Whiskey are working on a full-length which is coming closely behind a self-released/hand-made EP they released this Spring.

The other big project in the works is a new album from Strumpel entitled “Birds”. Andy Whitman, senior contributing editor for PASTE magazine, called Strumplel’s previsous release “Elephants” a “stunning achievement.”  If Elephants was stunning…just wait until people hear the new album, simply titled “Birds”.

A.G.: How does Romanced Records aid their artists?

R.S.: At this point, Romanced is all about promotion. Until money starts growing on trees, I win the lottery, or I take out the dreaded business loan, Romanced is fairly limited and has so far been sustained by my personal income. At its beginning, I sold my car to pay for the tour we did with Kip. Like I said, I have a real desire to see these guys succeed and I’ve put my money where my mouth is. I also had a lot of help from friends in the industry that shared their services and professional contacts.

All of the guys work themselves ragged to do what they do. As any musician knows, the road to success isn’t easy. As far as Romanced goes, I just want to help them any way I can. I’ll make calls, sell their merchandise, do leg work on anything they need. This stuff aside, I dream of the day when Romanced can operate as a full-fledged label, booking agency, and management company. I’ve learned a lot over the years and am working toward putting all of that knowledge into practice full-time.

A.G.: At this point in time where can Visalians purchase Romanced Records items?

R.S.: Thanks to the support of Velouria Records in Downtown Visalia, all physical copies of the guys’ albums can be purchased there. For anything digital and other merchandise, just go to www.romancedrecords.com.

An Evening with the whole family:
Hawaii’s ukulele virtuoso JAKE SHIMABUKURO!
by Aaron Gomes

On Sunday, Feb. 7 Hawaii’s young ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro makes a highly anticipated return trip to Visalia, this time performing at the intimate College of the Sequoias Theater.

The world was first introduced to Shimabukuro through You Tube, where his wildly popular cover of George Harrison’s song “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” has now been watched by well over four million people.  He is the man that is making an unlikely instrument popular around the world, having most recently performed for the Queen of England.

I know what you’re thinking.  A solo ukulele player can’t be that entertaining.  Can it?

Unless you’ve seen Jake Shimabukuro perform live or at least on video via the internet (look him up on You Tube) there is no way to believe how far he can extend the boundaries of his customized ukulele.

While watching Shimabukuro live, the first thing one notices is how gigantic he makes the small ukulele sound, building a dynamic that escalates from a whisper to a thunderstorm.  It’s hard to believe that the orchestral layers of music one hears is coming for just one man and his instrument.

Not only does Shimabukuro play his versions of pop music songs by The Beatles and many others that we all know and love, but he also dives in and out of a variety of music genres on stage; including but not limited to classical, flamenco, jazz and rock.
Shimabukuro’s sense of composition and passionate stage presence leave audiences in awe, as his lightning-fast fingers dance in and out of upbeat frenzies and emotive ballads.  The young and talented performer radiates a love for his underated instrument, that in the end, wins viewers over just the same.

If you made the mistake of missing him last time he was in town don’t make the same mistake twice.  With just under 400 seats in the COS theater, we suggest you buy your tickets at www.ticketweb.com before they’re gone.

much love,
Aaron Gomes