Throw all the genres and hyphenates together you want to
describe her – indie, roots & soul, rock, blues & country – they are
alright, and also not enough. Chastity Brown writes songs that are carried deep
in the American psyche, the hunger, desperation and confidence that runs
through our times. Coming from Tennessee to Minnesota, touring the country,
touring Europe, she has had half her own lifetime and million lifetimes gone
before her to concoct her powerful sound. She's been hailed by NPR, CMT,
American Songwriter, The London Times, and Paste Magazine as a songwriter to
watch, and has recently shared the stage with Michael Kiwanuka, Mike Doughty,
and Leon Russell.
Chastity pulls from a diverse cross-section of talent for
her live shows, playing with Robert Mulrennan (guitarist/producer), keyboardist
deVon Gray (Brother Ali), bass player Jef Sundquist, and percussionist Greg
Schutte (Mickey Hart), resulting in restless, electrifying and enveloping
performances.
Dave Kerzner (aka “Squids”) is a songwriter, producer,
keyboardist and vocalist who is best known for co-writing and co-producing
Sound of Contact’s award-winning concept album “Dimensionaut” and he is also
well known as the founder of the sound production company Sonic Reality. In
addition to Dave’s career as a solo artist Dave is part of several projects
including the UK-based band “Mantra Vega” with Heather Findlay and his fantasy
band/tribute project “Sonic Elements” that combines sampled Sonic Reality
artists with special guests from the Prog World.
Over the years Dave has worked with many artists and
producers ranging from Kevin Gilbert to Keith Emerson and ELP, Steve Hackett,
Steven Wilson, Alan Parsons, Crowded House, Genesis, L. Shankar, Bono and The
Edge, Ginger Baker, Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, Neil Peart of Rush, Jerry Marotta
of Peter Gabriel, Billy Sherwood and Jon Anderson of Yes, David Longdon (Big
Big Train), Rolling Stones, The Who, Durga and Lorelei McBroom (Pink Floyd),
David Kilminster (Roger Waters), Joe Lynn Turner of Deep Purple, Ken Scott
(Beatles, Bowie, Elton John), Hugh Padgham (The Police, Genesis), Heather
Findlay (Mostly Autumn), Nick Davis (Genesis, XTC), Ringo Starr, Bob Siebenberg
(Supertramp), Woody Woodmansey (David Bowie), Sam Phillips, T-Bone Burnett,
Francis Dunnery (It Bites, Robert Plant), Phil Ramone, Billy Cobham, Terry
Bozzio, Rod Morgenstein, Danny Gottlieb of Pat Metheny Group, John Paul Jones
of Led Zeppelin and Them Crooked Vultures, Smashing Pumpkins, Tom Waits,
Barbara Streisand, Madonna, Beyonce, Pearl Jam, Aimee Mann, Jon Brion, Nick
Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush), Allen Sides (Ocean Way Recording), Rik Emmett
(Triumph), John Wesley, Colin Edwin and Gavin Harrison (of Porcupine Tree),
Carmine and Vinny Appice, John Blackwell (Prince), Ed Greene (Steely Dan),
Alastair Greene (Alan Parsons Project), Russ Parish (Steel Panther), Toss
Panos, Corky James, Nick D’Virgilio (Tears for Fears, Genesis, Big Big Train,
Spock’s beard) and others.
After many years working in sound design and production with
SR and as a keyboardist with other artists, Dave decided it was time to take
center stage as lead vocalist and put out his first Progressive Rock album as a
solo artist.
---------------------------------------- Review of Dave Kerzner’s album “New World” by: Stewart
Brennan, World United Music
“New World” by Dave Kerzner is a brilliant progressive rock
album filled with impacting lyrics and music filled with imagery that captures
the listener from start to finish. The entire album is a wonderful blend of
artistic expression that weaves written word and music into an experience you
can feel and see by sound. “New World” is the Awakening.
*Track 01 – “Stranded (Parts 1 to 5)” - Rolls in like a sea
of consciousness that swells in imagery and melodic harmonies to capture the
imagination and engage the listener on an inner journey. The lyrics are
brilliant and very memorable as they reflect the thoughts of an awakened mind, but
what strikes me most is how the music conjures up the setting before the lyric
confirms it in its telling. “Stranded” is simply brilliant in every way.
Track 02 – “Into the Sun” – Pulls the listener into the
unfolding story but also into the listeners own reflection of life. Again the
lyrics are image filled as the music carries the story further into ones own
consciousness.
Track 03 – “The Lie” – The story unfolds and sees the main
character facing up to the lie’s of the world he embraced as he begins to
confront the prospects of its reality.
*Track 04 – “Under Control” – Both the lyrics and music are
infectious and memorable as the story continues to unfold where the main
characters consciousness awakens to find that he is a puppet under control by a
malevolent world.
Track 05 – “Crossing of Fates” – an instrumental interlude
of reflection with classic progressive rock interpretations.
*Track 06 – “My Old Friend” –The Awakening begins to unfold
as the main character’s inner self faces his alter manufactured self and breaks
free. Here again we witness the magic of music and lyric intertwined to allow
one to feel and see the story through music. A true awakening in every sense.
Track 07 – “Ocean of Stars” – Reflections of life left
behind in the mechanical world as the awakened soul can never go back to seeing
life in the same way again.
Track 08 – “Solitude” – a wonderful instrumental with vocal
harmony in musical reflection.
Track 09 – “Nothing” – Upbeat music expresses The awakened
soul that gladly takes the drivers seat to push out the mechanical world as the
reality of letting go to move forward makes the only sense.
*Track 10 – “New World” – Complete understanding of how
shallow and empty the old world is and that a better world is possible if
everyone could just awaken, see the reality and let go of the illusion.
*Track 11 – “Redemption (Stranded Parts 6 to 10)” – The
finally of the awakening where the main character realises that everything in
life was a lesson and experience learned on a journey that goes ever on…
There’s an attraction to Dave Kerzners “New World” album
that resonates and creates a bond between the music and my own reflections of
life, and I’m sure many others will say the same. “New World” is already a
classic in my mind.
When encouraged to pick a favourite line from the album, I
found it quite difficult because the entire album was an awakening in itself
that filled the imagination right up to the borders of infinity…although…”We’ll
trace our steps back to the dawn of what is right and wrong” resonates and
brings to mind the image of the “Global Awakening” taking place in our world
today.
”New World” is a great album with a wonderful
cast of musicians that really does bring the possibility of a New World into
reality. The album also signifies a Re-Awakening and the Re-Emergence of
Progressive Rock into the spotlight…Bravo!! “New World” is truly a Brilliant
concept album that I highly recommend to all music fans. ~ Stewart Brennan,
World United Music
