Dave Zinno and his Unisphere bandmatesâMike Tucker on tenor sax, Eric Benny Bloom on trumpet and flugelhorn, Leo Genovese on keyboards, Tim Ray on piano, Rafael Barata, drums and percussion, and special guest Rafael Rocha on tromboneâhave been writing and practicing, biding their time until jazz scene reopened. In that time, Unisphere took advantage and managed to piece together, Fetish, a brilliant and beautiful album. The colorful panorama, tonal palette, and sonic breadth featured on Fetish are breathtaking. Zinnoâs Unisphere is jubilant, rapturous, and free. Everyone contributed compositions or arrangements to the project, which creates a stunning picture of the diversity represented by this group. Fetish is the sound of that catharsis, that anticipation, a primal release of aural energy. âThis project is the culmination of a year without live music,â says Zinno. âEvery ounce of energy and ambition, in reserve from not expending it for so long, is on this record. I hope people feel what we felt while creating it.â
New World N Jazz Dave Zinno Unisphere âFetishâ 9th Most Added (+12) JazzWeek radio đ»Â chart 9/20/21Â
Outlaw singer Nick Casey rides on during the pandemic
The first thing you hear is that voice. Deep and mysterious, a la Jamey Johnson, with flecks of outlaw twang, a dose of darkness, and a hint of mystery. His songs on Ghosts Like Me provide the perfect vehicle for that voice, as Casey begins to build his outlaw country persona.
It all started with Johnny Cash. âWhenever I play a show, Iâll start with a Johnny Cash cover,â says Casey. âThat pretty much turns everyoneâs heads. Itâs fun to watch.â
Caseyâs journey into country music began on his trips to school as a kid when his mom blasted the country sounds of Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, and Reba McEntire. âI caught on to that whole vibe,â he says. And as soon as he started playing the music he loved, that vibe blossomed and multiplied. He discovered the outlaw country of Willie Nelson and Johnny through a Texas-based relative, and he found that branch of the genre suited the darkness that came through in his voice.
One of Caseyâs more memorable early performances was a four-hour time slot at a county fair in 2018. Four hours âŠÂ Not an easy task for a band just starting. âI handed my guitar player 70 songs to learn over a weekend, and it was no problem!â he laughed. âWe handled it all right. Took a couple of breaks. Played a lot of music that day.â
Ghosts Like Me has suffused mystery and great performances. Casey, joined by band members Ryan Tremblay (guitar), Olivia Baxter (fiddle), Ethan Lyons (drums) and Jarod Cournoyer  (bass), explores the shadows of those men dressed in black but also introduces himself as a talent that can hold his own. While they are hung on the sturdy supports of the outlaws, they are well-written, with sweet arrangements and genuinely good honky-tonk-styled performances.
While itâs been hard to turn heads these days as a live performer, Nick has some good memories and brighter hopes. âThe last band show we played was at Foxwoods Theater,â he says, âwhere we closed for RascalFlatts. Wow, the crowd was crazy! Things were taking off. Then, before you know it, weâre stuck in our houses indefinitely.â
Not that the virus has completely slowed Casey and his band down. While they havenât quite stormed out of the gate as they planned, Nickâs been able to showcase his songs and covers virtually. Itâs not ideal, but itâs better than nothing and it certainly staves off that stir-crazy feeling.
âWe’ve got some big veterans benefits this winter which is cool,â he says. âI think when the world opens up again, weâre ready to go after it and see what we can do.â
While Rhode Island, the bandâs home base, isnât what youâd call a hotbed of outlaw country music or even roots rock, Casey and the band are ready to show the rest of the country what they can do. âWeâve had a good response from our performances so far, and I feel like all the pieces are in place. We have a product we can promote and songs we can play. Iâm ready to play wherever and whenever someone will have us. Once the country opens, weâre all ready to get back to live music. I love Rhode Island as much as anywhere, but this brand of country musicâlike the music of Cody Jinks and Tyler Childersâplays better in different parts of this country with new audiences that are more accustomed to these kinds of sounds.â
With a new record, a band ready to roll, and an amazing voice ready to preach to new fans, Nick Caseyâs future looks bright, once we emerge out from under the restrictions imposed by this virus. I just got bit by the bug,â he says. âYou get addicted to performing. You just love the idea of entertaining people and creating a good time for them. I think a lot of folks react to my voice, too. That seems to be a thing, and that makes me happy.â
Music industry consultant and publicist Ginny Shea has garnered international exposure for her clients through radio and video promotion, print media, and her vast industry network.
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