TAEM- We are delighted again to feature singer Carmen Perez for all our readers. We have followed this very beautiful and talented performer since first interviewing her in our Nov. 1st, 2010 issue (click on to see). She has also appeared in our May 25th, 2013 issue (click on to see), and our April 1st, 2014 issue (click on to see). Her versatility and talent is amazing and has left us in awe. Since that time both our magazine, and her career, has evolved and grew. Carmen has recently worked on, and about to release, her newest musical endeavor. Carmen, what is the name of your latest musical project and how was it conceived?

CP– My upcoming EP is called “Space Girl.” I started working with this super-talented pop producer, originally with the intention of making more Latin-influenced music. He’s Scandinavian so we got a great blend of the two. (more…)

TAEM- One of the most important components in a great film is a great musical score. The Arts and Entertainment Magazine has seen many well thought of productions created for the silver screen fall by the wayside from their outset because the music created for it was of poor quality. A good example of this was two films starring the same well known actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Both films had the same theme and made in the same genre, but Red Sonja rated a distant second compared to Conan the Barbarian as a result of poor music composition.

   With Music students, among the Students of the Arts, who follow our publication for educational insight we would like to share our interview with French film composer Charles-Henri Avelange. Charles-Henri please tell our readers about the learning process for your career that you undertook as a student in your own country.

CHA- I started making music at the age of nine. By the age of sixteen I was already making my own compositions. After I graduated high school, I was received at the ESRA Nice Côte d’Azur — one of the best film school in France — where I graduated with honors in sound engineering, sound design, acoustic science and music production. (more…)

Tristan Rudat
Photo credit: Justine Alves

For this reason the Arts and Entertainment Magazine is asking composer Tristan Rudat about his work and the aforementioned talking point. Tristan, tell us about your background and the training that you undertook for your career.

TR-  Well, I guess it began in school, working with the A/V dept., video art classes, TV production and guitar/keyboard lessons. By the time I was in college I already knew I wanted to fuse these things together into some form of art. I was fortunate enough to have many awesome encounters with professionals and artists who shared parts of their story to help me along. My biggest thing is staying open minded. (more…)

TAEM- The Arts and Entertainment Magazine is constantly on the prowl looking for new musicians, and music styles, to introduce to our readership. A short time ago we had toured San Francisco and wrote an article about it in our ‘NEWS’ section. Recently we were introduced to a new group from there called Firekeeper.

  The group is comprised of Becky White and drummer/ designer Nathan Pundt. Becky, we understand that you and Nathan were associated in your musical endeavor for a long time. Please tell us about how you met.

BW – Nathan Pundt and I met my last year at Prescott College in Arizona.  The first day we met, we actually moved into a big house together with four other mutual friends.   We had some great parties in that house which was a little ways out of town, near the national forest. We played a lot of music then and Nathan and I have been collaborating on musical and life adventures big and small ever since! (more…)

TAEM- In the production of a film there is much that goes into its creation that could bring it success. A music score has always been the hallmark of a great film. The Arts and Entertainment Magazine would like to uncover the this field to give our readers a better understanding of it. Because many of our readers are college students, we feel that  it is important to shed some light on this subject. We, therefore, would like to introduce composer Cory Perschbacher to our readership and ask his help in doing so.

Cory, what educational steps did you take for your career and why did you choose it ?

CP- For education, I went to school for audio engineering, but I was recording my own music since I was fifteen, and learned by doing and also by reading interviews, watching videos, and talking one on one with other film composers. I would like to go back to school someday to learn as much as I can about music. (more…)

TAEM- The Arts and Entertainment Magazine explores every field of the arts and music to give our readership a wide field of knowledge of the many cultures that surround us. One such field of music is known as ‘Rap’, and no one reps this field more than DaShawn Clem who goes by the name of Casanova.

DaShawn, please tell us about your beginnings and your first introduction to the world of music.

DC- I remember being about 5 years old. I would sit in church with my babysitter/family friend Sherry Hummer (a Gospel singer) and during the music part of the service I would get really excited and imitate the drummer. Sherry would notice this and smile every time. So one day Sherry told my mother about my interest in playing the drums. It just so happened that my godfather Tyrone Hamilton had played the drums in several bands years before. My mother had a strong desire for me to be productive and not grow up to be a “knucklehead”, so she consulted with the two of them and they all agreed that giving me a drum set and teaching me about drums and music would be an excellent way to help achieve my mother’s goal. On my 6^th birthday, after hanging out with all my friends at my party, my mother took me home and surprised me with a 7-piece drum set. I was more than enchanted. I mean too thrilled! I began taking lessons from my godfather until I was about 12 years old. (more…)

TAEM- The Arts and Entertainment Magazine loves to delve into music that has inspired us for generations. We recently discovered two artists who were originally part of the popular group ‘The Highwaymen’ in the 1960’s. This group played in over 400 colleges in North America, and appeared on many popular television shows. Today former members Roy Connors and Alan Scharf continue those melodies in their new group, ‘2 Guys’ .

Roy and Alan, I’ll field these questions between you, starting with Roy. Roy, please tell us about the formation of the original group and the style of music that they generated.

RC- The original group started about 1960 at Wesleyan University. At that time they were known as the Clansmen singing for beer and peanuts at fraternity parties like most of the other early folk groups.

Inspired by the Kingston Trio, they went to New York where they teamed up with manager Ken Greengrass who advised them to change their name to The Highwaymen because the name Clansmen smacked of prejudice. Greengrass secured a recording contract with United Artists where The Highwaymen recorded ‘Michael, Row the Boat Ashore’ in 1961. After it’s release, it soared to the top of the charts and quickly became a standard song around campfires all over the country. It made recording history becoming #1 in every major country in the world at the same time. ‘Michael’, was followed by a string of folk songs, both protest and songs from other countries. (more…)

  Actress and songwriter Carmen Perez has created a strong second venue to her career. At present she is forming a band and has been feverishly writing music for it. Several of her songs have appeared on the UK music charts, and she is very proud of these accomplishments.

Carmen Perez was born to make music but didn’t realize it until after she had already been around the world as an active duty U.S. Army soldier; earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Politics; acted and died in numerous films and TV series and painted over 100 pieces of art. She was born in the Bronx, New York and moved to Puerto Rico when her parents divorced at age 10. Before their split, some of her favorite memories are of her father rehearsing on the bass for the local ‘salsa’ bands he played with. (more…)

TAEM- The Arts and Entertainment Magazine is seen around the world and we constantly seek, and discover, talent for all our readers to learn about. Our recent discovery, Kohinoor Roy, is an artist and musician from India. Kohinoor, please tell our readers about your early life, and the family who influenced you in your artistic passions.

KR-I was born in an Indian family, in the eastern part of India. My father was a Lawyer and mother is an ex faculty of Physics. They have always been very supportive in comprehending my creative passion. They never tried to impose any career choice of their own upon me and the continuous motivation and support from them has always been very inspiring to me which has helped me to learn all the things I wanted to learn, since my childhood. (more…)

TAEM- This month The Arts and Entertainment Magazine has been very fortunate to be able interview the most renowned people in the fields of Science, Literature, and Music. We ‘d like to present Television and Movie music composer Pinar Toprak to all of our readers. Music is one of the leading attractions of moviegoers and can either make or break a great film. Pinar has enhanced some of the great films today with her fine quality of music composition. Pinar, please tell the many students of the arts, who follow our publication, of your early education and training in music in your native country, Turkey.

PT- I started my music education studying violin at a very traditional conservatory at the age of 5 in Istanbul. Although I love writing for it now, I didn’t like playing it. 🙂 I went on to classical guitar and got my degree in it. Throughout my studies there I also studied piano, voice, as well as composition. (more…)

Maestro Barry Araujo Kolman

TAEM- The Arts and Entertainment Magazine has become all things to all people, and concentrates on revealing information for students at all levels. One of our favorite subjects is music, and we are very fortunate to be able to introduce Maestro Barry Araujo Kolman to all of our readers. Maestro, please tell our readers about your musical education and background.

BAK-  First of all, thank you for that nice introduction. I am thrilled to be interviewed by your magazine.

I knew I loved music when I was as young as 9 or 10 years old. I took up the clarinet when I was in 5^th grade and decided then that I wanted to be a musician. I love to perform even at that early age but when I was 15 years old, I was already giving clarinet lessons at the corner music story in Brooklyn, New York. So I was also bitten by the teaching bug. At Midwood High School I played in the Band and the Orchestra. One of our most famous alumni was Woody Allen who went to Midwood when he was living in Brooklyn. From Midwood, I received a New York Regents Scholarship to attend the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY, one of the best music education schools in the country. There I received a good dose of teaching methods but I still kept up with the clarinet. At that time, I was studying with David Weber, principal clarinet with the New York City Ballet Orchestra. He was a big influence in my musical life. Armed with a Bachelor in Music in Music Education degree, I taught in the public schools for a while but still wanted to fulfill a dream of mine; to study with Karl Leister of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. I received a Fellowship to travel to Germany and work with Leister. It was my first time I was out of the country and really loved the experience. (more…)

TAEM- The Arts and Entertainment Magazines revels in the music entertainment field and we are thrilled to present a top recording artist, Woodson Michel, to all of our readers. Woodson, how did you start down the road in your musical career, and what training did you receive for it?

WM- I started I guess by hanging around my boy Marc Celestin Jr. and some other friends that where musicians and, honestly, that I guess is when I started falling for music. From then on I recall senior year I was working with some other friends. (Marc Celestin & Jordan Scott)  The training I got at first was being around musicians and seeing how they work. Second was me being around my other friends whom where writers and seeing how they formulate they’re words. Third training was me saving enough money for 1 month of vocal training (too expensive but back then I had the biggest crush on the teacher)

TAEM- When did you first play before an audience and tell us about that first event for you?

WM- The first time I played in front of an audience was with my group “lowkey” It was scary at first, nerves and tension and all that but as soon after we hit the harmony at it was easy. I guess I was over thinking it.  Your first performances always stay with you. (more…)

TAEM- TAEM stands for The Arts and Entertainment Magazine and it truly encompasses all aspects of both fields . One such field that we are proud to explore is that of Music. Music sets the mood of film and without it many motion pictures would not be a success. One recording artist that has his feet firmly planted in both is KC Jockey. KC, early on you created your own music label in honor of someone very special.  Please tell us about this.

KCJ- I used to record for a lot of different producers but I didn’t want to spread myself too thin so what I did was narrow it down to a few elite ones. Then my mother passed in a fatal car accident.  I lost four family members in a car in 1997.  So I then named my label after her and went independent.  So here I am an Actor/Producer/Songwriter/CEO.

TAEM- Tell us about your style of music and why it has become so prominent.

KCJ- As I try to seek the best road of life, the most inspiring proverb to me is “leave no stone unturned” so I work to be in everything and everywhere like a good virus blessing all with quality music.  My style of music is diverse and very catchy as I blend in with any genre of music.  The more you like yourself is the less you are like anyone else which makes you unique so here I am. (more…)

TAEM- The Arts and Entertainment Magazine is constantly involved with the many aspects of the entertainment field. One of those is music. Recently we were able to discover a beautiful singer-song writer who will surely capture the hearts of all our readers. Vassy (Vassy Karaglorgos) is a native Australian, born of Greek immigrants, who has recently moved to America.

Vassy, please tell us about your childhood and your first experiences with the local choir.

VK- I had a great childhood, i grew up in the tropics of Australia in a small beach town called Darwin. Although it was beautiful it was tuff as there were not man outlast up there seeing as in was a remote area…As for the choir well they kicked me out I was told I could not sing…..how ironic years later they hear me on national radio lol (more…)

TAEM- The Arts and Entertainment Magazine would like to introduce the multi-talented entertainer FC “Steel” Anderson to all of our readers. Steel, as you are so often referred to, have been around for a long time, with music being your primary calling. You also go by the name of Cisco Castille, so for the meantime we will call you ‘Steel’. How did you originally start in your music career?

S- Thanks Joseph!  I guess I started out as a child, singing back-up harmonies for church and family groups, and taking beginner piano lessons, before I eventually got into playing trombone in high school in various bands, while still singing background vocals in various groups around the DC area.

TAEM- Tell us about your training at George Washington University and how it had helped you.

S- Oh, the 6 months of vocal/operatic baritone voice training at GWU helped me big time, until then, I was rapping, and producing a little, but had never thought of myself as having a possible lead voice, until my maestro at the time gave me a great compliment, saying I was his best student, and should continue opera singing, but since I’m more into urban music and my articulation was improved, I nicely turned down that opportunity and went back into urban music.  Not only did it help me find my voice, or voices that I sing lead with, but also to truly appreciate the full range and power of the voice as an instrument, whether you are just singing, rapping, talking, or whistling.  I truly appreciate everyone’s voice, even annoying, and sometimes just like to listen to a new group’s interaction and interchange of voices, I’m also a big karaoke fan too, when I was stationed in Tokyo in 98’ with the Navy, but that’s another story . . . (more…)

TAEM- As The Arts and Entertainment Magazine has stretched it’s wings from the early days as a blog, then The Eerie Digest, the entire entertainment field has opened up to us. With colleges and Students of the Arts panning our magazine monthly for guidance in their careers, we love to set examples for them in the many fields now laid before us.

Our newest exploration is in the genre of classical music, and we have chosen Oboist H. David Meyers lifetime achievement to do so. His friends have  fondly called  him ‘H’ for so many years, that he states that he has forgotten the true first name that ‘H’ stands for. Out of respect, we will call him ‘H’ for that very reason.

‘H’, tell us about your very early years and your initial love of classical music and the instrument that is the hallmark of your career.

HDM-I believe it was Oscar Wilde who said the “oboe is an ill wind which no one blows good!”  Might I add for the oboists of the world, “ an instrument which leaves no psyche in a palatable position!” In other words, you have to be crazy to play the oboe!  On the other side of the moon, the oboe is the solo instrument of the orchestra and the darling of the masters and Hollywood composers! (more…)

Steve Cooke

ED- The Eerie Digest will now introduce a very popular member of the Music industry, rocker Steve Cooke. Steve, You were born in England and have established relationship with some of the best know musicians of our time. Please tell us how you first became interested in music and who was the greatest influence upon your musical career.

SC- I first became interested in music at a very young age, playing 45’s from my parents. The first music I heard and learned was Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino and Chuck Berry. My father was a musician and I used to sometimes help him before the shows.

ED- Tell us about your first band and some of the great musicians that backed you up.

SC- My first band in London was called Endever and we were often supported by a band called the Dolphins which had members of Brand X, Pink Floyd and Fleetwood Mac in it.

ED- Tell us about some of the greats that you were associated with in your early years and some of the well know names that you did projects with.

(more…)

Marneen Lynne Fields

ED- The Eerie Digest has always been lucky enough to interview some well-known stars for all our readers to know about. We would like to introduce you to someone with unique abilities. Marneen Fields had started in this industry as a stunt woman. First discovered in 1976 by famed stunt man Paul Stader, she began training in his school to become a Hollywood Stunt woman. Marneen, you were first cast as a mischievous schoolgirl in ‘The Spell’. How exciting was this for you at the time?

MF-This was the luckiest day of my life. A day where some kind of supernatural powers were working perfectly on my behalf. I remember a woman calling me and reading me the scene over the phone as I took notes. I showed up at the audition location which took place in a gymnasium because my character had to climb a rope to the top without her legs. I was also to double the girl spinning on the rope, and do a back high fall while dangling from the top of the rope. The lady on the phone told me that I already had that stunt part. When I walked into the gymnasium there were about 300 girls there, and I was at the end of the line. I watched as girls tried to climb the rope. Eddie Foy III the casting director yelled out, “Is there any girl here who can do the rope climb?” Then someone said, “Paul Stader sent over Marneen Fields.” I couldn’t believe they were asking for me in front of all these other girls. I saw Eddie Foy III a few years back and he said, “He remembered me walking towards him, coming from the end of the line.” After I did the rope climb, he grabbed me and a few other girls and took us in to read for the parts. I couldn’t believe it, I landed the acting part too! My first line was, “Who’d want to take out that tub-O.” Paul Stader was a very powerful man who really believed in me as a young college gymnast turned Hollywood stunt girl.

(more…)

Joseph Chandler

ED- The Eerie Digest is once again expanding our interviews into other fields of entertainment. We’d like to present recording artist Joseph Chandler to all of our readers. Joseph, tell us about your early interest in music.

JC-Well, like most people, I had a small radio as a kid. That was when I lived in Ocean Beach, Calif. I listened to music all the time in my room and preferred it over television it was a kind of escape for me as a troubled child in a broken home. Once I got familiar with all the popular songs and artists, I started buying their records with what money I could earn. I came home from school one day and my sister and her friends were rocking out to Elton John’s, ‘Yellow Brick Road’ album. I played that record all the time. We had an old upright piano sitting in the living room that no one played and I started plunking out the music to ‘Benny and the Jets’ by ear. I didn’t know how to play the piano, as I’d never touched a piano. I searched for the notes and my hands just automatically found what to play. I think after about a week, I had most of the music to ‘Benny and the Jets’ down. Then, I started learning the music to ” Saturday Nights All Right for Fighting’. So, I mastered these 2 songs and surprised everyone one night, by calling my Mom and sister into the living room and showing what I had learned. I played and sang the songs almost identical to the record and their mouths just dropped! I taught myself by listening to the record over and over. In six months time, I knew every song on the record. After that my mom bought me my own piano covered in mirrors and put it in my room and said go baby go!

(more…)