“A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” Takes Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

A few years ago now, I returned to my alma mater, Syracuse University, to speak to students about how to get a job (or, more specifically, how I got my job, and lessons I’ve learned that might be of some valuable to them). It’s a speech I would later give at Emerson College, and have…

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“A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” In Sixty Seconds

Listen, I know I’m prone to hyperbole, but last night’s Rebel Spirit Music Presents: A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” album release party was hands-down the single-most meaningful, beautiful and excellent artistic and community-oriented thing of which I’ve ever been a part. There wasn’t a bad apple in the bunch. And were I not a) exhausted,…

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“Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” Video Premiere

I like Christmas well enough, but what I really love are Christmas songs. “Do They Know It’s Christmas” rocked my brace-faced, junior high world. I bought the single, and raced home from Tredyffrin-Easttown Middle School every afternoon to catch the video on MTV. In high school, my brother, Chris, and I used to drive around…

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Bid On “A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” Silent Auction Items Now!

At last year’s “A Family Holiday Benefit,” our raffle raised a few hundred extra bucks for 826NYC. At this summer’s Authentic Record’s Flood Relief Benefit, though, we tried a silent auction instead and raised a few thousand. And so, for Monday’s big “A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II,” we’ve got a bunch of cool silent auction…

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“A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” Rehearsal

My primary assignment was bartender, but I also played the role of backing vocalist, reporter, photographer and tambourinist. Most of the “A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” gang got together to rehearse last night: Chris Abad, Tony Maceli, Jaime Allegre, Casey Shea, Jamie Leonhart, Bryan Dunn, Deena Goodman, Rosi Golan, Derek James, Dov Rosenblatt and Amber…

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“A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II” Due December 1

Comprised of eleven tracks from some of New York City’s finest emerging artists plus their collective cover of “Happy XMas (War Is Over),” A Holiday Benefit, Vol. II is a charity CD spanning the sacred (Brent Shuttleworth’s “The God In You”), the profane (Derek James & Kyle Paas’ “Mele Kalilkimaka”), plus plenty of rockin’ holiday…

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Live Blogging The “Holiday Benefit, Volume II” Recording Session

On December 1, the follow up to our now-annual holiday benefit compilation — aptly titled “Rebel Spirit Presents: A Holiday Benefit” — will be released at New York City’s Canal Room. This year’s record features twelve holiday covers and originals from New York City singer/songwriters like Brent Shuttleworth, Casey Shea and Rosi Golan, plus our…

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Jamie Leonhart & Chris Abad Bring Christmas To October

It may have been a bit out of sync with yesterday’s balmy, October weather, but the holiday spirit was in the air. And so it was that — just as the sun began to set on a crisp, fall afternoon — I retired to our cramped walk-in closet and began assembling my little MacGyver recording…

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