Xylo Entertainment Current Artist Roster Sara Horishnyk | www.xyloentertainment.com [email protected] | (612) 217-0754
Sarah Morris - Folk, Country, Pop - DUO OR FULL BAND
Official Website FULL EPK - www.sarahmorrismusic.com/epk
“Rootsy singer Sarah Morris offers a Norah Jones-like approach to Americana/alt-country, smoothing overs its rough edges with a butter-velvety voice and an intimate songwriting style.” Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune. Over the last five years, Americana singer-songwriter Sarah Morris has earned a reputation for engaging performances, with a voice both clear and lush. Sarah hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota, where from a young age, she immersed herself in her parent’s eclectic record collection before finally falling in love with the storytelling and songcraft in country music. Spending a few years in Music City instilled a traditional songwriting sensibility that has earned her latest album Ordinary Things national airplay, critical acclaim, and has propelled her into the national spotlight. The marriage between Morris’s captivating vocals, sharply crafted lyrics and her talented band, the Sometimes Guys (Thomas Nordlund, Andrew Foreman, and Zachary Schmidt) creates a signature sound steeped in folk-rock, alt-country and sprinkled with a bit of pop. ------Andriana Lehr - Singer/Songwriter, Americana Folk SOLO OR DUO Official Website Bandcamp Facebook
The Midwest has a strange way of framing darkness in the light. Surrounded by wide-open spaces which are submerged in pervasive nighttime for months out of the year, it shapes the sights and sounds created in the mind and written of the heart.
Andriana Lehr was born the youngest daughter of a farmer in a small, South Dakota town. Despite having spent the last decade as a city-dweller in MPLSTP, the artifacts of her childhood milieu can still be distinctly heard in her music. With a vocal range vast as the open prairie, her melodies combine the soaring range of Joni Mitchell with the depth and grounded roots of Aimee Mann and Brandi Carlile. Her song styles range from folk, Americana, and alt-country to pop-ballads, with notes of jazz and blues influence. With early influences by the likes of Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan, Wilco, Jewel, and Joni Mitchell, Lehr’s songwriting has evolved to speak straight to the soul, either through the heart, or through heady, existential lyrics that portray the struggles of 21st century existence.
Lehr’s most recent release, “Artifacts,” exemplifies the confusion and growth that comes through self-exploration and the search for meaning and finding one’s place in this world. It is now available on most streaming services and iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/artifacts/id1151708183 ------Brianna Kocka - Singer/Songwriter, Americana Folk SOLO OR FULL BAND Official Website Brianna Kocka is a singer-songwriter from Minneapolis, MN. She has been part of various musical acts throughout the Twin Cities—most notably Sun Gods to Gamma Rays and CAETANI. After five years away from the acoustic guitar, and while living on an island off the east coast for ten months, she tapped into her roots and wrote her first Americana album as a form of therapy to deal with the isolation of island living. Brianna is in the studio recording, with hopes to release these songs in the summer of 2017. ------
Tim Houlihan - Folk, Country, SOLO OR FULL BAND Official Website Tim Houlihan is a singer songwriter whose songs are carved from real life with articulate enthusiasm, strong grooves and sophisticated playing. His influences are Jackson Browne, Stephen Stills, James Taylor, Shawn Colvin, and Dawes. Performances have traversed the United States and Europe from living rooms to large halls and his performances draw listeners in with intimate stories and warm anecdotes. Tim’s library of work continues to grow across a never-ending horizon and he currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States.
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Amethyst 3 - Jazz, Standards & Originals (Trio)
Official Website
Byron Johnson-Blanchard’s Amethyst 3 focuses on the longstanding tradition of improvisation, using songs that range from originals to classic rock and jazz standards as catalysts for spontaneous musical interaction. The trio features some of the Twin Cities’ best improvising musicians who have performed with locally and regionally renown bands such as High & Mighty, New Primitives, and Bookhouse Trio. -- Byron Johnson-Blanchard-drums, Park Evans-guitar, Josh Granowski-bass ------Silverback Trio - Jazz, Originals
Official Website
Silverback Trio brings an exciting energy to the Twin Cities jazz scene by fusing high-energy melodies with atmospheric harmonies through composition and improvisation. Silverback Trio is David Hirsch on keyboard and saxophone, Byron Johnson-Blanchard on drums, and Brent Wallace on bass.
------Lindsay Pedalty Trio - Jazz
Official Website Vocalist Lindsay Pedalty brings a fresh voice to the Twin Cities music scene. Her clear, unaffected voice is sophisticated and refreshing. She is comfortable singing a variety of music, including pop, both old and new rock, blues, jazz, standards, and even a country tune or two. Currently playing in a jazz trio with piano and bass guitar, she has experience performing at clubs and cafes with several local music acts around the Twin Cities as well as private events. ------Fairfax, AK - Folk, Rock
Official Website
Pat Dougherty began writing songs in a borrowed storage closet. Tinkering with only a used drum set and an old organ he would periodically emerge to share the works in progress with a handful of close friends that would later become Fairfax, AK. After spending the summer performing around the Midwest, the group retreated to the attic of a worn yellow house in Frogtown and began crafting their upcoming debut album, Love Stories and Picture Shows.
------Niki Becker - Folk, Rock
Official Website Niki Becker is an indie-folk, pop music inspired singer/songwriter. Becker and her band merge her love of folk and rock music by having layered electric guitars and powerful drums lay the foundation for her acoustic guitar to dance around on. She colors her playful, yet honest lyrics with vocals that are strong, sweet, and sometimes haunting.
------Ben Cook-Feltz - Rock, Pop Official Website
Iowa-raised, Minneapolis-based Ben Cook-Feltz is a singer, songwriter, drummer and self-taught pianist. Combining observational, sometimes quirky lyrics with melodies that hearken back to the classic sounds of the 60′s and 70′s, he has been entertaining audiences throughout the Midwest as a dynamic performer, whether playing solo, with his crackerjack band, or backing up some of the finest regional talent. His most recent record, She Doesn't Believe Me, was released in October 2015.
"The best way to describe Ben Cook-Feltz's music may be Paul Simon singing songs about broken hearts and pants." - Iowa Public Radio
"One of the sweetest, floweriest male folk-pop singer voices since the late Jeff Hanson was still with us." - Chris Riemenschneider, Minneapolis Star Tribune
"From the sprawling, spacy piano closing out "Full Moon" to the bouncing ‘90s top-40 feel-good basslines the preceded it, Cook-Feltz has a nifty way of carving his own space in the world of pop." - Local Current
------Mayda - Pop, Rock, Funk
Official Website 4’10 ft and fit to slap some funk and attitude in some pop face! This young Korean American pop artist hails from Minneapolis, MN. After a summer of touring the Midwest, Europe, and South Korea, MAYDA is just released her second full length album entitled, Tusks in Furs with the help of world-class drummer, Michael Bland, DJ Chris Neviator, Sonny Thompson, and Tommy Barbarella (Prince, Soul Asylum, Nick Jonas & the Administration…). Teaming up once again with producer, Bland and company, the album will continue the new brand of funk pop that remains to be a mystery to name yet rightfully belongs to the self-taught songstress herself. MAYDA’s music has been featured locally (KARE 11, KSTP, The Current 89.3 FM, 107.1 mytalk FM) as well as nationally (The Rachael Ray Show, KFC, MTV Real World DC episode 3, The Jersey Shore, The Real L Word, Weeds, Good Morning America, Bad Girls to name a handfull). She has written the signature blog song for KARE 11’s news show as well as KFC’s online advertisement for Teriyaki Wings.
------OKnice - Rap, Hip Hop
Facebook Soundcloud OKnice is a rapper and peformer from Saint Paul, MN. Having rapped and performed in different art forms for several years he began to focus fully on music in September 2015. In his first year he released several singles and performed at a few local shows. During this time he also began to build his name and travel as a battle rapper throughout the Midwest. He released his first EP in August of 2016 entitled Vacation ’96. Often melancholy but never dull, Nice puts out rap that die hard hip hop fans and casual listeners can vibe to. His content focus’ on the daily happenings that come with being in middle class America, growing up, and moving on from the past. ------
Qaanaaq bio Qaanaaq makes heavy, heady, angular rock. Their debut album "Separate / Weak" was released in 2016 as a part of the Genrebeast residency. video link Solid State (Official Video) https://youtu.be/atWhy9kP2HE Skeleton (Official Video) https://youtu.be/AmuscfjoeT4 Capitalist Love (Live) https://youtu.be/ryRGJ4QtUZE audio link "Separate / Weak" on Soundcloud: https://souncloud.com/hotashesmusic/sets/qaanaaq-separate-weak "Separate / Weak" on Bandcamp: https://qaanaaq.bandcamp.com/releases other links http://qaanaaq.band/
------ACTN bio ACTN (pronounced by saying the letters) was formed in 2013 by Gus Watkins and is comprised of a rotating cast of talented musicians. The band makes soulful, futuristic, avant-garde pop. ACTN is based in Minneapolis.
In 2013 ACTN released two digital 7-inch singles with accompanying music videos and followed up in early 2014 with the Body Out EP as well as a collaboration with dark EDM producer KPT called Deathdance.
The beginning of 2015 found the band touring the southeast United States in support of its "Drinking Your Words" single and video. In April ACTN released the "My Flesh is Weakness" digital 7".
In October 2016, ACTN released their full-length LP You Will Never Be Known as part of Watkins' five-album-release residency called Genrebeast. The first single "Cruel Trick" was accompanied by a lyric video.
ACTN's distinctive songs and videos have been called: textured, intoxicating, nifty, fuzzy, cinematic, innovative, soulful, incredibly catchy, complex, sinister, offbeat, moody, stunning, shadowy, gloomy, dark, and enigmatic. video link Cruel Trick (Lyric Video) https://youtu.be/DippDUV7CAA Body Out (Official Video) https://youtu.be/x9saVkenGoY audio link Body Out EP (2014) on Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/3a1AzJKjOSgj4EFV1QrqCd Body Out EP (2014) on Bandcamp: https://actn.bandcamp.com/album/body-out other links http://actn.info/
------DEATHDANCE bio DEATHDANCE began as an experimental EP and an excuse for two solo artists to tour together, and has since grown into a richly dark and brooding "mixture of EDM & industrial power." DEATHDANCE's 2014 self-titled EP was released to international critical acclaim, and quickly reached #27 on the iTunes electronica charts the week it was released. The duo's 2016 EP "Dormir" expanded on their sound and gothy aesthetic, and earned the band notoriety in their hometown of Minneapolis, MN, and abroad. Combined, DEATHDANCE has performed with the likes of Blanck Mass (Fuck Buttons), Justice, Kirin J Callinan, Lizzo, The Orb, My Life with The Thrill Kill Kult, Hate Dept., Project .44, Communist Daughter, and more. video link Pick Up Your Life (Official Video) https://youtu.be/zvc3IH5Sosk audio link Pick Up Your Life (Single): https://soundcloud.com/officialdeathdance/pick-up-your-life Dormir EP: https://soundcloud.com/officialdeathdance/sets/deathdance-dormir other links http://officialdeathdance.com
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Mojo Stereo - Blues, Rock, Covers (Trio)
Led by Dillon O’Hara and Doug Rude - Mojo Stereo features hits from artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins, The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, and Jonny Lang. Mojo Stereo aims to please audiences with a high energy and grooving power trio sound. The band features Twin Cities music veterans Dillon O’Hara (Dodge Street Bandits, O’Hara and Kletzin) on lead vocals and guitar, Doug Rude (Blue Condition, Mojo Bliss) on lead vocals and bass, and Byron Johnson-Blanchard (High & Mighty, Sam Kuusisto, Tom Hunter) on drums.
Audio Link: https://soundcloud.com/xylo-entertainment/sets/mojo-stereo-samples
Current Song List:
Title Cover Artist
Ain't No Sunshine Bill Withers
All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down Mavericks
Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers ZZTop
Bending Like a Willow Tree Albert Collins
Big Legged Woman Freddie King
Blues Came Walking In Tab Benoit
Blues Deluxe Joe Bonamassa
Broke Her Heart Russell Miller 6v6
Circles Billy Preston
Dead Flowers Rolling Stones
Dear Mr Fantasy Traffic
Feelin' Alright Joe Cocker
Forgiven Los Lonely Boys
Going Down Freddie King
Green Eyed Lady Sugarloaf
Help Me Somebody Son Seals
Homesick ARS
I'll be waiting Indigenous
It Ain't True Russell Miller 6v6 I Walk the Line Johnny Cash (Los Lonely Boys Version)
Keep On Smilin Wet Willie
Let Me Love You Stevie Ray Vaughan
Lie to Me Jonny Lang
Locomotive Breath Jethro Tull
Lord Have Mercy North Miss Allstars
Make Your Mind Up Tab Benoit
Midnight Train Buddy Guy
Never Been to Spain Three Dog Night
Old Time Rock & Roll Bob Seger
One Way Out Allman Brothers Band
Oye Mamacita Los Lonely Boys
Paint It Black Rolling Stones
She's Into Something Robert Cray
Sky Is Crying Stevie Ray Vaughan
Slow Ride Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Smoking Gun Robert Cray
Stuck In the Middle Stealer's Wheel
Sunshine of your Love Cream
Superstition Stevie Wonder
Sympathy for the Devil Rolling Stones The Road to Shamballa Three Dog Night
Walkin' By Myself Gary Moore
Walking the Dog Blues
You Wreck Me Tom Petty