Welcome to Worldstrings Promotion!
Member of Folk Alliance International & American Music Business Association & Blues Foundation
Mission
Artist Portfolio
JOHN KAY
Founder, Vocalist and Primary Songwriter of Steppenwolf
After 50 years of performing, Steppenwolf played its final show in October 2018 and John Kay returned to his early musical days to perform solo. His first exposure to American music was through the Armed Forces Radio Network in Germany. After moving to North America, he studied the Library of Congress field recordings of John & Alan Lomax and later attended the 1964 & 1965 Newport Folk Festivals, where the topical songs of singer/songwriters had a profound influence on him. Over the years, as leader and singer of Steppenwolf (Born To Be Wild, Magic Carpet Ride, The Pusher, Monster, etc.), John recorded a number of solo albums, rooted in Folk Music, Blues and the Singer/Songwriter tradition. His highly-anticipated solo performances feature select songs from those albums as well as newly written material; showcasing the more private side of his music and songwriting. After five decades as a well-known player in the global music arena, John Kay has opened an additional chapter in 2019 to bring his more personal songs and stories to audiences; those familiar with Steppenwolf and John Kay and those who will encounter John Kay and his music for the first time.
MANFRED MAURENBRECHER
A Voice of Social Conscience in Germany
According to many journalists and artists, he is one of the best songwriters in Germany. His art opposes clichés that want to put him in a box and refuses to rely on tacky jokes. Maurenbrecher shows other strengths: He is untamed, spontaneous, filled with intensity, emotions and authenticity. Maurenbrecher is unique because every line he sings, plays, or reads is showing his true beliefs. He has toured with various German national recording artists and writes songs for Herman Van Veen, Ulla Meinecke or Veronika Fischer. In 1991 he received the German Art Award (Deutscher Kleinkunstpreis). Manfred performed at the 2003 German-American Song Festival on Tour (DAFT-Tour) and performed in May 2005 at the German Consulate General and the Lower East Side Festival of the Arts in New York City. Over the years, Manfred received the ‘Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik’ (German Record Critique Award) for his acclaimed albums. "There are artists who never change and become boring. There are singers that always sing the same stuff and this is annoying. Manfred however is consistent in his art and this is delightful ... Musically with beautiful simplicity that in this country nobody is able to imitate. Good that this Maurenbrecher is around< (Konstantin Wecker – German National Recording Artist)
TOM GUNDELFINGER O'NEAL
Rock'n Roll Photographer - From Monterey Pop to Deja Vu & Beyond
Tom’s photography career was launched at the iconic Monterey International Pop Festival. From there he immersed himself in the intense music scene that exploded in the sixties. He found himself in great demand by several high profile rock and roll stars. He applied both his photographic and graphic design skills in the creation of over 72+ album covers, including the acclaimed Déjà Vu cover used by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Other notable groups were the Rolling Stones, Steppenwolf, Joni Mitchell, Poco, Crazy Horse, the Mamas and the Papas, B.B. King, and The Three Tenors. He developed relationships with entertainers that created opportunities for many years to follow. Two of Tom’s shots are part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Today Tom travels worldwide shooting for accounts such as Rolex, The Council, The Pebble Beach Company and giving keynote presentations. Toms photographs and presentations reflect his unbridled approach to life. "Whether a still life or of people, each photograph, represents a burst of excitement," he says. Just like Tom at work. When Tom O’Neal tells his stories about working with some of the greatest music artists, he shares refreshing and surprising perspectives regarding such work that is perfect for any audience. It is more than just taking pictures or designing record album covers. It is about owning, taking charge, connectivity in social settings, and creating your own circumstances. When failures become postponed success, preparation is key, as is looking for alternatives and recognizing that being on the brink of an opportunity, acting on it.
DAFT-Tour
Deutsch-Amerikanisches Folksänger Treffen
The DAFT-Tour (Deutsch-Amerikanisches Folksänger Treffen) was a roots music and singer/songwriting festival that took place annually in a rotating pattern in both Germany and the United States in 2003 - 2005. The first DAFT-Tour took place in the summer of 2003 in Germany presenting three song poets from both Germany and the United States respectively. Following an opening concert in Dresden, where all artists performed a representative sampling of their craft, one American and one German artist paired up together to go on separate tours. They performed in schools, at festivals, in pubs and a variety of music venues throughout different German states, such as Brandenburg, Bavaria, Lower Saxony, Thuringia, Berlin and Saxony. Under the motto “Revival of German-American Roots Music and Songwriting Traditions”, the DAFT-Tour 2004 took place in the United States from November 4 – 15 and featured a new batch of outstanding German and American singers and songwriters. One highlight of the tour was a performance on Veterans Day at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. With the endorsement of such folk luminaries as Pete Seeger and Tom Paxton, the American DAFT-Tour was off to become an exiting endeavor. The tour has also been endorsed by PROFOLK, the German Association for Songs, Folk And World Music. In the 2005, the final DAFT-Tour took place in Germany with a special concert at the Martin-Guitar symposium in Markneukirchen, the birth place of Christian Friedrich Martin - the founder of Martin Guitar.
HANS-ECKARDT WENZEL
Ticky Tock - Wenzel sings Woody Guthrie
On February 5, 2003, “The Woody Guthrie 90th Year Celebration” took place at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The concert was the culmination of a month-long series of events celebrating Woody's life and music. Among the artists that performed were Arlo Guthrie, Marty Stuart, Jimmy LaFave, Hans-Eckardt Wenzel (Germany), Ellis Paul, Blackfire, Janis Ian, Alison Brown, Guy Clark, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Nancy Griffith, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, Corey Harris, Slaid Cleaves, Eliza Gilkyson, Peter Rowan, Tim O'Brien, James Talley, Rob Wasserman and others. This concert was a benefit for the Woody Guthrie Foundation and Archives, located at the time in New York, and was produced in association with Woody's daughter Nora Guthrie and manager/impresario Harold Leventhal, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Folk Alliance in 2002. Nora Guthrie about Wenzel: “At my invitation, Berlin songwriter Hans Eckardt Wenzel recorded the first ever German language CD of Woody songs. TICKY TOCK (released & recorded in both English and German in 2003), contains 10 new lyrics from the Archives as well as new arrangements of some older ones. New titles include: Ticky Tock, Every Hundred Years, Blue Eyes, I Like To Stay Home with Daddy, Jinga Linga, Been Out On An Ocean Trip, He and She and If I Were Everything on Earth. I had the opportunity to be in the studio with Wenzel in Berlin and we even appeared on nationwide television together. And, before you find out from someone else, I’ll tell you myself: He made me sing on 2 tracks -in German.”
JUDY GORMAN
Analog Girl in a Digital World
Judy Gorman’s songs get their wings from her imagination and their roots from the folk, blues, jazz and gospel music she’s been surrounded by all her life. Being a native from New York City, Judy presents her blues rooted, energizing original songs packed with evocative, soulful and often political lyrics. Her passionate, rich smokey vocals add the inevitable color to passionate performances. Judy has performed in over ten countries on programs with Ani DiFranco, Indigo Girls, Moby, Richie Havens, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Pete Seeger, Suzanne Vega, Odetta, James Earl Jones, Whoopi Goldberg, Susan Sarandon and Maya Angelou. In the feature film "In Our Hands" Judy appears along with Meryl Streep, Rita Marley, James Taylor and Carly Simon. "Judy Gorman is a wonderful singer and musician. She has taken her songs to an extraordinary variety of places in the U.S.A. and Europe. You could sum it up: She came, she sang, she conquered. No two programs that she gives are the same. She is always thinking how to find the right phrase, the right song to hit the nail right on the head, to shoot the arrow straight to the heart of the matter. I hope she lives to be 100 and is able to bring her songs to every nook and cranny of this suffering world." (Pete Seeger)
RIK PALIERI
The Road is My Mistress
Folk troubadour who already performed on stage with Pete Seeger, Rambling Jack Elliot, Bruce Springsteen, Utah Phillips und Jimmy Driftwood. Rik is a multi-talented singer, storyteller and songwriter. He plays various instruments, such as banjo, 12-string guitar and very exotic ones, such as the Polish bagpipe and an Ozark mouth bow. With his music, he crossed America several times, played in more than 1,000 schools and performed at numerous festivals from New York to Alaska. Rik is also the host & producer of “The Song Writer’s Notebook “, a TV show, archived in the American Folk Life Center in the new “Rik Palieri Collection”, at The American Folk Life Center Archives in Washington D.C. and has recorded eight albums. In 2003, Rik published the book "The Road is My Mistress - Tales of a Roustabout Songster" telling his life story in music.
BEPPE GAMBETTA
World Top Flatpicking Guitar Virtuoso
Beppe Gambetta is a guitarist, vocalist, researcher and composer born in Genova, Italy who developed a style of concert presentation that brings American and European Roots to speak together with one voice. In his unique approach, Gambetta blends energetic grooves with passionate melodies, giving new life to sources from different times, periods and places. In addition, the original music he composes gives contemporary influences to traditional roots music.
“Few players on the planet could so successfully fuse an unwavering allegiance to tradition with impatient, wide-eyed vision, tongue-in-cheek humor with solemn devotion, and folksy song styles with progressive improvisation as Gambetta…” - John D’Agostino, Wood & Steel
TEMPEST
The Ultimate Celtic Rock Experience
Since forming in 1988, Tempest has delivered a globally-renowned hybrid of high-energy Folk Rock, fusing Irish reels, Scottish ballads, Norwegian influences and other world music elements. The last 30 plus years have seen the San Francisco Bay Area based act release eighteen critically acclaimed CDs and play more than 2,500 gigs. It's also enjoyed an evolving line-up that's enabled musicianship and creativity to progress in delightful ways with each new member. In 2022, the band released their new album "Going Home" and celebrated more than 30 years of Celtic Rock.
GAEYA
A Musical Experience that lets you reconnect with Mother Earth
Imagine you want to reconnect with Mother Earth. Then, GAEYA is for you. Rooted in Sweden, she blends Scandinavian mystery - driven by powerful vocals - with sounds of natural ancient worlds and ambient synth-soundscapes by converting them into atmospheric landscapes. GAEYA takes you on an immersive journey to a different place for you to explore the earth by getting drawn into freshly woven webs of intergalactic pop music and deep-rooted Nordic frequencies. GAEYA invokes a desire to return to nature. GAEYA gives live musical performances both on stage and during the unique not-to-miss GAEYA-TIPI-EXPERIENCE © - her own portable arena where she invites the audience to experience music around a living campfire. Last but not least, GAEYA’s podcast series TellUs engages worldwide audiences in an ongoing dialog about ecological & social sustainability and shares ideas & possible solutions to modern lifestyle challenges, and to embrace alternative lifestyles.
Ever since, I have been sharing the book + Pete's inspiration with many music artists around the world as some of them are shown in the picture gallery below. Among them are, for example, John Gorka, Kingston Trio, Janis Ian, Tom Paxton, Alice Cooper, Kris Kristofferson, David Amram, Arlo & Nora Guthrie, John McEuen, Richard Thompson, Shawn Colvin, Shawn Mullins, Billy Bragg, Bruce Cockburn, John Oates, Lou Adler (Mamas & Papas Manager & Monterrey Pop), Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna), Buffy Sainte-Marie, John Kay (Steppenwolf), Tom Prasada-Rao, Tom Rush, Ani DiFranco, Maria Muldaur, Little Steven Van Zandt, Rory Block, Guy Davis, Beppe Gambetta, Annie Wenz, Rik Palieri, Rick Nestler, George Wurzbach, Andrew Loog Oldham (Rolling Stones Manager), Judy Collins, Eric Andersen, Carlos Nakai, Old Blind Dogs, Tommy Sands, Michelle Shocked, Eliza Gilkyson, Peter Ostruschko, John McCutcheon, Sonny Ochs, Jimmy LaFave, Guggenheim Grotto, Tannahil Weavers, Peter Rowan, Happy Traum, Herman van Veen, Gretchen Peters, Moya Brennan, Maddy Prior (Steeley Span), David Wilcox, Melanie, Nicki Bluhm, Jacob Banks, Sara Watkins, Don McLean, Dar Williams, Catie Curtis, Tony Trischka, Andy White, Julie Gold, Christine Lavin, Sarah Grey, John Sebastian, Manfred Maurenbrecher, Patty Larkin, Freebo, Ellis Paul, Dom Flemons, Tony Arata, Craig Carother, Joseph Mojo Morganfield, Hans Theessink, William Bell, Ale Möller, Steve Forbert, Gangstagrass, Kolonien, GAEYA, Kenny Neal, and many more.
John Kay (Founder, Vocalist, Primary Songwriter of Steppenwolf)
Beppe Gambetta - Master of Flatpicking Guitar
- Radio Phoenix Interview Sept 2018: https://www.mixcloud.com/radiophoenix/the-american-music-radio-show-with-michael-leeman-092918/
Musical Instrument Museum Markneukirchen - October 2005
Special Martin Guitar Exhibition organized by Bernd Haber & Professor Andreas Michel & Dick Boak
The Sounding Board
Martin Guitar Newsletter - January 2006
Swedish Music Showcase ©
Phoenix recently was visited by KOLONIEN, a four-member family band from Sweden that has been one of the leading voices of the Swedish folk revival for over a decade. Their sound blends acoustic roots music with anthemic, sing-along pop, this band has a fresh, appealing sound that brings multiple musical worlds together. The concert was well received and organized by SACC Arizona member Worldstrings Promotion, under the #SwedishMusicShowcase umbrella. The concert was made possible with the support of several SACC Arizona members: Malmsten, Good Idea US, and Steadfast Law, PLLC., the Honorary Consulate of Finland to Arizona and New Mexico. KOLONIEN - welcome back any time!
A a special THANKS to SACC Arizona, Hilda Sandgren from MTA Production (Stockholm/Sweden) and to Cumbancha for their support.
May 2008 at the TEMPEST Karfluki Fest
Shown here is my short speech just minutes before the special 4-hour concert started. The show presented previous and current lineups of TEMPEST over the course of the past 20 years.
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