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ABOUT HARMONIOUS WAIL:
AMERICANA INFUSED GYPSY JAZZ ON FULL TILT!
With over 30 years of touring the world, Award-winning instrumentalists, composers and vocalists Harmonious Wail are incandescent both on stage and off. The “Wail” travel with acoustic Mandolin, Bass and collected percussion through the rich musical traditions of Gypsy Jazz, Americana, Blues, Eloquent Rock, and Latin Jazz.
Their performances emote wit and grace and conviction to English, French, Russian, and Portuguese
“In the gypsy jazz field, no one does it any better than the Madison, Wisconsin based group Harmonious Wail”
(Jazz Review)
“Intense playing & sense of purpose that never wavers… a mind-altering experience.”
(The Washington Examiner)
PROGRAMS OFFERED:
HARMONIOUS WAIL IN CONCERT
Harmonious Wail promises a night to remember.
This trio weaves their simple minded ponderings throughout the entire musical journey., enticing their audience into smiling, laughing and perhaps shedding a tear. Every note is played from a deeper place. Every word is sung from the very bottom of the heart.
There is no substitute for experience and Harmonious Wail takes us on a purely uplifting and moving experience, every time.
SIMON & SIMON HARMONIOUS WAIL IN CONCERT
Nationally Award Winning Performers and Recording Artists, Harmonious Wail, draws from the soulful beats and sepia lyrics of Ryhmin’ Paul Simon, and the inspirational and timeless torch songs of Carly Simon.
“Simon & Simon” promises an evening of refreshed reminiscence and a sweet reminder that we are all “still crazy after all these years”.
HOLIDAY SPIRITS
Unwrap a gift of holiday spirits from the Wail’s collection of their favorite holiday songs including “Let It Snow” and “Sleigh Ride” with a wee dram of musical whimsy & merriment.
WAILING ALL STARS
Bringing the romantic passion of Harmonious Wail’s annual festival – The Midwest Gypsy Swing Fest to your stage. This traveling festival features Harmonious Wail along with special guest stars from the MGSF. And of course it never wraps without one epic Gypsy Djam.
WORKSHOPS/COMMUNITY OUTREACH AVAILABLE AS AN ADDITION TO ANY PERFORMANCE.
If you can speak, you can sing! Maggie’s Method for Vocal Ease helps you develop your most natural and powerful voice. “Beginning” students learn to think like a singer and integrate breath, muscle control, and lyric interpretation to get the best results possible. “Workshops” are geared toward fun, risk taking, and adventures in singing. All styles welcome.
And Sims’:
Jazz Mandolin workshops explore the Gypsy Jazz music of Django Reinhardt and / or American Jazz standard. Students try their hand at techniques such as “le Pompe” rhythm and explore approaches to melody and improvisations. Students discover essential chords and arpeggios and learn the characteristics of Jazz and Swing
CUSTOM WORKSHOPS CAN BE CUSTOMIZED OR CREATED BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL EVENT NEEDS.
Harmonious Wail provided five workshops for Fergus Falls High School and Secondary Band, Orchestra, ALC and Choir (3 different choirs) students prior to their concert at Fergus Falls A Center for the Arts . The of topics and demonstrations ranged from improve, composition, business, inspiration for songs, practice techniques, improvisation and copyright laws. The students were receptive and fascinated. One teacher commented that in one hour the students learned more than an entire semester because of the way Harmonious Wail involved the students and talked with them. Sims, Maggie & Jeffo you changed lives that day!
Michael Burgraff, A Center for the Arts
BOOKING:
For all booking inquiries please contact: harmoniouswail@gmail.com
PROMO MATERIALS:
photos by Nick Berard
STAGE PLOT:
Technical Rider
TECHNICAL RIDER – HARMONIOUS WAIL
Please contact Sims Delaney-Potthoff (608-658-6988 / sims@wail.com) for all non-technical questions.
This Rider is attached to and made a part of the Contract between Harmonious Wail and the purchaser of said services as defined on the face of the Contract in connection with the Artist’s performance(s) at the venue described therein.
I. PRODUCTION AND STAGING REQUIREMENTS
LIGHTS
A competent lighting technician shall be provided. A general wash with specials focused on the mandolin, guitar, bass and vocals for solos is sufficient. However, appropriate creativity is appreciated and welcomed.
SOUND
A qualified/cooperative sound mixer (engineer) and a concert sound system of sufficient size, sophistication, and quality to deliver to all members of the audience an amplified blend of ARTIST’S music (including all instruments). The sound shall be free of distortion, feedback and extraneous noises consisting of the following:
Prefer the soundboard to be capable of three separate stage mixes. One can work if three cannot be provided.
Six (6) microphones stands. See stage sheet for specifics.
3 mics
1 vocal mics (Shure Beta 58’s preferred)
2 instrument mics with (Shure Beta 57’s, SM 81’s or Neumann KM84’s preferred)
Three (3) monitor speakers, each with a 15-inch speaker and a horn (e.g. Bag End 1202 highly preferred).
Three (3) channels of amplification for the monitor speakers. Each channel should provide at least 95 watts into 8 ohms (e.g. two Yamaha P2100’s).
A minimum of two (2) outlets of AC power (120 volts, 15 amp circuits) must be available on stage for ARTIST’S electrical equipment. One located at mandolin and the other at the bass amp.
Sound Check: A sound check is mandatory and should be a minimum of one hour. A sound engineer shall be provided. The sound engineer must be available throughout the entire sound check and performance.
All equipment must be set up and in place prior to the Artist’s arrival.
Minimum stage requirement: 20’ x 12’.
One small side table with covering (to put the percussion instruments on).
*For Technical questions, contact Sims Delaney-Potthoff – (608) 658-6988, sims@wail.com
SOUND AND LIGHTING CHECK
Sound check should begin one (1) hour before the doors, provided all sound and lights are set and in place.
Presenter shall not open house until technical set-up and sound check has been completed. Artist shall complete sound check in ample time prior to doors opening, provided there are no technical problems
House lights will be dimmed two (2) minutes before curtain to facilitate audience seating. II. MERCHANDISE REQUIREMENTS:
One eight-foot table and two chairs in a mutually agreeable location to sell merchandise. Artist shall retain 100% of the proceeds from such sales, unless otherwise agreed.
III. HOSPITALITY
One large or two small dressing rooms with heat and air conditioning, with a clean rug and mirror. A Secure facility please.
Parking as close as possible to backstage entrance for Artist’s van. Eight (8) complimentary tickets per show.
A light dinner, organic & local (not Applebee’s or chain pizza) when possible but not necessarily vegetarian (incl. Entrée, vegetables, bread, dessert and drinks) for 4 people after sound check. Plenty of bottled water, hot tea with honey and lemon please. A cold 6-pack of a LOCAL ale, or Heineken is greatly appreciated.
IV. PUBLICITY
Artist is available for any media interviews with prior approval. Please provide Harmonious Wail with copies of all previews, write-ups, articles, and reviews relating to the Artist and this engagement in the local press.
V. TAXES
Purchaser shall pay, at it’s sole expense, all taxes, fees, dues, levies and the like relating to the Performance and the sums payable to Artist shall be free of same. This shall not apply to any Federal or State income taxes imposed by law on Artist for performance performed within the US but shall apply to all forms of taxes including, without limitation, any business occupancy tax or any value added tax (VAT).
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
Stoughton Opera House (Stoughton, WI)
A Center for the Arts (Fergus Falls, MN)
Music Fest /Arts Quest (Bethlehem PA)
Swallow Hill (Denver, CO)
Zelt Musik Fest (Freiburg Germany)
Cork Jazz Fest (Ireland)
Milwaukee Summerfest (WI)
Green Mill Jazz Club (Chicago, IL)
Philadelphia Folk Song Society (PA)
Walton Arts Center (Bentonville, AR)
Taipei’s National Concert Hall (Taiwan)
Frick Museum of Art (Pittsburgh, PA)
Belfast Folk Fest (N. Ireland)
Walnut Valley Fest (Winfield KS)
Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago)
Barbican Centre (London, UK)
Captain Zeppos, (Amsterdam, NL)
Die Brucke (Graz, Austria)
Overture Center for the Arts (Madison, WI)
DjangoVegas (Las Vegas, NV)
…popping-hot, double-roasted … the Wail write a new page in the folk-jazz idiom.
Roots World, Read full review
You’ll be smiling from the moment this CD starts to play…It is strangely reminiscent of Frank Zappa’s celebrated and just-as-jazzy Mothers of Invention … As a matter of fact, if this CD doesn’t set your toe to tapping and a smile on your face, you should probably get medication.
FAME – Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange, Read full review