Some people dubbed a radio they had been bringing to the beach for many years “Sand Machine” because it was filled with sand, yet it still worked. Inspired by its persistence and dedication to music, they named their band after it. That is the creation myth of Sand Machine. Since then the band has busied itself with creating infective melody lines and harmony arrangements reminiscent of the British invasion overlaying American roots rock. Encompassing social commentary, story-telling, emotional revelation, and a touch of wry, Sand Machine purports to be both the forest and the trees. Besides playing consistently in the Boston area and other parts of New England, they’ve also played NYC, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Nova Scotia and other places.
Matt Byrnes
Matt Byrnes' debut album 'Roll Me Home', available now Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon
The Aces
Alternative Rock Band
Corin Ashley
Former bassist for Boston's legendary mod-poppers The Pills, Now on his 3rd solo album "Broken Biscuits" with contributions from Tanya Donelly and Big Star drummer Jody Stephens. Corin has toured throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe, making friends with Beatley tunes and appearing with artists as diverse as Robyn Hitchcock, The B-52s, The Beach Boys, Dave Davies of the Kinks and Foreigner.
Sophie Maricq
With roots in Spain, England, Belgium, and the United States, singer-songwriter Sophie Maricq is a citizen of the world for whom music has been an indispensable part of her life. At Berklee, Maricq surrounded herself with incredible people and learned more than she had ever imagined. She also met her beloved mentors: genius educator, artist, composer, and humanitarian Danilo Pérez, and his wife, Patricia Zárate, a musician, music therapist, and prominent businesswoman.
“With them, my relationship with music changed completely,” Maricq says.
On a cultural exchange trip with her mentors in Africa, Maricq found her passion for music therapy and uncovered the power of music as a tool for social change and healing. Since that time, she has worked in Boston and in Panama with children with special needs through the Danilo Pérez Foundation, as well as in Boston Children's Hospital, various homes for the elderly, and the Fundación Amigos del Niño con Leucemia y Cáncer (FANLYC). Maricq currently works at Berklee and her dream is to help build global music therapy programs that empower local communities around the world.
Meanwhile, the music never stops. Maricq returns in 2017 with a new EP, Moksha, recorded in both London (at Yak Bondy’s studio) and in Boston (at both the Record Company and Joey Blake’s studio). Produced by Bondy, Blake, and Javier García Escudero, the release contains six songs that offer an open and exciting panorama of Maricq’s talent, including her ability to embrace so many genres and influences with a warm and charming blend of sincerity and playfulness that will surely delight most music lovers.
Accompanied by Jussi Reijonen - Although born in Rovaniemi, a picturesque small town on the Arctic Circle in northern Finland, Reijonen did not grow up an ordinary Nordic childhood; the decade between age 6 and 16 was spent moving between Finnish Lapland, Jordan, Tanzania, Oman and Lebanon as his family followed his father’s work around the world. Since relocating to the US in 2008, he has had the honor of performing with the likes of renowned jazz drummer Jack deJohnette, flamenco cantaor legend Pepe de Lucia, Spanish multi-Grammy-award-winning producer and flamenco guitarist Javier Limón, Palestinian oud/violin master Simon Shaheen, fretless guitar pioneer David Fiuczynski, Turkey’s gypsy clarinet legend Hüsnü Senlendirici, and Lebanese nay virtuoso and multi-instrumentalist Bassam Saba, to name a few.
Ramshackle
Based in Weymouth Massachusetts, Ramshackle Entertainment came to life in 2007 when this group of friends began entertaining together in a variety of venues. At first it was a combined effort between Dave and Robin- both of whom had performed separately for many years. Along with belly dancer Saadia, Robin's fiancé, who has performed in New England, New York, and Florida as well as Israel, England, Colombia, Aruba and Puerto Rico, they found themselves in demand in various combinations and decided to declare an identity. Given the eclectic nature of the group, Ramshackle seemed like an appropriate moniker.
Later joined by Bill Rose, a long-time friend of Robin's and the group's resident artist, as well as Veteran, the duo became a trio and audiences throughout the South Shore of Boston have been enjoying their music, and the dancing of Saadia ever since. Ramshackle also welcomed new member Gerry Ewen on guitar and mandolin in 2016.
Ramshackle maintains an interest in giving back to the community and entertains often at benefits and fundraisers including events for Veterans, the elderly and the disabled. The group graciously donates time to the annual Braintree High School Project Prove Reunion - a reunion for graduates of all years of the high school program for individuals with special challenges (that celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2012).
http://www.ramshackleent.com/
Cyndi Cresswell Cook
Cyndi Cresswell Cook and her band play upbeat rock and rock/blues. Every song of theirs sounds different than the one before it. They were featured in the Quincy Quarry and the Patriot Ledger for their song about Quincy called Dimmock
Moonflawed
Evoking tales of coup d'etats and daring rescues indie-folk band Moonflawed cultivates a world both grim and fantastical. The duo, consisting of singer-songwriter Daniel McGurk and classically trained musician Jonathan Hickey, combine the storytelling conventions of traditional folk music with progressive songwriting elements to create a unique and dynamic sound.
