6/26/2008 9:00pm - First Bloom of Bloom
w/ Jason Jasper
3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20010 US -
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6/27/2008 9:00pm - First Bloom of Bloom
w/ Jason Jasper
3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20010 US -
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6/28/2008 9:00pm - Busboys & Poets
w/ PS24
1390 V St. NW, Washington, DC 20009 US -
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7/01/2008 8:00pm - Gypsy Den --cancelled!
125 N Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92701 US -
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7/02/2008 8:00pm - Flypoets --cancelled!
218 S. La Brea Ave., Inglewood, CA 90301 US -
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7/08/2008 10:00pm - Continental Room
115 W. Santa Fe Ave., Fullerton, CA 92832 US -
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7/10/2008 8:00pm - Alto
1320 15th St, Denver, CO 80202 US -
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7/11/2008 8:30pm - Zoo Bar
136 N 14th St, Lincoln, NE 68508 US -
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7/12/2008 8:00pm - Soulace
St. Louis, MO US -
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7/17/2008 9:00pm - Apache Cafe
w/ Abyss & Kelsy Davis
64 3rd St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30308 US -
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7/18/2008 9:00pm - STIR@Art On Five
2001 MLK Dr. SW, Ste 530, Atlanta, GA 30310 US -
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7/22/2008 9:00pm - Black on Black Rhyme
915 E Grant Ave, Tampa, FL 33604 US -
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7/25/2008 9:00pm - Literary Cafe & Poetry Lounge
1350 NE 125th St, North Miami, FL 33161 US -
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7/26/2008 9:00pm - Literary Cafe & Poetry Lounge
1350 NE 125th St, North Miami, FL 33161 US -
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7/29/2008 9:00pm - Full Moon Bistreaux
204 Texas St., Shreveport, LA 71101 US -
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7/30/2008 9:00pm - Luna
6740 San Pedro Ave, San Antonio, TX 78216 US -
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7/31/2008 9:00pm - Neo-Soul Lounge
2700 W. Pecan, Pflugerville, TX 78660 US -
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For updated calendar, please refer to our website . Thanks.***************************************************
Kevin Sandbloom is a man who has one thing on his mind. Playing music. He has been doing it ever since he picked up a guitar at 16 and simultaneously fell in love with the music of Bob Marley. "All my songs sounded a little like a Marley rip-off" he says of his early pieces. They also happened to be crowd rockers, as the first band he fronted in high school, BUMP, became a local staple in his hometown Pasadena, CA. He cut his musical teeth on influences like B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Steely Dan, Prince and Sade. Of the creative culture he came up in he says, "The whole thing was to do like Bill Withers mixed with The Beatles or Parlamient meets Elvis Costello or Pink Floyd meets Steel Pulse so we were trying to mash it up from early on". It was this eclectic atmosphere that shaped his musical path as well as a local songwriter, Peter Galvin who was in a legendary band, The Bedshredders. "He showed me first hand what was possible with songs. His stuff was so advanced though he was only a few years older, my songs sounded juvenile next to his".
Fast forward to the present and Kevin's music can hardly be called childish. He is regarded in songwriter circles as an artist who operates at them top of his game. He has performed on stages from the Nuyorican Poets cafe in New York, to B.B. King's Blues Club in Los Angeles and is a fixture at music and poetry venues across the U.S. For the last five years he has been producing music at a furious pace. 4 full-length albums and an Ep under his belt, he is currently touring and promoting his latest effort, the acoustically driven "Mad Love Activate". The record documents some of the songs he has been working on over the last year and also features percussion and backing vocals by Melany Bell. Though no longer performing together, the two were touring partners for the past few years. "People were always asking for a recording that was just the two of us, and I think it turned out pretty good. The arrangements were something we developed together and I'm happy we were able to document that sound."
Sandbloom, the name he regularly performs under because he says it's easier to remember, was recently featured on the ABC Family series "Lincoln Heights", and also has credits on the Laurence Fishburne film "Once In The Life". He was also payed the honor of having one of his songs used by guitar legend Robben Ford on his album, "Supernatural". It ended up being chosen as the title track. During the sessions for the same record he got to meet and perform with Vinny Caliutta, Jimmy Earl and singer Michael McDonald. On meeting one of his vocal heroes, Kevin says," Man, what a trip that was! I was trying not be starstruck, but he was one of the most humble and down to earth people you will ever meet."
Sandbloom is hard at work recording new material for what he hopes to be a 2008 release and has an eye on a European trip as well. "I'm looking for big things to happen this year" he says. Big things indeed but until then he keeps his focus on the mission at hand. Writing great music. "When it comes down it, that's what it's all about".
NEW REVIEW FROM DJ BOBBY PHATS [Houston]
$15 shpg. inc.
-------------------------------------------------------
Listen to interview from Sankofa Kafe Dallas, TX
http://mandrakesocietyradio.com/?p=59
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---"Kevin, I had to let you know that I got a great response
playing your music on my show. Once I played "Is It A Crime"
my phone lines ALL lit up! Not only did my Houston listeners call
in, my internet listeners did as well. That's the mark of a great
record.
Keep up the good work. It won't be long before everyone knows
your name."
-Bobby Phats /KPFT 90.1 FM Houston
The Groove - Tuesdays 3:30-5:30 pm CST
---"Kevin, not only do I love your record...every song is great,
but everyone else loves it too. I'm down with that soul, blues sound.
We've been playing it a lot."
-Soreath Hok/ Music Director KFSR Fresno
College Radio 90.7 FM
"Kevin Sandbloom is the genuine article - a soul singer and
song writer in the tradition of the best of the best. I have
never disliked a single song of his. Lovers of soul music can
do no better than to discover this artist. Check out his chord
changes and listen deeply to his lyrics. He is saying something
from way beyond the surface details."
-Toberose/Download.com
"From A Bird translates the complete journey
of relationship and all that is meaningful. No
whining or obnoxious crooning here. Kevin
Sandbloom's musical and vocal talent orig-
inates from his ability to be in tune with his
authentic self, the self he was created to be
vs. who the world told him to be. He posseses
an understanding all women seek and adorably
speak of, but rarely experience in man. What's
impessive about Fom A Bird's 10 tracks is how
well Sandbloom understands the recipe for
making good music--not a note, measure, nor
lyric is wasted. At times it's introspective,consoling, or straight-up
bangin', Sandbloom and Melany Bell's chemistry throughout From
a Bird compels you to acknowledge all matters of the self. Among
the many standout tracks on the album, Sandbloom lays into an
amazing cover of Sade's "Is It a Crime". It all gets better to
witness his performance live! The meaning is in the detail.
Listen.
-Charles "Bomani" Watson/Jointz Magazine March 2006
$15 shpg. inc.
Recent venues SANDBLOOM has performed:
Nuyorican Poets Cafe -New York, NY
Untamed Tongues -Las Vegas, NV
Meetery Eatery -Detroit, MI
Maxwell's -Oakland, CA
Buji's -Chicago, IL
Da Poetry Lounge - Los Angeles, CA
B.B. Kings - Universal City, CA
Flypoets - Los Angeles, CA
================================
Listen to LIVE "Is It A Crime" from FLYPOETS
LIVE "IS IT A CRIME" @ FLYPOETS
================================
Neo-Soul Lounge - Austin, TX
5th Avenue Soul Sundays - Dallas, TX
Sankofa Arts Kafe - Dallas, TX
EB5 Arts - Houston, TX
Free Verse Friday - San Antonio, TX
Seattle Slam - Seattle, WA
Mahogany Poetry Series - Sacramento, CA
Funky Buddha - Chicago, IL
Hotel Utah - San Francisco, CA
Ortleibs Jazzhaus - Philadelphia, PA
Five Myles - Brooklyn, NY