Lazie Indie Magazine - Edition -25

Lazie Indie Magazine Edition -25 May 2022

Marianna Gevorgyan Brother & Sister Bernadett Nyari Southern Outlaws

Amy McAllister Roc Flowers Yesterday's Fate Mishko M'ba

Tai Phong David Helpling Harrell Davenport CCC & Lazie Indie Magazine

On Cover LYIA META

Content

Editor's Corner

Featured Artists Southern Outlaws Marianna Gevorgyan Amy McAllister Tai Phong Bernadett Nyari Brother & Sister Mishko M'Ba Roc Flowers Yesterdays's Fate David Helpling Ann Aria article on Canadian Content Corner & Lazie Indie Magazine

LIM Merchandise

On Cover Lyia Meta

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Editors Corner Information The magazine is published by Lazie J Print Edition 25 The month of publishing May - 2022 Editorial Team Editor: Jay Pillai Coordination and promotion: Manoj Verified by: Inge Zimmermann Probst Columns: Tomiko Dixon, Galaxy FM, Kathryn Shipley Ann Aria Emma Goldberg Santhosh Chandran Cover Photo: Lyia Meta Cover Photo Courtesy: Khahin M

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A lot more in the coming months Lazie Indie Magazine is moving into its 3rd year existence.

What started as a small souvenir for fellow indie musician friends has now become a well respected magazine read by music enthusiasts in nearly 100 countries. We have kept the fundamentals simple and that has helped the magazine to grow fast. Now we are looking at the next level of actions. We do have a lot of plans and in the coming months we look forward to establishing that. There is a lot in store for indie artists and you will get to know that soon. This edition we introduce one more Contributing Columnist, Santhosh Chandran. Santhosh will interview top musicians who have established themselves at the highest level and we call the column Maestro Speaks... hope you will like this. This edition we have a very electrical mix of artists coming from Armenia, Hungary, Italy, USA, Canada, France, New Zealand and many more... and they cut across genre, instruments and geography. This is exactly the route Lazie Indie was planned to take and we are glad it is growing as we wanted it to be. In the coming months you can see a lot more announcements from our side and that will be in more areas of music support and above the magazine. We sincerely hope we can grow in those areas too as it will be very useful for fellow Indie artists like us. Hope you have a great time reading the Magazine. As I always request, please share the magazine to you friends and fellow musicians so that the stories of these great artists reach more and more people tomorrow your interview may also get to more people and that is how Indie Musicians can help each other.

Thank you, Jay Pillai

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A year and half before we interviewed this fabulous artist from Malaysia promising to come back with her story later as there was so much more to ask her. Well much water has flown and a lot more to be asked about her journey. This time we decided to feature her again as her story is truly inspirational being someone from far east of the world pushing her boundaries across the world especially in USA and getting herself recognized and awarded many times. Lyia Meta is an international multi award-winning singer and songwriter and an exhibited visual artist. She's a full time live performer in the Kuala Lumpur music circuit, holding residencies all over the Peninsula of Malaysia. She has been twice balloted in the Grammys and has toured across the world with her music. She finds her greatest influences in rock and blues, yet she fearlessly defies genre barriers in every project she creates. Jay from Lazie Indie Magazine speaks to this fabulous artist on her career.....

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Jay: Hi Lyia! It’s been a year and half since we have spoken to each other. What is new at your side?

Lyia(Meta): A year and a half… Wow! Time has flown by while I was focused on so many aspects of my life! Needless to say, the pandemic took front and centre stage, however that did not deter me from my musical and art pursuits because my creative side was in full swing! During the first two years of the pandemic I recorded two singles (WE ARE LORDS and THIS AIN'T THE WAY) and one EP (“15013”) and just recently released another EP (YOU THINK ABOUT ME), in January of 2022.

Jay: How is your new release shaping up?

Tell us more about the release and its reception so far.

Lyia: I think it's doing amazingly well! It has gotten good reviews and airplay across the globe. Written by Bob McGilpin and myself, the EP, YOU THINK ABOUT ME, was recorded in Nashville and Malaysia with McGilpin helming the project as producer. As coproducer, I worked through time zones to bring it all home. And voilà! We made something we're both proud of. Fusing the elements of R&B, Soul and Funk, we didn't strive for perfection but instead wanted something raw and elemental with beauty found in its rough edges. The video for the third track off the EP has already garnered some nominations at some Indie Film Festivals.

Jay: Coming out of Malaysia and reaching out to the world, especially the USA, should have been a task for you. How did you build your base in western rock music scene coming from an Asian country?

Lyia: I always gravitated toward my influences and most of them were the classic rock artists from the 60s and 70s.

It was a task finding my footing, but the listeners in the USA, UK and Europe have been extremely supportive of my work. I am a multi-genre artist who grew up listening to the likes of Hendrix, Cream, Joplin, Muddy Waters, The Who, Blood, Sweat and Tears, The Beatles, The Stones, Led Zeppelin and many more innovative LIM

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"Music and art are distinct parts of who I am. I cannot imagine living without either. I guess time management is something I do well as I make sure I have the time to do everything and more!"

and classic acts. I don't limit myself to any genre or style and listen and absorb everything, including classical!

Geographically and in my heart and soul, I’m literally ALL OVER THE MAP! Jay: You have been in the Grammys FYC and Ballot rounds and also won quite a few international awards. What do you consider your best achievement so far?

Lyia: I am always thankful for the awards and nominations I've received over the years. My best achievement has been my ability to do what I love and keep doing it.

I write songs, produce or coproduce them, paint, exhibit and I'm a full-time performer. Except for the two pandemic years that kept us out of clubs, I have always been busy performing. Having my songs on the Grammy Award®? first ballot (FYC) has made me realize how many talented musicians, producers and songwriters there are out there. It's a very LIM

humbling experience. You realize you're a part of a whole. This year, songs from my EP “15013” were on that first ballot in three categories. As an “indie artist”, it’s an honor being included in the nomination process.

Jay: You are a gifted visual artist as well.

Two questions on this! How do you find time to manage your artistic goals in both music and visual arts? What has been your greatest achievement in the visual arts line?

Lyia: Music and art are distinct parts of who I am. I cannot imagine living without either. I guess time management is something I do well as I make sure I have the time to do everything and more! I've had a few group visual art exhibits and a solo exhibit but currently I am more of a commission artist. My art pieces have graced the covers of two published books, been exhibited in Orlando, Hong Kong, Page11

Taipei, and Malaysia, and found homes locally and in Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States. Most fulfilling is intertwining my art with my music, which to a certain extent I’ve achieved with my award-winning music videos, website and other mediums including promotion efforts.

Jay: Being a successful woman in music and visual art, your story can inspire others to follow your path. What has been your experience and what would be your advice to fellow artists? What values are vital for success in the long run?

Lyia: I do hope that I inspire others. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that I've paid my dues too many times over with many setbacks and pitfalls being a graduate of the School of Hard Knocks! My advice to anyone who was interested or curious would be to work very hard at your craft and follow your own path. There are no short cuts. Talent can only take you so far, hard work is your best friend and discipline is everything.

Jay: Post COVID lockdowns, there has been a surge of live music and venues are slowly getting back to normal. What is that one lesson we all ought to learn from the lockdowns as artists?

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Lyia: We need to be fluid and agile, constantly adjusting to factors outside of our control. Music has been around for centuries. Although frightening, a pandemic will not stop the music. A changing of the guard may be at hand, but music is here to stay and, if we choose to, so will we.

Jay: What do you like to do most? Create art? Create music? Perform live? And why?

Lyia: I love it all! I am a fulltime live performer -- I don't think choosing one is possible, at least not for me. With live performances, it's all about spontaneity and reacting to the vibes bouncing back from the crowd. There's no redoing, no second takes. It's exhilarating but exhausting and yet it's incredibly gratifying. This is often exported to my songwriting and my art. They coexist and feed each other. A beautiful riot of emotions interweaving all my experiences and thoughts. A very chaotic yet beautiful place to be actually!

Jay: Would you tell a LAZIE INDIE reader (many are fellow musicians) to expect from LYIA META in the near future? New releases? Tours?

Lyia: The songwriter from my previous EP “15013”, Denise Dimin, and I will be working on new material which we hope to release in early 2023 at the latest! I've also been working for ages on a Metal album, one of my passion projects, with all songs written by me. This Metal album was to be a follow up from my awardwinning single WE ARE LORDS, which was released in 2020 as a response to the pandemic. This has been the longest I've ever worked on a release and it's all a little fluid at this point! But currently Denise and I are batting around ideas and I should be able to do both projects concurrently with anything else that comes my way, by way of collaborations, videos, visual art and appearances worldwide. For some time now I've been doing my regular residency shows at The Royal Lake Club and later this year I head to Texas to perform at THE TEXAS SOUNDS INTERNATIONAL COUNTRY Page13

MUSIC AWARDS then to South India for a music festival and finally to another Country Music festival in Asia. I look forward to traveling again and performing in front of international audiences! I’ve had such an amazing global response from collaborators and those interested in finding out more about me and Malaysia that I’ve unintentionally turned into a happy ambassador to expose others to our vibrant culture and my music and art! Ironically, this was an accidental benefit of the lockdown that allowed all of us to create new digital relationships that then developed into “In Real Life” relationships! So, a success story of learning to manage through unexpected obstacles!

- Thank you Photo credits: Khahin M and Natalie Fong

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Southern Outlaw is a 6-piece Southern Rock Band that writes some great originals and also cover some Southern Rock tunes. Founder by Alis Walker, Bob" Furda, Dave Weilacher II, Mike Bright Jr, Tom Levak,William Putt form this Southern Rock band that has won the World Songwriting Awards- Summer 2021 an d their songs get airplay in radios across the world. Barbara and DJ Grant from Galaxy FM speaks to Southern Outlaw to present them to Lazie Indie Magazine Readers through their column Around the Galaxy... Let us read.

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Grant: Welcome to Lazie Indie Magazine great to speak to you. You have had a very exciting career so far as a Country Rock Outfit. How do you feel was your journey?

SO (Southern Outlaws): We are very excited to have several of our songs winning awards but we really give credit to our family and fans for their support on our journey.

Barbara: Who/what were your musical influences. Why Country Rock?

SO: Our collective musical influences are broad, but most of all it's Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blackberry Smoke.

Barbara: How do you go about writing your songs? How do you record and produce your music?

SO: We have four of the six members writing Dave Weilacher ii, William Putt, Bob Furda and Arlis Walker, and we as a group bring in everyone's talent to polish each song. Tune Town Studio's with Award Winning Producer Mike Talanca recording our music.

Grant: What do you look to convey through your music? A Lyrical Theme or a musical experience? Which gets your priority most times even though both are absolutely important.

SO: We try to write music with life experiences that our audience can relate to.

Grant: Which is your latest release? We learned that you had great reviews on the same. Do let us know more about it.

SO: We would like to cover our last two releases, one being an original and one being a remake of one of Lynard Skynards songs. Our original song that was recorded and released is Country Roads to Nowhere, was written by our keyboard player William Putt, at his request Arlis sings it. It is starting to hit the charts at this time. We also recorded and released a remake of Four Walls of Raiford, it is getting a lot of airplays and climbing the charts steadily. We did get permission from Lynyrd Skynyrd to do this song, but we sure didn't expect to get a response after the release. They contacted Arlis and said "They love our rendition of the song” and were happy to give us 100% rights to LIM

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the song. We would also like to mention our song that is really getting all the attention at this time, "Good for the Soul" has been nominated for several awards and won several awards.

Grant: What do you like the most?

Writing, producing or performing?

SO: This is a really tough question to give a straightforward answer but if we have to choose we would say Live Performance.

At the live performance we actually get to see our fans react and give their feedback on a song that we all work really hard on.

Of course we like to write, as a band we work together to make these songs fit "US" and it takes each and every member to give their input and bring in their talent to make the song a whole.

Barbara: What is your plan for the immediate future say, 2022 as a band?

SO: We are going to continue writing songs so that we can finish our second album, we have three songs recorded for it at this time. We are also planning on LIM

doing a USA tour, starting out in Ohio with some local shows then we will be headed to Atlanta, Ga where we will be playing the pre party for the 2022 ISSA Awards at the Wild Wing Cafe on Aug.5, 2022, attending the Award ceremony on August 6,2022. With more shows across the USA. We have some opportunities coming our way for a possible international tour, that we all are looking forward to.

Grant: How did you tide over the pandemic and lockdowns as a band?

SO: The growth of the band was born during the pandemic, and we used the time to write and learn songs together.

We also released our first album during the pandemic, Southbound Train. As a matter of fact, we performed 18 shows last year when most of the local bands still were not playing out. We played at every opportunity given to us.

Barbara: What is the best advice given to you and what advice would you share Page19

with young upcoming artists?

SO: Hard work and dedication can make your dreams come true. Never give up.

Don't allow anything or anyone to stop you from following your dreams, anything is possible.

About the columnist Around the Galaxy is a column contributed by Galaxy FM 107, New Zealand, introducing artists from New Zealand and Australia. Galaxy FM is one of the top radio stations in New Zealand and is quickly expanding its listener base across the world. The authors of the column, Barbara Harkins and DJ Grant are well known radio hosts at Galaxy FM hosting the popular Breakfast Show. LIM thanks team Galaxy for their support.

Website- www.galaxyfm.co.nz

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She was 7 years old when she joined music school. She played in the Children's Philharmonic Orchestra since she was a child and has been very active in concert since student years, playing her country's national instrument Kanoon. We are speaking to the extremely talented and accomplished musician from Armenia, The winner of World Folk Music Awards, the beautiful Marianna Gevorgyan. Marianna is one of a kind musician and she has collaborated with the best in the world on the traditional instruments and music styles. Jay from Lazie Indie Magazine speaks to this fabulous artist playing a very traditional instrument depicting the country's culture and taking it across the world and winning hearts of thousands of music lovers in each outing. Let us learn more about Marianna...

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Jay: You have had a fabulous career so far. What do you feel about the journey so far?

Marianna: I am not a careerist at all, the circumstances just turned out that way, that is, I had a lot of investment in my profession and it paid off. I have invested my whole life in my art. I do not like to announce the results of the work done and make shows, I like to move forward, if you do a good job with taste and professionalism, people will appreciate and love it and it will become lasting.

Sometimes I am proud that being an Armenian, living in Armenia, I can present myself to the world and record victories, but that last only for moment. I love my profession and I do not use it for a career, because music has a lot of power, it must be used correctly. I compare my profession with the profession of doctors, that doctors treat the body, musicians treat the soul. I consider very important the maturity of the musician, the great love in his work, the inexhaustible database of knowledge and ideas, the aesthetic taste, the high human values, of course, the talent and diligence.

Jay: Who introduced you to music. When did you realize that music is your career?

Marianna: I did not know that I was given this from above, everyone chooses their profession, but my profession chose me, I think this is the magic power of music, which pushes for perfection. When I was in school, music for me was like math, it was a total calculation of 1, 2, 3, 4. When I grew up, I realized that music is a different world and with age it absorbed me more. I did not understand when I fell in love, because music has a magical and magical power, so I fell in love. I practiced for many hours and now I practice, I do not stop, my fingers always play. As a professional and accomplished musician, I can already say that music is like medicine, good music heals the wounds of the soul. My destiny was to become a qanun player.

Jay: How did you pick up this instrument who introduced you to Kanoon and who LIM

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were your musical influences?

Marianna: I was 7 years old when I went to music school, I was lucky enough that my school teacher teaches at the conservatory as well, I got a very good education since I was a child. I have played in the Children's Philharmonic Orchestra since I was a child. I have been very active in concert since my student years, I have always been in a leading position. I have played many concerts.

When I first entered Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory, I was very young and could not have imagined that in years to come I would be a student and graduate of that music school. I have a bachelor's degree, a master's degree and a postgraduate degree with honors. Since my student years, I have been organizing concerts, developing interesting programs with foreign musicians and performing. I have participated in a number of international competitions-festivals, I have been awarded the title of first-class LIM

laureate, gold medal, I have special awards "Stage Charm" and "Ambassador of Music". I was recently awarded the "Grand Prix" at the World CompetitionFestival.

Jay: You have won prestigious awards and competitions the world over. Can you tell us a bit more about them?

Marianna: My achievements are based on my failures. I am always in a struggle and competition with myself. If it weren't for those big waves of the storm, my music would remain unreachable and inaccessible. I have paved my way myself, with great difficulty, overcoming many obstacles. I recently participated in an international competition in India, where I won first prize and a special prize, the "Ambassador of Music", which made me very happy, as I was the only representative to receive a special prize in that competition. I participated in the world competition organized by the "World Folk Vision" Global Cultural Page26

Initiative, I registered a glorious victory, winning the Grand Prix - "Grand Prix" in the category of world music. This competition is second only to the Olympic Games in its scale, with 3950 representatives from 115 countries, including honored and folk artists. There was a record vote, the winner was decided by 50/50 voting and the jury. This is a very important achievement, because for the first time in history, a victory was registered with the Armenian canon instrument, performed by Sayat-Nova "Eshchemed".

Jay: Being from Armenia, you were able to collaborate with many artists world over, we have seen your collaborations with Indian artists. Does collaborating with artists help in your growth as a musician?

Marianna: I love originality, in art you have to be original in order not to be duplicated by any artist, if you are really talented. I have had many collaborations in my musical life. I have been organizing concerts with foreign students since I was a student. It is very interesting because you are a representative of one nation, and the other person represents another nation. Each nation has its own culture LIM

and the face of each nation is its own culture. During the epidemic, when all the concert halls were closed and people could not attend concerts directly, I thought of a project where musicians from different countries of the world, with their national instruments, would play any work of Armenian culture on the online platform. Many musicians joined my project and it received a great response, people approved it very much. I also included Indian singer-musicans in my project because they were very talented and I love Indian culture, which is known all over the world for its ancient and centuries-old history. Amid Mishra, who played tabla, lived in India. I was very impressed by his mastery, and we played Armenian folk dance together. It was a wonderful collaboration, which was approved by thousands of people and received positive reviews. The Armenian song "Mountain Girl" was sung by Indian singer Baishali Sarkar who has a very sweet voice, it was also very popular. I also played an hour-long program at the festival dedicated to the 95th anniversary of Indian table player Pandit Chatur Lal. Of course, it is very nice to work with artists of different nations, every educated artist, no matter how much he theoretically knows, learns, the culture of nations, but by communicating personally you can get a better idea of the national elements, color, uniqueness, culture of each nation. Cooperation with different nations is very important, but one nation's culture should never be confused with another, it should be recognized and developed.

Jay: What gives you the greatest satisfaction? Collaborating with great artists, composing music/researching in music OR playing live in front of a great crowd?

Marianna: I need a week after each concert to recover, because I do not just play the notes, I live my life on stage. It is very important for me that my performance will nest in the souls of people, be remembered, stay, the audience will take a part of me with them.

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Wherever I play, it becomes the best, I do not like to divide the audience by place, gender, race, I like to make my music accessible to everyone. I have played in different places in old people's homes, orphanages, kindergartens, men's and women's penitentiaries, my audience is very different. I am currently working in one of the best concert halls in Armenia, where I played for the first time when I was making my first steps in the field of music at the age of 9-10. This concert hall - Komitas Chamber Music Hall I work as a soloist in the ancient music ensemble "Tagharan" of the National Centre of Chamber Music in Yerevan, headed by maestro Yerkanyan, and for me it is not a job, it is my lifestyle, my musical life.

Jay: What is the best advice you have got in music and what would you advice a young and upcoming musician?

Marianna: I value everyone's opinions; I listen to everyone who has opinions and advice about me and my art. I do not like LIM

to give advice, but I will say that everyone must love the job they do, every job requires a lot of love, diligence and a lot of knowledge, of course, kindness. Art is love. It is universal and does not recognize language, religion or enmity. I give love, kindness and peace to the world with my music…

- Thank you Photo Credits: Tigran Arakelyan Narek Qochunc, Robert Asatryan Interwiev translation: Roza Grigoryan

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My next interview I personally feel has an extraordinary knack for bringing light and hope, to many through her music and more importantly from her community/ humanitarian efforts by giving to those in need. Singer/Songwriter/Entrepreneur Amy McAllister is thriving and has been on a path maybe she was not ready for at times, but answered the “call”. I think if I had to pull from Scripture (Corinthians 16:14) to define my interview with Amy, it would be very simple, “Let everything you do be done in love” ...So let’s get comfortable and enjoy reading this article filled with inspiration, from “Real Talk with KShip”.

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KShip: Amy, it is such an honor to have this time to chat with you about a few things, and wow its more than a few, your music career, your business life and your new business passions that actually have been years in the making and have now come full circle. It has really been refreshing to watch you thrive. You always call certain life moments, a “God Wink” can you tell me how all of these different “life layers” has helped you grow as a person and professionally?

Amy: Kathryn Shipley, my beautiful friend in life and music, I am honored and thank you for this golden opportunity to be interviewed by you and featured in this edition of Lazie Indie Magazine. I am so blessed and grateful and yes, I absolutely live my life from “God Wink to God Wink. For anyone who doesn’t yet know what a God Wink is, my wish is to let you in on one of the most magical secrets of the Universe. An intricate part of the Divine plan, that is so big we cannot even comprehend how blessed we are. A God Wink is a personal sign from Heaven that is often identified as coincidence, but is actually a message of Divine significance. The more we notice, the more Heaven sends, and life becomes more and more magical. I love that you mentioned my dreams have been years in the making, because some of them have taken decades of heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears to come to fruition. I have learned that just when I think I know the destination in which I am headed, and the timing in which it will happen, God and my angels surprise me with a much grander plan than I could ever imagine. A dream greater than my biggest dream, and it always arrives at the perfect time.

What’s meant for me will never pass me by and I have learned to let go of what isn’t. This is a huge part of the inspiration and mission behind the music on my new album ‘God Dreams For Me’ and the core of The Diamond Discovery and Diamond Soul Healing Workshops and Seminars that will begin in August.

KShip: When did you realize you wanted to do music, do you ever think this would LIM

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be a career path for you to be on? If not, what was your true passion growing up?

Amy: I was born with my heart beating to the sound of music and for as long as I can remember I wanted to be just like Dolly. Not only as a singer-songwriter and performer, but as a person. I love her heart, drive and sass. Her philosophy for life, the way she lives unapologetically true to herself, and her own path and purpose. Most of all I love her passion for philanthropy, advocacy, and giving back.

It may be on a much smaller scale, but I feel I have remained true to my childhood dream and passion of modeling my life after Dolly, and many other beautiful people who inspire me to become more every single day.

KShip: Back in 2018 you told me about your Vision Board, and I needed to do one (yes, I did one!), can you tell me how that Vision Board looks today? And when did you start it?

Amy: Yay K-Ship! I am so proud of you for making your vision board! I cannot wait to see all of your visions and dreams continue to come true for you, and want to Congratulate you on your new album, ‘If These Boots Could Talk’. My first vision board came to life in 2016 when I LIM

worked in radio and television. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that every vision on that board came true for me. I have recently created a new board for my latest and greatest heart wishes. A few of those include; make more epic memories with my family, give back and contribute in more massive ways, launch The Diamond Discovery and Diamond Soul Healing workshops and seminars, Tim McGraw to cut one or more of my songs and become a voting member of the Recording Academy/GRAMMYs. KShip: Friends and family are so important to you, let the readers know what that looks like for Amy McAllister?

Any other musical artists in the family?

Amy: My friends and family are everything to me and music is a huge part of many memories I share with them. We go to all of the award shows together and every concert possible. My daughters all have a love for music, and I love it most when they sing with me. My grandson Liam has an original song he wrote and recorded, and we flew to Florida last December to watch him perform at Teen Stock. Even though my husband Chad cannot carry a tune, he loves music too, and is becoming more a part of the music business with our new Diamonds In The Rough Publishing Company. Faith, Family, Friends, Music, and Giving Back is what life looks like for me, I absolutely love it and couldn’t feel more blessed.

KShip: In 2020, you won the “Humanitarian Award” at the 6th Annual Josie Music Awards in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It was so refreshing to see you and your husband stand there in total shock and humble to receive this prestigious award. What a lot of people may not know is, you have so many causes, that you help with on the daily, in your community and outside of it as well.

I know something very important to you is Suicide Awareness, can you give us a glimpse on how this came to be, one of the biggest things you champion in your life?

Amy: This is a moment we will forever cherish and hold close to our hearts. We Page33

still feel honored, humbled and overwhelmed that the seemingly small acts of kindness we’ve done could be worthy of such a prestigious award. We cannot thank God, you and the Passantino-Boone family enough for this experience that made us feel called to step up and give in bigger ways. Chad and I have naturally instilled in all of our children the eyes to see those who are in need of help and the hearts to give. Our personal struggles and those of our loved ones have led us to support many different causes. One of those is spreading awareness for Suicide Prevention and Mental Health. It is an epidemic and affects every one of us in one way or another. Our hope is that our platforms and programs will help those who suffer to see their worth, know that hard moments are fleeting, and be aware of the tools available to help them heal their wounds and discover strength to conquer. Our hearts burst to see more people finding their reason to stay and becoming a champion for themselves and others.

KShip: Speaking of your husband Chad, he has been the guy behind the scenes that has stood by your side, helping on LIM

the Humanitarian side, being there for your music career and just being that all around family man to support you, your children and grandchildren? Some of us watched how you walked through the ring of fire, at the conference Tony Robbins had last year. I know you could write a very strong and passionate story about this, but give us a little insight, you both have a cool love story.

Amy: Awe… thank you. It may sound cliche, but our love story is my favorite.

Chadwick is most definitely one of the good ones. He is my lover, my best friend and soulmate, and I am beyond blessed to do this life with him. We married when we were just babies,15 and 17, and in January we celebrated 34 years of marriage. We have been through the fire together and that is what has made our love so strong. We live to light each other and the world around us up with our love and contribution, and we treasure the bond we share with our children and grandchildren.

KShip: You really have a powerful inner feeling about peace and energy, and you do energy and meditation work constantly for family and friends. When did this enter your life? I know for me the best thing is to find peace in your life. The more I read, I see prayer and meditation are really helping many folks get through some of the rough spots that many of us have experienced or are experiencing in life. Can you touch on this for a minute?

Amy: My spiritual quest began after the passing of my brother Brad. Although this was one of the first and hardest losses I have ever experienced, it was also the gift that set me on a healing journey that will never end. I owe the dark times credit for forcing me to cultivate a deeper soul connection to God and discover my gift for energy healing. I felt called to heal myself and do my part to help heal the world. I am certified in many healing methods and have created my own modalities which I feel have been directly inspired through God and The Divine Spirit. Prayer and meditation are an intricate part of my spiritual practice. I Page34

have witnessed endless miracles happen for myself and others, and naturally that has sparked my passion for helping others through my workshops and seminars that will launch this summer.

KShip: A lot of us saw you attend your first Grammy Awards with your hubby Chad a few weeks back, tell me about that experience/moment?

Amy: Pinch me as we talk about another epic dream come true. We are still on cloud nine, and completely humbled we were able to attend. We are grateful to Grammy members and friends, Justine Blazer, and Kitt and Melissa Wakeley for making this dream possible. Being surrounded by the most phenomenal and talented artists on the planet who are as passionate about making a difference in the world as they are about their music was awe inspiring. We are over the moon to be collaborating with many of them on projects near and dear to our hearts in the LIM

near future, including Mental Illness and Suicide Awareness. Chad and I have always loved seeing other people succeed and watching dreams come true. We do whatever we can to support every one possible and that is why one of our latest dreams is to become voting members of The Recording Academy/Grammys.

KShip: Thank you so much for your time, and Lazie Indie Magazine is honored to have been able to give our Indie Reader family a bit of insight about you and your continued journey. Where can we get more info about you and your business brands?

Amy: This was so much fun and I am honored. Thank you, Kathryn and Lazie Indie Magazine with all my heart for creating and maintaining this incredible platform for Indie Artists like myself to share the heart, purpose and stories behind our music. You can find me on all social media platforms and music outlets, as well as amymcallistermusic.com, Page35

thediamonddiscovery.com and iamdesignerjewelry.com Faith, Family, Friends, Music and Giving Back is what life looks like for me, I absolutely love it and couldn’t feel more blessed.

About the Columnist 'Real talk with KShip' is a column presented by Kathryn Washington Shipley who is an Award-Winning Modern Country/Christian SingerSongwriter who is recognized as One of the fastest-growing Indie Artists over the last few years. She interviews top Indie artists and present them to Lazie Indie Readers through this column.

Photo Credits Forevermore Films David Baker Photography Justine Blazer Mexx Heart

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Tai Phong is a veteran rock group from France. Founded by Khanh MAI, Tai SINH Jean-Alain GARDET, Stephan CAUSSARIEU, Jean Jacques GOLDMAN and later replaced in 1977 by Michael JONES . Tai Phong released their first album through Warner" in 1975 and their song "Sister Jane" was an immediate smash hit and distributed in 16 countries. Sister Jane can still be heard on TV, radios and clubs today! The 5th album of Tai Phong "Return of the Samuraï" was released in 2013 was entirely composed by Khanh MAI. In December 2021 their album "Dragons of the 7th seas" came on top worldwide for progressive "Award" in Japan! Tai Phong have started the "Dragon Tour" to celebrate their 50th anniversary this year ! We will tour in the USA, Canada, Japan, Europe and Australia! Emma Goldberg speaks to Khanh MAI about what kept them going for 5 decades and more...

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Emma: Hi members of Tai Phong..., it is an honor speaking to you. You have been around as a band for almost five decades.

Huge respect from us at Lazie Indie Magazine for hanging on for such a long time. When you look back, how do you feel about the journey so far?

Khanh (MAI): Yes this year we celebrate our 50th anniversary and we are very happy to still continue our music! When we started in 1972 we would not have thought to still play today but it's a lot of work and I think the right word is "passion". When you love what you are doing no barriers can stop you, no matter if it's not always simple.

Emma: How did you form the band? Who picked whom? Do you all have similar musical influences or varied?

Khanh: I was working as a sound engineer at Barclay studios which were the most famous recording studios in France. I play guitar and piano and my brother played bass guitar and piano. We both sing as well. One day I recorded a band in which there was a good singer and I asked him to join us. Our keyboard player came from England and our drummer lived in France. We mostly had the same influences like YES, KING CRIMSON, PINK FLOYD, BEACH BOYS etc. ..., but we composed all our songs ourselves. My brother Thai and myself Khanh being the main composers. We never played songs composed by another artist, because we loved composing!

Emma: What made you form a band in France with a name from Vietnam “Tai Phong“, what does it mean and what did you want to set out to achieve initially?

Khanh: My brother and I were born in Vietnam but because of the war, we came to France when we were 4 and 5 years old. We could have landed in England or in the USA and still make the same music Tai Phong is the Vietnamese name meaning Typhoon! I thought it was an original name and not difficult to pronounce! Our aim was to make an international music, not French music.

Besides we sing in English. Most of our songs are considered as progressive rock LIM

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which can last 10 minutes but we also love hit singles, short songs that last 3'30!

That's the reason I composed "Sister Jane", which was released in 16 countries!

Emma: You have had lineup changes and had illustrious players in your lineup like any other long-term bands have, what do you think made Tai Phong stand out as a band?

Khanh: Well, changes were necessary because some musicians need to make solo careers or musically they need not evolve, but we always found the right musicians to replace the ones that left the group. Like Jean Jacques GOLDMAN who is considered as the most loved personality in France.

Emma: What is your music creating process? Who writes, who composes and who produces?

Khanh: In the beginning we all composed.

Then as years go by, I am the main composer with my son Davy who is a brilliant guitarist and arranger. We both compose music and lyrics! Davy composes with his guitar and I very often hear the music in my head, so I don't need an instrument to compose. For the last ten years I produce our latest albums.

They are distributed in Japan by IAC and LIM

Warner Japan.

Emma: What would you all look forward to? A successful EP/Album or a Great Live show?

Khanh: Of course for each album, we wish a worldwide success. Concerts is the reward for our albums and we had a great success when we toured in Japan in 2014.

The concert halls in Osaka and Tokyo were full because in Japan Tai Phong is considered as a "Mythical Band"! With the success of our new album "Dragons of the 7th seas", we were asked to come back to Japan in December 2022, for a few concerts and to shoot a second DVD! Emma: Tell us about your latest/ upcoming release?

Khanh: Our latest album "Dragons of the 7th seas" was recorded in very special conditions because of the Covid! In fact, we never saw each other to record. Each member records in his own place. We sent tracks to my son Davy so he could do the mixing and mastering. Roughly a hundred tracks for each song!

Emma: What is your immediate future plan, say for 2022?

Khanh: In 2022 we are composing for a musical comedy. Then we continue to make concerts, especially in Japan for the "Dragon tour".

Emma: What would you tell an upcoming musician to keep in mind to achieve success in the long run in music?

Khanh: For an upcoming musician, I would advise him to have faith in his music and the most important is to play or sing with a tremendous PASSION! With that in mind he can overcome all the difficulties!

- Thank you

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About the Columnist Emma Goldberg is French Pop Singer, Composer, Video Producer, Author writing in Italian, Spanish, English, French. She also is a radio host in Radio 242 UK introducing independent musicians to audiences across UK, France and the nearby countries. Emma has her own radio show called Just like Emma which is maintained here for the column she contributes to Lazie Indie Magazine.

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Bernadett Nyari comes from Budapest, Hungary, and was born into a musician family. Her maternal grandfather was József B. Suha, one of Hungary’s greatest violinists as well as composer. His compositions are played worldwide to this day.

She began learning to play the violin at age 6 but only decided to dedicate her life to music following a concert tour in Italy when she was 13. From the age of 18, she continued her studies at the Music Academy in Graz, Austria and became the student of Professor Silvia Marcovici, an outstanding world-renowned violin soloist.

She originally studied classical music but since her dream was to bring joy to all kinds of audiences with her favorite musical genres, she perfected numerous styles of music on her violin in the most varied ways. – Bernadett has become a global traveler entertaining audiences by performing in many countries since she was 18. – To listen to her play is to feel her passion. – From a young age her only wish was to

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make people happy with her music. – Her powerful stage presence is underlined make people happy with her music. – Her powerful stage presence is underlined by a captivating elegance. – In 2018 she was listed as one of the most successful people of Hungary. Bernadett is maybe not what you expect from a violinist… In her own words: “There are so many different styles of music in the world, as there are so many foreign languages. Regardless of the different styles, music still remains the most beautiful international language.

Although I studied classical music for years, but when I realized that I could bring happiness to audiences by playing an evergreen song, film music or a jazz tune, I then decided I would play all types of music so that I can make everyone happy. My show offers an incredible array of musical styles, showing as I mentioned, the endless possibilities playing the violin. It is a true variety selection… classical, folk, film music, musicals, jazz, LIM

country… all played in my personal style with my own arrangements. Miles of Styles. I hope that everyone will find their favorite.” Join violin virtuoso Bernadett as she performs a selection of your favorite songs from classical music, movies and Broadway along with her native Hungarian style all performed with a modern twist. A night of music for everyone to enjoy! So laugh, cry and watch in awe as the virtuoso daughter of Hungary puts her bow to the strings.

Lazie Indie Magazine spoke to Bernadett Nyari to know more about her musical journey so far and about her plans for future.

Thanks to Michael Stover and MTS Management for introducing this fabulous musician to Lazie Indie Magazine. Let us read...

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LIM: You have had a rising career in music so far creating a substantial fan base worldwide with our music. When you look back, how do you feel was your journey so far?

Bernadett (Nyari): I think I am very lucky to be, where I am at the moment. I still have so many things to achieve in my life of course. But when I think about where did I start, I know I came far and I am very thankful for that.

LIM: Who were your musical influences and how did you arrive at this genre you play?

Bernadett: There are so many classical musicians who influenced me a lot.

Heifetz, Oistrakh, Kogan etc. Most of all, my grandfather. However, my dream has always been to showcase the unlimited possible music styles playing the violin.

LIM: How do you go about selecting your songs?

Bernadett: I have been traveling and performing around the world since I was 13 years old. I met so many people and I performed to so many different types of audience. I always ask them what their favorite song is. In all these years I learnt so much about people's music styles in general. Every time I select a song, I am thinking about my audience. Always. If they will like it, how they would like it, etc.

LIM: How do you record and produce your music? Do you have any special gear/recording system which you feel is important to bring out the kind of voice you want? If so, why?

Bernadett: Most of my songs I record in Budapest, Hungary as my producer is from there. We work together since 2016.

I usually go to his studio and we brainstorm together. When we both know what we really want, we start to record.

LIM: Where do we find your music on the internet?

Bernadett: Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes Apple music https://music.apple.com/ hu/album/hungarian-dance-no-5/ 1464838196?i=1464838197

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"I am 100% myself only, when I am on stage".

iTunes https://music.apple.com/hu/ album/miles-of-styles/1464838196 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/ 1EjvrerFnXl0Au0qYfjOeJ?si=iN5F59o5Q 4ieVn51y4RtkQ Youtube: www.youtube.com/ bernadettofficial LIM: What gives you the kick, writing, producing or playing live and why?

Bernadett: This is my life. That's what gives me the kick. There is nothing I love more than playing. I love writing and producing as well, but what makes me the happiest is performing. To be on stage. To give music to the audience. To give love to the audience. To give them passion and to

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make them forget their bad days... to bring them out from the grey days. I love it so much. I am 100% myself only, when I am on stage.

LIM: Tell us about the success of your single "Redemption”?

Bernadett: Usually I play cover songs only, so this was my first original song which I released. I was very excited about it, because I just couldn't wait for the reaction of the people. Both. Positive and negative. It made me very happy, because it was a huge success. Most of the people told me, if they wouldn’t know, that it was my song, they would know immediately, because it just sounds like me. The other best compliment about Redemption was, that everybody who listened to it once, they were singing the melody all day. I think that is just the best compliment a musician/composer can get.

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LIM: Being a very successful musician yourself what would you tell an upcoming musician to keep in mind when a) he/she is struggling to get recognized and b) once he/she has just made a mark in the scene and needs to sustain here?

Bernadett: Unfortunately I don't think I can give you a perfect recipe for that. I think the most important thing is to believe in yourself. First of all, music is the most beautiful international language which connects people from all around the world. If you can connect people with your music... What is magic. If you enjoy what you do and you do it with your heart you can only go forward in your life.

Believe in yourself and never give up.

LIM: Thank you for your time and it was great speaking to you.

Bernadett: Thank you

LIM: How are you coping with the new realities post the Covid scare especially when the live music scene is hit hard?

Bernadett: Honestly, it was the most difficult time in my life. I always used to be very busy with traveling, performing and having concerts all around the world.

In 2020 after Covid hit, I had nothing for almost a year. This has never happened in my life. I missed to play music and I missed to perform very, very much. I am very thankful, that finally we went through this and I hope it will never happen again.

LIM: What are your immediate future plans say, for 2022?

Bernadett: You mean for May? I have a very important concert in May and I am very excited for that. The biggest Hungarian event in the USA will take place on May 12, 13 and 14. My version of the song 'America The Beautiful' became the official song of the event and the organizers asked me to have a concert on the last day of the event. I am honored and I can't wait. Other than that, I will have some exciting video shoots in the near future and also some European tours.

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Brother & Sister, Melody and Vaylor Trucks-fronted Allman Family Tribute on tour this Spring and Summer throughout the USA, are taking their place among the finest bands influenced from that important musical era. In addition to Melody and Vaylor Trucks, Brother and Sister include Eric Sanders (The Yeti Trio, Col. Bruce Hampton), Garrett Dawson (Butch Trucks and the Freight Train, The Bird Tribe), Willis Gore (Bonnie Blue, The Melody Trucks Band) and Matt Stallard (Chris Duarte Group). Their recent set at Suwannee Rising featured a tribute to Vaylor and Melody's musical roots, the Allman Brothers Band, as they are the two eldest children of Allman Brothers Band co-founding member and drummer, Butch Trucks. Melody and Vaylor are interviewed in this month’s issue of Lazie Indie Magazine, below.

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LIM: What's the overall music concept behind the Brother & Sister project?

Vaylor: There’s an amazing music camp that happens every year in the Catskills called Roots Rock Revival. It was founded by our father, Butch, along with Oteil Burbridge and Luther and Cody Dickinson. I have been one of the artists/ instructors there since 2016. One of the guest artists we had a few years ago was Jeff Franca - drummer for Thievery Corporation. He and I had kind of a bonding moment over Stevie Wonder’s early 70s music and decided to do a project together. That ended up being an Allman Brothers tribute project out of Colorado called The Family Peach - a very limited kind of run with Jeff, Melody, me, Todd Smallie, Bill McKay, my primary musical collaborator Eric Sanders and local guitarist James Dumm. When we returned from Colorado, Eric was actually the one that suggested getting a similar project together in the southeast, so we began scouting for musicians that we thought could take on the material. I’m happy with the lineup we have. Garrett Dawson played with me in Butch Trucks and the Freight Train Band and Pete Orensten and I had a hippie/prog/jam trio for a while called Bonobos Convergence. Willis Gore comes from Melody’s solo project and Matt Stallard has been Eric’s go-to bassist for all manner of music for years. Because that’s the thing I wanted to do with this band. I didn’t want us to go the route of traditional tribute bands. The model I am using is that of Dweezil Zappa and his Zappa Plays Zappa project. Rather than trying to put together a band that looked and sounded like The Mothers of Invention with their same costumes and props, he instead put together an ensemble that was capable of performing the music the way the composer intended.

That’s what I want to do here - execute the music of the Allman Brothers not note for note but keeping true to both the composed and the improvisational elements present in their music.

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answer for this question. The players that are part of this project approach the music with the right intentions.

LIM: As the children of legendary rocker and founding Allman Brothers Band drummer Butch Trucks, how do you properly carry on the legacy and rich tradition of Southern rock?

Vaylor: Properly? Oh wow, if there’s a proper way I’m probably not doing it. For most of my musical existence I have tried to acknowledge my lineage by attempting maintain an encyclopedic knowledge of the Allman Brothers’ material (no easy feat), while simultaneously trying to establish my own voice that is distinct enough from their sound and approach that, theoretically at least, people could hear and enjoy what I do without immediately drawing comparisons.

Mostly, though, I never miss an opportunity to evangelize the fact that there’s more to what the Allman Brothers created than is typically inferred by the label “Southern Rock”; there is a large amount of jazz and sophisticated musical components in the songs of the Allman Brothers.

Melody: Not sure if there is a "proper" way..., but I am always brought back to LIM

how our father approached music in general. Letting yourself get into those musical spaces where ego is lost and true communication between the players is achieved. As he would say "sometimes it's a train wreck", but those times when it's not - there's no better feeling on Earth.

LIM: Brother and Sister have been booked to play some of the bigger Jam band-type Festivals this Summer, including the recent Suwannee Rising and the upcoming Peach Festival. Thoughts on this?

Vaylor: I’m so very grateful - we love playing the festivals! Over the years, all of us in the band have played many festivals like Wanee, Music Midtown, Sunfest, etc. in our other projects. Suwannee Rising, I felt, went very well this year. It was great to be back at Spirit of Suwannee Music Park. It was great to reconnect with some friends I hadn’t seen in years. And we’re all really looking forward to Peach Festival. Montage Mountain is a beautiful park and the vibe there is always amazing.

Melody: Incredibly grateful and excited!

Suwannee Rising was such an amazing weekend! Being back at Spirit of the Suwannee always feels like coming home.

After spending every Spring there for over a decade attending the Wanee Festival, being able to play there just feels right. I can't wait to get up to Montage Mountain for Peach Fest!

LIM: Melody and Vaylor are also hosting a special monthly "Blue Jay Concert Series" in Jacksonville at the Blue Jay Listening Room, with guest appearances by well-known musicians such as Luther Dickinson, Jimmy Hall and others. Who are some upcoming artists who will be appearing as part of this Concert Series?

Vaylor: The next one we have coming up is in June and that’s with Victor Wainwright and Pat Harrington. I’m really looking forward to that - it will be our first one with a pianist and the opportunity for bigger arrangements and more involved tunes is something I am really looking forward to. Beyond that, we have several folks who have expressed Page52

interest and we’re actively working towards getting dates confirmed, but I don’t think we’re at a place to announce anything past June just yet.

Melody: "The Blue Jay Sessions" is something very near and dear to my heart. Blue Jay Listening Room, owned

by Cara Murphy, is one of my favorite venues, hands down. This series is allowing us to not only play music together (I LOVE playing music with Vaylor), but we also get to bring in some of the best musicians out there. Our next weekend is June 10th and 11th with Victor Wainwright and Pat Harrington.

LIM: What are some 'Desert Island Discs' you each would take with you to listen to (DID means that's all you could listen to on the island). Name at least 5 artists.

Vaylor: Limiting it to just 5 might be tough, but I’ll try. The two albums that jump to mind immediately are “Bitches Brew” by Miles Davis and “Solstice” by Ralph Towner. I never ever get tired of either one of those. Along with Frank Zappa, John McLaughlin and Ralph Towner are my two biggest heroes on guitar. Picking only one Zappa album might be impossible though. Can we pretend that everything from Hot Rats to LIM

One Size Fits All is a single album and include that? After that, there are dozens that could go into the two remaining spots. Bookends by Simon and Garfunkel, Wooden Smoke by Mike Keneally, The Natch’l Blues by Taj Mahal, The 1969 recording of Pierre Boulez conducting the Cleveland Orchestra performing Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, Stevie’s Innervisions, Word of Mouth by Jaco Pastorius, Escalator Over The Hill by Paul Haines and Carla Bley, Ask The Ages by Sonny Sharrock, We Like It Here by Snarky Puppy, Live At the Regal by B.B. King, I Can See Your House From Here

by John Scofield and Pat Metheny, Young Gifted and Black by Aretha Franklin, Wave by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Black Market by Weather Report, In The Jungle Groove by James Brown, Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Chick Corea, The Beatles, The Meters, I could do this all day (smiles).

Melody: Wow... this is a tough one....

Only 5? I am going to assume that would be 5 outside the sphere of our family's music, because that comes with me everywhere. Stevie Wonder (Pick one Innervisions, Talking Book, Music of My Mind, Songs in the Key of Life), Little Feat (Once again - pick one - Waiting for Columbus, Dixie Chicken, Feats Don't Fail Me Now), Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man, Edie Brickell - Ghost of a Dog, anything by Kaleigh Baker..... too many to only have one spot left.... The Meters, Dr. John, the Band, James Taylor, CSNY, Carole King, Joni Mitchell.

LIM: We all know, it’s hard to peek into the future with any degree of certainty, but let's try: Where do you both see Brother & Sister being as a band, musically, recordings and shows-wise, five years from now?

Vaylor: It’s really hard to say. It would be a fine thing indeed if the music of the Allman Brothers still resonated enough with folks that this project would remain viable. I can tell you for certain that 2023 is going to be a pretty big year for us, if all goes as we hope. Next year is, after all, the Page53

50th anniversary of the release of the Brothers & Sisters album, and we definitely have plans to celebrate that.

Mostly I’m really happy to be making music with my friends and family, and to the capacity that I’m able to do so, I’d like to continue. Melody: Hopefully still going strong. I see it as an honor to get to play this music with these players.

LIM: Any thoughts to share with our readers about Brother & Sister or anything else?

Vaylor: After 2 years of not playing live at all, it’s been amazing getting the opportunity to take the stage and make music again - and with a 7 piece band, no less. Mostly, though, I’m still coming down from the emotional intensity of the past couple of years - and in many ways I feel they’re still ongoing. But I believe in art. I believe in creativity and expression.

I believe that making positive connections with people any way you can is always a worthwhile endeavor.

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Melody: I am incredibly grateful to be doing what we are doing now. My brother is an inspiration to me both musically and as a human being. Eric, Garrett, Pete, Willis and Matt are all amazing musicians, but they are also genuinely wonderful people. I am also grateful for everyone who chooses to come and spend their time with us when we play. It's wonderful to have the opportunity to get back out again.

Connect with Brother & Sister: www.brotherandsister.band/epk instagram.com/broandsis_band/ twitter.com/broandsis_band facebook.com/broandsisband - Thank you

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Wherever Mishko goes, other musicians are quick to hear from him. The paradox of this often discreet and reserved bass player is that you always notice him! A look, an attitude and above all a flamboyant bass playing make you remember the first time you saw and heard Mishko! This personal and musical charisma, his attachment to human values command respect and have enabled him to lead a successful career in so-called popular music as in traditional or improvised music. Thus, he has multiplied collaborations with leading artists such as Raul de Souza, Barbara Hendricks, Ziskakan, Lucky Ali, Ray Charles, Shy Ben Tzur, Selva Ganesh, Didier Lockwood, Johnny Halliday, Guthrie Govan... A long stay in India has further enriched the artistic spectrum of this open mind, always eager to learn about other cultures. If his return to Reunion was precipitated by the ups and downs of life, today he blesses the destiny that brought him back to this island: He finds there in

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the diversity of his influences a rich crucible to express all his artistic maturity acquired over this rich journey.

Guitar virtuoso Santhosh Chandran starts his new column "Maestro Speaks" speaking to this fantastic musician.

Santhosh (Chandran): Hi Mishko, welcome and thank you for participating in my column Maestro speaks in Lazie Indie Magazine, great to speak to you, my friend. You have had a fabulous career as a musician so far, when you look back how do you feel your journey was?

Mishko: Thanks Santhosh. A long career, yes, a fabulous? I have still to wait to know. Anyway, if I look back, I feel I had the chance to embrace many different kinds of music; from Western classical Music to Rock, Jazz, Rai, Carnatic and Hindustany Music etc. But more important to me, the possibility to share experience with many musicians from all over the world taught me the fact that Music is a universal language.

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Santhosh: Who initiated you to music and how did you to turn into Bass Guitar?

Mishko: I started the music school at the age of five studying the clarinet and music theory. My clarinet teacher, Mr. Delpech, was quite strict and I didn't like that.

Much later, I understood its philosophy and I applied its method to the instruments that I had the opportunity to practice afterwards. I started the drums, which was not taught at that time at ten years old. Later, my older brother playing guitar, I got into it too. I started playing bass by chance with the orchestra in which my brother was playing and I loved it. I felt in love with bass.

Santhosh: You have played with great artists. What would be the few great qualities you can list from them that you could gather from working with them?

Mishko: The main quality would be humility. I was able to observe that the more talented an artist is, the more humble he is. I think it's because the Page57

Discussions with a label are in progress. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ebvP7GFJUf0&t=3s

more competent you are the more you can realize the immensity of your domain; here the music. On top of that, you have to be humble to be able to learn and in music, you learn for life. The other necessary qualities are hard work, perseverance and patience. The three walk together.

Santhosh: What are your latest projects?

Where can we find them on the internet?

Mishko: After living in India, I have been on Reunion Island since 2017. I met very good musicians and singers there, which allowed me to continue my musical journey in other directions. I started various collaborations. With the singer Sundri Feeling, I produced and cocomposed a cd which is currently out on the platforms: Sundri https://fanlink.to/ SundriFeeling-Music I'm also part of Sly Sugar band. We released a cd in early April: Divided. https://deezer.page.link/ QDaw5ShGVaiDFJ8k7 And the Clip video: https://youtu.be/ 6u9RxCorrBo I was able to put together a jazz trio, Mishko M'ba Trio. We have recorded a cd and live videos which we hope will be released at the end of the year.

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Santhosh: What makes you satisfied? A great song created, or a fantastic live performance pick your absolute favorite and why?

Mishko: It's a very difficult question to answer. The first thing that comes to mind is that music is a language, so it would be a live performance. But in the studio, we also talk between musicians. I don't really enjoy composing on my own.

Music acquires meaning when there is an exchange. I cannot fail to speak of the experience we had together with Arka.

The way we composed, arranged and recorded in Selva Ganesh's studio together for weeks followed by concerts in India and the USA might be my absolute favorite example. It was very hard, moreover having to stop for reasons beyond my control. But luckily I had and I still have many happy experiences.

Santhosh: I have seen you hum along with your lines when you improvise. Does it help?

Mishko: It helps me, I think, to have a bit of a singer's phrasing. On bass, you can play non-stop for hours. With the hum, I have to stop at some point. That being said, it is only instinctive and uncontrolled.

Santhosh: Even though you are from a different culture how would you manage to do Indian Carnatic rhythms so easily?

How do you adapt to cross cultural music?

Mishko: I first came to India in 2001 to record the album Rymayer with the Réunion group Ziskakan. I was the director and I was impressed by the ease of the musicians to understand Reunionese music. As I congratulated him, the santoor player, Ulhas Bapat, simply replied: Music is music. I have always kept this answer in mind. She helped me a lot when I came to live in India. When I was younger, I had a bad experience with Zouk. I didn't know at all and found myself in the studio not Page58

knowing what to do. I tried to copy and it went very badly. From that day, I learned that you just have to be yourself and open your ears and your heart.

Santhosh: You have often told me that you communicate with nature. Can you elaborate on that?

Mishko: We are used to seeing the world anthropocentrically. As if everything had been created just for us. The humility I was talking about earlier includes listening to everything around us. As a musician, I think we are a medium between the material and the spiritual. I don't think the human being is superior to anything. We are part of a whole that we do not understand very well. Music is a subtle language that allows beyond the aesthetic side to express, as Aldous Huxley says, the inexpressible.

Santhosh: How do you view spirituality in music, are there times when music takes you to that zone? How would you explain it?

Mishko: I have been said in India that practicing an instrument is a kind of yoga.

I was surprise but now I quite agree with this. This goes back to your previous question. When I think of Nature, I include minerals, of course, but also LIM

objects. In the same way, spirituality invites itself into all aspects of life. And for me, music is the means that human beings have found to represent time, therefore life. There is no music without time. I think music begins when the cycle of birth and death of notes begins.

Without time, it is the eternal Ohm. Music comes with rhythm, is the death of one note, the birth of another and thus the creation of melody and harmony.

Santhosh: Finally, what was the best advice you got which you can share with upcoming musicians who are looking to make a mark, and what would be your own words of wisdom to them?

Mishko: I don't know if it's the best, but it's the first from Mr. Delpech, my clarinet teacher. First of all, work on the sound, the notes will come by themselves. And later, practice the scales and exercises very, very slowly. It took me, I believe, more than twenty years to understand and then admit it. When you're young, you want everything right away. We think we are going faster without realizing that we are learning some mistakes that will be difficult to get rid of. As for me, I can tell them to be aware of how lucky we are to be doing something we love. But above all, don't be afraid to miss something. Life teaches us many things with our mistakes. At the end of the day, it's just music.

- Thank you

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About the Columnist Santhosh Chandran is an ace guitarist known as the inventor of the Indo-Flamenco style of guitar playing. He has also developed on his own, a unique guitar-based instrument called Geena. He has played along with masters of music from both east and west and traveled all across the world with his music. A producer and performer of music, He is also a very respected tutor and has churned out many great guitarists who are now spreading their music and skills all over the world. Santhosh Chandran seeks to present some of the greats of music through this column "Maestro Speaks".

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Born Pietro Nannucci in Prato/Italy in 1999, Roc Flowers moved to United States at the age of 2 and lived also in Morocco and Spain, write and sing in English but also Italian, Spanish and French. Passionate of music, he listened and listen diverse genres and artists. He started to write lyrics and music at age 16 and evolved in a multi genres artist, hip hop/rap, nujazz, pop, reggae with deep messages to his fans and listeners. Roc Flowers words “My vision is to create art that transcends borders and boxes. I want to collaborate and create with artists from all over the world while experimenting with all kinds of sounds and genres, making music that empowers human beings. Exploration and innovation are the key. There are infinite ideas in the air and it is up to us to grab them and turn them from something mystical into something material. He participated to several collaboration projects with international artists and musicians from various countries and genres like Fabrizio

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Bosso (jazz/Italy), Stefano De Donato (funk/Italy), Sonny King (hip hop/rap/ USA), Ismaila Mbaye (ethnic/Senegal), Antonio Farao (jazz/Italy), Burcu Karadag (ethnic/Turkey) and achieved multiple awards at the Global Music Award and a nomination at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards in 2021. His song “Speak Life 3.0” was featured during NAMM 2021 in Los Angeles in the Mark Bass program. He signed with Music for Love/QJP Music recording label in 2019 just before the Covid pandemic started.

Jay from Lazie Indie Magazine speaks to this upcoming superstar... Check out!

Jay: Hi, Roc Flowers, welcome to Lazie Indie Magazine, great to speak to you.

You have had a very exciting career so far as a musician. How do you feel was your journey?

Roc (Flowers): Thank you for the LIM

questions. I believe my music journey is just getting started, I really began focusing on music just two years ago so I feel like I still have an entire universe to discover. I really enjoy songwriting and creating paintings with music, I want to learn how to play all kinds of instruments but for me the goal is to become the greatest songwriter I can be rather than becoming the greatest musicians. I want to use music to tell stories.

Jay: Who/what were your musical influences? Out of the genres of music that you create and perform, what is your absolute favorite and why?

Roc: To me everything is an influence, even the music I personally don’t like in some way, shape or form influences me.

Inspiration and influence however are two different things I guess, my greatest influences I would say are the music my father played for me when I was a little child, Bob Marley, Miles Davis, Carlos Santana and Dizzie Gillespie. Pink Floyd Page 63

also is a massive influence for me. I must say, I don’t have a favorite genre, that is an impossible question for me to answer I’m afraid, I live and breathe music 24/7.

Jay: How do you go about writing your songs? How do you record and produce your music?

Roc: Every song is different, I almost go into a trance when I write or play or produce. I sometimes feel like it is something much bigger than me speaking through me, I see musical creation as a very mystical experience. I am only 22 years old but when I create, for a brief moment, I feel eternity and infinity flowing. I don’t have a process, I just trust THE process.

Jay: You sing in Italian, English, French and Spanish and across genres … how do you navigate through the languages and genres especially when each of these languages carries the cultural aspects too.

How do you match that?

Roc: When it comes to singing in different languages I am blessed to have been raised in environments that pushed me to think in different languages, if I think in a language I can surely write and sing in it.

I am blessed to have been exposed to so many different cultures so this aspect of LIM

channeling the culture isn’t much of an issue, I am always myself though, I do not change my energy whether I’m making folk music in Italian or rap in English. I try to keep the same spirit always and just be myself.

Jay: Which is your latest release? We learned that you had great reviews on the same. Do let us know more about it.

Roc: My latest release is a Soundcloud EP called Lofi Philosophy, it is a very experimental creation that melanges new age rock with 90’s lofi hip-hop along with some instrumental music that I produced.

Jay: What do you like the most? Writing, producing or performing?

Roc: I haven’t performed much so for now I would have to say between writing and producing and to be honest I cannot decide, I think writing and producing at the end of the day are all one. I do believe however that for now I am more of a creator and visionary than the final end producer, so I will say I am more absorbed by writing than producing in this moment of my artistic path.

Jay: What is your plan for the immediate future say, 2022 as a musician? Got to know that there are some very exciting projects lined up for you. Do tell us more about them.

Roc: When it comes to more official releases the next months will bring forward my more official projects including OVISION, an album where I collaborated with great musicians from Italy and my debut solo album Always Searching for Freedom which I plan to release in fall of 2022. These projects are going to be both very special. I wrote all the lyrics and sung everything in OVISION, coming up with the concept of the album in terms of vocal aesthetic and the general story the music will tell.

Jay: You are signed with Music for Love and QJP Records. Tell us about working with them and the support they give to musicians like you.

Roc: I believe in Music for Love greatly; it is my father’s label and my father is a visionary in his own way while it is still a very small label as of right now in terms Page65

of numbers etc. I believe Music for Love in the next thirty years could become one of the most revolutionary entities in music history. The flower is just starting to be watered, time will show the true vision and the potential Music for Love has. After seeing how some of the “major” labels work, along with most managers in the music business etc. I am happy to work with people I love and trust, I want to keep my inner circle small.

Jay: What is the best advice given to you and what would you share with fellow young artists?

Roc: The best advice I have received is from my dear friend Ismaila Mbaye, a great musician and philosopher from Goree, Senegal. He speaks about the “art of living” often and I simply want to channel my art of living into my music, I would give the same advice to any creator on this planet. Follow your heart and never go against what you stand for to please others.

- Thank you

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Yesterdays Fate is a band formed by songwriters from Canada and Ireland. Their music takes listeners to a distant place within the genres of pop/rock with their eclectic catalogue of melody driven songs. A prime fusion of emotive vocals, expressive keyboards and powerful guitar licks where each member gets a platform to showcase their talent and shine in the limelight. It is in their individual uniqueness that their collective power and star quality is found, a great contrast to their name as their musical journey continually unfolds to their destined global reach. Jay from Lazie Indie Magazine speaks to Yesterdays Fate to know more about them. A big thanks to Big Records for introducing the band to Lazie Indie Magazine.

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Jay: Hi, this is Jay from Lazie Indie Magazine, Great to speak to you!. You have had a very exciting run as a band.

How do you feel was your journey so far?

YF (Yesterday's Fate): Hi Jay, first off thanks for having us! The journey has been amazing, to be working with the same group of friends for this long has been a blast and we still feel like we can keep improving and writing new songs that will make an impact.

Jay: How did this trans-national band come together? Who picked whom?

YF: We actually formed after we did a post in MySpace – yup it’s been a while!

We had a number of music demos without vocals and couldn’t find anyone that matched our vision as a vocalist/ writer. So we posted an ad with a link to our demos on MySpace. Damian sent us back a recording with his vocal takes and it was awesome. He’s over in Northern Ireland and we are in Canada so we started writing over skype and here we are!

Jay: Who were your musical influences and how did you arrive at this genre you play?

YF: Do you share similiar musical influences as a band? Our influences are similar – Jim and I are really into the bands like The Beatles and Pink Floyd, we also really love the rock bands of the 80s and throw in 90s grunge for me as well.

Damian has a wide range from current country but also the British scene of the 80s/90s – Oasis, Stereophonics for example. He still says Aqua and their song I’m a Barbie Girl is a massive influence - we thought it was a joke at first but it might be true Jay: How do you go about writing your songs? How do you record and produce your music?

YF: Usually one of us will come up with a musical snippet – maybe it’s just a rough guitar/vocal take or a musical idea with no vocals – from there we start layering and developing it over e-mail. Once we have something we all like we have our guitar player Jim at his ImaginationFX studio engineer the tracks. We have a LIM

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great network of drummers and bass players that we use as we love having a live sound and feel in our recordings.

Jay: Where do we find your music on the internet? Which is your latest release?

YF: Like all hard working Indie bands we have our social media band sites on Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud and YouTube. We are also on streamers like Spotify and Apple music. Our latest release is a song called Best Life which is doing well – it came out just a few months ago.

Jay: What gives you the kick, writing, producing or playing live and why?

YF: All of the above honestly but we definitely have spent most of our time writing and I think we all get a massive kick out of hearing a new idea and then collaborating on the development of it.

Pretty cool to take an idea out of the universe and turn it into a song! Live shows are coming up though so we are really excited – or as Damian would say IM

chuffed - to play live again for the first time in over 6 years!

Jay: The lockdown brought the industry to a halt for some time but many in music used it for creating new music. How did you spend this lockdown as a band?

YF: Honestly things didn’t change too much for us – we were so used to writing and collaborating online that we just kept on rolling along! One of our proudest moments though was writing a song early on in the lockdown called Stay at Home in support of all of the front line medical workers. It went over really well as we have family in that profession and we are forever grateful!

Jay: What are your immediate future plans?

YF: We will be performing for the 1st time in over six years this June so we have been busy rehearsing for that and we have a number of new singles and videos that will be coming out before and during the summer, including a collaboration remix Page70

on of one of our songs called Caught in the Headlights with Ed Sheeran’s cousin Jethro Sheeran aka Alonestar.

Jay: What is the best advice given to you and what would you share with fellow young artists?

YF: There is always temptation to follow trends and orient your writing towards that – we did for a number of years in attempt to “chase the business” but ultimately you have to be true to what your collective influences bring for you as a band and trust that you will create songs that are honest to your sound!

Jay: Thank you for your time and it was great speaking to you.

YF: Thank you as well – we enjoyed the interview!

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Tomiko Dixon Grand Blues Review presents the young and upcoming blues artist Harrel Davenport.

Artist: Harrell 'Young Rell' Davenport Genre: Blues Inspired by Jimmy Reed. At a very young a Harrell has demonstrated his talent as an upcoming star in the blue scene. Granddaughter of Blues Tomiko Dixon speaks to Harrell 'Blues Boy' Davenport to know more about his career so far and his plans to entertain Blues Audience in the near future. Let us read on...

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Tomiko: Who inspired your most recent project and or music?

Harrell: The person who inspired my music the most would have to be Jimmy Reed. As well as myself and my life.

Tomiko: Who would you most like to collaborate with and why?

Harrell: Bob Stroger and Billy Branch and the reasons why is because they are really two of thousands of blues singers/ musicians in Chicago. That still do blues music and show business how it was done back then. Which is the true sincere way.

Tomiko: What is one message you would like to give other artists that are inspired to get into the entertainment industry?

Harrell: My message to others is don’t be afraid to ask questions. Strive and have the hunger and passion to share your music to the world. Don’t be afraid to be you and always be confident.

Tomiko: Which entertainer(s) do you admire the most and why?

Harrell: The main entertainers I admire the most are people like Birdlegg Pittman, Charles Wilson, Billy Branch, Bobby Rush, James Brown, Little Milton, myself and many more. Because of not only their voices and their songs their stage presence and high energy.

Tomiko: What is the best advice been given to you?

Harrell: To be yourself and stand up for what you believe in. Also not to let anyone knock you down and if you do strive to get back up.

Tomiko: What’s next for you? Do you have any upcoming gigs or events?

Harrell: Yes, I have a couple of gigs coming up which I’m unsure of dates yet.

Tomiko: How would you best describe your music or project?

Harrell: My music is traditional, contemporary, warm, some smooth, some rough but all energetic and heartwarming. Some about bad times some about good times but all is real raw blues with a feeling.

Tomiko: On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest): What rating would you give

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yourself on this music or project?

Harrell: I’d give myself and my music a 5.

- Thank you

About the Columnist This column is contributed by Tomiko Dixon who is the granddaughter of the Great Willie Dixon and also the youngest inductee to the Blues Hall of Fame and an Ambassador of Blues. Lazie Indie Magazine is glad and honored to join her cause to keep the spirit of Blues alive.

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David Helpling is a California-based guitarist, keyboardist, recording artist and film composer of ambient and electronic music. “Music is always in my head. That’s how I write. I’m always dreaming.” His solo releases include his debut, Between Green and Blue and Sleeping On The Edge Of The World. His collaborative ventures with Jon Jenkins resulted in a trilogy of beloved albums: Treasure, The Crossing, and Found. Rune continued his solo journey into ambient guitar explorations of new places under the sea. Now, in 2022, David has revealed his double album, IN. Crafted over a decade, this rich release is a multi-instrumental take on the infinitesimal and the infinite, rich with vocal and instrumental collaborations featuring Miriam Stockley, Nidhi Bhatmuley, Matthew Stewart, Benjy Wertheimer and Matthew Schoening. Jay from LIM speaks to David Helpling...

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Jay: Hi David, it is an honor speaking to you. This is Jay from Lazie Indie!!! You have had a fabulous career as a guitarist/ producer. When you look back, how do you see your career over all these years?

David(Helpling): I suppose my career has fallen into place as I moved through the many discoveries of using traditional instruments in very untraditional ways.

Early on, echo units and modulation delays shaped how I perceive electric guitar to be. At almost the same time, I discovered the art of sampling and what synthesizers are truly capable of. So with “space guitar” on one side and dreamy synths on the other, my first record just sort of happened. Each subsequent record was a reflection of deeper and further discoveries. So I kept pushing, searching and dreaming and the “career” was following me in the form of larger and larger sounding records.

Jay: Coming to your guitar works, who were your musical influences? Why did you pick up ambient music as your main genre?

David: It started with U2 I think… in early high school it was the sound of The Edge, Charlie’s sound on the Simple Minds records and a few others that sounded like the most magical thing in the world to me. In my quest for this mystical chiming guitar sound I went deep into effect pedals and signal processing (this is still happening). As I was building my refrigerator-sized rack of effects I found myself spending most of my time making the guitar sound like something fluid and endless… this annoyed band mates and ended up with me making my own music.

I didn’t choose Ambient as a genre, it chose me I think.

Jay: You have had a great run in whatever roles you took so far as a guitarist, film music composer, producer and more.

What keeps you going equally strong in whatever you take up?

David: To be honest, when it comes to recorded music I really just want to impress anyone that experiences it. I want people to have an emotional

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reaction to anything I create. This is perfect for thriller and horror scores where a strong emotional reaction is the very thing you're hired for. I have more ideas than I will ever have time to explore. The projects are stacking up as I am determined to move forward and create something that no one has heard before. When I am gone there will certainly be many unfinished grand ideas.

Jay: You have done music scores for films and TV serials the world has watched and heard. What do you consider before you pick up a movie project and how do you go about working with that?

David: Well, I have been very fortunate to get projects with a certain amount of integrity and challenge. Film-wise they have been horror or thrillers which I absolutely love to create. Most of the TV work is rather commercial. I also own a couple of music publishing companies through which I publish most of the commercial music. This is what really LIM

keeps the fires burning in the castle. Last year I was chosen out of many to create several signature mnemonics for the new Discovery+ streaming platform. The producers cited both my commercial work and my ambient releases when I was awarded the project. This is the first time these two worlds have collided.

Jay: As a guitarist and producer, you have played along with greats whom the music world reveres. Tell us, who was your absolute favorite to work with and why?

David: My favorite would have to be working with vocalist Miriam Stockley. If your readers are not familiar I highly recommend a search. I have been a huge fan of everything she has touched since the early 90’s. She brought her very special sound and techniques to two songs from IN - “Slipping” and “I Too Am Coming Home”. I had so much fun layering, treating and building all of her parts for these tracks. There is simply no soul on this planet that comes close to the Page79

enthralling and very intimate perfection that is Miriam Stockley… can you tell how much I love working with her?

Jay: What is your favorite thing to do: Write, produce or play live?

David: Well, I love making huge sounding records and I have no plans of stopping, but I do not often perform live. I deal with a certain amount of stage fright and to be honest, at this point it would take a massive ensemble to recreate the sound of my music for a live performance… especially music from IN. Jay: Can you tell us a bit about your latest project? Where on the internet can we find your music, apart from music scores for films?

David: IN is a 13-track double album created over a 10-year writing and recording odyssey. It is an epic, sonically expansive recording of infinite soundscapes, intricate pulsating guitars, synths, and thundering percussion. IN was released on April 15th on SPM (Spotted Peccary Music) and is everywhere you can stream music. It’s also on Double CD and a rather insanely crafted Double Vinyl package. There are quite a few incredible music videos up on the official YouTube channel, including 4 LIM

from IN: https://www.youtube.com/c/ DavidHelplingOfficial “An ocean of beautiful sounds that reverberate deep within you, sending warm waves of pleasure that gently crash against your soul and bring solace. Deep and intimate experience.” - Takeshi “This new album by the Californian guitarist exposes nearly 90 minutes of acoustic-electronic music that mixes its wild rhythms with lunar ballads and where chills, if not tears, are born in the recesses of an intense, dramatic and poignant music.” - Sylvain Lupari “A lot of attention was paid to detail, mixing and mastering this highly emotive music.” - Bert Strolenberg “IN is an exploration of that magic space: an expanse of delicate subtlety and minuscule vibrancy that suggests a poignancy of existence itself,” - BT Fasmer "Cosmic energy is at play.

Helpling seems to be communicating with worlds far beyond ours.” - Beth Ann Hilton Jay: Being a top guitar player and a producer, what in your opinion makes a great guitarist?

David: I don’t feel that I am quite qualified to answer such a big question with any kind of authority. I myself use the guitar in such an odd way compared to most that I feel a bit poorly versed in the works of the great guitarists of our time. I would say though, that any guitarist that can create and find a unique voice and distinctive style to set them apart is indeed a great one.

Jay: What was the best advice given to you? What would be your advice to an aspiring Indie artist who is talented and willing to put that extra effort?

David: I suppose my advice to aspiring artists would be to create music for yourself and only for yourself. If there are rules, break them. Any grand ideas must be taken seriously no matter the cost.

How much time you spend on your art is irrelevant. In the end it is a piece of you and will live on forever in the minds and hearts of those that let it in. Isn’t that enough to compel you to create the most beautiful and powerful piece of art even if Page80

it takes years? Make something new, make something you and share it with pride… for it will be your best work and will end up changing the world. We thank you for your time and for sharing your thoughts with our readers. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to my music and to ask such deep and challenging questions.

Jay: Thank you for speaking to Lazie Indie Magazine.

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History of Canadian Content Corner and Canadian Content Conversations Series

Introduction Lazie Indie Magazine’s Second Year Anniversary!

In celebrating the magazine’s second Anniversary, I decided to write a piece on my reflections on working with Lazie Indie Magazine and how I came to be one of the writers as well as what my contributions have been, over the last two years.

In July of 2020, I was approached by Jay Pillai and asked if my band Dream Aria would like to be featured in his new magazine called Lazie Indie Magazine, which offers music and the arts as its content. I was happy to hear from him and grateful for the chance for my band to appear in his up and coming publication. From what I could see, even in its earliest conception, I knew it was likely going to be a great success. I noticed that the quality and care shown by Jay, the Lazie Team and within the magazine, was very professional and that the artists were world class. As a teaser promotion, he was kind enough to create a video advert of my band (https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=260987112103308) and as promised, my band was included in the magazine’s second edition (https://madmagz.com/ magazine/1795775?fbclid=IwAR20kKUgJjcl4dzmsCM86wFefAjEDRwE1LbvZt_sx0RxzkZ_2Vl5otr_ik#/page/4).

The band and I were very appreciative, especially to be presented along with so many other very talented artists from around the world, of all styles. I felt that the all-inclusiveness of every genre was very powerful and important. Not long after the second edition’s release, Jay asked if I would be willing to write my own column for the magazine and feature any artists who personally inspired me as a musician. I was very surprised as I had never before been given such a wonderful writing opportunity of that nature. I of course happily accepted his kind offer! I chose one of my earliest music influences to write about; Streetheart. I took a leap of faith and gathered as much courage as I could and contacted Jeff Neill (Guitarist of Streetheart) and asked if it would be ok with him and the band if I did a piece on them. He thankfully answered with a resounding “Yes!” It was a learning curve because I generally had only been writing lyrics, poems, and short stories up to that point. After some research and communications with Jeff, I realized that it would not be possible to create a short article on the band since they are long standing Canadian music iconic legends. They deserved more. I advised Jay of this and he proposed doing an entire full magazine feature on Streetheart in order to tell more of their inspiring story! I was most grateful to Jay and the magazine team for allowing me this new wonderful chance to create something I had not considered attempting before. It felt as though I was beginning to spread my wings in a sense.

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An article is one thing but a whole magazine another! We then decided to do an abridged version feature for the regular magazine edition and then not long after publish the full magazine tribute. Fortunately both were a success therefore Jay kept me on as a contributing writer which is when I officially chose the “Canadian Content Corner” (aka “CCC”) title for my new column. I felt that I should represent Canada because I have far too many times seen Canadian talent fall under the radar on the global playing field. Canada is not the only nation to encounter obstacles, which is why the magazine representing all musical styles from all over the planet is much needed. Jay and the Lazie Indie Magazine have more than done a stellar job at doing so over the past two years. I pledged to continue writing about

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Canadian artists with the new column. I asked Jay if he would be ok with me embarking on conducting Zoom interviews with artists to work in tandem with the column and call them “Canadian Content Conversations”. He liked the idea so I rolled with it. My first Zoom interview was with the legendary Darby Mills, formerly of the famous Canadian band Headpins and now solo with her band The Darby Mills Project. I wrote a short article about her as well as another full magazine feature.

Listed below are all the works I have done with the Lazie Indie Magazine including a very special tribute to the incomparable Neil Peart of RUSH and a Zoom interview with the illustrious Donna Halper who is noted for discovering RUSH and helping them to catapult to famedom.

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Past Articles and Features Streetheart Article: https://madmagz.com/magazine/ 1817229?fbclid=IwAR0XaVbtOYZ3FTAz Cws0MXCpqFhQWfyPJ4pqOYsGby_Z3WLpVHTWdmLIWo#/page/75 Streetheart Full Feature Magazine: https://madmagz.com/magazine/ 1819813#/ Karen Barg/Luminous String Quartet Article: https://madmagz.com/ magazine/ 1831827?fbclid=IwAR08JaH_fYSJLcSnY UbxpztX746i9FVRJZ5PHjHOFHhEtIw24TWPhzGIoQ#/ page/32 Darby Mills Article: https://madmagz.com/magazine/ 1845463?fbclid=IwAR37uaVdj8xQ4Zw2Ni6uQn6lEftnT4RRFR3Nhui_1jE3Wy5_ RJIomZ88XY#/page/80 Darby Mills Full Feature Magazine: https://madmagz.com/magazine/ 1847801#/page/1 Darby Mills Zoom Interview: https://youtu.be/DiZbTRRl6qg Donna Halper Feature Article: https://simplebooklet.com/ lazieindiemagazineedition17september27 2021release#page=67 Donna Halper Zoom Interview: https://youtu.be/m4M8YWGnuko

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Neil Peart Full Feature Magazine: https://simplebooklet.com/ lazieindiemagazinespecialeditionneilpeart 1#page=1 Current Feature Most recently, I was pleased to announce on behalf of myself and the Lazie Indie Magazine, the OFFICIAL Premier of the Canadian Content Corner magazine feature for the Special Tribute Series. I felt it was preeminent to create this piece due to the current events unfolding within Canada in regards to Truth and Reconciliation and other ongoing issues in relation to Indigenous Peoples. Therefore I chose to highlight the wonderfully talented

Canadian Indigenous artists Betty Albert, Clayton Gauthier, Jordan M Burns, Kalum Teke Dan, Michael “Cy” Cywink, Pesch Veronica Nepoose and Vince Fontaine. It also includes special, extra mentions of the late Canadian Indigenous icons Vince Fontaine and Jacquie Black with thoughts on them from Karen Barg (Luminous String Quartet/Indian City), and Jeremy Koz (Indian City).

There is some additional information on the bands Eagle and Hawk and Indian City as well as some other “Honorable Mentions”, (Donny Parenteau et al) and Inuit references. Also, you will see a very unique and moving story about a beloved Canadian “Spirit Tree” named “Woody”! I have also included a “Foreword” on what it means to me personally to be a Canadian today in regards to Truth and Reconciliation (“Foreword-Moving Forward:How to be a Canadian Today: Ignorance is not Bliss”).

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Also withinCanadian Indigenous Art: Learn “Why Indigenous art is important to Canada.”

Intro: Due to there being many incredible Indigenous artists in Canada, I chose a modest selection to interview and mention at this time; most of whom graciously answered seven interview questions. Also included are links to others in the hope that readers will further explore as well as more of Canada’s inspiring Indigenous talents. It is plain to see how and why the artists instill a deep sense of pride, honour, wisdom, beauty, bravery, and strength as well as spirituality, in the varied communities within Canada and around the globe.

Dedication: This Special Edition feature magazine is dedicated to Vince Fontaine and Jacquie Black. Both recently made their journey to the hereafter. They were two leading lights in the Indigenous music family; both having worked to support and connect other artists. Their work of education and inclusivity will continue to inspire non-Indigenous peoples to actively strive for true reconciliation.

Thank You To: The artists who took the time to express their candid thoughts on themselves and their contributions to the Music & Arts fields as well as their feelings about some of the current events unfolding within Canada.

Other Relevant Links: Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Indian Residential School Survivors Society Help Hotline etc…

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The DIRECT LINK to the CCC Indigenous feature is: https://simplebooklet.com/ canadiancontentcornerfulledition4?fbclid=IwAR0qgS8aHaCYOhPR5Z0iY4yJ42sr0 ZfMAcfrrv47eOhHB_FVKylRhvS8eFI#page=1 Thank You to Jay Pillai and the Lazie Indie Magazine Team for their integral help in creating not only this feature, which saw me ‘branch out solo’ for the very first time, but also for all the guidance and support thus far.

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History of Lazie Indie Magazine’s Beginnings with Commentary from Creator Jay Pillai eing an Indie artist for more than 30 years, it was a tough ride for Jay. When he started in 1991 with his friend Manoj, they were considered crazy and irrelevant in the local music scene as they were performing original Rock songs that Jay had written.

He felt that India being a country that has its “own music”, that it was not the right demographic for their material. It took many years to reach people who appreciated their particular style of Rock. In time, the internet helped them take their music across the world. His band joined many communities to promote their music where they at last felt truly heard and respected. They grew a fan base who love their music. From that point, Jay went looking for opportunities to introduce and connect artists like his band from both sides of the oceans and worked on a wide variety of music related projects in what he calls “bits and pieces”. Lazie Indie Magazine was the outcome of the friendships he had forged with Indie musicians worldwide while promoting his music. His friend Manoj was steadfast in his belief in him and supported Jay through thick and thin. When Jay started LIM, he had a few things in mind. Firstly, musicians have an unspoken “understanding” of each other, so who better to represent their “own”. Secondly, he felt that it should be a true international magazine and not become attached to any one musical geography. And thirdly, he wanted every artist, big named or otherwise, to have excellent coverage in the magazine and not just small mentions such as quarter-page references. He firmly believes that every artist deserves their fair chance to be noticed. He went on a quest to find contributors and began to study each potential one well before he asked them to write about fellow musicians. He felt they had to have a genuine interest to support fellow musicians and also the capability to present them in a professional and entertaining manner. He insisted that each person would need to state their identity to the readers in their respective columns so that people would sincerely appreciate their efforts which in turn could help inspire them to stay onboard. The magazine is a fully volunteer based entity. To Jay’s delight, the quality and efforts from the distinguished contributors has only grown.

Each one has spent their valuable time to present fellow artists with utmost care which they might not even do for

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Lazie Indie Contributors Columnists & Interviewers Ann Aria Burstyn Tomiko Dixon Barbara Harkins and DJ Grant - GalaxyFM-NZL Jorg Klein Kathryn Washington Shipley Lyia Meta Emma Goldberg Darshan Shanker Santhosh Chandran Back End Team Proof Reading Inge Zimmermann Probst Promo Creation and Marketing Support Manoj Pillai Founding Editor and Interviewer - Jay Pillai

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need to add a special commendation to Inge Zimmerman-Probst for helping to proofread more than 2k pages of content so far, although each writer does their own proofing as well. One of my close friends and a good artist once said that ‘All Independent musicians are selfseekers who will not put in an ounce of effort to support a fellow artist’. That comment in fact helped push me to put in those extra efforts and now I am actually proud and happy to tell him that I have discovered otherwise. Indie artists actually help fellow artists selflessly and they do a better job at it!”- Jay Pillai, Lazie Indie Magazine Founder/ Editor/ Designer/Promotor

themselves. It is plain to see the power of helping one another. Jay feels that if you keep your goals simple, and authentic, the world and universe, can come to your door. Lazie Indie Magazine shows that you do not need a huge surplus of money or fame in order to build something which the world appreciates. For Jay, the Beatles song comes to mind, "All You Need is Love”. “The artists who write now are those we previously featured in the magazine. I had spent a lot of time with each of them, noting their capabilities and interest as well as inclination to help fellow artists and when I felt the time was right, I approached them. We have been very cognizant of adding people who will be able to offer the most diverse and broad coverage and types of columns. It has been a very rewarding and interesting journey.

Readers so far average 30k for regular editions and 4-5k for special editions, spread across 87 countries as per FB group data. Featured artists are from more than 30 countries so far, all genres included. Almost 2k pages and more 350+ artists have been interviewed. All of this began with only 5 artists and 20 pages. A one man army to start with. I LIM

In Closing Jay Pillai has been modest and humble, hard working, tireless, encouraging, resourceful, supportive, kind, gracious and extremely dedicated. I cannot thank him and the rest of the LIM Team enough for first approaching me those two years ago and featuring my band and then giving me the incredible opportunity to write a column that is now a full-time section of his fantastic and ‘ever- growing’ magazine. I am in very good company with the other writers, contributors, and artists! I am most grateful. I will continue to strive to serve the magazine as well as I am able, in any capacity I can. Thank you to the readership. You continue to inspire our teams and the featured artists from around the globe, with your kind words of support and loyalty. Keep reading and sharing the Lazie Indie Magazine which allows us to celebrate the efforts of some phenomenal musicians/artists who deserve to be seen and heard across the world! And please join me in wishing Lazie Indie Magazine a Happy 2nd Anniversary! I hope for the magazine, much continued success which without the readers, artists and Lazie Team, couldn’t have happened. Kudos to you all with gratitude! Well done! We are all Musicians/Artists helping other Musicians/Artists and I feel humbled

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to be a part of this extraordinary team.

There will be lots more coming soon so please stay tuned!. You can access this article and other current/previous Lazie Indie Magazine editions through Facebook, and Digital News StandsMagzter and Issuu.

Cheers and Bless!

Ann “Aria” Burstyn, CCC (Canadian Content Corner) & Canadian Content Conversations Series for the Lazie Indie Magazine, Singer for Dream Aria, Mother, Photographer, Artist, Advocate for Human Health and Wellness, Lover of and Advocate for Animal/Nature Health and Wellness, Seeker and Sharer of Truth and Beauty in all things Spiritual and The Divine by way of Art,

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Music and Nature with a mission to encourage, inspire and uplift others along their journey in life…

Canadian Content Corner Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/3200350113546169/ Ann Aria’s Offical Website: www.annburstyn.com Ann Aria’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ ann.burstyn.9/ Dream Aria Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ Anndreamaria Lazie Indie Official Website: https://www.lazieindiemagazine.com/ Lazie Indie Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ 692319491585520/

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