Indie Ville TV #62 New England Rocker Bill Zanni

Written by Ryn R
                                                                   

"Ever since I was 10 years old…pretty much the only thing I wanted to do was play
music," Bill Zanni muses. Being the only musician in his family, Zanni has been on
stage since he was 14 ("many, many years ago, let's just say that"), exploring a
variety of genres from alternative to jazz, and has never stopped performing.

Currently working on the second album of his own, the first being From Screamin
Red to Silent Blue (2014), Zanni comments how he hears the music before
production begins and later has to write the lyrics to suit the music.

There are no particular themes that Zanni focuses on in his work, instead he finds
inspiration from "…whatever comes outta me, it's God sent…every song has it's own
story to tell."

As a long-time resident based out of Rhode Island, Zanni keeps busy with not only
his self titled personal project but also three cover bands where he also supplies
guitar, percussion, and vocals.

Zanni is excited about his upcoming album yet to be named especially since he and
his band-mates "gained some good ground with the last album."

Catch Zanni's music on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, and his FaceBook page.

Indie Ville TV #61 Photography by Krista Marie Swain: A Look Behind the Lens

Written by K.L. Graham
                                                                                                 

Meeting Krista for the first time, one would never guess her age. With her sparkly speaking voice, and pleasant face this photographer dazzles as bright as the models she photographs.

Growing up in the 70’s, Krista Marie grew bored of the landscapes she learned in school, and instead
turned her camera on her neighbors.  According to Krista this may have a been a little creepy had she
been caught snapping away, but this was the beginnings of a young artist at work; and luckily for little Krista, most of her neighbors loved having their picture taken. Now, just like her neighbors when she was little, people still turn and smile as she takes their photo.

Over the years, Ms. Swain has traveled extensively all the while teaching herself, and taking classes to bolster her knowledge of her craft.  Now living in the Nashville area with her son and boyfriend close by, Krista has been tackling weddings, family portraits, and head shots with creativity and finesse.

Having recently shot with her myself, I can tell you that Krista Marie has an uncanny eye, and a flair for whimsy that captures the essence of the sprite-like-spirit that Nashvillian’s cling to.  Whether she is working with seasoned models, the Indieville crew, or just the mom next door, Krista Marie adds a
splash of beauty of youth to every frame.

Krista Marie is not just another photographer; she is an artist giving people beautiful images of
themselves, and their special moments with her unique flair.

Her ability to step outside of the box, one of her biggest attributes, allows for creative powerful shots
evident in every frame.

To see more for your own eyes Krista Marie’s fresh take on photography and to book your own photo session: you can go to www.photosbykristamarie.com or www.facebook.com/photosbykristamarie

Indie Ville TV # 60 The Rock Icon on the rise Brit Daniels

Written by Ryn R.                                

Celebrating the release of her self titled EPK last month, Daniels reminisces on
growing up an only child with supportive parents who encouraged her love of
music.

"I was the only musical person in my family…the random oddball," she laughs,
explaining how her late father influenced her and motivated her to pursue her love
of music.

Her musical ability and passion for performing started at a young age, introducing
her to the recording studio at the age of 13 while continually maturing and
developing over the years in her hometown of Arlington, Texas,

Her dedication to music pervaded her college years, leading her to find her own
pop-rock style while gaining valuable experience performing live in various venues
around Dallas.

After relocating to Nashville to investigate the radio and artist management scene,
Daniels remarks that it "…helped me so much to think of it (music) more as a
business," allowing her to build professional relationships while giving her insight
into "…the huge mega-business that it is."

Although she misses her home state, Daniels comments that there are "so many
more opportunities here" musically and venues to play at that she feels very
welcome in Music City.

Relocating to Nashville also gave Daniels an opportunity to explore more genres of
music outside of country while becoming familiar with local recording artists,
songwriters, and producers alike.

Her songs of love and heartbreak can be found on her website, britdaniels.com,
iTunes, and Amazon.

Indie Ville TV #59 The new wonder woman of music Fawn Larson

Written by Ryn. R
                                                                                 

                                                                                                   

 Reflecting on one of her first musical experiences in Nashville, Fawn Larson
describes her love of local venue, The Basement, and how it's ambiance and feel
make it"…definitely one of my favorites places to play."

Recently moving from the heart of Cajun country, Larson was surprised at how
easily she felt welcomed and at home in the musical diversity of Nashville with her
indie/Americana/ alt-country vibe.

Her transition to Music City strengthened her bond to her original home state of
Louisiana, prompting her to record her new solo record, The Sway, on her native turf
where her expertise in harmonica, guitar, and fiddle support her engaging vocals
and motivational lyrics.

"Songwriting for me is really personal...I kind of fall into it…It's never been an issue
for me to not finish a song," Larson explains, mentioning how she is driven to
improve herself , her music, and how she connects with her listeners.

Even though writing is very personal to Larson, she is not adverse to sharing her
innermost thoughts and feelings with her audience, many of whom appreciate the
intimacy, positive, and understanding that echo throughout her songs.

Larson is excited that her music has already found a home in film, two of her tracks
being featured in Daniel Zirilli's adaptation of Black Beauty.

Although Larson enjoys recording in the studio she absolutely loves playing gigs,
remarking that "recording is a different kind of satisfaction, but live shows are
where it's at," and happily anticipates her performances here in town.

You can catch her live and local at The Basement on September 13 and then Mercy
Lounge on September 28.

Larson's music can be found on iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon, and her website,
fawnlarson.com.

Indie Ville TV #58 The Tremendous Wyle Band

Written by Curtis Gardner

                                                                       
How did the group come together? Did any of you know each other prior to joining the group?

A: We first met at a party in L.A. and started talking about music. The party around us had grown out of control, but we were so into our conversation that we didn’t immediately notice the police had arrived to break it up. We snuck out and later reconnected through mutual friends and began song writing together.

Q: How did The Wyle Band get their stage name?

A: So I (C.C.) had come up with this mantra "With Your Life's Energy". It was something I always said, sort of like a pep talk before any audition or show. Then I (James)
liked and adopted this idea and together we claimed it as our namesake and now our band name.

Q: What are the group’s musical influences? What artist(s) Do you draw the most influence from?

A: We are influenced by so much. James is really into the 60's rock and classic wild west film scores. His influences include Led Zeppelin, The Who, and Stax records. C.C. always found herself drawn to strong melodies with some soulful grit behind them, with artists like Creedence Clearwater Rival, Annie Lennox, Gwen Stephanie, Pink, Chris Cornell, and Adele.


Q: Do you remember your first gig? If so, what was that performance like?

A: Our first performance as The WYLE Band was at a house party in Los Angeles. We were so loud that we thought for sure the cops were gonna show up. We got lucky because the neighbors weren’t home.


Q: What's the process like of creating music in the studio?

A: Studio time for us often starts with either a lyrical or an instrumental idea that we share with the other. This is the foundation for the back n' forth of the creativity flow for a new song for us. Typically C.C. writes most of the lyrics and melodies and James writes the instrumental parts and arrangements. It really is a give and take as we both contribute to all aspects of our music and art together.


Q: What is the group current plans? Are you pushing any new music or have any new shows coming soon?

A: We’re currently recording our 3rd EP and recently we've been fortunate to be endorsed by Mojave Audio, which is a kick @ss company. We are using our new microphone from them for these songs.

Our next upcoming show is Oct.15th with RAW in Nashville, TN. They host really cool shows nationally which consist of local artists showcasing live music performance, a live fashion show, and art goods. It's a pretty large event with all sorts of media
outlets there. So it's a great show to go check out and see. Link to tickets: http://www.rawartists.org/nashville/merge
Q: How can we find The Wyle Band online?

A: To checkout our music, upcoming shows, and other info. you can go to our website http://www.thewyleband.com

Q: What advice would you give a band coming up?

A: To bands coming up our advice would be to find their own sound and to hone it. There will always be obstacles, but realize that nothing good comes easy so keep at it. You will have some accomplishment if you keep on going.


Q: Any final words or shout outs?

A: Thank you to the positive forces in our lives that help us to continue pursuing this dream and to Avrah who has shared with us so much wisdom.