Chicago’s Don Conoscenti is a musician’s musician through-and-through who enjoyed a supportive musical upbringing. While now best known as a decorated singer/songwriter in acoustic circles—he’s a winner of the Rocky Mountain Folks Fest Songwriting Competition and was a National Academy of Songwriters’ Acoustic Artist of the Year finalist—fact is the guy cut his teeth by learning drums before learning guitar, and established his acoustic claim after many years spent as a “die-hard rocker.” Never one to be bound by the limits of genre loyalty, Don is also an accomplished flautist and vocalist.

His “few rules” mentality also applies to his approach to the guitar—he’s the only guitarist I’ve ever seen use multiple capos on a guitar, including partial capos. If you’re a guitar player, good luck trying to figure out how to play his songs just by listening to them. For you he released the hilariously titled Capo Abuse and Guitar Techniques video.

Don’s rock’n’roll beginnings have proven a major asset in his ability to stand apart in an ocean of acoustic-driven songwriters. The rockin’ influences in Don’s work aren’t worn on his sleeve, but instead bubble up through the cracks in a much more subtle manner than is typically associated with rock music. So far, he’s nine self-released albums into his career.

On his latest release. High Desert Sessions, Don turned to PreSonus Studio One to make the entire record on his own. Of the experience, he says, “Thanks to recording software like PreSonus’ Studio One Professional, I can now produce, track, orchestrate, mix, master and immediately upload the finished product to Soundcloud and my Nimbit Store, which then allows me to sell it through my website and social media pages within minutes of mastering. It wasn’t easy to learn how to do all that, but there’s a lot to love about the end result of that process. Thanks for listening and look for a summer 2015 release featuring some heavy hitting guest artists including Ellis Paul and Grammy-winning artists Paul Buckmaster, Bill Miller and Lloyd Maines.”

Demo versions of the High Desert Sessions are available now on his Nimbit store.

Abraham Martinez in his studio

La Carta Perfecta – En Vivo was a big record for Danilo Montero in 2014—so big, in fact, that it won a Latin Grammy for Best Christian Album. The live album was mixed by Abraham Martinez, pictured above, in Studio One Professional 2.

Martinez is a full time FOH audio engineer for Marcos Witt, a well known worship leader and music artist in Latin America. When not working with Witt, Martinez spends his spare time rackin’ up Latin Grammys. He’s collected three in only four years:

• 2011 Best Christian Album (Spanish Language) Lenguaje De Amor Alex Campos [CanZion / MV Records]
• 2012 Best Christian Album (Spanish Language) 25 Concierto Conmemorativo Marcos Witt
• 2014 Best Christian Album (Spanish Language) La Carta Perfecta – En Vivo

We had the chance for an e-mail exchange with Abraham to get some additional details. While Abraham has been using Studio One—and other PreSonus gear—for a couple of years now, this is his first Latin Grammy award for a project mixed in Studio One. Abraham came into the Studio One fold the same way many users do—via PreSonus hardware.

“Back when I recorded more, I used an an M80 preamp and ACP88,” says Martinez. “More recently I’ve used an ADL 600 for tracking vocals and bass. I also use a StudioLive mixer for its audio quality and ease of use for work on our church campus. I have always associated PreSonus with value, but had never considered them a serious DAW developer until I tried Studio One!

“Now I use Studio One for exclusively for all of my mixes in my personal mixing studio, AMmix,” Martinez continues. “We also use it at our church to to record and mix our plays. The main thing that drew me toward Studio One was it’s incredibly intuitive workflow. It felt natural immediately, especially for mixing. I remember having to go back to my old DAW to finish an older project and hating it as it felt primitive in comparison. What kept me working in Studio One however, was its audio quality and professional features. That is something I just wasn’t willing to give up.

“Studio One doesn’t disappoint,” Martinez asserts. “The drum editing and quantization features are the best by far. I love that there are never problems with clicks and pops and everything stays perfectly in phase. Audio quality and ease of use are Studio One’s strengths.

Martinez speaks from experience when comparing Studio One to other DAWs and workflows.

“I found my workflow to be much faster and fluid in Studio One, as apposed to Nuendo, which I worked on before for many years. I recently did a comparison of working completely ‘in the box’ with Studio One against my hybrid hardware/software setup—and I can honestly say that the differences were minimal. I now feel completely comfortable working completely in the box when I have to!”

“I can’t wait to see what Studio One has in store for us in version 3,” he muses.

Watch the video for Danilo Montero’s “Dios de Amor” below:

New Hampshire folkster Tom Rush has been in the game since 1961, and having recently celebrated his 50th year of music-making, it’s not hard to see why the guy has endured so well. He delivers everything a listener could want from an acoustic singer/songwriter—adroit, restrained guitar playing, a voice that quietly compels your attention, sincere, relatable lyrics, and—most importantly—great songs.

Really great songs. An adept humorist with a Harvard English Literature degree, Tom understands critical components that escape lesser songwriters: humor and a great story. Add to that a little bit of melancholy and some surprisingly earthy blues romps, and you’ve got a little something for everybody.

Tom is probably best known for 1968’s “No Regrets,” which has become something of a standard in acoustic circles. This is, of course, only fitting—Tom had a major hand in popularizing the likes of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, and others, by performing their songs early in his career. Both James Taylor and Garth Brooks cite Tom as a major influence. Furthermore, Rolling Stone went so far as to credit Tom with “ushering in the era of the singer/songwriter. Call it full-circle.

A video of his performance of Steven Walter’s “The Remember Song” went viral in June 2012, causing Tom to comment “I’ve been waiting 45 years to be an overnight sensation, and it’s finally happened!” It’s accrued over six million views at the time of this writing.

Tom Rush’s Nimbit Store has a lot to offer, including a whopping 13 albums, a Blu-Ray, and four DVDs—including a documentary and a guitar instruction course, How I Play (Some of) my Favorite Songs. If you’re new to Tom Rush, start with What I Know. It was voted Folk Album of the Year by The International Folk Alliance.

• Click here to visit Tom Rush’s Nimbit Store.
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There’s a paradox inherent in the very notion of country music in an internet age. Country has always been directly influenced by whatever the devil pop music is doing at the time, and crossover hits between the two genres are subsequently commonplace. For better or for worse, this has made for some interesting sonic innovations, and a music writer can’t help but notice that the very things that made country appealing in the first place—earnestness, humanity, and real people playing together in the same room—tend to get a little lost in the digital dustup.

Fortunately for you and I, JP Harris and the Tough Choices play the sort of country music that makes one realize that some things were done correctly the first time around. To both their credit and listenability, Harris and company’s sound is less new-school and more no-school. It shoots from the heart rather than for it, and there’s nary a digital artifact detectable on either of their wonderfully emotive full-length recordings. This isn’t to say the records don’t sound old-fashioned, it’s to say that they sound just right. Perhaps they should have called themselves JP Harris and the Right Choices.

A well-traveled troubadour despite being scarcely over thirty, JP left Alabama to travel the country via freight train at the age of 14, guitar in tow. Over his four vagabond years, JP wound up in California before moving through Louisiana, where he recorded I’ll Keep Calling before settling in Nashville, which is the closest he can call to a permanent home.

JP’s influences don’t seem to draw from any music that came out after 1974. The most overt influences echo Buck Owens, and particularly George Jones and two out of three Hank Williamses in woeful tracks like the titular “Home is Where the Hurt is.” The material isn’t tear-in-your-beer from start to finish, however, as there’s a bevy of boisterous fun in tracks like “Young Women and Old Guitars,” which contains a winking nod to low ends via a double-dose of baritone sax and baritone guitar on the same track.

Both Home Is Where The Hurt Is and I’ll Keep Calling are available from JP Harris’ Nimbit store on CD, digital download, and good ol’ vinyl, which was also done right the first time around.

• Click here to visit JP Harris’ Nimbit Store.
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While Boston’s Vance Gilbert is known largely to singer-songwriter circles, to say he draws strictly from the book of Guthrie would be something of a disservice. While his lengthy discography bears many acoustic affairs, there’s a lot of blues in here. Add the fact that Vance got his start as a jazz singer—you can REALLY hear it in his inimitable, vulnerable vocal tones—and you have a unique blend of influences that create something simultaneously familiar and new. While this would be enough for some artists to get by on,Vance also brings significant guitar and lyrical chops to the table. The Boston Globe puts it better than I could, however, when of 2000’s Somerville Live they espoused, “Young songwriters should study this disc the way law students cram for bar exams.”

Turned out that it wasn’t just young songwriters who took note—over the years, Arlo Guthrie and Anita Baker both chose Vance for their support slot on the road, and he spent a year and a half touring in support of the late George Carlin.

Vance’s Nimbit store is a credit to his prolific recording and release schedule—somehow on top of a busy touring schedule, the man has managed to release a dozen albums since kicking off his career as a humble open mic night regular. Well… as humble as one can be when blowing minds. Some are available as digital download, others as CDs, some as both. Noteworthy among them is Side of the Road, a collaboration with fellow Nimbit torchbearer and close friend Ellis Paul.

• Click here to visit The Vance Gilbert Nimbit store
• Interested in Nimbit? Sign up for free here

Here’s Jonny Hawkins from Nothing More discussing his band’s use of the RM32AI for running backing tracks and monitors during the Juggernaut tour with Periphery! Thanks for your support, guys!

There was a time when the Jersey Shore represented the best in American entertainment. Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, the Rat Pack, Dick Clark, Chubby Checker… they all made stops on the Jersey Shore. Tony Mart’s was the club Levon Helm was playing when Dylan called. Of course, we all know what happened in Asbury Park. The town, ravaged by riots in the late 60s, became a melting pot of musical experimentation. Late-night jams that ended when the sun came up were the norm. Bruce Springsteen and Southside Johnny were the two acts that made their way to an international stage from these humble beginnings.

For decades musicians have come and gone, always hoping to make a living and pursue a dream. Billy Walton is no different. Billy’s proving ground was Long Beach Island. Too young to drive around and enter the clubs on his own, Billy was chaperoned from gig to gig by his mom, always up for a jam and looking to learn some tricks. For years Billy spent his time sharpening his skills, developing his stage act until he decided to step up to center stage with the Billy Walton Band.

Billy’s talent was noticed by NJ legend Southside Johnny and was he invited to join the band. This is when Billy began formulating his version of the Jersey Shore sound. On his latest release, Wish For What You Want, Billy brought award-winning producer Tony Braunagel (Eric Burdon, Trampled Under Foot, Phantom Blues Band) into the mix to turn his musical vision into reality. The resulting sound is straight-up bluesy rock, no chaser,  that’s a perfect fit for a Saturday night or a long drive.

The Billy Walton Band’s Nimbit store offers four full-length albums and an EP, as well as a four-album combo pack for just $20.

Interested in Nimbit? Sign up for free here.

Lori Diamond & Fred Abatelli:

One listen to Lori’s voice and you’ll understand why she’s an award-winner; she was recognized in 2010’s Great American Songwriting Contest, and received Pulse Magazine’s Best Female Vocalist award in 2011 and 2012. Evocative of renowned songbirds like Sarah McLachlan and Joni Mitchell, Lori’s warm, emotive, and pitch-perfect voice conveys vulnerability and confidence in simultaneous and equal measure.

Add capable multi-instrumentalist Fred Abatelli to the mix and you’ve got something of a quiet powerhouse on your hands. The instrumentation on the four CDs available on their Nimbit store is largely piano and acoustic guitar driven, making for a collection of songs that are absolutely perfect for unwinding after a hard days’ work.

Their recordings reward repeat listenings through judicious use of vocal harmony and divergent instrumentation—but never too much of either. Lori’s voice and lyrics are the real stars of the show, here, and the arrangements sensibly give them both plenty of space. Given the duo’s thematic focus on empathy, it seems just that a portion of all of their CD sales go to support NEADS—a nonprofit organization that provides independence to people who are deaf or have a disability through the use of canine assistance

Of particular note, Lori is maximizing the potential of Nimbit’s Calendar feature. Her show listings include not only the critical information of where and when, but even screen caps of the venue’s location on Google Maps to help attendees get their bearings.

A smart move. Also included is venue contact info, links to ticket purchases, and Lori’s own thoughts about the venues and festivals she’ll be performing in, which is a nice personal touch, likely appreciated by venue owners—a little goodwill can go a long way toward repeat bookings. Lori has clearly created some demand for her shows and is planning ahead, as her calendar has bookings well into October of 2015!

• Click here to keep up with Lori Diamond & Fred Abatelli on Nimbit.
• Interested in Nimbit? Sign up for free here.

Jim Weider

Telecaster elite Jim Weider has been in the game for a lifetime. He’s one of those incredible guitarists that has somehow flown under the radar of many—but I’ll put it to ya this way: When The Band reformed in 1985, Jim was the go-to first-call six-stringer to replace Robbie Robertson.

You don’t get that gig without knowing your way around a fretboard. Jim didn’t just get the gig, but kept it for 15 years.

The Weider collaborator name-drop roll call reads more or less like a who’s who of Woodstock-era wunderkinds: The Band, Dylan, Taj Mahal, Paul Butterfield, and more. Further luminary collaborators include other folks you may have heard of—including a guy who calls himself “Keith Richards,” and someone else called “Mavis Staples.”

Oh, and Jim was born in Woodstock, New York. Just sayin’.

Jim’s Nimbit store is largely focused on his most recent effort, PRoJECT PERCoLAToR, a notable diversion from his rootsy roots. PRoJECT PERCoLAToR is a little more on the experimental side of things, instead focusing on multi-layered guitar parts and looped drums and percussion. The result is a series of groove-driven efforts that offer a fresh direction for Jim—one  that listeners familiar with Jim’s pedigree may be surprised by. Studio and live albums are both available.

Something we don’t see every day in the merch section of Nimbit stores is instructional resources. Jim’s got a bevy of guitar instructional DVDs covering blues, country blues, and rockabilly—all of which are available autographed! Also available is the exhaustively researched Get That Classic Fender Sound DVD, an exploration of vintage Fender guitars and amps from the 50s and 60s that gear geeks will flip a chrome tailpiece for.

• Click here to keep up with Jim Weider on Nimbit.
• Interested in Nimbit? Sign up for free here.

Roomful of Blues:

Cards, meet table: Roomful of Blues formed in 1967, and are currently celebrating their 45–year anniversary. Think about that for a second—how many bands can you name that have been around for 45 years and are still kicking?

Hmm, let’s see. Motorhead? Nope, formed in ’75. Cock Sparrer? Close at 1972. The Rolling Stones? Well, they formed in 1962, so they check out OK… but that means when it comes to finding a contemporary for Roomful of Blues, The Stones are the only fair comparison?

Seriously. The Stones? The Stones? Yep. Wow.

While lineup changes are to be expected in an outfit of this vintage, Roomful of Blues is currently a horn-heavy octet fronted by powerhouse vocalist Phil Pemberton. They’ve been known to draw from blues of all shades, and as a result have developed a sound that incorporates swing, soul, and some New Orleans flavor that keeps even blues aficionados guessing as to what the band will do next. Critics have taken note as well, and to date the band has earned five Grammy Award nominations, seven Blues Music Awards noms—including a win.

45 Live was just released on July 30, 2013, in celebration of the aforementioned anniversary. The band packed a three-day party at Mantunuck, Rhode Islands’ The Ocean Mist, and played their hearts out evey night, recording every note. The best performances from the anniversary show make up the 45 Live disc—which sounds a lot better than most live records, BTW.

I understand that some might argue that it’s not about the years, it’s about the mileage—and if so, RoB is the blues’ equivalent of an unstoppable Mack truck that has steadily, reliably been shipping music lovers up and down Highway 95 for a lifetime. The Roomful of Blues Nimbit store boasts a handful of T-shirts, but the real star here is the discography—SEVENTEEN full-length albums available via CD or HD download! In the time I’ve been writing these Nimbit Artist of the Week Posts, that’s the most I’ve seen a band offer. It sets the record for number of records.

• Click here to keep up with Roomful of Blues on Nimbit.
• Interested in Nimbit? Sign up for free here.

Baton Rouge folky genre-benders Minos the Saint bring something new to the table and continually refresh the musical conversation. According to Dig Magazine, their world folk sound is “a swirl of Eastern European Folk, Cajun, Latin, a tinge of classical, all focusing over a soulful singer-songwriter, Peter Simon.”  Dig might call them “world folk,” but we call them “dear friends.”

Minos the saint performs every day of the show at noon.

• Minos the Saint on Facebook

Click here for more on ALL the presentations at NAMM this year.

Another Louisiana original, Startisan’s sound is at once uplifting and arresting—definitely on the rock side of things, but also employing heavy synth and percussion elements that put them light years beyond their peers. Startisan is the second band in the world to tour with the StudioLive RM16AI, which has allowed them to bring complex multitrack arrangements to the stage—arrangements that not long ago were only possible in the studio.

Startisan performs on Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

• Startisan on Facebook
• Startisan on Twitter

Click here for more on ALL the presentations at NAMM this year.