It’s been a wonderful year for music in and around Pasadena, and we at ColoradoBoulevard.net have brought you coverage of some of the highlights, ranging from interviews with some of the best artists performing at Pasadena’s much-loved Levitt Pavilion, reviews of sold out rock shows at the Rose Bowl and other major SoCal venues, and coverage of classical works both new and rediscovered. Rest assured that in 2015 we will continue to cover a variety of musical styles, focusing heavily on the viewpoint of the musicians themselves.
By Debra Penberthy
For classical music aficionados and those who are curious about new music from the classical realm, we have a treat for you. You may have read our piece about the premiere of composer Matthew Brown’s piece inspired by his visit to the Mount Wilson Observatory. Now you can listen to the recording of the live performance here. 
As Matthew states in his program notes, the piece is a sonic portrait of his experience at the observatory: “It starts with the slam of two car doors, and continues excitedly as the engine chugs up the winding mountain roads.” Read more about what to listen for in the program notes on the Soundcloud link (right side of the page).
Catch up on what you missed by reading the music articles by our contributors here:
– Interviews and reviews by Debra Penberthy:
Irene Diaz
Hate is such a strong word”…is more about just the fact that people on the internet or anywhere feel they can say whatever the heck they want to people who are pursuing things. And, I experienced that, and that kind of inspired this song to come out of me…Full interview.
Jimmy LaFave
I remember the original idea for Americana; it was like music that could be Jackson Browne and Keb Mo, but it seems like it’s gone heavily toward country, although they call it alt. country. But, I mean just like Jason Isbell, and it’s very Nashville centric to me…Full interview.
Zanaida Robles
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor…work was more popular than Handel’s Messiah, but it fell into obscurity after Coleridge-Taylor’s death. My aim is to resurrect interest in this composer by reintroducing his works into the repertoire of current ensembles…Full interview.
Belinda Kazanci
My great-grandmother died during the [Armenian] genocide and my grandfather and his four brothers were left without a mother. And that’s a story that I have been hearing for my whole life and about the impact of that…Full interview.
Peter Kavanaugh
The thing that attracts me to older music—teens through early 20th Century—is that the average person back then could understand and interpret music with rich harmonic content—deep chord changes…Full interview.
Hot Club of Detroit
We all live in different cities now, so most of our rehearsing happens on the road…Often we will work out a tune in a hotel room and then be like, ‘Let’s try that tonight’…Full interview.
Claire Wylder
I grew up around music, and I started writing music when I was eleven… I am still trying to learn as much about writing as I can before I commit myself to something so large…Full interview.
Thelma and the Sleaze
Describing themselves as a combination of metal, sludge and blues and influenced by ZZ Top and Thin Lizzy, their technical proficiency is truly impressive. However, it’s their gender-bending and highly athletic presence that made for an all-consuming aural and visual experience. The lead singer…is a fireball often sporting an American Flag bikini top…Full review.
Brad Colerick
I was heavily influenced by singer-songwriters like James Taylor and Jackson Browne. Then this term Americana began to surface in the ‘90s…It’s a fairly broad genre that encompasses a lot of ‘roots’ music sub-genres. My sound falls right in the heart of that spectrum somewhere between folk and country…Full interview.
Kids in Concert
…my focus has shifted entirely to trying to develop ways of engaging the students and helping them develop real skill sets that they can use to actually become musicians…Full review.
Jenny Lewis
If you’ve ever had an album that served as the soundtrack for a difficult period in your life, then you know how deeply connected to a song you can feel. Even sweeter is hearing that song performed live when you’ve made it through to the other side, if not happier, then stronger…Full review.
Kathleen Grace
To hear Kathleen Grace sing a song is to enter the world in which that song lives. One can almost see cinematic elements begin to appear: costumes, landscapes, and leading men. Clearly living every word she intones, Kathleen tenderly takes us along for the ride…Full review.
– Reviews and reviews by Roxanne Elhachem:
Magic!
You’ve probably heard the song “Rude” on the radio non-stop, caught yourself singing it in the shower and throughout your day…Magic!, a reggae fusion band from Canada, debuted with its hit single, “Rude,” from its 2013 album, Don’t Kill the Magic….Full review.
Beyoncé and Jay Z.
People from all over flocked to see the king and queen of hip-hop unite together on stage for their first joint “On the Run” tour…The concert was held at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. It kicked off with...Full review.
– Interview by Wafic Khalil:
Debra Penberthy
I believe in the power of music to make the world better—more beautiful, more about the heart, and more just. Many of my songs are sad, but there’s always an undercurrent of hope and belief in a better day…Full interview.
Enjoy, and stay tuned for more musical highlights in 2015!
> If you are a local musician, conductor, or promoter and have a story for our music contributor, let us know by submitting a comment on this page. If you’re a fan of music and have ideas about what types of articles you’d like to see, we also welcome your input here.
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