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UPDATE 10/31: Thanks to everyone who made CRUMBS Nite Out at the Linda so much fun.



FLICKR: Set | Slideshow

Photos by BT, Rob Jonas and Rich Krissel.

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ALBANY, NY -- 10/23/2008 -- Albany soul rocker Bryan Thomas will perform a solo-acoustic set and take questions as part of the October 2008 edition of "CRUMBS Nite Out at the Linda," Thursday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.

The event is free to the public.

The show is a continuation of Thomas' efforts to get the word out about his new album 1369 Lights - efforts which have already included free MP3 downloads at his web site bryanthomas.com and heavy airplay on the Capital Region's best alternative public radio WEXT-FM 97.7.

"CRUMBS Nite Out at the Linda" is a monthly celebration of Capital Region independent music that includes a special pre-show music scene mixer and a post-show panel discussion with music industry experts. The October panel will answer the question "Music Critics: What Do They Want?" with writers David Malachowski and Michael Eck (Times Union); Paul Rapp, Josh Potter and John Brodeur (Metroland); and Jeremy Goodwin and Seth Rogovoy (Berkshire Living). The brains behind the operation is Mike Guzzo, proprietor of the web site Capital Region Ultimate Musician and Band Site - a.k.a. "C.R.U.M.B.S."

The musical party continues for Thomas the next evening (Friday Oct. 31) with a short set at Tess' Lark Tavern as part of the fifth installment of the Capital Region's "Why Can't I Be You" show, which finds local musicians covering songs by their fellow Albany artists.

ABOUT "1369 LIGHTS"

"1369 Lights" is Bryan Thomas' fifth official CD release since his 1999 debut "Radio Plastic Jennifer." With its title track taking inspiration from the prologue to Ralph Ellison's novel Invisible Man, the new album is a little louder and more electrified than previous efforts. "1369 Lights" features the brand-spanking-new band the Buggy Jive, which includes Thomas on lead vocals and acoustic guitar; the singularly-named Jennifer on electric guitar; Cleopatra Joanz on bass; and Lady Macbeth on drums.

"1369 Lights" will be available for the first time at the CRUMBS show. The official release is set for the next day - Halloween - when it will be available for purchase online at bryanthomas.com.

CRUMBS NITE OUT AT THE LINDA
Thursday, October 30. 7 p.m. Featuring Bryan Thomas. Post-show panel discussion: "Music Critics: What Do They Want?" WAMC Linda Norris Auditorium, 339 Central Avenue, Albany.

WHY CAN'T I BE YOU #5
Friday, October 31. 9 p.m. With MotherJudge, John Brodeur, Bryan Thomas and many, many more. Albany musicians celebrate Albany musicians. Costumes welcome. Tess' Lark Tavern, 453 Madison Avenue, Albany.

LINKS

• CRUMBS Nite Out
• The Linda
• Why Can't I Be You 4
• Why Can't I Be You 3
• Why Can't I Be You 2
• Why Can't I Be You 1



• www.bryanthomas.com

ALBANY, NY -- (9/15/2008) -- In anticipation of a tentative Halloween official release date, Albany-based soul rock singer songwriter Bryan Thomas has launched an online preview of his fifth album 1369 LIGHTS at www.bryanthomas.com/1369. The preview includes:

• STREAMING AUDIO: The entire album is now available for listening as streaming audio. Adobe Flash required.
• FREE MP3 DOWNLOADS: Beginning Monday, September 22, a free download will be available as the featured "MP3 of the Week." This will continue with a new song each Monday until the official album release, tentatively set for Friday, October 31.
• MORE FUN STUFF: Photos, lyrics, album liner notes and info on Thomas' new band the Buggy Jive.

In addition to the preview online at bryanthomas.com, preview audio is also online at MySpace and FaceBook.

Soul rocker Bryan Thomas hails from New York's capital city of Albany. The Albany Times Union named him "Best Male Singer-Songwriter" shortly after he released his acoustic hip-hop debut Radio Plastic Jennifer in 1999. The follow-up soul rock epic Ones and Zeros was Metroland Magazine's "Album of the Year" in 2002. Samples of Bryan's music, video and poetry can be found online at his award-winning web site bryanthomas.com, and at TheHiddenCity.com, a webzine for underground arts in Albany. Thomas is a founding member of the Hidden City collective.

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Photo of BT and MotherJudge at Tess' Lark Tavern by Luanne Ferris appears courtesy the Times Union.

Albany soul rock singer-songwriter Bryan Thomas was one of nearly a dozen musicians selected by the Times Union to take part in the newspaper's challenge for a musical twist to the annual "Best of the Capital Region" issue, which posed the following question:

"What's your favorite thing about your community? And how would you set it to music?"

It didn't take long for Thomas to settle on singer-songwriter Caroline Isachsen, a.k.a. MotherJudge, and the community she's built around her "Best Damn Open Mic Night Ever" at Tess' Lark Tavern.


"For anyone else on the planet, being a singer and songwriter with as much talent and passion as MotherJudge would be enough. But the good mother (a.k.a. Caroline Isachsen) is also a passionate and tireless supporter of arts in the Capital Region, especially with her legendary open mic nights, which have existed in one form or another at practically every venue in Albany. I'm beyond grateful for her support, encouragement and inspiration over the years - and I'm grateful to be included in the community of misfit musicians and poets and artists she's nurtured with her open mics, which are indeed like open arms."

Learn more online - and see the video - at bryanthomas.com/motherjudge.

What is Sugar Cookie?

Sugar Cookie is a band by proxy; none of the musicians on this recording performed in the same room at the same time. Instead, each phase of the recording was transferred between contributors via the internet and US mail.

Album producer Dan Sorensen conceived of a unique way to make music with artists he admired but whose schedules did not allow for a more traditional collaboration. He recorded complete drum arrangements and passed them on to 4 songwriters: Bryan Thomas, Ben Karis, Martha Kronholm, and Troy Pohl. Each writer applied a unique treatment to their respective pieces and returned them to Sorensen. Olivia Nix then provided supporting vocals to both Karis tunes. From there, the tracks were passed on to Bob Buckley to record bass. Finally, Frank Moscowitz, (in addition to his duties as co-producer, engineer, and mixer) provided guitar, vocal, and keyboard tracks to complete each recording.

The result is a surprisingly cohesive record, and a warm representation of the vibrant Albany, NY music scene.

Soul rock singer-songwriter Thomas contributes two songs: the radio-friendly rocker "Anythang," a lament to the teeny-bopper singer-songwriter of the week, and the soulful "Jealous," which plays on his hesitations in participating in a project with so many talented musicians and songwriters - even calling them out by name.

Learn more at the official site. Stream the full tunes at MySpace. And enjoy.