Posts In Category
Rogue Sounds

Reggae Rock to Lift Your Spirits: An Interview with Frankie Hernandez
When Frankie Hernandez arrived on the Southern Oregon music scene sixteen years ago, he immediately immersed himself. In time he had played nearly every major venue in this area. Hernandez has had his songs featured on TV shows like Myth Busters and Hotel Hell, and he’s shared the stage with

The Soulful Vocal Stylings of a Southern Oregon Angel: An Interview with Shae Celine
Raised in Ashland, Shae Celine got her start studying vocal performance under Pamela Fry at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Currently, she is the lead singer of six different band configurations in Southern Oregon. She continues to perform every weekend at various venues. Because of her accumulated experience with

Jazz Roots, Soul Steam Ahead: An Interview with Danielle Kelly
Raised in Alaska, Danielle Kelly absorbed every bit of performing arts experience she could. In school, she was in every play, every choir; she became smitten with jazz, practicing it all the way through high school. These days, Kelly and her band, Danielle Kelly Soul Project (DKSP) are fresh off

Reviewing “Loveland”: Rick Millward Invites Americana Dreams of Romantic Love with His Latest Release
Released earlier this year, Loveland features Rick Millward playing each of the featured instruments, short the saxophone and steel pedal guitar. Not quite a one-man band, but pretty darn (multi) talented. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Millward lived in Nashville for years before returning to the west coast. But that

In His Blood: Grants Pass Guitarist Honors a Musical Heritage
As a small boy in Guadalajara, Mexico, guitarist and composer Arturo Ville Cordero remembers spotting the renowned wood artisans from Paracho selling their guitars downtown. “They have long poles, filled with guitars, the little ones at the top, and when I was five I saw one of them and I

The Return of Rogue Valley Chorale
The return of Rogue Valley Chorale to live performances is perhaps the most encouraging and stirring indicator that we are finally and fully (?) rebounding from our COVID hibernation and isolation. Sure, a solo singer-songwriter performing in a venue will be and is a welcome return to normal, but consider

Staying Tuned Into Her Gratitude: An Interview with the Distinctive Guitar-Styling Songstress Alice DiMicele
Local musician and activist Alice DiMicele has been an established singer and guitarist in the Rogue Valley for more than thirty years. But last year, she had to change her approach, and learn technology to keep performing for her fans. DiMicele shares about her changes over the past year, and

The Soothing, Soulful Guitar of Jeff Kloetzel
Jeff Kloetzel has been in music for a long time, which is apparent by his polished, sublime performances. Being a self-taught guitar player from a musical family, he has graced thousands of stages, opening for musicians such as Jack Johnson, Natalie Merchant, and Jackson Browne. Locally, Kloetzel plays in wineries,

The Alt-Country Rock Sounds of Parole Denied
“Doesn’t it feel good to be back?!,” frontman Jay Rapp bellowed to the crowd as they forged through their hour-plus long set at Grape Street Bar on Friday, March 12. After the socially distanced crowd’s enthusiastic response to Rapp’s question, the night carried on with the band plowing through their

Family Matters: The Brother Reeds Stay In Tune
Voted “Bestie” band in the Messenger’s last survey of our readers favorites—the very last print issue we were able to produce in March 2020 before shutting down presses for a year—The Brothers Reed are an active and beloved group of, yes, family members. Half of the duo, Aaron Reed talked