Dan LaVoie

Two acoustic acts will celebrate the release of independent CDs on Friday. Dan LaVoie will bring his full, beautifully sounding harp guitar in Old Bay, New Brunswick, and the roots duo Duende will rock Jac and Company in Eason, Pa.

LaVoie's self-titled eight-song solo disc will appeal to fans of Leo Kottke, Michael Hedges, Bela Fleck, Beppe Gambetta and other acoustic instrumentalists. The guitarist in the amazing Hot Club-meets-Flecktones jazz act Beyond, LaVoie takes a rare stab at lyrical tunes with the socially conscious "Relief" and the bad-day blues of "The News." His instrumental material fares much better because it takes many more risks. His soaring execution will drip the jaws of unsuspecting acoustic music fans and impress those familiar with this young man's chops. The rich tones of "Revival," the whale-like echo of "On the Drive Home" and the spacey, funkiness of "Discovery of Noba" stand out on a disc that should serve LaVoie in spreading his reputation and following.

Sharing the bill at Old Bay will be Beyond, one of New Jersey's most must-see acts, and Hub City singer-songwriter Frank Thewes. The show will be broadcast on Rutgers University's WRSU 88.7-FM. Visit www.danlavoie.com and www.beyondmusic.info.


December 11, 2003


(Dan LaVoie is also a member of the band Beyond.)


- Bob Makin, Courier News

It was Michael Hedges who sent Dan LaVoie on a mission to put the harp guitar back in the spotlight to show the incredible possibilities of this fine instrument. Dan has been playing guitar for a long time and just discovered some 3 years ago all the extra techniques and sounds the harp guitar can produce. Dan, who got his inspiration from, among others, Will Ackerman, Michael Hedges and Michael Manring, has now released his first harp album entitled simply Dan LaVoie. The music Dan produces has deep basses and well-executed melody lines which have melancholic feelings that refer to the sounds the late Michael Hedges was so famous for. Relief is a piece on which he demonstrates his vocal qualities expressed in a groovy & percussive way with his remarkable harp guitar techniques. On the Drive Home has an extreme low bass pattern which touches your lower chakras, and this piece has a kind of hypnotic effect which also occurs on Discovery of Nova. The album contains 7 pieces with a total length of 21 minutes, which is in my opinion too short. Other sublime tracks are Revival & Song for Liz. On the piece The News, his voice moves you again, referring, in a mystical ambiance, to the traffic accident in which Michael Hedges died. The music of Michael Hedges is still transmitted by so many talented guitar and harp players that the inheritance he left will still carry on for decades of exalting music. Dan LaVoie continued on this album and the visions he shared with Hedges in a soulful atmosphere and in a skilled & progressive approach to music with his own entrancing signature.


April 2004 - Henk te Veldhuis, Bridge Guitar Reviews

Dan LaVoie's self-titled CD of guitar music and vocals was released Nov. 1. On the disc, he signs on a couple of tracks, but mostly the collection features the rich, clear sound of LaVoie's harp guitar, which was built for him by Ron Spillers, who LaVoie calls his instrument "builder for life."

According to his Web site, the Somerset section of Franklin resident has been "obsessed" with playing guitar since he was a teenager, when he began performing his own material in coffeehouses and folk venues. He make it his mission to showcase "the long neglected harp guitar," thanks to innovator Michael Hedges, he said.

LaVoie has performed at such venues as The Turning Point, The Stone Pony, Godfrey Daniels, The Point, The Crossroads and The Barron Arts Center. He can also e found playing with the group Beyond.

A few more facts:

Name: Dan LaVoie
Town of residence: Somerset section of Franklin
Profession: Musician
Age: 26
Education: degree in audio engineering
Family members: Two brothers, Matt, 30 and Jon, 20
Goals (personal/professional): To make a living playing music
Advice to others who might want to follow a similar pursuit: Do what you love and don't let anybody stop you
Favorite music performer: Vance Gilbert, Ellis Paul, Vinx, Michael Hedges, Richie Havens.


November 26, 2003
- Bob Makin, Courier News

Jennifer L. Pricci
Phone: 732-291-4JEN
Fax: 732-876-0242
Email: jen@phantompowerproductions.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Music and Entertainment, New Jersey:

Pioneering Harp Guitarist Dan LaVoie Scheduled to Perform at the JPMorgan Chase Sounds of the City Outdoor NJPAC Concert Series on July 28, 2005 at 5:00 PM.

NEW JERSEY (PHANTOM POWER PRODUCTIONS) June 21, 2005 – Dan LaVoie, New Jersey’s premier harp guitarist dedicated to bringing the genre back into the conscious of the mainstream audience, is slated to make his debut appearance at the 7th annual JPMorgan Chase Sounds of the City outdoor concert series, a seasonal weekly event at Theater Square, the New Jersey Performing Art Center’s three-acre public plaza in Newark, New Jersey on July 28, 2005 at 5:00 PM.
Dan LaVoie was born with a congenital enthusiasm for playing harp guitar. At age 15, having outgrown the skill set of 4 instructors in 4 years, Dan’s natural ability encouraged him to begin teaching the instrument to others. During his years as a tutor, Dan, calling on the inspiration of Richie Havens, Will Ackerman, Harry Chapin and more, began composing and performing original material. It was the late innovative guitarist Michael Hedges who launched Dan’s mission to bring back to the forefront the long neglected harp guitarist. Harp guitar in tow, Dan LaVoie set forth to not only demonstrate his excellence in composition, performance and production, but to engage the mainstream singer/songwriter audience. It was in November, 2003 when Dan LaVoie released his debut self-titled album. With a consistently growing fan base, an increase in media coverage and solid on-air exposure, it is no doubt why Dan LaVoie continues to impress and delight audiences across the northeast.
“Dan’s soaring execution will drop the jaws of unsuspecting acoustic music fans and impress those familiar with this young man’s chops” reports Bob Makin, Courier News, New Jersey.
JPMorgan Chase Sounds of the City taps the pulse of Newark's rhythms each Thursday night from 5:00 PM to 9:45 PM, beginning on July 7 and continuing through September 8. This annual outdoor concert series features some of the most diverse music to be found anywhere in the State – from rock, jazz and African rhythms to neo-soul, salsa and blues. Other artists scheduled to perform on July 28th with Dan LaVoie include DJ Stephon Johnson, Spiraling, Matt O'Ree & The Blueshounds, and The Billy Hector Band. New this year, JPMorgan Chase Sounds of the City will feature a vendor marketplace each evening of the series.
"We are pleased to be the title sponsor of JPMorgan Chase Sounds of the City 2005, a free summer music festival at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center," said Frederick W. Hill, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Communications. "Sounds of the City is an integral part of JPMorgan Chase's 'Summer Arts Series' which provides free entertainment at hundreds of venues throughout the metropolitan area. It's our way of thanking the communities where we do business by showcasing the best of music, the arts and other cultural events in our markets."
NJPAC is conveniently located in the heart of the Newark Downtown Arts District, on the Newark riverfront between Military Park and McCarter Highway - near Gateway Center, Newark's Penn Station, and the Ironbound District. ADMISSION TO THIS EVENT IS FREE. For more information, call the JPMorgan Sounds of the City Hotline at 973-353-8046; 1-888-GO-NJPAC (1-888-466-5722); or visit the NJPAC website at www.njpac.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Dan LaVoie: www.danlavoie.com
JPMorgan Chase Sounds of the City: http://www.njpac.org/sitegenerator.cfm?dir=cda&page=page&id=190
New Jersey Performing Arts Center: www.njpac.org
Phantom Power Productions: www.phantompowerproductions.com

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MEDIA ADVISORY:
Dan LaVoie is available for print, online and broadcast interviews.
Interested members of the media may request a Dan LaVoie press kit by contacting Phantom Power Productions.
- Jennifer L. Pricci, Phantom Power Productions