Once upon a time, people entertained themselves by making their own music. On porches, in backyards and living rooms everywhere, folks made a joyful sound.

Parlor Tricks recaptures, and updates, this old-timey vibe with a collection of ten timelessly hummable, toe-tapable tunes. It’s like having a group of super-talented friends in your own living room, ready to kick back and let the good times roll.

If Madeleine Peyroux, The Squirrel Nut Zippers or the soundtrack to “O Brother Where Art Thou?” are in your record collection, then you’ll know what we’re talkin’ about.

Add Parlor Tricks to the mix. You’ll be happy about it.

Like every outstanding instrumentalist and jazz composer, Jay Azzolina is not the type to coast on the reputation he's won for himself. And so on Local Dialect, his new project for Garagista Music, the celebrated guitarist does something he's never done on any previous release: Rather than concentrate on one particular genre or theme, he decided to open the doors of his imagination and let the music dictate where it would go. Recorded over the space of a few days at The Cutting Room and Quad Studios in Manhattan, Local Dialect benefits from Janko Radosavljevic's street-smart sonic conception. With his double-barreled background in jazz and hip-hop, the Yugoslavian-born producer invests Azzolina's performances with an urgent, immediate presence.

As a follow up to her solo EP comes Lisa’s first full-length CD, “Hancock Place.” Having toured with famed rocker Liz Phair during The Lillith Fair, played alongside the Indigo Girls, Bonnie Raitt, and Sarah McLaughlin and appeared on numerous television programs -- from The David Letterman Show to performances on Showtime Television -- Lisa Lynne Mathis' music gives voice to a woman’s most intimate feelings.

Add some cool new sounds to your holiday mix with this collection of inspired interpretations of the classics. From an alt rock “Good King Wenceslas” to a bossa-flavored “O Holy Night” to a swingin’ “Jingle Bells” – not to mention the rockabilly “O Little Town of Bethlehem” -- you’ll be surprised and delighted by the fresh new directions these songs take. We’ve also included a few new tunes destined for “holiday mainstay” status.

21 songs + 3 free downloads + a Free Booklet

The little towns along New York's Hudson River, just north of Manhattan, have always attracted artistic types. Even folks with serious "day jobs" frequently indulge their Inner Muse. Garagista Music is a new label devoted to sharing the work of artists you might not otherwise hear.

Rivertown Voices showcases the prodigious vocal gifts of our local singers. Whether it's a jazz standard, a Broadway gem or something beyond category, each performance conveys a passion for bringing songs to life.

We hope you enjoy this virtual visit to our corner of the world.

A collection incorporating every color in the rock palette: from totally modern alt rock, to classic rock stomps, to quiet singer/songwriter introspection. All the artists hail from the artistically-rich Hudson Rivertowns, just north of NYC, but the music is universal. If you want to hear a true cross-section of Rock of the art, check this out.

A single word holds the power to create a lasting resonance in the jazz repertoire, and it also means the bread of life for a singer; the lyric. Wise, unassuming interplay between vocalist and musicians; melodiously arranged.

As Lisa Lynne Mathis puts it, she “sings until she sees better… I will give all I have to what sometimes looks like a mainstream singer/songwriter and at other times looks like a music ministry and I will merge it all together to pursue a career putting forth the “songs of real life.” I hope to touch someone’s heart in a new way, a meaningful way, an authentic way, and to be a voice of a generation which longs to lead our nation one day to a new place of integrity and depth…”

This is Jay Azzolina's third album as a leader and he has chosen the organ trio format in a live setting to unveil his newest compositions. Jay's considerable intuition is spot-on. This warm and empathetic trio with Gary Versace on organ and Adam Nussbaum on drums delivers a live performance that is colorful and truly inspired.