Dinner Party Ideas

Memphis Mae’s Melds Authentic Southern Bbq And Bistro Dining: Croton-on-Hudson Welcomes the “real deal” to Northern Westchester

Thornwood, NY (PRWEB) July 27, 2006

Craving cornbread and Carolina pulled pork? Pining away for tender Texas brisket? Yearning for yummy fall-off-the-bone Memphis ribs?

Crave, pine and yearn no more! Memphis Mae’s has opened its doors in Croton-on-Hudson, and as co-owner Jeff Matros puts it, “We are ready for the toughest critics in town, especially those with a discerning BBQ palette.”

This is because Mae’s is the first authentic southern BBQ restaurant in northern Westchester County. But Mae’s is much more than finger lickin’ good BBQ – it is an eclectic delectable collection of down-home comfort food served in a warm bistro-style setting.

Some of Mae’s most popular dishes include Memphis ribs, Texas brisket, Carolina pulled pork, Georgian fried green tomatoes, Mississippi catfish, fried oyster Po’Boys, jalapeño bottlecaps, blueberry cobbler and Mae’s famous “Nana Puddin” (banana pudding!). Mae’s multiple wood smokers operate 24 hours a day to provide fresh smoked foods everyday.

Mae’s is the first collaboration among Andreas Nowara, Jeff Matros, and Karen Ferencz, all long- time Hudson Valley residents.

Andreas is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America who has worked at some of the most prestigious establishments in the NY metro area. He also founded the popular Raccoon Lodge group of saloons in Ny City. After a long and distinguished corporate career, Jeff cut his restaurant teeth in NY City at renowned restaurants such as the Quilted Giraffe and the Brasserie and has managed restaurants and a jazz club in Europe. at the renowned Quilted Giraffe and managed clubs throughout Europe all before a successful 20-year career in the high-flying telecommunications industry – after which settling down in his community and starting a restaurant with friends seemed a logical next step. Karen is best known for having conceived, created, owned and operated Karen’s Kitchen in Cold Spring, NY.

“Having grown up in BBQ country in the Midwest, I’ve been cooking low and slow BBQ for a very long time,” said Andreas. “Mae’s is a dream come true for me. I’m able to combine my BBQ passion with my formal culinary training and experience, and partner with trusted friends to serve my local community.

“Traditional southern BBQ transcends gender, age, race, and socio-economic status,” says co-owner Matros. “You can walk into any good BBQ shack in the south and find a mixture of young and old; wealthy and not so; white, black and everything in between; blue collar and white collar. We created Memphis Mae’s with the idea of taking that classic bit of Americana and tweaking it to Northeastern sensibilities in four distinct ways.”

1)    Instead of a southern roadside BBQ shack, Mae’s has an inviting bistro setting.

2)    The expanded menu features BBQ but also includes a variety of regional down-home American dishes such as Catfish Puppies, Georgian fried green tomatoes, blackened Mississippi catfish, and Texas chicken-fried steak. Smoked Hudson Valley Sausage and Idaho Saddlebags

3)    Mae’s proprietors set out to ensure that the non-meat eating community would also have many interesting, not easy-to-find-elsewhere dishes (e.g. fried green tomatoes, gumbos, salads, and soups and, smoked and grilled veggies.)

4)    Mae’s take out menu and the requisite packaging provide a wide variety of foods designed to withstand the ride home and yet satisfy the palettes of the entire family.

Michael Grant, founder and proprietor of the famous Black Cow coffee house in Croton, adds “It’s great to see Croton becoming an attractive place for restaurateurs. Memphis Mae’s seems to have found just the right combination of accessible food for both dining-in and taking-out. For me personally, it’s a blessing because I thoroughly enjoy real southern BBQ and Mae’s is about as good as you will find anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon line.”

Mae’s is located ½ mile north of the Croton-Harmon train station on Rte 9 in Croton-on-Hudson. It is open for lunch and for dinner everyday except Monday. Mae’s serves wine and beer as well as a wide variety of other beverages. Memphis Mae’s caters a wide variety of events ranging from including office parties to, graduations, confirmations, birthdays, sporting events, concerts, sporting events, and local community events.

Memphis Mae’s: About The Owners

Andreas Nowara has served as Executive Chef at the Bird and Bottle Inn in Garrison, Executive Chef at the IBM Executive Briefing Center in Poughkeepsie, NY, and as Sous Chef at the Hudson House in Cold Spring, NY.

Andreas was also the founder and proprietor of the Raccoon Lodge group of saloons in New York City, perennially included in New York Magazine’s lists of the top ten saloons in New York. Andreas has also been prominently featured on the Food Network cable TV channel. He has held general manager and wait manager positions throughout the NY Metro area and abroad, including the Brasserie, the Apple Orchard, and Le Paris Bistro

Karen Ferencz opened Karen’s Kitchen – a favorite haunt for artists, musicians, actors, craftsmen and families throughout the Hudson Valley, in (FILL IN).1987. The restaurant “Kitchen” has been was best known for its (FILL IN)combination of wholesome, great tasting casual food served in a country bistro setting and as being a cozy performance venue for musicians, poets and story tellers.

Jeff Matros cultivated his taste for BBQ early on in life. He has dreamed of opening his own eatery in his home community for many years. Although he started out in the food and beverage business as a youth, Jeff has spent the past twenty years in the telecommunications industry where he was ranked as one of the 25 most influential people in telecom for the past ten years and was CEO of a Bell Labs spin-off in the late 1990’s – early 2000′s. Matros, who has worked in and out of the restaurant industry, spent most of his career in telecommunications. Throughout his career, he cultivated a taste for BBQ and dreamed of being in the position to finally open his own eatery according to his own exacting standards. Memphis Mae’s is the fulfillment of that dream.

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Find More Dinner Pary Ideas Press Releases

Memphis Mae’s Melds Authentic Southern Bbq And Bistro Dining: Croton-on-Hudson Welcomes the “real deal” to Northern Westchester

Thornwood, NY (PRWEB) July 27, 2006

Craving cornbread and Carolina pulled pork? Pining away for tender Texas brisket? Yearning for yummy fall-off-the-bone Memphis ribs?

Crave, pine and yearn no more! Memphis Mae’s has opened its doors in Croton-on-Hudson, and as co-owner Jeff Matros puts it, “We are ready for the toughest critics in town, especially those with a discerning BBQ palette.”

This is because Mae’s is the first authentic southern BBQ restaurant in northern Westchester County. But Mae’s is much more than finger lickin’ good BBQ – it is an eclectic delectable collection of down-home comfort food served in a warm bistro-style setting.

Some of Mae’s most popular dishes include Memphis ribs, Texas brisket, Carolina pulled pork, Georgian fried green tomatoes, Mississippi catfish, fried oyster Po’Boys, jalapeño bottlecaps, blueberry cobbler and Mae’s famous “Nana Puddin” (banana pudding!). Mae’s multiple wood smokers operate 24 hours a day to provide fresh smoked foods everyday.

Mae’s is the first collaboration among Andreas Nowara, Jeff Matros, and Karen Ferencz, all long- time Hudson Valley residents.

Andreas is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America who has worked at some of the most prestigious establishments in the NY metro area. He also founded the popular Raccoon Lodge group of saloons in Ny City. After a long and distinguished corporate career, Jeff cut his restaurant teeth in NY City at renowned restaurants such as the Quilted Giraffe and the Brasserie and has managed restaurants and a jazz club in Europe. at the renowned Quilted Giraffe and managed clubs throughout Europe all before a successful 20-year career in the high-flying telecommunications industry – after which settling down in his community and starting a restaurant with friends seemed a logical next step. Karen is best known for having conceived, created, owned and operated Karen’s Kitchen in Cold Spring, NY.

“Having grown up in BBQ country in the Midwest, I’ve been cooking low and slow BBQ for a very long time,” said Andreas. “Mae’s is a dream come true for me. I’m able to combine my BBQ passion with my formal culinary training and experience, and partner with trusted friends to serve my local community.

“Traditional southern BBQ transcends gender, age, race, and socio-economic status,” says co-owner Matros. “You can walk into any good BBQ shack in the south and find a mixture of young and old; wealthy and not so; white, black and everything in between; blue collar and white collar. We created Memphis Mae’s with the idea of taking that classic bit of Americana and tweaking it to Northeastern sensibilities in four distinct ways.”

1)    Instead of a southern roadside BBQ shack, Mae’s has an inviting bistro setting.

2)    The expanded menu features BBQ but also includes a variety of regional down-home American dishes such as Catfish Puppies, Georgian fried green tomatoes, blackened Mississippi catfish, and Texas chicken-fried steak. Smoked Hudson Valley Sausage and Idaho Saddlebags

3)    Mae’s proprietors set out to ensure that the non-meat eating community would also have many interesting, not easy-to-find-elsewhere dishes (e.g. fried green tomatoes, gumbos, salads, and soups and, smoked and grilled veggies.)

4)    Mae’s take out menu and the requisite packaging provide a wide variety of foods designed to withstand the ride home and yet satisfy the palettes of the entire family.

Michael Grant, founder and proprietor of the famous Black Cow coffee house in Croton, adds “It’s great to see Croton becoming an attractive place for restaurateurs. Memphis Mae’s seems to have found just the right combination of accessible food for both dining-in and taking-out. For me personally, it’s a blessing because I thoroughly enjoy real southern BBQ and Mae’s is about as good as you will find anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon line.”

Mae’s is located ½ mile north of the Croton-Harmon train station on Rte 9 in Croton-on-Hudson. It is open for lunch and for dinner everyday except Monday. Mae’s serves wine and beer as well as a wide variety of other beverages. Memphis Mae’s caters a wide variety of events ranging from including office parties to, graduations, confirmations, birthdays, sporting events, concerts, sporting events, and local community events.

Memphis Mae’s: About The Owners

Andreas Nowara has served as Executive Chef at the Bird and Bottle Inn in Garrison, Executive Chef at the IBM Executive Briefing Center in Poughkeepsie, NY, and as Sous Chef at the Hudson House in Cold Spring, NY.

Andreas was also the founder and proprietor of the Raccoon Lodge group of saloons in New York City, perennially included in New York Magazine’s lists of the top ten saloons in New York. Andreas has also been prominently featured on the Food Network cable TV channel. He has held general manager and wait manager positions throughout the NY Metro area and abroad, including the Brasserie, the Apple Orchard, and Le Paris Bistro

Karen Ferencz opened Karen’s Kitchen – a favorite haunt for artists, musicians, actors, craftsmen and families throughout the Hudson Valley, in (FILL IN).1987. The restaurant “Kitchen” has been was best known for its (FILL IN)combination of wholesome, great tasting casual food served in a country bistro setting and as being a cozy performance venue for musicians, poets and story tellers.

Jeff Matros cultivated his taste for BBQ early on in life. He has dreamed of opening his own eatery in his home community for many years. Although he started out in the food and beverage business as a youth, Jeff has spent the past twenty years in the telecommunications industry where he was ranked as one of the 25 most influential people in telecom for the past ten years and was CEO of a Bell Labs spin-off in the late 1990’s – early 2000′s. Matros, who has worked in and out of the restaurant industry, spent most of his career in telecommunications. Throughout his career, he cultivated a taste for BBQ and dreamed of being in the position to finally open his own eatery according to his own exacting standards. Memphis Mae’s is the fulfillment of that dream.

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Find More Dinner Pary Ideas Press Releases

The Spy Place Franchising Launch at the International Security Conference West a Success

Fort Wayne, IN (PRWEB) April 9, 2009

The Spy Place brand was immortalized at the International Security Conference West in Las Vegas. The launch of The Spy Place Franchising at the ISC West provided for a brilliant beginning for the birth of The Spy Place brand. “We were very well received,” said Lorinda Church, President of The Spy Place Franchising, LLC.

“We had the opportunity to speak with an unbelievable number of people in the security and surveillance industry about the unlimited diversity that our business model offers and were thrilled by the excitement generated from our name. We met entrepreneurs who showed a great deal of interest in becoming The Spy Place franchisees as well as those interested in developing complete territories in the United States. We also met with individuals interested in developing complete countries,” Church said. “This is electrifying.”

In addition to speaking with hundreds of people about its exciting brand, The Spy Place spoke with dozens of vendors interested in participating in its approved vendor program. “That was quite a surprise,” said Church. “I expected to have a chance to speak with distributors and manufacturers, but never expected the reception we received. When we got to the ISC West no one had any idea about our company, and to have some incredibly impressive companies approach us to become approved vendors was outstanding. Our franchisees come first and to have the opportunity to offer such a wide and diverse spectrum of products and services to them through such high-quality vendors is fabulous.”

This proved to be a world launch. “We knew that this was going to be big, but the excitement that The Spy Place trademark has generated from within this industry at this show is really beyond belief,” said Tami Smock, Company Spokesperson, “The people that participated in this show, when it comes to witnessing successful branding, well, they truly experienced history in the making.”

The Spy Place business model is one of diversity. By allowing its franchisees the opportunity to expand on the foundation of the franchise – a retail store and security and surveillance installation operation – into multiple and diverse lines of business such as document destruction, personal security, security guard service, computer and accounting forensics, private investigation, narcotic dog detection service, drug testing services, employment screening services and many other arenas in the security and surveillance industry, The Spy Place allows its franchisees to provide all the security and surveillance needs of customers in one business and under one, exciting name, The Spy Place.

“Our business model appeals to any number of entrepreneurs seeking to increase their revenue. Our franchisees will no longer be limited by the constraints of a single business line. Instead, they will be able to shape and mold their business, based on their own interests and abilities,” Smock said. “The Spy Place allows for limitless growth under the umbrella of The Spy Place name. Franchisees can enter venues of the industry that, before becoming a The Spy Place franchisee, they were unable to imagine. The Spy Place brand will have a lot to do with the direction each franchisee will follow. As we continue learning, The Spy Place trademark allows revenue to flow, like water, from any number and combination of income streams in the industry.”

The Spy Place energy is infectious and the potential is unstoppable. “We are constantly realizing new venues that The Spy Place brand will compliment, allowing for our franchisees to continually redefine their place in the marketplace and always allowing for unlimited continued growth,” Smock said.

The launch at the ISC West allowed The Spy Place an opportunity to meet industry professionals that it otherwise may have taken years to meet. “We had the pleasure of discussing the unique opportunity offered by The Spy Place with everyone from ‘Joe the Alarm Installer’ to powerhouse companies such as Guardian Security and Brickhouse. So many of the people I spoke with were drawn to our booth by the excitement generated by The Spy Place brand. It was quite humbling to have so many people come and tell us that we were the ‘talk of the show,’” said Church.

“We would like to extend a special thank you to George Schmid of Edgewood Partners Insurance Center and his lovely wife Laura for inviting us to a very special dinner in the private room at the Mon Ami Gabi in the Paris Hotel and Casino. Sharing dinner with George and Laura, as well as industry giants such as the incomparable Frank Close, CEO of Guardian, on the second day of the company’s existence, was exciting and more than we expected at our launch. Being invited to meet people who define the industry and were interested in what The Spy Place is bringing to the industry was a remarkable experience,” according to Ms. Church.

“We would also like to thank the ISC West as it was the ISC West that made this success possible for us. Nowhere else would we have experienced this type of exposure and excitement for The Spy Place brand. The ISC West has allowed us to do what we hoped to do; build a brand and to come home a bigger company. We have come home with more recognition and energy that we ever expected.”

The Spy Place credits a good deal of its success at the show on Joe Nemchek of Reed Exhibitions, the organizer of the ISC West, for all his support and guidance. Thanks to Joe and the power of the ISC West, The Spy Place press releases received over 715,176 reads after its announcement of The Spy Place launch at the ISC West on March 5th, 2009. Now, with the attention that The Spy Place received from the show, and the branding that has been developed, The Spy Place has been catapulted into a whole new dimension.

“The Spy Place excitement could be felt through out the entire convention floor, The Spy Place owned the show” said Joe Nemchek. “The Spy Place made a tremendous and elegant entry into this industry. I have never seen such immediate and successful company branding in my career. This show was fabulous for them, and it shows what the ISC West can do for a company as well, when it comes to providing complete industry exposure. But still, it all has to be handled right, and The Spy Place made a splash into this industry like I have never seen, and with a creative energy, that if it is ever to be repeated in the future, well, it will have to be known as ‘doing a Spy Place.’ I don’t expect it, but then I didn’t expect this. This show was terrific for them. I can guarantee that The Spy Place will be talked about in the boardrooms of some of the most respected companies in this industry,” Nemchek said.

Due to the outstanding response that The Spy Place received at the ISC West, we find ourselves inviting industry talent to join us. Selecting talented, top of the industry professionals excited about The Spy Place name and business model will grow the company and the franchise system. The Spy Place Franchising plans to bring talented security industry professionals into all levels of the system. The Spy Place intends to continue the unprecedented branding that it has enjoyed thanks to the ISCWEST.

“The Spy Place wants to bring in true industry professionals that like thinking outside of the box and who are ready to take off the blinders and see the growth potential and excitement as well as the diversity our business model brings to both the security and surveillance industry and the franchise system. We want those professionals who when they heard about The Spy Place business model said ‘why didn’t we think of that,’ ‘what I could do with that,’ ‘what a name,’ ‘what a brand.’ Those are the energized and excited industry people we want to hear from,” Ms. Church stated.

“This show confirmed our opinion that there is no end to the potential of The Spy Place in sight. It has the most exciting business model. The Spy Place business model offers diversity and limitless potential from within our own industry,” said Church. “Joe told me that with the showing we made at the ISC West, and the business model we have developed, as well as the exposure we received and the energy we created at the show, this is a company that is going to be looked at by the ‘Big Boys’ right from the start.”

The Spy Place enjoyed all that the ISC West had offer to its fullest potential. “We are a worldwide trade show promoter, we have never before seen a start-up company come into one of our shows and get the attention and generate a buzz like The Spy Place has,” said Nemchek. “This business model is brilliant. Congratulations to The Spy Place, and to a job well done!”    

For more information about the exciting opportunity that being a The Spy Place franchisee offers, contact: Lorinda Church, President at: Lorinda (at) thespyplace (dot) com

###

Attachments

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

The Spy Place Franchising Launch at the International Security Conference West a Success

Fort Wayne, IN (PRWEB) April 9, 2009

The Spy Place brand was immortalized at the International Security Conference West in Las Vegas. The launch of The Spy Place Franchising at the ISC West provided for a brilliant beginning for the birth of The Spy Place brand. “We were very well received,” said Lorinda Church, President of The Spy Place Franchising, LLC.

“We had the opportunity to speak with an unbelievable number of people in the security and surveillance industry about the unlimited diversity that our business model offers and were thrilled by the excitement generated from our name. We met entrepreneurs who showed a great deal of interest in becoming The Spy Place franchisees as well as those interested in developing complete territories in the United States. We also met with individuals interested in developing complete countries,” Church said. “This is electrifying.”

In addition to speaking with hundreds of people about its exciting brand, The Spy Place spoke with dozens of vendors interested in participating in its approved vendor program. “That was quite a surprise,” said Church. “I expected to have a chance to speak with distributors and manufacturers, but never expected the reception we received. When we got to the ISC West no one had any idea about our company, and to have some incredibly impressive companies approach us to become approved vendors was outstanding. Our franchisees come first and to have the opportunity to offer such a wide and diverse spectrum of products and services to them through such high-quality vendors is fabulous.”

This proved to be a world launch. “We knew that this was going to be big, but the excitement that The Spy Place trademark has generated from within this industry at this show is really beyond belief,” said Tami Smock, Company Spokesperson, “The people that participated in this show, when it comes to witnessing successful branding, well, they truly experienced history in the making.”

The Spy Place business model is one of diversity. By allowing its franchisees the opportunity to expand on the foundation of the franchise – a retail store and security and surveillance installation operation – into multiple and diverse lines of business such as document destruction, personal security, security guard service, computer and accounting forensics, private investigation, narcotic dog detection service, drug testing services, employment screening services and many other arenas in the security and surveillance industry, The Spy Place allows its franchisees to provide all the security and surveillance needs of customers in one business and under one, exciting name, The Spy Place.

“Our business model appeals to any number of entrepreneurs seeking to increase their revenue. Our franchisees will no longer be limited by the constraints of a single business line. Instead, they will be able to shape and mold their business, based on their own interests and abilities,” Smock said. “The Spy Place allows for limitless growth under the umbrella of The Spy Place name. Franchisees can enter venues of the industry that, before becoming a The Spy Place franchisee, they were unable to imagine. The Spy Place brand will have a lot to do with the direction each franchisee will follow. As we continue learning, The Spy Place trademark allows revenue to flow, like water, from any number and combination of income streams in the industry.”

The Spy Place energy is infectious and the potential is unstoppable. “We are constantly realizing new venues that The Spy Place brand will compliment, allowing for our franchisees to continually redefine their place in the marketplace and always allowing for unlimited continued growth,” Smock said.

The launch at the ISC West allowed The Spy Place an opportunity to meet industry professionals that it otherwise may have taken years to meet. “We had the pleasure of discussing the unique opportunity offered by The Spy Place with everyone from ‘Joe the Alarm Installer’ to powerhouse companies such as Guardian Security and Brickhouse. So many of the people I spoke with were drawn to our booth by the excitement generated by The Spy Place brand. It was quite humbling to have so many people come and tell us that we were the ‘talk of the show,’” said Church.

“We would like to extend a special thank you to George Schmid of Edgewood Partners Insurance Center and his lovely wife Laura for inviting us to a very special dinner in the private room at the Mon Ami Gabi in the Paris Hotel and Casino. Sharing dinner with George and Laura, as well as industry giants such as the incomparable Frank Close, CEO of Guardian, on the second day of the company’s existence, was exciting and more than we expected at our launch. Being invited to meet people who define the industry and were interested in what The Spy Place is bringing to the industry was a remarkable experience,” according to Ms. Church.

“We would also like to thank the ISC West as it was the ISC West that made this success possible for us. Nowhere else would we have experienced this type of exposure and excitement for The Spy Place brand. The ISC West has allowed us to do what we hoped to do; build a brand and to come home a bigger company. We have come home with more recognition and energy that we ever expected.”

The Spy Place credits a good deal of its success at the show on Joe Nemchek of Reed Exhibitions, the organizer of the ISC West, for all his support and guidance. Thanks to Joe and the power of the ISC West, The Spy Place press releases received over 715,176 reads after its announcement of The Spy Place launch at the ISC West on March 5th, 2009. Now, with the attention that The Spy Place received from the show, and the branding that has been developed, The Spy Place has been catapulted into a whole new dimension.

“The Spy Place excitement could be felt through out the entire convention floor, The Spy Place owned the show” said Joe Nemchek. “The Spy Place made a tremendous and elegant entry into this industry. I have never seen such immediate and successful company branding in my career. This show was fabulous for them, and it shows what the ISC West can do for a company as well, when it comes to providing complete industry exposure. But still, it all has to be handled right, and The Spy Place made a splash into this industry like I have never seen, and with a creative energy, that if it is ever to be repeated in the future, well, it will have to be known as ‘doing a Spy Place.’ I don’t expect it, but then I didn’t expect this. This show was terrific for them. I can guarantee that The Spy Place will be talked about in the boardrooms of some of the most respected companies in this industry,” Nemchek said.

Due to the outstanding response that The Spy Place received at the ISC West, we find ourselves inviting industry talent to join us. Selecting talented, top of the industry professionals excited about The Spy Place name and business model will grow the company and the franchise system. The Spy Place Franchising plans to bring talented security industry professionals into all levels of the system. The Spy Place intends to continue the unprecedented branding that it has enjoyed thanks to the ISCWEST.

“The Spy Place wants to bring in true industry professionals that like thinking outside of the box and who are ready to take off the blinders and see the growth potential and excitement as well as the diversity our business model brings to both the security and surveillance industry and the franchise system. We want those professionals who when they heard about The Spy Place business model said ‘why didn’t we think of that,’ ‘what I could do with that,’ ‘what a name,’ ‘what a brand.’ Those are the energized and excited industry people we want to hear from,” Ms. Church stated.

“This show confirmed our opinion that there is no end to the potential of The Spy Place in sight. It has the most exciting business model. The Spy Place business model offers diversity and limitless potential from within our own industry,” said Church. “Joe told me that with the showing we made at the ISC West, and the business model we have developed, as well as the exposure we received and the energy we created at the show, this is a company that is going to be looked at by the ‘Big Boys’ right from the start.”

The Spy Place enjoyed all that the ISC West had offer to its fullest potential. “We are a worldwide trade show promoter, we have never before seen a start-up company come into one of our shows and get the attention and generate a buzz like The Spy Place has,” said Nemchek. “This business model is brilliant. Congratulations to The Spy Place, and to a job well done!”    

For more information about the exciting opportunity that being a The Spy Place franchisee offers, contact: Lorinda Church, President at: Lorinda (at) thespyplace (dot) com

###

Attachments

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

FORTUNE International Editor Robert Friedman Discusses FORTUNE Global Forum 2007

New Delhi, India (PRWEB) October 5, 2007

FORTUNE International Editor Robert Friedman participated in a Q&A about the world’s premier summit for chief executives, The FORTUNE Global Forum 2007, which will bring together more than 300 global participants in New Delhi, 29-31 October 2007.

Highlights include:

Q. What is the FORTUNE Global Forum and why is it the premier summit for chief executives in the business world? What differentiates the Forum from other executive-level events and conferences?

Friedman: The FORTUNE Global Forum is unique because it is for CEOs and chairmen only; because its program is developed by FORTUNE’s editors; and because it provides a truly global platform for exchanging ideas among dealmakers, entrepreneurs, academics, and executives. It is a traveling road show that stops in a different country every 18 months to continue to the conversation about global business.

Q. The FORTUNE Global Forum was inaugurated in 1995 and has been previously hosted in Singapore, Barcelona, Bangkok, Budapest, Shanghai, Paris, Hong Kong, Washington D.C., and Beijing. Why was India, and New Delhi in particular, selected as the site for this year’s Forum?

Friedman: India was an obvious choice not only because many Indian companies are beginning to compete on the global stage but also because India’s economy is finally opening up enough to attract multinational companies into the country to market products, engage in R&D, and take advantage of India’s high-tech manufacturing sector.

Q. The theme of the 2007 Forum is “Mastering the Global Economy.” Why was this theme selected?

Friedman: It serves the needs of both Indian companies learning how to compete globally and multinational companies learning how to do business in India. And what could be a better topic for all the “masters of the universe” who will be in attendance?

Q. In one Forum session, New York Times columnist and author Thomas Friedman will interview U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson about U.S. perspectives on the global economy. Can you provide any insight on why these thought leaders were paired? Also, what questions would you most want to hear answered by Secretary Paulson?

Friedman: It was a great accomplishment to get Hank Paulson to come to India on what will be his first visit as U.S. Treasury Secretary. As a former Goldman Sachs CEO and now the top economic official in Washington, Paulson brings with him a wealth of knowledge about the global economy.

As the foreign affairs columnist for the New York Times and author of the best-selling book The World is Flat, Tom Friedman brings with him a broad knowledge of India’s role in the outsourcing revolution that has helped reshape the global economy. Who will flatten whom in this encounter? Should make for a most intelligent conversation–and is likely to be one of the highlights of the conference.

Q. Many of India’s top leaders will be attending the Forum, including Honorable Minister for Commerce and Industry, Kamal Nath. Can you explain how these leaders will be integrated into the Forum program and what value their participation will provide to the chief executives in attendance?

Friedman: Finance Minister Chidambaram, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath, Planning Commission Chairman Montek Ahluwalia, and other Indian officials will be spending considerable time at the conference in private meetings and mingling with delegates. This is one of the special things that the Global Forum offers to its guests: intimate contact with the decision-makers in the host country. And, speaking of hosts, Minister Nath will be hosting one of a dozen private home dinners at his residence in Dehli for a small group of FORTUNE Global Forum delegates.

Q. What sessions most interest you at the 2007 Forum?

Friedman: I’m looking forward to hearing many of the great speakers we have lined up, from Michael Dell and John Chambers to Nandan Nilekani. And, of course, to my own panels.

Q. Two FORTUNE Editors will be blogging live from the Forum: FORTUNE Asia Editor Clay Chandler on his Chasing the Dragon blog and South Asia Contributor John Elliott on his Riding the Elephant blog. For those who can’t attend the Forum in person, are the blogs the best way for them to follow the action?

Friedman: Not only are Clay Chandler and John Elliott blogging, but all of the FORTUNE writers and editors attending the Forum in New Delhi–16 in all–will be contributing to the official Global Forum blog at http://globalforum.blogs.fortune.com. In addition, you can view video from select business sessions at http://money.cnn.com/video/globalforum. So, yes, if you can’t be there, this is the best way to pretend you were.

Q. Lastly, what do you think will be the most valuable takeaways for participants after attending the 2007 program?

Friedman: I hope folks get out of the hotel and explore New Delhi. It’s a memorable city. But even if they don’t, they’ll definitely get a taste of India. It’s a chaotic, democratic, sometimes frustrating jumble of people and ideas–just like our program. It’s a nation of contrasts and contradictions poised for economic takeoff. Who said elephants can’t fly?

For more information and to register for The FORTUNE Global Forum, please visit: http://www.FortuneGlobalForum.com.

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Related Dinner Pary Ideas Press Releases

FORTUNE International Editor Robert Friedman Discusses FORTUNE Global Forum 2007

New Delhi, India (PRWEB) October 5, 2007

FORTUNE International Editor Robert Friedman participated in a Q&A about the world’s premier summit for chief executives, The FORTUNE Global Forum 2007, which will bring together more than 300 global participants in New Delhi, 29-31 October 2007.

Highlights include:

Q. What is the FORTUNE Global Forum and why is it the premier summit for chief executives in the business world? What differentiates the Forum from other executive-level events and conferences?

Friedman: The FORTUNE Global Forum is unique because it is for CEOs and chairmen only; because its program is developed by FORTUNE’s editors; and because it provides a truly global platform for exchanging ideas among dealmakers, entrepreneurs, academics, and executives. It is a traveling road show that stops in a different country every 18 months to continue to the conversation about global business.

Q. The FORTUNE Global Forum was inaugurated in 1995 and has been previously hosted in Singapore, Barcelona, Bangkok, Budapest, Shanghai, Paris, Hong Kong, Washington D.C., and Beijing. Why was India, and New Delhi in particular, selected as the site for this year’s Forum?

Friedman: India was an obvious choice not only because many Indian companies are beginning to compete on the global stage but also because India’s economy is finally opening up enough to attract multinational companies into the country to market products, engage in R&D, and take advantage of India’s high-tech manufacturing sector.

Q. The theme of the 2007 Forum is “Mastering the Global Economy.” Why was this theme selected?

Friedman: It serves the needs of both Indian companies learning how to compete globally and multinational companies learning how to do business in India. And what could be a better topic for all the “masters of the universe” who will be in attendance?

Q. In one Forum session, New York Times columnist and author Thomas Friedman will interview U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson about U.S. perspectives on the global economy. Can you provide any insight on why these thought leaders were paired? Also, what questions would you most want to hear answered by Secretary Paulson?

Friedman: It was a great accomplishment to get Hank Paulson to come to India on what will be his first visit as U.S. Treasury Secretary. As a former Goldman Sachs CEO and now the top economic official in Washington, Paulson brings with him a wealth of knowledge about the global economy.

As the foreign affairs columnist for the New York Times and author of the best-selling book The World is Flat, Tom Friedman brings with him a broad knowledge of India’s role in the outsourcing revolution that has helped reshape the global economy. Who will flatten whom in this encounter? Should make for a most intelligent conversation–and is likely to be one of the highlights of the conference.

Q. Many of India’s top leaders will be attending the Forum, including Honorable Minister for Commerce and Industry, Kamal Nath. Can you explain how these leaders will be integrated into the Forum program and what value their participation will provide to the chief executives in attendance?

Friedman: Finance Minister Chidambaram, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath, Planning Commission Chairman Montek Ahluwalia, and other Indian officials will be spending considerable time at the conference in private meetings and mingling with delegates. This is one of the special things that the Global Forum offers to its guests: intimate contact with the decision-makers in the host country. And, speaking of hosts, Minister Nath will be hosting one of a dozen private home dinners at his residence in Dehli for a small group of FORTUNE Global Forum delegates.

Q. What sessions most interest you at the 2007 Forum?

Friedman: I’m looking forward to hearing many of the great speakers we have lined up, from Michael Dell and John Chambers to Nandan Nilekani. And, of course, to my own panels.

Q. Two FORTUNE Editors will be blogging live from the Forum: FORTUNE Asia Editor Clay Chandler on his Chasing the Dragon blog and South Asia Contributor John Elliott on his Riding the Elephant blog. For those who can’t attend the Forum in person, are the blogs the best way for them to follow the action?

Friedman: Not only are Clay Chandler and John Elliott blogging, but all of the FORTUNE writers and editors attending the Forum in New Delhi–16 in all–will be contributing to the official Global Forum blog at http://globalforum.blogs.fortune.com. In addition, you can view video from select business sessions at http://money.cnn.com/video/globalforum. So, yes, if you can’t be there, this is the best way to pretend you were.

Q. Lastly, what do you think will be the most valuable takeaways for participants after attending the 2007 program?

Friedman: I hope folks get out of the hotel and explore New Delhi. It’s a memorable city. But even if they don’t, they’ll definitely get a taste of India. It’s a chaotic, democratic, sometimes frustrating jumble of people and ideas–just like our program. It’s a nation of contrasts and contradictions poised for economic takeoff. Who said elephants can’t fly?

For more information and to register for The FORTUNE Global Forum, please visit: http://www.FortuneGlobalForum.com.

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Related Dinner Pary Ideas Press Releases

Top French Country Interior Designer Creates Tabletop Dreams

Leo Dowell TableTop Design at Georges Brasserie, Charlotte, NC

Charlotte, N.C. (Vocus) June 30, 2010

When Leo Dowell, one of the country’s leading French Country interior designers, takes out his markers and begins sketching detailed French Country design ideas on a large sheet of paper, clients say that’s the first time they’ve really been able to visualize their dreams.

They are astonished at the ease with which he creates a uniquely personal look for them. Upscale French Country and other luxury homes, intimate getaway cottages or authentic interior furnishings seem to leap from his mind directly to the paper. The design that results is not only considerably more than the sum of its parts but also has that elusive Wow factor! that people want but can’t always find.

“I’ve actually drawn designs in a restaurant, on a white tablecloth,” Dowell says. “Once, an architect associate and I were finishing dinner and I asked the waitperson what her dream house would look like if she could have it. She described a fanciful French Country cottage, so we cleared away the plates and silverware and in short order, there it was on the tablecloth.”

Her excitement over Dowell’s design attracted other dining patrons, and soon the place was buzzing with possibilities. “I’ve often thought that concept would make a great HGTV (Home & Garden Television) show or a show on the Style Network,” he says. “We could call it Tabletop Dreams — and then reveal how to actually build the house.”

One thing for certain: people have never seen anything like this designer’s approach, as demonstrated by Dowell’s recent experience in Charlotte’s new Georges Brasserie French restaurant, where he drew the illustration photographed for this article on a tablecloth.

“They came up to the table and said, ‘How’d you do that? Is that a magic pen? It looks like a real house.’

“People are amazed to see their ideas come to life, partly because hand drawing has become a lost art in this digital age,” Dowell says. “Computers are great, but they can be a bit cold compared to a marker drawing — especially when doing French Country designs. And, of course, everything has to come together right there on the paper.”

There’s a detailed richness to Leo Dowell’s illustrations. His drawings may include an antique courtyard fountain, 200-year-old beams for a client’s library or iron balconies from a building on the Left Bank. In all of Dowell’s designs — from a single room to a 15,000 square foot luxury residence (exteriors as well as interiors), he somehow is able to blur the lines between old and new by applying a look he calls “the dusting of the centuries.” The result is a home that deeply and personally satisfies — and in many cases, appears as if it has been in the client’s family for generations.

“Leo sees things differently,” the designer recalls one client saying.

Dowell has trained his eye to see the unexpected — and to recall each detail from memory: for example, how the graceful curve of a gilded 17th century mirror he discovered in the Paris Flea Market fits into his design for a client’s French Country master bedroom or bath. How a richly paneled room from a Provence estate becomes the perfect match for an entrepreneur’s library in the United States. How a Parisian wine shop can be turned into a delightful wine cellar design. Or how a 15-foot door from the South of France can be restored to its original appearance and transformed into the grand entranceway to a client’s French Country home.

“Leo only does things one way, and that’s correctly,” a satisfied client says — who wishes she’d discovered him before spinning her wheels with other designers. In fact, clients consistently say that their Dowell-designed home is what they’d always wanted but had not been able to achieve.

Why?

“Two things,” the designer says. “First, they didn’t know they could get what they wanted. And second, they hadn’t met Leo Dowell!”

“Don’t tell Leo it can’t be done,” exclaimed another client, “unless you really want it to happen. We paid someone a fortune to design our home before we learned about Leo’s designs — and his problem solving ability. As soon as we saw his houses, we knew we’d hit the jackpot.”

Prospective clients interested in learning more about Leo Dowell’s deeply satisfying exterior and interior designs are invited to contact Leo Dowell Interiors. A no-obligation phone conversation will be arranged at your earliest convenience — and then possibly an in-person presentation that includes one of Dowell’s famous TableTop Dreams illustrations, like the one that attracted so much attention at Georges Brasserie French restaurant.

Click Here to go to Leo Dowell’s web site. Then click on Video Gallery to see:

A Leo-designed Country French residential development.

An extraordinary $ 15-million European Country home that Leo designed.

The 8,000 square foot Treillage house featured in the PBS show, “For Your Home.”

About Leo Dowell:

Leo Dowell grew up in Mt. Airy, N.C., the small town Andy Griffith made famous as “Mayberry” in the 1960s, an experience that wove the values of character and integrity into his life. For many years, he designed high-end residential and commercial interiors for the area’s most discerning clients. Then he discovered France – and the rest of Europe. Years spent poking around both city and countryside with clients refined his taste and sharpened his eye for authenticity – not to mention his appreciation for a bargain. Today, Leo’s family-run interior design business based in Charlotte, N.C. creates deeply satisfying French Country home designs for affluent residential and builder clients in the Southeast and elsewhere around the country, designs noted for their look of comfort and permanence.    

Contact:

Leo Dowell

Leo Dowell Interiors

704-334-3817

leodowellinteriors.com

###

Attachments

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Top French Country Interior Designer Creates Tabletop Dreams

Leo Dowell TableTop Design at Georges Brasserie, Charlotte, NC

Charlotte, N.C. (Vocus) June 30, 2010

When Leo Dowell, one of the country’s leading French Country interior designers, takes out his markers and begins sketching detailed French Country design ideas on a large sheet of paper, clients say that’s the first time they’ve really been able to visualize their dreams.

They are astonished at the ease with which he creates a uniquely personal look for them. Upscale French Country and other luxury homes, intimate getaway cottages or authentic interior furnishings seem to leap from his mind directly to the paper. The design that results is not only considerably more than the sum of its parts but also has that elusive Wow factor! that people want but can’t always find.

“I’ve actually drawn designs in a restaurant, on a white tablecloth,” Dowell says. “Once, an architect associate and I were finishing dinner and I asked the waitperson what her dream house would look like if she could have it. She described a fanciful French Country cottage, so we cleared away the plates and silverware and in short order, there it was on the tablecloth.”

Her excitement over Dowell’s design attracted other dining patrons, and soon the place was buzzing with possibilities. “I’ve often thought that concept would make a great HGTV (Home & Garden Television) show or a show on the Style Network,” he says. “We could call it Tabletop Dreams — and then reveal how to actually build the house.”

One thing for certain: people have never seen anything like this designer’s approach, as demonstrated by Dowell’s recent experience in Charlotte’s new Georges Brasserie French restaurant, where he drew the illustration photographed for this article on a tablecloth.

“They came up to the table and said, ‘How’d you do that? Is that a magic pen? It looks like a real house.’

“People are amazed to see their ideas come to life, partly because hand drawing has become a lost art in this digital age,” Dowell says. “Computers are great, but they can be a bit cold compared to a marker drawing — especially when doing French Country designs. And, of course, everything has to come together right there on the paper.”

There’s a detailed richness to Leo Dowell’s illustrations. His drawings may include an antique courtyard fountain, 200-year-old beams for a client’s library or iron balconies from a building on the Left Bank. In all of Dowell’s designs — from a single room to a 15,000 square foot luxury residence (exteriors as well as interiors), he somehow is able to blur the lines between old and new by applying a look he calls “the dusting of the centuries.” The result is a home that deeply and personally satisfies — and in many cases, appears as if it has been in the client’s family for generations.

“Leo sees things differently,” the designer recalls one client saying.

Dowell has trained his eye to see the unexpected — and to recall each detail from memory: for example, how the graceful curve of a gilded 17th century mirror he discovered in the Paris Flea Market fits into his design for a client’s French Country master bedroom or bath. How a richly paneled room from a Provence estate becomes the perfect match for an entrepreneur’s library in the United States. How a Parisian wine shop can be turned into a delightful wine cellar design. Or how a 15-foot door from the South of France can be restored to its original appearance and transformed into the grand entranceway to a client’s French Country home.

“Leo only does things one way, and that’s correctly,” a satisfied client says — who wishes she’d discovered him before spinning her wheels with other designers. In fact, clients consistently say that their Dowell-designed home is what they’d always wanted but had not been able to achieve.

Why?

“Two things,” the designer says. “First, they didn’t know they could get what they wanted. And second, they hadn’t met Leo Dowell!”

“Don’t tell Leo it can’t be done,” exclaimed another client, “unless you really want it to happen. We paid someone a fortune to design our home before we learned about Leo’s designs — and his problem solving ability. As soon as we saw his houses, we knew we’d hit the jackpot.”

Prospective clients interested in learning more about Leo Dowell’s deeply satisfying exterior and interior designs are invited to contact Leo Dowell Interiors. A no-obligation phone conversation will be arranged at your earliest convenience — and then possibly an in-person presentation that includes one of Dowell’s famous TableTop Dreams illustrations, like the one that attracted so much attention at Georges Brasserie French restaurant.

Click Here to go to Leo Dowell’s web site. Then click on Video Gallery to see:

A Leo-designed Country French residential development.

An extraordinary $ 15-million European Country home that Leo designed.

The 8,000 square foot Treillage house featured in the PBS show, “For Your Home.”

About Leo Dowell:

Leo Dowell grew up in Mt. Airy, N.C., the small town Andy Griffith made famous as “Mayberry” in the 1960s, an experience that wove the values of character and integrity into his life. For many years, he designed high-end residential and commercial interiors for the area’s most discerning clients. Then he discovered France – and the rest of Europe. Years spent poking around both city and countryside with clients refined his taste and sharpened his eye for authenticity – not to mention his appreciation for a bargain. Today, Leo’s family-run interior design business based in Charlotte, N.C. creates deeply satisfying French Country home designs for affluent residential and builder clients in the Southeast and elsewhere around the country, designs noted for their look of comfort and permanence.    

Contact:

Leo Dowell

Leo Dowell Interiors

704-334-3817

leodowellinteriors.com

###

Attachments

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Jana Herzen Burns the Scene with Motéma Label and New Album, Soup’s On Fire

(PRWEB) September 2, 2003

“It’s those dreams we’ve been resisting/That could change the life we’re living/If we’d only learn to give in … and Have A Little Faith.”

Jana Herzen: Break it down: Voice: mellifluous contralto, jazzy phrasing, bluesy tonalities. Lyrics: poetical/emotional/mystical/imagistic. Music: Soup’s On Fire! – melodically ethereal, rhythmically sensuous, harmonically Afro-listic. Her instruments: guitar, bass, kalimba, percussion and didjeridu.

As a composer, producer and founder of the much talked about new artist-driven label, Motéma (http://www.motema.com), Jana Herzen is a keeper of visions. “My music is hard to categorize, but it’s what I do.” Even as a teen, Jana put her own spin on a tune. “I’m basically a song stylist, writing and recording my own material. The label is just an outgrowth of that musical urge. What’s great is being able to help get some other very cool musicians out there in the process.”

In existence as a production company since ’97, the Motéma imprint began making waves this year. The genesis of this current splash was a decision to sign master jazz drummer/percussionist, Babatunde Lea, whose powerful rhythms had been driving her band since 2001. “We came up with the idea for a kind of DIY/major label fusion.” They reached out to Manager/Producer Suzi Reynolds, and two months later, Lea’s new Motéma release, Soul Pools, was in the can, complete with Jana’s sultry blues performance on her tune, ‘Round the World’. Herzen, Lea and Reynolds left soon after for MIDEM and landed international distribution for the fledgling label.

“That trip to France really forged Motéma,” says Herzen. “We established a tight bond with Suzi, (now V.P. of A and R) which led to signing piano master Lynne Arriale. Legendary agent, Gaby Kleinschmidt, saw Tunde perform with Lynne’s trio at MIDEM and signed both artists to her roster.” Soul Pools hit #22 on Jazz Week’s Radio chart, garnered international critical praise and was followed by Arriale’s Arise, which hit #1 on Jazz Week and an astounding #17 on Billboard. Word of Motéma’s success spread quickly, with JAZZIZ devoting considerable space to all three releases, Soul Pools, Arise and Soup’s On Fire in its March World issue. “Lynne and Tunde are consummate artists. It’s entirely fulfilling to work with them both as Executive Producer and fellow performer,” says Herzen.

Soup’s On Fire’s jazzy Afro-funk-alt-pop-fusion is right on time for an ever-growing, multi-culti mass of listeners weaned on Santana, Sting, Salif Keito, Prince, Miles Davis, and Joni Mitchell, now hungry for the genre bending styles of newcomers like Norah Jones.

Add “visionary -gatherer -of -talent -on -the -Duke -Miles -Prince -level” to Jana’s trades list. Her Co-Producer, Shaka-Ra Mutela, is known internationally as the writer of Santana’s Supernatural hit, Yaleo, and long time collaborator of Afro-pop mainstays Papa Wemba and Ray Lema. As arranger and multi-instrumentalist on eight of Soup’s ten diverse tracks, Shaka-Ra shows sizeable compositional skills on “Ya Que les Anges,” “Time To Remember,” “Ma Banza” and “The Man In The Moon.” Also featured are master guitarist Peter Fujii, who co-writes, arranges and plays on the anthemic, “Sweet World”; talking drummer Sikeru Adepoju, known as the late great Babatunde Olatunji’s right hand man; legendary San Francisco Bay area drummers Celso Alberty (Aierto, Flora Purim…), Deszon Claiborne (Alphabet Soup, Charles Brown…) and saxophonist Nick Phelps, known for his work with Tom Waits.

Herzen counts Waits, along with Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, Suzanne Vega, Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon among her songwriting heroes. Soup is all of the above yet something else again.

“What a long, strange trip it’s been.” Grateful Dead

Born to parents Leonore and Leonard Herzenberg, (world renown immunologists, who now run a ‘Mom and Pop’ research lab at Stanford University), Jana’s childhood home was an atelier for international visitors where ideas about science, art, music and politics were passionately argued over lively dinners. The late ’60′s added anti-war meetings where Jana mesmerized Moms’ anti-war peeps, playing and singing tunes by Dylan, Guthrie, Doc Watson, Simon and Garfunkle, Peter, Paul and Mary, the Beatles, Stones, The Doors, Pink Floyd… the beat goes on.

Following passions for theater and music, Jana spent a post high school year in London singing in folk clubs, studying voice, acting with National Theater and Covent Garden performers and working Top West End Theater rehearsals as a lighting design intern. Returning to the states, she tried shaking the theater bug, studying chemistry, calculus and computer programming by day at Stanford University, but her double life as an opera/ballet production manager by night kept it alive. She moved to the big Apple and degreed in drama at NYU. In 1984, along with six classmates and actor/teacher Robert Lupone, she formed the Manhattan Class Company theatre group, launching the career of Marissa Tomei in “Beirut” and later producing the Pulitzer Prize winning “WIT..” Jana served with MCC for ten years.

“My experience as an actress, director and script doctor at MCC very much informs my current life as a songwriter and record exec. Both companies were conceived to foster the growth of vital projects by creating a fertile and supportive environment for the creative process,” says Herzen.

In early ’91, a series of events sent Jana on a musical mystery tour. She performed at a Japanese Naval base, explored gamelan music/culture in Bali, recorded demos with Aussie band “Men At Work” and developed a passion for didjeridu. Jams with the pan-African band, Tingoma, plunged her deep into poly-rhythms, and she narrowly escaped death visiting rainforest hideaways on an Outback stay with an Aboriginal family. “I almost stayed in OZ,” she recalls, “but ultimately felt it was too far off my track.”

“He who feels it, knows it.”

Changed and inspired, she re-settled in the San Francisco Bay area, where she still lives, and earnestly began recording her music with producer and Santana bassist, Myron Dove, a process cut short by his touring commitments with Santana. Moving to Santa Cruz in ’92, Jana became a fixture of the thriving underground folk, African and reggae scenes. Her new Congolese family put her in touch with Shaka-Ra Mutela in ’94 and he soon became, producer, collaborator, band-mate and managerial client. For three years, they recorded Soup. Adventures ensued in Paris, Zaire, New York and San Francisco, with Jana managing and performing extensively with his band, “The World Pop Machine,” most notably at a command performance for Nelson Mandela at the Paris Chamber of Congress. In ’97, she went solo, establishing her own band in San Francisco and eventually self-producing the remainder of her album.

2003 has been a landmark year for Jana Herzen and Motéma; a profile in Jazziz Magazine’s July ‘Women In Jazz’ Issue, several articles in Billboard and Soup’s On Fire just now hitting the stores. Best news of all — Jana’s first national tour in the making. What to expect? “I want people to walk away just totally inspired,” she smiles. “I want them to think about a few new things. I want their brains, bodies and spirits to be engaged. Music transforms all the molecules in the room. That’s what I like about performing.” Spread the word.

http://www.motema.com

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Related Dinner Pary Ideas Press Releases

Jana Herzen Burns the Scene with Motéma Label and New Album, Soup’s On Fire

(PRWEB) September 2, 2003

“It’s those dreams we’ve been resisting/That could change the life we’re living/If we’d only learn to give in … and Have A Little Faith.”

Jana Herzen: Break it down: Voice: mellifluous contralto, jazzy phrasing, bluesy tonalities. Lyrics: poetical/emotional/mystical/imagistic. Music: Soup’s On Fire! – melodically ethereal, rhythmically sensuous, harmonically Afro-listic. Her instruments: guitar, bass, kalimba, percussion and didjeridu.

As a composer, producer and founder of the much talked about new artist-driven label, Motéma (http://www.motema.com), Jana Herzen is a keeper of visions. “My music is hard to categorize, but it’s what I do.” Even as a teen, Jana put her own spin on a tune. “I’m basically a song stylist, writing and recording my own material. The label is just an outgrowth of that musical urge. What’s great is being able to help get some other very cool musicians out there in the process.”

In existence as a production company since ’97, the Motéma imprint began making waves this year. The genesis of this current splash was a decision to sign master jazz drummer/percussionist, Babatunde Lea, whose powerful rhythms had been driving her band since 2001. “We came up with the idea for a kind of DIY/major label fusion.” They reached out to Manager/Producer Suzi Reynolds, and two months later, Lea’s new Motéma release, Soul Pools, was in the can, complete with Jana’s sultry blues performance on her tune, ‘Round the World’. Herzen, Lea and Reynolds left soon after for MIDEM and landed international distribution for the fledgling label.

“That trip to France really forged Motéma,” says Herzen. “We established a tight bond with Suzi, (now V.P. of A and R) which led to signing piano master Lynne Arriale. Legendary agent, Gaby Kleinschmidt, saw Tunde perform with Lynne’s trio at MIDEM and signed both artists to her roster.” Soul Pools hit #22 on Jazz Week’s Radio chart, garnered international critical praise and was followed by Arriale’s Arise, which hit #1 on Jazz Week and an astounding #17 on Billboard. Word of Motéma’s success spread quickly, with JAZZIZ devoting considerable space to all three releases, Soul Pools, Arise and Soup’s On Fire in its March World issue. “Lynne and Tunde are consummate artists. It’s entirely fulfilling to work with them both as Executive Producer and fellow performer,” says Herzen.

Soup’s On Fire’s jazzy Afro-funk-alt-pop-fusion is right on time for an ever-growing, multi-culti mass of listeners weaned on Santana, Sting, Salif Keito, Prince, Miles Davis, and Joni Mitchell, now hungry for the genre bending styles of newcomers like Norah Jones.

Add “visionary -gatherer -of -talent -on -the -Duke -Miles -Prince -level” to Jana’s trades list. Her Co-Producer, Shaka-Ra Mutela, is known internationally as the writer of Santana’s Supernatural hit, Yaleo, and long time collaborator of Afro-pop mainstays Papa Wemba and Ray Lema. As arranger and multi-instrumentalist on eight of Soup’s ten diverse tracks, Shaka-Ra shows sizeable compositional skills on “Ya Que les Anges,” “Time To Remember,” “Ma Banza” and “The Man In The Moon.” Also featured are master guitarist Peter Fujii, who co-writes, arranges and plays on the anthemic, “Sweet World”; talking drummer Sikeru Adepoju, known as the late great Babatunde Olatunji’s right hand man; legendary San Francisco Bay area drummers Celso Alberty (Aierto, Flora Purim…), Deszon Claiborne (Alphabet Soup, Charles Brown…) and saxophonist Nick Phelps, known for his work with Tom Waits.

Herzen counts Waits, along with Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, Suzanne Vega, Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon among her songwriting heroes. Soup is all of the above yet something else again.

“What a long, strange trip it’s been.” Grateful Dead

Born to parents Leonore and Leonard Herzenberg, (world renown immunologists, who now run a ‘Mom and Pop’ research lab at Stanford University), Jana’s childhood home was an atelier for international visitors where ideas about science, art, music and politics were passionately argued over lively dinners. The late ’60′s added anti-war meetings where Jana mesmerized Moms’ anti-war peeps, playing and singing tunes by Dylan, Guthrie, Doc Watson, Simon and Garfunkle, Peter, Paul and Mary, the Beatles, Stones, The Doors, Pink Floyd… the beat goes on.

Following passions for theater and music, Jana spent a post high school year in London singing in folk clubs, studying voice, acting with National Theater and Covent Garden performers and working Top West End Theater rehearsals as a lighting design intern. Returning to the states, she tried shaking the theater bug, studying chemistry, calculus and computer programming by day at Stanford University, but her double life as an opera/ballet production manager by night kept it alive. She moved to the big Apple and degreed in drama at NYU. In 1984, along with six classmates and actor/teacher Robert Lupone, she formed the Manhattan Class Company theatre group, launching the career of Marissa Tomei in “Beirut” and later producing the Pulitzer Prize winning “WIT..” Jana served with MCC for ten years.

“My experience as an actress, director and script doctor at MCC very much informs my current life as a songwriter and record exec. Both companies were conceived to foster the growth of vital projects by creating a fertile and supportive environment for the creative process,” says Herzen.

In early ’91, a series of events sent Jana on a musical mystery tour. She performed at a Japanese Naval base, explored gamelan music/culture in Bali, recorded demos with Aussie band “Men At Work” and developed a passion for didjeridu. Jams with the pan-African band, Tingoma, plunged her deep into poly-rhythms, and she narrowly escaped death visiting rainforest hideaways on an Outback stay with an Aboriginal family. “I almost stayed in OZ,” she recalls, “but ultimately felt it was too far off my track.”

“He who feels it, knows it.”

Changed and inspired, she re-settled in the San Francisco Bay area, where she still lives, and earnestly began recording her music with producer and Santana bassist, Myron Dove, a process cut short by his touring commitments with Santana. Moving to Santa Cruz in ’92, Jana became a fixture of the thriving underground folk, African and reggae scenes. Her new Congolese family put her in touch with Shaka-Ra Mutela in ’94 and he soon became, producer, collaborator, band-mate and managerial client. For three years, they recorded Soup. Adventures ensued in Paris, Zaire, New York and San Francisco, with Jana managing and performing extensively with his band, “The World Pop Machine,” most notably at a command performance for Nelson Mandela at the Paris Chamber of Congress. In ’97, she went solo, establishing her own band in San Francisco and eventually self-producing the remainder of her album.

2003 has been a landmark year for Jana Herzen and Motéma; a profile in Jazziz Magazine’s July ‘Women In Jazz’ Issue, several articles in Billboard and Soup’s On Fire just now hitting the stores. Best news of all — Jana’s first national tour in the making. What to expect? “I want people to walk away just totally inspired,” she smiles. “I want them to think about a few new things. I want their brains, bodies and spirits to be engaged. Music transforms all the molecules in the room. That’s what I like about performing.” Spread the word.

http://www.motema.com

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
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