It’s official release day for Ramon & Jessica’s latest full-length recording, with many thanks to Porto Franco Records.

You can find it online at ramonandjessica.com or on iTunes.

We hope you like it!

- ramon

She has made a tremendous contribution to local bands by curating great shows, bringing folks out and spreading her genuine enthusiasm.

Wish her happy birthday tonight at the Seaweed Sway Showcase at the Makeout Room.  If you can’t make it, check out the Seaweed Sway blog for more local shows!

Here’s the link: What Record Are You Most Looking Forward To Next Week?

3/2 Subterranean Arthouse Benefest
3/4 Jascha vs. Jascha CD Release Party at Viracocha
4/1 Switchboard Music Festival at Brava Theater

On March 2, Subterranean Arthouse is having their third annual “Benefest”. Subterranean is an amazing community art space in Berkeley, the kind you don’t find much any more! A zillion local peformers will be playing short sets, including R&J friends Kally Price, Seth Eisen, Freddi Price…
http://www.subterraneanarthouse.org/benefest2012/

On March 4, we’ll be helping our good pal Jascha Hoffman celebrate the release of his new album The Future Limited. I had the pleasure of assisting Jascha in writing and recording some of these songs, and the music is REALLY GOOD. R&J, Jascha, and Safa Shokrai’s group The Glasses will all be performing sets with live visuals. Not sure quite what this will look like, but we have some friends (including stop-motion king Jeremy Rourke) working on some nice video for us.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/257215937684807/

April 1 is the 4th annual Switchboard Music Festival. This is an all-day music festival at Brava Theater in the Mission, and the line-up this year is amazing. I’m especially excited to hear Living Earth Road Show and Faun Fables. The exact schedule isn’t out yet (we’ll let you know) but in the mean time check out this list of artists:
http://www.switchboardmusic.com/artists.html

And a few years ago violinist Dina Maccabee and multi-instrumentalist Jesse Olsen entered the fray under the moniker Ramon and Jessica. Both of them are monstrously talented musicians who could orchestrate chamber quartets if they wanted to; instead, they’ve taken a less-is-more approach. Fly South uses toy piano, Casio keyboards, plucked guitar, simple shakers, accordion, and strings, in a way that privileges texture and detail over ornamentation. The songs are small, beautiful, handicraft things with lyrics that read like a William Blake poem — given that the singers draw inspiration from nature. They usually sing together using starchy two-part harmonies that make the music sound more playful and puerile than it actually is. Their shuffling slip of a tune, “Waltz #3: In Which Coffee Becomes Wine,” best exemplifies the composers’ discerning songcraft and lean sensibility. They say it’s wedged between folk and pop, but there’s an “avant” element at the core. (Porto Franco)”

- Rachel Swan, East Bay Express

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/ramon-and-jessica/Content?oid=3113825

We’re featured on the Seaweed Sway 2012 Winter Mix, a lovely compilation of local music put together by local promoter/organizer/superhero Jesse Woletz. “Farewell To Spring” from our hard to find first album is on there, along with a ton of other great music! Check it out at:

http://seaweedsway.bandcamp.com/