Circuline is excited and proud to officially announce the newest (and hopefully last) band member, Joel Simches!
Boston-area native Joel Simches has classical training and real-world contemporary music experience on orchestral percussion, drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, and voice. He has performed and toured worldwide leading his own bands, as an ensemble member, as a sound engineer, and tour manager. Notable acts include Bang Camaro, DeVotchKa, Count Zero, Amanda Palmer’s Dresden Dolls, and Butterscott. His AllMusic credits list over 25 albums that Joel has been a part of, as a musician, composer, engineer, and producer.
Joel started out as Circuline’s live sound engineer, and when the bass position in Circuline became available in 2016, he jumped at the chance to audition. After impressing the band with his preparation, he toured the last four months of the year with Circuline, including the traveling Sonic Voyage Fest, gigs in New York City and New Jersey, and Progtoberfest in Chicago. Joel proved himself to be a great asset.
Joel Simches is a great player, a damn good live sound engineer, and an all-around happy and fun guy to hang with. With his background and experience, he is a great fit for Circuline. We’re happy to welcome him to our band!
RoSfest – “Jefferson Airplane gone proggy? The smooth chemistry between co-lead vocalists Natalie Brown and Billy Spillane amidst soaring symphonic atmospheres evoked as much, especially in Brown’s Grace Slick-like phrasing…….played tightly despite recent lineup changes…..Bassist Harold Skeete, on emergency loan from Ad Astra, deftly negotiated difficult material and contributed a poignant rendition of ‘America the Beautiful’. New guitar virtuosos Beledo shined with dextrous chops complementing the leads and fills of keyboardist Andrew Colyer…….Violinist Joe Deninzon guested late in the set”
Counterpoint Review – 3.5 stars – “Varied melodies and styles from musical theater and jazz to classic rock and traditional prog…..symphonically soaring…..moves through multiple passages both playful and serious, while conveying a lyrical theme…..multiple yet interdependent sonic perspectives…..”
Thank you so much to John Collinge and Michael Popke!
PROG Magazine Issue 67 features Circuline in THREE places! 1.) The Limelight Award nomination. 2.) News column about the new album. 3.) RoSfest performance, with a great head shot of co-lead singer Billy Spillane. Thank you so much to Jerry Ewing and the whole staff at Classic Rock Presents PROG.
Thank you so much to Joel Barrios for this great RoSfest review!
“CIRCULINE: Another band I was unfamiliar with, and to my complete surprise they have in their ranks none other than the amazing world-known jazz guitarist, pianist, and composer BELEDO (born in Montevideo Uruguay) with whom I had a very nice conversation during Cruise to the Edge last year. Circuline is not your typical prog-band, their music lies somewhere along the lines of cinematic rock and classic progressive rock. Employing two theatrical lead vocalists like Natalie Brown and Billy Spillane along with other remarkable players like keyboards wizard Andrew Colyer and drummer powerhouse Darin Brannon they are a band deserving close attention. They refuse all kinds of labeling and are not afraid to show their ideas without taking the easy route. A delightful vocal performance mixed with AOR prog accents and instrumental fusion.”
Click the link below to read all of Joel’s reviews from the RoSfest weekend. http://rockatnight.com/2016/05/rosfest-2016-a-sublime-progressive-rock-celebration-of-the-highest-caliber/
