Alonzo Interview

Hey Alonzo! Thank you for your time. Tell us what has been your favorite cheat food in quarantine?  

Hey! Thank you for this interview. I think I’ve been enjoying food a little too much during this quarantine haha. I’d say my recent cheat food has been cookies. There are these Sea Salt Carmel Chocolate Chip cookies I’ve been baking a few nights a week. I’m going to try not to buy anymore because they are addicting LOL.

Any exiting news you want to share with us? 

Exciting News…Hmmm…Well my Album is DONE! We’ve been planning our next moves but it has definitely been difficult during this time. I think our biggest focus is now the fall and 2021. New Music is definitely on the way!

Any loves other than music? 

I loveeeee going to concerts. Does that count? Haha. Honestly my life revolves around music. Im really loving Tik Tok right now as well. 

Do you ever get nervous before you play music live?

YES! I always have the most random thoughts before going on stage. What if I forget all of the words? What if I fall off the stage? Haha I definitely have to keep my nerves under control before I play. The cool thing is that almost instantly when I walk on stage and the microphone is in front of my face my nerves are gone.

What is your next goal as a musician?

I’d say I have many goals but my biggest one right now is to secure I opening slot on a major artist tour. If there are any major artists out there looking for opening acts please keep me in mind.

What is your favorite song to belt out in the car/for karaoke? 

Omg this is so embarrassing but right now I am obsessed with Jessie J’s version of “Part of your world” from The Little Mermaid. Don’t judge me hahaha

Name one your strengths? 

I think a great strength of mine is leading

What is your own definition of happiness?

Ahhh I love this question. My definition of happiness is the feeling of Love, Gratitude and Peace occupying the space of Anxiety and Fear.

How do you see yourself in 5 years? 

In 5 years, I will be headlining a world tour and I will be one of the most known entertainers in the world. I will have opened a arts school in my hometown Rockford, IL and I will be inspiring people around the world.

How would you describe your fashion style? 

I’m still discovering my style. It changes often. Sometimes I’m very Chic, clean cut and classy. Other times I like a little edge more on the Sexy Rock & Roll side. Just depends on my mood. 

Where we can follow you on social media? 

Please follow on my Instagram @StoryOfAlonzo https://www.instagram.com/storyofalonzo/

Press Inquiries:  bsquaredmgmt@gmail.com

End of Interview 

Leo’s Guitar (EP) by Izzie's Caravan

As its title implies, Leo’s Guitar is all about artistic expression via an electrified six-string courtesy of Izzie’s Caravan, and in four fantastically engaging songs, this EP does everything its creators designed it to. Izzie’s Caravan come in blistering hot at the start of the tracklist with “Two in the Bush” before ripping through the slow-rolling “Lightnins-A-Howlin’,” crushing “Dorian’s Lament” and the instrumental juggernaut title track. Inside of just twelve minutes’ time, these blues-rockers manage to dispense one fiery eruption of tonality after another whilst making use of every melodic tool at their disposal. A great example of what can come from dedicated songcraft meeting passionate players in their prime, Leo’s Guitar is as top shelf as electric blues records get in the contemporary age.

The strings are mightily textured throughout the whole of this EP, and I’m not talking about the guitar parts alone. The basslines in “Lightnins-A-Howlin’” and the title track are bursting with detail upon closer inspection, and though they never come even close to stealing any of the spotlight away from the leads at the top of the mix, their sonic contribution makes this material as chill-inducing as it is. Most everything in the mix is arranged as to create additional tension through the physicality of tone and harmony, and while there are moments that sound almost nauseatingly crisp, nothing here feels overproduced to me. Izzie’s Caravan are putting some serious effort into making this a meticulous sampling of their talents, and for my money, they couldn’t have done much better.

The almost conflicted, hesitant rhythm in “Two in the Bush” and “Dorian’s Lament” allows for maximum melodic exploitation in both of these songs, which won me over in right out of the gate when I sat down with Leo’s Guitar for the first time. Nothing in this extended play seems even slightly rushed or thrown-together, and even in the case of up-tempo tunes that require ridiculous dexterity, you can tell that no one in Izzie’s Caravan was sweating the task at hand. They’ve got a great energy in this disc, and if it’s something I can expect to experience in their live performances, I’ll make a point of checking out their stage show the next time they’re in my neck of the woods.

I’ve been a guitar buff for the better part of my life, but I don’t think you need to be to fall in love with what Izzie’s Caravan are doing in Leo’s Guitar. Fiercely streamlined but not lacking in any of the compositional bells and whistles that diehard blues fans expect in a modern release, Leo’s Guitar is a credible offering from a band clearly capable of getting a lot done in the studio. A full-length album of this crew’s blues style would be quite enticing indeed, and if given the right space to record it, I think such a record could make a serious impact both in and outside of their native scene. I’ll be looking out for more, and I’d recommend you do the same.

Jonah McPherson