CD Release !Signs Feb 5th Somerville Theater!

MixManagement
Press Contact: Bonnie Ahl
info@mixmanagement.net
917-756-4138

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2, 2010

Dwight & Nicole Release Their Independent Album !Signs Feb 5th at Somerville Theater

Friday, Feb 5th at Somerville Theater 8pm
with Tim Gearan & Will Dailey
55 Davis Square, Somerville, MA 02144

"Dwight Ritcher and gorgeous dusky-voiced Nicole Nelson lay down sultry, soulful music" - Boston Globe "Magnificent!"- Dr. Maya Angelou "A voice for the ages" - Boston Phoenix

Boston/NYC based duo Dwight & Nicole (Dwight Ritcher and Nicole Nelson) follow their 2006 self titled EP with the release of their new album !Signs February 5th at the Somerville Theater. Doing most of the footwork themselves, and with a little help from over $30,000 dollars raised in pre-orders and donations from fans, they were able to bring together the elements of soul, blues, jazz, country & rock that color their live shows. Special guests that evening include acclaimed Boston based singer/songwriters Tim Gearan and Will Dailey. Visit www.dwightandnicole.com to preview the new music, and for more information. Tickets go on sale January 7th.

The album !Signs was recorded and mixed at Boston's Rear Window Studio, which is known for it's classic instruments, 20ft ceilings, and rare gear. Following a performance in the winter of 2008, studio owner & producer Milt Reder, fell in love with Dwight & Nicole's sound and set out to record with them right away. "Dwight and Nicole's music has a real timeless quality which is what I look for" said Reder, who invited Dwight & Nicole to live with his family in his hundred year old Victorian home in Brookline, MA while working on the album. Throughout the year, friends, family, musicians and fans came together offering assistance with everything from recording time to design, photo shoots to video and sound. "We both learned so much in 2009" said Dwight. "Maybe the most important lesson is that being an independent artist does not have to be synonymous with struggling, and it certainly does not mean that you're going at it alone"

"Our fans are very devoted. We give ourselves over to them onstage each night, and vice-versa" said Nicole. "It's reciprocal; we all feel that same great high after a show." Dwight & Nicole have both performed in the Boston area for nearly a decade, building a diverse following and regularly selling out concerts ranging from jazz venues like the Regattabar to rock clubs like the Middle East. Their fans are a broad multicultural group of all ages. "We are fortunate that our music hits a chord with so many different people- and that we've been able to make a beautiful album that would not exist if we had to follow a formula for selling music to the masses" said Dwight. Fans who have pre-ordered the album can pick up their autographed copy at the show along with a thank you package with personalized artwork, posters and other merchandise.

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Please feel free to contact me for more information, photos, or to schedule an interview: Bonnie Ahl 917-756-4138 info@mixmanagement.net
www.dwightandnicole.com

Old Souls, New Tricks

Notable Boston/NYC Duo Breakthrough After a Decade in the Trenches

Anyone who has ever seen soul/blues duo Dwight & Nicole (Dwight Ritcher and Nicole Nelson) knows that they've got the 'it factor' and lots of it. The Boston Globe calls them "gorgeous...sultry, and soulful", and they even have a fan in one of the great voices of our time, Dr. Maya Angelou, who named them simply "Magnificent!". A quick Google search of Dwight & Nicole will bring up page after page of seemingly endless accolades. The trouble is, most folks in the mainstream still haven't heard of them. Having not yet released an album, they've managed to slip between the cracks, keeping their music a relative secret, until now. Dwight & Nicole risk underground status with the release of their transcendent debut "Signs" on February 5th, at the Somerville Theater. With a little help from more than $30,000 dollars raised in pre-orders and donations, they were able to produce a great sounding album by calling their own shots, and doing most of the footwork themselves. "Even the pre-orders and donations that are coming in right now are funding the next step in the process. It makes so much sense" said Ritcher in a statement. Nelson adds "We are unbelievably grateful; this model really worked for us. Of course, we never could have done it without tremendous support". Dwight & Nicole's success has provided some much needed faith in a few things.
1. Hard work pays off
2. Good things come to those who wait
3. Soul-mates exist

Number three may seem like a stretch, but a close look at the facts suggests that it was more than just chance that brought these two together. Dwight Ritcher and Nicole Nelson, Tri-state area natives, arrived fresh faced in Boston at the start of the new millennium. With youthful good looks, and gutsy blues style, they both quickly found themselves leading popular bands, and selling out concerts up and down the east coast. Before his 21st birthday, Dwight had already shared the stage with his idols Buddy Guy, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and Otis Rush. In 2002, Nicole put her first band together and won Boston's Battle of the Blues Bands by the largest margin in the history of the contest. By 2004, the buzz was resounding. Before long they would each find themselves in downtown hotel restaurants having meetings with lawyers, managers and record label execs, all predicting a fast rise to the top and bright forecasts over the next ten years of their careers. Parallel dream come true scenarios seemed to be unfolding. A look back from today, however reveals that things did not unfold exactly as expected.

Neither Dwight, nor Nicole would end up signing any contracts or accepting any offers that year. Choosing instead to trust their gut reactions and set out in pursuit of a new sound. Developing that sound was more important than the promise of fame or fortune. Negotiations, advisers, and grooming would have to wait, as for each, new signs were pointing to the creative hub of Brooklyn, New York. Dwight packed up and moved to a brownstone blocks from where Nicole was born. Nicole would arrive in town just one month later. Within weeks, they would share a bill at the Knitting Factory. Documentary film maker Zita Zenda happened to be in the audience that night, and asked them both to star in her upcoming film "Where's The Music At".
The trajectory of their lives had shifted. Dwight & Nicole's re-connection on stage that night in New York, sparked a remarkable kinship between the two.

Drunk on mutual love of art and music, and galvanized by long nights in the city, Dwight & Nicole began spending most of their time together. Springtime reverie buzzed louder than the street lights in 2005. It would be a year of traveling, writing, drawing, painting and endless jams in the tiny apartment they rented together. Obsessing over songs, self expression and musical tradition, their music expanded. The resulting growth was palpable. A profound blend of serious blues- vital and sharp, not museum piece stuff; mold free classic soul, and rock, by sheer wild energy. They would continue to fine tune their sound over the next two years with the discerning New York audience at clubs like the Living Room, Rockwood Music Hall, B.B. Kings and the legendary Blue Note. Dwight & Nicole were a hit. Realizing the ultimate alchemy; music which is at once beautiful, distinct, and classic. They would elicit comparisons to legends Etta James, Albert King, The Rolling Stones and Ike & Tina. Before long they had written enough original songs for a new record. Averse to getting back on the track they had stepped off of years earlier, Dwight & Nicole were feeling self-assured and adventurous. They put their heads together, and began cultivating a new way of bringing their album to fruition.

Enter eclectic visionary Milt Reder; producer, celebrated guitarist, songwriter, medical doctor, father, lecturer and owner of renowned Rear Window Studio in Brookline, MA. Following a stirring performance in 2008, Reder offered to produce their album; inviting them to record the album and live with him at the studio, which just so happens to be located on Dwight Street. And so they closed up their New York apartment and followed the signs from Brooklyn to Brookline. Dwight & Nicole had a talk with good friend, independent artist Mieka Pauley who successfully raised thousands for her own album. She recalled for them her straightforward method, and offered to pre-order their first CD. They announced the news to their fans that night online, and to their delight, responses poured in. Checks, money orders, and sometimes bundles of cash were sent in the mail along side encouraging letters and stories about how their music had healed, moved, and influenced them. Some fans sent prayers that their venture would be a successful one. Motivated by the outpouring of encouragement around them, Dwight & Nicole headed to the studio inspired. They set out to create an honest album that brought their own unique experiences to life, and as you may see for yourself; it seems they have done just that.