Tag: funk

Kollectiv and Groovestick: Funky and Lucky on Friday the 13th

The last Friday the 13th of 2013 brought together lucky music lovers to The Hollow in Albany for two of Upstate New York’s homegrown talent. With the holidays around the corner, it’s understandable for fans and musicians to want to soak up each other’s cheerful energy with live music. The Kollectiv, a rap rock funk band, was having their first reunion show in months, kicking off their short tour in Albany. The Capital District’s own Groovestick was first to take the stage and were eager to test out their new stage setup.

Drummer Franz Celestin and keyboard master Chris Carballeira now face each other with bassist Dan Gerken standing strong in the eye of the storm, taking inspiration from one of their favorite bands, The New Deal. Now with more eye contact and exposed body language, the musicians can read each other better and have strengthened their already impressive fluidity. Regardless of the layout, Groovestick still gave out goosebumps with their jazz and funky flow. Carballeira glides over the keys of the Hammond 33 organ, providing an intense blues and psychedelic sound, causing new appreciation for vintage instruments everywhere. Gerken plays slow and ripplely chords until causing a commotion with the tease of the infamous bass line from Phish’s “Stash” while Celestin fires away on the cymbals at every speed level.

Originally from Oneonta, musicians from The Kollectiv have been traveling different paths experimenting with various projects around the country but lucky for Upstate New York, they came home for the holidays. What makes The Kollectiv stand out above the other bands is their usage of turntables. They have a soulful and funky vibe from their instruments but with the combination of the turntables, it adds attitude and flavor. Their groove is undeniable especially with the steady bass of Chris Duffy and firm beats of Frantz Celestin, who is still a powerhouse after rocking with Groovestick beforehand. Lars Viola yells out, “We haven’t been in the same room together for months. It feels so good to be home” as long awaiting fans couldn’t agree more. Their sound is almost similar to a softer version of Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP 2 – no offensive language, but creative word spitting with a fantastic blend of rap and rock music. Each song is so different in that one is a “no worries street smarts” and the next moment Taylor Frederick is shredding on guitar before the music slowly grooves into a reggae dance party. It’s a shame that The Kollectiv shows are rare but they are always worth the experience and we can only hope for more in the new year ahead.

December 28, 2013
Ocupanther Three-Hour Set on DubLand Rochester

When Ocupanther plays Rochester, even the most loyal fans can expect a few surprises and sharp new tunes. December 6th was no exception as Ocupanther returned to Dubland Underground on a snowy Friday night that saw a room full of old friends and curious new faces. Ocupanther has a knack for capturing these types of diverse audiences, and the reason is two fold.

First, the music is captivatingly genre-bending, but still accessible on a broader level. The bands opening song for the evening, “The Great Oxygenation”, is a perfect example of such. With patiently buoyant synth grooves layered on top of warm, locomotive bass lines and heavily syncopated percussion, Ocupanther welcomes listeners like greeting an old friend. “TGO” then launched directly into “Yerkrewrun”, a new song in the lineup, which took the energy of the room to the next level while showcasing the groups ability to write some damn complex music, building patterns and changing time without losing their signature meditative peaks-and-valleys.

The second major factor of Ocupanther’s appeal, a band priding themselves on composition over improvisation, are their studio efforts. For a band that doesn’t play too frequently, they are workhorses when it comes to writing and preparing. The night showcased seven songs that have yet to appear on an album, all of which showed new depths of musicianship and warm beats marrying dark rhythms. Their two albums, Progressor (off which the group played four tracks on Friday) and Troncoso (three tracks) are of a sound quality and caliber rarely seen on an ‘independent’ level. This craftsmanship and attention to detail is refreshing in a scene that is often dominated by quantity over quantity and one-off chance happenings.

All that said, the Ocupanther live show is an experience in its own right, guaranteeing audiences will move from beginning to end. Some favorites of Friday evening included the new, pumping dance tune, “Obtuse Snoot”, late-set dueling guitar machine guns covered by a steady rhythm section on “Gunther Splitchicks”, and a welcome instrumental cover of “I Feel Love”. Once again Ocupanther threw the type of party you can’t afford to miss on a Friday night (especially when the show is free) while proving their chops on a musical and professional level and continuing to look forward. With a new album on the horizon, expect more big surprises and music that stirs the pot of what to expect from our local scene.

See Ocupanther January 28th at Nietzsche’s in Buffalo at 9pm with Ajamaja and DejaFuze.

Setlist: The Great Oxygenation> Yerkrewrun> Misunderstanding Hugs, Treat Me Like A Telescope*, Stompgoat, Progressor, Mike Chases His Pony, I Feel Love#, Ghostless, Gunter Splitchiks, Pyromancer>Obtuse Snoot, Naga Jolokia, Fraktura, Troncoso

Encore: Holy Jeffery

* First Time Played
# Donna Summer Cover

December 23, 2013
Get Lucky this Friday the 13th with The Kollectiv and Groovestick

This Friday at 9pm don’t miss two of Upstate New York’s fresh and funky bands, The Kollectiv and GrooveStick, appearing at The Hollow in Albany. Groovestick has become a growing Capital District sensation with their heavy organ infused, progressive funk. The trio is a collaboration with Dan Gerken on guitar (Timbre Coup/Mirk), Chris Carballeira on organ/keys (Dirty Paris, Funk Evolution) and Frantz Celestin on drum kit (The Kollectiv, Dirty Paris).

This will be a special reunion show for The Kollectiv, since they have had band members living on the west coast and haven’t played together for months. The original lineup consists of keyboardist Eric Luba, guitarist Jaden Carlson, Frantz Celestin on drums (GrooveStick), Chris Duffy on bass (Dirty Paris), Lars Viola on turntables (M.A.E.), and guitarist Taylor Frederick (Technicolor Tone Factory). Deep into December, they are staying true to the old holiday saying, “There’s no place like home for the holidays” and eager to see long awaited fans and friends in Albany and at the Black Oak Tavern in Oneonta on Saturday.

Before their big weekend, was lucky to catch some free time with Taylor Frederick about their time apart, practice and the year ahead.

Susan Rice: It’s been quite some time since the Kollectiv performed in Upstate New York. What have you guys been working on since your time off?

Taylor Frederick: Well Duffy is finishing up college in Albany as of right now, Lars is down in NYC producing and working with his hip-hop projects at True Statement., Frantz has been hard at work with his new funk trio Groovestick, and Eric and myself moved out to Boulder, CO at the end of May, and dove into the music scene out here pretty quickly. He is now in The Jaden Carlson Band, and I am now playing with Technicolor Tone Factory. As for Eric and myself, I know JCB is planning on a two month national tour starting at the end of February or beginning of March, and TTF will also be on tour at that time heading west toward California, and also heading south into Texas around the same time. Tour dates are going to be released in early 2014.

SR: Do you find it difficult to keep in touch with band members living across the country? Do you log in practice time with each other?

TF: It’s a little difficult at times. You tend to get caught up in life, and sometimes that makes time fly by a bit faster than one would like. But we do keep in touch quite a bit. Since Eric and I are out here we have been running the old stuff and some new surprises for the run and the rest of the boys have been doing their own individual runs on the material.

SR: Do you guys feel like you will need like you need a lot of practice before the show? I would be nervous if I had to play with a band that I haven’t seen in month’s haha.

TF: Well the funny story is the band was founded on straight improv, even the songs. We just kind of get lucky that we all know them well enough that when we hear a tease of something, we all pick up on it and can go right in. It’s a pretty amazing bond to have with a group of musicians. It doesn’t happen often but when it does its magic. For the run however we have been learning a bunch of new material on our own, and whatever we decide on, the setlists will kind of determine what we can fit in between point A and point B.

SR: What is the band most excited for on your Holiday/reunion run in Upstate NY?

TF: We’re just pumped to be playing music together again. It’s always a good time when we get together. Our friends from all over the place always come out as well and we seem to make new ones at ever show. It’s slowly turning into just a giant family reunion.

SR: Does the Kollectiv have any plans for 2014 that fans can look forward to? New music? More East Coast shows?

TF: As far as 2014 you never know. There have been some old studio recordings that just may resurface, and maybe a couple festival appearances? We’ll have to wait and see. Right now just keep an eye out for JCB, TTF, Groovestick, M.A.E, Dirty Paris and our other respected projects!

December 13, 2013
Formula 5 and TAUK – On the Rise at The Hollow

Two of the most up and coming improvisational bands combined forces for a funky Friday night throw down at The Hollow in Albany. Despite the threat of a possible snow storm, dedicated fans made the journey downtown to celebrate the end of the work week with drinks and great music. Tauk, the four piece space funk band from Brooklyn, has been heavily touring across the East Coast this year and was happy to return to the Capital District. Formula 5 is no stranger to the area as they supply fresh local jams to the masses on a steady rotation. Tauk and Formula 5 are two bands to watch for in the New Year ahead.

Tauk quickly filled the dance floor as their electronic-infused rock sound moved through the room. Their slow and monstrous buildups leave plenty to the musical imagination. Guitarist Matt Jalbert and Bassist Charlie Dolan hit high altitude chord elevations that keep the audience on the tip of their dancing toes. Isaac Teel is a multi-tasking, beat-making machine as he uses a tambourine with his left hand, drums with his right hand and holds his left drum stick in his mouth. Keyboardist A.C. Carter adds soulful organ notes before dipping into groovy techno melodies. The quartet ended their set with a killer mash-up of Led Zepplin’s “Immigrant Song”, Kool & The Gang’s “Jungle Boogie” and “Bulls on Parade” by Rage against the Machine which they have named, “Immigrant Boogie Parade.” Tauk will hit the road in January with Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe after they throw down at a Phish after-party with Fikus at DROM on Dec 28th. Their newest album, Homunculus is available for free download here.

Formula 5 had something for everyone as they have performed diverse covers and unique original songs. The band started with a solid cover of Elton John’s “Grey Seal” before erupting into their party starter anthem “Excalibur.” Greg Bell of Guthrie Bell Productions took a moment to raffle off free tickets for all his shows in 2014 proving that live music is the best gift for anyone. Formula 5 is growing to be a band where as they grow, you listen for the teases, songs within songs, and “songception” moments. Fans were thrilled as they recognized Was (Not Was)’s “Walk the Dinosaur” and Phish’s “The Moma Dance” during the funky “Pedro.” The boys have been working on a new album which hopefully will drop in the spring, the sooner the better for everyone.

Formula 5 Setlist: Grey Seal*, Excalibur, Catch Me -> The Ride -> Ticket Giveaway@ -> The Ride, Epiphany -> 3 Ring Circus, Rising Tide, Pedro% -> Jungle Love#, Earthbound, Music Never Stopped, Hot Box
E: Goin’ Down^
* Elton John cover
@ Greg Bell raffled off tickets while the band played a background breakdown of “The Ride”
% “Walk the Dinosaur” (Was Not Was) teases, “Moma Dance” (Phish) teases
# Steve Miller Band

December 12, 2013
Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds: These Birds of a Feather are Flocking Filthy to The Hollow

Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds, the eight-piece band from Brooklyn flew upstate on Thursday December 5th to The Hollow in Albany. Fans were grateful to hear the show was still on despite the band having over multiple instruments stolen only two weeks prior. With the help of some borrowed equipment and friends, the band was able to perform to a packed room and sent a message out on Facebook saying, “Thanks for all your support over these trying couple of weeks. Ain’t no better medicine than music to drive that darkness away!”

The Hollow’s stage was a tight nest for the musicians and their delicate leading lady but don’t let Arleigh Kincheloe’s size fool you; the small sparrow herself can belt out some serious tunes, leaving the crowd stunned. Her older brother, Jackson, is a harmonica machine as he blows it to pieces with an endearing heart. The Birds hit brass hard with Phil Rodriguez on trumpet, Ryan Snow on trombone and Brian Graham on baritone sax blowing the roof off the venue and adding in smooth vocals throughout the night.

Their rendition of Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel” was soulful, funky and charged up the crowd early in the night. After a couple powerhouse songs, the band slowed down with “Sugar”, a sweet acoustic jam change up and Jackson took a moment to dedicate the show to his harmonica teacher who recently had passed a week ago and paid tribute with a beautiful solo rendition of “Amazing Grace.” Guitarist Sasha Brown ripped apart chords as Arleigh screamed, “Albany, Shake it for me!” Bassist Josh Myers laid down funky bass notes as the bird brother, Bram Kincheloe, went to town on the cymbals with edge. The band was appreciated of the Upstate New York, being surrounded by family, friends and fans; it was truly a great show to be a part of.

Catch Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds on tour when they stop at The Space in Westbury on December 20th with the Funky Meters, at Club Helsinki for New Year’s Eve and at Brooklyn Bowl in NYC on January 31st. Click here if you wish to donate to Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds in the loss of their music equipment.

December 11, 2013
DJs, Digital Dharma and Cosmic Dust Bunnies! Oh My! An electronic twister at The Hollow

The Hollow in Albany took a turn to the dark side as the venue was filled with heavy bass bombs and electronic techno jams on Saturday, November 23rd, hosted by Full Circle Music Productions. DJs Mentally Ill and Leila spun while Digital Dharma and Cosmic Dust Bunnies took turns setting up and dismantling but the audience didn’t need much distraction. Mentally Ill got the night started with bizarre beats and eerie mixes, feeding anyone’s craving for light dubstep. DJ Leila was no joke as she is a furious spin master of hip hop and dark beats, great entertainment with attitude.

Albany’s Digital Dharma killed it on stage to their local fan base of dedicated electronic rock lovers. One of the highlights was Steve Mink playing solid bass lines for a deeper disco feel especially during their new song “Shag.” A great combination of funk and techno, Digital Dharma capture ears with fresh improvisation on their original pieces. The boys will return to The Hollow in two weeks with Brothers Past on Saturday, December 21st.

The Cosmic Dust Bunnies ended the night with a hair raising set of high peaked techno melodies with more energy than the crowd could handle. Eric Hyland wailed on both acoustic and electric drums, adding stellar percussion beats and rhythm as Matt Dempsey rocked steady guitar riffs. Chris Sellas fused together robotic sounds and keyboard notes for an attention grabbing factor throughout the night. CDB are often a late night staple at major music festivals so it was refreshing to catch them before 3 am, for once. The four piece band plans to ring in the New Year in Worcester, MA at Disc Jam Presents! A-Dopa-New-Years-Eve with Dopapod, Consider the Source, Viral Sound and more, with tickets still available here. Here’s hoping Full Circle will bring back the uncontrollable storm of The Cosmic Dust Bunnies to the Upstate NY area more often.

December 10, 2013
Rubblebucket at the Westcott Theatre, November 20th

The lights gracefully brighten the stage and the audience finds themselves looking at colorful scarves draped across the microphone. It was only last fall that this Brooklyn based band played a sold-out show here in Syracuse and tonight, the Westcott Theatre is packed with a returning jubilant crowd gathered to see one of their favorite jam bands play. To the right is a middle-aged woman in a wheelchair, circling around in anticipation as singer Kalmia Traver aligns her saxophone carefully next to the mic. To the left are a red plastic cup holding college students chanting, “Rubblebucket” repeatedly. It is evident this band appeals to more than just one social scene. Armed with their wide pallet of instruments, the eight-member band takes on the stage like a stirring of galloping ponies, ready to show the town how to have a good time.

The band opens with “Bikes”, which brings back the tootsie-rolling, toe tinkling feeling of the early Free Design records. Traver showers the crowd with glitter and pulls out crowd pleaser after crowd pleaser from her setlist. In the middle of the band’s performance of “L’homme”, she casually pulls off the bright yellow scarf from around her painted face, to reveal a clean-shaven head, with a heart shaped buzz cut in the center that she dyed red. One can leave it up to Traver to even turn her recovery from ovarian cancer into a fashion statement. Traver, who had to cancel her summer shows because of her sickness, seems to have emerged even better than before. Her humming-to-the-flowers melody in “Silly Fathers” makes that apparent.

By the end of the night, everyone left the show a little worn out from all the “silly” dancing encouraged by the band, but the huge smiles plastered on their faces said that the experience was worthwhile, even if that meant showing up to work a little hung-over the next morning.

November 26, 2013
Hot Reggae and Jazz at Red Square Thanks to Spiritual Rez and Groovestick

On November 14th, Red Square in Albany hosted two talented bands that offered up a wide range of musical stylings for any kind of music lover. A trio from members of some of Albany’s favorite bands joined forces to unite in a progressive jazz funk experience to make Groovestick. Reggae group and Boston’s own Spiritual Rez ended their extensive tour in Upstate New York after traveling all over this summer to festivals such as Catskill Chill and Backwoods Pondfest.

The newest band on the music scene is the jazz funk trio, Groovestick a dynamite collaboration with Dan Gerken on guitar/bass (Timbre Coup/Mirk), Chris Carballeira on organ/keys (Dirty Paris/Funk Evolution) and Frantz on drums (The Kollectiv/Dirty Paris). A slow and steady start to the night with smooth jazz made way for a funk powerhouse set closer. Carballeira brings an upbeat soul shaking performance as he shines on the organ while Gerken provides the right amount of attitude on the guitar. Their sound is catchy, unique and continues to turn audiences into funky jazz lovers across Upstate New York. Be sure to see them for their return to Monopole in Plattsburgh December 6th and with The Kollectiv at The Hollow in Albany December 13th.

Spiritual Rez brought a taste of summer to Red Square with their undeniably fun reggae melodies. They have a raw energy that can’t be matched or stopped as their music flows on wave upon wave. Jesse Shaternick laid down some heavy bass bombs as the horn section brought a twist of ska to the mix of reggae bliss. The only drawback of the show was the small stage space of Red Square, limiting Toft Willingham to his usual outrageous dance moves. The six-piece band was a tight squeeze on the stage but it forced the sound forward, hitting dancers hard in the face with dubtastic rock. Spiritual Rez brings out the animal in everyone with their primal screams, carefree attitude and explosive grooves. Spiritual Rez will be making stops throughout the east coast in December and will celebrate New Year’s Eve at The Spot in Providence, RI.

November 22, 2013
Nice Crispy Bacon Sizzles Through NY – Twiddle tour hits Buffalo and Syracuse This Weekend

The Mach 10 sounds of Vermont’s hottest jam commodity Twiddle will be returning to Upstate this weekend. The band has been gathering rave reviews and a dedicated audience for their 2013 “Nice Crispy Bacon” tour and this weekend will not disappoint.

Friday November 22nd, the band hits the forever popular Buffalo venue-of-choice Nietzsche’s for a 9PM 21+ show. Tagging along for the ride on the main stage is Greensboro, North Carolina’s hot progressive rock jam The Mantras whom are touring behind their aptly titled album Jambands Ruined My Life. Up front for three full sets is the progressive filthy funk psychedelia of Rochester’s Ocupanther. The four piece instrumental band has been building a rock solid regional crowd and great buzz surrounding their sophomore release Progressor.

Saturday the tour travels to Syracuse at The Lost Horizon. The venue is new (again) to the scene but is already bringing some top notch talent in to the “Orangest” of cities. Ocupanther will be tagging along for the whole weekend, and they will be joined by Syracuse’s funk rock trio Strange Reflex. Show starts at 8PM and is all ages.

Twiddle

The Mantras

Ocupanther

Strange Reflex

November 21, 2013
Album Review: The Chronicles ‘Spanning the Gap’

The Chronicles, a progressive jazz band from Albany have released their second studio album this month, Spanning the Gap. Their newest album was produced and mixed by musician Alan Evans of Soulive, who even makes a guest appearance on a few tracks. The seven-piece band combines the flavors of funk, soul, jazz and hip hop to create a dynamite album that is not easy to put down. The album is available for free listening and immediate digital purchase on their website, where you can also order vinyl copies.

The album kicks off with “Village Living”, a groovy attention grabbing guitar melody from Justin Henricks that soon meets up with the eruption of the full band sound. The horns get dirty as they jazz up the song with a wide range of notes with the organ blasting in full effect. “Interzone” switches into a smooth and chill retro groove with a slow tempo that increasingly picks up pace into a jumping back and forth dance party. “Way Back Home” brings in Tara Merritt for vocals for a sensitive yet tough twist, suitable for The Chronicles diverse sound. This song features a more sophisticated feel with the strong string presences of Iris Mulhern on harp, Phil Ducreay on Violin and Dylan Perrillo on String Bass. “Vibe” features strong cymbal playing and percussion for a relaxed funky feeling with a little help from Alan Evans.

“Just Knew”, an upbeat song with a great blend coming from every musician making for a unstoppable funk machine. Philippe Chow brings his trumpet to the table for an extra and always appreciated boom. “Spanning the Gap” gets a dose of hip hop from Jeff Nania, spitting out lyrics in sync with the modern chill jazz with a light piano solo from Tyrone Hartzog to finish off the song, proving that The Chronicles have no problem bridging multiple genres. “Quartal” is where Nicholas Lue shines with heavenly piano peaks and a consistent locomotive vibe. “Bad,Bad,Bad” features vocals recorded by Tyrone Hartzog, organ player of the band, with funky guitar riffs giving off the bad boy charm. “Reprise” ends the album with robust, soulful keys and steady bass notes from Daniel Lawson, to fade out with echoes of the haunting harmonies.

Key Tracks: Way Back Home, Just Knew, Spanning the Gap

November 1, 2013