NYS Music 20​14

Category: Utica

  • Jim Brickman Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Central New York

    On March 15, 2014, Jim Brickman celebrated a monumental achievement in his career; 20years to the date, he released his first album, No Words.  Twenty years later, Jim Brickman stepped foot on stage for the first time at the Stanley Center for the Arts, bringing along more than 33 best-selling albums, dozens of collaborations with the top artists in the business, numerous awards and achievements, and multiple projects under his belt to share with the audience.   Utica was thankfully chosen for his special occasion and the performance shared by all was truly heartfelt.

    Jim Brickman 20th Anniversary Celebration
    Jim Brickman 20th Anniversary Celebration

    Opening the evening with “The Promise,” a musical piece from his Simple Things album, his beautiful playing drew in the audience and set the mood for the evening with a light and airy feeling.  He shared moments throughout of how the music came to be, joked about things that occurred over the years, and by the end of the evening, it was as though it was a small room filled with friends and family, celebrating a very special anniversary. Below, Jim shares how he came to record his first album, and you see how fate sometimes plays a hand in the avenues taken in life.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shzUoE359Qk]

    Jim was joined throughout the evening by special guests Anne Cochran, a childhood friend from his hometown in Cleveland, Ohio, and George Perris, a young man originally from Greece who has been performing worldwide since the age of 14.  Jim shared childhood stories of how he and Cochran became acquainted.  His memories and admiration for her still hold true today as they have remained friends and co-workers now for several decades.  This was apparent as they bantered back and forth with each other throughout the evening like brother and sister.  Cochran has collaborated on several numbers and shows with Jim, of which they performed one of their most popular of the evening, “After All These Years.”  Perris was then introduced and impressed the audience with not only his knowledge of music and amazing talent, but his ability to speak multiple languages as well; four in total.  Joining Jim onstage for multiple numbers and a “selfie” of the three of them, Perris amused and enchanted the audience.

    Anne Cochran and George Perris at Meet & Greet
    Anne Cochran and George Perris at Meet & Greet

    I have always been a big fan of Jim Brickman over the years as he has written two of my favorite songs of all time: “Valentine” and “The Gift.”  I have listened to him on the weekends on his radio show, and it was nice to hear some personal stories on his road to success.  His influences from Jim Henson and those from Walt Disney effected his love of music and the styles he would perfect over the years.  I have to say that his performances of the Muppets and Disney tunes were my favorites of the evening; perhaps because they were light-hearted and fun, perhaps because I knew the tunes such as “It’s Not Easy Being Green”, “Rainbow Connection”, or “When You Wish Upon a Star”, or perhaps because they were some of my favorite tunes growing up and they brought me back to a time when life was simple.  It was nice to connect with a musician on a level of commonality, even if it’s just a love of the same type of music.

    For those who may not realize this, Jim has offered his musical talents to numerous shows, commercials, and events. One event he spoke of was the 2014 Sochi Olympics.  As he played the numbers he wrote for the Olympics, he joked that some music is often used as background to narrations and sometimes for sad stories even.  As humble as he is, he still gets excited though to hear his music when it plays out in public places.  One such moment was as he was on hold with a credit card company.  Upon calling in to fix a credit card issue, he waited patiently, listening to his music, until the customer service operator came on the line.  As impressed as he was with himself, unfortunately the person on the other end didn’t share the same excitement as he joked about listening to himself on hold.  A more recent occurrence happened as he was traveling through an airport and heard his music playing while he took a pit stop.  Wanting to share his excitement with others, he thought better of it as perhaps that wasn’t the time or place to share that information.  It was stories such as these that bring such huge performers and stars into a perspective that is relatable with their audiences.  Again, the stories, jokes, and insights are what make Jim Brickman the star he is today and continue to build the relationship he fosters with his followers.  His talent and generosity provide opportunity to give back to his audiences worldwide, while his appreciation and gratitude are genuine.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaBsczMHKyQ]

    As mentioned above, Jim’s career has garnered multiple albums with multiple hits over the years.  His musical compositions and songwriting skills have elevated him to a level of expertise as one of the greats of our era.  At the same time, it was nice to see such an approachable, easy-going, and humorous individual on stage and in person.  He goes out of his way to remain approachable to his fans by sponsoring cruises and parties.  This years event, Brickman’s Bash, will be held in Cleveland, Ohio on July 17th-20th.

    Although this was the first time Jim Brickman visited The Stanley Center for the Arts, I have a feeling it will become a permanent stop on each tour.

  • The Women of Ireland Take The Stanley By Storm

    As Central New York continues to celebrate their week long St. Patrick’s Day traditions, it was only fitting to host the beautiful Women of Ireland at the magnificent Stanley Center for the Arts.  While not all of the Women of Ireland could make it, they did send some very special ladies and gentlemen to represent and share their traditions of music and dance across the pond here in America.

    And what a fabulous production it was.  To state that the musicians and dancers were outstanding is just an understatement of their amazing talents and effortless delivery.  The lovely O’Neill sisters, Fiona, Naomi, and Evangeline, are no strangers to the music industry as they have roots in music both here in America and across the pond in Ireland.  They grew up in Ireland in the County Kerry, an area where coastline and natures beauty surrounded them.  Studying music, dance, and theater at an early age fueled in them a passion to share their voices and talents with audiences worldwide, and after spending some time in America with the likes of stars such as Bruno Mars, Tom Cruise and Miley Cyrus, their homeland began to beckon them home where to our great fortune, they became involved with Women of Ireland.

    Mix the angelic voices with the light and airy steps of Kelly McDonnell and you have a perfect combination.  Kelly McDonnell hails from County Tipperary and at the age of 3 began dancing with the Fleming Ball Academy.  With several amazing championship wins under her belt by the age of 16, Kelly turned professional and traveled the world performing for huge audiences, select celebrities, and shows such as Michael Flatley’s “Celtic Tiger”.  Her amazing spring and effortless ease entrances those who are lucky enough to see her perform.

    How could this show get any better you ask?  Well just add in Anthony Fallon.  Anthony began his dancing career at the early age of 3 also, under the tutelage of Terry Gillan and Philip Owens in Dublin Ireland, and at the age of 6 began competing.  Anthony was World Irish Dancing Solo Champion from 2000-2004, and with numerous titles under his belt he began touring.  While working in America he was invited to tour with Riverdance: The Show, where after two years he was offered a principal position. Anthony is the Principal Choreographer for the Irish dancing you see in the Women of Ireland, and I must compliment his magnificently creative, and impeccably  timed choreography you see through each and every number in the production.

    Rounding out the ensemble I would be remiss to not mention how absolutely enjoyable were the performances by both Katie Shaughnassey and Maureen Devereaux. These young ladies float across the stage performing their slips, reels, and jigs as though clouds moving to the music. And rounding out the cast was a band of musicians who are top notch in their crafts. On uileann pipes was Dan Callaghan, on bodhran was Andrew Meyer, on guitar was Searn Ernest, Katie Greenan was on fiddle, and on drums was Renato Milone.

    For all that attended the show on March 11th they were thoroughly entertained with both traditional celtic tunes such as Danny Boy and Red Haired Mary, and more contemporary tunes such as Josh Groban’s “You Lift Me Up”, Original Castle’s “One Tin Soldier”,  and John Lennon’s “Imagine”.  They were treated to the traditional celtic instruments of the uleann pipes, the bodhran, and of course the fiddle.  As the dancers joined them on stage audience members couldn’t help but tap their toes and clap along.

    This production took every detail in mind.  I have been part of many shows and this one was an outstanding artistic production.  The light show and sound match the talent it was highlighting and all together was seamlessly carried out.

    Although all the women of Ireland could not make it to The Stanley Center for the Arts, it was truly our gift that they shared this cast and crew with Central New York making this pre St. Patrick’s Day show the perfect way to begin the holiday week.

  • MVCC Jams with Floodwood and The Birdseed Bandits

    What do you get when you cross the Birdseed Bandits with Floodwood?  You get one electric foot stomping, feel good, jam session.  How could this get even better?  Hold it at one of the best venues in town, the Mohawk Valley Community College’s (MVCC) IT Auditorium.  The space is designed with top notch acoustics, state of the art sound and lighting, and not a bad seat in the house.

    Floodwood at MVCC
    Floodwood at MVCC

    The show began with Adam Ludemann, Seth Becker, and Nash Robb, the trio that makes up the Birdseed Bandits, setting the bar high with their unique acoustic sounds with a strong banjo, guitar, percussion, and bass tempo.  This sound reverberates into your soul and the unique composition can’t help but make you tap your feet to the beat.  They’ve been hailed as Punk/Americana or “Punkicana,” Folk/Rock, Adirondack Folk, “Foot stomping” Folk/Punk-Rock, or Alternative Americana.  No matter what genre they are categorized within, they are definitely talented and a feel good band.

    Floodwood took the stage immediately after  and from the minute they walked out on stage you could feel the love and energy from their fans.  While the audience during the opening performance remained in their seats clapping their hands and tapping their toes to the songs, the minute Floodwood took the stage these same fans rushed to the edge of the stage to be right there in front to dance and stomp along.  This tale tell sign is a foreshadowing of what is to come for those who have never been part of a band’s shows. I must add how absolutely wonderful this venue is set up to accommodate not only those who wish to be part of the performance by dancing and singing along up front, but those who wish to remain seated during the performance without obstructions. Kudos to the venue as the design truly accommodates their audiences and bands alike.

    Floodwood didn’t disappoint as usual.  Their full set list of amazing creative sounds entranced the audience and whether fast paced or melancholy, the audience was mesmerized throughout the whole show.  But it’s the engagement with the crowd that makes them stand out as top performers.  It’s the peek into their personalities that engages the audiences.  You can see this clearly.  It’s the amazing talent and experience of true greats such as Al and Vinnie that set the bar.  It’s the interactions experienced with Nick playing the banjo or fiddle and Jason with his mandolin among the crowd that makes them part of the show.  And it’s Zach strumming the base one minute and then the next thing you know he’s down on the carpet doing pushups (which I must add were very impressive).  It is this peek into their personalities that only makes their audiences love them more and engages them as their Floodwood family.  This is true entertainment.  This is what makes them stand out.

    As a newly developed fan of Floodwood, I look forward to their upcoming shows this festival season, and want to spread the word to those who may not have seen them previously.  Floodwood is a “MUST SEE” show.  Check them out their tour schedule;  you can thank me later for introducing you to them.

  • SLUG Grooves Their Way Into Club Aqua

    On February 8th at Bridgewater’s Club Aqua, SLUG took the stage for all those brave enough to weather the cold.  It didn’t take long though to warm up the crowd with their groovy, bluesy sound.  Reminiscent of a mix of Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, Willie Nelson, and Bob Dylan, SLUG has taken these inspirational sounds and created a sound uniquely their own. This feel good, easy going music features Stephen “Fletch” Fletcher on lead vocal and rhythm, Irwin Winkler on lead guitar and back up vocals; Chris “The Kraken” Dunn on bass and back up vocals; Mike Finley on keyboards and back up vocals, and Adam Morgan on drums.

    This year the band will spend a good deal of time touring festivals all over the country. Check them out locally at the Strawberry Jam on May 15th in Fort Plain, NY or at Shake the Mountain on May 16th in Northville, NY. For further details on these and upcoming events please check their website.

  • Clap Your Hands Say Wow! Alec Ounsworth Rocks Big Blue North Studios in Utica

    Picture hundreds of people huddled around,smoking cigarettes, drinking beers under the bright lights of the grand marquee waiting to get into the show. Now take that image and think the complete opposite and that is the feel of the Alec Ounsworth (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) living room tour. If a patron of the concert at Big Blue North Studios in Utica didn’t have specific directions and overview of what they were in for, they would have thought they were in the wrong place. A huge church that Big Blue North Studios now calls home was dark with nothing but a candlelit pathway leading to the entrance on January 28th.

    A kind woman was at the door, taking names, letting fans know that coffee and tea were available to the right. Yup, you heard it right coffee and tea. This was a concert? The ambiance at this point was that of an AA meeting. Confusion filled the room; confusion and anticipation. As the crowd of 40 people or so sat in metal folding chairs, the stage was set up just as if it were a living room (hence the tours name) with ablack and white TV with a scrambled image, a tan fuzzy chair, a fireplace, a table and a microphone in the middle of it all. Intimate doesn’t even begin to describe the atmosphere. When Ounsworth walked through the crowd and stepped on stage he had everyone’s utmost attention.

    This was more than a show, it was an experience, a rare one at that. Seeing an indie hero such as Alec Ounsworth playing his usually fast paced songs, stripped down and played completely different, while the farthest person away from him was 20 feet away. Ounsworth proved to his fans that he still has it and with the new formation of CYHSY, the new album has nothing but the possibility of greatness.

    Opening up with the beautiful David Bowie classic “Absolute Beginners” highlighted Ounsworth’s vocal range and not stretching it too far to get a feel for how the room would sound with an audience. The intimacy was so apparent that Ounsworth not only didn’t mind fan interaction, but encouraged it. By talking to the fans throughout. When he played “Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood”, a classic off the CYHSY self-titled debut album, there were people quietly sitting but yet moving to the music, smiling, mouthing the words, as not to disturb the ambiance of the room. At this point where the man of the hour started to cough, and sniffle a bit, making comments implying he may have a cold, but not only didn’t he stop the show, or take a break, he continued his high pitch on the verge of whiny vocals. Ounsworth offered fans a treat by playing “Blameless”, a new song off the full bands album set for a spring release, transitioning smoothly into “In this Home on Ice”, stripped down, even more so than the song’s previous versions. The show closed with “Underwater (you and me)”, off the bands second album Some Loud Thunder, a spectacular way to end the set. Arguably the bands most beautiful song made even that much more due to the intimate surroundings.

    Ounsworth proved to his fans that he still has it and with the new formation of CYHSY, the new album has nothing but the possibility of greatness.