The best moments in life are often those that come with little planning – so when my buddy hit me up last Wednesday about making a last-minute trip to see ska/punk/funk legends Fishbone at Syracuse’s Westcott Theater – I said “Funk ya!” California’s Fishbone has been touring since 1979 and still features three original members – lead vocalist Angelo Moore, bassist John Norwood Fisher and “Dirty” Walter A Kibby II on trumpet. Add in Rocky George of Suicidal Tendencies fame on guitar, John Steward on drums, Jay Armant on trombone, and Paul Hampton on the keys and they become a force to be reckoned with. This is no watered down state fair nostalgia act, this is the real deal.
Street Rock Mafia – a rap/funk/rock group from Utica. The Mafia’s genre is well stated as their sound lay somewhere in between Limp Bizkit, Ludacris and Syracuse’s own Sophistafunk. With ample guitar to go with the eloquent hip hop and subtle funk undertones – this band should have no trouble finding a varied audience as they continue to grow.
Finally it was time to grab one of the Westcott’s micro brews and get a spot up front for Fishbone. The audience was a bit sparse considering the history of this band, but that took little from the experience. The band came out to play one of their most well-known tunes “Party at Ground Zero” and immediately set the dance floor on fire. Showing no signs of age – vocalist/multi instrumentalist Moore was bouncing around the stage like an eighteen year old – and the rest of the band followed suit. The set featured a mix of old and new material and a spot on cover of the Sublime classic “Date Rape.” The band even managed to give a shout out to guitarist George’s old band – Suicidal Tendencies – with an extended head bang worthy jam around the tune “Institutionalized”. I, of course, immediately asked the bartender for a Pepsi, but he wouldn’t give me one.
Fishbone is touring heavily this year and was just announced as a headliner for September’s Last Daze of Summer festival at Sterling Stage in Sterling, NY. Put this band on your bucket list and find a way to see them. The last-minute journey to funkytown was well worth the five hours of sleep and the groggy morning after. And I finally got my Pepsi.
The Pandemics just released a new EP called Hard Headed. This band of musicians is a relatively new force in New York. Debuting in 2010 and having previously released another EP and an album, The Pandemics are an eight piece band spreading through New York State with a recognizably robust sound. The sounds of trumpets and drums open up the EP with an initial jam that is slower and one of the key songs on the EP to check out. The second song to be check out is “Change Your Mind.” This song is a head full of upbeat punk music with sarcastic humor on one shoulder and the combination of bad words on the other shoulder.
“Stop and Get Frisky” is a very relevant tune. This number is all about police violence. This past year the murder of Mike Brown and Eric Garner as well as other murders received a lot of well deserved attention and sparked a movement called Black Lives Matter. Cops are recurring themes in Ska and punk music, however, the lyrics in “Stop and Get Frisky,” – “The stopping for white is nearly six times for blacks,” make it clear that the song is specifically addressing the issue of racial profiling.
The Pandemics are bringing up important issues of police profiling in their new EP Hard Headed. Check it out and catch The Pandemics on tour in New York State this summer!
Jesus On The Mainline is a fifteen piece ensemble comprised of some of the best young musical talent New York City has to offer. Led by band leader Andrew Neesley (lead vocals, violin) his ensemble consists of Mel Flannery (vocals), Amanda Brecker (vocals), Tim Emmerick (vocals,guitar,banjo), Tomek Miernowski (bass), Dave Scalia (drums), Pascal Le Beouf (keyboard, organ), Andrew Miramonti (guitar), Simon Kafka (guitar), Mike Gorham (trumpet), Sam Oatts (trumpet), Natalie Cressman (trombone), Frank Cohen (trombone), Mark McGinnis (tuba), Jake Goldbas (percussion) and Austin Walker (percussion).
When you are preparing to see a band of this magnitude there is only one question you must ask yourself; will they all fit on stage? In stark contrast to past venues JOTM has played, Brooklyn Bowl gave them a chance to get comfortable on the roomy stage and let their sound shine through. With an eclectic range of tunes, at times ranging from southern rock to gospel and soul, the audience was captivated by the precise arrangements and compositions.
Neesley donning dark shades, shaved head, and a prolific beard, soon to be approaching ZZ Top status, began the set with the soulful and powerful tune “War” and made clear that given the right space to spread their wings JOTM could do not wrong. The gospel sounding “Angel From Montgomery” set the crowd up for a seamless transition into the rocking ruckus of “Jump Right In” with the entire cast firing on all cylinders. JOTM was reminiscent of a young, fresh, Tedeschi Trucks Band, combining all their talents to ensure their compositions resonated with everyone in attendance. Neesley takes time throughout each tune, while leading the band, to step aside and let each musician shine through, whether its Le Beouf’s organ solos or Flannery’s angelic voice giving us a soul filled cover of Nirvana’s “Lithium”.
To close outthe evening the entire ensemble took part in “Sister City, Brother Bone” with a classic rock sound, that gave way to the rhythm section to showcase their synergy. As long Jesus On The Mainline can find a stage to hold them and a room to contain their huge sound they are here to stay.
You can listen to Jesus On The Mainline here or catch them at Rockwood Music Hall on Thursday, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28 at midnite.
Jesus On The Mainline, Brooklyn Bowl, 4/28/2015
War, The Wrong Side, Chronically Lazy, Angel From Montgomery, Jump Right In, Sweet High & Dry, Take Me, Cry The Mamas Did, Lithium, Sister City Brother Bone
Fishbone has been pioneering the music world since 1979 with their own brand of sound, mixing all genres including ska, funk, rock, blues, soul, and R&B. The group is an international act that tours across the world as much as they do in the the USA.
Currently, they are on a 20-date tour across this great nation with shows in NYC at the Rock & Roll Resort, two nights at the Brooklyn Bowl, and an evening at Nectars in Burlington, VT, before heading back to the west coast to finish off the tour. Show attendees can also be sure to hear a few songs from their latest EP titled, Intrinsically Intertwined, that was released last year.
Street Rock Mafia is local from Utica, NY and has recently released their first EP called Music is Life. With a full house at Gordon’s Tap Room (Utica) last saturday, S.R.M. threw one heck of a party to display their hard work, inviting guests artists such as Sam Kininger on Saxaphone and SAMMY award-winning Nineball, among other local bands. Music is Life is a five song EP packed with trembling rock riffs, funky grooves, and smooth flowing hip-hop lyrics.
It was business as usual in Ithaca on Thursday April, 16 and by business as usual, it meant there was a raging funk storm tearing its way through The Haunt. With both bands performing new music, fans in Ithaca of Sister Sparrow and Turkuaz alike were in for a treat. As in years past, The Haunt was brimming with lovers of funk, soul, and blues, none of whom were able to keep themselves from dancing.
Hot off the new release of their EP “Stereochrome,” Turkuaz is in the middle of their Stereochrome tour, taking them from Portland to Saratoga and everywhere in between, leaving not a soul unsatisfied. Released on April 14 the new album brings one backs to the very roots of funk, with hints of Parliament and Sly & the Family Stone as well as a little of Turkuaz’s own distinct brand of soul that sends shivers running down the spine. Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds also brought a hefty dose of new tunes in anticipation of their upcoming album “The Weather Below,” set to be released May 19.
With the dance floor filling quickly, Sister Sparrow took to the stage, kicking off the show with a mixture of old crowd favorites and a couple new tunes, “Don’t Be Jealous” and “Sugar,” off their upcoming album. Though lead singer Arleigh Kincheloe may be a small woman, she has an enormous heart and a bigger voice. With vocals ranging from soft and soulful to mean and gritty, Kincheloe is the perfect match for her band that ceases to provide slow bluesy solos and hard funk rhythms. Starting off with a jam between the guitar and bass, The Haunt could not get enough as they shouted out the words to “Lasso” and its big chorus “But what do you want?” Though it started big, the song quickly transformed as a hush fell over the crowd for an almost melancholy trumpet solo leading up to a big finish. Before heading off, Greg Sanderson and Chris Brouwers, the tenor sax and trumpet players for Turuaz, joined in for Sister Sparrow’s own, “Road Trip,” which also featured one last clap and sing along by the fans.
With the crowd sufficiently warmed up and maybe even a little sweaty from over an hour of dancing, Turkuaz wasted little time in making their way to the stage. The band kicked things off with their unreleased track “Type-Lika,” followed by “Bubba Slide.” Hot off their new album, Turkuaz brought out two new tracks “Tiptoe Through the Crypto” and “It’s So Hard,” featuring dueling solos with the guitar and Sister Sparrow’s Jackson Kincheloe on harmonica. The set was nothing short of a remarkable amalgam of sexy brass solos, psychedelic guitar riffs, and the tender blues voices of singers Sammi Garrett and the band’s newest member Shira Elias.
As if Turkuaz wasn’t the quintessential old school fun band with a herd of nine members, they somehow found room for more people on the stage as they brought out four of Sister Sparrow’s finest. It only seemed fit, with 13 people crowded onto the stage, that Turkuaz ended their set with a Beatles classic, “With A Little Help From My Friends.” Bari-sax player Josh Schwartz wasn’t far off from Joe Cocker himself as he belted out every word with a fiery passion that engulfed the entire venue. With the crowd left crying for “One more song!,” Turkuaz waited several minutes, building up as much suspense as possible before returning for the encore. To close out the night, the band performed “Lookin’ Tough, Feelin’ Good,” leaving everyone with the final notes of front man Dave Brandwein’s guitar solo ringing in their ears. As usual, Turkuaz and Sister Sparrow continue to impress, bringing a much needed dose of funk and soul to Ithaca’s The Haunt once again.
Setlists Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds
UTW, Freight, Millie, Don’t Be Jealous, Sugar, We need a love, Mama Knows, Borderline, Prison Cells, Lasso, Dr. Feelgood, You Don’t Know, Roadtrip
Turkuaz
Type, Bubba, Bijou>20 Dollar Bill, It’s So Hard>Shape, Nightswimming, Coast, Future, Lookin’ Tough, Gogo, Ballad of Castor, Chatte, With a Little Help from My Friends Encore: Lookin’ Tough, Feelin’ Good
Bringing the sounds of New Orleans to the Picotte Recital Hall in The Massry Center at The College of Saint Rose, the legendary Funky Meters closed out the season with extended solos and catalog staples. The audience was surprisingly seated for all but the encore of this performance, relegated to foot tapping and rocking back and forth rather than getting up and moving, with only a few souls dancing near the periphery of the stage.
After a warm up opener of “Funky Miracle” followed by “The World is a Little Bit Under the Weather” Art “Poppa Funk” Neville was left for a solo but missed his cue, picking it up moments later saying, “I feel like Ray Charles, I can’t see nothin’ anyway.” Yet his fingers could still find the right keys throughout the night.
“Honey Child” had a fair amount of banter between Neville and George Porter, Jr. as well as a solid drum solo from Terrence Houston, a great substitute for Russell Baptiste. The rest of the night featured extended jamming inside classics including “People Say,” “Cissy Strut,” where Art and George sat together as Terrence took his shirt off, draped it over his head and drummed blind as he tore it up for five additional minutes, and “Just Kissed my Baby” with George putting forth such energy and genuine excitement that you’d think he’d snuck off stage for a split second to find proper inspiration.
The transition into “Ain’t No Use” was ultra smooth courtesy of George and guitarist Brian Stoltz. I happened to have seen Widespread Panic play this song as an opener two nights earlier in Columbia, SC, and with the jamming that resulted there it’s hard to say which version was better, reflecting on the potential for this song in any setting. This “Ain’t No Use” took a few turns as it stretched out and had hardly a hiccup throughout. The set ended on a high note just as the show I caught on Tuesday started, a testament to the music of The Meters
An on stage encore had a short “Let it Roll” that worked into “Fire on the Bayou” with a jam into “White Room” at the end, to which George commented “I had to get my psychedelic on.” After the show while fans greeted the band, a fan commented “George Porter Jr. looks like the happiest person on earth,” a spot on assessment given that George and Art have played together for 48 years. You’d be happy too.
Short and sweet, this newly released four track EP Stereochrome is full of the uplifting soulful sounds that we’ve come to expect from Turkuaz. A self proclaimed “funk army” it’s obvious from the get-go that their mission is to get you on your feet.
The first track, “The Fader” is high energy and completely instumental, reminicent of a stripped down James Brown song. The other three songs are full of meaningful lyrics and well-timed harmonies. The two female vocalists Sammi Garet and Shira Elias really shine throughout the EP, especially on “Tiptoe Through The Crypto” where Elias’sultry voice adds an authentic richness.
Sterochrome is like a revival of the ghost of funktown’s past. With their influences varying from Sly and the Family Stone to Parliament, Turkuaz excels at adding a refreshing take on an older, homegrown style. If you want to catch them live, they’re playing various dates around the Northeast in the coming weeks.
Monophonic, by definition, means consisting of one sound, yet Monophonics, a six-piece band from San Francisco, are anything but monophonic. They call their style of music “Psychedelic Soul.” That’s exactly how to describe their newest album, Sound of Sinning, which draws from the rich history of the Bay Area’s music scene and mixes it with the sounds of Motown and southern soul.
Listening to Sound of Sinning, you will think it was recorded 45 years ago. The album starts off with a nod to the psychedelic garage rock of the ’60s. “Lying Eyes” mixes smooth harmonies, reminiscent of The Byrds, with a raspy belting chorus. The remainder of the album is very much that “Psychedelic Soul” sound, bringing together psychedelic sounds with R&B, soul, and funk in a perfect union. The title track sounds as though Aretha Franklin was performing with The Zombies as her backup band while “Hanging On” brings back memories of The Supremes. The album closes out with the mostly instrumental “Everyone’s Got…,” layering vocal harmonies over a catchy rhythm and psychedelic melodies similar to The Beatles’ “Revolution 9.” Lyrically, this album speaks of heartbreak, broken promises, and lies – the sound of sinning.
Monophonics are currently on tour, finishing up a run through the northeast before they head south and then west to California, followed by a handful of shows in western Europe. They will play Buffalo’s Iron Works with Wild Adriatic on Thursday, April 16 and then they head east to Rochester on April 17, to play The Club at Water Street.
Al Bell, record producer and co-owner of the legendary Stax Records, calls them “One of the best live soul bands I have ever seen!” Sound of Sinning can be purchased through their Artist Stores page. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Key Tracks: Lying Eyes, Sound of Sinning, Find My Way Back Home
Having a guest musician join a band for a song can end up being a highlight of any show, the part that fans talk about for days and weeks after. Mixing things up and bringing up some friends to sit in on a song adds a little extra something special to a show and celebrates the unique and unpredictable nature of the live music experience – you never know what will happen next. Scott Hannay, keyboardist and vocals for Mister F has a reputation that precedes him when it comes to sitting in with bands. interview
A master at this craft, Scott can be found sitting in with regularity at shows in the Capital District as well as festivals around the country. With experience and insight into the art of sitting in, Scott talked to NYS Music about what it’s like to sit-in with a band and what goes into making a sit-in happen.
Pete Mason: What is the benefit of a sit-in? You have had musicians sit in with Mister F and you have sat in with many bands. What is the benefit on each end?
Scott Hannay: For the band, they can see a few different reasons to have someone up – it’s certainly an interesting way of changing up a set. Sometimes it’s to get a chance to hang with a player or friend that they enjoy the musical company of. And then there’s the big names sitting in, which are both awesome for the experience and the promotional benefits. There’s nothing quite like being able to say that players from two of the biggest bands on the scene have shared stage time with us!
For the sit-ee, at least for me, one of the biggest benefits is just getting to play with other people. I hosted an open mic for 8 years, and through that have learned how to be able to play with almost anybody and blend in. I like to think that if you can follow someone who can’t keep a solid 4 beats in a measure (not because they planned to add that extra 8th note to the length of the measure, mind you), you can play with almost anyone. On the other end of the spectrum, playing with people beyond your own skill level can have an amazing effect on making you step up your game. Sitting in is also very useful for cross-pollinating fan bases. Twiddle has graciously allowed me numerous opportunities to sit in over the last year, and now I keep hearing from people that they came to check us out because of something I did with them, and now they know our band and our music. Stuff like that has been invaluable to us. We’ve had all of them share the stage with us at one point or another also. We’re all in this together, so we might as well all be working together as a team and collaborating to help lift each other up!
There’s also a whole lot of ways a sit-in can go wrong, so the person is usually carefully picked.
PM: What can go wrong?
SH: Any number of things could go wrong. If you’re switching out and using someone else’s rig you’re not familiar with, maybe you’ll accidentally hit the wrong button and something crazy will come out. Maybe you’re not very familiar with how the band communicates, and you miss a key change or some important hits. The real key is to use your ears more than your fingers, blend in, when they tell you “GO”, you go, and then continue thinking of the overall sound. It’s not about you unless they make it a point to make it about you, to me it’s really more about complementing the group sound as a whole. The Werks kind of made it about me when they asked me to come up and play keys, bass, and guitar all in the same song. Sometimes, that’ll happen, apparently!
PM: How do you coordinate a sit-in? How much pre-planning is involved or is it sometimes entirely, up until the moment stepping on stage, spontaneous?
SH: Every time is a little different. Sometimes I’ll be asked a month in advance, sometimes I’ll gather up the courage to ask someone ‘out of my league’, sometimes I don’t hear back, and then sometimes when I show up I get asked. Sometimes it’s pre-planned, and then sometimes the planned song changes due to time constraints. Sometimes it doesn’t happen at all. I’ve even gotten onstage to realize not everybody in the band knew I was even coming up! It’s never a certain thing, but I always bring my Moog with me just in case. If it doesn’t get used, it doesn’t get used, but if it’s needed, I’m always so glad it’s there.
BDL Photo
There was one time Mike from Aqueous texted me the morning of a gig we had together saying “Hey, do you know Highway Star”? And I basically told him “not yet” and spent the entire van ride to Buffalo learning it.
PM: When it comes to the song you are sitting in for, are those typically discussed in advance like that? Or do you arrive for a cover song or familiar tune you’ve played on before?
SH: Sometimes they’ll be like “Hey, we’re gonna pull you up for [SONG]” and I’ve got to go listen to it to get the feel and key. Other times, it’s something I already know, and sometimes it’s something I know “well enough” to be able to blend in and fill in holes. I like to know as much in advance as I can to be prepared, but it seems as if there’s always an element of surprise!
PM: So you have a reputation for sit-ins with bands. How many bands have you sat in with this year so far?
SH: Including bands I have played full shows with (excluding Mister F), I have played with 16 bands since the beginning of 2015: Wild Adriatic, Annie in the Water, Spiritual Rez, Capital Zen, Bark Eaters, Gubbulidis, Dead Set Tuesdays, The Werks, Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan, Space Carnival, Lespecial, Consider the Source, Pink Talking Fish, Fat Aztec, Aqueous and Twiddle Fu.
PM: How many in 2014?
SH: I believe my count for last year was 26.
Overall, it’s a really amazing thing to be a fan of all these bands, imagining what it would be like to play with them, and then have it actually happen. It’s literally the kind of thing I would dream about when I was young. I dreamed once when I was an impressionable 12-year-old that I sat in with Green Day. While that’s likely never going to happen, I have gotten to play with some of my absolute favorite bands and it’s been amazing.
PM: Given all the bands you have sat in with and bands you are fans of and friends with, what bands would you love to sit-in with?
SH: Well, it’s crazy to me that I got to sit in with Umphrey’s, my absolute dream band to sit in with, before I’d even established myself at all in the scene. I still want to say I’d love to sit in with them again most of all. I’d also really love to get the chance to jam with moe. someday. moe.down was my first festival, and it really drew me right into the scene that I’m now a part of, kind of full-circle thing for me. Aiming that high looks pretty crazy to me written down, but crazier things have happened, and knowing that makes me always push myself to be better. Oh yeah, and Turkuaz. Let’s not forget Turkuaz. I’d love to jam with Turkuaz someday. Because, Turkuaz.
What a way to spend a holiday weekend! Putnam Den was packed with fans of all ages for Robert Randolph and the Family Band for a good time. Dave Spadaro group took to the stage to an anticipatory crowd and gave them an incredible warm up show. Spadero has played in Good Foot, Heavy Fog and jams out with The Stone Revival Band. The group consists of Dave Spadaro on guitar, Stephen Orsini on bass, Andrew Costa on keyboards and Brandon Isles on drum with Josh Farrell on vocals this evening. The group had people moving their feet early in the night and the band was well received by the crowd. They started the night with a few original tunes before diving into a cover of Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” Their new album can be downloaded and streamed for free here.
Robert Randolph took the stage sans welcome or introduction and got right to the music. An instrumental “Voodoo Chile” was an early highlight, while “The Sky is Crying” was ultra bluesy, with excellent vocals from cousin Ray-Ray. “Shake Your Hips”, with a “La Grange” feel to the song brought up the ladies on the stage for a solid 10 minutes of jamming and shaking. A brief “When the Saints go Marching in” was instrumental and disappeared too quickly. “Brand New Wayo” off Lickety Split had the most energy of the night with a cover of Bill Withers’ “Use Me” rounding out the night. An encore of “Amped Up” felt like it could have been the party starter of the night, but who can complain? Robert Randolph packed the house at Putnam Den and made a Good Friday even better.
The Pandemics just released a new EP called Hard Headed. This band of musicians is a relatively new force in New York. Debuting in 2010 and having previously released another EP and an album, The Pandemics are an eight piece band spreading through New York State with a recognizably robust sound. The sounds of trumpets and drums open up the EP with an initial jam that is slower and one of the key songs on the EP to check out. The second song to be check out is “Change Your Mind.” This song is a head full of upbeat punk music with sarcastic humor on one shoulder and the combination of bad words on the other shoulder.
Monophonic, by definition, means consisting of one sound, yet 
Pete Mason: What is the benefit of a sit-in? You have had musicians sit in with Mister F and you have sat in with many bands. What is the benefit on each end?
PM: How do you coordinate a sit-in? How much pre-planning is involved or is it sometimes entirely, up until the moment stepping on stage, spontaneous?
