NYS Music 20​15

Category: News

  • On ★, is the Thin White Duke Channeling Duke (Ellington)?

    Set for a Jan. 8 release, David Bowie’s new album ★ (pronounced Blackstar) takes the rock and roll chameleon in a completely different direction. The Thin White Duke enlisted a backing band of jazz musicians in a conscious effort to prevent dipping back into his old rock convictions.

    Bowie’s 25th release was recorded in New York earlier this year and boasts a heavyweight cast of jazz musicians. Joining Bowie on Blackstar are saxophonist Donny McCaslin — who also performed on the 2014 single, “Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)” — guitarist Ben Monder, drummer Mark Guiliana, pianist Jason Lindner and bassist Tim LeFebrve.

    Mojo describes the album as “jazz informed but rock intense.” Take a look at his creepy video for the title song, directed by Breaking Bad alum Johan Renck, released Friday:

    Bowie’s producer Tony Visconti explained to MOJO Magazine the thought process in choosing an all jazz band to back Bowie:

    If we’d used David’s former musicians they would be rock people playing jazz. Having jazz guys play rock music turns it upside down.  Their approach to the music was so refreshing, I looked forward to every day in the studio. Nothing was done recalling the past.

    Bowie’s career has been built on making his listeners expect the unexpected, and at the age of 68, his new album certainly shows no signs of those expectations changing.

  • Jane Getter Premonition to Tour in Support of ‘On’

    Progressive supergroup Jane Getter Premonition will head out on a brief tour in support of their new album On. The mid-December tour includes stops in Buffalo, Kingston and New York City.

    JaneGetter_sqweb

    Joining Jane Getter, who Guitar Player called “the fieriest fretboarding female ever to strap on a Stratocaster,” on tour will be Adam Holzman (Miles Davis, Steven Wilson) on keyboards, Alex Skolnick (Testament) on guitar, Stu Hamm (Joe Satriani, Steve Vai) on bass and John Mader (Steve Miller, Pat Benatar) on drums. The tour will kick off on Dec. 8 in Cleveland, Ohio and end with two shows on Dec. 16 in New York City.

    Commenting on the tour, Getter said in a press release, “We will be playing the exciting and hard hitting music from our newly released album, On, on Madfish Music, along with a few older hits from Three and See Jane Run. Get ready for some intense jams!”

    From the press release:

    Guitarist and composer Jane Getter has played with many jazz and rock greats while garnering increasing recognition as a bandleader, gifted writer and instrumentalist. Early in her career she toured with legendary jazz/blues organist Brother Jack McDuff. Her composing talents received attention when she won the ASCAP Gershwin Award for Music for Dance or Theatre in the mid 90’s. Her debut CD, Jane, in 1998 received worldwide critical acclaim and the 2006 follow up, See Jane Run, was released on Alternity Records (home of Allan Holdsworth). In 2012 she released the progressive jazz/rock album, Three. Getter also received widespread exposure playing in the Saturday Night Live Band.

    Tickets for all shows are currently on sale.

    Jane Getter on Twitter

    Jane Getter on Facebook

    Tour Dates

    Tuesday, Dec. 8 – Nighttown, Cleveland, OH
    Wednesday, Dec. 9 – The Token Lounge, Westland, MI
    Thursday, Dec. 10 – Nietzches, Buffalo, NY
    Friday, Dec. 11 – Keegan Ales, Kingston, NY
    Monday, Dec. 14 – Jammin’ Java, Vienna, VA
    Tuesday, Dec. 15 – The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
    Wednesday, Dec. 16 – Iridium, New York, NY – two shows, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs8LERUjgEQ[/embedyt]

  • Phish’s ‘Siket Disc’ to be Released on Vinyl

    Phish has announced that The Siket Disc will be released on vinyl for the first time on Friday, Dec. 18. It is currently available for pre-order.

    siket_disc_vinyl

    Originally released in 1999, The Siket Disc contains nine tracks of almost entirely instrumental music recorded during The Story of the Ghost sessions in 1997. The improvisational music was recorded by engineer John Siket and compiled by Phish keyboardist Page McConnell.

    From the Facebook announcement:

    Highlighting the band’s millennial, sometimes-ambient explorations of the time, The Siket Disc yielded a few songs that have since been incorporated into live shows including “What’s The Use?”, “My Left Toe”, “The Happy Whip and Dung Song”, and even the vocoder soundscape of “Quadrophonic Toppling”.

    The album was mastered for vinyl from the Digital Audio Tape flat master and pressed onto 180g audiophile grade vinyl. Each order includes a free MP3 download of the album that was transferred from vinyl. T-shirt bundles are also available for pre-order.

    The Siket Disc vinyl tracklist

    Side A

    1. My Left Toe
    2. The Name is Slick
    3. What’s the Use?

    Side B

    1. Fish Bass
    2. Quadrophonic Toppling
    3. The Happy Whip and Dung Song
    4. Insects
    5. Title Track
    6. Albert

  • Updated: Tool to Tour with Primus in January

    Tool posted an announcement to their Facebook page last week mentioning that they will be soon announcing U.S. tour dates for January 2016. That post also stated, “Regarding an opening band(s), what I was able to discern through the ever-shifting veil will in all likeliness be exciting to many Tool enthusiasts.”

    tool primus tourThat day is here. Through another post to Facebook, they announced, “Those faint glimpses of TOOL SHOWS that I recently perceived in the scrying mirror can now be considered official. Indeed, something wicked your way comes…THE UNPARALLELED SONIC AND VISUAL EXPERIENCE OF TOOL LIVE.”

    Tool did not specifically announce the openers, but Primus and 3TEETH are listed on the bill at ticketing sites for each show.

    There are no Northeast dates announced yet, but Tool is teasing more dates with, “CHECK BACK SOON FOR MORE INFO…”

    All shows go on sale this Friday, Nov. 20. Tour dates are as follows:

    Saturday, Jan. 9 – Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Wednesday, Jan. 13 – AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Saturday, Jan. 16 – BOK Center, Tulsa, OK – with Primus
    Sunday, Jan. 17 – Verizon Theatre, Grand Prairie, TX – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Tuesday, Jan. 19 – Landers Center, Southaven, MS – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Saturday, Jan. 23 – Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Monday, Jan. 25 – Infinite Energy Center, Atlanta, GA – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Tuesday, Jan. 26 – Bojangles Coliseum, Charlotte, NC – with Primus and 3TEETH

    Update (Nov. 30): Tool has added a second show in San Diego on Sunday, Jan. 10. Tickets for this show are currently on sale. Additionally, four new dates were announced today. The new dates are as follows:

    Thursday, Jan. 14 – Toyota Center, Houston, TX – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Wednesday, Jan. 20 – Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Friday, Jan. 22 – Chaifetz Center, St. Louis, MO – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Sunday, Jan. 31 – Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA – with Primus

    Tickets for these four new dates go on sale on Friday, Dec. 4. Tool has, once again, hinted as even more dates through their Facebook post: “Please continue to check back for times and links and to see if any more shows are ADDED to this list.”

    Update (Dec. 8): Another stop on the Tool tour has been scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 6 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California. Billed as “An Evening with Tool,” there will be no supporting acts. Tickets for this special night of music will go on sale on Friday, Dec. 11 at 12 p.m. PST.

  • Anders Kjølholm Parts From Volbeat

    Bassist Anders Kjølholm has decided to call it a career after 14 years with his brothers in the Danish psychobilly rock group Volbeat.

    The parting so far has been mutual, and with no official word as to why Kjølholm is parting ways with Volbeat, but music skeptics add that Kjølholm may have been forced out from Volbeat.

    The parting comes days after Volbeat was accused of stealing the sound and style of the band Life Of Agony, which singer Michael Poulsen denies.

    Kjølholm has been with Volbeat from the band’s beginning in 2001. Kjølholm released a brief statement about the parting:

    It has been a great experience to be part of the Volbeat family for so long, and I wish Michael, Jon and Rob, everyone involved with the band and of course all the fans, all the best on the continued journey.

    Volbeat vocalist Michael Poulsen and drummer Jon Larsen talked about the matter:

    Anders has been a loyal friend and bandmate since 2001. We’ve toured most parts of the world and shared experiences that only few bands get to do. We’re very thankful for this and wish Anders all the best in the future.

    Volbeat plans to tour relentlessly in 2016 with a brand new sixth studio album in the works. The band debuted a new track from the upcoming album during a live set on Aug. 1 at Tusindarsskoven in Odense, Denmark.

    Volbeat frontman Michael Poulsen stated back in May to local Ohio radio station 99.7 The Blitz that he has been writing songs on the road and plans to hit the studio sometime in November. He also stated that the band has rehearsed around five new songs during their soundcheck.

  • Eagles Of Death Metal Concert One Of Several Terrorist Attacks In Paris

    The New York Times reported that two gunmen attacked the crowd at Eagles Of Death Metal concert in Paris from the balcony using shotguns shooting down at the crowd killing many concert goers.  This was one site out of a so far reported seven areas of Paris attacked Friday night.

    The country of France is currently under lockdown until further notice.  All the borders closed with a curfew on the streets.  The first curfew since 1944 during World War II.

    All four members of Eagles Of Death Metal have confirmed to have escaped the attack and confirmed to be unharmed.

    More updates to come.  Prayers to everyone in Paris.

    UPDATED 10:53 p.m.

    French President François Hollande addresses the media outside the Bataclan. Confirms terrorists who attacked concert have been killed.

    UPDATED 10:35 p.m. 

    Via Slate, an eyewitness account from a concert attendee at the Bataclan to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, “They were not wearing masks.”

    UPDATED 9:49 p.m.

    U2 has canceled its scheduled live HBO performance from Paris scheduled November 14. From the U2 website:

    As a result of the ongoing state of emergency across France, the U2 Paris concert scheduled for 14th November will not be going ahead as planned. U2 and Live Nation, along with HBO who were due to live broadcast the Saturday concert, are fully resolved to go ahead with this show at an appropriate time.

    Speaking from Paris the band said:

    “We watched in disbelief and shock at the unfolding events in Paris and our hearts go out to all the victims and their families across the city tonight.

    We are devastated at the loss of life at the Eagles of Death Metal concert and our thoughts and prayers are with the band and their fans.

    And we hope and pray that all of our fans in Paris are safe.”

    UPDATED 9:45 p.m.

    The New York Times has reported that Eagles of Death Metal had been performing before a sold out crowd at Paris’ Bataclan for about an hour when three gunmen charged into the venue shooting.

    UPDATED 9:07 p.m. 

    From Billboard:

    UPDATED 8:54 p.m.  The Washington Post is reporting that they have spoken to the Eagles of Death Metal’s drummer Julian Doro, who confirmed that her son and the rest of the band members are safe. The band members managed to flee the venue as the attacks began, however several crew members remain unaccounted for.

    UPDATED 8:21 p.m. From the New York Times:

    Eagles of Death Metal:

    With details still being released every few minutes, dozens of innocent people were killed in Paris including at an Eagles Of Death Metal concert at Bataclan Arena in Paris.

    Eagles-of-Death-Metal_0

  • Mike McDonald Departing Formula 5

    Albany jam rockers Formula 5 announced Thursday that founding keyboardist Mike McDonald, is departing the group at the end of 2015 for personal reasons, so he can focus his attention toward building his family.
    DaveDeCrescente - Formula5 -11

    Here is the announcement as posted on their Facebook page:

    Hi friends and fans,

    We’ve reached a juncture here in Formula 5 camp and it pains us to announce that our own Mike McDonald will be stepping down as a member of Formula 5 at the end of 2015. Mike has been with us since the beginning and has been a big part of what we have built here with our music, business, and community. As a group, we have been discussing this change for some time now and while it is a very emotional and difficult decision for us all, we all support Mike with his decision to step down and wish him luck in his future endeavors. This decision was made on good terms – it was simply a personal decision that had to be made.

    One thing we want to assure everyone of is that Formula 5 will continue on. Mike will always be a big part of Formula 5 but his decision was made to allow F5 to continue to grow, and keep making music and bringing joy to people. And that is what he has urged us to do. While bittersweet, we are accepting of the changes and excited to announce that we will welcome a new member and long-time friend Matt Richards to take over keyboards and vocal duties. Matt is an excellent musician that has experience playing with the prog-funk group The Assortment of Crayons and we are excited to see how this new chapter of Formula 5 evolves. We are very grateful to be able to perform music and appreciate everyone’s continued love and support for F5.

    McDonald took to the social media site to express his sincere thanks for his time in the band.

    It is with a heavy heart that I announce that I will be stepping down as a member of Formula 5. This was not an easy decision and one that I (and the band) struggled with for quite some time now. First off, I want to say that I love music, I love performing, and I love this band. That isn’t going to change. Writing music with these guys, performing live, learning about the business, and traveling around the northeast and meeting some amazing people and musicians has been phenomenal and something that I will be forever be grateful for. The business side of music can be quite grueling and often not even close to profitable – But this band, the music, its members, our fans, and the northeast music community is something very special and has made it all worth it.

    The struggle of balancing my family, my “other” full-time career, and the development of this band has become too much for me to commit to the countless hours I believe are necessary to keep pushing Formula 5 upward with the momentum we have seen over the last few years. Despite all this, it would pain me to see this band simply fade away because of my own personal situation changing. This is something that we, as a band, have discussed greatly over the last year or so. While a very difficult decision for me personally, we all have worked too hard to get where we are today and I would hate to see this band and community fade away – that is why I am stepping down.

    But Formula 5 is far from done. These guys are my family and I know that they are making better music than ever before and the future looks very, very bright. The band is very excited to announce that a long-time friend and a fantastic keyboard player and musician, Matt Richards will be stepping in as a new member. He has written and performed with The Assortment of Crayons and I truly think he is a fantastic addition to push Formula 5 into its newest chapter.

    Change is good. While still a somber situation for me personally, I strongly urge all of you to still support Formula 5 and the great music that they are and will continue to create.

    I will be finishing out the rest of the calendar year playing the next 3 shows with Formula 5 – my last show being on December 12th at dinosaur bbq in Troy. If you feel so inclined, come on out and bid farewell to this chapter of F5.

    ** Sat Nov 14th – Monopole Bar – Plattsburgh, NY (2 sets) –https://www.facebook.com/events/990469491013152/
    ** Friday Nov 27th – Annual Black Friday Bash w/ Formula 5, The Jauntee & Sprocket – The Hollow – Albany, NY! – The Hollow Bar + Kitchen – Albany, NY (w/ The Jauntee, Sprocket) –https://www.facebook.com/events/825373814250781/
    ** Sat Dec 12th – Farewell Show – Dinosaur BBQ – Troy, NY (2 sets)

    Thank you to my family, friends, and fans for supporting me throughout the last 5-6 years as I followed one of my dreams.

    This post will be updated as more information becomes available.

  • A Tribe Called Quest to Reunite on Jimmy Fallon

    NBC has announced that hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest will reunite once again, as the group is booked to appear on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

    The appearance is in part to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of their 1990 debut album People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.

    Fallon’s backing band The Roots’ drummer and bandleader Questlove has strong ties to A Tribe Called Quest, being close with Q-Tip.

    tribeA special edition reissue of the album will also be released today. The reissue was remastered by longtime Tribe engineer Bob Power and will feature remixes by Pharrell, Cee-Lo Green and J. Cole.

    When asked about the landmark album, Q-Tip stated:

    I had this album in my head for years before I did it. Looking at it over all, to see the thoughts of a 16-year-old gain any kind of acknowledgement makes me feel like I have arrived. But to see it in this incarnation…I’m Humbled.

    Phife Dawg also chimed in about the album:

    Epic LP that was way before its time! Q-Tip’s thought process was beyond genius, an album that 25 years later, you can still listen to from top to bottom!!!!

    When A Tribe Called Quest split in 1998, the group stated that they wouldn’t play any more live shows together. Since then, and over the last 20 years, we have seen the group reunite a handful of times since their split, one time coming six years later in 2004 when the group made an appearance at Rock the Bells.

    A Tribe Called Quest’s most recent appearance together came as the opening act on the two New York stops at Madison Square Garden on Kanye West’s Yeezus Tour. Q-Tip stated that this would be the group’s last performance together.

    A Tribe Called Quest can also be seen on Saturday, Nov. 14, for their official anniversary party at the Santos Party House in New York City.

    A Tribe Called Quest is Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi White. White left Tribe in 1991 after the group’s first album.

  • Dr. Know of Bad Brains is Upgraded from Critical Condition

    Better news for fans of Bad Brains. Gary “Dr. Know” Miller, guitarist for the seminal D.C. hardcore band, was admitted to the hospital on November 3 in critical condition and placed on life support. On Tuesday, the band announced through its Facebook page that Miller is no longer considered critical but remains under the watchful eye of doctors. The nature of Miller’s illness has not been disclosed and the family has asked for privacy as he heals.

    The Family of Gary (Dr. Know) Miller and the entire Bad Brains family would like to thank everyone for their well…

    Posted by Bad Brains on Tuesday, November 10, 2015

    Good will and PMA (Positive Mental Attitude, a mantra of Bad Brains) are flooding social media for Miller’s continued improvement. Mickey Melchiondo of Ween posted on his Facebook: “Pray for him, or at least smoke a huge spliff and keep him in your thoughts.” And Corey Glover, lead singer of Living Colour and devotee of Bad Brains, wrote, “Sending #PMA healing vibes, and positive energy to #DrKnow of #BadBrains — I urge you to do the same.”

    Dr.-Know-Bad-Brains-2009-billboard-650

    Bad Brains was formed in Washington, D.C. in 1977 and quickly rose to prominence in the hardcore scene. The band incorporated elements of punk, hardcore, jazz and reggae into their sound to create a unique style of music that became hugely influential to not only black musicians looking to break into the hardcore scene, but all punk in general. The band was prominently featured in Dave Grohl’s HBO documentary Sonic Highways alongside Fugazi/Minor Threat leader Ian MacKaye.

  • Tool Planning Winter Tour

    Tool fans that have been waiting forever for good news can finally get pumped, as it appears the reclusive foursome will be planning a winter tour this January.

    The prog-metal group’s last studio album 10,000 Days dropped close to ten years ago and their last tour that even touched the Eastern side of the country was in 2012. Yesterday someone posted a cryptic message on their Facebook page indicating dates for a 2016 tour would be dropping soon:

    No dates or other info has been released. Tool most recently played The Monster Mash music festival in Tempe, AZ this past Halloween. The band played the entire show dressed as Led Zeppelin and busted out a rare cover of “No Quarter.” Fans of course are hoping this announcement will also come with news on the bands long awaited next album, with previous band statements indicating most of it is complete.

    Stay tuned as we gather more information on this developing story.