Tag: shwizz

Musical Happenings in NYC Pre- and Post-Phish Shows

Phish will return to New York City’s Madison Square Garden for a four night New Year’s run. While Phish might be the main event, there are many shows happening around the city both before and after Phish that fans might interested in checking out. Here’s a rundown of those shows – both those being billed as Phish after-parties and those that are not.

Many New York bands are represented in those performing around the Phish shows, including some of the after-parties. On Wednesday night, Jersey City’s Lil Joe and the ill Picards will bring their funk to Leftfield on Ludlow Chromatropic will join forces with Sprocket to form ChromaSprocket. They will perform with special guests Natalie Cressman and Peter Apfelbaum of the Trey Anastasio Band at Lucille’s at B.B. King’s also on Wednesday night. Late night on New Year’s Eve, Snarky Puppy will play Irving Plaza.

On Friday night, Nyack’s ShwizZ will join forces with FiKus to perform as ShwiKus and play tribute to P-Funk at Lucille’s. Saturday night brings Elise Testone and an all star lineup, including Todd Stoops, Natalie Cressman and Michael Ray, leading a James Brown Dance Party at B.B. Kings. ShwiKus will also be at Lucille’s again, this time playing an ’80s set. One ticket gets you into both of those shows. Dopapod will be at the Grammercy Theatre. Finally, Ha Ha the Moose, made up by members of moe., will bring their off-centered musical theatre to Irving Plaza. You can expect nothing but the unexpected from “The Moose.”

Wednesday, Dec. 30
Post-Phish:
Tower of Power @ B.B. King’s Blues Club – 10 p.m.
Kevin Hedge and Louie Vega @ Cielo – 10 p.m.
Joseph King @ Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3 – 10 p.m.
The Bad Plus @ Village Vanguard – 10:30 p.m.
*Start Making Sense @ Irving Plaza – 11 p.m.
Disco Biscuits w/ Horizon Wireless @ PlayStation Theatre – 11 p.m.
*Particle w/ New Riders of the Purple Sage @ The Cutting Room – 11:55 p.m.
*ChromaSprocket (Chromatropic x Sprocket w/ Natalie Cressman and Peter Apfelbaum) @ Lucille’s at B.B. King’s – 11:55 p.m.
*Rebirth Brass Band @ Highline Ballroom – 11:59 p.m.
*Lil Joe and the ill Picards @ Leftfield on Ludlow – midnight

New Year’s Eve, Thursday, Dec. 31
Post-Phish:
*Snarky Puppy @ Irving Plaza – 2 a.m. (technically on Jan. 1)

Friday, Jan. 1
Pre-Phish:
*Holly Bowling @ The Cutting Room – 4 p.m to 6 p.m.
Frank & Tony, Taimur Agha, Ray Zuniga, Nikola Baytala, Ted Krisko, Willie Graff, Alex Graham & More TBA @ The Panther Room – 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. (technically ends Jan. 2)

Post-Phish:
The Bad Plus @ Village Vanguard – 10:30 p.m.
Disco Biscuits w/ Animal Rexx @ PlayStation Theatre – 11 p.m.
*Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe @ Irving Plaza – 11:30 p.m.
*Dead Sessions @ The Cutting Room – 11:55 p.m.
*Pink Talking Phish @ Highline Ballroom – 11:55 p.m.
*ShwiKus plays P-Funk (ShwizZ + FiKus = ShwiKus) @ Lucille’s at B.B. King’s – 11:55 p.m.
The Motet @ B.B. King’s – 11:59 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 2
Pre-Phish:
PhanArt Presents: Skyscraper is Grand @ Hotel Pennsylvania – 12-7 p.m.
*New Mastersounds @ The Cutting Room – 4 p.m.
Touchpants @ American Beauty NYC – 5 p.m.

Post-Phish:
*Ha Ha the Moose (Rob, Chuck and Jim from moe.) @ Irving Plaza – 10:30pm
The Bad Plus @ Village Vanguard – 10:30pm
*Dopapod @ Grammercy Theatre – 11 p.m.
Disco Biscuits @ PlayStation Theatre – 11 p.m.
BIGYUKI @ Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 – 11 p.m.
Subset @ Webster Hall – 11 p.m.
*The James Brown Dance Party (Michael Ray, Natalie Cressman, Chris Bullock, Todd Stoops, Fred Thomas & Moussey Thompson, Adam Chase & Matthew Chase, Elise Testone) @ B.B. King’s – 11:55 p.m.
*ShwiKus plays The 80s @ Lucille’s at B.B. King’s – 11:55 p.m.
*New Mastersounds @ The Cutting Room – midnight
Walker Adams @ Rockwood Music Hall – midnight

* billed as Phish after-party

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBT1UgsWm-M[/embedyt]

December 27, 2015
Best of NYS Music 2015: Staff Picks for Albums by New York Artists

The NYS Music team has voted and these are what we chose as the best albums released in 2015 by New York artists. Turkuaz’s Digitonium, Lettuce’s Crush and Consider the Source’s World War Trio Parts II & III each received multiple votes from the staff.

Turkuaz’s Digitonium is “the future of retro pop funk.” Turkuaz has been quite busy lately, having recently completed an extensive fall tour that spanned the continental U.S. Featuring great tracks like “Nightswimming,” “Percy Thrills the Moon Dog” and “Doktor Jazz,” the album is “the ideal listen for any pre-party or when you are just ready to share in the groove.”

From our review:

The 23 track album is a mature testament to the bands growing sound that continues to push the boundaries of funk with heavy ’80s influences. The album is full of instrumental segues of experimental melodies that set the stage for evolutionary funk tunes with classic, raw Turkuaz energy. Digitonium is built upon layers of exploratory themes, characters and repetitive lyrics that get the listener to pause, rewind and think outside the album.

The latest release from Lettuce, Crush, is the first album in three years from the seasoned funk band. Jeremiah Shea calls it their “most aggressive, ambitious, and funkiest album to date.” With highlights, such as “Phyllis,” “Trilogy” and “Pockets of Change,” this is a must-hear album.

From Shea’s album review:

If you’ve never had the opportunity to dive into some Lettuce head first, now might be a better time than ever. Crush is the convergence of road tested and polished material, musical exploration, deep pockets of groove, and a band that is simply on top of their game. With a discography full of hits, this album somehow stands above them all.

Sticking to the funk theme of the other albums is Consider the Source and their latest effort, World War Trio Parts II & III, the follow-up double album to last year’s World War Trio Part I. In reviewing the album, Shea says “If pop music is reading at an elementary level, World War Trio Part II + III, is at least a 400 level college course.” The Middle Eastern sci-fi psychedelic funk fusion trio has been quite active in recent years. This album was no small undertaking. Of its 20 tracks, “This Dubious Honor,” “Up to, But Not to Exceed… Whoa,” “I’ll fight for the Imp” and “You are Disappearing.”

Of the album, Shea says:

Never before though has the band done it this masterfully and with such vision. This isn’t just food for thought, but a feast, with such lush sonic depth that can’t simply be explored in one pass. This is music that commands focus in a time when fans are more flippant than ever. You could say the band is fighting a natural progression, but I applaud the effort and what they force a willing listener to listen to. The continuity between songs is beautifully orchestrated and only possible with an overall delivery being kept in perspective from the onset.

Among the many albums released by New York bands this year, others receiving additional accolades included Johnny Cummings’ Radiate, Misery Kills’ My Ugly Insides, ShwizZ’s My Good Side/My Bad Side, Sean Rowe’s Her Songs EP and Stellar Young’s Vessels. It’s been a good year for New York artists. These were just a sampling of all the great music released in 2015. Here’s to an even better 2016!

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OayMa_Qzfk[/embedyt]

December 19, 2015
Hearing Aide: ShwizZ ‘My Good Side/My Bad Side’

ShwizZ‘s bad side is better than most bands’ best sides. Hell, I think their bad side is better than their own good. Listening to the NYC-based band’s new double-album release, My Good Side/ My Bad Side for the first time, I couldn’t help but wait to listen to it again.

The first listen was to satiate my thirst; once I hit play, I devoured both albums. The second time through was for pleasure; minute intricacies revealed themselves around each corner of the compilation and lead to aural ecstasy.

Praise should be dealt out in heaps for this production. Aptly titled tunes feature deftly mastered compositions and perfectionist attention to detail. “Annie Pt. 1,” on My Bad Side, is a beautifully somber song with Pink Floyd’esque roots that later flow into the intro of Part 2, which evolves into a ShwizZy glory jam. Meanwhile, throughout the Bad Side, a shadow of Umphrey’s McGee’s primordial beast surfaces again and again—listen to the breakdown in “Orange Wreck” or the Prowler-like pick-me-up to “Doorbell”. That jam turns video-gamey in a “I just double-fisted the 1-up green mushroom and power-up red mushroom” kind of way. Dream Theater’s keyboardist Jordan Rudess cameos on My Good Side’s “Duggan,” but Dream Theater’s influences are just as evident in My Bad Side‘s “The Zone.”

ShwizZ’s Good Side aptly demonstrates the band’s diversity. The double-set’s eleventh track, “Number Twelve” is simply put, an incredible rock song. It features heavy shredding, great transitions, and immaculate composition. “What Does This Mean” may be the most palatable tune of the bunch. Tight verses, heavy breakdowns, and furious instrumentation are supplemented by the relatable, sing-along’able chorus. Like both albums, this tune’s ebb and flow will leave you feeling insatiated; the only thing that would make it better is more.

It’s hard to define ShwizZ’s genre. “Slow Down” is a groovy funk-fest that evolves into a percussion-infused jazz odyssey. “Orange Wreck” features a section of tango and they literally “Summon the Fawn” with an orchestral masterpiece early on in My Good Side. The guitar, bass, drums, keys, sax, even triangle are all highlighted throughout the albums; everyone gets their shot and plays their part. They shift seamlessly between sexy grooves and grueling shafts. At times I sat still, enthralled by each note, captivated and wondering what was next. Other times, my shoulders began shaking as the vibrations ignited involuntary one-man dance parties.

Once in a while you listen to a new album from a rising artist and know they’re the real deal (Tauk’s Collisions comes to mind). Add ShwizZ’s My Good Side/My Bad Side to that list. They were a blip on my radar before, but now ShwizZ is squarely on the map. I love to say I told you so when I say, “these guys are here to stay.”

Keytracks: Orange Wreck, What Does This Mean, Duggan

The official album release party will be held on Saturday May 16 at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, New York.

May 15, 2015
Photo Gallery: ShwizZ at Garcia’s, April 18

On Saturday, April 18 ShwizZ played to a full house at Garcia’s as the official after show for Jeff Beck at The Capitol Theatre. The progressive funk outfit played in support of their new 2 disc album My Good Side/My Bad Side, which will go on sale May 16 with a late night release party at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY.

ShwizZ at Garcia’s Setlist: 12, Duggan, Orange Wreck, Pomegranate, City Of Tiny Lights, Bad Side, Zone, Doorbell, In The Bag, Good Side, Slop Cream, Slow Down, Tax Man, MGF

Photos and Review by: Nick Irving

Upcoming shows:
May 23, Arch Street Tavern, Hartford CT
May 29, Good Times Getdown, White Haven, PA
May 30, Domefest Terra Alta, WV

May 2, 2015