NYS Music 20​16

Author: Pete Mason

  • Salsa and Cristal: NYS Music Goes to Cuba

    NYS Music goes to Cuba is a multi-part series detailing Cuban music and culture, the impact of Western music on Cuban music and the potential for change given the recent pending normalization of relations between The United States and Cuba.

    It’s 11:30 p.m. in Central Havana and I’m sitting in Casa de la Musica with my best friend, surrounded by stalking prostitutes and Cuban music videos streaming on the screens behind the stage. I am focused on taking notes of my surroundings for this article, ignoring the hooker who is not giving up on me before my third Cristal beer kicks in and my handwriting becomes completely illegible. I don’t usually ignore women when they talk to me at a bar or club, so this is a first. (Plus, we didn’t budget for prostitutes.) They can smell our CUCs through our cargo shorts; they’re good.

    cuba

    Rewind back to 10 p.m. We arrive to find out the club is closed until 11 p.m., so with an hour to kill, we are encouraged by locals outside the club to walk down the street with them to a small bar, El Coronet, and meet some women who are clearly prostitutes. We aren’t taking the bait and bail after we finish our lone drink. Los Van Van is on the television, and ironically, they are playing the other Casa de la Musica in Miramar, where we should have gone, but alas, here we are.

    With two shows nightly, Casa de la Musica is open from 5 to 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., but 9 to 11 p.m. is the ‘how fast can we fleece the early arrivals for the show?’ show. We pay a 10 CUC cover, get security wanded and enter to find 10 people in the club. The stage is set for 14 musicians with smoke machines that are continually going off. With two large screens on either side and three tall screens behind the band, this place looks awesome and must scream L.A. club when it’s packed. But until midnight, it’s somewhat dead, yet it provides an escape from the pimps, grifters and panhandlers waiting outside for easy prey to saunter along. The prostitutes though, they’re among us.

    It’s hard to tell if this is arranged with the venue, just allowed to happen, or a combination of both. But it’s the one thing bringing in women to the club, beyond the two girls sitting near us who clearly aren’t prostitutes. More on them later.

    cuba

    While we wait for the stage show to begin, we ask to speak to El Jefe of the club, a short promoter type whom I explain our presence to as music journalists, and he immediately says photo is OK but no video and we agree. We ask to speak in a more quiet area, and quickly ask my questions. He directs me to a bartender who can speak a good deal of English. Alex, a Vin Diesel type, is fine with an interview and seems slightly flattered.

    We ask about the club, which opened in 2002 with a capacity of 1,000 and followed the Miramar venue that opened in 1995 for 300 capacity and caters to a more highfalutin crowd (my term, not his.) There is Salsa every night (tonight is Bamboleo); it is all Cuban music, every night, and packed every Thursday through Saturday. We ask how things may change with more Western influence, and he assures us they already have. There is more pop music, so much so that when Usher was here this past Saturday, everyone knew him. He was recognized, signed autographs and sang four songs unannounced — this island is not as isolated or secluded as you might think.

    The club has no advertising, no presales, just day-of show sales only. Attendance depends on the bands ultimately. The stage is 21st century even if outside the building is mid-20th century. While we talk to Alex, we don’t notice the crowd filling in the place. The audience is a mix of locals, tourists and prostitutes, perhaps 300 are here by midnight. Locals are sitting around, taking selfies and snaps, while buckets and bottles pepper the tables. Two Cuban guys are warming up Salsa moves near us. It’s 12:30 a.m., almost go time.

    DJ SARAO takes over from the PA with “Uptown Funk” and the night of music finally begins proper. He’s good, but we came for Salsa. There are more than 350 in the club now. It feels dead despite the crowd, compared to the potential for the space. Ever go on spring break and the club is randomly undersold? That is Casa de la Musica tonight.

    cuba

    It is now 1:05 a.m. and Bamboleo finally arrives. Horns and drummer on percussion are the signature sounds, and it’s good to see Sisqo still getting work. Chris leans over and asks if we are watching a Cuban Turkuaz. I laugh; it’s not far off, but the Talking Heads covers are missing. This is a large band, fully in sync, rehearsed but not scripted, and each member has their own flair and presence with the music altogether fucking stellar. The keyboardist looks like Pitbull. It might be Pitbull. He makes a lot of appearances. The performance is quite amazing and highly energetic at all points. The sound doesn’t let up and even though I know zero of these songs, I am loving it. If I had someone who wasn’t Chris or a prostitute to dance with, I’d be getting down. Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra prepared me for this, but not this. Turkuaz/Bamboleo tour 2021 is going to crush the Caribbean.

    My effort to dance the Salsa is admittedly minimal. I am an observer. Five or six Cristals deep now and I work up the courage to talk to the two girls near us. I say I would have spoken sooner, but with all the prostitutes, I wasn’t sure. They understood, thankfully. We chat; they are from the Basque Country in Spain. They are as close to normal as we find tonight.

    Toward the end of the show, Chris is denied shooting stage right low. I go to El Jefe. He says OK, walks up with us and says, “Go up.” We do, but we are turned away. A bouncer denies us and even El Jefe can’t override. El Jefe brings us stage left low. We are fine here, but the angle isn’t as good. We still take the shots. The cab driver for our ride was a fan of SARAO and waited inside the club to offer us safe passage to our hostel. The 25 CUC he charges is a rip-off, but a 10-minute drive is all we can ask for given the state of the night. We didn’t spend as much in the club as we did on the cab, something we need to work on the next few nights.

  • Cabaret and DJ Seycel at Fabrica de Arte Cubano: NYS Music Goes to Cuba

    NYS Music goes to Cuba is a multi-part series detailing Cuban music and culture, the impact of Western music on Cuban music and the potential for change given the recent pending normalization of relations between The United States and Cuba.

    Let me get something out of the way: Cuba, a Caribbean island that until recently was illegal for Americans to visit, is not going to be ruined by the influx of Americans and tourists now that travel is (somewhat) permitted between the two countries. There will be some change in time, as all things are prone to change, but Cuba is not changing drastically as a result.

    That was my mindset when initially considering a trip to discover what music was hidden away from American ears on the island, in the clubs and on the streets of Havana. It took about a day before I realized that while there will be some cultural influence shared between the two countries, Americanization will not take foothold to the degree some predict.

    A time capsule of a city, Havana is a dichotomy of beautiful and tattered buildings side-by-side, where Wifi is slowly becoming available – thanks in part to President Obama’s recent visit (per Cuban’s who expressed their admiration for him), an upgrade for citizens in and around Havana – and examples of entrepreneurship are seen on a daily basis, with hostels popping up throughout the city (if you go, we recommend Enzo’s Backpackers), and merchants selling Rolling Stones shirts with the Cuban flag on the iconic ‘tongue’ logo. Even the filming of Fast and the Furious 8 shows signs of things changing in the city, but the original spirit and heart of Havana are intact and will assuredly remain so for years to come, even as the curio closed off to Americans for 55 years prepares for tourists fresh off cruise ships beginning to dock in Havana Harbor.

    Fabrica de Arte Cubano

    Staying in a tall apartment building overlooking Estadio Latinoamericano, on the evening of our arrival, my photographer and longtime friend Chris and I head out to Fabrica de Arte Cubano, a former cooking oil factory transformed into a multi-level center for the arts, including a multimedia art gallery and performance spaces for dance, music and theater. The creation of musician X Alfonso, with the backing of the Ministry of Culture, the venue is labyrinthine, with something around every corner, whether it be live performances, gallery pieces, performance art, or a Bohemian gathering of locals and tourist from across the globe sipping on drinks, it was a welcome surprise for our first night observing local culture and taking in as yet-undetermined musical offerings.

    The first floor held a 500 person room with a DJ setup for later that evening, the entire room having a 90s dorm room feel and soundtrack – Black Crowes and Jay Z videos on a large screen, with décor to rival that of many clubs back home. Upstairs in the art gallery, odd photography is meshed with paint and various media, while a series of old, naked women on the beach with breasts exposed highlights the beauty of aging.

    We head down into the largest room in the complex and find a drink and seat for a performance, which is first come, first serve and wherever you can manage to find a sit – a step, a chair, behind a riser… the area filled in calmly with a little buzz before “Night Club” began.

    Fabrica de Arte Cubano

    As the cabaret begins, a cue card girl holds up different numbers for the scenes, with scenes unfolding as such: a female lounge singer with a gritty voice welcomed the crowd; a woman performed a sultry tap dance; a male lounge singer sang a Salsa song; some interpretative tap dancing,; a guy in a tutu performing ballet with vibraphone and percussion as a backup; a woman with a fruit basket giving a confusing yet definitely suggestive performance; a simulated girl fight, and a full cast medley at the end. The audience talked and milled about, becoming part of the show passively, actively and unintentionally.

    While we were in the minority with our nascent Spanish, even without knowing what they are saying or singing, you easily got the gist of the show through body language, scenery and context – the club is open for business, the various employees sing about the club, their work, drama ensues, drama is resolved, everyone dances, everyone is happy. It could be an episode of Sabado Gigante but it’s better. It’s not TV. It’s FAC.

    Following the show, we head downstairs in Fabrica de Arte Cubano to the first room with the great décor. DJ Seycel comes on about midnight and the younger portion of the crowd remains for a house set with deep bass and various Latin and American hits mixed in. The main takeaway from the night is the overall focus on the music – hardly any phones are out beyond a photo here and there. No one is staring at their phone, and there are no glowsticks or candi kids, just straight dancing to the music. I miss that about shows back home – the focus and pure attention and dedication to the artist and his craft. I for one am guilty of that, and having no internet access for 8 days of travel is a very welcome vacation in itself.

    We later find that this first glance at Havana and Cuban culture is not a diamond in the rough, but clearly one of the most unique multi-purpose venues that embraces a wide variety of art like few do. Fabrica de Arte Cubano brought to mind the MuseumsQuartier in Vienna, where numerous museums and performance spaces are found in one large enclosed area. Here in Havana, it is a sought after venue in the evening, open until 4am with lines forming early.

    Performances starting at Midnight or later is something that we slowly get used to, and this later start time found between American and Havanan clubs is a cultural apparatus, where clubs do not begin to fill up until 11pm, and some shows not starting until as late as 1am, as we find out the next night in our pursuit of Salsa.

  • Twiddle, Tauk, Holly Bowling and Matisyahu Combine for an Epic Night at The Capitol Theatre

    Take the fastest rising jamband in recent years, add in a hot prog-rock band boiling over with talent, a classically trained pianist performing the music of Phish and The Grateful Dead, and a cross-genre reggae singer and you have the fixings for one of the best nights of live music The Capitol Theatre has seen this year, and that’s saying a lot., with Twiddle, Tauk, Holly Bowling and Matisyahu to credit.

    Twiddle Tauk Holly Bowling

    The night began with Holly Bowling’s performance at Garcia’s, a benefit for The White Light Foundation, Twiddle’s charitable wing. Being that this was Garcia’s, Bowling offered a spirited mashup of “Help on the Way” > “Slipknot” > “Theme from the Bottom” > “Franklins Tower” and a full Terrapin Station suite. Phish’s “Taste”, a newer addition to her repertoire was full of energy, as was the set closing “Harry Hood”, which found Twiddle keyboardist Ryan Dempsey joining for the latter portion of the song, leading to true keyboard cavalry between the two who enjoyed the dual experience immensely as evidenced by their ear to ear grins.

    The remarkable talent of TAUK is something that continues to translate well directly from their studio albums, with an exclamation point placed firmly upon their music in the live setting. Fans gaped in awe at the musicianship performing an opening hour long set. “Eleanor Rigby” -> “In Bloom” capped off their set, a familiar appearance in setlists, and  one that beckons for more variety from this quartet who have immense talent contained within to stretch into unfamiliar territory.

    While a sell out of the Capitol Theatre is a goal for any rising or established band, it’s not like Twiddle hasn’t played to larger audiences. The rally around the band by the fanbase created an electric feel with familiar faces everywhere, even of those who are uninitiated to the music or skeptical of the group. The fans, these ‘Twiddlers’ (among the variety of names they have for each other – Frends, Twiddiots, Twiddlenauts, etc…) are what draws in attention to the band, as much as the band itself does. Like any mass following of a musician, the community that rallies around them is reflective of the music, and the base has the emotive welcoming personality found in Twiddle’s music. There is a syncopation between the music and the fans, something observed last year after attending four Twiddle shows over three months.

    The “Blunderbuss” opener caught many off guard, as it was a debut fresh from the upcoming Plump Chapter 2, and a tight instrumental at that. The “Polluted Beauty” jam was driven by Gubb’s bass and Brooke’s drums, with an impressive funk jam that developed in “Wasabi Eruption” that was a highlight of the first set. Then “The Box” showed up and built off that energy; the build and electronic tone is the reason why “The Box” stands out as one of Twiddle’s strongest jam vehicles.

    The all too familiar reggae sound of Twiddle was front and center in the set closing “Lost in the Cold.” It served as the perfect song for Matisyahu to join on with vocals, an unforced and natural fit, after having expressed admiration for the band. Following his contribution to “Lost in the Cold,” he took off his jacket and upon getting fans on the floor to put their hands up, he unexpectedly stage dove into the crowd. You don’t see this at jamband shows, or really any non-punk/metal show for that matter. It was a headscratcher as we headed into setbreak, but the energy from the set hardly dissipated.

    A five song second set opened with “Grandpa Fox,” a little proggy no nonsense starter. And when there was a need for funk to keep it rolling, there was a driving funk, like in “Apples,” which featured a Michael Jackson medley and a severe dub jam as well. You gotta like this song. “Snycopated Healing” chilled things out with music to sway to, but “Frankenfoote” picked things up. Dempsey played the keys with his toes on this light, traditional Twiddle song, and one that is easily accessible to rookie fans. The encore began with a truly gracious Mihali giving thanks to the moms in attendance as well as the fans who sold out the Capitol Theatre only an hour before doors opened. With that, fans were treated to a bouncy “Zazu’s Flight” > “Hatti’s Jam” and “When it Rains, it Poors.”

    Throughout this truly enjoyable show, the one aspect that I kept returning to was that despite the great deal of talent in the band, both individually and collectively, there are some spots where they play too few notes and could fill in some space, as brief but critical as those spaces may be. A lot of notes isn’t a bad thing.

    This show at The Capitol Theatre was enough to wash away any bias and open eyes to see that Twiddle is a reset button on the jam scene, one in which they are strong advocates for the rising stars of the next wave of live bands. The history, the venue, and the centrality of location right off Interstates 95 and 87 led to their biggest NYC area venue show to date. The Beacon is the new goalpost in the continued domination of the band in Northeast markets.

  • Catching up with Holly Bowling, Returning to The Massry Center on May 12

    Time has flown. It’s been half a year since we last spoke with Holly Bowling, who has been traversing the country performing the music of Phish, The Grateful Dead and more through her classical transcriptions of music from the two, and stops at the Massry Center on May 12.

    Since October, Bowling has found herself at two major festivals – Jamcruise, AURA, and performances in New Orleans during Jazz Fest, and is now amid a tour of the Northeast, with stops in Burlington (a birthday show at Higher Ground, May 11), New York City (a midnight set at Blue Note Jazz Club, May 13), and Syracuse (Westcott Theater, May 14).

    holly bowling massryHolly’s live show has evolved and developed quite a bit over the past six months as she has incorporated more Grateful Dead songs into her shows. Bowling says she “loves how the two catalogs can meld together and allow for an expanded range of musical styles and emotions.”

    Beginning last fall, when a show at the the Winery in Pittsburgh, PA, sold out, she quickly added a second show, but wanted something unique for the second night, and decided upon a show not strictly of Phish but also of Grateful Dead songs. Bowling says this is part of what she has found gives her “freedom to improvise into uncharted territory, take risks and see where it leads to, bringing the music to new areas and provide room to grow in the spirit of both of the two bands improvisational histories.”

    As a result of this catalog expansion, later this year, Holly will release an album of Grateful Dead songs arranged for classical piano, in a manner similar to her 2015 debut album Distillation of a Dream. Fresh out of the studio weeks ago before last weeks’ New Orleans Jazz Fest and her Northeast Spring Tour, the album’s music is slated to be quite different with a larger focus on improvisation, allowing more space for Holly’s own style of improv to come through, as opposed to Distillation where the songs were much more tightly arranged, closer to the original compositions. “There is a really interesting parallel between the two albums and the mix of the bands and freedom of the songs. It will be interesting to see how that develops in live shows as well as the album,” said Bowling.

    2016 began with Jamcruise 14, a first for Bowling both as a fan and performer. “The thing that really blew me away how it’s a multi-day music festival where each band who plays is still there for multiple days; it is unparalleled and special, on the water and in the tropics, it’s all pretty magical. The opportunity for connection and community when everyone is there really sets it apart.”

    Bowling recently performed at New Orleans Jazz Fest, having attended as a fan and now for the first time as a performer. A performance at The Little Gem Saloon, was ideal for Bowling: an emerging artists showcase for bands from New Orleans and other areas around the country who shared the bill together. With pianos upstairs and down, Bowling remarked that Little Gem “you have my heart.” Her show at Howling Wolf in the Den, a small room off to the side, was performed in between sets of Turkuaz (covering The Band) and Jazz is Phish (which followed ‘Thankful for Amy,’ a tribute to Amy Winehouse fronted by Elise Testone) “This was a super fun gig to play because the energy was super high. I came on at 2 am and the town and energy were electric and had the best energy going. Turkuaz was a tough act to follow, but I find it easy to get fired up by others and playing music is always a nice segue. I was already in that happy musical head space when I went out for my set.”

    Now in the Northeast, Bowling will offer a different show at The Massry Center than last October, factoring in Phish, The Grateful Dead and and “more improvisation, as the show concept has developed and as she’s gotten more comfortable with the music.” The Massry Center, frequently a venue for jazz and classical music, is a premier performance space and with Bowling in the room, the show can push the envelope in terms of the music people are typically seeing. “Bringing in different music to venues that is counter to what type of music typically appears there creates a hybrid of the two musical worlds that I love seeing music in.”

    Expect a unique and memorable show on May 12. Tickets are $20 or $10 for students.

  • Spiritual Rez Northeast Run Blankets New York State

    High energy ska and funk is headed towards New York this week with Spiritual Rez’s 2016 Northeast Tour. With live performances that elicit an incredibly powerful blend of reggae, rock, ska and jam, the group has been on a cross country tour amid the release of their upcoming album due out this summer. 

    The Northeast Tour brings the group to Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, Erie, Brooklyn, New Haven, Boston, Portland, Burlington and Saratoga Springs over a two week period, providing ample opportunities for you to dance the night away and walk into work exhausted but smiling the next morning.

    The as of yet untitled album, slated for an early summer release, was recorded in Los Angeles at Jim Kaufman Productions under the direction of Kenny Carkeet (Awolnation) and Max Collins (Eve 6). One of the many collaborators that took part in the album is trombonist Billy Kottage of Reel Big Fish, who is featured on the track “Bad Girl.” More jaw dropping collaborations will be revealed around the album’s release.

  • PB&J Series Bringing John Nemeth and The Blue Dreamers to Plattsburgh

    This coming Tuesday, April 12, Plattsurgh Blues and Jazz (PB&J) will feature blues legend John Nemeth and The Blue Dreamers. Nemeth most recently won Best Soul Blues Album at the 2015 Blues Music Awards and is a nominee for B.B. King Entertainer of the Year. Considered the “New face and sound of Soul,” Nemeth is a contemporary member of the Blues elite and one of the most soulful singers today.

    On the harmonica, Németh began building on the style of rootsy heroes like Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson. Németh’s first paid performance came in 1991, when he was hired to perform drinking songs for a pinochle luncheon held by the Catholic Daughters of America before setting his sights on the Boise club scene, where, for nearly a decade, he played seven nights a week at local pubs, taverns, joints, and parties.

    Memphis Grease, the long-awaited follow up to Németh’s fourth solo studio release, is innovative and unique while epitomizing the absolute best of the genre. It’s a deeply forged combination of scorching harmonica-driven blues and sweet blue-eyed soul ala the Box Tops or Roy Head.

    Plattsburgh Blues and Jazz (PB&J) is a new live music series that brings the best, award-winnig performers in Blues in Jazz to the Plattsburgh area. All event proceeds from PB&J shows go to the 30 City Foundation to fund the artists and to bring new performers to Plattsburgh. Tickets can be purchased online at Plattsburghbluesandjazz.com and in person at the Champlain Wine Company located at 30 City Hall Place.

  • NYS Music Presents Friday Nights at Nietzsche’s

    Fridays in April at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo are presented by NYS Music. Get a taste of the Queen City’s favorite venue for rising acts and indulge in Nietzsche’s first ever JazzFest, providing you with an array of jazz, funk, R&B and Dixieland.

    April 8 – Grace Lougen and The Leftover Pancakes with Jacob Peter Band and Blue Rootz

    Grace Lougen & The Leftover Pancakes are a Blues/Rock group from Buffalo, NY. The band features Grace Lougen on vocals and lead guitar, Caleb Saathoff on drums, Ben Saathoff on bass, and Linnea Cremean on vocals and viola. The LP’s grew up listening and playing to a lot of classic and contemporary artists including Led Zeppelin, John Mayer, and Joe Bonamassa. Their original music encompasses the soul of old school blues and rock with a fresh modern flare. They have developed their musical chemistry learning covers, writing original music, playing shows in the Buffalo area. Grace Lougen and The Leftover Pancakes also have shared shows with many renowned local and national artists including Will McFarlane, Doug Yeomans, David Michael Miller, and Alligator Recording Artist Selwyn Birchwood.

    April 15 – JazzFest Day 3, featuring Cinnamon Jones, THE TRUTH, Toney Rhodes, Houston Gardwell Collective, and Sammy Miller and the Congregation

    9pm: Cinnamon Jones
    10pm: THE TRUTH
    11pm: Toney Rhodes – A well-accomplished and internationally known musician, Toney began establishing his respected reputation and credentials as early as 14 years of age. As with many successful artists, Rhodes traces his earliest influence to his familial gospel roots, particularly attributed to the tutelage and musical talents of his mother; along with the opportunity of being front and center as a young organist in his father’s Pentecostal church.
    12am: Houston Gardwell Collective – improvisatory funk and everything else, featuring a collective of improvisers.
    1am: Sammy Miller and The Congregation
    A native of Los Angeles, Sammy Miller has become known for his unique maturity and relentless focus on making music that “feels good” as a drummer, singer and bandleader. Upon completing his Master’s at The Juilliard School, Sammy formed his ensemble, The Congregation. As a band they are focused on sharing the power of community through their music—joyful jazz. While independently the band members have performed/recorded with notable artist including Wynton Marsalis, O.A.R, Iron and Wine, and Lee Fields at venues including The White House, Lincoln Center, and the Hollywood Bowl, The Congregation has opted to stick together and create globally conscious music with the intention to spread joy throughout the world.

    April 22 – Funktional Flow (Matt Lester’s Birthday Celebration!)

    Buffalo’s own Funktional Flow is a multi-genre quintet heavily rooted in rock and reggae, with a funk foundation. Over the past six years, the band has released three albums and played hundreds of shows throughout the Northeast and beyond. With the release of the newest album Time Will Tell on March 5th 2016, Flow is poised to take it to the next level and branch out nationally. Flow is heavily influenced by Sublime, Umphreys McGee, Moe, and Blind Melon but maintains a fresh, high energy sound that results in a diverse catalog of music.

    April 29 – Midnight Snack, Our Friends Band, Dashuri

    Based in Asheville, NC by way of Boston, Midnight Snack blends masculine rock tradition with a distinctly feminine delicacy. The 6 piece integrates elements of psychedelic rock, indie-dance and baroque pop. Originally the childhood attic project of brothers Jack Victor and Michael Johnson, the duo developed their sound while attending Berklee College of Music. Featuring Jack Victor (vocals, drums), Michael Johnson (guitar, synthesizers), Katie Richter (vocals, trumpet), Peter Brownlee (bass), Zack Kardon (guitar) and Meryll Davis (vocals, percussion), Midnight Snack tours nationally, charming audiences with prominent vocal harmonies, lush instrumentation and introspective performances. Currently, the 6-piece is working on their third studio album and will be touring the Northeast April-May 2016.

  • Fridays in April at Parish Public House, Presented by NYS Music

    NYS Music is proud to announce the lineup for Fridays in April at Parish Public House, one of Albany’s premier music venues with a taste of New Orleans infused throughout the beer selection, decor and menu.

    April 8 – The Deadbeats

    Playing the music of The Grateful Dead, Phish, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Janis Joplin and so much more! The Deadbeats are based in New Paltz/Albany, NY, and have been one of the hardest working bands in the Northeast since their inception in 1993.  In all the years of playing together, they have amassed a large and loyal following of fans who appreciate the open ended, participatory nature of their performances. Along with a virtually inexhaustible repertoire of cover tunes, they have a considerable amount of original material. The Deadbeats are actually able to please most of the people most of the time. The Deadbeats play the first Friday of every month at the Parish Public House and every Wednesday night at The Low Beat.

    April 15 – Blind Owl Band

    Hailing from Saranac Lake, NY, in the heart of the Adirondack mountains, The Blind Owl Band has been creating what they call Freight Train String Music since 2010. And a freight train it truly is. Although the quartet’s sound is rooted in traditional stringed instruments (guitar, basses, banjo and mandolin), their music surges forward with the strength and power of a hundred-ton diesel locomotive. Songs barrel down the tracks with momentum and intensity normally found in much heavier, heavily amplified music. They’ve played on almost every festival east of the Mississippi and shared the stage with countless artists across all genres of the musical spectrum. Looking ahead into 2016, the band will begin recording their as-yet-untitled third full length album in early spring, with an eye toward a mid-summer release. This freight train has no one conductor but four shovel boys pushing the limits of their engine night after night, so climb aboard and get ready for a one-of-a-kind ride.

    April 22 – MOVE Music Festival

    The MOVE Music Festival is a Indian ledge Music Group production. The festival will consist of approximately 100 acts performing at venues across Albany, New York on April 22-24 2016. The main purpose of this event is to give exposure to regional talent through live performances at select venues and provide musicians with insight on how to conduct their careers in today’s independent music scene. Music starts at 6pm on Friday, April 22 with multiple bands performing throughout the evening. Check back for updates when the schedule is released.

    April 29 – Lord Electro

    Hailing from Albany, NY Lord Electro quickly emerged on the scene in 2015 with their organic high energy Live-Electro/trance music. This has proven to generate quite the dance party! After making a name for themselves with their first show at Bellstock 21 LE played a run of Summer and Fall dates in markets across NY and New England including opening for The New Deal in Saratoga, NY this past November. With experienced musicians Dan Gerken (Timbre Coup, Groovestick) and Steve Mink (Digital Dharma) behind the tones and the addition of Jordan “George” LeFleur on the drumkit this trio is a force to be reckoned with and a magnificent display of organic improv on the dance floor.

  • Thursdays at Funk n Waffles, Presented by NYS Music

    NYS Music is once again proud to host Thursday nights at Funk n Waffles in April. A stellar lineup of music is on tap across multiple genres.

    Thursday April 7 MISTER F and THE HEAVY PETS

    Formed in 2013 from members of Northeast regional acts Timbre Coup and Capital Zen, Mister F is an eclectic, high-energy 4-piece band that takes a no-holds-barred approach to blending genres while keeping your feet moving. The members of Mister F are no strangers to the music community.  Their first show on March 1, 2013 was so well-received that they’ve taken their show on the road to cities as far as Denver, CO and Atlanta, GA and are even performing with their previous bands at festivals such as Mountain Jam, Summer Camp, Camp Bisco, moe.down, and snoe.down.

    The Heavy Pets are an American rock band that blends rhythm & blues, jazz, funk, disco and reggae with rock & roll. Called “A living, breathing force of nature,” by Relix Magazine, the Pets are known for their soulful songcraft and powerhouse live performances. Riding high on the success of their most recent studio effort, Two Horses, look out for The Heavy Pets as they continue to hit the road hard.

    Thursday April 14 ROOT SHOCK and THE CORNERSTONE

    Formed in the winter of 2012 by regional veteran musicians, Root SHOCK blends roots reggae, dancehall, heavy drum & bass, and soulful vocals with conscious lyrics into positive dance music that will make you want to move!  Spearheaded by the stunning vocals of Jessica Brown, the band has been surprising and delighting crowds across the Central New York region and beyond with their unique high-energy style. Root SHOCK’s love of reggae music flows deep.  The band’s dedication to spreading music with a positive message has paid off in entertaining, elevating, and energizing music lovers of all walks of life in a wide range of settings!

    Root SHOCK will be anchoring a monthly Syracuse reggae night designed to bring the best and most diverse acts that modern reggae has to offer to the area. They’re not stopping there, though; Root SHOCK recording their first studio album and are set to hit the road to spread their uplifting message and vibes and take their renowned live performances to the masses!

    Fronted by lead singer, songwriter, rhythm guitarist Jackson Wetherbee, The Cornerstone is a Reggae, Rock, Funk band hailing from the South Shore of Boston, Massachusetts. The band also features musicians formerly of The Aldous Collins Band and Last Call, two New England Music Award winning bands. Their sound is similar to that of Spiritual Rez, UB40, The Police, Sublime and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They put on a fun, energetic show where crowds dance, groove, and sing along to their tunes.

    Thursday April 21 SPIRITUAL REZ and GRAYAK

    With their latest release, Apocalypse Whenever, Boston’s beloved reggae-rock funkateers Spiritual Rez deliver their most triumphant musical offering yet. Produced by lead singer Toft Willingham, co-produced by bassist Jesse Shaternick, and mastered by legendary engineer Howie Weinberg (Ramones, Beastie Boys, Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers), the 14-track collection of infectious anthems is chock-full of rollicking guitar riffs, ocean-bathed melodies, swagger-centric basslines, crisp soaring horns, and ska-infused jam sections that have come to define Rez’s progressive signature sound. While their groove is primarily rooted in rock, reggae, and funk traditions, the septet draws stylistic influence from nearly every musical movement of the 20th century. Over the past nine years, Rez has tirelessly toured the country ten times over, cemented their status as a consistent festival favorite, and honed their exhilarating live show into an incomparable, unabashed musical extravaganza. They have shared the stage with artistic visionaries including Toots and the Maytals, Rubblebucket, Gogol Bordello, the Dirty Heads, George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic, Jimmy Buffett, and Bernie Worrell. Evoking their personal power animals, they fearlessly forge into a bold new chapter of their epic musical journey and prepare to hit the road for a nationwide tour once more….

    Thursday April 28 JERRY JOSEPH AND THE JACKMORMONS

    Joseph is a prolific and accomplished songwriter who has written hits for Widespread Panic. He has released 30 albums in his more than 30 year career, not only as a solo artist, but also with the Jackmormons, supergroup Stockholm Syndrome, his burning two-piece The Denmark Veseys, and with his beloved 80s cult band, Little Women.  Playing over 150 shows around the globe a year, Joseph is a relentless live performer.  He has toured with Vic Chesnutt, Chris Whitley and Walter Salas-Humara, just to name a few. Not only has he toured Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast with the Jackmormons, but also solo through Nicaragua, Mexico, south-east Asia, Israel, Nepal, Lebanon, and the bulk of Europe.  Most recently he volunteered as a rock school music teacher in Kabul, Afghanistan. Over the years, Joseph and his Jackmormons have shown a penchant for picking a spot on a map, taking over a town, and putting on a festival. Last year, Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons released a live concert DVD, Nicaragua, recorded over three nights just outside of Rivas, Nicaragua. Joseph was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame in October 2015. He will be touring in Mexico, Australia and New Zealand this Winter and Spring in addition to the States. Check the Jackmormons’ web site for tour dates.

  • Cohoes Music Hall Reopening via Palace Theatre Management

    The Times Union reports that the Palace Theatre in Albany has taken over management of the oft-maligned and forgotten Cohoes Music Hall. This effort is projected to bring in more 40,000 visitors to the historic venue built in the 1870s.

    Effective in September, the Palace will supervise operations and programming at the city-owned music hall, while Cohoes will pay for maintenance, insurance and other costs of the building, with a portion of tickets sales going directly to the city.

    Cohoes Music Hall boasts 385 seats, a prime size given that similar local venues the Egg (980 seats), Proctors (2,700) and the Palace (2,700) are much larger. The music hall’s size will allow for smaller, more intimate shows to take place in Cohoes before moving up to the larger area venues.

    Potential performances and events at Cohoes Music Hall will include film screenings, programs by Palace partners Park Playhouse and Albany Symphony Orchestra, as well as family events. Upcoming events at the Music Hall this spring include:

    Friday, April 1 – An Evening With New Riders of the Purple Sage

    Friday, April 22 – Amy Helm with special guest Connor Kennedy and the Minstrel

    Wednesday, May 11 – Alejandro Escovedo with special guest Lucette

    More info on all shows, presented by Guthrie/Bell Productions, can be found at
    www.thecohoesmusichall.com.