NYS Music 20​16

Category: Interviews

  • Talking Bernie & 4/20

    We sit around in the green room at The Hollow in Albany, NY, listening to the muffled sounds of Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets play their opening set of the 4/20 Party above us.  From my left to my right sit Formula 5’s Joe Davis (guitar, vocals), Matt Richards (keys, synth, vocals), and James Woods (bass).  They’re a great group of guys who have an incredible rapport, making fun of one another and seldom not laughing or smiling.  It’s no wonder they have a symbiotic stage presence and ability to make the music talk to the crowd.

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    We start talking about the fact that they are playing their first official 4/20 party and what kind of importance the day has.  Aside from the obvious sociopolitical talking points and stoner jokes, Joe quickly says, “It’s just another day,” which receives instant consensus from his bandmates.  They talk about how the day does mean a lot to many people and it’s a great opportunity to play a show on a day that’s so widely celebrated.

    Formula 5 is no stranger to playing in front of large crowds during massive celebrations.  The Monday before, they played in front of 4,000 people at the Albany Rally for Bernie Sanders, at which the 2016 Democratic Presidential Candidate gave an invigorating and inspiring speech.  When asked about their individual experiences they all gave answers filled with excitement and pride, reflecting on a day that they really didn’t see coming.

    Matt’s friend, Brian Maier, organized the rally and invited Formula 5 to be the musical act to support Bernie.  Since the event was planned and announced in short order, the band found out only two days before, on Saturday.  “It all happened really quickly,” said Woods.  “Matt let us know (Saturday night) that [the rally] was Monday morning.”

    Load-in was Sunday night and first set started at 11 AM on Monday.  It was an experience few bands ever get; organizing with Secret Service, playing for a large room where people attending were there for something other than music, and the intensity of meeting one of the most popular Presidential candidates in the history of the US.

    “It was a sweet experience for us,” said Joe.  “I had never been to a political rally or anything like that before.  To go to one in my hometown and to be a part of it was pretty sweet.”  He went on to talk about how, contrary to what he thought an event like that might be like, the energy was very high and attributed it to Bernie’s ability to really get a crowd excited about changing the country for the better.

    Matt added that their exposure as a band has grown quite tremendously since being able to support Bernie Sanders at his rally.  Playing for 4,000 people and getting publicly thanked by Bernie at the commencement of his speech has boosted their social media support by the hundreds and grew their video exposure by the thousands.  “It was a very surreal experience playing to that many people,” he said.  “It was very different from any show we’ve ever played; not just the experience, but the atmosphere itself.”

    Being entertainment for the day, while not being the main attraction, along with the typical club security experience being replaced by Secret Service police officers made for a truly unique adventure.  Matt was probably the most excited to talk about dealing with the Secret Service.  “It was kind of cool just being backstage in an area where no one is allowed to be,” which is quite different from even the most strict security at the green room door.  Matt continued to boast about Secret Service commanding him that he wasn’t allowed to be backstage and being able to reply, “No, I can. I actually can. I’m in the band.”

    Even with Matt’s ability to tell those federal police officers what was what, they still had to follow strict protocol, especially when getting to meet Bernie after his speech was done.  They were guided in very structured fashion to what they called, in unison, the “safe room.”

    After we wrapped up our conversation they took the stage.  They instantly galvanized the crowd by opening up with a flow of “Q&A” into Phish’s “Makisupa Policeman,” followed by “Pokeman Battle Theme” and then back into “Q&A.”  For a relatively young band Formula 5 has an ability to act as one musical organism as if their 4 years was more like 14.  They paid homage to the day of celebration by playing “Low Rider,” featuring Mister F’s Scott Hannay on synth, as well as laying down a crowd favorite “Legalize It” jam.

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    If you didn’t get a chance to see this 4/20 show, don’t fret.  The momentum of Formula 5’s schedule won’t be stifled any time soon.  Their summer is filled with great shows and festivals, some of which they couldn’t even share because of impending announcements.  Their announced festival billings include Disc Jam and Ohana Music and Art Festival.  They also have some exciting shows coming up including a few with Dude of Life, Steve Pollak, and his band, Fluid Druids. Keep an eye on Formula 5’s Facebook page and website to keep track of updates to their growing summer schedule.

  • Sevendust’s Lajon Witherspoon Talks Tour, Family, and More

    Sevendust has been around for 20 years, but the last 12 months may have been their biggest yet. The band has attracted a lot of new fans thanks to a well-deserved Grammy nomination. They released their most acclaimed album to date: Kill the Flaw. They just played sold out shows in New Zealand and Australia. And… starting today they are headlining a tour here in the states.

    As front man, Lajon Witherspoon said to NYS Music, “This (Sevendust) is a great thing, we can never stop now. After the Grammy nomination it created a spark and it opened the door.” The door has been opened and Sevendust is taking advantage.

    This will be the band’s first headlining tour since the Grammy nomination for their song “Thank you,” and if the set lists from Australia are any indication of what’s to come, fans are going to be excited to hear some classics mixed into the new. Lajon said that the band “is not sure of the set list, yet. (It’s hard) setting up and picking a set list with so much music.” But they do plan on tapping into each album, to “make it a true Sevendust experience.”

    As for new music, besides Kill the Flaw, the band is constantly coming up with new stuff. LJ explained that “(They) have grown as writers, grown as artists, and grown as men.” They have families now, and take the much needed time away to reset and do things the right way. This keeps the music fresh-minded, and obviously with recent success, relevant.  Lajon also squashed any rumors, past or present, of this being the band’s last tour, “we can never stop now, the cats in the band really love each other.”

    Time off the road is as important as time on the road, especially with young kids. Lajon welcomed a son into the world in December, and juggled that with the Grammy nomination, a New Years Eve show and planning the New Zealand/Australia and the U.S. tours. Before going on the road, he even fit time in to watch his daughter’s first softball game.

    Being an attentive dad and a great musician is in Lajon’s blood. His father was in a disco era band, and he remembers going to see his dad play around Nashville as a young kid. “The instruments were so much bigger. I got to go to sound check and I still remember the colors on the walls and wanting to be an artist.” Those experiences laid the groundwork for Witherspoon’s start in music – initially soul, and then bringing that soul to the metal world. It’s that unique sound that has helped influence many bands in the metal and hard rock scene today, the fusion of soul and metal.

    The Kill the Flaw tour consists of thirteen headlining dates and a rock festival nearly every weekend. For the headlining shows, you can expect well over an hour of high-energy rock and roll. Get to the shows early because one of metal’s new stars, Like A Storm, will be opening the shows, and perennial powerhouse, Trivium, is providing direct support. This is a line-up that you can’t miss.

    Mark your calendar, the dates are:

    Apr. 26 – Baton Rouge, LA @ The Varsity Theatre
    Apr. 27 – Birmingham, AL @ Iron City
    Apr. 29 – Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage
    Apr. 30 – Fort Myers, FL @ Fort Rock
    May 01 – Jacksonville, FL @ Welcome To Rockville
    May 03 – New York, NY @ Playstation Theater
    May 05 – Hartford, CT @ Webster Theater
    May 07 – Charlotte, NC @ Carolina Rebellion
    May 08 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head
    May 13 – Clear Lake, IA @ Surf Ballroom
    May 15 – Somerset, WI @ Northern Invasion
    May 17 – Sioux Falls, SD @ The District
    May 18 – Arlington Heights, IL @ Home Bar
    May 20 – Columbus, OH @ Rock On The Range
    May 21 – Reading, PA @ Reverb
    May 22 – Schaghticoke (Albany), NY @ Rock ‘n Derby
    May 24 – Flint, MI @ Machine Shop
    May 25 – Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
    May 27 – Shreveport, LA @ Riverside Warehouse
    May 28 – Pryor, OK @ Rocklahoma

    Note: 2016 has been a rough year for music legends, we’ve lost David Bowie, Merle Haggard, Phife Dawg, Glenn Frey, and now Prince. I found out about all the deaths in the normal way, well, the normal way “now” – through social media, except Prince. I found out about Prince’s death from another rock legend, Sevendust’s Lajon Witherspoon. We were on the phone talking about the upcoming tour, Grammy nominations, and influences. And, like any musician over the past 40 years, Prince touched LJ’s work, and like any music lover over that same time frame, Prince touched my life. When Lajon told me that him and his publicist, Kevin Chiaramonte, just heard Prince passed, I was truly at a lost for words.

  • New York Minute: Charley Orlando Shares Vision for the Syracuse Music Scene

    OrlandoOn any given afternoon in Syracuse, it is highly probable Charley Orlando will be spotted leaping nimbly to the stage to adjust sound equipment, prepping for the evening show. The sprightly Funk ‘N’ Waffles talent buyer keeps busy between selecting acts for the downtown Syracuse and university locations. He has become the gatekeeper for a flourishing downtown venue that stands as a go-to destination for music lovers thirsting for a dose of live music.

    Aside from his technical dexterity, Orlando is also skilled in the art of compromise, acting as chief liaison between musicians and venues. With decades of experience performing in his own bands and booking acts for other venues, Orlando can empathize with the needs and desires of both parties to cultivate exciting show lineups. Behind every jaw dropping drum solo, contemplative guitar riff and danceworthy jam is a man devoted to elevating the Syracuse music scene.

    On a Wednesday afternoon, Orlando took a quick break from his frenzied activity to kick back and discuss his key role at Funk ‘N’ Waffles. Manifesting a calm and collected presence, Orlando’s demeanor in conversation curiously juxtaposed the preceding flourish of activity. He instead channeled energy into exuberant responses, offering a sincerity through dialogue layered with gracious and friendly expression:

    Ally Dean: You are the talent buyer for Funk ‘N’ Waffles. What has been your mission since the onset of your role with this venue?

    Charley Orlando: To create a mid sized music venue for touring and local acts. To concentrate on a music community and grow it to a healthy point where musicians and venues all work together to prop up the music scene in CNY. Also the venue is designed to do all kinds of events besides music so we love doing community oriented events.

    AD: What are your future goals for the venue?

    CO: To keep growing the scene and the venue. To bring in bigger and bigger acts to a small intimate venue. To just be the best this place can be.

    AD: Funk is a pretty sought after venue in Syracuse so you have plenty of acts soliciting a spot on the stage (I remember you quoted a staggering number of emails since December…) Are there bands on your radar that you have reached out to hoping to bring to the venue in the near future?

    CO: We do get an enormous amount of inquiries (22,000+ emails since December of 2014). Really every band is on my radar. I am always looking for the next unique band. There is a lot of “same” going on out there so when I come across something that turns my head I go right for it. There are a number of great bands I have reached out to that will blow the walls off Funk … but I keep them close to my chest until it’s solid. Takes a bit to really dial in a top notch show.

    AD: Are there aspects of Funk you would like to see changed, either with the physical venue or with the process for getting bands there?

    CO: Funk is ever-evolving and that’s why I love it here. Sam Levey and Adam Gold and I work really well together and are always a step ahead of where we need to be. Kind of a dream team for me. The ideas are always flying and stuff gets done fast when we decide to move forward. Really we all want the same thing: the best venue in CNY.

    AD: Pearly Baker’s Best and RUHA are your two current musical endeavors; what are your intentions with those projects?

    CO: To have fun playing music. Pearly is a Grateful Dead Tribute Band so it’s pretty easy to get the right gigs and the band is sooooooo good! Everyone really knows The Dead and have seen them play (w/ Jerry Garcia) many times so we have close ties to the music. RUHA is a very unique original project that mixes acoustic guitar, organ, piano and ableton live triggers to fill it out. Great for festivals! Plus I love playing solo and do that quite a bit.

    AD: Aaaand to keep things fun … are you feelin’ the Bern?

    CO: Maximum Bern! Very into the message! It speaks to me … LOVE! Huh what a concept! April 15 Fuel the Bern’ is at the Palace Theater in Syracuse and April 16 Berning Man is at Anthology in Rochester. Two very important events for people that want change to come about!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fiel8ObUkHM

  • New York Minute: Troy Native Niki Lee Returns to Scene

    niki-leeNicole Suto aka “Niki Lee” is an indie singer/songwriter living in Troy, NY who is returning to the live music scene after taking a hiatus to have and raise a child. Her first show in a self-admitted long while will be this Friday, April 1 at the Dinosaur BBQ. She opens up for fellow Lansingburgh natives, The Lawn Sausages, at 9 p.m. The show is free.

    With the help of her friends Gary Levitt and Erica Quitzow of New Paltz, she recorded five tracks found on Reverbnation. She plays the guitar and loops her own backup vocals. “Accelerate” is a fun tune that shows off her playful, rocker side and incorporates the organ. Her sound is similar to Liz Phair and other 90s female musicians in the similar genre. Her style however is unique. Instead of your typical chord progressions, Niki often slaps the strings to create both percussion and notes.

    “Faith” represents a darker side of Niki. This expression of negative emotion is something she says drives her to write music. Her live performances are a balance of both upbeat positive songs and those that are melancholy.

    While performing live is something she intends to do, her real goal is to continue to write, produce and record music.

    We recently chatted with Niki about her music and living in Troy.

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    After listening to your tracks on Reverbnation, we kind of get a Liz Phair vibe. Is that what has influenced you?

    I first started really heavy in the singer, songwriter, kind of folksy vein, listening to Ani DiFranco, Suzanne Vega, really growing up with the 10,000 Maniacs, Natalie Merchant stuff. But I think it was really PJ Harvey who kind of hooked me into the electric guitar, not just playing acoustic. Then Liz Phair – I think I’ve probably listened to Exile in Guyville like a million times. I probably can sing the whole album from beginning to end, so yes, that’s a definite influence for me.

    What inspires you?

    I feel like a lot of the music that I’m playing now has been inspired by relationships, questioning the world about why things are the way they are and how you have an emotional reaction to that. A lot of my songs, I write when I feel upset about things so it’s very hard for me to write upbeat songs. When I’m happy, I’m not in the writing kind of mood, it’s so hard to write a happy song. But I know people don’t want to just hear bitching and moaning when they see me perform so I’ve worked in some positive ones as well.

    So your show on April 1 will be the first one in a while, and a hometown show?

    I’m opening up for the Lawn Sausages. A lot of us are from Lansingburgh, born and raised there. So it’s a lot of old time friends. I haven’t really played a gig in a long time and one of the members of the Lawn Sausages put this gig up so I asked if I could open for them. It’s going to be a very hometown, packed crowd. It will be a special gig because all my friends and family from years and years, being a Troy native.

    I’ve traveled a lot, I’ve lived and played in San Francisco and New York City but I had to come back home. Something about being home it’s hard to get away from sometimes.

    Do you have a favorite spot to hang out in Troy?

    I really enjoy going down to the Farmer’s Market. It’s one of the best and the fact that it’s all year round is really great. My daughter loves Famous Lunch – we like greasy food in our family.

    So I understand you had friends from New Paltz help you with your recordings. Did you go down there to do it?

    Yeah. Gary Levitt and Erica Quitzow who I met in San Francisco but were from New York. After we all moved back I reached out to them because they are just amazing engineers and musicians. I asked them if they could record a few songs for me. I had done a few recordings in the past but never ones I felt proud of. I felt OK about them but they just didn’t represent how I wanted my songs to sound in a studio recording. These guys really nailed it. I like Imogen Heap and Tori Amos, people who pull in a lot of different elements and layered harmonies into their music. Unfortunately I can’t recreate that on stage so it will be kind of like a PJ Harvey four-track demos kind of feel at the show (laughs). I like pushing the boundaries of the singer-songwriter into the different musical sounds that you can play with and layer. It’s one of my favorite things about the music that I’m drawn to.

    What else do you like to do when not songwriting or recording?

    I work for the state as a budget analyst. I really like spreadsheets! (laughs) I do a lot of work with spreadsheets, tracking or spending. It’s nice because it’s really easy, it either adds up or it doesn’t. Plus, I don’t make the decisions of how it’s being spent In my free time I am a 4H Club co-leader for a dog training club call the Clover Paws. It’s something I do with my daughter. We have two dogs, so when I’m not making music or taking care of my daughter, I’m playing with my dogs.

  • Mike Howe of Metal Church Talks of his Return, the New Album, and Where He’s Been…

    Metal Church was born at a time when the hair was long, the denim was tight and the music was loud. In 1984 the band dropped their eponymous debut album and coming up on March 25th they will be releasing their 11th studio album, “XI” with the iconic Mike Howe. That’s right, folks! He’s back! Howe decided to come out of his 20 year retirement, after guitarist and mastermind, Kurdt Vanderhoof reached out to him last year to rejoin the band.

    Howe was nice enough to take some time to talk with me before they headed out on the road; we dove into why he retired, the tour, the new album and much, much more. Don’t forget New Yorkers, Metal Church is at BB Kings next week, March 28!

    Cie Martin (CM): Hi Mike, great to speak with you again. Let’s jump right in, shall we? You left Metal Church over 20 years ago and haven’t been heard from since, I even read that you had passed away of a heart attack in 2013, so I think probably one of the biggest questions everyone has been wondering is where have you been and what have you been doing for the last 20 years?

    Mike Howe (MH): Yeah, I know some French magazine came up with that somehow. Obviously, that was totally false. I don’t know where that came from. (Laughs)

    So, I dropped off the radar because the record business really disappointed me, things were changing, grunge was coming up and we were getting ignored. We were not businessmen, we were musicians and like a lot of [other] bands we just wanted to write songs and play metal. You really have to be business minded or you’ll just get tramped on and left behind, I think that was our major problem. One small example, the cover of “Hanging In The Balance” was just a huge embarrassment to me and I hated it, it was forced on [us] and that was kind of the last straw. So I took a clean break and stepped away in 1994, with a proud feeling of what we had done so far, something I could keep in my back pocket for the rest of my life, and I wanted to step away before it got ugly. So, I got married, had children and lived the American Dream, we were just doing what everybody else was doing. I had my own little business, and had a couple boys, you may have seen I brought my older boy with me on the [Monsters of Rock] cruise, which was a great time for me, not only playing the cruise, but having my son with me was very important. So, now that they are older, I don’t have to dedicate every second of my day in raising them. I have a little bit more free time and then Kurt called me and proposed coming back.

    CM: The Monsters of Rock Cruise, was that the first time your son has seen you perform since you rejoined Metal Church?

    MH: Yes, it’s the first time he’s seen me perform ever in my lifetime other than on the Internet.

    CM: That’s amazing! What was that like for you?

    MH: It was amazing; there are no words to describe it! There’s your son that you’ve raised and loved your whole life and you’re getting to share something from when you were young. I just don’t know how to describe it. It was a beautiful thing for me.

    CM: Did you ever think Metal Church would be playing a rock and roll cruise to the Bahamas?

    MH: No, never! Bassist, Steve Unger said in an interview, if Metal Church could, we ‘d buy our own ship, cruise to every port and play off the boat! That would be awesome.

    CM: Needless to say, you had a great time on the cruise?

    MH: Aw man, when Kurdt first proposed the idea and because of my younger days and my experiences with fans, I had my doubts about doing it. I love the fans and I love interacting with the fans, but when I was younger I was a little more stressed about it. I consider myself grateful and when I meet fans I want to give all I can to them, it’s hard to walk away from them and take care of yourself. I would be the one that would stand there for hours and then it would drain me. So I thought, we’re going to be on a boat with all the fans, all day long, [for four days] that might be hard for me. It turned out to be the exact opposite, it was so great for me and they [the fans] were so gracious and didn’t want to bother me. I was like, “You’re not bothering me, this is awesome, you’re giving me love and I’m here, give it to me!” It turned into something that was healing and spiritual for me and I really loved it.

    Mike HoweCM: Explain to me your process on re-joining, especially based on everything you just said about how you were disillusioned and let down by the music industry. I know you exchanged some demos over the Internet but I’d love to hear about the process.

    MH: It was many conversations with Kurdt. We were Drop-boxing and sharing music, so I had to really step up my game technologically speaking. I built myself a little soundroom in the garage so I could have a workspace [to create] and send things back to Kurdt. A lot of the conversations were about not getting together for the nostalgia of it, because I’m not a person that looks back, I like to look forward. We are very proud of what we have and the catalog that we have, we really needed to see what kind of songs we could write and what kind of album we could come up with and whether or not my voice was still there. So these were all considerations we had. Kurdt was inspired by the possibility of me coming back, so he could write in the vein thinking about Mike Howe’s voice and the way we used to write. So, he sent me songs and at the first listen, I was blown away. I was like, “Kurdt Vanderhoof is still the master of heavy metal riffs that are original.” It was a great start.

    We went back and forth, heading in the right direction and after we got a bunch together, we decided it was time to get together in Kurdt’s studio in Aberdeen and it was awesome. It was like we never stopped talking to each other, our old friendship was still the same, it was like we were 20 years old again, getting together, having fun and writing music. We [also] talked about the state of the record company and about how we now can have full control of everything we do, the way we write and the way we want to be heard. We have a great record company now, Rat Pak Records, they are in full support of us. We can call Joe [O’Brien], the president, if we have concerns, we can talk directly to him, which in the past we just got lost in big record labels where you couldn’t even speak to someone who was in actual control of your career. So to reiterate, the biggest thing for us was being able to write, record and present an album of material that represented us and who we are today from beginning to end without any external pressures, timelines or anything like that and that’s exactly what we did. We are very happy about this and it’s allowed us to relax, be big kids again and enjoy the process.

    CM: And make magic again…

    MH: For us it was magical because we were just enjoying what we were doing and that helped our creativity.

    CM: I read that Kurdt was sort of ‘done’ with Metal Church and you coming back was a gamechanger for him?

    MH: Well, that’s how he presented it to me, “Now that Ronny [Munroe] is gone, I can’t fathom looking for a 4th singer, it’s not gonna happen, so if you’re not going to do this with me then I’m hanging up Metal Church forever.” I feel really grateful to Kurdt, he helped me discover Metal Church. He produced the band I was in, “Heretic” and he’s the one that said, “Mike, I think you’d be a good fit for Metal Church, what do you think?” He brought me in, gave me a chance and then we became writing partners. I feel very grateful to him.

    CM: If I can comment, I think your voice is better now than it was then.

    MH: I understand that and I kind of agree. It’s a maturity, a relaxation, the power is still there, but it’s a little more controlled and I have control of my emotions and I know what I want and that does lend to a difference to my voice.

    CM: How is it different being back onstage now as opposed to years ago?

    MH: Well, it’s a whole new band, so I have to get used to all the new members. These are great players I’m with and I feel very honored to be playing with them. The other aspect is Kurdt and I have never actually been in a band together, we’ve just been songwriting partners, so this is a great thing for he and I to be onstage together! And the third aspect is ‘maturity with age’ thing. You go onstage, you’re not as frantic, you’re not as stressed or anxiety ridden as you were when you were 20 something, so you can relax and enjoy the ride, so that’s a big thing for me.

    CM: Let’s talk about the album, first of all, the video “No Tomorrow” is amazing and that location is amazing!

    MH: Well we lucked out. I’m just chalking this up to the gods of metal. Our record company said they knew a guy in Seattle, he was young but he wanted to do it, we had a low budget so. We found this location 20 minutes from Kurt’s house, an old nuclear facility that they rent for movie shoots and things like that. So, we went in, did the best we could and it turned out great.

    CM: Tell me about putting the new album together and if there are any particular tracks that are your favorite.

    MH: Well, “No Tomorrow” is the first out because that was the one I felt was most complex, his [Vanderhoof] riffs are amazing, he’s a monster riff writer and I think he’s one of the most underrated songwriters out there. He stringed together riffs in a song format, sent them to me, then I just sang out melodies that came from me, then some lyrics came out, some worked, some didn’t. Then a theme came out like “No Tomorrow”. It was all very natural, we didn’t want to think too much, we wanted to be spontaneous and organic (Laughs)… you know, organic, man!

    Kurdt writes different styles of metal, it’s complex and you can hear different things, but still in that heavy metal vein. “It Waits” is a song I really like a lot, it starts out slow and builds up
    , I love songs like that. “Reset” the first track is very important to me it’s a straight forward, slam your face song with a hook and it’s the story of our lives. Reset turn the page in our own age, now we hit the button to reset. That kind of tells you where we are at right now.

    CM: A fun question; what was your first concert?

    MH: Wow, my first concert my brother took me to see was J. Geils. Have you ever heard of J. Geils?

    CM: Yes, like the J. Geils Band, “Centerfold”?

    MH: Well, “Centerfold” was their downfall. (Laughs) They were a rock band before they became this pop weird thing. I knew them when they were a full house band; a 10 piece blues rock band that rocked the house. And then he took me to see Nazareth and Foreigner and bands like that. Finally, the one that changed my life was Judas Priest, the Screaming for Vengeance Tour, that’s when I started playing metal. I had a rock band when I was 15 years old in Detroit. We would do all the Judas Priest songs, AC/DC, a little bit of Saxon and Def Leppard; the early Def Leppard. I wanted to be Rob Halford mixed with Bon Scott, the power of Halford and the attitude of Scott, so I emulated both of those guys.

    CM: I’m sure you’ve met Rob Halford?

    MH: Well, a life long dream of mine came true when I toured with Judas Priest, Motorhead and Alice Cooper on the Operation Rock and Roll Tour. One of my favorite stories of my career was touring with Rob [Halford], we went back to Detroit and played a shed there called Pine Knob, which is where I saw J. Geils. Anyway, my whole family came down to see the show; my Mom, my Dad, sisters, cousins. My Mom knew Rob Halford was a hero of mine and asked me if she could get a picture with him. I said, “I don’t see why not, I’m sure he would.” So after our show, I went back to the Meet and Greet area, I see Rob Halford across the tent talking to some reporters, I went over and said, “Can you do me a favor, my Mom asked if she could have a picture with you because she knows how much I idolized you?” He said, in his British accent, “You know Mike, your Mum is just like me Mum, she saw me and she came right over here and asked for a picture.” As I’m asking him, I look over at my Mom across the way, she looked like a little girl who got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She’s just so sweet.

    Mike HoweCM: That’s such a great story, I love it. So, who would you like to tour with now?

    MH: Wherever Kurdt Vanderhoof is touring that’s where I’d like to be! (Laughs) We’ve got ourselves pretty booked right now with the East coast and then festivals in Europe, so we are booked through the summer. After that, we will just take it as it comes, live in the moment and just see what offers come in.

    Don’t forget Metal Church will be at BB Kings in NYC on Monday, March 28th. You don’t want to miss the return of Mike Howe and the riff master, Kurdt Vanderhoof! Get tickets here! The Church will also hit Rochester’s Montage Music Hall April 9.

  • Central New Yorker Ryan Quinn has “The Voice” to Win it All

    Ryan Quinn, a Clinton High and SUNY Oneonta graduate, was the only contestant to turn all four chairs during the blind audition portion of NBC’s The Voice last week.  Quinn’s performance of Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home” blew away the judges and rocketed to number two on the iTunes rock charts following the broadcast. To date, his performance has over one million views on YouTube.

    This week, he faced off against fellow Team Adam member Katie Basden, performing a duet of Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed” and was selected to continue as a member of Levine’s team. Basden, managed to stay in the competition after Blake Shelton “stole” her for his team.

    Ryan Quinn selfie 3-11-15Since last Monday, Quinn’s life has been a whirlwind. His Facebook following has increased fourfold, the number of Twitter followers has done the same and naturally, reporters have come calling for interviews. No further proof of his popularity surge was needed than at his performance Friday night at one of his home venues, Cavallo’s in New Hartford.

    Reservations were recommended to attend the show, and the room was at full capacity thirty minutes prior to Quinn stepping onstage with his partner, long-time family friend, guitarist Dave “Dinger” Wingfield. NYS Music was on the scene for the home town performance and also sat down to speak with Quinn about how he’s dealing with his sudden fame; what the kids at the House of the Good Shepherd mean to him and where to next.

    To meet Ryan Quinn is to meet a down-to-earth, humble young man grateful for the opportunity to make music. His show Friday night, at the bar that has given him a home the past two years, was his opportunity to not only showcase his incredibly diverse vocal range and musicianship, but to also share the spotlight with his friend, vocalist Cassidy Gerkin and heap praise upon his co-workers and students at the House of the Good Shepherd for the support they have given him. Quinn paused frequently between songs to recognize the cheering section comprised of fellow House of Good Shepherd staff, all donning black t-shirts with the hash tag #Quinnsanity across the front.

    HGS staff with Quinn
    Quinn’s support team, fellow staff from The House of the Good Shepherd

    Quinn sat for an interview with NYS Music on the eve of the second round of competition for The Voice. The person who emerged was one eager to deflect attention towards others and who is just now coming to terms that he has earned a spot on one of television’s most popular shows.

    Mike Kohli: It was great meeting you the other night. Great show. You had a ton of people there.

    Ryan Quinn: Thanks for coming out Friday. I appreciate it. It was wild. Probably the best show I’ve ever played.

    MK: So, has it started to sink in yet? This whole The Voice thing?

    RQ:  I think it’s finally beginning to. Maybe not the sheer magnitude of it, but every day it’s a little bit more clear as to what’s going on. I guess that gig was a good indication. People were there from Boston. People were there at 3:30 for a show that started at 8:00. It was so absurd to me. But, yeah, I’m finally starting to wrap my head around it.

    MK: One thing about the people in this area; when one of their own does well, they’re all on board.

    RQ:  Oh, my God. It’s unbelievable. The support is more than I could ever have even dreamed of.Ryan Quinn

    MK: It was obvious during your performance, many times throughout the night, the look on your face was one of overwhelming shock at the adulation you’re being given. You did a great job of… you were very humble, in deflecting that attention towards the people who were onstage with you, the people and kids you work with…just mentioning the House of the Good Shepherd several times throughout the show. It just kind of shows that you’re not in it to become a famous musician. You’re in it because you’re doing something you love and you just happen to have people that you love surrounding you. Is that Ryan Quinn?

    RQ:  Yeah. Yeah, that’s definitely me. I’m just really glad that came across. Music is just something that I’ve just always loved to do. It’s my favorite thing in the world, to sing. I’m just happy that I get to do it. And with the circumstances now, it’s just so cool. I couldn’t be any happier about it.

    MK: So, the House of the Good Shepherd is your full-time job? Are you kind of on a leave right now while doing the show?

    RQ: Yep. That’s correct. I’m on a leave. They’ve been super flexible with me. I don’t know if I’ll be able to continue working there, depending on what happens. I’ve worked there steadily for two years and it’s a great experience. Whether I can continue working there or not, I just want to always be giving back to them. They’re a great organization.

    MK: What drew you to work there?

    RQ: You know, funny story. My mom actually worked there a long time ago in the 70s. The guy who’s playing guitar with me [Dave “Dinger” Wingfield], he’s my dad’s best friend and his wife is my mom’s best friend and she’s still working there. It’s where she and my mother met and became friends. After college, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I just knew I wanted to play music. She thought I would be a really good fit teaching music at the school and told me about the position. I applied and got it on my own. She didn’t pull any strings or anything. I didn’t really know what to expect but I ended up falling in love with it.

    MK: What do the kids think about all this?

    RQ:  They were completely shocked. Obviously I couldn’t say anything to anybody. But they can’t even believe it. They didn’t expect it at all. I just kinda said, “I’m pursuing a musical opportunity. I’ll be back to visit.” That’s basically all I said. I dont know if you saw the WKTV segment where they interviewed them; it’s one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen.

    Sign made by Quinn's students at The House of the Good Shepherd
    Sign made by Quinn’s students at The House of the Good Shepherd

    MK: It has to be very rewarding for you.

    RQ: Oh, absolutely. I just want to be a positive. Really, it’s just to be a positive, consistent force in their lives because it’s something they’ve never had. I just want to carry that forward.

    MK: Is your style of music something they’ve been able to latch on to and be influenced by?

    RQ: I don’t push it on them. I just kind of let them choose whatever they want to listen to, sing whatever they want to sing and just kind of help them do whatever they’re doing to the best of their ability.

    MK: So you went to Oneonta. There’s a pretty good music scene going on down there.

    RQ: I was in a couple of ensemble groups, basically just for credit. I was the lead vocalist with a funk band with Jeremy Wall. He was a founding member of the band Spyro Gyra, which is kinda cool. We played Stevie Wonder and Tower of Power stuff. I did a band called The Mothers of Intention. It was a Frank Zappa cover band. So we just did a bunch of albums of Zappa material. Yeah, the music scene there is very tight knit.

    MK: You and Dave have been putting together some songs for an EP. Has there been any progress on that at all?

    Dinger and Quinn

    RQ: Ya know, kind of…I have some original material. It’s on Reverb Nation, a couple of songs on Soundcloud. It just takes me so long to write. I’ve been focusing on this and only this. It just takes me so long to write because I’m so hyper critical of everything that I do. Eventually I will put out my own material.

    MK: When did you sit down and say, “I want to audition for The Voice?

    RQ: Four years ago, I went to New York for an audition and it didn’t really go anywhere. And then my parents and my girlfriend and random people at gigs would just say, “Why don’t you just try?” I finally caved after about four years. So in July, I went and did an open call, and here I am!

    MK: When did you find out you were going to be on the show?

    RQ: (laughter) A few months after that. It was one of the most exciting days of my life. It’s horrifying too. It’s like, “My God, I’m actually going to audition in front of these people for real?” I can’t just put it on the back burner anymore. It’s like, no, you’re there. It’s gonna happen, so get ready.

    MK:Obviously tonight and tomorrow night, the show is airing. You’re not sure when or if you’ll be on either show, correct?

    RQ: Correct. I’m not sure when or if, but there’s always a chance. I’m gonna be watching anyway to see everybody. Of course, I hope to see myself too.

    MK: It’s an exciting time around here, as exhibited at Cavallo’s the other night.

    RQ: That was such a great show.

    MK: You basically went straight through, what, 32 songs…

    RQ: (laughter) You counted? Nice!  I used to do three sets but the energy was so great that when you get the adrenaline going and everything, at least for me, I feel like I could just sing forever. I took a break not needing to, just realizing that I probably should. But I probably could have just played straight through if I wanted to. I just love doing it.

    MK: Your guest vocalist…Cassidy Gerken

    RQ: Oh, Cassidy? Her name is Cassidy Gerken. It’s a small community here. Her father, Vic Gerken, who was doing sound Friday…he was in a band with Dinger, who I was playing with, and my dad, who was a drummer, back in the 70s and 80s.  They were in a band together, all three of them.

    MK: It’s all coming full circle.

    RQ: It’s all coming full circle. It’s pretty funny. We’re all working together again.

    MK: Best of luck to you. Thank you.

    RQ: Of course, thank you.

    Ryan Quinn is performing again at Cavallo’s Friday March 25. If you’re in the area, the man puts on a show covering all genres from all decades. He has a voice that does justice to Marvin Gaye and Thom Yorke. But be forewarned, you may have to arrive at 3:30 to get a spot on the deck.

    https://youtu.be/eBkI7KwNFr4

    [FinalTilesGallery id=’679′]

  • A Conversation About Music In The Schools: From Rome Free Academy to Motown and Manilow

    When thinking of music in schools, one would assume it’s only an extracurricular activity.  Rome Free Academy (RFA) believes differently.  To them,  it’s a career path and the students who participate in the music programs are nurtured and prepared accordingly.

    rome free academy

    An article published July 21, 2015 in National Association for Music Education, establishes that students who participate in musical programs in school, benefit cognitively.  The article makes a strong case for continuing music in schools, citing the benefits of music beyond not only keeping but expanding these musical programs. Advantages to students include:

    •    Helping develop language and reasoning as it uses the same side of brain used to process music.
    •    Improving memorization as musicians are constantly memorizing songs to perform.
    •    Improved hand/eye coordination.
    •    Heightened sense of achievement when they are able to accomplish simple to challenging pieces.
    •    More engaged students in both studies and outside activities.
    •    Improved social skills. Music piques a curiosity that filters into other subjects as well.
    •    Greater emotional development – Music helps to alleviate stress and promotes a higher self esteem in students.
    •    Improved pattern recognition through the repetitiveness of music.
    •    Higher SAT Scores – Students in music programs average 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on math scores.
    •    Improved auditory skills are developed through music. Most musicians can play by ear.
    •    Heightened imagination and intellectual curiosity is developed in the brain for those who participate in music.
    •    Heightened relaxation is accomplished.  Where the term “music calms the beast” derives.
    •    Greater discipline skills. Musicians are required to participate in hours of self practice as well as group practice.
    •    Greater creative economical reasoning.  Musicians become more creative in bringing music to their audiences with limited budgets.
    •    Greater spatial intelligence as the brain develops
    •    Greater responsible risk taking occurs as musicians begin to play in front of an audience.  The ability to overcome fears and anxieties in life tends to lead them to better and more confident choices.
    •    Greater self confidence occurs as they achieve their goals and perform in front of friends, family, and peers.

    NYS Music had an opportunity to talk with a local high school music educator at Rome Free Academy about past students, current students, and musical opportunities for the students in their future.

    Kathy Stockbridge: Hi Michelle, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with our readers. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Michelle, she is a music teacher at the Rome Free Academy (RFA). Can you give our readers a little background on you and your experience in the music field?

    Michelle Rushford: I grew up in the Rome City School District. I played clarinet in the band/marching band and sang in choir throughout my years in the Rome City School District. I graduated from RFA in 1986, and went on to Crane School of Music SUNY Potsdam to major in Music Education with a concentration in voice. I graduated from Crane in December of 1990, and began teaching at St. Peter’s Elementary School. After 1 ½ years at St. Peter’s, I began teaching in the Rome City School District at Stokes Elementary. I taught at Stokes for 13 years, Staley Middle School for 2 years, and finally, I have been at RFA for 8 years now.

    During my time at Stokes, I had a private voice, guitar and piano studio with 17 students. I performed in many musical plays, and was the vocal director for several high school musicals, as well as clarinet player for the pit orchestra. I began singing, as the lead vocalist for the band The Dominoes in 1990 and have performed as lead vocalist in many other cover bands for approximately 22 years. The most recent band that I performed with was Classified. Classified is a well-known local 12-piece horn band who is inducted into the Rome Arts Hall of Fame, and has opened up for many famous bands, including KC and the Sunshine Band, The Temptations, and Earth Wind and Fire to name only a few.

    KS: You bring so much experience to the students at RFA, and the RFA Music Program is one of several in the Rome School District.  These programs have always been supported whole-heartedly in the district. Talk to us a little about the philosophy of music in our school district and how it plays a critical role for students. How does RFA’s program stand out?

    MR: Music is the universal language. Musical involvement improves a student’s self-discipline, dexterity, coordination, self-esteem, thinking skills, listening skills, creative abilities, cooperation, teamwork and personal expression. At RFA we provide many options to students interested in music. There are two choirs, orchestras, and bands along with other curricular music classes. There should be more to come soon as well, as we are working on adding some new music classes to the curriculum. There are also many extra-curricular activities for the students to choose from (auditioned choir groups, band and string clubs).

    KS: We have had several students go on to study music further, whether it’s professionally, teaching, music therapy, etc… How does RFA play a part in their preparation for careers in the music field?

    MR: There are so many opportunities and classes that our students get to take and experience that will definitely play a part in their future, whether it be music or something else. I tell my music students, don’t choose to pursue music as a career, that they can still go on to music in their lives as they can always sing in a band, or sing at a local event, or restaurant.

    KS: Talk to our readers a little about the competitive process in NYSSMA (New York State School for Music Association) and the levels and what each mean. This is a huge achievement for our students.

    MR: There are two parts to NYSSMA, Solo Festival and Major Organization. Major Organization is for an entire ensemble, where they perform three pieces of music and are adjudicated by two professional NYSSMA judges. There are levels I-VI with VI being the most difficult in both majors and solos. I do level VI with Concert Choir which is very difficult for a mixed ability group. But we always get it done, and get a good grade as well. Concert Choir has received from Silver Rating to Gold with Distinction (Ratings – Bronze, Silver, Gold, Gold with Distinction) rating over the past 7 years.

    Solos are just one person and they are actually auditioning for  Area All-State (best in four counties) and All-State (best in the state) ensembles. If a student makes an All-State ensemble, they are then eligible to participate in All-Eastern and All-National Honors Ensembles. My Concert Choir students audition with level VI solos and I have between 12 and 25 students participate per year.

    KS: You have traveled all over the country performing and competing. How does this come about for our school?

    MR: I search and search the internet for performance and competition options, then decide if I think we can fundraise enough to take the trip and then go from there. Some of the places our students have performed are the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Carnegie Hall, Europe, and many more. I make it a point to have my students perform at as many places as possible.

    KS: I may be a little biased here with your program as my son Zach is a member of your A Capella Choir as well as the Select Choir at RFA. You will be traveling soon to Virginia to compete? Can you tell us a little about that upcoming event?

    MR: We will be competing in the SINGSTRONG DC High School A Capella Competition on April 2. The group will perform at 8:30 that morning, and then the top eight groups will compete in the finals at 2:00 pm that same day. This is their first competition so we are kind of nervous and excited at the same time. The rest of the weekend will be concerts, vocal classes and workshops. The headliner this year is Take 6.

    KS: As most already know as we are all so very excited, your current A Capella Group, Fermata Nowhere, will be performing March 18 with Barry Manilow at the Turning Stone Event Center. How exciting this is? Can you share how this came about?

    MR: Yes, we are all so excited. What an amazing opportunity for these students. I am so happy that they will get to experience something so incredible. One of Barry Manilow’s production managers called RFA, as he had heard there was an A Capella group. I couldn’t believe it. “No Way, Barry Manilow?” I told him I would ask the group and get back to him. I called him the next day after dicussing it with the kids, and it was set.

    KS: We are so excited for the students and hope to be able to bring our readers highlights from that show. There is also another student, Quiana Holmes who graduated from RFA in 2014, I believe, who has had some amazing success already in her young career.  She is currently touring with the production of Dancing In The Streets, Motown’s Greatest Hits. Talk to us a little about Quiana and students like her that have gone on to live their dreams.

    RFA - K. Stockbridge -IMG_0799 copy

    MR: Quiana was an amazing musician.  I recognized her talent immediately when I was teaching at Staley. As soon as I heard her sing back in 5th grade, I told her parents to get her to a studio to do some recording. I had the pleasure of working with Quiana at RFA as well when I transferred at the same time she entered high school.  She was a part of many performing groups at RFA, and I was elated to find out that she wanted to pursue a career in music. I tell all of my students to follow their dreams and shoot for the stars, no matter how far they are. I am so proud of Quiana for following her dreams and making them come true; and I am just as proud of all of my students whether they decide to pursue music or not.

    KS: I can’t say enough how awesome the music programs at our schools are here in Rome. As districts try to slash budgets, the arts are generally one thing that tends to be reviewed (eliminated) first. If you had to give advice to other school districts across the country as to the importance of these programs, what advice would you give?

    MR: Advocate for your program! Get your students performing publicly in as many places as possible. Contact the local newspapers and TV channels. The more the district’s administrators and the community see the students, the better chance you will have of keeping music in your schools.

    KS: For anyone interested in helping the program out or attending the remainder of the shows for the school year, how and where would they go?

    MR: Most of our upcoming concerts are on the district calendar on the district website, www.romecsd.org Anyone interested in helping out our program, could contact me at mrushford@romecsd.org

    The passion Michelle Rushford and all the musical educators at the Rome City School District is contagious. It spreads among the students, their parents, and the entire community.  Having a student in the district that has been part of the music program, I can attest to the fact that every concert is performed to a sold out venue, consisting of not only parents and students, but also community members who just enjoy wonderful music.

    Recently, another special RFA student entered the spotlight as she ventured out into the world after high school. Quiana Holmes is one of those students who has definitely reached for the stars, and the sparkle Michelle saw as a fifth grade student shines even brighter today as she is now touring with the musical production Dancing In The Streets, scheduled to perform here in Syracuse at the Crouse Hinds Theater at the Oncenter, on April 12. Quiana took a moment while on the road to say hello to NYS Music and share a little of this dream come true experience with us.

    Kathy: Hi Quiana.  Thank you so much for talking with NYS Music. I am very excited to introduce you to my readers. For those that don’t know you, tell us a little about your background in music and what you love most about it.

    Quiana Holmes: Thank you.  Well I’ve been in music my whole life. Most of my family is musical.  I grew up with it in church, and that’s really how it started.  My mom being the choir director and putting on plays in my church, she would always have me star in her plays and singing in the choir, so that is how I really began music, in my church. What I love most about it is that is where I feel most at home, and brought me back to my roots.  That connection with music is because that is where I grew up and where it began. That is where I am most comfortable.

    KS: Did you always know you wanted to pursue music as a career or was this something that developed over time?

    QH: Growing up, we were told that music didn’t offer a lot of jobs in the music field.  So that obviously deterred me. My decision in music was difficult as I wanted to be stable, so because i loved science as well, I thought maybe I would pursue that area of study instead, until my senior year.  At that time I looked at all my extra curricular activities and that is when I realized that I do not have any activities I do with science, instead everything I do was music; choir, musicals, Rhapsody, and show choir.  Everything was music. So I decided to leave all that negativity behind and said I am going to do what I love, and I am going to study music.

    KS: I admire your spunk and determination. While in school, was there a specific teacher who nurtured your love of music or a moment in school that helped you to know this was your destiny?

    QH: It wasn’t just one teacher.  I’m so lucky to be able to say that.  It began with my piano teacher, and I began piano lessons in middle school.  Her name was Nina Merrill. She nurtured me in learning the theory of music.  She taught me note placement on keyboard, reading music, things like that.   Then when I got to RFA, I was lucky enough to have four wonderful teachers; Twyla Edwards, Michelle Rushford, Mary Kay Madonia, and Jake Meiss. Yes, I was lucky to get to work with all of them. Twyla Edwards, I worked with for jazz voice and select choir. Michelle Rushford, I worked with for combo choir in which we would all get together for NYSSMA and learn the classical style of things. I had Mary Kay Madonia for orchestra because I played violin; and finally Jake Meiss for all of the musicals, marching band, and show choir. So I was able to work with all of them and they are all so great to me and told me, “Listen, no matter what you decide you belong here,” because they really wanted me to go on with this.  At that time I was going to keep to my original plan of being a forensic scientist and make sure I’m able to make a living.  They kept telling me, “Look Quiana, you have a gift. You need to hone your gift and pursue this.” So, I have all of them to thank for getting me started with this.

    KS: Tell us a little about the college decision you made? Did you always want to study at Berklee?

    QH: So my senior year I was very stressed about this decision.  I didn’t know what I was doing and the decision had to be made.  So I was looking at Potsdam, Fredonia, Ithaca, and Eastman.  But there was something about Berklee. And it’s not because those schools aren’t great, but I am an R&B singer, and a pop singer, and I didn’t want to go to a school that would focus me on only classical music because I would be losing out on a lot of the abilities I have. So I decided on Berklee because it allowed me musical theater. It allowed me jazz, classical, any of other genres you can think of.  Berklee is in a big city, and that’s where I wanted to be, as I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and step into a new place. So Berklee was the perfect place for me.

    KS: The Wiz. Talk to us a little about how that came about and the experience of performing in that production.

    QH: So I was in my dorm room practicing for my proficiency; doing my homework for the day, and my friend texted me, “Quiana are you trying out for the Wiz?” I hadn’t heard anything about this.  So he said, “Quiana, you have to get right down here because they are going to stop auditions in two hours.” I thought, “What? Okay, this is a big deal,” and thank God I had been rehearsing “Home,” which is in the show, for my proficiency exam so I had already known that song.  I literally threw on some clothes, ran out of my dorm room, and got a cab down to The Strand Theater, which is in Dorchester, MA.  When I arrived, no one was there, it almost looked liked they had closed up auditions, and I asked, “Please can I audition?” and they allowed me to. I sang “Home.” They had me do some readings, and this was my first professional audition, so it was so very exciting.

    KS:  Well you obviously nailed it, as you ended up with the lead, so congratulations!  Talk to us a little about Dancing In The Streets, Motown’s Greatest Hits. How did you learn about the show? Audition? Learning about receiving the part? School? I understand that your focus is still to return to school after this semester off and complete your degree?

    QH: So I found out about the audition through “Backstage.”  That is normally what I do to see which auditions are around me.  And it’s funny because I end up finding out about my auditions really late for some reason.  For this one I realized that Dancing In The Streets auditions are tomorrow so I have to get to Philly.  So I told all my professors I was sorry I wasn’t going to be in class tomorrow because I was going to audition for this show, handed in all my homework, and off I went to Philly to audition.

    A few days later, I heard from them that they wanted me to tour with them. This show was originally produced in the UK, and they are coming over to Canada and America to test out their running show to see how it does in the States. So we are basically their first cast in America.

    This show actually has nothing to do with Motown the musical.  It’s a very different show.  It’s more of a concert.  I am playing young Diana Ross, so I am singing a lot of the Supremes.  You’ll be hearing a lot of Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, and Martha and the Vandellas,  that kind of thing.  And it’s been so cool so far. We just returned to the States today, and the cast is wonderful.  There are seven of us, and a wonderful band, and so far it’s been amazing, and I’m so excited for my family and friends to see.

    KS:  Yes, you will be playing in Syracuse at the Oncenter on April 12.  We are excited to see you and I’m hoping to be able to cover the show to share with my readers.

    In closing, you are the perfect example of nurturing students in school to pursue their passion.  If you had a moment to sit down and talk with local school superintendents who have to trim budgets, what would you tell them about why they should keep the music programs?

    QH: What I would tell them is this: We don’t want any child feeling that they aren’t good at something.  Everyone is great at something.  Some people are meant to be doctors, scientists, or lawyers, whereas others feel at home in the arts.  By telling a child that they can’t do that, they are stifling that child and leaving them out of the same opportunities as those going into other non-arts related fields.  Telling a child they can’t do something that they love can ultimately be damaging to a child.  For anyone who told me I shouldn’t go this route, I did feel a little left out. Why can’t I?  Growing up, everyone tells us we can be anything we want to be.  It’s contradicting when you say you want to be a musician and they say, “You can’t do that.”  It’s not fair, and it’s heart breaking. So we have to be the ones to raise the children up to say you can do anything you want to do.  And if you love music, then go for it. If you love art, then go for it.  If you want to be a doctor, go for it.

    KS:  Well you are a wonderful role model for all that want to pursue music.  We are so happy for your success, and we know this is just the beginning for you.

    Music has a silent greatness to it.  Its ability to pacify anger, express emotions, tell stories, communicate beyond language barriers, and fit every person personally like a custom made piece, transcends quietly with a strength never given enough credit.

    In a setting where millions of people need ways to express their individualism, music is key to doing so.  In a career field that is finding its way back to listeners in new and inventive ways, these students need to nurture their passions just as much as those taking math and science courses.  Not everyone is cut from the same cloth, however this bolt of fabric known as music somehow magically fits many.

    Please support music education in your communities, your local musicians, and venues. Today’s students are tomorrow’s superstars. You never know if those students you see performing on the high school stage may one day be back up singers for Barry Manilow at Turning Stone or starring in a traveling Motown production as a young Diana Ross.

  • New York Minute: A Chat With Jess Novak

    Jess Novak is young, talented and so full of soul that it’s sometimes tough to remember she’s just a regular girl. A girl who has recorded multiple albums, performed nearly 300 shows, has participated in triathlons, has sung the National Anthem at the Carrier Dome and is an award-winning journalist. Oh, and she’s also done some modeling and has donated some of her time to go in Syracuse schools and enrich the kids with her music. The list goes on and on.

    jess novak

    In 2011 and 2012, the New Jersey-born Novak, who is a trained violinist and plays guitar and has a heavenly powerful voice, started jamming with friends in Syracuse while she was the music writer for the Syracuse New Times. In 2013, she met Brian D. Golden, a super talented blues guitarist with a raspy, deep voice whose influences span the entire rock genre.

    They soon recorded Bad Habit, Novak’s first solo album, with Mark Nanni (Los Blancos) on keys and Byron Cage on drums. In October of last year, the Duo released Rodeo.

    Novak said the Duo is working on its next record, while she is also working on her next solo jaunt.

    NYSMusic caught up with the busy singer to talk about everything from the importance of collaboration, to her favorite venue and even fielded a marriage proposal.

    Neil Benjamin Jr.: You are having a lot of success both solo and with your various groups (Golden Novak Duo, GNBand, GNTrio). How do you fit in a personal life with an incessant touring schedule?

    Jess Novak: Yes! It’s been so exciting watching The Golden Novak Band, Duo and Trio grow in a very short time. I still can’t believe we founded the band in the summer of 2014. The duo (including trio and band shows) is coming in around 270 shows annually and I’ve been doing more solo shows, too. Honestly, I don’t have much of a personal life, but it helps that my best friends are in the band! It also works out because so much of touring is about the time between shows. Golden and I, especially, have seen so much of the East Coast at this point. It’s really amazing. I feel my personal life and love are all mixed up with my passion and livelihood and that can be a great thing. I’m really lucky. … and somehow I still manage to fit in my favorite things – like reading Star Wars novels.

    (Click here to see all of Novak’s upcoming schedule.)

    NBJ: Tell me about Brian Golden. You two seem to have incredible musical chemistry. Can we get a glimpse of how you two work together?

    JN: I was just talking about this with a friend. The beauty of Golden and I is that we are the right combination. I’m a control freak and he is game for anything. I think people struggle for control too often and the key to a good relationship of any kind is allowing things to be. You have to let the other person to be themselves, and furthermore, celebrate them for it. We’re so lucky that our personalities complement one another. I’m also big on all things natural. If something doesn’t click – you can’t force it and I think that’s especially apparent in music. Golden and I clicked from the moment we met. I picked him out as the player I wanted to work with and we have ever since. It was completely natural and continues to be an art of working together to bring out the best in each other. Beyond that – our music is completely dependent on our friendship. If that suffers, the music does, so we work really hard to be good to each other. That’s a great thing and comes through in the performance. I also feel lucky to have found someone I can travel with for 45 days – SOLID – at a time. That’s amazing and rare. The key is most definitely laughter and we do a TON of that. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s the best guitar player I know. I have tremendous respect for him – another key to a great relationship.

    NBJ: You’ve become a force in CNY music scene and have worked with so many artists. Do you find it rewarding to work with so many talents?

    JN: Collaboration is key. I just heard a quote recently – if you want to go far, go alone. If you want to go further, go together. That is the truth and people will see that from me more than ever this year (exciting things on the way!). I have a whole new project in the works that will involve a completely different group of people and the GNB family grows all the time. You learn something from everyone you meet and work with if you just keep yourself open to it. You can only benefit from working with others even if the experience is negative. I’ve been so lucky to be in different bands and learn different styles – like with Shining Star Band, sitting in on Mark Nanni and The Intention’s jazz night, RESPECT, The Ameribeat Orchestra, Vinyl Albums Live, etc. – and that’s just it. I’ve learned something from every experience and from every person. New relationships mean new ideas, new growth and new possibilities. That’s what it’s all about. It’s the most rewarding thing I do and I improve constantly because of it. It’s also important to stay humble and working with people better than you ALL the time will definitely keep you modest.

    NBJ: Tell me some names in the local scene that we may not know yet, but that you think will emerge in the near future.

    JN: I really enjoyed Liz Canino’s record, Mercy. I always love hearing from other female musicians. I’m also a big fan of Major Player and Spring Street Family Band. Those guys are troopers and are working so hard to make it happen. I admire that (and they’re fun to dance to).

    NBJ: What is your favorite venue to play and why?

    JN: Whammy Bar in Calais, VT is like visiting family. I absolutely adore the vibe of that place and everyone there. We actually have a guy sit in with us on a brown paper bag there and it’s amazing. Once we battled – I played the cup and he played the bag. We also had a great time at the Pooler, Georgia World of Beer on this last tour. I closed the night with an acapella version of a Tenacious D song that I’m not sure you can print the title of here. It was amazing. There are great venues and people everywhere – most often where you least expect them.

    NBJ: Is Nanni ever going to shave that beard?

    JN: Not as long as I have something to say about it! That thing is a work of art! In my opinion – best beard in the world. ….though I may be a little biased.

    NBJ: Will you marry me?

    JN: You might have to fight a few people for that one 🙂

    Here’s a professionally shot video for the remix of the Golden Novak Band’s “Rat a Tat,” which features many of Novak’s friends.

    And here’s an inside look at Novak and Golden inside the recording studio in Norwich, complete with interviews and insight on the pair’s songs. (Warning: Golden’s fingers move at warp speed, so don’t blink.)

  • A Conversation With New York Blues Hall of Fame Singer Sari Schorr

    New York Blues Hall of Fame singer and Brooklyn resident Sari Schorr is gaining a lot of momentum as a solo artist. After being a member of Joe Louis Walker’s band in 2013 and then Popa Chubby’s band in 2014, Schorr met legendary producer Mike Vernon in 2015, who upon hearing Schorr’s original work came out of retirement to produce her debut solo album coming out later this year.

    Sari SchorrSchorr will be performing at the Lead Belly Festival taking place on February 4 at the fabled Carnegie Hall in New York City, where she will be joining Buddy Guy, Eric Burdon, and many others to pay tribute to renowned New York folk-blues musician Lead Belly. Her other New York performances include shows at The Falcon in Marlboro on February 7, Turing Point in Piermont on February 12, and The Cutting Room in New York City on February 17. NYS Music spoke with Schorr on topics ranging from working with Mike Vernon to performing at Carnegie Hall.

    Nicholas Cho: Before singing the blues, I heard you first started in opera. Is that correct?

    Sari Schorr: Yeah I was studying with a Julliard opera teacher. That was really the best thing that I ever did because it allowed me to learn how to use my voice properly, which is why now I can put a lot of demands on my voice now, and I don’t have a problem with my voice at all. I’ve been really lucky.

    NC: When did you switch to the blues?

    SS: I was doing a lot of jazz singing, and I wanted to make an album for a friend of mine who had a successful label here in New York. He had come to one of my shows and said, “Honey, you’re a blues singer. Why are you fighting this?” And I was, “Because I love the subtlety of jazz and the nuance.” It was kind of like a self-awareness thing—realizing that my voice was just so well-suited for blues and it was really the vehicle to use my voice to its full potential.

    I had always loved the music from my early influences of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. When I went back to discover who were their influences, I discovered Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey and Big Mama Thornton. What I loved about the music that they were singing was that it was very honest, and it was this genre that would allow such honest communication between performer and audience. I loved this dialogue that the blues allowed.

    NC: What was it like having Mike Vernon as your producer for your debut album?

    SS: He’s a legendary producer—a pioneer—and he is the truest form of an artist I’ve ever worked with. He is so generous with his talent and with his energy. Working with him is perfect. I’m doing the next album with him and the one after that. We’ve already agreed to do two albums together.

    We adore each other—he’s family to me. He brings out the best in everybody he works with. The musicians loved being with him in the studio. He’s got boundless energy and enthusiasm, and he has a vision so clear in his head on how to make the best possible album in keeping line with what the artist wants.

    NC: How far into the recording process are you for your debut album?

    SS: Well we just finished mixing, I would say, 80% of the album. There are two new songs on the record that we just added, so those will be getting mixed in the next couple of weeks.

    NC: How did you get involved with the Lead Belly Festival?

    SS: There is a terrific guy from Norway who is the manager of one of the venues I work at, and he talked me up to one of the producers of the show. That producer happened to be at the venue with an artist, and this manager, who is always promoting me in any way he can, told the producer, “There’s this singer, Sari Schorr—you’ve got to see her,” and that was the introduction.

    The thing is, is that this venue is one that usually takes me two hours to get to from Brooklyn, and there were many times where I was exhausted coming back from overseas and jet-lagged, and I still went out there consistently, and that’s how it happened.

    Sari SchorrNC: What influence did Lead Belly have on you?

    SS: Lead Belly was a phenomenal storyteller, and learning how to tell stories through music and use a lot of symbolism and imagery—that’s the influence Lead Belly had on my songwriting—this incredible honesty and simplicity in the lyrics that’s really deceiving. He’s speaking a lot under the surface of the lyrics.

    NC: What is it like for you to be performing at Carnegie Hall?

    SS: It’s an honor because it’s such a historic venue. It’s an honor because of the other artists that are going to be performing—Buddy Guy who I met when I did a co-bill with Joe Louis Walker and him up in Canada, and then with Eric Burdon and Walter Trout, who is going to be on my album. It’s really an honor to be a part of history in this way, and also being able to honor such an important man who contributed so much to blues music.

  • Thompson Square Becomes Thompson ‘To The Third Power’

    Shawna and Keifer Thompson, better known to their fans as Thompson Square, welcomed to the world the arrival of little Cooper, their newborn son.  Taken along on this gestational journey, all their Thompson Square fans, shared personal moments throughout as they eagerly awaited his arrival.

    For those not familiar with this country music duo, Thompson Square is one of country music’s most loved couples and one of only a few that are duets.  Their musical talent began in Nashville as they both came to town to pursue a music career.  Immediately smitten with Shawna, Keifer knew she was the one.  At a recent show at Kegs Canalside in Jordan, NY, Keiffer took a moment to speak with NYS Music about their pregnancy, musical journey, and upcoming album.

    DSC_0484 copyKathy Stockbridge: Hi Keifer, so excited to be welcoming you and Shawna back to New York again.  You both have been together and performing together now for several years however your careers started as individual artists.  Explain the journey a bit to those that may not know the story.

    Keifer Thompson: Hey there, well we moved to town obviously not knowing each other as individual artists doing our own thing.  We dated three years and then were married three years before we decided that this was not what we wanted.  We wanted to be together all the time, so that is when Thompson Square was formed and that’s when everything started taking shape for us.

    KS:  Some things are just meant to be.

    KT:  That is true.

    KS:  Do you both come from musical families?

    KT: Shawna does, I do not. There is actually no musical talent at all in my immediate family.

    KS:  What drew you in that direction?

    KT: Well my grandmother was a poet and a writer and sometimes a singer.  I think I got everything I have from her.

    KS:  So, what were some of your early influences in music as you were growing up?

    KT:  It’s all rooted in traditional country music.  For me, my first exposure was Elvis, and Roger Miller , and all the traditional music.  For Shawna and I both, we had siblings that exposed us to 80’s rock and roll as well, but really we love everything, every genre.

    KS:  I can tell, you’ve got this rock and roll edge to your music.IMG_1689 copy

    KT:  Yeah we definitely lean more towards that than anything else.

    KS:  Can you give the readers a timeline perhaps of you coming to Nashville and your journey to today?

    KT:  We met in Nashville the very first week we were there.  We were doing our own individual things .  We met at the Nightlife in 1996, it’s kinda like a Nashville version of a karaoke bar.  They have a live band, they play whatever song you want, so you get up and sing.  So we met there and I hit on her the first night.  I had been dating someone else at the time for about five years and had broken it off when I moved from Oklahoma to Nashville.  I knew it wasn’t the right one for me, and at the time wasn’t planning on finding my wife, much less the mother of our children, but God works in mysterious way you know.  We were performing together in the house and I would play down on Broadway and she would come in and sit in with my band on the weekends.  I think we were too close to it at the time to see that what we had we extremely special (the singing together).  It was just unique and sounded different than everyone else.  But that wasn’t why we started Thompson Square.  Thompson Square was formed out of necessity to be together all the time.

    KS:  And congratulations to you both on your wonderful news on the baby.  I am so excited for you guys. Loved how you announced it to your fans on Instagram as well.  How did that come about?

    KT:  Yeah we were trying to figure out how we would announce it. I just happened to pick up a can of Diet Coke one day that said “Dad” on it. And then we thought that might be a good way of telling our fans.  You don’t want to go over the top with it. We wanted it to be organic and real, and that’s how it was.

    KS: (and just so you know, they were not drinking the sodas…just using them as props)

    KS: I think it was really cool that you wanted to share this with your fans.  Some people in the business like to keep their private lives very private, but you guys shared this with all those that love ya’ll.

    KT:  Because the fans are a huge part in our being where we are, we’ve grown with our fans, and we now know what our fans want from us and yes that’s the music, but we also are one of a few married couples doing this so they want to know what’s going on with us as much as a couple as they want to know what’s going on with our music.

    KS:  Yes, it’s a connection, the personal relationship we have with a musician, knowing them not only as a performer but on a personal level that forms that connection and following.  They like your music, but also as individuals.  So thank you for sharing an insight into your personal lives as well as professional lives.

    KT:  Thank you.IMG_2433 KS:  Now you spend a lot of time on the road touring, do you plan on taking the little one with ya and what are you most excited about having him out on the road with ya?

    KT:  Yes, I think just discovering the whole thing as it unfolds as it will be a totally new experience for us.  We have no idea what to expect, this little one will be extremely well traveled.

    KS:  Yes, he will have a jetset life?  Will you be decking the tour bus out for him?

    KT: Yes, we’ve been talking about that. We’re taking all the advice in and deciding for ourselves what’s best for our situation.  I don’t know, I’m just really excited about the whole experience and meeting him.  Our whole lives have been music, and we just got to a point where we knew we didn’t want music to rule every aspect of our lives.  We love it, but we also didn’t want to miss out on kids and family and that whole aspect of our lives.  We didn’t want to turn 60 or 70 years old and regret not having children and a family. Those are the things, those life decisions, that when you get out of your 20’s you kinda start looking at things a little bit different. And thank God for it as we are so excited about the whole deal, it’s going to be a really cool process.

    KS:  I love it!  There is nothing like it. In fact when I was pregnant I found myself singing to my son all the time before he was born.  Do you find yourselves doing that yet?

    KT:  Yes, and in fact we have started dabbling in writing some nursery rhyme stuff, and it’s really been interesting to see how we’ve changed as far as we’ve never had these emotions or influences before where we’re simplifying our lyrics and talking to him as though he’s already here with us. It’s a whole different thing, but it’s so very cool.IMG_1653 KS:  Cravings.  I would be remiss to not ask Shawna what she’s been craving.  And as far as that goes, the husband ends up going through this pregnancy thing as well, are you craving anything?

    KT: She’s craving sleep. Haha.  She went through the whole pickle thing in the beginning, but it wasn’t crazy combination things, it was just pickles but then she didn’t want meat she wanted only carbs, which we’ve heard is pretty common among new moms.  We’ve been really lucky, she hasn’t been sick, she hasn’t had any complications at all so we’re really thankful for that as that would make traveling almost impossible.

    KS:  Now you guys happen to be working on a third album.  What can your fans expect from this next album?IMG_2049 copy

    KT:  The only way I can describe it is, it’s pure Thompson Square.  Whatever you think Thompson Square is, that’s what this one is going to be.  And then there will be some surprises along the way too.  We took a little shot in the dark with Trans Am and that’s a huge part of who we are, that rock style, the edge, and it really connected with our fans, but not in every way we needed it to, to sustain itself.  That song really didn’t work the way we wanted it to and the way a lot of our fans wanted it to, but you live and you learn.  You try things and sometimes they fail, and sometimes you win.  So we’re kinda at that stage right now where we’re going back into the studio.  We’ve cut about 6 or 7 things that we really love. And we’re getting back to the woodshed, as they say, and we’ve cut some amazing stuff.  Sometimes you don’t loose site of who you are as an artist or a person, but sometimes you want to expose a bit too much, too soon.  As an artist you want to grow, you want to do things different, you want to experiment, and you want to do all these things and a lot of times that’s just for you. Your fans grow with you and they love you for what you’ve done and who you are, but as artists we can get away from that.  If it was up to us, from album to album they would be vastly different. That’s been the demise of some artists,s but it’s also been hugely successful for some artists. For us, I think Trans Am was so different from what we’ve done in the past so it was a little bit shocking for everybody, and I’m not sure everybody even knew it was us. Shawna didn’t have a huge presence not that record, and you can analyze it to death…

    KS:  If I could interject here…I think artists are progressive. Used to be years ago a label would sign an artist and then nurture them through several albums to get the sound they would be known for.  Today it’s not the same and so I give you credit for being true to who you are and what you want to sound like.  Not all labels are receptive to that.

    KT:  We are blessed as artists and fortunate to have a label that doesn’t push us in one direction. They pretty much let us do what we want.  Perhaps that’s because they haven’t had another married couple duo so they don’t have any benchmarks to look at and say, “hey that worked for them so it will for you”.  It’s kinda unchartered territory. So we are very thankful.  Ya know, every song can’t be a hit, and until you get to the level where everything you put out charts and is a hit… and we all want to get to that place.

    KS:  Do you write your own music.IMG_1515 KT:  Yes we write almost all of it. We’re just going to keep putting our heart into it, and releasing songs we believe in and we’re just going to keep doing our thing.

    KS: So covering the Taste of Country Music Festival is where I first saw you both for the first time and you blew my socks off.  Talk to me a little about that last set where you joined the legendary Hank Williams Jr. on the stage.

    KT:  I can’t express what big fans we are of Hank Williams Jr. and what a big deal that was for us. We actually do one of his songs just about every night in our show. But yeah, that was a huge deal for us.  He asked us to come join him and hang out on his bus and visit a little bit and get to know him. That was a big deal.  I don’t consider him a peer, I consider myself his student. He’s definitely done just about everything a person can dream of in their career.  So yeah, we were really proud of that.

    KS:  I think the lineup that day was the perfect combination as well.  We had you guys, with Tyler Farr, and Hank Williams Jr. Yeah, that was the best.  Now if you were asked to do a CMT Crossroads with anyone…who would you choose to collaborate with?

    KT: I would lean towards the Boss and the E Street Band.  We’re both huge Springsteen fans. But that list is huge.  It could be Foo Fighters, Black Keys, Tom Petty, Springsteen, I mean Double Trouble would be amazing.(Stevie Ray Vaughns Band)  there are countless people as we are huge music fans. We are definitely students of music so we have a list that would go on and on in that regard.

    KS: Well heck if that ever happens, let me know and NYS Music will be there to cover for you.

    KT:  Absolutely.

    KS: Thank you so much Keifer for taking the time to talk with us and we can’t wait to welcome you back to NY.

    As I ended the interview and then covered the show the following evening at Kegs Canalside, I noted the chemistry of this couple was absolutely electric.  Their mutual respect for each other’s talents musically and as husband and wife, gives a whole new level to their music and stage presence.  I feel that this part of them that they share with their audience opens them up and gives them a vulnerability that many artists don’t have.  The fact that they continue to experiment musically and develop their sound as it moves them, is just another testament to me that they are the cutting edge of country music today. NYS Music is excited to welcome with Keifer and Shawna their new addition to the group, and can’t wait to hear the new album once it’s been released.   DSC_0421 copy