Category: Features

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.

Schorr 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.

NC: 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.

February 1, 2016
Rick Nelson & Friends – A Priceless Free Show

By way of a suggestion I stopped at my friend’s restaurant, Nanola, to see Rick Nelson & Friends on my way home from the North Country Thursday, January 28. The key catch was Rick Nelson from the High Peaks Band. I’ve always known him to be a talented, well balanced guitarist, so stopping on my way home seemed like a less than daunting task.

When I arrived, they were just breaking into their first set with a fan favorite and something I’m never sad to hear, “Up on Cripple Creek,” by The Band. Rick & Friends moved through the first set as though they had been playing for years, although this was only their second show together. The sets were completely comprised of covers, but if you closed your eyes during “The Weight” it didn’t matter who you thought you were listening to, your mind and soul were singing along. The only thing that made my mind jump higher after that was the Ween cover “Roses Are Free.” From there, the first set moved with smooth measure through the Stones’ “Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley” and finished with a solid and welcome “I Know You Rider.”

Rick, Bob McKeon (Garcia Project), Mike Cassels (Stone Revival Band), and Joe Bodden (Antelope), joined the crowd enjoying a free show put on by Shane Spillenger (Sugar Productions) at Nanola, in Malta, NY, between the sets. They were greeted by a group of people thanking them for such a solid first set. Their overwhelming response: make sure you stick around for the second set. They were not wrong.

They started off with an ever recognizable theme song of the popular show, “Shaft.” From there they grooved into “Shakedown Street,” which caused even the most skeptical of attendees to start shaking their butts. Towards the end of the Dead favorite you could start to hear that resounding chord progression of “2001.” And then it started.

Suddenly my toes were dug back in the sand in Mexico. “2001” led back into the hip-wiggling “Shakedown” before the beach came back into full view with “Shine a Light.” The Friends orchestrated “The Shape I’m In” and “Psycho Killer” before melding “Chalkdust Toruture,” into “Gotta Jibboo,” which led to “Eyes of the World,” and back into “Jibboo.”

These brazen cover artists finished off their sets with a rendition of “Suzy Greenberg,” which almost made people beg for them to not stop. By the end of that song there was a full feeling of satisfaction; a feeling always desired at the end of a show. There is nothing more that can be said other than that the next time these guys play, do not miss them.

January 31, 2016
Perfect Medicine for Winter Blues: Bluegrass with Floodwood

The year was 2012 and it was my first Utica Music and Arts Festival. Asked to cover the festival by a friend who knew I enjoyed taking photos of bands, I dove right into the deep end of the pool of venues on Varick Street not quite knowing what to expect. The diversity of music was amazing as the festival featured several venues throughout the city and artists from all over the country playing music from all genres. For me, this sensory overload had been an eclectic introduction to what would become a new passion for me – music photography. It being the final evening of the three day event, I followed the crowd as they dispersed to the hub of what was the final show of the festival to be held at the Hotel Utica. Little did I know, this would be my introduction to a band that would quickly become a new favorite.

The crowd seemed eager and excited for the final show to begin. Although I wasn’t sure what type of music this Floodwood played, I felt a sense of excitement in the room that piqued my curiosity. Making my way to the front, which wasn’t an easy feat, I positioned myself front and center for the best access to these five musicians. Given the green light to make my way in and around for crowd shots from behind the stage, I was excited to see what was in store and hoped to get some good shots.

As the music began it was as though a bell went off for me. Already a music lover of all things Celtic and all things country, this bluegrass sound mixed the two sounds I loved so much, the banjo and fiddle. And so began my love and appreciation of bluegrass music. Bluegrass wasn’t new to me as I was raised during a portion of my childhood in the heart of Tennessee. Bluegrass was prevalent there, but country music was beginning to become increasingly mainstreamed and less “picking and grinning” as Buck Owens and Roy Clark coined. So this reintroduction was welcomed and so much more appreciated than those days of my childhood. Playing the heck out of the set, the crowd didn’t allow the band to stop until more than three hours had passed. It wasn’t until the management put their foot down that the music stopped and crowd dispersed. It was the perfect closing to an amazing weekend of music in the city of Utica.

Fast forward four years and several shows and festivals later and I find myself in the village of Clinton on a December evening at the Kirkland Art Center, a venue that often features some amazing music. This sold out show was a highlight in my hectic month, and with some new additions I was anxious to see the new chemistry of the band. Original members Jason Barady, Nick Piccininni, and Vinnie Amico (moe.)were joined this evening by Chris Eves from Castle Creek, and Tony Markellis from the Trey Anastasio Band. The chemistry they shared was as though they were meant to be. Not missing a beat, this group certainly knows how to get the feet moving and the hands clapping along as they pick and grin. Their individual talents are outstanding, and together they are beyond exceptional.

I highly suggest you take in a show soon this winter if you haven’t yet been introduced to Floodwood. You can thank me later for helping you beat the winter blues as I’ve never left a show without a huge smile on my face. #musicismedicine

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January 29, 2016
Otis Live Presents: Blind Owl Band

The latest installment of Otis Live Presents features Blind Owl Band, whose roots are found deep in the Adirondacks. Their tour kicks off February 4 at Saint Lawrence University’s Pub 56. Catch them throughout New York and New England in February and March!

January 29, 2016
Formula 5 and Strange Machines Get Weird at Funk ‘N Waffles Downtown

In these frigid mid-winter temperatures, sometimes even the promise of submerging the subconscious in metamorphic melodies is not a strong enough force to lure blanket-wrapped couch dwellers from the confines of ultimate comfort. Those that failed to emerge from their cozy cocoons missed Formula 5 and Strange Machines exploring an assortment of jam tactics at Funk ‘N Waffles downtown Saturday January 23.

Massachusetts-based Strange Machines opened, featuring Mike MacDonald (guitar/vocals), Christian Perron (keys), Bill Noonan (drums) and Craig Holland (bass). They launched their set with a hard rock attitude, temporarily taming their monster sound and diffusing into a nebulous ambience before mutating into a funky breakdown.

Throughout their set Strange Machines continued to cross genre boundaries, fully utilizing distortion techniques to broaden the scope of their sound and keep the crowd intrigued. At the conclusion of a song that culminated in a unification of crashing symbols and heavy guitar strumming, MacDonald posed, “You guys are okay with weird, right?” Swerving into a hip hop beat, the band continuously shifted gears to undulate seamlessly between rock and reggae overtones.

MacDonald’s vocals fluctuated conjunctively between soul and rock. While he nailed a falsetto covering MGMT’s “Electric Feel,” as is often the case with instrumental projects, the sound from his lips fell short of the grandeur projected from the musician’s fingertips. Despite vocals that at times felt forced, MacDonald and Holland conveyed an organic chemistry during a bluesy portion of the set as they merged into a matching rhythm, momentarily mirroring subtle full-body swaying. Knees and hips swiveled as skillful fingers dexterously plucked the stringed instruments slung across their bodies.

Formula 5 followed, the crew of young musicians channeling New York pride from their Albany home base. Joe Davis (guitar/vocals), James Woods (bass) and Matt Richards (keys/vocals) presented a gentler, more even-toned identity, flooding the room with a mellow jazziness. The pleasant tones washed the crowd in a sea of warmth, conveying a sensation of floating leisurely through tropical ocean waves, or perhaps burrowing in that same fuzzy blanket flung abandoned on the couch on a Saturday night.

Formula 5 and Strange Machines’ cover choices appropriately blended with each band’s sound aesthetic. Collectively, they served up a medley of jam-based dishes for every taste ranging from plain buttered noodles to jazzed-up spicy stew.

Strange Machines setlist:

Steal Away > jam, Squid, Golden Rule, Juxtaposed > Enter the Interceptor, Little Monster, The Shape of Things, Electric Feel*, Brighton Tickler, The In-between

* MGMT cover

Formula 5 setlist:

I: Earthbound$* -> Floating@ -> Earthbound, Kid Charlemagne (Steely Dan), Pedro* -> Excalibur$, Coming Home -> Mellow Mood! -> Jam -> Hot Box

E: Drum Solo -> Magic Carpet Ride (Steppenwolf)

* – Unfinished
$ – contains Tweezer (Phish) Tease
@ – contains Divided Sky (Phish) Tease
! – Bob Marley & The Wailers cover, First time played

January 28, 2016
Hearing Aide: Gone Gone Beyond

Picture a small, dimly lit venue with a dusty stage in the back. The ambiance is quite relaxed; the space is occupied, but not packed. There is minimal chatter between young music-lovers who appreciate innovative music and ideas. The crowd vibes in time to a conglomeration of folk, indie, and electronic sounds. This is the mental imagery that could conceivably accompany Gone Gone Beyond’s self-titled debut album.

Danny Musengo’s raw, captivating vocals are quite prominent throughout the album. The raspy timbre of his voice coupled with the soul behind each note keeps the audience holding onto each syllable.

“Back Swing’s” electric guitar sounds haunting with the echo distortion and open melodic intervals. More unique instrumentation includes a growly trumpet harmony and violin. “Carnival” nicely juxtaposes what sounds like acoustic piano with electronic percussion. It’s got a flair of EDM with a dance groove towards the end that gives the a song cool ‘B’ section. “Under Seige” implements the innocent female vocals of Colibri which gives the track a refreshing quality.

Gone Gone Beyond says that the subject matter of their lyrics stems from life, nature, and love- The Human Experience. “Here for A Moment” highlights that love and life are both fleeting, and Musengo sings that he’s “here for a moment, then floating away.” The repetition of the line allows for the layers to build and solidify the concept. In “Ain’t Givin’ Up On Love,” it’s obvious the quest for love is ongoing and shouldn’t be missed out on. The longest and final track called “Long Day” is the longest track in the collection. This song seems to represent life as a whole as life can be thought of as one lengthy day. While lyrics touch on children growing older and seemingly unrequited love, the instrumentals say it all. The soft lull and highs and lows paint an aural picture of the ups and downs of life.

It is evident that David Block (producer) put a great deal of time and energy into writing and blending each of the compositional elements. The majority of tracks are just over five minutes long, which deviates from the standard four minute norm. There is more consideration for development of phrases and transitions between different ideas, which ultimately takes more time than a regular indie or folk song. Each song begins with a very sparse texture and builds throughout incorporating more and more instruments. The choice of instrumentation and musicianship of the players are what make this album enticing to listen to. Traditional band instruments like guitar and piano are combined with flute, violin, trumpet, double bass, synthesized sounds, and steel pan. Each instrument has a specific purpose and isn’t incorporated for the novelty of doing so.

This album is quite artistic in creation and the hard work of perfecting each of the elements is very apparent. Check the album out on SoundCloud and Bandcamp!

Key Tracks: Back Swing, Long Day, Ain’t Givin Up On Love

January 28, 2016
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.

Please say hello & welcome to this big ol world, Rigney Cooper Thompson #coopert #coopdeville #coopdog #sircoopsalot pic.twitter.com/FAhnLmMIOO

— thompson square (@thompsonsquare) January 24, 2016

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.

Kathy 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.

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.

WELL……WE HAVE DECIDED NOT TO BE A DUO ANYMORE!!!!!!! #Jan2016 #T3 #WeDidIt #BabyOnBoard pic.twitter.com/TTR9lO5egB — thompson square (@thompsonsquare) August 4, 2015

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. 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. 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?

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. 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.

January 25, 2016
Umphrey’s McGee Open 2016 Tour at The Beacon Theatre

On Thursday, January 21, 2016 Umphrey’s McGee took the stage for their first night of a three night run at Beacon Theatre. 18 years to the day of their first performance ever, they brought the heat immediately.

Opening with “Gooneville,” track that had it’s debut in March 2015, Umphrey’s quickly segued into a the mathematical serenade of fan favorite, “Plunger.” Although it was only the second song of the first set, it felt as is everyone in the theatre was firing on all cylinders, fans included. “Plunger” took an ambient turn and segued into “40’s Theme” which had guitarist/vocalist Jake Cinniger telling the crowd to pick up some “New York City 40s.” “In the Black” and “Roulette” allowed Umphrey’s to display their prowess in transitioning from regaling vocal harmonies with backing chords to heavy, precision playing across all instruments. The band followed up with “Kimble,” which was fitting for a theatre as the song feels like it’s pulled from the soundtrack of a play or musical. “Attachments” was up next showing guitarist/vocalist Brendan Bayliss’ vocal ability on full display. Closing out first set was an almost relentless rendition of “Rocker Pt. 2” which had fans going nuts and throwing up the Umphrey’s rock hands ( mm/) all over the theatre.

Second set opened with “All In Time” which traversed an almost ethereal musical landscape at points. A very special “Booth Love” featured teases and full on lyrics from the recently deceased Glen Frey’s “You Belong to the City.” Umphrey’s surgical musicianship was in full view mid-second set with “Bridgeless” into “Remind Me,” a few “Xxplosive” (Dr. Dre) teases during “Tribute to Spinal Shaft” and a full on auditory assault with a segue back into “Bridgeless” to close out the second set.

The highlight of the night was most definitely the encore. In homage to the late, great, David Bowie, Umphrey’s encored with excellent covers of “Space Oddity” and “Fame.” The band funked it up for their rendition of “Fame” which just seemed to fit them perfectly. Here’s to hoping we see more of it in the future!

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January 25, 2016
Thunder 106 Brings Kelsea Ballerini to Starland Ballroom

Thunder 106 brought up – and – coming country artist Kelsea Ballerini to Starland Ballrom in Sayerville, NJ, for what promised to be a rocking night of female country artists. Kelsea Ballerini was supported by North Dakota’s Hailey Steele and NJ native Madeline Smith. Starland Ballroom has been hosting a slew of talented country artists in the recent months including Kip Moore and Michael Ray on the Wild Ones Tour and the upcoming show on February 14th with Dustin Lynch and Chris Lane.

Madeline Smith opened up the evening with a mix of her own songs and various covers of popular country songs to get the crowd engaged and involved. Among the covers played by Smith were “We Were Us” by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert, a good choice for a local artist to catch the attention of the crowd with a song they could sing along to, and her closing song, another by the extremely talented Miranda Lambert, “Mama’s Broken Heart”.

Hailey Steele was up next after travelling from North Dakota to play two shows with Kelsea Ballerini, this show in NJ and the show the next day in Boston, MA. Steele took the stage with nothing but her guitar and strong vocals to captivate the crowd. She too played a good mix of songs including some of her more popular music from 2014 and 2015. “Another Like You”, an original by Steele was one of her most popular of the evening drawing strong favor from the crowd. The other song that seemed to stand out most with the crowd was “I Want Your Boyfriend” with a catchy chorus and highly relatable lyrics.

By the time Kelsea Ballerini was set to take the stage the crowd was more than ready to see what the 22 year old, up – and – coming country artist would bring to the stage. Ballerini took the stage with command and confidence of someone well beyond her years. She has a stage presence and charismatic personality that sets her apart from many other rising artists and will enable her to continue to grow as a musician.

Ballerini kicked things off with “Looking at Stars” off her first full length release, The First Time (2015). She continued on with a mix off songs off that record that had the crowd engaged and singing along including “Sirens” and her most recent single “Dibs” which was clearly a fan favorite from the crowd’s strong reaction. She carried on into “Peter Pan” which she introduced as a song for all of the girls who have encountered a guy that refuses to grow up and act his age, which is entirely relatable to the demographic of her fan base and the song “Stilettos, another relatable song for young girls about moving on from heartbreak and carrying on with your life. Ballerini is one of the stand out female artists in country currently that have been making a splash on country music radio with her strong willed, confident lyrics that resonate very strongly with the younger generation of country fans which is why she will continue to amass a dedicated fan base.

A highlight of the evening was her cover of Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” in which she enlisted the help Hailey Steele and had the entire crowd singing along emphatically as the two young women commanded the stage together. Ballerini ended the night on a very strong and memorable note with the spunky “XO” once again showing off her confident and spunky flare, and her most recognizable song, “Love Me Like You Mean It”. Ballerini took the country music world by storm with this song reaching gold as well as number one on the Billboard Country Airplay with her debut single. She is among ten other women in history to achieve such a feat including Carry Underwood most recently in 2006. Ballerini has had a lot going for her since her start and has capitalized on the many opportunities she has earned including her most recent nationwide tour opening for Jake Owen and Dan + Shay.

The night was a memorable concert with three talented young women looking to make a name for themselves in country music. Each showed great potential to carry on and further their careers. It will not be long until Ballerini, especially, is preforming on much larger stages much like the ones she was on during her fall tour.

January 25, 2016
Hearing Aide: Sly Fox and The Hustlers “American Gypsy”

Sly Fox and The Hustlers released their new, full-length CD, American Gypsy at The Hollow in Albany on January 9th. Well known in the Capital District and beyond, they’ve found a place opening for touring Nationals around the region and doing incendiary shows, large and small, since 2010. The band consists of Sly Fox: guitar/vocals, Dylan Storm: bass/vocals and Sean Ireland on drums. Collectively they’re a three-piece blues-rock outfit, individually, they’re highly accomplished at their craft, sharing a passion for live performance. This is the domain of blues-rock, its strength lies in presence along with the music, the more difficult part is translating that to recording.

The opener and title source, “American Gypsy” skips the formality of introduction and goes straight to the point. It has a defiant, swampy feel of movement and searching that echoes Steppenwolf with its drive and instrumentation. It’s a tribute to the hit tv show “Sons of Anarchy” and the video illustrates it well. “Home By Morning” speaks to the blues leanings Sly obviously lives by. The guitar is down and dirty, the harp accentuates and the organ fills are well-placed. Then there’s the rhythm section, make no mistake, a soloist is a soloist, but blues-rock lives on the drive underneath and these cats are tight. It reminds me a bit of Foghat when they jam and just about any other 70s era outfit from their cut, like J. Geils.

“Forever Young” is a tribute to the memory of a friend shortly before his passing. It’s soulful and spiritual with a reading that moves from Hendrix to Martha Davis in its gut-wrenching emotion. It’s blues with a spiritual longing, raved-up into expression. Followed by “Smooth”, contrasting the prior with a cock-sure upbeat rock tune. The mandatory clap and response section is a pitfall of trying to studio record a live action. “Angels Can Fly” strikes on another aspect of Sly’s musical personality and voicing. It’s softer, emotive and wanting, the guitar solo is crisp and clean, the string-feel adds that heavenly lift to the lyric.

“Revolutions 2012” is a straight-up rocker spitting against the overwhelming injustices and practices of our times. It’s a rallying cry to the masses for revolution, it’s heavy on all counts and may well hold the best guitar work of this release. Sly flips another switch and turns on a Texas-Blues feel on “Let Me Down Easy”, his influences flying freely from Hendrix to S.R.V., a twist of Morrison in the vocal and the simplicity of ZZ Top in the roll. This is another road song, there are many here, but this one excels, highly.

Photo by Bryan Lasky

“My Name Is Jimmy” tries to reach into the punk attitude jar, but gets its hands slapped with over-zealous imagery. It has its moments, but is disconnected and over-stated. “Jessica’s Song” is an acoustic guitar song, strumming out a Page-like melody. It’s just slightly dissonant, short and bittersweet, leading back to his and their strength with the closer, “Heart & Soul”. It’s got all of the pieces shining brightly, the organ holds such importance and is easily under-mixed, but not here. Sly meters out his thoughts, rips a few licks and rides on the driving rhythm, reaching into his basket of tricks for the soul aspect. “Got ta, got ta, feel it!”

Sly has put together a solid release, exhibiting the many facets of his musical personality and life-experiences. It’s well done with maximum energies applied, at moments forced, but it’s damn hard to translate this style to the studio. Get out and catch these cats live, there’s plenty of evidence here that they’ll rip it up. Check them out on their website and on Facebook for news and upcoming tour dates.

Key tracks: American Gypsy, Home By Morning, Smooth

January 21, 2016