NYS Music 20​16

Category: Blues/Jazz

  • Beaucoup Blue Provides the Elixir

    Elixir /ih-lik-ser/ noun – a panacea; cure-all; sovereign remedy

    Elixir is also the title of the soon to be released CD by Beaucoup Blue featuring a cover photograph of an antique elixir bottle from their hometown of Philadelphia. The father and son duo of David and Adrian Mowry, known as Beaucoup Blue, performed October 21st at the Nelson Odeon in Nelson, New York. Their repertoire covered familiar themes of trains, tramps, trouble, troubadours, true love gone wrong, and truth as they see it. David, the elder of the duo, switched often between what appeared to be a vintage Guild guitar and a gorgeous Dobro resonator. Mixing slide guitar with a finger-picking style, thumb-strumming, and percussive gestures, he wrangled an impressive range of sounds from his instruments. He and his son Adrian traded lead vocals on songs that each, respectively, wrote with Adrian adding rhythm guitar and melodic flourishes on David’s songs. brian-cornish-beaucoup-blue-002

    Highlights of their own pieces were “Rounder,” “Hurry Down My Holley,” and “Lonely at the Top.” Particularly noteworthy was hearing how their selections of cover tunes were both respectful to the original songs and revised just enough to be their own enjoyable versions. These included Charlie Poole’s “If the River Was Whiskey (Hesitation Blues),” Tampa Red’s “It Hurts Me Too,” their closing song, “Rainy Night in Georgia,” written by Tony Joe White, and the encore, Junior Parker’s “Mystery Train.” They have an easy rapport with each other and their audience. Listeners were engaged throughout the night’s two sets lasting two hours, ten minutes. Beaucoup Blue reminded the audience that music can indeed be an elixir. Merci, Beaucoup.

    brian-cornish-beaucoup-blue-012

    A journey to the Nelson Odeon to hear live music is not only a treat for the ears but an eye-opener as well in learning how a distinctly different performance space operates. Owners Jeff and Linda Schoenfeld are now in their seventh year operating the former Grange Hall. It is a small, comfortable venue with a capacity of perhaps one hundred fifty. Wood floors, walls and ceiling provide a rich warm sound, managed superbly well by Ralph Meitz, the sound engineer. Ralph and the performers are the only people who are paid. A team of volunteers takes tickets, arranges seating, and manages a small concession area offering soft drinks, baked goods, coffee and tea. Artists and fans meet, mingle, and chat before and between sets and following the evening’s performance. The Schoenfelds have cultivated a loyal group of supporters by presenting a diverse array of acts that might be less well known, but are certainly not lesser talent than might appear elsewhere. They do so by having a relaxed atmosphere with few rules, treating everyone nicely, and doing all they can for the performers, including housing them in their home down the street and providing home cooked meals. These gestures are greatly appreciated by road-weary musicians used to long miles, cookie cutter hotel rooms, and scrambling to grab something to eat and head to the next show. It is a formula that has allowed the Schoenfelds to pay the bills and keep both patrons and performers happy and looking forward to returning. Central New York music fans should check the Nelson Odeon schedule and make it a point to attend a show or two.

  • James Brown Band Lives Again!

    Sunday night at The Warehouse at FTC was filled with nothing but surprises. Everything was so pleasantly unexpected and it made seeing the band James Brown Dance Party a true spectacle to behold. The supergroup absolutely rocked the Fairfield, Connecticut venue and the few people there were all equally blown away by the talent of everyone on stage. It’s hard to understand why more people didn’t show. Perhaps it was a Sunday night party, or high ticket prices, but hopefully this review will convince James Brown fans to make time to see these guys where ever and whenever they go.

    Matthew Chase- Guitar, Elise Testone- Vocals and Morgan Price- Saxophone

    Supergroups have the potential to yield some impressive pieces of music with names like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Cream, Bad Company and others making a pretty big name for themselves. The James Brown Dance Party has that same potential, if they were to ever go on and create some original tracks. There was such a strong sense of camaraderie between the musicians mainly among the horn line, which is the exact recipe needed to create some true works of art.

    The classic King of Soul covers they played were executed perfectly. They pretty much played each cover verbatim but they really began to shine when they broke off to solos and started to have some fun. Again, the energy of the group was radiating from the horn line with guitarist Matthew Chase (The Chase Brothers) bassist Chris Sherman (Bootsy Collins) and drummer Adam Chase (Jazz is PHISH) lying dormant throughout the performance, as well as lead singer Elise Testone (American Idol). Trombonist Adam Dotson (Rubble Bucket), Trumpeter Carter Yasutake (LCD Soundsystem), and saxophonist Morgan Price (Charles Bradley) were the focus of the show from the get go when they played an instrumental version of “People Get Up” and “Drive Your Funky Soul.” Everyone in the horn line seemed to give it their all while most of them were already profusely sweating and blowing their horns all up and down the scales during their solo time. It seemed like there was a bit of friendly competition between the trio brassmen, and it helped them push their skills just a bit further, as they were each representing their own band. Of course, there was never any signs of hatred towards one another, but it was pretty obvious they were trying to one-up the person that soloed before them.James Brown Dance Party

    They played two sets that lasted a little almost two hours playing the tracks, “Get Up Off of That Thing,” “Get On Up,” “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” and so many more. Each one was unique thanks to the horn line while still holding the sound of the original song outside of the solos. They were all just as tight, funky and energetic as the original group and aside from Testone, the group all together sounded eerily close to the original recordings the covered. Their second set consisted of “The Boss,” “It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World,” and “Cold Sweat” and others to cap off the night with the audience going wild after every song.

    This will not be last time the group will be in the Connecticut and New York area, but odds are the line-up will be completely rearranged, making each performance unique. Check out their website and Facebook page for information on shows and line-ups.

  • Warren Haynes’ 28th Annual Christmas Jam to Feature ‘The Last Waltz’

    The hardest working man in rock and roll revealed the lineup for his annual Christmas party Thursday. The show takes place at the U.S. Cellular arena in Warren Haynes’ hometown of Asheville, NC on Dec. 10. A line-up loaded with talent features Haynes’ main vehicle, Gov’t Mule headlining, along with a who’s who of musicians celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Band’s final show as The Last Waltz Band.

    warren-haynes-christmas-jam-2

    Haynes started the Christmas Jam in 1988 at a local Asheville club as a benefit for local charities. For the past 18 years, he has used it as a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. As of last year, the Jam has raised over $1.8 million for the Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity.

    The 2016 version of the Christmas Jam happens Dec. 10 and is guaranteed to sell out quickly. Pre-sale tickets are available at noon Monday Oct. 24 with VIP packages also available. General sale begins Nov. 1. General admission tickets are $63 and a limited number of reserved seats are available for $73.

    Performers this year, in addition to Gov’t Mule, include Bob Weir, Michael McDonald and Jamey Johnson with Alison Krauss.  The Last Waltz Band features Haynes, McDonald, Johnson, Don Was, John Medeski and Terrence Higgins.

    Other special guests scheduled to appear include Branford Marsalis, George Porter, Jr., Steve Kimock, Marcus King, Kevn Kinney, Audley Freed, “Steady Rollin’” Bob Margolin and Mike Barnes.

    For more information on this year’s event, visit the Jam’s website.  And while you’re mulling over whether you should attend, take a gander at this stellar version of “Stormy Monday” featuring Gregg Allman from the 2013 Jam.

  • Hearing Aide: Ali Carter “Songs of Longing”

    Ali Carter Songs-of-longingAli Carter, singer and songwriter originally from Sydney, Australia has relocated to Brooklyn with the hope of making a name for herself in the music industry. With the release of her debut album earlier this year entitled Songs of Longing, Ali is ready to bring her music to the American music scene.

    Growing up in a household filled with music, Ali was exposed to a wide range of genres of music from an early age. She describes her style of music as soulful, containing some aspects of folk music as well. Her twelve-track debut record embodies both those styles and more, being classified as an indie pop and jazz album. Songs of Longing is a multifaceted work on which Ali contributes both vocals and instrumentals.

    Ali’s unique sound is created by the combination of her dynamic voice and ukulele-driven songs. Her use of the ukulele, traditionally a folk instrument, on an indie pop and jazz album is an original creative twist. Other artists have had success incorporating non-traditional instruments in their performances such as Ian Anderson’s use of the flute in rock music. Her personal and poetic lyrics are further supported by her three-man band and showcased on every song on her album.

    It’s always refreshing to discover an artist like Ali Carter with a passion to create sincere and pure music. Songs of Longing is a cohesive work whose overall unique sound and mellow temperament will leave your ears wanting to hear more.

    Key Tracks: My Heart’s in Union Square, Sex and Cigarettes, Open to You

  • Hearing Aide: WOLF! ‘1-800-WOLF!’

    If you’re looking for some new music to wind down your day or rev up your evening, dial up 1-800-WOLF! for a good time. WOLF!’s new album was released today by Royal Potato Family.

    1 800 WOLF

    The band consists of guitarist Scott Metzger (JRAD, RANA), bassist Jon Shaw (Cass McCombs, Shakey Graves) and drummer Taylor Floreth. They were booked as the backing band for a singer at a Williamsburg club one night a few years ago. When the singer never showed up, instead of cancelling, the trio decided to play as an instrumental trio. With no material to go on, they winged it, filling the set with straight improvisation. It went exceedingly well and they were asked back for a regular gig. Thus WOLF! was born.

    Most of the music on the record, the follow up to their 2015 self-titled debut, was borne of improvisation, either on stage or in the studio. The only preconceived track is the Metzger-penned Ennio Morricone-esque “You Are No Longer My Friend, My Friend.” Each song soundtracks short scenes the listener can almost visualize. The environment of the music is so clear, and while certainly borrows from music’s past, emerges as an original thought that is entirely of WOLF!’s making. There’s the surf rock late-night blues of “Furry Freedom,” the slinky Cuban groove of “Tomatillo Verde,” the swinging gypsy of “Oaxaca Ox,” the dripping Western romance of “Denim Love Affair” and on and on. “Bohemian Grove,” lilting and lazy, swells like the tide on a secluded island until it crashes in a wave on the sandy shore.

    The only thing that raises questions on this breeze of a listen is the band name WOLF! The music doesn’t have the scream of all-caps nor the exclamatory punctuation. The music moves effortlessly from song to song, scene to scene, location to location. Perhaps, since the band backed into it’s existence, it would make more sense to read the name backwards? Indeed, the name “flow.” would suit this music quite well.

    As good as 1-800-WOLF is, a band born on stage is surely best enjoyed on stage. The tri-state area has multiple chances to catch WOLF! live in the coming weeks, including opening for, and backing, Nicole Atkins on a few dates.
    10/14 – The Acoustic – Bridgeport, CT
    10/15 – Still Partners – Sea Cliff, NY
    10/ 20 – Hometown BBQ – Brooklyn NY
    10 /23 – Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA
    10/25 – LPR – NYC*
    10/26 – BSP Kingston – Kingston, NY*
    10/28 – House of Independents – Asbury Park, NJ*
    * notes dates w/ Nicole Atkins

    Key tracks: Tomatillo Verde, Bohemian Grove, Slow Stuff

  • Recess with Spinelli Interview with Caravan Palace

    What do you get when you mix old swing music with modern electronic beats? Well, Electro-Swing of course!  And who better to talk about the genre than the pioneers of Electro-Swing, Caravan Palace of Paris, France! From Robots, science-fiction to bras and vintage French porn and late night television, this is an interview you will not want to miss.

    Listen to the abridged feature/interview

    You can listen to the Full Radio Broadcast

    On-stage, Caravan Palace proves they are performers and musicians; keeping the crowd engaged, dancing and of course swingin’.

    Caravan PalaceRecess with Spinelli can be heard every Wednesday 8pm-10pm EDT on WSPN in Saratoga Springs, NY on 91.1FM and on Hoxton FM in London, England every Wednesday 11pm-1am GMT 6pm-8pm EDT

    Follow Recess with Spinelli: Instagram Twitter Facebook Youtube Soundcloud  Mixcloud Tumblr and online at longbowmedia.us

  • Set Up Like a Bowling Pin: JRAD Knocks Down the Brooklyn Bowl Run

    If the Brooklyn Bowl ever decides to create a Hall of Fame, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) can be sure to add “Fall Ball 2” to their list of accomplishments. As Saturday night wrapped up the sold out three-show run for this incredible quintet, I will non-apologetically say that they are the most important “cover band” in the world and are potentially better than anything Grateful Dead related today. The Bowl was where they capitalized on their first run as a newly developed powerhouse and years later, this all-star side project has become nationally recognized and a force to be reckoned with.

    “Blues for Allah” welcomed the crowd to the show. The Dead rarely performed the spacey and complex composition live, which JRAD seems to greet as a challenge and ambitiously took the “Blues” to another level before stepping into a starry “Eyes of the World.”   A delicate transition into “Minglewood Blues” was highlighted by Scott Metzger’s fiery guitar solo turning into the first fist-pumping barn-burner of the night. The band slowly eased into “The Wheel” with an extended jam taken over by Tom Hamilton in between the first and second verses. I couldn’t help getting chills as the five pieces screamed out the lyrics “bound to cover just a little more ground.” Observing the usual peaks and valleys of “The Wheel” from a viewpoint that only JRAD could capture was truly a magical experience and one of the highlights of the first set.  The breathtaking transition into “Ramble On Rose” got the predictable crowd explosion as “just like New York City” was sung to their hometown audience. There was a Tom Hamilton lyrical mishap but with the room in a trance, nobody seemed to give a flying flub.

    Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried” was technically the night’s first cover that this cover band covered (make sense?). The cowboy song gave the thirsty crowd a few short minutes to grab a beer before returning for the otherworldly “Morning Dew.” The unusually energetic intro to the tune made some Heads scratch their beards but the euphoric meltdown in the middle orchestrated by Joe Russo’s team-captain drumming leadership was as mellow as it gets on a Saturday night. The always-powerful refrain was given some extra juice by Dave Dreiwitz’s bass bombs shaking the rafters as the first set came to an impressive close.

    The second set got asses shaking right off the bat with “Crazy Fingers” and I am pretty sure you could actually smell the reggae influenced magic in the air. Another incredibly silky transition led to the monster “Truckin’” and once again the crowd showed some extra excitement in the lyrical reference to New York. The band also got a kick out the lyrics “set up like a bowling pin” which was evident by their ear-to-ear smiles as they exchanged glances. Joe Russo instigated a quick “The Other One” tease to keep the set list note takers on their feet, but the scribes weren’t disappointed with the next rarity, Donny Hathaway’s “Magnificent Sanctuary Band” popularly performed by the Jerry Garcia Band.

    “Help On The Way> Slipknot” was the jazzy cherry on top of the second set sundae and gave Marco Benevento a chance to have his wings spread bright on the organ. Where Hamilton vocally shined during the first section, Benevento added a haunting solo during the thick of the jam. While many came to expect a glowing and upbeat “Franklin’s Tower” to be the other piece of bread to this incomplete sandwich, Benevento and Russo teamed up to create an eerie transition into “Estimated Prophet” which was reminiscent of an early Pink Floyd sample. Benevento used an effect that sounded like a spaceship in Atari’s Galaga being abducted by a larger spacecraft and the retro noise was very suitable at this point in the night. The first guest appearance came during the set closer as Chris Harford (Band of Changes) joined the boys for Neil Young’s “Hippie Dream” off the 1986 album, Landing on Water.  The gritty and bluesy piece gave each member the instrumental spotlight for a moment before they stepped off stage.

    The encore was an unannounced nod to a long time friend and JRAD enthusiast that recently passed away. “He Was a Friend Of Mine”, a traditional folk song popularized by Bob Dylan was performed acoustically as the members displayed their first sorrowful tone on stage since “Morning Dew.” This version is not to be confused with the “He Was a Friend of Mine” cited in Grateful Dead set lists throughout the mid to late 1960’s and felt more like something you may hear off a Garcia/ Grisman compilation. While the somber acoustic tune mourned the loss of a loved one, “Not Fade Away” celebrated their friend’s life and memory. The boys were back on their electric instruments as half the crowd “air keyed” along with Marco. Seasoned Deadheads began the “Not Fade Away” ending clap-chant combo along with the band, which echoed for a solid five minutes even after they left the stage. Security opened the exits encouraging fans to leave, but the community energy was keeping everyone warm inside and sure enough, the group came back for a surprise second encore, “Bertha” to cap off an incredible evening.

    As the house music played and the audience finally began to exit the venue, I couldn’t help but stare at the vintage poster that has hung above the side doors since the early days of the Brooklyn Bowl. While the band’s title bares the description “Almost Dead” the words next to this mystical werewolf poster read “Real, Alive” and after a throw down like Saturday night, I think we can all side with the wolf.

    Joe Russo’s Almost Dead is covering a little more ground at the Brooklyn Bowl on December 29th before taking a short trip north for their two night New Year’s run at the Capitol Theatre on December 30th and 31st. Tickets are going fast and after this past weekend they are sure to sell out soon!

  • Fantastic Negrito and Bryan Thomas at Cohoes Music Hall

    The Fantastic Negrito will play the Cohoes Music Hall on Thursday, Oct. 13. Albany’s Bryan Thomas will open the show.

    Hailing from the Bay Area, the Fantastic Negrito is a blues-oriented musician who has seen a lot of trouble in his life. He considers his current musical endeavor the third incarnation of his life. After getting caught up with some trouble on the streets of Oakland that ended in a near-death encounter with a masked gunman, he moved to Los Angeles where he got his first record deal that turned out to be disastrous. He quit music, and then, in 2000, he was in a near-fatal car accident. Following his recovery and the birth of his son, he turned back to writing music as the Fantastic Negrito. In 2015, he won NPR’s inaugural Tiny Desk Concert Contest and, subsequently, received critical acclaim for his self-titled EP.

    Fantastic Negrito will be at the Cohoes Music Hall on Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $32 or $26. The show will kick off with Albany-based soul rocker Bryan Thomas.

  • Rolling Stones to Release ‘Blue & Lonesome’

    The Rolling Stones are set to release their first studio album in over a decade, titled Blue & Lonesome.

    The Rolling Stones announced their first studio album since 2005’s A Bigger Bang will be released on Friday, Dec. 2. Blue & Lonesome is an album of covers of classic Chicago blues songs. The 12-track album was recorded last December over a three day period. It was produced by Don Was, the producer behind many of their more recent albums, including Bridges to Babylon and Voodoo Lounge. The Stones were joined by longtime touring partners Darryl Jones (bass), Chuck Leavell (keyboards) and Matt Clifford (keyboards), as well as Eric Clapton on two tracks and percussionist Jim Keltner on one.

    The album will be available on CD, digital download, double heavyweight vinyl that includes a download card or a deluxe edition that includes the album on CD, a 75 page mini-book about the making of the album and band photo postcards. The album is currently available for pre-sale.

    Rolling Stones Blue & Lonesome Track Listing
    1. Just Your Fool
    2. Commit a Crime
    3. Blue and Lonesome
    4. All of Your Love
    5. I Gotta Go
    6. Everybody Knows About My Good Thing
    7. Ride ‘Em On Down
    8. Hate to See You Go
    9. Hoo Doo Blues
    10. Little Rain
    11. Just Like I Treat You
    12. I Can’t Quit You Baby

  • Syracuse Sounds of Music Association Honors DeSantis Family

    The Syracuse Sounds of Music Association is holding its annual dinner Oct. 20 at Traditions at the Links in East Syracuse. The dinner is a fundraiser for several non-profit organizations as well as for Syracuse Symphoria, the successor to the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and Syracuse Symphony guild. Money raised throughout the year is distributed through a grant process each December. This year’s dinner honors Mario and Maria DeSantis with the Ovation Award, an annual award presented for outstanding commitment to the Central New York music community. This year’s dinner honors Mario and Maria DeSantis and family with the Ovation Award, an annual award presented for outstanding commitment to the Central New York music community.

    musicMario DeSantis is best known as the leader of the DeSantis Orchestra. The band bearing his surname has been performing for 70 years and is now led by his daughter Maria, who has brought a modern flair to the orchestra.

    For more than 20 years, the elder DeSantis provided the soundtrack to the long-running Syracuse children’s television show Magic Toy Shop. He also performed at the Baseball Hall of Fame for Cal Ripken, Jr.’s induction in 2007.

    Syracuse Sounds of Music Association’s “Music Matters” event supports not only Symphoria but college music study scholarships as well as a variety of music non-profits in Central New York.

    In the past year, the organization has raised over $35,000 through its various fundraisers and the Encore Thrift Shop it runs in Fayetteville. The money raised was distributed among several area non-profit music organizations, including CNY Association of Music Teachers, Syracuse Children’s Chorus, Syracuse Opera and the CNY Jazz Arts Foundation. The group also provided two $1000 scholarships to high school seniors planning to study music in college.

    Reservations for the dinner can be made until Oct. 10 through the Syracuse Sounds of Music Association website.

    Forty years ago, Central New York children were glued to their televisions watching the Magic Toy Shop. Take a step back in time to hear some of DeSantis’ work on the long-running show below.