NYS Music 20​16

Category: Genres

  • Hearing Aide: Bump ‘Broken Fix’

    One of the timeless dangers of cataloguing relationship woes through song is the risk of drowning in cringe-worthy cheesiness. Bump and their debut album Broken Fix is swimming in an industrial vat of artery-clogging Velveeta. Released in October, the self produced album was recorded over the course of a week in an old barn in Cambridge, NY. Mixed by JJ Beck at Akin Studios and mastered by Larry DeVivo at Silvertone Mastering.

    bumpFormed in Saratoga Springs, cheesemongers Todd Pasternack (guitar), Angela Ford (bass), Gregory Nash (drums) and special guest Kirk Juhas (piano/B3) comprise Bump, and have formulated an almost unpalatable recipe over-salted with boring and predictable lyrics in a watered-down interpretation of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Any hope for attaining béchamel quality music on this album is melted by weak vocals.

    The first track “Hello Again” serves up Pasternack’s whiney voice with Ford’s backup vocals adding more confusion than complexity to the laid-back rock flavor. He opens the song, “Hello again, did my text get through? And are we still friends, or did we lose that too? Just send me a picture of your broken heart, tell me once again we should never have started to care.” Predictability breeds familiarity, so despite the eye-roll inducing lyrics, many listeners can at least relate to their meaning.

    “Wrecking Ball” opens with grungy guitar before Ford’s voice emerges, evoking a gentle Pocahontas quality that doesn’t support the musical tone reminiscent of “The General” by Dispatch. An alien-like mid-song lyrical breakdown is an intriguing experiment that seems out of character for the album as layers of Ford’s voice hauntingly echo each other.

    In full Flight of the Concords fashion, “How Could You Go So Low” presents feathery falsetto and restrained instrumentation, emphasizing the exaggerated vocals. “Anymore” holds a promise of redemption with bluesy jazz instrumentation and whirling organ before the words “Just can’t maintain this lifestyle anymore/Will my spirit no longer fly? The wings are paralyzed,” interrupt the mystical instrumentals.

    Key tracks: Wrecking Ball, How Could You Go So Low, Anymore

  • Country Music Says Goodbye to the Legendary ‘Southern Gentleman’, Sonny James

    Country music bid a sad farewell to the one they called ‘The Southern Gentleman,” Sonny James (James Hugh Loden).

    Coined “The Southern Gentleman” due to his polite mannerisms, this country legend was raised in a musical family in Hackleburg, Alabama on his families farm. Dubbed “Sonny” shortly after a performance of “Sonny Boy”, this mandolin playing singing musical protege earned his nickname at the age of three.  Country music was mostly live performances and the family group, known as “Sonny Loden and The Southerners” would frequently play local radio station shows, theaters, auditoriums, and school houses throughout the southern United States.

    sonny jamesAs time went on, the band disbanded and Sonny continued his musical career on stage and radio and then evolved with the time into television and even outer space.  Sonny was the first country performer to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show, made appearances on both the Bob Hope Show, The Mike Douglas Show, and The Johnny Cash Show, as well a numerous others, hosted the first ever Country Music Awards show together with Bobbi Gentry, and even was the first to have country music in space as his recordings were requested to go along with the Apollo 14 space mission to the moon.

    His career is an assemblage of honors and awards which include the following:

    • 1961 – Became the first country artist (recording division) to be honored with a star in the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame
    • 1962 – Joined the world famous Grand Ole Opry
    • 1967 -Hosted the first CMA Award Show
    • 1960’s and 70’s – Named Male Artist of The Decade by Record World
    • 1987 -Inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame
    • June, 2001 – Male Golden Voice Award – Golden Voice Awards
    • November, 2001 – Master Achievement Award, R.O.P.E. AWARDS
    • June, 2002 – Career Achievement Award – The Country Music DJ Hall of Fame and Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.
    • August 30, 2006 – Country Music Hall of Fame
    • 2009 – Inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame

    Sonny James made a name in country music in the early 1960’s by introducing his new sound of R&B to the country music audience during a time of civil unrest and bringing light to number one hits such as Since I Met You Baby, It’s Just A Matter of Time, Endlessly, Empty Arms and Bright Lights, Big City previously recorded by Ivory Joe Hunter, Brook Benton, Clyde Otis and Jimmy Reed.

    According to Billboard statistics, for almost 20 years (1960-1979) Sonny James spent more time in the Number One chart position than any other artist in country music — a total of 57 weeks, 16 Consecutive #1 Singles, a feat never before accomplished in Country Music, Pop or Rock ‘n Roll.

    Sonny James could be consider the first country crossover as his 1957 hit “Young Love” made it way to number one on the pop charts.

    In addition to his own musical talents, Sonny James could also be credited as an award winning producer.  Working together with Marie Osmond back in the early 1970’s, James recorded Marie Osmond’s first three albums.  The first single released, Paper Roses” was a song previously released by Anita Bryan in 1960 on the pop charts.  Released in 1973 and promoted through country radio, Marie’s version climbed the country charts to number one, crossing over to the pop charts, easy listening, and international charts and earned her a Grammy nomination, making her a household name in the country music industry.

    A legendary musician and well loved and admired by all that knew him, Sonny James truly left his mark on Nashville’s country music family.

  • Ed Mann Joins Paul Green’s Rock Academy for Tribute to Frank Zappa

    Ed Mann, Frank Zappa‘s longtime drummer, will join forces with Paul Green’s Rock Academy for a special night of Zappa music at The Hollow in Albany on Saturday, March 5.

    Ed Mann Zappa Paul Green, founder of School of Rock and inspiration for Jack Black’s character in the movie of the same name, has been teaching children to play rock music, including that of Frank Zappa, since 1998. His students have played Lollapalooza, Carnegie Hall, CBGB and Austin City Limits. They have worked alongside many Zappa collaborators including Ike Willis, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Denny Walley, Adrian Belew and Mike Keneally.

    The Rock Academy is about to kick off a yearlong collaboration with Zappa drummer Ed Mann, who has appeared on more Zappa albums than any other member of the band. Mann has had a successful career post-Zappa as well, including teaching music at different colleges, recording for film composers and pioneering the development of holistic sound therapy. In 2012, he began working with various jam bands on percussion and as sound artist.

    The show takes place on March 5 at 8 p.m. at The Hollow Bar and Kitchen. Tickets are currently available for $12 in advance or $15 at the door the night of the show. Acoustic Trauma will play a late set beginning at 11 p.m.

  • Steely Dan Touring This Spring and Summer

    Steely Dan is hitting the road again this spring and summer, kicking off its tour at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker have booked several New York dates in addition to the opener, including stops in Niagara Falls, Bethel and Saratoga Springs.

    The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers will first hit up theaters and event centers on the initial leg of the Dan Who Knew Too Much tour before Stevie Winwood joins them, hitting sheds and amphitheaters country-wide throughout the summer months.

    Following the tour opener in Port Chester April 18-19, the band makes a quick jaunt to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival for a show April 22.

    The short spring leg visits the Seneca Niagara Events Center in Niagara Falls April 29, before wrapping at the Borgata in Atlantic City April 30.

    Following a month-long break, the tour picks back up in Cincinnati, where fellow Hall of Famer Steve Winwood joins the tour.

    Full tour information is available at Steely Dan’s Facebook page. Ticket sales begin Feb. 26.  Information is available here.

    Steely Dan’s The Dan Who Knew Too Much Tour Dates:

    4/18 — Port Chester, N.Y.
    4/19 — Port Chester, N.Y.
    4/22 — New Orleans, La.
    4/24 — Birmingham, Ala.
    4/27 — Wallingford, Ct.
    4/29 — Niagara Falls, N.Y.
    4/30 — Atlantic City, N.J.
    6/7 — Cincinnati, Ohio*
    6/8 — Detroit, Mich.*
    6/10 — New Buffalo, Mich.*
    6/11 — Chicago, Ill.*
    6/13 — Morrison, Colo.*
    6/14 — West Valley City, Utah*
    6/16 — Mountain View, Calif.*
    6/18 — Hollywood, Calif.
    6/19 — Las Vegas, Nev.*
    6/22 — Dallas, Texas*
    6/23 — Kansas City, Mo.*
    6/25 — Little Rock, Ark.*
    6/26 — Atlanta, Ga.*
    6/29 — West Palm Beach, Fla.*
    6/30 — Tampa, Fla.*
    7/2 — Charlotte, N.C.*
    7/3 — Camden, N.J.*
    7/4 — Holmdel, N.J.*
    7/7 — Mansfield, Mass.*
    7/9 — Bethel, N.Y.*
    7/10 — Saratoga Springs, N.Y.*
    7/12 — Bristow, Va.*
    7/13 — Colonial Heights, Va.*

    * with Steve Winwood opening

  • Hearing Aide: Major Player ‘Grift & Gum’

    Major Player

    Jeff York and Liz Strodel of indie soul/rock project Major Player kicked back at a local bar to discuss wardrobe malfunctions, zodiac signs and how Major Player was almost a funk cover band. Amidst the silly antics, York and Strodel expressed serious enthusiasm about the recent release of their debut album Grift & Gum, which was recorded, mixed and mastered at More Sound Studio. Their playful demeanors in conversation slightly contradict the album’s make-up, which manifests a moodiness wrought with the emotional drudgery of deteriorating relationships.

    The somber title track offers minimalist guitar and drum work with Hammond organ weaving through ambiguous lyrics. The song grapples with the need to persevere in the face of an uncertain fate.  York postulates “I laid down by better days/Reach out for better days,” his words chased by echoing organ, produce a resounding emptiness to match the dark intangible hope for a better future.

    York notes how the straightforward instrumentation on the record affords the musicians wiggle room to improvise and experiment with live performances. Improvisation may become most necessary in instances when Strodel’s sticks weasel their way into the tangle of bracelets on her wrist, causing her to obscure the beat. Such was the case during their December show at Funk ‘N Waffles downtown, much to the audience’s amusement. York views these occasional hiccups as happy accidents explaining, “When she messes up, it sounds good.” Strodel jokingly mused how she can play down offbeat occurrences with an “I meant to do that” attitude.

    The second track, “Hailey,” careening through slightly more buoyant rhythm, questions the validity of a soured relationship, asking as many couples have, “Could this mean at last now/that we’ve past our/infatuated moment/What drew us so close in.” “Static Noise,” speckled with bluesy guitar riffs imparts a dejectedness often felt after a breakup. Heavily distorted instrumentation adds a sense of unfamiliarity akin to the newly single state in which one relearns how to act independently. “Hard From Now On” showcases the most progressive rhythm on the album. The lyrics allude to finding new love in religion, or some greater cause contingent on the listener’s perspective.

    Despite the melancholy nature of the album content, the abbreviated collection of songs is alluringly presented in the vein of ethereal trip hop. York assembled this first taste of Major Player from a larger catalogue of material he’s already written. As York plans to release more songs in the spring, the entire band also plans to write material collaboratively and continue to characterize their musical identity. Though Major Player has strayed from becoming a cover band devoted to The Meters, as was the original intent, listeners might recognize a cover or two thrown into live performances in the near future. York and Strodel, along with bandmates Nick Mazzeo (keys) and Andrew Greacen (bass) are looking forward to performing more in the warmer months.

    With beer glasses nearly empty and conversation winding down, Strodel sarcastically offers to disclose their zodiac signs for interview purposes. So for anyone curious, York is an Aquarius and Strodel is a Saggitarius. Both wryly smiling York added, “Take that for what it is.” A simple sentiment which also reflects the bands’ laid-back attitude for their open-ended future.

    Key tracks: Grift & Gum, Hailey, Hard From Now On

  • A Pleasant Hudson Valley Sunday With Gin Blossoms and Joe Duraes & The Skills At Paramount Hudson Valley

    A decent sized crowd gathered at Paramount Hudson Valley this past weekend for a Valentine’s Day pairing of rock acts from opposite ends of the United States. The Paramount has been building a record of supporting local music, this time inviting Gin Blossoms and Peekskill-based Joe Duraes & The Skills to open the night following an open mic set they did at the theater Nov. 2015.

    The Skills’ set was driven by the band’s enthusiasm for sharing the stage with a band they listened to throughout the 90s and undoubtedly for the first large show they’ve played. From start to finish the crowd was impressed by a band who made it clear that they were genuinely having fun on stage. After a set of all original tunes, The Skills broke out their own version of “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” which they recently recorded as a single. Though they were the opening act, their performance put them at a level where they could have been mistaken as a co-headliner instead.

    S Malinski - Joe Duraes The Skills - Paramount HV-4

    Long-time Gin Blossoms fans cheered on as Robin Wilson led the band on stage but the energy was slow to build through their set. While Wilson was animated, the overall stage presence felt static to a degree. The music was solid and fun to hear but the disengaged crowd early on made it difficult to get excited about the show. The first portion of their set was filled mostly with songs off of their last two albums, No Chocolate Cake (2010) and Major Lodge Victory (2006), both of which charted though not as highly as their two albums released in the 90s.

    The energy picked up a bit more as the set progressed and Gin Blossoms steered toward their earlier releases which the crowd seemed to have a greater familiarity with. It took some prompting from Wilson for the audience to get on their feet once they broke out “Til I Hear It From You,” but from that point until the end of the show there was a much greater connection between the stage and the audience. Gin Blossoms closed their two-song encore with “Until I Fall Away,” which fit well as a conclusion to the show. Despite the slow energy of their set, the upbeat nature of Gin Blossoms’ songwriting made the entire set enjoyable.

    S Malinski - Gin Blossoms - Paramount HV-9

    Setlists:

    Joe Duraes and The Skills: Everybody Needs To Have Some Fun, Hudson River, Crash, Anything For You, Mixed About You, Ebb and Flow, Pleasant Valley Sunday

    Gin Blossoms: Don’t Change, Somewhere, Allison Road, Lost Horizons, As Long As It Matters, Miss Disarray, 29, Dead or Alive on the 405, Hands Are Tied, Wave Bye Bye, I’m Ready, Til I Hear It From You, Found Out About You, Follow You Down. Encore: Hey Jealousy, Until I Fall Away

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  • Nunchuck! Brings Psychedelic Punk Rock to Suwannee

    The 7th annual Aura Music and Arts Festival is less than two weeks away and we couldn’t be more excited to show the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida some New York love! The Disco Biscuits and Thievery Corporation will headline this festival, one that many say is their favorite all year. In addition to a stacked lineup of various talented artists, one that we’re particularly intrigued by is Nunchuck!

    Nunchuck! is a new project consisting of bassist Chuck Jones and drummer Scotty Zwang of Dopapod, guitarist Craig Brodhead of Turkuaz, and renowned percussionist Mike Dillon. The collaboration was formed specifically for Aura and despite what the name suggests, it’s not a Chuck Jones led group or even solely his brain child. (Nor is it affiliated with Lotus’ Mike Greenfield’s side project bearing the same name.)

    Chuck Jones and Scotty Zwang of Dopapod.
    Chuck Jones and Scotty Zwang of Dopapod.

    Jones explained the selection of the other band members. He and Brodhead have become close friends as they both live in Hartford, Connecticut and are geographically displaced from the rest of their band members. Brodhead’s main project Turkuaz is also on Aura’s lineup. Mike Dillon – a member of Critters Buggin and Les Claypool’s Fancy Band  – has past experience playing with Dopapod and even opened for them last year at this festival. The Mike Dillon band is on Aura’s schedule for Friday.

    Craig Brodhead
    Craig Brodhead of Turkuaz

    The four of them together make Nunchuck! – a “psychedelic punk rock” band that is sure to be something unique.

    “The entire set list that we’re figuring out is all our favorite punk songs from the 70s, 80s and 90s,” said Jones. “All of us – myself, Scotty, Mike and Craig –part of our musical background has been inspired by heavier artists and genres so it will be nice for us to be able to experiment with that a little bit.”

    Jones said their own creative palate is where the “psychedelic” portion comes in.

    “That really means that we’re going to have not enough music to fill the slot, so we’ll be making lots of noise,” he said. “It’s going to be loud, aggressive and upbeat – so it will be fun!”

    Mike Dillon.
    Mike Dillon.

    According to Jones, the project was developed after Zwang expressed interest in participating in Aura, even though Dopapod is (sadly) not on this year’s lineup. With attendance around 5,000 guests in some of the most picturesque scenery, Aura offers something other festivals cannot.

    “I love Suwanee so anything down there is a good time. I really think they do a nice job working with artists that are true to the festival circuit. Sometimes large ones pull in big names that they know will bring in a lot of people but they kind of lose its – I think the only way to describe it is ‘music festival vibe.’ Only people who’ve been to smaller ones and medium ones will know what that is exactly – the community vibe sort of thing.”

    Nunchuck! is playing on Friday, March 4, from 8 to 9:15 p.m. in the Vibe Tent. Also playing at this time is Particle to which Jones sends a friendly challenge:

    “I can guarantee with 100 percent certainty that Particle will be tighter and well-rehearsed, but…I don’t know if they’ll have as much fun as we are.”

    In addition to The Disco Biscuits and Thievery Corporation, Nunchuck! will join the The New Deal, The Main Squeeze, The Werks, Snarky Puppy, Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO), The Heavy Pets Tribute to the ‘80s, American Babies and more at this year’s festival March 3  – 6.

    Aura also includes more than 25 yoga classes and an extensive Silent Disco lineup with guest DJ appearances from various musicians including Scotty Zwang.

    Additional information and tickets available at www.auramusicfestival.com.

    aura-poster

  • 3 Great Metal Shows Coming to Rochester

    Three metal shows are coming to Rochester at Montage Music Hall in May, including Like A Storm with Devil You Know, Texas Hippie Coalition and All That Remains.

    Kiwi rockers Like A Storm are known for combining heavy baritone guitar riffs and hard rock songs with the didgeridoo, the traditional Australian wind instrument. They have shared the stage with Alter Bridge, Korn, Shinedown, Creed, Puddle of Mudd and Staind. They will be joined by metalcore supergroup Devil You Know from Los Angeles on Friday, May 6.

    Texas Hippie Coalition will take the stage on Friday, May 13. Vocalist Big Dad Ritch describes their sound on their website:

    It’s like Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top had a child, and Pantera ended up raising it. We’re Red Dirt Metal. That’s a flag we wave high. There wasn’t a line formed for us, so I created a line and jumped to the front of that bad boy. Ride On is the best example of what we do.

    Opening for Texas Hippie Coalition is Sons of Texas.

    Hailing from nearby Springfield, Massachusetts, All That Remains have released seven studio albums and sold well over a million records worldwide. They recently went through a lineup change back in September when longtime bassist Jeanne Sagan left the band. She has since been replaced by Aaron Patrick. All that Remains will play Sunday, May 22.

    Tickets for these shows are not yet on sale. Check the Montage Music Hall website for more info.

  • Hearing Aide: Subsoil ‘On the Bus’

    Stealing a page from the late great Ken Kesey, Rochester’s Subsoil opens their new album proclaiming, “You’re either on the bus, or you’re off the bus.” This bus, number 585 (Rochester’s area code), is bound for “trans-dimensional hyperspace.” With a destination like that, how could you resist at least one trip On the Bus with Subsoil?

    The album consists of reggae, soul, R&B, jazz, funk and rock, sometimes fused, sometimes fairly straight. Ted Ladwig has a knack for catchy keyboard nuggets, whether they come to the fore (“High Noon”) or hide just under the surface (“Zombies”). He sets up Wil McKenna for an array of surprising and diverse guitar solos which can echo Santana’s tone (“Surrender”), wail like an Allman Brother (“Meditation”), or crunch out some funky rhythms atop Ladwig’s whirling B3. Sprinkle in some well-placed saxophone blasts by Bill Smith and lay it all over some steady work by the rhythm section and you have yourself an enjoyable and bouncy ride.

    Oh wait, did I forget to mention that front-men Moon-Roc and Laz Green are rapping over the whole thing? It’s a combination that can be reminiscent of the trip-hop of the 90’s and bands like Buckshot Lefonque and Us3. Steve Gutenberg, Tetris, Muhammed Ali, Walter White, Eazy-E, Scooby Doo and obviously the aforementioned Ken Kesey all get referenced, and that’s just in the album-opening title track. Later on Captain Trips gets a call out, though likely in reference to the Stephen King character from The Stand, and not Jerry Garcia. Plenty more pop-culture references, both historical and current, and clever word play make their way into this tight 30-minute set.

    Released early in 2016, On the Bus was recorded and mixed by Josh Russell at Spring House Recordings in Oswego and mastered by Jason “Jocko” Randall at More Sound Recording in Syracuse. It is available at many area record stores, as well as online retailers including Subsoil’s website, and streaming on Spotify and YouTube. So get on the bus.

    Key tracks: High Noon, Surrender

  • Disney Begins Casting for ‘Frozen’ on Broadway

    Disney’s Frozen is joining Aladdin and The Lion King on Broadway. Based on the hugely popular movie that made Idina Menzel a household name (and one John Travolta will never forget), the musical adaptation begins its Broadway run in Spring 2018.

    Prior to the Broadway opening, an out-of-town premiere will take place at Denver’s Buell Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in August 2017.

    Frozen-Movie-HD-Images

    The show is directed by Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers and features music and lyrics from the film’s score creators, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, as well as from the book by Jennifer Lee.

    Frozen is loosely based on a Hans Christen Andersen fairy tale. It tells the story of a princess named Elsa who sets out on a quest to find her sister Anna. The film version spawned a slew of Elsa imitators and parody versions of its Oscar-winning song “Let it Go.”

    Casting is ongoing and Disney has yet to release dates or which theater will host the production.