If you like a folk, jamgrass & newgrass cocktail then you’ll love Grassroots Rebels recently released album, Ad Vitam Meliorem—which is “Towards a Better Life” in Latin.
Ad Vitam Meliorem is a 14-track compilation of Grassroots Rebel’s original songs, mostly self-recorded in the first eight years of their time together as a band, with two tracks on the album that are new songs recorded at Blue Sky Recording Studio. Grassroots Rebels are a duo comprised of Jim Bonville and Jeff Tehan, but some of the songs on the album include their former bandmate, Jeff Lockmer, on bass. Bonville plays guitar, banjo, vocals and harmonica, while Tehan provides the mandolin and guitar.
The title track, “Ad Vitam Meliorem,” is the opener on the album and it’s my favorite piece; it is a slow melody that is coupled with yearning, poetic lyrics on the theme of letting go; like “you thought you had nothing, but it’s all right in your soul/ once you stop trying to find the things you cannot know/ you learn to love, when you learn how to let go.” The next track, “Here It Comes” features a great interplay between the light picking melody and Bonville’s strong, raspy vocals delivering a catchy tune, while also exhibiting his vocal range on the chorus. Some of the songs on the album evoked a feel of the Irish, and I was reminded of The Pogues when listening to songs like “Broken Soul,” “Salt of Our Tears” and “Sin and Gasoline.” The other songs were a range between rock and newgrass, creating a great compilation of musical experimentation and adventure.
Grassroots Rebels hail from the outskirts of Albany, NY, and perform locally at establishments such as, The Low Beat, The Hollow, Parish Public House, Madison Theater, etc. Their next show is set for December 30, for an Eve of New Years Eve party at The Hollow.
For more information and tickets, visit Grassroots Rebels’ Facebook Page. If you’d like a copy of Ad Vitam Meliorem, visit here.
Key tracks: Ad Vitam Meliorem, Here It Comes, Weight of the World
Dopapod just wrapped up their Fall Tour with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, performing more than 30 shows across the eastern half of the U.S. The guys sat down with NYS Music publisher Pete Mason prior to their Putnam Den show on October 26 to discuss collaborative sets with Turkuaz and The Werks, performing at Red Rocks and the return of Neal ‘Fro’ Evans to the lineup.
New York is a great state for live music. With a variety of venues throughout the state in both small towns and big cities, music fans can find something happening any night of the week from all genres of music. We asked the NYS Music staff of writers and photographers, all of whom see a variety of music, along with our readers, for their opinions on the best towns and cities for music in the state.
The venues are not the only reason why New York is such a great place for music. With the amount of national, regional and local acts touring through the state, we get the chance see bands and artists rise from their infancy playing bars and small clubs to playing larger theaters and arenas. In addition to the best music towns, we also asked our staff and readers for what they think are the acts to which we should pay the most attention.
Best Music Town
The NYS Music staff represents every region of the state, and while they see the most music in their hometowns, they are not afraid to travel a bit to see quality music. When asked about the best music town in the state, there was a wide variety of responses. One would expect New York City, being, by far, the largest city in the state, to come out on top. However, that was not the case. The two cities with the most votes from the staff were Buffalo and Syracuse. Our readers, on the other hand, did choose New York City, which tied with Albany. Buffalo came in a very close third for the readers.
Buffalo, being the second largest city in the state and one of the largest in that region of the country, sees a lot of music come through its various venues, ranging from small clubs and bars to the large New Era Field. The Buffalove Music Festival takes place in the Buffalo area and feature a large number of Buffalo-based acts. Many popular music acts got their start in Buffalo including the Goo Goo Dolls, Spyro Gyra and one of the current popular bands, Aqueous, whose latest EP, Best in Show, was our staff pick for album of the year.
Syracuse, the fifth largest city in the state and home to Syracuse University, features a number of popular music venues such as Funk ‘N Waffles, the Westcott Theatre and the F Shed. The K-Rockathon, a music festival held by three related radio stations, has been held in the city for the past several years at the New York State Fairgrounds, though there was not one held this past summer. The Syracuse Jazz Festival boasts itself as the “Northeast’s largest free jazz festival” and has featured such artists as Aretha Franklin, Trombone Shorty, Wynton Marsalis and B.B. King. The Syracuse Area Music Awards, or the SAMMY’s, take place every year honoring musicians from Syracuse. Jon Fishman, the drummer from Phish who grew up in Syracuse, was awarded a SAMMY for lifetime achievement in 2015.
Albany, and the Capital District in general, received a number of votes from both our staff and our readers. The area is home to many musical happenings throughout the year, including the Alive at Five free summer concert series and the national and regional performances at various venues around the city sponsored by WEQX. The city is home to two venues with some of the best acoustics in the country, the Egg and the Picotte Recital Hall at the Massry Center for the Arts. The Times Union Center, originally the Knickerbocker Arena, has played host to numerous music greats. The Grateful Dead’s Dozin’ at the Knick features live recordings from their three night stand there in March 1990.
New York City, which took best music town last year, is one of the best cities in the world for music. A number of well-known artists and bands have called the city their home. New York City is also home to several world-class venues, including Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. It’s no surprise that the Big Apple was voted one of the best music towns in the state for the second consecutive year.
Bands on the Rise
Along with great places where music happens, New York is known for the musicians themselves. As many would expect of a state like this, some of the artists and bands become fairly well known on a regional or national level. While there were many bands chosen in the Bands on the Rise category, there were two standouts each from our staff and our readers. One commonality between the four bands highlighted here is that they are all from New York, even though the category is not limited to the state. Two of the bands represent a couple of the best music towns.
Staff Pick: Space Carnival From: Ithaca
Space Carnival has been on the scene since 2013, but has been making waves in the scene. Their debut album, Drawn in By the Sun, was released in July.They release two professionally shot and edited videos of their song “Moon Boots” off the album, one from a show in April and one from October. They are currently wrapping up some fall tour dates, with the last scheduled show this Saturday, Dec. 17 at Stella Blues in New Haven, Connecticut with Chromatropic. Music fans can expect more from Space Carnival in 2017.
The Other Brothers, recently interviewed by our own Karina Verlan, is a “neo-soul” band that formed in 2012 while students at SUNY New Paltz. The band grew to its current six-piece formation this past year when they added percussionist Jared Nelson and keyboardist Gabe Marquez. While they have no shows lined up for the remainder of the year, they are in and out of the studio working on their debut album.
Hailing from the same stomping grounds as jam aficionados Phish comes a unique, five-piece outfit known as Madaila. Fresh off the heels of their sophomore album release, Burlington, VT natives Mark Daly, Willoughby Morse, Eric B. Maier, Dan Ryan and Jer Coons, will make their Capital Region debut at Putnam Den on December 16. Their 2016 release Traces hit the public just over a month ago on November 4 , following up their explosive inaugural effort, 2015’s The Dance.
Although Madaila doesn’t fully embody the typically “granola” association of Vermont musicians, they take their roots and expand on them in a way that makes their sound and image truly unique. Members of the band run the local Future Fields studio, a musical hub in the midst of Burlington where The Dance was crafted. Their catchy and synth-heavy tunes undoubtedly display their musical intelligence.
At one moment, vocals can be reminiscent of Justin Vernon in Bon Iver paired with electronic nods to Passion Pit and Tame Impala. The next moment, however, will toss you into a thirty second jam reminiscent of their geographical origins. Throughout their music videos, the group has honed the talent of playfully moving between serious musical elements and all-out splashes of fun, knowing how to take their craft seriously, but not necessarily themselves. Many videos like “I Know” and “Give Me All Your Love” find band members dressed head to toe in eye-popping color schemes and patterns, resembling anything from an 80s dance party to a Lisa Frank fashion show.
These psych-pop steamrollers on the rise have curated a generous amount of buzz in a short amount of time and have plans to kick off their first gig in a string of six at the Den. More NY dates follow at Port Chester’s famed Capitol Theatre and Arlene’s Grocery for an extra Phishy NYE run after party. This year comes to a close with two New Year’s stops at hometown venue Higher Ground on December 30 and 31, following the legacies of fellow VT musicians Grace Potter and Twiddle who have filled the same slot in previous years. Madaila kick off 2017 with January appearances at the Press Room in Portsmouth, NH and StageOne in Fairfled, CT.
This Friday, doors open at 8:30PM with a 9:30PM show to follow for an 18+ crowd. Tickets are $10 with $5 surcharge for those under 21. If you are unfamiliar with Madaila, quickly become acquainted because their Putnam Den debut is not one you want to let fall through the musical cracks. Frontman Mark Daly and Madaila management/production/keys player Eric Maier lent some time to NYS Music to detail their latest album, how to correctly pronounce “Muh-dey-luh” and, of course, how being a phan helped shape their musical journey. ‘Madaila doesn’t sound a lot like Phish, but we are super weird people who resonate with the example they’ve set.’
Alyssa Ladzinski: For those who don’t know your music, what would you like them to know about you?
Eric Maier: We call our music “psych pop”. We like it to be at times catchy and at times exploratory. Our live show is important to us. We’re from Vermont! We make our music at the studio we run in Burlington, Future Fields.
AL: How was recording your 2016 release Traces different than the process of 2015’s debut of The Dance?
EM:We made The Dance before we put our live band together. Mark played every instrument, which was annoyingly impressive. Haha. Jer and I produced the record. We had input into the sound, but it was much more the product of Mark’s wild imagination. Traces also started in Mark’s freaky brain. But we made Traces after having been a band for a year and the record reflects that. Mark’s writing and arrangements were influenced by the growth and cohesion we have developed on stage. And, more directly, each of us plays on the record in ways that display our musical personalities. All of us see our responsibility as being to help “nurture” something birthed in Mark’s mind. Traces reflects a more mature version of that!
AL: Explain what it was like creating this album in Future Fields studios in the familiar territory of Burlington, VT. What were the pros/cons of recording in a place you call home?
EM: Future Fields is our musical home. The studio has grown in and around Madaila. Jer, Willoughby and I are the three owners. We rehearse there. Keep our stuff there. And have made both records there! It’s hard to separate the two! It’s definitely crucial to feel comfortable in your creative environment. Another huge plus is being able to spend as much time working as we need, without worrying about budget. We’ve thought about trying a new environment for the sole purpose of getting out of our comfort zone. Mark’s creative process for composing Madaila’s music has always been about pushing himself into new contexts and out of his comfort zone. So we may try and explore that idea in the future by mixing it up. As it were. But for now, we have everything we need and the price is right!
AL: You have some pretty interesting music videos and I love how much fun you have with them. How do you come up with the video concepts?
Mark Daly: Well, a lot of the videos conceptually come from the combined powers of our very good friend Mike Mooney, founder of Hammer and Saw Films, and myself. A pair of other collaborations have come from a few amazingly talented friends in Burlington.
We’ve been so lucky and blessed with having a close friend like Mike to help produce, create and shoot a number of videos for the band. It’s a super collaborative and close relationship that helps the entire vibe and environment of our videos. It’s definitely obvious we are having fun, and that’s always been a part of the energy surrounding our band. We are extremely passionate and serious with what we do and our goals, but at the same time we try to always be ourselves and not take things tooooo seriously. Mike and all of us also really like videos with an arc and a theme to it, that tell a story. That’s been a catalyst in a bunch of our videos.
We like our videos to be eye catching and loose and playful in order to produce a unique outcome, but also because that’s honest to who we are as a band. It’s all a part of the Madaila nucleus.
We have a new video coming out very very soon and it’s probably the weirdest and most fun video yet so stay tuned!
AL: Outside of playing music, how else do you explore and express your individual creativity?
MD: Music is where we predominantly express our creativity, but it also acts as a platform, or spring-board, that allows us to access several other ways to express ourselves. Whether that’s acting, being a salesman, making art, writing, etc.
I love writing music as much as possible, but acting has probably been the most active realm of creativity within me aside from that.
I love making videos and being different characters – just something I’ve done since childhood. It’s all part of loving to entertain I guess. It’s almost more natural to play an outlandish character than to be myself or act normal on camera. Several aliases have helped promote Madaila and Madaila shows over the years. Sometimes there are even appearances at the show or on stage. Music and comedy are two great fucking things and that’s that!
AL: What’s one, or two bands, you would love to set up a tour with that you haven’t had the chance to?
EM: We love the band Vulfpeck and could see ourselves fitting well with them in that happy land between jazz and pop. Rubblebucket are old friends and would also work well. We also love Lucius and think that would be a cool pairing! It’s funny for us since we inhabit a bit of a middle ground between indie rock and jam worlds. We’ve had a great time collaborating and playing shows with our old friends Twiddle, who are also from Vermont. There are so many possibilities for putting bills together. For us it comes down to being turned on by a band’s music, whatever it sounds like. It also makes a huge difference when you hit it off as people. When you connect on a personal level everything is more fun!
AL: Do you guys practice any pre or post show rituals?
Both: Yes. 🙂
AL: Favorite musical purchase or release from 2o16?
Both: The new Frank Ocean. New Bon Iver. Solange! Chance The Rapper.
AL: What’s the most interesting pronunciation of your band’s name that you’ve heard?
EM: Oof. Let’s start by clarifying that it is “Muh-dey-luh”. Haha. We didn’t anticipate the pronunciation being a problem but it’s a weird combo of letters for people. We’ve seen at least 6 different spellings and a variety of pronunciations. The most common is “Madalia”, which adds a syllable by switching two letters. “Madala” might be the most renegade since it just eliminates a letter altogether. Great question! This comes up a lot.
AL: You’re playing a Phish after party in NYC on 12/28–how does it feel to get the opportunity play for a crowd of people who share love for the biggest band out of Burlington? I also have to know, what are your favorite Phish songs? Or album if that makes it easier.
EM: Yay! It feels great. We are proud to be part of a wonderful tradition of Vermont bands. The scene in Burlington is unreal. And we truly appreciate the history. We look up to Phish a ton for the way they built their band by focusing on their live show; on sustainable growth; on being true to their sound; on putting music first; and on embracing the various weirdnesses that make them who they are. Madaila doesn’t sound a lot like Phish, but we are super weird people who resonate with the example they’ve set.
As far as Phish’s music itself, people tend to take it or leave it. Which is fine. Mark and I are the Phish heads. Our first band was a jam band that we started (oof) 12 years ago. Pale Moon! We wanted to be Phish. We had dreams where we got invited on stage at SPAC. Haha. Hey! It could happen.
In terms of favorites. I lose Phantasy points for saying this but I’ve always gotten down with the 90s albums. Running a studio myself I love that expressive environment. I also love the track order on certain records, like A Picture Of Nectar. Live, I’m a sucker for the upbeat major jams like Antelope & Chalkdust.
MD: Growing up in Vermont and being a musician, it’s super hard NOT to know Phish or been influenced by them. Trey was probably the first person to make me want to play guitar. Because of that Divided Sky – the Junta version – and any Reba jam might be my favorite Phish moments. But there are a lot of them. If I had to list a few more off the top of my head… Trey’s solo at the end of Chalkdust Torture on A Live One, and I always love a good Harry Hood or Fluffhead. I feel like a hippy all over again. Haha.
AL: What are your personal favorite tracks on Traces. Do you have a least favorite?
EM: We love all of our babies. Haha. Well, we developed a great relationship with “Secret”, which we played live before the record was recorded. We’ve really had fun recently with “Excelsior”. The live format is where we encounter these songs most often, so that tends to shape how we feel about the songs.
MD: Ditto to what Eric said in “Secret” and “Excelsior.” Another favorite of mine has always been “Spring.” It just really gets me emotionally and is such a poetic and powerful song. We are currently and finally in the process of getting the crazy, long and challenging “Nurture” live ready and I have a feeling it will become an extremely fun, cosmic and energizing song to play live.
AL: Who are some of your musical influences/heroes that people wouldn’t guess based on your music?
EM: Well, Phish, as mentioned! Mark and I both love jazz music. We were just talking about McCoy Tyner yesterday. I love Monk. Miles Davis & John Coltrane are two musical heroes. But both of us have a pretty insane width in what we like. I love what is happening with Sturgill Simpson & the alt-country movement. Jer got me into Chris Stapleton as well. Willy is the master of the indie rock realm. The two of us geek out on PWR BTTM, Alvvays, & King Tuff. He and Jer also venture into the world of metal & both have pop punk histories. Dan is the deepest into jazz – especially modern jazz – as well as old school hip hop. Yeaaaah. We’re all over the place!!!
AL: Which bands have been on your radar recently? Any up and coming bands from Burlington we should keep on our personal radars?
EM: Burlington is such an amazing scene. Running the studio also gives us an amazing view into various subcommunities here; aaaand somewhat of a responsibility to not play favorites. Haha. I will say that we worked hard assembling the lineup for our NYE run at Higher Ground, and that each of those bands are artists we love listening to; love hanging out with; and see having the potential to blow the f*** up. Those are: Arc Iris; Lux Deluxe; smalltalker; and Jeff Beam!
AL: Eric, how do you balance time between keys, production and management? Are you often overwhleed or have you perfected the skill of wearing many hats by now?
EM: I love being able to split time between different worlds. It can be overwhelming but I have great support on both the art and business sides – people I can rely on and trust! Like Madaila’s manager Mark Balderston! The business side of Future Fields grew out of a frustration with the challenges of our industry. I didn’t expect to like that realm as much as I do. It’s challenging & creative in its own way! And it’s mostly about connecting with other people, which I love. When that starts to drag a bit it’s not too long before I get to go down the hall to the studio and enter a different headspace; or play a show! It’s a privilege to get to push myself in multiple spheres.
AL: Mark, when you find yourself stuck on writing song lyrics, what are your go to methods to get your creative juices flowing?
MD:I wish I could tell you but it would be too inappropriate!… Just kidding.
Lyrics are definitely the hardest part of the songwriting process for me. It most often comes last but there are times when a line will stick during the scratch vocal because it just sounds good and flows well. I almost always have things I want to say, but it’s getting them to fit logically and rhythmically within a song’s meter that’s often the challenge. If I’m stuck on a lyric I try to move on to something else rather than beat a dead horse. There’s always another part to add or another song to start. But I think I write my best lyrics in the morning with a cup of coffee and a clear head. My fianceé and I just bought a house this past summer and the 3 season porch, with the morning light pouring in, has been a really peaceful and productive space so far for writing lyrics and music.
Eastern Electric, alternative indie rock from Guilderland, NY, put out their latest album, Suburban Daydreams, on December 9, 2016. The album opens up with the title track, led by Will Burger’s dream-like voice, and sets the listener up for the rest of the album which can be characterized as emotional and dynamic. With a balanced blend of simple yet layered ambient instrumentation, Eastern Electric delivers an impactful performance on par with most signed, touring and recording acts. Immediately upon hearing their single “She’s a Quiet Driver,” I was greatly impressed by the talent and writing of this young band, but there was no way I could have anticipated how much I would enjoy the full album. With proper determination, I could easily see a larger audience listening to Eastern Electric.
Engineered, produced, mixed and mastered by Scoops Dardaris at the World Citizen Party House in Albany, NY, Suburban Daydreams clocks in close to thirty minutes in length. At first listen, all types of different influences are present. Tracks such as “I Don’t Know Yet” and “Raise My Fucking Grade” pull sounds from legendary rockers such as Nirvana and Brand New, especially between their bassist Ryan Keegan and drummer Jack Buttridge. Adding simple yet effective smoothness to the mix are Jackson Wolfe on guitar and Michael Beeche on keys.
I think the key element that gives Suburban Daydreams its x-factor is that none of the musicians featured on the album overplay. While the album certainly could have been longer and still kept the listeners attention, it is devoid of over complication or long, 80’s style guitar solos or extra sprinkled toppings, save a trumpet solo in “Whispering Goodbyes,” a violin lead in “Ignite,” and a harmonica featured in “Blue Eyes Cryin’.” Eastern Electric gets on their metaphorical stage, plays without giving a speech in between songs, finishes the set in short time, but leaves the metaphorical crowd in awe. Outside of metaphors, I’ve seen them live in Albany, NY and can attest to their professionalism and quality.
But Eastern Electric didn’t just put out a good album. They surpassed expectations set out for local bands at this stage in their career. They have my attention, and my respect, as I’m sure they will from many who enjoy groups such as City and Colour, Brand New and Cymbals Eat Guitars as well as many others. Personally, I’m looking forward to hearing their future work and seeing them live.
Key tracks: Suburban Daydreams, She’s a Quiet Driver, Blue Eyes Cryin’, Raise My Fucking Grade
A standing ovation welcomed Del McCoury and David Grisman to the stage shortly after 8pm on December 10. The duo best known as Del & Dawg began their 50th anniversary show on the same RPI campus with “Feast Here Tonight,” a tune by the Monroe Brothers that nodded to Bill Monroe’s connection to both Grisman and McCoury and the genre of which they are elder statesmen. Using only one microphone, the crisp sound made it seem as though you were standing next to them. Even the applause sounded remarkable.
The Capital Region of New York is fortunate to have some of the best sounding venues in the country, where the audience and artist can mutually appreciate immaculate acoustics. The Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) on the campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy joins The Egg, Troy Music Hall and Picotte Recital Hall as premiere venues with impeccable sound which aids in bringing an exceptional variety of music to the Capital Region.
The pair took turns introducing the other. Grisman said it was “Great to be back in Troy with this young man,” while McCoury presented his counterpart as “The founder of Dawg music.” The reflection of their instruments bounced off the walls of the spacious room as they swayed and stepped back and forth to the microphone. “East Virginia Blues,” a humorous song of longing sung by both the Carter Family and Stanley Brothers felt like stepping into 1940s Appalachia. “Toy Heart,” a Bill Monroe original, elicited banter from Del and David who gave a free history lesson on the original Blue Grass Boys who first performed in 1946. A former Blue Grass boy himself, Del started out playing banjo, but Monroe got him to switch to acoustic and start singing, much to our delight 50 years later.
Some banjo humor preceded the instrumental “G-Run Blues,” followed Ralph Stanley’s “Man of Constant Sorrow,” as did “Tennessee Waltz,” considered by Grisman to be “a piece of musical substance” and also the state song of Tennessee that preceded the current title holder, “Rocky Top,” somewhat to Grisman’s dismay. To end the first set, the two performed “The Country Boy Rock n Roll,” a song that was seen at the time as a push back to Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Del and Dawg returned to the stage, discussing the circumstances of their first show in 1966. A 4-piece needed a guitar player, and Del McCoury drove up to play with Grisman, the late Winny Winston on banjo and his brother Jerry McCoury on bass. Jerry then joined the pair on stage, followed by Chris Warner on banjo, collectively referring to themselves as The Bluegrass Survivors. “I Wonder Where You Are Tonight,” a Hank Snow song dating to the 1940s, began the set, followed by Del singing lead on “Dark Hollow,” one of the most familiar tunes of the night. Jerry McCoury sang lead on “Send me Your Address From Heaven,” with a voice akin to Del’s, pun intended.
Prior to “We can’t be Darlins Anymore,” Grisman pointed out the duality of bluegrass music, describing lyrics as focusing on “them tragic things of life – unrequited love, death, incarceration, suicide” and the melodies as “very uplifting, the antidote to the lyrics.” Grisman’s summation of bluegrass: “If you don’t listen to the words, it’s very uplifting.”
Dawg humor was on display with “I’m my own Grandpa,” as was Del’s ‘High and Lonesome sound’ on “The Prisoner’s Song,” followed by a somber and beautiful “White Dove.” Del gave thanks to the crowd, saying “We enjoyed having a reunion,” and wrapping up the night with Jimmy Martin’s “Hit Parade of Love” and an encore of “Lonesome Road.”
The history of the music performed this evening exceeded the 50 years the two have performed together. Music dating back to the 1920’s provided a century of bluegrass from which to cull a celebratory performance for this pair of musicians whose influence and knowledge runs deep through the veins of bluegrass music.
Setlist:
Set 1: Feast Here Tonight, Shackles & Chains, East Virginia Blues, G-Run Blues, Toy Heart, Man of Constant Sorrow, Tennessee Waltz, Snow Dove, Del & Dawg, Country Boy Rock n Roll
Set 2: I Wonder Where You are Tonight, Send Me Your Address From Heaven, Dark Hollow, Shenandoah Breakdown, We Can’t be Darlins Anymore, He’s His Own Grandpa, The Prisoner’s Song, Fanny Hill, Walk the Dog, The White Dove, Hit Parade of Love
Encore: Lonesome Road
Special thanks to Guthrie/Bell Productions for bringing an historic show to EMPAC, and Del and David, and their wives Jean and Tracy for chatting with fans at the merch table after the show.
Funk comes in all shapes and sizes these days. Those eager to see two very different versions headed to the Putnam Den in Saratoga on December 6 to see The New Mastersounds, originally from the U.K., co-headline with Brooklyn’s Turkuaz.
The two boast their own unique style, but both brought anyone with a pulse to their feet that night. The show was part of an extensive tour to promote a split 7” vinyl featuring both bands performing a cover song from the other’s catalog, while also joining in on the collaboration.
The New Mastersounds came as a pleasant surprise to those witnessing the foursome’s raw talent for the first time. The band makes its rounds on this side of the pond, but the majority of those in attendance had likely never seen them before.
With slicked back hair and a blue suit jacket complete with a pocket square, guitarist Eddie Roberts paralleled his fashion swagger with his musical prowess. He laid down soulful yet jazzy riffs throughout the evening with ease. Pete Shand thudded the bass to bring the familiar foundation of funk this upstate New York crowd came to see. The level of technicality in which Joe Tatton wailed on the organ was impressive and moving, even adding synthesized tones later in the set. The funk was here and the crowd was loving it, whistling loudly indicating their approval and awe.
Their set was upbeat and drove harder and faster as it progressed. They slowed it down slightly to do a one-of-a-kind version of Sneaker Pimp’s “Six Underground,” a song that became popular in the 90s, included on the soundtrack of the movie Can’t Hardly Wait.
Without a horn section, their sound is old-timey soul but with a modern funk that hits just right. They welcomed Turkuaz saxophone player Greg Sanderson on stage who fits the band like a glove. Den dwellers had fogged up the windows at this point and many headed outside to catch some air only to be sprinkled with wet snowflakes. The already thick crowd swelled as more joined the party for Turkuaz.
Anticipation built as the 9-piece ensemble entered the stage and prepared to take off. “You’re in for a treat” was heard muttered in the crowd from the more experienced Turkuaz fans to some of the “newbs.” They weren’t wrong.
They set sail into fan favorite “Bubba,” and then to a speedy rendition of “Percy Thrills, The Moondog.” After big songs, the explosions of color and sounds end abruptly as the lights shut completely off on stage, like a period indicating the end of a sentence.
The Turkuaz ladies, Sammi Garett and Shira Elias, choreographed their moves and vocals to add a splash of Motown to the pop funk. Chris Brouwers keyboard skills were reminiscent of the digital sounds of the 1980s. Josh Schwartz took a break from the sax and sang, and “Dude’s got some pipes on him,” was overheard in the crowd.
Shira Elias and Sammi Garett took the lead vocals on a funked up rendition of The Band’s “Don’t Do It,” providing a welcomed twist on the beloved classic. The energetic and colorful evening came to a close with a one-two punch of “Chatte Lunatique” and “Ballad of Castor Troy” in which drummer Michelangelo Carubba delivered a solid solo.
The tour hits the road and heads south to Pittsburgh, PA on December 8, Washington D.C. on December 9 and on to Philadelphia on December 10.
The roots of bluegrass travel from Appalachia through Kentucky in the 1940s, but the origin of one of the most famous duos in bluegrass history is found in New York. On Saturday, December 10, Del McCoury and David Grisman, better known as Del and Dawg will reunite to celebrate 50 years of music. They’ll do so on the campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, just as they did that first time back in 1966. Del and David will be joined on this very special evening at EMPAC by Jerry McCoury and Chris Warner.
Mandolinist David ‘Dawg’ Grisman, a nickname coined by Jerry Garcia, has combined bluegrass and jazz throughout a career of acoustic prowess. Grisman studied English at NYU and lived in Greenwich Village where the folk scene proliferated in the early 1960s. David learned to play mandolin in a style befitting the father of bluegrass music, Bill Monroe. One of Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys, McCoury switched from banjo to guitar, making the pairing with Grisman have a deeper connection in the music.
Grisman spoke to NYS Music from his Northern California home, discussing the origins of Del and Dawg, bluegrass today and the influence of Jerry Garcia on his mandolin playing.
Pete Mason: The performance at RPI on December 10th is the 50th anniversary of your first show with Del. How does it feel to bring your history together full circle? Any memories of that show?
David Grisman: It feels just great to have maintained such a fruitful musical and personal relationship for this long. I still remember the excitement and energy of that first gig together, which was captured on tape and released in part on my album, Early Dawg. I was offered the princely sum of $200 to put a bluegrass band together and was able to obtain the services of Del and his bass-playing brother Jerry, with whom I played in Red Allen’s band. My good friend and banjo whiz, the late Winnie Winston, completed that first ensemble. Later that year (1966) at the 2nd Bluegrass Festival in Fincastle, Virginia, Del asked me to play a set with him. That band included Chris Warner on banjo. Del and I have invited Jerry McCoury and Chris Warner to join us for the second half of this show for a special Bluegrass 50th year reunion set. We’re calling the band The Bluegrass Survivors! We’ll also be playing the next night at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Va.
PM: How was bluegrass received in the mid-1960s in New York?
DG: Bluegrass was always exciting for New York audiences, then and now. Of course, now there’s a wider audience. But it always was very special for me, particularly when people like Ralph Rinzler, Mike Seeger, John Cohen and Israel G. Young started promoting concerts with bands like Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys and the Stanley Brothers.
PM: What are some of the highlights of the last 50 years of playing music with Del?
DG: Playing with Del is always special, but one highlight was the tour we did in 1989 as the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience where Del and his band (featuring his sons Ronnie and Rob and two fiddle players) joined me for a two-week tour to promote my LP, Home is Where the Heart Is. Another high point was producing the Mandolin Extravaganza project with Ronnie McCoury, which featured eight bluegrass mandolin masters in various combinations, all backed by Del’s masterful rhythm guitar.
PM: What is the first instance where you knew there was a musical chemistry between you?
DG: I reckon it was the first note we ever played — long ago.
PM: How did playing with Jerry Garcia influence your mandolin playing?
DG: Playing with Jerry opened me up to exploring a lot of possibilities that existed within our many common musical sensibilities. We had both drunk from the same musical well for many years and playing together later in our careers was a great musical and personal experience for me.
PM: You have seen 50 years of bluegrass music, from the beginning of the familiar genre. How have you observed its evolution?
DG: Well to be perfectly honest, I wasn’t there at the beginning which Del & I both agree occurred when Earl Scruggs joined Bill Monroe’s band in 1946 (which already included Lester Flatt and Chubby Wise). I didn’t discover bluegrass music until 1960, but fortunately the original architects of the music were still in their prime and playing. I did get to play with many of them, including Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Ralph Stanley, Red Smiley, Mac Wiseman and Red Allen, who gave me my first “hard-core” bluegrass job. I’m currently working on a project with one of my heroes, the great mandolin master, Jesse McReynolds. Bluegrass has of course “evolved”, taking on many influences that Bill Monroe probably wouldn’t have approved of. In a way it’s become diluted and in my opinion, commercialized by the music business, as have many other genres. I still like the more traditional bands like Del’s. Having said that, I think there are many young musicians who are playing incredible music these days, from Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers to Sierra Hull. I just wouldn’t call it bluegrass. That’s why I called my own music Dawg because I don’t feel it is bluegrass as defined by the creators of that genre.
PM: What is it like to have not only a stage relationship with Del, but to also have sons Monroe Grisman and Ronnie McCoury born a month apart?
DG: Our children are a great source of inspiration. Monroe Grisman is a wonderful musician and singer, but was always in the rock world. He now plays in a very popular band in Marin County, California — Petty Theft. My daughter Gillian (head of production for George Lucas’ Edutopia project) is also musical and even played a gig with John Sebastian’s jug band on washboard bass! My son Samson is a great bass player who currently plays with Lee Ann Womack and the Bryan Sutton Band, as well as my own Bluegrass Experience. My stepson, John R., has been developing into a fine mandolinist and my wife Tracy has subbed for Sam on bass and also plays guitar and fiddle. Of course Del’s sons Ronnie and Rob are fantastic award winning bluegrass musicians and will certainly carry on the McCoury legacy. I know that Del and I are both proud dads and we’ve talked about doing a father & son project someday.
Tickets for Saturday’s Del and Dawg show are available through EMPAC.
Watch Del and Dawg from Oriental Theater in Denver below.
Nothing beats a night filled with funk—something the Putnam Den knows all too well. This time around on December 6, multi-talented, power funk collective Turkuaz, with drummer Michelangelo Carubba, will come together with old souls at heart, The New Mastersounds, ready to demonstrate their deep seeded talents for an Upstate New York crowd on a Tuesday night.
Turkuaz, a sizable group containing talent just as abundant as its 9-piece lineup, has explored their extensive vault of instruments, gripping vocals and dance moves each night during their 40+ co-headlining tour dates. While some might think that’s a tough act to follow, or open up for in this case, The New Mastersounds provide necessary balance to explosive dance music with their smooth tunes and classic style, crafted two decades ago directly from Leeds, UK.
In conjunction with the country-spanning tour, the two outfits will come together to release a split 7” vinyl, where they take turns covering each other’s songs, while adding their own elements and sounds into the mix. Fans can also find tracks that feature the 80’s funk revolutionaries collaborating with the 4-piece smooth R&B and jazz fusion pioneers. The limited edition vinyl is now available to order, and will be exclusively available for pick up at merch tables on tour.
This co-headlining tour is sure to jam the roof off of any venue with its thick grooves, synchronized dancing and encapsulating performances, which has proven to be true so far with praised stops across the board in New Haven, Chicago, Lake Tahoe and more. Don’t miss their Putnam Den gig this Tuesday, December 6! Doors open at 8PM with a harmonious show to follow at 9PM. 18+ with a $5 surcharge for those under 21. Tickets are $17 in advance/ $20 day of show.
Ever wonder if anyone still uses ringback tones and if Mike Carubba of Turkuaz did, what it would be? I have the answer: “The Watcher” by Dr. Dre.
Q & A with Turkuaz drummer Michelangelo Carubba:
Alyssa Ladzinski: In today’s day of social media, things can blow up pretty fast. Can you explain how it felt when your performance video reached 2 million hits on Facebook?
Mike Carubba: It was exciting for us. It was the first time any of us had been a part of something that had gone viral like that. The international reach of something like that was the most exciting part for me. I had google translator working hard as I read thousands of comments from people all over the world.
AL: Being from Buffalo, NY yourself and the band being Brooklyn based, what did it mean to you guys and to your career to have your music soundtrack a New York Knicks game?
MC: That was another moment where we felt like the hard work was paying off, and the Knicks and the city of NYC sort of giving a nod to us, as being something uniquely “New York”, felt really gratifying. We’re a lucky band.
AL: You got your band name from a Turkish deli across the street from where Dave and Taylor used to live. They frequently bought Fantas—what flavor?
MC: I think Dave and Tay would dabble in all flavors Fanta. They like to really live on the edge.
AL: What’s one band you would love to tour with that you haven’t gotten the chance to? Last time NYS Music interviewed you, you said Snarky Puppy but that has since been scratched off the list!
MC: There’s a lot of cool music going on right now, so it’s hard to pick one band, but I think as a group we’re starting to really set our sights high, and look for a major tour to work with. Dave Matthews, Tedeschi Trucks, the Stones would all be amazing.
AL: In conjunction with the tour, you and The New Mastersounds are releasing a 7″ split vinyl where you cover each others songs and collaborate on others. What has been your favorite New Mastersounds song to cover so far? And what do you think theirs has been?
MC: We’ve been playing their song, “On the Border,” and we’ve given it the P-Funk treatment, which is always fun for us. Eddie and the guys have been doing a really great job with our tune, “The Rules.” I’d like to think he’s been enjoying it.
AL: As a drummer, do you have any specific brand loyalties?
MC: Early on I was pointed in the right direction with the gear I used, and they’ve provided me with quality products for the last 20 years. Companies like Vic Firth drumsticks and DW hardware are companies I’ll be working with until I retire or my hands fall off, whichever happens first.
AL: Let’s be honest, artists always have that one song or artist they despise playing. If any, what are yours?
MC: If you ask me to play Lady Gaga, I will refuse.
AL: What’s your favorite CD, vinyl or song purchase from 2016?
MC: Josh Homme and Queens of the Stone Age released a live acoustic concert called Like Cologne, and anyone that knows me knows I’m a sucker for QOTSA.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill this week that calls for harsher punishments for those using automated ‘Ticket Bot’ software to purchase large blocs of tickets for concerts and other events. These tickets often turn up on third party ticket resale sites such as Stub Hub minutes after purchase at a much higher markup.
✔️ Signed: Law to make the resale of tickets obtained via "ticket bots" illegal.
The new law, sponsored by Assemblyman Marcos Crespo (D-Bronx) and Senator Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island), makes using ticket “bots,” or willingly reselling tickets purchased using the software illegal in New York State.
The use of ticket bots was already illegal in New York but this law toughens penalties beyond the civil level. It carries with it a civil penalty of a $500-$1500 fine and forfeiture of any profit made for anyone reselling tickets purchased using “bots” and rises to the level of class A misdemeanor if the person knowingly uses “bot” software to purchase tickets with the intent to resell for profit. In a statement, Governor Cuomo said:
These unscrupulous speculators and their underhanded tactics have manipulated the marketplace and often leave New Yorkers and visitors alike with little choice but to buy tickets on the secondary market at an exorbitant mark-up. It’s predatory, it’s wrong and, with this legislation, we are taking an important step towards restoring fairness and equity back to this multi-billion dollar industry.
As reported by NYS Music in January, the issue of ticketing “bots” gained widespread attention when New York’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued a report critical of the industry. Several states have anti-scalping laws on the books, but this new law provides the harshest penalties thus far.
Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda issued a call this July, via a New York Times editorial, to get tough on ticket “bots.” In it, he praised the efforts of the AG and sponsoring legislators in pushing the bill through and called on Governor Cuomo to quickly sign the bill into law, which he did Wednesday.
At the federal level, Tuesday the Senate, passed the BOTS (Better Online Ticket Sales) Act of 2016. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration before it can be signed into law.
The Capital Region of New York is fortunate to have some of the best sounding venues in the country, where the audience and artist can mutually appreciate immaculate acoustics. The Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center 
Turkuaz