NYS Music 20​16

Tag: jazz

  • Hearing Aide: A Tribe Called Quest “We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service

    Nostalgia has taken over modern pop culture. Star Wars and Ghostbusters are back in theaters, Dave Chappelle guest starring on SNL, and now one of the most influential  American rap groups rises again for the first time in 18 years to release their sixth and final album. It’s a product of the exact recipe of what makes a Tribe album so revolutionary,  but with a slight variation of every ingredient.

    The production value of A Tribe Called Quest We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service is immaculate. It feels like listening to a remastered, never released album, because Tribe led the public to believe their fifth album was their last breaking up in 1998. And even without all of the original members, their sound is still effortless and always moving. The passing of  Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor was an inspiration for the production of the album that includes a variety of unpredictable, unique jazzy grooves and heavy drum and bass beats, placed under quick and witty lyrics. Putting aside the negative feelings and thoughts was the best thing the members could have done for themselves because once again, the group has created something one of a kind a revolutionary, that listeners can only hope will inspire other artists to follow in Tribe’s footsteps.

    Key Tracks: Whateva Will Be, Lost Somebody, Solid Wall of Sound

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PdW50Vt4x4

  • Vulfpeck and Friends Celebrate a Funky Friday at Brooklyn Bowl

    Vulfpeck returned to the Brooklyn Bowl for a Friday night funk fest, which showcased their incredible talent while welcoming numerous special guests. The sold-out room was greeted with a mellow, opening performance by Joey Dosik. Dosik performed the first Beatles cover of the night, “Don’t Let Me Down,” before giving us a taste of some of his originals off of the Game Winner EP.

    vulfpeck brooklyn bowlAs the members of Vulfpeck appeared on the Brooklyn Bowl stage, fans new and old dropped everything they were doing to rush as close to the front as possible. One thing that this foursome is well known for is heavy crowd interaction. The closer you are to the stage, the more involved you will be at these shows. Right off the bat, asses were shaking and high fives were being exchanged as the band treated us to “Outro” from their 2012 release, Vollmilch, with help from their friend Eddie Barbash on sax. The Vollmilch album was highlighted two more times in the beginning of the show with the danceable “Barbara” and “Mean Girls” before welcoming groove drummer, Bernard Purdie to the stage for “It Gets Funkier.”

    vulfpeck brooklyn bowlAlmost half way through their relatively short set, the guests continued to pour on stage as Dosik joined Vulpeck for “Game Winner” and the second Beatles cover of the night “Something.” The floor of the venue was certainly packed with groove enthusiasts, but at this point there wasn’t much space on stage either. As if having the funk innovator, Bernard Purdie, wasn’t enough of a treat for these guys, they enlisted help from Melissa Gardiner and Rachel Price (Lake Street Dive) to tackle Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady.” Joe Dart’s bass playing was a key feature in this solid cover as the tasty brass sounds echoed down the bowling lanes.

    vulfpeck brooklyn bowlThe crowd was fully locked in and feeling the horn section when the Vulf brought well known, Antwaun Stanley up to sing the extremely soulful, “1612.” Stanley’s vocal ability and stage swagger add the one-two punch these suburban boys from next store need to construct a more powerful song. During “1612”, New York, NY wanted to be a part of it, as the audience became one with the Vulf. Lyrically, these guys tip their hats to one of this city’s most iconic figures “Frank Sinatra” and with the crowd belting out the tune with Stanley, it was clear that these guys are forever welcomed in the city that doesn’t sleep.

    There was no slowing down at this point as the group nailed another classic, “Boogie on Reggae Woman,” written by Stevie Wonder and covered by numerous other bands that know a thing or two about good music. Stanley remained on the stage through the lyrically ridiculous “Funky Duck,” which can be found on their most recent album, Thrill of the Arts. Louis Cato was then brought on to help with “Wait For The Moment” and “Beastly” as Stanley walked off stage to the cheers of a very grateful room.vulfpeck brooklyn bowl

    “Christmas in LA” gave the band and the crowd a breather packed with banter from Jack Stratton and Theo Katzman. Probably the most well known song to new followers of the Vulf, “Back Pocket” ended the set. Gardiner and Barbush brought the brass back into the mix, while Stanley enlisted help from the audience for the hook. One more cover, “Kid Charlemagne” by Steely Dan was executed in the funkiest of ways for the encore. Who knows what Vulfpeck will bring to the table for Saturday’s final night at the Bowl. They have had many repeats in their first three shows of this NY run and with their limited, yet powerful catalog, fans do not seem to mind. The group continues to surprise us by welcoming numerous guests onto the stage physically and welcoming funk icons into the room sonically through their amazing covers. After seeing so many smiling younger faces fill the streets of Williamsburg after the show, I was reminded that Vulfpeck isn’t just the funk band that this generation wanted, but it’s also the one this generation needed.

  • In Focus: Gregg Allman at Xerox International Jazz Fest

    Gregg Allman graced the Xerox International Jazz Fest to kick off the July in Rochester.  Gregg’s ability through his music took over the anxiously awaiting fans in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre to a free spirits and a peaceful loving vibe.  Fans danced, smiled and let loose as the venues incredible acoustics floated the sweet sounds of each song.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vxAQkiPdq4

    The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist headlined as a main draw to attend the annual festival.  People from all over the world attended the community to support all of the bands, including this performance. Music brought people together, enjoying the harmony of the music and with one another.

    Take a look at what visuals were captured by NYS Music from the Friday night show.

  • Trombone Shorty Holds Dance Off on Day 2 of Syracuse Jazz Fest

    Day 2 of this years’ 34th Annual M&T Syracuse Jazz Festival held at Onondaga Community College Campus in Syracuse, was the night that over 5,000 plus fans were waiting for.   With a large roster of highly awarded artists and performers sharing 1 stage throughout 2 days and nights turned out to be an incredible event. As New Orleans’ own Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and the Orleans Avenue braced the lineup, other national and local bands brought their “A game” to get the crowds energized for the headlining act.

    Jim Houle Photography - Trombone Shorty - Syracuse Jazz Fest - NYS Music Files - Watermark-60

    Returning to this years fest, the City of Syracuse Parks & Rec All-Stars kicked off the day with their fluid compositions, directed by the highly regarded Joe Carello.  The all-stars swung through a 45 minute set, all taking turns at solos and giving the crowd a piece of their heart and souls.

    Second Line Syracuse Brass Band was second in command of day 2 of the fest.   Led by the Juilliard School of music master jazz trombonist Melissa Gardiner, the core group features one other trombone, two trumpets, a saxophone, sousaphone, and drums.  The eight-piece ensemble performed a various array of original scores and a few covers.

    Paulie Cerra and Andrew Lippman led Groove Legacy through a fantastic set of jazzy tunes, sprinkled with bluesy twists and soulful harmonies.  Increasing with energy as the evening sun settled, the steadily growing audience was getting loose on their feet and enjoyed a new song recently recorded with Utica’s own Joe Bonamassa.

    Originally scheduled was Larry Coryell and the Eleventh House.   Tho, Larry is currently in post-surgery and was unable to perform, son and master jazz guitarist Julian Coryell led the group with determination to show Syracuse how to have a good time.  Performing a variety of covers and originals, the group shined through the evening with many tasteful guitar licks and drum fills.   Just as the group was ending, Executive Director Frank Malfitano rushed the stage accompanied with a beautiful plaque to present to the band, giving thanks for continuing to show up and perform considering the circumstances of Larry condition.

    Malfitano briefly returned to the stage to give warm welcome to Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue.    The band bounced onto the stage one by one as drummer Joey Peebles kicked up a funky groove.   Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews dramatically appeared lastly with shades on, Trumpet in one hand and Trombone in the other.   As the band got underway, they immediately cranked up the energy and didn’t let up until the their set was done.   Aside from his skillful brass chops, Andrews danced his way across the entire stage, covering almost every inch replication the styles of James brown and Michael Jackson.   At points, even gathering other members to march around in a huddle, while others shared solos and some spotlight.   A memorable highlight of the nearly 2-hour performance was an intimate rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get it On,” along with accompanied with a crowd sing-a-long.  Before closing out the weekend, Andrews eagerly invited Frank Malfitano up on stage to dance along to their mashup of “Mardi Gras Medly” and “When the Saints Go Marching In,”  representing their hometown of New Orleans.

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  • In Focus: Grace Potter at Xerox Rochester International Jazz Fest

    Day one of the Xerox International Jazz Fest and Grace Potter gave an energized performance.  Grace rocked the blues as the headlining act in the beautiful venue of Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.

    The packed venue of seated fans were told by Grace in between songs, her performance will feed from their energy.  She elaborated sharing that if people felt like like they wanted to stand, dance sway, tap their foot to feel comfortable with enjoying as they wished.  The crowd loosened up as she continued through her set and took up her offer to get up close to the stage if they wanted to.  Fans faces were lit up with smiles as they enjoyed her close interaction by reaching out to them from stage.  The air filled with the excitement while she was on stage.  A piece of that night stays with each person of the energy that was created by the performance, music and people.

    Grace and each member of the band played the whole set with meaning and directed it to those there to see them.  It was an incredible treat to have attended to see Grace in action whipping her hair as she moved to the music playing.  Every song was given the attention, emotion, energy and soul as if it was the first time they played it, no mechanical movement or sound could be noticed.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty7J5tJRZIQ[

    Setting on her piano had a large crystal on one side and an alien figurine on the other, a sign she is filled with wonder, depth, love and channeling energy.    It was unforgettable night because of Grace Potter coming to Jazz Fest.  The tone had been set for the remaining 9 days of the festival after that show.  The Jazz Fest had the positive vibe of people coming to enjoy music to dance, smile and have a good time with one another each day.  Check out these moments caught from the night brought to you by NYS Music.

  • Keller Williams’ KWahtro Livens Up the Westcott Theater

    On April 8, multi-instrumentalist and one-man jam band Keller Williams, hosted a night of tasteful jams and brought along a fancy new group of amazing musicians to the Westcott Theater in Syracuse. Adding Gibb Droll on acoustic guitar, Rodney Holmes on Drums, and Danton Boller on the upright bass, Keller dubbed the group The KW KWahtro (fun for quatro, meaning four). For anyone who’s seen Keller play live, whether solo or with any of his collaborations, knew the evening would be filled with danceable rhythms and charming lyrics.

    KWahtroWith no opening performers, the show kicked off shortly after 9 p.m. allowing the group time to dig in and get comfortable. As the house music faded and lights dimmed, the subtle sound of a muted acoustic guitar began to get louder and louder. Soon enough, a silhouette appeared at the back of the stage and Keller then slowly danced his way forward with the rest of the band following behind him. The audience cheered with excitement as Keller strummed his way into a funky instrumental before the rest of KWahtro joined in with a groove.

    Before the crowd knew it, the piece unfolded into the popular hip-shaking “Freaker By the Speaker,” followed with a jam that led into an upbeat version of Jerry Garcia‘s “Bird Song.” Keeping the rhythm flowing, Keller slightly changed direction and began singing “Birds of a Feather” by Phish, which rocketed the energy of the room.  Towards the end of the set, came an incredible jazzy drum solo from Rodney Holmes, known for his jazz influenced style. The ensemble re-emerged from the dark, strapped on their instruments and began into “Up From the Skies.”

    KWahtro The second set followed suit with Keller entering the stage in the same fashion. This time around, the whole band collectively began jamming into the hit song “Best Feeling,” from the album Breathe, made popular by Williams’ collaboration with The String Cheese Incident.  Included in the second half was a delightful “Scarlet Begonias” featuring a “China Cat” intro, “Victory Song,” and two new singles “Mantra” and “The Drop” from Keller’s most recent release, Vape.  KWahtro re-emerged from the shadows of the backstage and asked the boisterous crowd, “Would you like to hear a rockin’ cover or a rockin’ original?” With sincere acceptance for both options, the group graciously jammed out the original tune “High,” seguing into Joe Walsh‘s “Life’s Been Good” to end the evening.

    Overall, these four amazingly talented musicians can surely entertain any audience in any venue simply because they know how to hold a tight groove.  Judging by the response from the crowd, KWahtro is welcome in Syracuse anytime and hopefully they make their way back again in the near future.

    KWahtroSet One: Instrumental Intro > Freaker by the Speaker > Pets > Freaker > Bird Song > Birds of a Feather, Baby Mama, Ripped Six Pack > Cheaper by the Bale, Kiwi & Apricot, Hate, Greed, Love > Moving Sidewalk > Rodney Holmes Solo, Up From the Skies, Fuel for the Road

    Set Two: Best Feeling > Open-Close > The Sun & Moon’s Vagenda, China Cat Intro > Scarlet Begonias, Mantra, Apparition > Victory Song > Buena > Off Time Chorus Line > Breathe > The Drop > Breathe.

    Encore: High > Life’s Been Good

  • Funk Yes: Lettuce Set to Groove University of Rochester

    Although you won’t find it listed on their current roster of dates, Lettuce will make a third appearance in New York state during this spring/summer tour. According to the University of Rochester’s event ticketing website, the funk-fueled jazz band is booked for a Feb. 26 show on the River Campus. The New York City group will also return to their home state for performances at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on April 8 and Hunter Mountain Jam Festival this June.

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    Known for soulful super jams, Lettuce debuted their fourth studio album, Crush, last year. Jeremiah Shea said in his NYS Music review that this album “is the convergence of road tested and polished material, musical exploration, deep pockets of groove, and a band that is simply on top of their game.” Brian Ferguson was on hand to catch the two-night Crush release party at the Playstation Theater last November, where Marco Benevento opened the show and Lettuce encored with a new tune titled “Phyllis” (hear the song below).

    Lettuce.PlaystationTheater.12
    Eric Krasno

    The band, featuring Adam Deitch (drummer), Adam Smirnoff and Eric Krasno (guitarists), Erick “Jesus” Coomes (bassist), Neal Evans (keyboardist), Ryan Zoidis (saxophonist) and Eric Bloom (trumpet player), last played in Rochester June 2015 for the city’s Party in the Park (after Taj Mahal cancelled) and made a stop at Water Street Music Hall October 2014.

    Doors will open at 8:30 p.m. with show time of 9 p.m. Tickets are available online through the University, or at the Common Market in Wilson Commons. The concert is open to the public; special ticket pricing applies for students and faculty. If you’re nearby the Finger Lakes area next Friday, pencil in this performance as it’s guaranteed to be one energetic soul shakedown party.