NYS Music 20​17

Category: Folk/Americana

  • Arlo Guthrie Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Carnegie Hall debut

    Arlo Guthrie celebrates the 50th anniversary of his Carnegie Hall debut with his Annual Thanksgiving Concert on Saturday, Nov. 25. Over the years, the holiday tradition has included performances with the likes of Pete Seeger and Judy Collins, and Bob Dylan. Joining him on stage this year are his children, Abe and Sarah Lee, as well as Cathy and Annie Guthrie and other members of the family, building upon the musical legacy created by Guthrie’s father, Woody Guthrie.

    Arlo Guthrie Carnegie HallCatch Guthrie and family at Carnegie Hall or other dates on their Re: Generation Tour:

    Nov. 18 – Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center – Great Barrington, MA
    Nov. 25 – Carnegie Hall – New York, NY
    Nov. 26 – Key West Theatre – Key West, FL
    Nov. 27 – Key West Theatre – Key West, FL
    March 9 – Sheldon Concert Hall – St. Louis, MO
    March 10 – The Carlsen Center – Overland Park, KS
    March 24 – Lensic Theater – Santa Fe, NM
    March 28 – The Fox Theatre – Tucson, AZ
    March 29 – Mesa Arts Center – Ikeda Theater – Mesa, AZ
    March 30 – Orpheum Theater – Flagstaff, AZ
    April 5 – Saban Theatre – Beverly Hills, CA
    May 3 – Reif Center – Grand Rapids, MN
    May 4 – Holmes Theater – Detroit Lakes, MN
    May 11 – Mayo Performing Arts Center — Morristown, NJ
    May 12 — Patchogue Theatre — Patchogue, NY
    May 18 – The Colonia Theatre — Keene, NH
    May 19 – McCarter Theatre — Princeton, NJ
    May 20 – Grand Opera House — Wilmington, DE

  • Help those in need at Jam for Tots Shows throughout NYS this Holiday Season

    NYS Music along with Positive Mental Trip present 13 Jam for Tots shows throughout New York State (and one in Connecticut) to help those most in need this holiday season. Fans who attend any of these shows are encouraged to bring an unwrapped gift for a child age 2-12.

    help jam for totsEight bands are part of the Jam for Tots lineup this year, a charitable effort that brings live music and holiday season charity. Luke Weiler (Positive Mental Trip) has brought this series of shows to venues around Northeast, and has been expanded this year to span across New York State and includes 87/90 artists Intrepid Travelers, Cousin Earth, Formula 5, Space Carnival, Gowanus and Let’s Be Leonard, as well as Funkworthy and Chinatown Lights.

    Bring an unwrapped gift for a 2-12 year old and the gifts will be gathered by USMC representatives. Give back to those most in need this holiday season and enjoy a great show at the same time!

  • Dead & Company Kick Off Their 2017 Fall Tour At Madison Square Garden

    Dead & Company kicked off their 2017 Fall Tour on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, NY. This was the first time back to the famous venue since their inaugural Fall tour in 2015. Dead & Company members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti took the stage shortly after 7 p.m.

    dead company Madison Square GardenWith the crowd excited to see what the band was going to open with, they started the night off with a unique “Shakedown Street.” Next, Dead & Company finally debuted “Greatest Story Ever Told.” The crowd erupted, making it one of the highlights of the night. This was followed by “Bertha,” giving John Mayer his first chance to sing. After a jam filled “Cassidy,” the band gave birth to the live debut of “Beat It On Down The Line” which was led by Bob Weir.

    Following the live debut was “They Love Each Other.” Towards the end of the the song, the band had a hiccup. It took them about a minute to figure out where to transition from the end of the song into “Cumberland Blues.” Once they were fully into the song, they shook off the cobwebs and went ahead leaving the awkward moment in the dust.

    Dead & Company started off the second set with the familiar combo of “China Cat Sunflower”>”I Know Your Rider” followed by “Ship of Fools.” Next was an electrifying “Terrapin Station,” leaving the Rhythm Devils to follow with their regulatory “Drums” > “Space.” The second set ended with “Casey Jones” giving the crowd another chance to sing along. With the crowd roaring for more, Dead & Company took the stage for a double encore featuring “Samson and Delilah” and “Werewolves of London” where Mayer and Weir traded verses.

    dead company Madison Square Garden

    Setlist:

    Set 1: Shakedown Street, Greatest Story Ever Told, Bertha, Cassidy, Beat It On Down The Line, They Love Each Other, Cumberland Blues

    Set 2: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Ship of Fools, Terrapin Station > Drums > Space > Standing on the Moon, The Other One, Casey Jones

    Encore: Samson and Delilah, Werewolves of London

    dead company Madison Square Garden

  • In Their Own Words: Joey Arcuri of Driftwood

    Binghamton’s native four-piece Driftwood needs no introduction. However, they sure deserve one! Driftwood’s precise mix of folk, country, singer/songwriter, punk, pop, and rock has earned a grassroots following, mowing through the Upstate, NY music scene. Whether it’s with the complexity of their lyrical poetry, simplicity of the quiet melody, or the rampage of a old-timey fiddle, Driftwood continuously impresses their audience. The friendly folk family is currently working on an album with world-renown producer Simone Felice and are ready to take the world by storm. NYS Music sat down with Joey Arcuri, bassist of Driftwood. Arcuri riffed on his experience as a full time bass player for Driftwood, focusing on both the rewards and struggles of a career in music. Please enjoy “In Their Own Words,” bitesized nuggets of wisdom quoted directly from Joey Arcuri of Driftwood:

    On Bass

    Keep it simple…

    When you’re young you want to play all these notes. You want to play fast and virtuous, but, what you learn as a bassist is to be tasteful and support the group. This is the most important thing with all instruments, but especially with the bass. It’s not about you. It’s about the band, song, and lyrics. Ultimately, if lyrics are happening, the band is supporting the singer; the band is supporting the story. I learned that. I came from more of a virtuosic instrumental kind of mindset and matured into supporting the music and the song as a whole…Being that rock. Half notes are bad ass…holding it down…I didn’t see that when I was younger.

    I had a gig with a band once and they didn’t call me back. I wouldn’t have called myself back either. I was playing too fast and adding too many eighth notes. I was trying to do too much and not doing my roll. Often, you have to mess up to learn. I didn’t always have anyone telling me how to play a part properly. At the time, even if I did have someone, I probably wouldn’t have listened. Sometimes I didn’t get asked back, or i’d be getting looks instead of the high-five I was expecting. Not until that happened did I realize I needed to continue to learn and grow.

    On Driftwood

    I grew to love bluegrass, folk, and singer/songwriter music through Driftwood. Before, I didn’t love it, I appreciated it, but, playing and feeling the music of Driftwood inspired me. I remember when we were on the road and saw Del Mccoury for the first time…that was a huge thing for me, I was like, woah!

    We all write lyrics and our instrumental parts. Often at practice, someone will write a song and then present it to the group. We are all a little nervous presenting our own songs…it’s like, you feel naked, no one’s ever like ‘hey, you’ve got to hear this hot new track.’ Next, we let the parts come together naturally, and we give advice as we move on.

    Ultimately, we put the song through what we call the ‘road test.’ You don’t always know things until you perform a song live for a reacting and staring audience. For instance, you can tell so much by simply the crowds clapping and overall audience feedback. Like when you get a burner of a song, and you just kill it, the audience will give you a roar. And if something is not jiving, after the song, everyone’s just like giving a pity clap or something. There is so much to live performing I’ve learned on the road. It never stops; I am constantly learning.

    What makes a good show is when the people who come to see you dig it, the quality of sound, and our performance. Always, If  you have good sound and people listening to you, you’re going to kick ass and play well.

    Sound can be a battle. We’ve had shows where the audience just stare or they’re not really moving their heads too much.  We can tell if it’s good sound based on how the audience is looking and moving… you can feel it if the sound’s not on. It’s such a bummer! We want to share music and have it transferred in a smooth and comfortable way, and when it does go well, it’s so gratifying.

    I acknowledge I have chosen a field that isn’t always great financially like other ‘normal jobs.’ In a band, you need to all love each other… you hear the horror stories of bands that are fighting on the road. It’s so important to like who you’re making music with. I feel very fortunate. And when we’re on, I feel so blessed to be doing what we’re doing. It’s great to be a musician.

    On The Future

    We are preparing for creating and recording an album ten days in November. We are working with producer, Simone Felice. Simone is brothers with Ian Felice of the Felice brothers, a band he used to be a part of. Simone grew up a poet and a writer, and he has such an ear for words and lyrics. His reputation speaks for itself.

    We all wrote songs of our own and sent them in as demos and Simone has chosen 12 that he believes are cohesive and our strongest.  He’s helping bring together what songs go together as a whole, creating an album that works as a beautiful masterpiece, and so, as our producer, we’re leaving him the space to create and tell us what to do.

    We’re also excited for some special shows coming up. We’re playing a two night Thanksgiving weekend run at the Ransom Steele Tavern in Apalachin, NY on November 24 and 25. We’re calling it Foxfire Weekend. Foxfire is like the bioluminescence of fungi on wood…It creates these cool trippy colors that are vibrant. It’s just a cool word we found and it fits Driftwood. In addition, Driftwood is playing a two-night run at The Haunt in Ithaca, NY on December 30 and 31 for New Years Eve.

  • Hearing Aide: Collin Jones ‘Specimen’

    If you’ve ever experienced live music in Western/Central New York, the chances are you’ve heard Collin Jones. Whether he is out playing with Haewa, Ocular Panther, Stereo Nest, or collaborating with other local artists, the man exhales music. His new EP Specimen is a beautiful assortment of innovative folk-inspired melodies, and a raw reflection of the true essence of human existence.

    Collin Jones SpecimenThe first notes of Specimen transport the listener to a different dimension. The intricately woven acoustic rhythms and spacey loops featured throughout create an aura that is somewhere in between the past and future, but certainly not in the now. If you close your eyes and dig deeper into the EP you may suddenly get the feeling that you are alone, lost on a farm in Medieval times. However, you cannot be sure you have gone too far into the past as spaceships and the glowing effects of technological advancements cautiously linger above. The combination of folk-influenced songwriting with psychedelic loops throughout create a futuristic Americana sound that can delicately be defined as an Emersonian audio experience.

    It would not be fair to single out any particular track when discussing this EP, as each individual song molds together to create a magnificent sum. Had Jones decided to record the songs as a string of instrumental tracks it would be worth your listen, but thankfully he chose to layer it with soothing vocals and thought-provoking samples. The theme of the album can be heard scattered throughout, and demands that you truly examine the human condition. He asks substantial questions like why are we here, and what’s it all for? However, he dares not provide answers, but rather guides the listener to an optimistic acceptance of the world we live in. As you reach the end of the final track, ‘Chapel Perilous,’ you are a caught in an anxious daydream of wanting more with the feeling of being lost in a snowstorm and glad to have nothing left to do but keep wandering. It would not be inappropriate to queue up “Throw Hands” again, and spend a little more time in the angelic world of Collin Jones.

    Key Tracks: Throw Hands, Specimen, Cube

  • “Playing Songs for Strangers in Towns That Aren’t Ours”: Anna Tivel & Jeffrey Martin at Good Luck

    On a Monday night, nestled in Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts, art was being created live within the walls of the restaurant Good Luck. For their last show in 2017, Honest Folk brought an artist back for the first time in it’s two year history. Portlanders Anna Tivel and Jeffrey Martin had performed in the same space earlier this year, and it was so well-received they invited them again. Or as Martin supposed, they screwed up so badly they were given another shot. The couple, who are not normally a duo, both returned with brand new albums, and new songs, to play.

    They opened with “Saturday Night” off of Tivel’s new release Small Believer. They drew a Saturday crowd out on a Monday, the Monday after Daylight Saving no less, so it was an appropriate song to start the show. To call what they played ‘songs,’ however, wouldn’t be doing them full justice. They were stories and revelations told in poetic verse, that just so happened to be sung in beautiful voices and accompanied by sparse but rhythmic guitars. The audience hung on every word, absorbing the insights, receiving the sparks of inspiration.

    The pair found their stories through people. All sorts of people; some who they were close to, some they randomly crossed paths with, some they’d only read about, and some who were famous. Gillian Welch once said, folk music is music made for folks to listen to. Martin and Tivel might add, folk music is music made about folks.

    Anna Tivel They sang about the man who sat on a bench in Portland, rain or shine, to watch as a Marriot was built on the riverside. There was a song inspired by the soul of her just passed 99 year old grandmother. Another about young people finding true love, or maybe not, in small town America. The hard-working border agent she heard about on the news, the drunk woman who told her her life story from a bar stool and the stories she read on the Occupy website. There were songs about fathers, sons, uncles, mothers and daughters, and one about womanhood which included a shoutout to local and national hero Susan B. Anthony. There was the one about William S. Burroughs, how he stupidly and accidentally shot his wife dead. “Just Like You” included verses about Hitler and Jesus and includes what may be the most hilarious opening line of any folk song: “Joseph Stalin came from someone’s vagina.” Most songs were deep and dark, but Tivel answered later in the show with her own humorous tune, about a smattering of whacky characters she met while dating on Craigslist, in which the conclusion was, “We’re all crazy all the time.”

    As Tivel sang, her eyes closed and her shoeless feet twitched and flexed. Martin also sang eyes shut, his accentuated facial contortions partially hidden beneath his burly beard. They were completely absorbed in the words they sang, giving each character the attention they deserved.

    In two hour-long sets, the couple shared each other’s songs and also took the stage solo off and on. They did manage to squeeze in a pair of other people’s songs, covering Bob Dylan’s “Buckets of Rain” which Martin called the greatest love song ever written, and John Prine’s “In Spite of Ourselves.” Some folk royalty there. Though the highlights were easily their own, like Martin’s “Coal Fire” with Tivel’s haunting fiddle accompaniment, and Tivel’s “Dark Chandelier” which was a bit of a heart stopper.

    Some of the best stories were told in between the songs, and one of the best lines was too. Putting a positive spin on the tough times the world is living through now, Martin remarked, “When times are good, bands like Nickelback pop up.”

    Honest Folk is taking a break until after the new year, but keep your eyes peeled for their next show announcement soon after. Doubtful it will be Nickelback.

  • Leaning into the Darkness: Cowboy Junkies Soothed Albany Audience with Soulful Folk Jazz

    The Cowboy Junkies brought their smooth, dark chocolatey sound to a sold out Swyer Theatre at The Egg on November 4, 2017. The stage was set for an intimate evening of bluesy folk music, complete with oriental carpets and roses by the microphone. When the band members took the stage a bit later than expected, any annoyance felt by the audience was quickly soothed away as they opened to “Late Night Radio.”

    cowboy junkiesBy the second song, “Cheap,” the audience was swaying in a sweet, dream like state normally reserved for sharing a bottle of merlot with old friends. With her hands in her pockets, Margo Timmins presented like someone you knew from college who was swaying and crooning to make you relax and smile. Real, human, and still incredibly talented, Margo’s haunting voice shared story after story from newer albums during the first set. “Mountain Streams” and “Missing Children” highlighted the mandolin as she whispered dreams of abandonment, disillusionment, and loneliness. Her style of pulling her mouth away from the microphone while still crooning along with the instruments added an intense harmony of layered instruments to the complex music.

    Song after song of free associating story telling, even over the saddest plot lines, offered calm reassurance about the human condition. “Sun Comes Up” and “My Little Basquiat” regulated the mood; melancholy but sweet, the richness of the sound rebounded the mood of the concert until “Reckoning,” the final song of the first set. Heavier in bass, and highlighting the musicianship of both the percussionist’s ability to coax his instruments with professional timpanist ability and the bassists’ rhythmic thick sound, “Reckoning” brought the first set to a close on the sad message that lovers often ask for more than they can give.

    Timmins was drinking tea and taking breaks away to the back of the stage to blow her nose, but those were the only cues she was sick.  Her velvety voice opened the second set as strong as the first. Moving between songs of longing like “Dreaming” and “Hunted” to the more trance like piece “State Trooper,” the Cowboy Junkies demonstrated that they weren’t only prolific in producing albums (they are currently producing their 51st album since 1985), but also able to maintain a mellow vibe through heavier rock, alternative country, folk jazz, and the occasional trance song.

    A three-song acoustic set nicely broke up the second half of the concert, complete with Timmins sharing stories about parenting her son that again brought her humanity directly into focus. The group moved into more familiar territory, including “Sweet Jane” after a satisfying bass and percussion riff led the music back into heavier lands. Ending with “Misguided Angel,” the Cowboy Junkies left the stage with their audience begging for more. They returned to do two more pieces, but the climax of the evening was already passed.

    The Cowboy Junkies is a Canadian band that was founded by guitarist/songwriter Michael Timmins and bassist Alan Anton. Joined by drummer Peter Timmins and singer Margo Timmins, they were well known in the late 1980s for the album The Trinity Session.  While Anton never cracked a smile, and had the flattest affect possible throughout the soulful songs, his intense bass playing is a cornerstone of this mellow group. Adding the talented Jeff Bird on mandolin and harmonica was a beautiful, seamless fit; his sound magically pulled much of the night together with sounds that transformed the Egg to a smoky jazz bar.

    The Cowboy Junkies celebrate what it means to be human: the pain, the longing, and also the connection. Here’s to wishing for at least 50 more albums from this band.

  • Hearing Aide: The Ghost of Paul Revere ‘Monarch’

    As autumn sets fire to leafy landscapes, The Ghost of Paul Revere is turning over a new album, Monarch, transitioning through the seasons with an altered lineup, but staying true to their self-proclaimed “holler folk” inclinations.

    ghost of paul revere monarchMonarch emerges Oct. 27, borne from the minds of Ghost’s three mainstays: Griffin Sherry (guitar/vocals), Max Davis (banjo/vocals) and Sean McCarthy (bass/vocals). Though the recent departure of harmonica man Matthew Young has trimmed Ghost to a trio, by no means has their sound been diminished. This album abundantly features a kaleidoscope (also the term for a group of butterflies) of instrumental contributions including drums, cello and piano.

    Thematically the songs hover heavily over heartache, with lyrics written by Sherry and Davis. Sherry’s more straightforward, relatable verses are delivered with a slight gruffness compared to Davis’ more poetically descriptive, obscure language and delicate vocals. The three musicians harmonize beautifully, adding a warmth to even the saddest of songs. Several of the songs pose questions for the introspective: “Little Bird” asks “Do your bones feel hollow? Do you tremble and shake? Do you cry when you’re all alone?” “Kings Road” ponders “What will you tell the dogs of your past? What will you tell the rest of your bloodline pack?” “Montreal” achingly offers “Are we growing apart or are we growing up?”

    Not many songs on this album will induce a stomp and clap barn dance, but the music is gripping. The musicians add weight to their lyrics through beautiful intonation, where seemingly mundane words suddenly become powerful. There is a lot of power in feeling pain. Hardship often leads to metamorphosis.

    Catch The Ghost of Paul Revere as they swing through the southern states into early November before heading up north, where they will play at Rough Trade in NYC on December 2 – be sure to keep an eye out for Monarch, released via Kobalt Music Recordings.

    Key Tracks: Little Bird, Wild Child, Monarch

  • Jeremy Wallace Trio to Perform at Kirkland Art Center

    The Mohawk Valley Blues Society has teamed up with the Kirkland Art Center in Clinton to present the return of the Jeremy Wallace Trio Saturday, Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m.

    Wallace’s sound has been described as edgy and uses his own life experiences as the backdrop for his lyrics. He incorporates elements of folk, rock, country and blues to forge a sound akin to a young Bruce Springsteen or Tom Waits.

    In his formative years, Wallace came under the tutelage of folk legend Dave Van Ronk, the inspiration for the 2013 Coen Brothers film “Inside Llewyn Davis.” Van Ronk exposed the young artist to the music of Leadbelly, Kokomo Arnold and Charlie Patton, sending him away after 18 months with the words, “You got it in you to be a musician, but it doesn’t mean anything. If there’s anything else you can do besides this, do it. The business will break your heart.” Van Ronk once said of Wallace, “He’s one of the most arresting new talents I’ve ever heard. When I hear him I get the same feeling I got the first time I heard Bob Dylan and Arlo Guthrie.”

    Wallace obviously didn’t take his mentor’s advice, putting out three albums, My Lucky Day, She Used to Call Me Honey and his most current release, Suicide Suitcase,mix of original arrangements of traditional songs and new material.

    Wallace’s dark humor and his rock solid band, Matt Gruenberg on bass and Tom Costagliola on drums, will weave tales of woe as well as wistfulness in the intimate setting of the Kirkland Art Center.

    General admission tickets for the 6:30 show are available through Eventbrite or at the door. Tickets are $18 for the general public and $15 for Kirkland Art Center members.

  • Venezuelan-American Folk/Rock singer Daniel Tortoledo Premieres “Eloise”

    Brooklyn-based Venezuelan-American songwriter Daniel Tortoledo has released his latest single “Eloise,” from his upcoming album Throughout These Years.

    Regarding “Eloise,” Daniel Tortoledo noted “When we first started putting it together with the band, I remember challenging the drummer to a bare minimum use of cymbals. Listening to the track today, I think it shows how much it can be accomplished with so little.” Daniel added “Anecdotes aside, I believe and stand behind every word in the lyrics.”

    Daniel Tortoledo EloiseThroughout These Years is Daniel Tortoledo’s first full-length solo album and was recorded in New York City and Boston, and backed up by band members Billy Herron, Cullen Corley, Chris Kyle, Dave Cole and Grant Zubritsky. “I’ve worked in different projects in the past but this one has the most meaning to me because I was able to get out of my comfort zone and hit extreme aspects of my inner self.” he explained. “I feared and loved every decision along the process.”

    Alongside the studio version, Tortoledo has shared an acoustic stripped-down rendition of the song, filmed during an intimate live session in Brooklyn shortly after the songwriter completed a string of West Coast shows.

    Follow Daniel on his website and on Spotify, Facebook, Soundcloud, Instagram, Youtube and Twitter.