Silly Girl is The Big Takeover’s fourth full-length release since their last album three years ago. Neenee Rushie, a Jamaican-born songwriter and powerhouse singer leads this six-membered band in their musical endeavours. A tight-knit ensemble, made up of two horns including the trombone and saxophone, backs her up. A bass, guitar and drums accompany this unique horn section to create a sonically distinctive sound for the group.
From New Paltz, NY The Big Takeover’s infectious twelve-track Jamaican R&B sound has got everyone grooving along starting with the first song, “Rubber Biscuit.” This opening track doesn’t waste a beat as they begin with a quick drum section by band member Hector Becerra and go immediately into the horns played by Andy Vogt and Chas Montrose. The singing takes a backseat in this song unlike in the track “Things You Do” in which the vocals are definitely noteworthy.
The string instruments, with Kerry Shaw on the guitar and Rob Kissner on bass, play a major role in establishing the head-bobbing rhythm of songs like “Love Understands” and the namesake song, “Silly Girl.” A personal favorite is “Come Before Five” and was released off the record prior to the album release date itself. Its catchy tune just can’t seem to leave my head – but that’s a good thing in music!
With hints of soul and Motown also peaking through in their songs, The Big Takeover successfully join the popular music movement while still paying homage to their influences in reggae and ska music.
Key Tracks: Silly Girl, Love Understands, Come Before Five, Rubber Biscuit
This past Thursday night, February 16, Great Scott welcomed the hip shaking, heart grooving, culturally wide-brimmed (wider than the brim of frontman Ahmed Gallab’s awesome cowboy cap) group known as Sinkane to an excited crowd.
The Brooklyn based band was only on their second stop in their Life & Livin’It tour. And after spending the past month in a rehearsal space in New York City, it was clear Sinkane was eager to show exactly what they had spent their time honing in on, which was nothing short of a very tight, impactful and all around free flowing and positive performance, often extending their songs into engaging jams.
Immediately of interest was the shear size of the crowd. Last time Sinkane trekked their way up to the Bean Town (without the accompaniment of keyboardist and co-singer) they played to a mere ten people, one of which Ahmed Gallab impressively remembered and called out to from the stage in thanks of the support. This time however, the audience packed the venue and it’s a clear case in point of Sinkane’s success with the time acquired in-between. The band has really honed in on their sound, and with Life and Livin’ It, Sinkane is able to exhibit where they truly glow. It isn’t in one particular style in fact. Reggae, psychedelic, jam, funk, world—all of these peak their way into the uniqueness of what is Sinkane. Take their tracks “U’Huh” and “Favorite Song” for example, both off Life and Livin’ It. These take on so much influence from great songs and genres that the outcome is more along the lines of highly cultivated originality.
With the help of one of the opener bands, No BS! Brass Band, for horns, Sinkane even furthered the immensity of their sound. The two groups had actually never performed together, as Gallab was excited to admit, and yet the result was an even fuller and more dynamic, refined sound. This might be something Sinkane wants to consider adapting to their live set next time around on tour, which if history repeats itself will likely be performed to an even bigger crowd.
Sinkane closed with the audience favorite “How We Be,” and afterwards came back on stage for an encore that jammed into the wee early hours of 1:30am. This is a band that simply loves to play. And only the most respect goes to this group who’s shining attributes are giving every musical bone a rattle and shake and spreading some obvious cheer and positivity while doing it.
Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, better known as the electronic duo, Thievery Corporation, have been genre-blending their way from upbeat dance halls to groovy lounges for over two decades. Their new album, The Temple of I & I, which drops on February 10, presents two middle-aged music-heads redefining their sound once again. While their last album, Saudade, took the group to Brazil to gather ideas from their bossa nova upbringing, Temple drops them off on the beautiful beaches of Jamaica in search of inspiration from a higher power.
The roots rock reggae feel can be found immediately as “Thief Rockers” treats listeners to their first hit and much like featured artist Zee’s lyrics indicate, the sound has also “got the magic ganja gonna make your head spin.” The delicate mix of ambient-dub with Jamaican vocals sets the vibe for the remainder of the hour-long Caribbean vacation.
Thievery Corporation is known for eliciting talent from hip-hop to trance backgrounds, and in their new album, they discovered Kingston’s own singer and MC, Racquel Jones. “Letter to the Editor” is the first of two tracks she appears on and her fast paced flow glides well with the disco-dub beat. Long-time collaborator, Mr. Lif, uses his lyrics to tackle worldwide socioeconomic conditions in “Ghetto Matrix.” After a highly political 2016, this protest-tronic piece fits into early 2017 with unfortunate ease. “It’s a complex plan that keeps us confined,” can be easily said about political interest in Jamaica as well as here in the states and around the world.
Our nation’s capitol is where Thievery Corporation calls home and in tracks like “Weapons of Distraction,” “Road Blocks,” and Mr. Lif’s second appearance, and“Fight to Survive,” there are signs of revolt and reaction to injustices from the duo and the supporting artists. While The Temple of I & I could serve as a good sit-down and smoke a joint album, it also works as a stand up and raise a fist mix.
“Strike the Root,” showcases a Thievery Corporation regular, Notch Howell, singing over a dub beat with a horn section that sounds reminiscent to the Star Wars “Force Theme.” “Let The Chalice Blaze” is a timeless track from these electronic kingpins that would fit nicely on to any one of their eight studio albums. The Temple of I & I may be one of their wordiest releases to date, but this instrumental track brings new and old Corp. fans to a safe space.
In reference to the record’s title, Hilton explains, “It is a place of worship that exists only in our imagination.” While the album sounds uniquely different from previous releases, there is the central theme of consciousness and self-reflection that melodically finds its way into most of their work. The eclectic arrangement of varying themes and sonic journeys give each listener a chance to enter one’s own temple.
Key Tracks: Thief Rockers, The Temple of I & I, Let The Chalice Blaze
A uniting sound in a time of discord was found with Los Lobos at The Egg Performing Arts Center in Albany, on Sunday, January 29. The legendary cross-cultural rock n roll group brought out a rising tempo over the course of two sets in the Hart Theater this evening.
The first set was highlighted by “Burn It Down,” while the second set took off with the rockabilly “Train Don’t Stop Here,” highlighted by Conrad Lozano on bass with Cesar Rojas’ vocals. The iconic “Kiko and the Lavender Moon” was soulful and smooth as always, with that haunting accordion from David Hidalgo. “Mas Y Mas,” found the band joined by a guest trombonist and Steve Berlin on trumpet.
“Last Night” brought the crowd to their feet, and featured lyrics from “Turn on Your Lovelight” and a brief horn duel, then segued seamlessly into the Buddy Holly classic “Not Fade Away.” The set ended with a rousing rendition of the Grateful Dead’s “Bertha,” and an encore of Traffic’s “Light Up or Leave Me Alone.” Once again, the timeless Los Lobos sound rocked The Egg, bringing rock n roll and Tejano together to the delight of the audience.
On Friday night in Brooklyn, the sixth annual “Wintercourse” took place at the Knitting Factory. All four bands on the bill had shared practice space and admiration for one another over the years which created a love filled environment on the gloomy Inauguration Day. Fans young and old packed the small venue before the first band entered the stage, proving that time placement had nothing to do with crowd preference or popularity.
Teddy Midnight performed first and instead of simply warming the crowd up, they hot boxed the room! Glow sticks began lighting their way into the crowd during the first song of the evening, “Veni Veni Veni,” off their 2016 release, Velvet Blue. In fact, the set list was heavily layered with songs off the same album, which happens to be their meatiest and most recent release. The four members sonically tasered their fans during the nucleus of the set list when the “Primordial> Velvet Show Jam>Velvet Mist> Tree-O-Tree” combination was played for the first time. Adam Magnan on drums teamed up with Sean McAuley on keys to recreate my childhood in what I can only describe as the theme music from Crusin’ USA for Nintendo 64. Sean Silva added some fuzzy textures by means of the bass and synth throughout the notable jam that lasted for the better half of the set. Guitarist Wiley Griffin announced their final song to the dismay of the audience as “Air BND” followed them off the stage.
The “Ukulele progressive rock band,” Cousin Earth, was the group that I was most excited to see on the bill solely based on the genre description posted on the website. The five-piece consists of Joey Calfa on ukulele, Nate Searing on drums, Corey J. Feldman on Ubass, Tara Lawton on melodica and keys and Terry Brennan on percussion. All of the members handled vocals during the gender blending set that consisted of originals and well-known covers. “Point of No Return” off the 2015 self-titled EP started the set and acted as the padding for the first cover of the night, “Yellow Submarine” by an English band called The Beatles. The spacey “Alive” was up next followed by the reggae-influenced “Train Luck> Inspector Gadget Theme.” Only a handful of songs had been executed and I could already tell that their eclectic sound mixed with the funny, yet thought-provoking lyrics had abducted the room for the duration of their time on stage. My favorite part of the set was the appropriately placed “Another Brick In The Immigration Wall” which mashed up iconic Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin songs into a sing-a-long for the entire venue. Earlier in the day, an unmasked Darth Vader was sworn into the Oval Office, leaving me with a pit in my stomach that only comedy and good music could remedy. Thanks to Cousin Earth, I was able to leave our solar system for a while. As a first time Earthling follower, the group reminded me of a new creation from Taco Bell… it may not have been what I was expecting, but I ate it up and would absolutely order it again.
Voted the “Top 10 Best” AND “Top 10 Worst Names for a Band” in 2016 by CMJ, the jamtronica quartet, Space Bacon, hit the ground running with an almost 20-minute “Wolves” and even with minor technical difficulties, I was shocked to learn that this was their first time performing this beast live. In fact, three of the four songs in their Wintercourse performance were Space Bacon virgins, which made the performance an instant classic set for the up-and-coming funky-electronica group. They transitioned into the commonly played “Jupiter” as Sam Crespo on drums sped up the tempo and created a rave inside the tiny Factory. “Ice Planet” contained elements of trance and hard rock as the band seamlessly segued from one genre to the other. Kevin LeGall’s bass joined paths with Chris Gironda’s keys to knit together a labyrinth of danceable delight. Guitarist Jack Willard asked, “Do you guys want to hear new shit or old shit?” The crowd began calling out for different fan favorites before Willard pronounced, “F*ck you guys, we are doing new shit,” as they launched into “Prologue.” By far the wordiest tune they played on Friday, this new track was welcomed by the cult-like Baconators and at times had a complex Phishy vibe to it. Don’t let the short and sweet set list fool you on paper; this thing had fangs, horns and some kick-ass moves.
Chromatropic finished off the festivities with a unique jazz-fusion jam session spanning their career and highlighting their newest release, Abundance. The frequently played “Bloom” was tackled early on after transitioning out of a crowd-pleasing intro jam. One day when they release a Greatest Hits album, this track will make the cut due to its smooth sailing peaks and valleys. “Habanero” was the first song from the new album and one of my favorites considering I’m all about that bass that Moses Margel is slapping. Each member gets his time to shine during this spicy instrumental capped off by a Danny Caridi keyboard solo that will leave you in search of water. Just as it seemed the band couldn’t get any hotter, they segued into the second half of “The Abundance of Elements” where Andrew Carton showed off his impressive and intricate guitar skills. Mark Potter on midi and drums peppered in samples during the third one off Abundance entitled “Glove.” The soulful and funky jazz piece is part-Vulpeck, part-Thievery Corporation and part The Chainsmokers? You read that correctly. While a high school cheerleader may call “Closer” by The Chainsmokers, “so 2016,” Chromatropic was able to incorporate the cover right into their music and it fit like a glove.
The Brooklyn jam band scene is currently growing at an alarmingly satisfying rate and Friday night in the funkiest of boroughs, I was reminded that America continues to get greater every day. While these four bands may be fighting for the same cause, to make people dance, they are in no way clones of each other. Through their diversity and gender bending identities, they were able to come together and turn a surreal day into a sublime night.
Teddy Midnight Setlist: Veni Veni Veni, Turkish Silva, Trap Haus, Primordial > Velvet Slow Jam > Velvet Mist > Tree-O-Tree*, Air DNB
*Primordial through Tree-0-Tree first time played segue
Cousin Earth Setlist: Point of No Return>Yellow Submarine@>Point of No Return, Alive, Train Luck>Inspector Gadget, When the Dinosaurs Come Back from Outer-space!, Super Fun Laser Beams, I Got This, Another Brick in the Immigrant Wall$, Capricorn on the Cob
@ Beatles cover, ! BELT original, $ Led Zeppelin & Pink Floyd mash-up
Space Bacon Setlist: Wolves*^> Jupiter (end), Ice Planet*, Prologue*
*First time played, ^ bass malfunction, audible’d trio jam
Chromatropic Setlist: Intro> Bloom, Habanero > The Abundance of Elements@>Gaia, Glove> Closer*> Glove
The 120th annual Saranac Lake Winter Carnival will take place this year on Feb. 3-12. NYS Music is proud to present the 10 day line-up for The Waterhole Upstairs Music Lounge, which will feature 16 acts of both local artists and national touring acts.
The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is the longest-running event of its kind in the eastern U.S. Originally established in 1897, the event has since grown into the 10-day celebration that it is today.
The Primate Fiasco uses instruments that are loud without electricity, giving them the opportunity to attack at any moment, in any location, with or without permission. No one is safe, not even an elevator or city bus. If the Primate Fiasco sees a dull moment somewhere, they will pop out of the nearest sewer drain or trash can to lead an irresistible dance party.
On stage, the sound is different. This band has pioneered what is possible with mind-bending accordion, funky pockets of a hyperactive Sousaphone player, and banjo that thinks it’s a Fender Strat. Add lyrics that grab hold of even the most inattentive audience and beats that channel surf like a remote that’s been sat upon. The music is always high energy and extremely imaginative. Most importantly, this is fun. People smile from the first beat to the last smoldering ash of what was previously a dance floor.
Annie in the Water’s music is a groovy combination of reggae, funk, rock, blues and jam, written with a conscious dose of positive vibes, unique melodies and intelligent lyrics. With the ability to fill an entire night with original music and also render well-known covers into a signature style, fans share extraordinary experiences that can’t be seen anywhere else.
After nine years performing more than 600 shows in over 13 states, the original duo of founding members Brad Hester and Michael Lashomb also lead a full band that will shock your soul into euphoria. The full band line-up includes featured members Joshua West (formerly of Lucid) on drums/percussion, Dillon Goodfriend (Fox Richardson) on keys/backing and Anthony Leombruno (Capital Zen) on Bass. Occasionally the lineup may feature percussionist Bill Bentz (Exit 30) and various woodwind or brass members.
Lucid decided to take a hiatus from touring in early 2016, after 13 years on the road. The band’s culminating performance in April captivated a sold out crowd at the newly renovated Strand Theater, in their hometown of Plattsburgh NY. Lucid’s only other appearance last year was at their home festival Backwoods Pondfest in Peru, NY. One of the reasons the band wanted to take a break from touring was so they could slow down and be more deliberate in their choice of venues and events. When asked about playing Winter Carnival in Saranac Lake, Lowell Wurster said “All the guys were really excited at the idea. We have been playing the Waterhole for many years, and we love Saranac Lake and the people who live there. We always have a blast up in the mountains; it truly is our second home.” In addition to a genuine love for the Adirondacks, the Waterhole has special meaning to Lucid because of its proprietors, Eric & Kiki. “They have done a stellar job keeping the music alive up there. The bands they are bringing in have raised the bar in the North Country music scene, and we are so excited to be a part of what they are creating. We want to help them keep the momentum building, ”
Eastbound Jesus draws on a mix of diverse influences from the worlds of bluegrass, country and rock and roll to develop their own sound that is at the same time distinctly familiar and completely original, one that they have dubbed “Northern Rock,” These six friends from the rural upstate New York town of Greenwich have released four studio albums and a live album over the past five years, all while packing venues across the northeast with an infectious energy that gets people smiling, dancing, and hollerin’!
Donna the Buffalo just celebrated their 25th year as a band and have proven to be a consistent purveyor of American music. What’s the recipe? To be sure, it’s infused with more spices than you’ll find at a Cajun cookout by way of a southern-fried, rockin’ country old-time jamboree. “For the dizzying array of styles and genres with which they work, Donna The Buffalo maintain a surprising level of consistency. The New York-based band has played around with folk, zydeco, and many other musical ideas over the course of their 25-year career, but they retain a sharp focus that has helped them create some truly lasting music,” writes Elmore Magazine.
If any band is a poster child for turning the power of positive thoughts and intention into reality, it’s the explosive horn-and-percussion trio Moon Hooch. In just a few short years, the group—Wilbur, fellow horn player Wenzl McGowen, and drummer James Muschler—has gone from playing on New York City subway platforms to touring with the likes of Beats Antique, They Might Be Giants, and Lotus, as well as selling out their own headline shows in major venues around the country. On Red Sky, their third and most adventurous album to date, the band uses everything they’ve learned from their whirlwind journey to push their sound to new heights, bringing together the raw, transcendent energy of their live performances and the sleek sophistication of their studio work into a singular, intoxicating brew that blends elements of virtuoso jazz, groovy funk, and pulse-pounding electronic dance music.
Currently based out of Massachusetts, the vocal cord conductor known as Honeycomb has quickly risen to the top of the food chain of northeast beatboxers, placing 13th in the 2015 American Beatbox Championships. With a unique approach as an equally versed music producer, and a frequent collaborator in both the live and studio settings, Honeycomb has built a sound fan base for himself through original productions and ear popping performances.
Jiggawaltz is a six piece band hailing from Burlington, VT and Upstate NY focused on performance, engaging their audience with tightly woven compositions and elegant sections of improvisation. Fusing together many influences including classic rock, funk, electronic dance music, Latin jazz, soul, disco, and metal to create a unique pallet of sounds sure to entertain audiences from all walks of life. With original songs that uniquely decorate time with melody and harmony and a large repertoire of covers, Jiggawaltz often blends songs together to create a rich collage of sound.
Spirit Family Reunion is a touring band based out of New York that aims to deliver raw, high-energy honest music. They have self-produced and self-released two full-length albums (No Separation in 2012 and Hands Together in 2015) as well as multiple songbooks and other collections of recordings.
Folkfaces is a group out of Buffalo, NY that plays a rowdy blend of rootsy folk, jazz, and blues, fusing classic forms with contemporary feelings and irresistibly danceable energy. Their inspiration comes from the mountains of Appalachia to the deltas of Mississippi, the swamps of Louisiana to the concrete jungle of the Rustbelt. Specializing in merriment and sticking it to the system, Folkfaces make the crowd dance and the hierarchy shatter.
Swampcandy is an internationally touring, primitive blues influenced Americana duo. Ruben Dobbs’ aggressive finger-picking and rhythmic style (which often adds up to sounding like more than one guitar) combined with Joey Mitchell’s bass playing, pounding kick drum and percussive bass throttling (representing the presence of a full drum kit) easily fill up the sonic space normally created by a trio or even a four-piece. Dobbs’ soulful, passionate vocals are the glue that holds it all together and makes the band tick.
Since their conception, ten piece funk/soul band West End Blend has been playing their version of funk and soul in venues all over the Northeast. Fronted by vocalist Erica Bryan, the band pays homage to classic throwback sounds while adding their own distinct vibe and flair. Behind her, the Blend packs a four-piece horn section, two guitars, bass, keyboards and drums onto stages every night. From humble beginnings in an epic sweaty funky basement dance party, the Blend’s goal has always been to bring that same atmosphere to every show.
To understand Bella’s Bartok, imagine what you would get if Salvador Dali and Toulouse Lautrec were fronting the Moulin Rouge’s house band, and you have the exuberant spectacle that is Bella’s Bartok. Described as “about as much fun as you can have with your pants on” (Dan Wolovick, Two Way Monologues), this six-piece powerhouse melds Bohemian Klezmer punk with pop sensibilities into an eminently danceable party. The diversity of musicians that make up Bella’s Bartok, combined with their boundless energy on stage, has been known to break a dance floor, or two (or three, but who’s counting?). Their sound moves way beyond labels, pushing the envelope towards the darker side of Eastern European music, referencing Vaudeville and 20th century eclecticism.
February 12– Folkfaces
Folkfaces is a group out of Buffalo, NY that plays a rowdy blend of rootsy Folk, Jazz, and Blues – fusing classic forms with contemporary feelings and irresistibly danceable energy. Their inspiration comes from the mountains of Appalachia to the deltas of Mississippi, the swamps of Louisiana to the Concrete Jungle of the Rustbelt. Specializing in merriment and sticking it to the system, Folkfaces make the crowd dance and the hierarchy shatter.
Legendary band Rusted Root found their way back to Syracuse, NY to finish off the year at The Westcott Theater with local band Boogie Low. The band is an emerging Central NY band that brought an organic mix of reggae, rock, and jam to the stage awakening music fans from their winter hibernation. Ironically they certainly caused “high amounts of boogie” on the dance floor, leading up to Rusted Roots arrival.
Catch Rusted Root at their upcoming shows in February in Eastern, NY. Get your tickets here.
You can also see Boogie Low open up for Max Creek in Syracuse, NY on February 17! Get your tickets here.
Boogie Low will also be releasing their debut album in February.
The 120th annual Saranac Lake Winter Carnival will take place this year on Feb. 3-12. NYS Music is proud to present the 10 day line-up for 
Currently based out of Massachusetts, the vocal cord conductor known as 
Spirit Family Reunion
Since their conception, ten piece funk/soul band 
To understand 
