NYS Music 20​17

Category: Albany

  • Celebrations Planned Across New York State on May 8 for Anniversary of Grateful Dead Show

    Next week on May 8, Grateful Dead fans around the world will mark the 40th anniversary of one of the most revered and traded shows in the band’s extensive history, that of 5/8/77 at Barton Hall at Cornell University. The show is a thing of legend for fans new and old, an oft listened to show that features numerous stand out versions of classic Dead songs. It has led to Tompkins Country Legislature announcing May 8 as ‘Grateful Dead Day’ and will also feature the release of a book covering the lore of the show, Cornell ’77: The Music, The Myth And The Magnificence Of The Grateful Dead’s Show At Barton Hall.

    may 8 grateful deadListen to the show below and check out the numerous events taking place across New York State to honor this milestone anniversary in Grateful Dead history.

    State Theatre of Ithaca

    Right in the town where the show was held, The State Theatre of Ithaca will hold….

    The event at The State Theatre of Ithaca will feature a special set of acoustic Grateful Dead music performed by Ithaca’s own tribute band, “Terrapin Station”, an official listening party of the 1977 release on the State Theatre’s brand new state-of-the-art sound system, a unique silent auction and a variety of special guests and speakers. In addition to the live music and Grateful Dead celebrations, Cornell University Press and author Peter Conners will also be in attendance chatting to fans about their new book “Cornell 77: The Music, The Myth and The Magnificence of The Grateful Dead’s Concert at Barton Hall”. Signed copies will also be available for purchase at this event.

    Dark Hollow at The Range in Ithaca

    Central New York’s Dark Hollow will perform the 1977 Barton Hall show at Cornell on May 8 for the 40th-anniversary celebration at The Range in Ithaca. Dark Hollow is one of the premier Grateful Dead bands in the Upstate NY area and will be joined by Rick Redington & the Luv, who seamlessly introduce the best aspects of country and folk into a variety of genres.

    Cornell Chimemasters

    In honor of the 40th anniversary, the Cornell Chimes will perform 4 songs from the Grateful Dead repertoire from 6 – 6:30pm on May 8. Fans are encouraged to bring blankets and spread out on the lawn around the tower. At 5:45pm, Dan Klein from the Tompkins County Legislature will read a proclamation declaring May 8, 2017 “Grateful Dead Day in Tompkins County.”Author Peter Conners will be available to sign copies of his new book from Cornell University Press Cornell ’77: The Music, The Myth, and the Magnificence of the Grateful Dead’s Concert at Barton Hall at the Cornell Store from 5:45-6:30pm

    The Cornell Chimes have been the heartbeat of Cornell’s campus life for more than a century, marking the hours and chiming concerts. The original set of nine bells first rang out at the university’s opening ceremonies October 7, 1868. Over time the chime has been recast and expanded to 21 bells; it continues to ring daily concerts, making it one of the largest and most frequently played chimes in the world. This marks the first time The Cornell Chimes will perform works by the Grateful Dead

    The Hollow Bar and Kitchen

    In Albany, Gratefully Yours will recreate the 5/8/77 show at The Hollow Bar and Kitchen with an all-star lineup of Albany musicians including Alex Mazur (Keyboards, Vocals), Adam Czolowski (Guitar, Vocals), Tom Pirozzi (Bass), Rob Schiff (Guitar, Vocals), Jeff Prescott (Drums) and Jessica Barlow (Vocals)

    Rhino Entertainment and The Capitol Theatre Present: 5/8/77 Revisited – A Grateful Dead Dance Party

    Part of the legacy of the Barton Hall performance is the quality of the recording that has circulated, and on May 8, The Capitol Theatre will host a listening party of the just-released “official” recording. The new recording will sound impeccably good through The Cap’s state-of-the art sound system and the new recording will be available for purchase at the event. Rhino Records will be on hand, giving away free stickers, patches, notebooks, and music releases as well. Also in attendance will be Larry Reichman, the “official” photographer of Cornell University on 5/8/77, who will be presenting never-before-seen images from this concert that we’ll be projecting on the walls of the Cap. He will also be promoting his upcoming book that will contain them. Tickets to this performance cost only $6.50 in advance – the original price of tickets for the Barton Hall performance in 1977.

  • Six Places in NY Ranked Among ‘Best Cities for Music Fans’

    Ever wonder where your city measures up when it comes to the music scene? Value Penguin, a company which compiles information for consumers, compared 200 US cities using more than a dozen variables from reputable sources to create a list of best places for music lovers. Six cities in New York State are in the top 30%: Albany, Rochester, Binghamton, New York, Buffalo, and Syracuse.

    Best Cities for Music Fans

    The top 10 cities in the nation are: Nashville, Honolulu, Seattle, Madison WI, Austin TX, Albany, Tuscon, Rochester, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco. Binghamton came in at No. 20, New York City at No. 26, Buffalo/Niagara Falls at No. 43, and Syracuse at No. 56.

    Cities were rated in three categories: Bands, Crowds, and Intangibles. For bands, factors included the number of musicians and bands per capita, the number of recording studios and labels, and the average hourly wage. The crowd category included information about venues, music-related stores, and number of radio stations. The intangible category was a catch-all for miscellaneous info on weather, public transportation, music schools, and closing time for bars, all of which may impact the quality of the music-going experience. Data was pulled from government sources such as the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Department of Commerce. Additional information came from sites such as Music School Central, USA Today, Songwriter Universe, and Fodors. The information spanned the years 2014-2016.

    The Albany area took a high position, thanks in part to venues like Palace Theater, Cohoes Music Hall, The Hollow Bar and Kitchen, Madison Theater, Troy Music Hall, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Proctors Theater, The Massry Center for the Arts, Times Union Center, EMPAC and many more.

    Rochester was not far behind, known by music lovers for the Eastman School of Music, Eastman Theater, Blue Cross Arena, The Bug Jar, The International Jazz Festival, The Record Archive and The House of Guitars, to name a few.

    You can see the complete list and view the data sources at Value Penguin.

  • John Mayer Launches his Search For Everything World Tour

    The musically acclaimed John Mayer kicked off his latest tour at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY on March 31, 2017. This tour is in support of his recently released studio album entitled The Search For Everything.

    Search For EverythingThe format of his concert included five chapters to help guide the audience through the show, which featured songs from his entire repertoire of music. The sets consisted of a digital backdrop that projected different scenes for each song. Mayer began by playing a set with his full band stretching as far back as his 2006 Continuum era to open the show with “Belief” and later playing “I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You).” During this first chapter, in addition to live debuting “Helpless,” Mayer stepped away from his sidekick guitar with a microphone in hand to engage with his audience during “Moving On and Getting Over.” He decided to play the hook back multiple times varying the speed and melody while breaking out unusual dance moves rarely seen in his live performances.

    Not only is John Mayer a brilliant lyricist with a distinguishable voice, but he is also an incredibly talented guitarist. The second chapter of his show was composed of three well-known songs and referred to as the ‘acoustic’ set, allowing him to display his mesmerizing guitar skills. In this chapter specifically, the crowd could be caught singing along to every word of “Daughters” and his infamous cover of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” where he was accompanied by band-mate and fellow guitarist David Ryan Harris.

    Search For EverythingEvery concert on this tour also features songs from John Mayer Trio (JM3) during which Mayer excitedly invites the legendary bass player Pino Paladino and drummer Steve Jordan to perform alongside him. The trio reunited on stage to play both original JM3 songs and covers from the greats such as Chuck Berry and Jimi Hendrix. Each show on this tour features well-known, new and obscure tracks from Mayer’s vast musical library.

    Some highlight performances from the fourth chapter were songs from his earlier record “Why Georgia.” Mayer also reminisced on the making of Paradise Valley before playing the light-hearted “Dear Marie.” After leaving the stage and returning for his full band encore, playing songs like the anticipated “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room,” Mayer exited the stage for what the audience thought was the last time, only to return a few minutes later to booming applause from the audience.

    Search For EverythingFor this final chapter, the entire stage set was transformed into a blank white page except for the word ‘Epilogue’ which flashed on the screen. Mayer appeared alone on stage sitting at a white piano which he used to accompany himself for the final song, “You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me.” At the conclusion of the song, he walked through a stage door in the middle of the white screen that was not visible to the audience, leaving one to wonder if his passage through this door is meant to symbolize his continual Search for Everything.

    Excitement amongst long-time fans started buzzing from the moment Mayer announced his tour. His opening show exceeded my expectations as the emphasis was placed upon the music with a tasteful amount of production elements. I personally can’t wait to see what he has up his sleeve for future shows and encourage all who have the opportunity to see him on this tour.

    Setlist: (Full Band): Belief, Helpless, I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You), Love on the Weekend, Moving On and Getting Over (Acoustic): Daughters, In Your Atmosphere, Free Fallin’ (Trio): Who Did You Think I Was, Promised Land, Wait Until Tomorrow (Full Band Reprise): Blues Run the Game, Queen of California, Edge of Desire, Dear Marie, Why Georgia, In Repair

    Encore: Stitched Up, Slow Dancing in a Burning Room (Epilogue): You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me

  • Hearing Aide: Formula 5 ‘All Points North’

    On All Points North, the new album from Albany jam-rockers Formula 5, ‘North’ is not a physical direction, but a mental state. North is up, and up is good.

    And so we begin with a happy-go-lucky blast of B3 on album-opener “Come Along.” Even a dark turn toward a minor key on the following “Sad Bed” quickly escapes to a frenetic organ and guitar groove that mostly bobs and floats above the surface.

    There are plenty of extended instrumental moments to satisfy fans of the band’s penchant for live improvisation. “Trout Waters Pt I & II” is a two-part instrumental that begins rocking in a Widespread Panic sort of way, climaxes midway with some surprisingly nifty guitar howls, then finishes off with a funk that attempts to match the Headhunters in it’s depth and length but perhaps wanders on too long. “Excalibur” twists and turns in almost disorienting fashion, but always settles back to North. The highlight of the instrumental gymnastics comes in “Q & A,” a near twelve minute multi-section workout that hits all the sweet spots. Early moments borrow elements from Frank Zappa and the Grateful Dead, piano and guitar intermingle in a light and airy mid-section before it all builds to a triumphant finish.

    Though, the best moments on All Points North, Formula 5’s third studio recording, come in the shorter, song-centric tracks. In the jam band world, this is remarkable and refreshing. A sign of maturation and of great things to come for this young band. There’s the feel-good blues of “It Goes…” and the Southern-rock-meets-soul anthem “The Birch Tree.” Strongest of all is the slinky groover, “Do Tell.” Vocals, guitar, keys, horns and cymbal-washed rhythms softly smudge together eliciting the moment where an early morning Sesame Street montage and a late night smokey jazz lounge meet halfway at a time that is either too late or too early. The set finishes strongly with “Figure Out a Feeling,” which finds a happy medium between the band’s songwriting and desire to stretch the limits.

    Key tracks: Do Tell, Q & A, Sad Bed

  • Formula 5 Releases Studio Video of Upcoming Album ‘All Points North’

    NYS Music stopped by Over It Studios in Albany this January and February to catch Formula 5 in the studio recording All Points North, which will be released on April 14 on F5Jams.com. F.Cavone Productions filmed and edited this look at Albany’s rapidly rising jam band.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqS9sBhJhlg

    Themes of death, rebirth, and moving on make All Points North a more introspective album than the band’s previous studio efforts. It also marks a new direction for the band’s sound. Guitarist Joe Davis reflects on the final product, “I think “Q&A” and “Excalibur” are on ode to the old band, having been written by myself and (former keyboardist) Mike McDonald. It’s like a final farewell to the old, mixed in with new styles, such as with “The Birch Tree,” “Do Tell,” “Figure Out a Feeling,” “Trout Waters Pt I & II” and “It Goes…;” that old jammy style is still in us but it’s more mature and reigned in.”

    formula 5 all points northAll Points North was produced, recorded and mixed by Bryan Brundige at Overit Studios in Albany, NY and Mastered by Michael Schoonmaker at Gigantic Mastering. All Points North will be released by Formula 5 on all platforms on April 14 and be available for streaming on F5Jams.com and JEMP Radio.

    Formula 5’s Spring Tour brings them throughout the Northeast, bookending the tour with performances at music festivals Rock n Roll Resort and Disc Jam. In between the band hits familiar Northeast markets with artists including Dead Phish Orchestra, Mister F, Litz, Space Carnival, The Other Brothers, Relative Souls and more. Formula 5 will have a pair of album release shows on April 14 at Pacific Standard Tavern in New Haven, CT and on April 15 at Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, NY.

  • Albany Tulip Festival Brings Minus the Bear and the Delfonics

    The Albany Tulip Festival, now in its 69th year, is the city’s signature spring event featuring a variety of activities for all ages. The music lineup features headliners Minus the Bear and the Delfonics along with several local acts, including Wild Adriatic.

    minus the bearHeld at Albany’s Washington Park, the Tulip Festival showcases local artisans and businesses, available on hand selling their crafts and food. The music is the main attraction with two stages featuring both national and local acts. The main stage headliners are Minus the Bear on Saturday and the Delfonics on Sunday.

    The Mother’s Day Weekend festival kicks off on Saturday, May 13 at 11:30 a.m. with the Tulip Queen coronation ceremony. The Mendelssohn Club of Albany performs during the procession and coronation on the Washington Park Lakehouse Stage. Music on the main stage begins at 1:30 p.m. with local act Wild Adriatic.

    The festival features other musical attractions, including the KidZone stage featuring entertainment for children of all ages. The Albany School of Rock has a tent at the festival where attendees can check out the future of music performing throughout the day.

    69th Annual Tulip Festival Schedule of Events
    Saturday, May 13
    Tulip Queen Coronation Ceremony
    Washington Park Lakehouse Stage
    11:30 a.m. – The Mendelssohn Club of Albany
    11:45 a.m. – Tulip Queen Procession (Begins at formal Tulip Beds by Moses Statue)
    12:00 p.m. – Tulip Queen Coronation (Lakehouse Stage)

    Main Stage
    Washington Park Parade Grounds
    4:30 p.m. – Minus The Bear
    3:00 p.m. – The Palms
    1:30 p.m. – Wild Adriatic

    Local 518 Stage
    Washington Park Lakehouse Stage
    4:45 p.m. – Dryer
    3:30 p.m. – Cannon the Brave
    2:15 p.m. – Jasper
    1:00 p.m. – Maurizio

    Sunday, May 14
    Main Stage
    4:30 p.m. – The Delfonics
    3:00 p.m. – Erin Harkes
    1:30 p.m. – Holly and Evan

    Local 518 Stage
    4:45 p.m. – Ramblin’ Jug Stompers
    3:30 p.m. – Dyer Switch Band
    2:15 p.m. – Sydney Worthley
    1:00 p.m. – Andrew Wheeler & Donna Marie Tritico
    12:00 p.m. – 19th Annual Mother of the Year Award

  • REVIEW: Making up with Adam Levine

    Watching Adam Levine perform with Maroon 5 was a dream come true for me and likely for many of the fans who came to the Times Union Center on Tuesday, March 7. The band had previously cancelled its appearance last September due to the birth of Levine’s first child with wife, Behati Prinsloo.

    Opening the evening was the U.S. Virgin Island group, “R-City” (also known as “Rock City), featuring brothers Theron and Timothy Thomas with a half-hour set of Jamaican based hip-hop, rap, and pop hits from its debut album, “What Dreams Are Made Of.” Upon performing the hit, “Make Up,” the brothers continued to make the show kid-friendly by teaching fans some Virgin Island slang. The crowd went crazy for a medley of songs R-City recorded for other performers —“Replay” (Iyaz), “We Can’t Stop” (Miley Cyrus), “I Don’t Mind” (Usher) and “Pour It Up” (Rihanna). R-City closed out the evening with “Locked Away,” a track that features Levine, of which he would reprise later in the evening.

    A rousing, electrifying drum solo welcomed the crowd to Tinashe and her group of female dancers, as they opened to “Ride Of Your Life,” from her sophomore album, “Nightlife.” In her half hour set, Tinashe also performed hits from Justin Bieber (“Let Me Love You”) and a remix reminiscent of 5th Harmony’s “Work.” before leading on into her own “Company”  and “All Hands on Deck.” The dance choreography from Tinashe and her dancers was great to watch. At one point, they were all in formation dancing to an Beyoncé-inspired rendition of “Single Ladies.”

    By the time the lights dimmed and the music began to blare, the audience was on their feet in anticipation of Maroon 5. Levine and company opened with “Moves Like Jagger.” Levine (guitar/ lead vocals) and his band, featuring Jesse Carmichael (guitar/piano), James Valentine (lead guitar), P.J. Morton (piano), Matt Flynn (drums) and Mickey Madden (bass), wasted no time in getting the audience to sing, video tape, and dance along to a majority of the band’s hits from “Songs About Jane,” “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long,” “Hands All Over,” “Overexposed” and “V.”

    Watching Maroon 5 perform to an almost sold out crowd was an evening I will never forget. Levine’s famous falsetto range was on point for every single song he performed. If you’ve thought watching the band perform with Levine on The Voice was awesome, watching their live performance in person at a live venue is amazing. One of the highlights of the band’s first set was a high-energy performance of “Let’s Dance,” a tribute to the late David Bowie. While another was when Levine gathered the band to center stage for an acapella chorus of “Payphone.”

    The encore featured nothing but an electronic drum kit and a piano. Levine and Valentine opened with an intimate look at the timeless hit, “She Will Be Loved.” Valentine took the lead, performing on acoustic guitar as Levine sang. He dedicated the song to all of the beautiful ladies who came to watch the show. Morton and Flynn joined Levine and Valentine to perform, “Don’t Wanna Know.” After a few more songs, the band closed the evening with yet another tribute —an electrifying homage to Prince. Purple lights flashed and illuminated the stage as each of the members poured their hearts out to perform “Let’s Go Crazy.” Levine stepped up to the challenge, performing Prince’s blistering guitar solo at the end to the crowd’s delight.

    Amy Modesti is a visual artist, photographer and musician who’s dedicated to sharing what’s surrounding her with the rest of the Capital District and beyond. She’s one of the photographers for TheSpot518.

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518.

  • Comedy Works to call Cohoes Music Hall home, Three Acts Already Signed

    After having been a staple in Albany’s comedy entertainment scene for the previous 35 years, Tommy Nicchi picked up his Comedy Works brand in 2016 and moved it up to Saratoga Springs. As he recalled the move last week during a press conference to announce the new partnership between the Comedy Works in Cohoes Music Hall, Nicchi said, “We would only come back for the right reason. And, this building is the right reason.”

    Less than a year after it was announced Cohoes Music Hall was making its return as a viable entertainment hub under the Palace Performing Arts Center Inc., the storied music hall continues to build partnerships that will ensure its lights will remain on.

    Palace Executive Director Holly Brown announced the partnership, Thursday, March 2, along with three scheduled acts to start later this month.

    “Comedy Works will bring a regular series of comedians to a ‘Comedy Works at the Cohoes Music Hall’ series,” said Brown.

    Nick DiPaolo kicks off the series Saturday, March 25. The next act features  former WWE wrestler, and Glens Falls native, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan on Saturday, April 22. And, on Saturday, May 13, Gilbert Gottfried will take to the Cohoes stage.

    Nicchi said he sent photos of the music hall to management firms before making calls out to comedians. The aesthetics of the venue, and its relative close proximity to New York City — where many such acts call home — made for an easy sell.

    “We made three phone calls out, and got these three acts,” said Nicchi.

    The Comedy Works comes back to the greater Capital District with stiff competition. In 2015, the Funny Bone Comedy Club established business in Crossgates Mall. It, too, brings a steady stream of regional and national acts to its stage. However, the partnership between the Palace, Albany’s Park Playhouse, the Comedy Works and Cohoes Music Hall, promises both a constant and eclectic stream of entertainment.

    The Comedy Works is no stranger to bringing national names to the Capital District. Aziz Ansari famously flew into Albany and immediately took to the Comedy Works stage on what was the anchor leg of a eight-hour marathon stretch of performances in August of 2015.

    Brown said she hopes to see at least one live comedy event at the Cohoes Music Hall each month through the new partnership.

    Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse expressed his gratitude for the positive affect Albany’s performing arts group has had on his city.

    “The Palace Theatre has certainly exceeded our expectations,” said Morse, who added that more than 7,000 patrons have visited the revitalized hall since the partnership was announced last September. “And, [it] has become our economic engine that drives success to our downtown.”

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518. is property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.

  • Albany Common Council Greenlights Ownership Transfer of Palace Theatre

    Less than a week after the opening of the Albany Capital Center, ownership of the city’s most storied stage changed hands — the first big step required for the upgrades it needs to expand.

    The Albany Common Council approved the sale of the Palace Theatre to the Palace Performing Arts Center, Inc., the not-for-profit organization which operates it on Monday, March 6. The transition, from a municipally owned venue to privately owned, will secure additional funds for a $65 million expansion and renovation project.

    The Palace’s expansion project is billed as a means of revitalizing its surrounding neighborhood. Once completed, its proposed to enhance traffic to area restaurants and provide a bridge to downtown’s entertainment district from the city’s burgeoning Warehouse District. PPAC estimates there will be an “on-going indirect” annual impact of $10 million on local businesses.

    “The Palace Performing Arts Center is clearly an important driver of the local economy as proven through the theatre’s exceptional growth under the leadership of Holly Brown and her partners at Park Playhouse and Albany Symphony,” Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said in January, when PPAC announced it had secured a labor agreement for the expansion project. “The exciting project will certainly spur additional downtown development, and create an even more dynamic venue for arts and entertainment in the heart of downtown Albany.”

    According to PPAC, the Palace has doubled the number of featured events at the 86-year old theatre in the past five years, from 77 events in 2009-10 to 170 in 2015-16. The Palace is also home of the Park Playhouse, which uses the building space for offices and classes for the community.

    Palace Executive Director Holly Brown and PPAC Chairman Alan Goldberg said they anticipate the proposed expansion to occur in different phases. The first of which will include restoration and expansion of the theatre’s stage and backstage areas, and creation of classroom and rehearsal space. Additional elements of the project includes a new 600-seat theatre, expanded lobby and box offices, a video post-production studio, the addition of a loading dock and rehearsal space.

    In preparation for the expansion, the Palace has spent more than $750,000 to purchase properties along North Pearl Street, and to fund appraisals and various studies to investigate further steps.

    The renovation plans rival those implemented by Schenectady’s Proctors Theatre over the years. Proctors Theatre has about 2600 seats to the Palace’s approximate 2800.
    The city sold the theatre for $750,000, the aggregate value to be paid over the next 30 years. The city first purchased the property for $90,000 shortly after its doors closed in September 1969.
    Over the theatre’s eight decades of operations, it has features iconic figures of both the arts and pop culture. Bob Hope, The Who, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones and Jerry Seinfeld have all taken to the Palace’s stage. The Palace is also the home of the Grammy Award winning Albany Symphony Orchestra.

    The sale of the theatre did receive some opposition from members of the Albany Common Council, who expressed concern the city was not receiving a fair price. Though the PPAC reportedly presented its purchase proposal based on two, separate assessments, Councilmember Frank Commisso, Jr. took to social media hours before the 12-3 vote last Monday.

    “As Mayor Sheehan and her allies on the Albany Common Council are preparing to give away the Palace Theater [sic.], an inconvenient data point is presented,” stated Commisso, attaching an Albany Business Review article reporting the sale of $497,000 sale of the 13,500-square foot eba Dance Theatre on Albany’s Lark Street and Hudson Avenue. Late last week, Commisso announced he will run for Albany Mayor.

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518.

  • Justin Henricks Steps into Role of Bandleader with Wurliday

    Justin Henricks is taking on a new role as a band leader, as the Hart School graduate and Averill Park native will release Bedtime Blazer this May, the first EP for his new project Wurliday. As he leads his first band, Henricks finds himself poised for the next step in a career that has thus far found him as a key player best known for his guitar work in Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan, Way Down and The Chronicles.

    Henricks has played guitar all his life and considers Hartford to be a second home, thanks in part to the music scene that includes Arch Street Music Hall, West End Blend and Boo-yah Funk Night, while back home in Albany, Justin hosted funk night at City Beer Hall in 2016. NYS Music sat down to discuss with Henricks the shift from band member to band leader, performing with Beau Sasser and putting together the Wurliday EP.

    justin henricksPete Mason: Tell me about Wurliday and how the group came together.

    Justin Henricks: Had this idea circulating in my mind for almost a year, and I’ve been taking my time to let it come to fruition in terms of getting the songs written and making this EP that is coming out. I’ve always wanted, its been long due, having my own project that I have creative control over. I spent a lot of time working with Beau (Sasser), and the Escape Plan and The Chronicles. I’ve learned a lot as a sideman and I’m ready to take on my own project. I figured the best way to do so would be to release something, sort of build the groundwork of the band and the internet presence and everything, before the band actually starts. Almost like a Steely Dan approach  I was able to get some incredible musicians and friends together to play on these tunes. Everyone was really supportive and showed me a lot of love during the process. Trying to create something that will go for a while. Really starting to think of the future of this project and create a home base for myself, creatively and band speaking.

    PM: Where did you record the album?

    JH: We recorded at Alan Evans‘ studio Iron Wax in Millers Falls, MA. The album’s cast is nothing short of all-star. He was a pleasure to work with, he was a great engineer, gave his two cents when needed, and really worked with us to make sure we were getting all the sounds we’re trying to hear. I felt like we had two days of initial tracking and got a lot of overdubs done in the first two days. We brought the sessions back to our house with Bryan (Brundige) at his studio, Grandma’s Studio, in The Attic. Between him and I, he helped a lot in terms of lending gear and his engineering skills. We were able to bang out all the vocals

    PM: Who sings on the EP?

    JH: Arielle O’Keefe, her stage name is Girl Blue. She actually co-wrote the record with me, we worked on all the vocals together, she’s extremely great to work with, hoping to move forward with her and play some shows together. She’s singing on three of the tracks and Jennifer Hartswick (TAB) is on the fourth track, and Tyrone Hartzog (The Chronicles) is featured. In my opinion, he’s my favorite male vocal voice to record, it comes through in the recording so well, something about the timbre and the tone about that dude’s voice that sits real well. He’s like Donnie Hathaway. Between that I also went to Paulie Philippone (West End Blend), he helped me a lot with this record. He’s playing all the keys and synth. We took a trip down to his house, it’s called the Funk House, West End Blend Studio in Hartford. We had a couple fun keyboard days where we went over synthesizers.

    wurlidayPM: How did Jennifer Hartswick come to sing on a track?

    JH: I was really excited to get Jen on a track. It kinda happened organically. Arielle wrote the album with me, and we started the vocal tracking sessions for it and while she sounded great, she suggested to look around for a singer for “Getting There.” On a whim I emailed Jen and sent her the track and asked if she’d be interested in doing it because she really has such a powerhouse voice and she can really sit up there in that high register. She got right back and ended up tracking it in Nashville and did a remarkable job. I couldn’t be happier with her performance, she was the sweetest for helping out with that, it was great.

    PM: How and when did your vocals develop?

    JH: I’ve been working on my vocal chops! I look forward to singing some backups and working on it some more in this new project.

    PM: You went to the Hart School and have ties to Hartford, CT.

    JH: Hartford has always been a second home to me. They have their Booya Funk night on Wednesdays. I try to go down there as much as I can. Arch Street Tavern is one of my favorite venues to play. Going to the Hart School I got all my jazz chops from a really traditional program with some great leadership; I was lucky to study under Nat Reeves, Renee McLean and my guitar teacher Rich Goldstein who taught me everything I know.

    PM: After the Hart School you moved back up here?

    JH: Yeah the Chronicles were gigging a lot and I was playing with Way Down, who were my first sort of band that I had a stake of leadership in. It  was all of our bands but I learned a lot about leadership skills and what it means to be a band leader, which makes me so excited to finally get this project off the ground. Really looking forward to taking something and calling it my project.

    PM: How did you go from playing with The Chronicles to playing with Beau Sasser?

    JH: I met Beau because Way Down was opening for Alan Evans’ Playonbrother and Beau invited me out to do one of his funk nights at Bishop’s Lounge in Northampton, MA, He asked me to come out and play. I didn’t know what to expect and he didn’t send me any tunes, it’s kinda Beau’s way. I went out there and it was a very crazy packed jam party. From there Beau and I became really great friends and he wanted to start the Escape Plan and thought it would be cool to have a band with two guitar players. He brought Danny Mayer to the table and Mary Corso, who are both playing in the Eric Krasno Band now. Beau mentioned he wanted a vocalist and I was able to bring Mary, who I went to Hart School with, into the mix. We had maybe half a rehearsal and Mitch Moriber at Tone Wheel Music Group booked us a bunch of shows and off we went. I definitely do owe Beau some credit in introducing me to a lot of these folks who have been kind enough to play some music with me from time to time; pretty much everybody on the record.

    The Escape Plan is fun, for all of us really, I think it was a really nice vehicle. We played some shows and met a lot of great people and we still play from time to time – Beau is with Kung Fu, Danny and Mary are with Eric Krasno Band. It’s been a funny little stepping stone for all of us I think. It’s like the family band at this point, we have a lot of fun when we get together.

    PM: Who are your guitar/musical influences?

    JH: Guitar-wise, George Benson, John Scofield, Wes Montgomery and Grant Green. Musical influences: Earth Wind and Fire, Steely Dan

    PM: You’re 24 and your roots are in Albany. What do you see your goals are by the time you’re 30?

    JH: I would hope that this original project, long term, has gotten to a sustainable point and something I can really call home, and still doing a lot of the same – getting a chance to play with these amazing musicians and making more records. I hope to have a bunch more records under my belt. This is the first go at it – the first recording process that I produced and had creative say over and I like it a lot. So the bug has definitely bitten and I hope to get back in the studio next fall and do Bedtime Blazer, Vol. 2.

    PM: Thinking of the second one already?

    JH: Absolutely.

    PM: What are your thoughts on the Albany scene? How do you see the Albany scene from the point of view of a traveling musician with a base here?

    JH: It’s a tricky thing for sure. What makes a scene, ya know? People going to shows, we certainly have that, The Hollow and Parish Public House are great rock clubs that host a lot of great bands. A lot of bands have called this place home and had a lot of great times here. There’s a lot of great musicians to play with in the area. It’s a bit of an older scene in my experience. There’s a lot of people that for whatever reason ended up here who are heavy dudes and have their resources available to you as a musician to go seek out and play with them. I was on the phone with Skip Parsons not too long ago. Skip has been doing a gig at The Fountain, he’s been holding that gig for like 50 years, every other Saturday, playing old school jazz and sharing a wealth of knowledge of old music. There’s people to play with here and a lot of history.

    PM: There’s so much going on in this town, and the ridicule of calling it ‘Smallbany’ doesn’t help and you realize there are all these musicians tucked away.

    JH: A scene for me is … there’s all these scenes in all these cities, and it’s the people that are in them that matters. With funk night in these other cities – Beau has in Northampton, West End Blend has in Hartford, Kung Fu has in Bridgeport – it’s definitely a staple that I tried to get going in Albany at City Beer Hall last summer. We had some really successful ones, and some not successful ones, but I learned a lot from it, directing a band, being a band leader. That was my gig that I had to prepare for each week, so I learned a lot from that experience too, all building up to this original project I want to start; all learning experiences.