NYS Music 20​17

Category: Regions

  • Hearing Aide: Ross Jenssen ‘Stories’

    Future groove group Ross Jenssen put forth their sophomore release February 7, titled Stories. The instrumental nature of the album , sans lyrics, provides a suitable backdrop for listeners to marry their own imagination with the instrumentation. A frantic moodiness looms throughout the EP, keeping the listener ever so slightly on edge. Ross Jenssen (writer/producer), Brian Ross (bass), Sam McGarrity (guitar), Jules Jenssen (drums/moog), and Ricky Tiven (violin on tracks 2,3) are the instrument wielders behind the madness.

    Stories opens with “The Chronicle,” which begins with brooding bass before quick and subtle percussion and guitar distorted with a trace of metal lend the song a sense of urgency. “The Tall Tale” holds a beat that ceaselessly drives the song forward before sliding into its own noodly jam. “The Myth” rounds out the three-track trio with a flurry of wavering tempos that suggest the group couldn’t settle on a cohesive rhythm for the closing tune.

    The songs are similar enough in style that if you were to listen without paying attention to track numbers or knowing this was a three song EP, you could mistake it as one lengthy jam. It’s a bit too repetitive, although the musicianship is crisp and controlled. Recorded at Sub Station Studio in Housatonic, MA, the EP was engineered by Jackson Whalan, Jules Jenssen, Ian Stewart, mixed by Ian Stewart, mastered by Taylor Larson (periphery, veil of maya, FFTL) with album cover by Simon Ban. Get the album here.

    Key Track: The Chronicle

  • Governor Cuomo Releases His Spotify Playlist

    This past week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo released his personal Spotify playlist.

    A typical play by politicians who attempt to appear more as your everyday Joe and connect with the populace, this is an early indication that Governor Cuomo is positioning himself to run for President in 2020.

    Included on the playlist are a variety of born-in-New York artists – a fair amount of Billy Joel, some Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, the Ramones, Jay Z, Alicia Keys, Lou Reed, Pete Seeger and Wild Adriatic. The songs represent the state and popular, agreeable picks without being too controversial. You could call this ‘Dad rock’ but that would be insulting to Dad Rock. What’s missing are NY artists Talking Heads, Goo Goo Dolls, Rick James, 10,000 Maniacs, Cab Colloway. Listen to his selections here.

  • Christopher Lloyd Takes the Audience Back in Time at Proctors

    Confession: I used to mow the lawn while listening to a cassette of the Back to the Future soundtrack. There’s all the great Huey Lewis and the News a pre-teen could ask for, plus that score that brought you right back to Hill Valley. I could step back (or ahead) in time with one of my favorite movies, and thanks to Marty (who had a Sports poster in his room), became a Huey Lewis fan overnight. So when Christopher Lloyd was announced to hold a viewing and conversation with an audience at Proctor’s Theater, naturally this was a can’t miss event for myself and nearly 2000 other Doc Brown fans.

    Christopher LloydBefore the Doc came out, we were treated to some film trivia and the full movie beforehand. Having seen the other two movies in the series nearly as many times as the original, revisiting the original, devoid of time-twisting and altering events from the sequels was like seeing the film for the first time. When the film ended and the curtain lifted, two chairs and a small table were on the stage, to which Christopher Lloyd was welcomed by the audience with a standing ovation. 

    He shared with the audience general thoughts on the film, as well as responded to audience submitted questions. He recounted that people who have met him over the years have told him that the movie was a life-changing event, shifting their careers towards science, engineering, physics and the like. But the movie may never have had the iconic Doc Brown without giving the script a second look while on film location in Mexico City. When he met with director Robert Zemeckis shortly thereafter, they discussed the role, who Doc was and what he would look like. Lloyd revealed that Doc’s look, particularly his hair, was derived from seeing an animated, white haired conductor at a performance of Gustav Holst’s “The Planets.”‘

    With regard to the casting of Michael J. Fox, after 6 weeks of filming with Eric Stoltz as Marty, Lloyd recalled the recasting led to “chemistry that was automatic between us. He was perfect, and it worked out.” Among the three films, his favorite was the finale of the trilogy, partially due to his love of westerns and gaining a love interest in the film. He wishes that not only were true hover boards around today but also that big apparatus Doc is wearing on his head when he first meets Marty in 1955, as well as Mr. Fusion for the conservation aspect.

    Confession: I used to mow the lawn while listening to a cassette of the Back to the Future soundtrack. There's all the great Huey Lewis and the News a pre-teen could ask for, plus that score that brought you right back to Hill Valley. I could step back (or ahead) in time with one of my favorite movies, and thanks to Marty (who had a Sports poster in his room), became a Huey Lewis fan overnight. So when Christopher Lloyd was announced to hold a viewing and conversation with an audience at Proctor's Theater, naturally this was a can't miss event for myself and nearly 2000 other Doc Brown fans. Before the Doc came out, we were treated to some film trivia and the full movie beforehand. Having seen the other two movies in the series nearly as many times as the original, revisiting the original, devoid of time-twisting and altering events from the sequels was like seeing the film for the first time. When the film ended and the curtain lifted, two chairs and a small table were on the stage, to which Christopher Lloyd was welcomed by the audience with a standing ovation.  He shared with the audience general thoughts on the film, as well as responded to audience submitted questions. He recounted that people who have met him over the years have told him that the movie was a life-changing event, shifting their careers towards science, engineering, physics and the like. But the movie may never have had the iconic Doc Brown without giving the script a second look while on film location in Mexico City. When he met with director Robert Zemeckis shortly thereafter, they discussed the role, who Doc was and what he would look like. Lloyd revealed that Doc's look, particularly his hair, was derived from seeing an animated, white haired conductor at a performance of Gustav Holst's "The Planets."' With regard to the casting of Michael J. Fox, after 6 weeks of filming with Eric Stoltz as Marty, Lloyd recalled the recasting led to "chemistry that was automatic between us. He was perfect, and it worked out." Among the three films, his favorite was the finale of the trilogy, partially due to his love of westerns and gaining a love interest in the film. He wishes that not only were true hover boards around today but also that big apparatus Doc is wearing on his head when he first meets Marty in 1955, as well as Mr. Fusion for the conservation aspect. Stepping away from Back to the Future, Lloyd began to discuss other iconic roles, including one that he said he would love to play for the rest of his life, Uncle Fester, from The Addams Family, the comic of which he was a fan of at at early age, and spoke highly of co-star Raul Julia, remarking he was both 'intelligent and gracious.' On Taxi, he played Reverend Jim Ignatowski, initially a one-off appearance where he would marry Latka Gravas (Andy Kaufman) to a prostitute so that he would have a Green Card to remain in the country, but he ended up being a recurring character, and cited the 'Yellow Light' scene as one of his personal favorites. Kaufman, he said, "went to the beat of a different drummer" and could be irritating and odd on the set because that's who he was. He loved the 1998 biopic Man on the Moon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HvmtbZzA40 A theater actor originally, Lloyd said it felt like home to him. He ended up in two or three musicals as well, including singing at 1976 Tony Awards. Theater led to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and eventually to Back to the Future, and the rest is movie history. Christopher Lloyd still sees Michael J. Fox and will meet up with him for a benefit soon for his foundation to promote Parkinson's Research. Speaking of his friend, "He is so brave, he has so much courage and he does not stop. He just keeps going." He used an example of the episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm where Fox appeared as himself, and used his Parkinson's as an excuse to the ire of Larry David. "I admired him being able to do that scene." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI4lFjWoFqc Finally, when asked if he could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself. Given that he was recently married just before Christmas to a woman he had lived with for 12 years, and being married four times prior, he said "I wish I had more wisdom about who I hung out with prior." If only there was time to change the past...Stepping away from Back to the Future, Lloyd began to discuss other iconic roles, including one that he said he would love to play for the rest of his life, Uncle Fester, from The Addams Family, the comic of which he was a fan of at at early age, and spoke highly of co-star Raul Julia, remarking he was both ‘intelligent and gracious.’ On Taxi, he played Reverend Jim Ignatowski, initially a one-off appearance where he would marry Latka Gravas (Andy Kaufman) to a prostitute so that he would have a Green Card to remain in the country, but he ended up being a recurring character, and cited the ‘Yellow Light’ scene as one of his personal favorites. Kaufman, he said, “went to the beat of a different drummer” and could be irritating and odd on the set because that’s who he was. He loved the 1998 biopic Man on the Moon.

    A theater actor originally, Lloyd said it felt like home to him. He ended up in two or three musicals as well, including singing at 1976 Tony Awards. Theater led to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and eventually to Back to the Future, and the rest is movie history.

    Christopher Lloyd still sees Michael J. Fox and will meet up with him for a benefit soon for his foundation to promote Parkinson’s Research. Speaking of his friend, “He is so brave, he has so much courage and he does not stop. He just keeps going.” He used an example of the episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm where Fox appeared as himself, and used his Parkinson’s as an excuse to the ire of Larry David. “I admired him being able to do that scene.”

    Finally, when asked if he could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself. Given that he was recently married just before Christmas to a woman he had lived with for 12 years, and being married four times prior, he said “I wish I had more wisdom about who I hung out with prior.” If only there was time to change the past…

  • The Bad Plus Deliver the Goods at the Egg

    The Swyer Theater at The Egg Center for the Performing Arts is a quaint and ideal setting for laid back musical performances. When The Bad Plus, a three-piece jazz band originally from Minneapolis but now out of New York City, visited the Swyer on Sunday, it was apparent from the start that the band really enjoys playing the room.

    It was a show of minimalism, as the only lights on in the theater were three dimly lit bulbs that focused on the band. The seating area was dark, and nary a sound was made from the crowd except gentle applause at the conclusion of each number. The Bad Plus are billed as an avant-garde jazz trio, but what they delivered on Sunday was far from the righteous, self-centered nature the genre often produces.

    Ethan Iverson handles piano duties, Reid Anderson plays the stand-up bass and Dave King provides the backbeat. Out of the gate King stepped forward and led the band on a funky acoustic exploration that saw a good deal of improvisation, especially from Iverson, who displayed a master ability to use a mix of space and fills to create a very unique mix.

    Throughout the night, Anderson would address the audience and give little anecdotes about what they’re playing. He spoke about how the group got their start by taking popular music, such as Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” and tearing the songs down and arranging them in their jazzy style. I didn’t notice any such songs on Sunday, which added another layer of special to the very unique show. The Bad Plus have released 14 albums, almost entirely consisting of original compositions.

    Just before the encore, Iverson and Anderson linked up for a sort of rockabilly-swing groove that caught me off guard. If the audience hadn’t set the tone early on of high focus and quiet, I would have stood up and danced a little bit. The crowd showed its appreciation by giving a standing ovation that spanned the length between set close and encore start.

    I entered the show without any expectations for the band, but I walked out a new fan of The Bad Plus.

    Setlist: Hear You (Anderson), Self Serve (Iverson), Time After Time (Lauper), Thrift Store Jewelry (King), Inevitable Western (Iverson), Gold Prisms Inc. (King), Law Years (Coleman), The Robots (Kraftwerk), County Seat (Iverson), Seven Minute Mind (Anderson)
    Encore: I Walk the Line – (Cash)

  • Roger Waters Bringing US + THEM Tour to Times Union Center

    Roger Waters will bring Pink Floyd’s historic album The Wall to Albany’s Times Union Center on September 23, 2017, part of the US + THEM tour.

    Waters has toured on Pink Floyd’s The Wall in recent years, and will be performing songs from Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall, Animals, Wish You Were Here and more. The Wall tour came through Upstate in June of 2012, and has even been suggested to be performed on the U.S/Mexico border.

    Tickets for the show go on sale on Monday, February 27 at 10 am through Ticketmaster.

    H/T Q103 Albany

  • Scott Hannay Joins Gubbulidis to Energize Crowd in Cohoes

    It had been quite a weekend for music in Albany thanks to the work of beloved promoter Greg Bell. Jamtronica founders, Particle, brought the heat to The Hollow Bar and Kitchen Friday, February 17 , followed there by Reed Mathis and Electric Beethoven Saturday, February 18. By Sunday evening, the fatigue of the long weekend had set in. But as committed fans, we got up, got dressed and headed up 787 to The Cohoes Music Hall to see Gubbilidis.

    Gubbulidis cohoesThe Twiddle side project, consisting of Mihali Savoulidis and Zdenek Gubb, was both upbeat and positive – the cup of Joe needed to energize this Sunday evening crowd. The added espresso shot was the venue itself. Having only recently come under management by The Palace Theater in Albany, many in attendance were visiting The Cohoes Music Hall for the first time. Built in 1874, the historical theater is the perfect size venue for shows too big for venues like The Hollow, but ones that would be dwarfed by the The Palace Theater. It boasts decorative details and grandeur but the wooden benches, floors and walls give the feeling of an old-timey, western saloon. The environment is thoroughly refreshing for Capital Region music fans growing bored of the same venues night after night.

    Using a loop pedal to layer the elements, Gubbilidis created the sound of a full band. Kicking off the evening with “Apples,” a Twiddle mainstay, Mihali beat boxed to create the percussion while Zdenek played his bass in such a way you’d think it was a lead guitar. “Every Soul” allowed the duo to get serious for a few minutes before letting the silly return with a funky “Brown Chicken Brown Cow.”

    Mihali and Zdenek welcomed Scott Hannay of Mister F to the stage. The 8-bit keys and synthesizer were loud and high pitched but added a fun, video game vibe to Blues Traveler’s “Run Around.” Hannay continued his sit-in for “Mamunes the Faun” before the trio paused for a set break.

    The second set featured an exciting mashup of “No Woman, No Cry,” “Glycerine,” “Farmhouse,” “Wagon Wheel” and “One Day.” Hannay returned to the stage for a cover of ALO’s “Barbeque” and Twiddle’s iconic “Jamflowman.” Zdenek nailed the bass solo and Mihali cranked out the guitar riffs, making this the highlight song of the evening.  The second set wrapped up with “Hattibagen McRat,” a touching tribute to Mihali’s late friend.

    All three men returned to the stage to encore with The Beatles’ “Rocky Raccoon,” which featured a thrilling solo by Hannay and intricate and powerful guitar riffs from Mihali.

    Set 1: Apples, White Light, Every Soul, Brown Chicken, Brown Cow, Run Around*, Mamunes the Faun*

    Set 2: Rivers Drift, No Woman No Cry/Glycerine/Farmhouse/Wagon Wheel/One Day, Zazu’s Flight, Barbeque*, Jamflowman*, Hattibagen McRat*

    Encore: Rocky Raccoon

    * w/ Scott Hannay

  • Hearing Aide: SCHMAVE ‘Painted Post’

    There’s always that one, odd, sunny day at the tail end of winter that breaks away from the routine gloom and darkness characteristic of the past few months. The sun is shining and there isn’t a soul that’s not outside enjoying the weather. SCHMAVE, an indie rock band out of New Paltz, New York, embodies that spirit in their debut album, Painted Post.

    Each track on this seven-song project has a story and is told through seeable lyrics and tangible melodies. While songs like “Drunk” and “Hand Washed Clothing” are reminiscent of Local Natives style rhythm section and melodic structure, songs like “Fruitless” provide a jumpy alternative, creating a refreshing change of pace from the rest of the album.

    Recently, the indie rock music scene has definitely emitted great projects, although most of them visibly try to create for themselves a unique sound that has never been heard before. After a while, the definition of “unique” gets lost among the saturation of bands trying to set themselves apart from the rest. Painted Post proves that a band doesn’t need a completely original sound to get recognition. In effect, SCHMAVE makes a name for itself by simply making good, relatable, honest music.

    As the opening track, “Alfred” symbolizes the rising of the sun with an open chord structure and uplifting melody, the final song, the albums title track, symbolizes the setting of it. This irregular sunny day is now over and tomorrow the weather returns to the dreary winter cold, as spring tries to officially push through to the surface. Yes, tomorrow will not be the same, although those fleeting hours were the perfect remedy to getting through the rest of the season.

    Key Tracks: Drunk, Hand Washed Clothing, Painted Post

  • Albert Cummings Brings Best the of the Blues to Stage One

    The best performances of the blues will always be in an intimate venue. Singing the blues, contrary to it’s name, is about having fun and make the best of sticky situations. Lyrically, artists talk about woes, troubles and sorrows, but the instrumentals are mostly uplifting and emotional.  And when musicians can belt out these feelings to a smaller audience, it feels like a conversation with good friends. Granted, seeing B.B. King play a 10,000 person venue would be a once in a lifetime experience, but it doesn’t compare to paying 20 bucks to sit 20 feet away from a few talented musicians playing some of the most important and influential musical styles ever created. Stage One at the Fairfield Theater Company in Connecticut is just the place to hold concerts like this and fit the bill perfectly for the Albert Cummings band.

    The best way to describe Cummings is a mix between Vaughan and Hendrix. They had the power and modern blues sound of Stevie but with the musical and visual flair of Hendrix. Their recordings are immaculate and unique but seeing them perform live gave their music a bit more magic. They were well rehearsed, energetic, relentless and without these characteristics the show would not have been the same. Causal listeners of the blues may have a notion that blues music is slow or depressing, but it’s not all like that. The patterns were the same, they mostly stuck with a 12 bar blues sound, but managed to make each one interesting and unpredictable.

    There weren’t too many theatrics to the show, but just enough to keep things visually interesting. Stage One just isn’t that type of venue. The light work was mild, no spotlights or grand entrances. Most of the pizzazz came from a very animated drummer and from Cummings himself, who did everything Jimi would have done on stage just short of playing the guitar with his teeth. He would dance around the stage during his solos, swing his arms around and even bowed the neck of his guitar against his mic stand.

    They warmed up with a few of their own compositions like “The Blues Makes Me Feel So Good” which all had a very aggressive attitude and high energy. Drummer Warren Grant gave the performance the energy it needed to keep people energized and interested. Without Grant, the show would have had a completely different attitude. He was a fun character to watch when he got his turn to flaunt during drum fills and the crowd loved it. His aggression is what gave the Stevie Ray vibe to it with his brash but precise style. Bassist Scott Spray gave the low end of the sound a great character as well. He was able to hold the beat and groove effortlessly while still having his own fun.

    The crowd of 60-70 people immediately felt a connection with the band and began shouting out requests and telling Cummings where they came from and how much they love him. The worked their way through the set to a classic B.B. King tune “Three o’clock Blues” to which the crowd reacted very positively too. One woman almost stopped the performance as she screamed out, “getting wetter over here!” The look on Cummings’ face was absolutely priceless.

    One 12 bar blues song after another can get a little monotonous so they were sure to throw in some good old American rock. A steady drum chop from Grant gave the songs a powerful feel, Spray laid low and let Cummings have his fun with his wide array of floor pedal that gave his guitar a nice variety of voices to choose from. He stuck to a few covers including “Hoochie Coochie Man” among others which got a rise out of the crowd. Unfortunately, it was hard to differentiate what was a cover and what was an original recording because there was no set list. When asked what Cummings played that night, he replied, “I have no idea what I played. I don’t use a set list.” That’s not what’s important, though. The groups  attitude and good spirits made for a fantastic show that left the crowd on their feet cheering for an encore.

    Sadly, Cummings won’t spend anymore time in New England and is headed south to finish his tour, but he has a plethora of music to enjoy on multiple platforms including iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and physical CD’s available for purchase on his website.

  • Brantley Gilbert Travels Upstate

    Brantley Gilbert, in support of his fourth studio album, The Devil Don’t Sleep rolled into a sold out Glens Falls Civic Center on Thursday, February 17. The tour, which also featured Brian Davis, Luke Combs and Tucker Beathard featured a massive stage and pyrotechnics from Gilbert’s 18-song set. Glens Falls, also referred to as “Hometown USA,” doesn’t typically showcase many country acts so the arrival of Brantley resulted in a plethora of  camouflage, trucker hat and cowboy boot wearing North Country fans. Brantley lead off the set with “It’s About To Get Dirty” the first release off the fore mentioned Devil which was primarily written by Gilbert and Brian Davis, the opening act. It’s no secret that the title of the album best reflects his daily struggles with temptation, mostly in regards to alcohol. The singer-songwriter has been sober for over five years now and frequently addresses his issues as an addict which positively fuels his fire as an artist.

    Brian Davis played a short, solo and energetic set followed by Luke Combs of “Hurricane” fame which peaked at number 36 on the Billboard’s Country Album chart. Combs, is instantly likable in a high school buddy sort of way and was recently quoted in Rolling Stone saying, “I’ve always been a super regular guy”. “I think there’s kind of a comfortability with me onstage and I think my cool factor is not having one”. It’s a refreshing outlook and reflection for an artist who seems to be on the verge of super stardom.

    It’s certainly worth mentioning that Nashville born artist, Tucker Beathard nearly stole the show from Gilbert. Beathard pushes the boundary between pure country and mainstream rock. His set was entertaining, straight forward and honest which easily won over the capacity crowd. Beathard himself joked about hearing  how he needs to knock the rock down just a bit on this tour but obviously ignores that advice, as he should. With musical inspirations ranging from Blink 182 to Bob Seger, it effortlessly results in something completely pure and original. Beathard finished off his set by handing a fan his guitar and guiding her into playing the last note of the night, truly a class act who should be on the scene for years to come.

    Brantley Gilbert Setlist: It’s About To Get Dirty, My Kinda Party, Country Must Be Country Wide, Rockin’ Chairs, Dirt Road Anthem, My Baby’s Guns N Roses, You Don’t Know Her Like I Do, Small Town Throwdown, Tried To Tell Ya, Once Hell Of An Amen, Outlaw In Me, The Weekend, Take It Outside, Rock Jam, Kick It In The Sticks, Bottoms Up, Carry On My Wayward Son (Intro), Read Me My Rights.

  • Disc Jam 2017 Initial Lineup Announced

    Disc Jam Music Festival 2017 announced the initial lineup for its 7th edition.  The June 8-11 festival returns for the third year to Gardner’s Farm in Stephentown, NY, a Berkshire Mountain town near the Massachusetts border.

    The weekend of music, art and disc golf features more than 60 acts on its twin main stages and two side stages and features headliners The Motet, Break Science Live Band, Dopapod, Turkuaz, Manic Focus, TAUK, Kung Fu, Pink Talking Fish, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Aqueous, Gubbulidis (Twiddle side project), Ghost-Note (Snarky Puppy side project), Electric Beethoven, Consider the Source and Honeycomb.

    The festival’s grounds are home to a 27-hole disc golf course that will play host to a number of tournaments throughout the weekend appealing to the enthusiasts as well as casual players.

    Other announced artists reads like a list of the Northeast’s best talent, including: Yheti, lespecial, Esseks, Brightside, Of the Trees, Spiritual Rez, Roots of Creation, Holly Bowling, Hayley Jane, Agent Lockhart, the Mallett Brothers Band, Strange Machines, Congo Sanchez, Sophistafunk, Wild Adriatic, After Funk, Funky Dawgz, Funk You, Swift Technique, Litz, Calliope Musicals, Earphorik, West End Blend, Teddy Midnight, Mister F, Formula 5, Chromatropic, Annie in the Water, Goose, the Mushroom Cloud, Eggy, Lord Electro, William Thompson Funk Experiment, Ben Silver (Orchard Lounge), Toadface, Saltus, Uncle Bob, DELTAnine, Klassik, Leila, Detox, Tsimba, Zerogravity, Zoologic, Bunk Buddha, Bells & Robes, Icculus, Echo Mecca, Kroma Kode, In Flux, Stephen Lewis, Mether, Qwill, Oogee Wawa, the Other Brothers, Humble Digs, Monotronic, Resin Heads, Big Jon Short, Zack Slik, Political Animals, Schooley Mountain Band and Cal Kehoe.

    Promoter Tony Scavone said of the talent:

    We’ve put together a Who’s Who of Northeast musical talent without straying from our funk/jam roots, while keeping with the times to include the electro-fusion craze that has taken hold of new music being created by today’s fastest rising acts

    In addition to the breadth of music and disc golf, there will also be flow arts workshops, interactive art throughout the grounds and daily yoga sessions. Craft and art vending will be sponsored by PhanArt.

    Early bird tickets are available now at the Disc Jam website for $125. This includes camping and early entry to the grounds. Special VIP packages include a stay at nearby Jiminy Peak.

    Check out Dopapod’s performance with the West End Blend horns from last year’s festival below:

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