It should come at no surprise that there is a staggering amount of music roaring into New York the weekend of New Years Eve. One noteworthy music venue illustrating this trend is Anthology in Rochester, bringing concertgoers a three-night music marathon over New Years. On Friday, Dec. 29, Rubblebucket soars into Rochester with special guest, Cuddle Magic. Following that, Forever Party, a two night reggae-infused New Year’s celebration will thunder into the humble city on Dec. 30 and 31. Night one of Forever Party will showcase Ithaca’s reggae juggernaut John Brown’s Body and co-headliner, Rochester’s Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad. Thunder Body, another Rochester reggae powerhouse will open up the night. On night two, G.P.G.D.S. will perform again with the legendary Easy Star All-Stars headlining and the Saplings opening up the night. It’s safe to say harmonious melodies will echo through the streets New Year’s weekend.
Indie-dance sensations Rubblebucket of Brooklyn, have developed a cult-like following in Rochester, stopping by the city annually ever since they began creating music extensively over ten years ago. Rubblebucket is set to entertain its audience with the harmonious bliss of howling vocals, a horn section, and a crunchy synth. Rubblebucket’s eccentric take on funk and pop music fuses into a genre better left undefined. Dec.29 is just the beginning of NYE at Anthology in Rochester.
Dec. 30, night one of Forever Party, marks John Brown’s Body’s second to last show before taking an indefinite hiatus. This hiatus will hold a place in New York history as it may mark the end of John Brown Body’s nearly 25 year journey. Since their formation in the mid 1990s, J.B.B. has spearheaded the resurgence of roots and dub throughout the region, modernizing the genre, and keeping it relevant with their “Future Roots” style. This bittersweet evening will be their last headlining show for the foreseeable future. Dec. 31 will be their final show indefinitely as they open for Stick Figure at the House Of Blues in Boston.
On Dec.31, New York City’s Easy Star All-Stars will play their internationally recognized album, Dub Side Of The Moon in its entirety. For those who missed the pun, the album is a Reggae/Dub interpretation of Pink Floyd’s historic Dark Side Of The Moon. Easy Star All-Stars masterfully echoes Pink Floyd’s mysterious psychedelia through the lens of a Jamaican rude-boy.
Following the Easy Star All-Stars on night two of Forever Party, the proverbial reggae torch will passed to Rochester’s Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad for their second night in a row. G.P.G.D.S started rocking roots reggae in the mid 2000’s, creating a buzz by regularly touring and opening for John Brown’s Body. Rightfully earned, the young band grew into one of the most respected reggae acts in the U. S. Their seamless ability to cross between the genres of reggae, jam, and country has earned them the reign of Rochester’s top music festival band. On Dec. 31, G.P.G.D.S will hold the torch as they return to set the city of Rochester aflame on New Years day.
We’re proud to know that New York is one of the greatest states in the country, if not THE greatest state, for producing musicians and second to none live music experiences. All throughout The Empire State, venues across the state in villages, towns and cities are filled each night with up and coming and established musicians, with something new right around the corner. Your new favorite band might be playing in town tonight, and a few towns over tomorrow, and these are the artists that you can catch early and often, before they rise to stardom. We asked NYS Music’s staff and contributors, along with our readers, what they considered to be the Music Town in New York for 2017, and the winners both come from Western New York, Rochester and Buffalo.
The venues are not the only reason why New York is such a great place for music. With the amount of national, regional and local acts touring through the state, we get the chance see bands and artists rise from their infancy playing bars and small clubs to playing larger theaters and arenas. In addition to the best music towns, we also asked our staff and readers for what they think are the acts to which we should pay the most attention.
Best Music Town – Staff Pick
Rochester
Western New York had a dominant winner in Rochester as our staff pick of Best Music Town in the state. Rochester’s overall music scene might be one of the most complete in the state, with music legends teaching at the Eastman and Hochstein Schools of Music, the legendary House of Guitars which attracts musicians from around the world, plus venues that cater to a wide variety of music, aiding in the building of a strong scene. The Flour City’s proximity to Buffalo and Toronto also makes it a popular stomping ground for indie bands just starting out, and right off I-90 they bring in touring bands criss-crossing the state. Then there are the talented musicians in obscure bands that are just getting their start, leading to a great deal of artist collaboration, supporting each other as they rise in their respective parts of the overall scene.
Between cafes, bars, theaters, and parks, live music is prominent throughout the Greater Rochester area. Events like Rochester Fringe, Xerox Rochester International Jazz Fest, Lilac Festival, Park Ave Fest, and Corn Hill Festival keep the city alive from the spring through the autumn, touching on every genre. Funk n Waffles Music Hall opened earlier this year in the former Water Street Music Hall, serving up live music with a side of waffles. The Dome Arena also re-opened this year, providing a larger venue for national acts. Three Heads Brewing has attracted a consistent slate of bands that pair well with any of the brewery’s tasty offerings. The Main Street Armory, Flour City Station, The Bug Jar, Photo City Improv, and Montage Music Hall are a regular spots for catching touring bands passing through town as well as local bands providing support. The Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, home of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, offers a range of world-class events in one of the most beautiful venues in the state.
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
Rochester is a breeding ground for talent. Rochester has a surprisingly large metal scene, one that is #4 in the country for metal bands, including punk band Primitive Screwheads, death metal band Gutted Alive, and hardcore band REPS. It is a point of pride for Rochester metal fans that Metallica came here to record there first album in 1983. Then there are some lesser-known and up-and-coming acts like Lost Wax Collective, Such Gold, Maybird, St Phillip’s Escalator, Total Yuppies, Tart Vandelay, Area Natives, The Medicinals, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, The Crooked North, Dirty Blanket, Periodic Table of Elephants, The Demos, The Dirty Pennies, So Last Year, Nerds In Denial, Carpool, Druse, Taking Meds, and Talking Under Water. Top notch music education has cultivated phenomenal young talent, such as Pilot the Universe, a band whose members are still in high school but already making waves, and 12-year-old Jack West, who recently had an opportunity to sing on stage with Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Rochester bands are also getting national and international exposure. Rochester’s King Buffalo toured North America and Europe this summer with Elder. Following the release of their second album, Content, Joywave crossed the country twice this year – playing in support of Young The Giant and then again on a headlining tour. And Bon Iver chose local singer/songwriter/harpist Mikaela Davis to provide support on their European jaunt this year.
Many famous musicians have called the 585 home, including Lou Gramm (a founding member of Foreigner), Gary Lewis of Gary Lewis & The Playboys, The Chesterfield Kings, composer Samuel Adler, Jazz Brothers Chuck and Gap Mangione, bluesman Joe Beard, and acclaimed drummer Steve Gadd. The roots of Rochester’s music scene can be traced back over a hundred years, to artists like blues legend Son House and jazz musician Cab Calloway. The Rochester Hall of Fame has inducted Beard, Adler, Lewis, and Gramm, House and Calloway, as well as Lew Soloff, who taught at the Eastman School of Music after his many years in Earth, Wind and Fire.
There’s something for every musical taste in Rochester, whether you’re a lucky resident or visitor.
Best Music Town – Reader’s Pick
Buffalo
Buffalo, being the second largest city in the state and one of the largest in their region of the country, sees a lot of music come through its various venues, ranging from small clubs and bars to the large New Era Field. Buffablog organizes an annual event Herd Fest, a SXSW-style multi-venue showcase featuring some of the best musicians in the region. This year’s WLKK holiday music festival stretched out over three days. Then there are numerous venues including Nietzche’s, Tralf Music Hall, Shea’s Buffalo, Canalside, Kleinhans Music Hall, Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Mohawk Place, Town Ballroom, Buffalo Iron Works, Sugar City, Key Bank Center, and first year fest Cobblestone Live.
Many popular music acts got their start in Buffalo including the Goo Goo Dolls and Spyro Gyra. One of the current popular bands, Aqueous, whose latest EP, Best in Show, was our staff pick for album of the year and named once again to be a Band on the Rise by our readers. And a wide variety of artists having gained or gaining a fan base from the Queen City. NYS Music 87/90 artists Intrepid Travelers and Folkfaces, folk rock icon Ani DiFranco, Rick James, Cannibal Corpse, Cute Is What We Aim For, Every Time I Die, On The Cinder, Del Paxton, Green Jelly, moe., Willie Nile, Billy Sheehan, and Wyatt Coin.
Grammy Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra has shared their stage at the landmark Kleinhan’s Music Hall with such greats as Sergei Rachmaninoff, Aaron Copland, and Yo-Yo Ma. With venues catering to a young adult audience, from the all-ages Sugar City to shows on the SUNY Fredonia campus, Buffalo is a fertile market for twenty-something alternative bands like Head North, Super American, MAGS, Previous Love, Ugly Sun, Made Violent, and Mason-Jar.)
Buffalo is also home to recording studios who help regional artists lay down their work, but are talented enough to attract major recording artists. GCR Audio is a state of the art recording studio which attracts local as well as big-name artists, with a list of clients which includes A-listers like James Taylor, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Lil Wayne. Outer Limits Recording Studio has been serving regional and national artists for more than two decades, and its client list includes Eminem.
But more than just the brick and mortar venues and studios, it’s the sense of community that makes the Buffalo music scene great. Artists are supportive of each other, cross-promote, and join in collaborative efforts between musicians to help each other create and grow. Overall, the bands, venues, and industry professionals are conscientious of the needs of audience members to not only have fun but also to provide a safe environment.
As I sat in Anthology in Rochester, NY waiting for Victor Wooten to speak with me I had no idea what to expect. The crew setup the stage across the room to get everything ready for the upcoming soundcheck, but there was no sign of Victor. I sat and pondered how different the room would be in a few hours once it was filled up with enthused fans, and enjoyed the calm before the storm on the large, open dance floor. Victor walked in the front doors the same way I did, with a cup of coffee in his hand and a sigh of relief escaping the cold. Without hesitation he walked over to me, asked if I was conducting the interview, smiled and shook my hand as he introduced himself (as if I didn’t know who he was).
Interviewing Victor was less an “interview” and more a conversation. When he spoke, his big brown eyes locked in with mine, and it truly felt like we were the only two in the room. He is a genuinely caring individual who’s love for his craft and dedication to art was evident with every word he spoke. To him, music is about openness, letting go of your ego, and creating magic. He was ecstatic to speak about each project he was working on, and his passion for life and music is something he carries openly with him. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend a half hour sitting down one on one with a music legend of his stature. Below is our full conversation:
Ryan Randazzo: You recently released a new album, Trypnotyx, what inspired you to assemble this particular group of musicians to record this album?
Victor Wooten: I played with these two guys, together, with a jazz guitarist named Mike Stern. Immediately I knew I’d love to do some of my own music with them, so the germ of the idea started years ago. With everyone’s schedules, the time was now right to do it.
RR: When you recorded this album what was the process like? Was it different from other projects you’ve worked on or recording with the Flecktones?
VW: A little bit different from the Flecktones, but very similar to recording my own records. A lot of it is me in the studio by myself working on ideas, then sending them to the other guys to add things to or see what they think. Bob Franceschini, the saxophone player, was doing the same thing; he was coming up with ideas as well. With the Flecktones, we do a lot in the studio together, but because of Bob and Dennis Chamber’s schedules, a lot of it was separately done. Mostly the writing, then we would get together and get parts recorded.
RR: It sounds like technology has made it a lot easier to get things done.
VW: Absolutely. Technology is amazing these days. I would say even more than not, records are done separately. At least for me, it’s rare that I’m in the studio with the whole band.
RR: Do you prefer recording separately?
VW: In many cases yes because then I can record on my own terms in my own studio. I can go up and have dinner with my kids then go back down to the studio. Also, I can take my time getting my parts together rather than having to work on someone else’s stuff, but I like both. There’s nothing like having other people in the studio to collaborate with.
RR: Playing with the trio requires you to fill a lot more space. Do you prefer playing with the trio or a bigger band, and what are some of the differences you’ve noticed as a bass player?
VW: I’m lucky to play in many different situations. I like them all. When the band is bigger I have to do less, which is nice. With a trio like this, and there’s no chordal instrument, I have to do more like playing chords and melodies, but the challenge here is to not feel like I have to fill up all the space. Space is beautiful and it’s easy to go “oh it’s a trio, I better play more.” Sometimes it’s playing less that allows the trio to sound its best, so it’s a challenge.
RR: What do you typically prefer?
VW: I just like choices. If I did one thing all the time I would long for the other. The fact that I get to do a lot of different things keeps me musically happy.
RR: As a well-respected musician, who do you look up to at this point in your life?
VW: I have lots of heroes. There are lots of guys I learned things from growing up. I could name the normal names like Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius, before that even James Jamerson, Bootsy Collins, Larry Graham, Paul McCartney; I could just go on. Also, people that I grew up with, and they’re names you’ll never know, that taught me just as much because they helped me grow as a youngster.
The biggest influences were my four older brothers. That’s the whole reason that I played. I was born into a band, literally. They all played different instruments. Regi plays guitar. Roy aka “Future Man” from Bela Fleck and the Flecktones is a drummer. Rudy, the lesser known of the brothers, passed away a few years ago and was our saxophone player, and Joseph is the keyboard player. Joseph has been touring with the Steve Miller Band since 1993. We played as a band the first half of my life.
RR: Do you have any particular mentor or a go-to person you like to bounce ideas off of?
VW: My brothers are still those mentors. I also have a few other friends. One guy names Steve Bailey. Steve is now the chair of the bass department at the Berkeley College of Music. Another close friend who lives in upstate New York, Dave Welsch, he’s another bassist and teacher. Anthony Wellington is another great bassist and teacher. Steve, Anthony, Dave and I have been teaching together at my own music camp since the year 2000. We always keep in touch with each other to bounce ideas and teach together. Then I’ve got my brothers, and it’s always good to have people like that close.
RR: What is the biggest challenge you faced as a growing musician, and is it something you still encounter today?
VW: Today, my biggest challenge is finding time at home with my kids and my wife. Because I’m successful at what I’m doing, it keeps me on the road a lot of the time. I miss my kids and my family, and they miss me. That’s really the biggest one.
Another one is to try and sell a record. We’re in the record making business, but people don’t buy many records these days. The younger generation expects the music to be free, and that doesn’t make it easy for us. People aren’t buying as much music and they’re not going out to see as much music, but they still want music. As a music maker we face that challenge. For a lot people, if you come to town they have a choice to watch a video on YouTube or go see a show. They can say “I’ll watch it tomorrow” knowing that someone is going to record it. Back in our day, we didn’t have that choice. If someone was coming to town we were there. We didn’t know when or if we would see that person again, so it was a special event when someone came to town. It’s not as special for the young audience anymore.
At the same time, I’ll add this: our generation was different from our parents. Every generation changes. I don’t want to be the old guy complaining about how good it used to be. I want to learn the new way and figure out how I fit into it rather than complain, but at the same time make changes and fix things where we can.
RR: Do you have any daily or pre-show rituals that you do?
VW: Nope, none at all, except to try to be open, calm, and in a good mindset. I have to not be worried or frustrated, and just be calm so the music can flow. I don’t have anything I normally do every time, because if for some reason one day I can’t do it I might get upset or worried. The way I look at it, I’ve been playing bass for about 51 years. I should be ready and warmed up by now.
RR: You’re currently playing with your trio and you’ll be going on tour with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones over the summer, what’s the biggest difference you’ve noticed playing with the two bands?
VW: The biggest difference doesn’t have a lot to do with playing. This band has my name on it, so I have way more responsibilities. With the Flecktones, even though Bela treats all the members equally, I’m still just the bass player. There is a lot less responsibility. That’s nice after coming off many months of being in charge, for lack of a better word. It goes back to me having choices. I like doing my own thing, and I like not having to do my own thing. That’s the biggest difference. The music is different, of course, but it’s fun. Each project is very fun musically, and I really enjoy both of them.
RR: You’ve been really big on music education over the years. What inspired you get into that?
VW: It kind of found me in the late 80’s and early 90’s when Bela Fleck and the Flecktones started becoming more popular. I started becoming more and more popular, and was featured in Bass Player magazine a lot. I found out that if you’re in there enough times people think you must be good, so I started getting asked to do workshops. I had to figure out how to teach what I did. I just learned to play organically, the same way you learn to speak. When you learned to speak you didn’t practice, and no one told you what words to learn first, you just jammed with people all the time. You jammed with people who were better at it then you, and it was the same way I grew up playing the bass with people who were better than me. That’s the fastest, most natural way to learn.
When I started being asked to teach I had to learn how to do it. One of the things I did was start looking at other teachers, and what/how they were teaching. I saw things I liked, but I decided to go a different route. I decided to teach the things that weren’t being taught. Basically, it was anything other than the twelve notes that we use. Most people were teaching twelve notes, and we call that music theory. Music theory, for the most part, only deals with twelve notes and focuses on scales, chords, key signatures, harmony, ear training, and what not, but no one dances to notes. No one jumps up just because a song is in E flat. So what else is there besides notes? That’s what intrigued me, so I started focusing on mostly that. It resonated with a lot of people, and they were asking for more. That’s what resulted in my book called “The Music Lesson.” Many of the lessons I came up with were put into stories.
RR: You’ve played with many people over the years, but is there any particular jam or event that stands out in your mind?
VW: There are a bunch, yeah. Last December, almost a year ago from now, getting to play with Chick Corea for a couple of weeks in a couple of different bands to celebrate his 75th birthday. I got to play in two of those bands, and it was amazing. In one of them I was playing the upright bass, which is not something I do much, but he called me in to do it, so I said okay.
Opening for the Grateful Dead was amazing. I’m not the biggest fan of their music, but I am the biggest fan of them. To open for such a legendary show like that on New Year’s Eve was great. From that spawned me playing with bands like Dave Matthews Band, Phish, and getting to play with all of those kinds of bands. One of my favorites was getting to play with two of my bass heroes Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller. We made an album together titled ‘SMV.’ A lot of times getting to play with my heroes is the biggest treat. But growing up playing with my brothers, and getting to play with Bela Fleck for almost 30 years now, those things are just as special.
Honestly though, the most special gig is the one I’m doing next. All the past ones are just warm ups, training ground, for the one I’m about to do. I need to treat the one I’m about to do as the most special gig ever, or else I feel I’m not giving the audience the full experience they deserve. So really, the most important gig is the one I’m doing or about to do.
RR: What advice do you have for young musicians?
VW: Listen. The same way we learn to speak is by listening. Play more than you practice, find people to jam with, go to hear music, and learn as much as you can, but don’t let learning about music rob you of the enjoyment.
RR: It sounds like this trio is something you’ve wanted to do for a while, are there any other projects you’ve been thinking about that you really want to do?
VW: Oh yeah, lots. One is an acoustic album featuring different acoustic instruments and an acoustic bass. I still have a plan for that. I also want to do a tour with students from my camps, which would be a lot of fun. I usually stay in touch with many of my students, and they make sure of it. They show up at my gigs, and find me on Facebook. Many of them are out doing major gigs themselves.
I have a lot of projects and records I want to do. I still want to do a record with my three remaining brothers, and we’re actually recording something right now.
RR: Is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers?
VW: Just to let people know they can go to my website and sign up for my camps. We’re about to start our 19th year, and it’s easy to register. Either go to www.VictorWooten.com or you can go straight to the camp website, www.Vixcamps.com. You can just go on and sign up, no audition is required or anything like that.
RR: You have a very large group of students with a very diverse span of knowledge, how do you handle that?
VW: The same way you learn to talk with other kids. You learn much quicker when you talk to people who are older. We apply the same idea to our camp. It benefits both the beginner and more advanced players. For the more advanced players, it allows the people who are stuck to see beginners learning their craft and it inspires them. The most difficult part about that, for me, is finding teachers who are comfortable teaching a group whose ranges of knowledge are so different, and fortunately I’ve found those people.
Our camps our different. I wouldn’t say they’re better, but they’re different. It’s located just outside of Nashville, TN and people can fly in and take a shuttle out there. It’s all inclusive and there is a chef onsite. I’m there 100% of the time, so the mystique of “oh there’s Victor” goes away after a couple of days, and we just become friends. We stay up late, jam by the fire, and get deep into music. It’s a good dream come true for me.
Rochester welcomed back Finnish death metal band, Children Of Bodom on Sunday with their commemorative tour celebrating the release of their first album, Something Wild. The American leg of their 20 Years Down & Dirty Tour hit 24 for cities, Rochester being the last American stop before heading for Canada. Joining Children Of Bodom on tour were fellow Finnish Thrash Metal band, Lost Society and Carach Angren, a Black Metal band from the Netherlands along with Uncured, a Death Metal band from New York City.
This tour wasn’t one to miss, reaching both new and old Children Of Bodom fans, playing songs from their first three albums. The crowd showed diversity in sporting a variety of shirts, patches and attire, drawing in metalheads from as far as Albany and Syracuse to Anthology, a restored multi-level auto warehouse on East Avenue. While the crowd initially looked sparse and scattered before the show began as the evening progressed more people began filtering in, filling up the venue.
NYC’s own Progressive Death Metal four piece, Uncured kicked the night off. The band released it’s first full length album Medusa in March 2017.Uncured features brothers Zak and Rex Cox on guitars and vocals, Liam Manley on drums, and Jon Kita on bass.
Following Uncured were fellow Finns, Lost Society who unleashed their energy, keeping the crowd wanting. Hailing from Jyväskylä, Finland, the band consists of guitarist and lead vocalist Samy Elbanna, guitarist and backing vocalist Arttu Lesonen, bassist and backing vocalist Mirko Lehtinen, and drummer Ossi Paananen.
The third band, Carach Angren added an interesting and darker change in atmosphere and was met with an enthusiastic crowd. The band sported corpse paint, an interesting mic stand which included a spinal chord and hip bones, which the vocalist temporarily sporting a skull mask and crown for their set. Carach Angren is Dennis “Seregor” Droomers on vocals, Clemens “Ardek” Wijers on keyboard and Ivo “Namtar” Wijers on drums.
By the time the final and headlinging band, Children of Bodom, took the stage, the crowd was riled, ready and waiting. Frontman Alexi Laiho wasted no time adding a special touch in the getting CoB fans pumped up and wanting more, eagerly met with the crowd throwing up their “horns.” The band’s return to Rochester was well received after the long wait with their prior show with Black Label Society and Clutch at the Main Street Armory on January 30, 2012. Children of Bodom is Alexi Laiho on vocals/lead guitar, keyboardist Janne Wirman, bassist Henkka Seppälä, drummer Jaska Raatikainen and Daniel Freyberg on rhythm guitar.
Setlist: Deadnight Warrior, In the Shadows, Needled 24/7, Hatebreeder, Lake Bodom, Warheart, Hate Me!, Red Light In My Eyes Part 2, Downfall, Everytime I Die, Hate Crew Deathroll, Kissing The Shadows, Children of Bodom
One of the best parts of reviewing albums is being exposed to music that you most likely would have never discovered on your own. At first, I listened to the Rochester-based Jon Lewis Band’s recently-released EP Baby Brother solely for the sake of writing this review. And then, one morning, I woke up with the melodies lodged into my psyche and I listened because I wanted to.
Don’t let the term local singer/songwriter fool you. Don’t let the genre label “indie rock” push this album out of the grasp of your musical appreciation. Baby Brother resonates with a driving sense of urgency, possibly a reflection of the head space Lewis was in when he wrote and recorded it earlier this year.
“After a freak car accident at the end of March, I found myself inspired to write and create music with more of an edgier attitude,” said Lewis. “We were also just returning from a short tour and I was eager to collaborate more on music that would feature the group and the intensity of those live performances. The process was so quick and often had a sense of profound urgency, energy and cohesiveness.”
From the first track “Let Me Go,” the EP quickly seizes your attention with smokey, sultry verses, gradually leading to a bridge that builds into a chorus filled with shredding crescendos of hard-hitting rock. The third track on Baby Brother will keep you “Hanging On” with its yearning, soul-calling melodies, precise guitar harmonies and memorable lyrics.
“What should you say, when my light is fading
And all my bad decisions come collected
To keep me hanging on
Would you keep me hanging on”
Baby Brother travels into familiar territory with hints of grunge and indie rock, yet with enough rock n’ roll and pop to set the Jon Lewis Band apart from today’s age of dime-a-dozen artists.
A full-time musician, Jon Lewis bleeds, breaths and sleeps music. Since hitting the road as an acoustic singer-songwriter playing in coffeehouses and bars in Upstate New York in 2013, he’s released four EPs and two full-length albums – some on his own, others in collaboration with some of Rochester’s well-known and up-and-coming artists, building a solid band of talented musicians along the way. Self-taught and determined to grow as a musician, he’s dedicated himself to producing music at a pace that matches his ambition.
Partnering up with Producer/Engineer/friend Dave Drago of 1809 Studios, Lewis released two EPs in 2014: Trail of Dreams and In Disguise. In 2015, he released his first full-length album Panic Rock on which he collaborated with Jacob Walsh on drums and Shawn Brogan on lead guitar, both of whom are now fundamental players in the Jon Lewis Band.
Soon after, Lewis began production on Out To Lunch which was released in 2016, this time joined by Alex Northrup on keys, completing the five-piece Jon Lewis Band. Wasting no time, the group released their second full length album Exquisite Corpse on May 15, 2017 and immediately followed it up with Baby Brother which was released in September, 2017.
When he’s not on stage with the Jon Lewis Band, you can find him playing fun, educational music to kids at Park’s Departments, birthday parties and other events in Rochester with his wife as “Mr. and Mrs. Loops.”
“It is incredibly rewarding and fun, and an amazing way to instill the silliness that is so easily forgotten in our lives,” he said.
Nominated two years in a row in the City Newspaper’s Best of Rochester Contest, Lewis said the five-piece Jon Lewis Band is focused and hellbent on producing more music and you can expect to see them playing in and around the Rochester area. Be sure to keep your ears peeled. Based on their latest offering, it’s bound to be good.
Freight train string quartet, The Blind Owl Band of Saranac NY, is returning to Rochester, NY this weekend to host a spookily impressive Halloween Bash. Accompanied by local favorites, The Honey Smugglers and Folkfaces, The Blind Owl Band Halloween Bash will place on Saturday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 pm at Anthology in Rochester, NY. Advanced tickets are $15 and the gate price is $18.
The Blind Owl Band is a 4-piece string band, featuring Arthur Buezo (Guitar, Vocals), Christian Cardiello, (Double Bass, Fretless Bass), James Ford, (Banjo Vocals) and Eric Munley (Mandolin, Vocals). After first harnessing the rawness of traditional bluegrass instrumentation, the band taken the genre into an entire new dimension, crossing between genres of bluegrass, folk, country, and soul, infused with their own unique Appalachian Mountain sound. The fast-fingered, high energy, cohesive group explores their live performance with an element of improvisation, gaining energy from their audience.
Fresh off releasing their third studio album Skeezy Patty earlier this month, The Blind Owl Band is hungry to put on the show of our dreams. In the five years prior to Skeezy Patty, the quartet have played over 700 shows across 17 states, building their rowdy & dedicated fan base across the east coast. Every show brings back the energy of the last, and the Halloween Bash will be no exception. Grab your tickets here!
On the evening of August 16, 2017, Blues Hall of Famer Joe Louis Walker graced the Photo City Improv stage in Rochester, NY. Joe Louis Walker has been playing the blues since the 1960’s and is still rocking both classic and contemporary styles. Earlier this year, Joe Louis Walker’s new album, “Everybody Wants A Piece” received a nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album at the 59th annual Grammy’s. Before their show at Photo City Improv, NYS Music had the humbling opportunity to sit down with Joe Louis Walker’s drummer, a Syracuse NY native, Byron Cage. Here are some bite size nuggets of knowledge, quoted directly from Cage:
On Working With Joe Louis Walker:
I’ve been playing with Joe Louis Walker almost four years. It’s been a wonderful four years. I am learning and growing as a musician, and as a young man. Joe is my mentor. He’s a complete mentor. He’s a great guy onstage and off stage.
Joe has taught me to be proud of who you are and be proud of what you do. To be able to share the blues with the world is privilege. It’s a cultural experience, and you want to represent yourself well.
We try to keep our music authentic and stay true to the roots of the blues. There is nothing wrong with new age experimenting or adding new things… A lot of spontaneous things happen every night. But, when traditional blues is called for, that’s what we play. When it’s time for electric or rockin’ blues, we can do that too. It’s fun to exercise all these different music muscles in one night. We work together as a team; we are a real band. Our chemistry off stage shows on stage. We all genuinely care for each other as people and musicians. This is represented in our live performance, and everything else we do.
On Live Music:
When you play music, the sky is the limit. You don’t level out unless you want to. You can keep growing and growing as long as you push for it. There’s always something new to learn. There is always something new to experience and explore musically. That’s what we want to do. Keep it fresh.
Music is a universal language. No matter where we go, from Australia, to Asia, to Europe, to Brazil, we connect through the feeling of the music. We vibe together. I believe that is what life’s about.
At the end of the day, the goal is to share something positive. There is so much crazy stuff happening in our world. People are dying senselessly. We are experiencing a whole new wave of hate. What better way to fight against that hate than to pull everybody together to enjoy some music- to smile and laugh with one another. Then, we shake hands at the end of the night, and create good memories. It’s a beautiful thing. I’m happy to be a part of it.
Rap metal heavyweights, Hollywood Undead and metalcore band Butcher Babies recently announced their North America 2017 tour. Anthology in Rochester will be one of their stops on Friday Nov. 17.
Both bands have new unreleased albums but only Hollywood Undead have officially released details on their new album titled Five (stylized as V), while Butcher Babies have only stated on social media that they have finished recording a third full length album only referred to as BB3, presumably Butcher Babies 3. Tickets go on sale Friday July 28 at 10:00 a.m., with prices ranging from $25 to $30. This show will be 16 and up.
We all know there are bands that ladies just dig, and groups with lyrics that can get the booty shaking while keeping it gritty enough for the guys to be able to pump their fists to as well are even better. You know there is a band that many of us can enjoy when we want a party type of sound. There is one band from Rochester, NY who can supply such great tunage. Who is this group that promises nothing but good grooves and chaos? Diluted of course my dear friends! With their EP, Never Fit In, you will find yourself dancing and shaking more than the time you tried to reenact the bar dancing scene from Coyote Ugly! Let us get this album review in full swing boys and girls!
The first track off this album “Better Living Through Hennessy” goes from 0-60 in less than 2 seconds into the album. The guitar styles of Helmer and Coffey will take you by storm. Their funky yet hardcore approach for this track is nothing but full of life! You will have yourself singing along with the lyrics while moving those two left feet of yours. Let me tell ya, nothing beats a good old fashioned song you can find yourself singing to in the car. This song is one of those jams I can see the whole venue singing along to with a couple drinks in hand!
If you like groups like Faith No More, who has a nice little mix of rap flow blended with some great punk related attitude, the track “Hipster Helmets & Harpsichords” will make those feet of yours go manic! I really enjoy this track from the get go! Like seriously digging it with my whiskey right now! The vocal approach by Mulligan and Coffey reminds me of the glory days of my youth with such bands like Neurosonic and Skindred. Excellent destructive vocal execution fused with modern hip-hop type of lyrical construction made this song stand out the most to me personally. The most fascinating part of this track is the communication between West (drums) and Kimak (bass), which really lays down the foundation for the energy of this sweet tune! The beat is never lost and you can really swing your body to it all the way through! This will be the jam the ladies will be losing their minds to. Look out fellas, we have some bonafide lady killers on our hands!
Now this album has some great party songs on it, but it also contains great heavy tunes like “Sledge Hovercraft.” Much like the other tracks on the EP, it has a great flow with both the lyrics and musicianship. You can tell the boy’s formula is spot on with this gem! The screeching sound of the vocals on the track will make you bang your head! If you want some Red Hot Chili Peppers type funky style with your hardcore music, but want to be mad as hell at the same time, well this track is for you. This song is made for the guys hands down. If you get drunk enough and want to start a bar brawl, this will be your theme song for the ring.
Over all there are so many other great tracks on this album from Diluted. I wouldn’t think I would find myself enjoying a band like this, but I am hooked and I cannot stop blasting this. My fingers are starting to bleed from pressing the repeat button so many times! Go out and buy this sick product of jams! 4 stars out of 5 for sure! Go check out their page. You will not regret it, I promise you!
Key Tracks: Better living Through Hennessy, Sledge Hovercraft, Hipster Helmets & Harpsichords
The third edition of Tedeschi Trucks Band‘s summer bonanza known as the Wheels of Soul rolled through Rochester, a city that has been lucky enough to have hosted the tour all three years. This year, as last, Highland Bowl, the criminally underused natural amphitheater right in the city, served as the venue.
Classic blues rock trio, and Jefferson Airplane offshoot, Hot Tuna brought their “electric” version to kick things off. Running through a set of oldies but goodies, the band found plenty of room for rocking out. The crowd, near capacity at showtime, was raring to go from the start and these boys certainly satisfied. Guitarist Jorma Kaukonen played right to the local crowd’s hearts, “People say to me, Rochester? Isn’t it bleak up there? Not today it ain’t!” It was sunny and 72, quite literally, so he wasn’t lying. Kaukonen ground out some gritty guitar action on most every tune, but in the closing “Funky #7,” bassist Jack Casady took the reins blasting fuzzy bass bombs in a massive set sendoff. Legends in their own right, if they’re opening on a three-band bill it must be quite a bill. And, of course, it was!
The Wood Brothers were up next. It started eerily with bassist Chris Wood bowing his upright while bending the strings with a stick, creating a cool Theremin-like sound. “You give me chills when you sing so sweet,” sang guitarist Oliver Wood on the opening “Stumbled In.” Their sweet tooth would continue to show throughout the set. “I just heard National Chocolate Day was yesterday. We have a song for that.” he exclaimed before kicking into “Chocolate On My Tongue.” Then later they were baking some “Shoofly Pie.” Then the band invited Susan Tedeschi to sing on “Never and Always.” Talk about sweet! It would be the first of many sit-ins on the night. Chris Wood didn’t pick up his electric bass during their short set, but he did do some wild dancing, both with his acoustic bass, on “Snake Eyes,” and solo, all over the stage on the set closing “One More Day.” When Oliver introduced the band members, dancing was on his brother Chris’ list of instruments. Is dancing an instrument? One issue with such a fantastic lineup, the sets all felt too short. The Wood Brothers seemed to be leaving the stage just as they were getting going.
Tedeschi Trucks Band took the stage and immediately asked, “Are You Ready?” The crowd, fully up and dancing for the first time of the evening, answered with a resounding “Yes!” before the band quickly jumped into “Made Up Mind.” After two straight trios, the twelve-man rightly seemed enormous. They have amassed a monster of a band with enough talent to power multiple smaller bands. They are the Wall of Sound of bands. They are incredibly tight, stopping on a dime, morphing from song to song, jam to jam, following guitarist Derek Trucks through every masterful and adventurous solo, expanding and contracting through the setlist like a well-oiled machine.
Somehow, in about 90 minutes time, they also managed to ensure every member got it’s day in the sun without it feeling like a round robin of solos. A free form fusion-y breakdown in “Don’t Know What It Means” featured incredible sax work by Kebbi Williams and low end wizardry by bassist Tim Lefebvre. Trumpeter Ephraim Owens got his turn in a funky jam during “I Wish I Knew,” which also featured Alecia Chakour and Mark Rivers trading vocal solos. Of course longtime Trucks vocalist Mike Mattison took the lead vocals from Susan Tedeschi on a few numbers, including a ripping take on the Derek and the Dominoes classic, “Anyday.”
Toward the end of the show the band received even more players. All three Wood Brothers sat in for the band’s debut of the Rolling Stone’s “Sweet Virginia.” Oliver Wood and Tedeschi shared vocal duties while Chris Wood replaced Lefebvre on bass. Immediately following, Hot Tuna came on stage for their turn, this time to help on a cover of the blues classic “The Sky Is Crying.” Lefebvre and Casady shared bass duties, eyeing each other from across the stage, while Kaukonen and Trucks jawed with a tangle of blues licks.
The set once again seemed to end way too early. But the final band had the advantage of coming out for an encore. And the Tedeschi Trucks Band saved the best for last. If you were there to see Derek Trucks play guitar, you got what you paid for in the encore alone, so hopefully you stayed until the end. Trucks fired off some impossibly quick notes and blazed onward and upward from there. Eventually he came back down to earth, only to arrive at heavy teases of the Allman Brothers “Les Brers,” which the rest of the band picked up for a short jam. A one-song near fifteen minute encore sated the excited crowd. As the show came to a close, a full moon emerged over the tree line to guide everyone home after a smoking night in the Highland Bowl.
Set Lists
Hot Tuna
Living Just For You, Sea Child, I Can’t Be Satisfied, Come Back Baby, Water Song, Funky #7
The Wood Brothers
Stumbled In, Tried and Tempted, Chocolate On My Tongue, Snake Eyes, Keep Me Around, Shoofly Pie, Never and Always*, One More Day
* with Susan Tedeschi on vocals
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Are You Ready > Made Up Mind, Don’t Know What It Means, Anyday, Midnight in Harlem, Get Outta My Life Woman, Let Me Get By, Sweet Virginia*, The Sky Is Crying**, I Wish I Knew E: I Want More
*with Chris Wood on bass, Oliver Wood on guitar and vocals, Jano Rix on keys
**with Jorma Kaukonen on guitar, Jack Casady on bass
Interviewing Victor was less an “interview” and more a conversation. When he spoke, his big brown eyes locked in with mine, and it truly felt like we were the only two in the room. He is a genuinely caring individual who’s love for his craft and dedication to art was evident with every word he spoke. To him, music is about openness, letting go of your ego, and creating magic. He was ecstatic to speak about each project he was working on, and his passion for life and music is something he carries openly with him. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend a half hour sitting down one on one with a music legend of his stature. Below is our full conversation:
RR: Do you prefer recording separately?
RR: You’ve played with many people over the years, but is there any particular jam or event that stands out in your mind?
This tour wasn’t one to miss, reaching both new and old Children Of Bodom fans, playing songs from their first three albums. The crowd showed diversity in sporting a variety of shirts, patches and attire, drawing in metalheads from as far as Albany and Syracuse to Anthology, a restored multi-level auto warehouse on East Avenue. While the crowd initially looked sparse and scattered before the show began as the evening progressed more people began filtering in, filling up the venue.
Both bands have new unreleased albums but only Hollywood Undead have officially released details on their new album titled Five (stylized as V), while Butcher Babies have only stated on social media that they have finished recording a third full length album only referred to as BB3, presumably Butcher Babies 3. Tickets go on sale Friday July 28 at 10:00 a.m., with prices ranging from $25 to $30. This show will be 16 and up.
The first track off this album “Better Living Through Hennessy” goes from 0-60 in less than 2 seconds into the album. The guitar styles of Helmer and Coffey will take you by storm. Their funky yet hardcore approach for this track is nothing but full of life! You will have yourself singing along with the lyrics while moving those two left feet of yours. Let me tell ya, nothing beats a good old fashioned song you can find yourself singing to in the car. This song is one of those jams I can see the whole venue singing along to with a couple drinks in hand!
