NYS Music 20​18

Author: Ryan Randazzo

  • New York Series: Tom Waits ‘Downtown Train’

    Despite how overwhelming it can be to outsiders, when it comes down to it, New York City is truly just a big small town. It’s comprised of hundreds of different neighborhoods which each have their own quirks and personalities, but they all blend together to form a magnificent sum of diversity and prosperity. You will never get to know everyone in the city, or even your neighborhood, but once you live in an area long enough you get to know a hodgepodge of people, which makes the city begin to feel small.

    You walk down the block and see the Chinese delivery guy that comes to your apartment twice a week, the butcher who you make friendly banter on the street with, and that same annoying bus driver who you know is out to get you (but you still can’t prove a thing.) Tom Waits’ 1985 track ‘Downtime Train’ paints a murky picture of the obscure way New York can box you in a world knowing everyone around, while at the same time leaving you feeling lonesome and alienated.

    ‘Downtown Train’ provides an intimate look at the torment a person goes through when they are continuously hoping to run into someone they are madly in love with, but end up seeing everyone they know besides that person. On his local train to Brooklyn, the narrator constantly sees the same faces; all people he knows, but doesn’t care to see. He knows exactly how the Brooklyn girls act, who they are, and what their goal for the night is, but wants nothing to do with them. He notices that they all seem to want to break out of their little circles, but are all afraid to. Although they have the entire city at their disposal, giving them chances to meet new people and experience new things, they choose not to, and for that the narrator wants nothing to do with them.

    The narrator is searching for someone different; someone he doesn’t see every night because they are out savoring new experiences and living life to the fullest. He hopes he will see them on the train each night, rather than all the regulars, but knows that the chances are slim because the person he is looking for doesn’t have a routine. Despite knowing everyone on the train, he feels incredibly isolated. He is stuck living the same night over and over again, hoping for something new, but nothing new ever happens. In many ways he is just like all the other people on the train, but by acknowledging his situation he is saddened by it, while those who are ignorant to it tend to live happier lives.

    Although Waits never made ‘Downtown Train’ a commercial success himself, the song drew interest from other artists who saw the creative value in the song. Patty Smyth’s 1987 version reached #95 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Rod Steward brought the song into the spotlight with his 1989 cover of the song which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 list. It just goes to show, that even if you know everyone around you, it’s not uncommon to feel completely alone.

     ‘Downtown Train’ Lyrics:

    Outside another yellow moon
    Has punched a hole in the nighttime, yes
    I climb through the window and down the street
    I’m shining like a new dime
    The downtown trains are full
    With all those Brooklyn girls
    They try so hard to break out of their little worlds

    Well, you wave your hand and they scatter like crows
    They have nothing that will ever capture your heart
    They’re just thorns without the rose
    Be careful of them in the dark
    Oh if I was the one
    You chose to be your only one
    Oh baby can’t you hear me now, can’t you hear me now?

    Will I see you tonight
    On a downtown train?
    Every night it’s just the same
    You leave me lonely, now

    I know your window and I know it’s late
    I know your stairs and your doorway
    I walk down your street and past your gate
    I stand by the light at the four-way
    You watch them as the fall
    Oh baby, they all have heart attacks
    They stay at the carnival
    But they’ll never win you back

    Will I see you tonight
    On a downtown train?
    Every night it’s just the same
    Oh, baby

    Will I see you tonight
    On a downtown train?
    All of my dreams just fall like rain
    Oh, baby, on a downtown train

    Will I see you tonight
    On a downtown train?
    Every night, every night it’s just the same
    Oh, baby

    Will I see you tonight
    On a downtown train?
    All of my dreams just fall like rain
    Well, on a downtown train

    Well, on a downtown train
    Well, on a downtown train
    Well, on a downtown train
    On a downtown train

  • New York Series: Bayside ‘Montauk’

    The air gets warmer, the sun sets later, and lines begin to form around the blocks of the Italian Ice shops that were boarded up all winter: summer is around the corner. There is something special about the transition from spring to summer that seems to put a smile everyone’s face and gives people hope for what is to come. While there is always reason to be optimistic about the summer fun you’ll have and the love you might find along the way, it is also important to avoid blindly believing everything is going to turn out the way you planned it in your head. Bayside’s “Montauk” provides a cautionary look at the darker side to the end of a summer fling, and proclaims a warning to what might happen if you get too involved with someone who you know you may never see again.

    The punk band Bayside has deep roots in New York (they are named after the Queens neighborhood where they formed), so it is not out of place that they wrote a song dedicated to one of the state’s most famous vacation getaways. When most people think of Montauk they often have wonderful memories of their time on the beach, eating lobster with their families, or visiting the Montauk lighthouse. However, when Bayside wrote “Montauk,” they made a conscious decision to avoid all of the pleasant memories they might have had and took a more negative, yet humbling, approach to writing about the seaside town. They wanted to remind people that unfortunate circumstances can occur in amazing places, and sometimes saying goodbye is the hardest part of life.

    Bayside Montauk“Montauk” tells the story of losing a love at summer’s end. The narrator had to say goodbye to a lover he ended up caring about more than he originally intended. Even though he knew the fling would end once the leaves began to change, he didn’t think it would hurt so much when the relationship actually ended. He knew the consequences to falling in love with someone in such a short amount of time together but he took the risk anyway. The narrator is filled with angst, misery and fear that he will never love again, and an even worse fear that he will regret losing his lover for the rest of his life. While anyone who has had their heart broken knows that in time it is possible to love again, the song provides a rational warning not to get too involved with someone you realistically may never see again after such a short period of time.

    Although it has never been confirmed, many fans believe “Montauk” was inspired by the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet) in which a painful breakup leads to a young couple undergoing a controversial medical procedure to have their memories wiped to forget it all. The movie takes place, in part, on Long Island and Montauk is where the two lovers always plan to meet, much like the lovers in Bayside’s “Montauk.”

    While “Montauk” may provide a cautionary measure about what could happen at the end of a summer fling, it is just that: cautionary. Sometimes it’s worth it to take the risk with someone, even if you don’t think you’ll ever see them again. If you find someone who made you happy, even if they left your life forever after a couple of months, it is important to learn from the past and remember how hard it was to end things; but it’s equally as important to appreciate the joy you once felt.

    ‘Montauk’ Lyrics: 

    It’s getting cold
    Thought it was too soon to tell but it was terribly old and as the heartbeat slows to a heartless crawl
    The lights went out,
    The lights went out and darkness filled the house on tiring night under a Long Island sky
    I thought I’d known the consequence,
    But sweetness,
    Can you believe this?
    This mess we’ve made of it
    This mess we’ve made of it
    In years to come it might make sense,
    But sweetness,
    Can you believe this?
    Just what’s become of it?
    What’s become of it?
    If you hear this and you think you’re ready,
    Then meet me in Montauk where we’ll write out in the sand,
    “Here lies the destiny of two hurt souls afraid to be cured again.”
    That could be our epitaph
    I thought I’d known the consequence,
    But sweetness,
    Can you believe this?
    This mess we’ve made of it
    This mess we’ve made of it
    In years to come it might make sense,
    But sweetness,
    Can you believe this?
    Just what’s become of it?
    What’s become of it?
    I thought I’d known the consequence,
    But sweetness,
    Can you believe this?
    This mess we’ve made of it
    This mess we’ve made of it
    In years to come it might make sense,
    But sweetness,
    Did you foresee this?
    Just what’s become of us?
    What’s become of us?

  • Long Island Music Scene Panel Recap

    On Thursday May 24, The Space at Westbury held an open forum for musicians, artist managers, the press, and music enthusiasts to discuss the state of the Long Island music scene. Appropriately titled “Are Tribute Bands Taking all the Gigs?,” two separate panels of Long Island music scene veterans sat down and had a necessary discussion on where the scene is currently, what it once was, and the direction they would like to see it move towards in the future.

    The first panel titled “Putting the Long Island Music Scene Under the Microscope” did just that. This panel was moderated by Jim Faith (musician, promoter, talent buyer, producer of Great South Bay Music Festival and Co-Founder of the LI Music Hall of Fame). With the guidance of Faith, a group of musicians, old and young, sat down to dissect what exactly is going on in the LI music scene. While many topics were brought up, the main theme discussed was whether the influx of tribute bands are oversaturating the market. To ensure everyone’s voice was heard, the panel was split nearly down the middle with musicians in tribute bands and musicians who play their own original music, accompanied by an unbiased voice from Newsday Pop Music Writer Glenn Gamboa.

    he Space at Westbury held an open forum for musicians, artist managers, the press, and music enthusiasts to discuss the state of the Long Island music scene.A major consensus that was agreed upon was that while tribute bands are on the rise on Long Island, it does not mean original artists must suffer as a result. Demographics reveal that the typical music listener on Long Island tends to be older, have a job, and family obligations, so it makes sense that they would spend their one night out a week seeing a band they know they will enjoy and can sing along to. However, this does not mean original music is a dead artform on Long Island. Almost every venue provides at least one night a week for original artists to play and gain exposure, despite how many or few people come out. What it essentially comes down to is local artists honing their craft, properly promoting themselves, collaborating with venues, and loving what they do. While the scene is not as vibrant as it was in the 1970’s, there is still plenty of new music to be seen every night on Long Island.

    The second panel, also moderated by Faith, picked up where the first left off and looked towards the future. Titled “Moving Forward: What Can Be Done to Nurture and Support Our Original Artists, Maintain a Vibrant Music Scene, and Continue Our Rich Music History”, the second panel had more of a focus on management and venues. Many of the musicians from the previous panel were replaced by an assortment of businessmen from venue owners to talent buyers, and even a local DJ/musician.

    The discussion of the second panel delved into issues managers and artists were encountering, and focused on ways to correct them. Much of the discussion centered around ways artists need to promote themselves; whether it’s on social media, local advertisements, working with the venue, or even just talking to people after shows. It was agreed upon that artists must be prepared for the business side of the scene when dealing with venues or record companies, and that while many of the artists may be from Long Island and play there often, it is important to venture out of the area to promote themselves. Although some may think the Long Island music scene may seem to be on the decline, as long as there are people who are passionate about live music and keeping things fresh, there is plenty of hope for the future.

  • New York Series: Steely Dan ‘My Old School’

    While most people typically have fond memories of their college years, there are always incidents you look back on that left a bad taste in your mouth. Maybe it was that horrible breakup with your first “true” love, the time you had to repeat a class because a professor wouldn’t give you that .05 bump in your GPA, or the night you got arrested for what you thought was legally swimming in the pool of your friend’s apartment complex at 5 a.m. For Steely Dan founding members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the black stain left on their memories of Bard College occurred on a night in May when a swarm of sheriff’s deputies swept through the campus and arrested the two, as well as 50 other students, for marijuana possession. The incident was immortalized in the 1973 single “My Old School.”

    Becker and Fagen met at Bard College in the Hudson Valley hamlet of Annandale, NY in 1967, and bonded over their shared love of jazz, dark comedy, science fiction, and Kurt Vonnegut. Their songwriting collaborations began as somewhat of a gag; writing silly little tunes on an upright piano in a small room of the lobby of Ward Manor, an old mansion on the Hudson River that the college converted to a dorm. As they played together more, they became more serious about their craft and eventually evolved into the perfectionist jazz rock powerhouse they have since been known for.

    Steely Dan

    In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s Bard College was a very hip place to be with stars like the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Bobby Neuwirth showing up at random. If you were lucky enough to be around the area during the late 1960’s you might have even caught Becker and Fagen playing with drummer and fellow Bard Student Chevy Chase at a local house party. Although the college was known for its free spirited student body, the police in the area did not see eye to eye on many of their habits. On a Thursday at 5 a.m. they devised a raid of one of the dorms in an attempt to catch the students off guard, and went on a drug bust spree.

    “These were the days when there was a ‘war on longhairs,’ as they used to call it,” Fagen said, “and Bard’s in this kind of rural district. They picked up about 50 kids just at random. There were a few warrants, and one was for me, which was based totally on false testimony. They handcuffed our hands behind our backs and put us in a paddy wagon and took us off to the Dutchess County Jail. They took all of the boys, about 35 of us, most with really long hair, and shaved our heads. I remember some of them were crying. I don’t think any of them had seen their head for three or four years. It didn’t make that much difference to me. But it was scary, you know? To hear the cell-block door slam shut, the whole business with the handcuffs and the paddy wagon. I’d never been arrested or put in jail before.”

    Steely Dan

    Becker and Fagen express their point of view of the incident and their reflection years later in the song “My Old School,” where they lash out at the school for the way they were treated. They say they’ll only return to the school if “California tumbles into the sea,” and end the song with a very direct “I’m never going back to my old school.” While that lasted a prolonged sixteen years, Fagen returned 16 years later in 1985 to accept an honorary doctorate from the school. Becker also stated that the song shouldn’t be taken literally and insisted that he never viewed it as an angry-sounding song, but rather a funny song. 

    Today Bard College is still an incredibly liberal college, and it’s campus overlooking the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains makes it an ideal place to go to school. The college also hosts two acclaimed annual arts festivals, Bard SummerScape, and the Bard Music Festival, and you would not be remiss to, somewhat ironically, hear “My Old School” while taking a leisurely stroll across the campus.

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

    ‘My Old School’ Lyrics:

    I remember the thirty-five sweet goodbyes
    When you put me on the Wolverine up to Annandale
    It was still September
    When your daddy was quite surprised
    To find you with the working girls in the county jail
    I was smoking with the boys upstairs when I
    Heard about the whole affair, I said oh no
    William and Mary won’t do

    Well, I did not think the girl
    Could be so cruel
    And I’m never going back
    To my old school

    Oleanders growing outside her door
    Soon they’re gonna be in bloom up in Annandale
    I can’t stand her
    Doing what she did before
    Living like a gypsy queen in a fairy tale
    Well, I hear the whistle but I can’t go, I’m gonna
    Take her down to Mexico, she said oh no
    Guadalajara won’t do

    Well, I did not think the girl
    Could be so cruel
    And I’m never going back
    To my old school

    California tumbles into the sea
    That’ll be the day I go back to Annandale
    Tried to warn you
    About Chino and Daddy Gee
    But I can’t seem to get to you through the U.S. Mail
    Well I hear the whistle but I can’t go, I’m gonna
    Take her down to Mexico, she said oh no
    Guadalajara won’t do

    Well, I did not think the girl
    Could be so cruel
    And I’m never going back
    To my old school

  • New York Series: The Beastie Boys ‘An Open Letter to NYC’

    Despite how tiring and overwhelming New York can be sometimes, one of the glaring strengths of character which nearly every New Yorker possesses is their resilience. New Yorkers are generally filled with integrity and pride, and if something knocks them back they rarely stay down for long. Whatever problems New Yorkers may have with each other are quickly tossed aside when something drastic happens which forces them to bond together and defend their communal way of life. In ‘An Open Letter to NYC,’ the Beastie Boys draw inspiration from the unlikely alliance of New Yorkers after a time of crisis to demonstrate just how strong the city is.

    ‘An Open Letter to NYC’ was written as a tribute to the city following the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks and is written as a love letter of sorts to the melting pot of cultures that came together to defend the city the Beastie Boys call home. Unlike other songs which may only focus on a single borough, ‘An Open Letter to NYC’ makes it a point to reference each of the five boroughs, as they are all unique. The clash of cultures throughout different neighborhoods is what brings strength to the city, and makes it so different from every other place in the world.

    The song describes the different heritages of people which make up the city, from Asian and Middle-Eastern to Latin and Black, and explains how no matter where you may be from, everyone is still the same. The overall message of the song is about how the cities’ fortitude comes from diversity, and that no matter what happens we are unified as a whole. Regardless of where you live or your occupation, if you live in New York you are part of something bigger.

    The lyrics to “An Open Letter to NYC” are overwhelmingly positive, and come from a group of artists who know the city better than anyone. They know that no matter what happens New York will bounce back, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help by giving people a little nudge in the right direction. The song channels the feelings of togetherness which many New Yorkers felt following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and told the world that not matter what happens, we are strong.

    “An Open Letter to NYC” should follow “Fight for Your Right,” “So What’cha Want” and “Sabotage” into the Beastie Boys’ hall of slang as anthems defining a moment in hip-hop history. Running on the rails of a bubbling keyboard, [this track] is a stylized shout-out to New York City, from Battery Park to Brooklyn. It may be the next phase in the post-9/11 healing process. Where Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising” was about recovering from wounds, the Beastie Boys’ lyrics are about rising from the flames. There is little dark imagery, just a call for unity and Big Apple pride” – Michael D. Clark, Houston Chronicle, 2004

    ‘An Open Letter to NYC’ Lyrics:

    Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
    From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
    Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
    Black, White, New York you make it happen
    Brownstones, water towers, trees, skyscrapers
    Writers, prize fighters and Wall Street traders
    We come together on the subway cars
    Diversity unified, whoever you are
    We’re doing fine on the One and Nine line
    On the L we’re doin’ swell
    On the number Ten bus we fight and fuss
    You know we’re thorough in the boroughs ’cause that’s a must
    I remember when the Duece was all porno flicks
    Running home after school to play PIX
    At lunch I’d go to Blimpies down on Montague Street
    And hit the Fulton Street Mall for the sneakers on my feet
    Dear New York I hope you’re doing well
    I know a lot’s happened and you’ve been through hell
    So, we give thanks for providing a home
    Through your gates at Ellis Island we passed in droves
    Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
    From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
    Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
    Black, White, New York you make it happen
    The L.I.E. the B.Q.E
    Hippies at the band shell with the L.S.D.
    Get my BVDs from VIM
    You know I’m reppin’ Manhattan the best I can
    Stopped off at Bleeker Bob’s, got thrown out
    Sneakin’ in at four am after going out
    You didn’t rob me in the park at Dianna Ross
    But everybody started looting when the light went off
    From the South South Bronx on out to Queens Bridge
    From Hollis Queens right down to Bay Ridge
    From Castle Hill to the Lower East Side
    From ten-ten WINS to Live At Five
    Dear New York, this is a love letter
    To you and how you brought us together
    We can’t say enough about all you do
    ‘Cause in the city we’re ourselves and electric too
    Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
    From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
    Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
    Black, White, New York you make it happen
    Shout out the South Bronx where my mom hails from
    Right next to High Bridge across from Harlem
    To the Grand Concourse where my mom and dad met
    Before they moved on down to the Upper West
    I see you’re still strong after all that’s gone on
    Lifelong, we dedicate this song
    Just a little something to show some respect
    To the city that blends and mends and tests
    Since 9-11 we’re still livin’
    And lovin’ life we’ve been given
    Ain’t nothing gonna take that away from us
    We lookin’ pretty and gritty ’cause in the city we trust
    Dear New York I know a lot has changed
    Two towers down but you’re still in the game
    Home to the many, rejecting no-one
    Accepting peoples of all places, wherever they’re from
    Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
    From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
    Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
    Black, White, New York you make it happen
    Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
    From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
    Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
    Black, White, New York, we make it happen

  • New York Series: Joni Mitchell ‘Woodstock’

    Woodstock. If you’re not from the Hudson Valley, chances are when you hear that name, you have a similar thought as everyone else: a monumental music festival that took place over three days with a bunch of hippies on some farm in upstate New York that changed the world as we know it. Everyone has a story about their dad’s friend who stayed around for Hendrix’s famous Monday morning set, or their uncle who abandoned their car on Route 17B and walked six miles through Bethel to make it to the free-love oasis. Ironically, the most popular song written about the festival, “Woodstock,” was also written via hearsay and stories from friends by folk singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell, who spent the weekend watching the festival unfold on television as just another fan in a New York apartment.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRjQCvfcXn0

    Despite being scheduled to appear at Woodstock, Mitchell cancelled her performance last minute on the advice of her agent, David Geffen, out of fear that she would not make it back to New York in time for her television appearance on The Dick Cavett Show. Watching the television coverage and hearing stories from her then boyfriend, Graham Nash, had such a profound impact on Mitchell that she wrote the ‘60s anthem within a few weeks of the festival and debuted it live at the Celebration of Big Sur festival the following September. Since then, it has been covered by countless artists, including her ex-boyfriend in his folk-rock supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. 

    “Woodstock” tells the story of a narrator who encounters a boy on his way to the festival at Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel (not Woodstock as originally intended) who explains to her that he is going not only for the music, but also to live off the land and cleanse his soul. She joins him on his journey because she too feels the need for a spiritual awakening and wants to get away from the rigid life she is living. By the time they arrive at the festival, it is in full swing, and even better than what they had hoped. They find a fantastic celebration, and the idea of hope in a time when the world was so unstable.

    What inspired Mitchell the most about the event was the fact that people could be so good to each other and coexist without any issues, even if just for a few days. In a 1995 interview, Mitchell said:

    “The deprivation of not being able to go provided me with an intense angle on Woodstock. I was one of the fans. I was put in the position of being a kid who couldn’t make it. So I was glued to the media. And, at the time, I was going through a kind of born again Christian trip – not that I went to any church, I’d given up Christianity at an early age in Sunday school. But suddenly, as performers, we were in the position of having so many people look to us for leadership, and for some unknown reason, I took it seriously and decided I needed a guide and leaned on God. …So I was a little ‘God mad’ at the time, for lack of a better term, and I had been saying to myself, ‘Where are the modern miracles? Where are the modern miracles?’ Woodstock, for some reason, impressed me as being a modern miracle, like a modern day fishes-and-loaves story. For a herd of people that large to cooperate so well, it was pretty remarkable and there was tremendous optimism. So I wrote the song ‘Woodstock’ out of these feelings…”

    Joni Mitchell

    The giving nature and comradery of Woodstock began before the festivities even started, however, when the original site of the festival in Woodstock, NY fell through. Just weeks before it was planned to take place, dairy farmer Max Yasgur offered up his farm in Bethel, NY as site of the festival, anticipating around 40,000 attendants. When it was all said and done, more than 400,000 people attended the festival, making Yasgur a counterculture hero to all those in attendance and countless others.

    joni mitchell
    Joni Mitchell, Lake Mendota, NY, gatefold Hejira album, 1976 © Joel Bernstein

    The 1969 Woodstock festival put the town Bethel on the map, although many locals were not too excited about the new exposure at the time. Many of his neighbors were against the festival from the get-go and pushed to boycott Yasgur’s milk for years afterwards. However, nearly 50 years later, the site of the festival has only become more famous. Today the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, a cultural non-profit that hosts concerts and events, exists on the site of Yasgur’s farm and has become a major stop for nationally touring artists. It was added to the National Registry of Historic Places by Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2017 who called the festival “a pivotal moment in both New York and American history.”  There have even been talks about a Woodstock 50th anniversary festival being held at the site in the summer of 2019, but only time will tell if if it can summon the same magic that made the 1969 Woodstock festival so historic.

    ‘Woodstock’ Lyrics:

    I came upon a child of God
    He was walking along the road
    And I asked him where are you going
    And this he told me
    I’m going on down to Yasgur’s farm *
    I’m going to join in a rock ‘n’ roll band
    I’m going to camp out on the land
    I’m going to try an’ get my soul free

    We are stardust
    We are golden
    And we’ve got to get ourselves
    Back to the garden

    Then can I walk beside you
    I have come here to lose the smog
    And I feel to be a cog in something turning
    Well maybe it is just the time of year
    Or maybe it’s the time of man
    I don’t know who I am
    But you know life is for learning

    We are stardust
    We are golden
    And we’ve got to get ourselves
    Back to the garden

    By the time we got to Woodstock
    We were half a million strong
    And everywhere there was song and celebration
    And I dreamed I saw the bombers
    Riding shotgun in the sky
    And they were turning into butterflies
    Above our nation

    We are stardust
    Billion year old carbon
    We are golden
    Caught in the devil’s bargain
    And we’ve got to get ourselves
    back to the garden

  • Hearing Aide: TAUK ‘Shapeshifter I: Construct’

    The age-old dilemma for musicians who thrive in the live setting is trying to figure out how to take the sounds and experiences they magically produce spur of the moment and capture it on record. While it was no easy task, heavy instrumental rock fusion group TAUK did an exemplary job at taking what makes them pop as a live band and showcasing their unique sound with a fresh batch of compositions for their new EP, Shapeshifter I: Construct.

    TAUK Shapeshifter I ConstructListening to the EP, the first thing that comes to mind is how strikingly appropriate the Shapeshifter name is.  The band is constantly changing their style from track to track, as well as within smaller parts of their meticulously well written compositions. Within a matter of minutes, the band weaves through movements that draw inspiration from a variety of genres from jazz, metal and hard rock to techno, reggae and hip hop. While this may sound like one large sensory overload, TAUK does a fantastic job of blending unlikely melodies and expressions while producing a sound that flows effortlessly and keeps the listener highly engaged.

    If the album did not sound so clean, it would not be crazy to think that each track was taken from a live show. The band does a pristine job emulating their live sound in the studio to the point where, if you close your eyes as you are listening, you can imagine yourself dancing along to the tracks in an imaginary theater with blue and green lights flashing around. TAUK’s unique blend of textured soundscapes and high energy compositions keeps the listener on their toes, constantly fascinated and curious as to when the second Shapeshifter will be released.

    Key Tracks: Square 2, Stranger Danger, Malware

  • Kung Fu at Buffalo Iron Works

    One of the best parts about living in Western New York is the guarantee that on any given weeknight you can catch mesmerizing performances by world class artists who dominate their niche. One night that might mean seeing the next up and coming jam band, and the next a jazz legend you never thought you’d see live. On Thursday, March 29, Buffalo was devoted to pure funk as Kung Fu turned Buffalo Iron Works into a contemporary groove factory.

    Before Kung Fu took the stage and serenaded the crowd with their jams, Maryland-based funk/psychedelic band LITZ got things going early in the night with a unique sound of their own. The four-piece opener thoroughly engaged the audience by incorporating different wind instruments, deep funk grooves and an animated front man who sang like a combination of Steve Winwood and Greg Allman. The band clearly did their homework and it showed, as the crowd went wild for their rendition of “Shout” with a full “Let’s Go, Buffalo” call and response section. By the time Kung Fu took the stage, the crowd felt a collective euphoric buzz and was eager keep dancing.

    Kung Fu got things going again with a grimy funk groove which picked up right where LITZ left off. Guitar player Tim Palmieri was quick to showcase his technical ability as he laid down a swirling, meditative solo which bounced sounds around the room like a ripple in a small pond. The murky green lights behind the band gave the impression that the crowd was being brought to Oz as the band made their way through the final verse.

    Without missing a beat, the band quickly teleported the audience from Oz to 42nd street in 1977 with a gripping funk instrumental led by saxophone player Rob Somerville that can only be described as “street music.” Percussionist Adrian Tramontano held down the low end and hypnotized the crowd with exotic fills while the rest of the band took turns with individual takes on the song’s main theme.

    As the set went deeper it was clear the band knew exactly what tricks to pull to have the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands. The veteran funk group seemed to do everything right as they strutted along as one cohesive entity, making impressive shifts in tempo, dynamics and key. They nailed composed sections to difficult newer songs as if they had been playing them for years, and could turn on their improvisational prowess on the turn of a dime. Bassist Chris DeAngelis was clearly responsible for many improvisational peaks of the night, as he dazzled everyone in attendance, both on and off stage, with his natural feel for the groove and prodigious knowledge of the instrument.

    The band only got tighter as the night continued, with keyboard player Beau Sasser keeping the rest of his bandmates on their toes by changing keys and tempos mid jam. It was clear that the band was constantly challenging both themselves and the audience throughout the show, giving the feeling that anything could happen at any point. While most of the night was rooted heavily in funk, it was obvious that the band was influenced by a wide variety of music from around the globe, creating an incredibly personal, indistinguishable sound. At one point, it felt like the band was leading an exploration of an Egyptian pyramid, and then suddenly without a warning they were in the middle of a Coltrane-esqe avant guard cyclone.

    By the time Kung Fu finished up their last song and said their goodbyes to the crowd at Buffalo Iron Works, no one in crowd was ready to leave. They received a cheering ovation and came out for one more high energy ‘victory lap’ song which sent attendants home smiling and wishing they were returning for one more night of funk.

  • New York Series: Paul Simon ‘Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard’

    When pop icon Paul Simon split from the famous folk duo Simon and Garfunkel in 1970, the future was foggy for the young singer. He briefly stepped away from the hectic pop world to figure out where he wanted to go next with his musical career. For two years he spent his time teaching songwriting classes at New York University, travelling around the country to record demos and searching for inspiration in genres of music with which he was not very familiar. After some much needed soul searching, in January 1972, Simon released his first solo album in the US, Paul Simon. The album looks at many of the issues Simon was going through at the time, ranging from his fading adolescence to increased drug use. The second single off the album, “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” is inspired Simon’s whimsical childhood in Queens, and was written as a vague, yet playful, reflection of growing up during an era of change.

    paul simon me and julio down by the schoolyard

    Over the course of his childhood in Kew Garden Hills in Queens, NY, Simon saw his small Jewish community grow into a more diverse neighborhood featuring many different cultures and ethnicities. Many believe the name “Julio” (then controversial for a white artist to write a song featuring a Latino name) is used in this song to highlight the increasing diversity in Queens, and the obscure use of Brazilian percussion techniques often used in samba music only further support this theory.

    In addition to Simon’s own neighborhood changing during the ’60s, the entire country was going through an intense shift which furthered the gap between the political left and right.  When asked what the crime committed in the song that made mama pajama so distraught was, Simon was very vague with his answer. In a 1972 interview he said:

    “I have no idea what it is. Something sexual is what I imagine, but when I say ‘something,’ I never bothered to figure out what it was. Didn’t make any difference to me. I like the line about the radical priest–I think that’s funny to have in a song.”

    paul simon

    While the crime may in fact be something sexual, many fans theorize that it could also be referencing something illegal pertaining to drugs, political activism, or is somehow racially motivated. With the influx of political movements occurring during the 1960s, any one of those theories could essentially be accurate with regards to the story. All we know from the narrator is that the crime committed was illegal at the time, and controversial to the point where a radical priest questions its morality on a national level. Because of their actions, the narrator and Julio will never view the world on such a small scale again and must say goodbye to local heroes, such as Rosie the Queen of Corona (Corona Park is close to where Simon grew up in Queens), and they are also forced to say goodbye to their adolescent bubble.

    Since the release of “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” the Kew Garden Hills neighborhood Simon grew up in has seen many different changes in terms of demographics. It is still an ethnically diverse neighborhood with Jewish roots which has seen a recent influx of Korean immigrants inhabiting the neighborhood. As many things change, some things will always stay the same, such as the ambiguity of this song. If Simon were to rewrite the song today, it might even be titled “Me and Do-Won Down by the Schoolyard.”

    ‘Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard’ Lyrics:

    The mama pajama rolled out of bed
    And she ran to the police station
    When the papa found out he began to shout
    And he started the investigation

    It’s against the law
    It was against the law
    What the mama saw
    It was against the law

    The mama looked down and spit on the ground
    Every time my name gets mentioned
    The papa said, “oy, if I get that boy
    I’m gonna stick him in the house of detention”

    Well I’m on my way
    I don’t know where I’m going
    I’m on my way
    I’m taking my time
    But I don’t know where
    Goodbye to Rosie, the queen of Corona

    Seein’ me and Julio
    Down by the schoolyard
    Seein’ me and Julio
    Down by the schoolyard

    Whoa, in a couple days they come and take me away
    But the press let the story leak
    And when the radical priest
    Come to get me released
    We was all on the cover of Newsweek

    And I’m on my way
    I don’t know where I’m going
    I’m on my way
    I’m taking my time
    But I don’t know where
    Goodbye to Rosie, the queen of Corona

    Seein’ me and Julio
    Down by the schoolyard
    Seein’ me and Julio
    Down by the schoolyard
    Seein’ me and Julio
    Down by the schoolyard

  • That 1 Guy Makes Buffalo Weird Again

    With thousands of artists releasing new music daily thanks to technological advances which allow musicians to record a song and share it with the world in the matter of minutes, performers must be more creative than ever to break through the clutter and establish a name for themselves. Some tour relentlessly to get their name out, a few incorporate jokes or magic into their act to entertain audiences on multiple levels, and others go out and slap a “Magic Pipe” until their fingers bleed. Mike Silverman, or That 1 Guy, happens to do all three, as well as much more. On Thursday, February 28, the one-man traveling circus graced the stage in Buffalo at Mohawk Place for an unforgettable night of music, laughs and wizardry.

    that 1 guyLike most nights with live music at Mohawk Place, the crowd was split between people who had marked their calendars the day the performance was announced and causal music lovers seeking their Thursday night fix. Things were a bit different that night, however, as those who arrived with the intention of winding down after a long day of work to some relaxing tunes were exposed to far more than they bargained for. The imminent weirdness presented itself as soon you made your way to the stage and observed the large, Festivus-esqe, pole standing atop a raised grate in front of three jumbo screens. The large pole Silverman dubs the “Magic Pipe,” is a homemade, electronically rigged pair of machined aluminum pipes connected by adjustable phosphorus bronze joints, with each pipe hosting an orchestral bass string.

    Waiting for the absolute last possible second to go on before the crowd exploded in anticipation, Silverman hopped on stage, pulled out a double-bass bow, and began playing a hauntingly beautiful melody on the smaller pipe. The instrument’s unique tone sounded like a combination of Vivaldi and Pink Floyd, as the screens behind displayed psychedelic images that morphed in unison with each note played. As he hit lower notes, the room trembled with the heavy bass, and audience members could feel spiritually cleansing vibrations run through their chests. The orchestral vibes would not last long, however, as Silverman’s bolstering creativity wouldn’t allow him to stick with one genre at any point in the night. The world-class street performer quickly shifted gears to an African tribal rhythm as he played around with his numerous foot pedals, combining the infectious rhythm with a top layer of EDM beats and deep, bluesy vocals.

    Two songs and the audience had already time traveled around the world and back. The performance oozed with surrealism as Silverman continued his set featuring a duck sock-puppet on one song, a cowboy boot rigged to play like Congo drums on the next, and a whimsical song about a great whale race that took place just before our very eyes to complete the trio.  In between each song the incredibly talented entertainer told jokes, performed magic tricks, and spoke to the crowd as if they were friends in his living room.

    Those who had seen That 1 Guy before added another dimension to the performance as they called for specific songs and yelled out phrases that were obvious inside jokes between Silverman and his audience. Aside from his own kooky songs and singing quotes from passive-aggressive Airbnb reviews he received, the renaissance man performer mixed in popular songs from Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” to jazz standards, and kept the crowd on their toes with whatever classic rock riffs came to his mind.  That1Guy is the kind of virtuoso musician you’d imagine would be playing the Lincoln Center today if the hippies won (or even fought) the war.

    To cap off a wildly entertaining performance, Silverman finished the night with some jazz. He told the audience he saved the jazz songs for the end as an attempt to influence a younger generation to listen to the genre. Once he had everyone buttered up with EDM and rock and roll, he played jazz standards to subconsciously influence a generation of music listeners to seek out a genre that has mostly disappeared from popular music today. When it was all said and done, the set was nearly two hours long, despite it only feeling like a few minutes. From stunning visuals to bizarre compositions you cannot hear anywhere else on the planet, That1Guy is a show all music lovers should seek out immediately. Thankfully, that should not be too difficult as the one-man circus averages an astonishing 150-200 performances a year around North America in an effort to spread joy and weirdness around the continent.

Built in Breakdance