Trumpeter Augie Haas has released “Have You Met Miss Jones,” the second single from his forthcoming album Have We Met, due to be released on July 20. Augie is one of the most in-demand trumpet players in New York, having worked with artists such as Harry Connick, Jr., The Maria Schneider Orchestra and The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and is currently a regular member of the orchestra for Aladdin on Broadway.
Augie says of the album, “I am excited, not just for the new single ‘Have You Met Miss Jones,’ but for the entire record. With time moving faster than ever, we wanted to create music that encourages people to pour a cocktail, close their eyes, and forget about life’s troubles. I’m Augie Haas; have we met?”
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Augie earned his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of the Performing Arts. After Chicago, he attended The University of Miami’s Frost School of Music Conservatory for a Masters in Studio Music in Jazz and a Doctorate in Musical Arts.
Augie has released four albums under his co-founded label Playtime Music: The Llama, Doing it Augie Style, Baby Jazz, and his latest album Endless, featuring all original compositions. Most recently he published his first book entitled Build Your Range.
Upcoming shows: July 19 @ Birdland | New York NY
August 8 @ Wynwood Yard | Miami, FL
August 10 @ Jazz Estate | Milwaukee, WI
During the seemingly unending winter, Rochesterians yearn for a glimpse of the warming sun. As soon as the summer hits however, a large number of them start ducking in and out of dark halls, churches theaters and clubs, now yearning for a glimpse of some of the greatest musical talent the world over. From June 22 through 30, 2018 Rochester Jazz Fest will once again become one of the hottest destinations for live jazz, and music in general. The 17th edition of the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Fest is bringing 1500 artists from 20 countries to play over 300 shows in 20 different venues. 214 club pass shows, 97 free shows and 5 headliner shows all happening over a 9-day stretch inside 1 square mile. That’s a lot of numbers to crunch, and you just want to see some music. Thankfully we’re here to do the math, calculating the perfect slate for any music lover. Whatever you’re pleasure, there’s a number that fits. Check out our picks below, and don’t forget to also read our tips for the best way to enjoy your time at the fest.
1 Voice
These are the singers we’ll have our eyes on:
https://youtu.be/JJYzPOYHOao
Songs of Freedom Drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. originally put together this show for a special gig at Lincoln Center. It features not just one, but three amazing voices singing songs from not just one but three iconic singers. The show explores the 1960s through through the music of Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell and Abbey Lincoln and will feature the singers Theo Bleckmann, Alicia Olatuja and Joanna Majoko.
June 27, Kilbourn Hall, 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.; $35 or Club Pass
Zara McFarlane An award-winning singer from the UK with roots in the Caribbean, McFarlane’s sound adds reggae and soul to a jazz base, but it doesn’t stop there in breaking down new barriers in music. She’s in the thick of a new and young British jazz renaissance and is joined on her latest release by XRIJF alums Moses Boyd, Binker Goldings and Shabaka Hutchings. This won’t be your typical jazz vocal set.
June 25, Christ Church, 6:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
The Suffers
We could easily throw this Houston band into the next category because they’ll certainly get you moving with their big band Gulf Coast soul music, but it all comes back to Kam Franklin and her big time pipes. They’ve wowed at many a festival all around the world, but now it’s Rochester’s turn.
June 28, Harro East, 5:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Also check out:
Liz Vice June 27, Montage Music Hall, 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Deva Mahal June 30, Harro East, 5:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
2 Feet
In the mood to dance? Here are some artists that will get your body moving:
St. Germain An innovator of house music, St. Germain is the stage name of Frenchman Ludovic Navarre. He combines jazz, blues and African music with electronic music. Even if you’ve never heard of him, you’ve likely heard him, his songs like “Alabama Blues” and “Rose Rouge” were widespread hits. Even his music that is now decades old sounds fresh and new today.
June 29, City of Rochester East Ave and Chestnut St Stage, 9:00 p.m.; Free
Tower of Power
Going further back, Tower of Power have been blasting their tunes for 50 years and are celebrating as such all year. As appropriate a name in a band as you will find, this horn-based funk and R&B band is truly a towering power, with charting hits like “You’re Still a Young Man”, “So Very Hard to Go”, “What Is Hip?”, and “Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)”.
June 30, City of Rochester East Ave and Chestnut St Stage, 9:00 p.m.; Free
Moon Hooch
Moon Hooch resides somewhere in between St. Germain and Tower of Power, the up-and-coming three piece combines bombastic saxophones with eclectic drumming to arrive in an electronic music space via a more organic path. It’s unique and will make your mind spin, but it’ll also get your feet moving.
June 24, Rochester Regional Health Big Tent, 8:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
June 25, Montage Music Hall, 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Also check out:
Ghost-Note with Mononeon June 27, Harro East, 5:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
June 28, Squeezers Stage at Anthology, 7:45 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Mwenso and the Shakes June 23, Xerox Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
6 Strings
Here are some musicians that will be lighting fires with axes:
Scott Sharrard
You may have caught Sharrard a couple of years ago as a part of the late Greg Allman’s band when he headlined at the Eastman Theatre. Sharrard was a long-time member and musical director of Allman’s band, but he also has a long solo career of his own. Now he’s fronting his Brickyard Band, playing raw and vital blues rock. They’ll be bringing material from their forthcoming album, Saving Grace.
June 22, City of Rochester East Ave and Chestnut St Stage, 9:00 p.m.; Free June 23, City of Rochester Jazz St Stage, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; Free
Stephane Wrembel
The mantra of the festival might be “It’s not who you know, it’s who you don’t know,” though after 17 years it’s tough not to have return visits. Wrembel is coming back for the 5th time, and has been a fan favorite every year. He returns almost yearly for non-festival shows and even recorded a live album in town at the Lovin’ Cup a few years ago. We probably don’t need to tell you, but you won’t want to miss his set this year either.
June 29, Max of Eastman Place, 6:15 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Ron Artis II and the Truth
If you’re looking for a fresh-faced axe slinger to blow you away, look no further than Ron Artis. This Hawaiian band oozes soul and backs it with exhilarating instrumentation. They’ll bring material from their recently released debut album, Soul Street, and will leave town with a whole bunch of new fans.
June 22, Rochester Regional Health Big Tent, 8:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
June 23, Montage Music Hall, 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Also check out:
Jack Broadbent June 23, Harro East, 5:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass June 24, Xerox Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Torben Waldorff June 27, Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
50 Stars, 13 Stripes
That’s the flag we’re referencing there, and these are acts steeped in Americana:
Pokey Lafarge
Another returnee, Pokey Lafarge is coming back to the festival after six years away. In our review of his Lilac Festival set a few years back, we noted “his music does pull from many early music influences like Western swing, ragtime, old-time country and jazz, it manages to rise above a simple throwback.”
June 29, City of Rochester Stage at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, 9:00 p.m.; Free
Alison Krauss
Grammy-winning bluegrass, folk and country singer Alison Krauss comes to the festival behind her critically-acclaimed new album Windy City, her first without Union Station in a decade. Her smooth-as-silk voice will be even more front and center than usual and the show will be as captivating as you’ve come to expect.
June 27, Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, 8:00 p.m.;$115/$105/$85/$70 or Club Pass
Dustbowl Revival
One of our favorite finds from last year’s fest, Dustbowl Revival, “a string band with a horn section, used each of its eight pieces to their advantage, moving from swing to ska to folk to blues to funk to rock and everything in between.” Anyone who caught them last year will certainly be on their way to see them again.
June 24, Harro East, 5:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Also check out:
Junior Brown June 26, Squeezers Stage at Anthology, 7:45 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
As always there’s plenty of piano talent to go around, these are the ones we’re most excited to check out:
The Bad Plus
Genre-bending trio The Bad Plus premiered material from a forthcoming album featuring singer Wendy Lewis at the festival in 2008. It was quite the surprise at the time. Ten years later they finally return, and again have a lineup change. Pianist Ethan Iverson left the band at the end of last year, and was replaced by Orrin Evans. The band promptly released a new album, Never Stop II, and we’ll get a peek at some of that material and a lot more.
June 23, Temple Building, 7:00 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Pilc Moutin Hoenig Heavily improvised and inventive, this trio out of New York featuring Jean-Michel Pilc, Francoise Moutin and Ari Hoenig. Each brings their individual instrumental prowess together to form something wholly unique. For the full experience, you can also catch Pilc perform solo piano at the Hatch Hall on the next night (at 5:45 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.).
June 28, Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Gogo Penguin
They played their first ever North American gig in Rochester when they nearly topped our list of the 10 best sets of the 2015 festival. They’ve expanded their reach and have been winning fans the world over. “The music is thoroughly melodic, not veering into traditional solos, and taking cues from both classical and pop music for a unique sound that isn’t immediately identifiable as jazz.” Our most anticipated returning artist is a toss-up between Gogo Penguin and The Bad Plus. We wouldn’t miss either!
June 28, Xerox Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Also check out:
Django Bates Beloved June 23, Christ Church, 6:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
The skies the limit with these artists who push the boundaries of music:
House of Waters
It’s your one chance to see the hammered dulcimer at the festival, so thankfully it’s a player, Max ZT who NPR calls the “Jimi Hendrix of hammered dulcimer.” Forget everything you know about the instrument as ZT has all but reinvented the sound. With jazz bassist Moto Fukushima and South American drummer Ignacius Rivas Bixio, House of Waters creates a musical blend unlike any you’ve ever heard.
June 26, Max of Eastman Place, 6:15 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Matt Wilson’s Honey and Salt Band
Wilson’s latest project, the Honey and Salt Band, plays music inspired by, and including the words of the poetry of Carl Sandburg. It is off-beat and quirky, funny and fun and will have you smiling ear to ear for the duration of their set. You kind of just need to go see it.
June 30, Kilbourn Hall, 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.; $35 or Club Pass
Beats and Pieces Big Band
A big band for the next generation, bandleader Ben Cottrell conducts this 14-piece outfit out of Manchester, England. Their music is equal parts rocking, jazzy and ethereal. The band’s lineup hasn’t changed much in ten years making for a supremely tight group that has incredible agility for a band of this size. Expect the unexpected.
June 24, Christ Church, 6:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Also check out:
Trail of Souls June 25, Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Shake Stew June 27, Xerox Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.; $30 or Club Pass
Be sure and check out the full schedule and download the app at rochesterjazz.com to construct your own nightly schedule.
The Thursday on the Village Green concert series is kicking off on July 12th in Hamilton, NY. The concert series takes place in downtown Hamilton and is known for being a 100-year tradition with music on the Village Green dating back to 1902.
Courtesy of Thursdays on the Village Green press release.
There’s a family-friendly theme to go alongside the concert each night this year in hopes of expanding on the traditional musical performances by incorporating these family-friendly themed nights. The family themed activities will start at 5:30 p.m. and music will take place from 7-9 p.m. There will also be local food trucks and 200 ice cream sandwiches provided each week by Hood Dairy. The concert series has no cover charge and is open to the public.
The kick-off event is on July 12th and will include the American Blues Roots band Chris Merkley’s Rocky Bottom Trio paired with a First Responders Night where the local police and ambulance will be present.
Event dates listed below:
July 12 – Chris Merkley’s Rocky Bottom Trio and First Responders Night – Hamilton, NY
July 19 – The Old Main and Comic-Con Night – Hamilton, NY
July 26 – Loren Barrigar and Education Night – Hamilton, NY
Aug. 2 – Nate Gross Band and Racing Night with Matt Janczuk – Hamilton, NY
Aug. 9- Sanguine Penguin and Healthy Hamilton Night – Hamilton, NY
Aug. 16 – JJ Murphy and Veterans Night – Hamilton, NY
The Salt City’s annual rite of summer, Taste of Syracuse, kicks off Friday June 1 and runs through June 2, 2018. The annual free festival pairs the region’s foods and music in Downtown’s Clinton Square. This year’s headliner is ’90s alt-pop icons, Smash Mouth.
The fest’s claim to fame is the $1 food samples from the various eateries set up in the square. You can find the full dollar menu here.
Other than the food, Taste of Syracuse also provides a great free look at the wealth of musical talent from Syracuse and surrounding areas. With three stages, there is no shortage of music to be found. Things get going at noon Friday with Just Joe on the Clinton Square Stage, Peg Newell and Robyn Stockdale on the Erie Boulevard Stage and Max Scialdone on the Main Stage.
https://youtu.be/1X0BB-61s6Q
Music continues throughout the day with soul being the theme on the Clinton Square Stage. Tanksley performs at 6:30 p.m. followed by Israel Hagen’s Stroke at 7:45 p.m. Prime Time closes out the night at 9:30 p.m.
The Erie Boulevard Stage gets funky Friday night with a double shot of Root Shock and Sophistafunk. The two Syracuse bands recently paired for a mini-tour together called the Salt City Shakedown that also included Syracuse’s Skunk City. Root Shock won the 2017 SAMMY award for Best New Artist and also captured the NYS Music March Madness title that year. Country Swagg and Hard Promises close out the Main Stage Friday night.
Saturday gets started at noon with Lori Ann singing the oldies on the Clinton Square stage. Syracuse’s master of the slide guitar, Colin Aberdeen will get funky on the Erie Boulevard Stage at the same time.
Colin Aberdeen performing at the Dinosaur BBQ in April 2017
The Main Stage on Saturday will feature Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest at at 1:30, followed by the folk rock stylings of Poor Tim, featuring Shawn “Big Sexy” Smith, a former contestant on NBC’s The Voice and Justin Smithson, who has performed at Carnegie Hall.
Chris Eves and the New Normal follow Poor Tim. The New Normal’s single “Green and Blue” was recently included on Relix magazine’s June Digital Sampler. You can listen on Spotify below:
Country act, Grit and Grace and the latest “Vinyl Albums Live” set, “The ’90s Mix Tape” follow. Closing out the main stage and the festival is ’90s pop group, Smash Mouth.
Other acts performing on Saturday include Grateful Dead tribute act Dark Hollow, hip hop from Joe Driscoll and the Brownskin Band, Americana from the Old Main, and funk from Skunk City on the Erie Boulevard Stage.
The Clinton Street stage features the soulful alt-rock of the Black River, Tim Herron and Great Blue, Soul Risin’ and the Barndogs DELUXE.
Attendance to the two-day festival is free. For the complete schedule, see below.
Legendary jazz composer/performer and 14-time Grammy award-winner, Herbie Hancock, was celebrated on Sunday, May 20, 2018 and received an honorary doctorate as part of the 147th Commencement ceremony in NEC’s (New England Conservatory‘s) Jordan Hall.
Hancock was one of four distinguished musicians to receive an honorary doctorate. Joseph L. Bower, Edgar Albert Meyer, Jr., and Peter Lyman Row were the other recipients of NEC’s honorary doctorates.
According to NEC:
“Born in Chicago, Hancock was a piano prodigy, performing with the Chicago Symphony at age 11. His career began after being discovered by Donald Byrd and, shortly thereafter, he joined the Miles Davis Quintet; he later made appearances on Davis’ groundbreaking In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew, which heralded the birth of jazz-fusion. After leaving Davis, Hancock put together a new band called The Headhunters and, in 1973, recorded Head Hunters, which became the first jazz album to go platinum. The winner of multiple Grammy Awards, he also won an Academy Award for his film score ‘Round Midnight. His 2007 tribute album River: The Joni Letters won the 2008 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, only the second jazz album ever to win the award, after Getz/Gilberto in 1965. Recently named by the Los Angeles Philharmonic as Creative Chair For Jazz, he also serves as Institute Chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.”
Approximately 265 students graduated from NEC’s degree, diploma, and certificate programs this year along side Hancock while he received his honorary doctorate. Students graduated in a range of studies including: Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees, as well as Graduate Diploma and Artist Diploma.
This year’s Night Lights Music Festival will feature music on three stages on the weekend of August 23-26, 2018. For the eighth year in a row, The Heron in the town of Sherman will be transformed into a spectacle of lights and sounds. The lineup includes the music of Lotus, Motet, Aqueous and more. Several tribute sets are also scheduled: Wild Adriatic (Led Zeppelin), Space Junk (Disco Biscuits) and Psychedelic Jukebox (paying homage to the history of psychedelic rock).
Among the other acts are Wild Adriatic, Intrepid Travelers, Root Shock, lespecial, Folkfaces, and Danielle Ponder & the Tomorrow People. In addition to music, festival-goers will be able to enjoy camping, yoga, hiking, swimming and other outdoor activities. Local food and beverages and arts & crafts vendors will be on site. Early bird tickets are on sale now through the festival website.
The complete lineup includes: Lotus, The Motet, Aqueous, Octave Cat featuring Jesse Miller (Lotus), Eli Winderman (Dopapod), Charlie Patierno, Anomalie, Tropidelic, Bumpin Uglies, lespecial, Pappy (of Cabinet), Wild Adriatic (Led Zeppelin Tribute), Upstate Rubdown, Boss Tweed and the Carpetbaggers, Gatos Blancos, Funktional Flow, Danielle Ponder & the Tomorrow People, Dynohunter, Root Shock, Space Junk (Disco Biscuits Tribute), Holy Hand Grenade, Lazlo Hollyfeld, Intrepid Travelers, Folkfaces, Cold Lazarus, Psychedelic Jukebox, Cypher, Kaleidoscope Sky, The Good Neighbors, Able Footing, and Neon Veins.
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.
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.”
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.
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
Gov’t Mule has announced their 2018 summer tour, hitting Wantagh and Lewiston, New York. The Warren Haynes led rock band finished up their spring tour at the New Orleans Jazz Festival.
The band is coming off their 10th studio album and highest selling debut, 2017’s Revolution Come… Revolution Go. The album is one of the band’s most politically driven pieces to date.
Mule will also make it’s way over to Europe where they will be headlining the “Gov’t Mule Dark Side of the Mule & Avett Brothers shows.” The bands will play a string of three shows throughout Europe where Gov’t Mule will perform Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon along with the Avett Brothers.
Pre-sale for summer tour tickets began Monday, general on-sale begins Friday, May 18th at 10 a.m.
June 2 – Atlanta, GA – Candler Park Fest
June 29 – Torgau, DE – Kulturbastion
June 30 – Utrecht, NL – TivoliVredenburg
July 1 – Maidstone, UK – Ramblin’ Man Fair July 12 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater*
July 13 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center*
July 14 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center*
July 21 – 22 -Scranton, PA – Peach Music Festival July 24 – Lewiston, NY – Artpark
July 25 – Selbyville, DE – The Freeman Stage at Bayside
July 26 – 27 – Floyd, VA – Floyd Fest
July 28 – Jay, VT – Jay Peak
Aug. 4 – Notodden, NO – Notodden Blues Festival
Aug. 17 – Charlotte, NC – CMCU Amphitheater**
Aug. 18 – Charleston, SC – Volvo Car Stadium**
Aug. 19 – Whites Creek, TN – The Woods Amphitheater**
Aug. 21 – Huber Heights, OH – Rose Music Center**
Aug. 23 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center*
Aug. 24 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre*
Aug. 25 – Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre*
Aug. 26 – Des Moines, IA – Brenton Plaza**
Aug. 28 – Mankata, MN – Vetter Stone Amphitheater**
Aug. 29 – Papillion, NE – SumTur**
Aug. 31 – Park City, UT – Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater**
Sept. 2 – Sun Valley, ID – Sun Valley Pavilion^
Sept. 14 – 16 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Blues & Brews
Sept. 23 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond
*Dark Side of the Mule w/ The Avett Brothers & The Magpie Salute
** with Magpie Salute ^ with Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
“I don’t make enough to hire someone to tune my guitar, so bear with me,” said the Record Company’s guitarist/vocalis Chris Vos as he tuned his acoustic guitar between songs. It’s only a matter of time before Vos will be able to afford his own guitar tech. If Saturday night’s show at Syracuse’s venerable Westcott Theater is any indication, this band won’t be lugging around their own gear much longer.
The Record Company, a Los Angeles-based blues rock trio, returned to Syracuse’s Westcott Theater almost exactly one year since their last visit, playing to a larger, more enthusiastic crowd and paying that multi-generational crowd back in spades with a spectacular performance.
The band kicked off the show with Elmira native Marc Cazorla’s swinging drumbeat on the latest single from the upcoming album, All of This Life, “I’m Getting Better (And I’m Feeling It Right Now).” Vos’ harmonica quickly turned this swing number into a bluesy stomp, his voice eerily reminiscent of an exuberant Mark Sandman, the late Morphine front man. The late arriving crowd was into the groove immediately and Vos fed off this vibe the entire night. It would be accurate to call this band a power trio; the power coming from the stage was electric all night.
Their music is derived from the blues and one can hear similarities to other minimalist blues-based outfits from the 2000s like The Black Keys and White Stripes. The difference is The Record Company also pivots between a soulful, gospel style and, with its latest offerings, some pop sensibilities and bass. Alex Stiff is a monster on the bass. The influences on this band range from Al Green to Led Zeppelin to The Grateful Dead to John Lee Hooker to the Beastie Boys and everything in between.
Their second number, “Baby I’m Broken,” had Vos break into Chuck Berry’s patented duck walk across the stage as he threw down a blistering solo. Bassist Alex Stiff featured prominently throughout the night, but especially in “On the Move,” from the band’s Grammy-nominated debut album Give it Back to You. His bass lines served as both a lead and keeper of the groove simultaneously.
The woeful hit “Rita Mae Young” showcased Vos’ lap steel prowess and soulful vocals, something he takes great pride in and with good reason – he shreds. He was assisted on the chorus by those in attendance, inducing a chuckle and an admission that he had forgotten to sing because he was distracted by the audience’s vocals.
Over the course of the near-90 minute performance, the band’s appreciation for their audience increased exponentially. The feeling was obviously mutual. Prior to busting into the new song “Life to Fix,” Vos commented, “There’s been rumors going around that rock and roll is dead. I say, ‘Fuck that!’ Come see a rock and roll show before you say that.” This was met with uproarious applause and the opening riffs to the new single.
Usually, when a band breaks out a new song during a show, especially one on an album that has yet to be released, you can count on a number of people to take that opportunity to refresh their beer or visit the rest room. Not so on this night, and it did not go unnoticed by Vos. This show opened with a new song and had several others sprinkled throughout. Vos thanked the crowd following “You and Me Now,” saying, “Thanks for listening to the new stuff. We don’t practice it because it might take some of the edge off.”
The main set finished with the appropriately titled “The Burner,” which did exactly that. Vos threw his acoustic guitar across his lap and ripped into the slide intro and that Vos falsetto. The lap steel is his go-to and he made his guitar absolutely wail during this version of “The Burner.” The crowd clapped along to the call and response from the lead man while Stiff kept the beat. Vos dropped a Stones’ reference before manically kicking up dust onstage to finish off the sweaty set.
Vos came out solo for the first of two encore songs, performing a heartfelt acoustic song titled “I’m Changing.” His bandmates were visible backstage singing along with his introspective lyrics: “I got devils in my eyes, tapping in my night…” Much of The Record Company’s songs have soul-searching lyrics. This one foots the bill perfectly. But while they tend to reach into their hearts and souls in their original compositions, they aren’t above just having a helluva party. Exhibit A: The final song of the night, a bluesy take on the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage.” Last year’s Westcott performance featured another Beasties’ cover “So Whatcha Want.” The Record Company ended the night on a satisfying note with the crowd pogoing and shouting along with Stiff’s distorted bass lines and beat box drumming from Cazorla on this mid-90s Beasties punk classic.
Opening act, Tthe Suitcase Junket, otherwise known as Matt Lorenz, is a one-man band, employing a unique style of guitar where he employs a dumpster-found, amplified, acoustic guitar with flailing strings, along with an array of original percussion instruments and a unique throat vocal that somehow sounds like a tin whistle.
The lack of accompanying musicians is virtually unnoticed with Lorenz’s act. He sounds like a full band, incorporating such unorthodox instruments as a gas can baby shoe foot drum, a circular saw blade bell and a box of bones and silverware that serves as a high hat. He’ll, at times, sing into his guitar’s pickups, creating a distorted vocal effect, followed immediately by his throat vocal, all while throwing down some heavy power chords.
This one-man band is also a one-man Vaudeville show. In between songs, he took jabs at himself and his instrumentation, introducing his “band,” discussing what each “member” of his “band” contributed to the sound of the Suitcase Junket. His self-deprecation banter between songs endeared him to the audience right away, a rarity for an opening act. Record Company lead man Chris Vos, while thanking the Junket for performing, mentioned that Lorenz is the artist who has opened for The Record Company the most times. The Suitcase Junket was the perfect opener for the Record Company – an artist true to the art form and original.
Syracuse has always been championed as a blues town. The support shown to The Record Company on this night is a testament to this. At one point in the show, Vos asked the crowd who had never seen them perform before and who had seen them perform. The number of people who had seen them far outnumbered those who hadn’t, at least according to this unscientific survey. Syracuse IS a blues town. And now, Syracuse is also a Record Company town.
The Record Company Setlist:
I’m Getting Better (And I’m Feeling it Right Now), Baby I’m Broken, Everybody’s Gonna Make a Movie, Rita Mae Young, Feels So Good, Turn Me Loose, On the Move, Life to Fix, This Crooked City, Off the Ground, You and Me Now, The Burner. E: I’m Changing (Vos solo), Sabotage (Beastie Boys cover)
The Board of Directors of the Rochester Music Hall of Fame pulled out all the stops this year. The seventh annual award ceremony was held on Sunday, April 22 at Rochester’s historic Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. The sold-out event celebrated the contributions of musicians with local ties, including Rochester native and legendary drummer Steve Gadd, Eastman School of Music graduate and iconic bassist Tony Levin, world-renown percussionist and Eastman School Professor Emeritus John Beck, and masters of sacred steel The Campbell Brothers. Congratulatory messages were sent by Peter Gabriel, who has worked with both Gadd and Levin. Special guest performers included pedal steel guitarist extraordinaire Robert Randolph, preteen powerhouse Angelica Hale from America’s Got Talent, and a surprise appearance by Paul Simon.
At the ceremony’s commencement, a moment of silence was taken to honor the late Senator Louise Slaughter, a supporter of the arts. Board of Directors President Karl LaPorta announced that he and his wife would be stepping down from the board to spend some time traveling, although they will stay involved with the Hall of Fame. Vice President Jack Whittier will take the lead position on the Board moving forward. Whittier shared plans to branch into more community outreach and partnerships which foster the love of music. They’ve also acquired a location for the Hall of Fame at the corner of East Main and Gibbs Streets.
The ceremony opened with a few quick tribute songs from local singers, backed by the Hall of Fame’s house band, Prime Time Funk: “Kodachrome” sung by Alyssa Coco and Ronnie Leigh, a soulful rendition of “Wildflower” sung by Bree Draper, and “Sledgehammer” featuring the powerful vocals of Danielle Ponder.
The first inductee of the night was John Beck, a Pennsylvania native who started playing drums at a very young age, traveling by bus into Pittsburgh as a teenager to take lessons and later moving to Rochester to study at the Eastman School of Music. After ten years drumming in the military, Beck returned to Rochester to teach and to play in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. He has played with orchestras around the world, and holds many accolades. He has also taught hundreds of students, including Steve Gadd.
The first piece he played was something he wrote for Gadd’s senior performance, played on the timpani. He then played a couple on a drum kit and some hand drums. Between songs, he went to the podium to talk about the music, and asked for a moment to get to the drums. But once behind the percussive instruments, he began moving with a deft agility and grace. For his grand finale, he chose a big band song, backed by Prime Time Funk.
Ferdinand Jay Smith
The next inductee was Ferdinand Jay Smith III, who has created some of the most memorable and longest lasting music in entertainment, including theme songs for television programs, Olympic Games, and advertising. A reel of some of his work was played, highlighting the local, regional, and national clients for whom Smith has produced work. Some of the best selections were saved for live performance by the house band, with guest singers. America’s Got Talent finalist Angelina Hale took to the stage to perform the theme song for Bausch & Lomb. The Empire State Games theme song was sung by a group which included two of Smith’s children and one of his grandchildren.
Ferdinand Jay Smith with Angelina Hale
After a brief intermission, Gadd and Levin were introduced by their friend Peter Gabriel, via video recording. The British rocker talked about knowing Levin “since the dinosaurs roamed the earth” and shared the joke about how many drummers it takes to change a light bulb. “One to do it, and twelve to talk about how Steve Gadd would have done it.”
Steve Gadd
Gadd and Levin met as students at the Eastman School of Music, where they studied together during the day and gigged around town by night, learning the ropes from local legends like Chuck and Gap Mangione. After serving in Vietnam, Gadd settled in New York City with Levin, and Levin introduced him around. They formed a jazz band called L’Image with friends Mike Mainieri, David Spinozza and Warren Bernhardt. Since that time, they have also toured and recorded with some of the biggest names in the music industry, as well as their own individual bands.
L’Image
The members of L’Image united on stage tonight to play a few of their songs, which prominently featured the xylophone and the Chapman stick. Levin is adept at playing the stick, sometimes plucking and sometimes with a bow.
Tony Levin
Just when we thought they would wrap up their set, Paul Simon walked across the stage. Simon shared a couple of stories about working with Gadd and Levin, then launched into performances of “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” which features Gadd’s prominent drum line, and “Late In The Evening,” for which Levin wrote the driving bassline. Simon’s surprise appearance was one of the city’s best kept secrets (EVERYBODY knew when Bill Murray was in town a few weeks ago, but Simon’s arrival was kept tightly under wraps until the show). This comes on the wake of the news that Simon will retire from touring after this year. The ‘Homeward Bound’ farewell tour starts in mid-may and wraps up in the fall with a three-night run in New York City.
Paul Simon with Steve Gadd
Paul Simon is a hard act to follow, but the Campbell Brothers held their own. The Sacred Steel gospel group started at their local churches and have grown to fill some of the most venerable music halls, but the members maintain their sense of humility and gratitude despite their growing recognition.
Campbell Brothers with Robert Randolph
From the first notes of the steel pedal guitar, there was a sense that something phenomenal was in store. The other instruments joined it, the sound swelling to fill every nook and cranny of the auditorium. What ensued was a hand-clapping, foot-stomping celebration of joy. Gospel singer Denise Brown came out to sing “I’ve Got A Feeling.” And Charles Campbell got everyone doing a call and response on the next number, “Hell No! Heaven Yes!” Robert Randolph danced his way across the stage to join in on pedal steel.
Campbell Brothers with Robert Randolph
Randolph led the vocals on the last performance of the night, “Purple Haze,” a song Jimi Hendrix played when he performed in Rochester in 1968. Gadd settled himself behind his drum kit, Levin grabbed his bass and the house band took up their instruments, Beck took up a hand drum and Smith procured a tambourine. The all-star jam was a glorious sight to behold. Randolph jumped up on his chair while playing the steel pedal guitar. Charles Campbell was strutting the stage, pulling out some Chuck Berry style moves. The joyful outpouring of sights and sounds capped off what was truly a memorable night.
Mark your calendar now: next year’s Rochester Music Hall of Fame ceremony takes place on April 28th. You won’t want to miss out on all the excitement in store!
