Category: Genres

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.

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.”

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

March 29, 2018
The Funk, The Whole Funk, And Nothing But The Funk

Lettuce and The Motet finished up their two-night stand at The Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY on Saturday, March 24. The Motet’s high power, high energy brand of in-your-face-funk started the night off on the right foot. They were joined on stage by percussionist extraordinaire Nate Werth (Snarky Puppy, Ghost Note), adding an extra layer of rhythm to their already robust sound. Lettuce and The Motet capped the run off with a set of deep funk jams and crowd hyping beats. They came complete with a few musical twists and turns including a quick version of Biggie’s “Juicy” and encoring with Rick Jame’s “Mary Jane”.

Set List

Moetet:

Own It, Damn, Supernova, Fountain, Keep On, Conatagious, Handcuffs, Get It Right

Lettuce:

Mt Crushmore, Lobbiest, Blaze, Prince SMZ, Purple Cabbage, S.L.A.P., Lettsanity, Gogo (Juicy), Gang Ten, 116th, Chief It Up, Moksha, Trap

Encore:

Mary Jane

March 28, 2018
Proctors Hosts Beatles Themed Capital Records Live! at GE Theatre

It was the perfect duo – a collection of the area’s best musicians and the iconic catalog of music from The Beatles – together at Proctors for Capital Records Live! at the GE Theatre on Friday, March 23.

Let’s Be Leonard, Wild Adriatic, the Bryan Brundige Collective, Girl Blue, Clear Mind and Eastbound Jesus each played songs from The Beatles (the White Album) and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Each had liberty to perform its own renditions of songs from both albums. Some tried to capture the song as people remember them, while others added a unique spin to a classic track.

Highlights from Capital Records Live! included Bryan Brundige Collective’s rendition of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” Girl Blue welcoming the crowd to sing along to “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and the gratitude expressed by the audience as Clear Mind introduced a rap spin to the 50-year-old collection of songs.

The Rochmon Record Club provided Beatles trivia and history with a video presentation. There were moments when members of each band would stop setting up their gear to read along on the large screen behind the stage as everyone learned more about The Fab Four.

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

March 27, 2018
KMase Productions Announces Storytellers Mini-Tour

Three of Central New York’s most talented singer/songwriters are teaming up for a mini-tour in April. This first ever mini-tour, presented by KMase Productions out of Syracuse, includes Mike Powell, Chris Merkley and Charley Orlando.

Orlando is the talent buyer for Funk n’ Waffles. He helped create a regular Saturday/Sunday Storytellers session at the Downtown Syracuse Funk and has now integrated it into the Rochester Funk’s calendar as well. He is also a talented singer/songwriter, with 16 albums to his credit across his 26 year career.

Powell has been working the CNY scene as a solo artist and duo act with John Hanus as well as a member of his new band, the Black River. The Black River’s debut album, Classic Universe, was released earlier this year to great acclaim.

Merkley is a blues/Americana/rock artist and founder of Old Boy Records. He performs throughout the state as a solo act, a duo (Merkley & Morgan), in an acoustic rock band (The Crooners) and a swampy blues rock trio (Digger Jones). Merkley has also composed and produced music for TV and independent films. He also created several original compositions for the HBO series Generation Kill.

KMase’s Storytellers Mini-Tour:

April 12 – The Loving Cup – Rochester, NY
April 13 – The Nelson Odeon – Nelson, NY
April 14 – The Borodino Grange – Borodino, NY
April 15 – Bru 64 – Cortland, NY

March 27, 2018
Squirrel Nut Zippers Prove They are Back and Better Than Ever in Homer

The ’90s was a decade of maelstrom in the music industry. The decade that saw the death of hair metal also saw the rise of alt-rock, the second wave of ska and the swing revival, among many other genres. It was arguably the most eccentric of all decades in the history of American popular music. One of the bands that hit the big time in this era was Squirrel Nut Zippers, a Chapel Hill, NC band that straddled the line of swing music and New Orleans jazz. Their hit single “Hell” was ubiquitous on alternative radio in 1996.

Sunday night, the revamped version of Squirrel Nut Zippers rolled into the Center for the Arts of Homer, once the Homer Baptist Church, to hold a Palm Sunday service of their own, rapt with swing music, New Orleans style brass, Klezmer and old school crooning.

Riding the release of their first album in 18 years, Beasts of Burgundy, the new version of the Zippers provided the near sellout crowd with Vaudeville style entertainment and world class musicianship.

The band has been revamped after relocating to New Orleans and showcases some of the genre’s best musicians, including Dr. Sick, the spirited fiddler/multi-instrumentalist who stole the show with his outgoing and somewhat suggestive performance. Sick had a local connection to the show, Cortland musician Chris Merkley opened the show in the Community Space at the Center for the Arts of Homer. He documented his connection with Dr. Sick and the Squirrel Nut Zippers in a Facebook post on Friday:

https://www.facebook.com/cmerkley/posts/10155196362865825

The Zippers kicked off the show with a rousing rendition of a new song, “Karnival Joe From Kokomo,” a song that would fit right in with the 1996 Zippers’ catalog. The remainder of the night was a mix of old and new songs mixed with many jokes. When attending a Zippers show, you’re not just going to dance, you’re going to laugh your ass off. Between songs, band leader Jimbo Mathus and Dr. Sick riffed off each other with a string of cringe-worthy Dad jokes and bad bird puns that had the audience simultaneously laughing and wincing.

The highlight of the night was when Mathus introduced the “dancing portion” of the night. Permission was asked for audience members, who had largely been seat-ridden most of the show, to get up and dance for the upcoming section of the show. Mathus often referred to the early Zippers’ catalog as “songs from the past century.” These songs comprised the “dancing portion” of the night and the crowd complied. The band ripped into “Bad Businessman,” “Hell” and the rousing Klezmer-style song “Ghost of Stephen Foster” to finish out their outstanding set.

The encore consisted of “Axman Jazz,” “Prince Nez,” “Plenty More” and another new song, “Hey Shango!,” a Cuban-style romp from their latest album that led to a Second Line exit for the band. The Second Line wound its way through the audience and made its way to the Community Space, where the band continued playing before settling in for pictures and autographs with fans.

The Center for the Arts of Homer proved to be a tremendous host for a show like this and the Squirrel Nut Zippers were very grateful for those who attended. And the Zippers proved that original American music is not dead.

March 27, 2018
A Behind the Scenes Look at WITR Rochester Sessions

The Pulse of Music lies deep in the heart of Rochester Institute of Technology. The 89.7FM WITR DJ booth is visible from the campus’s centrally located student union. But below the hustle and bustle of the popular student hangout lies the original radio studio, complete with recording booths, stacks of physical copies of music, and a recording studio large enough to comfortably fit a full band. It was here on an unassuming Sunday afternoon that, unbeknownst to most students, Rochester alternative rock band Total Yuppies were unloading their gear and setting up to record some songs for Rochester Sessions.

Foreground: Ben Burdett Background: Jacob Walsh and JT Fitzgerald

The show’s producer and host Bailey Gribben and audio engineer Austin Frey helped the band members to connect cables and set up the studio. Bandmates chatted lightly, joking about consuming Smart brand water at RIT as they set up for the recording. There was no need to bring a lot of equipment to the studio. WITR has microphones, cables, speakers and a drum kit (if a band wants to use it instead of bringing their own). A full list of amenities is on the WITR website, and it concludes with “…. and 1 red couch.” Bands who have been featured on Rochester Sessions have signed the black walls in white ink. Names include Mikaela Davis, Maybird, Nerds In Denial, Tart Vandelay, and Talking Under Water.

The story behind Rochester Sessions is documented by these signatures, and oral history and social media posts. There’s no formal history. People who originally started the series have long since graduated. Turnover happens frequently as students come and go from the college. And those who get involved have an opportunity to move up the ranks fairly quickly.

Bailey Gribben and Austin Frey

Gribben became involved with the program just last year. “I started booking last fall semester,” Gribben told me as we walked through the studio, “I started off working with a group called Love Hope Strength. They do bone marrow drives at concerts. They wanted to do a drive at Springfest when we had Walk the Moon. So I started working with them. They got me an interview with Andrew McMahon. That was my first interview and booking. From there, I went with it. I interviewed Kevin Devine. I primarily only do local bands now.”

When the former producer of Rochester Sessions graduated last June, Gribben took the reins. He’s incorporated some innovations into the sessions, hosting a station takeover where the session was spent with Tart Vandelay, choosing the songs from amongst their influences. As a third year Motion Picture Science student, he also incorporated his videography skills to direct and edit the first video session, featuring Zuli from Long Island performing their song “Kubadiver.”

Jacob Walsh and JT Fitzgerald

During this session, Gribben asked Total Yuppies to introduce each song by saying a little something about it. With Frey at the helm of the soundboard, the band recorded two songs from their recent EP Care, as well as two new songs they have been working on, “Holy Place,” and “Numb.” Jacob Walsh (guitar and vocals), JT Fitzgerald (bass guitar), Ben Burdett (guitar) and Dylan Vaisey (drums) play with an intense focus and passion, but also convey the confidence and ease that comes from doing this together for years. Their music is distinctive for its pop melodies and extensive use of fuzzy effects, which balance out the somber nature of the lyrics.

Jacob Walsh

Members of the band knew their way around the studio. This was their second time appearing on Rochester Sessions, Fitzgerald and Walsh used to be involved in WITR while students at RIT. “It’s really cool to see the next generation of people doing what we used to do,” Walsh told me after the recording session as the band packed up their gear.

Dylan Vaisey

Gribben showed me around the rest of the studio, where RIT students interested in radio broadcasting have access to a vast array of tools and resources. While the upstairs booth is sleek and streamlined, with wall murals depicting WITR alum, the basement has an old-school station feel that hearkens back to the heyday of FM radio. Movable library shelves hold what the school boasts as the second largest privately owned vinyl collection in New York State. In addition to updated technology, they’ve retained some of the traditional tools such as reel to reel machines. There are tapes of interviews with The Ramones and The Pixies from ’88 lying atop a shelf of vinyl, crammed amongst other memorabilia.

Rochester Sessions airs Mondays from 4-5pm. Local listeners can tune in to 89.7 FM, and it can also be streamed online. The Total Yuppies session airs on Monday, March 26. It can also be found on Bandcamp. Previous sessions appear on Rochester Sessions’ Soundcloud. Follow WITR and Rochester Sessions on Facebook for program schedules and news. For more details about the station, check the RITpedia article.

March 26, 2018
Mike Doughty Kicks off Northeast Tour

After placing the focus on his own work over the last 18 years, former Soul Coughing frontman and solo wordsmith, Mike Doughty is making a quick trip around the Northeast to turn back the clocks and perform the alternative rock group’s ‘Irresistible Bliss’ for a total of seven dates.

You’d figure by the time he notched The Heart Watches While the Brain Burns, his ninth solo album since 2000, Doughty would settle into his ways and follow a musical pattern. Simply, that’s just not the way he operates. Always diving into and exploring new sounds, the ever-growing artist and former front man is constantly taking chances on new styles and setting personal deadlines of crafting and recording original music as often as possible.

From country crooning to hard hitting beats and even a 2015 rock opera by the name Revelation, it’s clear Doughty doesn’t rely on one-track mind of creativity. Instead, he chooses from a bank of ideas in his head and decides how he wants it to translate to the public. Appealing to his roots, An Evening with Mike Doughty performing Soul Coughing’s Irresistible Bliss with Andrew “Scrap” Livingston launched on March 22 in Portland, ME before heading to a sold out gig in Boston. Having just made his way through NJ and MD, Doughty finds himself in NY from March 28 to 30, playing for crowds each night in Pawling’s Daryl’s House, Homer Center for the Arts and Albany’s the Linda, respectively.

Visit MikeDoughty’s website for tickets.

March 26, 2018
And your NYS Music March Madness 2018 winner is…..

Black Mountain Symphony!

Based out of Albany, this progressive folk group blends genres and in a live setting the band turns their focus towards the audience having a great time. In an interview with Charlie Burgess (guitar, vocals), the various rounds of March Madness were a testament to the hard work the band has put in to connect with fans across the state. “Whether out in the Finger Lakes or Woodstock where fans have been especially kind, up to the North Country in Plattsburgh, Keeseville and other spots, getting back to home in Albany, it’s great to see fans coming out in your hometown after returning back from shows, that’s meant a lot to us.”

With a new album due out in June, Black Mountain Symphony mixes up their upbeat bluegrass and adjust their set for a full energy show each time. “As we write new songs and new covers to plug in, we fill gaps in our set where the momentum could be going even longer, so we write new songs that fill that gap. What we’ve found that fans who are getting into the dancin’ stuff they also dig the slow stuff,” Burgess shared with NYS Music.

Upcoming shows include April 6 The Colony in Woodstock, April 7 at The Strand in Glens Falls, April 13 at The Hollow in Albany supporting Floodwood, and May 18 Flyday Music Festival in East Durham, NY.

Thank you to all the bands who took part in NYS Music March Madness 2018, as well as our sponsors, Putnam Place, Anthology Live, CEG Presents and Funk n Waffles.

March 26, 2018
Interview: Call It Home

Long Island metalcore outfit Call It Home are on the verge of releasing their debut full-length album Better Days. The latest single “Deserter” made this week’s Alternative Press “9 Songs You Need To Hear This Week” list. Lineup changes have brought long-time member Dom Delfino to the helm of clean vocals and lyric-writing, resulting in a fresh new sound that appeals to both new fans and long-time followers. His bandmates are Chris Christofi on harsh vocals, Jay Schwartz on guitar, and Jon Beane on drums. NYS Music spoke with Delfino in advance of the album release and upcoming tour with This Curse.

Paula Cummings: How does the new album compare to your previous work?

Dom Delfino: It’s still the same sound, but more mature. It’s more technical in the instrumental work, more interesting for the listener. There’s a little sampling of piano/synth, and a little dub step in there. We also have a few different guest vocalists, which we haven’t done before: Jayden Panesso from Sylar, Landon Tewers from The Plot in You, and Michael Swank from Myka Relocate.

PC: What about the lyrics?

DD: The lyrics are a lot different. We’ve had a switch in clean vocalists. My writing style is different. The album is called Better Days because every song is about an issue people go through every day, whether it be a relationship or a family issue. Every song is a breakdown of these things, but we show how to get through them. A lot of bands write angry songs that people can relate to, but not about how to get through it.

PC: I could see that in the video for “Lanterns.” Can you tell me about the filming of the video?

DD: Josiah Moore filmed and edited the video in Rochester. It was so much fun, but there was a lot of stress. The day we left for filming, we couldn’t get in touch with the actress. At the last minute we were able to find a replacement.

PC: You’ve spent a lot of time touring. Any memorable moments you’d like to share?

DD: We were starting a tour. On the first day we were going to Michigan from New York. We’re in Pennsylvania, and it’s snowing. As we’re going it gets worse and worse to the point where we can’t see. We have another band following us. We pull off and look to the left and there’s a big hill. We turn in the other direction. It turns out there’s a giant hill. Both vans with their trailers get stuck on this hill. The only way out is to go in reverse, two vans with trailers going down. After a couple hours, we’re on flat ground. We find a gas station six miles away, and a drive that should have taken six minutes took thirty. That was a crazy experience. We still got to the show on time.

PC: And that didn’t deter you from continuing to tour?

DD: We do everything we can to make it to the show. That’s the worst thing in the world to us is cancelling a show.

You can catch them on tour in April with This Curse. Better Days comes out on April 10, but is available to preorder. Follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates.

March 25, 2018
Hearing Aide: Lakecia Benjamin “Rise Up”

Lakecia Benjamin is a funk, jazz, and R&B artist from New York City. She is best known for her own recorded saxophone work and her group Soul Squad. She has also performed with other great names including Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Clark Terry, and many more.

Her latest album titled, Rise Up, comes to us from the New York label Ropeadope. The LP features 13 tracks of a funk and jazz fusion led by Lakecia’s voice and her Alto Saxophone. The lyrics span a variety of topics but there is a clear focus on social justice and particularly the issues facing the African American community.

In opening jam, “March On,” Lakecia’s vocals and instrumentation command your attention and set a poignant tone for what is to come. Track two, “On The One” keeps up the momentum, but adds smooth male vocals for a different flavor; of course Lakecia continues to flourish with her evocative saxophone. After a thoughtful and meaningful lull in the middle, the album turns it back on with the song “Little Children.”

The powerful record not only calls people to arms, but it also offers encouragement to those who have already joined the fight. It’s tracks like “Takeback” that Lakecia is able to say so much, without actually “saying” very much at all; her saxophone screaming at the top of its lungs, heavy undulating bass and drums marching forward, and a complete atmosphere of power holding it all together. Perhaps the most urgent and evocative track from the album is “Little Children,” which harkens back to the blistering pace and utter catharsis of “Sinnerman” from Nina Simone.

Lakecia’s saxophone playing has intensity and poise. Benjamin manages to sew together lead riffs that bring the songs a strong cohesiveness, while also taking the audience on a more personal journey during her improvisations. The instrumentation is akin to the work of Kamasi Washington and the work he did with Kendrick Lamar on To Pimp a Butterfly, but with Lakecia’s own unmistakable style.

For all things Lakecia Benjamin, find your way to her website. The album will be available on bandcamp, and iTunes come March 23.

Key Tracks: March On, Little Children, Cornbread

March 25, 2018