NYS Music 20​18

Category: Western NY

  • Blues Music Awards Honor Chenango Blues Festival Performers

    The Blues Foundation held its 39th Blues Music Awards on Thursday, May 10, in Memphis, Tennessee. Several award winners have appeared recently in Central New York, most notably at the Chenango Blues Festival. Victor Wainwright took home the prestigious Pinetop Perkins Best Instrumentalist – Piano Award, and Jason Ricci was named Best Instrumentalist – Harmonica. Both Wainwright and Ricci delivered jaw-dropping, show-stopping performances at the 2017 Chenango Blues Festival, reviewed by NYS Music’s Mike Kohli here.

    Jason Ricci

    Other winners that have appeared at Chenango through the years include Curtis Salgado, Soul Blues Male Artist; Southern Avenue, Best Emerging Artist Album; Ronnie Earl, Best Instrumentalist – Guitar; Samantha Fish, Contemporary Blues Female Artist; Mike Ledbetter, who won with Mike Welch for Traditional Blues Album for Right Place, Right Time on Delta Groove Records; Mike Zito, Rock Blues Artist; Rick Estrin, who won Band of the Year, Traditional Blues Male Artist, and Song of the Year, for “The Blues Ain’t Going Nowhere;” and the late, great Luther Allison, Best Historical Album for Luther Allison – A Legend Never Dies, Essential Recordings 1976-1997 (Ruf Records).

    Other BMA nominees that have appeared at Chenango include Paul deLay, Guy Davis, Shemekia Copeland, Janiva Magness, Mitch Woods, Chris Cain, John Nemeth, Upstate New York’s own Tas Cru,  (whose latest release, Memphis Song, was recorded at SubCat Studios in Syracuse), Anson Funderburgh, Savoy Brown, Vanessa Collier, Sugaray Rayford, Anthony Geraci, and the North Mississippi All Stars. 2018 Festival performers Toronzo Cannon, The Cash Box Kings, and Elvin Bishop were also nominated.

    Emerging Artist nominees Larkin Poe, quickly gaining followers and national attention, will headline opening night of the NYS Blues Festival in Syracuse on June 28.

    Some of this year’s Blues Music Award winners can be seen throughout New York State this summer. Here is a partial list:

    Mike Zito is at The Tralf in Buffalo on May 17.

    Keb Mo plays at the Tarrytown Theater on May 25.

    Jason Ricci can be seen in Ellicottville on June 2, and in Lima, NY on June 3.

    Samantha Fish can be seen June 2 in Rochester at Flour City Station, June 7 at Daryl’s House in Pawling (already sold out), June 12 at Funk ‘n Waffles, Syracuse, and will return to Chenango on August 18. A NYS Music review of her appearance at the Westcott Theater on February 9, 2018, can be viewed here.

    Robert Cray stops in Vestal on June 13, and in Geneva on June 15.

    Victor Wainwright will perform at Funk ‘n Waffles Syracuse with an early 6:00 p.m. show on July 6.

    Beth Hart is on the bill with Kenny Wayne Shepherd at Albany’s Palace Theater, July 27.

    Trombone Shorty visits Bethel, NY on August 11, and Lewiston, NY on August 14.

    Rick Estrin & the Nightcats are scheduled to appear at Wakely’s on Varick, in Utica, NY on August 11.

  • Grateful Dead to be Celebrated by The Cornell Chimes May 8

    May 8, 1977 is a date most Deadheads are familiar with and many adore for the Grateful Dead show performed that day at Barton Hall at Cornell University. Last year marked the 40th anniversary of that show with an official mastered release of the Betty Board tapes from the show (and a few others from the Dead’s early May ’77 run). Numerous venues also hosted listening parties and other events, the most unique being a live performance by the Cornell Chimes atop the McGraw Tower.

    Photo: Cornell University Press

    For a second year in a row, the Chimes will be ringing out the tunes of the Grateful Dead in a concert that can be enjoyed on campus (with a promise of fair weather this year) or streamed online. It is set for Tuesday, May 8 at 6 p.m.

    Last year’s event, which at first was simply a request for the Chimes to arrange one Grateful Dead tune, turned into something much greater – a full half hour concert and a proclamation making May 8, 2017 Grateful Dead Day in the City of Ithaca. “[The Chimes] were surprised by how many people tuned in to the live stream and gathered on campus even though it was only 35 degrees out,” said Liz Field in an interview for WVBR and NYS Music, who works for Cornell and had the idea for last year’s event. Riding on the success of the 2017 celebration, Field said that the Chimesmasters were excited about the idea of doing it again this year.

    The Chimes

    The Chimes concert will feature the same arrangements as last year’s performance with three new arrangements which will be kept a secret until shortly before the concert.

    It isn’t certain if the Cornell Chimes will turn this into an annual event; however they now have several Grateful Dead arrangements in their library which could be heard into the future. The Chimes, which has a long history at Cornell dating back to the university’s 1868 opening ceremonies, performs three fifteen-minute concerts each day during the academic year and takes song requests from visitors to the tower.

    The event can be streamed live online, starting around 5:45pm with the concert starting at 6pm. A link to the stream will be posted on the event’s Facebook page and on Twitter the day of and video recordings will be posted on YouTube after the event. The McGraw Tower will be closed to visitors for this special concert, however there is plenty of space on the lawn for people to gather and enjoy the show.

    Check out a video of The Chimes performing “Playing in the Band” May 8, 2017:

  • Intrepid Travelers Kick off Cinco en Mayo Residency with Funky Tribute to James Brown

    Intrepid Travelers kicked off their Cinco en Mayo residency at Nietzsche’s with some funk and celebrated the birthday of James Brown by bringing in a front man and a reed section. “Get Up Offa That Thang” featured a breakdown drum and bass solo, “Sex Machine” saw Eric Crittenden taking over Donny Frauenhofer’s keyboard rig and “The Boss” had a hip hop jam and heavy “Xxplosive” (Dr. Dre) teases.

    “Goodness Sakes, Look at Those Cakes” was highlighted by solos from the entire sax section and Critt rapping about the “cakes” he and the band saw. The James Brown show concluded with a stretched out take on the Intrepid Travelers original “Photo Booth Youth.” Ellen Pieroni joined the band for the encore with a performance of Vulfpeck’s “Funky Duck.”

    https://www.facebook.com/intrepidtravelersfamily/videos/1929817953717736/

    Setlist: Pass the Peas(1)$, Get Up Offa That Thang(1)$ > Sex Machine Bridge(1)$ > Sex Machine(1)$, The Boss(1)$ > Goodness Sakes, Look at Those Cakes(1)$, Superbad(1)$, Photo Booth Youth

    Encore: Funky Duck(2)%

    (1) James Brown Band
    (2) Vulfpeck
    $ with Eric Crittenden on lead vocals and alto saxophone, Ellen Pierono on alto saxophone, Jon Lehning on tenor saxophone, and Kyle Ohlsen on baritone saxophone
    % with Ellen Pieroni on alto saxophone

    The second week of IT’s Cinco en Mayo residency will feature Haewa and celebrate the Golden Years on over 65 night!

    intrepid travelers james brown

  • Finger Style Guitarist Mark Grover Shines On Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight

    The ninth episode of this season’s Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight series features guitarist Mark Grover. In this session, Grover talks with producer and host Dan Gross about what drew him to playing this style of guitar and his process for writing and transcribing the works of others for playing finger style. After the interview, he plays a selection of songs, including renditions of “Isn’t She Lovely” and “Higher Ground,” arranged by Grover and Eric Roche.

    This episode of Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight is directed, edited and hosted by Dan Gross. Sound, camera and production were also done by Gross. Josh Pettinger of Wicked Squid Studios mixed the audio. This season is made possible by Bop Shop Records, Rowe Photographic Video and Audio, Bernunzio Uptown Music, Sound Source, Joe Bean Coffee Roasters, Three Heads Brewing, Wicked Squid Studios, and patrons who contributed to the Season 5 indiegogo campaign.

    For more about the Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight, read the NYS Music feature. For the latest news and access to dozens of episodes, visit Dan Gross Music and Journalism.

  • Keller Williams Reminds Us to Celebrate Our Youth in Buffalo

    Buffalo is home to so many fantastic venues and hosts an endless, revolving stream of incredible artists all year long. When we had the pleasure of hosting Keller Williams at one of the best venues in Buffalo we knew we would be in for a treat. celebrate youth

    keller williams celebrate youth

    Keller Williams is a long time staple in the jam band scene playing as a solo artist and with several other projects ranging from funk to blue grass. His high energy shows make up for in talent, creativity, and a magnetic, eternal, youthful jubilance what they lack in lights and lasers. Fans come out to hear the man play, to watch him layer each instrument, to marvel as he deliberately selects each note and nuance. A one man band for the ages, Williams refers to his sound as acoustic dance music, and I’d be hard pressed to describe it any better.

    Williams resumed his solo tour in conjunction with the release of his 20th album Vape, with a much anticipated stop in Buffalo on what felt like the first sunny day this side of the millennium. He took to the stage to a sold out crowd at the Tralf Music Hall shortly after nine o’clock on a Friday night. Located in the heart of Buffalo’s theater district The Tralf is a gem of a venue, occupying the second floor, perched above a night club, and residing next to the historic Shea’s Performing Arts Center. When stepping outside at set break the juxtaposition offered by its locale is unmatched. Men in tuxedos escorting women in fine gowns through clouds of smoke and profanity, punctuated by the occasional drag queen or panhandler, make for a scene that’s as hard to replicate as it is easy to love.

    Unfortunately, not everyone was feeling the love. The beefed up security at the Tralf resulted in several attendees being ejected from the capacity event. The limited wiggle room and constant chatter of the well liberated crowd made for a first set that was at times a challenge to enjoy. Williams persevered however and did not delay acknowledging the importance of the date of his performance here in Buffalo, rolling out a first set full of tributes to 4/20 including covers of Peter Tosh’s “Legalize It” and, Buffalo’s own, Rick James’ “Mary Jane”. He also delivered a soul soothing Tom Petty medley alongside several original tracks.

    The second set saw a thinned out crowd and significantly less noise. Williams delivered some long time favorites like “Kiwi and the Apricot”, “Stupid Questions”, and a clever and entertaining “Super Hot Girl”- a truly comedic lyrical romp with Keller providing the perfect soundtrack. The highlight of the second set came as the crowd was expecting a cover of “Stairway to Heaven” and instead received a much welcome “All Along the Watchtower”. Williams dubbing the mashup “Stairway To Watchtower” to cheering fans.  Keller Williams closed out his 4/20 party at the Tralf with an important reminder to “Celebrate Your Youth” before it’s too late.

    Author: Ashley DePasqaule

  • Hearing Aide: Cold Lazarus ‘Cold Lazarus’

    The eclectic and spacey quartet Cold Lazarus celebrated their first anniversary by releasing a self titled LP comprised solely of original material that showcases the band’s musical originality and diversity. The band, which is based out of Jamestown, NY, is comprised of  Adam Gould (vocals, guitar), Gavin Paterniti (bass), Marc Scapelitte (drums), and Drew Minton (keyboards).  This band of talented musicians creates a hypnotic jam vibe that incorporates a multitude of varying musical genres that the band members refer to as Reggae-infused intellifunk jam rock.

    cold lazarus

    Selections off of the LP like “Pieces,” that clock in at over 10 minutes, illustrate what Cold Lazarus is musically capable of.  This track covers the musical spectrum of reggae, prog rock, and funk taking the listener along for a uniquely enjoyable cosmic ride.

    “Butterflies,” another tune off of Cold Lazarus, is a more traditional reggae song with Gould’s guitar and Minton’s keyboards working in concert to create a sound reminiscent of Slightly Stoopid or Sublime.  The number also features a pleasing saxophone solo by Minton, that provides a sense of warmth and depth while adding a nice bit of contrast to the piece.

    Scapelitte’s skills as a percussionist and Paterniti’s skill on bass are excellently showcased on the intro of the LP’s fourth track “Shit’s Lit Farm”. Vocalist Gould lyrically depicts the trials and tribulations of dating and developing personal relationships in the digital information age.  The number transitions into a fast tempo bridge that features Gould’s craftsmanship on the guitar and Minton’s heavy use of trippy synth, which eventually organically evolves back to the tune’s original refrain.

    Cold Lazarus will kick off their CD Release Tour at Shawbucks in their home town of Jamestown on April 28. They will continue to tour in support of their new LP into the summer of 2018.

    Key Tracks: Maybe, Freaky Little Girl, Sun Song

  • Aqueous Brings the Jams to Ithaca

    Aqueous concluded a brief headlining run with a stop at The Haunt in Ithaca on Saturday, April 21. With nary a repeat for these four shows, the jams were plentiful and on this springlike evening (finally) the improv took a darker, more sinister vibe for much of the show which enthralled the enthusiastic crowd.

  • ‘Genny Fest’ to Feature Music By Jackknife Stiletto and Allison Leah

    To celebrate five and a half decades on the air, SUNY Geneseo’s WGSU will host a music festival and food truck rodeo on Friday, April 27 from 4-7 pm. “Genny Fest” takes place on the college campus and is free and open to students and the general public.

    Festival-goers can catch music from up-and-coming New York City musicians, all-girl rock band Jackknife Stiletto and singer-songwriter Allison Leah. Seven food trucks will be on site, so there’s sure to be something for everyone. Proceeds from t-shirt sales and donations of cash or nonperishable food will benefit Foodlink.

    Following the festival, The Geneseo A Cappella concert takes place at the College Union Ballroom (tickets are $5, and will be available at the door).

  • Watch: 14 Trapdoors Music Video for ‘Holy Water’

    Buffalo rap group 14 trapdoors – Short Moscato, Bendyface and Wza – have partnered with Mass Appeal to premiere the video for “Holy Water,” a vividly mind-altering experience. The self-produced single unveils clever rhymes traded bar-for-bar atop a minimalistic track highlighted with an echoing bass, ticking snares and haunting operatic rock backing ad-libs.

    Directed by S’likedat, the psychedelic rollercoaster reflects on their hometown life in Buffalo, New York and symbolizes their cleansing relationship with music. 14 trapdoors explains, “Holy Water supposed to cleanse the soul. We use music to cleanse our soul. The music is our holy water,” with Short Moscato calling the song “a collage of our lives.”

    With the focus on the Queen City, Wza says, “We wanted to show the world how we get down here in Buffalo. The video is a tripped-out glimpse into how we’re living and the friends and fellow artists we surround ourselves with for motivation and inspiration.” And that trippy video by S’likedat? Bendyface considers it “either the cure or cause of epilepsy.” They’ll perform at Mohawk Place on Tuesday, April 24.

    ‪14 trapdoors have self-made a sub genre of hip hop, coined New Trap Boom Bap, and draw on a wide range of influences that span Aesop Rock, Big L, El-P, Jay Z and fellow Buffalo artists Westside Gunn and Conway, as well as Pink Floyd, Prince and Led Zeppelin. “People who gravitate toward the golden age of ‘90s boom bap will fuck with it because we focus on lyricism and new age youngins will fuck with it because we have songs with a more ‘trappy’ vibe,” Bendyface says.

    14 Trapdoors

    ‪The rappers met on the Buffalo hip hop scene and decided to pool their assets during the summer of 2016 when they all happened to release projects at the same time. They are all solo artists and Bendyface is also a member of the duo Chronic Collective. WZA mixed and mastered their recordings, resulting in them spending a lot of time together at his studio.

    The name 14 trapdoors pays homage to their hometown. The 14 represents the summation of the digits in their 716 area code and trapdoors is a reference to the city’s DIY scene. “Everybody you know is trapping something out their house, whether it deals with music, art or drugs, and when you are a rapper, you need all three of those things,” WZA says. “So you find yourself walking through many trapdoors.”

    ‪They attribute their sound to Buffalo, a city where one of hip hop’s most respected eras still gets its props. “Our whole stance on music is that It’s all about truly being yourself and being honest with yourself,” WZA says.

  • Celebrating with The Dave DiPrimo Band

    The Dave DiPrimo Band (DDB) was back at it at Buta Pub on Saturday April 14. The band brought their upbeat attitude to warm up a crowd that was brave enough to venture through the ice and the rain, and had the place on fire all night long. The band consisting of lead singer Dave DiPrimo, saxophonist and guitarist Kares Gregory, drummer Reid Hoffmeier, and bassist Ian Benz; has been performing around New York State together for over a year.

    The band has a constantly evolving sound that is electric and catchy. DDB came to Buta Pub with one goal in mind, to celebrate. DDB did so in a fantastic way with the theme of the show being a glow party. DDB brought glow sticks and glow glasses for the crowd who enjoyed every minute of it. DDB played some some fan favorites like the spicy Latin melody of “Selena” and the always catchy “Caroline”. DDB always brings an eclectic mix of fast paced songs like “End of the World” and slows it down and connects with the audience with the slower rhythms of songs like “Four Letter Word” and “Whiskey Melody”.

    The smooth sounds of Kares Gregory on the sax makes the slow songs methodical and dreamy while on the faster paced songs like “Selena” the sax drives the tempo of the song pushing the pace and then reeling it in in the tense moments of the song. Gregory is also a stellar lead guitar player as he shreds solos on songs like “End of the World” and “Whiskey Melody”.  Drummer Reid Hoffmeier is always great as he controls a lot of the band’s emotions and feelings throughout the show. Not only is Hoffmeier an amazing drummer who can do everything that DDB requires him to do and more, he is the underlying humor and emotion that the guys are feeling during their show. Ian Benz was spectacular as always on the bass; fulfilling that low under tone that DDB was missing back when the original band was put together years ago. The front man and the person the band is titled after is Dave DiPrimo. All the songs are written by DiPrimo and DiPrimo will lead the band to spontaneous jam sessions at some point in the show.

    At Buta Pub the crowd cheered for the jam session as DDB uses this opportunity for crowd participation. Whether it’s a hula contest or simply a call and answer song, the band always brings the room to life. DiPrimo not only has a voice that can hit all the ranges of the demanding setlist; whether its screaming in “End of the World” and in parts of “Selena” or the soft gentle whisper of “Four Letter Word” and at the end of “Out in the Cold”, DiPrimo can do it all as he executes every word with passion and clarity. DiPrimo also sports three different guitars throughout the band performance. The classic electric acoustic he uses for the softer songs, the Resonator he uses for some of the folk songs and the electric for solos on songs like “Glory Days” and “Know you Best”. DiPrimo’s guitar playing has improved over the time DDB has been together as the solos he played sounded crisp. His confidence not only as a singer and guitar player can be seen improving in every show; but also his confidence speaking to the crowd on a more personal level.

    The sizable crowd enjoyed every moment of DDB and was crowded around the stage dancing and having a good time. DDB will be performing on April 27 at Funk ‘n Waffles Music Hall with Corey Glover of Living Colour and The Alchemystics. The Dave DiPrimo Band has released two albums, the first being One Year with original band members and Reflections with the current band. Both CD’s are available for purchase at all DDB shows with other merchandise that the band sells. You can also find DDB’s music on all music streaming sites like: Spotify, Apple Music, I tunes, Google Play, Amazon and all of DDB’s music can be streamed and purchased on their website

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