Everyone loves rooting for the hometown star to catch a big break. Rochester’s very own Jon Lewis Band’slatest offering Get Wild Somewhere has the potential to expose them to their widest and most diverse audience yet. It has nothing to do with luck though. The eighth album they’ve recorded in four years stands solidly on the five member’s pure and unadulterated passion, dedication, friendship and, most importantly, talent.
The band’s namesake, Lewis is on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, accompanied by Dave Drago on bass, Jake Walsh on drums, Shawn Brogan on lead guitar and Alex Northrup on keys. With more time spent traveling to Los Angeles to record than actually spent in the studio, Get Wild Somewhere’s classic sound was accomplished through the use of vintage recording gear. All ten tracks were written with the intention of being played and recorded live.
“We didn’t want to do overdubs or try to manipulate our sound too much,” said Lewis. “That made it possible to record in a shorter period of time and also enabled us to make something that showcases all of our individual strengths.”
Fueled by adrenaline, backed by fans who crowdsourced over $2,000 to support the band’s trip to LA to record, and fed by the largest pizza they’ve ever seen (it had to be delivered through the loading dock door) Get Wild Somewhere has a polished, timeless sound that could only be done justice with vinyl.
The Jon Lewis Band consists of Dave Drago, Shawn Brogan, Jon Lewis, Alex Northrup and Jake Walsh.
Written by Lewis and produced, mixed and mastered by Drago in his 1809 Studios in Macedon, NY, Get Wild Somewhere tears onto the scene with the catchy opening track “Jerry My Berry.” Borrowing from the piano track that was used in famous recordings like “Werewolves in London” and “Summer Breeze,” combined with a catchy chorus, driving beat and melodious guitar licks, “Jerry My Berry” kicks the album off on an energetic note.
Track two, “Charity,” is a beautiful opus with rich vocal harmonies complimenting mournful wails from Northrup’s organ.
“You Don’t Wanna,” the third offering on the album, has a Beach Boys, surfer rock vibe to it. The clavinet introduces listeners to a an easy, breezy, likeable song that encapsulates the vintage vibe.
I just want to see your face
I just want to waste your time
I just want to talk to you
Cause you will see that I’m alright
The rough riding “Cinnamon Only,”carried by a driving lead guitar, is the first song on the album to have a full-length video to accompany it. Lewis created the video over one month’s time entirely with colored papers and sketches.
“I draw and cut out the characters, then photograph/animate them against a green screen, then I put all the layers together to create something I like to call ‘Paper World,’” he explains ,”The plot and story completely unfolded as I continued to work, just letting the song dictate the imagery.”
The album’s closer, “So Familiar,“ is a gorgeously dark and stormy, mostly instrumental, song that hits to the core.
Get Wild Somewhere is the sound of five friends pouring their hearts out and having the time of their lives producing fresh, original and crush-able jams, heartfelt ballads and indie rock. Each song come together effortlessly and stands on their own, as if they were just waiting to be born.
The energy and connection on the album translates easily to the stage. Check the Jon Lewis Band out for yourself Friday, May 18 at their Album Release Party at Three Heads Brewing. Here’s hoping that this is just the start of something even bigger for these five Rochester musical dynamos!
Key Tracks: Jerry My Berry, You Don’t Wanna, So Familiar
Are you hip to the Rochester Residency yet? If not, you should be. And May would be as good a time as any to start. Each month, a different local musician owns the stage at Three Heads Brewing every Thursday. Artists are free to use the nights however they wish. May belongs to Kurt Johnson, guitarist from the bands Maybird and Moho Collective among others.
He got his residency month off to a fun and rollicking start this past Thursday by hosting a Midnight Ramble, at the more sane hour of 8pm, but in the spirit of the southern jam sessions of yore. The evening included a large portion of the other Rochester Residency hosts from previous months and from the months yet to come. January’s Fran Broderick lead the band on Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers Guns and Money,” February’s Charlie Lindner joined in on keys for about half the set, July’s Eli Flynn brought the house down with a show-closing rendition of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” August’s James Searl lead a searing rendition of David Bowie’s “Man Who Sold the World,” September’s Matt Ramerman snuck in drum duties for the encore of “I Shall Be Released,” November’s Wil McKenna held down the low end for most of the night, and December’s Brian McDonald lit up the room with a fun playing of Jackson Browne’s “Doctor My Eyes.” The night played out like a great review of the first four months and an even better preview of the next 8.
In addition to fellow residents, Johnson had many more friends join in on the fun. Moho Collective’s Ryan Barclay manned the drums for the whole night. Eric Carlin, from the Flood, joined on guitar and vocals for much of the night. Kris Schramm, Willy O’Reilly, Ben Rossi, Alan Murphy and Brian Blatt all got in on the action as well. But it was still Johnson’s night. And so it will be Johnson’s month. And because he chose May for it’s 5 Thursdays, and because he had to unexpectedly miss the first Thursday, he’s extending his Residency into the first week of June. So you still have four more chances to get in on the fun. See the schedule below and marker them into your calendar, you don’t want to miss one week.
Setlist: Jam > Get Out of My Life Woman (Lee Dorsey), Lawyers Guns & Money (Warren Zevon), Heart of Gold (Neil Young), ?, Man Who Sold the World (David Bowie), Jam > Doctor My Eyes (Jackson Browne), Ophelia (The Band), What Light (Wilco), Franklin’s Tower (Grateful Dead), A Change is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke) Encore: I Shall Be Released (The Band)
Seth Faergolzia stopped by The Bop Shop for the 10th of fifteen episodes in this season’s Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight. The experimental folk rock artist spoke with the show’s producer/host Dan Gross about Multibird and his other bands, his recent European tour, and participating in the 100 Songs Project. Following the interview segment, Faergolzia and the members of Multibird performed a selection of songs, including “Garbage Night,” “High Diver,” and “Yup’s Birthday.”
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.
Any good St. Patrick’s Day celebration includes music. Music and the Irish are inseparable. According to the latest U.S. Census, nearly 12 percent of the U.S. population claim some Irish ancestry, a total of 35 million people. A very high percentage of this population is centered in the Northeast U.S., particularly right here in New York State. So, it is only fitting that the day to celebrate the Irish would be rife with music across the state. Naturally, a state with such deep Irish roots celebrates the day with parades following the parade activities, much live music can be found around New York. NYS Music provides you with a listing of some St. Patrick’s Day festivities from the North Country to Long Island, Albany to Buffalo. Whether you crave traditional Irish music, reggae, punk, reggae, rock or blues, we have you covered.
Saratoga singer-songwriter Katie Louise will perform a set at Main Street in Saugerties beginning at 9:30.
Plattsburgh’s seminal venue, the Monopole hosts Burlington’s Jiggawaltz for the funkster’s first appearance at in quite some time at the venue.
Capital District
If you’re in Albany for the St. Patrick’s Day parade, start your day off with a brunch at the Savoy Taproom on Lark. From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. you can enjoy traditional Irish music from Toss the Feathers while enjoying traditional Irish food.
All day long, the Pearl Street Pub offers live music with DJs at night. Larry Ross gets things rolling followed by an appearance from the City of Albany Pipe Band.
Following the parade, head on down to Paulys Hotel on Central for an after-party with the sometimes punk, sometimes ska, sometimes rap act Smittix with special guest Feral Meryl from 2-6 p.m.
Celtic Hall, located on New Karner Road, hosts its own post-parade party beginning at 5 p.m. The City of Albany Pipe Band continues its busy day with an appearance at Celtic Hall, along with the An Clar Irish Dancers and the popular Celtic-rock band Hair of the Dog. Hair of the Dog has been performing since 1993 and is a regular act at Irish festivals throughout the northeast.
Also in Saratoga, a special night celebrating female voices in Irish music featuring the Grady Girls and Kara Doyle is going down at the legendary Caffe Lena. The kid-friendly event begins at 8 p.m.
Central NY
Funk ‘n Waffles in Syracuse gives St. Patrick’s Day a little zydeco flair with the soulful, funky, blues of hometown boys, Los Blancos, starting at 3:00. Dubbed “The Hardest Working Band in Syracuse,” Los Blancos has a proven track record of packing venues and laying down the funk.
Syracuse’s symphony, Symphoria, will perform a pops concert celebrating the Music of the Emerald Isle at the Onondaga County Civic Center beginning at 7:30. Tickets for this special event, which features violinist Maria Kaneko Millar a performer with Riverdance productions on Broadway as well as the touring version, are still available through the Symphoria website. Prices range from free for 18 and under to $38.
Maria Kaneko Millar
EDM jamband, Phasers Engage puts an interesting twist on the day’s festivities, throwing a house party on Tennyson Ave. with free beer for anyone 21 and over. They’ll perform from 1-3 p.m.
If you’re looking for more traditional Irish fare along the lines of the Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem or the Dubliners, head out to Jake Hafner’s Restaurant & Tavern in North Syracuse for Quigsy and the Bird from 5-9 p.m.
The Syracuse Polish Home hosts its annual parade day corned beef and cabbage dinner with entertainment from 4-9 p.m. Jo Duz provides Irish and folk music from 4-6 p.m. followed by Just Joe from 6-9 p.m.
If you’re out Utica way, Nick Piccininni and Jay Barady of Floodwood are performing at the recently re-vamped John Devereux’s Tavern from noon until 4 p.m.
Piggy Pat’s Smoke and Ale House in Washington Mills, just outside of Utica, is now under new ownership, but that hasn’t changed the music offerings they’ve presented over the years. The Blarney Rebel Band will take the floor from 1-4 p.m. This veteran Celtic band from Utica performs traditional Irish music from pub tunes to sea shanties to moving ballads and rousing rebel songs.
Woodland Farm Brewery in Marcy, just north of Utica, gets the day off to an early start. The local farm brewery opens at 8 a.m. for liquid breakfast and keeps the party going all day, highlighted by bluegrass from Remsen Social Club starting at 1 p.m.
The Continental Kit Band will perform at the 16 Stone Brewpub in Holland Patent. Doors open at noon with Irish stew, Reubens and an almost Irish Red ready for sampling.
If you’re in Rome, Copper City Brewing Company is offering traditional Irish music by Mighty Craic from 1-3 p.m. Mighty Craic is a trio with deep roots in the Central New York Irish scene. This farm brewery will also have a taco truck on hand as well as two Irish beers freshly tapped for the day.
Western NY
Out west, Rochester, as always, has several musical offerings for St. Patrick’s Day. The Crooked North brings its brand of Rust Belt bluegrass to the Little Theatre on East Ave. from 8-10 p.m.
Three Heads Brewing hosts the reggae vibe of Personal Blend from 8-11 p.m. There is a $5 cover charge for one of Rochester’s favorite reggae bands.
The Montage Music Hall has a ’90s night on tap for St. Patrick’s Day. The 8 p.m. show features Pearl Jam tribute act, Given to Fly, R.E.M. tribute act, Dead Letter Office and Flannel Millennium, who covers music from such ’90s alt-rock staples as Stone Temple Pilots, Weezer, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Alice in Chains. Tickets for the show are $20 in advance and available at the Montage website.
Cathie Ryan, the original lead of Irish-American sensation, Cherish the Ladies, joins the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre for a Celtic Celebration both Friday March 16 and Saturday March 17. The shows begin at 8 p.m. The combination of Ryan’s beautiful voice and sarcastic wit, accompanied by the RPO, promises to be a unique night of music in the Flower City.
The Buffalo Iron Works welcomes Vancouver Celtic rockers, The Town Pants and Whitesboro native Tim Britt with his Tim Britt Band. Syracuse native and Pale Green Stars drummer, Jeff Tripoli, plays drums for the Pants, who also perform at the Smith Opera House in Geneva on March 16. The 9 p.m. Buffalo Iron Works show has a ticket price of $17-22.
NYS Music 87/90 artists, the Intrepid Travelers, return to their home base, the Sportsmens Tavern on Amherst for St. Paddy’s Day for a psychedelic jam session. Doors for the two set show open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.
Downstate
Larry Kirwan of Black 47 brings his St. Patrick’s Day show to YMCA Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bay Shore. Aside from fronting the politically reactive New York-based band Black 47, Irish expatriate Kirwan hosts the show Celtic Crush for Sirius XM. He’ll be joined by Deni Bonet (violin), Coty Cockrell (keyboards), Thomas Hamlin (drums), Rene Hart (double bass), Andrew Sharp (Uilleann pipes). The band will be releasing a new single for the occasion, a remake David Bowie’s “Heroes” from a Belfast perspective. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $47.
Legendary Queens punks, Murphy’s Law will perform at the Brooklyn Bazzar with Drunken Rampage, Moral Panic and Runny. The 7 p.m. show costs $17 and tickets are available through Ticketweb.
Needless to say, there is no shortage of live music available to music fans across the Empire State on St. Patrick’s Day no matter what your taste. This is but a snapshot of all that is happening across the state on one day. If your area wasn’t covered by this piece, leave us a message, comment or tweet us @NYStateMusic. NYS Music’s mission is to expose ALL of New York’s musicians, venues and scenes and with your help, we can do just that. Now take this list and get out and enjoy some music!
Syracuse’s The Black River, led by singer-songwriter Mike Powell, has released its first album, entitled Classic Universe. The soulful quintet, who take their name from the North Country river that passes by Powell’s childhood home, came together just over one year ago and have been quickly making their name known throughout New York.
The album was produced by Jeff Aderman at Utica’s Big Blue North Studio and exhibits The Black River putting an impressive foot forward in its debut. In the year since the band debuted, they have opened for such artists as The Sadies, Shooter Jennings, The Trews, Mondo Cozmo and Eric Tessmer. A powerful afternoon set at last year’s moe.down also won the band new fans.
“One of the things we always talk about when we are sculpting these songs is to be sure to listen to one another. That may sound like a very simple concept but when you’re creating a collective sound it’s important that no player be on a sonic island. We aim to be one connected land mass of sound,” Powell said when asked about the goal of his new band. “I have surrounded myself and my songs with monster players that could easily step out and flex their muscles at anytime but all of us understand the importance of doing what is best for the song first.”
Powell’s assessment of this band is certainly true. All come from different musical backgrounds to forge a sound that isn’t easy to categorize. Longtime Powell collaborator, guitarist John Hanus’ metal chops and experimental solos add an unexpected yet welcome edge to Powell’s personal songwriting and the soulful force created by keyboardist Shane Kelsen and the rhythm section of Joe Bell and Dom Scicchitano. The band’s frequent live performances have helped hone its unique sound over the past year and the band is gelling as a unit at the perfect time.
To celebrate the release of the new album, the Black River recently performed the inaugural live session for Syracuse radio show Soundcheck at SubCat Studios. You can view that peformance below. The show, hosted by long time Syracuse radio personality and SAMMYS Hall of Famer, Dave Frisina, has been on the air since 1979. It showcases local and regional musicians each Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. on 105.9 The Rebel.
Frisina’s new series is called Live @ SubCat Studios and will feature a different local act performing live in front of a studio audience each month.
The Black River’s Classic Universe is available now on all streaming platforms. Recent performances have included stops at the del Lago Resort and Casino in Waterloo and Three Heads Brewing Company in Rochester. They’re also scheduled to perform at Al’s Wine and Whiskey Lounge in Syracuse in March and Funk ‘N Waffles Syracuse in April. Follow The Black River on Facebook or at their website for information on upcoming performances.
The Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight returns this month for its fifth season. The exciting lineup of talented independent musicians slated to appear include The Honey Smugglers, Hanna PK, Juicy Connotation, and Jimmy Highsmith, Jr. The season makes debut on Jan. 27 with a performance by jazz pianist Laura Dubin.
Laura Dubin
On Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight, producer/host Dan Gross conducts interviews with musical guests, then invites them to perform. All shows are filmed at Bop Shop Records at 1460 Monroe Avenue, and are free and open to the public.
The lineup through the end of March has been announced, with April updates to be unveiled soon. Follow Dan Gross: Music & Journalism on Facebook to view dozens of episodes from seasons one through four and get updates on season five. Check out the NYS Music profile on Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight for more about the series.
Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight Schedule of Upcoming Events:
Saturday, January 27th – Laura Dubin
– Laura Dubin is an excellent jazz pianist and superb composer, and she recently released a two-disc album from her performance at the 2016 Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival. She will be joined by her husband on drums, Antonio H. Guerrero.Friday, February 2nd – Small Signals
– Stephen Roessner is an incredibly talented and well-respected musician and recording engineer in the Rochester area. He’s doing this solo project releasing music that set to the words of “Missed Connections” post on Craigslist.Wednesday, February 7th – Juicy Connotation
– Juicy Connotation is a smart, fun, fusion band that’s on the rise in the growing contemporary instrumental scene in Rochester. They’re gigging a lot, but you’ll never see them in this intimate setting again!Sunday, February 18th – The Honey Smugglers
– We’re already counting down the days to this one. The Honey Smugglers are beloved, respected, and one the best bands – folk or otherwise – around. Come celebrate this with us with beer tastings from Three Heads Brewing!
Wednesday, February 28th – Hanna PK
– Hanna PK is a growing part of Rochester’s blues scene. Her authenticity and personality shine through in every song. She is often joined by a number of great #blues musicians. Come watch our first #blues episode ever!
Friday, March 9th – Vanishing Sun
– Vanishing Sun is one of grooviest and most polished #contemporarysoul bands in Rochester right now. Perfectly balanced, exceptionally exciting. Led by Zahyia Rolle with an all-star cast, this is one you can’t miss.
Saturday, March 20th – Grand Canyon Rescue Episode
– GRCE is a mainstay in the folk rock WNY echelon. With a sound that’s equally at home at ROC’s many festivals, or tasteful enough for a small record store, you’ll dance your socks off for these cats.
Imagine a cross between the shows Off Camera with Sam Jones and NPR’s Tiny Desk. Picture the best musicians in the local scene performing and being interviewed at neighborhood venues. And then envision yourself being part of a live audience. For music lovers in Rochester, this is a reality. Music journalist Dan Gross has devoted the past year and a half to bringing this vision to life.Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight highlights the best of the rich and diverse music scene in Rochester, which was recently voted best music town by staff in the Best of NYS Music poll.
With an exciting lineup of guests and the support of sponsors, Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight’s “Season5” promises to be exciting. “We want to make this the biggest season yet,” Gross told NYS Music. During the off season, he lined up a slew of talented performers. To support the expansion of the program to sixteen episodes, new and returning sponsors are pledging support. One of the new partnerships has led to the creation of a spin-off series. To top it all off, a fundraising campaign this month may make it possible to to air the series on television, in addition to the web.
Rochester’s Premiere Music Interview and Performance Series
“Season 5” will showcase sixteen musical acts representing a variety of genres. Among the guests slated to appear are Grammy-nominated jazz saxophonist Jimmie Highsmith Jr., beloved folk band The Honey Smugglers, blues singer/pianist Hanna PK, and comedic songs by Small Signals from their Missed Connections album. This season concludes with the series’ landmark fiftieth episode.
The majority of episodes are filmed at Bop Shop Records, an independent record shop that carries a wide array of music and specializes in fine condition vinyl. Serving the community since 1982, the shop was originally in Village Gate and is now located at 1460 Monroe Ave. It was the first sponsor of the Spotlight, a partner since the second season in mid-2016. Gross is grateful for the the shop’s owner, Tom Kohn, as the use of venue space allowed the show to expand from a straight interview program to a mixed interview and concert format.
“To say that Bop Shop Records is the reason this show is happening is an exceptional understatement,” Gross said. “This place – a space dedicated to kindness, building a community and helping people, and great music and records regardless of genre – are the same values that the Spotlight lives by.”
“We really enjoyed being able to perform at Bop Shop,” said Marty LoFaso of Tart Vandelay. “The show is a great, one-of-a-kind aspect of our music scene.”
Filling a Niche
The longevity of Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight can be credited to both the quality of programming and the high standards established by Gross. After graduating college with a double major in Broadcasting and Music, he has found many outlets for his talents. He has bylines as a writer for the Democrat and Chronicle and Eastman School of Music. He’s on the crew of the local web show My Hometown. You can also find Gross hosting and producing the music interview podcast “Extended Harmony” for jazz record label Outside In Music and hosting a show on Jazz 90.1 on Mondays from 6-8pm.
Gross started Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight because he wanted to find a way to combine his broadcast journalism skills with his deep appreciation for the Rochester music scene.
“The philosophy of the show has always been to try to come at it with a journalistic approach,” said Gross. “I believe one of the reasons the show is successful is that it’s not gimmicky… The show doesn’t substitute a gimmick for meaningful material.”
The overarching goal is to become a benchmark for musicians, providing them with not only exposure to a wider audience and a shareable video, but to be able to become a stepping stone in their career. “I want my show to get to the point where if you’ve come on, that’s a stepping point for you,” Gross said. “I want to give people that ‘Spotlight boost.’”
“If you’re not doing it to help someone out, what’s the point?” Gross went on to explain. “That’s the difference between content and something that’s meaningful, is that it’s about people. Content is about views. But I’m trying to help people. There are people who live here who don’t understand how much live music is here, or how important Rochester is as an arts community.”
Growing The Local Scene
The show has grown from humble DIY beginnings with Gross conducting interviews and friend Stacey Baran on camera. Gross has operated the program on a shoestring budget, learning how to do a multitude of technical tasks himself, including audio mixing and color correcting video. He still tries to do as much as he can to contain costs. He’s deeply thankful to everyone who has helped the program to grow. From videographers Jason Thibault (producer of My Hometown) and Dallas Greene to a growing number of musicians, viewers, and sponsors.
“This show is not possible without other people,” said Gross. In addition to connecting musicians with an audience, the show promotes local independent businesses and venues which promote the local music scene.Bernunzio Uptown Music, a shop renowned for its quality vintage instruments, has hosted some of the Spotlight shows. Rowe Photo, Video and Audio, a place where Gross has bought some of the equipment he uses to record the sessions, was also an early supporter of the Spotlight.
Gross has been announcing new sponsors who will also be backing the program this year, including restaurant and roastery Joe Bean Coffee Roasters which features live jazz weekly and instrument sales/rental/repair shop Sound Source. There’s also a new partnership with Three Heads Brewing which launched a monthly series The Rochester Residency. The “Spotlight Spinoff” videos will highlight featured artist of the month.
The first installment of the “Spotlight Spinoff” with this month’s resident Fran Broderick was released last week. In the debut episode, Gross and Broderick chat at the brewery about Fran’s musical background. Broderick also gives viewers insight into the plans for his sets every Thursday in January: a week doing an acoustic set, another week with his band Friday in America, the third week playing Warren Zevron’s Excitable Boy with a handful of musical guests, and releasing his new album on the final week. The interview is book-ended with some clips of Broderick playing his original songs on acoustic guitar.
In addition to local business owners, viewers can also become patrons of the show. Donors to the Spotlight’s first crowd sourcing campaign are entitled to a variety of perks at various levels, including t-shirts, coupons or swag bags from sponsors, and being recognized in show credits.
If the indiegogo fundraiser reaches its target of $3,500, it will enable Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight to make the leap to television. Airing on television as well as being posted to the internet will help the show reach a wider audience. “If everyone who has ever “liked” the Facebook page gave $5, we’d reach our goal,” said Gross.
During the countdown leading up the highly anticipated “Season5,” Gross is replaying some of the episodes from the first four seasons. You can find them on Facebook at Dan Gross: Music & Journalism . Hit the follow button to get the scoop on upcoming events and new episodes.
The album was produced by Jeff Aderman at Utica’s 
