The Soul Rebels, a brass/hip-hop ensemble out of New Orleans, has announced a winter tour in support of their new album, Poetry In Motion. Joining them on tour will beMatisyahu, Tank and the Bangas, and Big Freedia who are also featured artists on the album.
During the month of March, The Soul Rebels will make four stops in New York. First, they will be performing at Buffalo Iron Works on March 1. They will travel to Syracuse for a night at the Westcott Theater on March 2, before journeying downstate to Poughkeepsie to play at Revel 32 on March 7. Finally they will spend their last two days on March 13 & 14 at the Brooklyn Bowl where they will be joined by unannounced special guests.
Released in October via their imprint Rebelution Music Group, on Artistry Music/Mack Avenue Music Group, Poetry in Motion debuted at #1 on the Contemporary Jazz charts and was in the top 20 for the Current Rap, R&B/Hip – Hop and R&B Album charts. The song “Greatness” was ESPN’s official College Hoops Blockbuster promo song for the 2019-20 season. Recently The Soul Rebels appeared on Dave East feat. Nas‘ track “Godfather 4,” adding harmony and backup vocals.
Marco Benevento has released the video for “Nature’s Change” the 11th track from his latest studio album, Let It Slide. The clip was filmed by Benevento using VHS cameras, perfectly encapsulating a 1980s’ aesthetic that he’s been known to embrace in his work. It was then handed off to longtime friend Jon Wood (vocalist/guitarist in Talking Heads’ tribute band, Psycho Killers) who added animation to the clip, enhancing the song—which has become a barn-burner in the set lists for Benevento’s album release tour this Fall—with a “psychedelic warble.”
Benevento and his band, featuring bassist Karina Rykman and drummer Dave Butler will perform at Le Poisson Rouge on Sunday, December 29 following Phish at Madison Square Garden. They then pick up again in 2020 with Texas and Southeast shows in January and a three-night Colorado run in February.
PEAK had a truly remarkable 2019, and they’re looking forward to winter tour 2020 with a slate of Northeast shows, as well as one big show to close out the year.
Combining the characteristic flair that a weathered live band brings to the table, PEAK has the instrumental prowess and focus that draws crowds in. The group’s music, described as psychedelic indie funk, is a mix of poetic, melodic songwriting, moody electrofunk, riffed-out blues-rock, and exploratory danceable improvisations. Some of their many influences include artists such as The Band, The Talking Heads, Phish, The Grateful Dead, Radiohead, James Brown, and Miles Davis, as well as modern songwriters such as Conor Oberst, Mac Demarco, Kurt Vile, and Jack White to name a few.
PEAK consists of singer-songwriter and guitarist Jeremy Hilliard, drummer Kito Bovenschulte (Particle), bassist Josh T. Carter (Hayley Jane and the Primates) and Johnny Young on keys.
Their latest album,Electric Bouquet, offers a staple sound that PEAK can use to differentiate themselves from an ever-growing list of funk/rock bands.
Joining PEAK on December 30 are Digital Frontier, who lay down robotic dance beats and driving bass lines, producing progressive, multi-dimensional, synth-laden soundscapes; Teddy Midnight, who mix house, disco, techno and breakbeat with drum and bass to bring high energy to the dance floor; and Up & Orange, who bring soaring melodies, chunky grooves, and drum and bass driven electronica. For more information visit here.
Circles Around the Sun has unveiled the video for “Babyman,” the first single and lead track off the group’s upcoming self-titled studio album, to be released on March 13, 2020. The video was directed and animated by Steven Mertens (Regina Spektor, Dan Auerbach, Sheryl Crow).
“Babyman” was recorded just a week before guitarist and founding member Neal Casal tragically took his own life, and Circles Around the Sun marks the third studio album from the group. Casal left behind a note asking surviving members Adam MacDougall (keys), Dan Horne (bass) and Mark Levy (drums) to move forward with the band. Along with a rotation of guitarist, the three have been doing precisely that, with Scott Metzger (Wolf!, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead) filling in on guitar.
We love this music. The three of us—Dan, Mark, and myself—we really love it and really don’t want to stop playing it,” says MacDougall. “I don’t want our decision to come off in any other way than based on the fact we really, really love this band so much. We would always sit around and talk about the dream: the feeling of what it was like to be a teenager and start your own band. It’s your band, with everyone pulling their own weight, doing their part. This band felt like being in high school again.
Circles Around the Sun 2020 Tour Dates
12/29 – Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theater 12/30 – Englewood, CO – The Gothic 12/31 – Crested Butte, CO – Crested Butte Public House 1/7-12 – Miami, FL – Jam Cruise 1/16-19 – Cancun, MX – Playing In The Sand 3/28 – Frisco, CO – 10 Mile Ride: A Deadhead Ski Trip 4/3-5 – Ventura, CA – Skull & Roses Festival
Welcome to New York State Music’s Best Of 2019, with a twist. Whether you are racing down the interstate, or planing your holiday travels, radar detectors can be extremely useful. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Chuck DeFilippo, Features Editor of NYS – and I am about to acid-bath you from the glam of national touring acts and replant you in the roots of NYS Music: Underground Bands.
We have been blessed with so much great music throughout the Best Of 2019. My edge stems from discovery. If a spark fires, it not only excites, but is guaranteed to captivate readers.
Combing through over 40 votes, only two-and-a-half bands had coupled votes. The Best Of 2019 podium is shared with Consider The Source, Hartley’s Encore, and Mike Powell (with his second vote for Mike Powell & The Black River).
Consider The Source, a fairly (too) well know group to be considered Under The Radar, breeds music where galaxies collide. The NYC Sci-fi trio combines the energy of progressive rock, Middle Eastern, Jazz-Improv. and psychedelic math topped with Indian spices. Good luck getting through their flavourful artist bio, let alone the first set. Hang on! The Best of 2019 is just getting off.
Albany’s apocalyptic dance party, Hartley’s Encore, is just one of those bands that cumulates the epitome of NYS Music. Under their own label, Hartley’s Encore, LLC, the band draws influence from a precise blend of new jam band’s and classics: Lettuce, The Rolling Stones, The Meters, Marvin Gaye, B.B. King and Stevie Wonder.
The weekend warriors mission: making music equal parts soundtrack to your Saturday night & bacon for your Sunday brunch, since their inception in 2016.
Hartley’s Encore Live – 12/13/19 in Albany.
Mike Powell snagged the last spot for top-three with votes for his solo act and with The Black River. NYS Music has dubbed him as “One of the premier singer/songwriters in music today,” and we continue to follow him, as he is no stranger to the big stage. From sharing bills with Martin Sexton, to crafting his own art studio, Rising Feather in Cazenovia, NY, Powell is a musician’s musician.
The most apparent difference between this record (Gypsy Winnebago, 2019) and their first is the vocal harmonies. “I had a long conversation with the band and emphasized how much I felt these songs needed more voices,” says Powell. “There’s something really powerful about human voices singing one message together. The guys obviously have great ears so they grabbed ahold of the harmonies right away and it really brought these songs to life.”
Stay tuned as Mike Powell has a slew of shows, exclusive to New York State booked out through May of 2020. See details HERE.
Connecticut Is Close Enough, Right?
New York State Music’s Connecticut duo, myself and photographer Chris Sidoruk, are proud to see bands blooming outside of NY State into the shoreline. From New York City down through Connecticut cities Bridgeport and New Haven, the underground music scene is running rapid. Connecticut’s capital, Hartford, is also a hot bed for Albany and Upstate natives. It’s beautiful how these neighbouring bands and scenes are truly one in the same.
One Time Weekend @ The Acoustic – Brigeport, CT – Photo By: Chris Sidoruk
One Time Weekend‘s self titled track (video below), is offsetting from the first full band entrance. You don’t expect it. And it’s so good – so rock, only to be backdropped by a mellow reggae grove – sending you into an internet-search-furry for what else these cats have to offer. Go ahead, explore.
Stay tuned throughout the next few days as we delve into some of the best music, entered around New York State – and beyond. These picks have been curated from our staff and contributing writers to expose you the vast talent of musicians that pass you on the streets and dwell in your neighbouring towns. Each day will introduce new music for you to listen to, but for now – The Best Under The Radar Bands, you’ve never heard of. And that’s a beautiful thing.
Bushicks are a REAL Rock and Roll band. There are many imitators out there, but these guys don’t need to fake it. Drawing upon inspiration from our heroes of yesterday, I had the pleasure of recording a band that is building for the future and continuing the spirit of great Rock and Roll music. For a young band, I am excited to hear them grow and I hope you do too.
Bushicks Engineer, Phil Duke at Continental Recording Studios, Long Island. Read more at NYS Music…
NYS Music’s own, Gabe Birkby, is not only a talented writer and contributor to the site, but his talents shine all alone, onstage, or in his bedroom. NYS writers and contributors wear many hats, to which many of us are musicians, like Gabe. This Best Of 2019 features a beam of light, to shine, and thank all of our staff who continue to follow their passion, while working so hard to bring our readers quality content. With Gabe, he’s totally stripped down as a solo artist with nothing but a microphone, his guitar and loop pedal. Enjoy.
Folk, Singer-Songwriter, looping guitar, with a captivating voice.
NYC’s freshest Afrobeat-Jazz-Funk Dance Party; The Brighton Beat is a positive musical force for all ages, aimed at getting the crowd dancing. This diverse group combines elements of classic Afrobeat, Modern Jazz, New Orleans Funk, and World Music into their own sound that gets booty’s shaking and the bar flowing, according to the band’s bio.
On the 10th anniversary of Pete Seeger‘s “Think Globally, Sing Locally” performance, the concert is now available to be heard by audiences everywhere. From December 10, 2009 in Dobby Ferry, NY, Seeger performed a special show at the South Prebyterian Church.
Pete Seeger performed this concert presenting the best of American folk music and values. Pete encourages sing alongs with all, and has apriceless tapestry where school children, song leaders Jenny Murphy and Matt Turk, and the audience participate, weaving a special sound.
Highlights include Seeger’s collaborations with the Take Me to the River Children’s Community Chorus for “There’s a Hole in the Bucket” and “She’ll be Coming Round the Mountain,” as well as civil rights anthems “Aint Gonna Let Nobody,” “We Shall Overcome” and “Take it from Dr. King.” Order the album now through Amazon.
This Saturday night, at the Capitol Theatre, bluegrass diehards and fans of live music, in general, will come together to celebrate a true musical luminary, the one and only Del McCoury. The Port Chester rock palace will host the Del McCoury Band for an eightieth birthday celebration that will feature special guests like David Grisman, The Infamous Stringdusters, Andy Falco, Leftover Salmon’s Vince Herman, and more.
A groundbreaking and genre-defining flatpicking guitar master with one of the most recognizable voices in the history of bluegrass, McCoury has done it all—left an impression on them all. From his many years fronting the Del McCoury Band, to his time sharing the stage with other bluegrass giants like Bill Monroe, John Hartford, and more, the Grammy-winning singer and songwriter has had quite the looming career. In our excitement for the show Saturday night, we’re revisiting some of our favorite live moments from the man’s career.
Del McCoury + Bill Monroe: Two Days At Newport
Bill and Monroe and Del McCoury are like the Socrates and Plato of American bluegrass history— teacher and pupil contemporaries and often compared masters of the craft. In the formative days of his career, McCoury came up as a member of Monroe’s band along with other giants like Bill Keith, Kenny Baker, and more. Two years before Newport Folk Festival exploded in infamy after Bob Dylan’s electric set, the group recorded this still-lauded live album.
Del McCoury + David Grisman: FreshGrass Festival 2017
It wouldn’t be a proper tribute to Del if legendary mandolinist David Grisman weren’t on the scene. For the past several years, Grisman and McCoury have toured regularly as Del and Dawg, presenting an intimate style, anecdote-rich, two-man show that is just so special. Watch the two put the charm on FreshGrass Festival back in 2017.
Del McCoury + Preservation Hall Jazz Band: The David Letterman Show
Back in 2011, The Del McCoury Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band linked up to record an entire album together and perform a great cross country tour in support of the album. Legends of different styles of American roots music came together in a beautiful, and musically hot, way. Watch the two amazing bands light up Letterman in this awesome video here.
Del McCoury + Friends: Winterhawk AllStar Jam 1996
While Colorado has always had Telluride, New York has had Winterhawk, a historic weekend event started in 1984 that continues to run every year and that has seen performances from just about every bluegrass player ever. McCoury has graced Winterhawk, which is now known as Grey Fox, with his presence many times. Check out this clip from 1996 which has McCoury picking alongside titans like John Hartford and Vassar Clements, but also some younger talent like Jerry Douglas and members of the Del McCoury Band.
Del + Trey Anastasio Band: DelFest 2017
We don’t have to say much about this one—the smiles between Del and Phish frontman Trey Anastasio say it all. This fan-shot clip shows the pair at McCoury’s self-hosted event DelFest in 2017, and it’s actually not the first time by any stretch that these guitar gods have performed together.
Del McCoury Band: NPR Tiny Desk Performance
The appeal of NPR’s TinyDesk video series comes in showcasing historically influential and generally mega-popular artists in their intimate, academic-like setting, and it’s no wonder that the Del McCoury Band got their time to shine there last year. The band’s three-song set opens up with a great take on “That Ol’ Train.”
Del McCoury Band + Chris Thile: Live From Here
Another great honor awarded to McCoury and his band over the past year was to be featured as guest performers on Chris Thile’s “Live From Here” events. Now, if you know bluegrass, you definitely know Del. But if you know bluegrass you probably also know Chris Thile, arguably one of the most masterful mandolin players in the world currently. Listen to these guys rip up “Baltimore Johnny” at the one and only Ryman Auditorium from last April.
Del McCoury Band + Billy Strings: GreyFox Bluegrass Festival 2019
In 2019, Del McCoury sounds as fresh as ever, not only continuing to tour and write new music but making sure to pass the torch on to the next generation of greats. That’s right, it was only a matter of time before Del and the young gun Billy Strings found themselves on stage next to one another, which is a number of times by now. Del and Billy crooning together in this clip from Grey Fox this past summer is a thing of honorable beauty.
Per a report in the Wall Street Journal this past week, the U.S. Department of Justice is preparing to take legal action against Live Nation Entertainment. The allegations include the concert promoter seeking to strong-arm concert venues into using its dominant Ticketmaster subsidiary.
The department believes the concert promoter is in violation of the merger settlement Live Nation and Ticketmaster reached with the government in 2010. It was originally the DoJ antitrust unit that allowed the companies to merge, on the condition they abide by a range of conditions to keep ticket prices in check, including agreeing to be barred from retaliating against venue owners who use a competing ticket service.
The government plans to file a decree enforcement action, per a source. As ticket prices rise and the settlement is set to expire next year, the DoJ now plans to extend the restrictions by several years and prohibit coercive conduct by Live Nation, the report added.
When the two companies merged in 2010, Live Nation became an entertainment giant that does everything from managing musicians, operating venues, promoting concerts and selling tickets.
In a filing to the U.S. government, Live Nation said it had worked on 35,000 events with more than 4,500 artists in 2018. It also said that Live Nation owns, operates, has exclusive booking rights for or an equity interest in 237 venues, including the House of Blues.
Acclaimed jazz guitarist – Julian Lage, has revealed a new set of performances to end the year and bring in the new decade, in celebration of his latest Grammy nomination. A five-time nominee of the prestigious award, Lage has been a universally renowned composer for almost two decades – having first performed at the 2000 Grammy awards, at only 12 years old.
The tour, which has included performances alongside fellow guitar icon Bill Frisell, will see him and his bandmates – The Julian Lage Trio, featured in his 2019 album Love Hurts – perform throughout the East Coast. Beginning with a stop at Philadelphia’s Jonny Brenda’s, Lage will also make stops in Washington, DC and Old Saybrook, CT, before finishing off with a six-night set at the Village Vanguard in New York City.
Julian Lage’s slate of performance can be found below, while tickets can be purchased here.
Dec. 18 – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA
Dec. 19 – Union Stage – Washington, DC
Dec. 20 – Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center – Old Saybrook, CT
Jan. 14 – 19 (Tuesday through Sunday) – Village Vanguard – New York, NY
For someone shuffling between cities like Brooklyn and Toronto, the term ‘intercity’ is best to define their mild case of vagabondary. For solo rock n roller Justin “Diamond” Jones, who has been on the inside of the scene for the past 18 years, it aptly describes his constant travel between London, Los Angeles, Toronto and Brooklyn.
Having just released his debut single, “Ashes and Diamonds,” Jones also is releasing a short film based around the track, as well as a music video. Having played on stage with John “Twink” Alder from Santa Barbara Machine Head, in groups such as Tomorrow, The Pretty Things and The Pink Fairies, and recorded in The Clash’s studio, Jones is a rare remnant of artistic integrity with a story to be told.
“Ashes and Diamonds” is Diamond Jones’ return to the rock n’ roll and film scene after a period of solitude and devise. Jones solely shines this feat himself: all instruments are played, recorded and produced on his own. Likewise, the film is written, directed, and stars Jones.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, Justin “Diamond” Jones as a young adult was involved with a group of semi-professional skateboarders during a time that rock n’ roll was seeing a revival, stemming from the skateboarding community. At that time he stumbled upon Bob Dylan’s Bringing It All Back Home and shortly after disappeared off the grid to develop his craft as an artist.
Years later, Jones found himself in London, and quickly began performing around the city on guitar and piano. Jones has spent the past three years in Canada, isolating himself to refine his skills and prepare for his prolific return to the music & film scene.
