NYS Music 20​19

Category: Genres

  • Magic Beans and Mungion announce November Tour

    Mungion and Magic Beans have announced a 15-date co-headlining tour kicking off November 6th in Kansas City, MO with stops bringing them to the Northeast and Southeast. The bands will trade off closing duties night to night, for a run that is full of energy and surprising shows.

    “This tour will be something special,” says Scott Hachey from Magic Beans. “The two bands are matched in a way where the overall goal and outcome of our music is the same, however our means of achieving said response varies. Meaning we both set out to lift up the crowds spirits with high energy tunes, but our sounds and musical approach are different.

    “However, both bands run the gamut of genres and songwriting. Anyone who is lucky enough to hit this tour will experience a very wide ranging scope of both familiar and unexpected music. Both bands should inspire each other to their upmost potential.”

    Mungion’s Justin Reckamp adds, “We can’t wait to get out on the road with The Magic Beans! It’s been a little while since we got down to the south and east coast so we’re really looking forward to getting back there to show our fans what we’ve been working on. As far as pairing up with Magic Beans goes, there’s going to be some pretty wild stuff happening both on and off stage so be prepared to get weird. We’ve crossed paths with them for a while now so it’s nice to finally get a chance to tour with them and get to know each other better.”

    Mungion, on the road in support of 2018’s Ferris Wheel’s Day Off, will also be performing a handful of midwest dates in September and October before celebrating Halloween with a show at Durty Nellie’s in Palatine, IL.  They’ll also be ringing in New Years Eve with a three night run at Martyrs’ in Chicago, IL.  

    Magic Beans, fresh off the release of their new album Off Leash this past June will be heading into this run directly off a 3-Night Run of String Cheese Incident Halloween after shows in Austin, TX.  The band will also be on the road for a run of dates with Cycles in late September, along with an appearance at Resonance Music & Arts Festival and culminates with a late night Magic Beans show to conclude Pigeons Playing Ping Pongs’ Flocktoberfest in Philadelphia on October 5th.

    MUNGION / MAGIC BEANS TOUR

    11/06 • Knuckleheads • Kansas City, MO

    11/07 • Stickyz • Little Rock, AR

    11/08 • Martin’s • Jackson, MS

    11/09 • Proud Larry’s • Oxford, MS

    11/10 • Howling Wolf • New Orleans, LA

    11/13 • Nowhere Bar • Athens, GA

    11/14 • Salvage Station • Asheville, NC

    11/15 • Pour House • Charleston, SC

    11/16 • Precarious Beer Hall • Williamsburg, VA

    11/17 • Tellus360 • Lancaster, PA

    11/20 • Wonder Bar • Asbury Park, NJ

    11/21 • Knitting Factory • Brooklyn, NY

    11/22 • Sprout Music Collective • West Chester, PA

    11/23 • Kings Rook • Erie, PA

    11/24 • Beachland Ballroom • Cleveland, OH

    MUNGION TOUR DATES

    9/13 • Larrypalooza • Gibbon Glade, PA

    9/19 • The Cabooze • Minneapolis, MN

    9/20 • Mill Creek • Appleton, WI

    9/21 • Gabe’s • Iowa City, IA

    10/18 • Kenny’s Westside Pub • Peoria, IL

    10/19 • Canopy Club • Urbana, IL

    10/26 • HiFi • Indianapolis, IN w/ Tauk

    10/27 • Bell’s Eccentric Cafe • Kalamazoo, MI w/ Tauk

    11/01 • Durty Nellies • Palatine, IL

    12/28 • Martyrs • Chicago, IL

    12/29 • Martyrs • Chicago, IL

    12/31 • Martyrs • Chicago, IL

    MAGIC BEANS TOUR DATES

    9/07 • Hightopps Backstage • Timonium, MD

    9/19 • Bourbon on Division • Chicago, IL w/ Cycles

    9/20-9/22 • Resonance Music & Arts Fest • Slippery Rock, PA

    9/25 • The Jewel • Manchester, NH

    9/26 • Nectars • Burlington, VT w/ Cycles

    9/27 • Iron Works • Buffalo, NY w/ Cycles

    10/02 • Port City Music Hall • Portland, ME w/ Cycles

    10/03 • The Hollow • Albany, NY w/ Cycles

    10/05 • Flocktoberfest After Show at The Foundry • Philadelphia. PA

    10/26 • The Summit • Denver, CO w/ Tnertle & Frogleg

    10/30 • Deep Ellum Art Company • Dallas, TX

    10/31 • Stubbs Indoors • Austin, TX (SCI Aftershow)

    11/01 • Stubbs Indoors • Austin, TX (SCI Aftershow)

    11/02 • Stubbs Indoors • Austin, TX (SCI Aftershow)

    11/03 • Last Concert Cafe • Houston, TX

  • Twiddle Announces 2019 FRENDSGIVING Shows with Special Guests Aqueous

    On Tuesday, Twiddle announced their return to the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester for a two-night FRENDSGIVING run on November 29 and 30, 2019. Joining them both nights, for their debut at the Cap, will be Buffalo-based groove-rock band Aqueous. With the exception of Resonance Music Festival, Frendsgiving looks to be the only shows Twiddle will be playing between now and their New Year’s Eve run in Boston, MA.

    Tickets for the Frendsgiving run go on sale Friday, Sept. 13, however, VIP packages will be available for purchase on Thursday Sept. 12. VIP packages will include GA tickets for each night, early entry into each night, limited edition signed poster, commemorative VIP laminate, limited edition VIP variant pin, and an exclusive invite to Saturday’s VIP Pre-Party at Garcia’s from 4-6 PM. At Garcia’s VIP’s will have the opportunity to hang out with the band and see a very special and intimate musical performance.

    Additionally, Twiddle frontman Mihali Savoulidis has announced a run of solo dates this fall. The tour kicks off at Ocean Mist in Wakefield, RI on Oct. 11 and includes stops at the Pearl Street Pub in Albany on Nov. 1 and The Haunt in Ithaca on Nov. 16. For a full list of dates, check Savoulidis’s website.

  • The Historic Colgate Inn Sparks Interest With New Speakeasy Venue In Hamilton

    The staff at the Historic Colgate Inn in Hamilton, NY have been working extra hard this summer in preparation for their new music venue. “The Library” speakeasy will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday each weekend featuring music, special events and opportunities for private parties. The venue is set to open September 14 with Colgate University Professor, Glen Cashman (saxophone/keys), with a three piece band visiting from the West Coast.

    The Colgate Inn in Hamilton NY

    This new venue is sparking interest among locals and more, as they put the finishing touches on the cocktail menu and small plates offered. The space in the basement of the Colgate Inn is also finishing a renovation with new lighting, seating including lounge furniture and bar stools as well as a stage for musicians. The Inn features 40 rooms and suites as well as several dining areas, a patio that overlooks downtown Hamilton and a cozy tavern room complete with a fire place.

    The Tavern Room at The Colgate Inn

    The music series is complete with jazz acts, folk singers, horn and rhythm pieces and much more. For the complete line up scroll to the bottom. The Library is billed as a sophisticated speakeasy serving a variety of bourbon, whiskey, wine and chef inspired plates to pair. This prohibition era style venue will offer music that compliments the dusky, intimate atmoshphere where you can settle into comfy seats or join patrons at the bar. It’s a great reason to visit Hamilton, NY and try this new space and see local, regional and national acts in a fun space.

    List of Events:

    GRAND OPENING: September 14, 8-10 PM.

    GLENN CASHMAN TRIO: Seattle based trumpeter Jay Thomas and former Ithaca College Jazz Director/guitarist Steve Brown join jazz organist/Colgate Associate Professor of Music, Cashman.

    STOCK MARKET SWING ORCHESTRA TRIO: September 27, 8-10 PM.

    They will take you back to those swinging days of flappers, speakeasies, and doing the Charleston til dawn. Playing the best popular music of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, the band’s library consists of several hundred arrangements from the Great American Songbook, including well-known tunes of the era. Greats such as Glenn Miller, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Rudy Vallee, Fletcher Henderson, Harry James, Bunny Berigan, Fred Astaire, and Bing Crosby form the backbone of the group’s repertoire. “Party Like It’s 1929!”

    MARK SHINER’S STRUGGLEBUS: October 5, 8-10 PM.

    Part jazz, part funk, and a whole lot of fun! Mark has played with musicians all over the world and as a Hamiltonian knows how to make any space better with his presence alone.  With Dave Solazzo riffing on keys these guys will have you moving and grooving and you never know you might pop in and sing along!

    THE DOVETONES: October 12th 8-10PM.

    The Dovetones! Classic hits of the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond! Popular Swing, Blues, and Rock-n-Roll Classics; Ska & Rocksteady hits, Americana & more. 

    CHRISUNITED: October 19th 8-10 PM.

     Left handed 17 year-old guitar prodigy ChrisUnited has been playing guitar for 17 years. Chris’ passion arose from within when he was two years old.  His influences range from such artists as Bob Dylan, classic rock and even the classics. At a young age, Chris is becoming quite a name on the scene and we are so happy to have him in our series.

    THE JES SHELDON DUO: October 26th 8-10 PM

    Jes has been on the circuits her whole life, music being her passion since she could walk and talk. She is the lead singer of Syracuse, NY favorites, The Lightkeepers, and can transition from a rocking original or cover into a smooth jazz sing along.  It will be a delight to hear her pipes soaring at this intimate show!

    J. METTLER: November 1st 8-10 PM

    Poetic, profound, folk-rooted and often blues oriented acoustic epics. Melodies that plod along on an R.S. Muth parlor guitar. An occasional pause for breath, perhaps a story, an account of his childhood or of a lingering sentiment. Frontman of the forthcoming band “Rabbit in the Rye,” his contrasting peaceful presence and soulful intensity during his performances rouse the faintest of hearts and instil a sleepy fondness for the romanticism of our everyday lives. Joseph lives in Sherburne, New York with his rabbit.  

    JJ MURPHY TRIO: November 9th 8-10 PM

    JJ Hamilton, born and bred musician, will delve into all areas funk and jazz with his bandmates from Nashville, TN. This intsrumental three piece can regale you, and hear a pin drop on a Bill Frissell cover, then throw some country-jazz twang on a Hank Williams tune. They move in and out of jazz, funk and cover many standards as well.

    THE DOVETONES: November 16th 8-10 PM

    The Dovetones! Classic hits of the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond!; Popular Swing, Blues, and Rock-n-Roll Classics; Ska & Rocksteady hits, Americana & more.

    MASON MCDOWELL: November 22 8-10 PM

    Mason McDowell is equal parts storyteller and songwriter. He creates intricate stories from a theatrical perspective, and delivers them with a powerful voice and piano rock edge. 

    CHRIS “ISTO” WHITE:  November 23 8-10PM 

    Hamilton favorite and native Chris White returns from Brooklyn for a special one night only, live and in person rendition of his favorite and covers and amazing originals.

    JESS NOVAK (SOLO): November 29th 8-10 PM

    She got a fiddle on fire and a pen on the page. Jess writes songs and writes stories. She plays shows all over this great country and is happy to call Syracuse home. With a passion for music, she was just voted The Best Female Vocalist of 2018 by the Syracuse New Times!

    MARK SHINER’S STRUGGLEBUS: December 6th 8-10 PM

    Part jazz, part funk and a whole lot of fun! Mark has played with musicians all over the world and as a Hamiltonian, knows how to make any space better with his presence alone. With Dave Solazzo riffing on keys these guys will have you moving and grooving. You never know, you might pop in and sing along! 

    MELISSA GARDINER (feat. ANDREW CARROLL):December 14th 8-10 PM

    Emerging jazz trombonist, Melissa Gardiner, has been described by Curtis Fuller as ‘technically creative and emotionally powerful.’ Her improvisation is inspiring and motivating for the listener, and she draws you in with a raw expression that directly relates to life experience. Gardiner has shared the stage with several legendary musicians including: Aretha Franklin, Geri Allen, Wycliffe Gordon, Steve Turre, Gerald Wilson, Patti Austin, The Temptations, and Vulfpeck. As a bandleader, she performs regularly with her jazz organ trio, MG3, and Second Line Syracuse.  


  • Easy Rider Live at Radio City Music Hall to honor the late Peter Fonda

    On September 20, Radio City Music Hall will play host to Easy Rider Live, a special movie/concert event featuring the iconic 1969 film screened along with a live soundtrack. With the recent death of Easy Rider actor/writer Peter Fonda, the event will now also celebrate the memory of the legendary actor.

    The evening at Radio City was originally planned to kick off with a statement from Fonda, and Fonda’s wife, Parky, said regarding the night “We are all still healing from Peter’s sudden passing, but he would insist that the message of Easy Rider and the culture for which it stands carry on. The celebration of a cinematic masterpiece, a Hollywood icon, and my beloved husband will not only be one of a kind, but exactly what he wanted.”

    Easy Rider Live also celebrates the 50th anniversary of the film. The legendary soundtrack will be performed live by John Kay, Roger McGuinn, & special guests, with the evening’s music produced by T. Bone Burnett. More information can be found here.

  • Yo La Tengo announced 2019 Hanukkah run

    Yo La Tengo have confirmed their annual Hanukkah run for 2019, with special guests joining them for eight consecutive nights at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom. The shows start Sunday, December 22 and end Sunday, December 29. Tickets for every night are on sale now.

    The annual Hanukkah run features surprise guests each night, with 2018 seeing Graham Nash and Preservation Hall Jazz Band join Yo La Tengo. This year’s eight night residency marks the third year at Bowery Ballroom, after prior years in Hoboken, NJ at Maxwell’s.

  • Mike Gordon announces 2020 Winter Tour

    Phish bassist Mike Gordon will hit the road with his band in early winter 2020, kicking off with their first ever show at The State Theatre in Ithaca, NY. The tour includes shows in Toronto, Chicago, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, Portland and wraps up in Seattle on February 1.

    Tickets are now available for pre-sale, ending Thursday, September 12 at 5PM EST). Visit mike-gordon.com/tour for more info. Mike Gordon band is Scott Murawski (guitar), John Kimock (drums), Craig Myers (percussion) and Robert Walter (organ). Check out photos and review from his show in Jersey City in March.

    Jan 17 State Theatre Ithaca, NY
    Jan 18 Danforth Music Hall Toronto, Ontario
    Jan 19 Mr. Smalls Theatre Millvale, PA
    Jan 20 Newport Music Hall Columbus, OH
    Jan 22 Thalia Hall Chicago, IL
    Jan 23 20th Century Theater Cincinnati, OH
    Jan 24 Delmar Hall St. Louis, MO
    Jan 25 Majestic Theatre Madison, WI
    Jan 26 Varsity Theater Minneapolis, MN
    Jan 28 Boulder Theater Boulder, CO
    Jan 29 The Commonwealth Room Salt Lake City, UT
    Jan 31 Crystal Ballroom Portland, OR
    Feb 01 The Showbox Seattle, WA

  • In Focus: Cardi B ‘Femme it Forward’ tour at SPAC is pure Money

    Rapper Cardi B brought her ” Femme It Forward” tour to Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Friday September 6th. The South Bronx native had originally been slated to perform on May 26, but rescheduled the show to September, but that didn’t keep the fans from packing SPAC.

    Cardi gave fans a short 50 minute set, but fans didn’t mind as she churned through her hits, even though hits like “Money” and others were consensed from their album length. With multiple costume changes, plus Nicole Bus and Teyana Taylor leading the way, Cardi B gave Saratoga a night to remember.

  • SPAC to Present Beethoven’s Complete Cycle in Four Days with Philadelphia Orchestra in 2020

    The Saratoga Performing Arts Center together with The Philadelphia Orchestra have announced a celebration of the 250th birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven to take place in 2020. In a concentrated four-night event, August 12-15, 2020, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will present Beethoven’s Complete Cycle of Symphonies in dialogue with music by composers of today.  The Philadelphia Orchestra has commissioned works that reflect on the relevance of Beethoven’s legacy today by its Composer-in-Residence, Gabriela Lena Frank, and a diverse group of composers from her Creative Academy of Music – including Jessica Hunt, Carlos Simon and Iman Habibi.   

    “Traversing the complete Symphonies of Beethoven is a profound and deeply moving musical experience.  To hear them under the baton of the great Yannick Nézet-Séguin, in such a concentrated period, will be an artistic experience unlike anything we have ever presented at SPAC,” says Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.  “Though Yannick and the Orchestra will also be performing the cycle in Philadelphia and at Carnegie Hall, only at SPAC will audiences be able to experience the symphonies in this immersive and virtually unprecedented manner.”

    Beethoven's Complete Cycle

    “We are incredibly excited to share the majesty of Beethoven’s masterpieces in four consecutive nights with our beloved fans in Saratoga,” said Philadelphia Orchestra Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. “By pairing his groundbreaking works with new companion pieces, we look forward to creating fresh perspectives on Beethoven’s legacy today. It will surely be an exhilarating and deeply moving experience unlike anything we’ve ever presented before at SPAC.”

    Beethoven 2020: The Philadelphia Orchestra Beethoven Cycle at Saratoga Performing Arts Center August 12-15, 2020

    Wednesday, August 12th

    Conductor: Yannick Nézet-Séguin

    Carlos Simon: Work in Dialogue with Beethoven – PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA COMMISSION

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 8

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 4

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 7

    Buoyant and humorous, the Eighth Symphony belies none of the composer’s worsening health issues or what had to be the devastating end of a love affair, detailed in a famous letter written around the same time to his “Immortal Beloved.” Perhaps the least known, the Fourth was widely admired: Schumann compared it to “a slender Greek maiden” between the two “Norse giants” of the Third and Fifth; Berlioz insisted it was the work of an angel. And Tchaikovsky described the triumphant Seventh as “full of unrestrained joy, full of bliss and pleasure of life.” The exhilarating and familiar second movement is said to have been so inspiring at the premiere, an encore was demanded instantly.

    Thursday, August 13th

    Conductor: Yannick Nézet-Séguin

    Jessica Hunt: Work in Dialogue with Beethoven – Philadelphia Orchestra Commission

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 2

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”)

    Beethoven was just beginning to go deaf when he wrote his Second Symphony and though he was losing his hearing, he was finding his voice. He could have composed a manifestation of despair, but instead gave the world one of his most ebullient and life-affirming works. The Third Symphony was groundbreaking, a turning point in the composer’s oeuvre and a watershed in musical history. A vast ode to heroism, revolution, and freedom, the “Eroica” is considered by many to be the greatest not just of Beethoven’s symphonies, but of all time.

    Friday, August 14th

    Conductor: Yannick Nézet-Séguin

    Iman Habibi: Work in Dialogue with Beethoven – PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA COMMISSION

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 5

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 (“Pastoral”)

    The indelible four-note opening of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony lays the foundation for a truly fateful symphonic journey. Written in 1804, and on the program when The Philadelphia Orchestra gave its first concert in 1900, it’s an epic tour de force that resonates in 2020. Following its rousing conclusion come the verdant valleys and sweet smells of the woods and the Austrian countryside, an exposition of Beethoven’s love of nature. Composed and premiered at the same time, the “Pastoral” offers a striking contrast to the assertive Fifth.

    Saturday, August 15th

    Conductor: Yannick Nézet-Séguin
    Chorus: Albany Pro Musica Concert Chorus

    Frank: Work in Dialogue with Beethoven – PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA COMMISSION

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 1

    Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (“Choral”)

    Beethoven was just 25 when he wrote his First Symphony. Delightful and high-spirited, floating on strains of Mozart and Haydn, it’s a fascinating glimpse of the greatness and genius to come—all on full, glorious display in the climactic Ninth. Written just a few short years before his death, “Beethoven’s profound ode to brotherhood, salvation, and pure joy reminds us why we are here as an orchestra,” says Yannick, “and why we constantly try to make our world better by playing music.”

    For more information visit Spac.org

  • Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe brings Thick as Thieves tour to Saratoga Springs

    Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe ‘Thick As Thieves Fall Tour 2019’ will roll through Saratoga Springs on October 18 for a hot night of funk at Putnam Place. On the heels of touring the U.S. this summer as the saxophonist in The Rolling Stones, Denson reconvenes KDTU for 22 dates this fall, mixing headline performances alongside several dates supporting Thievery Corporation.

    Karl Denson's Tiny Universe funk Thick As Thieves Tour

    Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe is supporting its latest studio album, Gnomes & Badgers, out now on Seven Spheres Records. Distilling the sweeping stylistic range of KDTU’s concert performances into their own authentic sound, the inimitable Denson and his long-standing seven piece unit that includes guitarist DJ Williams, drummer Zak Najor, bassist Chris Stillwell, keyboardist David Veith, trumpeter Chris Littlefield and slide/lap steel guitarist Seth Freeman have delivered what is undoubtedly their strongest work yet. 

    The album’s first video and single, “Change My Way,” makes a poignant statement about the current crisis at the U.S. border. The clip was directed by award-winning director, writer and producer TG Herrington, whose work includes ‘The Free State of Jones,’ a series of music videos for Paul McCartney and the new feature-length documentary ‘A Tuba To Cuba.’ Denson co-wrote “Change My Way” with New Orleans singer-songwriter Anders Osborne and co-produced the track with Adrian Quesada (Brownout, Spanish Gold).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCWujm0vVTU&feature=youtu.be

    KARL DENSON’S TINY UNIVERSE
    Thick As Thieves Fall Tour 2019

    10/3 – Charleston, SC – The Pour House
    10/4 – Macon, GA – Big House Museum
    10/5 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel
    10/6  – Virginia Beach, VA – Elevation 27
    10/8  – Washington, DC – The Hamilton Live
    10/9 – Charlotte, NC – The Neighborhood Theatre
    10/10 – Richmond, VA – The Broadberry
    10/11 – Pittsburgh, PA – Rex Theater
    10/12 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore *
    10/13 – Boston, MA – House of Blues *
    10/15 – Portland, ME – Aura 
    10/16 – Quebec City, Canada – Le Capitole *
    10/17 – Montreal, Canada – Mtelus *
    10/18 – Saratoga, NY – Putnam Place
    10/24 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore *
    10/25 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue *
    10/27 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater *
    10/28 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues *
    11/6 – Miami, FL – The Fillmore *
    11/7 – Tampa, FL – The Ritz *
    11/8 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle *
    11/9 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues *

    *w/ Thievery Corporation

  • Jay Blakesberg to release photography book ‘Jerry Garcia: Secret Space of Dreams’

    Famed rock photographer Jay Blakesberg has announced the release of his latest photographic endeavor, JERRY GARCIA: Secret Space of Dreams – a fine art, hardcover photography book of Jerry Garcia, beginning from the middle of his career with the Grateful Dead and covering the last third of his life.

    In early September 1977, the Grateful Dead performed four Labor Day weekend concerts along the east coast and at the legendary September 3rd Englishtown, NJ show where Blakesberg’s connection with the Grateful Dead was born. A year later, on September 2, 1978 at Giants Stadium, Blakesberg’s father, an amateur shutterbug himself, loaned his 16-year-old son his Pentax camera, a couple of lenses and a few rolls of film to photograph the Grateful Dead for the very first time. A photograph of Jerry Garcia from this show begins the chronological display of photographs that spans the following decades of Garcia’s life in JERRY GARCIA: Secret Space of Dreams.

    Secret Space Of Dreams

    The book’s Foreword is written by Grammy-award winning musician and guitar master John Mayer, who has been touring with the surviving members of the Grateful Dead as Dead & Company’s lead guitarist and vocalist since 2015. Providing the unique perspective of re-interpreting the lead guitar slot once held by Jerry Garcia, Mayer explores the magic and distinction of Garcia’s playing and the profound and lasting impact of his music on the world.

    “I’ve always said that musicians play like they are, and in the case of Garcia, his performances serve as a detailed map of a man, his intentions, his desires, and his impressions of the world around him,“ Mayer writes. “And going by that map, Garcia was a lovely, mighty soul. I never met him and will never understand the loss of those who did, but the vast archive of his music amounts to the makings of a starry night sky that turns listeners into explorers.”

    John Mayer

    The introduction, by journalist, musician, radio host and Grateful Dead historian David Gans, dives deep into the character and charisma of the mythical non-frontman, frontman – and Blakesberg’s innate ability to capture Garcia’s magic on film. In the book’s 208 pages, Blakesberg shares 139 photographs of Garcia spanning nearly 20 years­­––September 2nd, 1978 (at Giants Stadium) through the April 1995 making of the “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” music video. With an essay by Garcia’s daughter Trixie and quotes from the likes of Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, David Crosby, Jim James, Carlos Santana, Trey Anastasio, Robert Hunter, Jackie Greene, Jorma Kaukonen, Country Joe McDonald, David Grisman, the “core four” members of the Grateful Dead––Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart– and more, Blakesberg leads us on a visual journey of Garcia’s life, both on and off the stage.

    In the afterword, Widespread Panic founding member, author, and producer Dave Schools muses on the man, myth and legend portrayed in the pages of the photographic biography. Schools thoughtfully reflects on Garcia’s ability to “display his own frailty in the service of the song,” and to connect with the audience as participants in the performance. 

    “These are just some of the attributes of a human being who led without leading, who conveyed his own truth better through his music than he was able to do through the spoken word…and who lived the majority of his life onstage being part of a performance troupe that went far beyond the sum of its parts,” he writes. “And luckily for those of us who want and need to remember such experiences we have a vast recorded archive of music, millions of words both scholarly and lay, and in our hands now these magnificently telling photographs by Jay Blakesberg so that we can always queue up the memories of our shared experiences with a rare human being known as Jerry Garcia and his equally rare cohorts.”

    Dave Schools

    The release of JERRY GARCIA: Secret Space of Dreams comes on the heels of Blakesberg’s recent photography books FARE THEE WELL: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Grateful Dead (December 1, 2015) and Eyes of the World – Grateful Dead Photography 1965-1995, (October 23, 2017).  FARE THEE WELL is a vibrant visual record of the Grateful Dead’s 50th anniversary “Fare Thee Well” concerts, gathering iconic images from all five performances, plus two rehearsal days, as well as band portraits, a few archival images, written tributes and setlists from the historic shows. Eyes of the World celebrates The Grateful Dead with photographs spanning their entire career from the likes of Jim Marshall, Annie Leibovitz, Herb Greene, Peter Simon (60 different photographers) and Blakesberg, who has the most photos in the book from any single photographer.

    Signed copies of JERRY GARCIA: Secret Space of Dreams are available now for pre-order. Pre-orders will begin shipping September 23.

Built in Breakdance