NYS Music 20​19

Category: Beyond NYS

  • 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

  • Hearing Aide: The Wood Brothers ‘Live At The Fillmore’

    Since their inception back in 2004, The Wood Brothers have been creating their own flavor of American traditional music on their own terms. The trio is comprised of brothers Chris (bass & vocals) and Oliver (guitar & vocals) Wood , as well as Jano Rix (percussion & shuitar). Together they have been successful in creating  a unique musical gumbo which includes the combination musical styles including Blues, Folk,  Country, and Rock.

    The Wood Brothers also recently received critical acclaim for their latest studio release, 2018’s One Drop Of Truth, which included a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album. If that weren’t enough to keep the band busy, The Wood Brothers have just released Live At The Fillmore a new live album, their fifth,  that was recorded over a two night stint at San Francisco’s famed musical landmark. The trio is famous for their live performances and the band shines on the stage. The opening track on  Live At The Fillmore  is “Blue and Green,” which is a stripped down, intimate number off of 2011’s Smoke Ring Halo LP. The deft vocals that Oliver and Chris deliver, as well as the ambient noise of the crowd, easily transports the listener to the gig at the historic Fillmore.

    The boys tear it up on the third track “Snake Eyes” with a great percussion intro by Rix, which leads into a nicely executed guitar accompaniment  by Oliver, featuring some heavy feedback. The Wood Brothers infectious performance, along with the a little on stage prompting from Oliver persuaded the audience to join the band in the chorus of the upbeat number, creating a vivid picture in the mind’s eye of the listener. The trio’s harmonies were spot on and the track wrapped up with another nice guitar fill by Oliver.

    The Wood Brothers keeps the energy flowing with “Raindrop,” the fifth track from Live At The Filmore LP.  Oliver and Jano constructed an intro featuring guitar and percussion which effortlessly leads into the jamming number. With the catchy opening vocal “Broke a heart for a cheap thrill.  Seemed worth it at the time. There’s a hundred of ’em out there still.  You can hear ’em all cryin’,”  Oliver is able to evoke the frustration that anyone can feel while trying to get over a painful breakup.

    The sixth tune, “Chocolate On My Tongue,” has an infectious groove that will get your foot tapping along with The Wood Brothers as they expertly ply their trade. Catchy riffs and smooth harmonies make this tune a true gem of a performance and a highlight on the LP.

    Overall the fourteen tracks on Live at The Filmore  are successful in proving The Wood Brothers are at their comfort zone on stage, playing for a live audience. It also illustrates how proficient the  trio, who have had extensive time on the road performing, are able to anticipate and coordinate their playing together as a road tested unit. Oliver Wood once said while talking about selecting songs for a set list:  “Sometimes it is like choosing between your children,  you don’t want to have to do that but sometimes you have to.” Luckily for fans of The Wood Brothers, the band chose extremely well on Live At The Filmore, creating a voyeuristic experience where the listener gets to experience the best of two nights in the life of a great live band playing at a historic musical venue.

    Key Tracks:  Atlas, Blue & Green, Teardrop

  • LOCKN’ 19 Marks Its Place in History

    Derek Trucks sits in with Trey Anastasio Band.

    Words By: Karina Verlan

    Images By: Filip Zalewski (Essence Photography)

    For the past seven years, LOCKN’ has been a true musical haven for improvisation, acting as a base for some of the most famous and remarkable collaborations. This year was no exception as some of this music scene’s most influential artists came together to share moments with festival patrons that won’t be forgotten any time soon. 

    The atmosphere at LOCKN’ this year was unique in that the festival felt smaller in scale compared to some of the past years when the grounds were overflowing with festivalgoers by virtue of acts like Phish, Disco Biscuits, The String Cheese Incident and Widespread Panic. In a way, the experience was more intimate and special as a result, with the performing artists’ music sweeping out into the crowd to bring their audience on a journey that was curated for their experience and their memories only. 

    It is always interesting to see the year-to-year tweaks that the festival implements to change the mood or improve the experience for patrons. This year, the thing that stood out was the late night shows in Garcia’s Forest, which included Circles Around the Sun, Soulive and Galactic.

    Never miss a LOCKN’ sunset. Oteil & Friends

    For those of us that have been six-to-seven year patrons of the festival, it is nostalgic to remember back to a widely favored and heralded set at LOCKN’ by the Tedeschi Trucks Band in 2014 in the Garcia Forest. What a trip, so many years later, to experience the powerhouse group headlining the festival, joined by superstar Trey Anastasio as the key acts of the weekend.

    R.I.P Neal Casal, pictured at his last performance with Oteil & Friends.

    Festivalgoers of this year’s LOCKN’ will forever evoke the memories of Neal Casal’s final performances, before our music community tragically lost him the Monday following the festival. This past weekend, Neal Casal performed late night on Thursday night with his outfit, Circles Around the Sun, which was orginially formed back in 2015 to record the interlude music for The Grateful Dead’s 50th Anniversary Fare Thee Well shows. Joe Russo performed a surprise sit-in with the group Thursday evening, in light of a collaborative EP that is due to release later this fall. Neal was seen again on stage with powerhouse group Oteil Burbridge & Friends, which also included Bob Weir and Duane Betts. Here is a clip of his solo on Thursday night with Circles Around the Sun:

    “Interlocking” sets was the theme of the weekend, as always, at LOCKN’. Bob Weir graced a number of sets as a guest, as usual, including Oteil & Friends’ set where he sat in for “Cassidy” and a “Happy Birthday” song to Oteil; he joined Twiddle with Eric Krasno and John Popper for “Eyes of the World;” Old Crow Medicine; and Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians for “Deep Elem Blues.” Bob Weir was also “sitting in” during Joe Russo’s Almost Dead set when the camera spanned to him sitting side stage on a couch listening to JRAD’s set that included cuts like “Ruben and Cherise,” “Peggy-O,” “The Other One,” “Casey Jones” and “Uncle John’s Band,” to name a few. 

    Other notable moments of the weekend include one of the early sets of the weekend, when Trey played with the Thai-funk improv outfit Khruangbin, adding his legendary guitar licks to songs like, “Lady & Man” and “People Everywhere (Still Alive).” Moon Alice performed with the T Sisters and Lester Chambers and his son Dylan Chambers on Friday on classics such as “Uncle Johns Band” and “Attics Of My Life,” in addition to a few Moon Alice classics. Melvin Seals & JGB played a set together with John Kadlecik and the Pigeons Playing Ping Pong set had a sit-in from the Revivalist horns, to name a few more “Lockn’ Moments.”  Honorable mentions should go to Fruition, who brought a sizable crowd to an 11 a.m. Garcia’s Forest set, finishing their performance with a crowd-requested “The Meaning.” Free Union started off the main stage performances on Saturday by inviting members of the Audacity Brass Band to play with them after their set was cancelled due to the storm on Friday.

    Bob Weir and John Popper of Blues Traveler sit in with Twiddle.

    But the weekend recap wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the extraordinary delicacy of seeing Trey and Derek performing together. Trey and Derek, certainly not strangers to each other’s guitar licks as the first time they played together was 20 years ago, had no trouble showing their respect for each other’s craft by adding the perfect additions to their respective sets. Starting with Friday night, Derek sat in for the entire second set with Trey Anastasio Band for songs like “Set Your Soul Free,” “Ghost,” and “Blaze On” with an additional sit-in from Susan on “A Life Beyond a Dream” and “Rise/Come Together.”  On Saturday, Trey sat in with TTB for covers from the Derek and the Dominos’ classic album Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs while TTB proper followed with “Keep On Growing,” “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” and “I Am Yours.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaJ4auxoI0E
    Derek Derek Derek Trey Trey Trey

    Once again, the spirit at LOCKN’ was alive and well this year, and is rooted deeply now for the tradition to continue next year all over again. 

  • Neal Casal, Guitarist for Circles Around the Sun and Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Dead at 50

    Neal Casal, prolific guitarist and member of Circles Around the Sun, Chris Robinson Brotherhood and many more over his career, has died at age 50. Pitchfork reports through a representative of Casal that the death was ruled a suicide. The tragic news was confirmed on Neal’s Instagram account this morning.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B1qfCJHDC73/

    A native of Denville, NJ, Casal was best known for his work with Circles Around the Sun, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Hazy Malaze and Blackfoot. Ryan Adams shared his thoughts this morning on his Cardinals bandmate

    Casal had performed at Lockn’ Festival in Arrington, VA. this past weekend with Circles Around the Sun (as well as with Oteil and Friends), a project that originated from being tapped to compose music played over the P.A. during setbreak of Fare Thee Well in July 2015. That music was so well received by fans, that Circles Around the Sun released the music as a double album, Interludes for the Dead, in 2016 and made their debut at Lockn’ Festival that summer, as noted by Jambase.

    In addition to his recent success with Circles Around the Sun, Casal was an original member of Chris Robinson Brotherhood alongside the Black Crowes co-founder. From 2005-2009, Casal was a member of Ryan Adams and The Cardinals, during which time Easy Tiger and Cardinology were released to critical acclaim. Neal spoke with American Songwriter in 2012 and said this of his time with The Cardinals: 

    “It really was a great lineup… For a couple years there, man, we were on fire. We really were. We were playing some amazing shows and running through Ryan’s entire catalog, just burning those songs to the ground. We really felt confident for awhile. We had a lot of synergy, we were all really connected, and everyone believed in it. We were firing on all cylinders. It was a great thing to be a part of.”

    Neal Casal to American Songwriter

    Casal was also a founding member of Hard Working Americans, a supergroup including Dave Schools and Duane Trucks (Widespread Panic), singer Todd Snider, and Chad Staehly (Great American Taxi), and performed with Phil Lesh and Friends on numerous occasions. Neal was also a photographer who shot cover art for a number of albums and publications.

    This October 18, Casal’s upcoming EP Circles Around the Sun Meets Joe Russo, is scheduled to be released. Listen to “Peace Reprise” from the forthcoming album.

    RIP Neal Casal 1968-2019

  • Karl Denson Brings Tiny Universe, Big Smiles to Jersey City

    Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe brought their brand of optimistic funk to White Eagle Hall in Jersey City on July 31 for an enthusiastic Wednesday night crowd. With them for an opening set of reggae and saxophone showmanship was DeLa and Steady Rock Easy. DeLa is the saxophone player for Slightly Stoopid, the San Diego reggae outfit with which Karl Denson has recorded and performed with as a sought after horn player himself. And I must say… Karl Denson is a hell of a bandleader!

    Seriously, this guy is relentlessly generous. When you share the stage with some of the top-notch talent in the music business, there’s plenty of room to share in the groove.

    karl denson jersey city
    DeLa and Steady Rock Easy

    Pulling from a selection of bouyant reggae beats from his latest studio effort Opening Night, on which Denson is a guest musician, DeLa and Steady Rock Easy provided a straight up and joyful delivery. DeLa’s chops are seasoned, and tasteful, greasing the wheels for the ride Karl Denson and Co. were about to venture on. For the finale of the opening set, DeLa spoke, “If Karl Denson is in the house, we’d like to get him up here…. Oh I guess he is here!” Denson then came out for a collaborative saxophone duo to close out the Steady Rock set.

    karl denson jersey city
    Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe

    The most glaringly obvious thing about Karl Denson is his humility. Tiny Universe is widely regarded as one of the most talented and lively acts on the planet and, in addition to being a founding member of Greyboy Allstars, Denson was tapped by legendary rockers The Rolling Stones in 2014 as their touring saxophone player. In fact, the Stones played Metlife Stadium just one day after this gig. That’s quite a resume’ already, not even counting his impressive list of studio sessions and sit-ins. All of this, suffice to say, is enough to fluff anyone’s ego. Despite that, it seems that Karl Denson keeps a tighter grasp on his own humbleness than he does on his instruments. He grins and dances on stage with a tambourine as much as he fires on all cylinders with his saxophone or flute.

    Gnomes and Badgers (out now via Seven Spheres Records) is Karl Denson’s commentary on today’s political atmosphere. A handful of the songs from that album made their way into Wednesday nights set, like “What If You Knew,” “Gossip” and “Can We Trade.”  Each track is toe-tapping, no matter the pace, and laced with positivity. It’s uplifting that there is so much music being created right now that is built on optimism as opposed to avoiding hope for the future, given the state of affairs around the world.

    karl denson jersey city
    Karl Denson shakes the tambourine during “Under My Thumb”

    There were also some throwbacks. “New Ammo,” from the album of the same name, is a racer. There’s also the Rolling Stones cover “Under my Thumb,” which abandons the lyrics in favor of harmonized horn lines of the vocal melody instead. Throughout all of it, Denson took a lot of opportunities to point, glance, and shift towards other members of the band as if to say, “You take a solo! Now you take a solo!” Again, hell of a band leader.

    The closer, “Time to Pray,” was a fresh reminder that none of us are in a competition. Each member of the Tiny Universe team was shining bright and grinning in delight, reveling in each other’s stamina. The lyrics “Kneelin, kneelin, there is no other way / You think it’s time to win, I think it’s time to pray” gives weight to this idea; it’s not about being right, it’s about sharing in hope for a more positive and optimistic future. A blazing guitar solo, plenty of flute action, an up-tempo beat to drive the dancing festivities, and a huge, rising organ build up drove it all home on a high note.

    karl denson jersey city
    Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe

    Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe is on tour through the end of August and takes on a Fall Tour from September through November.

    Setlist via guitarist Dj Williams:

    Catching Sparks, Everybody Knows That, Satisfied, Gossip, What If You Knew, Rich Man’s Welfare, I’m Your Biggest Fan, Can We Trade?, Under My Thumb, New Ammo, Time to Pray.

    karl denson jersey city
    DeLa of Slightly Stoopid
    Tiny Universe guitarist DJ Williams

  • Twiddle Delights With Surprises at 4th Annual Tumble Down

    Twiddle held its 4th annual Tumble Down Festival in Burlington, VT at Waterfront Park this past weekend. The beautiful park, right on Lake Champlain, hosted Twiddle for five sets along with: The Kitchen Dwellers, Stephen Marley, Turkuaz, Ghost Light, Jaden Carlson Band, Owl and Crow, The Big Sip, Nina’s Brew and The Jauntee. The festival, a family reunion for Twiddle fans, brought all ages together to celebrate music. The festival also brought fans and partners together to raise money for the White Light Foundation, a non-profit that raises money to help spread love, healing and kindness. 

    Twiddle kicked off the festival with a special acoustic set with fan favorites including “Hatties Jam” and “When it Rains It Pours,” and a special sit in by David Grippo. Their second and third sets closed out the first night and included a prerecorded message from “Colonel Norco,” which helped set the tone for two packed sets, and a special sit in by Todd Stoops. The second set included a new verse to “Jamflowman” that brought his tale home and an additional sit in by David Grippo on the beautiful, “Lost in the Cold.” 

    4th Annual Tumble Down

    Acoustic Set: Glycerine Medley, Earth Mama, Five, Wildfire, Fat Country Baby, Hattiebagan Mcrat, Hattie’s Jam-> When it Rains it Pours
    Set 2: Enter, Orlando’s, Amydst the Myst, Doinkinbonk, Grandpa Fox -> Apples -> Mamunes the Faun -> Every Soul
    Set 3: Jamflowman -> Subconscious Prelude -> Nicodemus Portulay -> Milk, Lost in the Cold

    Encore: River Drift

    4th Annual Tumble Down

    The second day started with a bit of deja vu as The Big Sip had their set shortened by a weather evacuation, that thankfully didn’t last too long, or turn into anything more than threatening clouds and some high winds. The Kitchen Dwellers began their set as masses of fans were still in line to re-enter the festival, music to the ears of those eager to get back to the party. They also welcomed members of Cabinet to sit in for a few songs, much to the audience’s enjoyment.

    Nina’s Brew, a trio from Burlington, played with a sound influenced by blues, soul, rock and R&B. They’re currently working on their first studio album and are anticipating a fall release. 

    Turkuaz, the nine piece funk juggernaut from Brooklyn, NY, played as the sun was setting over the water. Their brightly colored outfits seemed to glow in the “golden hour” of light, and highlighted their energy. 

    Twiddle’s final two sets to close out the fantastic weekend contained many treats for fans. The origin of “Ricky Snickle” and an additional verse,  another message from “Colonel Norco,” and a new verse to “Frankenfoote.” There were also many sit-ins over the final two sets. Jayden Carlson, The Kitchen Dwellers, Zach Nugent and Todd Stoops all helped Twiddle close out the festival. 

    4th Annual Tumble Down

    Set 4: Ricky Snickle Origin, Ricky Snickle, Syncopated Healing, Machine, Visions of Mohr, Latin Tang, Beethoven and Green
    Set 5: Polluted Beauty, Gatsby the Great -> Pond -> Zazu’s Flight -> Pond -> Grandpa Fox, Be There
    Encore: Frankenfoote Origin -> Frankenfoote

  • In Focus: Biscuits, Bassnectar, Tipper and more bring the heat (and then some) at Camp Bisco

    The heat this summer came to a peak over the weekend of July 18-20 at Montage Mountain with Camp Bisco, the annual electronic and jam festival which held its 17th installment featuring hosts The Disco Biscuits, Tipper, Bassnectar, Odesza, Rusko, Umphrey’s McGee, Twiddle, Tauk, Spafford and Sunsquabi, among many more.

    Hosts The Disco Biscuits played six hot sets over the weekend, including a set with original drummer Sammy Altman and current drummer Allen Aucoin, which was highlighted by “M.E.M.P.H.I.S.” -> “Rapture,” the latter an instrumental version of the 1980 Blondie hit. Later that night, they would pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of the moon landing with a series of songs, as well as pre and post-set music, that referenced the moon and space. Even with the intense weather conditions, Camp Bisco was a successful weekend of electronic and dance music, warming the mountain up for Peach Fest the following weekend.

    biscuits bassnectar
    biscuits bassnectar
    biscuits bassnectar
    biscuits bassnectar

  • Kamasi Washington brings West Coast Jazz to White Eagle Hall on August 1

    A jazz legend in the making, Kamasi Washington, will perform on Thursday, August 1 at White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, NJ, bringing his West Coast jazz sound and multi-instrument skills to an eager audience. Born in Los Angeles, Washington’s 2015 debut album The Epic received critical praise and was awarded the inaugural American Music Prize. Subsequent albums Heaven and Earth and Harmony of Difference received similar acclaim, with the latter debuting at the 2017 Whitney Museum of Art Biennial.

    When Kamasi Washington released his tour de force LP, The Epic, in 2015, it instantly set him on a path as our generation’s torchbearer for progressive, improvisational music that would open the door for young audiences to experience music unlike anything they had heard before. The 172-minute odyssey featuring his 10-piece band, The Next Step, was littered with elements of hip-hop, classical and R&B music, all major influences on the young saxophonist and bandleader, who exceeds any notions of what “jazz” music is. Washington followed that work with collaborations with other influential artists such as Kendrick Lamar, John Legend, Run the Jewels, Ibeyi, among others. Washington’s mass appeal continues to grow, drawing vibrant, multi-ethnic and multi-generational crowds with tour stops at the world’s most prominent festivals such as Coachella, Glastonbury, Fuji Rock, Bonnaroo and Primavera. He is currently on tour with Herbie Hancock in August.

    kamasi washington white eagle

    Since the 2018 release of Heaven and Earth and its counterpart The Choice, Washington has toured the world over with sold-out shows in North America and Europe, including New York’s Apollo Theater and London’s Brixton Academy. Washington recently debuted his short film As Told To G/D Thyself which originally premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Watch an interview with Washington discussing the movie below.

    Joining Washington at White Eagle Hall is Taylor McFerrin, who recently released Love’s Last Chance, his first full-length album since his 2014 debut Early Riser. The collection, which featured Nai Palm, Thundercat, and Taylor’s legendary father Bobby McFerrin, earned praise from Pitchfork who hailed it as “an album built for slow weekend mornings spent in bed with a loved one.” Love’s Last Chance is McFerrin’s first album with his own voice on it. “Over the years, I’d learned how to convey myself well through my instrumentals,” says McFerrin. “But singing brings me closer than ever to being able to share everything that’s going on inside of me.”

  • Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe to Play Historic White Eagle

    World renowned jazz/funk saxophonist Karl Denson is set to bring his 7-piece Tiny Universe to the historic White Eagle Hall in Jersey City on Wednesday, July 31. Tickets are available here via Eventbrite.

    Karl Denson is a founding member of the seminal funk band, The Greyboy Allstars, as well as the touring saxophonist with The Rolling Stones. The spirit and energy of KDTU is hard to contain as it’s stacked with top talent including Greyboy Allstars members Zak Najor on drums, bassist Chris Stillwell, and Crush Effects keyboardist David Veith. Rounding out the touring lineup are also guitarist DJ Williams, trumpeter Chris Littlefield, and lap steel/slide guitarist Seth Freeman.

    With unparalleled chops and an eclectic mix of musical influence from Prince to the White Stripes (covers of both can be heard on tour), it’s no wonder Denson has been sought to record with acts such as Lenny Kravitz and Slightly Stoopid.

    Touring in support of the recent release Gnomes and Badgers (out now via Seven Spheres Records), KDTU is making their way across the country all the way through the fall. For more ticket information and tour dates, visit Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe.

    historic white eagle

  • Dark Star Orchestra to Pair with Stony Creek Brewery August 1

    New York State is boasting with amazing talent and artists across all genres. Inevitably an overwhelming sea of music has drifted down the shorelines into Branford, CT. This coming Thursday, August 1, Dark Star Orchestra will find themselves split between Stony Creek Brewery and the picturesque Branford River that runs out into Long Island Sound.

    What’s better than beer and Music? In tandem with GoodWorks Entertainment, The Cranky Concert Series, named after the breweries iconic IPA, has hosted several groups ripe in NYS Music’s wheelhouse of regularly coverage. And for those heavy IPA drinkers, the Double Cranky is a must try at 9.5% ABV. So kick back, relax and jam on as Dark Star takes you on a trip, that you can sip along to.

    The show is 21+ with tickets ranging from $45 to $97 for VIP with open bar on the brewery’s second level, with balcony viewing. GA tickets are standing room and food trucks will be available. Doors at 4:30pm and the show kicks off at 6:00pm, rain or shine. Stony Creek Brewery is located at 5 Indian Neck Ave. in Branford, CT.

    We work with a company called GoodWorks who books all the talent, we’ve done a couple concerts with them so far and its been amazing. The fact that we have such an amazing location on the water; and we have gotten so many more people that would not have normally come to the brewery before to see great music.

    Ali Turnbull, Event Coordinator – Stony Creek Brewery

    Unbox, Dark Star Orchestra; a continuation of spirit, improvisation and the greatest acid-trip, that ever was, the Grateful Dead. In the midst of digging, we teleport back to the sounds we fell in love with in 1965, obsessed over by ‘69, and post ‘96, we’re left, only aching for more. Dark Star (DSO) is NOT a cover band. They give birth to all that is Dead, then reinterpret it in modern day. DSO is a time capsule – like the vivid memories, postcards and totems we buried long ago.

    Chuck DeFilippo
    Read more at NYS Music…

    Dark Star Orchestra is the idiom of self-expression. In true honor of the Grateful Dead, DSO has made this genre all-inclusive – pulling from rock, jazz, country, The Beatles, Chuck Berry, psychedelia and blues. For Koritz, the list goes on. A melting-pot would be far too mundane to describe this stew.

    Their testimony goes out to Deadheads and non-cult listeners alike. There is a common thread that weaves through our mind and ears. It’s music. “They hear it and say WOW” added Koritz. “Pretty much everybody will find something.” And when you get confused, just listen to the music play.

    Stony Creek Brewery
    Citizen Cope at SCB with beer, music and good vibes. Photo by: Alessandra DiFortunato

    Vermont heavy-hitters, Twiddle, will be keeping the brewery-party alive on August 29 & 30 apart of Stony Creek Brewery’s Cranky Concert Series.

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