Summer is slowly coming to a close, and the Capital Region of Albany has had a trove of music this summer. Starting with Tulip Fest in May, to the Music Haven series in Schenectady, an incredible summer calendar at SPAC, to local weekly series that bring communities together and, of course, Albany’s Alive at Five, the quad-cities of New York have some of the most eclectic music offerings around the state. Check out the final performer at Alive at Five, Marco Benevento Trio and get ready for his set at Adirondack Independence Music Festival this weekend in Lake George!
Legendary guitarist Carlos Santana and his band delighted fans at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on Friday, August 23 on part of his Supernatural Now Tour.
Coinciding with the anniversary of Santana’s 50th anniversary at Woodstock, the Supernatural Now Tour initially felt like a substitute for the long-promised (and repeatedly canceled) Woodstock concert.
Playing after the Doobie Brothers, who got the crowd on their feet dancing and singing along for a solid hour before the main event, Santana came out at 8:45 pm after showing a montage of Woodstock photos accompanied by some sultry, jazzy guitar, trumpet and keys. The photos started with a hand-painted sign from the 1969 concert stating “War is not healthy for children and other living things.”
Not only did the photos serve as a reminder that the then 19-year-old Santana shocked the world with his talent on the guitar at Woodstock, but that he has spent the last 50 years impressing crowds – and is still impressing them – with his passionate commitment to using music to empower others to do right by the earth. To top it off, the montage was accompanied by the music of one of Santana’s influences, Miles Davis.
Opening with one of Carlos’s earliest compositions, “Soul Sacrifice,” Santana and the band began the night with a heavy emphasis on jazz fusion with elements of rock. Santana’s soulful signature sound came through immediately as he shared the stage with other incredibly inspiring musicians. His wife Cindy Blackman Santana, a creative percussionist and legend in her own right, was captured by overhead cameras demonstrating precision and strength on drums that was inspiring. Ray Green and Andy Vargas were on vocals, Benny Rietveld, perhaps best known for his touring with Miles Davis, was on bass, and David Mathews was demonstrating how keyboards can lend swing to the melody. Rounding out with Karl Perazzo and Paoli Mejias, also on percussion, and Tommy Anthony on guitar, the Supernatural Now Tour appeared unnaturally gifted with musical genius.
While better known for a few of his popular hits in the 1990s, Santana is powerful in his intuitive fusion of rock, Latin and jazz. He’s expanded interest to African music, recently releasing Africa Speaks. The combination of styles was the right formula to get the crowd dancing, and to show off the creative aptitude of the band. Their performance of “Jin-go-bo-la,” accompanied by a video of African men and women dancing in traditional garb, intensified the high energy of the crowd. Smoothing into “Evil Ways” right afterwards, the vocalists shone while demonstrating flexibility in pitch, style and presentation.
The diversity of music styles kept fans guessing about what would happen next. From hosting the Doobie Brothers back on stage for “Some Kind of Wonderful” to instrumentals featuring Carlos Santana’s ever-evolving but still consistent signature sound, the concert was constantly shifting, expanding musical styles and blowing through boundaries.
Of course, the crowd went wild for “Oye Como Va,” a popular favorite. Dancing in their seats, fans were inspired by the powerful drumming and compelling vocal performances.
And then there was Santana on guitar, vital and creative as ever. The 69-year-old was spry as he moved across the stage, still curious about music, still passionate about sound and movement.
The musicians used bongos, whistles, maracas, tambourines, trombones and, of course, their voices, drum sets and guitars to really shake up the sounds. It was more like attending a world music concert than a pop or rock concert, which is just what Santana wants. Honoring Coltrane and Davis, he reflected on his love of jazz but also moved to include some Latin and African roots music too.
Carlos Santana is passionate about peace, children and saving rainforests. He was proud to have his family on stage with him, and his smile and brief words reflected a man who has found his place in the world. He’s passionate about music and expanding boundaries. And from listening to the songs from his new work, Santana’s passion is keeping him as vital and youthful as ever.
Young Cobain shares his latest single, “I Got It,” a unique blend of emo rap and alternative rock that draws influence from artists of multiple, diverse genres. The effort to combine digital instruments with live instruments bonds the mix together to create a melodic tune that flows effortlessly. It’s difficult as an artist to find the right balance. Young Cobain is able to execute this task smoothly in a way that blurs the thick lines between genres.
Finding himself immersed in a story of heartbreak and betrayal, his unforgiving lyrics are directed towards an old lover, that decides an attempt to reconcile with the artist only after he rose to fame. The story begins with Young Cobain flipping burgers and bumming cigarettes, wondering where his partner is while he’s in a low point. His fame suddenly sky rockets, and his life is coincidently filled with friends and girls all of the sudden. These fearless lyrics express his frustration about people trying to ride his wave of success, and gain everything they can while it lasts. The story ends in a refreshing tone as Cobain belts out that she had her chance to reach out to him, but now he’s too occupied with his Benz. Ouch!
Young Cobain is able to easily convey his emotions and channel them into his music. Combining influences from different genres in his own creative way proves that this mixed style is Young Cobain’s forte. Throughout his heartfelt story of his struggles with love and fame, Young Cobain proves himself a resilient icon that is thriving through his lyrics and music. Expect to see Young Cobain on festival lineups and consistently producing music.
Few things are more poetic than the lyrical talent of Curtis Flach. It’s been quite the year for C.K. and The Rising Tide. The band, a five-piece Americana and folk powerhouse, is relatively new on the scene, but they have slowly been playing every major venue and more, grabbing new fans along the way. Flach released a solo EP in 2016 before finding his band members.
In 2018 the band, then only a trio and managing itself, released American Romance, a 10-track homage to the finer things in Americana. Armed with fun songs like “Friends” and slower ballads like “Road to Damascus,” American Romance ushered in a wave of success, two new members and new management.
Flach and his bandmates, who include keyboardist and violinist Danny Boudreau, drummer Rob Piccola, bassist Chris Brant and lead guitarist John Lenio (who joined the band in the last few months) are set to release 10 new songs later this month. The album, Perfect Stranger, is said to be more positive, more at peace and quite frankly, “more mature.” Perfect Stranger was released August 16, and followed up with a show at Lost & Found in Albany the next day.
“With this album, we approached things much differently,” Flach said. “When we recorded American Romance, we all recorded our parts separately and didn’t hear it all together until it was fully mixed. We actively worked as a whole this time around.”
Boudreau concurred with Flach’s statement. Boudreau, who has only been playing the violin for a few years, was concerned about his parts in American Romance. This is his first time participating in a band, let alone one that’s successful.
“I didn’t understand how I was going to write my parts because I had no idea what everyone else was doing,” he said. “Luckily, once it came together, it all worked. It was amazing.”
Flach, Brant and Boudreau were the original trio, with some help from Flach’s brother. After recruiting Matthew Copperwheat and Piccola, the band came into its own.
“I’m no longer handling a lot of production tasks, which gives me more time to write and work on music,” Flach said. “Andrew and Rose are amazing at not only keeping us on track, but they are getting us gigs and marketing us in a way we never could have imagined.”
Andrew and Rose Gabriel are the owners and managers at the band’s record label, Ambassador Music Group. The Gabriels pride themselves in handling all the business and marketing for their clients so everyone can focus on what they do best.
“Andrew is really good at keeping us going with deadlines and making sure we fulfill whatever responsibilities we have,” Flach said. Brant added his managers are really good at keeping the group organized. All band members said Rose Gabriel is absolutely amazing with her marketing and social media management, garnering the band significant recognition.
“Between the two of them, we’ve been able to keep it moving along and stay focused,” Brant continued. “It’s been a great fit for us and I hope for them too.”
The Management
Andrew and Rose Gabriel said their business is in “permanent beta” mode. What does that mean? It’s pretty simple; they keep seeing what works for each client and then adjust the business accordingly.
The Gabriel force, who are also partners in life, has made quite a name for itself in the local community. They’ve worked with many of the acts in the Capital District music scene — including Grape Juice, Sydney Worthley and El Modernist — either through doing business directly or featuring bands on their hit live social media show, “AMG Live!”
“AMG’s slogan is ‘focus on music, we’ll take care of business,’” Andrew said. “During this album cycle, we did just that. We were pretty hands-off with the artistic direction of the album. We heard a few demos early on and knew that [C.K. and The Rising Tide] had something special in the works, so we got out of the way and did what we do best: take care of business.”
It’s definitely a lot of work. The hardest part of managing groups like C.K. is no rest. “We get no rest because this band accepts and accomplishes every challenge we throw at them,” Rose said. “We offer feedback one night and the next night they’ve implemented it. We push them to be the best artists they can be and, likewise, they push us to be the best managers we can be.”
Ambassador and C.K. and The Rising Tide just celebrated its one year anniversary together. Flach said he’s hoping the Gabriels are drafting the second year contract. But that’s the thing — the partnership works for the band as well as it does its managers. Both parties have learned a lot about their respective roles in the past year, but neither would change anything.
“We honestly wish we found them sooner,” Andrew said. “…this year [has] made our team stronger, more connected and more ambitious.”
The camera’s eye
Attend any C.K. show, and you’ll probably see a petite blonde with a camera in her hand. If you’ve seen any artwork for the band, the same woman is behind it. Looking at most photos of the group, an A.K. Photography and Design logo is visible somewhere in the frame.
Ann Kielbasa is the official C.K. and The Rising Tide photographer and graphic designer. But she’s special — she’s been there since the group was rehearsing in a garage. She’s a critical part of the foundation that keeps it going because she’s spent so much time showing it off in her work.
“It’s been a whirlwind to watch them grow like this,” Kielbasa said. “It’s very hard to put all of these emotions into words because I’ve watched them blossom into what they are now.”
Kielbasa, while not a part of the official five-piece group, is considered one of the most important parts of the squad. While balancing her full-time job, she’s essentially working another 40-hour-plus gig keeping up with the men and developing her photography business.
“There’s such a sense of pride because I’ve seen all of the encouragement they’ve received and how hard they work behind the scenes,” Kielbasa continued. “I’ve only heard snippets of what’s coming and all I can say is wow. I can’t wait to hear the full thing.”
In regards to her photography, her goal is simple; she aims to visually epitomize the C.K. sound.
“I want to show people what they sound like and who they are without having to know the context,” Kielbasa said. “I’m so lucky to have such an insider view of this and I want to convey some of that knowledge through my lens.”
The Gabriels can’t get enough of Kielbasa either, calling her an “incredibly fun and professional person to work with.”
The Buzzards are Circlin’ ‘round
Drummer Piccola, who was recruited from Craigslist, said it didn’t take him too long to learn his parts on American Romance. Taking over for Flach, who provided drums on the first album, has been exciting.
“Honestly, I think Curtis might be a bit better of a drummer than I am,” he said. “But we all have a corner of the group that works best for us.” Piccola added he’s excited about the release because, like his bandmates, he wants to see how people connect with the music.
A chance to connect came on July 26, when the quintuple-threat released its first single from Perfect Stranger on YouTube, a hauntingly beautiful song called “Follow The Buzzards.” The MP3 track was released several days later. Boudreau explained how “Buzzards” is only a glimpse of what’s to come.
“I feel like Perfect Stranger is much more excited about the prospects of the future, while American Romance talked about things long gone and bitter loss,” Boudreau said. “One lyric that really stands out to me is ‘Follow the sweet, sweet sound / leave it all in the cold, cold ground’ because it’s kind of a way to break with the past of hurt and move into happier times.”
The music video for “Follow The Buzzards” reached 1,000 YouTube views within three days. At print time, the video is close to 2,000. Boudreau said if “Buzzards” is good, listeners will love the rest of the album.
“We’re heading more into indie rock while still maintaining our roots of folk and Americana, which we love,” Brant explained. “This album is definitely a bit different than what we released last time.” Despite the differences, the band assures fans they will still recognize that signature C.K. sound.
Flach is excited, but he’s cautious. He explained that he’s afraid to really go into how much the band’s sound has matured because he doesn’t want to “shoot [himself] in the foot.” However, he admits he’s stepped up his game. No longer the sit-in drummer with 50 different jobs — he’s now the frontman.
“Six months after American Romance, I presented some demos and it has now blossomed into this,” he said. “We’re feeling confident that we’ve been able to top what we put out last time in what’s coming soon. We’ve really been working hard on this.”
The band’s sound has evolved. What was once simple and characteristic of a band getting on its feet is now layered with advanced production and the sound of musicians who know what they’re doing. You can hear the improvement in Flach’s voice, and he’s blessed to have support from four men who are rapidly improving in their own right. It’s a pretty impressive feat, especially when you consider how all five band members work full-time jobs.
C.K. and The Rising Tide will be playing Rocktoberfest 2019, Ambassador’s one-day music festival, at Colonie Park on Oct. 5. It shares a bill with Madison VanDenburg, El Modernist, Vince Palmeri (another Ambassador talent) and more.
“I think we’re all excited to just connect with people some more,” Piccola concluded. “We use our music to convey emotions and thoughts. I’m just excited to see how the public will connect with us.”
Perfect Stranger will be available on iTunes, Spotify and in CD format.
This article was originally published by The Spot 518, is property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYSMusic. TheSpot518 and NYSMusic work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.
Beck and Cage The Elephant arrived in Saratoga on Monday night, as it was the next stop in their Night Running Tour, which will conclude at the end of August. The night was kicked off with a bang, as the New York City based Sunflower Beans brought an energetic indie-rock sound, bringing the early-arriving crowd to their feet. Their set was followed up by Spoon, who kept the same pace and energy as the Sunflower Beans, despite being two decades older.
Cage The Elephant took the stage shortly after the Spoon’s set. The lights all fell, and the Bowling Green native band was silhouetted by the surrounding pyrotechnics. Eventually Matt Shultz, the band’s lead singer, emerged wearing an outfit you’d only imagine from a Cage The Elephant frontman— a grey trench coat, a masquerade mask, a straw sunhat and an assortment of accessories on various satchels donned by the singer. This was the outermost of many (and I mean many) layers that Shultz was wearing. Throughout the set he unpeeled each layer, revealing strange outfit after strange outfit, until he was left in a nude leotard and red short-shorts. These layers of clothing didn’t impede Shultz’s mobility in the slightest however, as there wasn’t a single minute in the 19-song-set that he wasn’t running, dancing, jumping, or leaning hard into each and every lyric.
Photo by Jim Gilbert
Cage just released their fifth studio album, Social Cues, this past April, so naturally, they played many tracks from the new record, including; “Broken Boy,” “Social Cues,” “Ready To Let Go” and various others. As the set went on the energy of the band never slowed, keeping the thousands in attendance dancing right along. Playing hits such as “Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked,” “Come A Little Closer” and “Cigarette Daydream,” before finally finishing their set with “Teeth.” However, just because the band was done didn’t mean Matt Shultz was. Midway through the last song the singer left the stage and began to make his way through the crowd, and didn’t stop when the song concluded and his bandmates left the stage. Shultz continued on, making his way through the amphitheatre, eventually reaching the lawn, where he crowd-surfed all the way up to the concourse and eventually made his way to the balcony, embracing and entertaining fans the whole way. It was almost 20 minutes after the set that Matt Shultz made his backstage, however, we hadn’t seen the last of him yet…
After Cage The Elephant’s long and exhilarating set it was hard to believe we still hadn’t seen the main act. But, sure enough, there was another entire set to be seen, and it did not disappoint. Beck opened his portion of the night with an acoustic slide guitar solo, such as one you may hear in an Old Western, that solo transitioned into arguably his most recognized song, “Loser.” Beck’s set was filled with his signature indie-rock-rap music, impressive solos from him and his band, bright lasers and lights, and fans who had not stopped dancing since the night began. The night did slow down for a few minutes, when Beck gave a touching speech, talking about his mother who was in the crowd, the importance of savouring what you have and not taking anything for granted – this did not disappoint the fans though, as they continued to cheer and show their support. Beck then covered the Korgis “Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime,” then played his own “E-Pro,” before exiting the stage in preparation for the encore that was surely to follow.
Beck began his encore with the sound of the iconic guitar intro of “Where It’s At,” leaving no one unsure of what song was being played. Once that was over Beck gave an unexpected but riveting harmonica solo, beginning his 1994 song “One Foot in the Grave.” Following this, Beck invited the Spoon singer, Britt Daniel, to come back on stage and asked him what he song he wanted to play, Britt replied, “Pump It Up” by Elvis Costello, and so that became the third song of the encore.
Next, Beck invited yet another singer back on stage, this time Cage The Elephant frontman Matt Shultz (who came out wearing yet another exotic outfit, this time complete with a yellow rain jacket and hat). Beck and Shultz sang their recent single together, “Night Running” (of which the tour was named after), followed by a reprise of “Where It’s At,” during which confetti rained from the amphitheatre before the night finally came to an end.
Sunday evening, Justin and Jennifer Miller opened the doors of the beautifully renovated Lark Hall in Albany, NY to friends and family with My Morning Jacket’s Carl Broemel as the featured artist. Ian O’Neill of Deer Tick opened up the evening on guitar and vocals with help from Dennis Ryan on drums and vocals. They played some originals that were just recorded, songs from their side project Happiness and Deer Tick songs from the album Mayonnaise.
The audience, having just been treated by the Miller’s to a Tex Mex buffet and open bar, was all smiles and an amazing listening room shone brilliantly as the last rays of sunlight came into the hall through the balcony windows.
The invite-only audience of about 70 people was in for a real treat next as O’Neill and Ryan closed their set stating, “Well looks like Carl just got here and we have one more for you, then we are going to come on out there and watch him with y’all!” Carl Broemel, guitar, pedal steel and saxophone player for My Morning Jacket, having just finished a four-night run with his bandmates, had quietly been watching the opening set from the side of the hall. Broemel, who has just released the critically acclaimed Wished Out album in 2018 and 2019’s EP Brokenhearted Jubilee was up next.
We were incredibly honored and grateful to have Carl join us on our maiden voyage… and none of it would have ever been possible without the support and love of our friends who were there to share the experience with us – Truly a dream come true!”
Justin and Jennifer Miller
After a quick stage switch and soundcheck, Carl “Snowy” Broemel took the stage armed with his electric, acoustic and pedal steel guitar and a rig of pedals and loopers. The Miller’s entrusted their close friend Matt Hueston as the event coordinator and the evening was dubbed “A Snowy Evening At Lark Hall.” The sound at Lark Hall was the first thing those lucky enough to be in attendance noticed. The sound technicians and natural wood of the theater made for a crisp and perfect quality as each note rung true. This space is perfect as a listening room, but the hall will surely host some barn burners as well.
Photo by Matthew Golden
Broemel opened the set with “Starting From Scratch” from Wished Out. He moved in and out of his original material from his solo records with the same ease as he moved between looping guitars with harmonies that created a rocking atmospheric funk. Then the pedal steel came in, layered over top. You could hear a pin drop as the audience did not make a peep during this very special set. It is no wonder why Rolling Stone magazine listed Broemel in the top 20 modern guitar players in the world. His command and control of all that was happening on stage was flawless.
Photo by Matthew Golden
Having just finished a solo tour with Tyler Ramsey, Broemel decided to play an M. Ward cover, “Chinese Translation,” that they had done together while on tour. This version soared through the hall and out onto the Albany streets outside like the sweet drops of moonlight touching down through the trees. Another highlight of the evening was “Carried Away” from 2010’s All Birds Say. Finally, Broemel was beckoned back onstage to treat the audience to one more tune and decided to close out the evening with a rollicking version of Tom Petty’s “Last Dance With Mary Jane.”
After the concert, Broemel signed posters, t-shirts and hung out in the hall talking to fans for hours. He even joined fans in a ping pong match in the adjacent Lark Street Yoga Studio run by Jennifer Miller, just voted a Top 5 Woman Operated Business in Albany. All the facilities at the beautifully renovated Hall and Yoga Studio are state of the art. The sound is amazing. The framed posters that line the walls and decorations are incredible. Those lucky enough to attend “A Snowy Evening at Lark Hall” had a once in a lifetime experience and also witnessed the start of what will surely be a successful venture and true listening space for artists to play and feel like family.
Event organizer Matt Hueston said, “What a magical night, and I don’t think there was one second I didn’t have a smile on my face. I wanted to put this event on not only because I love Carl, My Morning Jacket, and Deer Tick, but to show my appreciation for all of the kindness that strangers, who are now amazing friends, have shown me during my musical adventures. Music brings us together in a way very few things can. Be kind, spread positivity, and as always rock on!” Hueston seems to be onto something here, as Broemel expressed his desire to come back and play this brand new venue again. Be on the look out for so much more from the Miller’s new venue Lark Hall! Scroll past the pictures for the venue’s Mission Statement.
Lark Hall is a Historic performance arts and community venue located at 351 Hudson Avenue in Albany, New York. Located in the heart of Albany’s Lark Street neighborhood, this 14,000 square foot building was constructed in 1916 by the Daughters of the Eastern Star as a meeting and performance hall that includes street level retail and meeting spaces and a 3,000+ square foot venue space with 22’ ceilings, proscenium stage, intricate mezzanine areas, and an artist’s green room and living quarters located above the stage. Owned and operated from 1977 to 2017 by Electric Body Arts, Inc., Lark Hall was most recently utilized as a not-for-profit dance and fitness school maintaining all original historic details.
Purchased in March 2018 by a group led by Jeff Buell and Justin Miller, Lark Hall is being developed into a multi-tenanted performance arts and community venue that will build on the neighborhood’s longstanding arts and community-oriented culture. Carefully designed and engineered, Lark Hall will be developed to provide not only an unmatched guest experience, but also to serve as a one-of-a-kind residency for artists to perform, stay and hone their craft in a comfortable oasis from touring.The building’s first floor at street level boasts over 3,000 square feet of commercial space that hosts Lark Street Yoga Studio (1,400 square feet of high end yoga and fitness studio space) and related amenities, along with an additional approximately 1,000 square foot lobby and common space that will host Lark Juice Bar, Lark Hall Box Office and new elevator bay for ADA and load in access to the upper hall.
An additional 1,200 feet of first floor space is under construction to host a locally-owned coffee shop.The main hall currently contains nearly 3,000 feet of main open floor space fronting an approximately 10 x 30 proscenium stage, along with built in mezzanine space on one side that provides incredible sight lines and acoustics in current format. The hall will be upgraded to include expanded mezzanine amenities for reserved-level ticketing with private bar and bathrooms. The main floor level will include a large bar area and new bathrooms to service the main floor area. Among the significant building upgrades to be installed to support the hall and support spaces include a new elevator, extended stage area, bar and related service and office spaces, building-wide sprinkler and fire signaling, HVAC systems and air handling, along with building-wide electrical systems, lighting and tech backbone to support state of the art sound, lighting and front of house equipment.
For first phase of built out, Lark Hall will be rated for ~300+ occupants and feature unparalleled acoustics and unrestricted sight lines for every single guest.The hall also boasts a unique 2-3 bedroom apartment located above the stage that is directly connected to the stage and mezzanine areas. This amenity will be offered to artists and support crew for use during and after performances. This living space will be a one-of-a-kind green room and residency area to attract and retain artists for multi-night residencies and unique performance opportunities. This living space also adjoins approximately 1,200 square feet of practice and recording space that will be offered to artists and recording professionals for use as part of regular bookings and extended practice and recording opportunities.
All photos by Matthew Golden
Facility Highlights: Historic ~500 capacity venue with unique multi-level mezzanine layout, 22 foot ceiling and proscenium stage. The main Hall includes tech and monitor rooms built into the wings of the stage area, with multiple access points from stage to private artist residence areas.Both GA floor and mezzanine levels for reserved ticketing opportunities, along with flexible seating formats to accommodate ADA and general seating preferences for select shows.Artist focused living and practice space to attract and retain local, regional and national touring acts. Living space may be available for short term stays to support community meetings, weddings and other hall offerings.
Practice and studio space will also be available for use as part of enhanced ticketed performances (a la midnight preserves), and for lease and/or management by third-party recording professionals.Built-in flex space on first level that will provide dedicated box office, merchandise counters and flex space availability within yoga studio to support artist meet and greets and integrated gallery space for artist support industry (gallery for pop-up poster artists and photographers, sound check party amenities, and general flex space to support events built around ticketed performances).Designed for both fans and artists, Lark Hall will provide an unparalleled live music and performance experience.
Hailing from Vinton, Louisiana, Marcia Ball will be bringing her unique sound to Caffè Lena on Friday, August 30. USA Today described her music as being a combination of “Texas Stomp Rock” and “Louisiana blues-swamp,” an intriguing combination. Each performance of Marcia Ball’s becomes a musical party of joyful music and triumphant vocals, and every note comes with a twist that is all her own.
Marcia Ball has won many accolades over her career, including a recent induction into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in 2018. In 2002, she won the Blues Music Award for “Blues Album Of The Year” for Presumed Innocent. In 2004, her album So Many Rivers was nominated for a Grammy Award and won the 2004 Blues Music Award for Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year, as well as the award for Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year . She has been awarded a total of ten Blues Music Awards, ten Living Blues Awards and has been nominated for a Grammy five times.
Clearly, Marcia Ball is an incredibly talented musician who has cultivated a sound and style that can only be described as her’s. She will be performing two shows at Caffè Lena, an early show at 6:00, and a late show at 8:30. To get tickets to the early show, go here. To get tickets to the later performance, go here.
The love David and Sophie Buskin have for one another was apparent on the stage at Caffe Lena Thursday night. The father-daughter duo performed together as part of Caffè Lena‘s monthly pride series.
The dichotomy between the two generations was visually present in Sophie’s use of electric guitar and David’s acoustic. David Buskin made jokes about their age. They were obviously dad joke’s, such as “Sophie’s friends call us DNA and DNR. Not sure how I feel about that.”
The two began with a song that thrilled the heart, Sophie’s powerful soaring voice was complimented by David’s gentler tones. They sang about chasing after life, and who can’t relate to the rush of seeking adventure, of wanting to experience more? There was also a desire to escape from trouble, to find the excitement while dodging the “demons at your back.”
The theme of adventure carried on with David’s comedic song he usually performs with Modern Man, “Jews Don’t Camp.” In it, he joked about the perks of living an indoorsy lifestyle. Sophie’s rejoinder was the song “Mountains.” It was written about a month-long camping and hiking trip that she took. As she told this story, she gave her father a wry look which brought out laughter from the audience. Her dad accompanied her on the piano while she played guitar and sang.
She followed this with another song of hers, “Sweet Creature.” On her recent album, this is featured as a live track that she performs with her father. In this performance, however, David played a different role. Sophie’s performance was incredibly touching, but nobody was more touched than David. From his seat on the piano bench, he watched his daughter with awe and admiration. He was just as spellbound by her beautiful voice as the rest of the audience. After the applause, there was a moment of silence, broken when David said, “You know, I stand up there saying to myself, ‘You played that wrong. You botched that chord.’ And then, I watch my kid do that.” All of his pride in his daughter was neatly summed up in those words and in the way he looked at her.
In honor of the Pride Series, David chose to play a song from a musical that he is working on with Jake Holmes. The musical takes place in the summer of 1968. The song is from a scene where two men have slept together, and one is trying to convince the other to come out so he doesn’t have to go to Vietnam. It was a song about struggling for both social and self-acceptance. It is something that people struggle with across the board.
The duo ended with a song which David used to sing to Sophie as a lullaby – James Taylor’s “You Can Close Your Eyes”. The Buskin & Buskin performance had given us an intimate snapshot into their life together, from Sophie’s childhood into the brilliant artist that she is today.
The next performance in the Pride Series at Caffè Lena will take place on September 5th at 7:00 pm and will feature the Capital Region Pride Singers. Tickets for that performance can be found here.
When Doc Severinsen plays, each note holds a bit of American nostalgia. Well known as the leader of the big band who played on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson for over thirty years, Doc has become a familiar face on television screens nationwide. Since Carson’s retirement in 1992, Doc has continued to hone his craft. He has played on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show with The Roots and has been touring across the country.
Doc is well known for playing a game with the audience called “Stump the Band” in which the crowd would attempt to think up a song the band couldn’t play. His sense of humor also included nonsense country songs, often thrown into the mix after he would cry out “Key of E!”
If you’d like to conjure up memories of those late-night television antics, you can see Doc Severinsen perform in one of three shows at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs. He will be appearing on Friday, August 23 and Saturday, August 24 at 8 pm, as well as Sunday, August 25 at 7 pm. He will be joined by his band, the San Miguel 5, with Gil Gutierrez on guitar, Charlie Bisharat on violin, Kevin Thomas on bass, and Tiki Pasillas on drums.
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.”
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
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.
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
