The renowned American-Italian filmmaker, actor and director Martin Scorsese is returning to the documentary world, this time focusing on the 1970’s New York City music scene according to Variety. Scorsese is known for many great works such as directing “The Irishman” which was released on Netflix on Nov. 27, “Taxi Driver,” and many more lauded works.
This isn’t the first time Scorsese has dipped his toes into the cinematic universe regarding music. Scorsese worked with Mick Jagger on the HBO series “Vinyl,” which is a historical period drama focusing on the 1970’s music scene along with all of the sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll involved. Scorses also directed the documentary of The Band’s farewell concert at Winterland, “The Last Waltz” as well as the 2005 Bob Dylan documentary “No Direction Home.” With this prior work documenting the New York 1970’s music scene, the anticipation for this documentary by Imagine Entertainment and Scorsese is extreme.
Imagine Entertainment has almost two-dozen non-scripted films and series coming but this is one of the more exciting ones, especially for any music buff out there. Keep an eye out for more information from Imagine Entertainment on this exciting new project.
Portland-based quintet Fruition has come a long way since busking on the streets of Portland, and as they take the country by storm, they’re not afraid to dive into new ideas in their latest album release Wild As the Night.
Perhaps the greatest talent of this group is their ability to weave in and out of different genres with ease, and their versatility can qualify them to perform at all types of festivals, from Telluride Bluegrass to Bonnoroo (both of which they’ve played).
The album is a true testament to this group’s musicianship and experience. The opening track “Forget About You” is riveting, with piano-arpeggiated runs to fill the spaces between the thunderous drum beat that carries the song. As the commotion builds, we’re introduced to tight three part harmonies and rhythmic mandolin strums. The title track of the album has a rich balance that warms the mix, and just as you get past the tenderness of the ballad, you’re suddenly thrown into the trip-hop trance of “Sweet Hereafter.” It’s here where the beat thickens, the heads bob and the mandolin is given a bit more bite so as to mimic an electric guitar.
Wild As the Night is unique glimpse into the band’s history, which has lasted more than several years. While they can all play multiple instruments, there is no fight for attention on this album. This group has their own language, and they leave space to breathe and allow each other to contribute. They even describe themselves as pieces of a bigger part when it comes to their music, and it’s evident in the album as well as their live shows. A band this creative and daring can generate a buzz quickly, so do yourself a favor and catch one of their shows while they’re still on the rise.
Fruition will be stopping by the Hollow in Albany on February 1, and if you’re in NYC, you can catch them at the Brooklyn Bowl on February 5. For info and tickets, check out their website and Facebook page.
Top Tracks: Forget About You, Wild As the Night, Sweet Hereafter
The Tanglewood 2020 season has been announced with a range of festival favorites and brand new faces. The 12 programs start on June 19 and run through the entire summer, wrapping up on Aug. 30.
The BSO’s $25 tickets for attendees under 40 will be available during the 2020 Tanglewood season for select performances; these tickets are available starting at the end of May on a first-come, first-served basis through www.tanglewood.org
Each program is made up of multiple acts that take place over multiple days. Some of the incredible acts to catch at Tanglewood summer of 2020 include Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Judy Collins, Arlo Guthrie, Brian Wilson performing Pet Sounds, Trey Anastasio with the Boston Pops and other Tanglewood favorites like Emanuel Ax, Susan Graham, and Yo-Yo Ma.
Tanglewood is nestled in the hills of the Berkshires of Lenox and Stockbridge, MA and has been the home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937. The festival was founded and created by Serge Koussevitzky (BSO Music Director 1924-1949) and is not only a place for music but for a variety of performances and multidisciplinary activities from dance troupes to trivia nights. It’s got a little bit of everything.
Year-round Berkshire County residents of Massachusetts may purchase a Berkshire Resident Season Lawn Pass priced at $100. Local residents must show a valid Massachusetts license which is required to obtain a photo ID pass.
There is also an array of choruses and orchestras to catch of course playing everything from classical to pop culture recreations. With acts like Andris Nelsons-led program with Augustin Hadelich performing Beethoven’s Romance No. 1 and Dutilleux’s L’Arbre des songs to Two Boston Pops concerts led by Keith Lockhart: a film presentation of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, with the orchestra performing the score on August 21st Tanglewood covers all the orchestra bases.
There is also ‘Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!’ NPR’s weekly news quiz hosted by Peter Sagal with judge and scorekeeper, Bill Kurtis, and the annual John Williams’ Film Night is coming back hosted by Mr. William’s himself. There’s definitely a little something for every music lover out there even if it’s not just music.
Tickets go on sale Sunday, Feb. 9, at 10 a.m and regular-season ticket prices range from $12-$132 on average. For tickets and more information visit Tanglewood’s website or call 888-266-1200.
Chicago’s Mungion, a funk/rock jam band, and the Magic Beans, another impressive jam band from Boulder, Co, delivered funky fall tour heat at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY. Both bands wrapped up an exciting fall tour on the East Coast together, alternating closing duties nightly. Mungion did the honors at the Knitting Factory. The Bushicks, a local Brooklyn band, opened the evening for these talented bands.
John Adamski of the Busicks
The Brooklyn native Bushicks are a power trio hailing around the tri-state region. The band consists of Jonny Patrizio (Vocals/Guitar), Jessica Bogwicz (Bass) and John Adamski (Drums/Vocals). The trio was joined by a saxophonist this evening for most of the set. They delivered their signature rock, including a sweet cover of “Axilla” by Phish.
Casey Russell, Scott Hachey and Chris Duffy from the Magic Beans are feeling it.
The Magic Beans wove their tasty funk/soul/rock sounds next. The Bean band members include Scott Hachey (guitar/vocals), Casey Russell (keyboards/vocals), Chris Duffy (bass/vocals), and Cody Wales (drums/vocals). The band began by immediately dropping into a deep jam, showcasing their exceptional improvisational skills, and never looked back. This band specializes in space jam funk, and did not disappoint.
Mungion
Mungion picked up the jam vehicle where the Magic Beans left off, and dove into a rocking jam of intricate riffs. This band is made up of Justin Reckamp (guitar), Joe Re (keys), Sean Carolan (bass), and Matt Kellen (drums). The exciting directions, stellar compositions and expressive improvisation were apparent from the first note.
Scott Hachey of the Magic Beans
Both the Magic Beans and Mungion are firing on all cylinders after their 2019 fall tour through the East Coast. Mungion is closing out 2019 by playing December 29-31 at Martyr’s in Chicago, Ill. The Magic Beans are playing one night at the Goat in Keystone, Co on December 28. They resume touring with Snowstalk, their own winter festival in Frisco, Co on January 24-25, 2020. The Colorado based lineup includes Kyle Hollingsworth from String Cheese Incident, as well as skiing at Copper Mountain, and is certain to be a special event.
The folk, acoustic-pop siblings from Maine, Oshima Brothers, dropped their new single “Lost at Sea,” Friday, November 22. Inspired by the vastness of the ocean, the song plays like rolling waves, rocking you into a peaceful state with their beautiful harmonies and gentle guitar playing. It’s a lovely song to unwind to, to listen to the verses as they tell a story of love and loneliness.
In a recent show at Caffè Lena, the two brothers spoke of how their music is greatly influenced by the natural world around them, and they marvel at the fact that we are all connected underneath the same night sky, the same constellations linking us to one another.
Oldest brother, Sean, effortlessly tackles opposing roles of the band’s songwriter, publicist, business manager, stylist and chef, while his younger counterpart, Jamie, handles all producing, engineering and filmmaking. Sean sings, plays harmonica, rhythm guitar and cajón, while Jamie plays electric guitar, bass, drums, keys, mandolin, banjo, and fiddle, all while harmonizing vocals. This makes the pair a true statement of DIY music – making what they love on their own terms.
American rock band Airborne Toxic Event have announced a new North American tour that will coincide with the release of their upcoming album Hollywood Park (their first since 2015’s Dope Machine) and a book by the same name, penned by front man Mikel Jollet.
Formed in 2006, Airborne Toxic Event consists of former journalist Mike Jollet as lead vocalist and songwriter, Steven Chen on guitar and keyboards, Adrian Rodriguez on the electric bass and backup vocals, and Daren Taylor on drums.
The Hollywood Park memoir sees Jollett chronicle his extraordinary personal journey, from his early childhood in one of the most infamous cults of the ’70s, through a teenage life of poverty and emotional abuse, before finding his voice first as a critically acclaimed writer and then literally as singer and songwriter of The Airborne Toxic Event, according to their official website.
The new LP along with the accompanying book will both be released in May of 2020, with the tour to begin on May 27th. They kick off in Phoenix, AZ and tour throughout the West Coast, the Midwest, and the East Coast, before heading back west and closing out in San Francisco, CA.
Tickets for Airborne Toxic Event’s North American Tour can be purchased here.
NYS Music is proud to announce 15 Jam for Tots shows around the Empire State this holiday season. Kicking off on November 27, each show will have a Toys for Tots box set up for patrons to donate gifts to kids in need.
With a wide variety of artists, including Consider the Source, Runaway Gin, Annie in the Water, Tim Herron Corporation, Strange Machines, and Swedish metal guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, this annual series will connect live music fans with those most in need in their local communities.
Support kids in need this holiday season by bringing an unwrapped toy to any of the following shows. Jam for Tots is brought to you by NYS Music.
Regional shows include:
Mid-Hudson Valley
Nov 27 Open Jam – Main Street Public House, Philmont
Dec 5 Open Jam – The Stewart House, Athens
Dec 7 Yngwie Malmsteen – The Chance, Poughkeepsie
Dec 14 IS – Hilltop Bar and Tavern, Tannersville
Westchester
Dec 4 The Spadtastics – Garcia’s at The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester
North Country
Dec 6 Hunter – The Monopole, Plattsburgh
Western New York
Dec 14 Strange Machines w/s/g Haewa- Flour City Station, Rochester
Dec 20 PA Line “Chrismukkah Show” w/ Special Guests – Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo
Capital Region
Dec 14 Annie In The Water, The Deadbeats – Putnam Place, Saratoga Springs
Dec 14 Consider the Source w/s/g Swimmer – The Hollow, Albany
Central New York
Dec 8 The Old Main – Woods Valley, Rome
Dec 19 The Action! – Copper City Brewing Company, Rome
Dec 28 Tim Herron Corporation – Funk n Waffles, Syracuse
Legendary art rockers The Residents, in collaboration with celebrated video artist John Sanborn, will perform their epic 1988 album, God In 3 Persons, at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City on January 24 and 25, 2020. The performances will include eleven performers, featuring a live seven-piece music ensemble. Audiences will witness the terrifying gospel of Mr. X and The Holy Twins, brought to life by legendary SF-based art rockers.
The story of God In 3 Persons will be told using lurid multi-layered video projections created by Sanborn while The Residents provide live accompaniment with vocalist Laurie Amat.
God In 3 Persons will be directed for performance by Travis Chamberlain with musical direction by Joshua Raoul Brody and puppetry and background design by Leigh Barbier. Steve Saporito produces.
In this propulsive and brooding rock oratorio, The Residents’ anonymous lead singer, performing as Mr. X, preaches of his encounters with a pair of ambiguously gendered conjoined twins (portrayed on video by noted genderqueer porn star Jiz Lee). Their physical union has magical healing powers…or so he claims! A confession of faith-mongering complicated by a crisis of desire, God in 3 Persons functions as a darkly twisted cautionary tale about the risk of losing yourself in the process of refusing to accept others in their entirety.
God in 3 Persons is sung in rhythmic spoken word fashion, similar to the talking blues, and driven by a bombastic and dynamic score derived entirely from the first few bars of the hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy,” along with the melodic hook from the Swinging Medallions 1966 hit “Double Shot of My Baby’s Love.” Despite being one of their most critically successful albums and a fan favorite, God in 3 Persons has never toured as a concert or live performance.
Performances are January 24 and January 25m with tickets $12 for the general public and free for museum members. Tickets will go on sale at MoMA’s website on January 10 at 9:30 am (for the Jan. 24 show) and January 11 at 9:30 am (for the Jan. 25 shows).
Special merchandise is available through an IndieGoGo set up by The Residents for the upcoming performance at MoMA.
Since their first official release, Santa Dog, in 1972, The Residents have released over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects, and ten DVDs. They have undertaken ten major tours and scored multiple films and are considered pioneers in exploring the potential of CD-ROM and similar technologies, having won several awards for their multimedia projects.
Ralph Records, a record label focusing on avant-garde music, was started by the band. Throughout the group’s existence, the individual members have ostensibly attempted to operate under anonymity, preferring instead to have attention focused on their art output. In public, the group appears silent and costumed, often wearing eyeball helmets, top hats and tails — a long-lasting costume now recognized as its signature iconography.
In addition to their groundbreaking work in the areas of trance, world fusion, electronica, punk, industrial and lounge music, the group has also been credited with being among the originators of performance art and music video. Two of their videos are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art and their Freak Show CD- ROM has recently been featured in MoMA’s “Looking at Music 3.0” exhibition. The Theory of Obscurity, a documentary about The Residents, premiered at SXSW in 2015.
With musical seeds from Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, where founding members Chris Pandolfi and Andy Hall attended and met, planted in the fertile soil of Nashville, TN, the The Infamous Stringdusters (Andy Falco [guitar], Chris Pandolfi [banjo], Andy Hall [dobro], Jeremy Garrett [fiddle], and Travis Book [double bass]) have cultivated a sound yielding a self-described fusion of All-American bluegrass and rock.
Formed in 2007 and experiencing some early lineup changes, the band is now past the decade mark and getting stronger by the year. I spoke with the Andy Falco (a Long Island, NY native) before seeing them at a scheduled stop at the Wall Street Theater in Norwalk, CT, part of the band’s 2019 fall mid-Atlantic/ Southeast tour.
Andy Falco
Mickey Deneher: What has enabled the band to continue as a creative unit for over 10 years?
Andy Falco: Everybody has a lot of respect for each other, personally and musically. I trust my band mates’ instincts and that trust is reciprocated. One thing I have heard a lot about us from engineers and people we have worked with is, “Wow you guys really are a democracy.” Normally bands say, “We’re a democracy,” but it’s always one or two guys that are really making all the decisions. If I have an idea that I swear is the best idea for something and somebody else in the band is like, “I don’t know. I think this way would be better.” I trust that. It’s how we operate on any decisions, musical or otherwise. Having that trust for each other allows us go forward. There are no egos or any of that bullsh*t. It’s all about trying to make the best music. You need to trust your boys.
Chris Pandolfi
The band has been rewarded for their creative efforts by capturing three International Bluegrass Music Association awards in 2007 (Emerging Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Fork in the Road (in a tie with J.D. Crowe & The New South’s album Lefty’s Old Guitar, and Song of the Year for the album’s title cut). They were also awarded a 2011 International Bluegrass Music Association nomination (Instrumental Group of the Year), a 2011 Grammy nomination (Best Country Instrumental Performance), and a Grammy win for Laws Of Gravity as Best Bluegrass Album in 2018.
MD: What were you guys feeling when you won your Grammy for Laws of Gravity?
AF: I will describe to you the scene. We were sitting there in the row and the category comes up. You could feel the seats in our row just shaking because everyone’s leg was bouncing up and down. We’re nervously waiting and when you get the announcement and it’s like, “Holy Sh*t.” It’s a shock. It’s an amazing thing, an amazing experience. It’s a special thing.
There are no egos or any of that bullsh*t. It’s all about trying to make the best music. You need to trust your boys.
Andy Falco
I don’t know if there are other bands in our corner of
bluegrass, the jammier side of bluegrass that have been recognized in that way.
For us, we felt like it was for all of the bands in our corner. Hopefully more
bands, our peers in our world, will also be nominated and be winning Grammys.
Jeremy Garrett, Andy Hall, Chris Pandolfi
Of course, the next day you’re already on to thinking about the music, because that’s the most important thing. You don’t do this to win awards. But to be recognized, it’s an honor. You have that trophy, as my daughter calls it “the singing trophy.” I have it on the piano and every now and again if you are feeling that self-doubting, you can look up at that and get that feeling of being recognized. We are blessed that we had that opportunity.
MD: It’s a confirmation to you that the decision was right and the trip was worth it.
AF: A great way to describe it.
Not sitting on their laurels, in 2019 the band put out its 9th studio album Rise Sun. This project looked to interject components of their live show into the creative recording process.
MD: Was there pressure going in to record Rise Sun after winning a Grammy?
AF: I can speak for myself, that in my mind I didn’t feel pressure. I felt like I just wanted to make a record that reflected our art as accurately as Laws of Gravity did. If we made what we felt was a good record and was what we wanted to say, then that would be a success to me.
In the end I felt even better about the record we made.
That’s normal. As you evolve as an artist, as a band you’re making different
records. You should feel like your latest record is your best.
Rise Sun reflects us now. What we are now. Go back to Things that Fly or another record and that reflected us then. As long as you are feeling good about the art that you are making, and the music your making, and feel like it’s reflecting and it’s honest music, then that is a success to me. No matter what awards or anything.
Andy Hall
I hope people like it. You can’t chase that. That’s not
really going to get you your best art. You have to chase from within and
hopefully be able to have the album reflect that.
MD: Share the approach to the album.
AF: The idea was to approach the record as a studio album, but the experience be closely related to the way a live show would run down. In a live show, one of the things we really developed over the last few years is the idea of having these transitions in between songs where it is just a completely unknown improvised section of music. We know where we are coming from, we know where we are going to, but don’t necessarily know what’s going to happen in the middle. By developing that in our shows, it was something we (then) wanted to bring into the studio as well.
MD: The shift was of a technical nature also.
AF: This record was done differently. In the pre-production, we decided on which 13 songs we were going to actually record and, not only that, we decided exactly what the order they would appear on the record was. So before we went to the studio, we knew the order of the songs, the sequence, even where the breaks would be for the vinyl (a double album). So we decided to record it in that order.
We record everything live in the studio and we overdub little extra bits. The foundation of the track is cut live. You could feel that energy. The first cut on the album “Rise Sun” has this energized, fresh in the morning kind of feel to it. In contrast, the last song “Truth and Love” has this weariness in a way. That was at the end of these long sessions. You could feel energy that ebb and flow as the record goes, just as you would on a live set.
With a vow to producing quality recordings, the band’s live show raises that commitment exponentially. The floor seats at the Wall Street Theater had been removed to allow a free and open space for the night, which was maximized by a joyous house. With the first set acting as a primer, the crowd exploded into dance, hands in the air, and singing from the first note of the second set until the night was over. A light show bathed those enraptured in the music as the band took everyone along on their improvisational jams and one of a kind segueing in and out of songs. It may have been a cold November Sunday night outside, but there was a barn-burning going on inside with The Infamous Stringdusters.
The audience was told to hug a neighbor at least five times. Lyrics such as “They say that miracles are never ceasing / And every single soul needs a little release” were heard. This positive vibe radiated from Michael Franti and Spearhead, a hip hop-reggae-funk fusion band from California, as they performed at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, NJ last week. The band also brought awareness to social issues and sparked authentic human interactions in the Garden State.
Carl Young and Michael Franti
The band members include Michael Franti (guitar, vocals), Carl Young (bass), Manas Itiene (Drums), J. Bowman (guitar), Mike Blankenship (keyboards), and an unidentified female vocalist.
Gun violence statistics of every mass shooting in the USA scroll behind Michael Franti and Spearhead.
The positive message and awareness to social issues stood out in a meaningful way. Franti’s recent song “The Flower,” a tribute to victims of gun violence, featured a video with survivors and scrolling gun violence statistics. Songs like “Just Work Hard And Be Nice To People” and “Good To Be Alive Today” brought a positive message mixed with short jams.
Franti and an unidentified vocalist sing “Life Is Better With You”
Strong musical skills were displayed during a flawless switch from Lionel Ritchie’s “All Night Long” to “Life Is Better With You.” The band was joined by an unidentified guest vocalist for this sequence, which included the original video of “All Night Long” by Lionel Richie on an LED screen behind the band.
Franti was engaged with the entire audience, not just those in the front row. He sang two songs while on the floor, in the middle of the crowd. He also took a quick adventure to the balcony for a few verses. A myriad number of fans were brought on stage, including a couple who got engaged, and all the children on the floor during “Say Hey (I Love You).”
The band has a couple of tour dates left in 2019 and will be on tour with Kenny Chesney in 2020. Head over to their tour page for more details.
