From August 26-27, 2005, Camp Bisco 4 was held in Van Etten, NY at the Skyetop Festival Grounds, marking the first time the festival was not held in Pennsylvania. The festival grew this year, and would return even stronger in 2007 at Hunter Mountain before firmly establishing their presence in Mariaville, NY from 2008-2013.
Camp Bisco IV lineup
This weekend in particular held additional significance for the Philadelphia-based hosts of Camp Bisco, the Disco Biscuits. Original drummer Sam Altman would be leaving the band after this weekend to pursue a medical degree. With the fate of the band, and festival in question, Camp Bisco IV: The Trance-Formation was held to send Sammy out on a high note. The band would later welcome current drummer Allen Aucoin behind the kit at shows starting that fall.
Map of the festival grounds
Ahead of Camp Bisco IV, Meat Camp Productions (now MCP Presents) took over management of Camp Bisco and, being fans, the band felt the festival would be in good hands. MCP sought to make Camp Bisco a larger event by moving to Van Etten, and drew a reported 4,400 attendees, the largest Camp Bisco at that time.
Camp Bisco IV offered two sets of the Disco Biscuits each night, as well as 2005 up-and-coming bands Umphrey’s McGee, The New Deal, Conspirator, John Brown’s Body, The Benevento Russo Duo, Brothers Past, Big in Japan, and DJ’s Christian Bruna, Omen and D.R.O. (Final Phaze NYC), DJ Mauricio a.k.a. Fractalien (Portland), and Orchard Lounge (Chicago). Many acts can be seen on the Camp Bisco IV official DVD, which is incredibly still in stock.
Friday night would feature regular Camp Bisco acts including Brothers Past, Orchard Lounge and The New Deal. The Disco Biscuits would kick things off with “Astronaut” -> “Shem-Rah Boo” -> “Astronaut,” the start of over 100 minutes of non-stop playing in their first set of the weekend.
Day 2 of Camp Bisco IV featured even more music, as well as overcast skies that would lead to rain later that night. Lynch, featuring Jim Loughlin of moe., John Brown’s Body from nearby Ithaca, the Benevento Russo Duo, two sets of Chicago firebrand Umphrey’s McGee, and following two sets of Disco Biscuits, the trance-heavy sounds of Simon Posford projects Hallucinogen and Younger Brother.
Big in JapanThe Benevento Russo DuoLynchUmphrey’s McGee
Camp Bisco IV boasted not only a family-friendly environment, with a family camping area and child play-park (Mulberry’s Dreamland) as well as the first time Color War was a featured activity during the day. The event pitted four teams of festival attendees (Orange, Green, Yellow, Purple) in friendly competition, reminiscent of summer camp ‘color wars’ of the past. Activities included volleyball, dodgeball, capture the flag, a freestyle competition and much more. The Orange team was victorious in the first event, now a staple of Camp Bisco, held at Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA since 2015.
Color War schedule of events, as created by Yancy Davis
The emotional build up of the weekend would take place late in the Disco Biscuits’ second set on Saturday, following “Floes.” Jon “The Barber” Gutwillig noted to the audience that there were some in attendance that night who were at the first Disco Biscuits show, saying, “So we feel like we have a lot of the old, a lot of the new, and everybody came together up here in the mountains for a very, very special night. The Professor, his last gig on the drums. Let’s hear it for Sammy.”
With that, the crowd roared with appreciation as the band played “A Song for Sammy,” referencing songs he wrote, inviting him back to perform whenever he wanted, tying an emotional bow on the weekend.
Appropriately, the band returned to the stage to perform “Spectacle,” with lyrics that spoke to the closing of one chapter of Disco Biscuits and Camp Bisco lore:
Asleep in the day, awake in the night, only so many roads to take your life.
The problem you see, you can’t mess with time, and take a different road you’d try.
“Spectacle”
Special thanks to Camp Bisco Color War HQ for photos of the first year’s events.
With Broadway shutdown until early 2021, one smash hit will be finding its way to HBO Max this fall. Spike Lee’s film adaptation of the acclaimed David Byrne’s American Utopia concert is set for October 17. A first-look trailer was released in August and now the full trailer has been shared.
David Byrne’s American Utopia was a huge success at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre from October 2019 through February 2020, where the show broke theater box-office records. Prior to the COVID-19 shutdown of the music industry across the country, was planned to return for a second engagement in fall of 2020.
The one-of-a-kind film by Oscar and Emmy-winner Spike Lee was recorded during at Hudson Theatre, with Byrne joined by an ensemble of 11 musicians, singers, and dancers from around the globe. Bryne invites audiences into a joyous dreamworld where human connection, self-evolution, and social justice are paramount.
American Utopia includes both old and new songs from Byrne, including his Talking Heads and solo hits, among them “Burning Down the House,” “Life During Wartime,” “This Must Be the Place,” “Road to Nowhere” and “Everybody’s Coming To My House,” as well as selections from the 2018 album that gave the show its title. Choreographer Annie-B Parson tapped into Bryne’s career-long devotion to idiosyncratic movement and quirky gestures to create a truly fresh ensemble performance.
“David Byrne’s American Utopia is a uniquely transformative experience and a perfect example of how entertainment can bring us together during these challenging times. Spike’s brilliant direction adds a level of intimacy to this powerful performance, and we’re so thrilled to share this groundbreaking show with our audience.”
American Utopia’s Broadway show had planned to return to Broadway starting September 18, and recently was announced to be released as a book as well.
HBO will air the special event on October 17 at 8pm, in partnership with Participant, River Road Entertainment and Warner Music Entertainment. The film is produced by David Byrne’s Todomundo and Lee’s Forty Acres and a Mule Filmworks production companies.
Throughout the summer, protests surrounding the shootings of unarmed Black Americans led to calls for police reform, with success that can already be seen across the country and world. Black Lives Matter has changed the national dialogue on race and brought it out of the shadows. There is one musician who has been using his improvisation skills to bring to light those who have been killed or injured at the hands of the police – Donald Sturge Anthony McKenzie II.
McKenzie is a prolific improvisational drummer with a fierce discipline and connections to the late ’80s hip hop scene in Brooklyn. Learning from Everett Collins (Isley Brothers) and world-renowned drumming teacher, Dom Famularo, McKenzie has developed a firm basis in theory and has evolved thanks to his discipline behind the kit. Having traveled the world performing, McKenzie has toured and recorded with instrumentalist Elliott Sharp, guitarist Marc Ribot, and Grammy nominated jazz composer Roswell Rudd, among others, and backed hip hop and R&B artists including Pharoahe Monch, P.Diddy, Grave Diggaz, New Kingdom, to name a few. McKenzie also serves as musical director for Kat DeLuna, and teaches master classes at the Brooklyn Music School.
Best known for Silenced and Silenced II, two extremely powerful albums with tracks named after a POC who lost their lives due to police brutality, McKenzie is wrapping up Silenced III, a double album to be released in late 2020.
McKenzie spoke with NYS Music about Black Lives Matter and his Silenced albums, playing with Nels Cline, how Vernon Reid has helped him along in his career, and the next chapter for the compelling improvisational drummer.
Upon first glance at Silenced, the track names stand out, each being a Black American who were victims of police violence, many lesser known names. The tracks themselves are entirely (99.5% as estimated by McKenzie) first takes and unedited version. While smaller parts may need to be cleaned up, the goal was to have it completely unedited and completely improvisational. McKenzie shared his insight into these two unique factors:
If one person can be drawn to my music, my art, for music’s sake, the musicality of my work, and they see a song title – if one person goes to Google and researches their name, I think I’ve done a service to the world. A lot of people are not as aware of the injustices and the every day trauma of living in America in Black skin.
It’s a way to move a person closer to acknowledgement of certain people’s humanity. Not 100% of name titles are people that have been killed by police, some are people who were killed in tragic circumstances.
McKenzie wants people to research these individuals – he does not seek to tell people to do this, or to be shamed or browbeaten into researching someone. Giving these names to song titles allows, in this words, for “the art to travel while he sleeps.”
If it leads to someone saying “Who is Malissa Williams?,” then it is a service to the world and the people as well. Let’s say my album is being played in Ukraine – everybody has their own strife and troubles and drama – they could be listening to this and wondering, ‘Who are these people?’ I wanted people’s names to resonate on a global scale, as far as my art can take it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCeAOg2iyYI
Linking up with Wilco’s Nels Cline would lead to the high-powered “Sandra Bland,” the first track off Silenced. The pair did not discuss what they would play, nor did they run down or plan it out – the track is fully improvised, purely organic and in the moment. You can hear the first to the last note they played together on “Sandra Bland.” And they’ve played together since, with Sean Lennon and Captain Kirk (The Roots), but the first notes from McKenzie and Cline are on Silenced.
The first time I met Nels Cline I was on a trio gig with Elliot Sharp and Melvin Gibbs, and Nels was on the same bill and I just loved his sound and his playing. While I was recording these albums, I wondered if I could get him on this. I was walking by the music store Main Drag, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and just by chance he just happened to be walking out and I was like, ‘Nels, what’s up?’ and we made arrangements to play and he was the first one that recorded on this album.”
Once he cut “Sandra Bland” with Cline, McKenzie sent an unmixed version to Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid, who, according to McKenzie, “went crazy,” and expressed interest in being on a track, which would later be titled “Eric Garner.” It turns out McKenzie and Reid have a long history going back to Living Colour’s rise to prominence in 1988 with the release of “Cult of Personality,” and the two would link up to perform in Reid’s Masque.
I think that improvisation (with Cline) set a high bar, and while some musicians might have been scared off from the studio concept, and some are competitive (especially guitar players) Reid loved the challenge and having played together since 1995, we have a great musical relationship. It was superb.
I met Vernon around 1988-90 when I was 17. Living Colour had a special place in young Black musicians’ hearts, esp those who were playing instruments. Most people were pure hip-hop heads, into the drum machine, and that’s great too, but as a drummer and those who were guitar players (Eddie Reyes – Taking Back Sunday) – we’d all go in the house and play Living Colour covers, Slayer and Metallica covers, all in my parents garage. Vernon was an idol of mine. The video for “Cult of Personality” changed a lot of people’s trajectory in life; that was a big deal for me.
I was playing (drums) in the rap group New Kingdom and I was at the record label, on top of Tower Records at 4th and Broadway. In that building was Island Records and I used to hang out the label, drink the water, absorb the whole thing of being in the music business. There was a release party for a Gravediggaz album that I was on and Vernon came to pick up his invite. He gave me a copy of his first solo CD with Masque. I was so impressed I went home and practiced it; I was just so impressed that he would semi-remember me from stalking him as a teenager.
Long story short, something happened with his (Masque) drummer, a friend of mine, Curtis Watts, and Vernon asked me to step in and I showed up at rehearsal, I was over-rehearsed – I knew every song, every inflection.
From connecting in 1995, to recording with Masque, Reid would use McKenzie in many of his projects, with the Yohimbe Brothers and DJ Logic, the third Masque album, live performances, improv, and soundtrack work. McKenzie notes the depth of the connection: “Vernon is just my guy, Vernon is like a musical father to me.”
McKenzie’s collaborations started when he was 16 and recorded a demo for TBT records with the band Three Feet Deep. And while the band was not signed, listening back recently, McKenzie notes, “It’s still happening.” The next group he performed with, Gravediggaz, would lead to broader connections.
I used to be at the recording studio hanging out with Wu Tang Clan – this was Firehouse Recording Studios – and I went to the same high school as De La Soul in Amityville – they knew I was eager and into my music, so they always wanted me around, so that was a big deal.
This connection at age 16 would allow McKenzie to hang out with rising artist A Tribe Called Quest, who he has memories of going to a Hampton’s homecoming game with on the bus, alongside De La Soul, Tribe, Hieroglyphics, and road manager Chris Lighty (Violator).
I started out playing more straight material – less improvisational music – but as I’ve developed and gone on in my career and life, I’ve realized that more of a Cecil Taylor improvisational path is better for me, as opposed to recording in sections. I love playing in the moment, and in an improvisational setting. That’s where I’ve seen my individuality and creativity coming to life. That’s where my head is right now and I want to just move forward and push forward with that.
Two years sinceSilenced II, a new project is in the works – a double album – inspired in part by the Black Lives Matter movement and protests this summer.
I’m working on a double album right now. I don’t want to be the guy to milk this cow. I made a statement, and the statement is relevant today. I think that capitalism under this American imperialism and colonialism, it will still say relevant. We seem to try to disconnect ourselves from the violence and oppression overseas and the violence of the military and violence of the police; it’s just different GPS points. I made a statement and it’s relevant, but it would be suppressive and anti-creative to keep doing the same thing.
When I made that statement with Silenced and Silenced II, I had no idea that the situation in America would come closer and bring people closer to what I was saying years ago. But that’s what’s happened. It’s been three years since I got in the studio and played these tunes. I have more work than play but I don’t want to tip my hat, a good way to maybe give you an inkling, yes it will be a majority improvisational, which is I think a really strong way to express myself at this point in my life, and it will be a double album and really like an audio Jackson Pollak.
With two young children, McKenzie has been focusing on parenting during the pandemic, doing his best to mitigate the damage of sudden isolation from school and peers.
I’ve been able to use the studio and just be here for days on end and just practice and practice and listen to music and a lot of great drummers. I get inspiration from visual things so I look at different artists and get different sounds from different art. Someone said they hadn’t ever heard birds chirping in Brooklyn, because there were no cars, and no one was out, and that has been a source of inspiration.
Overall, McKenzie has been spending time with his children who have been the focus of his attention as he moves forward in a positive way for everyone’s benefit.
He’s also been in the studio, using French band Gojira‘s studio space since they are out of town and admire what he does. “Stuff like that would never happen if the lock down didnt happen, the studio would be full up,” said McKenzie. They love what McKenzie is doing and offered up the studio for him. His next studio offering drops this fall.
The estate of the late Tom Petty has released the solo demo version of his classic track “Wildflowers (Home Recording).” The video premieres alongside a video featuring never before seen footage of Tom at his home, shot by Martyn Atkins during the recording of Wildflowers.
Thanks to commitment from his family, bandmates and collaborators, many who helped unearth previously unheard gems, help to fulfill Tom’s vision of this project is becoming a reality.
You can pre-order the long-awaited reissue and comprehensive collection Wildflowers & All The Restnow, which will be released on October 16.
Petty Legacy – Adria, Annakim and Dana Petty – shared the following statement upon the announcement of the album’s reissue:
We are so excited to announce that we will finally be releasing Wildflowers and its long anticipated second album All The Rest, Tom’s solo masterpiece and first collaboration with Rick Rubin as co-producer.
Curating this project was a beautiful experience for us. We’re releasing the collection as Tom envisioned along with a number of additions exploring the two year writing and recording process and live performances of songs from Tom and the Heartbreakers over the years.
We found so many incredible unreleased demos, versions of songs, notes, lyrics, and film reels in our archives. We look forward to sharing a number of special goodies with you all.
In this intimidating endeavor we continued to work alongside Tom’s trusted bandmates and team: Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Rick Rubin and Ryan Ulyate as well as Mary Klauzer and Alan “Bugs” Weidel, to lovingly curate each disc and keep it as close to what we believe “rings true” to what Tom would have wanted. We are so grateful to them for their unique knowledge. We hope you find joy and inspiration in this music and the magical world Tom created.
We are honored to steward the warmth he shared through his music and relationship with fans.
We hope you find it uplifting and love it as much as we do.
Located in Manhattan’s West Village on Barrow Street, Cafe Bohemia originally opened in 1955 and is an historic landmark and jazz club. Frequented by music legends the likes of Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Canonball Adderley and many others, the venue closed in 1960, and was revived at its original location in October 2019.
One notable story about Cafe Bohemia comes from June 19, 1955, when Julian and Nat Adderley arrived in New York on a trip as Julian was to work on his Master’s Degree at New York University. That first night in the city the brothers went to the Café Bohemia to hear the Oscar Pettiford band, the house band at the time. The night would prove to be a turning point in Nat’s career.
Jerome Richardson, the group’s regular saxophonist was unavailable that evening due to a recording session. Pettiford asked Charlie Rouse – who was in the audience – if he would sit in, but Rouse did not have his saxophone with him. Pettiford then noticed another audience member, Adderley, who had a saxophone case with him and told Rouse to ask this unknown man if he could borrow his horn.
Instead, Rouse asked “Cannonball” Adderley if he would like to sit in with the group. Reluctantly, the leader complied and allowed Adderley to play. Overnight Adderley rose to prominence on the New York jazz scene, and on June 21 he played his first official show at Cafe Bohemia. By October 1957, he was a member of the Miles Davis Sextet.
More recently, the late Eddy Davis (banjo), Conal Fowkes (bass, vocals), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) and Evan Arntzen (tenor saxophone) performed “My Monday Date?,” by Earl Hines, on December 26, 2019. Video performances below are available thanks to Michael Steinman for his blog JAZZ LIVES.
Watch Eddy Davis and friends – Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Evan Arntzen (clarinet) and Conal Fowkes (string bass) – pay tribute to the great Jelly Roll Morton with “Good Old New York.”
“The Intimacy of the Blues,” is a haunting piece composed by Billy Strayhorn and an album of the same name for Duke Ellington. Performing at Cafe Bohemia on November 14, 2019, JAZZ LIVES shares video of this pre-Thanksgiving performance in Greenwich Village by Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Evan Arntzen (clarinet), Neal Miner (string bass,) and Chris Flory (guitar).
On February 6, 2020, Mara Kaye was joined by friends and musical family Tim McNalley (guitar), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) and Brian Nalepka (string bass).
Mara Kaye is joined this time for “Me and MY Chauffeur” by Tim McNalley, (guitar), Albanie Falletta (resonator guitar), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) and Brian Nalepka (string bass).
From January 16, 2020, “A Shanty in Old Shanty Town” features Tal Ronen (string bass), Matt Munisteri (guitar), John Allred (trombone), and Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet). “In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town,” written by Ira Schuster and Jack Little with lyrics by Joe Young, was published in 1932. Ted Lewis and His Band performed it in the film The Crooner in 1932. His version was later released as a single and it went to #1, where it remained for 10 weeks.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm on 102.7 FM, you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear music from Cassandra Kubinski, Hamilton Craig, Lucas Neil, and many more!
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to a ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
This Saratoga Springs artist has quite the impressive resume. This song was produced by Chris Sclafani who was an engineer on hit songs by Ed Sheeran, Selena Gomez, and Gwen Stefani. She’s recorded and/or performed with the Goo Goo Dolls, 10,000 Maniacs, Jull Sobule, Dickie Betts, and many others. Her songs have been used in ABC, NBC, and Lifetime shows including Dance Moms where her music was used 13 times while helping to raise tens of thousands of dollars for causes like Autism support and pet rescue. Oh, and here’s what Billy Joel has to say about Casandra.
Cassandra Kubinski is very similar to the singer/songwriters of the late 70’s…proves that the genre (singer/songwriter) can still be transcendent.
Billy Joel
The official music video for “Stardust” was shot in Boulder, CO in July and is expected to be released in September.
This singer/songwriter is from Shushan, NY and has played mainly in the Troy small venue and house show scene. He draws inspiration from “outsider music, the eccentric and naïve stylings of fringe figures excluded from the musical mainstream. He tries to inject the free-spirited ethos of such musical mavericks as Wesley Willis and Daniel Johnston into a more accessible pop format.” Be on the lookout for his new EP, recorded with Rick Spataro of Florist, which should be out by the end of this month.
Lucas Neil – “Wild Winds”
He is a 23 year old independent musician who is currently living the van life in Rhode Island. He grew up in Saratoga Springs, New York and is the son of Jeffrey Johnson who was the drummer of a group called The Make who toured along the east coast through the mid to late eighties. Lucas believes The Make first got radio play on WEQX. If so, he says it’s fun to follow in his dad’s footsteps. If not, it’s probably fun anyway. Regardless of whether or not his dad got played on EQX first, keep an ear out because he says the best is yet to come.
Randall Craig Fleischer, Maestro of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic (HVP), passed away suddenly Wednesday night at his home in Los Angeles, CA. Fleischer was much loved by all who knew him and were fortunate enough to create music with him. Fleischer was considered the heart and soul of the HVP.
Fleischer became music director of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic in 1992 and was a leading force in the classical music scene all over the United States. His charismatic personality and contagious love of music ignited orchestral brilliance in every concert he conducted.
He was an active guest conducting career with many major orchestras in the United States and internationally including repeat engagements with the Israel Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Boston Pops, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Utah Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and Houston Symphony, among others.
Active as a composer, Mr. Fleischer was also a national leader in the area of symphonic rock and world music fusion. Pioneering these new and growing genres for more than 20 years, he had worked with artists such as John Densmore (The Doors), Natalie Merchant, Blondie, Ani DiFranco, John Cale (Velvet Underground), Garth Hudson (The Band) and Kenny Rogers. Mr. Fleischer’s arrangements and orchestral works have been performed by major orchestras worldwide.
He also composed several new works focusing on the interrelationship of Native American music and culture and the symphonic realm. He collaborated with artists R. Carlos Nakai, Burning Sky, The Hawk Project and The Benaly Family. Mr. Fleischer’s work “Triumph” premiered in Flagstaff, Arizona in 2005. His work “Echoes” premiered in Washington, D.C. in November of 2008 at the National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian). Fleischer’s most recent work entitled “Symphony in Step” features the dance ensemble “Step Afrika” and is the first and only orchestral work featuring the African American dance tradition of “stepping.”
Mr. Fleischer first came to international attention when, while serving his first of five years as assistant and then associate conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), he conducted Dvorak’s Cello Concerto with Mstislav Rostropovich as soloist during the NSO’s 1990 tour of Japan and the U.S.S.R. Mr. Fleischer again had the honor of being chosen to accompany Maestro Rostropovich, once more conducting the NSO, this time in Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in a performance of Prokofiev’s “Sinfonia Concertante” in celebration of the composer’s birth. In December of 1992, he conducted an ensemble of over 70 cellists, including Yo-Yo Ma, and a 190-voice chorus in the Kennedy Center Awards tribute to Rostropovich, televised nationally on CBS, with President and Mrs. Bush presiding.
Mr. Fleischer studied with Leonard Bernstein as a conducting fellow at Tanglewood in 1989. He served as the assistant conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra from 1986 to 1989. While working toward his master of music at the Indiana University School of Music, he served as chorus master of the I.U. Opera Theater program from 1983 – 1985. Fleischer received his bachelor of music education from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and has studied conducting privately with Otto Werner Mueller and in master class with Seiji Ozawa, Ricardo Muti, Gustav Meier and others.
It is with great sadness that we announce that Todd Nance, a founding member of Widespread Panic, passed away early this morning in Athens, GA from sudden and unexpectedly severe complications of a chronic illness. There are no services being planned at this time, but information will be shared as decisions are made regarding the best way to honor Todd’s extraordinary life and career. The Nance family appreciates the love and support of all and requests that their privacy be honored during this hard time.
Along with the Nance Family, the Widespread Panic Family shared these sentiments:
With heavy Hearts and Loving memories we say good bye to our Brother Todd Alton Nance. Widespread Panic was born the night of Todd’s first show. He and Mikey had played music together in High school (maybe Junior high) and with a lucky thought, Michael tracked him down and asked him to join us – because we had a gig, but needed a drummer. For thirty years Todd was the engine of the Widespread Panic. He wrote great songs, and was a giving and forgiving collaborator. T Man was the epitome of a “team player.” Drove the Band and drove the van.
Funny, adventurous, and a very kind Soul, we wish Todd and his family peace during this sad time after so many happy times.
Safe travels, Brother Todd.
With Love, the Boys and Girls of Widespread Panic
Todd Nance was born in Chattanooga, TN, where he received a drum kit for Christmas at age 13, and then formed a high school band with Michael Houser, with whom he would go on to found Widespread Panic, along with John Bell and Dave Schools. The band formed in 1986 and grew quickly, performing at Red Rocks only five years later, opening for Blues Traveler.
Nance was the steady beat from the early years in Athens, GA, setting the tone alongside Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz. Nance briefly left the band in 2014, returned, and officially departed the band in 2016. He also played drums in the Vic Chestnutt/Widespread Panic hybrid brute. from 1995 to 2002, and in recent years, with groups known as Todd Nance & Friends, the Interstellar Boys and the Todd Nance Experiment.
So sad to learn of the passing of Todd Nance. I met Todd backstage at the Georgia Theater in Athens 1990, our first southern Phish show. He was kind and welcoming, a powerhouse drummer and a truly nice guy. My heart goes out to Todd’s Family today. Photo via WSP pic.twitter.com/KE9QI9lXGk
In a 2017 interview with Larson Sutton for Jambands.com, Nance looked back on his time with Widespread Panic with no regrets.
Basically, I had 31 great years touring with (Widespread Panic). I wouldn’t trade that for anything. But, things do change as time goes on. I had to address those issues and put my professional life on the sideline. So now that I’ve gotten that stuff out of the way, I’ve tried to get back to work. That’s pretty much it.
Syracuse‘s Charley Orlando will release his newest album, Note to Self on October 30. The songs on the album reflect the last eight years of Orlando’s life through music.
The origins of Note To Self are found in 2013, when Orlando stopped touring as a musician and became a talent buyer in Syracuse. Without touring to back up releases, he was dropped from his record label and stopping playing and writing music for a bit.
Orlando recorded the audio for Note To Self in 2019, then in April and May of 2020 he recorded new versions of each song live on video, with a 2020 mind set. The result: a video album and audio album that have different takes on the same songs. Videos are released weekly, one song at a time, with the full album available on October 30.
“Ascent” started its life under a different name. I was asked to write by my buddy Big Daddy who was deep into the 99% movement, one that I believe in. So I wrote the tune for that situation but while I was on tour.
I pulled off the side of the road in NoCal in the redwoods and wrote the tune and did a little video on my phone and sent it off to him. I hadn’t played the song since it was written and I came across it one day and thought “this one fits today with a little work.” So I rewrote some lyrics and it became “Ascent.”
Charley Orlando
“River Rollin’” is a brand new song. I needed a happy tune at the time and that is what popped out. It’s an everyday life song to make me smile
Charley Orlando
“Take Cover” was written right after POTUS was elected in 2016 but it wasn’t a finished product until the album really. Basically it’s a plea for all of us to stop beating up on each other so hard.
Charley Orlando
Orlando’s latest videos, “All it Can Be,” “Torch” and “Surreal” have just been released.
“All it Can Be” is a mellow tune that deals with the grey areas that use to exist being more black and white than ever.
Charley Orlando
On “Torch,” I wanted a kicking bluegrassy tune in there so I whipped up this tune. It’s folk by nature but designed to be up and fun.
Charley Orlando
This tune just materialized out of the air and I grabbed it and gave it some form. It was a surreal moment while writing this song so I gave it that name. Sometimes things are that simple. Enjoy!
Premiering on October 2, “Pure Sunshine” is the first of Orlando’s videos in color. “I made a point of making all my videos for this album in black and white to get the point across that the grey area is gone!” Orlando wrote this song three years ago following his father’s passing. “He was the biggest influence in my life and this song was my way of continuing the conversation with him in song.”
“Note to Self” is the title Track and final song that Charley shares in advance of the release of Note to Self.
It is my most honest song about emotion and depression that can sneak into all of our lives over various events or moments that are just really hard to shake. It made me breathe easier once I wrote this song. I truly hope it works the same for everyone else.
Note To Self was recorded at Lion’s Den in Memphis, NY by Brian Lauri, produced by Charley Orlando, and mixed and mastered by Andrew Graecen at Moresound in Syracuse. Pre-save the album here
After a long hiatus from live performance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vermont jam quartet Twiddle returned to the stage this weekend for three socially distanced Drive-In shows. Taking place in Essex Junction, VT, the three sold-out shows were a welcome return to live performance for the band, with over 250 car passes sold for each night.
We can’t thank our fans enough for making our first live shows back such an incredible and safe experience. It felt amazing playing live again with the boys and having our brother Taz join us, elevating the band as he always does.
Mihali Savoulidis (Guitar, Vocals)
Twiddle kicked off a stellar weekend of music with a fantastic first set on Friday, August 14, during which the band seamlessly segued through their first set without a break between songs.
After sunset, the band took the stage for an improvisation-heavy three-song second set, featuring “Gatsby the Great,” “Doinkinbonk” and “Cabbage Face.” The show closed with fan-favorite sing-along “Orlando’s.”
Saturday presented material from various phases of the band’s 15-year career. Highlights from set one include “Zazu’s Flight” > “Bronze Fingers” > “Zazu’s Flight,” as well as a tender rendition of “The Machine,” featuring drummer Brook Jordan on vocals. Twiddle closed the first set with a raging rendition of “Every Soul,” with special guest 16-year-old guitar phenom Brandon “Taz” Niederauer.
Saturday’s second set was rife with deep jams and segues, including the introspective ballad “River Drift” sandwiched between “Dr. Remidi’s Melodium” and “Nicodemus Portulay.” Taz sat in on “Tom’s Song” during set two and returned for a “Comfortably Numb” encore, played for the first time in over nine years.
Wrapping up the weekend, Sunday’s first set showcased a healthy mix of Twiddle’s bluegrass influences and improvisational acumen, with twangy acoustic takes on “Hattibagen McRat” and “Fat Country Baby.”
Twiddle rounded out the weekend in Vermont with a trip down memory lane, with set two featuring throwback favorites “Invisible Ink” and “Tiberius,” before closing out the show with an epic “Beethoven and Greene.”
Night One – 8/14/2020 – Drive In – Essex Junction, VT
