It felt good to see music performed live, on stage, once again. On Tuesday, August 11, host of The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon, welcomed Phish’s Trey Anastasiointo the studio where he performed “I Never Needed You Like This Before” off his new quarantine-written and produced album Lonely Trip.
This was also the first time The Tonight Show house band The Roots had performed together since in-studio production was halted in March due to COVID-19. Anastasio spent that time writing in his Upper West Side apartment, where he recorded over a dozen songs which he shared on his Instagram. Among these would be the tracks that appeared on the raw, low-fi Lonely Trip, written with longtime collaborators Tom Marshall and Scott Herman.
According to Rolling Stone, Anastasio arrived at New York’s Rockefeller Center alone with just his amp and guitar. Once he took a COVID-19 test and tested negative, he took the elevator upstairs to play with The Roots in Studio 6A, Conan O’Brien’s old studio, where the band members and Anastasio could better socially distance.
New York born and raised drummer for moe. Vinnie Amico celebrates his 51st birthday today. Amico has been behind the drum kit for almost 25 years, having joined moe. in November 1996 after Chris Mazur departed the band.
photo by Paul Citone
Vin was influenced by jazz thanks to his father, Sal Amico, playing bebop trumpet. At age 10, he received his first drum set, and, according to the Daily Gazette, ‘played a solo that rivaled the length of the 3 1⁄2-hour concerts for which his jam band, moe., is well-known.’ Amico would perform in events such as the Niskayuna High School Winter Jam and as a junior, he joined a Grateful Dead cover band, Dark Star.
Growing up in Niskyauna, Vin would meet future wife Debbie in 4th grade at Craig School. After moving from Utica, on the first day of gym class, Vin noticed Debbie and later that day told his brother Matt that ‘he saw the girl he was going to marry at school.’
high school yearbook photo courtesy of Debbie Amico
After graduating Niskayuna High School in 1987, Amico attended SUNY Buffalo, where he performed in bands including Sonic Garden (a Grateful Dead cover band), Acoustic Forum and Outer Circle Orchestra.
Vinnie seen here holding Jerry Garcia’s Travis Bean TB500 guitar
Later in college, the two would commute between Buffalo and Syracuse (where Debbie went to school) to see each other. Decades later, the couple are still together, having raised two daughters in nearby Ballston Spa, and recently spending Sundays during quarantine cooking up a storm in Vinnie’s Kitchen and performing live (socially distanced) music from his backyard. Check out Vinnie cooking up the famous Utica dish Chicken Riggies.
Behind the kit, Amico is a force and the driving force behind the band’s flow during live performances.
“Especially after Jim Loughlin returned to the band as a percussionist a few years later, Vinnie was able to help create one of the most unique and powerful rhythm sections on the jam-band circuit.” “At times, he has a gentle touch, too, helping guide moe.’s more Americana- and country-oriented songs and playing with moe.’s guitarist Al Schnier in their side-project Floodwood. That mixture of well-crafted songs and fierce improvisation has been one of moe.’s calling cards since their earliest days playing around the Capital Region.”
One memorable show to explore on Amico’s birthday is the ‘The Vinnie Amico Experience’ from Revolution Hall in August 2005. The thinly-veiled moe. show in the Troy, NY venue was a hot night both inside and out and featured Vin front and center, singing vocals on one-off performances of “Southbound,” “What I Got,” and “Casey Jones” amid an incredibly intimate performance from moe.
Have a great birthday Vinnie! Photos of Vinnie over the years behind the kit courtesy of Debbie Amico.
moe.down 2013 – photo by Jay BlakesbergJamming in Jamaica – Tropical Throe.down 2015Red Rocks 1999Behind the kit in his backyard, 2020 – photo by Jim Houlephoto by Jim Houlesnoe.down 2010moe. in Las Vegas 2005The Chance, Poughkeepsie – December 1999Amico-Barady Quartet 2009 Tropical throe.down, Punta Cana, DR 2011photo by Jay BlakesbergAt home behind the grill – photo by Jim Houle
Manhattan’s historic The Ear Inn has played a pivotal role in the music scene and beyond. In fact it is the oldest bar in New York City that has continuously served alcohol since 1817.
The Ear Inn has a very unique history after being open for two centuries. It dates back to a time where there was African aide to George Washington and The Ear served as residence for John Adams and Aaron Burr, among others. The Ear Inn was nicknamed by patrons as an untitled bar (“The Green Door”) for obvious reasons. As a result, the bar is listed on the National Registrar of Historic Buildings.
Recently unearthed recordings courtest of Jazz Lives feature performances from a bevy of jazz musicians in NYC. Every Sunday night at The Ear Inn was typical – those who knew, knew what to expect – but “typical” was also remarkable.
The Ear Inn c. 1940 – photo by kathy barbieri
We start back in October 2008, with a video featuring Howard Alden, alongside Jon-Erik Kellso, Danny Tobias, Harvey Tibbs, Evan Christopher, Dan Block, Sebastien Giradot, and Chuck Redd.
“Moonglow,” featuring Tamar Korn (vocals), Dan Block (clarinet), and Harvey Tibbs (trombone).
On June 7, 2009, the EarRegulars included Jon-Erik Kellso and Duke Heitger (trumpet), Matt Munisteri (guitar) and Neal Miner (string bass).
June 7, 2009 features Duke Heitger (trumpet), Harvey Tibbs (trombone), Dan Block (clarinet), Matt Munisteri (guitar) and Neal Miner (string bass), who summon Louis Armonstrong with “Some of These Days.”
Two weeks later, on June 21, 2009, featured Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) Harvey Tibbs (trombone), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Danny Tobias (cornet) and Jon Burr (string bass).
On September 6, 2009, enjoy the sounds of Danny Tobias (cornet), Michael Hashim (alto saxophone), James Chirillo (guitar), and Frank Tate (string bass).
The lineup of EarRegulars on November 8, 2009, featured Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Harry Allen (tenor saxophone), and Neal Miner (string bass).
From the EarRegulars’ session on November 22, 2009, the groups includes Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Scott Robinson (reeds), Matt Munisteri (guitar), and Pat O’Leary (string bass).
From December 6, 2009, enjoy the sounds of Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Harvey Tibbs (trombone), Matt Munisteri (guitar), and Nicki Parrott (string bass) performing “Blues My Naughty Sweety Gives to Me” and “Blues in My Heart.”
From January 30, 2010, the EarRegulars were Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Dan Block (reeds), Matt Munisteri (guitar), and Pat O’Leary (string bass, cello). Here’s Billie Holiday’s “I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues.”
From March 14, 2010, an Ear Inn session featuring Pete Martinez (clarinet), Harvey Tibbs (trombone), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Neal Miner (string bass), performing “I Cover the Waterfront,” appropriate given the rainy night and The Ear Inn’s location near the Hudson River, plus “Deed I Do” by Ruth Etting and “Jazz me Blues” by Tom Delaney.
From March 21, 2010, the EarRegulars are Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Scott Robinson (bass sax), Pete Martinez (clarinet) and guest Julian Lage (guitar).
On Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010, the lineup included Matt Munisteri (guitar), Pete Martinez (clarinet), Charlie Caranicas (trumpet), Pat O’Leary (string bass), and Andy Farber (tenor saxophone), who joins in for the closing number.
Later in April 2010, we are joined at The Ear Inn by Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Harvey Tibbs (trombone) and Jon Burr (string bass).
Later on, a version of “Crazy Rhythm” by Roger Wolfe Kahn & his Orchestra (1928) featuring Matt Munisteri (guitar), Harry Allen (tenor saxophone), (John Allred (trombone) and Pat O’Leary (string bass).
From April 18, 2010, enjoy Benny Goodman’s “Avalon” featuring Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Matt Munisteri (electric guitar), Julian Lage (acoustic guitar), Harvey Tibbs (trombone) and Jon Burr (bass).
Cornetist Marc Caparone joins the band for Ruby Braff’s “One Hour.”
And finally, Caparone leads the EarRegulars on “Whispering” with Harvey Tibbs, Dan Block (clarinet), Matt Munisteri, Jon Burr, and Julian Lage.
From April 25, 2010, the EarRegulars were Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Harry Allen (tenor saxophone), Matt Munisteri (guitar) and Neal Miner (string bass). The opening song from a splendid session was a Chicago jazz classic with roots in Oliver and Bix, performed as a Basie stroll.
You’ll also find Ben Webster’s line on “In a Mellotone,” “Did you call her Today?,” “I Got Rhythm” and “The Jeep is Jumpin’”
From May 2, 2010, watch Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Andy Farber (tenor saxophone), Matt Munisteri (guitar), and Danton Boller (string bass) played “The Man I Love” (sans Kellso), “Somebody Stole My Gal,” and “Beer Street Blues.”
From May 9, 2010, aka “Mother’s Night,” where the core quartet is Matt Munisteri (guitar), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Pat O’Leary (string bass) and Jim Masters (trombone), enjoy “I Found a New Baby,” “It’s the Talk of the Town,” “Please Don’t Talk About me when I’m Gone,” and a closing “Lazy River.”
Going back to May 16, 2010, the EarRegulars were Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Pete Martinez (clarinet), Matt Munisteri (guitar), and Greg Cohen (string bass). Watch them perform “I Believe in Miracles,” I’m a Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas: Willie the Weeper,” “Mahogany Hall Stomp” and “I’m Confessin’”
Skip ahead on week to May 23, 2010, and the weekly session included Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Neal Miner (bass), Scott Robinson (tenor sax and cornet), and guest Julian Lage (guitar). This collection of musician perform “Oh Sister, Ain’t That Hot?,” “On the Sunny Side of the Street,” “Wabash Blues,” and “Struttin’ With Some Barbecue.”
From May 30, 2010, here are a few combos featuring Danny Tobias (cornet), Chuck Wilson (alto sax), James Chirillo (guitar), Murray Wall (bass) Dan Block (clarinet), Pat O’Leary (cello/bass), and Tony Steele (bass). Various incarnations of these gentlemen feature “Beale Street Blues,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “Love Me or Leave Me,” and “China Boy.”
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 Fab the Duo, CANVAS 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.
Boyfriends Greg Driscoll and Brendan Eprile bring a unique blend of energy and open-mindedness to pop-rock. Add some blues and elements of Broadway and you’re in for a sound that is both fun and meaningful. The duo come from New York City and are building quite the following in the surrounding areas having even played a planned parenthood benefit in my hometown of Bennington, VT. Having pumped up audiences with their powerful and well-crafted tunes, they continue to challenge the status quo of today’s cultural scene.
Here is a band that likes to explore new territory, drawing influences from bluegrass, folk, punk, metal, and hip-hop. That said, experimentation is their mission and they don’t associate themselves with any particular sound or genre. They go boldly into uncharted territory and take a new approach with every song. Triumphant anthems, soulful ballads, and edgy fusions of alt pop, rock, and funk… it’s all there. Just dare them not to try it. Double. Dog. Dare them. CANVAS believes nothing is certain and all you have to do is take a listen to their ever-evolving hybrid sound to see what they mean.
In June and July, we looked at the state of music venues across New York State. Now in August, with hope for passage of relief bills in Congress to help small independent music venues across the country, venues remain closed for live music, in quiet anticipation of the day crowds can return.
Working with a dozen photographers to document more than 50 venues in 12 cities across New York State, NYS Music presents the third edition of our monthly series that looks at the current state of our beloved venues. When the venues reopen, we will share photo documentation recording the changes over time in all corners of the state.
Immense thanks goes out to all photographers and venues who are taking part in this monthly series. We’ll start this month in Manhattan and Brooklyn with Joseph Buscarello, covering a wide swath of the Big Apple. Here’s to getting back to live music sooner, rather than later, and safely.
Frank Palangi, the homegrown Queensbury, NY indie rock singer, guitarist and musician who has shown he can do anything and everything he sets his mind to, has released his latest video for “Gone Mad.”
Filmed at Sweet Basil’s, as well as his home studio, Palangi coordinated for the video in recent months with Director Cameron Gallagher and Producer Frank Palangi.
The video is composed as an otherworldly talent competition at a mysterious location, which leaves Palangi walking into a rigged scenario and leaving him with no control. “Gone Mad” serves as the third chapter of of recent videos, including “Break These Chains” and “Set Me Free.”
Frank’s music is an evolution of the rock and metal sounds of the 80’s and 90’s with a dose of post-grunge mixed in. Despite the title, “Gone Mad” offers a refreshing and positive outlook that serves up a feeding frenzy of heavy guitar work and deep, gritty vocals.
Well, moe. was supposed to perform at Vernon Downs this past weekend, but the powers that be pulled the plug just two days prior to the shows. Making lemonade out of lemons, moe. instead streamed both nights of shows from Big Blue North Recording Studio in Utica, where they had been rehearsing for the shows. The band sent the following video message to fans prior to the show.
Over the two nights, fans were treated to a tracks off the new album, This is Not, We Are, a few classic moe. jam vehicles and a couple of choice covers that left the fans buzzing on the couch and online.
Highlights from the two shows included a “St. Stephen” jam in the new song “Crushing,” “Timmy Tucker” and “Brent Black” both providing ample room for improvisation, and a cover of Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side,” sandwiched in between “Bear Song” to end the first set of the weekend.
On August 1, the band paid tribute to Jerry Garcia on his birthday with a “West L.A. Fadeaway” that was anything but your typical cover of a Dead tune. Rob starts this out with heavy funk in his bass as Al’s gutiar takes a spacey journey to the lyrics. Full of just the right amount of notes, the band put a most unique twist on the song, one you’ll want to check out below.
With a rousing “New York City” to end the two nights, moe. tipped their hat to the Big Apple with their ode to the heart of the Empire State and epicenter of COVID-19 pandemic in America.
If you missed the shows, order here from Tour Gigs.
Setlist – July 31, 2020
Set 1: Johnny Lineup, Akimbo, Along for the Ride, Tubing The River Styx > The Pit > Dangerous Game > Bearsong > Walk On The Wild Side > Bearsong
Set 2: Brent Black > Mar-Dema > Who You Calling Scared, Four, ATL, Can’t Seem To Find, Billy Goat > Brent Black
Encore: Plane Crash, Jazz Cigarette
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uKkKXyMpKA
Setlist – August 1, 2020
Set 1: Buster, Downward Facing Dog > Deep This Time, Undertone > Letter Home, Tailspin, Skitchin’ Buffalo > Skitchin Buffalo Reprise > Wind it up
Set 2: George, Blue Jeans Pizza > Crushing > LL3 > Bullet, Don’t Wanna Be > Timmy Tucker
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. 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. NYS Music will bring you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
These two songs make up the first new release since 2016 from this Saratoga Springs band. On Prodgnerd Dryer brings back the lo-fi sound of some of the bands that influence them like The Breeders, Pavement, and Guided By Voices. So if you’re into them and other cool 90’s alt rock stuff like Superchunk, Green Day, Weezer, or Varuca Salt, take 8 minutes out of your day and please listen to these new songs. Don’t you have 8 minutes? Actually it won’t even take you that long. And if you have more minutes, you can hear a decade’s worth of goodies by checking out Strut and Fret: A Collection of Songs from 1993-2003 You Missed the First Time Around. But if you only have 8 minutes at least listen to this.
This Voorheesville native has been playing piano since she was 6 years old and cites The Beatles and The Rolling Stones as early influences. Annie wrote her first song in second grade and taught herself guitar by the age of 12 when she began writing more seriously and even playing gigs. Fast forward to 2018 and Annie was rewarded with a trip to L.A. after being honored with the Producer’s Choice Award for the ‘Celebration of Music’ PBS special in Troy, NY. In L.A. she was taped performing this song and that recording will air internationally sometime this year.
Next Station formed in Niskayuna in 2009 and split up for a while due to different career paths. And though distance has kept them apart physically (one went to NYC and another to Dallas, TX) they managed to record their first new song in 4 years and are set to release their first new album since 2012. The songs were workshopped via e-mail and conference call after singer/songwriter Will Pedicone began writing new material in an effort to revive the band. And revive it he has! There is even talk of a tour when the world opens back up.
These two Southern Vermont multi-instrumentalists specialize in, well, instrumentals. Take the rich drone of the electric guitar and add some warm open-back banjo and you get a sound that is both intriguing and soothing. But that’s not all they are capable of. Their new album Soon Comes the Night has much more to offer. It’s both melancholy and high-spirited as it weaves tender music and upbeat fiddle tunes together throughout. Hear more of their work and check out some videos of the duo on their website.
The show would serve as The Who’s only performance at SPAC, with a then-record attendance of 33,652 (reported as 27,800 by The Who), which shattered the previous record of 22,647 set by Chicago in 1970. Christian rock star and future Gospel Music Hall of Fame singer Mylon served as support for the show.
The crowd was everywhere, in the seats, on the lawn, on the stage, in the aisles and even on the steel girders on the side of the theater. The latter, fortunately, was only temporary until the police ordered the dozen young people down.
They were a noisy, restless audience to say the least, but seemed to lap up everything the four-man group offered. The Who gave them their money’s worth for an hour and a half, and do they work. As to the quality of their music, It was loud. I’ll leave further critique to those who favor this type of rock music. But the fact that they brought nearly 28,000 paying customers to SPAC is not to be denied.
They seemed to sing all the songs the crowd came for, as well as anumber of new ones, and had a difficult time convincing the crowd to go home.
Opening the show for the first have was Mylon, a long haired, grating singer-guitarist backed by five musicians and three girl singers. They did everything from rock to country-western, spirituals and even a standard, “Sixteen Ton.”
The Post-Star review goes on to detail the sound at the show as well as fans camping on the lawn:
The sound throughout the program was loud for those in the theater, and everywhere backstage theater walls and floor were actually vibrating. Out on the lawn, the sound was more moderated. Thanks to the closed circuit TV system used again last night, those on the lawn had a perfect viewing spot. Watching the TV cameramen in the aisles and one on stage on a ladder trying to cover the show for those on the lawn was almost a show initself.
There were the usual several minor cuts and abrasions, as well as several fainting incidents requiring backstage first aid, with some also going to the hospital.
Reportedly several on the lawn camped there from late Sunday night in order to be sure of a good place, so that should give some indication of the popularity of The Who. For anyone so inclined, a close examination of the group’s tons of sound equipment would be a short course in the electronic world of amplification at its fullest.
The intermission was especially long, as management pleaded for the young people to clear the aisles to comply with state fire laws. They never did get the aisles clear, but finally did get most of the kids to sit down so those in seats could see the stage.
A unique feature to evenings at SPAC – a program was distributed to attendees, as seen below.
Program coverProgram back
Among the small print, the program says of The Who:
Unlike so many groups in the fickle world of pop music, The Who have remained together as a band since their start in 1964. The creative sparkplug of the group is Pete Townsend, guitarist, songwriter and composer of Tommy. Bass player John Entwhistle is another fine songwriter. The two other members of the group are drummer Keith Moon and the explosive microphone-twirling singer Roger Daltry.
(Ed. Note: Townshend, Entwistle and Daltrey’s names were misspelled in the program)
Aside from the rock opera concept, The Who have been pioneers in many other areas of pop music. They were the first to refine guitar feedback to a high art, the first to use the previously sacred Union Jack as clothing and the first to wind up their performances by smashing their instruments.
The program goes on to note that The Who had just played two sold out shows at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in Queens. They wrapped up their tour shortly after their Saratoga performance, with final tour stops at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, CT, Cobo Hall in Detroit and Chicago Auditorium.
Setlist: Love Ain’t For Keeping, Pure And Easy, My Wife, I Can’t Explain, Substitute, Bargain, Behind Blue Eyes, Won’t Get Fooled Again, I Don’t Know Myself, Baby Don’t You Do It (Marvin Gaye), Pinball Wizard, See Me Feel Me, Water
