Billy Joel welcomed 2019 with a 26 song, 160 minute set at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island. It was the first time in 25 years that Billy Joel played a New Year’s show at the Coliseum. At midnight he played the traditional “Auld Lang Syne” paired with “Only the Good Die Young.” The Coliseum was sold out and Billy really seemed to be having a good time, while he wore a New Year’s top hat.
Billy Joel kept New Year’s spirit by playing New Year’s themed songs like “This is the Time,” “I Loved These Days” and “Souvenir.” As it got close to midnight, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest appeared on the screens and the crowd counted down to 2019. As confetti exploded and Billy sang “Auld Lang Syne,” a banner reading “Billy Joel: 34 Sold Out Shows” was unraveled from the ceiling of the Coliseum, commemorating the milestone.
The setlist included all the usual hits. He threw in a couple of breaks throughout the show like Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” and Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla.” He also did a cover of Joe Cocker’s take on The Beatles “With a Little Help From My Friends.” Kevin James made an appearance during “Uptown Girl” and Gavin DeGraw, who opened the show, joined Billy on stage for the final song “You May Be Right.”
Setlist: Big Shot, Miami 2017, The Entertainer, Vienna, The Downeaster Alexa, Big Man on Mulberry Street, This is the Time, Movin Out, New York State of Mind, Don’t Ask Me Why, The Ballad of Billy the Kid, I’ve Loved These Days, Allentown, She’s Always A Woman, Auld Lang Syne, Only the Good Die Young, My Life, The River of Dreams, With a Little Help From My Friends, Nessun dorma, Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, Piano Man.
Encore: We Didn’t Start the Fire, Uptown Girl, It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, Souvenir, You May Be Right (with Gavin Degraw).
The Painted Birds, a quartet out of Rochester is led by singer songwriter Alex Fortier (Juicy Connotation, i. am. tru. starr.), The band was created to surpass borders between influences, creating stories and sounds with both depth and clarity. The group features drummer/percussionist Chris Palace (Juicy Connotation. Dream Float, Funklopian Tubes, Siena Facciolo) guitarist Will Schantz (P.V Nunes Band, Archive Ravens, Red Hot & Blue Band) and bassist Robert McPartland (Charlie Hayley and the Band, Ryan Benthall).
In the spirit of diverse sound and personality, their influences come from a variety of disciplines and genres, including artists like Paul Simon, Billy Joel, and The Band; folk crossovers like Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Bob Dylan; funk and soul artists like The Meters, TAUK, and Donny Hathaway and even contemporary jazz projects like The Bad Plus, Yussef Kamal and Weather report. All of which can be heard in their 10 track album titled Under The Wing released in November, 2020.
The four piece band stretch out on the entire album mixing in their influences with their own voice led by Fortier’s season changing lyrics. Sounds like it could have been recorded at “Big Pink” in West Saugerties, NY. There is even a stand out saxophone solo on “Square Cars” by saxophone player Sam Schachter. Peaches are deciduous fruit trees that enter into dormancy during the Winter. During dormancy trees are quite resistant to the deleterious effect of freezing temperatures. After this period of rest and temperatures begin to warm, peach trees become more physiologically active. This album does just that with its nod to the changing four season landscape in which it was written in. “Midnight by the Woodline” brings you outside an old camper on a quiet New York summer night. Fortier’s lyrics even cross the great divide in the track “(She’s Got) Colorado Whispers”
Overall the band helps create comfort music for the cold winter ahead. Keep an eye out in the Finger Lake region for a possible socially distant concert at one of the various wineries that the band live near to hopefully perform these tracks live for you!
Key Tracks: Square Cars, No Peaches:(Late Frost), Under The Wing
It’s somewhat surprising that during the storied touring career of Phish, they’ve only played five shows in the City of Binghamton. The last one of these took place 26 years ago today, on December 14, during a time that’s now looked back upon in deep reverence. December of 1995 was one of the band’s most formative and successful eras. In fact, tonight’s show at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena was deemed worthy enough of being the first official live release from Phish’s extensive live catalog. With a couple of classic song selections and some jams that are truly definitive of the band’s ascent, it’s not hard to see why.
“Suzy Greenberg” starts off the show before a lively Binghamton crowd in grand fashion. Baby grand, that is, as Page McConnell takes a couple of spirited piano solos to the delight of all during this old school Phish favorite. The “Llama” that immediately follows sees him deftly shift over to the organ early on for a few more harrowing runs. Trey then quickly assumes command on guitar and leads throughout the rest of the way on the APicture of Nectar classic that’s executed to perfection.
This opening pairing is followed with another in the “Horn” > “Foam” sequence that comes next. “Horn” is played with no frills. But the “Foam” provides the first real chance for the band to stretch out a little, thanks to some exploratory solos from McConnell and Anastasio that do just that. These lead to a short but ever so powerful jam that culminates in a beautifully sustained guitar note atop the classic relentless rhythm of Mike Gordon on bass.
“Makisupa Policeman” then produces one of the all-time most bizarre “keywords” from Trey, a reference about smoking a joint with Khaddafi in bed.
While the “Policeman” doesn’t really do much, the “Split Open and Melt” that proceeds it certainly does. Jon Fishman pops right away on this one, delivering the signature opening drum beat, and doesn’t let go. He nails the song’s odd time signature and lays the groundwork for a pulsating, driving jam that eventually shifts into Type II territory before re-entry. It’s the first real extended jam between all four musicians and a sign of things to come.
“Tela” then takes everyone on a quick excursion to Gamehendge, with McConnell handling the lead vocals and Anastasio providing the fiery guitar finish as usual. “Taste That Surrounds” provides a glimpse into the evolution of a Phish song. Now simply known as “Taste,” this is a primitive version that would be one of the last ones ever played before being further modified. Its song history provides full details.
After a move by “Dan from Binghamton” in the ongoing “Band vs. Audience” chess match featured that tour, Phish’s second set begins. “The Curtain” is a more than apt opener that displays the technical wizardry and seamless cohesion that are staples of December ’95. Without even pausing for a moment, “Tweezer” starts up as soon “The Curtain” goes down. This serves as the meat of the second set, and the show really, with a jam that patiently builds and includes a distinct “Slipknot!” tease.
Before it can fully bloom, though, Trey suddenly begins strumming an entirely different melody altogether and redirects the rest of the band through “Timber.” This is cast aside fairly quickly. Not long after the final “Timber” lyric, the “Tweezer” jam reemerges and Phish jumps back on it in a seamless merge through musical traffic.
Fishman drives the tempo to a near-insane pace at one point which, when combined with Trey’s wailing guitar sound effects, give this one a true feeling of a train about the run off the tracks. As “Tweezer” comes to a surprisingly gentle landing, “Keyboard Army” emerges. This 1995-era special features all four band members on a different instrument at McConnell’s keyboard rig. Until it was recently dusted off at Dick’s in 2015, tonight’s performance in Binghamton was the final one played.
“Halley’s Comet” begins the landing sequence for tonight’s show and features a sneakily impressive jam that revolves around an infectious Anastasio-created melody. Phish collectively toys with the tempo, once again ramping it up to extreme levels and stretching the first ever jammed out “Comet” to almost twelve minutes. A rare, late-show “NICU” then emerges from the ska-like outro jam and, with it, another mesmerizing improv-heavy jam on the tail end that takes it from a standard to a stellar version.
“Slave To The Traffic Light” serves as a proper close to a set full of both patient improvisation and hard rock. And, after noticing a request for it displayed on a fan’s sign, Trey notes it’s “one they want to play” and leads the band through a show-closing take of Jimi Hendrix’s “Bold As Love.” Phish left it all out on the table this evening in, remarkably, their final Binghamton show to date.
Phish Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena – Binghamton, NY 12/14/95
Set 1: Suzy Greenberg > Llama, Horn > Foam, Makisupa Policeman > Split Open And Melt, Tela, Taste That Surrounds, My Sweet One, Frankenstein
Set 2: The Curtain > Tweezer -> Timber (Jerry the Mule) -> Tweezer -> Keyboard Army, Halley’s Comet -> NICU -> Slave To The Traffic Light
On December 12, the Albany Symphony performed works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Michael Torke, and Viet Cuong. The concert was centered around these composers due to their age; they were all under 30 when the pieces were written.
The conductor, David Alan Miller, held a pre-concert talk where he discussed the Beethoven pieces and talked with Torke and Cuong. In the discussion with Torke, he talks about the inspiration for his piece, Ash. Written in 1988 after his mother’s death, the piece is one of Torke’s characteristic “color pieces”, aptly named for the colors he associates with key signatures due to his synesthesia. The piece is in f-minor, a darker key, to match the title.
Miller’s next interview was with Viet Cuong, a rising young composer. His piece, Extra(ordinarily) Fancy, is a sequel to his 2017 piece, Extra Fancy. The double oboe concerto utilizes multi-phonics, an extended technique on the instrument. He was inspired by Baroque music, specifically Vivaldi. Cuong also talked about his use of Shepard tones. In short, it is an audio illusion that makes the music feel like it is constantly rising. He was inspired by the endless stairs from Super Mario 64. This concert was supposed to premiere a large orchestral work by Cuong, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is now planned for next fall.
The Concert
The concert started with the Overture and finale to Beethoven’s Creatures of Prometheus ballet. The dramatic beginning is greatly contrasted by the rich melodies. The finale is strikingly similar to Beethoven’s Third Symphony as he used the same melody in that finale as well, a staple of Beethoven.
They next moved onto Torke’s Ash. The piece has an obvious darkness that is aided by the key. There is a lush texture to the piece with many rich harmonies as well. The middle section modulates to A-flat major, also utilizing syncopation to give the piece a different feel. It also utilizes a technique similar to Beethoven. By using octaves and unisons in the strings, it adds intensity and builds tension within the piece to lead to the climax. Beethoven pioneered this technique, and Torke uses it to its full extent.
Photo Credit: Bryan Hainer
The concert then went to Cuong’s Extra(ordinarily) Fancy. The harpsichord shows that Baroque influence that Cuong talked about in his interview. The piece is very conversational, having one oboe be “fancy” and one be “extra fancy”. The use of multi-phonics here is genius as it creates a whole new voice that can mimic the first oboe, but is decidedly different. The conversation between the two soloists is common, but Cuong brings it to a new level using the extended technique.
Photo Credit: Phil Parsons
The concert ended with Beethoven’s First Symphony. As his first symphony, Beethoven builds on the great composers before him: Haydn and Mozart. Written at the turn of the nineteenth century, Beethoven began to break away from the traditional classical form, establishing himself as the preeminent composer in Europe.
For more information on the Albany Symphony and their upcoming events visit their website.
Named for Chilean street dogs, the music of Quiltro is a tribute to the street dogs living in the Andes village of Farellones. Hearing howls during nights spent in those high Chilean mountains is birthplace of Quiltro’s music.
The trio collaborated with Eric Segalstad at Sabi Sound in Colchester, VT to record their debut, which has the feel of a soundtrack for a dystopian sci-fi film that has yet to be made.
The emotional journey found through the album will set you at ease, wake you up, drive you into a groove and leave you looking to replay the debut immediately after. Peaks and valleys are found throughout the nine-track album, fitting perfectly into the ups and downs of the real world.
Quiltro brings together a range of sounds, influences, and emotions through band members Mark Taylor (guitar, keyboard), Mike McKinley (bass) and JD Hoffmann (drums), creating a psychedelic wall of sound that brings to mind Neal Casal’s Circles Around the Sun. Quiltro is quite simply excellent modern psych rock.
The tracks flow into one another, with an overall ambient, lo-fi feel – with a touch of Reznor & Ross sprinkled in. “Knight Riding” channels Pink Floyd’s “Astronomy Domine,” while “Apollo” has a haunting presence in the vein of Lespecial.
Bassist McKinley, a native of Albany, sets the tone on “Dark Matter” with a driving bass intro, then shifts into a melodic groove on “In Reverse” with Mark Taylor’s ambient guitar shining. The two final tracks, “Antilla” and “Field of Cities,” build up slowly from their valleys to peaks. You don’t realize you were climbing until you summit. The journey that Quiltro’s debut takes you on is one that Circles Around the Sun fans will find easily accessible and keep you coming back another round.
Let’s face it, the year 2020 has been a spectacular gigantic bust. Pandemic, protests, self-imposed isolation and political strife have become the new normal and we are all a bit tired of the daily drama we are forced to endure. For many of us music has become an essential anchor, providing us stability, especially during troubled times. If you are looking for a musical safe harbor to temporarily escape the madness, look to the very talented Connecticut EDM duo P(x3) and their self-released third album, Stargazer.
Stargazer is a live performance by the self-described “Apocalyptic Organ Duo” that was recorded at Middletown Connecticut’s own La Boca. The show took place in late February of this year right before the Corona Virus pandemic hit the U.S. hard and changed everyone’s lives, especially those who perform live music.
P(x3) was formed in 2019 by percussionist Rob Madore and keyboard/saxophonist Isaac Young, who both do double-duty in the band No Mind. Both musicians have continued to create a name for themselves in regional and national music scenes, famous for their improvisational performances. The production value of the nine tracks on the LP is exceptional. It is a testament to the technical skill of Cody Urban, who recorded and mastered the record for the band.
Stargazer starts off with the note and mind bending “Spachemmen,” which was additionally released as a single for the band. Synth melody intertwines with prominent percussion that has a culminating effect, transporting the listener on a cosmic celestial journey. It is hard to believe that Young and Madore are the only members in P(x3) when you hear layers of different sounds.
There is a lot going on musically on this track and you can hear new elements emerge every time you listen. The third track on Stargazer entitled “Alchemy” was also released as a single and is a pleasant highlight of the record. Young’s early 80’s synth beat complemented by Madore’s classic synth drum machine kicks off the tune. About one minute in, the boys go modern EDM by interspersing contemporary synth and percussion making for a truly interesting experience.
Seventies funk meets 21st Century jam band techno with “Rocked,” the final single released on P(x3)’s Stargazer. Young’s use of Moog and Hammond organ shines on this track. The soulful groove of these instruments are augmented by Madore’s danceable beats and the use of modern synth effects provided by Young.
Social distancing that is required because of COVID-19 has limited our ability to see live music in clubs and theaters. Stargazer by P(x3) is a great reminder of what we all have been missing since this tragedy has hit. It is a captured moment in time that reminds us of life before the Coronavirus. Things have changed a lot since then and P(x3) has adjusted to our new world, using technology to keep their performances coming. They have live streams on Facebook and are scheduled to do another on December 11 at 8 p.m., with the help of their partners Jamcast.
Music will always find a way to stay in our lives no matter what obstacles befall us. It is an essential part of the human condition. Hopefully, with the end of the pandemic clearly in sight, we will be back jamming out together this coming summer. Just like we did back in the good old days of 2019.
A myriad of talented musicians gives DJ MIME a stout debut album, 20/20. It is a punch of pop that this world needs right now, during trying times.
MIME is a New York City music producer and songwriter. This is his first full album. With 14 tracks, the album includes collaborations with up and coming vocalists like, Zhiko, Jantine, India Parkman, Lily Denning, HAYL and more.
DJ MIME releases his first full album 20/20.
Each tune has its own unique sound. A melody of genres and styles represents the whole concept of celebrating diversity within electronic dance music.
I feel like when multiple creative minds come together magic can really be made, sometimes the person you’re working with could have an idea that you would have never even thought of, those WOW moments are super special in the music making process.
DJ MIME
MIME named the album after his “vision” of creativity he used throughout the year. The songs provide a combination of underground house music for dancing and headphone-ready tunes. The album showcases a rapidly maturing artist, that continues to break the boundaries of what everyone thinks electronic music should be.
MIME released his debut track “Electronic Zoo” just last year. Now, along with 20/20, has 11 more tracks under his belt. These have all gone through his self-made label, AlterEgo, that he created with his team.
20/20 is out now and streaming on all platforms. If you’re looking for an album to listen to with a variety of moods, this is a perfect staple to add to your list.
Grammy Award-winning Doug Beavers is of the stature of NYC’s top jazz aficionados who fearlessly push the boundaries of the genre itself. Beavers was an ace trombonist for Eddie Palmieri’s “La Perfecta” band and the current lead trombonist for the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. On his forthcoming new full-length studio album, Sol, Beavers steps into the spotlight like never before.
Sol showcases a dozen original compositions featuring special guests Joe Locke (Kenny Barron, Eddie Henderson) on vibraphone, vocalist Ada Dyer (Chaka Khan, Roberta Flack), Latin jazz vocal sensation Jeremy Bosch (Spanish Harlem Orchestra), and Robby Ameen (Ruben Blades, Dizzy Gillespie) on drums.
Recorded in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic, Doug Beavers sought to produce an empowering album to help rekindle connections and return to values centered around kindness and compassion. At the heart of Sol, he revisits the sounds of the 1970s when addictive bass riffs, sophisticated horn arrangements, and African rhythms dominated the charts. It wouldn’t be a Beavers recording though if it didn’t have a powerful punch of Latin jazz and the best salsa players/singers NYC has to offer performing on the tracks. Hence, Sol dives deep into an organic alchemy of salsa, jazz, and R&B.
“It was the vibe of the sun telling me everything is going to be OK. I just took my score paper and the music immediately started pouring out,” Doug Beavers recalls. “You know, we’ve all been through a lot in 2020, and I wanted to record a New York album that uplifts people and puts smiles on their faces. I know that sunshine has that natural effect on me, thus I named the album, Sol.”
Sol is set for international release on Friday, December 4, on Circle 9, a brand new subscriber-supported independent record label, recently launched by Doug Beavers.
As Lespecial points out regarding their third full-length album, Ancient Homies, the number three figures prominently into the band’s ethos – for instance, as a power trio and with their tri-face logo.
The new album also features three “Homie Improvs” (incidentally, tracks 3, 6 and 9) whose musical scale “is based around an unstable tonic, containing small chromatic groupings of three notes and has a cryptic, ambiguous and almost mystical quality.” These tracks feature all three members flexing their chops and stretching in new ways: Luke Bemand (bass, synth, samples), Rory Dolan (drums, sampler) and Jonny Grusauskas (guitar, keys, sampler, vocals).
Interspersing the Homie interludes as they do throughout Ancient Homies also has the effect of pairing the remaining eight songs with each other. The track list born from that decision just flows excellently.
The first couplet pairs the album’s first single “Snell’s Fleet” with a new remix of the long standing fan favorite “The Vessel.” At Lespecial’s October 9, 2020 drive-in show in Falmouth, MA, they opened the second set with this one-two punch and it was breathtaking. “Snell’s Fleet” evokes that timeless, mystical quality the band is known for. Up tempo with heavy, scuzzy guitar riffs, driving bass line and bombastic drum play, “Snell’s Fleet” crashes right into track two. “The Vessel” then shifts gears into a much more futuristic vibe. The combination of synth bounce, driving drums and funky bass can move an entire room, pulsing and pumping in a great wave. “The Vessel” debuted live onstage in 2012 and has finally found its way to vinyl.
The second grouping of songs, at first glance, appear to be the most curious on the album in that the songs are quite dissimilar. “Repeater” slows down the tempo and features lilting, ethereal vocals. The synth work drives the song forward, but has an altogether different feel to it than most of Lespecial’s music to date. And Rory’s fast, frenetic drumming in latter portion of the song is pure magic. Bringing us right into “Tonberry,” which made its live debut at Lespectacle IX in November 2019. Starting with a slow building eeriness that explodes into thunder around the one minute mark, then into the scale bending this album explores in the following passage. Around the halfway point of the song, Lespecial brings us into a funky, groovy movement and then circles right back to bombastic fury that bring the song home.
The next pairing is a synth heavy, fun filled duo. “Machine Elf” bounces back to futuristic sound that grooves with Luke’s bass tones anchoring things. Released as a single in January 2019, it slides perfectly right into this slot on the album. The latter half of this pairing is “Egg Time” and it wastes little time grinding into the funkiest, filthiest groove. Impossible to sit still to, this one is going to be a staple of Lespecial set lists for years to come. An instant classic.
The final pairing of songs on the album are quite engrossing, and will be unexpected to many fans. “Boundary Dissolution” slows things down again. With a more stripped down arrangement and hauntingly introspective vocals from Jonny, this one stays with the listener long after it ends. And “Tritome” (yet another “three”) features beautiful piano work from Jonny that reprises “Snell’s Fleet,” ending this amazing album with a wow.
Lespecial really delivers on the promise of adventure and exploration here. It feels like the band is still growing and defining who they are. It is a pleasure to witness their evolution. Ancient Homies is hands down my favorite release of 2020. Give it a listen and see what you think.
Key Tracks: Snell’s Fleet, Tonberry, Egg Time
Ancient Homies is available for purchase on Bandcamp and for streaming on all platforms.
SAINt JHN, an artist from Brooklyn (real name Carlos St John Phillips), released his third album While The World Was Burning as artists continue to use the pandemic as inspiration for their music. His successful hit “Roses (Imanbek Remix)” spent 34 weeks on the Billboard Top 100 and peaked at #4 this past summer. The rest of his discography includes two other albums or “collections” with Ghetto Lenny Love Songs released in 2019 and Collection One in 2018. His commercial success took off in 2019, writing “Brown Skin Girl” for Beyoncé’s album The Lion King: TheGift. While the World Was Burning is a glimpse at SAINt JHN’s endless potential as an artist who can capitalize on using unpredictable times as momentum towards his promising career.
“Sucks To Be You” is the introductory track that successfully sets the tone of While The World Was Burning by reintroducing the world to a different side of SAINt JHN. The repeated lyrics from the chorus, “I said you know who I am, this kid from Brooklyn,” describe an adverse journey from humble beginnings to a successful artist. His honesty about his upbringing coincides with growing apart from someone who supported his initial dreams of wanting to become an artist. SAINt JHN expresses a vulnerable side as an artist who can make an upbeat hit like “Roses” and explain who he is as a person on “Sucks To Be You.”
https://youtu.be/pDsas5WHPXk
SAINt JHN made his TV debut performing “Sucks to Be You” on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon
SAINt JHN gathered a star-studded list of features on this album including 6LACK, Lil Uzi Vert, Future DaBaby, Kehlani, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Kanye, and JID. On “Ransom,” he teamed up with 6LACK and Kehlani to create a complementary vibe for each artist involved. Earlier in the year, he released a music video for “Ransom” featuring only his initial verse. By adding 6LACK And Kehlani, SAINt JHN proves his capability of knowing how to improve a song with the right features. While “Ransom” and “Sucks To Be You” are both tracks that highlight melodies, “Freedom Is Priceless” delivers an up-tempo beat that showcases his lyricism as a rapper.
“Pray 4 Me” is a cautionary tale about the possible repercussions of a rockstar lifestyle. SAINt JHN expresses his deepest fears of fame getting the best of him with lyrics like, “My life now, this highlight now/ Play my mama this if I die right now.” In comparison, Kanye’s featured verse feels superficial and so out of place the song would thrive even more without his verse. “Smack DVD” is the second collaboration between the duo and is available on the re-release version of While the World Was Burning. Kanye has a better verse on “Smack DVD” than on “Pray 4 Me,” but SAINt JHN outshines him on both tracks.
SAINt JHN mentions “Tryin to be the next Kanye” on “Quarantine Wifey,” but his originality is his biggest asset rather than emulating any other artist. Looking back on this year, While the World Was Burning will be a reminder of how music made the uncertain times a little more bearable.
