NYS Music 202​0

Category: News Desk

  • ADAPT Conference is The Event For Music Professionals

    Big Picture Media have teamed with Kevin Lyman Group + Dynamic Talent International to announce a special one time event. ‘The ADAPT Conference’ will focus on entertainment professionals who have found ways to adapt to the changing climate. Attendees can expect a “crash course” on entertainment’s pandemic business models.

    adapt conference ad

    The one-day ticketed event will occur on October 22 via the Whova Conferencing App. Tickets are currently on sale at  https://adaptconference.eventbrite.com/ Industry Professionals: $149 Industry 4-Pack: $400 Students: $49.

    Scholarships have been made available for industry professionals who are currently unemployed due to COVID19. Approved applicants will receive 50% off conference registration and a spot on the “Open To Work” directory. Applications for the ADAPT Unemployment Scholarship are now open .

    March saw a screeching halt of a majority of the entertainment industry including live events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant amount of the world’s economy frozen but all sense of normalcy was lost. Even though things have reopened the entertainment industry faces the reality of being denied reopening major revenue streams. While several businesses are forced to shutter their doors permanently, a new sense of urgency has been risen to create new “normal” ways to operate.

    Classes and topics at the ADAPT Conference will include Live Streaming in the age of COVID-19, Inside the Label’s Mind, Socially Distant Live Shows, and more. Each class will be taught by a top entertainment business leaders including Kevin Lyman (Vans Warped Tour), Trevor Swenson (Dynamic Talent International), Joel Madden (Veeps + MDDN), Brian Rucker (Twitch), Eric Tobin (Hopeless Records), and more.  

    Founded in 2007 in the heart of New York City, Big Picture Media an entertainment publicity agency .  They specialize in publicity and buzz-building services for bands, festivals, events, soundtracks and more.

    Current Event Agenda:

    9:00am PT – From Obstacle to Opportunity: A conversation with Kevin Lyman, Laura Hutfless + Jeremy Holley (co-founders of FlyteVu)

    9:30am PT – Class #1: Managing through Rocky Waters: creating new revenue opportunities + keeping a lean overhead

    11:00am PT – Class #2: Inside the Label’s Mind: releasing new music, breaking through the noise, and what they’re looking for today

    12:30pm PT – Class #3: Evolution of the Venue: from March, to now, and the Future

    2:00pm PT – Class #4: Socially Distant Live Shows: the comeback of Drive-Ins

    3:30pm PT – Class #5: Live Streaming in the age of COVID-19

    5:00pm PT – Networking Breakout Sessions hosted by industry professionals


  • Premiere: Sydney Irving Transcends Stardom with New Music Video ‘Rain’

    As lighting strikes, it is evident Sydney Irving belongs. Although, you’re just getting to know the high school senior, her name will hold a heavier weight as time moves on. She will fill your music library, as you come to realize Sydney Irving‘s on the rise.

    Today’s “Rain” sheds New Light

    The Syracuse songwriter released her music video “Rain” to back the single that debuted late last month.

    The premise of “Rain,” is it’s usually a bad thing and you want to get away from it. But, the rain is purifying. It washes away. You step into the light and feel better than before.

    Sydney Irving – On “Rain”

    “Rain” marks a many first for Sydney. It is the first storyline video of her short career. “For Hanna, Emily and Justin, it’s a little love triangle kind of thing. We had to direct everything we wanted done.” Interestingly enough she remains out of the limelight, tastefully, hanging back with the band.

    Rockstar On The Rise

    Based on her websites bio, Irving drew from the likes of Taylor Swift, but her roots are much deeper. Infected with the classic rock bug. The Doors, Tom Petty, Ryan Adams and other greats influence her musicianship. Currently she is hooked on Raising Sand, a Plant/Krauss duo album that was ironically released October 23, when Irving was only four years old.

    Why Sydney you ask? It’s her grasp on past and future music generations and bridging them together. Her sheer humbleness. It’s her retro take on the music industry, reeling us back to how things were done. She has a plan and she executes.

    The 17-year-old is combining the above influence with modern hooks to develop a sound more fitting for her voice. Irving and her team have another single to release in November titled “What Have You Done.” All of which will be apart of a December EP release. “For the new record it’s an endavour into more rock and roll,” said Irving.

    “Rain” is for sale on Irving’s website, on a 100-count limited edition, signed-CD run. It can be purchased on iTunes and Amazon music. Today it will be released alongside the video on major streaming platforms.

    Hidden details amidst an over-exposed storyline hints at Irvings style. Her Ziggy Stardust alter-ego may be coming though with those lightning rod earrings. The Mojo, her band is refined, yet capable to unwind into a catchy rock bliss.

    Sydney’s Standout Moments

    Big standout moments are self fulfilling in their own right for Irving. When asked where she wanted be in a year or so down the line, Irving calmly had no shift from her current thought. She is grateful for the journey, happy to be balancing music and school, beyond humble and appreciative of her team behind her. “My management team, Grace Musicians Group, have helped me get to where I am today.” Irving seemingly stumbled upon Breedlove Guitars after her dad got her a second instrument

    I’ve always love music, my dad will always have a record playing. I think the love came from a young age. I love the connection you can have with people and music. Theres been a couple times where I’ve been out playing and people say they came to the restaurant, or bar, just to see me.

    Aside from high honor roll, Irving has been nominated for three SAMMY Awards and recently claimed the title of Young Adult Artist of the Year at the International Singer Songwriter Association Awards. She stood out last month against 1,300 talented nominations, in Atlanta, Ga.

    Irving give Barns Courtney a run for his money on “You and I.”

    If “Rain” doesn’t have you on the hook take it direct from the songwriter yourself: “I would say – come check it out, you might like it.” 

  • Afro Latin Jazz Alliance to host “Notes 4 Votes” Virtual Event on October 25

    The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance will host the virtual “Notes 4 Votes” on Oct. 25 at 8:30 p.m. EST. The event will showcase jazz and classical music alongside global artists and speakers to support getting out to vote in the 2020 election. “Notes 4 Votes” will be emceed by multi-Grammy Award winner Arturo O’Farrill, journalist and critic Larry Blumenfeld, and Tracy Hyter-Suffern, Executive Director of The National Jazz Museum of Harlem. The Afro Latin Jazz Facebook Page will broadcast the event.

    Notes 4 Votes

    The “Notes 4 Votes” diverse performance list includes, Terence Blanchard, Vijay Iyer, Carla Bley, Dr. Cornel West, Oscar Hernandez, Simone Dinnerstein, Steve Swallow, Dr. Shana Redmond, Matt Shipp, The Villalobos Brothers, William Parker, Kikirikí Biquéy, Ayodele Casel, Akua Dixon, Jen Shyu, Ganavya Doraiswamy, Crystal Joseph, Tiffany Austin, Mimi Jones, Caridad “La Bruja” De La Luz, Luis Perdomo, and more.

    Nothing, nothing, nothing is more important than getting your vote in and on time. Too many of us slept on this moment four years ago and we cannot afford to let the process for change given to us by our framers, go unused. Musicians from every genre and aesthetic are lining up to show us that we must likewise unite. Let nothing stand in the way of showing the nation and the world that we can take back our destiny as a people governed by sanity and the fair application of governance that is the basis of the social contract and the foundation of the American ‘experiment!’

    Arturo O’Farrill

    The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance is a nonprofit created by Arturo O’Farrill in 2007 to promote Afro Latin Jazz through performances and education programs. Their mission is to perform, educate, and preserve the music of the Americas, starting from African and indigenous roots with the entry point of jazz. The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance is committed to social justice, equity inclusion, and equality of all cultures worldwide.

  • Beastie Boys Campaign Ad for Joe Biden Gets Pulled Over Harassment to Featured Club Owner

    The Beastie Boys announced their decision to allow their song, “Sabotage” for a Biden and Harris Presidential Campaign ad. Unfortunately the ad was pulled due to the featured club owner receiving harassment from President Trump supporters just days after debuting on October 18, 2020 This is the first time the band has ever allowed one of their songs to be used for a presidential ad. The ad focuses on how COVID-19 is detrimentally affecting the live entertainment industry. 

    https://youtu.be/SW86jyTsYe4

    The Beastie Boys have sued Monster Energy and GoldieBox  in the past for using their songs without permission in their ads. The only things they have allowed is the use of “Sabotage” in trailers for “Star Trek” and the “Destiny 2” video game.

    The Beastie Boys are a hip hop and rap group from New York City that formed back in 1978 under the original name Young Aborigines before becoming the Beastie Boys in 1981. Some of their most well known songs include “Sabotage,” “No Sleep Till Brooklyn,” “Fight for Your Right” and many many more. Their debut album, Licensed to Ill, was the first rap record to top the Billboard 200 chart. They have eight studio albums and have become a household name throughout the years and recently released a documentary “Beastie Boys Story Out Now” on April 14, 2020.

    The Ad focuses on the venue the Blind Pig that is a club Ann Arbor, Michigan that has been extremely affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The venue was shut down after its 50 years of existence where it was a substantiation part of its community. It’s owner in the ad speaks about how he considers Donald Trump’s shortsighted response to the coronavirus crisis is one of the main reasons his venue is in such poor shape. 

    A spokesperson from the Biden campaign according to the Variety article explained that, “the Beastie Boys, who had ‘never licensed music for an ad until now,’ agreed to the use of “Sabotage” in the spot ‘because of the importance of the election.’”

    The Ad was pulled on Wednesday October 21, 2020 after the owner of the Blind Pig received threats and was attacked by Trump supporters. Campaign spokesperson Bill Russo expanded on the situation saying, “The price for having a voice in our political process cannot be endless harassment. And yet, that is what Joe Malcoun and his family currently face as he was doxxed, harassed and threatened after the Trump campaign has sought to smear a community leader who dared to speak out against Trump’s failed response to the Covid crisis. It is shameful,” according to The New York Times article.

    For more information on the Beastie Boys visit their website and for more information on the The Biden and Harris Presidential Campaign visit their website. 

    *Article Updated on October 23, 2020*

  • Holly Bowling heads out on Second Leg of Wilderness Sessions

    Pianist Holly Bowling has announced the second leg of her unique and groundbreaking virtual concert wilderness tour, featuring extraordinary solo sessions filmed live at some of America’s most spectacular natural locations.

    The second leg of the livestream Wilderness Sessions begins Thursday, October 22 with a performance from Casco Bay, Maine, followed every Thursday by new performances filmed at Taos, New Mexico (Oct. 29), Breckenridge, Colorado (Nov. 5), Hardscrabble Mountain, Colorado (Nov. 12) and Moab, Utah (Nov. 19).

    The virtual tour comes in advance of Bowling’s new album Seeking All That’s Still Unsung, a solo piano album featuring reimagined renditions of the music of the Grateful Dead, due out Friday, November 20.

    All performances will be broadcast for free via Bowling’s official Facebook page; viewers are invited to contribute to the San Francisco-based pianist’s Virtual Tip Jar.

    holly bowling wilderness tour

    There’s plenty of time to do something different,” says Bowling. “And I desperately wanted to get outside – that’s where I’ve been feeling most okay during all this. So we’re taking this crazy road trip in a self-contained little camper van and driving my gear out to these wild places and setting up and playing in settings I never in a million years thought I’d get to play music in.

    Holly Bowling, on the Wilderness Sessions

    Bowling recently announced a beautiful new album featuring solo piano renditions of the music of the Grateful Dead. Seeking All That’s Still Unsung arrives everywhere on Friday, November 20. The evocative collection features nine instrumental piano interpretations of songs spanning the Grateful Dead’s extensive catalog — both classics and deep tracks.

    Holly Bowling’s Wilderness Tour began on Thursday, September 3 with a performance from California’s Lake Tahoe followed by a performance from Yosemite National Park, Idaho’s epic Bruneau Canyon, Montana/Wyoming’s scenic Beartooth Highway and South Dakota’s Badlands National Park.

  • Buffalo Musician Drea D’Nur Uses Her Voice to Spread Awareness About Police Brutality

    While the issue of police brutality prevails in the U.S., artists are speaking out through their music to raise awareness. For Drea D’Nur, her whole life revolves around it.

    I am not an entertainer. I am a master healer through music and sound. To be a vessel of healing sound is a great honor and responsibility. Moment by Moment, I seek and work to become a better vessel. Every show is an offering of my entire self. In a world, where many are living numb, my intention is that you would feel, heal, and be inspired at each Live Experience.

    Drea D’Nur
    Drea D'Nur
    Drea D’Nur

    Buffalo based activist and musician, Drea D’Nur, teamed up with American Muslim figure Rami Nashashibi to release her newest single, “Mama Please,” a tribute to Cariol’s Law.

    Cariol’s Law passed in early October on behalf of Cariol Horne. Horne gained national attention in 2008 when she was fired from the Buffalo Police Department because she stopped a fellow officer from choking out a black man, Neil Mack. Since then, she has continued to protest for the Black Lives Matter Movement and is still working towards getting her full pension. The law now requires officers in Buffalo to intervene if a coworker looks like they are using excessive force.

    Cariol’s Law is a  proposal  for legislation to have a mandatory stature on police bystander intervention, provide  protection   from retaliation, require external investigation with mandated reprimanding for abuse or misconduct, create a required reportable registry.

    According to the Cariol’s Law website

    Along with being a riveting performer, D’Nur is an activist who founded Feed Buffalo, the first Organic, Safe, and Halal Food Access Resource Center in western New York, but it doesn’t stop there. She’s also a volunteer for Project Mona’s House that provides resources and housing for human trafficking survivors.

    D’Nur’s purpose for “Mama Please,” is to push for Cariol’s Law to be passed nationwide. Her new single is one of the tunes from her upcoming album, ‘This LOVE Thing,’ expected to drop on Oct. 23. Meanwhile, watch and listen to this beautiful work activism to support the destruction of police brutality.

  • Don’t Miss Out on the Final Week of Silent Parties at the BYKlyn Yard

    NYC’s first outdoor cycling studio — BYKlyn Yard— has been partnering up with DJ mixing competition Vibes Music Game, to bring music lovers a fun and safe outdoor experience that many might have been craving, in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

    Located at 421 Dean Street in downtown Brooklyn, the Yard began as an outdoor cycling studio that offered a safe way to stay fit during turbulent times, hosting 40 cycling classes per week. Yet, with normalcy disrupted for the foreseeable future, the Yard is host to another form of socializing that has gone awry as a result of the virus. “From the start, we wanted to host events beyond cycling that bring people together — something we all miss and crave right now,” explains1 BYKlyn CEO and founder Amy Glosser.”

    BYKlyn Yard

    In turn, they have partnered with Vibes Music Game. A competition that brings together up-and-coming DJ’s to showcase their music, mixing skills and entertainment potential. At the BYKlyn Yard, each of the three New York City DJs get one Saturday night to hype the crowd and show off their style and music. “The VIBES Music Game grew out of the concept of friends passing around the auxiliary cord,” says VIBES Creator Jamahn Warren-Bey. “These jam sessions brought people together to share culture, dance and new music. Now we’re bringing that same vibe to the public in a fun game show.” 

    BYKlyn Yard

    Events at BYKlyn Yard use the Sound Off Experience sound system, consisting of personal headsets instead of loud music, allowing participants to experience the atmosphere to the fullest, while not disrupting neighbors. And with a maximum capacity of 32, all events are COVID-19 friendly as everyone entering the BYKlyn Yard gets a temperature check, fills out a health questionnaire and wears a mask at all times. Groups can gather if they come together, otherwise, party-goers are encouraged to maintain distance. 

    BYKlyn Yard

    Scheduled for every Saturday in October, silent parties at the BYKlyn Yard has hosted gatherings on 10/03, 10/10 with two more events set for the 17thand 24th. Beginning at 8 p.m., the final event (October 24), is a live-streamed battle. Like an improv show, the audience names the genre and the DJs mix their music on the spot. The audience, both live and virtual, vote on the winner. 

    More information about BYKlyn Yard events can be found here and tickets to Saturday dance parties cost $20 a person and can be purchased here.

  • Museum of Jewish Heritage to Host Virtual Concert on October 25

    The Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust will host a virtual live concert from Edmond J. Safra Hall in New York City on October 25 at 7 p.m. The livestream is the Museum’s first event since the COVID-19 pandemic and will broadcast from their website.

    Museum of Jewish Heritage

    The livestream will include a performance from Klezmer Brass Allstars, Eleanor Reissa, and Deep Singh with songs about love, protest, political commentary, the Holocaust, and liberation, inspired by their previous collaborations “Vilde mekhaye-Wild Ecstacy” and “Mir geyen nisht tsurik/No Looking Back. Grammy award-winning trumpeter-composer, Sir Frank London will lead The Klezmer Brass Allstars along with trombonist Brian Drye, clarinetist Michael Winograd, tubist Ron Caswell, drummer Aaron Alexander, accordionist Ilya Shneyveys, and guitarist Brandon Seabrook. London’s work celebrates multi-cultural Jewish music and honors those killed in the Holocaust and Hungary. His work is a celebration of Jewish life and Yiddish culture through a multicultural lens. London’s latest poetry/music release is Salomé: Woman of Valor with Adeena Karasick.

    Frank London’s music and artistry, rooted in Jewish Heritage, provides an opportunity for us to come together in real-time to remember, celebrate, and heal during these difficult times. Although we must remain apart, we hope this event will bring people together, and are excited to launch our Live from Edmond J. Safra Hall concert series with such inspiring, talented presenters.

    Jack Kliger, President & CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage–A Living Memorial to the Holocaust

    The Museum is the third-largest Holocaust museum in the world and the second-largest in North America, with a commitment to educating diverse visitors about Jewish life, before, during, and after the Holocaust.

    Our Live from Edmond J. Safra Hall concert will be as close as we can safely come to performing for an audience in real time. Thanks to the visionary presenters at the Museum of Jewish Heritage for creating this groundbreaking event. It’s the first real concert we’ve played in months.

    Sir Frank London

    Click here to register for a ticket and make a donation

  • Laura Jinn announces feverish, ear-catching, new single “Sick!”

    Laura Jinn has revealed the title of her debut extended play, “Sick!” and relased the first single off the EP.

    Jinn wrote “Sick!” from the perspective of a feverish girl’s plea for love and affection. The girl within the song is aware that she’s not well enough to be in love, but still chases after that feeling. Jinn also plays on the word ‘sick’ , which can mean feeling unwell, or how some younger adults use sick as a placeholder for awesome. Jinn duly expressed the duality of the feeling on the goth-pop track, and is filled with synth, electronic influences.

    Laura Jinn

    Laura Jinn is an artist and producer born and raised in Cincinatti, OH and is now living in Brooklyn, NY. Jinn spent her early years listening to emo music and hanging out with older girls on LiveJournal. Jinn eventually left home and had faced a new, difficult reality.

    Despite the challenges she encountered on her journey, her experiences carved out her creative and interesting spin on music. Jinn expressed her music through a friendly, calm tone. However, the twist of her music is the underlying themes that focus on horror, violence, and etc.

    Jinn wanted to see how people defined what being sick was, and how the culture perpuated these thoughts. Jinn wrote the demos for the EP in 2019. However, when the pandemic began, Jinn made some obersavtions and noticed how much stronger the feeling was.

    Jinn eventually produced the final versions of the extended play with co-producer Tatum Gale while quarantined in Brooklyn. The two poured themselves into the music while grappling with bigger issues: the devastation happening around them, their fear for themselves, and the privilege that kept them safe.

    The EP date is TBA, but the track ‘Sick!’ by Laura Jinn is out now on Spotify, Soundcloud, and Bandcamp.

  • Saratoga’s Caffe Lena Attracts Fundraising Challenge

    While Saratoga’s Caffè Lena has gone without customers since March, its livestream and music school have helped it stay afloat. That said, the 60-year-old cultural landmark still needs donations in order to survive the shutdown. If the cafe can raise $50,000 by Saturday, October 31, The Sarah B. Foulke Charitable Fund promises to match donations by 100%. Sarah Foulke was a Saratoga Springs attorney who died in 2016, and regularly volunteered at Caffè Lena.

    Caffe Lena Fundraising Challenge

    This is a double-your-gift challenge grant to help Caffè Lena survive the shutdown. Caffè Lena is a landmark venue. We want to help them evolve their online platform, and we’re rooting for them to raise the full $50,000 this month so that we can donate $50,000. Unique cultural institutions such as Caffè Lena make our region special and deserve our help. We hope others who love Caffè Lena and Saratoga Springs will join our effort.

    Suzan Nolan, advisor of the Sarah B. Foule Fund

    Caffè Lena’s event calendar shows new streams nearly nightly. Besides live concerts, streams include storytelling nights and poetry readings. Some streams celebrate a specific genre of music, such as jazz and bluegrass. All of these events are free, with only the music school requiring a fee. Caffè Lena also offers Community Classroom, a non-partisan platform to discuss civic issues, and a program called On the Road, which brings live music to senior citizens and community service organizations.

    “The community is getting so much out of our daily programming. We don’t want to have to pause,” said Caffè Lena Executive Director Sarah Craig. She continued:

    This fundraising challenge is a way we can stay active for our community while Congress decides what it’s going to do to save the live music and theater industries. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that every expression of care, whether it’s a $5 tip, a $500 donation, or a special comment, adds up to helping live music survive and grow during this time of extreme challenge.

    For more information on the fundraising challenge, go to the Sarah B. Foulke Donation Challenge on Caffe Lena’s website.