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 Belle-Skinner, TIP, Architrave, 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.
Skinner was named one of “8 Female Musicians From Upstate New York You Should Be Listening To Right Now” by Saratoga Living and in 2015 was a finalist at the Telluride Troubadour Competition, a showcasing songwriter on the main-stage at Rocky Mountain Folks Festival in Lyons, CO. This Upstate artist has a nostalgic sense to her haunting voice that is nuanced with influences ranging from Joni Mitchel, Jeff Buckley, and Lana Del Ray. Her music elevates the modern folk song, rich in harmony, contrapuntal melodic phrasing, and wonderful song crafting.
Ballston Spa duo Architrave features programmed grooves, hearty classic synth sounds, with real guitars and bass. They have just released a new single, “Blissed Out,” which continues on their catalogue of moody electronic pulsating melodies. The New Wave movement of The Cure, Portishead, The XX has new momentum with Architrave.
TIP features Very clever and intricate song crafting and musicianship describes this quartet of college friends. The music is unique, evocative, and layered. Performing on recent live streams during quarantine for WEQX at HIGHPEAKS Sound. Think of guitar driven riff bands, each musician in this band plays with equal conviction as if these players were pre-destined to be in the same band today, they each play as an extension of the next player. There is a freshness to their sound, something bands strive for but these guys are out of the gate with that. Check their live stream show at High Peaks Sound a few weeks ago.
Picture Central Park today. Beautiful bridges and architecture throughout a green, shaded landscape. A place where people can enjoy their hour lunch break, or a destination for buskers trying to earn some cash. In the 1970’s, the park had been a completely different atmosphere. Crime, graffiti and decay structured the park.
Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon
On Sept. 19, 1981, Simon & Garfunkel raised around $51,000, performing at the Central Park Stage which had free admission. Their concert would forever change the entire vibe of the famous park and helped it thrive to where it is today.
The concert was a year after Elton John performed for around 300,000 people, wearing his iconic duck suit. Among the artists that also performed in Central Park were Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band and Garth Brooks.
Simon & Garfunkel in Central Park, 1981
Although most of the concerts drew enormous crowds, and made a lasting impact on Central Park being a destination for great musicians, Simon & Garfunkel literally cleaned up the park with the money they raised from merchandising, CD sales and TV and video rights.
The show was broadcast live on HBO, then was recorded and released as the duo’s first live album.
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel made history that day and drastically improved the state of Central Park. As a result of the impact they made, the park became a popular tourist attraction. There were no “sounds of silence,” when it came to the cheers of the 500,000 people in the audience.
Setlist: Mrs. Robinson, Homeward Bound, America, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Scarborough Fair, April Come She Will, Wake Up Little Susie, The Everly Brothers, Still Crazy After All These Years, American Tune, Late in the Evening, Slip Slidin’ Away, A Heart in New York, The Late Great Johnny Ace, Kodachrome/Maybellene, Bridge over Troubled Water, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, The Boxer
Encore: Old Friends / Bookends Theme, The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy), The Sound of Silence
Borderland Music & Arts Festival announces their The Borderland Broadcast event. The broadcast will stream audio from former Borderland Festivals and will take place for two days in September on the 19 and 20 on Buffalo.FM.
The Borderland Broadcast will be taking place on the same weekend the Borderland Festival was originally supposed to take place this year. The festival itself had to be postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions taking place across the country. The festival generally takes place at Knox Farm State Park just outside of Buffalo, New York.
Since the festival can’t take place this year it’s organizers along with their friends at Buffalo.FM created The Borderland Broadcast. They curated a weekend of music with streaming audio from previous festivals, featuring live sets from Gov’t Mule, Keller WIlliams Grateful Grass, The Infamous Stringdusters, Oteil & Friends, Sam Roberts Band, The Sheepdogs and many more.
Jennifer Brazill who is the owner of Borderland Festival elaborates on the reasonings behind The Borderland Broadcast saying, “We wanted to be able to give our fans a way to connect to Borderland this weekend, to take us back to the feeling you have when you’re watching live music. Myself and my team feel a huge void in our lives and in our hearts without the festival happening this weekend, and we know that music is a great healer. We hope that fans of Borderland tune in with us for some very special live sets from the last two years.”
On Saturday the day will kick off with Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds from 2PM-3PM, The Sheepdogs from 3PM-4PM, The Infamous Stringdusters from 4PM-5PM, Sam Roberts Band from 5PM-6PM, Gov’t Mule from 6PM- 7:30PM, and Oteil + Friends wrapping the day up from 7:30PM – 9PM.
On Sunday the day will kick off with Fruition from 2PM -3PM, Ghost Light from 3PM -4PM, Sam Bush Band from 4PM-5PM, The Wood Brothers from 5PM-6PM, Keller William’s Grateful Grass featuring The Infamous Stringdusters and Oteil Burbridge from 6PM-7PM, and Greensky Bluegrass wrapping things up from 7PM-9:30PM.
People interested in tuning in can go to Buffalo.FM on September 19 and 20 at 2PM EST each day when the music starts or can catch the replay of the day at 10PM EST.
People interested in attending the 2021 Borderland Festival on September 18 and 19 can visit the festivals website: www.borderlandfestival.com for information on 2-day GA and VIP Tickets which are currently on sale.
For more information visit the Borderland Festival’s website and Buffalo.FM’s website.
The Songs For Good 2020 Challenge, a competition presented by the nonprofit Social Good Fund, announces the Top 10 finalist songs in search of a new soundtrack for democracy as the 2020 election approaches.
The goal of the Songs For Good 2020 Challenge is to inspire a new generation of voters with the help of artists to create purpose-driven music that inspires and energizes crowds. Songs For Good hopes to boost participation among their partner organizations and encourage people to vote in the 2020 election. Activism organizations including March For Our Lives, RepresentUS, Zero Hour, National Children’s Campaign, Sunrise Bay Area, and Bridge USA intend to promote the top five songs from the Songs For Good Challenge at their events leading up to Election Day.
“Music has been absolutely integral to the March For Our Lives movement and culture since its inception. Artivism — the intersection of art and activism — is an extremely powerful tool for inspiring and connecting with others, yet its potential reach remains largely untapped. That’s why March For Our Lives is thrilled to partner with Songs For Good for the 2020 Challenge. Together, we’re encouraging our network to use their voices in more ways than one!” -Brendan Duff (March for Our Lives, Co-Founder)
The Top 10 Finalists for the Songs For Good 2020 Challenge are:
Divinity Roxx is a Grammy-nominated artist from West New York, NJ, and the current bass player for Black Girls Rock Orchestra. She has worked with artists including Jay-Z, Beyonce̕, Nona Hendryx, Patti Labelle, and Gladys Knight.
Voting is open to the public from Tuesday, Sept 8 through Sunday, Sept 20, 2020. The top songs will be announced on National Voter Registration Day on September 22. Click here to vote. The winner will receive $5,000, song production from featuring artist Madame Gandhi, and a music video. The four runners-up will receive $1,000.
What excites me about Songs For Good is knowing that some of the biggest revolutions in history have happened because of the musicians of the time. Music has always been one of the most powerful forms of art because it caters to the emotions and fosters a sense of empathy and motivation in the listener. It gives me great joy to lend my voice to an organization that seeks to use songwriting as a political tool to inspire change. It could not be a better partnership.
(Update Sept 29) Rachael Major was announced as the winning songwriter of the 2020 Songwriting Challenge with her song, “New Day.” The song was voted number one by the public in the crowdsourcing campaign in search of anthems for the 2020 election. Rachael Major is an Indianapolis native who is only 16-year-old. She was awarded $5,000 for winning first place for the Songs For Good 2020 Songwriting Challenge as well as her song “New Day” being professionally recorded. The Song will feature artist Madame Gandhi. A music video will be produced as well for the award winning song. “New Day” will further be heard at forthcoming 2020 election events hosted by Songs For Good partner organizations such as March For Our Lives, RepresentUs, Zero Hour, National Children’s Campaign, Sunrise Bay Area, Access the Polls, and Bridge USA.
(Le) Poisson Rouge (LPR), a New York City venue and downtown cultural institution, has announced the release of its subscription-based concert livestream platform called LPR.TV. For $19.99 per month, LPR.TV subscribers will receive access to all the venue’s live-streamed concerts, on-demand access to their archive of livestreams, lessons, and much more. LPR. TV was co-founded by composer David Handler and senior music director and partner Brett Tabisel.
With all the uncertainty surrounding the music industry, LPR.TV provides work for artists and agents as well as keeping fans engaged. Le Poisson Rouge has booked artists including !!! (Chk Chk Chk), Cults, San Fermin, Kimbra, Sunflower Bean, Kevin Devine, Son Little, Laraaji, and Too Many Zooz as the lineup for LPR.TV’s inaugural stream. LPR.TV also confirmed nearly two dozen shows through the end of 2020.
The LPR.tv format has given us the opportunity to do what we do best: curate eclectic, exciting, and adventurous programming once again. The subscription model allows us to take the risks we are known for, while giving artists a platform to perform safely, with the production quality they deserve. Our independent spirit and determination to innovate will not be silenced. The support for LPR.tv from our community and peers has been inspiring and motivating. Honored to feed your eyes and ears with what we have in store. – Brett Tabisel (Senior Music Director / Partner)
LPR is an independent venue in Greenwich Village, focused on reflecting the rich music culture of New York City. The underground music sanctuary puts on late night shows of all genres of music including indie rock, contemporary classical, electronica, metal jazz, world music, and more. LPR also hosts art exhibitions, stand-up comedy, and drag queen bingo at their cutting-edge nightlife destination. Click here to read more of NYS Music’s coverage from (Le) Poisson Rouge over the years.
Matt Smith, a Capital District-raised, Austin-based artist, has released eight new albums as well as ten digital releases from Smith’s catalog of recordings. The albums will be available everywhere music is streamed or bought. Hard copies of the album are available through Austin’s Waterloo Records.
Smith has been working on the flagship release, Being Human, for four years. The song addresses broad themes of love, death and spirituality, along with timely issues such as immigration, narcissism and addiction.
Parlor is a solo acoustic instrumental album recorded entirely on an 1890’s Thompson and Odell parlor guitar that has been handed down through four generations of the Smith family. Chop Shop – Live at Strange Brew was recorded at the legendary south Austin venue during the band’s weekly Sunday afternoon residency.
When asked about why releasing now, Matt Smith said, “It’s an election year and there’s COVID. I had them all ready, and rather than dribble them out, why not put it all out at once? That way, I can get back to work on new material.”
Grammy-nominated recording artist Aloe Blacc and Harvey Mason Jr., Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy, will join other keynote speakers in a conversation at Mondo.NYC 2020 on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
Mondo.NYC is a festival and global business summit of music and tech industry insiders. Their goal is to connect fans, innovators, and emerging artists to the changing music business and technology landscape. This year, the festival celebrates its fifth anniversary as a four-day virtual interactive meeting and livestream from Oct. 13-16. Participants will experience curated panels, conversations, workshops, and virtual network activities. The festival also includes Mondo.NYC showcases of up-and-coming bands around the globe.
Aloe Blacc worked his way from a nine-year-old kid who used to write rap songs, to a now Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter. The breakout success of his single “I Need a Dollar” helped propel his sophomore album Good Things to gold status and paved the way for his signing to XIX Recordings/Interscope Records in 2012. Blacc’s most notable work includes co-writing and providing vocals for Avicii’s hit song “Wake Me” which has surpassed one billion streams and 2 billion views on YouTube. His album Lift Your Spirit debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2014 and earned him a Grammy nomination for Best R&B album. Blacc is now actively working with the Black Music Action Coalition and several organizations to use his platform for positive change in social justice. Aloe Blacc’s fourth solo album All Love Everything drops on Oct. 2 through BMG Music.
As a multi-Grammy nominee, Harvey Mason Jr. has written and produced songs for the music industry’s legends and biggest superstars today. His resume’ includes working with Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Chris Brown, Ariana Grande, and Britney Spears to name a few. Mason produced some of the biggest musical films and TV events of the decade including Straight Outta Compton, Shrek, Dreamgirls, and “The Wiz Live.” Harvey Mason Jr. donates his time and resources to several charitable organizations, including the GRAMMY Museum, MusiCares®, Ronald McDonald House, the American Cancer Society, and Los Angeles Children’s Hospital.
Binta Niambi Brown-Founder of Omalilly Projects with Ty Stiklorius-Founder & CEO of Friends at Work
Jason Flom-CEO of Lava Records and Founding Board Member of The Innoncence Project
Kevin Lyman- Founder/Producer of Vans Warped Tour and Co-Founder of 320 Festival
The conversation is presented in partnership with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Click here for more information about purchasing tickets.
Growing up in a musical household, it was in Oakley’s blood to seek out a stage of his own to command. Both Oakley’s mother and father were talented musicians, with his mother playing bass guitar and his father singing in modern rock and blues bands. Oakley’s Uncle Craig was also a well known jazz drummer, having played with artists such as The Beach Boys and Bob Hope.
The song came from a run of dates my band and I were on and I really took notice of how there was always one woman in the room that just stopped the place. I was amazed at the power these woman had and that’s where the last line of the chorus “Don’t you know you front row women get me every time” comes from.
Kolby Oakley on “Front Row Woman”
In January 2016, Oakley packed his guitar and moved from Upstate New York to Nashville to begin the next chapter of his career. Since moving to Nashville, Oakley has released multiple songs including “Moonshine Stand,” “Mud Bog” and “I’m Here.” Oakley says, “It took me some time to find who I am as an artist and where my place is in music as a whole. My latest music includes all my influences from Country, Rock and Blues, which delivers the Outlaw Country/Rock sound you hear on my latest work. ”
The 13th studio album from legendary Queens rapper Nas was released on August 21 through Mass Appeal Records. Composed of twelve tracks and one bonus record, the project was produced solely by California native Hit-Boy, a well-known producer who has made a name for himself for producing records with artists the likes of Kanye West, Jay-Z, Drake, Big Sean and more.
Following the lackluster reception to his previous body of work, Nasir, King’s Disease had fans skeptical, wondering what the fabled emcee had left. Would the album feel as uninspired as its predecessor or, would it be as acclaimed as 2012’s Life is Good? Other concerns arose when the track list was revealed, as Anderson .Paak, Lil Durk, Fivio Foreign and A$ap Ferg held the guest spots, which led the public to assume that Nas would try to conform and abandon his timeless style for a more modern trend of music.
These doubts were surely put to rest after the intro track and realized that Nas wasn’t conforming but taking his style and meshing it with more modern sounding beats and production. He effortlessly got into his pockets and felt comfortable from start-to-finish.
The album cover goes consists of Cupid-like babies. Some are black, others white, with wings of angels but colored red as if they were demons holding up a plaque that is covered by dirt. Nas’ name appears on the plaque, while one of the babies holds a crown. There is a rusty bloody machete on the table with fruit, gold, a skeleton head, the head of a hog, a serpent and flowers from a garden.
Throughout his last couple of projects Nas has been made his spiritual beliefs apparent and this album cover reflects that. King’s disease is defined as a disease where affluent people eat poorly, invest poorly and have bad relationships, which leads to one’s downfall. Nas touches on business and health throughout the project but the theme he harkens on the most is love and relationships. On multiple songs he tells stories of failed romantic relationships, or how relationships work poorly within the black community. Nas also touches on the struggles of the black community as a whole throughout.
Hit-Boy did a masterful job with the beats. The album has a classical sound to it, with a couple of instruments being played in the background on the majority of the tracks, combined with the heavy bass that is preferred in today’s rap music.
The story-telling is a highlight of the album. He didn’t do it too often but, when he did, they were amazing. On the record, “Car #85,” we get Nas at his descriptive best as he tells tales of his close run-ins with the law, his trips to hang out with friends, as well as his attempts of keeping a romantic relationship alive. All precipitated by this car service that he would use exclusively.
The length of the album was a plus – short and succinct, thus making it an easy listen, although several records felt short. Nas is known to rap multiple verses yet, on this project, it seemed like he would give one or two concise verses so as to not prolong the records.
And while many of the features were surprising, he did a great job of staying true to himself while letting other artists shine in their own lanes. He didn’t try to step on their toes and in return, they didn’t step on his. If there can be a complaint, it’s that the contrasting sounds made for songs sounding entirely different when a new act was introduced. For example, in the Lil Durk-assisted “Til The War is Won.” Nas raps for two verses and basically hands the record off to Lil Durk for the last minute or so. This also happened with his song with Anderson .Paak “All Bad,” which sounds like an Anderson .Paak song featuring Nas.
While having a great theme, Nas fails to focus on it for the entirety of the album. And at times, it feels like he was running down bullet points instead of detailed explanations. Nas is knowledgeable, but at times he doesn’t explain his knowledge – he just puts the knowledge out there for fans to either get it or not. This was a problem from his last release Nasir, where fans reduced many of lines to him being a conspiracy theorist.
Full Circle
“10 Points” is a record which embodies where Nas is in life. The song consists of him kicking game to the youth, explaining, “Take it from a street dude, you don’t need to be a street dude. Get a lawyer, read your contract, and eat food.” The way he delivers his rhymes in a smooth cool manner is what separates Nas from a lot of emcees, still.
He also addressed the longstanding rumors of him copying the late Tupac Shakur’s ‘Thug Life’ tattoo, rapping, “Pac saw the chain, got his medallion, I want it. Insinuate imitation cause I copied his stomach. Kings honor kings, straight from my pops to my son’s sh*t.” This was his way of laying to rest how his ‘Godson’ tattoo mirrored Tupac and a ‘Thug Life’ tattoo both being placed across their stomachs. The beat switch on this track was flawless and was the highlight of Hit-Boy’s production.
Nas also gave shootouts to legendary NBA player Kobe Bryant and rap legend Nipsey Hussle, rhyming, “Rest in Peace Kobe and Nip that’s off the rip.” People forget that Nas once ripped Kobe on his Street Disciple album on the track “These are our Hero’s” where he went at the then troubled NBA star for his alleged rape case allegations in 2003. It was refreshing to hear Nas ignore old wounds and pay respects to Bryant, although the two had reconciled long before his death.
Other great records include “Blue Benz,” “Car #85,” “27 Summers,” and “The Definition.” The beats for “Blue Benz” and “27 Summers” stand out.
Nas and Hit-Boy complimented each other well. Hit-Boy showcased his range as a producer while showing Nas’ ability to adapt to the new climate of music. Nas works best on more simplistic beats, with some drum patterns and instruments in the background to boost his message and it was cool that he was allowed to still find his pocket.
Nas meshed with many of the features on the album and it was great to see the return of his group, The Firm, on the song “Full Circle.” King’s Disease is a good album, and while it isn’t Nas’ best work, it wasn’t expected to be. It’s just good to hear one of the genre’s all-time greats still delivering quality music.The album is a solid 7.5 out of 10 and we look forward to what more Nas has to offer.
The non-profit Giant Art Steps have announced a new series of performances honoring the legacy of U.S. Representative and civil rights leader John Lewis. “Walk with the Wind” will occur on The Mall in NYC’s famous Central at 1 p.m. Featuring acoustic music and small groups, the series is free for those attending.
While the special series began on August 28th with a performance by Wayne Escoffery’s trio, there are numerous other opportunities to catch feature performances. Upcoming on September 19th is Giant Step Arts’ own Leap Day Trio featuring drummer Matt Wilson, bassist/vocalist Mimi Jones and saxophonist Jeff Lederer. On September 20th, vibraphonist and Blue Note recording artist Joel Ross Quartet with saxophonist Sergio Tabanico, drummer Craig Weinrib and bassist Rashaan Carter will perform.
The pandemic has been disastrous for musicians, many of whom normally earn a living through live performances and tours. We’ve presented and recorded music in various venues, including partnering with the non-profit Jazz Gallery, but the current circumstances have forced us to improvise. We wanted to find a way to continue supporting musicians, bring them together with audiences, safely, and enable them to have a payday! Walk with the Wind, honoring the legacy of the great American John Lewis, is one way we are accomplishing this, and the response has been tremendous. Our goal is to raise enough money from foundations and donors so that we can have performances each spring and fall.
Jimmy Katz
Giant Art Steps was created in January 2018 by Jimmy and Dena Katz. Both renowned jazz photographers, the Katzs set out to provide an environment for modern jazz’s most ingenious artists without the confinements of making a profit. Membership into the non-profit is by invitation only, where jazz artists are given control over their artistic projects. Giant Step Arts provides substantial financial and artistic resources for those bold musicians ready to take their careers to uncharted territory.
Giant Step Arts [is] a nonprofit dedicated to giving underappreciated but visionary jazz musicians the support they need to make quality live albums. Palmer is a…thrifty improviser with a vast dynamic range and an ambitious composer.
Giovanni Russonello, The New York Times
Upcoming Show Schedule:
Sept. 19– Leap Day Trio
Sept. 20 – Joel Ross Quartet with saxophonist Sergio Tabanico, drummer Craig Weinrib and bassist Rashaan Carter
Sept. 26 – Drummer Nasheet Waits with saxophonist Mark Turner and bassist Rashaan Carter
Sept. 27 – Immanuel Wilkins with drummer Nazir Ebo and bassist Burniss Earl Travis
Oct. 3 – Saxophonist Melissa Aldena with bassist Pablo Menares, drummer TBA
Oct. 4 – Saxophonist Darius Jones with drummer Gerald Cleaver and bassist Dezron Douglas
