NYS Music 202​0

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  • Premiere: take an “Unhurried Journey” with world traveling Elena Moon Park

    Having just released the “Unhurried Journey” on May 29, Brooklyn musician Elena Moon Park, current co-Artistic Director of Found Sound Nation, a member of Bang On A Can, and a former player of the Grammy winning Dan Zanes and Friends, today premieres the video for the eponymous single. The world traveling Park, along with artist Lauren Gregory, illustrate what a free spirited world could sound and look like.

    The album Unhurried Journey offers a fresh and dynamic collection of reimagined East and Southeast Asian music and original, Western-style songs that encourage listeners of all-ages to slow down and appreciate each moment, finding the joy in their journey. Park says of the single of the same name:

    The track “Unhurried Journey” is inspired by a serene and beautiful scene of the same name, created by artist Kristiana Pärn, which reminds us to take our time and make space for self-care on this journey of ours. In the song, I celebrate the beautiful things in nature that flow around us, slow and steady, with patience and care. I invited the wonderful musician Elizabeth Mitchell to sing this with me, as her music exemplifies patience and care for me. 

    On the website for the album, Park offers a suggested activity for kids (and adults) that accompanies the song, where you can try to draw a representation of something in the world that moves around you, slow and steady. The website also serves as a gallery dedicated to the collection, sharing the artwork that inspired each song, as well as the lyrics in original languages, translations of songs, stories, videos and more.

    elena moon park

    The video for “Unhurried Journey” was created by Park’s childhood friend Lauren Gregory, an oil painter and animator from Oak Ridge, TN. Park always found herself mesmerized by Gregory’s creations using stop motion oil painting animation. Gregory also created the video for the song “Anta Gata Doko Sa” from Park’s last album, Rabbit Days and Dumplings. Gregory said of her method behind the video:

    When Elena asked me to make an animation for “Unhurried Journey,” I wanted to paint a sort of lullaby experience that was both adventurous and cozy.  The landscape that this little bear family travels through is inspired by the foothills of the Smoky Mountains where Elena and I grew up as neighbors and friends.  The two bears aren’t concerned about getting anywhere fast, they’re just enjoying the journey and getting some good quality time in together.  

    Unhurried Journey was produced by Elena Moon Park and Rob Friedman and was recorded, mixed and mastered by Rob Friedman at littlelife studios and David studios in NYC. The 16 song collection encourages listeners of all-ages to slow down and appreciate each moment, finding the joy in the journey. 

  • Hearing Aide: Guitars A Go Go Debut LP ‘Travel Advisory’

    Guitars A Go Go, the improvisational duo of two acclaimed Hudson Valley-based guitarists, Rick Warren and Sal Cataldi (Spaghetti Eastern Music), have released their debut album, Travel Advisory. The duo have been performing at leading concert venues and art galleries since early 2019 and, on occasion, in a quartet abetted by bassist/composer Mark Steven Brooks and percussionist Pete Tenerowicz.

    NYC and Saugerties-based guitarist Sal Cataldi may be best known these days for his style-jumping solo project, Spaghetti Eastern Music. Time Out New York describes Cataldi’s music as “largely instrumental, Eastern-influenced jams are infused with some delicate guitar work and hauntingly moody atmosphere.”

    Guitars A Go Go

    Originally from Kingston, Hudson-based guitarist Rick Warren has been deeply involved in the improvisational and experimental music scene. He was encouraged by renowned vibraphonist Karl Berger at his Creative Music Studio in Woodstock. It was Berger’s visit to a Rick’s high school music theory class that led him to become a regular participant in twice-yearly workshops held at CMS, an international hot bed of improvisational music performance and education founded in 1971 by Berger, Ingrid Sertso and Ornette Coleman. Rick is best known for using his guitar and a variety of electronic sound sources, each one a new and different on-the-spot creation. 

    Their debut album is a quartet of live-in-studio duets recorded just as the COVID-19 quarantine took hold. Travel Advisory features contemplative, peaceful songs as well as songs with textured noise and dissonance. These songs communicate the wide array of emotions we are feeling in response to the global pandemic. Five more songs were later produced in remote collaboration, with Cataldi adding guitars, synths, and effects at his studio in West Saugerties to solo pieces performed by Warren at his studio in Hudson.

    Travel Advisory opens up with “A Jig for Europa,” comprised of blues performed by Warren on heavily processed acoustic 12-string, electronic blurbs, and backwards guitars by Cataldi. Throughout the album are songs such as “The Volcano Lovers,” 13 minutes of serene music with back-and-forth relay of melodic improvisations by each guitarist and “DeKooning Was a Crooner” the final and longest live-in-studio improvisation. The song consists of jazz chordal voicings from Cataldi lead into the inside-out improvisations from Warren. 

    Key tracks: A Jig for Europa, The Volcano Lovers, DeKooning Was a Crooner

  • CMAC Cancels 2020 Summer Concert Season

    CMAC (Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center) announces the cancellation of their 2020 summer concert season due to COVID-19. This decision was not made lightly but the safety of their staff, patrons, performers, and community is the priority. They are working to reschedule most of their summer 2020 performances currently. 

    Lynyrd Skynyrd performing Free Bird at CMAC in 2019.

    The performing arts center was founded in 1983 by Marvin Sands. He believed it was needed in the Canandaigua community because of the important role that arts and culture play in the quality of the community. CMAC still lives up to that role today providing arts and culture to the community. This year is just a pause, not the end of anything for CMAC. 

    CMAC is working to have their cancelled and postponed 2020 dates moved to the 2021 season. Cancelled shows include: Trey Anastasio Band, Old Domino, Brandi Carlile, Collective Soul, Tim McCraw, Norah Jones, Steve Martin and Martin Short. Postponed shows include: RATT, Luke Combs, and The Final Tour Ever with Kiss. They have already rescheduled two shows for 2021. Tedeschi Trucks Band was rescheduled for June 30, 2021 and Thomas Rhett for August 22, 2021. 

    For more information on CMAC and their events visit their website. For more information and to purchase tickets for Tedeschi Trucks Band click here or Thomas Rhett click here.

  • City of Cohoes to Review Managment Proposals for Historic Cohoes Music Hall

    The city of Cohoes is in process of reviewing management proposals for the historic Cohoes Music Hall. The closure of the concert hall this past April cost the city a financial loss of nearly $200,000, led to a cancelation in contracts with previous managers, Holly Brown and her Music Hall Arts Alliance; they were in charge of management and organization, including the Playhouse Stage Company and show production, ran by Owen Smith.

    city of cohoes
    Lotus performes at Cohoes Music Hall, Nov. 2019.

    Since canceling the contracts with the previous management companies, the city of Cohoes has been accepting new management proposals from potential applicants. A committee of “independent experts” that formed following the substantial revenue loss the city suffered in April has been organized and will be reviewing the proposals in search of a best fit. Mayor of Cohoes, Bill Keeler, announced the six proposals received via a Facebook post. Of the six proposals the committee faces, two are from previous managers Holly Brown and Owen Smith. The other four proposals listed in Mayor Keelers post include Guthrie/Bell productions from Albany; the Hall, from Niskayuna; Lopolito, from Monroe; and Just Imagine, from Rensselaer.

    “All of these proposals would achieve the goal of continuing the high caliber of entertainment we have seen in the Music Hall in recent years while achieving six figure annual savings for the taxpayers,” said mayor Keeler in a statement, reassuring that those involved in the committee “have deep connections to our community and are experts in their respective fields.”

    Previous contract holder Owen Smith remains hopeful, stating in an email that he feels “really good about the proposal we submitted and are staying hopeful! We really hope we have the opportunity to keep building momentum at the Hall.”

    After reviewing, the committee will be conducting interviews to further aide in their decisions of who will pick up the contract in the coming months. According to the Facebook post made by mayor Keeler, a new management contract is anticipated by late July.

    For updates and announcements, follow The Cohoes Music Hall on Facebook and Twitter

  • James Casey launches Aux Chord, an online music venue

    Despite the pandemic, the show must go on for live musicians. James Casey, longtime touring member of the Trey Anastasio Band, is launching Aux Chord, an online music venue offering ticketed livestream events to soften the blow of canceled gigs for artists and fans alike.

    Aux Chord
    James Casey is performing at Aux Chord’s inaugural event on Thursday, June 11.

    Back in February, Casey foresaw the pandemic’s potential to erase an entire year’s worth of concert dates for himself and other artists. He began brainstorming with his partner Ayla Cobb while quarantined in New York City, and with the help of web developer Stephen Small, they created Aux Chord: A Live Streaming Venue.

    “The goal of Aux Chord is to supply a place for the music community to continue to grow and thrive, and supply a place for music fans to be able to see great live music with great picture and sound,” Casey explains. “I doubt we’re the first to do this, and we definitely won’t be the last, but hopefully this can be a positive thing for the artists at large.”

    Aux Chord’s first event, a live showcase starring Casey, is Thursday, June 11 at 9 p.m. ET. Upcoming performers on the service include Jennifer Hartswick and Nick Cassarino, Natalie Cressman and Ian Faquini, Louis Cato and Erin Boyd. Tickets are available now at auxchord.live.

    The site’s performances are behind a paywall, and musicians set their own prices and receive the majority of ticket revenues. The fees are nominal and transparent, allowing fans to support artists without fear of gouging or high overhead.

    “Hopefully this can be a resource for musicians, especially independent artists, in a time where we honestly aren’t able to perform and do what we’ve been working towards our whole lives. But what we can do is these live streams and create art for people to consume, especially considering that everyone is going through a whole lot right now,” Casey said. “This isn’t like going live on Facebook or Instagram and busking. The platform is about elevating that experience and really performing for the people. We’re putting on a show.”

  • ESYO Announces “Sounding Together” Digital Festival

    ESYO (The Empire State Youth Orchestra) announced their “Sounding Together” digital festival in celebration of the orchestra’s 40th birthday season.  The festival will last three days Thursday, June 11 through Saturday, June 13 and will stream across Facebook Watch and YouTube nightly at 7PM.

    “Sounding Together” festival will include thirteen ensembles and over 400 young musicians from around the region. The festival will feature student-produced videos as well as virtual performances of all 13 ESYO ensembles. There will also be a virtual premiere of an original composition by Carlos Ágreda who is the Music Director of ESYO. 

    Some of the highlights will include compositions of “Amazing Grace” by Jay Dawson and  “What a Wonderful World” by Concertino String. The festival will also include Senior Spotlights in honor of the ESYO Class of 2020. Students will reflect on playing through the pause caused by COVID-19. There will also be dedications to front line healthcare heroes, first responders, and Capital Region teachers.

    The “Sounding Together” digital festival was made possible by donations from University at Albany Foundation and the Metlife Charitable Foundation. ESYO is known regionally and nationally for challenging and inspiring young people to engage in a pursuit of musical excellence.

    For more information on ESYO and their “Sounding Together” festival please visit their website.

  • Video Premiere: Todd Alsup “Manhattan”

    Todd Alsup premieres his new music video “Manhattan” is an ode to his beloved city as it braves the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dedicated to the essential workers and everyday heroes of New York City, the video features its diverse population coming together as a community while remaining six feet apart. Essential workers such as firemen and first responders are given special focus, as well as the artists and musicians who continue to brighten up the city in dark and confusing times.

    Raised in Detroit, Alsup first became enamored with New York City on a high school trip. He fell further in love while attending New York University, where he earned a bachelor of music degree studying voice, theory, and songwriting. The singer, songwriter, and keyboardist says:

    “‘Manhattan’ is a love song I wrote for the city I’ve called home for over 20 years. New York was, of course, hit very hard at the onset of COVID-19 and is now a center of protest in the fight against systemic racism and police brutality.  I’ve seen my city rise up in the face of daunting challenges many times before and I’ve chosen to create a video that celebrates the spirit of strength and perseverance of New Yorkers.”

    Todd Alsup

    Todd Alsup criticizes many aspects of the city throughout the track, such as its noise, cold temperature, and “lunatics everywhere,” but ultimately couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.  “One million reasons to leave and a million more to stay / Oh Manhattan, I wouldn’t have you any other way,” he concedes. In addition to “Manhattan,” Alsup has also released a lyric video for his cover of The Spinners’ 1973 hit “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” adding a retro hip hop flair to the Motown classic.

  • “Talk – Action = Zero”: a New Album to Combat Injustice

    On Friday, June 5, Bank Robber Music and Rough Trade Publishing released Talk – Action = Zero, a collaborative album which hopes to create awareness and fight against the injustices that the Black community face as a result of police brutality.

    Talk Action Zero


    The album was created after the recent murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Their stories mirror those of countless other African Americans. This collaboration album is a reaction to these injustices and will hopefully make more Americans aware of the wrongful treatment of BIPOC all over the country. The album has been the group project of Jay Watts, Bartees Strange, Rogue Wave, Crashing Hotels, Nick Andre, Lateef The Truthspeaker, Superchunk, Damon & Naomi, as well Lonemoon, a trans woman of color.

    Several New York-based artists have also made contributions to the album; Phantogram (Saratoga Springs) and New York City artists Jesse Malin, Matthew Caws of Nada Surf, Worriers, as well as Sulene, lead guitarist of Fun., all make contributions to the album.

    All of the proceeds of the album will go towards Black Visions Collective, an organization founded in 2017 which aims to bring about justice for all Black people and work to create “a world in which ALL Black Lives Matter”. The organization is based in Minnesota, where George Floyd was wrongfully murdered by police on May 25. The officers are currently being brought to justice, but the fight for equality is far from over.

    Talk – Action = Zero is now available on Bandcamp and donate to George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s families if possible.

  • Door to Door Concert Platform “Curbside Concerts” Brings Live Music to Your Front Yard

    You have already heard of restaurants offering curbside pickup but, this platform plans on bringing that same ease and COVID-19 socially distant, idea to music fans across the country. Curbside Concerts, a platform with the goal of bringing back concerts during the pandemic age, is following in the footsteps of businesses who have found safe and socially distant ways of going about business as normal.

    This platform is set up Uber Eats style, users can use their phones to find a list of artists in the area who will come perform a live set at your address. Artists and users then agree on a socially distant location, whether it be your front yard or your driveway, the whole concert experience will be free of any pandemic worries. The list of artists participating across the country include local musicians as well as national acts such as Umphrey’s McGee, Dopapod, and more.

    We find ourselves at a point in quarantine where we wish for two things: a change in pace from our day to day, stuck inside routine, and for us music fans, the urge to see live music. Curbside Concerts offers us with a solution to both. Talk of outdoor concerts reminiscent to drive in movie theaters has been buzzing around on the internet however, the scarcity of such concerts leave options like Curbside Concerts seeming tangible.

    For more information and to book a concert for your own front lawn visit the Curbside Concerts website.

    https://youtu.be/4s0ds-JDeBA

  • Launch Global announces 12 hour virtual Protest Festival in support of Black Lives Matter movement

    Launch Global has announced that their 12 hour virtual festival is set to premiere on Saturday, June 13 at 4PM. Launch is a virtual concert platform and artist co-op that supports and celebrates independent artists. Artists can collaborate with other artists, acquire the success for live-streaming and help artists develop their careers. 

    The virtual festival is a donation-based protest in full solidarity and support of the anti-racist and pro-equality movement, fueled by powerful Black voices, and by diverse artists who all stand against racial injustice, the racist prison system, deeply ingrained racial bias, and who celebrate the Black community’s contribution to music at large. The event will be streamed live at LaunchGlobal.TV and donations will go directly to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, to support the development of all the progressive legislation coming from this current watershed moment. 

    Launch Global

    The festival which was originally scheduled for June 6 is postponed to June 13 in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and media blackout. Launch Global’s roster of artists includes Jessie Wagner (Nile Rodgers & Chic), Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, Kaydonna, Bonita Jalane, Girl God, Qing Screw Face, TrewCulture, Kendra Black, Rogue Wave, Karaleigh, Abracadabra Field Trip, Mars Motel, Cello Joe, Raphael25 and many more.

    A statement from Launch Global can be seen below.

    Out of respect for the current sociopolitical climate, and to do our part to help make space for voices that need to be heard, Launch Global felt compelled to postpone our streaming festival scheduled for this past weekend. We’ve decided to move the event this coming weekend, and transform it in to an exercise in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Launch Global is, at its core, a music coop, and as such we all owe an immeasurable debt to Black culture. We find ourselves in one of many pivotal moments through our nation’s history where everybody needs to band together to protect the right and safety of Black people, and Launch Global intends to do our part in whatever way we can.