NYS Music 202​0

Tag: NYC

  • Otto Botté Drops “Humbara” Music Video

    Otto Botté dropped his “Humbara” music video on December 14, 2020. The song is a nod to the New York City based artist’s Colombian roots. 

    Botté is known for being 1/3 of the sample-based electronic group Pool Cosby, who just released their second album, Day Breaks. He has also worked with an array of superstar musicians. He did the mastering on the Robin Schulz remix of “Waves” by Mr. Probz ended up landing him a Grammy nomination back in 2015 for Best Remixed Recording – Non-Classical. He has worked with names  Enrique Iglesias, Trey Songz, Fedez, Club Dogo in his and has mastered work that adds up to over 8 million in sales. 

    The single “Humbara” dropped originally back on November 20, 2020. The song has a unique and genre-bending sound that sees a fusion of worlds and cultures and creates one irresistible dance track out of them. It really deep dives into the culture-rich sounds of Botté’s Colombian roots while creating a laidback electro-synth melody. It uses traditional Colombian instrumentation, from the thumping conga drums to the dance-inducing wooden flutes and maracas. 

    The track recently surpassed 18,000 streams and has received support from big names like NPR Music’s World Cafe, Kick Kick Snare, and radio play on LA’s LatinAlt HD3. The music video brings even more energy and support to the up and coming track with names like  Pablo Morelo directing it. 

    “Humbara was the first song I created as a solo producer about 4 years ago. I was single then, and the only thing I felt I could confidently write about was my relationship with God, so I wrote a song to him.”Otto Botté shares about his inspiration behind the track, “Last year, I fell in love with someone, and the more I heard this song, the more I felt God’s love in my relationship and how it constantly felt like He was singing this song back to me. It’s been a beautiful experience connecting with God these past few years, and at the time with her through this song. The experience itself always felt as if our relationship (mine with hers and God) was manifested through the melodies and grooves in this song. It symbolizes how there can be a spiritual connection between two people and God.”

    The video features only Botté singing and dancing in different scenic natural areas. There are a few shots of animals and beautiful views but manley is simplistic in the best way possible focusing on the music and Botté. Check out the full video here.

    For more information on Otto Botté visit his website here.

  • Rising Producer DJ MIME Releases Diverse Debut Album ’20/20′

    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
    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.

    https://youtu.be/UUnDRMc14Hs
    DJ MIME and Zhiko – SRY

  • Jazz Standard in New York City Closes Doors for Good

    Jazz Standard announced on December 2 that it would be permanently closing its New York City venue. In their Instagram announcement, the venue shared a heartfelt message thanking their team members, guests, and New York City for embracing and supporting the jazz venue throughout its tenure. 

    Jazz Standard is one of many independent and local music venues that faced immense economic hardship from a lack of revenue because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the first major jazz club in New York City to permanently shut down.

    Jazz Standard

    According to an NPR article about the recent news of their closing, Jazz Standard first opened its doors in 1997 and then reopened in 2002, with the basement club along with the new edition of a barbecue restaurant upstairs called Blue Smoke Flatiron. Danny Meyer owns the club and restaurant.

    The venue is well known for the variety of musical talent at their venue, including artists’ recordings that eventually tuned into albums from Maria Schneider Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band, trumpeter Dave Douglas, drummer Dafnis Prieto, and pianist Fred Hersch. In addition to professional performances, Jazz Standard also hosted different programs to promote growth in the jazz community among all generations of jazz musicians, young and old including “Mingus Mondays,” “Jazz For Kids,” and “Jazz Standard Discovery Program.”

    Their farewell post stated,

    While our physical doors may be shut, our passion to serve and entertain lives on and we are optimistic about the future and writing the next chapter of Jazz Standard. In the meantime, the club is hosting exclusive artist conversations and performances virtually.

    Five “Virtual Talk Series” from the venue are all available to watch on their YouTube page, with the latest video “Wayne’s World: A Discussion on Wayne Shorter with Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, and Brian Blade,” uploaded this past week.

  • Carnival Crash: A Legacy of NYC Post-Punk found within ‘It Is A Happy Man’

    New York City was much different in the early 1980s then it is today, and without Carnival Crash. The city had a dangerous seediness that was fueled by a Reagan era recession and a deadly arms race that was being perpetrated between the Super Powers of East and West. Everyday could be your last, and the young people of that time questioned everything and trusted no one. They banded together with a “can’t take it with you” attitude that challanged all of the prevailing norms of Reagan’s 80’s America. This cacophony of chaos was the genesis of the post-punk movement, which created some of the most iconic music in history in dank & dirty NYC punk clubs like CBGB and the famed 82 Club.

    Carnival Crash-photo - high res crop 2.jpg

    Bands like the Talking Heads and Television transcended from the punk scene to legendary heights, but for every success there were a multitude of brilliant but brief post punk outfits that never made it out of the NYC scene. This unfortunately was the case for Carnival Crash, a three piece dynamo that lasted just about two years, but luckily for the listener, this obscure trio left us a glorious time capsule. Their legacy of recordings, compiled on It Is A Happy Man (Obelisk Records), stands the test of time. This seven track gem of an EP is the reissue of two different recording sessions that Carnival Crash engaged in back in 1981 and 1982, before they ultimately disbanded later that year.

    The now defunk trio was comprised of Norman Westberg (guitar), Ivan Nahem (vocals/drums), and John Griffin (bass/vocals). Although the lifespan of Carnival Crash was short, the members left their mark with tracks like “Tell Tale Heart.” Nahem’s vocals and Griffin’s bass paint the picture of a smoke filled club with sticky floors and plenty of patrons adorned in black leather “slamming” to the hypnotic beat. The band showcases Westburg’s club seasoned guitar stylings, as well the band’s affinity for the classic monster genre with just a dash of twisted humor with numbers like “Frakenstein” and “Edge Of Night.” Both songs could easily be used today on any maccabe low budget horror flick soundtrack.

    Carnival Crash brings out their inner Bauhaus with Griffin’s haunting vocals and Nahem’s spot-on percussion work for the album’s fifth and sixth tracks “Nostalgia” and “Method 1.” The recording fidelity on these tracks could be described as poor compared to today’s digitally sanitized world, but these numbers were recorded on a TEAC 4-track recorder way back in 1981. The roughness and grittiness of these recording works in complete synergy to the Carnival Crash’s artistic aesthetic. There are no fancy modern Pro Tools production gimmicks like auto tune on this EP. The band just provides a boat load of reverb with healthy dose of post punk angst and pure artistic expression.

    Although their tenure as a band was brief, the members of Carnival Crash continued to create powerful and provocative art throughout the years and are still at it even today. Norman Westberg went on to join Michael Gira as the guitarist for NYC experimental rock band Swans, which would eventually disband in 1997. Westburg still creates music performing and recording as a solo act. Ivan and his brother Andrew formed Ritual Tension with Michael Shockley and Marc Sloan which has recently re-formed after their dissolution in the early 1990’s. They are currently touring and have recorded a new album It’s Just The Apocalypse, It’s Not The End, will be released this Fall on Arguably Records. John Griffin is still producing work as a painter and musician . His latest musical project is called  the griffin morrissey catastrophe.

    It Is A Happy Man by Carnival Crash will be released by Obelisk Records later this month. The record will be pressed on a limited run of 150 copies on chartreuse vinyl as well as being available in a digital format.

    Key Tracks: Tell Tale Heart, Fool, Frankenstein

  • Broadway Stays Dark Until May 2021

    On March 12, all Broadway theaters went dark due to the coronavirus pandemic. Theaters hoped on opening this January, but the shutdown has been extended through at least May 30, 2021.

    Broadway Stays Dark
    A poster on Times Square advertises West Side Story at the Broadway Theater on February 7, 2020 in New York City. – Westside Story is returning to Broadway for the first time in more than a decade, directed by Belgian Ivo Van Hove. (Photo by Johannes EISELE / AFP) (Photo by JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images)

    On October 9, The Broadway League announced that Broadway will remain dark until next Summer. This shutdown is the longest ever in Broadway’s history. If theaters open as planned next May, shows will have been closed for 444 days, keeping thousands out of work for more than a year.

    “With nearly 97,000 workers who rely on Broadway for their livelihood and an annual economic impact of $14.8 billion to the city, our membership is committed to re-opening as soon as conditions permit us to do so. We are working tirelessly with multiple partners on sustaining the industry once we raise our curtains again.”

    Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League

    Before the shutdown, 31 productions were running on Broadway, including 8 new shows in previews. 8 additional shows were in rehearsals with plans to open last spring. Hangmen, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and Disney’s Frozen struggled greatly and closed permanently. Shows like Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster’s revival of The Music Man, American Buffalo, and The Minutes postponed their opening dates. The Music Man announced plans to open on February 10, 2022.

    Broadway Stays Dark
    Photo by Kate Glicksberg

    Needless to say, the Broadway community’s fans and workers are heartbroken. The Broadway League announced that although the current opening date is May 30, individual production’s reopening dates may differ. The League suggests that “theatregoers holding tickets for dates through May 30, 2021 should contact their point of purchase for details about exchanges and refunds.”

    Amid this crisis, fans can still look forward to the 2020 Tony Awards. The show will be presented virtually, and the nominees for each category will be announced October 15.

  • Brooklyn Duo Bottler Capture Natural Beauty with “Soft Winds”

    Brooklyn’s electronic music duo Bottler released “Soft Winds,” their first single off their newest EP Grow, set to release on October 9. The collaboration with Samurai Velvet captures the mesmerizing beauty of the tropics’ ambiance with lyrics about reclaiming power in relationships.

    Bottler
    Photo by Rick Perez

    After working on different projects for years, lifelong friends Pat Butler and Phil Shore founded Bottler in 2017. Their strong emotional bond has allowed them to make musical discoveries together and explore their creative chemistry. The two break the boundaries of conventional music and represent true creative freedom. They don’t limit themselves to a single genre or form, and experiment with indie, dance, and electropop with acoustic, digital, and analog instrumentation. Their unique style is inspired by the vibrant Brooklyn music scene. Bottler’s artistic inspiration combines the past, present, and future of music.

    This blending of style is truly present in “Soft Winds,” which captures the feeling and sounds of nature’s beauty. Bottler says that “the song materialized in a day” on a trip to the tropics. “The goal was to capture the feeling of being in awe at the beauty of nature around us.” “Soft Winds” transports you to a place of tranquility with its blend of the electronic and the natural.

    bottler

    The track shows all the wonder of Bottler’s personality blended together with vocals from Samurai Velvet’s Saige Smith. As good friends with Bottler, Samurai Velvet “were moved and eager to collaborate” after hearing the track. Smith’s voice and lyrics stand out in the track, as she sings about reclaiming personal power after infidelity. The message of inner strength matches perfectly with the everyday quality of Bottler’s instrumentals. Surrounded by nothing but nature’s beauty, Smith sings, “I have the power to make myself free.”

    Grow follows Bottler’s previous EP, Clementine, and describes Bottler’s personal and creative growth. Bottler recorded the EP in their home studio with their analog synths, guitars, pianos, samples, and drum machines. The homemade quality contributes to the individual message of the album for Butler and Shore. Grow is Bottler’s debut with French electronic label InFiné, who quickly discovered them after the release of Clementine.

    “Soft Winds” is available to stream now. Stay tuned for Grow‘s release on October 9.

  • Wiley Watson Releases Pop Rock Late Night Bar Anthem “The Kid”

    Brooklyn based artist Wiley Watson today releases his new single “The Kid,” taking listeners on a journey inspired by a rambunctious night in York, England, post-breakup.

    Wiley Watson

    The song features a variety of styles blended to construct the party-induced instrumental. The vibe you can expect going into this track is cheerful regret, its the type of music that plays in the background of a dive bar with a PBR in hand and, that is what makes it “indie” in the best way.

    The instrumentals fuse influence from across genres including pop, indie rock, and hints of hard rock but, with a heavy reliance on a new-wave funk swagger.

    The alt-rock/pop artist promises to bring all the energy on his new track exclaiming, “The song is a party/bar fight type song,” exclaims Watson. “I want the listener to listen to this song before they go on a night out with the lads. It’s all about bad decisions, poor choices, and having a legendary night with your pals.” A statement which, is swiftly delivered as the track progresses.

    Wiley Watson

    Wiley is genuinely giving in his approach to writing his music and it’s content. You can feel robust with his upbeat rock anthems, can transcend into a memory with his melodic guitar riffs, or even feel melancholy through his sadder, ‘lost love’ songs. His style can be credited to a broad range of influences from classical composers, heavy metal shredders, arena singing pop stars, and even spaghetti western films; Wiley’s influences broadens his sound which allows for a wide audience appeal. 

    A former college athlete, Watson returned to New York City, a place that influenced his childhood and now lives in Brooklyn. Here is where Wiley would begin to challenge his sound and grow with influences of contemporary indie rockers such as Bleachers and F.U.N. 

    To find out more about Wiley Watson, visit his website, and for more music, check out his Soundcloud.

  • Jerry Seinfeld Backs Chuck Schumer to Help Save NYC Music Scene

    As New York continues to reopen and look towards normalcy amid the pandemic, music venues continue to lose money from not being able to reopen. Music venues in New York City face additional financial hardship as they bring in the most revenue.

    In an effort to prevent further economic loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, a Brooklyn native,  has now backed Senator Chuck Schumer’s plea for passing the “Save Our Stages Act” that would provide needed federal funding for New York music venues, according to SILive.com.

    Jerry Seinfeld

    The RESTART ACT was the first bill introduced to provide financial support to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through guaranteed loan programs and loan forgiveness back in May. The “Save Our Stages Act” was later proposed in July to advocate for support of music venues that have lost significant revenue from the ability to host music events because of COVID-19. Jerry Seinfeld is one of many performers to publicly voice his belief in New York’s resilience and support Schumer’s cosponsor for the “Save Our Stages Act.”  

    New York City’s diverse music venues, concert halls, theaters, and entertainment performances all fuel the coveted music scene. Schumer said 90% of independent venues have already closed in New York according to SILive.com. Other independent venues struggle to remain open because of the lack of community support at local music events caused by the pandemic. If passed the “Save our Stages Act” could help fund the cost of personal protective equipment, mortgages, payroll costs, and other expenses for venues.

    Save Our Stages Act would create a new $10 billion Small Business Administration (SBA) program to provide grants of up to $12 million to eligible live venue operators, producers, promoters, or talent representatives to help cover six months of operating expenses and offset the economic impact of COVID-19.

    NY Senator Chuck Schumer

  • Giant Art Steps Announces Central Park Series In Honor Of U.S. Representative John Lewis

    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.

    Giant Art Steps

    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

    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 

    Oct. 10 – Saxophonist Nicole Glover – band TBA

    Oct. 11 – Saxophonist Chris Potter – band TBA

  • Interview: Brooklyn’s Francis Aud Releases FONKY Single

    Brooklyn electro-pop funk artist Francis Aud recently released his newest single “Take Me Home,” blending bittersweet lyrics with an upbeat and unique electric funk. 

    Francis Aud

    Francis Aud started out as a retro-soul artist and released his debut EP Tender Things in July 2017. Since then, his music has evolved into what he calls ‘FONK,’ his own original blend of electro-pop and funk. This refreshing mix gives his music personality and makes his sound memorable. Francis tells NYS Music:

    My biggest inspirations are Al Green, Marvin Gaye, and Sam Cooke. From listening to those guys, I then found Jackie Wilson, James Brown, and then followed the thread of musicians they influenced all the way up to contemporary pop artists like Bruno Mars and Parcels.

    Francis Aud

    What he listened to as a child has been “carried in his psyche,” and he says that listening to “super romantic Spanish crooner music or The Commodores” all the time as a kid still influences his own writing style today. “I almost exclusively write about love, relationships, and desire and I still try to phrase the lines I sing like how a crooner would…old habits die hard I guess!” He’s been releasing several FONKY singles since 2018 in preparation for a bigger release in the future.

    “Take Me Home” looks back on a past relationship with bittersweet nostalgia. “When it comes to lyric-writing,” Francis says, “I’m always trying my best not to write lyrics that aren’t devoid of meaning (if that makes sense.) I think lots of the time when people hear the words ‘pop music’ their mind immediately jumps to this idea of extremely surface level and superficial lyrics that come from lazily relying on overused tropes and clichés. I think good pop music doesn’t have to be devoid of a deeper meaning and there’s lots of proof around me of that.” 

    Francis Aud
    Photo courtesy of Amanda Blide

    Despite its somewhat sad message, the single is in no way a downer. It’s upbeat and dancey. “That comes from my shameless love of 80’s music,” the artist admits. “I seriously, positively, TRULY, love music from the 80’s, especially the movie soundtracks where the arrangements were super over the top and used cheesy keyboard sounds on everything. Because that music makes me happy, I think it’d be worth exploring the juxtaposition between that music and the lyrics and I’m just lucky to call it a success!” The 80’s vibes in “Take Me Home” are clear, but with an original and modern spin that is lacking in some other “cheesy” pop. 

    Francis Aud’s music and website both shine with his positivity and humor. “I don’t think I can ever remember a time where I wasn’t blatantly making terrible dad jokes and puns,” he says about his ever-present humor. “In terms of positivity,” he notes, “I think it comes from both my parents and also comes with the territory of being a musician. With my parents being immigrants and coming to this NYC during the really rough 80s’-90’s, they had to work their asses off to make things happen and they had to have an optimism that things would work out. I think I naturally picked up on that. ALSO, when it comes to being an artist, you almost have to force train yourself to become more positive on a daily basis because there really is no guarantee that your art will be heard or even enjoyed.”

    Despite the global halt brought by the Coronavirus, Francis has been keeping busy working on music: “I’ve been spending most of the quarantine teaching myself more about music production and trying my best to ‘level up’ my home recording set-up,” and “I’ve been working with more getting more comfortable using synthesizers and more of the electronic aspects of music production,” he says, as he can’t record in a full studio with a band right now due to the quarantine. “Aside from that, I’m always trying to hone my writing and working to finding that distinct balance between saying something meaningful and being catchy.” 

    Stream or buy “Take Me Home,” and check out Francis Aud’s other music on his website, Soundcloud, or Spotify. Francis also has a side project where he releases original indie-folk music under the name “stella.”