The debut show of Blue Star Radiation on November 18th at the newly renovated Westcott Theater in Syracuse New York, followed by Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs, Nectar’s in Burlington and Oxbow Brewing and Bend in Portland, Maine. The four night tour before the holidays makes it a fantastic voyage through New England.
Composition versus improvisation. moe., Kung Fu, The Breakfast, Lotus, Percy Hill, Ghosts of Jupiter, and Assembly of Dust all come from a heavy catalog of music that can be played differently any given night. Blue Star Radiation is a new band that glows off these concepts that includes Vinnie Amico on drums, Rob Derhak on bass, Tim Palmieri on guitar and Nate Wilson on B3 Hammond keys and flute.
It is appropriate that moe.’s ryhthm section of Rob and Vinnie started this mini run on a Thursday in Upstate, New York. After all, they have played in front a rowdier 220,000 down the thruway in Rome during Woodstock 99. There is a Danko/ Helm quality of the two when they are on a New York stage that radiates. The freshly renovated Westcott filled the old cinema to the back of the house with new premium seating alongside the left stage. moe.’s “The Pit” opened the inaugural performance and helped welcome everyone to a comfortable spot in the room to groove. Nate Wilson then plays his original “Eye of the Yellow Tiger.”
The new four piece also filled the first set with some back in black covers. The Black Crowes‘ “Wiser Time” and Santana’s “Black Magic Woman” created a sandstorm of surprises. The band also claimed they were playing ‘Set List Yahtzee’ with a malleable list of songs to pull from. Again, it was a Thursday night for the first of four shows, why stick to the plan?
The second set unfolded with some some chilling viking rock. Nate Wilson’s keys and vocals took Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter” to warn the frosty November crowd that snow falls hard and don’t you know, the winds of Thor are blowing cold. (Led Zeppelin did play in Syracuse at the War Memorial in November of 1969.) What a song to cover ahead of the partial lunar eclipse that night for the blood moon that hasn’t been seen since the 1440’s. One of the first snows of the year did arrive just as the eclipse unfolded at 4 AM giving way to Thor.
The band did give a lighter nod to the Syracuse, New York suburb of Liverpool by covering “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window” by the Beatles. Tim Palmieri took lead on this as he has on many Sunday Beatles acoustic sets he’s been known to do in New Haven, CT. The band encored with the moe. classic “Opium,” no quarter notes in these lyrics, It’s eight AM not a quarter past three, flowers and fog won’t you rescue me.
poster by Matt Leunig
Rob Derhark simply thanked the crowd for letting them do their thing and have a week of music to just simply cut loose to. Tim Palmieri helped raise a glass and get the Westcott crowd to cheers to moe. guitarist Chuck Garvey. The simplicity of appreciation to play music that is essentially improvisational and unplanned transcends after the show is over.
Blue Star Radiation – The Westcott Theater, Syracuse, NY – November 18, 2021
Set 1: The Pit, Eye of the Yellow Tiger, Wiser Time, Blue Jeans Pizza, Dance Hall Days, Black Magic Woman
Set 2: Locomotive Breath, Mar De Ma, All in Stride, She Came in Through the Bathroom Window, Sign, No Quarter, Bloody Well Right
The Hollies, one of the most iconic bands in British music and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees will celebrate their 60th anniversary with a return to the US in 2022.
The dates mark the band’s first US tour in over two decades and take in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, New Jersey, and Washington DC.
Famed for their soaring, distinctive melodies and brilliantly crafted songs, the 60th-anniversary tour will see The Hollies performing their best-known hits including ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’, ‘The Air That I Breathe’, ‘Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)’, ‘Bus Stop’, ‘Carrie-Anne’ and ‘Sorry Suzanne’.
We felt like this is something no other band gets to do, celebrate six decades together, 60 years of this band and these songs means so much to us and so many others.
Tony Hicks, guitarist
The line-up includes powerhouse drummer Bobby Elliott, and singer, songwriter, and lead guitarist Tony Hicks, both of whom are original members of the band. They are joined by lead singer Peter Howarth, as well as bass player Ray Stiles, Keyboardist Ian Parker, and Steve Lauri on Rhythm Guitar.
Celebrated as one of the most influential bands from the 1960s British Invasion era alongside the likes of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, the Hollies have had over 20 worldwide hits, including number one singles in both the US and UK. They have spent an astonishing 263 weeks in the UK’s top 40 official singles chart, and have been performing continuously since their formation in 1962.
We’re incredibly excited performing for everyone on what will be some of the most special shows in the history of The Hollies.
Bobby Elliott, drummer
Their cultivated musicianship, coupled with the Hollies’ extensive back catalog of memorable rock ‘n’ roll tunes, has ensured the longevity of one of the greatest groups to emerge from the early 1960’s British Rock Revolution.
In 1995, they have bestowed the coveted Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution To British Music, and in 2010 were inducted into the American Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame for their ‘impact on the evolution, development, and perpetuation of Rock and Roll’.
The Hollies 60th Anniversary Tour Dates
April 2 – Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown, NJ April 4 – The Kennedy Center, Washington DC April 5 – Town Hall, New York, NY April 7 – The Athenaeum, Chicago, IL April 9 – The Saban, Los Angeles, CA
The Dirty Dozen Brass band from New Orleans just finished up a four night residency at Blue Note on Sunday November 14. Fellow Orleans Cats Ivan Neville and Tony Hall of Dumpstaphunk checked out the brass band at the Note on Thursday before their two night sold out run at Madison Square Garden with Dave Matthews Band.
You never know who will stop in to New York City’s infamous Blue Note Jazz Club in Manhattan. Since the clubs history in 1981 it wasn’t uncommon to have Stevie Wonder appear on the Greenwich Village stage room that seats 250. Isaiah Sharkey and Cory Henry helped kick some funky neo soul beats from the club so far this year. During their Fall 2021 residency lasting over thirty days with Robert Glasper the club welcomed Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle to the Note.
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band helped keep the New Orleans groove in the village vibrant during their four night stay. The brass section consists of Kirk Joseph on jazz sousaphone, Roger Lewis on Baritone Sax, Calvin Johnson on tenor saxophone, Timothy Norris on Trombone and Gregory Davis on Trumpet and vocals. Guitarist Takeshi Shimura and on Drums Julian Addison. Sitting in during the residency were Dave Mullen & Rick Frank on horns.
Gregory Davis gave the club a bit of an angle on the bands influences that helped get every one up from their tables. Davis told the sold out Blue Note crowd,
One of our influences was James Brown. James always played music that people would dance to. So Get on Up! James would want to see you shake your tail feather.
To keep James spirit strutting down West 3rd street the dozen laid down a “Super Bad” jam that everybody on the Note stage stretched out on. Improvisation on a classic funk cut at its finest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbUcEt8dRSU
Davis also got to the crowd to partake vocally by turning their seats in to funk doctor chairs. “You know when your at the Doctor and he gets you to say Ahh?” “Do it just like that” The procedure worked as the crowd gave way in unison to their “Ahhs” that helped launch the band in to the classic New Orleans funk composition “Cissy Strut”
The world renowned New Orleans groove that was in Manhattan this past weekend from the Garden to The Blue Note was a vibe. It carved out some trenches from the Mississippi to the Hudson River, It created another musical niche with the other great Blue Note locations in Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan, Milan, Italy, Waikiki, Hawaii, Napa California, Beijing, China and Sao Paulo & Rio De Janeiro Brazil. When asked about performing at the Blue Note Tokyo legendary artist Steve Gadd told NYS Music the secret to playing any great gig.
I mean you always go off the audience. When you get it musically to a level where everyone on the bandstand is having fun and can hear each other and you can trust the audience is hearing it the way you are it gets to a spiritual level. In Japan or wherever you are, that’s the goal.
Proctors Collaborative has announced the next block of upcoming shows at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs.
After a brief opening in Feb. 2020, as with many venues across the country, UPH had to close its doors briefly before opening again during the COVID-19 pandemic as an exhibit hall in July 2020.
UPH is incredibly unique and adaptable as a year-round cultural center with multiple spaces. Our main performance space is a 700-seat, state-of-the-art theatre in the round and has been designed so that no audience member will be farther than 60 feet from the performer. There’s not a bad seat in the house!
Virginia’s jam and alt-rock outfit Kendall Street Company have teamed up with toe-tappin’ bluegrass quartet The Dirty Grass Players to announce a slew of co-headlining winter tour dates this December. The two bands will each perform a set of original songs before collaborating under the name “The Dirty Street Grass Company” for a super jam at the end of each show.
The run of shows will kick off on December 4th in The Dirty Grass Players’ hometown of Baltimore, MD and weave through the Northeastern states of New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut. The collaboration series will also be available to fans worldwide via the live-streamed performance on Friday, December 10th.
Our relationship with the Dirty Grass Players goes back to the ancient days of 2016. We were introduced to them by a talent buyer who described DGP as ‘the real deal bluegrass outfit’ and said they’d be a good pairing with our eclectic brand of jam rock. Fast forward to now, we have performed with them many times and consider them close musical companions. It’s about time we did a full-on tour together. To get hype for this collaboration, we [Kendall Street Company] have even been working on some bluegrass-y arrangements of our own tunes to mix into our set.
Ben Laderberg of Kendall Street Company.
Kendall Street Company (KSC) has created a unique musical identity that is quickly separating them from the pack. Featuring Louis Smith (acoustic guitar, vox), Brian Roy (bass), Ryan Wood (drums), Ben Laderberg (electric guitar), and Jake Vanaman (saxophones, keys), the band seamlessly brings together a mélange of genres as diverse as jam-rock,indie, folk, americana, psychedelia, jazz, and even bluegrass.
Composed of Connor Murray on bass, Alex Berman on vocals & banjo, Ben Kolakowski with the guitar & vocals, and Ryan Rogers on mandolin, they have been bringing their growing fanbase a down and dirty performance for over five years. Their ability to seamlessly transition from down-home bluegrass to spirited improvisation makes each performance unique. Mix in some Allman Brothers, Pink Floyd, or a dash of southern rock and you’ll quickly understand what they mean by “Dirty Grass”.
Entering into their sixth year together, The Dirty Grass Players just released their 2nd studio album, “Beneath the Woodpile”. Put together with alluring harmonies, lyrics, and melodies, the band presents a sound precisely at the crossroads of traditional and progressive bluegrass. This isn’t just another run-of-the-mill bluegrass album or band; it’s cathartic and dirty grass.
Lettuceblazed back to Buffalo during their Fall run of their 2021 Bring Back The Love Tour. This past July they crushedLake George and Western New York’s Art Park. The group played the fully renovated historic Buffalo Town Ballroom on Main Street. The three floor club is an infamous hometown venue to funk artists Rick James and Soulive.
Lettuce founding member Sam Kininger joined for one just gig this summer at the Lake George Adirondack stage. This fall, he has been on tour with Lettuce for every club date and has helped fill out a three-piece brass section with Benny Bloom and Ryan Zoidis. Like Drummer Adam Deitch told NYS music, “Sam’s the godfather of Lettuce”
The November 11 performance went from 8:15 till 10:15 with Lettuce crushing all the way through without leaving the stage for the encore. The current Lettuce hybrid batch is also made up of Erick “Jesus” Coombs on bass, Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff on guitar and Nigel Hall on keyboards and vocals.
They treated the Buffalo audience to “Break Out” from their infamous 2004 Live in Tokyo Album. Legendary artist Steve Gadd told NYS music the secret to any live gig. “When you get it musically to a level where everyone on the bandstand is having fun and can hear each other and you can trust the audience is hearing it the way you are, it gets to a spiritual level. In Japan or wherever you are. That’s the goal.”
The spirit of Buffalo legend Rick James could be felt in the house on Wednesday. To pay homage to the city of Buffalo’s funk artist, Lettuce burnt “Mary Jane” from his debut album Come Get It. Like Buffalo native Alan Evans told NYS Music about James’ music, “Its hard to choose…Bustin out of L Seven on vinyl, you kinda can’t go wrong with. That’s a dope record.”
Come catch Lettuce bust out more funk on the road in America with dates leading up to a New Years Eve show at Miami’s North Beach Band Shell. The first week of the new year Lettuce Drummer Adam Deitch will join DJ Logic & a world-class line-up of Friends including Karl Denson on saxophone and MonoNeon on bass at New York’s Blue Note. Lettuce kicks off 2022 with a European tour starting 2/22 for two months.
Lettuce – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY, November 11, 2021
Setlist: Purple Highness, Dump, Breakout, Suppit, Mary Jane, Sly>Silence is Golden-> Mr Yancey, Central Nyack, Pep n Step, Move on Up, Don’t Change for Me
Prior to the tour closing performance of Dave Matthews Band at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 13, frontman Dave Matthews introduced Dumpstaphunk, who would open the evening’s festivities. Sharing with the sold out New York City audience that he was so damn lucky,
I got to listen to sound check yesterday with Dumpstaphunk and then I got to listen to them last night, then at sound check again today. So you guys only got two, by the end of this set I’ll have four. This is one of my favorite bands in the world. This band also saved my life but that’s a different story anyway have a good time with my friends Dumpstaphunk
Photo by Joseph Buscarello
Matthews’ story was referring to his sold out Labor Day weekend shows at The Gorge where Tony Hall of Dumpstaphunk and company helped sit in to perform three nights of Dave’s music on the spot. DMB keyboardist Buddy Strong sat behind the drums and Tony Hall held the low end down on bass & backing vocals. It was as an alternate format to help the shows go on without Carter Beauford and Stefan Lessard’s rhythm section for the first time in thirty years.
A similar situation of musical chairs unfolded at Madison Square Garden as saxophonist Jeff Coffin was forced to sit out the two-night run. Rashawn Ross opened Leroi Moore’s original brass section to Ben Golder-Novick, Alex Wasily and Ashlin Parker to the 7th Avenue stage. The Dumpstaphunk horns sat in on “Cornbread” and a “Jimi Thing” that led to a cover of Sly Stone’s “I Want To Take You Higher.”
Ben Golder-Novick, who was only a guest at New York’s Irving Plaza for a Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds acoustic set in January of 2018, was on saxophone for every song. Dave kept the big door open by calling him a day before the weekend shows to send the invite.
Photo by Joseph Buscarello
Tim Reynolds sat in during Dumpstaphunk’s MSG debut set for their cover of Buddy Miles “United Nations Stomp” on Friday night. The song has been considered for the 2022 Best American Roots Performance Grammy. Saturday night’s set included a special guest spot by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds for Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On.” Tony and Dave traded howls on Robert Plant’s words…I gotta keep on searching for my baby.
It marked the first time Tim, Dave, and Tony played the Empire State together since they encored with Led Zeppelin’s “Fool in the Rain” at Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena for the Dave Matthews and Friends Some Devil Tour in December 2003. It was reminiscent of Dave sitting in with the Funky Meters in Albany in 2000 as well. Tony Hall told NYS music, “What’s so bad ass about Dave is that he sounds like nobody but himself, it’s like no other shit.”
Dave Matthews Band celebrated their 25th anniversary at Madison Square Garden this November. It was the last stop of their 2021 tour that included shows in Syracuse and Saratoga Springs. They performed 23 songs each night, filled with originals, covers, and tour debuts.
Friday night’s show that was broadcast live on Sirius XM channel 30 included the debut of “Mad Man’s Eyes” which Dave simply said is about a crazy man. “So Damn Lucky,” off Dave’s 2003 Some Devil record, resonated so right for all those who’ve had close calls in the crowd. The crowd replied singing in unison to Sly Stone’s “Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again.”
Tony Hall told NYS Music about his recording experience on Some Devil. “I had a lot of fun with that record. some of my favorite songs were So Damn Lucky and the end jam on Too High is killing”
Photo by Joseph Buscarello
Dave goes to the city with the car horns, corners and the gritty during “Proudest Monkey.” Buddy Strong and Tim Reynolds stretched out great jams during “Typical Situation” and “Lie in Our Graves.” Friday night’s encore included a “Two Step” left unfinished by the band as they launched into a chilling version of “Halloween.” It turned back the clocks, buried the past, and sent the crowd trick or treating into the Manhattan night.
Saturday night’s tour closing show at the world’s most famous arena was a celebration with DMB family, friends, and their legendary crew. Dave made sure to thank all of his on road family that made this crazy year’s tour possible each night. “After this year to be in New York City and Madison Square Garden is overwhelming. Its like damn how did I get here?”
Dave Matthews Tour Bus
They wasted no time encouraging all at the Garden party to eat, drink, and be merry with a “Tripping Billies” opener. Matthews played his deepest cut “Stay or Leave,” off the Some Devil album as well. The rare “Water in to Wine” made its way round and round again for the first time in 2021.
Tim Reynolds told NYS Music about an experience he had at Madison Square Garden during a Sting & Peter Gabriel performance. “When Peter did The Rhythm of the Heat with both bands I screamed like a woman and I only have one vocal chord.” Tim was able to feed in the rhythm from the stage at MSG with Dave Matthews treating the New York crowd to a killing version of Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer.”
The band welcomed the Dumpstaphunk horns to the world’s most famous stage for “Cornbread.” During the improvisational classic “Jimi Thing,” the brass section helped launch Dave to sing on Sly Stone’s classic “ I Want To Take You Higher.” It helped solidify the funk vibe that was in the air both nights.
During Saturday night’s encore Matthews performed his moving “Christmas Song” that helped flicker some holiday lighting inside the Garden. Before these crowded streets of DMB’s 43-city tour came “The Last Stop.” This fitting jam during the final encore was left unfinished as it segued into Carter Beauford’s iconic snare drum hit to kick into “Ants Marching” to end the performance.
Dumpstaphunk and Dave Matthews Band made this another two-night run of legendary entertainment history at the World’s Most Famous Arena. The custom basketball jerseys helped count it in.
New Yorker Carrie Band-Leshin told NYS music at MSG, “I’ve been seeing him since he played the Wetlands club in Tribeca until now, its like the same shirt on a different day though. I’ve never seen him play any song the same way twice this whole time.” Dave Matthews told the Garden, “I remember coming here when I was a little kid for the Barnum and Bailey three ring Circus. Just to tell you how old I am.”
Dumpstaphunk Setlists
November 12, 2021 – Dancin to the Truth, I Wish You Would, Let’s Get At It, Where Do We Go, Justice, United Nation Stomp*
*Buddy Miles cover with Tim Reynolds
November 13, 2021 – Meanwhile…., Do You, Make it After All, Street Parade, Ramble On**
**Led Zeppelin cover with Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds
Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)
Dave Matthews Band Setlists
November 12, 2021 – That Girl is You, Best of whats Around, Crush, Sweet, Funny the Way it is, Don’t Drink the Water, Again & Again, So Damn Lucky, Why I Am, Proudest Monkey, Satellite, Madmans Eyes, What Would You Say?, Lie in Our Graves, So Much to Say, Too Much, Everyday, Grey Street Encore: Two Step >Halloween
November 13, 2021 – Tripping Billies, Dancing Nancies, Warehouse, Stay or Leave, You Might Die Trying, Lying in the Hands of God, You & Me, She. Grace is Gone, Song That (bridget) Jane Likes-> Water in to Wine, Pantala Naga Pampa->Rapunzel, Sledgehammer*, #41, Cornbread**, Jimi Thing**, Where are You Going?, What You Are, Stay Encore: Christmas Song, The Last Stop >Ants Marching
*Peter Gabriel Cover ** Ashlin Parker & Alex Wasily trombone & trumpet
New York City’s Blue Note Jazz Club announces the return of DJ Logic, the first DJ to ever headline the historic venue back in 2003. From January 6-9, DJ Logic & Friends is set to perform two shows a night at 8:00 pm and 10:30 pm ET.
Special guests have just been announced for January 8 – Fred Wesley & Marcus Machado – and January 9 – Angie Swan From David Byrne’s American Utopia. Read Relix’s review of the first night of the run.
DJ Logic will be joined by a world-class line-up of Friends including Karl Denson on saxophone, MonoNeon on bass and Adam Deitch on drums. One of the world’s most accomplished musicians, DJ Logic is known for using turntables in a live band setting, guiding listeners through groove-laden journeys rooted in jazz, hip-hop and electronic sounds. The Bronx-born musician frequently works with a phenomenal roster of invited guests, and he knows how to pick his collaborators as well as his samples. DJ Logic’s Blue Note headline shows are always highly anticipated and his 2022 run promises a joyful start to the new year.
“It’s going to be an electric ray of music with some amazing eclectic players, exploring funk, grooves, and patterns,”DJ Logic states. “This group of insanely talented, important and virtuosic artists is a dream team of funk,” says Alex Kurland, Director of Programming at Blue Note. “Independently, each artist has a deep history and roots at Blue Note. As one collective joining forces under the direction of the great and powerful DJ Logic, these guys are musical acrobats. The project is truly next level and bound to funk up audiences. Fasten your seatbelt!”
The theorem of turntablist as musician has been long proven in the capable hands of DJ Logic, whom with jazz as his foundation has become a wax innovator by crossing genres and mixing his sound across the map. As one of the world’s most accomplished turntablists, DJ Logic is widely credited for introducing jazz into the hip–hop realms and is considered by most as a highly-respected session musician and an innovative bandleader. Since his emergence in the early nineties amidst the Bronx hip-hop scene, the New York City based deejay has been amassing a veritable mountain of collaborations, including a full-fledged band with members of Blues Traveler (The John Popper Project ft. DJ Logic), a trio with Steve Molitz & Freekbass (Headtronics), a jazz project with Georgian prodigy Beka Gochiasvili, and as a member of Grammy-winning Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra’s The Offense of the Drum album. He also has a long list of other collaborations with artists ranging from the likes of Bob Weir, John Mayer, Medeski Martin and Wood, Christian McBride, O.A.R., Carly Simon, Marcus Miller, Jack Johnson, Vernon Reid, Warren Haynes, Charlie Hunter, Jack DeJohnette, Ben Harper, Mos Def, The Roots, Bernie Worrell, Bill Laswell, Melvin Gibbs, Fred Wesley, Sean Kuti and many more.
Since 1981, Blue Note Jazz Club has been a cultural institution in New York City and one of the premiere jazz clubs in the world. Blue Note strives to preserve the history of jazz, and the club is a place where progression and innovation – the foundations of jazz – are encouraged and practiced on a nightly basis. In addition to the main acts that feature the likes of Robert Glasper, Pat Metheny, Christain McBride, Joshua Redman, Ron Carter and Chris Botti, Blue Note regularly showcases up-and-coming jazz, soul, hip-hop, R&B and funk artists. After 40 years of success, Blue Note continues to carry the torch for jazz into the 21st century in the cultural heart of New York, Greenwich Village.
Performing their current album, World Gone Mad, as well as classic songs of The Band, The Weight Band is led by Jim Weider, a 15-year former member of The Band and the Levon Helm Band. Originating in 2013 inside the famed Woodstock barn of Levon Helm, Weider was inspired by Helm to carry on the musical legacy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group.
Years of touring have seen The Weight Band revive “The Woodstock Sound,” keeping the spirit of Americana/Roots Rock alive for audiences of all ages. They continue to keep the sound vibrant by releasing new music, evidenced by the album World Gone Mad, released in February 2018. Their live set features songs from the new album as well as fan favorites from The Band’s treasured catalog, including “Up On Cripple Creek,” “The Weight,” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.”
The Weight Band includes Brian Mitchell (The Levon Helm Band), Michael Bram (Jason Mraz), Matt Zeiner (Dickey Betts Band), and Albert Rogers (The Jim Weider Band). With a US and international tour schedule slated for 2019 and beyond, The Weight Band complements The Band’s timeless legacy while pushing the music forward for new audiences.
The Weight Band Tour Dates
11/11- Buskirk-Chumley Theater- Bloomington IN
11/12- Old Town School Of Folk Music- Chicago IL
11/13- Mineral Point Opera House- Mineral Point WI
The American Symphony Orchestra celebrates its return to the stage and its 60th anniversary season in 2021-22 with four full-orchestra programs at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall, and a free opening concert titled Mahler in New York at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on December 16. The opening program focuses on composers whom Mahler had championed during his years in New York.
Additional highlights comprise the U.S. Premiere of Sergei Taneyev’s massive final work, At the Reading of a Psalm (January 28, 2022); an all-Duke Ellington program—cancelled at the start of the pandemic—featuring jazz pianist Marcus Roberts and his Trio with such works as Black, Brown, and Beige Suite; Sophisticated Lady; and Night Creature for Jazz Band and Orchestra (March 24, 2022); and a free closing program of living American PulitzerPrize-winning composers including Melinda Wagner, Richard Wernick, Shulamit Ran, and a world premiere by Puerto Rican composer Roberto Sierra with legendary electric violinist Tracy Silverman (June 5, 2022). .
Now in its 60th season, the American Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1962 by Leopold Stokowski, with the mission of providing music within the means of everyone. Music Director Leon Botstein expanded that mission when he joined the ASO in 1992, creating thematic concerts that explore music from the perspective of the visual arts, literature, religion, and history, and reviving rarely performed works that audiences would otherwise never have a chance to hear performed live.
Nothing can compare to the thrill of live performances. We are overjoyed at our return to the stage after the restrictions of the past year and to once again be able to play for our beloved audiences in person. To celebrate this especially meaningful event on the occasion of our 60th anniversary season makes it even more significant.
American Symphony Orchestra Music Director Leon Botstein
Leon Botstein provides the musical context for most of the concert programs in lively, 30-minute Conductor’s Notes Q&A sessions. These discussions, animated learning opportunities for both new concertgoers and music connoisseurs alike, begin one hour before each concert and are free for all ticket holders.
Leon Botstein has been music director and principal conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra since 1992. He is also music director of The Orchestra Now, an innovative training orchestra composed of top musicians from around the world. He is co-artistic director of Bard SummerScape and the Bard Music Festival, which take place at the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College, where he has been president since 1975. He is also conductor laureate of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, where he served as music director from 2003–11. In 2018, he assumed artistic directorship of Campus Grafenegg and Grafenegg Academy in Austria. Mr. Botstein also has an active career as a guest conductor with orchestras around the globe, and has made numerous recordings, as well as being a prolific author and music historian. He is the recipient of numerous honors for his contributions to the music industry. In 2019, The New York Times named Leon Botstein a “champion of overlooked works…who has tirelessly worked to bring to light worthy scores by neglected composers.”
Thursday, December 16, 2021, 8 pm, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam AveConductor’s Notes Q&A 7 pm. This free 60th anniversary performance opens the ASO season in the glorious Cathedral of St. John the Divine with a survey of some of the composers whom Mahler had championed during his time in New York, including George Whitefield Chadwick, Alphons Diepenbrock, and Henry Hadley. Mahler’s famous Adagio from his Symphony No. 10 will also be performed.Taylor Raven, mezzo-sopranoGeorge Whitefield Chadwick: Melpomene OvertureHenry Hadley: The Culprit Fay, Op. 62Alphons Diepenbrock: Hymne an die NachtGustav Mahler: Adagio from Symphony No. 10
Tickets: The performance is free, reservations are required and can be made online at americansymphony.org. Ticket holders will need to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 using a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to enter the venue and details can be found here.
Friday, January 28, 2022, 8 pm, Carnegie Hall (Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage) Conductor’s Notes Q&A 7 pm to be confirmed closer to the date as part of the venue’s guidelines The ASO returns to Carnegie Hall for its Vanguard Series with the U.S. Premiere of Sergei Taneyev’s final work, At the Reading of a Psalm. Conceived as a massive statement of Russian Orthodox faith at the onset of WWI, this large-scale cantata for full orchestra, double chorus, and vocal soloists showcases the dramatic effect of Taneyev’s contrapuntal mastery.Wendy Bryn Harmer, sopranoEve Gigliotti, mezzo-sopranoJoshua Blue, tenorHarold Wilson, bassBard Festival ChoraleFirst Movementi. Chorus (Allegro tempestoso)ii. Double Chorus (Andante sostenuto)iii. Chorus. Triple Fugue (Fuga a tre soggetti, Andante – Allegro molto)Second Movementiv. Chorus (Allegro moderato – Fuga. Allegro tenebroso)v. Quartet (Andante)vi. Quartet and Chorus (Adagio ma non troppo)Third Movementvii. Interlude (Allegro appassionato)viii. Aria (Alto Solo) (Adagio piu tosto largo)ix. Double Chorus (Finale) (Adagio pietoso e molto cantabile-Allegro moderato-Allegro molto)
Tickets: Priced at $25–$65, tickets are available at carnegiehall.org, by calling CarnegieCharge at 212.247.7800, or visiting the box office at 57th St & 7th Ave. Ticket holders will need to follow the venue’s guidelines and show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 using a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to enter the building.
Thursday, March 24, 2022, 8 pm, Carnegie Hall (Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage)Conductor’s Notes Q&A 7 pm to be confirmed closer to the date as part of the venue’s guidelinesThe American Symphony Orchestra toasts the genre-defying genius of Duke Ellington with an evening including New World A-Comin’ and Three Black Kings for jazz trio and full orchestra with renowned jazz pianist Marcus Roberts. Originally scheduled for March 2020 but canceled due to the pandemic, the concert features Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Catherine Russell. Roberts worked with the ASO in United We Play, a short film featuring three world premieres commissioned by ASO and released in December 2020 on the Orchestra’s streaming platform ASO Online.Marcus Roberts Trio Marcus Roberts, piano Rodney Jordan, bass Jason Marsalis, drumsCatherine Russell, vocalistAll-Duke EllingtonBlack, Brown, and Beige Suite (Arr. Maurice Peress)Satin Doll (Arr. Chuck Israels)Harlem (Arr. Luther Henderson & Maurice Peress)Sophisticated Lady (Arr. Morton Gould)New World A Comin’ (Arr. Maurice Peress)Three Black Kings (Completed by Mercer Ellington, Arr. Luther Henderson)Night Creature for Jazz Band and Orchestra (Arr. Luther Henderson, Ed. Gunther Schuller)
Tickets: Priced at $25–$65, tickets go on sale December 22 and are available at carnegiehall.org, by calling CarnegieCharge at 212.247.7800, or visiting the box office at 57th St & 7th Ave. Ticket holders will need to follow the venue’s guidelines and show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 using a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to enter the building.
Sunday, June 5, 2022, 8 pm, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th StreetConductor’s Notes Q&A 7 pmThe ASO offers another free performance to close its 60th anniversary season. In line with the ASO’s long history of championing American artists, the closing concert offers a trio of American Pulitzer Prize-winning living composers including Melinda Wagner and two of her mentors, Richard Wernick and Shulamit Ran. Philadelphia-born Melinda Wagner’s Concerto for Flute, Strings, and Percussion was distinguished for its well-crafted flute solo. Boston native Richard Wernick’s Viola Concerto—written for violist Walter Trampler and Leon Botstein (who conducted the 1987 premiere)—alludes to the well-known Dylan Thomas poem “Do not go gentle into that good night.” Shulamit Ran’s Symphony, commissioned by The Philadelphia Orchestra, also won the Kennedy Center Friedheim Award the same year as her 1991 Pulitzer. The program’s highlight is the world premiere of Roberto Sierra’s newly commissioned Concerto for Electric Violin, which presents a mixture of Sierra’s Latin-influenced ideas and modern compositional techniques through the voice of the electric violin, performed by the renowned electric violinist Tracy Silverman.Tracy Silverman, violinRoberto Sierra: Concerto for Electric Violin (World Premiere)Melinda Wagner: Concerto for Flute, Strings, and Percussion (work awarded with 1999 Pulitzer Prize)Richard Wernick: Viola Concerto (“Do Not Go Gentle…”)Shulamit Ran: Symphony (work awarded with 1991 Pulitzer Prize)
Tickets are free but required. Ticketing and reservation access information will be available in early 2022 at americansymphony.org and jazz.org. Ticket holders will need to follow the venue’s guidelines and show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 using a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to enter the building.
