Author: Pete Mason

Jess Novak finds inspiration from “Joker” for “The Joke” music video

Jess Novak, winner of Best Pop Artist at the 2021 SAMMY Awards, is out on the road this summer across Central New York. But first, she has “The Joke” to share with you.

With Joker inspired song lyrics and an accompanying music video where Novak channels Harley Quinn, “The Joke” creates Novak’s own version of the super villain – sweet, yet angry, with a custom jacket by Adirondack Ink – allowing the singer to step outside herself as she got into character.

Written and recorded by Jess Novak and The Jess Novak Band at Hobin Studios in 2020 and filmed by DripNetwork and Lights on Fayette in 2021, “The Joke” captures her love of music videos and the inspiration drawn from the film.

A huge music video nut when I was a kid, I had wanted to make music videos for a living. I love the idea of telling a whole story in five minutes using a song. It’s always thrilled me. In the past we’ve made really fun videos, but this is the first that really tells a story and I couldn’t be happier about it.
Jess Novak

Setting out to make a video that goes deeper, and teaches people about the world and themselves, “The Joke” was shot at Lights on Fayette in their new warehouse on West Fayette Street in Syracuse, where they plan to hold more photo and video shoots, record music and hold live performances.

The concept came directly from the lyrics and was something Novak had in her head since she wrote the song. Moved by the origin of the classic supervillain, she had begun writing lyrics for the song before she left her second screening of the film.

My mom always said when I was growing up that the villains were her favorite part of Disney movies because they had more depth, more story – and it took a long time for me to understand that. Joker really proved it.
I appreciated that movie because it not only provided an alternate perspective, but it made me root for the bad guy, which I found fascinating. It also touched on the subject of mental health, which I feel is often skirted around in mainstream entertainment. Artists talk about it, but they don’t dive so deeply into it because it’s scary and almost taboo. But Joker took it head-on.
Jess Novak

The lyric “I hope that my death, it makes more sense from my life” is a direct draw from the movie, one that connected with Novak.

I really hoped the movie would make people see that people who are “bad” or do “bad things” are really just a product of their environment, which is what this song is saying, too. We place too much blame, or in reverse, pride, on people when really, they are just formations of their upbringing and situation.”
Jess Novak

For the music video, Novak’s concept has drawn out a storyboard and then the team took it from there, altering it to make the video more like a movie, with action scenes and a short plot. Starting with Novak as the villain, her boyfriend splits and leaves her to deal with the cops. Betrayed, she chooses to stand up, get out of the handcuffs and wreak havoc. This theme is explored on the album Standing Now, that “The Joke” is featured on.

Novak is already talking about the next video with the same team for a song they are currently recording, “Devil’s Walk”, a follow-up to her 2016 song “Counting on Love.” Look for this video and more this fall from Jess Novak.

The Jess Novak Band members featured in “The Joke” video include Novak, Byron Cage, Anthony Saturno, Nick Fields, Gavin George and Jabare Mckinstry. “The Joke” was directed by Mac Cushing and edited by Bryan Wolcik.

The latest album from Jess Novak Band, Standing Now is available here and you can watch “The Joke” below. Pre-order her new album A Thousand Lives here.

For the summer, you can catch her solo, duo or full band performances across Central New York.

Jess Novak Summer 2021 Tour Dates

June 29 – Great Northern Mall Food Truck Fest – Clay, NY – 6 p.m. – DUO
June 30 – The Taste Smokers – Bethlehem, PA – 8 p.m. – SOLO
July 1 – Tiki Island – Baldwinsville, NY – 6 p.m. – SOLO
July 2 – Homer Hops – Homer, NY – 6 p.m. – DUO
July 3 – Middle Ages – Syracuse, NY – 4 p.m. – JNB
July 4 – Steamers – Oswego, NY – 3 p.m. – DUO
July 8 – Heritage Hill – Pompey, NY – 6 p.m. – JNB
July 9 – Rome Summer Concert Series – Rome, NY – 7 p.m. – DUO
July 12 – Northside Bar and Grille – Surf City, NY – 6 p.m. – TBD
July 18 – Willie’s Chop Shop – Sylvan Beach, NY – PIRATE’S WEEKEND – 2 p.m. – DUO
July 22 – Meier’s Creek – Cazenovia, NY – 6 p.m. – SOLO
July 23 – Gibby’s – Oswego, NY – 7 p.m. – SOLO
July 24 – Skaneateles Brewery – Skaneateles, NY – 3 p.m. – DUO
July 25 – Concerts on the Waterfront – Sackets Harbor, NY – 3 p.m. – JNB
July 28 – Alex’s on the Water – Oswego, NY – 6 p.m. – SOLO
August 4 – Perseverance Park – Syracuse, NY – 12 p.m. – NOVAK/SATURNO
August 5 – La Parrilla – Oswego, NY – 6 p.m. – NOVAK
August 7 – McConnellsville Golf Club – Blossvale, NY – 7:30 p.m. – NOVAK
August 7 – Lukins – Utica, NY – 10 p.m. – LAST CALL KINGS
August 8 – The Nest – Tully, NY – 5 p.m. – DUO
August 10 – Farmers Market – Clinton Square, Syracuse, NY – 11:30 a.m. – NOVAK
August 12 – Heritage Hill – Pompey, NY – 5 p.m. – NOVAK
August 13 – Stinger’s – Manlius, NY – 6 p.m. – NOVAK
August 14 – Private Event – SAFE WORD BAND
August 15 – Willie’s Chop Shop – Sylvan Beach, NY – 2 p.m. – NOVAK
August 16 – Levitt AMP Music Series – Utica, NY – 6 p.m. – JNB
August 18 – The Preserve at 405 – Syracuse, NY – 6 p.m. – DUO
August 19 – Duskees – Phoenix, NY – 6 p.m. – NOVAK
August 20 – Canale’s – Oswego, NY – 7 p.m. – DUO
August 21 – Private Event – DUO
August 22 – Steamers – Oswego, NY – 3 p.m. – JNB
August 24 – New York State Fair Experience Stage – Syracuse, NY – 2 p.m. – JNB
August 25 – Alex’s on the Water – Oswego, NY – 6 p.m. – NOVAK
August 26 – Hops Spot – Clayton, NY – 6 p.m. – NOVAK
August 27 – Bellevue Country Club – Syracuse, NY – 6 p.m. – NOVAK
August 28 – Clinton Music and Arts Festival – Clinton, NY – 3 p.m. – NOVAK
August 28 – Tiki Island – Baldwinsville, NY – 7 p.m. – JNB
August 29 – Panther Pub – Allamuchy, NJ – 5 p.m. – NOVAK

July 7, 2021
Summerfest at the Stadium: Eric Clapton and The Band perform Inaugural Concert at Rich Stadium – July 6, 1974

On Saturday July 6, 1974, Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, NY held the first ever concert in its history. Eric Clapton and his band would serve as headliners, with The Band serving as a warm up for Slowhand. Tickets for the show were $8.50 each ($46 in 2021 dollars) and caught one of rock’s biggest legends upon the release of his classic 461 Ocean Boulevard.

The show was held one year after opening as the new home of the Buffalo Bills, going 9-5 in their inaugural season. More affectionately known as ‘The Ralph’ in the late 90s, the Buffalo-based multi-national food company Rich Products gave the stadium its original name, signing a 25-year, $1.5 million dollar deal, one of the first sales of naming rights in American sports.

Following a sellout show at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh the night before, the Buffalo show would not be Clapton’s finest hour by any means. July 5 was Robbie Robertson’s 31st birthday, and with The Band guitarist on the road with the hard-partying Eric Clapton, its possible that Clapton indulged too much the night prior, affecting his performance the next day. Clapton reportedly said “It’s Robbie’s birthday today and … there’s gonna be some bovver tonight.”

Not much is known about The Band’s set beyond their final song, which may have been the most pivotal part of the evening. Joining the opening band for a song is not unnatural for a headliner, but rarer still, as the impact of the main act’s arrival is lessened. When Clapton joined The Band on July 6 for an encore of “Chest Fever” in the support slot, the performance was disjointed and led to the drunken Clapton needing to be carried off stage.

photo by Watt Casey, Jr.

The Band setlist via Setlist.FM

Hard Times the Slop (Noble “Thin Man” Watts cover), Just Another Whistle Stop, Stage Fright, The Weight, The Shape I’m In, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Across the Great Divide, Endless Highway, Up on Cripple Creek, The Unfaithful Servant, Smoke Signal, The Genetic Method, Chest Fever (with Eric Clapton)

Clapton’s band included George Terry (guitar), Dicks Sims (keyboards), Carl Radle (bass), Jamie Oldaker (drums), and Yvonne Elliman (backing vocals). Also joining the lineup was Freddie King, who was flown in specially for these shows.

Geetarz shares insight on Clapton’s performance, which is widely reported as the worst show of the 1974 tour, and a low point for sure. Eric was reportedly massively, incoherently drunk, and unintelligible at times. As the show begins with Clapton giving an outro to emcee “Legs” Larry Smith, a member of the crowd would shout “Clean Up Yer Act!,” a sign of the times indeed.

photo by Watt Casey, Jr.

Drunk and stoned, Clapton would start playing songs without getting the band on the same page, starting the show with a rambling “Last Train to Brownsville”, where he seemed to start engaging with the audience who had apparently been throwing fireworks at the Clapton, saying “To be serious … one more of them, I’ll tell you, and you’re out of here! One more of them silly fucking fireworks and you are out of here! Behavior!”

After “Let it Grow,” Clapton shouted “I am drunk and I am ready for fuckin’ trouble!,” and then brought up Freddie King, but Eric was far from ready and was outshone by King. Clapton even gave a drunken intro for King: “He’s strapping on his guitar, moving to the guest spot, and if you haven’t heard of him, you don’t fucking deserve him! His name is Freddy.”

photo by Watt Casey, Jr.

You would think that bringing on stage a blues guitarist he looked up to would keep Clapton on his toes, but he was outshined in Buffalo and reportedly unable to keep up during this performance of “Have You Ever Loved a Woman?” Doubling down, when King sang the line ‘It’s a shame and a sin’, Clapton weighed in unnecessarily: “Don’t believe them! There’s no shame, there’s no sin…” a revealing moment for Clapton who was at the time secretly in love with Patti Boyd, then married to his friend George Harrison.

Capping off the show with “Little Queenie,” Clapton was now more incoherent and ready to end the night. Rambling during the Chuck Berry song, and apparently triggered by the repeat mentions of the Queen, Clapton said “Meanwhile, in Birmingham …. England, that is, not here, in Alabama …. they’re making Persian carpets … at 19,000 quid apiece … there’s only 10 Pakistanis here! They can’t be bad – who am I?”

photo by Watt Casey, Jr.

The next night in Jersey City was reportedly a somewhat better show for Eric Clapton, and likely The Band as well, with a recording available below that offers an idea of what the July 6 show sounded like. Rich Stadium has seen many more shows over the years, with Clapton setting the bar low for all to exceed in the years that followed.

Eric Clapton setlist via WheresEric.com

Going To Brownsville*, Smile, Let It Grow, Hideaway**, Have You Ever Loved A Woman**, Tell The Truth, Willie And The Hand Jive, Get Ready, Steam Rollin’ Man, Little Wing, Blues Power, Presence of The Lord, Little Queenie, Crossroads
* with Legs Larry Smith
** with Freddie King

Photos below are by Watt Casey Jr., who was working for Showco, this being his first show.

July 6, 2021
Baked Shrimp and Glass Pony team up for Lark Hall show on July 9

Two of the hottest, up and coming New York bands, and 2021 NYS Music Music Madness finalists, Baked Shrimp and Glass Pony will share the stage at Lark Hall on July 9th. With festival pass giveaways, free ice cream and an incredible night of music on tap, this is one show you won’t want to miss.

Since forming in January 2017, Long Island’s Baked Shrimp has established a name for themselves across the Northeast region of the United States and beyond. In just three years the high-energy rock trio has performed multiple extensive tours, released two albums, and is a name being consistently added to the festival circuit.

Currently in the middle of a massive summer tour which finds the band performing across the East Coast, Midwest and throughout the southern United States, Baked Shrimp is rapidly making new fans outside of their home-base of New York. The trio keeps it fresh from night to night with a catalogue of over one-hundred songs of mostly original material and deep, inspired improvisational playing.

Kicking off the evening’s festivities will be Albany’s very own Glass Pony. Encapsulating influences stretching across decades from psychedelic and jam-focused rock, to funk, post-punk, and even modern indie and post-rock, Glass Pony offer a sound that truly translates through generations, with a stylistic blend built to engage a broad listenership.

With a focus squarely set on delivering the most captivating live performance possible, the band utilizes infectiously danceable grooves colored with virtuosic individual performances that deftly blend into a cohesive whole. To accentuate their creative songwriting, they place a great value on improvisation and fluid set lists that change from show to show.

Baked Shrimp will be giving away a pair of FREE tickets on this special night to their inaugural music festival LonCon, taking place at Arrowhead Ranch on August 27th & 28th in Parksville, NY. The incredible lineup features two nights of Baked Shrimp in addition to Mihali (Twiddle), Aqueous, Dogs in a Pile, and more. You must be present at the end of the night to claim your tickets if you win the raffle!

Additionally, Ben and Jerry’s Scoop Shop on Madison Avenue in Albany will be providing free ice cream for all who purchase tickets to the show. Lark Hall will have a dairy and non-dairy option starting shortly after doors open at 7pm on Friday, July 9.

Tickets are on sale now at via Eventbrite and Lark Hall.

July 2, 2021
Long Island Fan tabs out entire Disco Biscuits Catalog

In live music communities, you’ll find fans who put their talents to use for the benefit of all, thanks to their love of the music. One of those fans, Justin Treanor, has taken his love for the Disco Biscuits and playing guitar to a new level, with a website full of Biscuits’ guitar tabs, SickBarberLicks.net

Justin Treanor, a 32 year old from Babylon, NY has been a Disco Biscuits fan since 2007. He’s also been playing guitar for 20 years, and the two intertwined in 2016 when he started tabbing out the Disco Biscuits catalog.

“Sick Barber Licks,” named for Jon “The Barber” Gutwillig’s ‘sick’ guitar compositions and improvisation, has been a passion project of Treanor’s, one with a worthy cause and goal – promoting the music of his favorite band so more may learn to play the music of the Biscuits. For the last 5 years, he’s tabbed out all 207 Disco Biscuits songs as well as a handful of covers (“The Safety Dance” and “Run Like Hell” among them). Included in each song are scans of his handwritten tabs, song lyrics and in most cases, a video showing how to play the song.

Page 1 of the “Mr. Don” guitar tab

A self-taught guitarist, Treanor has played in local bands over the years, playing for fun more than anything. He would watch guitar videos and later create his own videos, having tabbed out 207 songs. Treanor has had the benefit of band members supporting his endeavors, with Marc, Jon and Aron all giving him feedback.

The response has been overwhelming from the fans. People tell me they use the site all the time, and the site sees about 250-300 unique visitors a week. It’s truly amazing.

Treanor’s first Biscuits show was on May 25, 2007 at Highline Ballroom in Chelsea. He was hooked instantly, sharing that it was an “insane Mr. Don -> inverted Little Betty Boop they played to start the second set” that hooked him. For Treanor, “the mix of jam music and intense trance hooked me from the first few notes.”

Treanor has also made the most of this past year, adding to his site’s cache of tabs, and expanded to bass tabs with Sick Brownie Bombs (9 songs so far) and friend Justin Highland starting Sick Magner Melodies (2 songs so far).

SickBarberLicks.net is a fan created website featuring tabs for all 207 Disco Biscuits songs. Those looking to support Treanor’s work and help improve the fan-driven site’s continuing effort, can do so here, via Paypal here or Venmo (@treanorjustin88).

Watch a few samples of Treanor’s guitar videos below, and subscribe to be sure to subscribe his YouTube channel.

June 30, 2021
Village of Menands plans 2021 Concerts in the Park series

The Village of Menands, just north of the City of Albany, has announced the schedule for the 2021 Concerts in the Park. Performances are held in Ganser-Smith Memorial Park, just off Broadway.

The Village of Menands was incorporated in August 1924 and takes its name from Louis Menand, a prominent 19th century horticulturist who was born in France in 1807 and immigrated to America in 1837. In 1842 Menand and his wife Adelaide Jackson settled in what is now the Village that bears his name. Menand established one of the finest horticultural and garden establishments in the area, and as the “Albany Northern” railroad was built, a large railroad station was built and the stop was simply called “Menand’s” and the area soon associated itself with the name.

Ganser-Smith Park plays host to a series of picnics and musical events throughout the summer. Located on Menand Road near the Village center, the 3-acre park is the epicenter of nearly all village-sponsored events. The park amenities include a large open pavilion and BBQ, a children’s playground, baseball field, basketball and volleyball courts as well as horseshoe pits. There are over two dozen picnic tables spread throughout the park. Village youth programs are run at this location from late June through August. Restrooms with handicap access and parking are present on site. Pavilion reservations may be made at the Village office for Village residents.

The live music offerings are held weekly on Tuesday nights from 6pm-8:30pm at Ganser-Smith Memorial Park. Bring a chair, your family and get food and beverages sold by the Menands Fire Co.

2021 Menands Concerts in the Park lineup

July 6 – New York Players
July 13 – Oldies Show
July 20 – Hotshot Hillbilly’s
July 27 – Mike Ruddy
August 3 – Luster Kings
August 10 – The All Paul Show

For more information visit the Menands Village website.

June 30, 2021
Final Dinner and a Movie features 1991 Phish show from Arrowhead Ranch

As live music returns, archival streams are going the way of the Dodo, at least for now. Phish has announced that their Dinner and a Movie series, which started in April 2020 will go back into the freezer, but not before one more installment, one from 1991 at Arrowhead Ranch in Parksville, NY.

Thus, on Tuesday, June 29 at 8:30 ET, Phish will broadcast their July 20, 1991 concert at New York’s Arrowhead Ranch, featuring The Giant Country Horns: Dave “The Truth” Grippo, Russell “Killer” Remington and Carl “Gears” Gerhard. The show was the second of a two-night stand at Ranch Arrowhead, and all ages shows with Phish and special guests TR3 and The Radiators opening.

Sue Zemanick, owner and James Beard Award-winning chef at Zasu, located in New Orleans’ Mid-City neighborhood provides the final meal for Dinner and a Movie. The name Zasu, derived from Zasa, which means “once again” in Slovak, is inspired by Sue’s Slovak heritage and childhood memories of family bonding in the kitchen. Sue brings a three course dinner of Coconut Curry Corn Soup, Spicy Tofu Larb Lettuce Wraps, and a Blueberry Creme Fraiche Pound Cake. Recipes can be found here.

The beneficiary for this episode is Phans for Racial Equity. PHRE promotes racial equity and respect for difference within the Phish and greater music community and beyond. Striving to make a more welcoming space for people of all races and ethnicities, bearing in mind the many ways in which race/ethnicity intersects with gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, disability, and other identities.

PHRE’s aim is to facilitate education and thoughtful engagement, first and foremost within the Phish community, about race and its intersection with other issues; give people tools to build a more welcoming environment; and activate our community to positively impact racial equity in the U.S. more broadly. More info here, and donate anytime here.

Listen to the full show on PhishTracks.com

Phish – Arrowhead Ranch, Parksville, NY – July 20, 1991

Set 1: Chalk Dust Torture, Foam, The Squirming Coil > Llama, The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > Suzy Greenberg[1], The Landlady[2], Bathtub Gin[1], My Sweet One, David Bowie[1]

Set 2: Buried Alive > Reba[3], Caravan[1], Dinner and a Movie[1], Flat Fee[1], Golgi Apparatus[1], Stash[1], The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu[1] > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday, You Enjoy Myself[4], Rocky Top

Encore: Possum[5]

[1] Giant Country Horns.[2] Giant Country Horns; Rene Lopez on percussion.[3] Carl Gerhard whistled with the band.[4] Giant Country Horns; vocal jam based on burgers.[5] Giant Country Horns; Charlie Chan and Oom Pa Pa signals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gNnXfGd6WQ

June 26, 2021
Infamous 2002 Trey Anastasio Band performance at Stanley Theatre in Utica released

One of the most raucous shows in Stanley Theatre history has finally gotten an official release. The October 25, 2002 performance of Trey Anastasio Band in Utica, best remembered for fans dancing so intensely that the balcony was visibly bouncing, causing the band to cease amplified performance late in the second set.

This gig was originally scheduled to take place at Utica’s Memorial Auditorium, and then was later rescheduled for the Stanley Performing Arts Center

On the Osiris Network series ‘Alive Again’, Anastasio recalled in Episode 2 the intensity of that night’s performance, and how he and the band reacted to the balcony visibly bouncing up and down.

The show itself was a true rocker. In addition to the debut of “Perhaps,” the unique opener “Javier Cinakowski” was followed by an 18-minute “Night Speaks to the Woman” which set the tone for the evening. During a late Set 2 “Mr. Completely,” clocking in at 28 minutes, pieces of plaster were falling from the balcony. Unbeknownst to the band at the time, who kept playing and feeding off the energy of the audience, road manager Brad Sands had to go on stage and tell the band to stop playing.

The balcony was going up and down and then these plaster pieces started falling on people’s heads. The balcony was shaking so much that it started breaking the plaster. Everyone’s panicking as people are animalistic dancing..
Trey Anastasio on ‘Alive Again’

For the rest of the evening, songs without amplification were performed as a safety precaution. Prior to the encore, an audience member shouted “Free Bird!,” which prompted Anastasio to share two stories (after declining the request), including Phish offering up an a cappella rendition of “Free Bird” for a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute album that was ultimately turned down.

Phish would perform their own memorable show at the Utica Aud in October 2010. Download the TAB show from 10/25/02 now at LivePhish.com.

Via RJ Bee

Trey Anastasio Band – Stanley Theatre, Utica, NY – October 25, 2002

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: Javier Cinakowski, Night Speaks to a Woman, Acting the Devil, The Way I Feel, Mozambique, Perhaps ^[1], Last Tube

Set 2: Curlew’s Call, Windora Bug, At the Barbeque, Mr. Completely, Ray Dawn Balloon ^[2], At the Gazebo

Encore: Pebbles and Marbles^[2]
[1] TAB debut.
[2] Trey solo acoustic.

June 25, 2021
Billy Joel to play Highmark Stadium this August

Billy Joel will head to Western New York in August for a performance at the home of the Buffalo Bills, Highmark Stadium. The Piano Man’s show has been rescheduled for August 14, 2021 after being canceled last year due to COVID-19.

Highmark Stadium will be open at full capacity thanks to the state reaching 70% partial vaccination threshold in mid-June. Any unvaccinated fans will be required to wear masks. These follow the same masking policies as there are for Bills games.

All original ticket purchases will be honored. For those looking to see Billy Joel at Highmark Stadium, tickets are on sale at 10am Friday morning.

June 25, 2021
Air Bertr& takes an Ambient Journey with latest single “City Walk”

Air Bertr&, the new project from Let’s be Leonard‘s Karl Bertrand, has an ambient first single with “City Walk,” clocking in at a meditative 25 minutes and 48 seconds. Karl uses various instrumentation on the track, and was joined by fellow LBL bandmate Connor Dunn, playing saxophone on “City Walk.”

Hailing from Saratoga Springs, Bertrand began getting into ambient music in 2018, finding the music eased his mind as he wrestled with insomnia and anxiety. He cites favorite ambient artists as Chihei Hatakeyama, Midori Takada, Brian Eno, Harold Budd, and Laraaji.

In the past couple years, Karl has hosted a radio show ‘Fly Air Bertr&’ on 91.1FM Skidmore College, where he mixes ambient music from various artists with ASMR recordings and lecturers from a variety of different philosophical and spiritual backgrounds.

Fly Air Bertr& radio show on WSPN 91.1 Skidmore College Radio

Released on May 28, “City Walk” is the result of years of writing and recording, plus time in 2020 to focus on this project while awaiting the return of live music.

My connection with ambient music has often felt very spiritual to me. That might come out the most on the radio program.
Karl Bertrand

Bertr& has performed at local events, including at yoga studios where he live DJs the class. He has also composed a piece for a local ballet studio, an interesting way for the music to come alive in a live setting, especially in comparison to the live rock performances.

Karl Bertrand performing live at a yoga class.

“City Walk” was first recorded on a handheld cassette recorder as Bertrand took a walk from Manhattan’s Upper East Side to Midtown. He later recorded an improvisation on electric piano to the field recording and finished the piece by inviting Connor Dunn to improvise over everything on his saxophone.

I definitely felt inspired by the big city energy and the thoughts of all of the old session players and jazz cats that had walked those same streets. I think Connor’s playing really captured that feeling. He did it all in one take after barely hearing the backing track. When he was finished he said “I’m done.” That was that. It’s just how I imagined the old-city jazz cats would have done it.
I’ve always loved walking alone in the city with headphones in. It’s one of my favorite things about traveling. I think the energy of the whole track feels just perfect for how I feel when I’m doing that activity. There’s so much life there but it’s also just so serene at the same time.

Bertrand shares one experience from the field recordings in New York City:

One of the coolest parts of making music is the unexpected moments. One of those moments is buried in the end of the field recording on this track. I’m almost finished walking through the park and getting closer to midtown. The environment grows more dense with commotion and voices of New Yorkers and tourists. One guy walks past and says “Which way’s up?” as I pass him (referring to which way is uptown I’d assume.) Maybe ten seconds later a little kid playfully exclaims “It’s this way!” It seems like a little miracle of sorts to record such an unexpected li’l moment like that.

Listen to “City Walk” on Spotify or Bandcamp and follow Karl Bertrand on Instagram and Facebook.

June 16, 2021
The Old Songs Festival goes Virtual June 27-29

The Old Songs Festival of Traditional Music and Dance will be held virtually over June 25-27, 2021. Old Songs Festival celebrates folk, Quebecois, roots, Americana and world music from Scotland, Newfoundland, Quebec, Africa, the Midwest, Appalachia, New England and more.

The roots music featured at Old Songs Festival is highlighted by new music from contemporary songwriters, as well as music passed down through generations in families and/or communities.

The event will take place on Zoom, with evening concerts simulcast on Folk Music Notebook, the “Internet’s Finest Folk Radio” and on the Old Songs YouTube channel.

Sing, dance, and listen at this highly participatory event for the whole family. At Old Songs Festival, audience members are encouraged to take part in learn-how sessions, sing sacred harp, move their feet to great dance bands, learn Hawaiian Dance, take in a tap lesson or take a Friday afternoon class.

Just like the in-person festival, it will feature over 70 artists and includes “Main Stage” evening concerts, workshops, ‘learn hows’, Dance (yes really), family events, open mics, sings, sacred harp, sightings of Roger the Jester, a photo display of past festivals, and more.

School age children who play an instrument have participated in this year’s virtual “Great Groove Band” and there will be a short video of their performance at the virtual main stage of the festival on Sunday, June 27.

Featured performers this year include: Sheila Kay Adams with Melanie Rice Penland & Donna Ray Norton • Scott Ainslie • Stefan Amidon • Anita Best • Bourque Émissaires • Joe & Jim Bruchac • Matthew Byrne • Children’s Music Network • Andy Cohen • Guy Davis • Jeff Davis • Dennis Stroughmatt et L’Esprit Creole • John Dickson • Danielle Enblom • Frost & Fire Trio • Bing Futch • Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen • Sam Gleaves & Deborah Payne • Ron Gordon • Great Gambian Griots: Jali Bakary & Pa Bobo • The Great Groove Band • Hālau O Keikiali’i • Simon Harmer • Reggie Harris • Heard • Jamcrackers • Joe Jencks • Hubby Jenkins • JigJam • Ustad Shafaat Khan • John Kirk & Trish Miller • Chris Koldewey • La Croisee D’Antan • Evie Ladin • Frank Lee & Allie Burbrink • Jim Lloyd with Hunter Wilson & Sophia Pucket • Michael Love • Magpie • Val Medve • Will Mentor • Mist Covered Mountains • Emma O’Sullivan • Linn Phipps • John Roberts • Roger the Jester • Sally Rogers & Howie Bursen • Claudia Schmidt • Cedar Stanistreet & Donal Sheets • Stomp Rocket • Rodney Sutton • Toss the Possum • The Byrne Family • The Vox Hunters • George Wilson • Windborne • Bethany Yarrow • Young Tradition Vermont Touring Group!

For more information and to register at festival.oldsongs.org.

June 16, 2021