NYS Music 202​1

Author: Pete Mason

  • Lineup Announced for 24th Brooklyn Film Festival

    The Brooklyn Film Festival (BFF) has announced the film lineup for its 24th edition, titled “The Clearing.” Over the course of the 10-day festival, BFF will present 37 film programs online, and a partial line up of 22 programs in-person at Windmill Studios in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

    brooklyn film festival 2021

    Brooklyn Film Festival’s organizers have been staging International, competitive film events since 1998. BFF’s mission is to provide a public forum in Brooklyn in order to advance public interest in films and the independent production of films. They seek to draw worldwide attention to Brooklyn as a center for cinema and to encourage the rights of all Brooklyn residents to access and experience the power of independent filmmaking. BFF, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit group that promotes artistic excellence and the creative freedom of artists without censure.

    The 2021 edition will feature 36 World Premieres, 28 USA bows, 34 east coast debuts, and 25 first-time screenings in NY. In total, BFF will show in competition 147 features and shorts from 35 countries. The full lineup includes 13 narrative features and 9 documentary features highlighted in this release. The festival will also present 39 narrative shorts, 23 documentary shorts, 25 animation and 21 experimental films.

    On June 5th, BFF will begin in-person screenings at Windmill Studios in Brooklyn at 3pm, with the feature documentary film Queens of Pain. At 6pm, there will be a short narrative program, led by the world premiere of Until, by Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, and at 9pm, BFF will present the world premiere of the feature narrative, American Desert.

    Along with the film screenings, BFF will offer parallel events, such as pre-recorded filmmaker introductions and Q&A sessions on the festival website. Live interviews and get-togethers will be staged on Facebook and other social media.

    Tickets are available on the BFF website. Tickets for indoor screenings must be purchased in advance, online. All tickets and passes purchased online for BFF indoor programs can be picked up at Windmill Studios. Online, BFF will sell each film category for $10 and a Full Festival Pass for $24. All passes will be valid 24/7 from June 4-13.

    The online lineup will be available 24/7 for the entire 10 days, and the indoor event will feature three programs a day on weekends, and two on weekdays. Each program is two-hours long. To find out both the online and indoor schedule, check BFF’s website.

    Below is a partial line up of feature films playing in competition this year listed in alphabetical order. For further info on all the films, passes, and tickets, please check the BFF website.

    FEATURE NARRATIVES:

    AMERICAN DESERT
    Dir: Adrian Bartol, United States, 82 min, 2020, Narrative Feature, World Premiere
    It’s 2010, US Army veteran Matt Benning has returned from Afghanistan to a wrecked economy. Demons of war haunt him, a romance blossoms.

    BONE CAGE
    Dir: Taylor Olson, Canada, 89 min, 2019, Narrative Feature, NY Premiere
    Jamie works operating a wood processor, clear-cutting for pulp. At the end of each shift, he walks through the destruction he has created.

    CORRAL
    Dir: Marcelo Brennand, Brazil, 84 min, 2020, Narrative Feature, US Premiere
    Corral is a political drama that takes place in rural Brazil, in the city of Gravatá, where during the mayoral elections.

    GOSSAMER FOLDS
    Dir: Lisa Donato, United States, 95 min, 2019, Narrative Feature, NY Premiere
    In 1986, nine-year-old Tate Millikin is uprooted and unwillingly moved to the suburbs of Kansas City. As his parent’s marriage unravels.

    HELL IS EMPTY
    Dir: Jo Shaffer, United States, 98 min, 2020, Narrative Feature, World Premiere
    A self-styled messiah initiates a teenage runaway into his cult of sister-wives. Her rebellious nature upends the community.

    KALOKHACHYA PARAMBYA [PROP SHOOTS OF DARKNESS]
    Dir: Makarand Anaspure, India, 98 min, 2020, Narrative Feature, East Coat Premiere
    Prop shoots of Darkness is conflict of young orphan Alif about spirituality and material world. Industrious and helping everyone in the village.

    KRINGLE TIME
    Dir: Matthew Lucas, United States, 103 min, 2021, Narrative Feature, World Premiere
    After becoming the unlikely star of a children’s show, a public access TV station manager grapples with the problematic legacy of his predecessor.

    MOVING IN 2008
    Dir: Calogero Carucci, United States, 78 min, 2020, Narrative Feature, East Coast Premiere
    A family tragedy during the recession of 2008, catalyzed by unemployment, personal crisis, and illness.

    ONE NIGHT IN KATHMANDU
    Dir: Mohan Rai, Nepal, 70 min, 2019, Narrative Feature, US Premiere
    A GIRL, 26—together with a BOY, 33, who is a stranger to her– take an injured man to a hospital when an accident take places near them.

    TANGO SHALOM
    Dir: Gabriel Bologna, United States, 116 min, 2020, Narrative Feature, NY Premiere
    “TANGO SHALOM”: Moshe Yehuda (Jos Laniado), a Hasidic Rabbi and amateur Hora dancer, enters a big televised Tango competition to save his Hebrew school.

    TWO IS A MAGIC NUMBER
    Dir: Holger Borggrefe, Stefan Hering, Germany, 85 min, 2020, Narrative Feature, US Premiere
    A day at the lake. Andrejs ex-girlfriend Nadia pays him a visit. Nadia and Andrej’s former best mate Claudius are a couple now.

    UNDER THE LANTERN LIT SKY
    Dir: Michelle Bossy, United States, 75 min, 2020, Narrative Feature, World Premiere
    The story of Blanche DuBois and her husband, who in different ways are coming to terms with their sexuality in 1920s Mississippi.

    WALK WITH ME
    Dir: Isabel del Rosal, United States, 112 min, 2020, Narrative Feature, NY Premiere
    As she braves life after divorce, a young mother must challenge herself to take some personal risks after finding love in an unexpected place.

    FEATURE DOCUMENTARIES:

    AND SO I STAYED
    Dir: Natalie Pattillo, Daniel Nelson, United States, 90 min, 2020, Documentary Feature, World Premiere
    And So I Stayed is an intimate story of domestic violence survivors who killed their abusers in self-defense.

    INTO THE LIGHT
    Dir: Benjamin Schwartz, United States, 74 min, 2020, Documentary Feature, NY Premiere
    In the 1980’s Chuck Connelly was recognized as a key figure among the New York-based Neo-expressionist painters.

    LIFE & LIFE
    Dir: NC Heikin, United States, 80 min, 2020, Documentary Feature, East Coast Premiere
    Life & Life focuses on pressing criminal justice issues in America as seen through the life of recent parolee Reggie Austin.

    LITTLE PAKISTAN – FUTURE HISTORIES
    Dir: Sana Akram, United States, 120 min, 2021, Documentary Feature, US Premiere
    Little Pakistan – Future Histories is a dérive—a drifting in an online environment illustrating an immigrant neighborhood of Pakistani-Americans.

    MAYOR MOHAMED
    Dir: Jeffrey M., United States, Syria, Turkey, 86 min, 2021, Documentary Feature, World Premiere
    In this quintessential film about the Muslim-American immigrant experience, Mayor Mohamed Khairullah risks his life to bring humanitarian relief into Syria.

    ORGAN STOPS – SAVING THE KING OF INSTRUMENTS
    Dir: James Dawson, United Kingdom, 70 min, 2021, Documentary Feature, US Premiere
    Martin has spent his life playing and building pipe organs; nowadays he dedicates all his time to rescuing them – “It’s a real crisis.”

    QUEENS OF PAIN
    Dir: Cassie Hay, Amy Winston, United States, 75 min, 2020, Documentary Feature, NY Premiere
    One of the most successful teams in New York sports history, Gotham Girls Roller Derby is a feminist powerhouse of elite athletes, misfits, and renegades.

    TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES
    Dir: Hannah Jayanti, United States, 103 min, 2020, Documentary Feature
    Truth or Consequences is a speculative documentary about time and how we weave the past into the present and our possible future.

    THE WISDOM OF TRAUMA
    Dir: Zaya Benazzo, Maurizio Benazzo, US, Canada, 88 min, 2021, Documentary Feature, World Premiere
    Trauma is the invisible force that shapes our lives. It shapes the way we live, the way we love and the way we make sense of the world.

  • Blue Note Jazz Club Reopens with Summer Music Festival

    New York’s Blue Note Jazz Club returns this summer with a lineup ready to get back to live performances. Kicking off June 15, Sony Presents Blue Note Jazz Festival will feature Ron Carter, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Robert Glasper, Jacob Collier, Eddie Palmieri, John Scofield and Al Di Meola, among many other musicians scheduled to perform through August 15.

    blue note jazz festival

    Performances will take place both indoors at the iconic Blue Note Jazz Club in Greenwich Village and Central Park Summerstage. The performances at the Blue Note Jazz Club mark the return of musicians to the legendary stage following closure in March 2020.

    Reopening the Blue Note and re-establishing the Festival in 2021 is a significant and important step toward restoring the vibrant music community of New York City. The reopening will also allow us to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our Festival this year as well as the 40th anniversary of the Blue Note New York.

    Steven Bensusan, President Blue Note Entertainment Group

    Variety notes that four artists performing in the 10th anniversary Blue Note Jazz Festival appeared in its inaugural edition: Chris Botti, Eddie Palmieri, Ron Carter, and Eric Krasno. The festival also welcomes artists making their Blue Note debuts, Brasstracks, Ghost-Note, and Digable Planets.

    Blue Note Jazz Club adheres to the reopening guidelines as set forth by the City of New York, New York State, and the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Tickets can be purchased here.

    blue note jazz festival

    BLUE NOTE JAZZ FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

    SummerStage in Central Park:
    Sunday, June 20 – Chris Botti
    Sunday, June 27 – George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic
    Sunday, July 11 – Galactic feat. Anjelika ‘Jelly’ Joseph & MonoNeon

    Blue Note (Greenwich Village):
    Tuesday, June 15 – Sunday, June 20 – Robert Glasper
    Monday, June 21 – Jacob Collier and Friends
    Tuesday, June 22 – Wednesday, June 23 – Ghost-Note
    Thursday, June 24 – Sunday, June 27 – Ravi Coltrane w/ Orrin Evans, Dezron Douglas, Johnathan Blake
    Monday, June 28 – Joel Ross
    Tuesday, June 29 – Thursday, July 1 – Eric Krasno Trio (E3 FT Eric Kalb & Eric Finland)
    Friday, July 2 – Saturday, June 3 – Brasstracks
    Sunday, July 4 – Monday, July 5 – Eddie Palmieri Residency
    Tuesday, July 6 – Wednesday, July 7 – Maurice “Mobetta” Brown
    Thursday, July 8 – Sunday, July 11 – John Scofield
    Monday, July 12 – Thursday, July 15 – Keyon Harrold
    Friday, July 16 – Sunday, July 18 – Talib Kweli with Live Band
    Monday, July 19 – Eddie Palmieri Residency
    Tuesday, July 20 – Wednesday, July 21 – James Carter Quartet w/ James Hurt, Gerald Cannon, Kahlil Kwame Bell
    Thursday, July 22 – Saturday, July 24 – Ms. Lisa Fischer
    Monday, July 26 – Michel Camilo
    Tuesday, July 27 – Judith Hill
    Wednesday, July 28 – Thursday, July 29 – Joe Lovano Quartet
    Friday, July 30 – Sunday, Aug 1 – Al Di Meola
    Monday, Aug 2 – Eddie Palmieri Residency
    Wednesday, Aug 4 – Sunday, Aug 8 – Ron Carter Quartet w/ Renee Rosnes, Jimmy Greene, Payton Crossley
    Monday, Aug 9 – Tuesday, Aug 10 – Isaiah Sharkey
    Wednesday, Aug 11 – Thursday, Aug 12 – Digable Planets
    Friday Aug 13 – Sunday, Aug 15 – John Pizzarelli Better Days Ahead (Solo Guitar Takes on Pat Metheny)

  • PEAK Announce Summer 2021 Dates, Album Release Show

    Spring has arrived, and Brooklyn’s PEAK bring with them fresh dates and the world looking ahead to Summer 2021.

    For the first announcement in what will be a big year for the band, they’ll release their forthcoming full-length sophomore album, Choppy Water, in September, with a the Brooklyn, NY-based quartet will be hosting an album release show at the Knitting Factory on September 10 (at full capacity), with a support acts to be named very soon.

    peak summer 2021

    PEAK Summer 2021 TOUR DATES:

    May 30 Yasgur’s May Meltdown, Bethel, NY (PEAK headline Friday)
    June 17     Stella Blues, New Haven, CT
    July 10 Electric Haze, Worcester, MA
    July 17 Snug’s Bar, New Paltz, NY
    July 23     B.R.Y.A.C. Bridgeport, CT
    August 26 Tellus 360, Lancaster, PA
    August 27 Altered State Distellery Erie, PA
    September 10 ALBUM RELEASE SHOW Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY

    Watch PEAK perform “Vanishing Skies,” live from the Studio.

  • Miley Cyrus Performs Three Times as Elon Musk Hosts SNL

    SNL returned for the final three episodes of the season, with host Elon Musk and musical guest Miley Cyrus, who saved the episode with three musical appearances, beginning with a cold open featuring cast members and their moms.

    Cyrus sang godmother Dolly Parton’s 1977 hit “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.” Miley was then joined on stage by her mom Tish, the cast and moms, to collectively open the show.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlEXNWjm1f8

    This marked Cyrus’ seventh time on Saturday Night Live, and sixth as musical guest. Cyrus also appeared later in SNL show in “The Astronaut,” one of three pre-recorded sketches in the otherwise lackluster episode.

    For her second musical appearance of the night Miley was joined by The Kid LAROI for “Without You,” marking the broadcast premiere of the single the pair released last month.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nbXBeYY1Po

    “Plastic Hearts” was the third and final performance of the night from Cyrus, singing the title track of her recently released album. The highest energy number of the night featured a backing horn section and Cyrus in a flowing, feathery pink dress.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLLKzis7NfQ

    Joining the show for a cameo appearance during a Wario courtroom sketch, musician Grimes played Princess Peach, with husband Elon Musk on the stand as Wario, on trial for killing Mario.

    The penultimate episode of Season 46 of Saturday Night Live airs on Saturday, May 14 at 1130pm ET/PT. Keegan-Michael Key will host with musical guest Olivia Rodrigo.

  • Dani Doucette Drops Captivating New Single, “Craved”

    Toronto pop artist Dani Doucette today brings forth the captivating, neon-hued single “Craved,” fusing elements of R&B, disco, and pop setting the scene for Doucette’s velvety vocals.

    dani doucette

    The narrative of “Crave” describes an entrancing feeling in a club when you lock eyes with someone across the room who may not be suitable for you, yet you gravitate towards them overwhelmed with mystery. With confidence, power, and sensuality, Dani Doucette displays how being craved is a superpower. The lyrics describe losing yourself to love but only enough to leave a craving for more, pairing with a vibrant backing track accompanying Doucette’s voice.

    Doucette fell in love with music at the young age of four when her father brought to their Toronto home a baby grand piano spending days practicing in her family’s sun-soaked music room. Aside from being an artist, she is an accomplished model, adding the glamour and excitement of her world-traveling experiences to her music. An aspiring humanitarian, Doucette  also uses her platform to work with young people on their journey of self-discovery.

    Applying her own struggles with confidence and feeling unfulfilled in the modeling world as her inspiration, she hosts self-esteem and confidence-boosting workshops for young women. Consistent with her goal of bringing about positive change in the world, Doucette strives to help people  overcome adversity by sharing her own life experiences openly.

    Charged with an ethereal vision, Dani has developed an individual pop sound, with captivating songs that feature a strong autobiographical and rebellious quality. Doucette arrived on the scene in August 2020 with “GO,” and the R&B pop song “Selfish” in January 2021.

    Co-written with Thomas McKay, Dani channeled some of her favorite pop idols and a sci-fi energy, bringing the ambiance of an interstellar party.

    While writing this song and working on harmonies we had MJ and Britney vibes that we were feeling. I remember Thomas and I just knew we had made something special.

    Dani Doucette

     “Craved” is now available to stream and download on digital platforms worldwide. 

  • Marcus Rezak recruits TAB members for “Truth in Sound”

    Guitarist Marcus Rezak has teamed up with members of Trey Anastasio Band for his latest EP, Truth in Sound. Approaching the album with a songwriter and story-telling mindset, Rezak wrote, recorded, and produced Truth in Sound over the course of 2020, in the hopes of creating an album that has the power to heal through both music and lyric, hence, Truth in Sound.

    marcus rezak

    After a Shred is Dead show at Nectar’s in November 2019, Rezak discovered a newfound musical chemistry with Russ Lawton that needed to escalate beyond the one-off performance. Rezak invited Lawton and his TAB colleagues to record new material that he had been writing, and they enthusiastically obliged.

    I first met the Trey Band guys at a Shred is Dead show I played in Burlington and was thrilled that they enthusiastically obliged my invitation to be a part of this record. It was a very natural feeling coming together and playing in the studio, almost as if we had been playing together for years. All the guys are unique in their style when together which creates a one-of-a-kind synergy, plus they are super warm and kind humans.

    Marcus Rezak

    Truth in Sound was recorded at Tank Recording Studio in Burlington, VT and engineered by studio owner/operator Ben Collette, who has served as an audio engineer for Trey Anastasio and Phish since 2004. The band took the energy sparked by the initial Shred is Dead performance and transferred it into four tracks with Rezak’s preparation and eloquent compositions. All of the guitar tracks and mixing were done by Joe Hettinga of Third Coast Recording Company.

    marcuz rezak truth in sound

    While the album displays the same fierce jams and guitar shredding that his debut Gateway to the Galaxy emitted into the universe, Rezak’s focus on Truth in Sound is showcasing heartfelt lyrics and musical healing to mirror his experiences since his initial release. During the challenges of COVID-19, he felt compelled to uplift and fill in where depression and confusion had become a part of so many people’s everyday lives. In those initial lockdown months, renegade-style drive-up concerts were some of the only ways to keep music present for both musicians and music lovers alike. He saw a new purpose while observing his music keep those isolated in good company and helping release some endorphins.

    The final outcome of this record truly encapsulates a time in my life, through a sound, that I hope brings healing, joy, and excitement to those with open ears.

    Marcus Rezak

    Truth in Sound features Russ Lawton, Tony Markellis, and Ray Paczkowski from the Trey Anastasio Band, plus Kalyan Pathak on world percussion and tabla. The album’s first single “Light of the Moon” is a true story about people of the night connecting through their love of music, celebrating cathartically in the light of the moon reveling in dance, joy, and memories. The late Tony Markellis lays down a one-of-a-kind strut on the bass and Pathak’s percussion work adds an element of global music flavors with his tabla work during the solo section and expressive nuance on chimes, congas, shekere.

    “Borderline” is another true story about modern love and the primal connection humans can have with one another, drawing inspiration from the compassion humans uncontrollably have to want to heal the unfortunate trauma of others. “Leaving” details traveling musicians’ life on the road, with a psychedelic jam accompanying the journey. The instrumental track “Glitter Pillow” is a magnum opus of progressive rock, funk, and jazz, with a ’70s harmonic vibe propelling into a mystical minor improv section that builds and compounds into fierce energy from the entire band. Visit Rezak’s Bandcamp to pick up the album.

  • Trey Anastasio Announces 3-night solo run at SPAC

    Live music returns to Saratoga Springs this June, and the concert announcements just keep getting bigger. Trey Anastasio will perform solo at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) for three nights, June 18-20, with tickets pre-sale starting May 5 at noon. Read our review of the weekend of shows here.

    Anastasio was originally supposed to play at Tanglewood on June 18 with the Boston Pops, but cancelled the show in March.

    trey anastasio SPAC

    Aside from the Beacon Jams this past fall, these shows mark the first live performances for Anastasio since January 2020 at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester. Trey last performed solo shows in the Fall of 2019, closing out the run at Carnegie Hall.

    The timing of the shows follows the recent passing of longtime Trey Anastasio Band bassist Tony Markellis, a Saratoga Springs resident for more than 40 years, who passed away last week.

    Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) has announced the following guidelines for the three Trey Anastasio shows:

    Social Distancing
    For our upcoming Trey Anastasio events June 18-20, capacity will adhere to state guidance. Currently, all seating will be sold in “pods” and each group of seats must be purchased together.

    COVID-19 Testing Or Vaccination Requirements
    Guests have three options to demonstrate they are eligible to attend an event. Please note the required timeframes associated with each option so you can plan ahead accordingly:

    1. Proof of a negative antigen COVID-19 test taken within six hours of the event start time OR
    2. Proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the day of the event OR
    3. Proof of vaccination. To ensure you fully vaccinated, the day of the event must be at least 14 days after your second dose of the Pfizer-BioNtech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or at least 14 days after your single dose of the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.

    On your way to SPAC, don’t forget that Stewart’s Shops is your ice cream shop! With over 345 shops in 31 counties across New York and southern Vermont, the convenience store chain is known for their fresh &local dairy products. With dozens of choices at the cone counter, you’re bound to find something you love! Try a shake, sundae, or cone today,  What’s Your Flavor?  

  • Reimagined New York State Fair will Return in 2021

    The Great New York State Fair will return in 2021 for an end of summer celebration, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo. The New York State Fair will take place at the fairgrounds in Syracuse from August 20 to September 6, 2021 and will include musical performances, Midway rides, agriculture education, plus food and drinks. 

    The New York State Fair had been a staple in Upstate New York for entertainment and fun since it first started all the way back in 1841. Due to COVID-19, the fair was cancelled last year. This reimagined version of the State Fair will look quite similar to the event that is loved and known by people. The Great New York State Fair will take place in four outdoor areas across the fairgrounds, one representing each of the major elements that make the fair great. 

    The fair will feature an exceptional array of food and beverage including some of the Fair’s most iconic culinary experiences, such as the Pizze Fritte, sausage sandwiches and wine slushies. It will also host daily concerts from national touring performers in the scenic, spacious New York Experience festival grounds. Have thrilling amusement rides, games and attractions for all ages on the Midway. It also will feature farm animals on display to introduce the young and young-at-heart to New York’s agriculture. Admission to the fair will only be $3 per person, with children under 12 being admitted free of charge.

    new york state fair

    Although a full list of acts hasn’t been announced yet, it has been revealed that there will be performances from REO Speedwagon, Dropkick Murphys, Sheena Easton, Great White and Vixen and the Oak Ridge Boys at least. 

    Governor Cuomo spoke of the resurrection of the fair saying,

    The New York State Fair is one of our biggest and most exciting tourist attractions that celebrates the spirit of New York and generates economic growth for the region and the entire state. I’ve said time and again that no one wants to open the Fair this year more than I do – and we are finally making it happen in a safe, responsible way with the 2021 Reimagined New York State Fair. This celebration is a unique reward for New Yorkers who have made so many sacrifices during this pandemic and will allow visitors from across the state and the country to enjoy some of the best attractions the Fair has to offer with all necessary safety guidelines in place. This is an important step towards the full return of New York’s largest events as we continue to reopen and reimagine our state’s economy.

    The preparation for the fair will be in accordance with the Department of Health’s COVID-19 health and safety guidance. As public health conditions and the guidance changes, the fair will adapt and adhere to all applicable health protocols, such as capacity restrictions, social distancing, face coverings, and health screening where necessary.

    new york state fair
    The Wallflowers – Great NY State Fair Grandstands

    Daily admission is planned to be limited to approximately 50 percent of capacity for the areas available for attendees to allow for social distancing. Capacity limits will be reexamined and adjusted if necessary to comply with health and safety guidelines. The fairground’s buildings will not be open to the public, except for bathrooms. Attendees will be required to observe social distancing and wear masks, except when eating or drinking. People buying food and drinks will be asked to sit while they eat and drink, and ample tables and dining spaces will be made available. Midway rides, games and attractions, as well as all surfaces of frequent customer contact will be rigorously and frequently cleaned and sanitized.

    joan jett new york state fair
    Joan Jett and The Black Hearts – Great New York State Fair Chevy Court

    Further details on fair ticket sales and on specific rules for guests will be announced later and will be subject to change with the State’s health and safety guidance change and adapt over time. Visit the New York State Fair website for more information.

  • Joshua West, Jade Relics and more featured on this week’s EQXposure

    Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Joshua West, Jade Relics and many more!

    joshua west

    WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.

    Songwriter and brilliant musician Joshua West will share his tune “Feel That Pulse” off his forthcoming release, Let Your Voice Be Heard which is planned for release over the summer. 

    “Feel That Pulse”  was written back in 2016 in response to the Pulse Nightclub tragedy in Orlando. The song’s message is one of love, equality and acceptance – urging us to let everyone “Sing the song they were born to sing.” It features Mihali Savoulidis of Twiddle on lead guitar, along with a great list of Vermont and upstate NY musicians.

    Vermont independent group, Jade Relics, comprised of IamE, RicoJames, and Elder Orange latest single, “ISLAND” is a mind blowing tune that takes a serious groove adjustment mid-way through, as if it is the sonic equivalent of grabbing someone by the arm to pull them away from getting hit by a speeding train. The feel switch pulls the aritist in and figuratively forces their attention on where the song is taking them. 

    Athena Burke give us a powerful and positive anthem to remind us to stand strong in these off centered times. In her own words, “I will not fall “  is an emotional power anthem I wrote to help heal a past filled with trauma. A call to our inner strength in times of challenge. My sister, Lori had a life mantra. It came from our childhood. She had these dolls called Weebles. The slogan was ‘Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down.’ This song is dedicated to all of us who won’t fall down. And my sister Lori, who didn’t make it but inspired everyone around her. I hope this song will bring you love and power and strength on those days when you need it.” Produced by Devon Seegers of Bathrobe Robots.

  • In Memoriam: Bassist Tony Markellis

    Tony Markellis, a Saratoga Springs resident for more than four decades, and co-founding member of Trey Anastasio Band, has died. Markellis’ death was noted in a Facebook post by his nephew Cory Markellis. The cause of death has not been shared.

    tony markellis
    Tony with Trey Anastasio Band, February 19, 2011, Palace Theatre, Albany

    Born in Helena, Montana, Tony began playing bass in third grade and never looked back. Living in Saratoga Springs for 45 years, as a bassist, he had a wide range. Over his 47-year career, he played blues, folk, jazz, rock, country and bluegrass with musicians including Anastasio, Paul Butterfield, The Mamas & the Papas, Johnny Shines, David Bromberg, David Amram, Paul Siebel, Rosalie Sorrels, Eric Von Schmidt, Ellen McIlwaine, Mary McCaslin, Railbird, Jo Henley, Russ Lawton, Ray Paczkowski, Jennifer Hartswick, Natalie Cressman, James Casey, and Floodwood.

    Tony was a founding member of the groundbreaking Vermont-based jazz fusion group Kilimanjaro, as well as the Unknown Blues Band featuring Big Joe Burrell. At the 2017 Grand Point North Festival, Anastasio revealed that Tony was the reason he eventually decided to go to UVM.

    I went into this bar, I had just gotten off the plane, I was 18-years-old. Hunt’s, this used to be a great club and I went in and I saw this band that to this day I would say is my favorite band of all time. I was completely floored by the musicianship and the coolness and that was the moment that I wanted to move to Burlington was when I saw these guys. And of course, that band was Big Joe And The Unknown Blues Band.

    Trey Anastasio

    Tony was the first member brought on for Trey’s solo project, which began with 8 Foot Flourescent Tubes, evolved into a trio with drummer Russ Lawton, who Tony suggested to Trey, and eventually into a 7-10 piece band over the course of 2001 through today. He was part of Anastasio’s introspective 2019 album and band, Ghosts of the Forest. Markellis would also help develop songs with Anastasio for the Broadway musical, Hands on a Hardbody.

    Tony gained fans once again during the Beacon Jams in the Fall of 2020, where his presence, humor and bass playing anchored an incredible run of 8 weeks of musicianship. “You can spatchcock just about anything” went from a backstage comment by Tony to Trey, to an onstage banter and meme among fans.

    beacon jams
    photo by Jake Silco

    Tom Mitchell, whose first record was produced by Tony in 1976, said on Facebook, “He was the bass player that made everyone sound better.”

    Read a 2011 interview with Tony Markellis

    Markellis leaves behind a legacy that includes co-writing Phish staples “Sand,” “First Tube” and “Gotta Jibboo,” the latter of which he would join Phish for at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on June 20, 2010. At the final show of Trey Anastasio Band’s inaugural summer tour on August 5, 2001 at SPAC, Trey held up a sign that said “We’re on Tony Tour,” a photo of which Tony proudly displays on his website.

    More recently, Markellis published a book of short stories, titled Life…Real & Imagined, published by Vermont’s Shires Press. He very recently contributed to Marcus Rezak’s album Truth in Sound, released on April 30, 2021, on Color Red Music.

    Trey Anastasio shared his thoughts on his friends and bandmate on social media.

    Tony Markellis passed away yesterday. He was a truly remarkable human being. He was kind and had a sweetness to his personality, and he was the baddest bass player I’ve ever heard. I loved Tony, and I always will. I’m having a hard time processing this. Tony was the heartbeat to so much of my life, and to the lives of so many others. He played bass for my first dance with Sue at our wedding. We wrote First Tube and Sand together, and played so many years, so many memories.
    I was very lucky to have had a very long phone conversation with Tony only a few days ago. We talked for almost two hours. We caught up on family, friends, and funny pandemic thoughts. It wasn’t often that we talked on the phone like that. I had no idea it would be our last conversation. Now it feels like it happened for a reason.
    I’m so grateful today for those hours, and for all of the years together.
    Tony, we’ll all miss you. Thank you for the gifts you brought to all of us.
    RIP my friend.

    Trey Anastasio