Category: Features

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band And All-Star Cast Cover “The Times They Are A-Changin” To Raise Money for Feeding America

In the fifty-seven years since Bob Dylan released his career-altering folksong, “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” the times he sang of did seem to change.

But now, in another period of national unrest, a President refusing to concede defeat or peacefully transfer power, and a renewed fire for justice in the long-fought battle for civil rights, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has a new version of Dylan’s classic sounds more poignant and insistent than ever before.

Amidst the compounding, pleading verses of Scottish ballad by way of Greenwich Village, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, with distinguished musical guests—Jason Isbell, Rosanne Cash, The War And Treaty, and Steve Earle—each step to the microphone to contribute a verse, with Isbell also adding slide guitar.

They carry the same tone and energy in their voices as the song’s writer did almost six decades ago; an unfortunate but earnest reaction to the all too evident parallels between now and then.

“It moved me deeply then and that hasn’t changed,” Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founding member and lead singer Jeff Hanna notes. “The lyrics are as relevant today as they were when Dylan wrote it. Maybe even more so.”

The track features NGDB members Jeff Hanna (lead vocals and acoustic guitar), Jimmie Fadden (drums), Bob Carpenter (accordion), Jim Photoglo (electric bass), Jaime Hanna (electric guitar), and Ross Holmes (fiddle and mandolin)—as well as Fred Eltringham (Sheryl Crow, The Wallflowers) on additional drums, and Nashville songwriting legend Matraca Berg on harmonica and harmony vocals.

“The Time’s They Are A-Changin’” was produced by Ray Kennedy and collectively recorded up and down the east coast.

John Leventhal recorded his wife, Rosanne Cash’s vocals in their New York City home studio and Steve Earle contributed his verse via the world famous Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village. In Nashville, NGDB and guests joined Kennedy in his Room & Board Studio.

“The Times They Are A-Changin’” is available for “name your price” purchase on NGDB’s Bandcamp page with proceeds going to Feeding America.

For more information, please visit Nittygritty.com and Feedingamerica.org.
The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle, Jason Isbell, The War and Treaty

February 11, 2021
Janani Shankar Releases Deeply Personal And Emotional New Single “I Wanna Know”

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Janani Shankar is set to release her new single, “I Wanna Know.”

In this track, Shankar speaks about deeply emotional issues such as abandonment, and pays tribute to her late grandmother Viji Shankar who she never met, and her late great grandmother Lakshmi Shankar.

Janani’s “I Wanna Know” touches on personal issues she has faced in her life. Shankar attributes these issues, such as loss and estrangement from close family members, to greed, jealousy, and death.

“I Wanna Know” is written from the perspective of a little girl longing for her family, asking why they left. By the end, the track speaks to a less empathic, more emotional feeling, driven by the accelerated drumbeat.

A singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Shankar started learning classical Indian vocals and violin at the age of three. Later on she picked up guitar, bass, and keys.

She began gigging in New York at the age of sixteen and went on to play in London, Los Angeles, and other cities around the world. Her style combines the nineties with folk, jazz, and indie influences.

Janani’s songs “Wanderer,” “Forgettable,” and “Get Up” have been played on BBC Radio: The Asian Network. Her most recent single, “The World is on Fire,” has been featured on radio stations and music blogs worldwide.

The track features Gingger Shankar on the double violin, Patrick Adams on trumpet, Mike Frazier (Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Escarioka) on drums, Nataliya Zaytseva on keys, Trevor Brown on bass, and Michael “Bull” LoBue on electric guitar.

Janani Shankar released “I Wanna Know” on February 9th, the day her grandmother Viji passed away, in her honor. Visit her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

February 10, 2021
Long Island’s Card Reader Takes First Place at Interstate Music Awards

Long Island pop-punk band Card Reader won first place at the Interstate Music Awards, an underground artist competition created by the CEO of Interstate Music, Jeff Peterson.

Long Island Pop-Punk Band Card Reader

Card Reader, won the Interstate Music Awards out of hundreds of submissions. Their first place prized earned them $5000 in gift cards, as well as the opportunity to perform live on the Interstate Music stage in Wisconsin later this year.

In a year of uncertainty and lockdown, Card Reader continued to put out music, their bright sound illuminating days spent inside. This spring they will be releasing an acoustic EP set to release on Friday, March 26th. It will contain new versions of previously released tracks, stripped down and engineered by their very own Matt Sullivan. They will also be recording their sophomore EP this April with veteran producer, Nik Bruzzese, at Gradwell House in Haddon Heights, New Jersey.

Guitarist and vocalist, Tom Petito, spoke about Card Reader’s big win and the road ahead. “We’re fired up right now. Starting 2021 off on the right foot is crucial for any band. I think we did just that. We received a big wave of support in this competition and winning it all has been an unreal experience. Our family, friends, & fans had our back in a big way.

We’ll use this momentum to help fuel the fire as we prepare to record our new EP in the spring. Nik reached out to us after the contest win and expressed his desire to take our sound to the next level. We couldn’t agree more. It’s our move now and our opportunity to show the music world that Card Reader is for real.

Stream their music on Spotify, Apple Music, or Bandcamp and find Card Reader on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

Watch their studio documentary for their 2020 EP Mental Scars here.

February 9, 2021
Vast Aire and COSMIQ deliver some “Good Fuel”

In anticipation of a new album, Vast Aire of Cannibal Ox, has released a brand-new record in collaboration with producer COSMIQ. With the duo’s collaborative effort set to be released soon, the hip hop veterans are hoping “Good Fuel,” will be just the song to give the album a push.

A gritty old-school New York record, “Good Fuel” sees Vast Aire continue a trend that has defined hip hop itself. In “Good Fuel” he descriptively conveys a proper image of the tough inner-city neighborhoods that Black people have inhabited for decades. The record begins with Vast Aire shouting out where he is from (Washington Heights, Harlem, New York City), with these locations also representing the setting for the story-like “Good Fuel.”

“Good Fuel” resembles other inner-city themed rap songs. Humble beginning, “we used to be shoulder to shoulder like ‘someone push me.’ Holes in your sucks, you got no p****.” To taking an interest in the street life in search of a better life for self and family, “I’m talking sky pagers with the fly beepers, all the drug dealers had the fly sneakers.” To eventual questioning of the political regime whose job it is to help the disenfranchised, “my commander-in-chief is running amuck. These right-winged lobbyists could care less, it’s settle for this evil or settle for less.”

“This track is important for our times right now,” says Vast Aire. “We all are coping with the chaos of COVID-19 and also the shock and trauma of Trump’s political coup. ‘Good Fuel’ reminds the youth and elders to remain righteous, while standing up in the face of oppression.”

“This song represents what Hip-Hop has always stood for, being the voice of the streets; from the lost criminal to the struggling and hard-working blue-collar workers. My late parents are those very people– and so am I!”

February 9, 2021
Albany’s Rock-Outlaws Son Of A Gun Turn To Dust Friday

New York capital region Rock-trio, Son Of A Gun, is on the run with the release of their second EP, Turn To Dust, to be released Friday, Feb. 12.

While the band probably isn’t smuggling shine in their petina post-war Buick Roadmaster down the Hudson Valley, their stone-cold rock jams will take you on a wild ride. The proof: Turn To Dust corrodes Son Of A Gun and their Rock and Roll sheen with a wild-side, proving more raw than their former effort.

The title track to this EP, “Turn To Dust,” kicks up a washy hi-hat drum intro, instantaneously energising the band. The pages turn, like a storyline from their lyrics to musical motifs. The textured drum beat tightens up for the band’s versus and solo, but remains the driving constant. Son Of A Gun, leaves us trailing behind, right on their coattails. They throw you into a groove immediately, fronting as that under-assuming opener you never saw coming.

Their concise burst of talent, in the forum of yearly releases keeps us intrigued. Their familiar tones reminisce of The Black Keys “Tighten Up” on tracks like “Watch and Wait,” yet keep you dancing with the song’s moving bass-lines. The solos scream, each and every time.

Turn To Dust will feature their hip lick “Find the Seam,” as featured live at Albany’s Low Beat in Dec. 2019. These guys have claimed their spot in New York’s Rock arena. They are fuelled to roll through energising live performances as their fanbase multiplies, and venues re-open. As the band burst at the seams, hang on for the ride.

“Find the Seam,” live at Albany’s Low Beat in Dec. 2019.

Son Of A Gun formed late 2018 “bringing a jam sensibility to straight-ahead Rock & Roll.” Their 2020 self-titled debut aids to classic rock fans with a stout major chord mentality. Gritty guitars and loose-mix drums keep a humble garage-rock edge and live feel. The trio has a hearty sound that could fit the bill on any headline stage. Their tracks soar like a hand in the wind as you cruise down the HRE – a floating momentum that kicks off with momentum solos on “Down The Highway.”

“…the band’s musicality and their compositions were tight and developed. They were songs that you could certainly rock out to. What was interesting was that their sound didn’t specifically fit into any musical genre. Sometimes it would sound more like Pearl Jam (heard through the vocals of “Winds of Change”), or you could hear the country-rock vibe of “Hope & Heartache.” Listening to both “Down the Highway” and “Call of Days Past,” you can tell that it centered around blues-rock, even including little hints of “Call Me the Breeze” in the guitar & bass riffs and hearing the vocals one could listen from Sly Fox and The Hustlers.”
– Amy Modesti on Radioradiox

Check out Son Of A Gun on their Website and Facebook.

February 9, 2021
Peter Matthew Bauer Drops “Mountains on Mountains,” Hints to Future 2021 Releases

Peter Matthew Bauer, solo alternative/indie recording artist and founder of New York art-rock band, the Walkmen, shared his newest track “Mountains On Mountains” with Brooklyn Vegan to hype up and premiere. Also known for his solo tracks “Liberation! (Mexican Summer)” and “Mount Qaf (Divine Love),” Bauer founded his own record label/artist management company, Fortune Tellers, representing names such as Starcrawler, Liily, Matt Costa, Lushlife, Caveman, and Caroline Kingsbury.

This is the first track of my own that I’ve recorded and decided to release in a long time. I’m not entirely sure how to explain it: it’s a pretty dark song about certain types of people and memories fading away. But it also has this feeling of no expectations, so it leaves me with a sense of optimism and presence in the end. Nick Stumpf and I started recording it for a fundraiser for Fairfight around the elections. Later we decided to take this barebones live recording and make it into something more proper and special.
Peter Matthew Bauer on “Mountains on Mountains”

The track draws inspiration from his unconventional upbringing in a yoga cult. Also, it captures elements of Sufi mysticism and ideologies of western phenomenologist and Islamic scholar Henry Corbin, while simultaneously crediting nostalgia of the late 90s and early 00’s music age in New York City. This song is the first of many singles anticipated from Bauer. Originally it was written and organized to perform at festivals benefitting Fairfight, an organization that works to promote voting rights and equality in Georgia.

Stripped-back but also cinematic, perhaps referencing the mid-’00s NYC scene and where it stands now.
Brooklyn Vegan on “Mountains On Mountains”

February 9, 2021
Instruments Are Simply Tools: Music Comes From The Soul with Éclat Vibes

In episode 110 of The Rochester Groovecast Podcast, Ben Albert vibes out on writing, creating, and producing genuine music with the man formally known as Logan Mckinney, “Éclat Vibes.”

Vibrations for the soul, intended to free the body and awaken the mind. Éclat will captivate you in a vibrant listening experience to inspire your spiritual self.

Timestamp:

00:31: Mac DeMarco “Chamber Of Reflection” Cover by Éclat Vibes

04:25: Episode Introduction

05:35: Conversation with Ben and Logan

17:19: “Underwater”

20:50: Conversation Continued

40:46 “Runaway”

44:03: Conversation Conclusion

01:03:02: “Your Love”

01:07:03: Conversation Conclusion

01:19:13: “Recognize”

01:23:23: Episode Conclusion

Rochester Groovecast by Balbert Marketing LLC · 110 Eclat Vibes

At Rochester Groovecast, the mantra “We’re Fans First!” harnesses the belief that the best businesses are built by fans. The podcast is deeply dedicated to playing an active role in the culture of its local scene.

The brainchild of Rochester native, Ben Albert, was created in 2016 to serve as a portfolio of the city, and nowadays, the entire region.

The podcast believes in the artistic brilliance abundant in Rochester, NY, and the surrounding regions. Ben seeks to play a pivotal role in our community by helping give Rochester a well-earned voice. He has seen first hand the abundance of talent, character, creativity, innovation, and beauty the Flower City has continuously offered.

Keep In Touch with Éclat Vibes on YouTube.

Rochester Groovecast is Powered By balbertmarketing.com

February 8, 2021
Pop Rock Band Powerlines Announce Debut Album with Lead Single “Sober”

New Brunswick, NJ based, expressive pop rock band, Powerlines, announced their debut album with the release of their lead single “Sober,” on January 28. Powerlines is composed of Deanna DiLandro as lead vocalist, Tyler Anderson as guitarist, and Nick Winship on bass.

Photo Credit: Zoe Nystrom

The lead single “Sober” delves into the entanglement of multiple fixations and the emotional struggle behind breaking away from them. With the work of deep bass and fuzzy guitar sounds, the track gives a sense of grooviness. In addition, DiLandro’s powerful vocals make an energetic theme in a rather serious subject.

“Sober” was the first track to be shared off of the band’s upcoming LP, all of this is temporary. Look out for Powerlines new album to be released in due time, on April 9. In today’s climate of constant chaos, it can be difficult to sit back and be appreciative of the small things, especially in terms of life experiences that seem to occur in a blink of an eye. In an optimistic way, all of this is temporary highlights the difficulty, pain, love and acceptance of confronting ephemerality.

A Deep Dive Into Powerlines Album

Following “Sober,” the second track, “Outside My Mind,” builds an upbeat anthem. Both of these tracks utilize funk baselines, driving drums, and textual guitars. All of which create a high energy introductions to concepts of growth and never-ending change.

The album’s emotional center, “Temporary,” is a tribute to DiLandro’s late mother. In contrast to lively opening tracks, Powerlines builds this sentimental piece with the use of a luscious guitar and a string ballad. This serves as a reminder to listeners that although loss and grief are inevitable, the knowledge that everything eventually transforms into something new can hopefully provide some comfort.

Artwork Credit: Jacqueline Brockel

As all of this is temporary moves forward through its various auditory snapshots, a consistent yet electric tone is constructed. This can be heard on the track “Water,” which contains flute and trumpet solos over a blues-rock guitar. Then, the pace begins to slow down again as the build of “Frames” deliberate the past and decay over time. Progressing with a mellow pace, “Being Is Strange” strips everything down to just an acoustic guitar. As the album is coming to a close, “Morris Street” brings the bands roots back with bouncing rock. Powerlines apply ongoing shifts from track to track to exemplify the wariness of the unknown.

Bringing up the tail end of the album is the liberating climax “Jet Planes” which gives off sounds of 90s alt-rock. This track serves as DiLandro’s acceptance of “opening up to the unknown.” Finally, a piano reprise of “Sober” closes all of this is temporary as it acts as a reiteration of the obstacles dealt with throughout each track. As Powerlines share this collection of stories, listeners can take away feelings of triumph, shared love, and a new embracement to the inevitable changes of life.

Listen to the lead single “Sober” on various major platforms here.

February 8, 2021
A Look at Shuttered Music Venues Across New York State
We’re coming up on one year without live music. Venues across New York State, and the country, are shuttered with no option for music beyond streaming. Our venues are the lifeblood of so many towns and cities across this great state, and these independent music venues still need our help, as they struggle to stay afloat until we’re in the clear.

In June, NYS Music photographers, having no live music to shoot, began looking at these music venues across the state. Over the summer and fall we saw venues closed for the foreseeable future, including The Jazz Standard in Manhattan. Venues are rallying their supporters to help as best they can at this time, including Arlene’s Grocery on February 9.

Paramount Hudson Valley Theater, Peekskill, NY – photo by Steve Malinski

Venues in New York and beyond are stuck in limbo, but they aren’t gone – not for good – so long as we can find resolution and relief at the state and national levels. The Heroes Act has passed in the House of Representatives, and the upcoming relief bill looks poised to jump-start the economy and provide a much needed lifeline to venues.

Winter has arrived, and across the state, venues still shine through the snowy nights. We start this month’s photo series of music venues across New York State in New York City, courtesy of Joseph Buscarello.

Visit NIVA to find out how you can help venues across New York, and the country. We need to #saveourstages and preserve live music now, for when this is over.

New York City – photos by Joseph Buscarello
Ithaca – photo by Casey Martin
Manhattan and Hudson Valley – photos by Steve Malinski
Geneva – photos by Joseph Booth
Saranac Lake – photo by Neil Sedlak

Buffalo – photos by Derek Hosken
Plattsburgh – photos by Jerry Cadieux
Albany – photos by Zach Culver
Long Island – photos by Rob Tellerman
The Hudson Valley – photos by Mickey Deneher
Utica – photo courtesy of The Stanley Theatre
February 8, 2021
The Beatles Touchdown in New York City

On Friday, February 7, 1964, Beatlemania arrived in the United States, as John, Paul, George and Ringo touched down on Pan Am Flight 101 at JFK Airport in Queens. More than 3,000 screaming fans greeted the mod suit wearing Beatles on the tarmac, leading to a few injuries among the crowd.

AP photo

In Anthology, Paul McCartney shared his thoughts as the plane approached New York.

There were millions of kids at the airport, which nobody had expected. We heard about it in mid-air. There were journalists on the plane, and the pilot had rang ahead and said, ‘Tell the boys there’s a big crowd waiting for them.’ We thought, ‘Wow! God, we have really made it.’
Paul McCartney

At nearly 1:30 p.m., the plane taxied to the terminal and the aircraft door opened. Cheers and screams rang out from the crowd. The NY Daily News reported a 17-year-old June Clayton of Brooklyn saying “They’re so cute. And Ringo’s the cutest. Look at them comb their hair!”

In addition to the huge crowd carrying signs and placards, the press numbered 200, reporters, photographers and cameramen among them.

How did so many people arrive at JFK Airport on this Friday afternoon? It seems Seltaeb, who handled The Beatles’ merchandising in the States, offered a promotion that promised every one who showed up at the airport would receive a t-shirt and a dollar, or $8.40 in 2021 dollars. The idea was crafted by Nicky Byrne of Seltaeb, with direction from Beatles manager Brian Epstein.

Byrne made a deal with radio stations WMCA and 1010 WINS to promote the offer, but Capitol Records had a promotion of their own, arranging for posters and car stickers that read “The Beatles are Coming” being spread out across New York City. When fans called Capitol Records, receptionists would answer the phone, “Capitol Records, The Beatles are coming.” Between radio, print and offers of a free shirt and money, fans flocked to JFK to give the boys from Liverpool a proper welcome.

Murray the K, DJ at 1010 WINS, announced The Beatles’ flight number and time of arrival over the air, which was spread by larger stations WMCA and WABC, helping to build anticipation.

The band then held a press conference inside Kennedy Airport where they met Murray the K, and were asked by the press pool to say their names, as the were individually not well known to the press.

The playful press conference was nothing more than a slapstick routine for the foursome, mildly frustrating the straight-laced press. Just as the crowd was dissipating, Paul grabbed the microphone to say “We have a message.” As reporters got ready to take notes and photographers jockeyed for position, Paul would say, “Our message is: buy more Beatles records!”

The Fab Four would leave the airport in four separate limousines, with Cynthia Lennon accompanying John and the others riding solo. Epstein and others needed to hail a taxi to get into Manhattan. A play-by-play could be heard on the radio by McCartney, which culminated in a crowd of fans and reporters swarming the band at the Plaza Hotel, where the band was giving a 10-room suite on the 12th floor with a Central Park view.

In the days that followed, The Beatles would make music history in New York City and Washington, D.C. On Sunday, February 9 at 8pm, Ed Sullivan welcomed the band to his stage for five songs: “All My Loving,” Meredith Willson’s “Till There Was You,” “She Loves You,” “I Saw Her Standing There” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” 73 million tuned in to watch The Ed Sullivan Show that night, roughly two-fifths of the population in America at that time. This would be the largest television audience at the time, according to Nielsen.

On February 11 at the Washington Coliseum, The Beatles performed their first American concert, with 8,000 lucky fans in attendance. They returned to the Big Apple the next day for performances at Carnegie Hall on the 12th and 13th, each of which were attended by 2,000.

From New York, The Beatles flew to Miami, making a second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 16, broadcast from the Napoleon Ballroom at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, bringing in another huge audience of 70 million viewers. Returning to England via Heathrow Airport on February 22, the band was met by 10,000 fans, leaving the beginnings of Beatlemania in their wake back in America.

February 7, 2021

Built in Breakdance