Carnegie Hall will host two legends in 2022, each celebrating their own milestone from the Perelman Stage in the Stern Auditorium. On April 22, Jorma Kaukonen will celebrate his 80th trip around the sun with an electric performance by Hot Tuna, and on May 10, double-bass jazz legend Ron Carter will be fêted for his 85th birthday celebration.
filled with music and memories at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage. NBC newscaster Lester Holt will serve as emcee, with appearances from fellow artists Stanley Clarke and Buster Williams already confirmed, and additional guests to be announced in the coming weeks.
For Kaukonen’s celebration, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member will join his fellow bandmates, bass guitarist Jack Casady and drummer Justin Guip for an electric evening. Casady and Kaukonen, two rock veterans and founding members of Jefferson Airplane, have been performing together as Hot Tuna since 1969, marking their 50th anniversary together as a duo in 2019.
Ron Carter, has been called by NPR as “one of the most influential and widely recorded bassists in jazz history,” and The New York Times who said “Playing with Mr. Carter can be a fearsome experience. Legendary for his professionalism and his rigorousness, he challenges musicians to stretch and improvise, not just piece together rehearsed ideas and phrases.”
Presented by Tzedakah 4 All, the event will feature performances by Carter-led groups in three combinations – Trio, Quartet, and Nonet – exploring material from his illustrious six decade career. NBC newscaster Lester Holt will serve as emcee, with appearances from fellow artists Stanley Clarke and Buster Williams already confirmed, and additional guests to be announced in the coming weeks.
Carter, synonymous with jazz bass, has performed and collaborated with a who’s who of music history, including Miles Davis, Alice Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Herbie Hancock, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Bette Midler, Gil Scott-Heron, A Tribe Called Quest, Wayne Shorter, Paul Simon, McCoy Tyner, Aretha Franklin, Stan Getz, Roberta Flack, Bill Evans, Chet Baker, and dozens more. Carter is also a distinguished professor emeritus at City College and a faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music.
Tickets for Hot Tuna at Carnegie Hall on the 80th birthday of Jorma Kaukonen, and tickets for the 85th birthday celebration of Ron Carter, are now on sale here.
The Alien Opera House hosted a Sunday farmer’s market with live music throughout the day on Sunday, December 12. The holiday festive green Sunday on the north side featured performances by Lil Cease, Ryan Mackie, Ebb n Flow with Mozay Calloway, Joe Driscoll, and DJ R Hop. Sound beats by Scott Gagnon.
The Sunday matinee headliner was the Frank White Experience with special guest Lil’ Cease of the original Bad Boy Record label. The ensemble consisting of Deyquan Bowens, Thomas Carter, Danielle Mitchell, Jay Lock, Emanuel Washington and Skribe Da God laid down a live studio session vibe to the music of Notorious B.I.G. Skunk City’s Emmanuel Washington held down the neo-soul beats on drums for the holiday event. He even had Byron Cage carry the groove on the kit for the encore.
Lil Cease has been in the studio for countless legendary sessions with Brooklyn artist Notorious B.I.G. He took some time before his set at The Alien Opera House to speak with NYS Music about the surroundings:
Matthew Romano: There’s a lot of artists here today all inspired by having you in the building on this 12 21 Sunday. Do you remember a specific session that just came out of nowhere to form something significant?
Lil Cease: Yea that happened to me while working with producer Harry Fraud and French Montana. It was the first time I started recording records on the spot. I would write my rhymes right there and they’d have the music ready to go. We cut a track in two hours tops. You got to take advantage of the moment, ya know? If I went home and messed with it I’d try to refurbish it and wouldn’t be the same. I did my best records like that. Sometimes you gotta take the energy of something around you and run with it. BIG used to do that with songs all the time, he would listen to people and conversations around him and bring it to the booth. We’d be in the studio smoking and he would just go record on the spot… Plans to leave, throw the keys to Little Cease (uh-huh) Pull the truck up front, and roll up the next blunt. It’s like yo we just did that… (laughter)
Writing about your surroundings is really powerful.
Lil Cease
MR: What kind of funk music is an influence on you?
LC: I mean I listen to a bunch of stuff. Is Earth Wind and Fire considered funk? I mean it’s all just music. I listen to music. Once I started learning to DJ I realized how music works. You want to say every rapper is a jazz artist? I have sampled jazz music before. It’s just beats that play, they run, Like Rain Dance.. that’s Crush on You! I didn’t know we sampled other people’s music, I was fifteen years old just thinking the producer made the beat. After I heard the original I said damn we should have left the horns in it.
Lil Cease joined the experience on the spot for a live “Crush on You” at the Opera house in 12 21. The Frank White Experience also brought “Machine Gun Funk” and “Dead Wrong” among many other B.I.G record classics to the masses. Deep Cuts like “One More Chance” and “Sky is the Limit” really hit hard in the Sunday crowd. Whatever art you dabble in you can guarantee to have a meeting of the minds at this space on Syracuse’s north side. You never know what what will happen in the Alien opera house world. Stay Tuned.
We Love Ya”ll Syracuse. The Vibe here is great. RIP B.I.G. Life is short, lets try and bring some peace in this world. Love and appreciate Ya’ll
Dave Hanlon brought his power jazz trio to the 443 Social Club & Lounge on Friday, December 3rd with Ron France on bass and Ed Vivenzio on keys in tow. The trio delivered a Blue Note style-esque performance of their take on classic funk jazz compositions. Twenty seven pieces were on the set list to be exact. All performed with the same on the spot fervor that all good jazz is created in.
The group put their spin on greats by Thelonius Monk, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Steely Dan and a rock block of Joe Sample cuts. The trio did a classic two set & encore performance for the candle lit table crowd at 443. Without a doubt the 443 is Syracuse’s most intimate room for those looking to really listen to the notes coming off the bandstand. Dave Hanlon shared the 2005 and 2015 SAMMY awards with Phish drummer and Syracuse native Jon Fishman.
Fishman was inducted as a lifetime achievement award recipient in 2015 and he naturally introduced Dave Hanlon into the Hall of Fame at The Dinosaur BBQ & Eastwood’s Palace Theater in 2005. A 13 year old Fishman once took lessons from Hanlon. Jon brought the sheet music Hanlon gave him at their first lesson to the induction ceremony. “Can you believe that? I flipped out.” Dave Hanlon still has various projects he dabbles with as we approach the end of this year. He took some time to talk with NYS music at Syracuse’s Blue Note style room, the 443, for a chat.
Matthew Romano: Steve Gadd spoke of the Ridgecrest Inn in Rochester where he could watch legendary drummers perform up close. With the same as my proximity to you on the bandstand at 443 tonight. What were some memories of live music you attended in New York State that you can remember as an influence that started to instill a groove in you?
Dave Hanlon: Mahavishnu Orchestra & Ravi Shankar at Syracuse University quad. Billy Cobham on drums absolutely blew me away in 1972. Wait not the quad… it was SkyTop field on SU Campus.
MR: What about on the gigging side and educationally?
DH: My first kit was from Stagnitta music and I used a trash can for the snare drum. I took a couple lessons at Stagnitta music but it was at Auburn Community College with Dick Howard were I took my first lessons. From there I went to Detroit to finish college and started playing out in bands. Not studying music, just gigging. Back to Syracuse I was part of a big regional band called DOVE. It was a great rock and roll experience. After that ended I went to New York City to study at the percussion center with Norman Grossman. There I met Jim Chapin for a few lessons. Chapin is notable for his independence jazz drumming book. So that combination was a huge influence. I’d take the train to New York for class during the day and then to Buddy Rich’s club at night. I’d sit and watch him play with his six piece band. Next I went to Los Angeles. It was big as I did a clinic with Louie Bellson who originated the double bass drums. At 28, I did a show at the Los Angeles Percussion school as a guest, not a student. I performed with him in front of 250 other drummers. It was the highest pressure situation I’ve ever found myself in but a dream come true.
When I came back to Syracuse I formed my first solo funky five piece jazz band. In 1976 we got a 13 month residency at the “Spirit of 35” on Carrier Circle where Joeys is now. It helped really give us time to hone our skills balls out ya know? All instrumental. We even had Edgar Winter come sit and play a whole set with us after a show he had in Syracuse. The promoters brought him to hear us. It was well before cell phones and the word still got out so it went to the standing room only in 15 minutes. It was definitely the most memorable moment there.
In 1977 I joined the band CRAC and their original album All For You was re released in 2020 by King Underground Record Company out of England on Vinyl. From there I recorded with Duke Jupiter out of Rochester on two of their albums on Mercury Records. Duke Jupiter made its way in to Rochester music hall of fame in 2014. In the 1980’s I formed the first cookbook band which was all instrumental that had a year long residency at the Lost Horizon. Ava Andrews joined me on vocals for the next version of the cook book and she remained an original member with me for 34 years. Funky Jazz Band formed in 2016 as fresh five instrumental. The trio out of it works well for a lot of other style rooms. Diana Jacobs Band out of Auburn I collaborated with in 2018 that has a full horn section, we just released “Love Each Other, Love Our World” the day after Thanksgiving this year. The CD just made its way to Soundgarden with streaming options available soon.
MR: What great studio sessions have you recorded on?
DH: I love being a part of Studio Jams with producer Tom Emmi in Philadelphia. The concept is to get different musicians together completely unprepared, roll the tape and see what they come up with. We might pick a song from another artist and put our own stamp on it. It’s educational and entertaining. I’ve done 15 of them. They do it all over the country. I was able to do Herbie Hancock’s Watermelon Man at Sub Cat Studios in Syracuse that got over 2 million views and counting. Everyone donates their time to simply give back to the music. It’s a really beautiful thing. He arranged a series for fallen artists titled “Lest We Forget” as well so that their musical groove can live on.
MR: What is your angle over time on dealing with the composition & improvisation world that we dabble in daily. Those moments that can’t be recreated concept ya know?
DH: The creative process is key especially for jazz musicians who are supposed to be free to create. The preparations for studio jams are like night and day. You just go for it and you don’t even know it’s coming. You’re in the moment. But Lest we forget that also takes a lot of preparation because you got to know that tune the best you can on behalf of that fallen artist. Always different, you know what I mean?
DH: The trio and five piece funky jazz band are also examples. There’s the head, bridge and the solo section of the tune. For the most part for consistency you want to stay in the groove for the song but when solo times open up your creative freedom kicks in. Staying in the context of the song can help you work on your creativity. One of things drummers have at their command, I’f they have that command… is dynamics. We don’t have that many notes to deal with. Dynamics give us a much greater vocabulary. My approach to music is to become the best as I can be in my sense of dynamics within the context of music and the song. It creates tremendous tension and release. When you go to a concert there’s dynamics that people don’t realize they respond to.
When there’s a solo section and the whole band just brings it down from this really loud piece to almost silence. Whats the response? The audience loves it. The effect musically is very powerful
Dave Hanlon
MR: It is powerful. That Jon Fishman Radio City show I sent you from October has a moment like that during “In Rounds”. You’ve got this five piece playing a song for the first time in their third ever live set in Rockefeller. Everyone’s bouncing off ideas. Ya know? 27 minutes into it the funky groove turns to air on Radio City’s great proscenium arch, before falling back to bring it home.
DH: Yea that was a beautiful concert. That’s the beauty of when musicians are listening really to each other and not themselves. That won’t happen otherwise. I wasn’t aware of that percussionist. He was excellent. That was my first time seeing Jon perform with a percussionist and they played off each other remarkably well.
MR:Steve Gadd played with Cyro Baptista on Paul Simon’s Rhythm of the Saints and was unfamiliar with Phish. I’ve seen Jon perform live with percussionist Gionavvi Hidalgo for a cover of Little Feats Waiting for Columbus album on Halloween in Atlantic City. He has a great live version of Surrender to Air from the Academy in New York City with Oteil Burbridge and Sun Ra Orkestra
DH: It was great to be able to reunite with him at Studio jams of all places after 37 years in August of 2015. We spent the afternoon while he had time in between shows in Philadelphia. We just did five songs off the cuff with three other guys. Its Your Thing (Isley Brothers),Hottentot (MMW with Scofield), Freeway Jam (Jeff Beck), Ode to Billy Joe (Bobby Gentry) and Cantaloupe Woman (Grant Green). Yea we had those lessons but this was our first time playing together. It was just like being with an old friend. It was really cool. Jon’s a down home guy, there’s no air to him. He’s just a cat that wants to play. He also happens to be in one of the most popular bands in the world.
It was great to see Fish at a Charlie Bertini’s Apple Jazz Band gig. I played at Little York Pavilion in Preble, New York. That ensemble played the Southern tier for thirty years.
Dave Hanlon
Dave Hanlon Trio (Ron France-bass & Ed Vivenzio- keys) The 443 Social Club and Lounge, December 3 2021
Set 1: Cold Duck (Eddie Harris & Les McCann), Ruby (Ray Charles), Chain Reaction (Diana Ross), Fe Fi Fo (Wayne Shorter), 7 Steps/ Song Father ( Miles Davis), Carmel (Joe Sample), Randy Uptown, Round Midnite (Thelonius Monk), Sermonized (Joe Sample), Blue Bossa (Joe Henderson), Human Nature (Micheal Jackson), A Child is Born (Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Orchestra), Spain (Chick Corea)
Set 2: Maputo (Bob James & David Sanborn), Ricky Don’t Lose that Number (Steely Dan), Hippies on the corner (Joe Sample), Bottswanna Bossa (David Benoit), Aja (Steely Dan with Steve Gadd), Watermelon Man (Herbie Hancock), Christmastime is here (Vince Guaraldi), Spellbound (Joe Sample), Girl From Ipanema (Stan Getz and Joeao GIlberto), Jellybeans & Chocolate (David Benoit), Pointciena (Ahmad Jamal), If you want me to stay (Sly Stone), Sudden Samba (Neil Larsen)
Vanessa Collier gave a two set and encore performance to match everyone’s delight at the 443. Vanessa serves up three courses of art as she is a saxophonist, vocalist, and songwriter. She whipped up table side sax solos at the 443 while taking a stroll through the crowd. The 443 social club creates an ambience much like the “storytellers” series that many artists have been a part of. Vanessa told the crowd about her various family influences on certain numbers. She had Syracuse’s Byron Cage on drums and William Gorman on keys. Andrew Cane from San Diego on bass and Shemekia Copeland’s guitarist Arthur Neilson from Brooklyn.
Photo by Steve Moore
Her four album names should help give some insight on the kind of grooves they laid down at 443, Heart Soul & Saxophone, Meeting my Shadow, Honey Up, and Heart on the Line. She kept the spontaneity in the show vibrant by switching to steel guitar for a cover of Bonnie Raitt’s “Blender Blues”.
Vanessa credited stories like To Kill a Mockingbird and The Greek Myth of Icarus to the crowd as an inspiration before performing her original “Icarus” off her Honey Up Album…
It’s a song about little Icarus when he is just dreaming of taking that flight and its sort of a song to everybody to chase your dreams and never let anybody tell you that you can’t do something
Vanessa Collier
Vanessa took some time after the gig to post up at one of the 443 social club tables for a talk with NYS Music about music & her history,
Matthew Romano: Is there a memory of a show you’ve played or attended in New York state that sticks out as a meaningful experience? J.V Collier told me he used to go to where Jaco Pastorius slept in Central Park for inspiration.
Vanessa Collier: For sure, that’s a great question. I remember it being special because it was my very first gig opening for Bruce Katz at The Falcon in Marlboro, New York. Things come full circle. It was my first time seeing his guitar player Chris Vitarello and now I’ve played with him a bunch in my band. So we keep it going, it’s connected.
MR: It is connected. Bruce Katz used to play with Gregg Allman at our Blues Festivals like you did this year. I couldn’t help but notice a song you played tonight titled “If Only” The sentiment seemed very familiar with the “when I get this..then that will bring happiness” concept that a lot of people fall to. The sax solo at the end had a Leroi Moore like tone too. Would you mind talking about that tune?
VC: Sure, my whole thought process behind the new record was to try and write story songs. Some of them are based on true things, some are not. This one is close to me. I’ve had a person in my life who’s constantly unhappy and nothing is ever enough ya know what i mean? It was inspired by this person and just a reminder to always live life to the fullest and to live with what you got to find a way to be happy.
MR: I know exactly what you mean. With this on the go lifestyle all you have is the moment. Hard to sacrifice that time to be unhappy.
VC: Amen.
MR: My third and final question here at 443 is about two books that we have in common, Questlove’s Creative Quest and The Devil’s Horn: The Story of the Saxophone from noisy novelty to king of cool. What’s cool that sticks out to you from those two great reads?
VC: That’s killer. I respect Quest’s love and knowledge for the music. It’s not a surface level thing with him. It’s all life. He knows every groove from every single song he’s heard. From a DJ perspective and then a drummer angle is great. I know I was gonna re read it again when i get into a new record. The thing I love about the devil’s horn is that I didn’t know Adolphe Sax’s story as much. Ya know that he almost died so many times and they murdered his assistant thinking it was him. To me what I loved is that the saxophone has this history of challenge and yet it still brings out something beautiful. I love that the inventor of the sax was that way too . He went through a lot of struggle to create this beautiful instrument.
MR: I love how the saxophone survived the Vatican when they tried to outlaw it because of its effects. What’s the oldest room you’ve ever played in?
VC: We’ve played a lot of converted churches that are now venues. So those are always awesome with just the acoustics in the room alone.
MR: There is two floor opera house near here that is an old theater church now used for music & art in Syracuse’s Little Italy you should play next.
The Egg was packed this past Wednesday, December 1st, for two legendary groups: The Midnight Ramble Band and Hot Tuna. Fans of both groups were present and full of energy from the moment The Ramble Band took the stage. Throughout the night, these concert-goers cheered on what proved to be a clinic in musicianship.
(Pictured left to right: Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams, Amy Helm, and Jim Weider)
There’s a reason most bands have three to five members: because it’s really freakin’ hard to play in large groups. The Ramble Band’s ten members, however, made it look easy. This ensemble had no defined leader, and the crowd’s attention was masterfully directed all over the stage. It seemed as though each and every song featured a different band member taking over lead vocals, while different groups of instruments took the spotlight during breakdowns.
Larry and Jim led the way on guitar while Adam and Tony kept the groove going on bass and drums. Their parts were punctuated by the horn section, who left plenty of room for Amy and Teresa to steal the show with their powerful vocal performances. The crowd appreciated The Ramble Band’s high energy set that showcased each member’s raw talent.
(Pictured left to right: Brian Mitchell, Larry Campbell, Teresa WIlliams, Steven Bernstein, Erik Lawrence, Jay Collins, Amy Helm, Adam Minkoff, Jim Weider, and Tony Leone)
The Midnight Ramble Band and its members can be seen performing at Levon Helm Studios – Woodstock, NY, and across the country. Check out their future shows here.
(Jack Casady: bass, Justin Guip: drums, Jorma Kaukonen: guitar/vocals)
After The Midnight Ramble Band, Hot Tuna took the stage, and the blues rock trio picked up right where the big band left off. Jorma and Jack have been playing together since they were teenagers, and both went on to join Jefferson Airplane in 1965. This close connection was evident from the start of the set as the duo locked into their groove.
The crowd peppered the show with shouts of “WOO!” and “HOT TUNA!” throughout the night as Jorma and Jack showed The Egg just how sharp they are. The duo played through their set with strong intention; Jack’s grooves were full of space, and Jorma’s licks followed suit. Their music seemed to breathe while notes were held, ringing out, allowing their tones to fully develop. By the end of the night there was no question about the fact that Hot Tuna and The Egg are a perfect match.
Hot Tuna are closing out the Northeast leg of their tour on Dec. 4 at The Capitol Theatre, then Dec. 5 at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ, then finally on Dec. 7 at Carnegie of Homestead Music – Munhall, PA. For all dates, visit their website.
The New York State Blues Festival will celebrate its 30th Anniversary over June 16-18, 2022 at Chevy Court inside the New York State Fairgrounds. Once again, the three-day event will be packed with local, regional, and national acts on stage, with plenty of room for dancing throughout the grounds. As always, admission is free.
The festival first began in mid-summer 1992 as the Central New York Blues Festival featuring talented local musicians in downtown Syracuse’s Armory Square, as well as live music inside the historic Hotel Syracuse. Looking ahead to 2022, this popular festival will acknowledge its history while looking ahead to future growth at its new location.
The New York State Blues Festival is one of the largest free blues events in the Northeast. This annual three-day musical celebration, showcases a collection of regional and national artists from multiple genres, all with roots steeped in tradition and vision, and arranges them for a continuous river of music.
The mission of the NYS Blues Festival is to preserve, protect and promote blues music and culture. The Syracuse festival entertains while educating on the role of the blues in the development of popular music in the US and around the world.
Visit the New York state Blues Festival’s website at nysbluesfest.com and stay tuned for updates!
Steely Dan Closed their 2021 Absolutely Normal American Tour at the Syracuse Landmark Theater on Tuesday November 23. The fully renovated Landmark has reached its peak performance potential after this year’s final renovations of the seats and the legendary marquee that has been on Salina St since 1928.
Walter Becker and Donald Fagen’s musical concepts they first drafted up together in Brooklyn in 1968 still hits in today’s music world. Donald and Walter received honorary Berklee Degrees, four Grammy Awards and inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001
Steely Dan always brought the highest quality caliber of musicians to work on their catalog in the studio throughout the years. The musicians on the Landmark Theater stage were part of the unbroken chain of greats to contribute their voice on this music. Ana Popovic covered Steely Dan’s Night by Night at Homer Center for the Arts last month.
The band now boasts another all-star lineup: it includes Keith Carlock on drums; “Ready” Freddie Washington on bass; Jim Beard, keyboards; Jon Herington, guitar; Walt Weiskopf and Roger Rosenberg, saxes; Michael Leonhart, trumpet; Jim Pugh, trombone; and vocalists Carolyn Leonhart, Catherine Russell, LaTanya Hall and Cindy Mizelle.
The group just released Northeast Corridor celebrating their first live album since 1995. From the comfortable corridor of Rochester, NY drummer Steve Gadd was able to contribute on the iconic studio recording for the title track off “Aja” in 1977.
Fagen revealed that the song was inspired by a relative of someone he knew, who married a Korean woman by the name of Aja. He explained that the song was about the “tranquillity that can come of a quiet relationship with a beautiful woman.” When asked to play drums on this song Gadd was instructed “to play like hell”. He certainly did set the tone for any Drummer to take it on a live stage over the years. The song is a jazz fusion masterpiece and completely killed on the Landmark stage.
The Syracuse crowd got a funk composition tale about an old San Francisco audio artist and LSD chemist named Owsley Stanley. Becker and Fagen named him and the track “Kid Charlemagne” off their heavily illustrated Royal Scam Album. The life of Owsley was worth noting musically as he created the Grateful Dead’s infamous “Wall of Sound” for a tour of the world and supplied the Beatles with LSD during their Magical Mystery Tour recording. Nicknamed “Bear” you can still see his art spirit as the legendary “Dancing Bear” of The Grateful Dead brand. Peg…it will come back to you. you see it all in 3-D, its your favorite foreign movie
Reeling in all the years of this musics catalog was celebrated during the encore. Before playing the classic Fagen dedicated the song to the Landmarks newest legend. Not the Ghost of Clarissa who is said to be seen in the balcony but of a naked man who was found living inside the theater’s walls last month. “Did you hear about that? this song goes out to that guy” He thanked all of their legendary crew and stagehand that were part of the tour closing show in Syracuse. How appropriate for Donald to sing ahead of the holiday week… When Black Friday comes I’m gonna dig myself a hole, gonna lay down in it , Til I satisfy my soul.
Walter Becker, Donald Fagen
Donald Fagen has taken on a Ray Charles glow behind his shades in front of the piano still playing off this musical concept he founded in Brooklyn with Becker. Music to be played improvisational and in the moment on any given night. Donald told Variety magazine this year about his old band mate Walter Becker and their work…When Walter and I were together, I think there was something more journalistic.
Steely Dan – Landmark Theater, Syracuse New York – November 23, 2021 (Tour Finale)
Setlist: Phantom Riders, Night by Night, Hey Nineteen, Black Friday, Aja, Kid Charlemagne, FM, Time Out of My Mind, The Goodbye Look, Home at last, Dirty Work, Crusaders, Josie, Peg, Bodhisivattah, Encore: Reelin in the Years, A Man Aint supposed to Cry
Coming fresh off the heels of a Halloween show at Stephen Talk House in the Hamptons, Samantha Fish brought her band to Homer Center for the Arts in Homer, New York on November 3. They laid down some voodoo, bulletproof blues to the 150 year old brick Baptist venue with the center stage having taken on a Jimi Hendrix “Electric Church” vibe this season.
This past Summer Fish performed a festival with Eric Gales who just played the Center in October. Alongside Gales and fellow blues disciples Robert Cray, Ana Popovic, and Kingfish who played the night before her at the Electric Church this season. Fish covered new material from her 12th official album release Faster. She spoke to NYS music about her journey of playing New York State over the years. This tour included stops in Brooklyn, Amagansett, Buffalo, Homer, and Albany.
Samantha Fish spoke with Matthew Romano of NYS Music about her thoughts on performing across New York State:
I remember we did the Dinosaur BBQ circuit for a while. It was always fun, the food was so killer, and the room so intimate. It took on a Groundhog day like vibe after a while there because it always so great. We got the run of the gamut from Buffalo down to these towns like Homer all the way to New York City.
My memories of playing Manhattan always stick out. I remember how special it was playing The Cutting Room for the first time. A different energy around those days, with that pressure of getting through the city and to the gig on time. Ya know that New York expectation after the ticket to the show is bought…OK I have to win Ya’ll over now but it keeps you on your toes. I love playing New York.
We have great people out this way. Its more or less about the people…they travel from all over to see us. This is my third time playing here at Homer Center for the Arts. What I love about this venue is that it is a listening room. The audience gets quiet at the right times and really can feel the music the way we do. A place like this tonight is a warm welcome from start to finish.
The eighteen-song set featured Samantha killing the slide on the legendary cigar box guitar. A similar style model Paul McCartney slid on “Cut Me Some Slack” at Madison Square Garden with Nirvana on December 12, 2012. “Bulletproof” off her Kill or Be Kind record kicked some 12 bar blues to close the show out…You got me trained to sit on a stage Not show my rage for you You got my love, it’s not enough I need to prove it to you.
Fish invited Jonathon Long out for the encore for a spin of a 1937 delta blues song “Shake Em on Down” by Bukka White. The same year this song was released the cigar box guitar had a resurgence and was heavily played in the jug band and delta blues scene circuit. A much needed source of entertainment in trying times. In true jug band fashion fashion Long used the Homer stage mic as a slide to accent Fish’s guitar to help close the evening out. If you caught a glimpse of the Center’s stained glass windows fogged up at the end of the night you know why. Catch Fish before she heads across the pond to Europe in 2022.
Samantha Fish – Homer Center for the Arts, Homer, NY – November 3rd 2021
Setlist: Loud, All Ice No Whiskey, Twisted Ambition, Chills and Fever, Forever Together, Highway, Hypnotic, Better Be Lonely, Kill or Be Kind, Watch it Die, Solo acoustic X2, Go Home, Bitch on the Run, So Called Lover, Faster, Dreamgirl, Bulletproof
Fresh off the heels of another legendary Halloween performance in Vegas and two iconic shows in Hampton, Phish rolled into Albany for the second to last stop on their legendary Fall 1998 tour. It sees the band at the height of its powers, mixing in new, fresh material to go alongside a bevvy of cover songs that have been unearthed this year. With a rare one-night only appearance in Albany, Phish lets it all hang out in a show that often gets overlooked, but certainly shouldn’t be.
Tonight’s festivities begin with the signature guitar intro to “Punch You In The Eye,” which receives a giant roar of approval from the Pepsi Center. Page McConnell shines early with some stellar runs on both the electric keys and grand piano as the Gamehendge-adjacent number revs up an already rabid arena even further. At its conclusion, another familiar guitar riff emerges. This time it’s the bluesy intro to “My Soul,” a cover song Phish first started injecting into their live shows the year before. McConnell again dazzles with a ferocious piano solo before handing off to Trey Anastasio who returns the favor in kind and then some on guitar. Phish then eases off the gas pedal a bit with another new number, “Roggae,” one of the tracks from The Story Of The Ghost which was released just last month.
The musical setting then shifts back to Gamehendge with “AC/DC Bag.” Anastasio again takes the reigns on a patiently developing jam that gets plenty of noticeable assistance from Mike Gordon on bass and drives the crowd into a certified frenzy by the end. McConnell has a little fun on piano as well, stretching out the ending until Phish changes lanes once more and jumps into the increasingly rare “Lifeboy.”
Afterwards, Jon Fishman’s familiar hi-hat drumming signals the introduction to “David Bowie,” which is stretched out and teased beautifully before being cleared for launch. Phish then absolutely obliterates the song’s composed section, playing at a near manic pace, before embarking on a jam that serves as one of the show’s true highlights. It’s patiently crafted, with Anastasio and McConnell parrying back and forth early and often. As the jam continues to build in intensity, Phish does the same with the ending, stretching it out for all its worth to complete a 19-minute journey that blows the roof off the Albany arena.
Few would complain if the first set ended right there, but instead the band throws out one more change of pace pairing. Trey jumps on acoustic guitar for only the sixth ever “Sleep,” a song first debuted earlier this tour, and “Driver,” both songs that would be included on the band’s forthcoming 2000 release Farmhouse. To cap things off, Phish throws in a cover of Led Zepelin’s “Good Times, Bad Times,” with another incendiary guitar solo from Anastasio escorting the Albany faithful to set break.
After a little spacey ambiance, another familiar Fishman drum beat starts up set two. This time it’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” aka the theme to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Again, Phish takes their time in slowly building up the song’s introduction, going well past five minutes before the first signature guitar lick rings out. The jam that ensues is flavored by some tremendous Mike Gordon bass play before coming to a rousing finish. “Golgi Apparatus” serves as another throwback song to the days of yore and goes off without a hitch before they get into another jam vehicle, this time a cover of The Who’s “Drowned.”
As another whirlwind musical excursion slowly comes to an end, Anastasio quietly starts the beginning of “Prince Caspian” and the rest of the band quickly follows along. After another stout feedback-heavy guitar solo, the music comes to a crawl and then “Piper” emerges, with it’s now “classic” slow build which fits in perfectly with the show tonight. The slow build yields another manic jam, with McConnell furiously pounding away on the baby grand piano. With the Albany crowd once again supercharged, Phish then drops a “You Enjoy Myself” on them in what’s already a full second set of music.
The closing sequence for this show is straight out of 1998 and not one to be duplicated anytime soon. As “YEM” and its customarily eerie vocal jam concludes, instead of taking a bow, Phish bursts into “Been Caught Stealing,” the Jane’s Addiction song that made its debut earlier in year during the “Summer of Covers.” Until a certified bust out at Walnut Creek in 2011, this was the last one played. A rip roaring “Llama” then closes out the second set in fine fashion. For the encore, Phish breaks out yet another cover selection, this time its The Beatles’ “Something,” penned by George Harrison and covered by Phish only on this Fall 1998 tour. To date, it’s the last time it’s ever been performed. “Guyute,” another pick from the recently released Ghost, follows this before an a capella “Free Bird,” as only Phish can do, closes out yet another sterling Albany gig.
Listen to show at PhishTracks or see complete audio recording below.
Phish Pepsi Center – Albany, NY 11/25/98
Set 1: Punch You In The Eye > My Soul, Roggae, AC/DC Bag > Lifeboy, David Bowie, Sleep, Driver, Good Times Bad Times
Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Golgi Apparatus, Drowned->Prince Caspian > Piper, You Enjoy Myself, Been Caught Stealing > Llama
Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band played two shows for the Caffe Lena crowd in Saratoga Springs on Thursday, November 19, 2021.
Playing in support of their April release, Dance Songs for Hard Times, the show, and album, conveyed the hopes and fears of pandemic living, including the bleak financial challenges detailed on the songs “Ways and Means” and “Dirty Hustlin’.” Payton pines for in-person reunions with loved ones on “No Tellin’ When,” and he pleads for celestial relief on the album-closing “Come Down Angels.”
Far from a depressing listen, Dance Songs lives up to its name by delivering action-packed riffs and rhythms across 11 songs. The country blues trio that won over crowds on more than one Warped Tour knows how to make an audience move.
Reverend Payton found itself sidelined from a relentless touring schedule because of the coronavirus pandemic. Peyton says he was surprised when his mind and soul unleashed a batch of new songs in March and April of 2020. This also allowed Big Damn Band supporters around the world check in monthly for pay-what-you-can livestream performances that originate at the Peytons’ log cabin.
Back on tour and playing to an always supportive audience at Caffe Lena, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band put aside the hardships of this moment in history, to focus on music created so that it may help people through it, as it seems to help Peyton through it as well.
Setlist: You Can’t Steal My Shine, Ways and Means, Give me Back My Wig, Plainfield Blues, Poor Until Payday, Dirty Hustlin’, No Telling When, Nell, My Old Man Boogie, Too Cool to Dance, Train Song
