NYS Music 202​1

Category: Funk/Soul/R&B

  • The Soul Rebels Release Two New Singles Ahead of Epic Vibes Spring Tour Making 6 Stops Across New York State

    The sound of New Orleans will make its way across New York State in Spring 2022 as The Soul Rebels embark on “Epic Vibes Tour” with stops in Buffalo, Waterloo, Albany, Brooklyn and Westhampton Beach.

    soul rebels tour

    The Soul Rebels recently announced they will be taking part in fellow New Orleanian Trombone Shorty on his Summer 2022 Threauxdown Tour. Their Epic Vibes Tour runs from December 2021 through April 2023, with shows on the West Coast, the Northeast, a monthly residency in Memphis and a healthy amount of shows in New Orleans.

    The brass band continue to ride high off the release of their latest album Poetry In Motion. The eight-member collective appeared on Def Jam artist Dave East and Nas’ “Godfather 4” single, Big Freedia and Icona Pop’s “Pipe That”, and reached fans with original singles “Greatness” which was featured as ESPN’s official College Hoops theme anthem, and “Good Time” featured on Netflix’s #BlackAF and Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!

    The Soul Rebels have impressed viewers with two recent appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk series with Wu Tang Clan frontman GZA, headlined the global TED Conference, and appeared on the official soundtrack for Universal Pictures’ hit comedy Girls Trip.

    Soul Rebels Epic Vibes 2022 Tour

    12/17  Memphis, TN            RAILGARTEN
    12/22  New Orleans             HOUSE OF BLUES
    12/31  New Orleans             MAISON
    1/14    Memphis, TN            RAILGARTEN    
    1/15    Baton Rouge, LA      CHELSEA’S  
    1/22    New Orleans             BLUE NILE                                              
    2/11    New Orleans             DBA                                  
    2/16    San Diego, CA          MUSIC BOX
    2/17    Los Angeles, CA       TERAGRAM BALLROOM
    2/18    San Francisco, CA    THE INDEPENDENT 
    2/19    Oakland, CA              THE NEW PARISH
    2/20    Felton, CA                 FELTON MUSIC HALL
    2/23    Seattle, WA               NECTAR LOUNGE
    2/24    Olympia, WA             CAPITOL THEATER
    2/25    Portland, OR             PDX JAZZ FESTIVAL
    2/26    Bellingham, WA        WILD BUFFALO
    2/27   Victoria, BC               UPSTAIRS CABARET
    3/24   Waterloo, NY             THE VINE @ DELLAGO CASINO RESORT
    3/25   Philadelphia, PA        BROOKLYN BOWL
    3/26   Washington, DC        930 CLUB
    3/27   Pittsburg, PA              THUNDERBIRD CAFE
    3/29   Buffalo, NY                BUFFALO IRON WORKS
    3/30   Albany, NY                 LARK HALL
    3/31   Boston, MA                BIG NIGHT LIVE                    *w/ GZA & Talib Kweli
    4/1     NYC                           BROOKLYN BOWL
    4/2     NYC                           BROOKLYN BOWL
    4/3     Millersville, PA           PHANTOM POWER
    4/6     Bridgeport, CT           PARK CITY MUSIC HALL
    4/7     Fall River, MA            NARROWS CENTER FOR THE ARTS
    4/8     Greenfield, MA           HAWKS AND REED 
    4/9     Westhampton Beach, NY   WESTHAMPTON BEACH PAC
    4/10   Ventura, CA                SKULL & BONES
    4/23   New Orleans               DBA​

    Tickets are available at TheSoulRebels.com

  • In Focus: Grosh brings Funk Night to The Rapids Theater

    This past weekend was a true party at The Rapids Theater in Niagara Falls. Western New York band Grosh had their annual tribute show as this year’s version was “funk night” Everyone had their dancing shoes on with 97 rock DJ Anita West leading off the show.

    grosh
    photo by Mike Miller

    Normally Grosh is a four-piece band but for this event they transformed into a nine-piece with two special guest singers for one song. Grosh band members include Megan Brown (vocals), Grace Lougen (Guitar), Dylan Hund (Bass), Josh English (Drums) Alex McArthur (Vocals), Zak Ward (Guitar), Eric Wozniak (Sax), Tim Clarke (Trumpet), Harry Graser (Keys). The band played many cover songs throughout two sets of music including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind and Fire songs.

    Grosh Setlist

    Set 1: September, All Night Long, Soul Man, I Wish, Kiss, Shining Star, Shes a Bad Mama Jama, Baby Be Mine, Just As Long As We’re Together

    Set 2: Give It To Me, Sir Duke, The Crunge, Brick House, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Stand, Mr. Rogers, Sign Sealed Delivered, I Want To Take You Higher

    Encore: Hold On I’m Coming

    Grosh, The Rapids Theater, Niagara Falls

    • Megan
    • Alex
    • Peter and Sue
    • Megan
    • Josh
    • Zak
    • Dylan
    • Eric
    • Megan
    • Alex
    • Tim
    • Grace
    • Curtain Call
    Photos by Mike Miller
    Live at Rapids Theater

  • G Love Talks Empire State Memories ahead of Bringing the Juice to New York in 2022

    G Love has been running the roads since his first American tour in 1994. He’s ready to return in 2022 with his band The Juice, starting in January, as part of a national tour. G Love & The Juice album been nominated for his first Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album as well. Throw in a live from home Christmas special to end this year to celebrate the holidays proper before heading back on tour.

    G Love is also an active artist. At his December 2017 annual trip to Art Basel in Miami he came to be involved with the community’s first NFT. G love is releasing Juice Gang the first series of 10,000 unique pieces regenerative NFT. They are all based on the animations by artist Andre Solar. He did all the animated videos for the Grammy nominated album. I saw G Love perform at Blackbird Ordinary that year in Miami. In true holiday spirit, he took some time to talk about his past, present, and future music with NYS Music this December.

    G Love

    Matthew Romano: I was watching your Instagram live to get filled in on the announcements of the various projects you have coming up. I like how you did it while driving To the Beacon Theater for the Midnight Rider Gregg Allman’s birthday show. It reminded me of Summer 2006 when you killed harp and a freestyle live with Dave Matthews Band in Pittsburgh for Smooth Rider

    G Love: (laughter) Dave’s probably the sweetest, humblest, most welcoming guy. That be being said I always say stupid shit to him. The first thing was during the 1994 horde tour in the catering line in Orchard Beach, Maine. I was a little shy then. This guy came up to me and said, “Your G love, I love your record.” I said thanks. He said I’m Dave Matthews and I’m like cool. What’s your band? Dave has taken us on the road through Canada and the States over the years. The musicianship with those guys is just unreal. That’s always an immediate “Yes” when that call comes up.

    G Love

    MR: Like when Leo Kottke met Bob Dylan? How about when you were on a full Philadelphonic Sound Bill you shared with Hall and Oates at Constellation Brands Center in Canandaigua, New York in August 2019. That was all Philadelphia music in the Finger Lakes that evening.

    G Love

    GL: I was really blown away by Darryl’s voice still being so strong. Just so great hearing all those tunes I grew up on the radio ya know? All those hits & the cool banter in between songs. They put on a hell of a show and I was glad to be a part of it.

    MR: Lets jump cut to your most recent remix release with B Real & Slightly Stoopid on Everyday People.

    GL: I cut that in Long Beach with Miguel. Very intricate stuff with each verse. Kyle McDonald of Slightly Stoopid is a really special and unique musician to me and many people. The way he makes beats and delivers flows is to the point where I can’t figure out where the “1” is (laughter) I was real pleased with how my rhymes came out. For Jon Phillips to say we’re gonna put B Real on this track… I was like to the moon. He’s in my top 5 MC’s. The first time I heard Cypress Hill it scared the shit out of me. To come full circle and be on a track with an all time inspiration was a real blessing.

    MR: Yea man, it has a Kokua Festival sound to it. From the cold winter shores of Boston to the sunny skies of the San Diego and everywhere in between. Your setup in Cape Cod transcends coasts as well. That Kokua vibe. Your live feeds from home really showed a true homegrown set up. Looking forward to the Christmas special from the colder Orleans for the holidays.

    G Love

    MR: January 2022 has you back on Tour though with the Juice that stops in Buffalo and Brooklyn. How did you connect with Amy Bowles and Aaron Bellamy? I used to see them play with Sam Kininger in the same clubs the Special Sauce would hit in 2006.

    GL: Yea they’re now in the super Juice. I love playing with those guys. The juice is kind of an eclectic collective. The unit on tour coming through your neck of the woods will have Chuck Trace on drums, Van Gordon Martin on guitar and Jimmy “Jazz” Prestcott on bass. That being said, the special sauce is well intact and will continue to do shows . The pandemic kind of created a pivot to open new doors to connect with great musicians from New England like the Bellamy’s. It feels like the right time to do a different show with a new sound. It’s gonna be rocking.

    MR: Musicians in New York State helped find that same silver lining for new creations. What New York State gigs have you played that stick out over the years?

    GL: What pops in to mind was Irving plaza one night where Chris Robinson sat in. He’s always been big bro status. We did our version of the Beatles “Help”. He sang the shit out of that. Actually the night we got signed is something worth talking about. We came down to New York City from Boston for these showcases back in the day in front of the labels and industry folks. We had two shows. One was at the CBGB gallery packed with Industry people; it was right next to the original CBGB club. Ya know we played it and did what we needed to.

    But then after that show I felt very… “fuck this man, fuck this vibe”. The next show later that night was at the Bitter End on Bleecker street. So I’ll never forget Jimmy Jazz and I scored a piece of hash on the corner and twisted it up real quick on the street. I remember saying…” I don’t give a fuck about this bull shit.”

    We went in to Bitter End that night and it only had one table filled in the back. I remember going in and playing a set that was really potent. You know just for us?

    G Love

    MR: How was just playing the Beacon Theater for Gregg Allman’s birthday as part of the Allman Family Revival?

    GL: The whole thing has been an amazing journey. Devon and I are very close. We had a band called jam town right before ABB did their thing. Devon wanted to take some time after his father passed before these tributes because he needed it. He wanted to let the dust settle out of respect for his father. He finally had the fruition of the dream going on the road recently. It’s so special to be part of the extended family. We toured with the Allman’s during the H.O.R.D.E. tour in ’95 where Warren would take me under his wing. There’s that legacy and comradery at the Beacon. It wasn’t planned for the show at the Beacon to be on Greggs Birthday. It just serendipitously was the available date they had for it. Devon loved that. I even got to do Cold Beverages with the cast . Then to get out front and share the mic with Devon for One Way Out surrounded by these other great musicians was an honor.

    G Love

    MR: I just saw Eric Gales for the first time a couple months ago who joined you at the Beacon on “One Way Out”

    GL: He’s so cool man. I just saw him for the first time too and got to hang with him. Sweetest guy and his wife LaDonna. He’s the fucking man.


    MR: We know the coldest beverages ever served live was to the thirsty Woodstock 99 crowd in Rome, New York. Speaking of Cold Beverages I remember years ago seeing you at a club in NYC for a Raconteurs show. Jack White said to you backstage “well if it isn’t Mr. Cold beverages” I think it was at Terminal Five.

    GL: (laughter) That’s right it was at Terminal Five. I didn’t play with them but I came to the show. Another little side secret story from when we played Pontiac Michigan in 1994 during our first US tour. We played a cool show. There were a lot of Detroit artists at that gig like Kid Rock and Jack White. They told me years later that performance inspired them along their way. Pretty cool to hear that kind of thing.

    MR: Keller Williams covered Back of the Bus at a recent gig of his I was at. Thank you for being an inspiration to New York musicians as well. John McConnell music and I cover 50 ways to leave your lover with our own split take on the original. I was able to get feedback from Steve Gadd on the grooves origins in March. Same concept though as putting your own style on it like you did in the studio with the Avett Brothers. It’s wide open for interpretation.


    GL: Awesome. My manager said since you can’t make a hit why don’t you cover one? (Laughter) I said all right, let’s cut 50 ways. The beat is so iconic so I’m like OK let’s get away from that. When I play it live with Chuck we do the Steve Gadd beat but when I play it with house man we do it like the studio.

    MR: As far as your illustrious career in song writing goes, I have to ask about songs like “Willow Tree’ and “When We Meet Again” where the sentiment sounds organic and from in the moment.

    GL: Yea its about making things personable. You try to capture an emotion and a feeling of a certain thing around you. “When We Meet again” I remember specifically it being a spring day..you know the opener…Spring time is here the wind from the south blows strong and warm to clean up your house. Then I went back to the golden first year I had as a street musician where I met my band and the corner bar The Plough and Stars we played at in Boston which was important to us. Same with Willow Tree. I was living across from the Delaware River and the Penn Treaty park across had a lot of Willow Trees.

    The park had a bunch of willow trees and I always loved them. I thought about the relationship between the river and the willow tree is so symbiotic. I also used that as a metaphor for a love song too ya know?

    G Love

    Full G Love & The Juice 2022 Tour Dates

    New York Dates:

    January 24, 2022: Tralf Music Hall, Buffalo

    January 27, 2022: Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn

    August 21, 2022: Saratoga Performing Arts Center **with Dispatch and O.A.R

  • Holidelic Puts The Funk Back In The Holiday Season at the Lucille Lortel Theatre

    Papadelic kicked off the opening night of his Holidelic holiday-residency on December 10 like no other, with vibrant lights, outrageous costumes, a full band, as he transformed traditional holiday tunes into upbeat funk classics. The “flashy, bass-heavy retro futuristic take on the holidays” (New Yorker) showcased GRAMMY-nominated Everett Bradley’s unbelievable ability to perform and entertain the audience with groovy vocals, dance numbers, outfit changes, and even reading a story to the crowd at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in the West Village.

    holidelic Lucille Lortel Theatre

    Everett sent laughs spinning around the theatre and welcomed the crowd with open arms. Papadelic was quick to disclose that the room was filled with love no matter your background, culture, or religion just before busting a groove of “Dreidel Dreidel, Dreidel.” Each number had the slight reminisce of holiday songs with the new embedded humor and undeniable funk that made for an uncontrollable dance party in Lucille.

    holidelic
    photo by Mikiodo

    “DysFunktional” urged a full throttling bass line complimented with an oozing brass section and ad libs from three phenomenal background vocalists. Holidelic’s white afro, bug eyed sunglasses, red soldier jacket and tight sequin shorts hailed a rambunctious personality from the North Pole putting New York City in the holiday spirit.

    Holidelic brought the full fledged experience of creating a light show within itself. Not only did Papadelic’s white afro glow in the dark, but the disco ball and running string lights through the theatre created varying ambiances through the show. For his solo number, he wielded a unique instrument that vibrated eerie synths and surged heavy reverb transporting us into an odd alter dimension. His band members retracted back allowing Papadelic to stand alone in the spotlight so we could take in his rich timbre, and have an intimate moment with the man himself in his own spotlight.

    Cracking jokes in between made the performance more lighthearted, and one couldn’t help but hear the roots in his voice that birthed each moment. One can easily forget that underneath the costume, Everett Bradley is a renowned artist, choreographer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who worked alongside the greats like Daryl Hall & Oats, John Bon Jovi, and Carly Simon.

    Everett’s illustrious vocals and intimate moment with the audience, walking down the aisle eagerly asking audience members to help sing “Frosty the Snowman,” distracted us from the band regrouping on stage for their next big number. Complete with outfit changes and all Everett, revealed an all new white fringed jacket and new white costumes for the band. Back with a full house groove, Papadelic brought out the real star of the show, Santa Claus. They performed a delightful humorous act “Down The Hatch” bringing a bottle of Jack Daniels on stage as a little “present” and proceeded in taking shots throughout the piece.

    Everett’s long standing Holidelic show at the Lucille Lortel Theatre has shown no signs of slowing down from its debut in 2002. The original idea of starting this show to bring some cheer after 9/11 still holds true, as we all need a little spirit after enduring the recent/on-going pandemic. Bradley was sure to include the importance of visiting the family for the holidays, never knowing when it might be our last.

  • Roosevelt Brings The Polydans Tour To Webster Hall

    German born singer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist Roosevelt brought his Polydans Tour to Webster Hall last Wednesday, December 1st. Polydans, Roosevelt’s third LP, was released back in February of this year on Greco-Roman / City Slang Records. The album was previewed with the infectious and groovy lead single, “Feels Right.”

    “Feels Right” by Roosevelt. Via YouTube

    Roosevelt attracted fans from all over the US and the world to Webster Hall. The group front and center sported fans who traveled from Idaho and LA for the show, while plenty of German and European natives were also in attendance. New York City has always been this way, especially when international artists play here. Now with travel restrictions from Europe easing, more and more people are coming back to New York for the music scene.

    roosevelt webster hall
    Roosevelt at Webster Hall, 12/1/2021. Photo by Buscar Photo

    Roosevelt played six songs from Polydans as well as a cover of Stardust’s “Music Sounds Better With You” as part of the encore. While that song is the only one released by Stardust (featuring Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk), it is a fundamental inspiration for Roosevelt’s sound. Containing groovy guitar riffs and catchy vocals, the sound pure fun in universal way.

    roosevelt webster hall
    Roosevelt at Webster Hall, 12/1/2021. Photo by Buscar Photo

    Roosevelt and the Polydans Tour continue on in December with several west coast and Canadian dates. Then the band makes their way back to Europe in March, including six shows in Germany. Check out the full tour schedule HERE and see NYS Music’s photo gallery from Roosevelt’s show at Webster Hall below.

  • Steely Dan Close “Completely Normal Tour” at Syracuse’s Landmark Theater

    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.

    Steely Dan Landmark


    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.

    Steely Dan Landmark

    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.

    Steely Dan Landmark
    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

    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

  • New York Series: Stevie Wonder “Living for the City”

    At first listen, you might classify the forward-moving, walking-pace energy of “Living for the City” within the same hustle-and-bustle, working-man category occupied by “Takin’ Care of Business,” and songs of the like. But take a deeper dive and you’ll find that the content of Stevie Wonder’s 1973 single paints a far deeper portrait of life in New York City—one that is still intensely relevant in conversations today regarding race, income, and opportunity.

    Living for the City

    “Living for the City” came as a single from 1973’s Innervisions, an album that’s considered one of Wonder’s best displays of virtuosity—composing and playing every main instrument on a majority of the tracks. Innervisions followed 1972’s Talking Book (which included the likes of “Superstition”) and featured diverse styles and themes, along with classics like “Higher Ground.” Though perhaps none of the songs on Innervisions are as surgically insightful or keep a finger closer on the pulse of society than “Living for the City.”

    The song reflects “a snapshot of a certain part of the reality of life,” as Wonder explained to Barney Hoskyns in a 2005 interview for Uncut. Particularly—reality as a black American. The lyrics tell the story of siblings growing up in Mississippi with parents who supply plenty of affection, but can’t fully shield the children from the harsh realities of life. All the while, there’s a dream of an easier, more financially stable life in the big city.

    His father works some days for fourteen hours
    And you can bet, he barely makes a dollar
    His mother goes to scrub the floors for many
    And you’d best believe, she hardly gets a penny
    Living just enough, just enough for the city

    As a young child—a child of color in this case—one can only imagine the harrowing, and sobering, experience of watching your parents toil away day after day just to stay poor. Wonder paints this vignette detailing each sibling’s experience, from the girl having to walk far to school repeating the same outfit each day, and the boy growing up smart but with little prospects for a higher pay job, because “where he lives they don’t use colored people.”

    Enter “The City.” Living in the city is the answer. The Big Apple is a place where anyone can take a bite and enjoy the opportunity available—or so they thought. “Living in the City” is an ambitious song, and sets the tone for the entire album—mostly due to a spoken word portion in the full record version that shows us what happens when the boy decides to follow his dream to the big city.

    In this section, having just gotten to the city and being ready to put his smarts to good use, he’s preyed upon by a criminal who sets him up. He’s given 10 years in jail, with no sympathy from the justice system or the police. Re-reading the lyrics of this section is no easy task. It’s difficult to realize that, in many ways, we are having the same conversation as a society today as Wonder penned nearly 50 years ago. 

    Afterward, the once-hopeful country boy is seen as a product of the “big city” justice system, spending his days “walking the streets of New York City” and “almost dead from breathing in air pollution.” The question becomes: was he better off staying poor and not coming to the city at all? It’s not a question that’s answered in the content of the song, but it’s certainly one that is posed to the audience. Wonder makes an even bigger statement with the last verse:

    I hope you hear inside my voice of sorrow
    And that it motivates you to make a better tomorrow
    This place is cruel, nowhere could be much colder
    If we don’t change, the world will soon be over
    Living just enough, stop giving just enough for the city

    It’s a plea to change the circumstances that affected the characters of the song; the circumstances that make the song more fact than fiction. Here, Wonder addresses the systemic nature of discrimination as he addresses the world, not only the individuals. It’s a tale that’s, unfortunately, as old as time. But, if there’s any consolation, it’s that messages of motivation go further today and affect more people than they ever have. Perhaps, if revisited sometime in the near future, Stevie might be inspired to write a slightly different ending to the song.

    “Living for the City” Lyrics

    A boy is born in hard time Mississippi
    Surrounded by four walls that ain’t so pretty
    His parents give him love and affection
    To keep him strong moving in the right direction
    Living just enough, just enough for the city…ee ha!

    His father works some days for fourteen hours
    And you can bet he barely makes a dollar
    His mother goes to scrub the floor for many
    And you’d best believe she hardly gets a penny
    Living just enough, just enough for the city

    His sister’s black but she is sho ’nuff pretty
    Her skirt is short but Lord her legs are sturdy
    To walk to school she’s got to get up early
    Her clothes are old but never are they dirty
    Living just enough, just enough for the city

    Her brother’s smart he’s got more sense than many
    His patience’s long but soon he won’t have any
    To find a job is like a haystack needle
    Cause where he lives they don’t use colored people
    Living just enough, just enough for the city.
    Living just enough…
    For the city…ooh,ooh

    His hair is long, his feet are hard and gritty
    He spends his life walking the streets of New York City
    He’s almost dead from breathing in air pollution
    He tried to vote but to him there’s no solution
    Living just enough, just enough for the city…yeah, yeah, yeah!

    I hope you hear inside my voice of sorrow
    And that it motivates you to make a better tomorrow
    This place is cruel no where could be much colder
    If we don’t change the world will soon be over
    Living just enough, just enough for the city!

  • Get Into a Good Holiday Funk With Everett Bradley’s Holidelic

    Looking for unique music for the holidays? Everett Bradley, performer with E Street Band and Bon Jovi, is ready to give us some holiday cheer, or better, holiday funk. The Grammy nominated rock percussionist has announced the return of his beloved holiday funk revue, Holidelic.

    Holidelic

    A 12-show run will be held at The Lucille Lortel Theatre in NYC from December 9 though 31. This is part of the theater’s holiday performance series Tinsel: A Global Holiday Celebration, running from December 6-31 and featuring effervescent live music, performance, and dance with leading artists from around the globe.

    Bradley will strictly go by his name Papadelic, for the residency. The renamed Funk’s Father Christmas is a funk figure combining the personas of George Clinton and Santa Claus, with of course holiday-themed funk songs written by Bradley. 

    A flashy, bass heavy retro-futuristic take on the holidays

    The New Yorker

    Holidelic debuted in 2002 to bring some cheer after 9/11, something about his big furry white coat, sunglasses and 6-inch platform shoes has been selling out shows ever since. I mean maybe it’s from his stardom with Bon Jovi, Hall & Oats, Quincy Jones, and Snarky Puppy. Regardless this GRAMMY winner knows how to wow a crowd, exhibiting extraordinary talent, exuberance, and heart to every tour, session, Broadway show, or even TV show. The holidays wouldn’t be the same without him. 

  • Dirty Dozen Brass Band Cissy Strut back to The Blue Note

    The Dirty Dozen Brass band from New Orleans just finished up a four night residency at Blue Note on Sunday November 14. Fellow Orleans Cats Ivan Neville and Tony Hall of Dumpstaphunk checked out the brass band at the Note on Thursday before their two night sold out run at Madison Square Garden with Dave Matthews Band.

    Dirty Dozen Brass Band
    Photo by Dino Perrucci

    You never know who will stop in to New York City’s infamous Blue Note Jazz Club in Manhattan. Since the clubs history in 1981 it wasn’t uncommon to have Stevie Wonder appear on the Greenwich Village stage room that seats 250. Isaiah Sharkey and Cory Henry helped kick some funky neo soul beats from the club so far this year. During their Fall 2021 residency lasting over thirty days with Robert Glasper the club welcomed Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle to the Note.

    Dirty Dozen Brass Band
    Photo by Dino Perrucci

    The Dirty Dozen Brass Band helped keep the New Orleans groove in the village vibrant during their four night stay. The brass section consists of Kirk Joseph on jazz sousaphone, Roger Lewis on Baritone Sax, Calvin Johnson on tenor saxophone, Timothy Norris on Trombone and Gregory Davis on Trumpet and vocals. Guitarist Takeshi Shimura and on Drums Julian Addison. Sitting in during the residency were Dave Mullen & Rick Frank on horns.

    Gregory Davis gave the club a bit of an angle on the bands influences that helped get every one up from their tables. Davis told the sold out Blue Note crowd,

    One of our influences was James Brown. James always played music that people would dance to. So Get on Up! James would want to see you shake your tail feather.

    Dirty Dozen Brass Band
    Photo by Dino Perrucci

    To keep James spirit strutting down West 3rd street the dozen laid down a “Super Bad” jam that everybody on the Note stage stretched out on. Improvisation on a classic funk cut at its finest.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbUcEt8dRSU

    Davis also got to the crowd to partake vocally by turning their seats in to funk doctor chairs. “You know when your at the Doctor and he gets you to say Ahh?” “Do it just like that” The procedure worked as the crowd gave way in unison to their “Ahhs” that helped launch the band in to the classic New Orleans funk composition “Cissy Strut”

    The world renowned New Orleans groove that was in Manhattan this past weekend from the Garden to The Blue Note was a vibe. It carved out some trenches from the Mississippi to the Hudson River, It created another musical niche with the other great Blue Note locations in Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan, Milan, Italy, Waikiki, Hawaii, Napa California, Beijing, China and Sao Paulo & Rio De Janeiro Brazil. When asked about performing at the Blue Note Tokyo legendary artist Steve Gadd told NYS Music the secret to playing any great gig.

    I mean you always go off the audience. When you get it musically to a level where everyone on the bandstand is having fun and can hear each other and you can trust the audience is hearing it the way you are it gets to a spiritual level. In Japan or wherever you are, that’s the goal.

  • Moxie Raia Takes Control with New Music, Choreography and Ideas

    I started dance classes when I was 2, then I was competing around the country when I was six. Dancing, singing, putting on a show, that was my entire life. 

    Not much has changed for 28-year-old Jersey native, Moxie Raia, in that regard. But in truth, her life can be characterized through her willingness to evolve and adjust. All in the pursuit of her ultimate goal.  

    At age 13, the “Love Language” singer (born, Laura Raia) convinced her parents to let her attend performing arts school in New York City. From there, Raia — who had been writing songs for years — began to record vocals for the very first time. Thereafter came the industry connections, live shows and meetings with labels.

    I have always known that I wanted to do music and be an artist. My parents were really supportive as well. 

    Since then, the “On My Mind” singer has spent time on the rosters of Capital Records and Def Jam during her early twenties; having recorded, performed and toured with some of the most recognizable names in music. Her debut Dej Jam project, 931 Reloaded (which was a re-release of her independently released EP of the same name), featured the likes of Wyclef Jean, Pusha T and Post Malone, which she got to perform as she served as the opening act during the North American Leg of Justin Bieber’s Purpose World Tour. 

    Despite her bubbling success, the music industry can be a bit “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to artist presentation, preferring them to fit certain criteria that meet the label’s needs. And at the time, that did not suit Moxie Raia.  

    I don’t think I was strong enough to express what I really wanted creatively. I would definitely sign to a major again, but I didn’t want to do it before I had this foundation.

    The foundation she speaks of is her own development and evolution as an artist. With creative direction no longer a worry, the singer-songwriter has had free will to rebrand the way she sees fit. 

    One of her newer records, the dark and seductive “Not The One” sees her tap into her sensual side, as she pays homage to the late Aaliyah. 

     The thing that captivated me most about her [Aaliyah] was how she was so soft and feminine but a Tomboy and strong. That song in particular was a homage to that time and those sounds. 

    Creatively, Raia feels her niche falls within that dichotomy, the grey area between delicacy and strength. Wanting to portray a sultry, yet dominant presence rather than the damsel in distress image many pop stars carry in the early stages of their careers. 

     I think I’ve become better at executing my vision and that comes down to confidence and faith. 

    Her creative freedom can be found through her alter ego, Carbon Girl, a superhero character whom Raia plans to base much of her upcoming EP, 2989, on. Representing the strength Raia is looking to emit through her music.

    What drives me most is thinking about being on stage and being connected to 20,000 people at one time. And everybody, for a moment is there with the music, forgetting about their differences, forgetting about what’s going on in their life that may not be ideal, and you just have a moment with people.

    With a relaxed, recently awoken tone throughout, Raia remained nonchalant throughout the interview. Until, the topic turned to the reason behind her perseverance in the music industry. It was then that the fervor in her voice could be heard, reacting strongly to the thought of creating music without performing. It became clear that, through nearly two decades of pursuit, one thing has remained the same, Raia’s passion for performance and the cathartic feeling of live performance.

    I like making music in my room that I can listen to, but I wouldn’t still be going if that was the motivation. The motivation is those moments.