Nine musical performing artists and bands will be playing live in Elmira, New York at the Brand Park 2021 Summer Concert Series.
Come and join the Brand Park Beautification Committee in Brand Park from 3 to 5 PM every Sunday through the end of August. Don’t forget your lawn chair and enjoy the live music (the concert will be handicap accessible). The Dean Goble Band and Classic Too have already made their debut for the series earlier this month. However, seven more groups are set to perform: Loren V. & The Heart Beats, Blue Eyed Soul, Detour, Aunt Millie’s Biscuits, White River Band, Sgro Brothers, and Doc Cavallaro and the Doc Possum Band. View the announcement visual with exact dates and times at the end of this page.
Brand Park
For more information on the Elmira 2021 Summer Concert Series, future events and gatherings, or just the park itself, visit the Brand Park Beautification website and check out their Events Schedule. Also note, because of restrictions due to COVID-19, attendees are required to wear masks, practice social distancing, and follow all instructions from volunteers.
Also, be sure to visit the upcoming performers’ Facebook pages and websites below:
New York City’s Hunter Blair Ambrose has released her latest single, “Too Much,” off her upcoming album, Scorpio Season.
Hunter Blair Ambrose is a Pop/R&B artist and songwriter based in New York City. Inspired by dark, synth-pop, chilling Toronto R&B, and the melodic hip hop of the 2010s, Hunter has created a sound shaped by the music that has been the soundtrack to her life. By the age of 17, she had immersed herself in the company of industry giants, working alongside Grammy-award-winning musicians and producers such as Narada Michael Walden and working as an in-house songwriter and studio vocalist Tarpan Studios in San Francisco, CA.
Shortly after the inception of her career, she enrolled in Boston’s Berklee College of Music and quickly emerged as one of the school’s many promising, young talents. Following her departure from Berklee, from 2017 through 2019, Hunter wrote and produced material with her core creative team for her debut EP, Scorpio Rising (April 2020). Her debut album, Scorpio Season, is a tribute to a fall-time “cuffing season” romance gone wrong, exploring themes of heartbreak, self-doubt, psychosis, and self-destruction – all inspired by Hunter’s life experiences.
“Too Much” is a synth-pop summer track written by Hunter and produced by Jason Strong, with mixing and mastering done by Travis Bruce and Randy Merrill. It’s about acceptance in overindulging in your vices to avoid anxiety. It’s a track that highlights the struggles of drinking habits, obsessing over a love interest, the fear of being “too much” for someone, and the frustration with having too much anxiety over all of the above.
I wrote this song to take accountability for my avoidance issues. For a long time, I would ignore my problems by indulging in partying and drinking until I realized it was getting to be too much. This song is about dancing and drinking to avoid your pain which can be a good and bad thing.
Hunter Blair Ambrose
Ambrose continues to steal the spotlight with her growing music presence and has already produced an extensive repertoire to her name. You can check out a timeline of her projects HERE. Also, be sure to catch the latest of Ambrose by following her on Instagram, Tik Tok, Twitter, Facebook, and on Spotify and YouTube below:
Welcome Back, a brand new EP from Grammy award-winning duo Brasstracks is out now. The new EP marks a creative rebirth for Brasstracks, who are starting anew as they release their forthcoming EP independently.
Brooklyn-based Brasstracks was co-founded by Ivan Jackson and Conor Rayne while studying jazz at New York’s Manhattan School of Music. Since forming in 2014, the duo has become one of music’s most in-demand horn/percussion duos, collaborating with the likes of Harry Styles, Anderson .Paak, Khalid, Mark Ronson, and Wyclef Jean. In 2016, Brasstracks produced Chance The Rapper’s hit single “No Problem,” which subsequently led to Grammy Wins for “Best Rap Performance” as well as “Best Rap Album” due to their contributions to Coloring Book.
In conjunction with the recent release, Brasstracks confirms an extensive run of headline fall tour dates with emerging artist TOBi. The run of North American performances kicks off in Chicago on September 30 and includes shows at New York’s Irving Plaza, Los Angeles’ The Fonda Theatre, Boston’s Paradise Rock Club, San Francisco’s Regency Ballroom, Denver’s Ogden Theatre, DC’s Union Stage and more. See below for the full tour routing.
“In the past couple months, we went through a big shift. We got vaccinated. We announced our first live in person show since November 2019. And we became independent artists again. To celebrate all of these things, we wanted to put out some music that hits home and makes you feel good. Some of the stuff that our audience has grown to know us for, with a little twist… These songs are just the start and featured vocalists Cait [Harris] and Cookie are superstars that we’re so excited to introduce to you. We have a lot of music to get off our hard drives this year. We’ve been quiet enough, so it’s time to make some noise. You can call this our entrance music.”
Brasstracks co-founder Ivan Jackson
Brasstracks has once again made their mark in music with “Welcome Back” and they are promising fans more independent projects soon. Both nostalgic and exhilarating, this latest EP presents feel-good tracks alongside talented emerging vocalists. Be sure to listen to and share the EP HERE and watch and share an accompanying video below:
Brasstracks Live Tour Dates + Locations
September 30—Chicago, IL—Bottom Lounge*
October 01—Minneapolis, MN—Fine Line Music Cafe*
October 02—Kansas City, MO—Record Bar*
October 05—Denver, CO—Ogden Theatre*
October 06—Boulder, CO—Fox Theatre*
October 07—Salt Lake City, UT—Metro Music Hall*
October 09—Portland, OR—Wonder Ballroom*
October 10—Seattle, WA—El Corazon*
October 12—San Francisco, CA—Regency Ballroom*
October 13—Santa Cruz, CA—The Catalyst Atrium*
October 15—Los Angeles, CA—The Fonda Theatre*
October 16—Anaheim, CA—House of Blues Anaheim*
October 17—San Diego, CA—Music Box*
October 27—Washington, DC—Union Stage*
October 28—Philadelphia, PA—The Foundry at The Fillmore*
October 29—New York, NY—Irving Plaza*
October 30—Boston, MA—Paradise Rock Club*
*w/ TOBi
Lettuce finished two nights in the Adirondacks as part of their “bring back the love” Summer 2021 and converted Charles R Wood Park to “Lake George Duke,” in honor of funk keyboardist George Duke. Lettuce founding member Sam Kininger special guested on Saturday night.
“Sam’s The Godfather of Lettuce, he believed in us before we did,” said Lettuce drummer Adam Deitch. The current Lettuce hybrid batch has guitarist Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff on guitar, Nigel Hall keyboards/vocals, Adam Deitch on drums, Erick “Jesus” Coomes On Bass, Ryan Zoidis on saxophone and trumpeter Eric “Benny” Bloom. The groups second to last New York show was at the Capitol Theater on 4/20 with special guest John Scofield.
Friday night included a two set performance and encore. The evenings highlight was an original off Lettuce 2008 album Rage! “By Any Shmeeans Necessary” mixed with a New York instrumental tribute to Notorious B.I.G. The band laid down the original funk track “Juicy Fruit” that the Brooklyn artist sampled.
Rolling off this great energy the band put on an epic Saturday night show with special guest Sam Kininger. Sam’s on stage presence was the ultimate “Break Out” for live sets this year. The second set culminated in another New York nod for “Madison Square.” It got everyone on the bandstand lifted with the grooving audience.
This was Uticat’s Kininger second live performance this year. He played his sons wedding at the Stanley Theatre in Utica where he last performed with Lettuce on November 20 2019. “The Sam Fam” were all in attendance for a funked up reunion on the newly crowned “Lake George Duke” Guitarist Micheal Wooten said of the performance “You can tell they are having fun again up there” The band encored with a kickin cover of the James Brown classic “Funky Drummer.”
Drummer Adam Deitch and Bass player Erick “Jesus” Coombs kept the Saturday night groove going at KRIS & Co featuring Ryan Dempsey after show party in town. The duo jammed on the spot to samples of the Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street” and J.J. Cale’s “Cocaine.”
Lettuce kept burning in the Empire State on Wednesday July 14 for their third New York date, this time at Lewiston’s Artpark. The historic park stage sits next to the running Niagara River across from Canada. The band and audience played off the great landscape for a three hour set and encore. The sunset over the border brought out a third stone from the sun tease by guitarist Adam Smirnoff. The crowd responded to Lettuce outbursts of groove by throwing heads of actual fresh produce lettuce in the air during the performance.
The band resonated by debuting a brand new song not on the setlist named “The Lock,” off an upcoming record. Lettuce is bringing back the love this summer and knocking out crowds along the way. Nigel Hall’s vocals over the grooves, “Think I’d better let it go, looks like another love T.K.O. (Oh, Oh)” during a Teddy Pendergrass Cover.
The band encored with “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears to keep this ’80s-style New York summer resurgence of live music. Lettuce returns to New York at Brooklyn Steel on November 6 2021.
Lettuce 7/9/21 Lake George, NY: Blaze, MR Shminklehuffer, Kron Dutch, Shmink Dabby, By Any Shmeans Necessary( Don’t stop the music/Juicy Fruit) Ready to Live, Larimar, Trilogy->Trap->Makin my way->Checker Wrecker, Suppit, Do it like You do Encore: RVA Dance
Lettuce 7/10/21 Lake George,NY: Luck of Lucien->Krewe, Pocket Change, Gratitude, Mr Yancey, Sam Huffs Flying Machine->Squadlive Royal highness, Supit, Don’t Change, Breakout–>Relax, Nyack–>Madison Square Encore: Do it like you do (funky drummer)
Lettuce 7/14/21 Lewiston, NY: New Reel, Royal Highness, In the Middle -> Silence is Golden, SquadLive, Fly, Phyllis, Love TKO, RVA Dance Encore: Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Lettuce guitarist Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff and drummer Adam Dietch spoke with NYS music about past, present and future music experiences in the state.
Matthew Romano: Tell me about some music you have seen live in New York State that helped put the groove in you
Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff: I remember my Uncle bringing me to see Stanley Jordan at the Blue Note in NYC. That blew my mind as a kid. I have all these different ages of seeing things that changed me. One of my first concerts was Robert Cray “Forecast Calls for Pain Tour.” At 17 years old I saw Phish at Jones Beach for the first time and it helped me understand you could build a grass roots audience. You didn’t need to be on the radio. You could follow your own path. That’s how Lettuce has aimed itself.
AS: Does seeing the Grateful Dead In 1990 at the old Giants stadium count? Sting opened and Branford Marsalis sat in on “Eyes of the World.”
Seeing Prince at Madison Square Garden has to be the big one. He was such a genre breaking musician. He went up there and played what he felt and didn’t have to categorize everything. I feel like for New York that’s a big part of it. It’s the melting pot. We’re all different, a little bit of everything and try and make it a little bit like you too. It also represents modern humanity. That New York attitude. “Just got to pull up your britches, do the best you can do and be yourself.”
MR: Any current musicians that are on the scene that you have been digging?
AS: Well You have Taz, other younger cats like Justin Lee Schultz. DOmi and JD Beck that’s been playing with Thundercat. You got MONONEON. I just got to jam with Cory Henry, TaRon Lockett and Isiah Sharkey.
MR: What about the future of your own musical journey? What’s on the horizon?
AS: Well we have been lucky enough to play with some of our heroes. Our new recording that we just finished I feel we have made some beautiful music and history with Bootsy Collins. I can’t wait for y’all to hear this.
Adam Deitch: Our friend Alissa Bennevente whose an amazing bass player runs Bootsy’s Instagram. She sent us an uplifting video of him speaking during our time off that gave us hope. It’s Bootsy giving a positive message to everyone out there . At the end of the video he just kept saying (finger snaps) “Keep The Funk Alive” (finger snap). I immediately downloaded the sample of it and sent it to the guys
MR: Wow. So you just took the end of him speaking on the video and sampled it? That sounds like an organic way of creating a groove.
AD: Yea exactly. I added drums and quickly sent it to everyone in the band. They all kept adding their parts to it.
AD: We sent it to him and he loved it. He played bass and added his vocals to it. Showed interest in wanting to make a video of it. He even eluded that he’s glad a band like ours is still playing real funk music.
MR: Sounds as if you’ve been added to Bootsy’s shot calling like on the 1980s Dave Sanborn TV special… “Lettuce”… get ready to roll!
Live at MLK! is closing up their summer concert season in Rochester with big-name performances by Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and Gov’t Mule.
The show will be held on September 4 at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at Manhattan Square. Along with the killer performances, there will be a craft beer garden complete with IPAs, ciders, and seltzers, a “bubbly bar” with prosecco and mimosas, and a VIP Ultra Lounge. The extensive VIP perks include access to a private lounge area, preferred entry, full cash bar, private A/C restrooms, front stage access, chair massage, complimentary chips and salsa (and private food vendor access) courtesy of Bay Vista Tacqueria, and a commemorative lanyard.
Photo Courtesy of RochesterFirst
Trombone Shorty (born Troy Andrews) is an American musician, producer, actor and philanthropist from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is best known as a trombone and trumpet player but also plays drums, organ, and tuba. He has worked with some of the biggest names in rock, pop, jazz, funk, and hip hop. Andrews began playing trombone at age four, and since 2009 has toured with his own band, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue.
Trombone Shorty
Gov’t Mule is an American Southern rock jam band, formed in 1994 as a side project of The Allman Brothers Band by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody. The band released their debut album, Gov’t Mule, in 1995, and have since released an additional nine studio albums, plus numerous EPs and live releases. Gov’t Mule has become a staple act at music festivals across North America, with both its members and frequent guests boasting members from other notable bands, adding various funk and blues rock elements to the band’s sound.
Gov’t Mule
Organizers Rochester Events is thrilled to bring these beloved artists to the Live At MLK! series.
To get both of these groups on stage is going to be a night full of music magic. There is no better way to celebrate the return of live music than with rock legends and a jazz phenom!
Jeff Springut, CEO/Producer, Rochester Events
Presale starts 7/14 and tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday (7/16) at 12PM ET. Tickets must be purchased online in advance on RochesterEvents.com. Pricing is $99.50 for VIP, $59.50 for GA advance, and $66 day of show (if available, fees apply). Shows are rain or shine with no refunds.
Patrons may bring blankets and one sealed bottle of water into the park. Lawn chairs, bicycles, skateboards, in-line skates and pets will not be allowed in. Parking is available at nearby parking garages including the Midtown Parking Garage; 110 S. Clinton Avenue, Washington Square Garage, 111 Woodbury Blvd.; the Court Street Garage, 194 Court St. and at the East End Garage, 475 E. Main St. Parking will also be available at The Strong Museum, 1 Manhattan Square.
For the second week of the City of Albany’s Alive at 5 concert series, funk was on the lineup and Soule Monde and company delivered. Moving to the rain location at the boat lunch under 787, the night started on time with Victory Soul Orchestra, who have been on the rise over the last year with memorable streams and now, live performances.
Headlining Alive at 5 tonight was Soule Monde, featuring Russ Lawton and Ray Paczkowski from Trey Anastasio Band. The drums and keys duo sounds more like a full band and got the ample crowd up and moving. Deep funky Afrobeat influenced rhythms framed much of the performance, one that paused for 15 minutes following the song seen below, and then continued until the 8pm curfew.
Alive at 5 returns next week with Amy Helm headlining, and The Sea The Sea opening the night.
Singer-songwriter, guitarist and drummer Rene Lopez has just released his new single, “Flamingo”. A master of cross-genre work, Lopez’ single features Caribbean roots, rhythmic Jamaican ska drum loops, Cuban son montuno with cha-cha-chá influence. “Flamingo” stands as a direct reflection of Lopez’ multicultural upbringing in New York City, where he resides today.
Son of the famed Puerto Rican salsa musician and trumpet player René López, Rene embraces the traditional roots of his father while incorporating his own unique musical influences, including soul, jazz, funk, and rock.
An audience can audibly hear this melding of genres- with the fusion of Latin rhythms and instruments like timbales, congas, cowbell, flute, trumpet, Cuban tres and melodies similar to the pop musical soundscape today.
It just feels so right to incorporate my roots into my songs.
Rene Lopez
Dubbed “a one-man song factory” by Félix Contreras of NPR’s Alt.Latino, Lopez takes a personal approach to songwriting.
There is also a story that I tell in each song that is basically my own way of dealing with stuff going on in my life [and it] helps me face myself when I sing it out loud.
Rene Lopez
Lopez’ ability to write a autobiographical discography that melds Latin music, funk, rock, doo-wop, and soul is what keeps him hitting the mark with these catchy songs. Throughout the course of his work, Lopez’ music has only continued to become more Latinized, invoking a thematic otherness as an immigrant or being from a certain urban ethnic neighborhood. Keeping his songs close to home has reflected an authentic, nostalgic sound that shows listeners Lopez is “being completely honest with who I am, and a big part of that is my Latin roots,” as well as telling stories of personal relationships and experiences in an unflinching way.
Written as an ode to a “special woman” Lopez fell in love with after he got divorced, “Flamingo” bears Lopez’ vulnerability. He successfully transformed a situation he dubbed “extremely difficult and heartbreaking” into a beautiful tribute to the experience. Simultaneously graceful and outlandish, the flamingo serves as the perfect metaphor to quantify his unattainable love.
The title of the single then alludes to the doomed romance due to the lovers’ star-crossed circumstances. Beautiful and tragic, the song is a Latin lullaby of love and healing. The poetic lyrics serve as the perfect gateway into Lopez’ self and coupled with the personal roots of his past, “Flamingo” serves as a testament to Lopez’ past. And evidently, the song is yet another incredible hit to add to his collection of singles, keeping his growing audience waiting for the future.
The single is streaming on Soundcloud and does not disappoint!
Soul and R&B songstress Erykah Badu has announced rescheduled dates for her Fall Tour.
Photo by Erik Carter
JamBands.com announced Badu’s new dates, which include a show at the iconic Radio City Music Hall on September 30. Badu will also make several appearances on the festival circuit, performing at H.E.R.’s Lights On Festival, ACL Fest, and Pitchfork Festival. All tour dates are listed below.
Badu’s last official musical project was her But You Caint Use My Phone mixtape, released in 2015. The mixtape received critical praise and Badu has since stated that she is in the process of creating her sixth studio album.
Badu also opened an online store, Badu World Market, in February of 2020. Along with selling merchandise, Badu World Market highlights smaller creatives and compiles videos and streamed performances through “Badu TV”.
Badu’s performance at Radio City will be one of the landmark venue’s first shows since COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted in New York. Other names coming to Radio City this August and September include Gabriel Iglesias, Quinn XCII and Devo. Tickets for Badu go on sale Friday (7/9) at 10 AM.
Erykah Badu Tour Dates
Sept. 3 – Dallas, TX – Riverfront Jazz Festival
Sept. 10 – Louisville, KY – Great Lawn at Waterfront Park
Sept. 11 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
Sept. 12 – Chicago, IL – Pitchfork Festival
Sept. 18 & 19 – Concord, CA – Lights On Festival
Sept. 30 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
Oct. 1-3 – Austin, TX – ACL Festival
Oct. 8-10 – Austin, TX – ACL Festival
Oct. 15 – Indianapolis, IN – Indiana Farmers Coliseum
This year’s ADK Independence Music Festival lineup has been announced and features two big names that Upstate New Yorkers are quite familiar with. The Lake George festival will take place on Labor Day Weekend, Sept 3-5 with headliners moe. and Twiddle stepping up to the plate for the 2021 edition.
moe. will return to their moe.down Labor Day roots as they play four sets over two nights with Twiddle performing two headlining sets of their own. All ADK Music Fest performances will be located at the Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in the heart of Lake George Village, across the street from the lake.
The ADK Music Festival will have a selection of beer and wine, a full bar, food vendors, and merchandise for sale, all available for purchase after entry. As well a great view of the Lake George fireworks on Saturday evening.
Shows will begin at 2 pm on Friday and 12:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday and run until 11 pm each night. The event is open to attendees of all ages and children 12 and under are free. VIP tickets include admission to all 3 days of the festival, a meal each day, half priced adult beverages, $2 waters / soft drinks, a private viewing area (with private bars), and access to private bathrooms.
3-Day General Admission tickets and a limited number of VIP tickets are on sale now for the 2021 Adirondack Independence Music Festival. To learn more and get tickets, visit the ADK Music Fest official website.
Robert Walter shares “Or Else” and “Franklin,” the first two songs from his Better Feathers series, in which the acclaimed keyboardist rolls out six new “digital 45s” via Royal Potato Family. Each release will feature two singles for a total of 12 tracks to be issued from now through October.
Rather than making the more obvious quiet, introspective music, the focus instead turned to my nostalgia for sweaty bars and crowded dance floors. Somewhere during the process, tracks began floating back and forth to friends like Stanton Moore (Galactic), Craig Brodhead (Turkuaz), Chris Stillwell (The Greyboy Allstars), Jake Najor, John Kimock and Mike Gordon (Phish) to add their own parts remotely.
Robert Walter
Written and recorded entirely from home during quarantine in 2020 and 2021, Robert immersed himself in the writing and recording process as a way to remain creative and fend off boredom while faced with a year of no live shows. According to Walter, the title Better Feathers comes from the idea of birds molting — shedding their old, worn-out feathers for new, better ones.
“Or Else,” is the first of the two tracks released in the series. The song features Robert Walter‘s frequent collaborator, New Orleans drummer Stanton Moore and Turkuaz guitarist Craig Brodhead. “It was influenced by early ’80s dance records by artists like Grace Jones and Chic,” says Walter. The clean melody is inspired by dub melodica explorations and the breakthrough work of Augustus Pablo to create “pure topical funk and summer vibes.” The tune was the first track Walter wrote and curated for the sessions.
Robert Walter – Photo by Julia Mordaunt
It was time to shift gears and think of the situation as a positive and not a negative; an unexpected abundance of time to emerge with something of value… The music is influenced by the methods. In the absence of working with a group, the focus turned to overdubbing layers of sound. Inspirations were found by digging into late 70s NYC dance music, dub reggae, archaic blues, Krautrock, jazz, and funk.
Robert Walter on his creative process during COVID-19 quarantining
The “b-side” is “Franklin” named after Walter‘s elementary school alongside memories of his younger self. Once again, Stanton Moore joins on drums, adding an especially spare and funky beat.
Photo by Rene Huemer via robertwalter.com
There was a certain time during the mid-’70s where it seemed like everything in pop culture was funky. Saturday morning cartoons, television commercials, and most of the music on the radio had absorbed (and sometimes bastardized) the sounds of James Brown, Sly Stone, and the Jackson 5
Robert Walker
Robert Walter’s BetterFeathers Digital 45 Release Schedule
The Better Feathers series continues in late July with the release of “Saucerman” featuring Phish bassist Mike Gordon and “Devices of Similar Size” with Stanton Moore once again on drums. Find the schedule below:
"Saucermen" (w/ Mike Gordon)
"Devices Of Similar Size" (w/ Stanton Moore)
Release Date: July 21, 2021
"Bloodstar" (w/ Craig Brodhead)
"Better Feathers" (w/ Stanton Moore)
Release Date: August 18, 2021
"Security" (w/ John Kimock)
"It's Not What's"
Release Date: September 1, 2021
"Wet From The Press" (w/ Jake Najor)
"Feeder, Doctor, Talker" (w/ Jake Najor & Chris Stillwell)
Release Date: September 22, 2021
"Hellhound" (w/ Chris Stillwell)
"Loomis"
Release Date: October 27, 2021
Until then, isten to and share “Franklin” and “Or Else” below on his Spotify as well as other streaming services accessible HERE
