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.
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.
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.
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.
Tech N9ne brought his Strange New World Tour to Empire Live in Albany, NY on Wednesday, November 11. Opening the show were rappers Jhery Robinson, King ISO and Rittz.
After King Iso seemlingly died on stage from rapping too hard, Tech N9ne took the stage to a roaring crowd. Donning a crown or clown mask, he mixed old with new, finally ending the night with a heavy slew of classics. He spoke afterwards of recently turning 50 and gave a surprisingly elliquent speech about just being yourself and always moving forward.
TechN9ne takes this tour south before heading out midwest to end in Kansas City, MO at the beginning of December.
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.
Proctors Collaborative has announced the next block of upcoming shows at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs.
After a brief opening in Feb. 2020, as with many venues across the country, UPH had to close its doors briefly before opening again during the COVID-19 pandemic as an exhibit hall in July 2020.
UPH is incredibly unique and adaptable as a year-round cultural center with multiple spaces. Our main performance space is a 700-seat, state-of-the-art theatre in the round and has been designed so that no audience member will be farther than 60 feet from the performer. There’s not a bad seat in the house!
Grammy Award-winning music innovator Billy Strings reveals a continuation of his current headline tour alongside co-writers and string swordsman in their own right Billy Failing (banjo), Royal Masat (Bass, vocals) and Jarrod Walker (mandolin, vocals, guitar).
Arguably the most talked about in the announcement is the four night run at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, a truly historic laboratory for experimental music. Dates listed below. Tickets will go on sale this Friday, November 19 at 10:00am ET. On that Friday, the Billy Strings tour will be making a stop in Wilkes-Barre, PA if patience is not on one’s side. Full details at www.billystrings.com/tour.
Full Rainbow
All Forms of Energy
Energy has been a word that has gotten tossed around superfluously over conference tables, yoga mats and barstools. Excessive presence of the metaphysical concept has robbed us from having a name for what happens when we truly feel the impact of sound, light and heat combine in such a way to shift minds.
Avatar
Some call Billy things like “the reincarnation”, “the next____”, and occasionally “the next avatar”. There is certainly something special about a person that thinks and plays in such expansive styles while also having full mastery of accepted structures. It is uncommon for the same person to also have concern for the safety and wellbeing of his fans. It is not often that “the ___ of our generation” will return to his elementary school to give guitars to all the kids. Bass fishing early after playing a sold out show is absolutely not the thing expected from a musical mastermind. Arguably, most accurate description of Billy is “the realest one.”
Moth and Light Bulb
Egregious terms like “face melt” have unfortunately replaced the rather touching feeling of euphoria washing over our senses when dazzled by lights that somehow give the music a voice when there are no lyrics. The depth of emotion intended for each song transcends the light. The musical experience at a Billy show would not have the same depth of meaning if it looked any other way. Seeing and hearing beauty is where true presence begins to form and life outside of that concert disappears.
The intentional layering of light in a kaleidoscope of textures, colors and shapes evoke feelings that register more like a fine textile selected by lighting designer Roger Gant just for us; in this moment. It is said that moths are attracted to lightbulbs because they are designed to move towards the moon, but lightbulbs are relatively brighter. Imagine being that moth and you have an idea of what Roger’s shows look like.
The Wave Master
Andy Lytle gets pitted in the barrel of sound waves. Generosity exists all over the Billy camp. A valued community has formed thanks to Andy Lytle’s free live streams on Mixlr.com/billy-streams for every show. His pre-show and set break playlist is one for the ages and it is worth tuning in early to enjoy. To take on an extra task like mixing beautifully for all of the people at home while simultaneously managing fast changing complex music being played is seen and appreciated.
Photo by Jesse Faatz: The Giver. Keeper of memories. Encapsulator of emotion.
The Ref
Compassion is the key. While Billy Strings is the name on the shirt, all band and crew members contribute to a show with power that does not compare. It is more than a battle. Kata might even be too tame. There is more going on here. There is a volley going between the front of house and the stage, with photographer Jesse Faatz playing referee. There is great honor in record keeping creatively while history is being made. Jesse provides this selfless service by absorbing the cumulative experience of thousands and somehow fitting it into a few images. With each night’s log entry, a protective space has been created so that we can look back and let all of the feelings rush back from those treasured moments.
So pitted
Purpose
Attending a Billy Strings production means experiencing innovation, evolution and often complete mindshift for a better life. When there is no way to explain why something feels so good is when the cosmos, higher power or spiritual elements start to roll in and true attachment and loyalty begins to form. We feel protective over this thing that feels so good and want others to join in.
Afterglow
At some point though, after the show, everything will begin to settle down. We will anticipate a little more volley of light, sound and heat between masters of photons, waves, frequencies, photons, pickups, gammas, cadences, cadenzas, and canons (both musically and photographically). Yes, it is incredible, but it is also here now and we accept this beautiful experience as part of life.
Deep pink adds a little something extra.
Morning Light
The comfortable, lingering, pink-feeling haze after such a powerful experience is something also seems difficult to describe.There was once a word that was kept locked up and safe, only to be used in those declarative moments of beauty, connection, wonder, commitment, appreciation and gratitude. Cortisol coursing through us, feeling accepted within our tribe and cozy with our minds. What was it again? Oh.That word is love.
BILLY STRINGS CONFIRMED 2021-2022 TOUR DATES November 16—Portland, ME—State Theatre (SOLD OUT) November 17—Boston, MA—Boch Center Wang Theatre (SOLD OUT) November 19—Wilkes-Barre, PA—Mohegan Sun Arena November 20—Detroit, MI—The Fillmore (SOLD OUT) November 21—Detroit, MI—The Fillmore November 30—New Orleans, LA—The Civic Theater (SOLD OUT) December 1—New Orleans, LA—The Civic Theater (SOLD OUT) December 2—Houston, TX—White Oak Music Hall (SOLD OUT) December 3—Austin, TX—ACL Live at The Moody Theater(SOLD OUT) December 4—Dallas, TX—The Factory in Deep Elum(SOLD OUT) December 9—Atlanta, GA—The Eastern (SOLD OUT) December 10—Atlanta, GA—The Eastern (SOLD OUT) December 11—Atlanta, GA—The Eastern (SOLD OUT) December 12—Atlanta, GA—The Eastern (SOLD OUT) December 17—Nashville, TN—Marathon Music Works(SOLD OUT) December 18—Nashville, TN—Marathon Music Works(SOLD OUT) December 30—Grand Rapids, MI—GLC Live at 20 Monroe(SOLD OUT) December 31—Grand Rapids, MI—GLC Live at 20 Monroe(SOLD OUT) January 1—Grand Rapids, MI—GLC Live at 20 Monroe(SOLD OUT)
All dates below (except Tempe, AZ and London on-sale this Friday, November 19 at 10:00am ET February 3—Port Chester, NY—The Capitol Theatre February 4—Port Chester, NY—The Capitol Theatre February 5—Port Chester, NY—The Capitol Theatre February 6—Port Chester, NY—The Capitol Theatre February 11—Greensboro, NC—Greensboro Coliseum February 12—Norfolk, VA—Chartway Arena February 15—Augusta, GA—Bell Auditorium February 16—Augusta, GA—Bell Auditorium February 18—Knoxville, TN—Civic Auditorium February 19—Knoxville, TN—Civic Auditorium February 26—Tempe, AZ—Innings Festival March 3—Madison, WI—The Sylvee March 4—Madison, WI—The Sylvee March 5—Madison, WI—The Sylvee March 9—Cleveland, OH—KeyBank State Theatre March 11—Cincinnati, OH—Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center March 12—Cincinnati, OH—Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center March 26—London, UK—Islington Assembly Hall (SOLD OUT) March 27—London, UK—Islington Assembly Hall (SOLD OUT) April 1-3—Olympic Valley, CA—WinterWonderGrass Tahoe August 26-28—Tisbury, MA—Beach Road Weekend
Virginia’s jam and alt-rock outfit Kendall Street Company have teamed up with toe-tappin’ bluegrass quartet The Dirty Grass Players to announce a slew of co-headlining winter tour dates this December. The two bands will each perform a set of original songs before collaborating under the name “The Dirty Street Grass Company” for a super jam at the end of each show.
The run of shows will kick off on December 4th in The Dirty Grass Players’ hometown of Baltimore, MD and weave through the Northeastern states of New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut. The collaboration series will also be available to fans worldwide via the live-streamed performance on Friday, December 10th.
Our relationship with the Dirty Grass Players goes back to the ancient days of 2016. We were introduced to them by a talent buyer who described DGP as ‘the real deal bluegrass outfit’ and said they’d be a good pairing with our eclectic brand of jam rock. Fast forward to now, we have performed with them many times and consider them close musical companions. It’s about time we did a full-on tour together. To get hype for this collaboration, we [Kendall Street Company] have even been working on some bluegrass-y arrangements of our own tunes to mix into our set.
Ben Laderberg of Kendall Street Company.
Kendall Street Company (KSC) has created a unique musical identity that is quickly separating them from the pack. Featuring Louis Smith (acoustic guitar, vox), Brian Roy (bass), Ryan Wood (drums), Ben Laderberg (electric guitar), and Jake Vanaman (saxophones, keys), the band seamlessly brings together a mélange of genres as diverse as jam-rock,indie, folk, americana, psychedelia, jazz, and even bluegrass.
Composed of Connor Murray on bass, Alex Berman on vocals & banjo, Ben Kolakowski with the guitar & vocals, and Ryan Rogers on mandolin, they have been bringing their growing fanbase a down and dirty performance for over five years. Their ability to seamlessly transition from down-home bluegrass to spirited improvisation makes each performance unique. Mix in some Allman Brothers, Pink Floyd, or a dash of southern rock and you’ll quickly understand what they mean by “Dirty Grass”.
Entering into their sixth year together, The Dirty Grass Players just released their 2nd studio album, “Beneath the Woodpile”. Put together with alluring harmonies, lyrics, and melodies, the band presents a sound precisely at the crossroads of traditional and progressive bluegrass. This isn’t just another run-of-the-mill bluegrass album or band; it’s cathartic and dirty grass.
Genre-blurring NYC artist Joshua Crumbly has shared a new video for his nostalgic and moody track “Kolkata.” Crumbly first shared “Kolkata” on his sophomore full-length, ForEver, which he released last month.
Crumbly’s gift lies in emotionally evocative and masterful bass guitar. He made his debut at age 10, performing with his saxophonist father, and eventually pursued his passion at Julliard. His unique style has led him to record and tour with everyone from Leon Bridges to Kamasi Washington. He performed alongside Bob Dylan in Dylan’s 2021 concert film, Shadow Kingdom. He released his debut solo album, Rise, in 2020.
The windswept video for “Kolkata” features crumbly as a cowboy wandering a dusty open road. Carefully stepping along the dotted yellow line, Crumbly walks towards a hazy mountain range in the distance. As the camera approaches him slowly from behind, he sets down his guitar case, removed his hat, and turns to face the audience.
Crumbly is half African-American and half Indian-American, and frequently visits his mother’s family in Kolkata. It was there he experienced something beautiful while looking over the city, sparking the inspiration for “Kolkata.”
“It was a blissful moment filled with gratitude and optimism,” Crumbly said. “I didn’t bring any instruments with me on this trip but I did have my laptop computer to sonically document this moment I was grateful to have experienced.”
Joshua Crumbly
Featuring guests like Shahzad Ismaily, Sam Gendel, and Jay Bellerose, ForEver has received praise from outlets like Hypebeast and Under the Radar. NPR Music highlighted the record on their New Music Friday podcast.
The album’s haunting 11 tracks never hit you over the head with their meaning. But Crumbly’s ability to evoke nostalgia and deja vu through a simple, wavering bassline keeps you mesmerized. In ForEver’s lo-fi environment, each song blends into the next while still setting a unique scene. “Family” is heartbreakingly simple and bittersweet, while “C.S.C.” with Jay Bellerose builds on an ominous, hazy funk. Title track and standout “ForEver” takes hints from midwest emo, but remains hauntingly spare throughout. The soft, undulating melody worms its way into your brain and stays.
Empire Live has become quite the up and coming venue in 2021 and what better place to host an up and coming band in Ripe, with The Heavy Hours and Max Muscato opening the show on Friday, November 12th.
The Boston based Ripe rolled through Albany in the midst of a long tour taking them through a lot of the Northeast, into Canada, and finishing out the year with two shows for New Years Eve at Irving Plaza on December 30th and 31st. After taking off the month of January their winter tour kicks off in Knoxville and runs through the deep south before heading out to the Midwest.
Set List: Flipside, Downward > Stanky, Escape, Beta Male, Queen of the City, Pretty Dirty > Passerby, Noise in the Forest > First Time Feeling, Bennie and the Jets, 5am, Talk to the Moon > Follow Through > Little Lighter
From the producers of the annual Love Rocks NYC benefit concert comes The Capitol Sessions: Songs from a Rock Palace That Impacted the World. Featuring Jackson Browne and Jorma Kaukonen leading an all-star jam benefiting HeadCount, the star-studded event will take place on Friday, December 17 at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.
Also featured in the show will be Marco Benevento, James Casey, Lisa Fischer, Amy Helm, Connor Kennedy, Eric Krasno, Tony Leone, Grahame Lesh, Adam Minkoff, Karina Rykman, and TheWar and Treaty.
Curating the evening is legendary producer, arranger, songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell, alongside his musical partner and wife Teresa Williams. Universally respected by his peers and fans as a master of music, the three-time Grammy-winning producer/musical director for Levon Helm was a member of Bob Dylan’s Never Ending Tour band, as well as a session and touring musician for artists including Keith Richards, Jackson Browne, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon and Emmylou Harris, and a recipient of the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award as Instrumentalist.
The Capitol Sessions celebrates the groundbreaking songs played at The Capitol Theatre by rock royalty like Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Bonnie Raitt, Jefferson Airplane, The Chambers Brothers, Mountain, Joe Cocker, the Rolling Stones, Traffic, and Eric Clapton.
The Capitol Theatre is one of rock ‘n’ roll’s last remaining rock palaces. A place where many of rock’s most beloved legends performed — the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead, David Bowie, Janis Joplin, to name a few. We can’t wait to celebrate the iconic songs that have been played over the years at The Cap. It will be very cool for The Capitol Sessions to happen on the same stage where these songs were originally performed. It’s going to be an epic night!
Peter Shapiro, DayGlo President and HeadCount board member
The show benefits HeadCount, a non-partisan voter registration advocacy organization that stages voter registration drives at more than 1,000 live events each year and collaborates with cultural leaders to promote civic engagement on a national scale. Since 2004, HeadCount has signed up over 1,000,000 voters through its work with Ariana Grande, Dead & Company and Beyoncé, as well as events like Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Pride Festivals, and RuPaul’s DragCon.
The Capitol Sessions is the latest in a lineup of standout events by RWE, the company founded by Greg Williamson and Nicole Rechter to bring people together around music, culture, and philanthropy. RWE has realized its vision through charity concerts such as Love Rocks NYC, the Play On CBS primetime TV special, and the annual Tipping Point concert for Tulane University and the city of New Orleans.
In addition to honoring some of the most influential artists who played the Capitol during its heyday, we’re proud to highlight the importance of voting rights and democracy. We’d like to extend our thanks to Peter Shapiro, Larry Campbell, and all of the talented artists who agreed to be a part of this benefit concert.
Flying straight from Orlando’s EDC concert, Zedd moved the party to New York City on Saturday, November 13 in the heart of Times Square, selling out Nebula’s second official opening weekend. Entrancing the crowd with his signature electro house drops and mesmerizing psychedelic LED screens, Zedd’s very presence atop the stage paralleled that of a higher power.
Worshipping crowdgoers welcomed the well decorated German-Russian DJ that has paved the electronic scene for over a decade. Almost on command Zedd wielded his powers, sending chills down several hundred spines starting with the all so notable eerie Squid Game introduction to unleashing the intoxicating beat of Do it Do it from Cherish. His edit of Squid Game x Do it Do it swallowed us into a two hour rave marathon of his GRAMMY winning catalogue.
Certainly a renowned powerhouse EDM DJ virtuoso, he reminded us how he single handedly shaped the soundscape of the early 2010s era starting his set with Stay the Night (feat. Hayley Williams) and The Middle. Immediately working the crowd with nostalgia of the good ‘ol days, Zedd was just as excited to see fans memorize his every lyric. The DJ, songwriter, and record producer found himself infected with his own rhythms jumping relentlessly with one proud fist in the air. Sampling Lil Nas X’s “Industry Baby” we were lured away from Zedd’s originals, unlocking edits of Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy” and Daft Punk’s “One More Time”.
Palms open and looking to the sky Zedd was able to contact his fellow EDM gods for countless thick heavy bass drops thrumming the dance floor to fuel ceaselessy dancing fans.
Zedd made full use of New York City’s newest club. The all encompassing LED screens put on acclaimed painted visuals taking club goers soaring through space, inside futuristic tunnels, and swimming through vortexes. Combined with synchronized strobe lights pointed every which way, Zedd provided a full sensory performance. A true connoisseur, prolonging each beat drop gearing us for the high intensity ultimate of euphoric choruses from “Spectrum” even singing along to Ariana Grande’s “Break Free” with the rest of us.
The sheer intimacy of the soldout 700 person max venue aided in creating a closer bond to the almost untouchable DJ. His charisma could be felt all the way in the back depths of the club. In a sly attempt to hide his celebrity, he occasionally appeared as a mere shadow letting his LED lightshow dictate the concert along while waving just one finger in the air, complete with a drink in the other. His limited check-ins with the crowd and bright let us know was enjoying it all as much as we were, basking in the glory of the name he has made for himself.
The EDM scene is often believed to be crafted around drugs that claim to fully encapture each performance, yet the community projects carefree and accepting energy builds families on the dance floor. He made it almost impossible not to become best friends with strangers entranced by his music. when erupting countless climax of euphoric woes with every bass drop. Each inevitable buildup releasing to well crafted high intensity drops cooked up an addicting recipe that fans could not get enough of.
To pull in the rails of the night, Zedd cranked his signature “Clarity” with one last remark, “New York! My name is Zedd and I f****** love you! Put your hands up if you had a great time.” One last drop erupted the climax of the night matched with bursts of confetti and fog covering roaring fans and blaring kick drums. His first GRAMMY winning song made way for ubiquitous dancing closing the night with unbelievable insanity. Classic Zedd.
