The new album by The Tragically Hip, Saskadelphia, is a compilation of songs recorded by the band back in 1990. Recorded in New Orleans in an old mansion that looms over the neighborhood called Vieux Carré, better known as the French Quarter.
Saskadelphia album cover
The Canadian band that has gathered a large following over the years no longer put out new music after the sad death of their front man, Gord Downie. But the band is happy that they were able to put out a ‘new’ album for all of their fans.
With the only exception of ‘Montreal-Live’- you are able to feel the soul of New Orleans come out whether it be strong vocals or the instrumentals that seem to have a southern twist to them. This entire album comes out in perfect time for the summer one that can be played in the car with windows down and playing the drums on the steering wheel while listening to it.
Songs that stand out are “Ouch” and “Just As Well” that have vocals that could fit any country instrumental but are instead met with a harder rock sound that make them unique and frankly better than a lot of other bands. Then it transitions to “Reformed Baptist Blues” that keeps the country undertone but has a heavy classic rock sound.
Just two songs in, “Not Necessary,” is the best song on the album. This song brings back the angst of the early ’90s and late ’80s to now. This song could not only follow along with the trend of playing it in the car on a summer’s day but also could easily be the end to any classic high school movie.
The Tragically Hip’s album Saskadelphia is not only a blast from the past but has turned into a pleasant surprise that will be being played by all fans and hopefully some non-fans alike.
Key Tracks: Ouch, Not Necessary, Reformed Baptist Blues
One of rock journalism’s most experienced, insightful and productive writers, Joel Selvin, has created a fresh take on the telling of the birth of L.A. pop and the California dream of the ‘60s with his latest book, Hollywood Eden: Electric Guitars, Fast Cars and the Myth of the California Paradise.
When it comes to writing about rock music, and writing about it very well, few can match Selvin. From 1969 – 2009, he was a rock music critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as a contributor to Rolling Stone, Melody Maker, the Los Angeles Times and many more. He has written or co-written excellent books on artists like Ricky Nelson, The Grateful Dead, Sly and the Family Stone and Sammy Hagar, events like Monterey Pop, The Summer of Love, Altamont and the birth of the dance craze The Peppermint Twist at one of the pioneering NYC club scenes, The Peppermint Lounge.
Joel Selvin, author.
With his masterful 2014 book, Here Comes the Night: The Dark Soul of Bert Berns and the Dirty Business of Rhythm and Blues, Selvin rescues from obscurity one of the most innovative producers/songwriters of the ‘60s, a man who was largely forgotten after his death in 1967 at age 38. Berns was the man who brought Latin swing to rock with his first hit production, “A Little Bit of Soap,” in 1961, as well as the architect of many of Atlantic Records’ early hits for R&B stars like Solomon Burke, Esther Phillips, Ben E. King and Wilson Pickett. Berns was also the writer of classics like “Twist and Shout,” “Piece of My Heart,” “Cry Baby” and “Hang on Sloopy,” and the producer of mega-hits like the Drifters’ “Under the Boardwalk,” Barbara Lewis “Baby I’m Yours” and Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl.”
If all his books have one thing in common, it is Selvin’s skill as a storyteller. His books read like someone spinning a long yarn around a campfire. They are incredibly rich in fact and scene-setting details, and compulsively readable. Hollywood Eden is cut from the same mold.
Selvin’s latest tells the story of a group of young musicians who came together at the dawn of the ‘60s to create the lasting sound that powered the myth of the California dream. Central to the saga is a group of sun-kissed teens from the University High School (Uni High) Class of ’58, which included surf music pioneers Jan and Dean, bizarro rock impresario Kim Fowley, drummer Sandy Nelson, Nancy Sinatra, the Beach Boys’ Bruce Johnston and Kathy Korner, the petite teen surfer who inspired the book and movie Gidget. They came of age in Southern California at the dawn of a new era when anything seemed possible. These were the kids who created the idea of modern Southern California, complete with surf music, hot-rods and electric guitars, that the rest of world saw as a teenage paradise on earth.
The forward to the book sets the Rock-n-Roll high school scenario by also listing the alumni of other schools, like Hawthorne High (Brian Wilson) and Fairfax High (Phil Spector, Herb Alpert, Wrecking Crew sax man Steve Douglas and songwriters P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri), sound-obsessed youngsters who would go on to revolutionize pop music. Some of the Angeleno legends referenced were native New Yorkers or had Big Apple connections, like the Mamas and the Papas and Phil Spector. With all their glorious accomplishments, some of the stories here end with the characters getting burned, for flying too close to the sun or driving too fast and crashing. The latter was the case for Sandy Nelson, who had a smash hit with the drum solo-driven instrumental “Teen Beat” and especially Jan Berry of Jan and Dean.
Berry is the worthy centerpiece of the story, another legend whose accomplishments are getting lost with the passing of time. Tall, blonde, handsome, athletic and with a magnetic personality, Berry’s adventures in music started in the late ‘50s, when he formed a doo-wop group called The Barons, which included folks like Sandy Nelson, Bruce Johnston, actor-to-be James Brolin and, of course, his partner-to-be Dean Torrence.
With his father’s gift of an upright piano and two Ampex reel-to-reel tape recorders, Berry set to experimenting in his garage. He started bouncing tracks and stacking vocals to create a sound that would become the signature of the sunny California dream, it would also serve as the template for a legendary musician he would come to work closely with, Brian Wilson.
When Torrence was conscripted into the army, Berry teamed up with Arnie Ginsburg and scored a hits, including “Jennie Lee” and “Gas Money” as Jan and Arnie. By 1959, he was back in business with Dean scoring a Top 10 hit with the Herb Alpert-produced “Baby Talk.” Even though he was attending medical school, Berry also had the energy to write and produce for other artists like The Rip Chords, The Matadors and actress-turned-singer Shelley Fabares.
Jan and Dean’s commercial peak was from 1963 – 1966, when they scored sixteen Top 40 hits, many in collaboration with Brian Wilson like the Wilson-Berry penned “Surf City,” along with “Drag City” and “The Little Old Lady from Pasadena.” Berry’s fate would be presaged with his #8 hit from 1964, “Dead Man’s Curve.” In April 1966, he would crash his speeding car right near this very curve and suffer serious brain damage and paralysis that would essentially put an end to his creative career.
Also noteworthy in Hollywood Eden is the fascinating career of Bruce Johnston. A child of privilege from Bel-Air, Johnston also made some major strides while still in high school, playing with Richie Valens, The Everly Brothers and Eddie Cochran and producing and playing on Sandy Nelson’s “Teen Beat.” He also produced the Rip Chords and his own string of surf and car singles, with future Byrds producer Terry Melcher. In 1965, he joined the Beach Boys and was featured on some of their classic albums like Pet Sounds, Sunflower and Surf’s Up.
Drummer Sandy Nelson’s story is another interesting one that was, like his good friend Berry’s, derailed by driving too fast. Nelson served as a session drummer on early hits by Phil Spector and the Hollywood Argyles, before scoring a million-selling, Billboard Top 5 hit with the drum solo driven “Teen Beat” in 1959. Nelson pounded out two more Top 10 hits, including “Let There Be Drums,” before a 1963 motorcycle accident led to the amputation of his leg.
Readers will also be intrigued by Selvin’s telling of the story of Nancy Sinatra. He tells how Ol’ Blue Eyes’ little girl went from nowhere in her singing career by playing the “good girl” before scoring a worldwide #1 as the “bad girl” who snarled “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.”
Selvin’s latest provides tons of enlightenment on the careers of more L.A. legends like performer/record company head Herb Alpert, the Mamas and the Papas and their producer Lou Adler, Phil Spector, Kim Fowley and, of course, Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys. The book ends with the release of Wilson’s crowning achievement, “Good Vibrations,” and beginning of his decline with the commercial failure of Pet Sounds and its abandoned follow-up Smile.
With America hopefully finally coming out of the long Covid-19 quarantine, Selvin’s Hollywood Eden will be a great summer read for music-lovers who want to experience the sunshine sounds and some California dreamin’.
Eastbound Throwdown returns this all to Irwin Farm in Salem, NY, with hosts Eastbound Jesus performing both days.
After canceling the 2020 event due to the coronavirus pandemic, Guthrie/Bell Productions and Eastbound Jesus will host a slightly scaled down event, with a capacity of 500. And while in previous years there was music on two stages, this year there will only be one. The rest of the artist lineup will be announced at a later date.
The Eastbound Throwdown is held at the Irwin Family Farm in Salem, NY, located near the Vermont border, roughly 45 minutes east of Saratoga Springs. A fifth generation owned and operated farm focusing on beef and hay production, for one week of the year, they move the cattle, clean up some fields and are hosts the festival.
The Throwdown is a grass-roots homegrown festival, with the band members and Irwin Family working side by side to make it all possible for music fans from near and far.
Two day passes with camping included go on sale this Friday, May 28th at 12pm for $80. All ages are welcome. Tent camping is included in the ticket price, with RV passes available for an additional fee.
Tickets are available here and up to date event details can be found here.
Trey Anastasio will return to the Beacon Theatre on June 22nd and 23rd for two solo acoustic performances, this time with a full capacity audience. The shows will mark the first time the Beacon has had a crowd since March 2020.
After 8 weeks of Beacon Jams in Fall 2020, which found Anastasio performing with TAB and assorted guests, including the Rescue Squad Strings, he returns this June for two nights solo. All guests over the age of 16 will need to be fully vaccinated for this event and provide proof upon entry.
Tickets for the shows will go on sale Thursday, May 27 at Noon ET, here. Note – there is no pre-sale for these shows.
Update – these shows are now both sold out. James Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO of MSG Entertainment said the following in a statement:
Trey was the only artist to play live at The Beacon during the pandemic, so we’re honored that he’ll be the first artist back on our stage playing for a packed house. There’s no question people are eager to start gathering to once again experience events they love — and are more than willing to get vaccinated to do so. We’re focused on opening up all our venues to not just usher in the return of live entertainment, but of New York.
James Dolan
For anyone looking to request to purchase a taper ticket for the shows at the Beacon Theatre, please email tapertickets@gmail.com by 9pm ET on Wednesday, May 26th. Access to taper tickets is extremely limited and not guaranteed.
The Beacon Theatre venue vaccination policy and stipulations are as follows:
Guests will need to be fully vaccinated for Two Evenings with Trey Anastasio at the Beacon Theatre, meaning the event must be at least 14 days after your second dose of the Pfizer-BioNtech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or at least 14 days after your single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. The only exception is for children under the age of 16, who may provide proof of a negative antigen COVID-19 test, negative PCR COVID-19 test or full vaccination and are accompanied by a vaccinated adult. For more information, please visit beacontheatre.com/faqs.
The Linda: WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio will reopen to live audiences for the first time since the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic with a performance by the Paa Kow Afro-fusion Orchestra on Saturday, June 19 at 8pm.
Ghana born drummer and composer, Paa Kow, blends rhythm and artistry from his home with jazz and African roots creating his own Afro-Fusion sound. Dubbed “Ghana’s most artistic drummer” (Modern Ghana), he plays a custom, hand-carved, traditionally inspired Ghanaian drum set that is the only one of its kind in the world, guaranteeing an extraordinary cultural and musical experience. Paa Kow has toured internationally, sharing stages with both African and American luminaries including Kojo Antwi, Amakye Dede, and Victor Wooten.
Growing up in the small village of Enyan Denkyira near Cape Coast in Ghana, West Africa, Paa Kow is widely recognized as one of the most remarkable drum set players to tour in Africa, Europe, and America. Paa Kow’s deep groove and prodigious talent reveal a unique ability to speak to listeners with his drums, inspiring a profound spiritual conversation and fulfilling his vision to spread the music and culture of his homeland by touring the world with his Afro-fusion Orchestra.
With his albums such as Hand Go Hand Come, Ask, and Cookpot, Paa Kow has spread his creativity and his culture all across the world. His newest album, Nkwa Na Ehia, released in April of this year, heavily features Paa Kow’s native language of Fante. The rhythmic songs will be a great way to celebrate the reopening of The Linda.
A restricted quantity of seats will be available to maintain social distancing guidelines. Fully vaccinated patrons will be allowed to attend maskless and unvaccinated patrons will be encouraged to wear face masks. Seating and common traffic areas will be socially distanced. Additional live concerts and performances at The Linda will be announced in the next few weeks.
Tickets for the Paa Kow Afro-fusion Orchestra are $20 in advance and $25 on the day of the show. Advanced tickets are available through The Linda’s website.
For more information and updates regarding The Linda: WAMC’ Performing Arts Studio visit The Linda’s website. To stay updated follow their Facebook and Instagram.
First Generation, born in America, and sitting in the back of her Iranian parent’s car, coasting through Northern Virginia as they all sing along to “How can you mend a Broken Heart” by the Bee Gees.
Moments like these are when Susan Darvishi started to feel connected with the music that surrounded her. And with her debut album 14th and 4th, releasign on May 26th, she is able to take her relationship with music and tell the stories of the past five years living in New York City on 14th and 4th, before moving out to California.
Susan Darvishi
Of the album’s eight songs, she is able to cover five years of emotions from living in the constantly loud pumping heart of New York City. Whether it is falling in love in the city (“Polaroid” or “Dance With You”), keeping with girl code and internal struggles with heart break (“Him” and “No Choice”), or the bitter sweet goodbyes you have to make in order to start a new chapter (“New Salvation” and “Drift Away”), Davishi is able to tell her stories beautifully through songs on this album.
Darvishi’s strong voice pairs appreciably well with the beats, giving most of her songs a fun upbeat electronic pop sound to them. That is said with the exception of “No Choice” and “Drift Away” where she is able to pull away from her other songs and use a slower electric sound to really show off her strong vocals and meaningful lyrics.
From her “love [of] Latin music, I listen to in my free time” and then the “Persian music I listen to with my family” she says “sometimes those two blend. They love fast beats.” These influences of music can especially be heard in songs such as “Him” that is a very upbeat song with almost a Persian music sound to it.
This album has a very good mix between upbeat songs that make you want to get up and dance to songs that give you time to reflect on some of your past chapters. Her sound is with similar likes to artists such as Robyn and the sky seems to be the limit for her musical career.
The stories from her songs about her time in NYC still feel as though they are about a time in your life and manage to still be very relatable. Since she left her job in NYC to pursue her career in music right before covid hit she hasn’t been able to perform live but she is just as excited as her listeners for her to start performing on stage in front of a covid free audience.
On May 26, 2019, The String Cheese Incident played the second night of their Memorial Day Weekend run at the legendary Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. 2019 marked the band’s 25th anniversary. SCI is Michael Kang, Michael Travis, Bill Nershi, Kyle Hollingsworth, Jason Hann and Keith Moseley.
They opened the show with their 2018 single “Vertigo”. Kyle then kicked off a 16 minute version of “Black And White”. That was transitioned very nicely into “Can’t Wait Another Day”. They then kicked off the first of many cover songs with Peter Rowan’s “Midnight Moonlight”, followed by “Valley of the Jig” and “Siren’s”. Both songs were on their 2003 album “Untying The Knot”. The first set ended with “Restless Wind” from the 1998 album “Round the Wheel”. That really highlighted Nershi tearing it up on acoustic guitar.
The second set began with “Just One Story” that got the crowd immediately charged back up after a quick break. Next up was “Rosie” and the title track to the 2014 album “Song In My Hand”, which both songs also appeared on. Then came the second cover of the night, The Jerry Garcia’s Band’s “Tore Up Over You”. Some of The Grateful Dead’s most legendary shows happened at The Capitol Theatre in the early seventies. That was long before most of the people in the audience, including myself were even born. Then there was a lengthy version of “45th of November” from the 2005 album “One Step Closer”.
Another highlight of the night was the band’s’ cover of The Talking Heads “Burning Down the House”. They also performed “Wheel Hoss” which was written by one of the founders of bluegrass music, Bill Monroe in 1955. The set then ended with a cover of The Weather Report’s classic “Birdland” before they circled back to the sets first song, “Just One Story.” The 4 hour plus show ended with a one song encore of “Barstool.”
String Cheese Incident – The Capitol Theatre – May 26, 2019
Set 1: Vertigo, Black and White > Canât Wait Another Day > Midnight Moonlight, Valley Of The Jig, Sirens > Restless Wind Set 2: Just One Story > Rosie, Song In My Head, Tore Up Over You, 45th of November > Burning Down The House > Birdland > Wheel Hoss > Birdland > Just One Story Encore: Barstool
Born Leonard Albert Kravitz, the multi-faceted artist from New York City, celebrates his 57th birthday today. Known for his contributions to the world of music and acting, birthday boy Lenny Kravitz is known for his flashy style that translates into all areas of his creative endeavors.
Born of bi-racial parents, actress Roxie Roker (The Jeffersons), and television producer Sy Kravitz, Lenny experienced several racial barriers at the start of his career. Often being told that his music was neither black or white enough to appeal to labels’ audiences, Kravitz took the initiative to put out his debut record, Let Love Rule, on his own. While his debut release only reached moderate success in the states, Kravitz used the momentum to land him the position of audio producer for the hit Madona single “Justify My Love” in 1990.
His contributions to the world of record production combined with his 1991 hit ” It Ain’t Over ’til its Over” skyrocketed Kravitz to fame. Throughout his musical discography, Kravitz has shown his ability to blend influences ranging from blues, jazz, contemporary R&B and psychedelia. While collaborating with artists such as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and even Jay-Z, Kravitz has well proved that his music transcends racial barriers and appeals to audiences of various backgrounds.
Kravitz has several awards under his belt. He is the winner of two Grammy Awards for ‘Best Male Rock Vocal Performance,’ back to back for “Fly Away” and cover of The Guess Who’s “American Woman,” in 1999 and 2000, respectively. You may remember Kravitz stunning performance at the Pepsi Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show alongside Katy Perry during which he performed a handful of hits. Also making a name for himself in the world of cinema, Kravitz has most recently featured in the Hunger Games trilogy playing the role of Cinna, a luxurious fashion designer. Ironically enough, Kravitz also is the founder of Kravitz Design which focuses on residential and commercial creative direction and design working with clients such as Swarovski Crystal.
Kravitz keeps his home close to heart. Known for spontaneously busking on the surrounding streets of Manhattan and shooting several of his music videos in Times Square, Kravitz is certainly a celebrated New Yorker.
Brooklyn-based neo-soul singer-songwriter Kristen Merritt is releasing her first single and music video off her debut self produced album Joi. The song, “I’m Done,” is available now on all streaming platforms.
Marked with a soft, mellow guitar opening, and playful “Check, one, two,” the track sets up a bright instrumental to a sad story. The layered vocals are a refined touch to the full sound of the track. The chorus then also sees the welcoming of a warm, fun drum that pushes the song forward.
Merritt doesn’t overload the listener, she simply lets her lyrics tell the story while the music sets a leisurely pace. It’s a great break up song, but it’s also a fantastic song to play in a small COVID safe gathering, or out back by a bonfire. The tempo and vocals are perfect to both belt out in your car on the way to pick up the rest of your belongings and slow dance alone in your room.
The music video, with it’s spilt screen style, gives a visual representation to Merritt’s anger and sadness. On one side, a yellow adorned Merritt laments a failed relationship and the other shows a red dressed Merritt divulging all her frustration over a less-than partner.
“I’m Done” is the beginning of a must-follow new era for the Detroit native that will demonstrate the breadth of her powerful artistry and ability to dissect and interpret our most intimate emotions from a relatable and personal perspective. Heartfelt and soulful, Merritt scorches with her poignant lyricism and passionate delivery. It’s vulnerable and cathartic, with each jazz-tinged inflection and mesmerizing line, she finds her voice and freedom.
Merritt has been inspired by Take 6 and neo-soul greats such as Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, and Jill Scott and their soulful musical compositions and lyrical storytelling ability. Newer inspirations of hers include artists such as Daniel Caesar, Jacob Collier, Hope Tala, and H.E.R. These elements in her own sound have led to music with a nostalgic twist and modern warmth.
My hope is that “I’m Done” becomes the anthem of the person who has both feet out the door, and wants to leave their former partner with a memorable goodbye. I want it to serve as the Millennial/Gen Z equivalent of Erykah Badu’s “Tyrone,” where the goodbye is short, direct, and permanent (and also a little humorous at points to cut the mounted tension).
Since emerging in 2019 with her debut EP, Spectrum, Kristen Merritt’s storytelling has been the clear driving force at the heart of her craft. Last year, Kristen unveiled three singles, “Thyme,” “Never Again,” and “Ending.” Having been featured on Spotify’s playlists, the songs have already accumulating over 32,000 streams, with more on the way, Kristen Merritt is an artist you can’t miss.
Starting her musical journey in NYC Merritt scooped up local performance slots and open mics, building her confidence on stage while developing her sound and voice. During which she worked in the background on things that felt more raw, intimate, and worth exploring. the culmination of those efforts will soon be shared.
Flushing Town Hall announced their Virtual Jazz Jam for the month of June in celebration of Pride month and the LGBTQ+ community. The celebration will highlight works for LGBTQ composers and performers and will take place on Wednesday, June 9 at 7PM EST.
Flushing Town Hall’s monthly Jazz Jam is supported by the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation and has been led since 2016 by Astoria resident Carol Sudhalter. The house band members include illustrious musicians Joe Vincent Tranchina, Scott Neumann, and Eric Lemon. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Jazz Jams have taken place virtually. On the second Wednesday of each month, the Jazz Jams embrace a theme, and this June will be no exception. The Jazz Jams will bring together both novice and professional jazz artists from near and far to celebrate the diversity and breadth of LGBTQ performing artists.
Carol Sudhalter who is Flushing Town Hall’s Jazz Band leader spoke on this upcoming month’s celebration saying, “The LGBTQ communities have had a strong influence in the history of jazz. This month’s Jazz Jam is a moment to celebrate the works of artists and composers who broke barriers in ways big and small, who were leaders in the fight for equality, and who have inspired – and continue to inspire – us to become a more accepting and compassionate global community.”
Musicians interested in participating in the celebration on June 9 should email education@flushingtownhall.org with a suggested three- to four-minute tune they intend to play in line with this month’s theme. The performance can be live or a pre-recorded audio or video (but not a professional, edited recording such as a CD or YouTube video). Musicians who performed in 2020 are now welcome to return. Each month, up to five returning musicians and up to 15 new musicians can participate. Selection is on a first-come, first-served basis.
The LGBTQ+ celebration will be streamed for free on Flushing Town Hall’s Facebook page or Zoom on Wednesday, June 9 at 7PM EST. For more information on Flushing Town Hall and the event visit their website.
