NYS Music 202​1

Category: News

  • Immersive NYC Event “Undercurrent” Announced

    The immersive NYC event Undercurrent has been announced featuring installations from Bon Iver, Grimes, Jorja Smith, Khruangbin, Miguel, and The 1975. The event will take place on September 9, 2021 and will use creativity to try to spark conversations and expose new perspectives about the critical issues shaping people’s lives beginning with the Climate Crisis.

    Undercurrent

    Undercurrent is going to be a new type of event for art and music that will work to engage the audiences in immersive experiences that have been created by some of the most influential musicians and cultural figures of the moment. The event will feature 60,000 square feet in NYC of original audiovisual art installations, music, and much more.

    The installations include work from well known musicians including Bon Iver, Grimes, Jorja Smith, Khruangbin, Miguel, The 1975, Actress, Aluna, Jayda G, Mount Kimbie and Nosaj Thing. The event will bring together musicians, artists, creatives, and climate experts to present their reactions to the Climate Crisis through new interactive multimedia installations.

    Each of the artists involved in Undercurrent’s inaugural event will be creating their own individual immersive experiences that drive attention to one of three nonprofits: Kiss the Ground, Ocean Conservancy, and Global Forest Generation, all within the Undercurrent space.

    The co-founders Steve Milton and Brett Volker of the event spoke,“It’s an exciting time to be working and experimenting in the music space, with technology rapidly changing the way that we create and consume art. We’re thrilled to be offering music fans new ways to experience work by the artists they love and we hope they leave feeling inspired to take action around the climate crisis in the process.”

    Tickets are now on sale for its first event and for dates throughout the month can be purchased here.

    For more information on Undercurrent visit their website.

  • Judy Collins Debuts “Since You’ve Asked” Podcast

    Folk singer Judy Collins has released her newest project, a podcast series called Since You’ve Asked, named after her 1977 single of the same title. The podcast’s first episode aired on July 8 with guest Julia Cameron.

    Collins began her musical career in the early 1960s playing folk music in clubs around Colorado and Connecticut. She is known for covering crucial protest songs of ’60s, like Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” and being an multi-faced public activist. She made her way to Greenwich Village and released her first album A Maid of Constant Sorrow in 1961. Collins worked with iconic musicians throughout her career, including Stephen Stills, Randy Newman, and Joni Mitchell.

    Collins was nominated for one Academy Award for co-directing the film Antonia: A Portrait of the Woman as well as six Grammy Awards for “Best Folk Performance.” She won one Grammy with “Both Sides Now” and has multiple Gold and Platinum Record certifications.

    Collins is just as active in her career today, releasing over 15 live albums and EPs since 2000. With her podcast, Collins aims to use her honest and upfront personality alongside her personal experiences to host riveting conversations with public figures and fellow musical artists. She has most recently shared a discussion with best-selling author Julia Cameron, best known for her self-help book, The Artist’s Way. 

    In the episode, Collins and Cameron discuss the struggles and joys of sobriety, communicating with those that have passed on, Cameron’s relationship with director/actor Martin Scorcese, and “starter husbands.”

    The podcast series is expected to continue into this fall. New episodes debut every two weeks and past episodes are available to stream on Simplecast.

    Since You’ve Asked – Episode Schedule:

    July 8: Julia Cameron

    July 22: Jeff Daniels

    August 5: Ben Harper

    August 19: Pat Allerton

    September 2: TBD 

    September 16: TBD 

    September 30th: TBD 

    October 14th: TBD

    Collins performing her song “Since You’ve Asked”

  • Watertown Anticipates New Amphitheater Residing in Thompson Park

    Watertown anticipates a new amphitheater that will reside in Thompson Park. The amphitheater plans were announced at Watertown’s city council meeting on Tuesday July 6, 2021.

    Watertown Amphitheater

    The entire proposed project is estimated to cost $7.7 million. The City council plans to use part of the Department of Defense grant to help cover the cost of the amphitheater. The grant won’t completely cover the costs for the amphitheater. The city will still have to cover an estimated $1 million on soft costs.

    There is not a lot of information on the upcoming amphitheater but there is some. The Amphitheater will reside in Thompson Park on ​​Kite Hill in Watertown. It will include a stage and band shell, and the natural slope of the hill would be used for seating. It’s unsure if that seating will be built in or if people will have to bring their own. 

    Ryan Henry-Wilkinson, a council member spoke on the amphitheater saying, “It’s something that this council wants. It’s something the last council wanted, but it was always on a wish list, like, ‘It would be nice to do that if we could.” 

    Part of the allure of the amphitheater would be that it could help bring more people to visit Watertown and help create a better economy for the community. When people come to town for a concert they might buy food from a local restaurant, get a room at a hotel, and stop at other attractions in the town. The amphitheater could be used as a year-round facility, which would open it up to being able to  hold events like Concerts in the Park, Snowtown USA, the Harvest Festival, and weddings all year round and generating income for the city all year round. 

    For more information visit the Watertown City Council’s website.

  • Trey Anastasio Band Announces 2021 Fall Tour, New Bassist Dezron Douglas

    Trey Anastasio Band (TAB) is returning to the road for a fall 2021 tour, complete with a two-night stand at Radio City Music Hall. TAB is also introducing new bassist Dezron Douglas. Douglas joins the band in the wake of original member Tony Markellis’s recent passing.

    trey anastasio fall 2021

    The fall tour begins September 17 at Thompson’s Point in Portland, ME and will close out with the two shows at Radio City on October 2 and 3. The complete list of dates is below.

    Presale begin Wednesday, July 14 at noon ET. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, July 16 starting at 10am ET. For complete details, please visit trey.com/tour.

    Douglas’s addition to TAB is huge news for fans and for Anastasio himself, who released an official statement outlining his excitement.

    I’m thrilled to welcome the incredible Dezron Douglas to TAB. A longtime friend and collaborator of virtually every member of the band, Dezron is a master of reggae, funk and jazz bass. Russ, Ray, Dezron and I had some deep jams in the city recently, and Dezron’s playing is pure flow, heart, spirit and soul. We all can’t wait to get out on the road together. Thank you Dezron, Welcome to the Band! See you all soon!

    Trey Anastasio
    trey anastasio fall 2021
    Dezron Douglas

    Last year saw Trey Anastasio Band release a new live album, Burn It Down, a three-dimensional sonic time capsule that captures the eight-piece band on their January 2020 tour. Produced and mixed by Vance Powell (Phish, Chris Stapleton, Jack White), the 15-song collection shows TAB at the peak of its powers, combining their trademark tight musicianship with unbounded performances. Burn It Down is digitally streaming now and the vinyl will be available on August 20 (now available for preorder).

    TREY ANASTASIO BAND FALL TOUR 2021
    SEPTEMBER

    17 – Portland, ME – Thompson’s Point

    18 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion

    19 – New Haven, CT – Westville Music Bowl

    21 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met

    22 – Charlottesville, VA – Ting Pavilion

    24 – Wilmington, NC – Riverfront Park Amphitheater

    25 – Charlotte, NC – Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre

    26 – Asheville, NC – Rabbit Rabbit

    28 – Columbus, OH – Express Live Outdoors

    29 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE Outdoors


    OCTOBER

    1 – Washington, DC – Anthem

    2 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall

    3 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall

  • Brasstracks Releases New EP ‘Welcome Back’, Confirm Headline Tour Dates With NYC Stop

    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. 

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    “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

  • Long Island Music Hall of Fame Announces High School Recognition Program Winners

    The Long Island Music Hall of Fame (LIMHoF) is proud to announce the winners of its fifth annual High School Music Department Recognition Program. For the first time, video entries were accepted that showcased the amazing music that schools created under unbelievably difficult conditions and pandemic restrictions.

    Both the LIMHoF Education committee and a panel of music educators reviewed the videos that were submitted from each school. As a result, 12 Long Island high school music programs were awarded recognition wins and celebrated via video format. For the first time in its history, music performance videos from each applicant have been posted to LIMHoF’s website. And some high schools submitted multiple videos to showcase their different music groups. 

    The schools receiving this prestigious recognition are Centereach HS, Farmingdale HS, Great Neck North HS, Great Neck South HS, Half Hollow Hills HS East, Harborfields HS, Hicksville HS, Kellenberg Memorial HS, Long Beach HS, Lynbrook HS, Southampton HS, Wheatley HS

    During the pandemic, school music programs in particular were dealing with incredible restrictions due to social distancing and remote learning, which created major difficulty for students learning to play music. Music is a collaborative process and students need to be able to play music together. A lot of schools made it work, and we wanted to showcase their accomplishments under the circumstances. These schools found a way to do something great. The students overcame tremendous odds. This showcases, and is a tribute, to the students who adapted to a difficult situation.

    -Tom Needham, Education Chairman of LIMHoF

    For more information on the High School Music Department Recognition Program or Education scholarships and grants offered by LIMHoF, visit limusichalloffame.org/scholarshipsgrants.

  • Town Of Preble announces Summer Concert Series 2021

    Preble, located just north of the border of Cortland County with venues such as the Cortland Repertory Theatre, have announced a set of concerts held in Dwyer Memorial Park, located on the north end of Little York Lake.

    20160927_142004
    Cortland Repertory Theatre is one of New York State’s longest running professional theatres, producing shows along with events year round

    The park is 55 acres wide, with the main Pavilion operated by the Cortland Repertory Theatre. There are also three smaller pavilions throughout the park that can be reserved for events including family reunions and large cookouts.

    Dwyer Memorial Park | Cortland County, NY

    Preble was originally a part of Tully in Onondaga County. On April 8, 1808, it separated from Tully and became the northern border of newly formed Cortland County. The population of Preble in 1825 was 1327. Todays population in Preble is 1314. The town was named for Commodore Edward Preble, a naval hero of The Barbary Wars. Preble consists of 28 miles of land which were given to soldiers of the Revolution in lieu of money for service during the war. Preble has always been famous for its rich soil and dairy farming.

    The first congregational church in Preble opened way back in 1804. The The Cortland Repertory theatre is located within the Dwyer Memorial Park.

    There are many events located in the park, along with a series of summer events and concerts for families and people who love live music.

    "How Sweet It Is" - Steve Leslie Sings the Music of James Taylor, 14 August | Event in Preble | AllEvents.in
    Steve Leslie, a Grammy Award-winning songwriter and recording artist

    2021 Preble Concerts Located in Dwyer Memorial Park

    Thursday, 15th July, 07:30 pm, The Honky Tonk Angels

    Friday, 16th July, 10:00 am, Stories in the Park 2021 – “The Wizard of Oz”

    Tuesday, Jul 20, 2021 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM, Drive-In Summer Concert Series feat. Asleep at the Wheel

    Saturday, 24th July, 02:00 pm, The Adam Lee Decker Trio

    Wednesday, July 28, The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged)

    Thursday, August 5th, Goin’ to the Chapel by Valerie Fagan; Billboards hottest hits of the 50’s bubble over in this fun and funny teen-story, filled with the spirit of Happy Days and American Bandstand.

    Saturday, August 14th, “How Sweet It Is” – Steve Leslie Sings the Music of James Taylor

    Thursday, August 19th A Midsummer Night’s Dream; by William Shakespeare, adapted and directed by Bill Kincaid.

    Saturday, August 21st, Broadway Brunch 11:00 am Join us on the last day of our outdoor season for our NEW FUNdraiser of mimosas, music and memories! Delicious brunch-style food, unique silent auction baskets, wine grab-bags and performances by our performing intern company.

    The Adam Lee Decker Trio, 24 July | Event in Preble | AllEvents.in
    The Adam Lee Decker Trio

    For more information about Preble’s upcoming events and concerts visit here.

  • Woodstock ’99 Documentary Explores Infamous Festival

    If Woodstock ’69 was branded as “3 Days of Peace and Music”, Woodstock ’99 can only be thought of as “4 Days of Chaos.”

    The infamous ’99 festival took place in New York State, this time moving north to Rome. The event quickly turned stressful and uncontrollable as unannounced attendees brought the Griffiss Air Force Base far over capacity and late July temperatures climbed to unbearable heats. Audiences lamented over inflated food and water prices while crowds and mosh pits even turned violent.

    woodstock 99

    HBO’s new documentary, “Woodstock ’99: Peace, Love, and Rage”, explores the pitfalls of the festival through firsthand footage and interviews with artists and attendees. Director Garret Price also brings in commentary from the event’s organizers as they piece together the downward spiral of events.

    The documentary’s trailer, which was just released, reveals harsh clips of fires being lit in big crowds, guests rolling in mud, and a darker look at how many women experienced sexual harassment and abuse over the course of the festival.

    “Woodstock ’99” also centers the chaos around an overarching theme of male rage and unbridled energy channelled through the booming performances of headliners like Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit, Korn, and more.

    woodstock 99
    Photo by Joe Traver

    Singer Moby even addresses the strange feel of the festival upon his arrival, saying in the trailer, “We got off the bus, and I was like, something’s not right.” Others in the trailer continue to reiterate, “This was not your parent’s Woodstock.”

    “Woodstock ’99: Peace, Love, and Rage” premieres on HBO July 23. Check out the trailer below for what is sure to be an interesting and nuanced exploration of this notorious Central NY event.

  • National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene Presents “A Yiddish Renaissance”

    The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene will present A Yiddish Renaissance this summer. In recognition of this resurgence in interest, the 107-year-old will bring together more than 140 actors and musicians from here at home and across the globe. The two-hour event will showcase some of Folksbiene’s most memorable musical numbers, but also celebrate the life of its Artistic Director, Zalmen Mlotek.

    National Yiddish Theatre

    The benefit concert – debuting on July 26th at 2:00 PM (ET) and available to view through July 30th at 2:00 PM (ET) – will feature some of the most memorable hits from NYTF’s critically acclaimed and award-winning productions as well as sneak peeks of upcoming productions. Stars from across the United States, Israel, England, Germany, Scotland, and the Netherlands will share the screen together. 

    A Yiddish Renaissance: A Virtual Concert Celebration will pay tribute to Mlotek in celebration of his 70th birthday and 50-year career dedicated to Yiddish music and theatre. As he developed new productions and introduced young actors and singers to Yiddish theatre, Mlotek has brought NYTF to new heights as one of New York’s premiere off-Broadway theatre companies and to international recognition, including bringing Joel Grey-directed Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish to life at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, and then moving it uptown to Stage 42 Off-Broadway.

    Among those directing and editing the special presentation are: Joanne Borts, Ben Liebert, Stephanie Lynne Mason, Elisha Mlotek, Merete Muenter, Tony Perry, Eleanor Reissa, Allen Lewis Rickman, and Adam B. Shapiro. And the event features musical arrangements by Frank London and D. Zisl Slepovitch. 

    The stellar cast to date includes: Bob Ader; Aaron Alexander; Glenn Seven Allen; Michael Alpert; Zoë Aqua; Jennifer Babiak; Nanci Belmont; Alan Bern; Joanne Borts; Alexandrina Boyanova; Stuart Breczinski; Lauren Brody; Mark Broschinsky; Rebecca Brudner; Mendy Cahan; Clyde Daley; Peter DelGrosso; Josh “Socalled” Dolgin; Charlie Dresdner; Johnny Dresdner; Sruli Dresdner; Michael Einav; Lisa Fishman; Cantor Magda Fishman; Audrey Flores; Elise Frawley; Alexandra Frohlinger; Kirk Geritano; John Giesige; Brian Glassman; Abby Goldfarb; Sarah Mina Gordon; Joel Grey; Samantha Hahn; Stephen Mo Hanan; Richard Harrell; Stacey Harris; Cantor Netanel Hershtik; Jordan Hirsch; Avi Hoffman; Jackie Hoffman; Dmitry Ishenko; Maya Jacobson; Cameron Johnson; Josh Johnson; Daniel Kahn; Andrew Keltz; Rebecca Keren; Ben Kiley; Sophie Knapp; Rebecca Levy; Ben Liebert; Daniel Linden; Shura Lipovsky; Frank London; Joseph Mace; Dani Marcus; Stephanie Lynne Mason; Lisa Mayer; Evan Mayer; Laura Melnicoff; Avram Mlotek; Elisha Mlotek; Ravi Mlotek; Sarah Mlotek; Zalmen Mlotek; Rosie Jo Neddy; Oren Neiman; Raquel Nobile; Tony Park; Tony Perry; Rachel Policar; Jonathan Quigley; Daniella Rabbani; Nick Raynor; Bruce Rebold; Eleanor Reissa; Grant Richards; Allen Lewis Rickman; Jenny Romaine; Bruce Sabath; Peter Saleh; Marissa Mlotek Schonbrun; Hannah Scott; Kayleen Seidl; Drew Seigla; Adam B. Shapiro; Merlin Shepherd; Polina Shepherd; Yelena Shmulenson; Valeriya Sholokhova; Jake Shulman-Ment; Lorin Sklamberg; Steven Skybell; D. Zisl Slepovitch; Dinah Slepovitch; Jodi Snyder; Steve Sterner; James Monroe Števko; Deborah Strauss; Ron Tal; Matt Temkin; Ira Khonen Temple; Lauren Jeanne Thomas; Una Tone, Bobby Underwood; Cantor Jeff Warschauer; Tatiana Wechsler; Michael Winograd; Mikhl Yashinsky; and, Rachel Zatcoff.

    Presenting hits from Award-Winning NYTF Productions, featuring casts from Fiddler Afn Dakh (Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish), Di Goldene Kale (The Golden Bride), On Second Avenue, Di Yam Gazlonim (Yiddish Pirates of Penzance), Amerike The Golden Land, Soul to Soul, Kids and Yiddish, and more.

    The event is produced by NYTF’s Associate Artistic Director Motl Didner, creator of the hit online show “15 Minute Yiddish.” The full cast of presenters and performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

    Registration is required at and you can visit the website for more information about all participants.

  • Lomotif Announces Global Talent Search ‘You’ve Been Scouted’

    Lomotif has announced the creation of ‘You’ve Been Scouted’, a global talent competition. The grand prize winner will receive an exclusive record label contract and producing commitment. ‘You’ve Been Scouted’ will open on July 12, 2021 on the official You’ve Been Scouted channel on the Lomotif app. 

    The competition will last for nine weeks and features Lomotif’s partnership with Grammy® Award winning producer, singer and lyricist Teddy Riley. Teddy Riley is known for his work with iconic artists such as Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Pharrell, and BTS. The grand prize winner of the contest will actually be chosen by Lomotif users using the Lomotif app. 

    Lomotif is the leading video-sharing social networking platform that is democratizing video creation. It has been granted three technology patents uniquely focused on empowering creators to share and watch short videos with ease through remix and collaboration. It’s an up and coming platform being chosen by Snapchat for a bi-directional integration for posting stories between the two platforms as one of only five partners.

    Teddy Riley spoke on the compotinon saying, “I’ve already been on Lomo every day starting the scouting process…. You never know when you could be Scouted. So get ready for life to change.” The ‘competition will try to copy the feeling of singing in a club and having a scout seek you out on a more modern platform. People interested in getting scouted can sign up on the app, giving their best performance. 

    The first three weeks of the competition potential contestants will upload their audition clip on the official ‘You’ve Been Scouted’ Channel on the Lomotif app. The contest allows those who aren’t participating to nominate and elect upcoming artists by tagging them in the comments section of their video with the hashtag #scoutedbylomo. With users, their friends, and fans voting for them in the coming weeks, these participants can garner more votes via the Super Like button available for Lomotif users. By performing a set of in-app actions, the Super Like button shall present with 10 likes (votes) instead of one. 

    This competition could be a great way for up and coming musicians in the New York region to prompt themselves and gain recognition and possibly even an exclusive record label contract and producing commitment.

    For more information on the contest visit Lomotif’s website.