NYS Music 202​1

Category: News

  • Tragedy Drop Remastered Metal/Disco Cover Album, “Sweet Caroline” single

    New York based cover song reinventors, TRAGEDY, are to release heavy metal interpretations of disco, soft-rock, and pop favorites on their remastered “best-of” album, Disco Balls To The Wall, including new single “Sweet Caroline”. The album will be out July 30 via Napalm Records.

    TRAGEDY

    TRAGEDY’s interpretation of the Neil Diamond anthem includes heavy riffs and organ, but their music video follows the band deep into the woods of horror. 

    On the video’s meaning, TRAGEDY said, “This is the true story of when we went into the woods to shoot a music video, then things turned all Blair Witch and True Blood on us. An unlikely scenario, for sure.  But no more unlikely than a metal tribute to the Bee Gees doing a King Neil Diamond song.  The chilling tale of when “sweet” Caroline and her creatures set their sights on a group of innocent, handsome, muscular musicians, luring them to their untimely undeaths.”

    The band’s first offering with Napalm Records will include TRAGEDY’s unique twist on hits from Abba, Toto, Bonnie Tyler, and Adele, just to name a few. These fearsome brothers drop the perfect selection of all-time favorite disco, soft-rock, and pop favorites – completely reimagining them as glorious, red-hot heavy metal treatments.

    “Disco Balls to the Wall is the biggest, sexiest collection of hits we’ve ever released.” TRAGEDY added, “It’s as if the Bee Gees turned into werewolves, ate some teens, then bred with the local dog population; thus creating the world’s most beastly recordings of disco and soft-rock songs ever made. Sharing this album with your friends and lovers will make you 500% more desirable.”

    The band have covered The Bee Gee’s “How Deep Is Your Love”, “Stayin’ Alive” and “Tragedy”, the tunes of Slayer in “Raining Blood”, and “It’s Raining Men” from American duo The Weather Girls, to form an absolutely never heard before album. Disco Balls to the Wall is finally topped by a smashing live version of Donna Summer’s fabulous “Hot Stuff”, featuring Alex Skolnick of Testament on lead guitar.

    TRAGEDY - Disco Balls to the Wall

    Disco Balls to the Wall Tracklisting:

    1. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
    2. You’re The One That I Want
    3. Evil / Baker Street
    4. Stayin’ Alive
    5. Sweet Caroline
    6. Raining Blood / It’s Raining Men
    7. How Deep Is Your Love
    8. Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In
    9.  Africa
    10. Total Eclipse Of The Heart
    11. Tragedy
    12. Dancing Queen
    13. Skyfall
    14. Hot Stuff

    Disco Balls to the Wall will be available in three formats: a 2-LP Gatefold (Orange transparent) that is strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide, a 1-CD Digipack, and a digital album.

    Watch the Cinematic Music Video of when TRAGEDY met “Sweet Caroline” here.

    Pre-Order Disco Balls to the Wall here.

  • Flushing Town Hall Announces a Virtual Tribute to the American Melting Pot

    Flushing Town Hall Announces a virtual tribute to the American Melting Pot on Wednesday, July 14, 2021 at 7PM EST. The event will be focusing on and celebrating diverse music and musicians in celebration of the national holiday.

    Flushing Town Hall is known as being a  Smithsonian affiliate and presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City in general. The venue has been around since 1979 and is known for supporting local, immigrant, national, and international artists. Flushing Town Hall aims to serve and represent diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.

    This Flushing Town Hall  celebration of the American Melting Pot is being supported by the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, the monthly Jazz Jams have been led since 2016 by Astoria resident Carol Sudhalter. House band members include illustrious musicians Joe Vincent Tranchina, Scott Neumann, and Eric Lemon.

    Carol Sudhalter, Flushing Town Hall’s Jazz Band leader spoke on this upcoming celebration saying, “From Latin Jazz to Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain, music from practically every culture eventually finds its way into the jazz idiom, enriching its array of colors and sounds. In July we look forward to seeing how each participant contributes their own creative corner of the picture!”

    In the past 15 months, streams by Flushing Town Hall have hosted over 200 musicians. The upcoming American Melting Pot celebration will host even more musicians adding to the numbers. Musicians who performed in 2020 are now welcome to return to perform in the upcoming performance. Each month, up to five returning musicians and up to 15 new musicians can participate. Selection is on a first-come, first-served basis. 

    Musicians interested in participating on July 14 should email education@flushingtownhall.org with the 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).


    Viewers can tune in to Flushing Town Hall’s Facebook page or Zoom on Wednesday, July 14 at 7:00 PM (EST) to join the live event for free, without registration.

    For more information on the Flushing Town Hall’s tribute the American Melting Pot visit their website here.

  • Robert Walter Drops First Two Tracks from ‘Better Feathers’ Digital 45 Series

    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 Better Feathers 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

  • SummerStage Announces Free Shows for the 2021 Season

    SummerStage announced free shows for their 2021 season. There will be six shows put on between July through September and will take place at the Seaside Park Community Arts Center & the Coney Island Amphitheater. 

    SummerStage free outdoor festival and a seasonal outdoor venue that’s located in Central Park. It is presented by Capital One City Parks Foundation and annually presents approximately 100 performances in 15-18 parks throughout the five boroughs of New York City.  The six free performances will take place at the Coney Island Amphitheater.

     Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams spoke on the return of SummerStage saying,  “The return of SummerStage to the Coney Island Amphitheater and other outdoor venues throughout New York City fits the bill for exciting summer activities in Brooklyn. New Yorkers have endured much and contributed even more during one of our city’s darkest periods. Re-opening activities that reiterate what makes New York City great is a welcome addition to any summer ‘to do’ list.”

    The six free shows will include GRAMMY-award-winning disco hitmaker Gloria Gaynor who is performing on July 17 with Harlem-via-East London selector DJ Stormin Norman of Disco Sequestered. On July 18 Puerto Rican via the Bronx singer/songwriter and the “Princess of Salsa” La India will take the stage on Sunday. On August 7 Multi-platinum R&B artist Ginuwine will celebrate legendary hip-hop DJ Funk Flex’s birthday with special guests who are TBA. On August 28 SummerStage will present Go Brooklyn! Stetsasonic & Friends – 40th Anniversary Show featuring beat-box, sampling and a live performance mixing R&B, jazz, dancehall and rock with these legendary hip-hop pioneers, starring Prince Paul. On August 29, INVINCIBLE: A Glorious Tribute to Michael Jackson, the number one Michael Jackson tribute show in the world, will feature the world’s most authentic Jackson impersonators with the Bronx DJ KS 360 kicking off the evening. The Coney Island season will wrap up on September 15 with Reggae Gold meets Soca Gold in association with VP Records, a reggae and dancehall showcase presented by the Caribbean and woman-owned record label based in Queens. All performances at the Coney Island Amphitheater will be free and open to the public, no tickets required.

    SummerStage also announced the additional free performances in Central Park this summer. On July 14, a Bastille Day Celebration will be presented by the French Consulate in New York, the French Institute Alliance Française and CAFUSA featuring a jazz quintet headlined by GRAMMY-nominated singer Kavita Shah, guitarist Matt Munisteri, bassist Matt Penman, drummer Ferenc Nemeth, and violinist Olivier Manchon performing a selection of beloved French classics, a get-up-and-dance set by star Joachim Garraud.  On September 1, critically acclaimed indie rock band and SummerStage alums Yo La Tengo will perform a free show in Central Park with underground rock band, Mountain Movers opening the show. Originally formed 30 years ago in Hoboken, New Jersey, the band has recorded 16 studio albums with their latest release, We Have Amnesia Sometimes, recorded during the peak of the pandemic. On September 12, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and SummerStage alumna Valerie June will bring her mixture of folk, blues, gospel, soul, Americana, and bluegrass to the stage. Her latest album The Moon and The Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers, released in March 2021, has been described by Pitchfork as her “most heavy-hearted” and “far-reaching” record.

    On top of announcing it’s upcoming shows SummerStage has also announced that it will no longer require tickets for it’s free performances. All free performances will be open to the public, first come, first served, and accessible to all but will be subject to venue capacity limits and CDC recommendations for health and safety related to COVID-19 with maintaining social distance between audience members.

     For the most information about the SummerStage 2021 season visit their website here.

  • Saranac Lake Presents “Music on the Green”

    It’s no secret that the scenic Adirondacks are one of the best places to spend a New York summer. One great option for visitors and residents alike is Saranac Lake’s free ongoing summer concert series, Music on the Green.

    Music on the green
    Music on the Green, photo from Saranac Lake’s website

    Music on the Green is held Wednesday evenings from 7-9 in Saranac’s Riverside Park. The green provides ample space for audiences to dance around, connect with friends, or simply set up a lawn chair and enjoy the live music.

    The concert series kicked off on June 30 with a performance by funky local band El Nac. The upcoming performances are listed below and will showcase acts with rock, blues, jazz, country and funk flares, ensuring that there is truly something for everyone. The series will run shows every Wednesday and will conclude on August 25.

    Upcoming Shows

    July 7: The Split Rock Ramblers (bluegrass, country, Americana)

    July 14: Crackin’ Foxy (swing, jazz)

    July 21: Spring Street (rock, blues)

    July 28: Moments Notice (jazz, Latin, blues, country)

    August 4: Paul Asbell Quintet (jazz)

    August 11: The Mississippi Hot Dogs (electric blues, roots)

    August 18: Karen Savoca (blues, Americana)

    August 25: Annie in the Water (funk, jams)

    To learn more, including links to the Facebook event page for each show, visit Saranac Lake’s website. Performances are free to the public and will be moved from Riverside Park to Hotel Saranac in the event of rain.

  • HeadCount Launches ‘Save The Vote!’ – 50 State Cultural And Action Campaign To Support Voting Rights

    On the 50th anniversary of 18-20-year-olds granted the right to vote via the 26th Amendment, non-profit voter registration organization HeadCount launched Save The Vote!, an interactive campaign to encourage young Americans and cultural leaders to speak out for voting rights.

    Save The Vote! is the first national campaign HeadCount will run specifically on voter rights. It is founded on their core values statement: “Elections should be fair, accessible, and trustworthy.”

    Dozens of musicians and cultural leaders will participate, with many directly calling their own elected officials and capturing those moments on social media videos. Lil Dicky, Big Freedia, Dead and Company, Ministry, Michael Franti, Kam Franklin of The Suffers, Shah, and Amy Lee of Evanescence are among the many HeadCount supporters who are using their own platforms to Save the Vote! 

    The Save The Vote! campaign aims to connect new or first-time activists to their power as citizens by contacting lawmakers about voting rights. Entertainers including Lil Dicky, Big Freedia, Dead & Company, and Amy Lee of Evanescence are among dozens supporting the campaign

    The campaign hits on July 1, the same day that a divided Supreme Court ruled to uphold restrictive voting laws in Arizona. That came just days after the For The People Act — a Federal bill to protect voting rights — was stalled by a filibuster in the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, 389 restrictive bills in 48 states have been introduced by state lawmakers to limit voting rights. Save the Vote! keys in on those state-by-state battles.

    “50 years ago, our country gave electoral power to the youth vote at a time when we knew their voices could no longer be silenced,” said Andy Bernstein, HeadCount’s executive director, “and today, we are bringing young Americans and their favorite musicians into the national conversation about voting rights.”

    At HeadCount.org/SaveTheVote, users will find a listing of what’s happening in all 50 states. To access that information they first play a little guessing game, predicting where their state ranks in how easy it is to vote. Then — after selecting their state on an interactive map — they’ll learn about pending or recently passed voting legislation in their home state. Visitors can also learn about how voting rights impact specific nonpartisan issues such as Criminal Justice, Racism and Discrimination, Jobs and the Economy, and LGBTQ+ rights.

    Save the Vote! marks an extension of HeadCount’s work beyond voter registration and Get Out the Vote activities. Save the Vote! will also be integrated into HeadCount’s hallmark field program, as volunteers speak with concert and festival-goers at events like Peach Fest, Newport Folk Festival, Bonnaroo, Bass Canyon, Louder than Life, Ohana Festival, Lost Lands Festival, and tours by Dead & Company and Dave Matthews Band.

  • Watch Live Music and Fireworks at the Empire State Plaza on the Fourth of July

    Albany’s Empire State Plaza Independence Day celebration returns for its 45th annual fireworks display this year. The festivities will include musical performances from local favorites, as well as food and drink vendors on Sunday, July 4.

    Empire State Plaza

    The night begins with a pop up COVID-19 vaccination site, while supplies last, from 5:30 to 8 PM at the Empire State Plaza. Later, attendees can enjoy food and drink vendors from 6-10 PM while watching the sunset around Albany’s cityscape. Alcohol will be served from 6 to 9:15 PM by vendors to adults with proper identification.

    The Fourth of July festivities will also feature two Capital Region bands throughout the night. Classic rock band Graham Tichy and the New Lowdown will take the stage at 6:30 PM, followed by the Powerhouse Funk Band at 8 PM after an official July Fourth Ceremony.

    Powerhouse Funk Band at the Empire State Plaza’s 2019 Fourth of July Celebration

    The official ceremony will begin at 7:45 with a color guard and singing of the national anthem by Air National Guard Master Sargeant Samantha Marquette. Fireworks will close out the night, beginning at 9:15 PM.

    Free parking begins at 5:30 PM in the Visitor, “P” Lot, Grand Street, and Elk Street Lots. No tickets are required, entrance to the event as well as firework viewing is free. For a list of ground rules, visit the New York State website.

    For more information about the event, including a list of vendors, see the event webpage or keep up with updates on the Empire State Plaza Facebook page.

    Empire State Plaza’s July Fourth Schedule:

    5:30 PM: Empire State Plaza parking lots open and registration begins at pop-up vaccination site.
    6:00 PM: Start of event and vaccination site opens
    6:30 PM: Performance by Graham Tichy and the New Lowdown
    7:45 PM: Official July 4 ceremony with color guard, national anthem, and remarks.
    8:00 PM: Performance by Powerhouse Funk Band
    9:15 PM: Fireworks
    10:00 PM: Event Ends

    Empire State Plaza
    2018 Empire State Plaza Festivities

  • Proctors Theatre Announces the World Premiere of the musical “The Right Girl”

    Proctors Theatre has announced the world premiere of the musical based on true stories, The Right Girl, opening October 13th with performances through Wednesday, November 10th.

    The musical features music by 12-time Academy Award nominee and Grammy®, Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning songwriter Diane Warren, lyrics by Ms. Warren, Louisette Geiss and Howard Kagan, and a book by Ms. Geiss and Mr. Kagan, The Right Girl is directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award® winner Susan Stroman.

    The cast of The Right Girl includes Alysha Umphress (On The Town, Bring It On, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, American Idiot), Ramin Karimloo (Anastasia, Les Mis, Phantom of the Opera), Paige Faure (Cinderella), Adam Jacobs (Aladdin, Les Mis, The Lion King), J. Elaine Marcos (Annie, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, A Chorus Line), Steve Rosen (Guys and Dolls, Spamalot), and Syndee Winters (Hamilton, Pippin, The Lion King).  Additional casting will be announced at a later date. The Right Girl features set design by Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams, costume design by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Jason Lyons, sound design by Kai Harada and orchestrations and arrangements by Santino Paladino and Assaf Gleizner.

    One of the dreams of the Proctors Collaborative was that the mix of theatrical and musical facilities and capabilities would attract new and different opportunities within the world of the theater. Howard Kagan and Tom Smedes are first-class producers who found just what they needed as they worked with us: a great building, a welcoming community and an audience based both at Proctors and at the Rep interested and anxious to support new work. We are excited to host this world premiere. We hope to do so well that we can leverage continuing new relationships with the industry’s major players.

    -Phillip Morris, CEO, Proctors Collaborative

    Performances will begin at 7:30pm Tuesdays through Saturdays, 2pm on Sundays. Proctors will follow all C.D.C. and New York State safety guidelines for these performances. Check the Proctors website at proctors.org to subscribe and obtain additional information.

  • Grabbitz Gets Cinematic in New Music Video

    Buffalo-based star Grabbitz just released his artistic, short-film style music video for his newest single, “Pigs in the Sky.”

    The just over 7-minute video shows Grabbitz in a mysterious Buffalo art museum where he finds himself immersed in paintings and scenes from different eras. Grabbitz even faces ruthless attacks from his antagonist (Sarah Santizo) as he tries to snap back into reality.

    The video is an entertaining creative feat. Strong direction by Mac Cappuccino even incorporates sitcom tropes and alternate timelines (à la Wandavision) while “Pigs in the Sky” itself is a catchy, playable track.

    It seems like cinematic music videos are fading out. I grew up watching immersive videos, and there were so many platforms that catered to them. Nowadays, we live in a time of TikTok where videos have to be short, to the point, and hook you in half a second. So we decided to make this video really f’ing long.

    Grabbitz
    Grabbitz
    Photo by Daniel Leahey

    Grabbitz, AKA Nick Chiari, is not only a singer-songwriter but also a producer and musical composer. Spoken like a true 716 native, Chiari recounts that the first song he ever learned was the Buffalo Bills theme. He learned guitar and piano at a young age and began using the Xbox game “MTV Music Generator” to produce songs and beats throughout middle school.

    Chiari, 28, started performing as Grabbitz back in 2014 as a DJ in the EDM world. His song “Here With You Now” gained traction and he even caught the attention of Shaquille O’Neal. In fact, Shaq made an appearance in Grabbitz’s 2018 music video for “My Cloud.” He has also collaborated with big names like One Republic and deadmau5.

    Grabbitz is now back home in Buffalo after previously living in Los Angeles. With “Pigs in the Sky” and a deal with Hopeless Records, Grabbitz is hoping to enter the next phase of his musical career, having pivoted away from EDM.

    Grabbitz
    Photo by Margaryta Bushkin

    It’s got rapping and an interesting chord structure in the chorus. This is not a song I would have attempted a few years ago, but it feels right and I feel good about doing it now. It has a weird, driving, heavy beat that will blow your speakers if you play it too loud, and the lyrics are reflective because I wrote it during the pandemic when I had nothing but time to think. I wanted something that was serious but had comedic relief, and I think I got there. I’m proud of it and see it as a stepping stone to the next permutation of what I do.

    Grabbitz on “Pigs in the Sky”

    You can connect with Grabbitz on his website, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

  • Call To Action: Warren County Musician Frank Palangi loses Home Studio and Equipment to Fire

    A GoFundMe page challengers community members to help Frank Palangi, who despite losing virtually everything when home recording studio was struck by lightning, has “no plan B on backing down on [his] dreams.”

    Frank Palagani
    Frank Palangi, Musician, NYS Music Music In Motion Host


    Most have been fortunate enough to never know what it felt like to decide what stayed and what burned. On June 29, Warren County raised Frank Palangi was home when lightning struck his home and ignited a fire that claimed the musician’s “home studio equipment, clothes, personal items, [and] some things [he] can never get back.”

    Click Here to Help Frank
    Frank’s former hub for writing, recording, film production, teaching… and much more via Go Fund Me Page

    Frank has been a proponent for participation in community for New York as a recording artist himself, hosting interview series NYS Music In Motion. Until the fire, Frank has consistently and frequently captivated YouTube audiences with polished music videos and out of the box collaborations.

    Frank collaborates with 13 year old UK drummer on unique cover of “Purple Haze”

    Go Fund Me Organizer Lindsay R, Organizer writes that Frank “happens to be one of the most humble, kind, and appreciative people there is. When the pandemic forced the closures of live music venues across the country, Frank began performing live shows online, from the very studio that we are now trying to help him rebuild. He freely gave of his time, energy, and talent because of his belief in the healing and transformative power of music, and fostered a sense of community amongst his fans during a time when we needed it the most.”

    Frank Rocks. Let’s help him.

    For now, Frank has lost his ability to do what he loves, but the community possesses the power to help him get it back, come together and put a little kindness back into this world. According to lightningsafety.com there is a 1 : 280,000 chance of lightning striking a home. Hopefully, the chances for our music-supporting community helping are better than that.

    Click Here to Help Frank

    Our thoughts are with Frank and his family during this difficult time. You rock. “To rock” is something about who you are, and what lives inside of you, regardless of your ability to manifest creative endeavors at this moment. Some say that the best music comes out of the most difficult times, so sit tight. We’ve got you.

    To learn more about Frank Palangi, visit his website, YouTube, Spotify and Music In Motion Archives.