Legendary ambassadors of traditional New Orleans jazz and music, Preservation Hall Jazz Band is celebrating their 60th anniversary in 2021 and are making their way to The Ridgefield Playhouse on Friday, September 3. The band is led by Ben Jaffe (bass/sousaphone) whose father founded the band in 1961, and is the touring group of the larger Preservation Hall collective of New Orleans musicians and Preservation Hall Foundation. Over the years the band has infused its repertoire with collaborations extending beyond jazz. A recent project of theirs, original documentary ‘A Tuba to Cuba,’ brings to life compositions created out of the band’s trips to Cuba.
Ticket holders for Friday’s show can participate in a silent auction to raise money for the Kitty Rosa Preservation Fund, which goes toward preserving The Ridgefield Playhouse in honor of Rosa’s efforts in launching the theater. There will also be a complimentary wine tasting in the lobby at 6:30pm for ticketholders. A special VIP Party Pass is available, which includes priority parking and free house wine and beer from 6:00 to 6:30pm.
A limited number of tickets remain and can be purchased from the Ridgefield Playhouse event page or by calling the box office at (203)-438-5795. Don’t miss out on an exciting opportunity to explore the genuine sounds of the French Quarter right here in the Northeast!
Preservation Hall Jazz Band Tour Dates:
Sep 2, 2021: The McKittrick Hotel, New York, NY Sep 3, 2021: Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT Sep 5, 2021: Greenwich Town Party, Greenwich, CT Sep 11, 2021 – Sep 12, 2021: Park City Song Summit, Park City, UT Oct 1, 2021 – Oct 3, 2021: Gasparilla Music Festival, Tampa, FL Nov 18, 2021 – Nov 21, 2021: SFJAZZ Center, San Francisco, CA Mar 2, 2022 – Mar 5, 2022: One Big Holiday, Cancún, Mexico (with My Morning Jacket) May 6, 2022: Orpheum Theater New Orleans, LA (featuring special guests TBA + Preservation Hall Legacy Band) Jun 10, 2022: Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO (with The Revivalists)
Jam band supergroup Dead & Company make their summer tour stop at the land of chocolate, Hershey Park, on August 28. With them as always, following is their eclectic, eccentric, and electric fanbase: the Deadheads, as colorful as their kaleidoscopic visions can take them. The fanbase is incredibly kind, tight knit, dedicated, and functions as a self sustaining community that follows the band.
The band started the night with “The Music Never Stopped,” a good way to get things going. “Touch of Grey” proved to be a most apropriate song, one whose message we can all relate to in the midst of a worldwide health pandemic. Mayer shines on “Tennessee Jed” with some fancy chicken picking and long time superstar vocals on “Mr.Charlie.” The band wrapped up the first set with an incredible “Cassidy,” featuring iconic Weir vocal parts and a fast, fun, everyone sing a long “Don’t Ease Me In” to end the set.
The second set blasted off with a psychedelic “Here Comes Sunshine”, featuring Mayer leading everyone into the sun, vocally and theoretically speaking ofcourse. Now Bobby gets to shine on vocals as the band goes into an epic “Estimated Prophet”. Dancing shoes are coming on and the band pulls of several extended, even for Grateful Dead standards, improvised sections on a massive “Eyes of The World”. Mayer gets to shine on vocals again with “Althea”. And now comes time for the rhythm devils as the rest of the band leaves.
After “Space” Dead & Co went into an unexpected Miles Davis cover of “Milestones,” a most psychedelic and sonically unexpected spectacle. They switch gears into “Going Down The Road Feeling Bad” and quickly again into “Death Don’t Have No Mercy.” This featured a somber Weir on vocals, really belting out about death and loss. And to close out the set, a most apropriate “One More Saturday Night” played with all the vigor and groove a Saturday night show should have.
Bobby declares that there is a strict curfew in play so they’ll skip the formalities of getting off stage and get right to the encore which was a thumping sing along, “Quinn the Eskimo.”
Dead and Company – Hershey Park Stadium, Hershey, PA – August 28, 2021
Set 1: The Music Never Stopped -> Easy Answers -> The Music Never Stopped, Touch of Grey, Tennessee Jed, Mr. Charlie, Black Throated Wind, Cassidy, Don’t Ease Me In
Set 2: Here Comes Sunshine > Estimated Prophet > Eyes of the World > Althea > Drums > Space > Milesstones > Going Down the Road Feeling Bad > Death Don’t Have No Mercy > One More Saturday Night
Lake Street Dive performed for a sold-out crowd Sunday night at the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, VT. The show marked their third date on a U.S. tour promoting their acclaimed new record Obviously.
Formed in 2004, Lake Street Dive first gained viral recognition after a series of sidewalk singing videos and a jazzy, lilting cover of “I Want You Back” by the Jackson 5, highlighting lead singer Rachael Pierce’s powerhouse voice.
The group has always incorporated aspects of jazz, pop, soul and R&B into their offbeat covers and originals, and on Obviously the blend has never sounded more seamless. With production from Grammy-winning hip-hop producer Mike Elizondo, each song delicately showcases each band members mind-blowing musical capability while keeping a brisk, light pace. Though the production quality is notable, the “magic in a bottle” the quartet captures live has energized their fan base for years. Sunday was far from the first time the band has drawn a crowd to Shelburne or Burlington.
Though Hurricane Henri’s clouds were especially menacing on the eve of the show, they didn’t stop attendees, lawn chairs in hand, from flocking to the outdoor venue. Canadian musician Allison Russell, who will open for LSD on a few tour dates, kicked the night off with songs from her latest album, Outside Child. Supported by Larissa Maestro on the cello and Mandy Fer, of the band Sway Wild on electric guitar, Russell’s mesmerizing voice anchored the opening set. A light rainfall at sunset got the crowd excited. Many shouldered on rain jackets and rushed to the stage to celebrate the imminent rainbow as Russell belted her soul out on “Nightflyer.”
As mentioned, Vermont is no stranger to a good LSD show. The excitement for their set was palpable as fans of all ages rushed the barrier, eagerly awaiting the group to step on stage. The bounce of Pierce’s red hair as she strutted onstage sent waves of cheers through the crowd, soon replaced by dancing as the band jumped onto the steppy, yacht-rock tempo of opener “Know That I Know.” Pierce’s unique and show stopping voice does front flips over the bands steady, physical grooves.
Leading into an older song, “Mistakes,” Pierce took the mic to speak about the band’s return to touring.
“We’re a little rusty, and we’re gonna have to make some mistakes,” she said. “But we have to play through the mistakes. You play through the mistakes because you don’t want to teach yourself to fear the mistakes.”
The statement felt deeply relatable and also ironic, as the group went on to play a harmonious, heart-pumping 19-song set. Lake Street Dive have been playing together for nearly two decades, and their musical bond and attunedeness to each other were apparent with every beat.
Though founding member Mike “McDuck” Olsen departed the band after 17 years this May, the music feels anything but lacking. Touring keyboardist Akie Bermiss, who officially joined the band in 2017, is the perfect foil to Pierce’s vocals, apparent on the soaring and playful duet “Same Old News.” As both a keyboardist and vocalist, Bermiss is as versatile as he is singular.
Performing “Alone Again,” a Bermiss release with Greg Mayo, his vivid scenes and casually bleak humor are an exciting contrast to an initially mourning piano riff. The line “I’m learning how to microbrew” struck a chord in craft-beer heavy VT. “He knows his audience,” a woman laughed to her friend as they swayed to the beat.
Bassist Bridget Kearney, a commanding force within the band from the start, inarguably showed her prowess, absolutely shredding an upright bass as nimbly as an electric guitar. On standout performance of “Neighbor Song,” a track from Lake Street Dive’s 2010 self-titled project, Kearney’s gentle performance was expressive and haunting, psychically in tune with Pierce’s lilting cabaret-style performance.
After the emotional “Nobody’s Stopping You Now,” the band came together at the center of the stage and performed three quieter numbers, “Stop Crying,” “Feels Like The Last Time,” and “Neighbor Song,” every one of them to lush harmonies. In moments like these, it’s clear how the band can combine and defy genres so smoothly; they have the skill to do so.
After closing their main set with the arena-worthy crowd favorite “Good Kisser,” the band happily came on for a 2-song encore. They performed Obviously’s stunning closer “Sarah,” the complex harmonies of which could comfortably fit over a full symphony. As the band closed with a cover of The Beatles’ classic “Don’t Let Me Down,” a full moon peeked out from behind the clouds.
Lake Street Dive’s Sunday show captured what makes them so great: their playfulness and skill, their eclectic interest in genre-bending rhythms and the pure joy they capture in so many of their songs. One could even say the band captured what’s so great about live music in general – a band and their audience, grooving together in heartbreak, happiness or healing over the same beat.
Lespecial, the heavy future groove trio from Kent, CT, is hitting the road for repeaTOUR an extensive run of shows this Fall. Including a show in Niagara Falls, NY and one in East Durham, NY for the Flyday Music Festival.
Dubbed “2021 Fall RepeaTOUR,” the jaunt is named after “Repeater,” a track on the band’s 2020 release, Ancient Homies. Starting on 10/1, the band will travel to upstate NY for a pair of shows, before heading to Portland, ME to support Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at the State Theatre on 10/8. Mid-October will see lespecial host “Le Getaway Part Deux,” a curated overnight music and camping experience at the beautiful Club Getaway in Kent, CT, with support from West End Blend and Cosmic Dust Bunnies. After a 10/28 play at Suwannee Hulaween in Live Oak, FL, lespecial will spend its’ favorite holiday in Asheville, NC for a Halloween throw-down at Asheville Music Hall.
November will see a handful of shows in the mid-Atlantic region, followed by a return to colorful Colorado on 12/2, where the band will headline Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in Denver for the first time. After a visit to Fort Collins (12/3), the band will hole up at Old Town Pub in Steamboat Springs for two nights. Subsequent shows include a string of appearances in the Midwest with special guest Mike Dillon Band, including much-anticipated returns to Chicago, Indianapolis and Columbus. The tour concludes in Ferndale, MI on 12/18 at Otus Supply
Lespecial repeaTOUR Fall 2021
10/1 – Niagara Falls, NY – Rapids Theatre
10/2 – East Durham, NY – Flyday Music Festival
10/8 – Portland, ME – State Theatre (supporting PPPP)
10/16 – Kent, CT – Le Getaway – Club Getaway
10/28 – Live Oak, FL – Hulaween
10/31 – Asheville, NC – Asheville Music Hall
11/3 – Charlotte, NC – Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts
11/4 – Roanoke, VA – 5 Points Music Sanctuary
11/5 – Baltimore, MD – The 8×10 (w/ Kick The Cat)
11/6 – Asbury Park, NJ – Wonder Bar
11/12 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall (w/ Space Bacon)
12/2 – Denver, CO – Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
12/3 – Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre
12/4-12/5 – Steamboat Springs, CO – Old Town Pub
12/8 – Kansas City, MO – recordBar (w/s/g Mike Dillon Band)
12/10 – Chicago, IL – The Point (w/s/g Mike Dillon Band)
12/11 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon (w/s/g Mike Dillon Band)
12/12 – Milwaukee, WI – Colectivo (w/s/g Mike Dillon Band)
12/15 – Indianapolis, IN – The HiFi
12/16 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Stache
12/17 – Columbus, OH – The Summit
12/18 – Ferndale, MI – Otus Supply
For more information, and to purchase tickets for the Lespecial ReapeaTOUR visit: lespecial.net.
Phish began its three-night siege of Atlantic City last night with a concert on the beach that was a year in the making. Like most of this summer tour, this was the rescheduled date after being postponed last year due to the pandemic. With plenty of fans still masked up and partying safely, Phish more than made up for lost time with a show that surely stood out among the other customary bright lights along the iconic Jersey boardwalk.
photo: Dave DeCrescente
In a fitting nod to the locale, “Cars, Trucks, Buses,” the notable New Jersey Turnpike driving lane designation, was tapped to open the show. This gave way to an “AC/DC Bag” that followed, with Trey Anastasio ad-libbing a “put ’em on the beach” lyric much to the crowd’s delight. The ensuing jam bled nicely into “Blaze On” and Phish was off and running. The first set later featured an appearance from drummer Jon Fishman and his trusty vacuum for “I Didn’t Know” and an explosive “Funky Bitch” contained the first of two distinct “Fire” (Ohio Players) teases from Anastasio this evening. In an all too fitting selection, an exploratory “Sand” later closed out the opening set in grandiose fashion as fans danced and kicked it around on the beach.
In a move that surprised no one, the second set continues to be a warehouse of monstrous, type-II jamming from Phish and the first night of Atlantic City would prove no different. The intensity on the beach reached a new level once the opening notes of “Tweezer” rang loud and true. True to form, “Tweezer” could have been jammed out for the entire second set and there would have been few complaints. Instead, after an extended visit, the music slowly veered into the opening notes of another classic jam vehicle “Bathtub Gin.”
At one point, it seemed like the set could very well be just a few songs, all jammed extensively. Instead, Phish threw in a couple more songs, starting with the upbeat and uplifting “Everything’s Right.” A rambunctious “Possum” popped up later in the set, only to be steered directly into an intense “2001” that set off the entire beach into a synchronized frenzy. The late second set “Harry Hood” was perfectly placed and performed to perfection. However, fans will have to wait (at least) one more night for the anticipated “Tweezer Reprise” as the lone encore this evening was a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Loving Cup,” leaving plenty on the table for nights two and three to follow.
photo: Dave DeCrescente
Setlists via Phish.net
Friday, August 13, 2021
Soundcheck: Theme From the Bottom, My Soul, We Are Come To Outlive Our Brains, Lonely Trip
Set 1: Cars Trucks Buses, AC/DC Bag > Blaze On, Wolfman’s Brother, I Didn’t Know, Funky Bitch, Rift, Sand
Set 2: Tweezer > Bathtub Gin > Everything’s Right > Possum > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Rise/Come Together > Harry Hood > More
Encore: Loving Cup
On Saturday, slow Llamas got Drowned as Phish took stage for night two of their three night run in Atlantic City. The Vermont quartet immediately set the tone with a slow “Llama” to get the funk going. Page McConnell immediately got scratching on his clavinet and stayed atop of the clav for more funk on “Tube” with Trey’s Wah pedal still in effect.
Any first set “Reba” that unfolds naturally like it did on Saturday immediately set the crowd off into a frenzy. A nod to beach side reggae ensues with Bob Marley’s “Soul Shakedown Party” The first set ended with Page’s solo over the quiet ocean for “Squirming Coil.”
photo: Dave DeCrescente
“I Never Needed You Like This Before” a new tune that breathes rock and roll while including Phishy tension. Roger Daltery’s words “Let me get back to the ocean, let me get back to the sea” carried across the Atlantic on a raucous cover of The Who’s “Drowned.” Trey and Page reunited on the wah funk pedals and clavinet during a second set “Ghost” that came full circle with Chris Kuroda’s lights and”No Quarter” by Led Zeppelin brought in another chilling cover for the night.
During the encore Phish sublimated the crowd with the “Life Beyond a Dream” before revisiting the “Tweezer” that started Set 2 Friday night, with “Tweezer Reprise” certainly sending everyone back to the dunes with a smile.
Saturday, August 14, 2021
Set 1: Llama[1], Tube, Destiny Unbound > Ya Mar, 46 Days, Reba[2], Soul Shakedown Party, Split Open and Melt, The Squirming Coil
Set 2: I Never Needed You Like This Before, Drowned > Ghost -> Scents and Subtle Sounds[3] > Chalk Dust Torture[4] > No Quarter > Slave to the Traffic Light > Suzy Greenberg
Encore: A Life Beyond The Dream, Tweezer Reprise
[1] Performed in slow, funk style
[2] No whistling
[3] Did not contain the intro
[4] Unfinished
Never miss a Sunday show. It’s been a mantra for Phish fans since the 1990s, and once again the band delivered an excellent closing to what could easily become a regular stop for the band.
Opening up with the rare “The Landlady” caught everyone’s attention shortly before 8pm. The band dipped into the intro section of “Scents and Subtle Sounds,” which clocks in at under two minutes, but the final line “the moment never ends” segued perfectly, and lyrically, into “The Moma Dance.” Fans who caught this subtle connection were elated, but who couldn’t be when a 16 minute “Moma” was in store for the beach. A well placed “Mike’s Groove” filled the middle of the set, while an energetic 20-minute “You Enjoy Myself” closed the set.
A fiery “Carini” lit up the beach to start the final hurrah of the weekend, leading into “Set Your Soul Free,” giving a release of energy for the thousands elated to be dancing to live music once again. The most perfect placement for the weekend goes to “Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1” which followed. The timing of this serene and at times ambient number from Ghosts of the Forest has found a home in the exhaust of jams, breathing new life for the crowd here together.
A top notch “Piper” followed, a highlight of the weekend for some, with the requisite “Waves” following and sending fans into the ocean, if they hadn’t been already. The set closed with “First Tube,” as energetic as ever, and setting the stage for a double encore of “Fluffhead” and “Backwards Down the Number Line.”
For a weekend on the shore, amid concerns of large gatherings, Phish pulled off a memorable as ever run of shows in Atlantic City, ones that stand free of time as their best in America’s Playground.
Set 1: The Landlady, Scents and Subtle Sounds[1] > The Moma Dance[2] > The Final Hurrah > Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, The Sloth, Roggae > Back on the Train, You Enjoy Myself
Set 2: Carini > Set Your Soul Free > Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1 > Piper -> Carini > Waves > Simple > About to Run, First Tube
Encore: Fluffhead > Backwards Down the Number Line
[1] Intro only[2] Unfinished Scents and Subtle Sounds was only the intro. The Moma Dance had a Scents and Subtle Sounds tease and was unfinished. Mike’s Song had a Strawberry Letter 23 tease from Trey. Set Your Soul Free had teases of I’m a Man, Carini, and Linus and Lucy. The soundcheck’s jam contained Soul Planet quotes from Trey.
Phish’s 2021 summer tour has finally made its way to the East Coast with a return to the land of chocolate in Hershey, PA. Hersheypark Stadium once again played host, with the band playing their fourth and fifth shows at the venue, and the first ones here since 2010. Although plenty of rain and isolated thunderstorms joined the fray as well, there was no dampening of the spirits inside the stadium.
The inclement weather prevented fans from entering right away on Tuesday as the gates remained closed while rain pelted down on the parking lot, accentuated by streaks of lightening in the distance. Thankfully, this was the last of the storms for the day and the rest of the night stayed dry. Once given the green light, fans entered en masse and were treated to an exhilarating opening 1-2 punch of “First Tube” and “Axilla.” After such a scorching start, “Fuego” made more than sense to follow as the humidity eased and the grooves increased. Instead of rounding back into form, “Fuego” drifted for a while before turning into a “Runaway Jim.” Other Phish originals such as “Sample in a Jar” and “Llama” were peppered throughout the opening set, giving it an old school feel, while newer tunes like “Steam” and “Death Don’t Hurt Very Long” proved old dogs can indeed learn some new tricks.
While there may not have been any “monster” 20-minute jams that this summer tour has been blessed with repeatedly, Tuesday’s second set only contained one real pause as Phish weaved in and out of another set that featured a masterful blend of newer material and longtime favorites. “No Men In No Man’s Land” immediately set a course for “funky” and the band took it from there. “Soul Planet” later emerged from this before an impressive segue into the rare second set “NICU.” The last major jam sequence of the evening was spearheaded by “Golden Age” which had all of Hersheypark Stadium dancing in a collective rhythm. Longtime fan favorite “Lizards” got dropped late in the second set, the first one since Mexico 2020. The one and only cover song selection of the evening, The Velvet Underground’s “Rock and Roll” left everyone feeling alright and more than hopeful for the promise of tomorrow.
Phish – Hersheypark Stadium – Hershey, PA Tuesday, August 10, 2021
Set 1: First Tube, Axilla, Fuego ->Runaway Jim, Gumbo > Sample in Jar, Steam, Sugar Shack, Llama, Death Don’t Hurt Very Long > Run Like an Antelope
Set 2: No Men In No Man’s Land > Soul Planet -> NICU > Joy, Scent of a Mule, Golden Age > Prince Caspian > Backwards Down the Number Line > The Lizards > Character Zero
Encore: Rock and Roll
On Wednesday, Phish gave a few nods to Chocolate Town U.S.A., kicking off the night with “You Sexy Thing,” by 70s funk band Hot Chocolate. They would return to the familiar riff a few times during the night, with Trey serenading the crowd and referring to them as ‘You Sexy Things.’
Despite the rain earlier in the evening as fans were arriving and pregaming in the Hersheypark lots, no spirits were dampened from the performance this night. A ‘Halley’s Comet’ clocking in at nearly 16 minutes provided liftoff for a set, thanks to Page McConnell keeping the jam going with his synth work. “Gotta Jibboo,” “Meat” and “Maze” rounded out one of the tightest first sets of the tour.
Set 2 started with a standard “Theme From the Bottom” but the true highlight came in the form of a nearly 20-minute “Birds of a Feather,” with a rainbow of lights punctuating the jam that unfolded. The chocolate references continued late in the set with Ruby (chocolate) Waves and “‘Choc’-Dust Torture,” which was also performed at Chocolate Night of the Baker’s Dozen, along with “You Sexy Thing.” “Show of Life” and “S.A.N.T.O.S.” rounded out the show, with fans setting their sites east towards Atlantic City
Jazz was back at Fort Adams State Park last weekend as the Newport Jazz Festival staged their 2021 program at reduced capacity and with only two stages of performances. Spirits were high, on stage and off, making for a thrilling three days of non-stop music. The playing was top-notch across the board, highlights abound, there was barely time to catch your breath. What follows is a chronological list of our absolute favorite moments.
Makaya McCraven at the Quad Stage, Friday
Drummer Makaya McCraven brought his quartet, including Marquis Hill on trumpet, Matt Gold on guitar and Junius Paul on bass, to the Quad Stage on Friday afternoon. McCraven often let his band form the rhythm between them while he danced within and around it, using his kit as more of a lead instrument. He was in constant motion, rarely settling into a groove, yet somehow managing to push and pull the quartet through multiple changes, from fusion to swing to funk to more freeform. They previewed an upcoming album re-imagining the work of Gil Scott Heron that featured some singing from Paul and spoken word recordings of Heron’s. “Misplaced That Place” gave McCraven’s kit the full workout while a cover of Tony Williams’ “There Comes a Time” allowed the band to stretch out while he established a hard grooving beat. Between the quality and diversity in his playing, we didn’t see a better drummer at the festival.
Robert Glasper Acoustic Trio at the Quad Stage, Friday
In his first of three sets for the weekend, artist-in-residence Robert Glasper presented his acoustic trio, with Justin Dyson on drums and Vicente Archer on bass. They were also joined by DJ Jahi Sundance on the “ones and twos” during a set that was heavy on improvisation. The hyper-tight quartet nee trio danced around themes of both pure invention and some more familiar, like Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” or an extended riff around “Happy Birthday” played for Glasper’s young daughter Lola who was hanging with mom side stage. Glasper took some long piano breaks, sang along with some of Jahi Sundance’s spoken word samples, and also gave his bandmates plenty of space to shine. The set closed with Glasper’s 2021 Grammy-winning song, “Better Than I Imagined.” The set was certainly some of the strongest improv we saw all weekend. It seemed that the trio had enough ideas to go another hour, but unfortunately they ran up against the end of their set time and had to cede the floor.
Kamasi Washington at the Quad Stage, Friday
Kamasi Washington and his big band overpowered the Quad Stage in their appearance late Friday afternoon. They closed out the stage for the day, fortunately for anyone who would have had to try and follow them. Festival artistic-director Christian McBride summed up Washington in his introduction from the stage as “A hurricane … of music.” It was an apt description! Washington’s large band featured a horn heavy front that came blasting forth while a massive rhythmic swirl was generated from the back. It sucked you in and spat you out before you realized what was happening. Whether playing the gently melodic “Announcement” from the soundtrack he made for Michelle Obama’s “Becoming” or the racial justice anthem “Fists of Fury,” the music is powerful and moving. The set peaked midway through with “Sun-Kissed Child,” a new piece written after Washington became a father that featured his most fiery playing of the afternoon. Washington created music you experienced as much as heard.
Danielle Ponder at the Quad Stage, Saturday
Rochester soul singer Danielle Ponder emerged from obscurity and quickly won over the early day crowd on the Quad Stage. She was admittedly nervous for what was likely the biggest show of her career so far, not to mention in front of a jazz crowd fixated on minutia. It didn’t show from the get-go. She commanded the stage like someone who was performing most of her life, which she has. She mixed together love songs like “The Only Way Out” and “Holding Me Down” with songs of social and environmental justice like “Poor Man’s Pain” and “Look Around,” constructing a set that took the unknowing audience on a journey establishing a clear picture of Ponder’s immense talent and m.o. Using Nina Simone as a compass, she called an audible from the stage and lead her band through an unplanned cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.” It was already midway through the set, and she had already received a standing ovation, but she played it as a comfort to calm her nerves. The repeated lyric, “What am I doing here, do I belong here?” was incredibly apt though was answered with a resounding “Yes!” as the audience provided a second standing ovation in a row. For the set closing “Darker Than Blue,” Ponder had the entire crowd standing and singing along, “Can’t you see us rising, higher!” Thousands of new fans eager to buy whatever comes from the record deal Ponder announced she had just made.
Brandee Younger at the Lawn Stage, Sunday
The last piece of the lineup puzzle was placed just weeks away from the event, and it ended up being one of the very best sets we saw all weekend. Harpist Brandee Younger and her trio, with Dezron Douglas on bass and Allan Mednard on drums opened the proceedings at the Lawn Stage on the final day of the festival. The harp was the lead instrument but each player was superb and at their greatest moments were equals within the music, a place that was reached often. There were very little established solos. One piece ended in a short drum solo which gave Younger a laugh, since Mednard had told her, “No drum solos.” on the ride up to Newport. “In Love and Struggle,” written for the play of the same name, exemplified their penchant for three-way improvisation as it built with each instrument establishing an individually fantastic sound that meshed together to form something beyond. Younger invited Rochester’s Mikaela Davis on stage to help pay tribute to harp visionaries Dorothy Ashbee and Alice Coltrane, each celebrating August birthdays. Davis lead the trio through Ashbee’s “Action Line” showcasing the range of the harp, as each artist had their own unique style. Younger followed with a Coltrane medley to complete the harp history lesson beautifully. The set closed with a humorous nod to the pandemic with a piece titled “Toilet Paper Romance,” written during her and Douglas’ live stream events from their living room. Live music is better in person, and this was a thrilling set.
The Bogie Band featuring Joe Russo at the Lawn Stage, Sunday
The big band format got shuffled, blended, and mixed up when saxophonist Stuart Bogie brought his band to the main stage Sunday afternoon. The band was nearly a mirrored double quintet, with two trumpets, two trombones, two saxes, a flute, sousaphone, percussionist and drummer all standing in lines across from each other. The music had a New Orleans brass flavor played with a Lounge Lizards or Frank Zappa controlled chaos with a little Beastie Boys groove thrown in. Rhythms could be established by a repetitive flute or xylophone melody, from Joe Russo’s incredible drumming or multiple percussionists. Bogie played the part of band leader, frequently stepping out from his mic to stand front and center and conduct the 11-piece band. The band grew exponentially when he employed the audience to scream “Hey!” on command, which he used beyond the confines of one song. Russo was given the opportunity to play more of a lead role on “We Organize” as the rest of the band laid down a multilayered groove for him to explore regions beyond the beat. What a joyous set of music, keep an ear out for The Bogie Band.
The Jam Jawn at the Lawn Stage, Sunday
There were some great only-at-Newport ensembles at the festival, including the Vibe Summit and Jazz Gallery All-Stars, but one stood above the rest. The Jam Jawn, with Christian McBride, Joe Russo on drums, Marco Benevento on piano and keyboards, John Scofield on guitar, and Mikaela Davis returning to the stage, again uncredited, on harp. True to their name, the Jam Jawn used songs as a mere blueprint from which to start. An electric Miles Davis groove, likely “Miles Runs the Voodoo Down” turned into a free form session with the quintet eyeing each other from across the stage, either searching for improvisational cues or more often flashing recognition of great playing. Davis formed tight bonds with Benevento and Scofield, weaving harp lines enmeshed perfectly into their soloing. Festival artistic-director McBride also ably directed traffic from the stage, holding down the grooves whether on electric or upright. Russo continued his masterful drum work from the previous set with The Bogie Band. On a set-closing loose version of “Get On the Good Foot,” the band invited up a literal lineup of players from both David Ostwald’s and Stuart Bogies’ bands. Horn solos eventually became a horn backline and just like that the set was over. The hour went all too quickly, and as special as it was, we have to hope these five make music together again, it was just too good.
The Audience, Everyday
One of the key elements to live music is of course the audience. Some have expressed concerns about returning to crowded concerts and the common annoyances they can bring. But the people out enjoying the 2021 Newport Jazz Festival proved their own importance to the music. The artists fed off the crowd’s energy, it simply isn’t the same as playing to a virtual audience or half-filled room. Even at reduced capacity, it felt like the space around both stages were quite crowded the whole weekend and their excitement was infectious.
And the people came to listen. During quiet moments you could hear a pin drop. Keep in mind that at this venue the pin is falling onto grass. Then during more exuberant sets, like Khruangbin’s Friday night closer, a dance party broke out all over the lawn. Whatever the music called for, this audience was at the ready. When crowd participation was requested, everyone was at the ready to provide extra voices, hand claps, or perfectly placed “Heys!”
The weather was perfect each day and people were out in their Friday, Saturday and Sunday best. The typical concert attire of band t-shirt and whatever shorts were next in rotation was mostly dismissed in favor of a variety of fashionable dresses, button downs, pants and a very strong hat game.
It was simply a pleasure to be a part of this audience, the excellence of the music was only enhanced by being amongst like-minded music lovers who provided encouraging woos and whoops or slapped the ground or beamed a huge smile in recognition of great playing. Here’s to hoping the relationship between performer and listener can continue on unfettered, and grow to what it was not so long ago, and even stronger. We’re still stronger when we sing together.
Restless World Music returns with the first of 5 songs to be released over the rest of 2021 and into 2022. “I No Go Play” was released on all streaming platforms July 24.
The new song perfectly represents Restless World Music’s brand of writing songs that combine different cultural influences and musical genres by combining Afrobeats, Reggaeton and R&B. Here’s the recipe for “I No Go Play”: start with an Afrobeats musical base. Add a chorus inspired by Nigerian slang. Sprinkle some pop and RnB in the bridge and a dash of reggaeton in the verse melody. Top off with a brilliant West African vocalist, and you have Restless World Music’s latest single. Listeners who like artists like Mr. Eazi, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Davido, and Wizkid will like the romantic, energetic, and confident vibe of “I No Go Play.”
Earlier songs from the artist include “Precipice”, “Cyclone, “Ashes”, and “Stratosphere” with often collaborations with Candance XYZ. The follow up to the debut tells the story of complicated love. Whereas the theme of the earlier songs was natural elements and how they relate to human emotions this new track takes a more direct approach to discussing topics.
The name “Restless World” Music is inspired by the world around us, in which an ever-moving ocean of events, people, and beliefs shape each day. Songs can tell this story, and in telling it, can take us on a journey through joy, sorrow, and a thousand emotions in between. Just like the constantly evolving mix of different cultures in the world around us, songs by Restless World Music blend different musical elements, styles, and genres. Additionally, in Restless World songs, melody resides not only in musical notes, but in the sounds, syllables, and shades of meaning of each word in the lyrics.
For more information visit the Restless World Music website.
After a year of silence, Newport Folk returned to Fort Adams this weekend with the first of two three-day events dubbed “Folk On.” The first notes to grace a Newport Festival Stage in two years were from the Resistance Revival Choir, appropriately singing Burt Bacharach’s “What the World Needs Now.” “Arts and culture change minds, joy is an act of resistance!” they announced from the Quad Stage. 80 hours later the weekend closed out with a surprise appearance by Chaka Khan leading almost every female artist still around in “I’m Every Woman” and a raucous and joyful dance party on and off stage. In between, music, reunion and reflection tangled together to lift up all in attendance.
Folk Past and Future
Newport has a keen knack to straddle the dangerous line between nostalgia and tradition. It remains true to it’s roots by respecting it’s past and adhering to its roots and principles, all the while pushing boundaries and always with an eye on what’ next.
Music history was on display throughout the weekend, both Newport’s and otherwise. Much of Friday played out like a blues revue, similar to how George Wein used to piece together programs in the early days of the Jazz Fest. British Duo Ida Mae ran through their new album, paying tribute via influence to many of the blues greats who graced Newport’s stages, like Son House and Fred McDowell, whom Chris Turpin cribbed solos from in “Click Click Domino.”
Celisse, in her bright flowing rainbow-colored dress, blasted some bad-ass blues riffs of her own, her pink-glittered amps just trying to keep up, her cover of Bill Withers “Use Me” highlighting her fiery set. Black Joe Lewis and Marcus King both brought a big band blues filled with horns, soul and funk.
The Busking Stage, a small pop-up tent thrown up on the edge of the lawn, hosted intimate performances buy lesser-known new talent and some surprising larger artists. The close-in space, stripped down performances, with fans sitting attentively in the grass surrounding the stage, harked back to the earliest days of the fest. One of the larger crowds at the stage occurred when Andrew Bird and Jimbo Mathis previewed their Quad Stage set on the smaller stage. Playing their old-timey fiddle and guitar tunes from their 2021 release, These 13, one could almost imagine they were back in 1959.
Easing back from nothing to full-on festival, the 2021 Folk On event, had a half-capacity crowd and a bunch of artists bringing a more stripped down set then their pre-pandemic norm, which provided a mellower vibe that felt more in tune with folk fests of yore. Grace Potter, in a set that spanned two days due to Friday ending early due to impending storms, played a solo set. Just her voice and a guitar or electric piano. Her voice was stunning throughout, but especially on “Stars.” Phosphorescent shunned dismissed his usual full band and was accompanied only by piano. Back to closing out the fest Saturday night, Jason Isbell was stripped down to an acoustic trio, with Sadler Vaden on guitar and Amanda Shires on fiddle and vocals. “What Have I Done to Help” pushed the format to it’s limit, all three jarring back and forth. Kevin Morby also went without his band, playing in various configurations with Cochemea Gastellum on saxophone and flute, Katie Crutchfield and a drummer. A duet with Cochemea on “Oh My God” was jaw-droppingly good. And in Crutchfield’s own set she was accompanied by only a drummer. Lucy Dacus played “Partners in Crime” without the usual Autotune for the first and probably only time ever, which she thought a folk fest “simply couldn’t handle.”
History was also explored through multiple tributes, as is generally the case at one of these things. Devon Gilfillian brought a full set tribute to Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” that was surely a Folk On highlight. Multiple guests, including Joy Oladukun, Kam Franklin and Celisse, joined a big band assembled for just this purpose, that may just have been the best this music has sounded in 50 years. Sadly, Gilfillian explained, he covered the album because all these years later the country is still just beginning to get the message through.
Billy Strings also played a tribute set, to festival alum Doc Watson. Strings explained how he loves to think about Newport’s rich history, and referenced the large portrait of Watson in the green room. His quartet, seated throughout, blitzed through Watson originals and covers he made his own, like “Way Downtown,” “Summertime,” and “Shady Grove.” What the festival lacked in quantity of bluegrass was made up for in quality in this one hour set.
There were too many amazing covers to count, some highlights include: Grace Potter’s playing “White Rabbit” on her Flying V guitar; Phosphorescent boldly covering Randy Neman’s “Days of Heaven” hours before Newman took the stage himself; Joy Oladukun taking Prince’s “The Cross” for a spin, Waxahatchee working in Jason Molina’s “The Dark Don’t Hide It” with Kevin Morby; Bird and Mathis inviting Margo Price to sing on “Angels of Montgomery,” one of a few tributes paid to the late John Prine.
Any time an artist is invited to play at Newport they become a part of the Folk Family. The fans are also members of the family. With the festival on pause in 2020, this year felt like a bit of a family reunion on both sides of the stage. Some groups had matching t-shirts, some matching pins, but everyone wore beaming smiles, just happy to getting back to being amongst music lovers and music makers.
After months and months at home with literal family, artists seemed quite content to keep spending time together. The amount of related artists sharing the stage was prevalent. Ida Mae, Maggie Price and Jeremy Ivy, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, Kevin Morby and Katie Crutchfield. Grace Potter had her husband, producer Eric Valentine, as her “over-qualified” guitar tech, whom she also lovingly bantered about between songs.
Stronger Together
As the banner says upon arrival, “We’re stronger when we sing together.” True to it’s patriarch’s words, the Newport Folk Festival has been rife with collaborations in recent years. After a slow start to the weekend, by Sunday the normal expectation of sit-ins was back to near full throttle.
Erin Rae hosted a rotating cast of guests for a set dubbed Gentle Times, in what has become a Newport tradition. Langhorn Slim joining to lead the band in Ted Hawkins’ “Sorry You’re Sick,” Taylor Goldsmith up for “For What It’s Worth,” Nathaniel Rateliff singing on Link Wrays “Falling Rain” and around and around it went. Not too shabby for Rae’s first ever set at Newport! They were most definitely stronger together.
Singers Adia Victoria, Haley Heynderickx, Kam Franklin, Margo Price, Joy Oladukun and Nathaniel Rateliff were seemingly always within reach for a sit-in with whoever was asking. Brandi Carlisle even was available for a surprise visit or two. Celisse on the other hand couldn’t hide her impending trips to the stage when her sparkling pink amp sat atop the stage.
Caamp graduated to the main stage and fans took advantage creating an impromptu dance floor in the limited view area behind the soundboard that only grew as the set progressed. They were all stronger together.
Once and Future Sounds
The themes of the weekend all came to a head during the Sunday finale set, curated by woman-of-the-moment Allison Russell, named Once and Future Sounds. Most of the aforementioned female artists joined Russell on stage as they were invited to “join the circle.”
“We’re two crescent moons forming a full moon… our circle is unbroken since 1959 [the year of the festival’s founding] … roots, branches, it’s our time to rise.” Russell explained through an opening monologue. Caroline Randal Williams interspersed the set with performances of her poetry while Yasmin Williams and the house band laid down beautiful backing music. One line in particular connected the dots perfectly to the festival’s history, future and to the present theme of the set, “Sister Rosetta Tharpe distorted those strings because there is no man made box that can tell our story.”
Celisse joined “the circle” to bend some strings of her own in a stirring performance of “Eyes on the Prize.” Many of the women playing the festival were invited into “the circle” to add their voices too: Margo Price, Kam Franklin, Adia Victoria for Tina Turner’s take on the Beatles’ “Help,” Franklin premiering her own song, “Don’t Get Caught Sick,” Yola, Celisse, Brandi Carlisle, and Franklin paying tribute to Mavis Staples with “I’ll Take You There,” Carlisle and Russell playing Alicia Keys’ “A Beautiful Noise” … it was a soul-stirring set through and through. And just as the set seemed to be wrapping up, the surprise of surprises, as only Newport can bring them, Chaka Kahn arrived on stage to bring that dance-party we mentioned earlier.
After a two-year wait for music at the Fort, Newport Folk provided a perfect blend of past, present and future with the right amount of the expected and unexpected. As always, it just leaves us wanting and waiting for more. For some lucky fans, that’s just what they got, with the second three-day event underway. Stay tuned for our coverage from that soon.
The life of Jerry Garcia will be celebrated on August 8 at Westville Music Bowl with “Daze Between,” presented by Rex Foundation.
Musicians including Warren Haynes and Grace Potter (alone and together), Lettuce (celebrating JGB) and Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass have all been announced as part of the music event, with more special guests yet to be announced.
August 1-9 is known among Grateful Dead fans as “The Days Between,” named for the Dead song of the same name. On August 1, 1942, Jerry Garcia was born, and on August 9, 1995, he passed away peacefully in his sleep. These days mark hallowed time for Deadheads of all ages, with music celebrations continually in order to celebrate the life of the influential musician and icon, Jerry Garcia.
For tickets and more info about Daze Between click here.
The Rex Foundation’s schedule for Daze Between 2021
Thursday, July 29th – Jerry Day at Fenway Park in Boston, MA: Boston Red Sox vs Toronto BlueJays; Lureto – Everywhere: The Dead Sessions EP Release Party at the Charleston Pour House in Charleston, SC (live show) Friday, July 30th – Melvin Seals & JGB with Roots of Creation at The Range in Mason, NH (live show), The Garcia Project at The Narrows in Fall River, MA; Terrapin Flyer at Headliners in Louisville, KY (live show) Saturday, July 31th – Melvin Seals & JGB with Roots of Creation at The Range in Mason, NH (live show); The Garcia Project at FTC in Fairfield, CT; Sunday, August 1st – Jerry Birthday Celebration ft. Peter Rowan, Bill Nershi, Ross James, and more at Cervantes in Denver, Colorado (live show); Songwriter Showcase w/ Vince Herman, Matt Warren, and Channing Wilson at New Standard in Winter Park, FL (live show); The Garcia Project – Jerry Birthday celebration at Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke, MA; Daze Between virtual auction begins – dozens of high-ticket music and Grateful Dead memorabilia with proceeds to benefit Rex Foundation Monday, August 2nd – Mikaela Davis and Southern Star Play Grateful Dead (livestream); Jerry Day at Great American Ball Park: Cincinnati Reds vs Minnesota Twins; Crazy Fingers at New Standard in Winter Park, FL (live show) Tuesday, August 3rd – Melvin Seals & JGB at The Hamilton in Washington, DC (live show) Thursday, August 5th – “The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame presents: An Odd Little Place: The Digital Work of Jerry Garcia” in Cleveland, OH (private gallery opening); The Garcia Project at the Chance Theatre in Poughkeepsie, NY (live show); Friday, August 6th – The Days Between Festival ft. Dark Star Orchestra in Laytonville, CA (live show); Everyone’s Dead ft. Matt Butler, Steve Kimock, Marc Brownstein, and more at Ardmore Music Hall in Philadelphia, PA (live show); Splintered Sunlight at the Hamilton in Washington, DC (live show); The Garcia Project at the Recher Theatre in Towson, MD (live show); An Evening with Dead Floyd live at the Mishawaka Amphitheater in Bellvue, CO (live show); Walking In The Sky (Papa Mali, Matt Hubbard, Reed Mathis, and Wally Ingram) at New Standard in Winter Park, FL (live show); Pure Jerry at Milo in Philadelphia, PA (live show)”The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame presents: An Odd Little Place: The Digital Works of Jerry Garcia” in Cleveland, OH opens to the public Saturday, August 7th – Cris Jacobs and Larry Keel Experience at BChord Brewing in Round Hill, VA (live show); Jerry Garcia 79th Birthday Celebration ft. members of Los Colognes, Futurebirds, and more at the Basement East in Nashville, TN (live show); The Garcia Project at the Hamilton in Washington, DC (live show) Sunday, August 8th – Daze Between ft. Warren Haynes, Grace Potter, Lettuce, Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass and more at the Westville Bowl in New Haven, CT (live show); Cris Jacobs and Larry Keel Experience at BChord Brewing in Round Hill, VA (live show); Melvin Seals & JGB at the Caverns in Pelham, TN (live show) Monday, August 9th – Rex Foundation Grand Finale (livestream); The Garcia Project at the Strand Theatre in Hudson Falls, NY (live show) Tuesday August 10th – MLB Jerry Day – San Francisco Giants vs. Diamondbacks
