The City Parks Foundation has announced that the 2020 SummerStage Jubilee benefit concerthas been nominated for a New York Emmy. The documentary film shows off the impacts of the City Parks Foundation free programs in New York City parks, which was originally aired in September 2020 on WABC-TV, as well as digitally streamed. The Emmy nomination is for the Documentary Cultural Category.
The film follows the story of a young girls journey throughout the five boroughs while enjoying musical performances by Sting, Norah Jones, Trey Anastasio, Rufus Wainwright, Leslie Odom Jr., Rosanne Cash, Emily King and PJ Morton with appearances by comedian Louis Black and musical artists H.E.R., Paul Shaffer, Jimmy Fallon and many more.
Along with the City parks Foundation, SummerStage founder Joe Killian is nominated as the Executive Producer of the film. SummerStage has been around for 35 years and is a music and entertainment powerhouse.
Oscar winning producer and now Emmy-nominee Jonathan Olson breathes life into the SummerStage Jubilee at a time when public programs were halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. NYC parks remained open as some of the only public areas available to all.
Donations to SummerStage help ensure New York’s largest free outdoor performing arts festival is able to remain free and available to all New Yorkers, giving residents a chance to converse and hang out with others while attending this terrific event. For more information, visit www.SummerStage.org.
Few bands have a relationship with the state of New York like the Grateful Dead. Outside of California, the Grateful Dead have performed more shows in New York than any other state.
With 309 unique shows performed across the Empire State in a 28 year span, beginning at Tompkins Square Park on June 1, 1967, the Grateful Dead made New York a home away from home, with venues of all sizes welcoming them during their career.
Over the past few years, NYS Music has looked back on some of these shows, whether they be archival releases, or an iconic show worthy of a closer look. In 2020, we began to look intently at the history of the Grateful Dead in the Empire State, and in doing so, discovered some overlooked diamonds in the rough.
While performances at Madison Square Garden, The Knickerbocker Arena and Barton Hall garner the glory, there are shows that are equally compelling which we took a second look at. Whether the performance was in The Bronx, Alfred State, Oswego, Glens Falls, Lake Placid or Watkins Glen, each show gets a thorough analysis, with first-hand accounts and memorabilia, as well as audio and/or video of each performance.
We’ve taken all these articles that examine the long history of the Grateful Dead in New York State, as well as Jerry Garcia’s solo and JGB performances, and created an interactive Google Map that allows you to observe the history of the Grateful Dead in New York – So MaNY Roads. You can find info on each of these shows (were you there?), and dive into shows you may or may not have known about.
With more than 300 shows to include in this series, we so far have looked at more than 50 of these shows, all searchable in the map below. More will be added each month as we continue looking at the Grateful Dead and their history in NY.
We welcome Section 119 as a sponsor for So MaNY Roads, our Grateful Dead in New York series. Section 119 takes you from beachfront to stage front with the highest quality merchandise celebrating the Grateful Dead. Shop for a variety of officially licensed clothing and accessories including board shorts, polos, button-down shirts and more at Section119.com.
On Saturday, July 24th, The Sun Ra Arkestra returned to Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage for their fifth stint at the concert series. Still led by Sun Ra himself at the time, the band headlined the festival’s first ever concert back in 1986 at the old Central Park Bandshell. After Sun Ra’s death in 1993, the band continued on as The Sun Ra Arkestra, remaining quite active under the leadership of Marshall Allen who has been performing with the group since 1958. At 97 years young, Allen and The Arkestra were as tight as ever in Central Park.
The Sun Ra Arkestra at SummerStage, 7/24/2021. Photo by: Buscar Photo
Opening the night was Chicago based trio Sistazz of The Nitty Gritty. The group consists of vocalist/clarinetist Angel Bat Dawid, pianist/vocalist Anaiet and bassist Brooklynn Skye Scott. The performance was a mixture of spoken word poetry, jazz fusion, and Dadaist collages of piano, bass, vocals and clarinet. Heavily influenced by The Arkestra’s signature sounds, the trio injects their own modern edge into avant-garde jazz. The incredibly talented band is surely one to watch as they continue to explore their music.
Sistazz of The Nitty Gritty at SummerStage, 7/24/2021. Photo by Buscar Photo
As the 23-member Arkestra began to file on stage, the once seated audience sprung to their feet to embrace the band’s return to SummerStage. A Sun Ra performance is always more than a musical experience. The band is accompanied by dancers who graced the front of the stage from the start with interpretative, meditative dance routines. This shifted off to the side of the stage and Allen took his place front and center.
Marshall Allen at SummerStage, 7/24/2021. Photo by Buscar Photo
The band played a generally continuous set, stopping every so often to reset, but with a band this size there is always music being played. Throughout the show, Allen would survey the band, and point someone out in particular to stand, and take the lead. One-by-one, everyone took their turn, either stepping up for a musical lead or interpretative dance at the center of the stage. This continued throughout the 90-minute set, creating a vividly engaging experience for the audience as there was no way to know where the music was heading. The Arkestra closed to a thunderous ovation from the audience that echoed through Central Park – a second home for the band for so many years.
The Sun Ra Arkestra at SummerStage, 7/24/2021. Photo by: Buscar Photo
The Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage festival continues, with upcoming performances from The Originals, Marc Rebillet, Antibalas, Armand Hammer & The Alchemist (featuring Moor Mother), and many more – check out the full lineup HERE.
Manhattan’s Blue Note Jazz Club is bringing together GZA and Talib Kweli for four performances over August 24 and 25. The Genius, aka the GZA, will bring his live band, featuring guest MC Talib Kweli, performing classics that have shaped the sound of hip hop.
GZA, the most cerebral MC in the Wu-Tang Clan, as well as perhaps the most acclaimed has a cool, precise flow and intricate, literate rhymes. While he wasn’t as theatrical as Method Man or Ol’ Dirty Bastard, the two biggest commercial stars to spring from the collective, GZA was revered for his flawless technique and lyrical dexterity, and was considered by many to be the best pure rapper in the entire Clan.
After nearly 20 years of recordings and performances, Talib Kweli stands as one of the world’s most talented and most accomplished hip hop artists. Whether working with Mos Def as one-half of Black Star, partnering with producer Hi-Tek for Reflection Eternal, releasing landmark solo material or collaborating with Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Just Blaze, J Dilla, or Madlib, Kweli commands attention by delivering top-tier lyricism, crafting captivating stories and showing the ability to rhyme over virtually any type of instrumental.
Since 1981, Blue Note Jazz Club has been a cultural institution in New York City and one of the premiere jazz clubs in the world. Blue Note strives to preserve the history of jazz, and the club is a place where progression and innovation – the foundations of jazz – are encouraged and practiced on a nightly basis. In addition to the main acts that feature the likes of Robert Glasper, Pat Metheny, Christain McBride, Joshua Redman, Ron Carter and Chris Botti, Blue Note regularly showcases up-and-coming jazz, soul, hip-hop, R&B and funk artists. After 40 years of success, Blue Note continues to carry the torch for jazz into the 21st century in the cultural heart of New York, Greenwich Village.
Superstars and native New Yorkers Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett will share the stage one last time at NYC’s famed Radio City Music Hall for two nights only to celebrate a decade of music and friendship.
The shows, titled “One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga”, will take place on August 3 and 5, the former of which is Bennett’s 95th birthday. This two night stint will be Gaga and Bennett’s only shared public concert appearances this summer as the two get ready to release a new collaborative album later this year.
Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
The pair released their multi-platinum #1 Grammy winning album, Cheek to Cheek back in 2014. Earlier this year it was sadly revealed that Bennett, a 19-time Grammy winner himself, has been struggling with age related dementia since 2016. Fortunately, despite his diagnosis, Bennett has completely retained his ability to sing the songs that he has devoted his life to performing, including touring and taking to the recording studio. However, it has been acknowledged that the concerts at Radio City will be the last NYC performances of Bennett’s career, set appropriately at a venue that he has enjoyed a multi-decade run of sold-out shows.
We couldn’t be prouder to host such a special engagement with two of the most iconic entertainers of our time. Both Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga are synonymous with New York City, making the Great Stage at Radio City Music Hall the perfect place to honor their decade long friendship and celebrate Mr. Bennett’s 95th birthday.
Darren Pfeffer, Executive Vice President, Live, Madison Square Garden Entertainment.
All guests will need to be fully vaccinated and provide proof upon entry of having received their final vaccine dose no later than 14 days before their event date. The only exception is for children under the age of 16, who may provide proof of a negative antigen or PCR COVID-19 test or full vaccination and are accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult. For more information, please visit Radio City Music Hall FAQs.
Per the artists request, Yondr pouches will be used for this event. No cellphones, cameras or recording devices will be permitted. Upon arrival, all phones and smart watches will be secured in Yondr pouches that will be unlocked at the end of the event. For more information on this process, visit OverYondr.com.
The performances at Radio City will feature song renditions from the Great American Songbook of popular and jazz standards that Bennett and Gaga have claimed as part of their legacy over the past decade. The Tony Bennett Quartet and the Brian Newman Quintet will be joined by a big band and orchestra conducted by Michael Bearden.
Citi cardmembers will have exclusive access to presale tickets starting July 21 at 10am local time on CitiEntertainment.com. General tickets are on sale starting July 22 at 10am local time on LiveNation.com.
TheNY Guitar Festivalonline performance series Remembering Julian Breamis adding fresh perspective on the works and personal impact on a generation of players of the recently departed classical guitar great. The seven day festival, which launched July 14, will continue to premier new three video performances each day at 3pm, 4pm and 5pm EDT through July 20.
Seven composers are performing their own works dedicated to Bream: Laura Snowden (UK), Jiji (Korea), Leo Brouwer – performed by Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo. (Cuba), Jozef van Wissem (Holland), Derek Gripper (South Africa), and Gyan Riley (USA).
In addition to these world premieres, the series includes performances of the classical guitar and lute music that Bream became known for, dating from the 16th through the 20th century by composers including John Dowland, Anthony Holborne, Benjamin Britten, Heitor Villa-Lobos and more. For more on Bream’s career and his lasting impact, see the August 2020 obituary here on our site.
Some of the true highpoints of the festival are the performances by and the personal recollections of talented women in the classical guitar realm, all whom received inspiration and personal guidance from Bream. Here are some those highlights:
In her performance on July 14, Sharon Isbin remembered her meeting with Bream as a 14-year-old in her hometown of Minneapolis. After playing him the “Prelude to Bach’s Third Cello Concerto,” he had high praise for her style and passion, but noticed she wasn’t much using the ring finger of her right hand. Isbin quickly adjusted her technique and has since plied a career as one of the most successful women in the classical guitar field. She’s a multiple Grammy Award-winner featured on countless recordings, as a soloist in performances with over 200 orchestras and founder of the guitar department of the Juilliard School of Music to name a few. Here, she tells her tale then performs one of Bream’s favorites, “Capricho Arabe” by Francisco Tarrega.
In her July 16 performance as part of the Amadeus Guitar Duo, Dale Kavanaugh and her German partner Thomas Kirchhoff tackled another Bream favorite, an arrangement of Alexander Borodin’s “String Quartet No. 2 (Moderato)”. At the end of this compelling 10-minute performance, Kirchhoff relates a tale of Bream’s visit to his home and the master’s recollection of his own legendary partnership with Australian virtuoso John Williams.
On Monday, July 19 at 4 pm, the festival will feature the premiere of another original composition by Jiji. This dynamic 28-year Korean guitarist’s work spans the gap between acoustic and electric, the classics and free improvisation. “My piece is called “MOONOU” because when I think of Julian Bream, I think of an octopus (moonou in Korean),” says Jiji. “He just did everything; he was omnivorous. I wanted to capture his world’s colliding – the new music Julian Bream, the lutenist Julian Bream, the traditional player Julian Bream, with a hint of the world that I love. You’ll hear a bit of glitch, heavily-processed sounds, a bit of weirdness, maybe some Bach, a bit of everything. You’ll hear the way I see Julian Bream – the Octopus artist!”
Marija Temo and Alberta Khoury perform two more favorites of Bream’s, “Spanish Dance No. 5” by Enrique Granados and “Etude No. 11 and Prelude No. 3” Heitor Villa-Lobos, on July 17 at 5 pm and July 18 at 4 pm respectively.
The NY Guitar Festival tribute to Bream will close with an original piece composed and performed by one of the young guns of the classic guitar world, Britain’s Laura Snowden. The composition, called “Home,” is a salute to the bucolic life Bream lived in the countryside in Wiltshire, without internet or mobile phone. It was a beautiful place where she studied at the feet of the master, learning two of his original compositions that she premiered at Wigmore Hall. Snowden’s performance will debut on July 20 at 5 pm.
As a sucker for the lute, another not-to-miss is lengthy performance by lute master Paul O’Dette, which can be seen below.
Access to “Remembering Julian Bream” is free. The NYGF and performing artists are asking viewers to make donations to MusiCares. Learn more about charitable foundation of The Recording Academy’s MusicCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, and donate to help the music community affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, here.
To watch all the performances, tune into the NY Guitar Festival YouTube Channel. You can watch the full playlist for the series as it premieres here: NYGF YouTube Playlist, and listen to the full collection of audio recordings from WNYC Radio’s “New Sounds,” at 93.9FM or at www.newsounds.org.
Caveman has announced nine brand new tour dates in September. The tour will be kicking off in Buffalo at The 9th Ward at Babeville on Sept 9.
Caveman previously shared “River,” alongside a visualizer, the latest single off their upcoming LP, Smash, out Aug 13 via Fortune Tellers. On the track, Matt Iwanusa of Caveman says “’River’ is mostly about how you survive when you have suffered a big loss; how to look at yourself and your actions moving forward.
This song is about my cousin Ashley “smash” who we lost about 4 years ago. She was one of my best friends and sidekick in trouble-making all around NYC. She was one of the only people in the world who never judged me. Since she was my youngest cousin I felt like I had to protect her, but in the end, we protected each other. I miss her every day and this song coming out makes me think about the process it’s been to continue life without her and have the good memories continue to help me when I get down.
Matt Iwanusa, Caveman
Smashis the first new Caveman record since 2016’s “Otero War.” Much of it was composed just after the passing of Iwanusa’s cousin – her nickname Smash becoming the album title and much of the music inspired by her.
On a whim early last year, they connected with old friend Peter Matthew Bauer of the Walkmen and his label Fortune Tellers to quickly release “New Sides” a series of recordings they had freed up the rights to while waiting for what would become “Smash” to return to their control. Basically dropping the EP five days after it was mastered, it was an early step to just get out into the world again a little with the song “You Got A Feeling” getting picked up on several major playlists and radio stations. “It was just great for people to hear something from us,” said Iwanusa. “It feels like it’s been forever and now we’re sitting on so much new music that’s finally able to get out into the world.”
Since Caveman began in 2010, they’ve released 3 full length records, toured endlessly (sharing stages with The War on Drugs, Jeff Tweedy, and Weezer, and playing festivals including Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Austin City Limits), and received accolades from everyone from Pitchfork to the New York Times.
Nowadays, they’ve grown from young punk kids into statesmen of sorts for New York indie music. Jimmy’s Brooklyn shop The Guitar Shop NYC is a city institution as well as a clubhouse for the band. Practicing and working out of Williamsburg nightclub Baby’s Alright during its down hours, the band is just beginning to recreate the momentum of their early career after a period of false starts, legal issues, and frustrating delays that slowed the release of their new record for several years.
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.
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
Dezron Douglas
Last year saw Trey Anastasio Band release a new live album, BurnItDown, 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
Slothrust, rising all-rock band, will join Manchester Orchestra for their upcoming tour, The Million Masks of God. Foxing will also come along for the journey. Slothrust will be performing their new album, Parallel Timeline, which will be released on September 10th.
Slothrust is absolutely stoked to make their return to live performing: “I have really missed the unique energetic exchange that happens when you perform in front of an audience,” shares front person Leah Wellbaum. “The lack of it has left a void in me and we couldn’t be more excited to hit the road again with our friends in Manchester Orchestra. In its own way, touring has always felt like home and we are stoked for this epic return.”
Parallel Timeline is a unique album that focuses on bandleader Leah Wellbaum’s experiences with feeling trapped inside of her own consciousness while also searching for meaningful connections to the universe. The band committed to risk-taking with their new album. They experimented with new production techniques, resulting in new sonic realms for each track. Wellbaum connected with her inner child when creating the album, which is illustrated by the album’s artwork and visuals. She feels that inverted colored rainbows and orbs became a gateway to exploring the illusory things we see and experience in everyday life.
Parallel Timeline, mixed and co-produced by industry legend Billy Bush and mastered by Heba Kadry is a masterclass in balancing tenderness with the fierce guitar work Wellbaum has become known for. With a distinct yet unified sound that blends progressive rock, acoustic and pop, Slothrust has never been more confident.
Tour Dates:
10/5 – Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill
10/6 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
10/8 – Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues
10/9 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution Live
10/10 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live
10/12 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte10/13 – Richmond, VA @ The National
10/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore
10/16 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live!
10/18 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
10/19 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre
10/21 – New York, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom
11/16 – Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
11/17 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
11/18 – Birmingham, AL @ Alabama Theatre
11/19 – Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
Tickets for the tour can be found here! Get ready for an amazing night of unique rock and unimaginable fun!
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.
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.
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.
