On April 1, Rochester native, drummer and producer Dr. Steve Gadd released Steve Gadd Band at Blue Note Tokyo, from a tour of Japan in December 2019. That same year The Steve Gadd Band’s self-titled album won a GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. The group also played the Rochester International Jazz Festival that summer, leading up to this year end performance in Japan.
The line up features former Beatles collaborator David Spinozza on guitar in lieu of Micheal Landau, Jimmy Johnson on bass, Kevin Hays on keyboards, Walt Fowler on trumpet and Dr. Gadd on drums.
Blue Note Tokyo is a jazz venue in the Aoyama district of Tokyo, Japan that seats about 300 people and makes for an intimate performance. The band played to the disciplined fervor the crowd has for live music. Frank Zappa alumni Walt Fowler helped write the musical intro to the show, an arrangement from the film Cape Fear. The same theme is also found in the new series Ratched, which serves as a prequel to One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. The whole band feeds the chilling composition, segueing to an iconic Gadd pocket groove for the tune “Where’s Earth?” World-renowned musicians like this might need some help finding it when their sounds stretch outside of our planet.
Gadd switches to a Latin beat on the drums securing his role as the consummate chameleon man of different musical genres for “Timpanogos.” Fowler and Spinozza then spread out nicely intertwining spicy solos before Hays helps cool things down with his Fender Rhodes. For those looking for a signature Gadd drum solo during the performance, there is only one to remind you why the man behind the kit is headlining the venue. “One Point Five” trails off Jimmy Johnson on bass to a full drum crescendo to end the song.
When asked about the tune “Way Back Home,” and if it has any significance to the comfortable corridor of his Upstate New York roots, Gadd said,
I like the song, I’ve played it with a lot of different bands, I did a live album in Rochester and titled it after that. I like the groove we get on it no matter how we do it, we get a good feel, it grooves, that one for me it keeps building, it gets pretty intense at the end and it takes a while to get there but it feels great the whole way to me, I love that track.
Steve Gadd
Only two tracks have vocals on the ten song performance. During a take on Bob Dylan’s “Watching the River Flow,” Hays channels appropriate lyrics for today: “That this ol’ world, will keep rolling on you know, so I’m gonna sit right on this bank of sand and watch the river flow.”
The bonus track on the Blue Note Tokyo album “Foameopathy” is one of five tracks (including “One Point Five”) played live from the GRAMMY Award winning album that year.
We worked hard mixing it too, my son Giancarlo and I, and then Rich Breen mastered it and sprinkled some magic over the whole thing and I like the way it sounds.
Steve Gadd
Keep an eye out for a full interview with Dr. Steve Gadd about his musical origins in Monroe County to his performances around the world. Download the album here.
Key Tracks: Wheres Earth?, Timpanogos, Way Back Home
Borderland Music Festival is excited to announce their 2021 return to Knox Farm State Park on September 18th and 19th.
The two-day cultural festival takes place at the historical Knox Farm State Park in Erie County, New York. While the festival lineup has not been announced as of yet, past lineups have included a mix of country and bluegrass bands ranging from worldwide fame to local acclaim. Art, food and beer are also a focus of the festival, offering local varieties of each for people to partake in and enjoy.
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Borderland Festival was cancelled. The music industry as a whole has been dramatically impacted this last year, however, Borderland continued to work hard to survive. They created a handful of music and farm-to-table experiences while feeding the local economy and supporting local musicians. The Borderland Broadcast acted as a stand-in for the usual festival, streaming audio from former festival performances over the two days when the festival would have happened. Borderland is looking forward to returning this fall with their annual festival, just on a smaller scale, at Knox Park.
Like many others, we were hit hard this past year and really miss that connection of community. I feel like we all could use this breath of fresh air. The power of music is so healing and we want to be able to bring that on whatever level we can.
Jennifer Brazil, Event Organizer
The festival is working closely with the State of New York and Erie County and will continue to operate under all social distancing and COVID guidelines. There will be an initial, limited amount of tickets for sale with hopes that things will continue to progress throughout the summer. Blind Faith Tickets are on sale now and Borderland will announce more information in the coming weeks. Tickets are available for purchase here.
Coming this summer to rest stops along Interstates 81, 84, 86, 87, 88 and 90, New Yorkers and other travelers can discover new bands and artists thanks to the State Division of Tourism sponsoring the “Rest Stop Pop Up NY” Thruway Concert Series.
At the state’s Welcome Centers, multiple bands will be featured throughout the day, offering a small but distanced festival feel. Service Areas along I-90 and I-87 will feature top rock and jam acts performing on stages set up in parking lots, starting at 10am and going until 10pm.
moe. will give a nod to their New York roots by make appearances at rest stops near Buffalo, Utica and Albany. And provided their drummer can catch a ride, The Assortment of Crayons will reunite at the Plattekill rest stop on I-87 North.
Heading along I-88 and I-81, a broad selection of bluegrass and metal bands will perform at the more rustic rest areas located on these comparatively lesser traveled highways. Meanwhile, I-84 will feature singer-songwriters from the Hudson Valley at each of the four rest stops. Don’t miss July 4 with Don McLean at the Brewster Rest Area.
I-86, the state’s newest highway, will feature Buffalo’s Organ Fairchild. Much like the band, I-86 was years in the making and brings together many great parts of the state in one solid collective.
The new ‘Text Break’ stops will feature acoustic performances only, with requests taken by texting your song request to 38262. There will be no shows along I-495 on Long Island.
When the State Division of Tourism was asked what could go wrong with these Pop Ups, a representative admitted there would be some issues.
For one, there’s only so much parking, and while we will allow you to park on the grass for that true festival feel, some folks may need to park on the side of the road and walk into the festival. This state has a great history of parking cars and walking miles to see music, whether it’s the original Woodstock festival, Summer Jam 1973, or The Clifford Ball. We want to give people the real music experience, including, but not limited to, fatigue and mild exhaustion upon arrival at your destination.
Judith McCarty, State Division of Tourism
McCarty also discussed safety measures, saying “Of course people will socially distance. And if they don’t we hope they’re spending money and we feel that trade off is worth the risk.”
Alcohol will not be sold at any Thruway Rest Stop, per usual, but CBD vendors will be on hand for to provide attendees with an energetic natural high. “We strongly encourage CBD use. Please don’t drink and drive. That would make us look really, really bad,” said McCarty.
The State Division of Tourism feels that the Rest Stop Pop Up concert series will encourage travel across the state, and also allow travelers to learn about the history that happened here.
Additionally, toll money will be used to help balance the state budget.
Thank you for reading. This was an April Fools article, published on April 1, 2021.
Buffalo’s Organ Fairchild is NYS Music’s March Madness 2021 Winner – a musical party that won’t quit. Take your old-school organ trio (organ, guitar and drums), add dance-heavy grooves and adventurous jamming, and shake vigorously. Enjoy all night long as this well-crafted jam-band cocktail has perked our musical taste buds.
When they spoke on their new single “Seepin,” the band said It’s been a LONG time coming… way back in January, having no idea it would lead to a March Madness crown.
We truly enjoyed being part of this series and are grateful to NYS Music for reaching out to us about it. We’re now hip to a whole bunch of new-to-us bands from around the state, which is kind of the whole point. As for being in the finals against Baked Shrimp, they had a whole lot of support and we definitely got a chance to check out their music, too. In fact, the two bands are now talking about collaborating on a few concert dates this summer/fall!
So kudos to NYS Music for all the good things you do to support the region’s musicians. You guys are true advocates for the music scene and we appreciate you.
Dave Ruch – Guitar
Congratulations Organ Fairchild – NYS’ March Madness Winner
Since 2015, New York State Music has crafted a March Madness bracket delving into the musical harbors of our great state. As fans and musicians ourselves, we spotlight the great talent across New York in friendly competition and discovery. Its fury never loses sight of the underdog, a headliner’s humble beginnings, new musical discovery and rolling with the punches in our ever-changing industry.
March Madness 2021 Lark Hall Region: Albany’s mid-size music venue.
Organ Fairchild – Buffalo, New York.
Organ Fairchild – NYS Music’s March Madness Winner is:
Joe Bellanti – organ, keys – Corey Kertzie – drums – Dave Ruch – guitar
“Jan. 2021 marks the release of single, “Seepin’,” from long-time Buffalo jam band veterans Organ Fairchild. Members have a history on the jam scene dating back 40 years.”
LISTEN to Organ Fairchild’s debut single below, from the forthcoming May 2021 album release! Mastered by Alan Evans of Soulive.
Chuck DeFilippo: How did Organ Fairchild come to be? What is the name origin?
Joe Bellanti: Dave called me and pitched the idea of an organ trio – I thought it was dumb – which – since we have known each other for so long – means it was a really good idea since I am always wrong about that stuff and Dave has a really good sense for projects that will work. It would be hard to characterize the amount of fun we have been having – just fantastic to be a part of this
Dave Ruch: I really wanted to name the band Organ Freeman (after Morgan Freeman), but it turns out that name was already taken! So Organ Fairchild was the next best choice….I think many of us had let’s say an affinity for Morgan F when we were young.
JamCast is a streaming platform that provides a unique experience using live, pre-recorded, archived audio & video performances, podcasting, vlogs, blogs, and more. JamCast has been centered around creating a digital network for musicians, promoters, and venues. It was designed to serve as a resource for all facets of the music industry. By offering weekly series, digital events, festivals, podcasts, archives, and more. An online resource and database for all music industry professionals.
CD: What was your first crossroads with music; how did it seep into your life?
JB: My dad was really into music and there were always records and cassettes playing. I was told I would start taking piano lessons when I was 8 – loved it for the first month until I figured out how hard it was going to be and promptly lost interest – until I was 13 – My mom would not let me quit and my 8th grade music teacher found out I could play the piano and made me play in front of the class – I was not happy about it – but – when I stopped, everyone started clapping and cheering – and here I am in the NYS finals. Thanks mom!
DR: I guess my first crossroads was the trombone in 4th grade – I was too little to carry it home from school so that didn’t last long. Second crossroads was guitar at age 12 – I was learning the wrong music and it didn’t stick. Luckily I tried it again at age 15 and I haven’t put it down since! At age 27, I quit my white collar job and made music my full-time living, so definitely a happy ending!
Central New York promotersCreative Concerts bring fans together in the final four
CD: What does New York State Music mean to you? (Not our site, but rather the music community in the state or your specific regions )
JB: NYS Music – the Buffalo scene in particular – means the world to me – some of my greatest moments have come from being a part of it – certainly my very best friends. Too many incredible moments to even try to pick out one or 2 of the best.
DR: Interesting question, as one of the other “hats” I wear as a full-time musician and performer is researching and performing old 19th-century traditional music from New York State! So NYS Music means a lot of different things to me, but in terms of the current music community, we are very fortunate here in Buffalo to have a rabid fan base of live music lovers who always come out to support our shows. The level of musicianship here if off the charts as well, and pretty much everyone involved in the local music scene is really supportive of each other. It’s a great place to be.
CD: What are the short and long term goals for the band?
JB: Short term – finish out first CD and get back to playing live shows as soon as we can. Long term – see if we can make it work long term – there is nothing I would rather do than play our own music with Corey and Dave.
CD: Any bands or new listening discovered from NYS Music’s March Madness series?
JB: Absolutely – bands and artists I never would have been exposed to without the competition – Girl Blue in particular – I listened to a bunch of her recordings during our first round match up and really thought we had no chance – really original songs and arrangements and a great voice
DR: I really enjoyed watching a bunch of these bands’ videos on the NYS Music website.
CD: Do you have a favorite COVID activity, since you have all this free time not gigging?
JB: I have practiced more in the last year than ever and started teaching online via zoom and also building a teaching web site. Also we have been writing new material, rehearsing when practical and recording our first CD
DR: Yes, practicing a lot, writing tunes, cooking, and recording.
CD: Anything in the works for the band?
JB: Two CDs in 2021 and hopefully a summer and fall of outdoor shows. Also – we will probably hit Denny’s at some point – I’m pretty sure we are the only band in the competition where all the members would qualify for the senior discount
March Madness would not be possible without our sponsors:
Central New York promoters Creative Concertsbring together fans at venues, stretching from Albany to Rochester and Syracuse to Utica. Lark Hall is the soon to open mid-sized venue in Albany that will host bands of all sizes, events and more. If you need to market your show, event, band or brand, Rochester’s Balbert Marketing has you covered. Need merchandise?
Homegrown Eastern New York’s 518 Prints makes quality goods for local, regional and national bands or tours. High Peaks Event Production is a team with years of experience, aiding in all your stage, lighting and sound demands.JamCast proves high quality streams for bands, podcasts and much more. Between these companies, bands will find a great deal of what they need, and support businesses from across New York and the Northeast.
Goose has announced the release of their eagerly awaited new album, Shenanigans Nite Club, slated for a Friday, June 4 release. They’ll embark on a summer tour, of which the first dates are already sold out. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, March 24 at Noon via pre-sale, with code ‘SHENANIGANS,’ with general on-sale following on Friday, March 26 at 10AM local time.
The Norwalk, CT-based band’s second studio LP and first full-length collection in more than five years, Shenanigans Nite Club, which follows the recent release of their cover of Vampire Weekend’s “2021 (January 5th, to be exact).” The track was personally commissioned by Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig – a longtime Goose fan – with the only directive to make it twenty minutes and twenty-one seconds long.
Shenanigans Nite Club is led by a the mesmerizing new single, “Spirit of the Dark Horse,” which is generally recognized as the first Goose song ever written. The boldly ambitious track – which originated after a “twelve-minute meditation” between co-founders Rick Mitarotonda (vocals, guitar) and Trevor Weekz (bass) – has long been a setlist rarity, featured in only a handful of live performances during the band’s early years.
The album serves as an ode to oft-forgotten vestiges of Goose’s musical journey, both personal and collective. Shenanigans Nite Club marks the apex of the rich history between friends of differing ages and experiences from the same small town in Connecticut, drawn together through a deep love of music and storytelling. Songs like the tectonic “Labyrinth” and the ruminative deep-dive, “SOS,” fluidly traverse genres with head-spinning hooks, technical fireworks, and the kind of rare chemistry only possible among truly close collaborators.
While we’ve been touring, the record has been happening in the background. It’s been quite the process. At times, it was difficult. The record is a companion to those growing pains.
Our dream is to inspire people to step off the beaten path. There are a lot of voices that tell you to play it safe. I think the coolest thing in the world is when someone breaks free and goes for whatever weird shit they dream of doing.
May 3-4 – Frederick, MD – Showtime At The Drive-In – SOLD OUT May 6 – North Charleston, SC – Riverfront Park – SOLD OUT May 8-9 – Pelham, TN – The Caverns Above Ground Amphitheater – SOLD OUT June 11 – Swanzey, NH – Northlands June 12-13 – New Haven, CT – Westville Music Bowl June 15-16 – Perry, NY – Silver Lake Drive In June 18-19 – Thornville, OH – Legend Valley July 2-3 – Eau Claire, WI – The Pines Music Park
Like many musicians, Jason Pariseau has been writing a lot of music over the past year. And as some artists discover, what they write may not fit with their current group and they branch out from there. For Pariseau, this meant that while some songs fit the mold for his group Periodic Table of Elephants (PToE), some had an alternative/indie rock sound. Thus, The Ribbon Project was born.
Pariseau wrote songs that were inspired by artists like The National, Bear’s Den, Novo Amor, and others, with “Medicine” the first of the new batch. Since the process to record these songs took a while due to the collaborative process, he decided to release these one-by-one, instead of waiting for an all at once EP release.
With a small pile of acoustic folk songs and a great deal of potential for them, Pariseau took the idea to Josh Pettinger at Wicked Squid Studios. They talked about the best way to approach the project, and instead of trying to synthesize everything in the studio, Pettinger encouraged him to lean on the local music scene in Rochester. When Pariseau started reaching out, the response was overwhelmingly positive.
As an indie-acoustic project featuring various musicians from the Rochester area, The Ribbon Project features PToE drummer Sean Scanlon on all tracks. For “Medicine,” Jason and Sean are joined by Joel Boyer (banjo), Arjun Baxter (upright bass), Ian Downey (cello), and Darren DeWispelaere (trumpet).
With the feedback received from the first song, Pariseau is looking to bring The Ribbon Project to a live audience sometime later this summer. Still, the group of musicians have not played together in person just yet.
The way the first song came together far exceeded my expectations. And, what has been an interesting approach is that at no time have all of these musicians been together to play the song. Everything was done digitally by sharing tracks and ideas, then having each person come into the studio one-by-one to record their parts. Once one person was done, I’d send the track to the next person, and they would add on their layers. Each person building on the previous person’s track. It’s been a fantastic project. The next song is about 50% done, and will include a different group of musicians.
While the next evolution of PToE will be a step back from 90s punk, and pay homage to other 90s bands like Hum, Failure and Our Lady Peace, The Ribbon Project will set forth on an indie route, adding to the rich music scene waiting to burst open once again in the Flower City.
Catch Pariseau perform virtually at “Homegrown Presents: Going Green Party” streamed from Lovin’ Cup in Rochester. The stream kicks off at 2pm on Saturday, March 20th.
The pandemic has caused an immense amount of hardships that swept over the world. Both individual livelihood and business establishments alike have had to deal with these dilemmas. The Terrace at Delaware Park has had to delve into its own resourcefulness to ride out this past year.
The Terrace at Delaware Park
Located at the historic Marcy Casino building at Delaware Park and Hoyt Lake, The Terrace has experienced various closings and reopening since March 2020. The establishment in Buffalo has altered seating arrangements and event rooms in order to meet COVID-19 regulations.
This March, JazzBuffalo is partnering with The Terrace again to help out during this tough time. Jazz events are set to accompany dinner and brunch. Last week Saranaide and Banjo Juice Trio performed outstandingly at The Terrace. Two more performances are set to take place from Mary Ramsey and Inga Yanoski and Carina & The Six String Preacher.
Sunday, March 21 @ 11:30 am – 3:00 pm at The Terrace at Delaware Park
Come to the Pan-Am Room for a St. Patty’s Day Brunch! JazzBuffalo is partnering with The Terrace to bring “A Celtic Brunch.” This event will feature Mary Ramsey, a lead singer, and violist for the 10,000 Maniacs, as well as violinist Inga Yanoski. Inga has toured with 10,000 Maniacs, is a member of the band The Bards, and performs with the BPO. Music performances will be held from 12 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. The cost is $10 per person plus food and beverage purchase.
Friday, March 26 @ 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm at The Terrace at Delaware Park
On this date, The Terrace is conducting dinner jazz at this scenic location. Look to reserve a table for dinner overlooking Hoyt Lake and Delaware Park. Carina & The Six String Preacher blend jazz, Latin, and pop to create their signature sound. The cost is $10 per person plus a dinner bill with a $25 minimum.
Call The Terrace at 716-886-0089 or visit them online to make reservations.
The Chautauqua Institution announced a new agreement with resident Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra musicians. The agreement extends the current Collective Bargaining Agreement through September 2021, but makes some important adjustments that provide for flexibility and creativity in planning the ensemble’s 2021 season.
“I am pleased and grateful we have been able to reach an agreement that will serve both our patrons and CSO musicians during the 2021 season as we all look forward to an enriching and soul-nourishing 2021 Summer Assembly,” said Michael E. Hill, president of Chautauqua Institution.
Performances will occur Weeks Three through Seven of Chautauqua’s nine-week Summer Assembly, and will often feature a smaller ensemble, with all musicians distanced and non-wind and -brass players masked. Guest soloists will be limited in 2021, but the repertoire will be designed to showcase the members of the CSO.
“This hope-filled news allows us to immediately work together to create a season that balances safe practices and bold performances,” said Deborah Sunya Moore, interim senior vice president and chief program officer for Chautauqua.
Photo of Rossen Milanov
“While these are not our ideal planning circumstances, this season does offer us an opportunity to experiment and innovate,” said Rossen Milanov, CSO music director. “We’re excited about the opportunities in 2021 to feature the virtuosity within this amazing orchestra. Most of all, we’re grateful to be planning to play together again in front of our beloved Chautauqua audience.”
The limitations presented by health and safety procedures provide an opportunity to highlight a diverse range of composers and compositions, in keeping with a commitment to both tradition and innovation. As an example, the CSO’s opening night will feature Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 and Gabriela Lena Frank’s Elegía Andina.
CSO member Leslie Linn, trumpet, served as chair of the musicians’ negotiations committee.
“As we prepare for the upcoming season at Chautauqua, we are grateful to have an opportunity to be back together, in-person, to perform for the Chautauqua community, filling the void that has existed for all of us since in-person performing ceased due to the pandemic,” said Linn. “The musicians of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra are excited to have this agreement in place. We thank the Institution for working with us over many months to reach this agreement and are eager to return to Chautauqua and the audience we love.”
Milanov will share the Amphitheater podium in 2021 with Stuart Chafetz, the CSO’s longtime principal timpanist, who was named the ensemble’s first-ever principal pops conductor in November 2019. With the cancelation of the 2020 season, 2021 will be Chafetz’s first with his new title, though he has long served as a go-to conductor for CSO pops concerts.
Stuart Chafetz leads the The Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra in an Independence Day celebration in 2012.
In addition to the CSO schedule, 2021 patrons will enjoy the Music School Festival Orchestra on Monday evenings Weeks One through Four, with a special additional performance on Saturday, July 3, keeping symphonic music as the centerpiece of Chautauqua’s Independence Day celebration.
The Chautauqua Institution has a rich history of musical variety. With symphony, opera, jazz, theater, dance, visual arts and a renowned music school, Chautauqua produces an “ecstatic mix” of programming that can be found only at major organizations. This mix of arts and culture has defined the Chautauqua Institution for over a decade.
When you think of great funk soul bands that have come out of Buffalo, New York only two names come to mind, Rick James and Soulive. Alan Evans, drummer and founding member of Soulive took time to talk about his musical journey that started in Western New York to around the world with the best.
Buffalo, NY native Alan Evans at “Bowlive”
“It just kind of happened, To be honest I’m surprised I’m actually doing this, some people can point to… “ Oh I saw this, I heard this” Then all of a sudden I wanted to play music , but man music for me is like breathing, like literally ya know?, “ Its always been ingrained”
He has been playing gigs in Buffalo since he was eleven years old.” “For Neal and I it started like one day we were playing music, the next day basketball, then football, maybe skateboarding, then some times all that in the same day” Alan first started out with a band called The Groove and then Moonboot Lover that prompted him to touchdown outside Buffalo in Brooklyn’s pre-developed 1992 Park Slope. “At 7th between 8th and Prospect right at the park “ “Park Slope was a completely different world then ”.
He went on to form Soulive with his brother Neal Evans and Eric Krasno in 1999 that has gone through the past two decades culminating in their own Seven time residency at the historic Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg. Dubbed as “Bowlive”, it brings all of the best musicians on the scene today to collaborate with Alan and his Buddy Miles like vocals and drumming on “Them Changes” for each one over the years.
NYS Music had some time to talk with Alan Evans about his musical experiences over the career, Here is the Conversation:
Matthew Romano: Where was your first collaboration with Sam Kininger who became an instrumental part of Soulive?
Alan Evans: So… Soulive started in 1999 and Sam came and was part of the Lettuce crew at Berklee at the time, So literally all of our early gigs were with Sam, I remember the first time we played with Sam was at House of Blues in Cambridge, Mass in 99’ and Kraz was like “Oh my boy Sam is gonna come through and play” “and we were like all right cool whatever” Then we recorded on from there with two great records in Woodstock with him
Alan Evans, Sam Kininger
MR: Jumping from House of Blues on the East Coast with Sam K to the House of Blues in Los Angeles on the West Coast in 2005 where Stevie Wonder was in the crowd for your set and then joined for the encore on “Jesus Children of America” Did you know he was in attendance and was gonna close the show out with you?
AE: We had no idea he was there that night, we finished our last song and left the stage he was there and wanted to sit in with us, so um when we went to play as usual, the funny thing is at that point and time we played Jesus Children a lot. Especially for an encore ,we played it to get into a groove in the set list on tour so we were probably gonna do that any way. They said his driver had to get his harmonica out of the car, so basically we went on and were just stalling and started playing and I look over and saw him on the side stage and the people gave me the thumbs up and I introduced him, and he came out so yea it was pretty wild.
The funny thing it was the first time I ever saw Stevie Wonder live and they set him up right next to me. I thought he was gonna come on and play harmonica and leave , he’s not gonna sing and split, he comes out and the first thing he does is start to blow the harp, ok just as expected and then we got in to it and were grooving pretty hard, his solo came to and end and then started singing!
MR: In 1972 Stevie Wonder opened for the Rolling Stones, Soulive opened for the Stones on a couple different occasions, In Philadelphia you did for an intimate Tower Theater performance at a three thousand capacity venue . Any cool takeaways from that infamous backstage scene with them?
AE: A lot of funny stuff happened with the Philly show, like some Planes, Trains and Automobiles kind of stuff, So this is pre uber days and we landed at the airport and were cutting it close for soundcheck, a car pulls up that can finally brings us but we had gear and needed a van but couldn’t get one…the catch is that he has like a bag of trash that he ended up strapping to to the hood so we can all fit in and brings us to the venue where we tried to keep a low profile to get dropped off away from the Stones tailgate around the corner
So we got inside and did a soundcheck and hung out downstairs and was used to the typical go back to the hotel to chill before playing, that wasn’t the case the with Stones since it was such a mob scene they couldn’t leave either so we were all just hanging out
Backstage: Soulive and The Rolling Stones
We couldn’t leave, we were just there hanging out in our green room which had catering and a cavernous hallway leading to it. I remember Kraz and I were sitting by the door and ah Neal and I were on the couch too. But anyway Kraz is in this other chair by the door , all of a sudden someone kicks in the door , and the it flies open and BAM! I mean it was loud as hell , I mean what the fuck is going on? And in comes Keith Richards who just kicks the door down and walks in and goes I heard one of you is from Connecticut ?! So Kraz was from CT and Keith lives in Connecticut and they talked for a while and then Keith just splits
So we opened and were just up there doing our thing , some people in the crowd were checking it out, the other were just rolling their eyes and the thing is I looked to my right and all of them were hanging out like listening. All the Stones were posted up the whole set, they were digging the shit out of it, so um that was fine, we came off on time and they were like just like damn we got to work tonight, and i’m like OK cool
MR: After seven Brooklyn Bowl Residencies, is it even possible to pick a stand out moment with all those collaborations with every great artist over the years ?
Bowlive Poster & Setlist
AE: Man that’s a really good question, so much of it is , it seems like every year there is a moment like wow I can’t believe this is happening
I remember the set with Bernie Worrell and we did a like whole P Funk thing, I wasn’t even playing drums on that, it was me Kraz and Shmeeans playing guitar, I remember soundcheck and were running through the tunes with him, and were like damn this is Bernie, and we knew him for years but this is the first time we’ve played him, but it the was also the ideal time to realize this dude is a living legend, that was one experience I remember being insane
I grew up listening to P Funk, our older brother was way in to to them , hes 65, so he literally experienced them in 1977 when they were touring and saw them live landing the Mother Ship
MR: I’ve seen you play at Madison Square Garden, that being every artist’s dream venue in the State to play, are there any other venues in New York you have fond memories of?
AE: Its tough to beat the Garden, but ya know SPAC right? Yea man i have a sweet spot in my heart for that place man, Peter Prince my band mate in Moon Boot Lover back in the day is from from Saratoga Springs, His father is a really great artist, so for Jazz Fest we’d always get his dad’s vendors pass there. I saw some great shows and actually Soulive got to play there one year for the festival. There’s definitely something special about that place and I’d love to perform there again actually
MR: It was last Valentines Day at the Tralf in Buffalo seeing you perform with Soulive, it’s been almost a year since you were able to play live in front of sold out crowds pre pandemic, what is the expectation on live music for yourself in 2021 during these new times?
AE: That was my last run. We did the The Tralf, Pittsburgh ,The Capitol Theater and Boston. We had the most Soulive shows lined up till August for the first time in years. People have hit me up since, but I’m in no rush. I have been doing a lot of recording at my studio in the meantime. But I reflected in the beginning of the pandemic while my wife and I were out for a walk. I thought this would be a thing possibly for a while. I remember saying I don’t know how long this would last but at the end of it when things open back up that I didn’t want to not do anything or wish I did more. During this time I’ve looked at my life if I never would do a live show again. I’m not gonna sit around and be bummed out’ about it
MR: My final question to Alan was drummer to drummer, relating to the same concept , that there is a silver lining to be had during these times, for me I was able to collaborate with musicians that would normally be on the road or with other projects who are now available to jam and Alan’s reply was much obliged.
AE: Exactly man, yea for me you’re so right, it’s just how you look at it. My Father said it the best, its simple there’s two ways to looking at things, you can be positive or be negative, and so of course we all know the negative of the pandemic so we don’t have to talk about it, but its like with in that though I think good. I’ve been really positive. I’ve been making music and can spend time with my family. For me its like a cleanse, to really look at my life, I can’t just do any old gig , I just take everything away and have time to step back and feel what’s really important. What do i want my life to be about? Thats what been a positive for me and I hope it’s like that for a lot of people.
MR: I just scooped Rick James and Stone City Band “Bustin out of L Seven” on Vinyl, are there any recordings from your fellow Buffalo native that stick out?
AE: Man…that’s a really tough one. I mean this really does, you kinda cant go wrong. That’s a dope record
Check Out Soulive’s last home show on Valentines Day in Buffalo, New York on February 14, 2020.
Upstate New York join forces in the latest single by burgeoning rapper, Baddnews. The Syracuse native has recruited Griselda and Buffalo’s own, Benny The Butcher for this catchy, up-tempo record about pushing through the treacheries of the street life, in pursuit of more prosperous times.
After all, adversity is nothing new to the rising rap star, after facing a barrage of drug trafficking charges, the former Rhythm + Flow contestant has made a triumphant return to music with this latest release. His recruit? One of the faces of the Upstate New York rap scene responsible for bringing the city of Buffalo to prominence, along with his fellow Griselda cohorts.
The duo shares similar backgrounds, growing up in rough, urban neighborhoods, mired in violence and drug use. Their attempts at financial prosperity landed them in trouble with the law, before deciding to hone their craft and use that as their golden ticket out. With Baddnews gaining traction as an artist, he can always look to his counterpart and know that there is a future beyond the streets.
Our visions weren’t equally aligned, to chase my dreams I had to leave the streets behind.
Baddnews
Baddnews
Known for his detailed recounts of his time in the streets, Benny The Butcher is the perfect opposite to Baddnews on this record. While the song sees the latter look towards a more promising future, the former spends his verse poignantly recounting the roads traveled that made him a successful rapper.
Drop elbows like Randy Savage to count up Andrew Jackson’s.
Benny The Butcher
Benny the Butcher
“This record with Benny holds a different level of importance, because not only is he one of the hardest lyricists in the game right now, but he’s also from upstate NY just like me” Baddnews commented. “This is just the beginning and I can’t wait to show the world what else I have in store this year.”
