On March 12, 2021, alto saxophone icon Miguel Zenón will commemorate Ornette Coleman’s 91st birthday (March 9) with the release of Law Years: The Music of Ornette Coleman.
Recorded in May 2019 after a residency at Bird’s Eye Jazz Club in Basel, Switzerland, the album features Zenón with an international quartet: tenor saxophonist Ariel Bringuez, bassist Demian Cabaud, and drummer Jordi Rossy.
Though the musicians have previous connections with Zenón, they never played together in this particular configuration, the performances display remarkable synergy and intensity.
Playing a concert of exclusively Ornette Coleman music proved to be magical, exciting, and more bittersweet than the quartet knew. Each member of the quartet is a jazz master in their own right, and their expertise is clear to see in these live performances.
Coleman has long been one of Zenón’s musical heroes. The first time he heard Ornette’s music, Zenón was a teenager still living in Puerto Rico.
“I just kind of stood there, mesmerized and in shock, trying to figure it out,” he says. “It was entirely different than anything I had heard before. There is freedom there, and lots of it. But there’s also a deep sense of cohesiveness and structure. And, above all, melody: beautiful and inspired melodic lines that serve as springboards for everyone involved.”
Later, Zenón was fortunate enough to meet Ornette. He remembers their interactions fondly. “He was always nice and supportive,” says Zenón.
“Our interactions went pretty much the same way every time. Me: ‘Mr. Coleman, I’m not sure if you remember me – my name is Miguel, and I’m an alto saxophonist and one of your biggest fans.’ Ornette: ‘Nice to see you, Miguel. Have you ever thought about what would happen if you played A and Eb at the same time?’.”
“As I listen to the music,” says Zenón, “it almost feels like a different time. A time when we weren’t afraid to be close to each other. A time when we could still play in a packed room, with the audience right in front of us, and just feed off their energy. A time that will come back soon enough. And when it does, we’ll be ready to do it all over again.”
A special aspect of the quartet is that each member hails from a different part of the world. “I’m Puerto Rican, Ariel is Cuban, Demian is Argentinian, and Jordi is Catalan,” says Zenón.
“The fact that we are all from different parts of the globe and all Spanish speakers raises another important point: Jazz music knows no boundaries or labels; it is as inclusive now as it has ever been.”
The release will be available digitally on March 12, 2021.
In February of 2014, Paul Simon and Sting began their ‘On Stage Together’ Tour in Houston, TX. The tour traveled across North America, Oceania, and Europe before concluding in Amsterdam in 2015. I was lucky enough to catch one of the shows on my birthday, March 4, 2014, at Madison Square Garden. That made this night even more special than it was already set out to be. The accompanying band was comprised of members of both Simon and Sting’s bands respectively.
“Welcome to our little experiment” Simon said to the crowd early on. After performing the first few songs together, the duo took turns alternating throughout the night, but still sprinkled in a few more songs together before they both took the stage once again for the encore. After the opening duets, Simon left the stage and Sting began his Police heavy solo block with “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”, Englishman In New York”, “I Hung My Head and “Driven To Tears”. He ended his first set with “Walking on the Moon” which transitioned nicely into Simon’s “Mother and Child Reunion”. After that, Sting left the stage and Simon began his first solo set with “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”. The rest of his set were all hits from his solo career like “Graceland”, “Still Crazy After All These Years” and “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard.”
Before Paul left the stage again, they both did a magnificent cover of Sting’s “Fragile” from his Nothing Like the Sun album. Sting started his next set with a stripped down cover of Simon’s “America”. “Paul has been my mentor and teacher for many, many years” Sting told the audience. He then explained that the song reminded him of when he first came to America. Him, Stewart and Andy rented a station wagon in New York and drove across the country playing in dives and staying in shitty hotels. He said “Even though this song was written a decade before, it still reminds me of that time”. He then continued his set with some more Police classics like “Message in a Bottle” and “Roxanne” along with more solo hits like “They Dance Alone” and “Desert Rose.”
Another highlight of the night is when Simon appeared back on stage and helped end Sting’s set with another duet cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Boxer”. The two sounded amazing as they harmonized on the song that was recorded over 40 years earlier.
For his next set, Paul dusted off the title track to his 1983 album Hearts and Bones as well as his 1991’s percussion driven “The Obvious Child”. I love this song but for some reason it is not a crowd favorite. But, needless to say he quickly reengaged the sold out crowd at The Garden with what is probably his most popular solo song “You Can Call Me Al” to end his final solo set.
The encore began with “Bridge Over Troubled Water” with Sting nailing the high notes on the first verse. Paul sang the second verse before transitioning right into “Every Breath You Take” as well as a vibrant version of “Late in the Evening”.
At this time the band walked off the stage and it appeared the show was about to end, but Simon and Sting then both picked up acoustic guitars and harmonized once again on the Everly Brothers “When Will I Be Loved” that they dedicated to the late Phil Everly.
The show was over three hours long and it was so good that I could have watched the entire performance again. This was one of the best collaborations I have ever seen between two iconic performers coming from different backgrounds and styles.
Paul Simon and Sting, Madison Square Garden, NYC – March 4, 2014
Setlist: Brand New Day@, The Boy in the Bubble@, Fields of Gold@, Every Little Thing She Does is Magic#, Englishman in New York#, I Hung My Head#, Driven to Tears#, Walking on the Moon#, Mother and Child Reunion@, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover*, Dazzling Blue*, Graceland*, Still Crazy After All These Years*, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard*, Fragile@, America#, Message in a Bottle#, The Hounds of Winter#, They Dance Alone#, Roxanne#, Desert Rose#, The Boxer@, That Was Your Mother*, Hearts and Bones*, Mystery Train*, Wheels*, The Obvious Child*, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes*, You Can Call Me Al*
Encore: Bridge Over Troubled Water@, Every Breath You Take@, Late in the Evening@, When Will I Be Loved?@
On March 3, Govenor Cuomo announced a pilot program to test the Excelsior Pass to begin opening up businesses, starting with Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center. This follows the recent announcement of “NY Pops Up” featuring over 300 free live performances.
Aeriel view of Madison Square Garden
At the Governor’s 2021 State of the State Address, Cuomo declared the Excelsior Pass will use proven technology to confirm an individual’s vaccination or negative test results for COVID-19. Through confidential data transfer, the Governor is hoping this will help quicken the pace in reopening theaters, stadiums and more in accordance with New York State guidelines. Ticketmaster proposed a similar plan in November.
The state tested the first pilot on Feb. 27 for the Brooklyn Nets game at Barclays Center and the second one on March 2 at a Rangers game at Madison Square Garden. The pass is like an airline boarding pass where the attendee has an app called the “wallet app.” There, they can either print it out or have admissions scan the QR code within the app.
We’re doing everything we can to vaccinate as many New Yorkers as possible, as quickly as possible, while keeping the infection rate down and reenergizing our economy in a safe, smart way.
Governor Cuomo
The Governor also explained that the Excelsior Pass will get information to venues and establishments quick enough to avoid an outbreak and get more businesses to open their doors.
Since the pandemic shut down the nation a year ago this month, many venues and restaurants have struggled to stay afloat. Although a lot of businesses qualified for the Paycheck Protection Loan and were able to maintain stability, others did not. Now that more New Yorkers are getting vaccinated and COVID-19 cases are decreasing, this is a chance to get those struggling businesses back on their feet.
That app has been tested right now, both at Barclays and Madison Square Garden, and those tests have been successful. So, once we get the approvals, the app will be available for download on both platforms, on Google, on Apple platforms; people download to their smartphones. And that will allow someone to show the result of their test, whether it be a PCR test, which (will be) valid for up to 72 hours, or rapid test, which will be valid for six hours. In addition, though, if you don’t want to use an app, you will be able to download a paper result of your test that you can then print out and use that to demonstrate your negative test.
Rob Mujica, New York State Budget Director
The news on the Excelsior Pass was followed up by an announcement that beginning on Friday, April 2, event, arts and entertainment venues can reopen at 33% capacity, with up to 100 people indoors and up to 200 people outdoors. All attendees must present proof of negative test prior to entry, which can lead to a capacity increase of up to 150 people indoors and up to 500 people outdoors.
Social distancing and face coverings will be required by all attendees, as well as strict adherence to all applicable Department of Health guidance.
Additionally, Cuomo announced that beginning March 22, residential gatherings of up to 25 people can be held outdoors. Indoor residential gatherings remain capped at 10 people to reduce the continued risk of spread. Also, non-residential social gatherings of up to 100 people can occur indoors and up to 200 people can occur outdoors.
Cuomo isn’t the only one who’s optimistic about returning the music industry to somewhat of a normal state. Live Nation’s CEO Michael Rapino believes outdoor events will be able to achieve an audience capacity of 75 or even 100 percent across the nation.
“We might have certain states that might not be ready, but we have enough states and enough artists willing to play the open slots if we get to that level in the right markets,” Rapino said.
With more artists than ever wanting to tour and fans eager to make up for lost time, all signs point to even more concerts ahead. Thank you to all of our @LiveNation employees for their endless resilience and creativity – none of this would be possible without you pic.twitter.com/gdiapVYSyk
For individuals wishing to use the Excelsior Pass, their information will be completely confidential and protect any personal health information. They will have a variety of passes to choose from for their own comfortability.
On February 26th, singer-songwriter, producer, and guitarist Marc Ribler released “Shattered,” a single from his upcoming solo album The Whole World Awaits You, set to release in June of this year.
Ribler’s unique ability to balance emotion and logic enables him to infuse his music with raw passion laced with a clear-headed understanding of the complexities of life.
“Shattered,” channels the heartbreak rock sound of Tom Petty, but has its own unique twist. Ribler’s guitar playing is outstanding on this track, as well as his vocals. The lyrics are catchy and will have you singing along by the end of the song.
Ribler, music director for Stevie Van Zandt, has written and produced over 40 songs for major label recording artists throughout the world and his songs have charted in Billboard’s Hot 100, with Top 10 hits in Canada and abroad.
He has played with many of the great over the years, including Bruce Springsteen, Carole King, Paul McCartney, Darlene Love, and Elvis Costello to name just a few.
Additionally, he’s written popular jingles for brands like Trojan Condoms, Office Dept, V8 Juices, Bell South, Activia Yogurt and Green Mountain Coffee.
Reflecting on the beginning of his love of music, Ribler recalls, “One of my first memories was at age 5 waking up to the radio alarm clock with WABC pouring out tunes like Donovan’s “Mellow Yellow,” Tommy James’ “Crimson and Clover,” The Beatles’ haunting “She’s Leaving Home” and The Byrds’ rendition of “Mr. Tambourine Man.”
“Those pop ditties melded deep into the fabric of my very being, with great hooks that the artists seemed to be singing straight to my soul.”
“Shattered” and The Whole World Awaits You is co-produced and arranged by Marc Ribler and Stevie Van Zandt and mixed by Ribler.
NYC-based trio Consider the Source released the video for their in-studio performance covering “Exit Music (For A Film)” by Radiohead.
Consider the Source “Exit Music (For A Film) performance
Consider the Source is an instrumental band that formed in 2004. Over time the band members changed but the current members are the guitarist Gabriel Marin, the bassist John Ferrera and drummer Jeff Mann. Over the course of their career, they’ve released several studio albums. Their music style ranges as they receive inspiration from various bands and have studied genres from all over the world.
The band covered Radiohead for the first time years ago. They took on the challenge of performing instrumental arrangements of their songs on sets of shows and festivals, and even a tour with Papadosio. Consider The Source first did a studio performance of Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android” and received a positive reaction. With the mixture of the feedback and feeling like the song matched their sound, the trio decided to go further into covering the notorious rock band.
On March 2 they released their video covering the song “Exit Music (For a Film)” that was originally made for the 1996 rendition of Romeo and Juliet and also appeared on the album OK Computer. They all used their instrumental skills to resemble the compositions within the single. Marin was on the double-neck guitar to imitate the vocals, Ferrera played the bass and the organ and Mann was on the drums and acoustic guitar.
This isn’t the only project the trio has in store for this week. Consider the Source announced that they’re having a free live-streamed concert on March 6. They are performing music from their own catalog on Saturday from the Ardmore Music Hall and giving away a Nate Mclennen poster. The performance consists of two sets and airs at 8 p.m. from Ardmore Music Hall’s website.
Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in Tivoli, just across the Hudson River from Saugerties, will host their inaugural, outdoor Spring Festival. Joining them will be Patti Smith and her longtime collaborator Tony Shanahan, who will offer tribute to Bob Dylan ahead of his upcoming 80th birthday, through original songs and poetry as well as works by Dylan, on May 22, 2021.
On Instagram, Kaatsbaan Cultural Park said they were “Thrilled to have poet performer Patti Smith participate in our upcoming spring festival.”
Smith and Dylan have a longstanding relationship going back to the 1960s, and Smith even performed at Dylan’s Nobel Prize for Literature ceremony in 2016 in his absence.
Additional offerings for the late-May festival will the include works of dance, culinary arts and sculpture.
Artistic Director of Kaatsbaan, Stella Abrera, explained what the event will entail.
The name Kaatsbaan, derived from the Dutch language for ‘a playing field,’ will embody our Spring Festival in every way. We have always been a haven away from the constraints of city life where artists can realize their most ambitious projects. In May, the public will have the opportunity to see this in action, as we create immersive experiences across our fields where they can safely encounter an unparalleled range of artists and styles.
Kaatbaan Artistic Director Stella Abrera
Following the success of a 2020 Summer Festival, held despite challenges faced at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the first Spring Festival will take place on May 22. During last year’s nine-week Summer Festival, Kaatsbaan was able to support over 100 New York-based artists, as noted by executive director Sonja Kostich.
This spring, the greatly expanded program will not only support artists in dance but also across music, poetry, visual and culinary arts, as well as the invaluable individuals who work behind the scenes to make a festival come to life. Kaatsbaan is also committed to the health and vibrancy of our local economy, with the Spring Festival providing opportunities for local economic growth that includes exciting new partnerships.
It has been four years since the members of Melt came together as a band. Co-founders Veronica Stewart-Frommer (Vocals) and Eric Gabriel (Vocals, Keys) both NYC natives, started playing music together in High School. They and some of their friends entered a local battle of the bands competition and won. They took the prize money from that competition and used it to produce the band’s first song“Sour Candy” which was released as a single in 2017.
Melt is a septet, which is comprised of an additional five members: Marlo Shankweiler (Guitar), Josh Greenzeig (Drums), Coulou (Trumpet), Lucas Saur (Bass), and Nick Sare (Saxophone). Melt’s successful debut single propelled the band into the limelight with the strategic utilization of social media and substantial exposure on various internet streaming services. “Sour Candy” holds the distinction of having over 5 million streams on Spotify since it’s initial release. Between this heavy exposure and the band’s high energy live performances, Melt has been successful in establishing themselves securely in the rough and tumble NYC music scene.
Melt has a reached another important milestone with the February release of their Debut EP West Side Highway, which includes six tracks of previously unreleased music. Recorded at the Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, West Side Highway reflects a new level of maturity that Melt has been successful in developing as a band. “Coming into the studio with the goal of creating a longer work, we thought more intently on how each track worked with one another and used the opportunity to weave together the wide set of influences helping to shape a seven-person band,” said Josh Greenzeig (Drums).
“We used the EP format to create a snapshot of what that moment in time was for us, cementing elements of our sound that we love and finding new ones worth exploring.”
West Side Highway starts out with opening track “Don’t Want Me,” a moody number that details a love affair that has gone bad and is still painfully lingering in it’s final death throes. The masterful guitar instrumentation by Shankweiler and the melancholic vocal by Stewart-Frommer both work in concert to create a setting of sad desperation with a longing to be released. It was a great way to start the record and one that was interesting in it’s selection. It set the meditative tone of the EP which is soothing, comforting, and introspective in it’s entirety. This on going theme is again illustrated with third track, the EP’s title track, “West Side Highway,” which can be considered a love letter to pandemic ravaged NYC. This thought evoking number features a wonderfully muted trumpet solo by Coulou that is enhanced with Gabriel’s creative keyboard playing. his type of musical craftmanship results in another gem of a track on the record.
We were able to get some time with Melt co-founders Veronica Stewart-Frommer (Vocals) and Eric Gabriel (Vocals, Keys) in order to discuss the band and it’s debute EP – West Side Highway.
Tim Bopp: How did the band Melt form and what were the circumstances that caused the genesis of the band.
Eric Gabriel: Veronica and I went to High School together and towards the end of high school we had some more time to kind of start playing with people around the city and that was really the first iteration.
Veronica Stewart-Frommer: The first call we made was Marlo who is our guitar player.
TB: How did you come up with the band name Melt?
VS-F: The funny thing about that is that we actually had the song even before we had the name for the band. Suddenly we were sitting with this single and we were like, “Alright and we kind of want to put this out there but we don’t have a name.” So we went down this very long list of random names. The night before we were going to release “Sour Candy” we actually made a Facebook page called Big Deli Chain. We were like, “That is it! That is the name! We are going to be Big Deli Chain (laughing).” At some point between 2AM and 4AM that night I was just like this band can’t be named Big Deli Chain and we changed it to Melt. It was so random.
TB: How has the Pandemic Affected the band and the new EP West Side Highway?
VS-F: The EP really is a product of the Pandemic. In a lot of ways, it feels like an entirely new Melt. This was such a unique time for us. Something that is interesting about us is that during the year we are all either doing our day jobs or even in school. A lot of us are still in college. So we do this kind of funky long distance band thing where we unite for these crazy weekend shows and then go our separate ways. In a lot of ways due to the Pandemic, if we wanted to work, we had to live together for multiple weeks in order to justify moving anywhere. It was kind of the first time since four years ago when the band started that we were able to settle down and really be together for weeks on end and write and hang out. We are such a live band that our songs are usually tested over months and years at live shows and they are based on what the audience reacts to and how we are feeling at the show but there was none of that this time.
EG: We have mostly been thought of as a live band. On most of our singles we typically try to document that energy that we all love about playing together at a live show. This EP we kind of wanted to go into a different direction. I think it is much more chilled out and doesn’t really have as much of that live band sound. The individual tracks we kind of wanted to take a different approach in the crafting of the songs.
TB: What are some of your musical influences?
VS-F: Part of what makes up the Melt sound is that we are seven people and some of us went to school for Jazz music and some of us studied political science and were raised on the Beatles and Bob Dylan. A lot of us have been into the Jam scene. That is actually how I met Marlo, through Phish and the Grateful Dead. I think we are kind of all over the map on that. Obviously as a singer I really adore a lot of artists like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Otis Redding. That is where I fell in love with that genre and that type of singing. We are really all over the place. Right now a lot of us are into Phoebe Bridgers and the more Indie scene. I think that comes through on this EP.
EG: I grew up with a ton of Bruce Springsteen. More recently I listen to more folk music like Adrianne Lenker and also bands like the National. That kind of music.
TB: So, are you two the predominant the songwriters for Melt?
VS-F: Typically, that is how it has been. In the past, Eric and I usually write the lyrics to the songs that we sing, but we edit with each other and with other members of the band. Usually, it will either be one of the two of us will start a song and then bring it to the band. It evolves into a completely different direction from there. For this EP, since we were all together and couldn’t perform live, we wound up focusing a lot more on the production side of things as a band. Our bass player Lucas is really skilled at recording and in engineering production. He played a huge role in creating the foundation for the songs on the EP. We experimented a lot on this record this time around.
EG: This time around we started with Josh the drummer literally laying down songs, sometime just on his own. Then we would add the bass track and then that leads us into the guitar and usually vocals at the end. We really just build it up.
VS-F: We don’t know which way we like better. Maybe in the future we will go back in and play everything as if we are playing live. I think part of the beauty of Melt is that we are so young, so we don’t feel tied to any of our ways and we like to try out new things and see how it goes.
TB: How long did it take a band like Melt to complete the West Side Highway EP?
VS-F: Start to finish it was like two months. We were really lucky to be able to record the EP at the Bunker Studios in Brooklyn. We had a really wonderful producer and engineer named Aaron Nevezie who mixed some of the tracks as well.
EG: Some songs were written earlier, like Hours I wrote about a year ago.
TB: What does the future have in store for Melt?
Eric: We cannot wait to start playing shows again. We are really looking forward to playing out. The last real show Melt played was at the Sinclair in Cambridge last February. It felt like that at that show we all came together and we were fully on it. Our trumpet player Aaron even stage dived at the end of the “Sour Candy” solo that night.
VS-F: That show was awesome. It wasn’t the biggest room we have played, but just the layout of the place was great. It went straight back so you could see everyone and there was great energy that night. I also think the Knitting Factory show we played in Brooklyn. That was the first time we played “Waves.” Before a show we are always saying to the band don’t go too fast let’s keep the energy contained. Once we get out there it is just like an explosion and we are always playing at 100%. We don’t have many moments during a set where we just drop back and take a moment to breathe. In the bridge in “Waves” there is a moment where everyone drops out and it is just me and Eric. That was really a special moment. I always think about that moment when I picture live music coming back. It was the first time that we had ever played the song and I think the audience was psyched to hear a new song and it was kind of a sentimental little moment. It was really cool.
Key Tracks: Don’t Want Me, West Side Highway, Waves
When the pandemic hit and caused a shutdown in March 2020, it took the world by storm, especially in NYC. It began a public health crisis and as a result, anything that required people to gather together was put on pause. Isolation became the new reality and with social distancing as a requirement, many sectors faced unprecedented circumstances. The arts and entertainment sector had the biggest decline and impact on the economy since the pandemic began.
Arts and Entertainment Decline Graph from State Comptroller Website
This devastating decrease comes after the progression within the industry in 2019. From 2009 to 2019, employment grew by 42 percent. Establishments grew by 28 percent, with a major rise seen in Brooklyn, Staten Island and Queens. The total amount of wages increased by 78 percent across the city in this sector alone compared to the average of 64 percent for all sectors. The average amount of primary earnings for 128,400 residents was $63,100 in 2019. They were artists, musicians, actors and producers and about 31,000 of them were self-employed.
Despite the success from the decade prior, COVID-19 pushed the sector in the opposite direction. As of February 2020, there were approximately 87,000 employees within the arts and entertainment industry in NYC. That number drastically changed to 34,100 in April and further declined in December 2020 by 66 percent. In comparison to its progress in 2019, this is the largest decline of any of the sectors in NYC’s economy.
photo by Joseph Buscarello
Currently, many establishments in performing arts aren’t allowed to reopen, turning to the virtual world in order to gain revenue. Those who reopened were forced to make budget cuts due to less income from limited capacity. Broadway Theatres may open in June 2021 and other establishments such as the Metropolitan Opera and New York City Ballet don’t expect to open until September 2021. These reopenings are dependent upon the number of vaccinations and venues evaluation of ventilation systems and compliance with guidelines.
While everything is still uncertain during these times, there are attempts at saving the industry. In December 2020 the New York City Council allowed the creation of the “Open Culture” program. The program allows organizations to hold free and ticketed outdoor cultural and arts events from March 2021 until October 31, 2021 or possibly through March 2022. Governor Cuomo recently announced the New York Arts Revival, an initiative designed to restart live performing arts events.
DiNapoli believes that there is much to be done in order to keep the lights on. He suggests extending unemployment benefits including for those who are independent contractors. As the weather becomes warmer, he thinks more outdoor spaces should be utilized through rapid testing, the rise of vaccinations and safety guidelines intact. DiNapoli sees progress being made if the City and State work together and communicate with these establishments about achievable milestones.
It’s been a year without live music, but there are signs of life coming this spring. Looking to the South as the weather breaks, socially distanced shows and festivals are starting to pop up. Suwannee Rising will welcome Umphrey’s McGee, Lettuce, Goose, Eric Krasno’s Chapter 2, Andy Frasco and the U.N., Big Something and many more to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (SOSMP) in Live Oak, FL – April 8 – 10, 2021.
Suwannee Live produced two drive-in podded events earlier this year – Larry Keel/Grass Is Dead and the Funky Mardi Gras Masquerade – serving as successful test runs for the return of Suwannee Rising, which is set to be one of the first multi-day music festivals in the US since the pandemic.
For this event, they will offer P.O.D.S. (Personal Outdoor Dance Space), providing a safe and socially distanced setting for fans to enjoy live performances, including Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, Mark Lettieri Group, Magnolia Boulevard, Melody Trucks Band, and Anthill Cinema.
When we cancelled Suwannee Rising 2020, we never imagined the challenges it would present to society and especially the live music industry. We viewed the situation with a glass half-full attitude, realistic but hopeful. No one wanted to accept a world without the live music experience.
After producing two intimate post-Covid shows at the park and attending other drive-in events, we learned that while no one can eliminate 100% of risk from their lives, it is possible to produce a great show that fans, staff, and artists can attend and still dance and feel safe. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting our musical community over the last year through the twists and turns of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Suwannee Live’s Paul Levine
Although the 800-acre park is home to multiple permanent stages including its famous amphitheater, Suwannee Rising will feature two stages side by side that are located in one of their vast fields, allowing plenty of space for socially distanced P.O.D.S. When one stage ends, the other will start. Large video screens allow every guest to easily view the performances from any of the spacious P.O.D.S., which offer a safely spaced area for family and friends to enjoy the live music, with each including four weekend tickets and primitive camping. P.O.D.S. owners can add up to two extra tickets for a maximum of six people per P.O.D.S. Guests are also allowed to bring their own food and drinks to the show.
And yes, there are still safety measures in place. Masks are required when festival goers aren’t in their P.O.D.S. and additional safety measures will be in place giving fans peace of mind to relax, let go, and soak in the healing power of live music. To learn more about these initiatives and the safety squad please visit the FAQ page.
Tickets and P.O.D.S. go on sale Wednesday, March 3 at 10am EST on Suwannee Live, with Suwannee Rising 2020/21 ticket holders having the first access to the P.O.D.S. starting March 2. For cabins, RV hook ups and golf cart rentals please visit MusicLivesHere.
Lonnie Jordan is a singer-songwriter and a founding member of the American funk band WAR. The band is best known for hits such as “Spill the Wine,” “The World Is a Ghetto,” “The Cisco Kid,” “Why Can’t We Be Friends” and “Lowrider.”
Over the years Lonnie had a number of roles in the band. Not only was he a vocalist, but also played guitar, piano, synthesizer and percussion. Jordan was one of the first three people to form the group even when they were known at the time as the Creators and Nightshift. Currently he is the only remaining original member.
On July 21 2019, NYS Music had an opportunity to ask the rock legend a few questions about his life and his 50-plus year career in the music industry at The Great South Bay Music Festival in Patchogue, Long Island. Lonnie Jordan was 70 years old at the time and looked great; he couldn’t have been nicer or more humble. With only minutes to spare for an interview, I dove right in.
Rob Tellerman: What drew you to the music industry?
Lonnie Jordan: Being young and watching other artists perform and saying “Aw man! That looks like fun! That’s what I want to do when I grow up!”
RT: Who were some of your influences?
LJ: You have to understand, I’m almost 71 years old so back in my time it was Ray Charles, Jimmy Smith, The Everly Brothers, of course Elvis, Wilson Pickett, James Brown and the list goes on. A lot of gospel, a lot of Latin. Later on, in my life Fania All-Stars came in with the soulful boogaloo and Latin boogaloo.
RT: Before it was WAR, it was The Creators? Am I correct?
LJ: Yes. We were called The Creators and then we changed it to Nightshift. Then when we were Nightshift, playing with Deacon Jones for a minute, I believe he was #49 on The Rams, Eric Burdon and Lee Oskar, by now producer, manager and engineer, came down to hear us play and the rest was history.
RT: Are you still friendly with Eric Burdon?
LJ: Yes of course. He’s busy and at his age and he has to stay busy otherwise he will get tired or as some people say “retired” (Laughs).
RT: Is it true Jimi Hendrix joined WAR on stage in London 1970 for what was to become his last performance?
LJ: Yea Jimmy and Eric (Burdon) were very good friends. A lot of people don’t know that Eric’s old band The Animals’ bass player Chas Chandler was the one who introduced Jimmy to his first album deal. He produced his first album so he introduced Jimmy to the music industry. Being that Eric, Jimmy and Chas were good friends, Eric got this weird band together, which happened to be us. But Jimmy was supporting Eric’s new journey.
RT: Was he ok at the show?
LJ: Well he came down Tuesday night and he was fine, but he didn’t bring his guitar. We said “Man you gotta bring your guitar tomorrow”. So, he brought his guitar and we were backstage talking. I believe the band Osibisa was playing downstairs, but all the smoke was coming up. So, he (Jimmy) jumped on stage. We gave him an amplifier. There were no gimmicks. We all played like we did back in the early days when we were playing holes’ in the wall. Ironically, we played “Mother Earth” by Memphis Slim and he wound up going back to “Mother Earth” the next morning.
RT: Is touring as fun now as it was in the 60’s and 70’s?
LJ: Well I wasn’t drinking coffee back then. It’s more fun because I have more knowledge now of my surroundings. I’m a vegan and my wife is a raw vegan chef so that helps me stay active at my old age. Also, my Rock and Roll Hall of Fans supports me and makes it more fun. My mind and heart are open and I’m not being swallowed by a cloud of smoke.
RT: Have you ever had performance anxiety?
LJ: Not yet.
RT: If you had 1 message to give your fans what would it be?
LJ: Come here us play! Every chance you get because our stage is always smokin’!
RT: Do you think it’s ridiculous that WAR is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
LJ: We’ve been nominated but you have to understand, there is no category for us. That’s why we haven’t won anything. I would say that may be a bad thing for people who think materialistically, but for me, my Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is my Rock and Roll Hall of Fans! I’m so honored that the people still have us here working. Our music has so many different genres. I never thought our music was even going to be played on the radio so I’m honored and blessed the people still support us.
