On Wednsday, December 28, and for the first time since 2019, Phish took the stage at Madison Square Garden for their annual New Year’s Run.
Performing their 69th ever show at Madison Square Garden, Phish opened the night with a high-energy “Buried Alive” followed by a funk-filled “Wolfman’s Brother.” Set 1 was highlighted by a 14-minute “Stash” that was followed by a 13-minute “Split Open and Melt” to close the set.
Set 2 started off strong with “Free” which gave way to a nearly 20-minute “A Wave of Hope” that segued smoothly into “It’s Ice.” “Leaves” came out swinging after that, with “Simple,” “Plasma,” “Twist” and “Harry Hood” rounding out the set.
For the encore, a surprise “Esther” was performed in the curtain call slot for the first time in its history, with “46 Days” following up to round out the show.
Phish return for Night two tonight. Tune in at Livephish.com to join Couch Tour.
Set 1: Buried Alive, Wolfman’s Brother, Maze, Sigma Oasis > NICU, Steam, Tela, Stash, Split Open and Melt Set 2: Free > A Wave of Hope -> It’s Ice > Leaves > Simple -> Plasma -> Twist* > Harry Hood Encore: Esther > 46 Days *Trey teased A Wave of Hope in Twist
Ani Difranco, a legend in the indie music scene since the early 90s, hails from Buffalo and got her start playing Beatles covers at local bars, as well as busking alongside guitar teacher Michael Meldrum. A graduate of the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts High School, Difranco began attending classes at Buffalo State College at age 16 and founded Righteous Babe Records, in 1989 at age 19.
DiFranco’s Babeville is a multi-use facility devoted to the arts built inside a 19th century Gothic Revival-style church that was rescued from the wrecking ball to become a home for home for the arts in downtown Buffalo.
According to the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, DiFranco manufactures all her albums in Buffalo, uses the services of Western New York companies for all her products and employs a staff at her downtown Buffalo offices, thus making both an artistic and economic contribution to her hometown of Buffalo.
Rob Smittix of The Xperience Monthly spoke to DiFranco recently, discussing her then-upcoming show at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, songwriters, up-and-coming musicians, as well as Buffalo and her current home of New Orleans.
AD: Hey is this Rob?
RRX: It is.
AD: It’s Ani calling.
RRX: I recognize your voice, how are you?
AD: I’m good.
RRX: I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me. I’m excited about talking to you.
AD: Aw shucks. You’re in Troy?
RRX: Currently, I’m across the river but you’re coming to Troy November 11th to The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. It’s a beautiful theatre, have you played there before?
AD: Oh wow, I don’t think so. Although my life is a bit of a blur.
RRX: Well speaking of your life being a blur… you may or may not remember this but my boss here, Art Fredette and his best friend Jim Barrett used to own a record store called Positively 3rd Street in Troy. He said years ago before you really made a name for yourself, you actually came into the store dropped off cassettes and I imagine you had an acoustic with you because they say that you played a few songs.
AD: I mean, I believe it.
(Both Laugh)
AD: I believe that happened. Who’s to say what memory is ? Feels like a memory, yeah.
RRX: I’ve hear that story a few times and it really made an impression on them.
AD: I mean those were the days. I would literally bring in my cassettes to indie stores in the region and that’s how it all started. Supportive local people who are like okay local chick, what do you got? You know?
RRX: But you were really out there hustling for yourself.
AD: Just trying to make a living without a whole lot of backup.
RRX: That’s great. What I’m saying, is that you really started out DIY before DIY became the big movement that it’s become today. Being independent, having your own record label and doing it on your own way before it became the trend, is really cool. Every album you’ve put out was on your label (Righteous Babe Records), if I’m not mistaken.
AD: In one sense it’s always been there, you know? Where’s the line between? There’s local musicians in every community playing around and getting local audiences. Maybe they’re making a recording and selling them at their gigs. It seems kind of silly. I know that I’m kind of indie-girl USA and often touted for propelling the music industry into it’s new future but in another sense it’s very simple; don’t stop, keep rolling with that and f**k all of the assumptions about where you go from there.
RRX: I respect that! Well that’s cool. I’ve been in a band for years but as we know, only a handful of people actually make it in the business. That’s a dream come true for so many of us. So for people that have made it and that are recognized… that leads me to the question, what are your dreams now? What do you aspire for now?
AD: As you were asking your question I felt the urge to pushback about… even just what making it means. Along the theme of what we are talking about, you’re a musician, I’m a musician. I think anybody that makes a place for music in their life and can carve out that place somehow and make music in a way that sets them free. If it puts them in touch with their body, themselves and their community, people they play music with or for, maybe it’s a solitary thing but if it helps you process your life and be a healthy, happy person… that’s success!
RRX: Sure.
AD: So to finish answering your question, I think holding onto that. That’s all I want. I mean there’s nothing like a pandemic to to refresh my capacity to appreciate my job. After all of these decades it’s still a job. I think if there’s anything I want to do moving forward it’s to stay in touch with my joy of playing music and my purpose of it. Even though it is a f**king job, for me.
RRX: Right, right, but it’s a job that you enjoy and you do have some control over which is really cool as well. That at least I can relate to. I work in radio and for this magazine that we’ve got going on and that’s a dream come true for me. Now do you keep a dream journal?
AD: Um.. no, I barely keep a waking journal. Who has time?
RRX: I kept a dream journal for a really short period of time but then I realized that you can’t always control your dreams and I don’t want anybody reading this stuff.
AD: Oh, yeah there’s that. I somehow let my journal leak into the wider world, I don’t know if I’d recommend it.
RRX: Wow, yeah that could certainly backfire. So because I just like to chat and not really do your standard interview, I just wanted to ask what’s been going on in your life? What’s been on your mind? That sort of thing?
AD: Getting back to touring a lot, which is still just a little bit unhinged. The pandemic changed everything for everybody. Many people that I’ve been working with just splintered in different directions, starting over and the chaos of the touring industry. The whole ride-along of trying to deal with Covid protocols. You feel a little like you’re on the Muppet Show where people are just exploding around you. And the buses… I don’t know if you realize that there were no bus drivers because they all had to go and do something else.
RRX: Wow, no I didn’t even think of that.
AD: There were no buses, we were thrown into vans. It’s just been chaotic but really the divides of the shows an audiences are so high. I’ve been really looking towards the elections and trying to get people registered “A” and “B” excited about f**king changing this sh*t! There are a lot of exiting, young, diverse candidates out there, people stepping up to the plate and running for office. I just feel very strongly about supporting this movement to reclaim democracy and diversify government. I’m really excited about organizations like Run For Something. It’s crowd sourced funding of all of these different progressive candidates, in a lot of different areas. You may not have somebody specifically in your neck of the woods that you are super-jazzed about voting for but a victory somewhere is a victory everywhere. Then there’s Emily’s List, which I’ve been involved with for years, that supports pro-choice female and non-binary candidates. All of these organizations that you can contribute to and help people get their foot in the door and help politics be less controlled by the rich.
RRX: Yeah, I’m really tired of it coming down to the lesser of the two evils.
AD: Right.
RRX: I was just thinking, really… why do we always put up with these choices? There’s how many? 330,000,000 people or something like that in America, so I think we can do better.
AD: It seems like it’s cracking open. It’s changing and all we have to do is throw our weight behind this change and we can make it happen.
RRX: I’ve got to say and I am generalizing, there certainly are exceptions but I’ve got three kids and I’ve listened to them and I’m not knocking the newer generations but it seems as though many of their priorities and values are compromised. A generation that never knew the world without the internet. Kids that are more concerned about TikTok and social media than anything else. Even video games have some responsibility for the way the minds of our youth have developed. I mean there are 7 year olds who have gotten their hands on Grand Theft Auto. It desensitizes them. But the youth are the future and we need to focus on them.
AD: For sure but all of this new technology is completely unregulated, it blindsided even our ability. They want to convince you that government is bad and regulation is bad but of course that’s from the perspective of the overlords. They don’t have to be regulated they have the ability to maximize their profits, no matter what. Government is supposed to protect the little guy. Is business protecting us from itself? Or is it government? Which do you think is going to work better? It’s difficult but I believe in order to get this technology under control so that it can do more good than harm to our young people and our future. As a society we have to get the right regulations in place to counteract the insidious negative effect of the invisible algorithm and the downside of connectivity.
RRX: Also with the youth today, I’ve got to say the music is not helping. The messages that a lot of this music is pushing… and I know we grew up with records that our parents wanted to destroy but it just seems that it’s gotten way worse. Especially the image that woman are portraying in the Hip Hop scene. It’s not what I would want my daughter listening to but kind of hard to ignore it because that’s what they’re putting out now and that’s what is selling.
AD: There’s a big world out there and it’s all in the palm of their hand.
RRX: At least there are artists like yourself that do exist and do have good messages to spread. You’ve got something to say, unfortunately a lot of artists are just trying to capitalize on what will sell regardless.
AD: I feel really strongly about trying to adopt a stance of revolutionary love which hopefully I can employ into everything that I do.
RRX: It’s a double-sided coin as well because I’m not about art censorship, so even though I don’t like the messages that they’re putting out, it’s freedom of speech, they should be able to do it. I guess the problem is that the quote unquote “industry” wants to get this filth into kid’s ears. On another note, I was hanging out with my keyboardist last night he reminded me about Babeville. I’ve never been but I’ve really got to get up there.
AD: It was a huge undertaking that’s for sure and it’s a beautiful venue. It’s several venues really and an art gallery, it’s a little scene in this old cathedral. There’s a cool club down in the basement. That building was slated for demolition like so many buildings in Buffalo. Beautiful architectural treasures that because of poverty…
RRX: Urban blight.
AD: Like so many cities in The Rust Belt. But it was going to be torn down. We started action to to save the building then our karma was wrapped up in it. I remember the summer that basically two dudes spent hand digging out the basement.
RRX: Oh my God!
AD: We couldn’t get a backhoe in there and literally the basement had to be dug from 5 feet headroom to whatever it is. Two dudes! Everything of Righteous Babe went into it but actually in more recent years, I personally have moved on. My partner in Righteous Babe continues on with that venue and I’m down in New Orleans with the record company.
RRX: I was gonna ask if you were still down in New Orleans.
AD: Yup.
RRX: I’ve just seen pictures of Babeville online, so I had to bring it up. It’s really cool that you brought it back to life. I imagine the place is probably haunted. So I don’t want to take up any more of your time. Was there anything else that you wanted to say?
AD: Well for the show itself, I’m going t be playing with Todd Sickafoose on bass and keys. I’ve been playing with him for about 25 years now, my left hand man. We’re also going to be playing with a completely new drummer Jharis Yokley, so that’s radical and exciting.
RRX: Definitely.
AD: The openers are the The Righteous Babes Revue, which is a super group of Righteous Babe artists that are coming together to do these shows and play each other’s songs. It’s really so many awesome and talented babes that are currently on the label that will be opening the show and sitting in with us. This should be a really fun tour
RRX: Well I really appreciate your time. It’s really been a pleasure and I hope you enjoyed yourself as well.
On Friday, January 6, Annie in the Water released “Frozen Lake,” a song 369 days in the making, having been written on January 2nd, 2022.
The song’s genesis comes from keyboardist Matt Richards, who arrived home from a New Years Eve trip to Lake Placid with a few friends, and having been listening to indie artists like Snail Mail and Pinegrove, he was inspired to sit at his piano the moment he got home.
Richards explains the story behind the song:
This is about how over the summer of 2021 I went to Lake Placid with my then-girlfriend, and from the perspective of now being there again during the winter after we broke up, standing on the frozen lake, looking back at the docks where we were standing in the summer time, questioning the nature of our relationship and breakup.
Matt Richards, keys/vocals, Annie in the Water
Annie in the Water spent 2022 recording “Frozen Lake” mostly separately in their own creative spaces, rather than all together in the studio to try to give the tune a “bedroom” approach. When the recording was finished, the band had it mixed by recording engineer Corey Hayward in his self-made studio space.
The track released on January 6, 2023.
Annie in the Water recently also released Live at Artfarm, Vol. II, a collection of live versions of five songs recorded at Artfarm Recording in the Catskill Mountains. Most tracks on the live album were performed over the course of 2022, meant to highlight newer tracks that have yet to be featured on a studio release. Give a listen below.
Brooklyn based record label Razor-N-Tape has added 79.5, a disco-dj-dance band also out of Brooklyn, to their label. To celebrate, 79.5 came out with a thrilling single “Club Level” to rival their last instant-classic “Terrorize My Heart” from 2018.
79.5 is a six-piece band, and what sets them apart in the world of dance music is their woodwind section. With Izaak Mills on saxophone and flute, they can’t lose. His saxophone is reedy and penetrating, relieved by the strutting rhythm section — Andrew Raposo on Bass and Caito Sanchez on drums. Riding this superb beat is the hypnotic voice of Lola Adanna; she channels 80s disco with her breathy tone and echoing sound, it’s intoxicating. Kate Mattison, a singer-songwriter and composer created 79.5 back in 2010, with an imaginary radio station in mind for their band name.
The last big hit from 79.5, “Terrorize My Heart” found its way onto Q-tip’s DJ sets and Questlove’splaylists, their co-sign cementing the song’s place in the disco canon. If that’s any indication, “Club Level” will be taking over dance floors everywhere soon.
When you’re on the floor, lights flashing, inhibitions missing, “Club Level” is the perfect song to throw your head back to. Adanna’s sensual voice paired with sharp saxophone is thrilling, it’s a worthy addition to any New Year’s Eve party playlist, and I’m sure you’ll want to bring it into the new year as well.
Brooklyn jam/prog group PEAK have released two recent performances from the second half of 2022, giving a taste of their live sound in two unique settings – the Delaware Valley Opera House, and Nectar’s.
The first live release from PEAK is Live at Delaware Valley Opera Center, a full show video from the band’s October 28 show at the Delaware Valley Opera Center in Lake Huntington, located just west of Bethel. The band offers very special thanks to Eric Marczo who filled in on bass this fall.
https://youtu.be/D0WIviQFjFo
The second show released is the full audio from the band’s August 26, 2022 performance at Nectar’s in Burlington, VT. They’ll be heading back up that way in early 2023 for another show at the famed venue, now under new, yet familiar ownership.
The PEAK quartet features songwriter and guitarist Jeremy Hilliard (Turbine), Kito Bovenshulte (Particle) on drums, Josh T. Carter (Haley Jane and The Primates) on bass, and Johnny Young on keys (Mick Taylor Band). The self-described pychedelic indie funk band can be found jamming extensively during live shows, and allow the songs on the album to speak for themselves. Stay up to date with PEAK tour dates and news here.
Canadian transplant and Queen of Long Island Country Music, Mary Lamont took me on a roller coaster ride of an interview recently on The Long Island Sound Podcast. The twists and turns of her entry into the music business is quite a story to behold. A story I would have never imagined that would take us from Anne Murray to Alice Cooper!
Mary Lamont “Queen of Long Island Country” photo by Jim Marchese
Not only is Mary a fine country crooner and singer/songwriter, but she’s also a fierce advocate of original music as a DJ with her long-running show, Down Home Country, alternate Sundays at noon on WUSB 90.1 FM, the University of Stony Brook radio station.
That’s part of the fun of being part of WUSB, because there are so many different genres they cover. I mean, anybody can find a show on WUSB, who will be playing the type of music that they like. And you can’t really say that about the other stations and, as you say, the support of local talent.
Mary Lamont
Navigating the Music Industry
Mary found her way into the music industry by happenstance, cutting her teeth in the trenches as a receptionist for Alice Cooper and then progressing through an unofficial apprenticeship with a booking agent, and an industry magazine called Crawdaddy’s. Her early inspiration came from her father.
But my dad said you can sing. You’re going into the church choir. And my first reaction was No, no, I can’t do that. I can’t do that. And he says yes, you can.
Mary Lamont
Coincidence, inspiration, and encouragement collided to move Mary from her comfort zone to become a singer/songwriter. Mary credits her music career to two men in her life, her dad and her Husband, Jim Marchase. Jim is a well-respected photographer in the music business, having once landed a gig as Bruce Springsteen’s photographer on a European tour. He is also the guitarist in the band.
… my husband has been so for lack of a better pun instrumental in, in putting this band together, in encouraging me to, you know, to be the head of the band, you know, in the guitar work that he does, in the riffs that he plays around the house, that inspire me to write music.
Mary Lamont
Mary Lamont’s band has opened for Delbert McClinton, The Marshall Tucker Band and the Charlie Daniel’s Band. She continues to be an ambassador for country music from covers of classic songs to her own catalog of music.
Opportunities Abound Spreading the Goodwill
A fateful phone call came to Mary’s husband, in 2002 when a Chinese foundation was seeking the Mary Lamont Band for a goodwill tour of China.
Mary Lamont Band in China 2002 – Photo by Jim Marchese
I mean, we’ve gone through Alice Cooper and Bruce Springsteen, and now China wants us to bring the band over!
Mary Lamont
Over a two-week period Mary and her band would travel throughout China, covering 23,000 miles from Beijing to the Great Wall.
China was fantastic, the whole musical tour was like our one “Hard Day’s Night”! The schedule was hectic but exhilarating. Our shows were varied, from large outdoor concert events with thousands of people, as well as beautiful large concert halls such as Beijing’s Forbidden City Concert Hall.
Jim Marchese
They say music is the universal language that can heal the world. We sure need ambassadors like Mary Lamont spreading the good news and building bridges between people, cultures with kindness. Join me for the rest of the conversation with Mary Lamont on The Long Island Sound podcast.
During this holiday season, may your generosity of joy inspire everyone you meet, and as always, let the music take you on a journey!
New York City-based four-piece alternative pop/rock band Kids That Fly have released their newest five-track EP Tracks of the High Line, on December 9. With hopes of recreating their viral 2019 single “Kiss Her You Fool,” the group came up with this nostalgic, genre-blending EP. Along with this, the band has also released a VHS Music video for the song “Talk of the Town,” a catchy pop/alternative hit.
In October, Kids that Fly released the EP’s lead single, “High Line,” along with a vibrant music video to pair. “The synth-y beat and fast drums brought me back…it’s pop with enticing guitar chords and a synth that fits right in…conjures 80’s nostalgia. ‘High Line’ evokes a more technical The 1975, a less sad Backseat Lovers,” said NYS Music contributor Sydney Pollack in October.
Yet their newest “Talk of the Town” showcases the energy of Tracks of the High Line in its entirety, which can be described as a combination of sounds from the early 2000s alt-rock era, 80s synth pop, British alternative, and modern pop/rock.
Nick Smeriglio (vocals/guitar), Blake Henry (guitar/synth), Braden Frandino (bass/vocals) and Ryan Hendry (drums/vocals) make up Kids That Fly. Composed of college comrades, they formed in the fall of 2018 while attending the University of Connecticut. Having all grown up in Connecticut, the crew has had a lot of influence from other Connecticut musicians such as Rivers Cuomo of Weezer and indie/rock duo MGMT.
Tracks of the High Line is the “next logical step in the band’s evolution,” shares Nick. Composed of songs written throughout the heart and tail end of the pandemic. “It’s a reflection of lots of different romantic experiences that the four of us have had,” Nick confides. “On a deeper level though, it deals with the different struggles that came from the pandemic, how the isolation took a toll on people, and the recovery of it all.”
“Throughout the process we’ve been experimenting with different synthesizers and other interesting digital production techniques that give each song a bit of a retro futuristic style,” Braden reflects about the EP’s sounds.
Since the very beginning, the band has always put a focus on their fans, prioritizing the importance of live music. With their electrifying up close and personal performances, Kids That Fly will continue to prove their vast potential. You won’t want to miss out on their newest viral hits on Tracks of the High Line.
On Saturday, December 17th, Kendall Street Company closed their two-night run at Mercury Lounge in New York City. Based out of Charlottesville, VA, the band headlined Friday and Saturday night in the East Village with opening performances from Litz and One Time Weekend, respectively. Kendall Street Company brings a unique flare comprised of deep, genre-fluid compositions and unfiltered silly banter.
The company opened their second night with their reggae groove, “Marty Song.” After warming up the crowd with the sweet slow beats of the song, the band took the jam in a very dark direction, foretelling of the serious improvisation to come the rest of the night.
Next, the band punched into “Board Shorts.” Lead guitarist, Ben Laderberg shredded through ska and funk scales as Kendall Street continued to glide through different genres in their original composition. Following was a cover of Wet Leg’s “Chaise Longue” whose silly spoken-word lyrics fit perfectly in the song repertoire of Virginia’s most whimsical jam-band.
“Lunar Dude” had interstellar jams leading into an extended jam, and a buttery smooth transition into the chorus of “Walking on the Moon” by the Police and back into the resolution of the spacey jam. The next cover of the set was “I Got Stoned and I Missed It” by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. Rolling solos from saxophonist, Jake Vannaman carried the fun energy into a rendition of their blissful tune, “Cherry Tree.”
Kendall Street Company then performed one of their newest songs, “California #24” which can be found on their EP, Untitled California Project. This song was written and sung by guitarist Laderberg features spoken-word lyrics and funky guitar solos reminiscent of Frank Zappa.
After this heater, the crowd got to cool down while enjoying the slow acoustic melody of “Lady in Green” from the album The Stories We Write for Ourselves. The waves of energy at Mercury Lounge were brought up with the song “Telephone,” whose extended jam provided a seamless transition into “Say Hey” sung by bassist, Brian Roy before resolving the “Telephone” jam.
Apropos to the holiday spirit, Kendall Street Company played a quick rendition of “Trucking Trees for Christmas” by Red Simpson followed by a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Bertha” in the band’s signature jazz-grass style. The crowd was then treated to “Katz in ze Haus,” whose techno rave vibes are hilarious paired with a silly and ambiguous European accent from Louis Smith, followed by their most streamed hit, “Cars” which came with a KSC-style medley at the end of “Just a Friend” by Biz Markie and Soulja Boi.
Encoring the show with “Wasted,” the room was filled with rattling klezmer scales from Vanaman, as drummer Ryan Wood solos on his toms and caps off the set, the band went into a quick chorus of their song, “Aged White Cheddar” at the request of a fan up front.
Kendall Street Company’s unique art has gained serious traction in the Jam band scene with future performances opening for bands such as, The Infamous Stringdusters, Twiddle, and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong.
Kendall Street Company – Mercury Lounge, Manhattan – Saturday, December 17, 2022
Setlist: Marty Song, Board Shorts, Chaise Longue [1], Lunar Dude, I Got Stoned and I Missed It [2], Cherry Tree., California #24, Lady in Green, Telephone > Say Hey!, Truckin Trees for Christmas [3], Bertha [4], Catz in Zeh Haus, Cars > Just a Friend > Crank Dat [5] [6]
Encore: Wasted [7]
[1] – Wet Leg [2] – Little Feat [3] – Red Simpson [4] – Grateful Dead [5] – Biz Markie [6] – Soulja Boy [7] – Tease of Aged White Cheddar at end
Foals wrapped up their 2022 ‘Life Is Yours’ Tour this past weekend with a handful of shows in the Northeast. The band passed through NYC’s Terminal 5 on Friday, December 16th for a raucous, capacity show, celebrating their return to the city after nearly four years. Foals have consistently been on of the best live rock bands over the last decade, and successfully harness that live energy into their studio records. No exception to rule was their seventh LP, Life Is Yours, released this past June.
Foals thrive on the live stage, and draw out a crowd eager to dance and sing along as they cruise through a tight 90 minute, career-spanning set. Even though the band leaned heavily into Life Is Yours, the older tracks fit in seamlessly because they have always stayed true to their blend of indie and alternate rock. Intricate layers of guitar arpeggios and vocal melodies soar over the crowd all backed by groovy rhythms perfect for a dance floor. The show opened with Life Is Yours single “Wake Me Up,” which saw it’s debut just over a year ago in 2021. The main set ended with an epic performance of “Mountain at My Gates” off 2015s What Went Down, followed by an encore of “Inhaler” and one of the band’s oldest and most beloved songs, “Two Steps, Twice”.
The current tour concluded this weekend with a final show in Portland, Maine. Foals takes a few months off before making a few stops in the UK ahead of a big run of shows opening Paramore’s upcoming tour. Head over to the band’s website for a full list of shows, and check out the photo gallery from the show this weekend at Terminal 5 below.
Doeke (Jorn Swart), a New York-based neo-classical pianist delivers a great deal on his new album Herinner – he is at times poignant, elegant, delicate, intricate, and vulnerable in this continued exploration of his signature dreamy and gentle piano playing style.
With these sonic reflection of stories from the past, present, and future, the album is all about nostalgia, home, and the strange details remembered from childhood, the music transporting the listener to another time and place.
Doeke was my grandfather’s first name. He played the accordion, which inspired me to pick up that instrument as a kid, and later led me to the piano. All the song titles are in Dutch, and many of the compositions are inspired by memories from the Netherlands.
Doeke (Jorn Swart)
Doeke is shaped by a desire to return to simplicity, with Swart’s piano compositions inviting listeners from all over the world to feel a nostalgia that is both melancholic and comforting. Swart moved to the USA in 2010 as a Fulbright Scholar to pursue a master’s degree in jazz piano in New York City, where he’s been living and performing ever since.
Throughout his career, Swart has been busy not only as a composer and a piano soloist, but also as a bandleader, musical director, and recording artist for other musicians. As he built his name, touring throughout the USA and in Europe and garnering international acclaim, audiences told him that his work sounded like it was telling a story. With Doeke, he leans into this quality, with music that has a narrative and the emotional attributes of a film score.
You know how a certain smell can suddenly evoke something that happened a long time ago, something you thought you’d forgotten, and you become instantly overcome with the same feeling you had back then? Music can also send you on these fleeting time travels and the songs on this album capture such transient visceral experiences. Though these recollections are deeply personal for me, music can transcend this and transform the particular into the universal.
Music allows us to collectively experience the most powerful human states of being — nostalgia, joy, melancholy, reflection, excitement — and take comfort in knowing we all feel this way sometimes. Herinner is about these little moments that can seem insignificant, but still endure. It invites the listeners to join and embrace the nostalgic.
Doeke (Jorn Swart)
Herinner is available for streaming on various platforms here.
