Category: Media

Kendrick Lamar and Miles Teller kickoff Season 48 of Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live returned for Season 48 at Studio 8H of Rockefeller Center, bringing in four new SNL featured cast members, along with host Miles Teller and musical guest, Kendrick Lamar.

Opening with a deeply self-referential Manningcast sketch, featuring host Miles Teller as Peyton Manning and repertory player Andrew Dismukes as Eli Manning, the pair began to break down the upcoming changes to SNL this season, with a cameo from actor Jon Hamm as well. Referencing cast members who departed and facing criticism during a transition year head on, the breakdown of the cold open as the cold open was underway was a fresh idea for SNL and a bellwether for the season to come.

With a fresh SNL font and new cast intros segment, the start of Season 48 also marked the 20th season for Kenan Thompson, as well as the 20th season for the Grand Central Terminal set, each debuting during Season 29 in 2003. Teller, star of this summer’s Top Gun: Maverick, shared his excitement for making it to the SNL stage, having been a fan since he was a kid. Teller shared childhood videos of he and his sister as Spartan Cheerleaders – with Teller as Cheri Oteri and his sister as Will Ferrell. This is a trend seen among hosts recently as they celebrate making it the long transition from SNL fan to SNL host, such as Oscar Isaac last season.

Miles Teller SNL monologue

For the first performance on the night, Kendrick Lamar performed two songs – “Rich Spirit” and “N95” – from his fourth album, Mr. Morale And The Big Steppers. Using a minimalist approach to the performance, Lamar performed alone in a blue-hued box room with a single pedestal fan facing him, while his shadow was prominently featured to his right. After a minute, the shadow began dancing as he shifted into the speedier “N95” with spotlight and strobes highlighting the solo artist confined to this white room, similar to his stage set up on his recently ended North American leg of his ‘Big Steppers” tour.

A stunning performance, text flashing on the white walls during “N95” included “Lil L got his passport,” “4 peez Kee riches,” “The homie Jason Keaton wrote two books in prison,” “The Edges Envy in the Eyes,” and “Yea we still playing industry politics.”

These referenced, respectively, Compton rapper and friend of Lamar, Lil L; 4 Peez who grew up on Piru Street, two streets down from the location of the Good kid Maad city house; rapper Kee Riches who was shot and killed last week; and Jason Keaton, who earned college degrees and wrote two books while incarcerated for 15 years, and who is also referenced in the 2009 K.Dot song “Jason Keaton and Uncle Bobby.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1ursSZ0NCw

For his second performance, Kendrick was once again in a white box, this time with a bed, lamp, table and chair, where British rapper Sampha was rocking. Lamar dove in with Sampha joining in on “Early mornin’ wake ups, practicin’ on day-offs. Tough love, bottled up, no chaser, neat, no chaser.” Throughout the performance, the walls closed in on Kendrick and Sampha, as they rapped and reflected upon an upbringing with limited emotional outlets amid home invasions and daddy issues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04qA4krEub8

Tonight also marked the fifth appearance on SNL for Kendrick Lamar, starting with his 2013 debut where he performed “Swimming Pools (Drank)” and “Poetic Justice,” then returned in 2014 to play “i” and “Pay For It” off To Pimp a Butterfly, alongside Jay Rock and Chantal Kreviazuk. Lamar has also joined other musicians on SNL, including Imagine Dragons on “Radioactive” in 2014 and Anderson .Paak in 2018 on “Tints”.

Closing out the night, Teller wore an NYU shirt, celebrating his roots at the NYU Tisch School of Arts where he received a BFA in Drama in 2009.

Not seen this evening was longtime cast member Cecily Strong, who is in Los Angeles performing in The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life. Expect Strong to return to SNL in November.

Next week, SNL will be hosted by Irish actor Brendan Gleeson, star of The Banshees of Inisherin, with musical guest is Willow, daughter of Will Smith.

Lucas Kurzweil contributed to this story.

October 2, 2022
Conquering the Cantankerous Divide with Folk Music via Josie Bello

As Autum begins, haunting imagery invades media marketing and entertainment. Maybe that’s why I decided to drive into National Cemetery to find some solice time after work to write this article.

The world is a scary enough place, I can do with less creepy in my life. The days are getting shorter and finding a quiet spot as the working day draws to a close seems harder and harder.

In 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, Bob Dylan went electric, everyone thought it was the death knell of folk music.

I mistakenly thought folk music was dead and gone, until I was able to connect with the “folkies” here on Long Island. It started with the interview I conducted with Linda Sussman, which led me to Josie Bello.

The Resilience of Folk Music

I recently interviewed Josie Bello from Huntington New York, you can find her episode on The Long Island Sound Podcast. Her voice is akin to Emmylou Harris which artfully draws us into her lyrics. Her songwriting is honest, emotional and straignt from the heart. Like many of her counterparts, she’s not afraid to lament social justice issues, especially in her song “They lie”.

I am enamored by singer songwriters who can express what I often cannot in their song. Their ability to expand upon the muse and deliver poignant messages so important to hear. Josie calls herself a late bloomer, having sprung onto the music scene only seven years ago. After accompanying her husband Frank in the coffee houses in and around New York City during their college days, Josie decided to pick up the guitar woodshed the instrument and start writing music. Turning to her guitar teacher, Mike Nugent. Yes, the very Mike Nugent from the Cadillac Moon band and the Walkers, encouraged Josie to record her music in his Melts in Your Ears Studio. With two albums and a few singles under her belt, I see a bright future for this folk singer/songwriter. Nugent plays many of the instruments throughout the albums which are rich in texture while crossing into waters that incorportate, Folk, Americana and a smattering of the Blues.

Where Hope Blooms

Mike Nugent

In Josie’s music, I found both a lament and a prayer. A thread of spirituality and a hope for change. But there’s another interesting aspect to Josie Bello, at least for me. This “late-bloomer” provides unintended consequences with her career as a singer/songwriter. I found hope for all singer/songwriters who have written tens of thousands of versus developing the Muse but not quite woodshedding the song to full potential. I am inspired by the encouragement of Mike Nugent, her guitar teacher. It is common to find singer/songwriters who are also music teachers encouraging their students at every level level, which is a testimony to generosity of the musician community. As with any artist, a little encouragment can go a long way. As an underdeveloped songwriter myself, I have discovered a glimmer of hope in Josie’s story. The hope that our voices can be heard through our own songs, good intentions and most importantly, follow through.

Bridging The Divide

Folk Music in particular, brings the hope of an increasted dialogue in a divided country. To jump on the soapbox for a moment, there is a great need for us to converse with our neighbors, no matter how much we disagree with their politics. How can we be the “United”States of America, if we don’t talk to each other in a peaceful and deep dialogue? Music can help us reach understanding the big question, “Why do you think this way?” The honesty of a folk song can place us in the starting gate for reconciliation.

Give Me Original Music

As I continue to explore the Long Island music scene, through my podcast, The Long Island Sound, I’m no longer amazed about the diversity of genes in my own backyard. At first glance you think that every bar in town, every small stage is trying to find the next great cover band. After all, Mike Nugent says: “It’s the age of the Tribute Band”. But if you are intrigued about original music, you can still find the enclaves of originality, featuring folk music, bluegrass, punk, rock and roll and of course the blues.

“It’s the age of the Tribute Band”
– Mike Nugent

I lament about the days of my youth,before the disco era in the mid 80’s, it seemed that every bar and pub had a live original band playing. Today there are there are a handful of bars and venues that help support our original artists. I was thinking about Katie’s of Smithtown, Bartini in Babylon village, just to name a couple. And of course there are the big stages the Paramount of course in Huntington, 89 North in Patchogue and the ever resilient Eppy Epstein’s rebirth of My Father’s Place, at the Metropolitan in Glen Cove. We need more venues and people like Eppy who support original music.

Josie Bello’s music is streaming on Spotify, and you’ll be able to see her live at local venues on the North Shore as well as at festivals from time to time. There’s a need for music that is unaffraid, inspiring and which calls us into deeper conversations. Thank you Josie for putting to song, that which we often struggle to say!

September 29, 2022
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats bring The Future to Radio City Music Hall

Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats supported their third studio album The Future with a few performances in New York City this month. The band performed a powerfully packed 24-song-set at Radio City Music Hall followed by a stop at Studio 6B for The Tonight Show a couple of days later.

Nathaniel Rateliff performing with the Night Sweats at Radio City Music Hall

As the Night Sweats ramped up for their opener “Look It Here” off the band’s self-titled debut album, Nathaniel greeted the crowd with “How’s everybody doing tonight?” pausing to take in the crowd’s roar from a sold out Radio City Music Hall. “It’s a pleasure to be here with you, my name is Nathaniel, we’re here with the Night Sweats, and we sold this place out, thank you!” The band went on to play a well-balanced set with songs across all three of their studio albums, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (Self-titled), Tearing at the Seams, and The Future, along with a few covers.

Mark Shusterman performs with Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats at Radio City Music Hall

As the band wrapped their eighth song of the night, “So Put Out”, Megafun’s Phil Cook joined Shusterman’s side on stage while Rateliff addressed the theater. “We have an EP coming out to follow up the record.” Rateliff shared, “…and we did another variation of one of the songs off that record called “What If I“. It was mostly Phil’s arrangement and Phil is a good friend and a big part of our family.” In addition to the remixed “What If I”, Phil came back to support Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats with “Out on the Weekend” and their closing song, “I Need Never Get Old”. The audience’s enthusiasm shook Radio City the entire evening, especially for the group’s three-song-encore.

Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats will complete their run supporting The Future at Austin City Limits Music Festival mid-October. To close out the year, the group will headline their “7th Annual, 10th Annual Holiday Show” at Denver’s Ball Arena on December 16 with special guests Marcus Mumford and Hermanos Gutiérrez.

Setlist: Look It Here, I’ve Been Failing, You Worry Me, I’m on Your Side, I’ll Be Damned, Survivor, Baby I Lost My Way, (But I’m Going Home), So Put Out, What If I (Remixed version with Phil Cook), Wasting Time, A Little Honey, Love Me Till I’m Gone, Danny Boy (Cover), Face Down in the Moment, And It’s Still Alright (Nathaniel Rateliff song), Redemption, Hey Mama, Out on the Weekend (with Phil Cook), Coolin’ Out, Intro, I Need Never Get Old (with Phil Cook)
Encore: The Future, S.O.B. (with Phil Cook), Love Don’t

September 28, 2022
Litte Feat play Point of The Bluff Vineyards

Formed in 1969, Little Feat, celebrating the 45th anniversary of ‘Waiting for Columbus’, played the stage at Point of the Bluff Vineyards in Hammondsport, NY September 26 and the eclectic crowd was ready to groove.

Although formed in LA in 1969, Little Feat plays a strong Southern rock vibe. A subtle mix of The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Marshall Tucker with a hint of Grateful Dead flow to your ears and get your head bopping and feet tapping.

Kenny Gradney of Little Feat playing in Hammondsport NY

While members have come and gone over the years, the band tours in 2022 with Bill Payne on Keyboards and Vocals; Sam Clayton on percussion and vocals; Fred Tackett on guitars and vocals; Kenny Gradney on the bass; Scott Sharrard doing guitars and Vocals; and Tony Leone banging the drums

Follow the band as they continue on with their commemorative tour Little Feat.

Little Feat at Point of The Bluff Vineyards

Setlist: Join the Band, Fat Man in the Bathtub, All That You Dream, Oh Atlanta, Old Folks Boogie, Time Loves a Hero, Day or Night, Mercenary Territory, Spanish Moon / Skin It Back, Dixie Chicken, Tripe Face Boogie, Willin’, Don’t Bogart That Joint, A Apolitical Blues, Sailin’ Shoes, Feats Don’t Fail Me Now, Let It Roll

September 28, 2022
“Billy Joel: Live at Yankee Stadium” coming to theaters worldwide

In celebration of 50 years of Billy Joel, the renowned concert film “Billy Joel: Live at Yankee Stadium” will be released in theaters worldwide on October 5th and 9th. The legendary 1990 concert is one of the greatest concert films of all time. Originally shot in 16mm film, it has been re-mixed and re-edited in 4k with Dolby ATMOS audio.

The new version includes “Uptown Girl” along with behind the scenes footage not seen in the original release. The film initially premiered on basic cable’s Disney channel on March 17, 1991. It was also released on VHS later that year and nominated for a long form video Grammy Award.

Billy Joel at Sag Harbor Cinema 8.22.22

Last month Billy and his wife Alexis attended a preview of the film at the renovated Sag Harbor Cinema. Joel stepped up to help save the theater after it was destroyed in a village fire in 2016. The cinema stood there for more than 100 years and was the center of the downtown. It reopened in June of 2021 complete with state of the art projectors and sound systems.

Also in attendance were band members Dave Rosenthal, Tommy Byrnes, Crystal Taliefero and Mike DelGuidice. It was surreal for me to watch the film with the man himself sitting just a few feet away. The crowd in the 240 seat theater applauded after each song making it feel more like a live concert rather than a movie.

After the film concluded, there was a Q&A with director Jon Small and producers Steve Cohen and John Jackson. After a few questions from fans, Joel raised his hand to ask… “When do we get something to eat? I’m starving!.” As I left the theater another surreal moment happened when I saw Sir Paul McCartney entering the lobby with his wife Nancy to meet Billy.

Tickets to the October viewings of “Billy Joel: Live at Yankee Stadium” can be purchased here.

September 28, 2022
The Dead Unveil New Material In Rochester: September 27, 1976

While the year 1977 typically, and justifiably, gets a lot of the attention in Grateful Dead lore, the previous year has its fair share of gems too. With the Godchaux tandem now firmly entrenched and the return of Mickey Hart, the band was approaching the peak of its collective power in 1976. A slew of new live material that was unleashed the year before and earlier this summer was proof of this. Today marks the anniversary of the fourth ever appearance in Rochester for the Grateful Dead, last playing here in 1973. A rowdy Upstate New York crowd greeted the Dead for this performance at the War Memorial (now known as Blue Cross Arena) – one that’s filled with a distinct blend of classic songs and some fresher material still relatively new in the live setting.

Tonight’s performance gets a true “rock n’ roll” opener thanks to a lively cover of Chuck Berry’s “Promised Land” that has the Rochester crowd clapping along in time. A couple of impressive guitar licks early on from Jerry Garcia show he’s adequately warmed up and Bob Weir executes the vocals to perfection. Instead of pushing the pace even further, after some brief technical delay the Dead move over to the slow lane for “They Love Each Other.” They still manage to find their way into a nice early groove though, aided by another Garcia solo and some delicate piano work from Keith Godchaux.

After some more extensive post-song tuning, the band then does a slow build towards the intro of what turns out to be an emphatic “El Paso” with Weir once again manning the vocals. This gives way to another first set staple in “Deal” that gets some harmonious assistance from Donna Jean Godchaux on the chorus. She also adds some delightful harmonies to the emotional “Looks Like Rain” that follows and features another organic, slow build of communal energy.

The Dead keep in a similar mode for the slow, near plodding, tempo of “Row Jimmy” that comes next and elicits a few more emotionally-charged guitar solos from Garcia as well as supplemental dulcet tones from Donna Jean on vocals. Once completed, Weir implores the crowd to take place in “America’s Favorite Game: Take A Step Back” to prevent those in the front few rows on the floor of the War Memorial from getting further squished. This seems to call for another cover song and the choice is made for “It’s All Over Now,” a song popularized by The Rolling Stones more than a decade ago.

The first set staples then roll on, this time with “Loser,” another Garcia-dominated number. The soulful, introspective lyrics are matched by a guitar solo that has the Rochester crowd in mass, loud approval. Once completed, the Dead then introduce Rochester to the most recent of their traditional song pairings. This time, it’s the relatively new “Lazy Lightning” and “Supplication.” With both songs making their live debut just months earlier in 1976 at shows in Portland OR, this was undoubtedly the first time this sequence was able to experienced for some East Coast Dead Heads. “Supplication” hasn’t even been given lyrics yet and is played as a sturdy instrumental that the Rochester crowd eats up.

The opening set comes to an end with an interesting pairing of songs. First, it’s a rather unusual late set placement for “Brown Eyed Women” that has some early vocal flubs from Garcia on the intro but then wastes no time rounding into form with the crowd once again lending on-time audible support through applause. “The Music Never Stopped,” another newer song that just came into its own this year which features more vocal interplay between Weir and Donna Jean, then closes the book on the first set.

The second one opens with another relatively fresh tune, this time it’s the Garcia and Robert Hunter composition “Might As Well,” another song that made its live debut just months earlier. It’s supported by another bouncy guitar solo and gets a welcomed reception from the crowd. Afterwards, the recognizable drum beat that begins “Samson and Delilah” ensues and the Dead are off and running with another newer song that’s still finding its footing in a live setting. Weir nails the Biblical lyrics and Garcia provides more than enough support with some fiery guitar licks with bassist Phil Lesh competently holding down the bottom end.

After another band “huddle,” a drawn out intro to “Help On The Way” ensues with the band almost seemingly throwing in a “Music Never Stopped” tease for good measure before fully diving into “Help.” It feels like a slightly quicker version that’s played a little faster than it’s traditional styling yet, nevertheless, still flows seamlessly right into its traditional running mate in “Slipknot!” with no issues. This latter half of the pairing quickly devolves into a free-flowing, improvisational jam with Garcia and Lesh once again leading the way. This yields some of the more intensive and psychedelic jamming of the evening, a perfect springboard into the “Drums” section which soon follows.

After essentially putting the cart (“Space”) before the horse (“Drums”), the Dead jump right back into a high-octane, free wheeling jam that winds its way perfectly into the beginning of a thunderous “The Other One” that shows the band at their improvisational best.

After reaching a climax, the Dead slow things down considerably with “Wharf Rat” which gets another warm reception from the Rochester crowd. Garcia leads the band through this ballad-esque number with typical aplomb and his signature vocal stylings. In a bit of a twist, once completed they actually go back and play a definitive “Slipknot!” reprise for a few minutes, returning to the main theme and a smooth segue into “Franklin’s Tower” that, along with “Help On The Way,” completes a holy trinity of Grateful Dead songs. The band, and Garcia in particular, take their time with this crowd favorite and it results in 17-plus minutes of euphoric musical composition that the War Memorial crowd eagerly soaks up.

The Dead then bookend tonight’s show in Rochester with another Chuck Berry cover, this time “Around and Around,” sung by Weir in his typical increasingly rambunctious fashion. A “U.S. Blues” that doesn’t seem to have made the recording then wraps up tonight’s Rochester show. The band would continue their Upstate New York travels and play a gig the following night at a different War Memorial, this one in Syracuse.

View this and other Grateful Dead shows from across the years in New York State with our interactive map below

Grateful Dead Community War Memorial Auditorium – Rochester, NY 9/27/76

Set 1: Promised Land, They Love Each Other, El Paso, Deal, Looks Like Rain, Row Jimmy, It’s All Over Now, Loser, Lazy Lightning-> Supplication, Brown Eyed Women, The Music Never Stopped

Set 2: Might As Well, Samson & Delilah, Help On The Way-> Slipknot!-> Drums-> The Other One-> Wharf Rat-> Slipknot!-> Franklin’s Tower-> Around & Around

E: U.S. Blues

September 27, 2022
In Focus: Josiah Johnson and The Sea The Sea at Takk House

On Friday, September 23rd, 2022, Josiah Johnson gave a heart-felt performance at the Takk House in Troy.

Josiah Johnson was originally part of the indie-folk band, The Head and The Heart band from 2009-2016. He left after his realization that his struggles with drug addiction needed to be put in check. After entering rehab and working on himself, Johnson came back to begin his solo career in 2020 with his album Every Feeling on a Loop. Today, he continues making indie-folk music with his most recently released song “You Had One Job.”

This was not a typical show were guests showed up, saw their favorite artist perform, and then went home. Before the music, there was an all vegan, four course dinner catered by Meadow Lark. The artists and the guests shared a dinner between four tables in front of the stage. The dinner lasted two hours before the opening act.

The Sea The Sea is an indie-folk pop duo out of Troy with Chuck E. Costa and Mira Costa have released three full-length albums. Their most recent album being Stumbling Home released in 2020. They are currently on tour with their next show being in New York City on September 27th.

The Sea The Sea opened up the night to an audience of about 50 people. The local artists played an hour long set with a mix of released and unreleased songs. After a fan yelled asking were they could find ” I Recorded The Sound Of Rain For You,” Mira replied that most of their music could be found on Patreon. They were anecdotes before almost every song and lots of jokes about making their songs “25 years ago in 2020.” The anecdotes combined with their Indie-Folk style of music made it feel as though a story was being told. The duo ended the set be going to the middle of the room and singing their last two fans with members of the audience.

The stories continued when Josiah Johnson came to the stage. He also gave the audience a brief history of how the preceding song came to be. He mentioned his struggles with rehab and relationships that gave his performance a different meaning. The audience was already mostly comprised of friends of the artists, but once it over, it felt as if everyone had known Josiah for 10 years. His intimate feeling set lasted for about an hour and also ended with him and violinist M’Gilvry Allen playing in the middle of the room. In this instance, The Sea The Sea joined them to close out the night.

Josiah Johnson continues his tour with a show at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn on September 27.

The Sea The Sea setlist: Restless Heart, Rainstorm, I’ll Be Loving You, I Recorded The Sound Of Rain For You, A Thousand Years, Everybody, Let Our Kites Fly, The Story That They Gave To Us, Not The Same As Goodbye, Stumbling Home, LWAWL, This Is The Way

Josiah Johnson setlist: False Alarms, Warm, Nobody Knows, Honey Come Home, Woman, Futile Devices, Josh, Hello Hello, I Wish I Had

Chuck E. Costa (left) and Mira Costa (right) of The Sea The Sea

Chuck E. Costa performing at Takk House

The Sea The Sea performing at Takk House

Mira Costa performing at Takk House

The Sea The Sea performing at Takk House

The Sea The Sea performing at Takk House

The Sea The Sea performing in the middle of the audience at Takk House

Josiah Johnson performing at Takk House

M’Gilvry Allen performing at Takk House

Josiah Johnson performing at Takk House

M’Gilvry Allen (left) and Josiah Johnson (right) performing at Takk House

Josiah Johnson performing at Takk House

Josiah Johnson and M’Gilvry Allen performing at Takk House

The Sea The Sea and Josiah Johnson closing out their performance at Takk House

M”Gilvry Allen hugging Mira Costa

September 26, 2022
In Focus: Shinedown At Darien Lake Amphitheater

On a late summer night, with the summer concert season winding down, Shinedown brought their Planet Zero World Tour to Darien Lake Amphitheater on Tuesday, September 20.

Shinedown, hailing from Jacksonville, Florida, have become regulars on the New York State concert scene over the last decade. Tuesday night marked the band’s third performance in Upstate New York over the past week.

John Harvie opened the concert with a high energy, fast paced performance. Harvie bounced from all corners of the stage as he worked his way through several of his alternative rock tracks.

Up next was Jelly Roll. He performed a mixture of hip hop and rock music blended with his strong, soulful voice. The crowd was fully engaged at this point, belting along lyrics to many of the songs, including the powerful set closer “Save Me.”

Finally it was time for the main event. After a brief video highlighting the band’s return to touring in a post-pandemic world, Shinedown took to the stage in a shower of fireworks and pyrotechnics. Opening with “The Saints Of Violence and Innuendo,” the band followed with a mixture of songs old and new. There are few frontmen as charismatic as lead singer Brent Smith, as the crowd hung on his every move.

As the show wound to a close, the band brought opener Jelly Roll back to the stage to join in a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man.” While the cover has become a staple in Shinedown’s set, the song took new life mixed with Jelly Roll’s powerful vocals. The crowd quickly engaged in a full-fledged sing along. Shortly after, the band closed the evening with “The Sound of Madness.”

September 24, 2022
Music, Art & Craftsmanship Flourishes with Out East

Interviewing a band is like opening a wrapped present, you never know what you’re gonna get until you unwrap the gift. Having interviewed dozens of musicians over the past year, I am cautious about questions that can kill a conversation. I’m conscious about the third rail question,, “…so what do you do for a living?” The fear of going off the rails put aside, I became intrigued with each member of the band, Out East. This group of artists from East Hampton keep on giving through each creative moment, whether in the studio, on stage or through their work. Let’s open the box. Catch the full conversation on The Long Island Sound podcast.

The Trio Expands to a Foursome

Established three years ago in the Hamptons, Out East has grown to a foursome with the addition of a fantastic vocalist, and singer/songwriter, Starlight Tyler. Ms.Tyler’s sound is described as “a soulful singer blending the classic sounds of jazz with the earthiness of the blues”. The band’s music is as diverse as their day jobs as we get acquainted with the stories behind the artists.

Their original music spans the gamut, from Fusion to Reggae, with a foundation of Blues and the influence of Latin rhythms. The song “Flower Power” sparks the colors of psychedelia, which would be a welcomed theme song for any CBD/Cannabis shop poised to open in New York.

“So What Do You Do For A Living?”

John Jinks, the main songwriter and guitarist in the group, cut his teeth as a Commercial Illustrator in New York City. This transplant from the Midwest had artist reps in the USA and Japan, and has worked on national campaigns. Clients such as Perrier, Warner Brothers, Estee Lauder, USPS among others have added John’s art to their brands. Upon transplanting from the city to East Hampton, John got into computers taking his artistic eye creating documentaries and motion graphic work.

Besides his music work as the drummer in the band, Gerry Giliberti established himself as a print-based photographic artist, creating abstract and surrealistic images to bring us into his world. Gerry’s ability to see simple images in complex textures has established him as a notable artist on the East End.

Carlos Barrios plays Bass in the band and is a notable Master Luthier (Master Instrument builder). Born in Guatemala, Carlos emigrated to the United States, spent his early years in LA and they traveled to Long Island. His father’s influence as a carpenter set him on a firm foundation to become a luthier. He makes basses and guitars and repairs all sorts of instruments. His clientele include G.E. Smith, and Nancy Atlas, among others.

Carlos on Bass

A New Documentary on Carlos’s Craftsmanship

A documentary featuring Carlos’ Master Skill in Guitar Building will premiere this fall at The Church,(Eric Fischil’s Art Gallery) in Sag Harbor.

Many musicians branch out to the visual arts; all are craftsmen in “wood-shedding” their instruments, and on this occasion, we meet a master builder, an artist-illustrator and an abstract conceptualist photographer. I will always be intrigued about professional musicians and their stories, I become envious of their skill, dedication and performance. Maybe it’s my own lack of skill or the excuse of “maybe someday, I’ll get to it” that insulates me from becoming a better musician or artist.

For the most part, Out East, plays the music scene out East. You can check them out when they play Best Pizza Dive Bar in Amagansett on Sept. 30 and Stephen Talkhouse on Oct. 28.

The awe of the craft, comforts music lovers everywhere as we experience the electricity of joy pulsating from a live performance. We traverse the roads of discovery among local neighborhoods, and music scenes abroad, forever searching. I’ll bet most of us will testify that music brings us joy, especially live music. If we are to heal the world through music, we’ll need to support our musicians and be generous with the joy we’ve received.

If you long for great music and art, my suggestion: head Out East!

September 24, 2022
Jellz Is Back and Wants to Run it up til ‘Infinity’ With Newest Single

After a hiatus in-between singles, Brooklyn bred rapper Jellz is back with his latest effort, “Infinity.” In his return from his musical sabbatical, he introduces a new version of himself. His prior releases like “Bullsh*t” and “Ghost” saw Jellz try his hand at his own wave of drill music. Bringing an extravagant feel to the violent-laden sub-genre. With a renewed focus and plan, Jellz returns to show fans that he has more in his bag.

Shot while on vacation in Los Santos, Colombia, the music video for “Ghost (Freestyle)” saw Jellz bring much more flair than the drill scene is accustomed to.

I still have drill music in the bag, but I’m more than just a drill artist. I have a lot of different flows, and feel like I’m just an artist honestly. So I wanted to give the fans a little something different this time around. In the future you’ll be hearing a lot of drill type beats mixed with my own melodies.

His New Single

The auto-tune laced “Infinity” brings the feel-good ambience of life’s never ending chase for success. In an enticing opening chorus, Jellz raps, “I done made some friends made some enemies, I can’t f**k with ni***s that move finicky, I just wanna ball with my day ones, know we got the sauce keep it A1.”

Jellz spends much of his time away from the States

The song’s theme of never-ending success keep in theme with what he wants to bring to the rap game. Since his initial release, he has amassed over 400 thousand streams and another 400 thousand in YouTube views, while remaining self-funded. Contrary to other rappers, rap isn’t the means to success, it’s one of the many avenues in running it up til infinity.

It’s been a while since I wrote it, but I think it’s just a culmination of life and what I want from it. One of my biggest values are friends and family, and I plan on living a great life with them in the future, and we all plan on achieving the goals we set for ourselves. In the song I talk about what the song has already brought and taught me. I’m also manifesting a lot of my future self in it.

In like manner, Jellz has operated his short rap-career as an extension of the life he has created for himself. The music video for “Ghost” was shot while on vacation in Los Santos, Colombia. In it, Jellz presents himself with a Jefe-like persona, surrounded by local women in bathing suits and ski masks. In the “Bachata” visuals, he channels his inner Escobar while in the South American republic, segueing between a game of soccer and a night out with a dame.

What’s the next Step?

Although brimming with career know-how beyond his years, Jellz’ obstacle remains his consistency. Despite success on visuals and streams from his singles, months usually go by in-between Jellz releases. Something he knows can be the difference in career trajectory.

I want to be more consistent this time around, with the releases and with the content. So, I was just taking time off to build my arsenal so I can be more consistent this time around. Because I know consistency is the final piece to the puzzle to get me where I want to be.

Expect a few more singles from Jellz until a project is released

Although family oriented, Jellz spends much of his time away from the states, citing New York City’s cold weather as the reason for his long respite’s. “I can record from anywhere in the world, but I still have my engineer from back home mix it for me,” he divulges. As cold temperatures near, expect Jellz to be somewhere warm, where he can create better. As for the next drop? Expect a slew of singles until he feels the time is right. Much like on “Infinity,” Jellz’ success cannot be rushed.

I don’t really do empty lyrics, a lot of the time my words do have a lot to of with my situation, or what I want my future to bring

September 23, 2022