On Saturday, January 15, The Campbell Brothers played a high energy set for a small Caffe Lena crowd that braved the elements to make it out. The self-described church music group rocked Caffe Lena with their unique style that combined funk, soul, gospel, folk, and everything in between. The Campbell Brothers’ energy was contagious and the small cold crowd helped sing along to their entire hour and fifteen minute set.
To get a real sense of what The Campbell Brothers’ music is all about by listening, check out this clip of “Morning Train” from 2011.
The Campbell Brothers’ set included “Morning Train” and a number of other energetic tunes including “I’ve Got a Feeling,” “Hell No,” “Heaven Yes,” and “Jump for Joy”. This clip of “Morning Train,” though, is a perfect representation of the tone, mood, and level of musicianship present at the show on Saturday night.
Whether it was Phillip’s touch on guitar, Denise’s powerful vocals, or Chuck’s superb control on the pedal steel, The group hit notes that anyone can enjoy. Their simple hooks made it easy for the crowd to learn the lyrics and sing along with Denise throughout the night.
There is no substitute for witnessing their music performed live in person, and it is an experience that music lovers will crave again and again. So the next time The Campbell Brothers morning train rolls into your town, the only question you need to ask yourself is, “how many tickets am I buying?” Also, be sure to check them out on Facebook.
Peter Stone’s debut EP, “Unlabeled“, delivers an eminently listenable and creatively integral album. It’s a work whose influences are clear—R&B vocals, 80’s synthesizers, pop beats—but who’s originality and creative vision are even more evident.
Stone’s work features a knack for melodies that are sonically complex and rich with texture but that are, nonetheless, earworms that stick with you as you listen. Even though he recorded the album in 2020 during lockdown in his native Italy “when he couldn’t have any contact with anyone [which] was a really tough time” his ability to guarantee head-bobbing tunes belies the conditions under which the EP was recorded.
Although his ability to do so appears effortless the quality of the music suggests it likely wasn’t. Rather it was the product of a detailed process of intentional musical choices from his myriad influences. On “Cold,” the album’s likely hit, his mix of R&B crooning and 80’s synthesizers combine to make what is ultimately a pop song of the highest order.
Stone doesn’t have an aversion to pop music. Even if we admits that it’s not one of the guiding inspirations of his musical process.
“Pop is one of the genres I’m up to put myself in even though [I’m not] mainly inspired by it when it comes to the writing and the production of my songs,” acknowledged Stone.
Even if it isn’t his main inspiration there’s no denying that it’s the outcome. On “Lead Me”, the first song on Peter Stone’s debut EP, he sings “She’s dancing on the floor/She’s moving on the floor” over pulsating synths and basses.
His obvious talent for creating uniquely creative, yet accessible music is on delves into new spaces with “Save Me” and “Trust.” The first is an emotional piano ballad, with Stone playing the keys, that while still feeling slightly like a young artist’s imitation of what they think an emotional song should sound like; has lyrics that effectively portray a person that’s fractured and realizing that they have to put themselves back together.
On “Trust” Stone exhibits a mature understanding of song composition that is reflexive of a clear creative vision, executed with purpose. The song is a three-parter but to say more would spoil the mix of delight and intrigue one feels at its transitions. All of which are unlike both each other and the rest of the songs on Unlabeled offering a glimpse into Stone’s multidimensionality as an artist.
His multitude of influences might have created a genre blending debut but ultimately all that matters is that once you listen to Peter Stone’s debut EP…you’ll want to listen to it again.
Today marks the anniversary of one of the last Grateful Dead shows ever to take place in Utica. It comes at a time that’s the end of an era, so to speak, as Keith and Donna Jean Godchaux’s final shows with the band would take place the following month in February before keyboardist Brent Mydland’s tenure began soon after. It’s not a very widely circulated show by any means; the lone audio copy is far from pristine and, supposedly, technical issues plagued the concert that night. It’s the third of four shows that the Dead would play at Utica Memorial Auditorium and one of the final times that fans in New York, and the Northeast for that matter, would be able to see the Godchauxs on stage.
In a fitting nod to the locale and season, the Grateful Dead greet Utica Memorial Auditorium with “Cold Rain And Snow.” The rowdy auditorium crowd eats it up, whistling and clapping endlessly throughout. A couple of crisp runs from Jerry Garcia on guitar give way to some engaged harmonies by song’s end, starting the show off nicely. First set stalwart “New Minglewood Blues” follows with the Utica faithful still very much engaged, taking the collective whistling of approval to another level. “Dire Wolf” does little to temper the audible energy, with Garcia’s signature guitar solo showing plenty of pep in its step. Bob Weir then tags back in on lead vocals for a jazzy “Me And My Uncle” which flows seamlessly into a rather percussive “Big River,” a song pairing that started the previous year and would remain popular for the rest of the Grateful Dead’s career.
The breakneck speed of all the songs after the opener finally comes to a halt with “They Love Each Other,” played very much in its low tempo format, lending itself much better to Donna Jean’s vocal harmonies which are also prominently featured alongside Weir for the emotional “Looks Like Rain” that comes next. A top notch “Brown Eyed Women” with a few more remarkable runs by Garcia up and down the fretboard follows, although it’s marred a little by some audio difficulties on the recording. The first set then begins to wrap up with a cover Bobby Womack’s “It’s All Over Now,” perhaps foreshadowing the upcoming end of an era. It’s a spirited version though, with Garcia and Keith Godchaux on piano trading fills back and forth. After a run through the folksy “Jack-A-Roe,” a regular cover at future Garcia solo gigs, the set comes to a close with another legendary pairing of songs “Lazy Lightning” and “Supplication.” The jam connecting the two is very much energetic, heavily psychedelic and fueled with extensive work on the drums from the Rhythm Devils, a great sign for the second set to come.
After a set break to rehydrate and reenergize, the second part of the show begins with somewhat of a first set feel to it. “I Need A Miracle” has a slightly extended Garcia-driven jam neatly attached to it which builds the platform for a launch into a boisterous “Bertha.” The communal good vibes keep moving along into a customarily raucous cover of “Good Lovin’” with Weir taking his usual liberties with vocals before “Stagger Lee” mellows things out a tad.
Finally, for a show bereft of much deep end improvisation, the next few numbers do their best to make up for it. The composed section of “Estimated Prophet” is played to near perfection, minus some off kilter early Garcia vocals, before later devolving into near silence (with the exception of more whistlers) for a soaring, exploratory jam that literally builds itself from the ground up. As the pace reaches a crescendo, some familiar guitar chords begin to seep through and the Dead are off and running in Utica with a blisteringly quick “Eyes Of The World.” Garcia dazzles once more in the song’s first jam with a jaw-dropping flurry of notes that can’t seemingly be played any faster. The second one is dominated by the rhythm section of bassist Phil Lesh and the drummers so, naturally, this makes its way into the “Drums” portion of the evening, shining the spotlight on Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart for a while.
View this and more Grateful Dead shows from across the years in New York State with our interactive map below!
A rather choppy-starting “Iko Iko” slowly but surely emerges from “Drums” and it’s played at a much slower tempo than it would be in the years to follow, making for an interesting early version. At its conclusion, the familiar noodley opening jam of “The Other One” begins to develop before Lesh’s thunderous opening bass riff confirms it. It’s a short but sweet take that serves as the evening’s last true dip into psychedelia.
Oddly there would be no encore for this show. Instead it wraps up with the lead singers going back and forth one last time. First, Garcia leads the band through a soulful “Black Peter” before Weir does the same for a show-closing cover of Chuck Berry’s “Around And Around” that has both he and Donna Jean trading lyrics back and forth by song’s end.
Grateful Dead – Utica Memorial Auditorium – Utica, NY 1/14/79
Set 1: Cold Rain And Snow, New Minglewood Blues, Dire Wolf, Me And My Uncle > Big River, They Love Each Other, Looks Like Rain, Brown Eyed Women, It’s All Over Now, Jack-A-Roe, Lazy Lightnin’ > Supplication
Set 2: I Need A Miracle > Bertha > Good Lovin’, Stagger Lee, Estimated Prophet > Eyes Of The World > Drums > Iko Iko > The Other One > Black Peter > Around And Around
Last winter, with the ongoing pandemic still raging, South African-born and American-raised guitarist Ari Joshua took a trip to the East Coast, specifically Burlington, VT, to work with Russ Lawton and Ray Paczkowski on a much-discussed organ trio collaboration. Now, this bicoastal musical endeavor has come to fruition in the form of the recently released, six-song EP RAAR, an acronym for the three musicians. With the assistance of Phish’s recording engineer Ben Collette, the trio churned out about 25 different tracks of Joshua-penned selections, mostly brand new compositions and concepts. The final product is a nifty little musical excursion that explores elements of jazz, rock, gospel, funk and everything in between.
The making of RAAR was both delayed and aided by Trey Anastasio Band’s eight-show residency at New York City’s Beacon Theatre the year before. While this would require the attention of bandmembers Lawton and Paczkowski, it also helped initiate the quarantine protocols that allowed Joshua to travel east and make this collaboration a reality. “I owe a great thank you to Trey Anastasio for opening the doors to a protocol to collaborate during his Beacon Theater run, and for sharing these great players with the world,” Joshua told Relix recently.
Russ Lawton, Ari Joshua, Ben Collette, Ray Paczkowski (l-r), photo courtesy of Ari Joshua
The EP is bookended with a couple of tributes to Joshua’s grandmothers. Fittingly, “Gramama” begins the musical journey. It’s a soul-fueled, uptempo number that has the feel of a Sunday celebration at church. Joshua mans the lead vocals with some heavenly female backup vocals added later while ebullient play on the Hammond organ from Paczkowski gives the opener a dash of zydeco flavor as well. “For Ray” sounds exactly how one would expect a Soule Monde “side project” to sound like. The steady, infectious shuffle drum beat from Lawton and aggressive organ and clav runs dominate this signature track while Joshua feathers in the occasional effect-laden guitar lick giving it a somewhat more psychedelic Medeski, Martin and Wood vibe. “Audio Bicycle Day” introduces some haunting background special effects behind motivated electric guitar play from Joshua whose Anastasio influences are omnipresent.
“The Bernie Meme” is a song named for exactly that, the viral meme of Bernie Sanders sitting cross-legged in the middle of winter. Joshua takes more of a lead with a beautifully simplistic guitar lick on another Soule Monde-ish number that hits on aspects of pop, soul and funk resulting in a delicious melting pot of sound. “Star Lord” is a fun romp from start to finish riddled with more psychedelic production and sees Paczkowski shifting nimbly back and forth between the clav and organ once more with Joshua delivering a slew of infectious jazz guitar fills. It’s one of the more cohesive and well-produced tracks on the EP. Lastly, “Rae of Life” serves as the other tribute for Joshua’s late grandmother and definitely evokes a celebration of life mantra, with its delicate guitar licks and soaring, inspirational organ fills atop choir-like backing vocals that gives the ending of RAAR a discernible feel-good quality to it.
From the first note of recording I could sense that Ray and Russ were a perfect musical fit, there was a shared respect and love for the music you don’t always find out there.
Ari Joshua
The band has no current tour plans but there is a vinyl release of RAAR expected later this year. For now, the album can be found at Ari Joshua’s website or on streaming platforms. Joshua is also the founder and owner of The Music Factory, an online music lessons portal which has been running for nearly 15 years, employing close to 100 musicians since its inception.
New York State has some of the finest bands in the U.S. From Clouds Taste Satanic, to Diluted, Wasted Space to Caustic, and Less than Hate, NYS knows how to throw down a heavy riff or three. With that in mind, our focus today is on a band from Troy, the immensely talented The Final Sleep.
The Final Sleep is a five piece that features founding members of Arsis (drummer Mike Van Dyne), Burning Human (bassist Jason Van DerVoort and guitarist Mike Stack), and Withstand (guitarist Kevin Maloney) joined by Jeff Andrews (guitar and vocals). Together they utilize melody, heavy riffs, sizzling lead guitar work, expertly performed vocals, and a ton of power in order to get their message across; they also throw in some progressive elements to bring their music up to new levels. Their upcoming album, Vessels of Grief, is due out February 4th.
I was shocked as I listened to Vessels of Grief for the first time, mainly because The Final Sleep hits upon several different genres, and manages to keep the record cohesive despite that. I can hear influences from viking metal, dark melodic metal like Witherfall, death metal, hardcore, and a bit of black metal; the band specifically states that they take influence from Opeth, Edge of Sanity, Control Denied, Amorphis, and Mercyful Fate/King Diamond.
The first single is called Screaming in Silence, and it’s easy to see why they chose this one to lead off with; it’s heavy, the vocals are incredible, and it has a serious Witherfall vibe thanks to those excellent vocals. A huge selling point for me are the heavy vocals, which ride the line between death metal and your standard metal vocals.
Tracks four and five, Soul in Between and Funeral Seed respectively, are everything that I love about heavy metal. The band utilizes a diverse approach in both tracks by incorporating dark and light, heavy and melodic, and it all hits like a ten ton hammer of awesomeness. There also seems to be a splash of black metal, particularly in Funeral Seed, but only as coloring for an already amazing piece of art; this one also has that Witherfall feel in its slower, clean sections, and in how the vocals are performed during them.
I would highly recommend The Final Sleep to any metalhead out there, without even taking their genre of choice into consideration, because Vessels of Grief hits so many sweet spots, and uses influences that are far ranging. This album will be one of New York’s finest metal releases.
Long Island funk band, Baked Shrimp, makes an intriguing return with their third studio album, Pork Etiquette. The January 7 release coincides with the band’s fifth anniversary and it’s obvious just how much experience they’ve gained.
Album Cover
They recorded the album during the same sessions as their second studio album, Conscious, and it serves as an elevated part two. The Brothers Nylon assisted in the process from their studio in Patchogue, NY and Anthony Cimino at Mojo Music Studios mixed and mastered the final product.
The group utilizes a variety of sounds as they take listeners through the tales of each song, with jazz, alternative rock and early 2000’s pop rock being heard throughout. However, funk remains a mainstay.
Baked Shrimp performing at LonCon 2021
“Cannabis Bob” showcases just how well two different sonic themes can be meshed together. Fittingly named, the rhythm on this track makes you bob your head before it brings you up high. The song then crescendos in a mash of guitar, drums and bong rips before it brings you back down to the ground.
“The Gopher”’s introduction is one that you won’t forget as the horns come in to prove just why they’re included. The slick instrumental keeps your ears locked as smokey vocals feed you the tale of one bad gopher, ending with a snappy flourish. The drums never let up as they bind everything together. Don’t mess with the gopher.
“Tulu” does not waste its’ track length on fluff as Jared Cowen shows his composition prowess. The tropical beat brings you away from NY’s frigid winter and into an island paradise. The guitar and drums keep things cohesive as the band does their integral sound switching. The track provides a fitting end to the album.
As promotions for Pork Etiquette commence, it’s safe to say that Baked Shrimp has earned their spot in the East Coast music scene. Although the pandemic rages on, fans will have the chance to see their 2022 Winter Tour. They will perform in Ithaca on January 28.
Two time GRAMMY-nominated producer/DJ Steve Aoki made his way back to New York City’s club Nebula. One of the most recognized faces in EDM and deemed “one of the most in demand entertainers in the world” by Billboard, Aoki is one of today’s most successful American cross-genre artists. Collecting 2.8 billion streams on Spotify and a veteran of the live entertainment scene, Aoki is justifiably a one man party when it comes to his shows.
The clock struck 1am in Times Square as anxious concert goers could barely hold back their excitement for the DJ. If anything, Aoki knows how to work hard, creating his own label at the age of 19, Dim Mak Records, and of course, an expert on delivering incredible live shows and tonight was no exception. Emerging from behind the DJ booth, Aoki sported his long luscious signature locks beginning the night with a remix from Netflix’s most watched show Squid Game.
EDM shows are commonly recognized for lighting producrtion, including strobes and visuals, encapsulating the audience in a visceral environment to complement the electronic music. Steve Aoki is unique in his on stage presence, frequently seen running across the stage, singing along with the crowd, and often doesn’t find himself caged behind his booth.
At my shows, I am always thinking of how to define myself different[ly] and be fun. At the end of the day, you come to a show, you want to have a good time
Steve Aoki
With no hesitation, Steve rose atop of his booth, to match the energy of the packed dance floor. Screaming each lyric of “Azukita” and avid fanatics joined him in unison before ripping off his shirt and launching it into the crowd. His relentless fist bumping conducted the spellbound audience; Steve’s energy was contagious throughout the night creating an electrical current surging through the crowd. Arms up, palms open, Aoki unleashed his newest release “Typical” with Alok and Lars Martin. After less than a week, the single has already garnered over 1.5 million streams on Spotify.
Amidst ABBA’s “Gimme Gimme” and Zedd’s “Beautiful Now,” Aoki halted his remixes to take time to connect with the crowd. Aoki has reached global stardom with his steady stream of releases along with collaborations with prominent names like BTS and the Backstreet Boys. His successful label, Dim Mak Records, has helped launch the career of The Chainsmokers, Bloc Party, and The Kills. Forbes recognized Aoki as one of the top 5 world’s highest paid DJ’s and the world’s hardest working DJ. At 44, Aoki continues to be of undeniable stature in the music industry. His recent performances range from across the U.S to his prior show in Saudi Arabia. Aoki disclosed his ongoing footage of each performance for his new music video with Armin van Buuren for “Music Means Love Forever” and invited New York to take part.
The ultimate drop in “Music Means Love Forever” hit the audience like a defibrillator sparking sweat-covered bodies on the floor for perpetual intensity, and Aoki’s iconic “Cake Face” that followed was all too familiar for this crowd. Fans begged and pleaded to receive sheet cakes to the face from their favorite DJ. Steve put perfect arc and power into each launching of about five styrofoam-bottomed sheet cakes that could rival some of the best NFL quarterbacks. Gracious fans were blessed and covered by frosted baked goods from the fellow southpaw.
Steve Aoki’s notoriety in the EDM community could be felt throughout New York City. Boasting a lauded discography, Aoki had a plethora of songs to select and closed the night with his collaboration with Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit Of Happiness”. Steve Aoki’s ability to feed off the spirit of his audience and engage with the crowd throughout his sets makes for an unforgettable concert from this two-time GRAMMY nominee. With almost 250 tour dates per year, Aoki’s unabated lively performance creates a community with the DJ and his loyal fanbase for a fun night of memories.
To start 2022, let’s jump back 75 years years to a jazzy New Year’s Day concert at New York City’s Town Hall. The show was both a celebration of Mezz Mezzrow’s then recently published book Really The Blues, and also served as a benefit for the American Committee for Yugoslav Relief.
Thanks to Jazz Lives, we are able to revisit this show, packed with jazz musicians including Muggsy Spanier, Sandy Williams, Sidney Bechet, Mezz Mezzrow, Sammy Price or Art Hodes, Wellman Braud, and Baby Dodds. Later in the evening Bob Wilber’s Wildcats (who were also on Mezzrow’s King Jazz Label) were added, which included Johnny Glasel, Ed Hubble, Bob Wilber, Dick Wellstood, Charlie Traeger, Eddie Phyfe. Jazz Lives notes Coot Grant and Kid Sox Wilson also performed on a playful version of their song “You Can’t Do That To Me”
The concert was recorded on 12-inch acetates on two machines and 10 performances were issued on LP (Jazz Archives JA-39), although this recording was not. It seems Mezzrow was one of jazz music’s most interesting characters, and was responsible for putting together many great jazz sessions in his time.
This particular concert from New Year’s Day 1947 celebrated the release of Mezzrow’s autobiography, Really The Blues, and he brought in a who’s-who of traditional jazz musicians, most notably Sidney Bechet on soprano sax and Muggsy Spanier on cornet. Sammy Price joined on piano, Sandy Williams on trombone, Wellan Braud on bass and Baby Dodds on drums rounded out the band.
Recordings like this offer insight into the post-war era in New York City, a return to normalcy if you will. Featured below is “When You’re Smiling” by Johnny Windhurst, along with Bechet and Wellstood. Jazz Lives compared Windhurst to Hot Lips Page in his prime, energetically lit from within, and radiantly taking another chorus just when you think he might have had or done enough. To the jazz aficionado, you’ll hear “an exultant hymn of praise to Louis Armstrong.”
A full recording of the performance is available here. The track listing includes: Darktown Strutters Ball, The Blues, Muskrat Ramble, Sammy’s Boogie Woogie Blues, You Can’t Do That To Me, There’ll Be Some Changes Made, Friar’s Point Shuffle, Really The Blues, Really The Blues (Extension), and High Society
Read and listen to more from Jazz Lives on a 1952 performance at Town Hall, featuring Bill Davison, Bobby Hackett and many more.
