Marco Benevento has shared his newest single “Winter Rose,” one that will make you want to get up and dance and is a breath of fresh air, something listeners can tune into while commuting, dancing, or just relaxing. This song is not age or gender specific, but rather provides a joyful essence for everyone. This single has five minutes of psychedelic soul that brings about a beacon of hope, celebration, Summer and more.
Winter Rose is not the only music MArco Benevento will provide for his listeners this year. He is currently finishing a studio album that will be ready for release this summer. Considering his latest single is a reminder of better times, the upcoming album may have the same vibe.
In the meantime, Benevento and his band members, bassist Karina Rykman and drummer Dave “DB” Butler, are set for tour, beginning this month. They will first stop in Philadelphia’s Ardmore Music Hall and end in Quincy, California’s High Sierra Music Festival in July.
Winter Rose is co-written by lyricist and poet Al Howard, who also played a role in Benevento’s single, “At The End Or The Beginning.” As of today, Winter Rose is now available through a variety of streaming platforms which can be found here.
Marco Benevento Tour Dates
February 25 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall February 26 – Washington, DC – Union Stage April 7 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair April 8 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground April 9 – Fairfield, CT – Stage One June 26 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest Festival July 1 – Scranton, PA – Peach Music Festival July 3 – Quincy, CA – High Sierra Music Festival
New York-based songwriter and artist Kevin Devine announced a Spring tour that has multiple NY dates with Kayleigh Goldsworthy and his new single “How Can I Help You?”
Kevin Devine, photo by Erik Tanner.
Devine spoke about the new single:
[The single] is a dance song for wallflowers, body music for the brain, a gently caffeinated disco gallop arpeggiating through the last aspirational sliver separating a relationship from its end.
The single is thoughtful and drum-backed as he sings “How can I help you push through yourself to me? / How I can help you tell me what you need?” He speaks about the castles of love, and how he has been entranced in them.
Kevin Devine will be going on tour this Spring with Kayleigh Goldsworthy and will be hitting Buffalo and Brooklyn, tickets can be found here.
Kevin Devine Tour Dates Spring 2022 With Kayleigh Goldsworthy
Wednesday, April 6th – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar Thursday, April 7th – Cleveland, OH – Mahall’s Friday, April 8th – Buffalo, NY – Mohawk Place Saturday, April 9th – Toronto, ON – Velvet Sunday, April 10th – Detroit, MI – Shelter Tuesday, April 12th – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry Wednesday, April 13th – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall Friday, April 15th – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg Saturday, April 16th – Boston, MA – Sinclair Friday, April 29th – Philadelphia, PA – FU Church Saturday, April 30th – Columbus, OH – A&R Music Bar Sunday, May 1st – Nashville, TN – Mercury Lounge Tuesday, May 3rd – Dallas, TX – Tulips Wednesday, May 4th – Austin, TX – Antone’s Friday, May 6th – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom Saturday, May 7th – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Sunday, May 8th – San Diego, CA – Soda Bar Monday, May 9th – San Francisco, CA – Great American Wednesday, May 11th – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Thursday, May 12th – Seattle, WA – Chop Suey Saturday, May 14th – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Sunday, May 15th – Denver, CO – Bluebird Tuesday, May 17th – St. Louis, MO – Off-Broadway Thursday, May 19th – Orlando, FL – Soundbar Friday, May 20th – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
Blending funk, soul, and indie, Brooklyn band Pimps of Joytime showcases their unique artistry on their new single, “Are You Gonna?” The release comes in anticipation of their new album Reachin’ Up, set to release Friday, April 15th. Accompanying this release, the band will be performing at Brooklyn Made with additional shows throughout the country.
Pimps of Joytime
Forming in 2005, Pimps of Joytime embellished the unique Brooklyn culture of the 2000s. After four studio albums, the band has found a unique sound encompassing a multitude of genres. They are unique, and their next album release is set to demonstrate the magnitude of this talent.
The Brooklyn band is no stranger to the soul and funk scenes, and “Are You Gonna?” showcases their experience. Combining Cuban blue rhythms, blues guitar progressions, and a vocal delivery akin to Bob Marley, the band beautifully demonstrates their ability to encompass multiple genres with grace and poise.
Their prior release, “Lesson,” also set to be on the album, further highlights their unique artistry. Pulsating drums and hypnotizing blues guitar capture the immediate attention of the listener. Most prominently, however, Brian Jay displays masterful and unique vocals that give the band its respective personality and flavor. His voice sensationally bounces over the instrumentation in a way that exhibits experience and confidence.
The latest single “Reachin’ Up” features Antibalas‘ shekere player and vocalist Marcus Farrar and singer Carol C (Si*Sé) for a funk and soul track sure to put smiles on people’s faces all spring long. Brian J comments, “‘Reachin’ Up’ originated from a batch of instrumentals I created in a two-week studio bender in 2019. I hit up old friend and early PJT collaborator Marcus Farrar to come work on one of the tracks. Marcus pretty quickly came up with great melody and lyric ideas. I had the lyric ‘Reachin’ Up’ kickin’ around for a few years and it fit perfectly. I hit record and Marcus did his thing with a stellar vocal performance. Carol C of Si*Sé and Pete Shand of New Mastersounds were the missing puzzle pieces who graced this track with an incredible vibe.”
Pimps of Joytime Winter 2022 Tour Dates:
Saturday, February 19 – The Fillmore – Denver, CO
Thursday, March 24 – Starline Social Club – Oakland, CA
Friday, March 25 – The Venice West – Venice, CA
Saturday, March 26 – Mustache Bash – San Diego, CA
Friday, April 15 – Brooklyn Made – Brooklyn, NY
Saturday, April 16 – Park City Music Hall – Bridgeport, CT
Saturday, Apr 30 – The Parish – House of Blues – New Orleans, LA
Saturday, May 28 – Denver Day of Rock – Denver, CO
Saturday, June 11 – Hog Farm Hideaway – Laytonville, CA
Westchester-based country band Raquel and The Wildflowers have release their new single, “Freedom,” on Thursday, February 10, a tune ripe with fiddle, electric guitar and a driving beat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQGe2Alh4qQ
The song had previously been performed at the band’s various live shows around both New York state and the country. After requests from fans who had heard the song live the group decided to record the song and release it as a single.
The cover art for “Freedom” gives the band’s fans the opportunity to customize the single’s corresponding artwork.
The downloadable file mimics a postcard. With blank space, a “To:” line, and the spot for a postage stamp in the top right corner encourage listeners or prospective doodlers to design a postcard.
Raquel and The Wildflowers is a three-person band that features the eponymous Raquel de Souza as lead singer, Cat Lines on fiddle, and Luis Cruz on guitar.
The band is currently on tour with stops in New York in Monticello at Resorts World Catskills on March 25, Tioga Downs Casino Resort in Nichols on April 8, and Trivia Fest in Elmsford on May 1. They will also be performing at the Country Fest music festival in Cadott Wisconsin with headliners Florida Georgia Line.
Long Island singer Carly X has released her new project called A Dark Frequency, featuring two songs “Lowkey” and “Don’t Mind Me.”
Growing up, she was influenced by a variety of artists, from SugarHill to McFadden & Whitehead, and also Marvin Gaye. She started writing music at age six, and once she discovered female rappers like Nicki Minaj and Queen Latifah, she started writing her own rap verses.
Carly X.
After being hand-selected by Doritos and Busta Rhymes to complete a rap competition, she was the youngest and only female to touch the stage, when she was only 19. She opened for Wiz Khalifa and was featured in Billboard Magazine.
Her newest piece of music, A Dark Frequency is about the silent battles she faces alone in the dark.
No matter how bright a light may seem to shine, it’s only a matter of time until darkness arrives. Sometimes we pretend everything is ok, sometimes we let the darkness consume us, and sometimes we fight to see the light again.
Carly X
The two songs featured in the project, “Lowkey” and “Don’t Mind Me” both encompass strong beats and melodic backing tracks as she spits verses down. The songs are reminiscent of older rappers, like Biggie or Tupac, but also give a modern rap feel. These are songs that everyone could add to their playlists and be able to vibe with.
Carly X is taking names and is here to stay and make her mark in the industry. She officially started releasing music in 2020 and has no plans to stop. Her new project A Dark Frequency is available to stream here.
58 years ago, on February 9, 1964, The Beatles played on The Ed Sullivan show in NYC, creating one of the most seminal moments in television history. A record-setting 73 million tuned in to watch the Fab Four perform “All My Loving,” “Till There Was You,” “She Loves You,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
The Beatles with Ed Sullivan.
Consisting of John, Paul, George, and Ringo, The Beatles are one of the most influential bands to have ever existed. The group was formed in 1960 in Liverpool, England. They spent the first couple years playing small clubs in Europe and perfected their craft after playing eight-hour days in Hamburg, Germany. It wasn’t until their performance on “Val Parnell’s Sunday Night at the London Palladium” and the release of their first LP Please Please Me that Beatlemania truly began.
https://vimeo.com/385906665
Please Please Me by The Beatles full album.
Urban legend says Ed Sullivan first heard about the group when he and his wife were at an airport in London returning to NYC and witnessed 1,500 screaming fans welcoming The Beatles back from a successful tour in Sweden.
Actually, Sullivan found out about The Beatles before that, through his Talent Booker Jack Babb, and London-based agent Peter Prichard. Sullivan was eager to book the group but needed a selling point. Prichard said they had just performed in the Royal Variety Show where they were the first “long-haired boys” to be invited to appear before Queen Elizabeth II.
The Beatles meeting Queen Elizabeth II
On November 11, 1963, Beatles manager Brian Epstein met Sullivan in the Delmonico Hotel in NYC, and the deal was done with a handshake. The Beatles were booked for three performances, two live and one a taped rehearsal.
Before the debut performance on the Sullivan show, the group’s record “I Want To Hold Your Hand” was leaked before its planned US release. The record label was unable to stop the radio from playing it, so they released the LP earlier than expected, and it went to the number one spot on the Billboard charts before the month was over.
The Flight
The Beatles flew to America on February 7, 1964. When they arrived at the airport, they were surprised at the number of people there to see them. Paul McCartney commented on it during the Anthology sessions in the 90s.
There were millions of kids at the airport, which nobody had expected. We heard about it in mid-air. There were journalists on the plane, and the pilot had rang ahead and said, ‘Tell the boys there’s a big crowd waiting for them.’ We thought, ‘Wow! God, we have really made it.’
5,000 fans, mostly young girls, were crowded on the balcony of one of the buildings at JFK, waving banners and screaming at the top of their lungs.
They were able to get so many people there because the group’s American record company promised that every person who showed up at the airport would get a dollar bill and a t-shirt. The receptionists at Capitol Records would answer the phone, “Capitol Records – The Beatles are coming.” Every radio station was talking about it too.
The Beatles arriving at JFK.
The Ed Sullivan Show
Paul McCartney spoke about their appearance on the show also during the Anthology sessions.
It was very important. We came out of nowhere with funny hair, looking like marionettes or something. That was very influential. I think that was really one of the big things that broke us – the hairdo more than the music, originally. A lot of people’s fathers had wanted to turn us off. They told their kids, ‘Don’t be fooled, they’re wearing wigs.’
The band rehearsed the day before, and George Harrison was feeling ill, and their road manager Neil Aspinall stood in for him to mark where everyone would stand.
Neil Aspinall standing in for George Harrison during the rehearsals.
Their live debut broke record for television viewing figures, as a record 73 million people tuned into the show. The group even got a telegram from Elvis Presley and his manager Colonel Tom Parker, wishing the group luck. Harrison made a witty remark about the show, during the Anthology sessions.
We were aware that Ed Sullivan was the big one because we got a telegram from Elvis and the Colonel. And I’ve heard that while the show was on there were no reported crimes, or very few. When The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan, even the criminals had a rest for ten minutes.
The band came on and played “All My Loving” to an audience full of ear-splitting screeching from teenage girls. Then they played “Til There Was You,” and while the song was playing, a camera cut to each member of the band to introduce them, and when the camera cut to John Lennon, the caption said “SORRY GIRLS. HE’S MARRIED.”
The band played three more songs, “She Loves You,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” and their number one hit “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” After the show, The Beatles were whisked away to the Playboy Club with a police escort.
The Beatles’ success on The Ed Sullivan show paved the way for the British Invasion, for groups like The Rolling Stones and The Animals. The group have also inspired the works of many bands, like the Ramones song “You’re Gonna Kill That Girl,” a parody of the tune “You’re Gonna Lose That Girl” by The Beatles.
Black history month can be a frustrating time of the year. The opportunity to celebrate the numerous Black vanguards is a great honor. Yet, having to encapsulate so much greatness in only 28 short days is a task in itself. How do you prioritize one Black success story over another? The truth is you can’t, but that doesn’t mean you don’t try.
While limiting the importance of Black people to just entertainment can be negligent to the immense contributions made to math, science, architecture and communication that laid the foundation for the modern world… this is a music website.
And while the likes of Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey’s roles as revolutionaries are to be studied and admired, it is the arts that continues to push pop culture forward. There is no greater form of pop culture now than hip hop, having overtaken rock & roll as the world’s most popular genre. Yet, hip hop would not exist without those that paved the way during the Harlem Renaissance.
Black history is everywhere, and New York State occupies some of the most important landmarks, where countless fabled musicians have inhabited. From The Cotton Club — where entertainers during the Harlem renaissance helped bring Black music to the mainstream — to the Marcy Projects that once housed Jay – Z.
Cab Calloway.
Our Black History Maps give readers a chance to view the boroughs, neighborhoods and exact addresses where many a Black history that has shaped the world originated from within New York State, and the accompanying stories deriving from such landmarks. A fun interactive feature, the BHM will also serve music aficionados who may want to see just how close they are to where their favorite artist once frequented.
As the XXIV Olympic Winter Games take place in Beijing, China, we look back 42 years to the XIII Olympic Winter Games held in Lake Placid from February 13, 1980 to February 24, 1980. Home of the Miracle on Ice and speedskater Eric Heiden winning five gold medals, the Lake Placid Winter Olympics brought together 1,072 athletes from 37 countries to take part in 38 official events in February 1980.
Opening ceremony photo courtesy Lake Placid Olympic Sites
The games also featured a theme song, in the form of Rochester Jazz legend Chuck Mangione’s “Give it All You Got,” a tune released a week before the games, that would chart as high as #1 on the Adult Contemporary, #18 on the Billboard 100 and #32 on the R&B chart, and recently named by Billboard as the #1 Olympics theme song of all time. ”Give it All You Got” was Mangione’s second single to reach #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, after “Feels So Good” achieved that feat in 1978.
Mangione was asked by Roone Arledge, then ABC Sports president, to craft a song for the Winter Olympiad. ABC had used Mangione’s recordings, including “Chase The Clouds Away,” four years earlier during their coverage of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Featuring a lineup of Charles Meks (bass), James Bradley Jr. (drums), Grant Geissman (guitar), and Chris Vadalla (saxophone), Mangione, America’s most famous flugelhorn player wrote the Grammy-nominated song for his 1979 album Fun and Games.
This is fusion jazz at its most peppy and pristine, the network TV version of “gritty.” Mangione and saxophonist Chris Vadala volley the theme back and forth for nearly half the track’s six-minute runtime, content to let that breezy melody do most of the work. There’s some inspired composition going on beneath the surface: the way the chord structure keeps dancing between major and minor, the spots where flugelhorn and sax each converge in twin harmony. Throw in Charles Meeks’ slippery bassline and some Nile-Rodgers-style rhythm work from Geissman, and you’ve got the perfect soundtrack for cruising L.A. in a ’74 Stingray convertible.
Mangione told Wesley Hyatt for his 1999 book The Billboard Book of No. 1 Adult Contemporary Hits about the process of composing the music for the instrumental, saying:
(my) vision was to think about the athletes and their efforts to do their best now. They’re giving it all they’ve got. And we almost got to be like the athletes because we also got to perform the song at the ceremonies.
“Give It All You Got” was nominated for best instrumental composition at the 1981 Grammy Awards, losing out to John Williams’ score for The Empire Strikes Back.
Mangione would perform “Give it All You Got” live at the Winter Olympics closing ceremony (as well as the song “Pina Colada”) on Sunday, February 24, 1980, just hours after the conclusion of the gold medal hockey victory for Team USA over Finland along with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra from Ontario, Canada.
In addition to Mangione, the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam contributed to the Lake Placid Winter Olympics as well. A 600-member Olympic chorus and orchestra, a 50 member wind ensemble and three Olympic bands of 50 members each, who were bused in daily and wore weather appropriate parkas and boots, instead of the typical tuxedos and gowns. Brass performers tested their instruments in the meat freezer of the local supermarket in Potsdam as they prepared for the Games.
photo by Christopher Lenney
Feb. 9, 1980 featured the Collegiate Singers, directed by Brock McElheran, as they performed for the International Olympic Committee, along with visiting dignitaries from participating nations.
photo via the Crane School of Music
Four Crane School of Music faculty members composed original works for the Olympic Games, including Elliot Del Borgo, Arthur Frackenpohl, William Maul and Robert Washburn. When American gold medal winners, including speedskater Eric Heiden, received their medals, they were accompanied by an arrangement of the “Star Spangled Banner” by Frackenpohl, who also arranged the Greek and Yugoslavian national anthems. Washburn composed “Parade of Nations” for the opening ceremonies, while Del Borgo wrote the piece played during the closing, “When Dreams Are Dreamed and Dreams Are Won,” and Maul composed “March of the Athletes,” used for the closing ceremonies.
photo via the Crane School of Music
Crane School bands would provide music for the award ceremonies each evening, with Professor Emerita Rebekah Covell leading the Crane Symphonic Band for 14 performances over 14 days. With an added degree of difficulty, Covell and the musicians would often have less than an hour to rehearse national anthems needed for the medal award ceremonies, prior to playing the songs outdoors, often in freezing temperatures. Notably, Robert Mero, a former technical assistant at Crane, came out of retirement to assist musicians with technical services during the Games, per Robert Gibbs, a professor and emeritus member of the Crane School alumni board.
Between Chuck Mangione and students and faculty at the Crane School of Music, all music for the 1980 Winter Olympics can be credited to talented born and/or raised New Yorkers. Here’s to the Winter Olympics returning to Lake Placid in the coming years, perhaps split with Montreal.
Christian Parker, a country artist from Canton, NY, marks his return with the new album, Every Passing Mile, a 13 track record inspired by Parker’s vision for the future.
The country record is packed with soothing songs, with themes ranging from fear of the unknown to hope for a pleasant future. Originally inspired by the effects of the pandemic, the attention grabbing opener, ‘Cast a Line’ showcases the full potential of this album and draws listeners in. Parker created this track with help from longtime friend and mentor, Peter Pendras.
The final line of the song, “Cast a line when a star falls in the sky, there’s no need to cry, cause it’s falling,” represents finding hope in a desperate situation.
Christian Parker
Other stand out tracks include ‘Fire With Fire’ and ‘This Time’. Both songs feature a consistent guitar as their foundations, along with Parker’s signature airy vocals. The sentimental ideas of peace and learning from past mistakes leaves listeners feeling energized and hopeful for their own futures.
A majority of the album was written by Parker, but he still had the chance to collaborate with other seasoned performers like Phil Hurley, founding member of Gigolo Aunts, Lisa Loeb and even Fountains of Wayne. Hurley contributed backing vocals, as well as guitar tracks. All of these contributions led to the creation of a unique country-pop experience.
While working on the creation of his unreleased album Best Kept Secret, Parker came to realize that he had more than enough material to make a separate album. Best Kept Secret is scheduled for release in June 2022.
Every Passing Mile was co-produced by Ron Keck and mastered by Larry Lachman of Kevorkian Mastering in NYC. The album is available on all streaming platforms and can be purchased here.
Key Tracks: Cast a Line, Fire with Fire, This Time
Rochester trio False Pockets have returned with their new single ‘Quarter Life Crisis Diapers’, off their upcoming album, Selfish Prophecies. The album, out February 18th, features more of the math rock sound their fans love, along with some new elements.
After celebrating the release, Ben Chesnes and Erik Happ are here to share some behind the scenes of how it all came together.
Kamra Wint : So, the new single just came out, congrats! How do you guys feel about it?
Ben Chesnes : We’ve been listening to these for a while, so it’s nice that others can hear it, for sure.
Erik Happ : It’s nice that it’s finally out, we don’t have to be in the processing stage anymore.
KW: When did the band start writing and coming up with the idea for ‘Quarter Life Crisis Diapers’?
EH : Almost two years ago. During quarantine, we all got together and started making music.
BC : I think one of the riffs in this song was one of the first things [Erik] sent me for the new album.
KW : What made you guys want to release ‘Quarter Life Crisis Diapers’ as your first single?
EH : I think, as a band, we all mutually agreed that it was the best one.
BC : There’s a bunch of catchy parts in it, and some of the other songs on the album are a little more long winded.
KW : How did you guys get together? How did you all find each other?
BC : Erik and I originally met at FLCC because we were both studying audio technology, but we didn’t start playing music until years after.
EH : I think it was Fall 2018, I was wearing a Caddywhompus shirt and Ben was like “yo, nice shirt!”. I was like “we should really play some music together sometime.” I had just moved out here, and had nobody to play with so I was down.
KW : Zach is your third member right? How did you guys meet him?
EH : We were looking for a bassist, so I asked my friend, who was an Eastman Kid [Eastman School of Music], if he knew anyone and he suggested Zach. I just got lucky finding the right people.
KW : So what do you guys have in mind for the future? What are you thinking of?
BC : Well, I feel like our writing process is generally more like Erik coming up with the starting points and then we get together and kind of work it out. We honestly don’t have much written for our next leap, I feel like we wanted to sit with this one for a little bit.
EH : We have a bunch of stuff actually. We have like three songs in form and then a bunch of little ideas. I’m hoping to stray away from writing every single thing, and have us just like get into a room and just come up with ideas collectively.
BC : I think this album definitely has a lot more of that though. Our first EP that we came out with in 2019 was more older stuff that Erik had written and this album that we’re coming out with soon is more collective.
The math rock group has even more in store for their fans, with an upcoming New Paltz show in March and another show in Brooklyn. The future is very bright for False Pockets.
‘Quarter Life Crisis Diapers’ is available on all streaming platforms and more information can be found on the band’s website.
