Manhattan-born pop/r&b singer, Austin Jay, brings the heat with his latest single, “Loving on You.” Released in anticipation of his debut EP, “Loving You” follows the release of “All I Wanna Do,” his debut single. In a short period of time the passionate wailer has amassed over 50 thousand streams on each of his singles.
After graduating from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Austin Jay embarked on his musical career. Classically trained in piano and voice, he earned his promising newcomer status in 2019 with covers of Khalid’s “Location” and Billie Eilish’s “Ocean Eyes” gaining a significant following on Instagram for his soulful and imaginative Gen- Z reinterpretations of popular songs.
Stylistically, Austin Jay can fill a void within the r&b realm. While the too-cool-for-school crooners have their place, they don’t fully encapsulate the love and vulnerability that r&b is rooted in. A proper love ballad requires a certain kind of indifference to public perception. A generational trend that Austin Jay is aware of, yet embraces.
Loving on You is about the infatuation of new love. It’s about finding someone that you really care about and telling them, and not being ashamed of love. A lot of people think dramatic declarations of love are corny/cheesy, but really it’s healthy and needed more in life.
– Austin Jay
On “Loving On You” Austin Jay reverts to the impassioned, romance-laden croons of r&b’s heyday. In fact, the music video itself is a nod to r&b hits of the past, as Jay shirtless-ly serenades his love interest on a secluded California beach.
Despite his r&b talents, Austin sees himself growing into the likes of Dominic Fike, Khalid, and Bruno Mars, an aggressive, all-genre artist with strong vocals. He performed as the lead singer of the nationally touring band ‘Earth to Mars’, growing his fanbase and earning his performance chops. Now a more complete artist, Austin Jay looks to cement himself as a player in the r&b world.
On Saturday, August 27, The Jacksons came to ‘Blame it on the Boogie’ at the Great New York State Fair. Including three of the brothers `Tito, Jackie and Marlon’ which had originated from ‘The Jackson 5’ after Michael Jackson passed away in 2009, the group had taken their last tour with all together back in 1984. It was truly an honor for them to continue to play music and live out Michael’s dream as well as their own.
The Jacksons are originally from Gary, Indiana, and today a family of pop culture royalty and a rare group to see live. The group toured much more back in the 1960s and 70s, and have had various concerts across New York. As of this year, the group have made a comeback, with a few more shows ahead of them to continue their 2022 tour, heading towards Montreal, Quebec for a performance on September 9.
The Jacksons performed some of their top hits such as “Blame it on The Boogie”, “Shake Your Body” from their Destiny album released back in 1978. Their groove and funk really brought the crowd to a roar as “Can You Feel It” was performed. Not only did the brothers perform their own songs but managed to honor their brother Michael with a few of his hits, including an amazing performance of “Billie Jean” that took the fans from sitting to standing in seconds.
A combination of contemporary soul, R&B, funk and groove, The Jacksons put on a fantastic show at ease. This was such a special evening for those who attended and more than a night to remember. With over 50 years performing, New York is ecstatic to see what comes next for The Jackson Family.
It’s that time of year for the Seneca Niagara Casino to host their annual outdoor concert series in Niagara Falls. On Friday August 26th, they hosted their first of two this year with Lionel Richie headlining. Richie of course is the American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer who rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of funk band the Commodores.
Photo Credit- Mike Miller
There was no opening act, just Lionel Richie performing. The casino had announced this was their largest attended event ever since they started doing these outdoor concerts many years ago. Almost every seat was filled and the general admission section in the back of the lot was packed as well.
Photo Credit- Mike Miller
It had been a very long time since Lionel Richie has played a show in our area. The last time he played Buffalo was in 2000. The show was scheduled to begin at 8pm but due to a flight delay due to weather in NYC, Lionel was about 80 minutes late arriving. Fans were very eager for the show to start as once they saw his police escort arrive behind the fence, the atmosphere changed and the crowd got louder.
Photo Credit- Mike Miller
Before Lionel took to the stage the band started with “Overture”, it had many older photos of Lionel throughout his history on the large video display wall panel on the stage. He played all of his top hits along with some Commodores tunes. After the second song “Running With The Night”, Lionel told the crowd a story why he was late tonight. He mentioned that the mayor of NYC was behind him at the airport and if he isn’t going anywhere due to the weather, neither is he.
Photo Credit- Mike Miller
Lionel and his band were on fire all night, getting the crowd to sing along to every word. Some other memorable songs in his setlist were “Three Times a Lady”, “Hello” and “Brickhouse”. He closed the night with “All Night Long” as his encore.
Midnight. Blue recently connected the lines between a diverse selection of shooting star quality musical talent working today in order to create the perfect constellation of sound in Perception Records‘ first album, Celebration of the Midnight. Blue album release and launch of Perception Records will be held September 1, 2022 at the Bluebird Theatre in Denver, Colorado. Drummer Adam Deitch took time with NYS Music contributor Em Walis to discuss what makes a good studio experience.
Midnight Blue took musical ingredients from across the diverse offerings of the Denver music scene. Each componant melted into a record with a new take on Neo-Soul, R&B and funk. The sound of each artist is distinct, without overpowering the others. Like a good ensemble movie, plenty of space was provided in exactly the right places. The pristine execution which occurred between musicians friendly with each other outside of the studio allowed for an immersive listening experience.
Breathe by Midnight. Blue
Familiar Faces
Musicians that contributed to the Midnight. Blue studio sessions include: Lyle Divinsky (vocals – formerly of The Motet), Eric Benny Bloom (trumpet – Lettuce), Josh Fairman – (bass – Sunsquabi), Adam Deitch (drums – Lettuce), Ian Gilley (keys – Recess), Jake Jay.Greens Leventhal (guitar – Perception Records), Halle Tomlinson (vocals – The Voice), and G. Finesse (vocals – Black Eagle Society).
“We have a bond as musicians and as friends also.”
Adam Deitch
“It’s when you’re a musician, you do things called recording sessions, yeah. session or other people’s sessions for this thing or a session for a rapper sessions for a guitar player. So you know, I’m also a session musician, but it has to be with the right like minded people and good people, and you know, it’s gotta be worth it. It’s really not that often that I get called to do a session for somebody’s record, and I love doing it, especially if I like the music. This was a nice throwback to I guess, more, really the 70s and 80s early 90s.”
Some members of Midnight. Blue once called the areas in and around New York home. Common ground in Education, cutting teeth in performing and culture surrounding music in a place as special as New York arguably provided an unconscious undercurrent for cohesion between the diverse styles of each artist.
The trust in those enlisted to contribute went as far as songs by players being brought in for the record.
“We’re really comfortable with Josh Pearman, the producer of the record. Jake knew that and and wascool enough to ask me to bring in some songs that I wrote, and not just play drums and that’s how that song Let Me In came about.”
The creative trust in the group extended through the depths of songwriting and collaborative solutions in one instance of lost lyrics.
That was something that I recorded myself played every instrument and wrote the lyrics and sang on it. So I had the demo, but I hate the sound of my singing voice. So I never played it for anybody, it just sits there. Then for some reason, I thought oh, this is a great song that I would love to have somebody that has a great voice sing, you know? [Lyle] sure does. He showed up, and I had lost the lyrics. The lyrics were gone. So we had to like pick out the lyrics from the demo. And I was mumbling on the demo. It’s hard.
Lyle ended up having to write a bunch of lyrics that were lost in the recording. It ended up being a collaboration that I’m glad happened because Lyle added some lyrics that probably made better sense of what I had there first.
Familiar Places
Denver has been named current basecamp for the contributing artists. Recording close to home at a familiar studio created a comfortable atmosphere to produce creative work, without the typical distractions of a “home office” remote recording style many artists had to endure during shutdown.
“We all did it in Denver. We did the recording session right by Red Rocks. It’s called Stanhope and it’s a really cool studio and we’ve all recorded there over the past 15 years. Jake was there he was very quiet and very, very humble and chill and Josh did most of the talking about what he needed for his track. They had already discussed what was needed and, so I just came in and over the course of two or three days, I’d knock out the record.”
Adam Deitch
Some members of Midnight. Blue once called the areas in and around New York home. Common ground in Education, cutting teeth in performing and culture surrounding music in a place as special as New York arguably provided an unconscious undercurrent for cohesion between the diverse styles of each artist.
Feeling comfortable in the environment during creative work could be as important as the people involved.
“Stanhope is one of the best studios in Denver. It’s small. It’s cool. It’s got a basketball hoop outside. I love that basketball. You know, it’s nice to take a break. There used to be an alpac farm. You can see some alpacas and that’s cool. I think I wrote a song called llamas next door. I didn’t even know that they were alpacas and not llamas. So that’s cool about that place and it’s been a family for a while and it’s not corporate at all. It’s owned by a friend of ours, Joel and so you feel really comfortable there. There are sort of no rules besides just make good music and have fun.”
Mental Mosaic
“Small colored pieces of hard materials such as stone, tile or glass. Display arranging together small colored pieces of heart. The walls and vaults are decorated by marble and Mosaic. Okay, so it’s different, different materials that create one, one piece.
Yes. Definitely a collection of different musicians that that are from the Denver seeing that kick. Benny Blum and drew Sayers. Ian and and Josh, and a lot of great players that got together and even though we’re not in bands together. We’ve all played with each other, we all know each other. So, it just really happened and the sound of the band, even though it’s with a bunch of so called session, guys or whatever. It has that feel.”
Midnight. Blue and the story behind its conception felt similar to that of a mosaic. Familiar faces. Familiar places. Trusting individuality. Thoughtful composition uniquely assembled with intention allowed for simultaneous awareness of the beauty of each part as well as the product as a whole. A mosaic’s journey could be thought of in a similar way to a record for a non touring collective. The action could be considered the process of creation and after the release has been celebrated, the legacy will reside in the company it provides to those in possession over a long period of time.
Considerations were taken by contributors to the Midnight. Blue album in regards to what it meant to be a peice of a mosaic.
“What I want to do is switch my mindset from what I want and what I think is perfect. Finding out what they want that’s the most important thing that you know, someone that is hiring you to perform on their record. He wants to give them what they what they want from you and a lot of the times they just want what you would do, you know, like give me that Deitch shit.”
Perspective
Excitement for records, especially in genres that define themselves through attendance of upcoming events might not give a record with only one show scheduled a chance. There might not initially feel like a ton of excitement in listening to something carefully constructed in a controlled space and lacking the fond memories of times with friend associated with a live recording. The tracks might not feel enticing because every time the song is visited, it will be the same version, lasting the same amount of time with the same features.
“The collaboration. I love the vibe. It was so, fresh and what I think it’ll really open up how we kind of get pigeonholed when when you play a certain type of music of how how far the derivatives can go. It seems like this is just something that hopefully it’ll help be a little eye opening and broadening for some folks.”
Uncertainty
With uncertainty comes excitement. It could be asserted that there is more certainty, and therefore less excitement with an exclusive relationship with consuming exclusively live music. The notion of more certainty and less excitement goes for the culture which surrounds exclusive live music as well. The usual suspects will be riding the rail. Noah Ray will be doing something extremely nice for another fan, and each song will be a slightly different length with perhaps a slightly varying pace.
“I love that kind of music and even though it’s like hardcore funk, hip hop, you know, like, yeah, so, you know, we’re not really like, get credit. We don’t we’re not really getting the neo soul scene”
When keeping the musical company constant, suddenly a slew of new variables for experiences begin to present themselves. Not knowing how our relationship to the same songs and lyrics might change invites a leap of faith when connecting with certain tracks. The impactful nature music has on our entire executive function, memory and mood can create bridges to both wonderful and horrible places. Should we begin associating a record with a home, a person or a moment in time, the familiarity can instantly transport us back to the associations and feelings.
Excitement in Unexpected Places
Forming emotional bonds with a beautifully studio-tracked musical journey means not being able to discard live recordings of a favorite song because we were not there or distasteful experience on that certain day at that certain place. The one record is it and especially with a moody low-key feel like the one from Midnight. Blue, meaningful associations are bound to form. If a favorite song plays and desire to listen in the company of a certain someone start to form, it will be difficult to shift it to another person in the future. Hopefully that connection continues to reward with a warm uplift with every listen.
Naming Purpose
It might be interesting to consider the types of music consumed and what powers it could provide for us in the future.
Try looking at live music like the medicine. The guaranteed silver lining. If we are feeling sad and need a boost from people we know we will see and songs we know we will dance to, perhaps we could put on a song from a live show we loved and buy tickets for something coming up.
The studio record could be though of like the bit of artwork in our parent’s bathroom. It is consistent. It is in the same spot with the same colors. Some days we might notice the way it catches the light at a certain time of day and give it more attention. Other times, it is just there in the bathroom like always. The importance might only be realized when it is time to take that artwork down and all of the times it has kept us company in our most private moments, never judging if you forgot to brush your teeth or why you took solace by its side to cry in privacy.
Potential In The Unknown
A studio record like the one from Midnight. Blue holds a pleasant consistency yielding prosperous longevity. It could be put on when having a dashing new acquaintance over for dinner, or fill the space between turns in a boardgames played with friends or family. It is complex enough for a private meditative escape from reality. It might not provide the same high as pressing “confirm” for flights booked to attend that show in that cool place to hear that song played a new way and possibly with a record breaking length of jam. It will keep you company in the quiet times. It will yield no emotional rollercoasters due to permit revocations and festival postponements. Midnight. Blue will provide a positive stability and present its meaning as we make our way through this journey called life.
Nostalgia, Hawaiian shirts, good vibrations and the sounds of Motown were abound in Saratoga Springs on Thursday August 18th, as legendary summer surf rock pioneers The Beach Boys and iconic Motor City hitmakers The Temptations belted out classic after classic at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). Celebrating Sixty Years of The Sounds of Summer, the evening played out like a trip down memory lane, taking the mostly older audience back to a time when, on the surface, things just seemed simpler. Like a snapshot through American history, fans welcomed the chance to hear the songs that provided the soundtrack to so much of their lives.
The Beach Boys took fans at SPAC on a Surfin’ Safari on 8/18/22
From Hitsville USA to the Spa City, the evening kicked off with the Motown soul of The Temptations. Dressed in matching green suites, the dapper looking group was led by original member Otis Williams along with Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks, Tony Grant and Jawan M. Jackson and also included a full orchestra as part of the backing band. With vocals ringing true and like a well-oiled machine, the tightly choregraphed set included fan favorites “Get Ready,” “I’ll be in Trouble, “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me), “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.” With the crowd fully engaged and singing along to almost every song, not only were fans having a good time, but it seemed like the members of The Temptations were too, exchanging smiles and high five handshakes that felt genuine and unchoreographed. After a medley of songs paying homage to other Motown greats of the era, The Temptations closed their set with a song everybody knows, their signature hit “My Girl.”
Otis Williams and The Temptations performing at SPAC 8/18/22 – Photo by Zak Radick
After a brief break to clear the stage, the fun-filled evening continued with an elaborate pre-produced video introduction that flashed images and soundbites of The Beach Boys storied career. With the group’s 60th anniversary of their first album, Surfin’ Safari, approaching in October – their impact on American culture through the decades cannot be overstated. Watching the montage of popular television shows and movies the band has been featured in – from Good Morning Vietnam, Cocktail, Look Who’s Talking, and the closing credits of Boogie Nights, to shows like Full House and Friends and their complicated association with the Fab Four, it’s clear not only does this band continue to have a wide-ranging generational appeal, but that their songs have indeed stood the test time.
Have Mercy: A career spanning video montage of The Beach Boys plays moments before showtime on 8/18/22
With a minimal stage setup that simply included some artificial palm trees and a jumbotron LED screen, original Beach Boy Mike Love and longtime member Bruce Johnston walked to the front of the stage and showed their love for the Saratoga crowd by blowing them kisses before launching into the first of many surf rock medleys, kicking the party off with a “Do It Again”>”Surfin’ Safari”>”Catch a Wave” trifecta. Bolstering their iconic sound with help from talented supporting musicians Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill, Brian “Ike” Eichenberger, Christian Love, Randy Leago, Keith Hubacher and Scott Totten, this incarnation of The Beach Boys both looked and sounded great.
Working their way through all the fan favorites – the surfing songs like “Rockaway Beach,” “Surfin’ USA,” and ” Surfer Girl,” to the cruising anthems like “Little Deuce Coup,””409” and “Little Honda” it was clear The Beach Boys not only welcomed the nostalgia, but thrived in it. With their signature sun-drenched vocal harmonies for days, hearing songs like “Don’t Worry Baby,” “I Get Around, “Wouldn’t it Be Nice” and “Sloop John B” felt truly special and provided some of the biggest ovations of the evening, but perhaps the loudest came on the heels of an emotional rendition of “God Only Knows,” a song many consider to be one of the greatest ever written.
After telling a short story about the time he ran into The Beatles in India, Mike Love would sing an original song called “Pisces Brothers”, before the band would string together another series of love songs (“Darlin,” Then I Kissed Her,” Help Me Rhonda”) that saw some of the elderly couples embrace in sentimental overload. Picking the tempo back up, possibly out of fear of being too mushy, “Dance, Dance Dance, ”Do You Wanna Dance?” and a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Rock and Roll Music” came next, followed by everyone’s favorite a luau anthem ”Kokomo,” which had everyone on the SPAC lawn singing and smiling, making the final song of the set, “Good Vibrations,” very fitting. The Beach Boys would return to the stage for a two song encore, “Barbara Ann” and “Fun, Fun,Fun,” sending the audience home satisfied and happy.
After more then six decades of performing, both The Beach Boys and The Temptations have proven they still have what it takes to entertain at a high level and that there is still an audience hungry to see them. With an astounding catalog of songs that have become engrained in American culture and themes that remain universal – teenage love and angst, rebelling against authority, driving fast and having fun in the sun, hearing them played live can feel almost surreal at times. It didn’t seem to matter the original members of each group were few and few between, it was all about being there in the moment, singing the songs you grew up on, and rediscovering a piece of your own youth. A great night of ‘Greatest Hits,” have mercy on me for saying it, but even Jess and the Rippers would have found this show satisfying.
If you missed the stop in Saratoga Springs, don’t worry baby, New Yorkers still have a few more chances to catch the Sixty Years of The Sounds of Summer Tour. The Beach Boys and The Temptations play Bethel Woods on August 25th, the Chautauqua Amphitheater on August 26th, and swing by Wildwood, NJ on August 27th.
The Beach Boys | August 18, 2022 | Saratoga Springs, NY | SPAC
Setlist: Do It Again, Surfin’ Safari, Catch a Wave, Hawaii, Little Honda, Rockaway Beach, Surfin’ USA, Surfer Girl, Don’t Worry Baby, Little Deuce Coupe, 409, Shut Down, I Get Around, Be True to Your School, Getcha Back, You’re So Good to Me, Darlin’, God Only Knows, Pisces Brothers, California Girls, Sloop John B, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Then I Kissed Here, Help Me, Rhonda, Do You Wanna Dance, Kokomo, Good Vibrations
Encore: Barbara Ann, Fun, Fun, Fun
The Temptations | August 18, 2022 | Saratoga Springs, NY | SPAC
Setlist: Get Ready, Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue), The Girl’s Alright With Me, Beauty is Only Skin Deep, I’ll Be In Trouble, The Way You Do The Things You Do, Ain’t Too Proud to Beg, Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World is Today), I Wish It Would Rain, Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me), Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone, I Can’t Get Next to You, Is It Gonna Be Yes or No, Get Up (I Feel like Being a Sex Machine / I Want to Take You Higher / Let’s Get It On, Treat Her Like a Lady / Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now, My Girl
On the 53rd anniversary week of his career-making performance at Woodstock, Carlos Santana was back at the original site of the 1969 festival, the muddy field of happenstance hippie production transformed into the remarkably well-oiled and gorgeously appointed concert venue/museum now known as Bethel Woods. Once again, the Latin blues and jazz-inflected guitarist demonstrated that his passion for music, and his mission to use it to impart a message of love, peace and unity has not cooled one degree.
Photo: Kevin Ferguson/Bethel Woods
I have had the pleasure of seeing Santana live on at least five occasions. The first two were in the early and mid-‘70s respectively, shortly before and then after his embrace of guru Sri Chimnoy and his legendary guitar battles with another Chimnoy acolyte, jazz fusion great John McLaughlin. My third live experience was when he was even deeper into his jazz phase, a 1988 performance at the Saratoga Jazz Festival with a band co-led by Miles Davis and Weather Report saxman Wayne Shorter. The fourth was also at Bethel Woods, in the summer before Covid-19 descended to darken stages and our lives. Each and every time, Santana would rise to the occasion and spit with his guitar “sapphire bullets of pure love,” quoting McLaughlin. As always, he was again backed by an ace band that served up the crowd-pleasing hits and a few surprises.
The show Sunday, August 21 at Bethel Woods was made even better by the staggering 90-minute plus opening set by Earth, Wind & Fire. Though they are enshrined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and have earned a boatload of Grammy Awards and other honors, Earth Wind & Fire just don’t seem to get the respect they truly deserve. They are one of the most successful acts in history, selling over 90 million albums, with a litany of Billboard charting singles that betters most acts of their era. These are songs that have lived on as samples powering hits by new generations of artists, from Drake to A Tribe Called Quest to Bjork. Even without the presence of their founder and leader, the late Maurice White, the 12-piece band put on a staggeringly energetic and hit-packed show. The focal points are the three founding members still performing today – the always smiling bassist Verdine White, percussionist and vocalist Ralph Johnson and the extraordinary lead vocalist Phillip Bailey.
Photo: Kevin Ferguson/Bethel Woods
They hit the ground running at Bethel with an uninterrupted string of eight high-energy hits including “Shining Star,” “Getaway,” “Serpentine Fire,” “Sing A Song” and “Got to Get You Into My Life.” The most striking aspect of an EW&F performance is the undiminished state of Phillip Bailey’s soaring falsetto voice. Even at 71, Bailey hits all the high notes, probably the highest of high notes in all of music, at least since they stopped cranking out operatic castratos in the 17th Century! His son, Phillip Bailey Jr., shares both the lead duties and otherworldly vocal instrument of his father.
The entire band is as tight “as a mosquitoes’ tweeter” to quote another great musician, Nina Simone. The whole affair seems largely directed by the powerful centerstage presence and thumping bass of Verdine White. The band then cooled things down by serving up some of their hit ballads including “Head to the Sky,” “That’s the Way of the World” and “After The Love Has Gone,” before upshifting to more high-energy favorites – “Boogie Wonderland,” “Let’s Groove” and the set closer “September.”
Photo: Kevin Ferguson/Bethel Woods
Santana’s performance began with a throwback to Woodstock ’69, with video of the famous rain chant segueing into a shortened but nonetheless powerful performance of “Soul Sacrifice,” one driven by Santana’s super talented drummer wife Cindy Blackman. The band then performed more early classics, “Jingo,” “Evil Ways,” “Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen” and “Oye Como Va.” With his jazz improviser’s heart, Carlos evolved his approach to these well-worn songs, providing bluesy B.B. King-like lines darting around the vocals, a quote from Steely Dan’s “Do It Again” in “Evil Ways” and Wes Montgomery-like octave runs on “Black Magic Woman.”
Photo: Kevin Ferguson/Bethel Woods
Santana then shifted the mood with his fantastic ballad, “Europa.” It boasted a delightfully hesitant rendering of the soaring melody and unexpected avenues in his solo, when he rolled the treble off his guitar giving it what Clapton called “the woman tone.” On this and every number, Santana was supported by a first-rate row of players including longtime bassist and former Miles Davis sideman Benny Rietveld, keyboardist David K. Mathews, percussionists Karl Perazzo and Paoli Mejias and vocalists Andy Vargas and Ray Greene.
After “Europa,” Carlos went into a long rap about Woodstock ’69. He humorously reminisced about praying to God to help him keep it together during the performance, one he played while high on L.S.D. given to him by Jerry Garcia, with a guitar whose neck was turning into a snake! Making jest of the old adage that “if you were high at Woodstock, you probably wouldn’t remember it,” he said: “If you were as high as I was, you would never forget it!” He added: “What I think we need is more of that Woodstock spirit in the world today, something to help get rid of the fear and division that is destroying society.”
Photo: Kevin Ferguson/Bethel Woods
Santana really hit his electric stride on “(De La) Yaleo” from his career-revitalizing disc Supernatural and the lovely acoustic ballad from the same album, “Put Your Lights On,” the latter sung here admirably by the band’s second guitarist Tommy Anthony, who swapped in for Carlos on several numbers. Santana again saluted Woodstock ’69, with video clips from the fest of now deceased performers like Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Joe Cocker, Richie Havens, Alvin Lee and organizer Michael Lang, during a soulful reading of the Youngbloods’ hit, “Get Together.”
The band finished out their lengthy set with some the latter-day highpoints from Santana’s discography, including “Corazon Espinado,” “Maria, Maria” and “Smooth.” After a fiery drum solo from Blackman and an introduction of Michael Carrabello, the original Santana conguero who is now back touring with the band, they closed out the evening with a seamless medley including bits of the James Bond Theme, The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues,” The Chambers Brothers “Love Peace & Happiness” and Sly’s “I Want To Take You Higher.” In keeping with the spiritual nature of this and every Santana concert I have attended, he ended with a positive message, urging the audience to take on a new job: “We all need to become weapons. Weapons of mass compassion.”
Sal Cataldi is a musician, writer and publicist living in New York City and the Hudson Valley,. He is President of Cataldi PR and leader of the band Spaghetti Eastern Music and member of the duos Guitars A Go and Vapor Vespers.
Guitarist, composer, arranger, lyricist, writer, educator, and vocalist Joel Harrison has “created a new blueprint for jazz,” as said by the New Orleans Times-Picayune. He has released 23 CDs as a leader on seven different labels and is the founder and director of the Alternative Guitar Summit, a yearly festival devoted to new and unusual guitar music.
In collaboration with the Alternative Guitar Summit, Harrison will be sponsoring and hosting three different events in New York. The events are The Music of the Woodstock Festival, Jazz Guitar event of the decade, and Joel Harrison Quartet.
The Music of the Woodstock Festival
On the Woodstock festival anniversary, Harrison and his all-star team of improvisers, including NYC-based African American vocalists Everett Bradley, Nicki Richards, and Keith Fluitt, will be playing new takes on the music at the 1969 festival. They will be playing at The Colony in Woodstock on Aug. 12, at 8 P.M. and tickets are on sale here.
Joel Harrison Quartet
The Joel Harrison Quartet will be playing at Lydia’s Cafe in Stone Ridge in a laid-back, local affair on Aug. 20 from 7:30-10 P.M., and tickets are on sale now.
The Jazz Guitar Concert of the Decade!
The jazz guitar concert of the decade will feature Bill Frisell, John Scofield, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Mike Stern, who are the four pillars of the jazz/ funk/rock/alt guitar scene. The concert will be happening at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock at 8 P.M. on Aug. 26, and tickets are on sale here.
Blues and soul singer Ali McGuirk has announced upcoming shows in promotion of her new album, Til It’s Gone, which is set for release on September 16 via Signature Sounds. The songwriter shared her single, “All Back,” on July 20 ahead of the album.
McGuirk grew up outside of Boston before calling Burlington, Vermont, home. The singer-songwriter always knew she wanted to become an artist and her inspirations include Lauryn Hill, Aretha Franklin, Sarah Vaughan, and Abbey Lincoln. McGuirk’s music has explored multiple genres, but the upcoming album leans into its blues foundation.
Celebrated folk-blues songwriter Jonah Tolchin helped produce Til It’s Gone alongside McGuirk, allowing for emotional tracks, guitar interludes, and delicate moments in the album. “All Back,” the first single off of the record, is an easy groove. McGuirk wrote the track about the end of the pandemic, and the track combines a vintage sound and a recent event into one.
Surviving the pandemic as an artist required some faith and this song felt like a little prayer of hope and resilience … we are faced with pandemics, climate chaos, ever-deepening inequality, and so much ignorance, but we learned a lot in March 2020 about our ability to adapt and I need to believe that it’s going to be alright, but we’ve got to do something right now.
– Ali McGuirk on “All Back”
McGuirk recorded much of the upcoming record in Los Angeles and included collaborations with an impressive lineup of artists. Legendary guitarist Fred Tackett of Little Feat, organist Larry Goldings, singer Valerie Pinkston, percussionist Lenny Castro, and more helped finalize the complete sounds of the album.
The nine-track album, with intimate introspections, and thoughts on oppression and justice, would not be the same without McGuirk’s signature, hypnotic vocals. Take a listen to the first track, “All Back,” and see the full list of tour dates for the upcoming record, below.
Ali McGuirk On Tour:
Sept. 16 – Nashville, TN – Five Spot (AMERICANAFEST)
Sept. 17 – Easthampton, MA – Arcadia Music Festival
Oct. 1 – Albany, NY – The Linda
Oct. 2 – Portsmouth, NH – The Press Room
Oct. 5 – Lancaster, PA – Tellus360
Oct. 6 – Brooklyn, NY – The Bell House
Oct. 7 – Somerville, MA – The Crystal Ballroom at the Somerville
On September 17th, Brooklyn Comes Alive will return to The Brooklyn Mirage for its sixth installment. This one-day festival brings together the best genres of live music ranging from jazz, jam and funk. Likewise, this event features some unforgettable collaborations, unique one-off performances and one-of-a-kind music experiences.
Inspired by New Orleans and its famed Jazz & Heritage Festival, Brooklyn Comes Alive has been breaking the mold of traditional festivals with unprecedented music experiences since 2015. This year, Brooklyn Comes Alive will feature STS9, Medeski Martin & Wood, Lettuce, and the debut of Cool Cool Cool, an unforgettable project from former members of Turkuaz.
It is so rewarding to work with some of our favorite artists to deliver special performances, debut new projects, and create memorable experiences for fans and bands alike at Brooklyn Comes Alive. That we get to do this in one of the country’s best live music venues, in the best city in the world, is a dream come true. Brooklyn, we’re back, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you at the incredible and unique venue, The Brooklyn Mirage.
– Festival director Gideon Plotnicki (GMP Live)
Brooklyn Comes Alive was built from the fabric of the vibrant live music community of Brooklyn. Much like past “Comes Alive” events, Brooklyn Comes Alive 2022 will be full of exciting firsts and never-before-seen surprises. This event will mark STS9’s first show in NYC since 2019 when they last took over the Brooklyn Mirage. Similarly, Medeski Martin & Wood, who have not played on their home turf in NYC since 2019, will use the special appearance to celebrate their 30th anniversary as a band, which took place last year.
Lettuce will be notching both their Brooklyn Comes Alive debut and their Brooklyn Mirage debut as they celebrate the release of their latest album, Unify, but the band’s individual members are all Brooklyn Comes Alive veterans.
Brooklyn Comes Alive 2022 Lineup:
STS9 Medeski Martin & Wood Lettuce Cool Cool Cool (former members of Turkuaz: Craig Brodhead, Chris Brouwers, Michelangelo Carubba, Shira Elias, Sammi Garett, Greg Sanderson and Josh Schwartz*)
General admission tickets are available in three tiers, starting at $65 and increasing as tiers sell out. The elevated VIP experiences, VIP and Super VIP, include expedited entry, access to the VIP Mezzanine with perfect sightlines to the stage and more. With the Super VIP package including exclusive limited edition merch item.
All tickets, including VIP packages, can be purchased at the link here.
Earth Wind and Fire played in Lewiston at Artpark on Sunday July 31st. Earth, Wind & Fire is an American R&B band formed in Chicago, in 1969 and led by founder Maurice White. Also known as EWF, or the Elements of the Universe, the band has won seven Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards.
They have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.They have sold over 90 million albums worldwide earning them a place on the list of best-selling music artists where they are ranked as the seventh best selling American band of all time. Earth Wind and Fire are currently on tour with Santana and touring all over the states this summer.
Sunset at Artpark.
The show was a near sellout with a capacity at Artpark near 10,000 people. With that said, some fans had a good experience and others, not so much, but it really depends when you arrived at the show. Prior to the show, the venue posted online many times to arrive early and expect heavy traffic and they were 100% correct. Those fans that arrived early, just as the gates opened, found parking and got in the venue prior to showtime. But those that did not heed the advice of the venue were waiting at the entrance for awhile after the show started.
The start of the show was delayed 15 minutes due to the amount of people still in line. There were various sections for fans to watch the show from. Front of stage area, marked seats by the soundboard, lower bowl and general admission seats. Fans were allowed to bring in lawn chairs to sit and watch the whole show. That helped a-lot as the average age in attendance seemed to be around 60 years old.
Gates opened at 6pm and the opener went on at around 6:30pm. This was not a typical opening band. The Brass Machine wondered their way around the crowd instead of playing on the stage. Fans seemed to enjoy this as they could directly interact with the band. The Brass Machine (formerly the Buffalo Brass Machine) is the one of the premiere touring acts on the live music circuit today, laying down funky New Orleans-style street beats across the United States and Canada. Formed in 2014 at the University at Buffalo, The Brass Machine provides a unique blend of hip hop, funk, and R&B, all in an infectious and energetic package.
Three original members of Earth Wind and Fire. photo credit- Mike Miller
Earth Wind and Fire took the stage at 8:15pm and played for about an hour and 45 minutes. There are only three original members left in the band. Phillip Bailey on lead vocals, Verdine White on bas and Ralph Johnson on percussion and backup vocals. They have been making music since 1972, celebrating 50 years in 2022. The rest of the band is comprised of Myron McKinley on keyboard, John Paris on drums, Phillip Bailey Jr. doing backup vocals and percussion, Morris O’Connor on lead guitar, Serg Dimitrjevic on rhythm guitar and B. David Whitworth on percussion and backup vocals.
photo credit- Mike Miller
They played all of their hits and then some, including “Shining Star,” “Boogie Wonderland,” “Let’s Groove” and “September.” You could not ask for better weather for an outdoor concert. The sun setting over Artpark gave fans a great backdrop to the concert with the Niagara River and lower gorge behind the stage. Many fans of the band were seen outside of the venue sitting in their chairs along the road into the Village of Lewiston as the concert could be heard from that far away. Beside the normal heavy concert traffic for an event like this, many fans enjoyed the show.
photo credit- Mike Miller
Earth Wind and Fire – Artpark, Lewiston, NY – Sunday, July 31, 2022
Setlist: Shining Star, Let Your Feelings Show, Mighty Mighty/Celebrate, Gataway, Saturday Night, Serpentine Fire, Sing a Song, Got to Get You Into My Life, Sing a Message to You, Keep Your Head to the Sky, Devotion, Reasons, That’s the Way of the World, After the Love Has Gone, Rock That, Fantasy, Boogie Wonderland, Let’s Groove, September, In the Stone
