NYS Music 202​2

Category: Genres

  • Shania Twain Announces Global Tour, July Dates at Lakeview and MSG, and Second Leg in Buffalo

    Country music fixture Shania Twain has released dates for her 2023 Queen of Me Tour, a five month, 49-date run stretching across Canada, the US, and the UK.

    Starting April 28 in Spokane, WA and wrapping up September 26 in Birmingham, England, the tour includes stops in NY on July 8 at St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview in Syracuse and on the 11th at Madison Square Garden. New Jersey singer-songwriter Breland will feature as a guest performer.

    Due to huge demand, she added a second leg of her tour, stopping in Buffalo on Oct. 20.

    shania twain tour
    Poster for the ‘Queen of Me’ Tour.

    Twain’s tour is in promotion of her upcoming album titled Queen of Me, slated for February 3 release. It’s the sixth studio record from the five-time Grammy Award winner, who owns the title of best-selling female country artist ever.

    Ticket sales for the run begin this Friday, November 4 at 10 a.m.

    SHANIA TWAIN ‘QUEEN OF ME’ 2023 TOUR DATES, LEG 1

    4/28     Spokane, WA             Spokane Arena

    4/29     Seattle, WA                Climate Pledge Arena

    5/02     Vancouver, BC           Rogers Arena

    5/03     Vancouver, BC           Rogers Arena

    5/05     Edmonton, AB            Rogers Place

    5/06     Edmonton, AB            Rogers Place

    5/09     Calgary, AB                Scotiabank Saddledome

    5/10     Calgary, AB                Scotiabank Saddledome

    5/12     Saskatoon, SK            SaskTel Centre

    5/14     Winnipeg, MB             Canada Life Centre

    5/16     Madison, WI               Kohl Center

    5/17     St Paul, MN                Xcel Energy Center

    5/19     Lincoln, NE                 Pinnacle Bank Arena

    5/21     Denver, CO                Ball Arena

    5/24     Salt Lake City, UT      USANA Amphitheatre

    5/26     Mountain View, CA     Shoreline Amphitheatre

    5/28     Los Angeles, CA         Hollywood Bowl

    5/30     Phoenix, AZ                Ak-Chin Pavilion

    5/31     Thousand Palms, CA Acrisure Arena

    6/03     Tulsa, OK                   BOK Center

    6/04     St. Louis, MO              Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre STL

    6/07     Nashville, TN              GEODIS Park

    6/09     Camden, NJ               Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

    6/12     Halifax, NS                 Scotiabank Centre

    6/14     Moncton, NB               Avenir Centre

    6/17     Quebec City, QC        Videotron Centre

    6/18     Montreal, QC              Bell Centre

    6/20     Hamilton, ON              FirstOntario Centre

    6/21     London, ON                Budweiser Gardens

    6/23     Toronto, ON                Budweiser Stage

    6/24     Toronto, ON                Budweiser Stage

    6/27     Columbia, MD             Merriweather Post Pavilion

    6/28     Charlotte, NC              PNC Music Pavilion

    6/30     Cuyahoga Falls, OH   Blossom Music Center

    7/01     Tinley Park, IL            Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

    7/06     Ottawa, ON                 Ottawa Bluesfest

    7/08     Syracuse, NY             St Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview

    7/09     Mansfield, MA             Xfinity Center

    7/11     New York, NY             Madison Square Garden

    7/13     Burgettstown, PA        The Pavilion at Star Lake

    7/15     Noblesville, IN            Ruoff Music Center

    7/19     Kansas City, MO        T-Mobile Center

    7/21     Dallas, TX                   Dos Equis Pavilion

    7/22     Houston, TX               Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

    9/16​     London, UK                 The O2

    9/19     ​Dublin, IRE                 3Arena

    9/22 ​    Glasgow, UK               OVO Hydro

    9/25 ​    Manchester, UK          AO Arena

    9/26 ​    Birmingham, UK         ​ Utilita Arena Birmingham

    SHANIA TWAIN ‘QUEEN OF ME’ 2023 TOUR DATES, LEG 2

    10/12   San Antonio, TX         AT&T Center

    10/13   Fort Worth, TX            Dickies Arena

    10/16   Knoxville, TN              Thompson Boling Arena

    10/18   Raleigh, NC                PNC Arena

    10/20   Buffalo, NY                  KeyBank Center

    10/22   Toronto, ON                Scotiabank Arena

    10/24   Quebec City, QC        Videotron Centre

    10/25   Montreal, QC              Bell Centre

    10/27   Columbus, OH            Schottenstein Center

    10/28   Louisville, KY              KFC Yum! Center

    10/31   Milwaukee, WI            Fiserv Forum

    11/02   Omaha, NE                 CHI Health Center

    11/03   Des Moines, IA           Wells Fargo Arena

    11/05   Fargo, ND                   FARGODOME

    11/07   Winnipeg, MB             Canada Life Centre

    11/09   Saskatoon, SK            Sasktel Centre

    11/11   Calgary, AB                 Scotiabank Saddledome

    11/12   Edmonton, AB             Rogers Place

    11/14   Vancouver, BC           Rogers Arena

  • Flushing Town Hall to Host QWANQWA & NEA Jazz Masters

    In the next three weeks, Flushing Town Hall will welcome new and old, hosting Ethiopian experimental band QWANQWA and their 16th Annual NEA Jazz Masters concert.

    QWANQWA, who are on their debut U.S. tour, are the Flushing Town Hall’s next performers on Saturday. October 29. Based in Ethiopia’s capital city of Addis Ababa, the five-piece was formed in 2012 by violinist Kaethe Hostetter.

    Qwanqwa
    QWANQWA members from left to right: Bubu Teklamariam, Endriss Hansen, Selamnesh Zemene, Misale Leggese, and Kaethe Hostetter.

    QWANQWA also consists of percussionist Misale Legesse, vocalist Selamnesh Zemene Taye, Endres Hassan, player of the masingo, a one-stringed traditional Ethiopian instrument, and Anteneh “Bubu” Teklemariam Barago, player of the bass krar, a five-stringed traditional Ethiopian instrument.

    QWANQWA describes their music as “intersectional,” combining elements of rock, psychedelic, and regional beats from Addis Ababa.

    Qwanqwa
    NEA Jazz Masters from left to right: Wycliffe Gordon, Danny Mixon, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jimmy Owens, Camille Thurman, Kenny Davis.

    The NEA Jazz Masters, led by trumpeter Jimmy Owen, will perform at the town hall on Saturday, November 12 at 8 p.m. With over 45 years experience as a jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger, lecturer, and music education consultant, he’ll be joined on stage by five musicians.

    Drummer Terri Lyne Carrington is a three-time Grammy Award winner, and the newest member of the group. Camille Thurman is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist who has performed on the same stage as Wynton Marsalis, Janelle Monae, Erykah Badu.

    Wycliffe Gordon has been named “Trombonist of the Year” by The Jazz Journalists Association a record 13 times and has topped the Downbeat Critics Poll for “Best Trombone” an unprecedented six times. Daniel Asbury Mixon’s 50+ year piano career has taken him to the White House. Bassist Kenny Davis has toured with artists such as Herbie Hancock and led “The Tonight Show” band from 1999 to 2002.

  • Retro Live in Plattsburgh hosts Vanessa Collier on November 12

    Vanessa Collier, the 2022 Blues Music Awards winner for Contemporary Female Artist of the Year, will head north to Plattsburgh for a show at Retro Live on Saturday, November 12. She’ll bring her winning heart and soul style of blues, funk, songs and R&B to The Lake City.

    vanessa collier retro live

    Vanessa just released her fifth album, Live at the Power Station, which is up for GRAMMY consideration. Joining Collier is one of the greatest guitar masters is Laura Chavez, who has multiple BMA noms for Guitarist of the Year.

    Retro Live is a two-story dance hall and concert space with plenty of room to get down, and is located at 14 Margaret Street in Plattsburgh.

    Doors will open at 7pm with the show from 7:30 to 9:40 pm. Tickets for Vanessa Collier at Retro Live are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and only $10 with student ID. Get tickets at Alpha Stereo and online here.

  • Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams Announce new Album, Woodstock Stop

    Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams announced their long-awaited album Live At Levon’s! will be released on Feb. 3. They have also announced a tour with stops in Tarrytown, Poughkeepsie, and Woodstock.

    Larry Campbell

    Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams returned to their Woodstock home in 2019 to create the record, after a long year of touring. They recorded it at Levon Helm Studios, a historic and dual-purposed recording studio and live music venue founded by the legendary Levon Helm. The duo played multiple shows there with the Midnight Ramble Band, fronted by Helm with whom Campbell served as a bandleader for over a decade.

    The album was supposed to be released in 2020 after a live performance was recorded at the studio with their musician friends. Of course, the pandemic stopped that from happening, and Campbell ended up catching COVID in March 2020. With all that aside, they are ready to perform and get back into touring.

    I’ll never forget the first time I experienced performing as a child and knew my lot in life was set. The only reason I am a singer is because of the indefinable spark that happens with the giving and receiving of your most intimate selves, back and forth, between the artist on stage and the audience there in the room. If I can’t see the audience because of lighting, it almost becomes even more spiritual, because it’s all just feeling them—us together in the moment. And each performance/audience has its own personality. If you can drop the thinking and just ‘be’ with them and this sharing of your most intimate selves, there’s no describing the transcendence.

    Teresa Williams

    The record Live At Levon’s! puts Campbell’s world-class guitar skills on display, and shows his songwriting capabilities. William’s vocals provide raw honesty and her trademark fragility and ferocity. Their new single “Angel of Darkness” is out today.

    Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams are also going on tour, and are hitting Tarrytown on Nov. 18, Poughkeepsie on Nov. 19, and a special performance at the Levon Helm Studios where they recorded the album in Woodstock on April 22. Their brand-new album is available for preorder here and to purchase tickets to their tour go here.

    Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams Tour Dates

    2/2 – Easton, MD – Avalon Theatre – Stoltz Listening Room
    2/3 – Richmond, VA – Richmond Music Hall
    2/4 – Johnson City, TN – Down Home
    2/5 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
    2/7 – Jacksonville Beach, FL – Blue Jay Listening Room
    2/8 – Tampa, FL – The Attic
    2/10-17 – Miami, FL – Cayamo Cruise on Norwegian “Pearl”
    2/24 – Washington, DC – Mountain Stage @ The Kennedy Center
    3/15 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Cafe *
    3/16 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark *
    3/18 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School *
    3/19 – Milwaukee, WI – Shank Hall *
    3/21 – Madison, WI – Stoughton Opera House *
    3/22 – Minneapolis, MN – The Parkway *
    3/24 – Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads *
    3/25 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway *
    3/26 – Nashville, TN – City Winery *
    3/28 – Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle *
    3/29 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle *
    3/31 – Washington, DC – Miracle Theatre *
    4/1 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall *
    4/14 – Great Barrington, MA – The Mahaiwe PAC ^
    4/22 – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios

  • Chubby Checker’s Rock n Roll/Doo Wop Spectacular Rolls into Proctors on November 19

    The Rock n Roll/Doo Wop Spectacular, featuring four great acts – Trish Anderson, The Duprees, The DooWop Project and Chubby Checker – will perform at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady on Saturday, November 19.

    Doo Wop Spectacular Rock n Roll Spectacular

    Headlining the show is the legendary, ageless Chubby Checker.  Chubby looks like he is fifty and sings and dances like he’s 50 too.  In 1959, “The Class” was his first hit record. “The Twist” was originally a “B” side, but Chubby tirelessly promoted it on tv, in interviews and in performances. By the summer of 1960, “The Twist” became a #1 hit, introducing the concept of couples “dancing apart to the beat” and leading to a revolution in dancing with one dance craze leading to another (the Jerk, the Hully Gully, the Boogaloo, etc.), and Chubby was at the forefront with “The Fly,” “The Pony” and “The Hucklebuck.”

    Doo Wop Spectacular Rock n Roll Spectacular

    In 1962, “Pony Time” was a #1 hit that was on the charts for 16 weeks, and Chubby starred in two movies: “Don’t Knock the Twist” and “Twist Around the Clock.” For the first time in record history, “The Twist” re-entered the charts and, by January of 1962, it was #1 again on the Billboard charts. Chubby Checker merchandise was everywhere: t-shirts, shoes, ties, dolls, even chewing gum! More huge hits followed: “The Fly,” “Let’s Twist Again,” “The Limbo Rock, “ and he won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance. He was the only act to have 5 albums in the top 12 at the same time. In 1964, Chubby married Catharina Lodders, Miss World of 1962.

    Chubby continues to push musical boundaries while performing all over the world. In 1988, “Yo Twist,” performed with the Fat Boys, was a #14 hit and in 2007 “Knock Down the Wall” went to #1 on the Billboard Dance charts, introducing Chubby Checker to a new generation of fans. Chubby looks and sounds young and continues to display his historic dance moves. You’ll see why Chubby Checker was recently voted “Casino Performer of the Year” and why “The Twist” was the most frequently played song on the radio in the history of rock music.

    Doo Wop Spectacular Rock n Roll Spectacular

    Co-headlining the show is The Doo Wop Project.  The Doo Wop Project consists of five Broadway stars from smash hit shows like JERSEY BOYS and MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL.  This supergroup of Broadway stars transforms hits from the classic and modern American pop songbook into unforgettable renditions of your favorite songs. The Doo Wop Project traces the evolution of the classic American Doo Wop sound with five guys singing tight street-corner harmonies (including songs by The Crests, The Belmonts, the Flamingos and more). This musical journey includes the hit-sounds of Motown (including The Temptations and Smokey Robinson) and of classic East-Coast Pop royalty like Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and Dion. Finally, we will experience “DooWopified” versions of hit songs by more recent stars such as Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz, Garth Brooks, Maroon 5 and more. Audiences will be moved to reminisce, and newer generations will marvel at classic golden Doo Wop sounds… as well as versions of more recent hit songs.

    Additionally, WMHT (PBS) will televise THE DOO WOP PROJECT’s brand new tv concert-special in June, giving the capital district audience an exclusive first look. Like their live show, this concert special gives a taste of the unparalleled authenticity of sound and vocal excellence in the group’s recreations of some of the greatest American hits in Pop and Rock history.

    Fantastic audience favorite, The Duprees, will also grace the Proctors stage. The Duprees are known worldwide for their romantic interpretations of some of the most beautiful love songs ever written. They possess a smooth yet powerful vocal quality and heavenly harmonies, evidenced in the huge hit “You Belong to Me.” Other hits include: “My Own True Love,” “Gone with the Wind,” “Why Don’t You Believe Me,” “Have you Heard” and “Theme from Exodus.” Although their romantic harmonies are second to none, The Duprees also present a dynamic stage show that will bring the house down.

    Opening the show is long-time regional fav Trish Anderson, singing female hits of the era.  In her fifth decade of performing, Trish is most widely recognized as the lead singer of the Bluz House Rockers (26th year with them).  Trish was inducted into the New York State Blues Hall of Fame and has shared the stage in concert with Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Eddie Money, Marshall Tucker, and Little Feat,  A singer-songwriter, her “Three Dollar Bill’ went to #2 on the pop 100 charts in Denmark.  She and her band also perform every January on the Delbert McClinton Sandy Beaches cruise into the Caribbean.  Her friend Trez Gregory, who backed up Brooks and Dunn in concert for 7 years, will travel from Ohio to back up Trish at Proctors.

    Tickets are on sale now at Proctors Box Office, by phone at (518) 346-6204 and on line at proctors.org.

  • Joanie Leeds and Fyütch are Redefining Christmas Music

    Yes, it’s only October, and yes the high in Syracuse today was in the 60s, but some might say it’s never too early for Christmas music. On October 21, NYC-based Grammy winner Joanie Leeds and Grammy-nominated Fyütch released their first original song, “Every Day’s a Holiday.” The two released the song with an accompanying music video in advance of their holiday music project, Oy Vey! Another Christmas Album, releasing on November 4.

    Joanie Leeds Fyütch Christmas

    When Joanie Leeds discovered that most of our most-loved Christmas songs were written by Jewish people, it was particularly inspiring to her as a Jewish singer much lauded for her songwriting prowess — in addition to her Grammy, Leeds claimed first in the USA Songwriting competition and International Songwriting Competition as well as finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting competition.

    Leeds was moved by the dichotomous spirit behind those Christmas tunes and thought the perfect way to honor the work of their original Jewish songwriters was through continuing their practice; so she started writing her own holiday music. The upcoming album will feature four covers of classic Christmas songs written by Jewish songwriters and two originals, co-written with Fyütch. 

    Though it feels early for Christmas, this new angle on the holiday season couldn’t come sooner, with Ye’s recent interviews and tweets that spread anti-semitic rhetoric to an avid audience of music devotees. 

    “I love our contribution to the holiday season and was excited to share my passion project with the world and write some new ones too, especially as anti-Semitism is on the rise,” Reeds said.

    “Every Day’s A Holiday” is a fresh and fun take on a traditional Christmas song. It retains the classic choral sounds of the classics, but with a twist: it’s not just a Christmas song, it’s a song dedicated to all holidays. In “Every Day’s A Holiday,” Christmas trees, dreidels, thanksgiving turkeys, fireworks, easter eggs all exist in musical harmony. The video itself is campy and engaging, with Leeds and Fyütch dancing around each other, with props and instruments as cartoon holiday animations flash over the green screen behind them. 

    The album will be out November 4, and you can stream the single here and watch the video below.

  • Foxhead Record Company and Fredonia Artists Discuss Western New York Music Scene

    Bands largely based in Chautauqua and Erie County show up on a bi-weekly basis to take the stage at the Main Street Studios venue in Fredonia. Initially making cassettes for local bands, Foxhead Record Company rented out the building.

    Foxhead Record Company
    Foxhead record company logo

    Follow the closure of the North Pole Strip Club (NPSC) house venue on Main Street, Felix Kellogg, Jake King and Liam Powers, the founders of the Foxhead label, talked with the owner of the space about their idea of launching DIY-shows. “Since we got to Fredonia, there was always live music going on”, explained King, “and it was always upperclassmen running it”.

    Foxhead Record Company
    (Credit: foxheadrecordco Instagram)

    He pointed out there being a need for people to organize shows and Liam Powers also added in a prior lack of places for shows to happen, following the the North Pole Strip Club closing. The recognition of a need for performance outlets in town led to the transition of the company from focusing on making cassettes for bands to extending their business, bringing live concerts at one of the most popular venues in Fredonia.

    Listen to Jake, Liam and Felix discuss more about the formation of their record company, the Fredonia music scene, and more in an exclusive interview below.

    Interview with founders of Foxhead Record Company:

    https://youtu.be/EG0mNXaG9Hw

    A Fredonia-based artist, under the moniker Soup Kale and lead singer of the alternative band Karrot Kake, who performed at Main Street Studios on Saturday, 10/15, commented on the shift in the Fredonia music scene. In an interview below, he described a lot of jam bands being active in the area, along with reggae sounds being notable several years ago, before pop-punk more recently turned into the predominant element integrated in the scene.

    Interview with Karrot Kake band musician Soup Kale:

    https://youtu.be/t0kZki2MBDI
    Interview with musician Soup Kale of Karrot Kake band

    SAINT BLIND, real name Aaron, is another artist part of the line-up who performed at Main Street on the night of 10/15. He described working with many people involved in the Fredonia music scene, having joined multiple bands, including one with Jake King of Foxhead when he was in his teenage years, as well as composing a group known as the Blind Orchestra. The alternative/indie rock and synth-pop artist details more of his musical involvement and both upcoming and released works of his in an interview below.

    Interview with musical artist SAINT BLIND:

    https://youtu.be/RBNFz06i5TI
    Interview with artist SAINT BLIND

    Make sure to follow Foxhead on Instagram at @foxheadrecordco for updates on when shows are happening at Main Street Studios and original cassette releases. Also, follow Karrot Kake on Instagram @karrotkakemusic and on Spotify @Karrot Kake, and Kaleh @soupkale, as well as SAINT BLIND @saint_blind on Instagram to keep up with the latest news on their musical releases and performances.

  • The Avett Brothers Plan Pair of May shows at Beak & Skiff and Artpark

    The Avett Brothers have announced shows in 2023, with a lone pair of shows in May taking them to Beak & Skiff Apple Orchard in Lafayette on May 20 and at Artpark in Lewiston on May 21. They’ll be closing out 2022 with a three-night run in Brooklyn and ring in the year at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    avett brothers artpark

    The Avett Brothers, featuring siblings Scott and Seth, is a Grammy-nominated folk-rock band from North Carolina known for songs like “Kick Drum Heart,” “I and Love and You,” and “Ain’t No Man.”

    The three-time GRAMMY Award nominees made mainstream waves with their 2009 major label debut, I And Love And You, which landed at #16 on the Billboard Top 200 & garnered critical acclaim. In 2012, The Carpenter hit #4 on the Billboard Top 200, followed by Magpie And The Dandelion in 2013, which debuted at #5 on Billboard’s Top 200. In 2016, the band was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. The group most recently released the 2020 EP The Third Gleam.

    Tickets for The Avett Brothers at Beak and Skiff and Artpark go on sale Friday, October 28, at 10AM on ticketmaster.com and at venue box offices.

    Avett Brothers Tour Dates

    Saturday, May 20 – Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards, Lafayette, NY

    Sunday, May 21 – Artpark, Lewiston, NY

  • Sub Lights Release New EP ‘Half-Life’

    NYC’s Sub Lights have just released their newest EP Half-Life, an album that describes how if you only live in the past or for the future, you miss the present. Thus, marking the duo’s second release following last year’s Medicine EP and a pair of successful debut shows in Manhattan.

    Sub Lights Announce New EP Half-Life

    The band has also released a new video for another track from this project, titled “Hell’s Kitchen Sink.”

    To the artists, the challenge of making music as a duo has inspired them to put together a small studio in their new home in New York City, an effort that went into overdrive during the 2020 lockdowns. Their new Half-Life EP marks the duo’s second release, following last year’s Medicine.

    “Big and brash electropop from this NY duo that centers blazing hooks amidst spiraling guitars and sizzling synths.”

    Bandcamp New and Notable 

    “Music should be fun, it’s entertainment after all,” states Stephen. “But it’s also art and part of the purpose of art is to allow listeners to explore different ways of being. That’s our goal: to offer the chance to explore a bit of social consciousness along with fun.” 

    “Sub lights has a distinct electronic sound . . . sure to get you in your feels. . . . an incredible atmosphere. . . . creative and fun. More music from Sub lights is on the way; be on the lookout.”

    Road Trips & Playlists 

    “The idea was to transform traditionally-written songs, mostly played on piano or acoustic guitar, into our indie-electronic style,” says the Stephen. “Lyrically, we wanted to try to capture the kind of social melancholy coming out of the pandemic and the Trump years, but then express that in a hopeful way. Like, life is tough and can be really sad, but even then people are amazing and able to find joy by connecting with each other. We also wanted to take our music seriously without taking ourselves too seriously—it’s a fine line, but I admire artists who can pull that off. But also I’m a college history professor and fairly politically active, so there’s always an element of the big picture mixed in there too, grand themes of what it means to be human and all that.”  

    Sub Lights Announce New EP Half-Life


    “Half-Life has multiple meanings as it relates to the album,” continues Meredith. “It is one of the key lines in ‘Strange New Breed,’ and it is a way to describe how if you only live in the past or for the future, you miss the present, so essentially it feels like you are only experiencing half of your life at any given moment… It’s also my word for what deep depression feels like. All these missed opportunities, just watching life go by from your bed.  ‘Black & White’ and ‘Rockville’ are songs about the past. ‘Traffic’ and ‘Hell’s Kitchen Sink’ are about living in the moment which is the only time we can experience the full interconnectedness of life, that we are all the same.”                            

    Sub Lights Announce New EP Half-Life

    “I think some of our songs conceptually resemble protest music,” says Merideth. “Common themes are anti-religion, anti-patriarchy, anti-unfettered capitalism, anti-fascism. Think for yourself, question things, wake up, be kind.” 

  • Ladies Love Cool Jazz: LL Cool J Reimagined

    Following his collaborative album with the legendary Eric B. & Rakim, Jonathan Hay and company have decided to tackle another iconic artist from the golden era of New York hip-hop and reimagine it as jazz. This time around, the billboard charting Hay and co. will look to channel hip hop’s first superstar, LL Cool J, into a 14-track jazz album of quintessential LL songs. Slated for a January 13-14 release (LL’s birthday), LL Cool Jazz, will look to repeat the success of Follow the Leader (Reimagined As Jazz), which spent 11-consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard Jazz charts.

    LL Cool J
    LL Cool Jazz will reimagine hip hop’s first superstar

    Ladies Love Cool Jazz

    Jazz music and hip hop have long been distant cousins, with both genres rooted in similar strife. Despite the generational gap, rap music’s edginess was built on the back of Jazz’s more controlled chaos. In light, hip hop’s rhythms could not exist without the Jazz Symphonies to inspire it.

    Similarly, Jazz runs deep in LL Cool J’s blood. His grandfather was a saxophonist and helped jumpstart a young LL. “They embraced me, they built me up. They made me believe in myself,” LL said of his grandparents, with his trademark bravado leading him all the way to a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.

    Like all of our music, when Rakim and I first sat down to write and record Follow the Leader, we took inspiration from our Jazz icons in creating its signature sound,

    – Eric B revealed in promotion for their collaboration with Hay.

    Moreover, LL is no stranger to hip hop and jazz working synonymously. The Rick Rubin produced single “Going Back to Cali” — released over 34 years ago on Def Jam Records — showed the versatility of a young LL. The song opens with a memorable jazz and horn intro, along with a saxophone solo, something completely different for hip-hop at the time. 

     Recording sessions for LL Cool Jazz will take place in Brooklyn, with some of the final step mixing at Quad Studios in Manhattan. Additionally, the album will be distributed through Fat Beats Records.

    LL Cool J is a true pioneer who changed the sound of modern music as we know it. I can’t wait for the world to hear LL Cool Jazz. Now that the pandemic is in our rearview, our team is back on the road with its aggressive mission of bringing back jazz music to pop cultural relevance. What I’ve learned so far on this journey is that ladies love cool jazz, so it’s appropriate that we are reimagiing hip-hop’s first sex symbol.

    – Jonathan Hay
Built in Breakdance