On Saturday, October 29th, the World Music Institute present Malian musician and GRAMMY Award winner Oumou Sangaré for an incredible one-night-only performance at the world-famous Apollo in Harlem. Being one of West Africa’s most celebrated vocalists, Sangaré infuses her music with traditional African percussion, distinctive vocals, and progressive social criticism. Thus, creating a unique sound that has propelled her onto the international stage.
In her Apollo debut, Oumou Sangaré, “The Songbird of Wassoulou,” will perform music that spans traditional Wassoulou music. She will do this by using contemporary sounds coming out of Africa as well as songs from her recent critically acclaimed album, Timbuktu.
We’re thrilled to have Oumou, make her Apollo debut during our Next Movement season. Over the past eight decades the Apollo has amplified Black voices and used its platforms to create an intersection of art and activism, so having Oumou perform a range of music from Wassoulou music to contemporary sounds is exactly the kind of artistic conversation that we champion.
Kamilah Forbes, Executive Producer at The Apollo
Oumou Sangaré is considered an ambassador of Wassoulou, she is praised for being an activist, businesswoman and global icon. Throughout the world, her music has been inspired by the music and traditional dances of the region. She does this by writing and composing her songs which often include social criticism, especially concerning women’s low status in society.
Similar to legendary performers like Grace Jones, Nina Simone, and Aretha Franklin, Oumou Sangaré has been praised by stars including Beyoncé and Alicia Keys for her powerful voice and unwavering commitment to the betterment of women. Sangaré infuses her music with traditional African percussion, distinctive vocals, and progressive social criticism, creating a unique sound that has propelled her career.
Ticket will range from $30-$75 per seating arrangement. For more information on Oumou Sangaré and to purchase tickets via the Apollo Theater, click the link here.
After two years on the west coast, singer/songwriter Alan Chapell is moving back to NYC. He will be celebrating both his return to the city and last month’s release of his sixth album, Two Fishes with a record release party with Slyboots on October 20 at The Cutting Room.
More than a songwriter, Chapell is a storyteller. He creates characters and plots in each song, amplified by energetic rhythms and creative melodies. His sound is rambling rock and roll, folksy soul and venerable vulnerability. Chapell is bridging on big time — he’s garnered over 1 million streams as of last year and worked with artists as varied as Jerry Harrison of the Talking Heads, Gin Blossoms, Everclear, and as front man for east-west band Kalki in Mumbai in his twenties.
Chapell is from Connecticut, but was a staple of the West Village music scene before he moved to the Bay Area. His newest album, Two Fishes is more serious and introspective than some of his past works, but as always it employs a unique structure for the conflicting and complementary situations of raising a child after 9/11 and raising a child during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a complex topic to address in song, but Chapell’s specialty is doing so again and again, with charm and nuance as well as superb musicality.
Alan Chapell will be at The Cutting Room at 44 E 32 Street on October 20, with fellow NYC band Slyboots. Tickets are starting at $25 and can be purchased here.
Mihali blessing the crowd at LonCon – photo by Zak Radick
The Wheel – Friday, October 21
Unlock the door, buckle up, put it in gear and enjoy the ride with the The Capital Region’s authentic Grateful Dead Tribute Band, “The Wheel”. Founded in 2010 by Andy Morse looking to play to his roots of years of chasing the Grateful Dead and current incarnations around he formed The Wheel. It’s been said the medicine wheel is a “peaceful interaction among all living beings on Mother Earth-it represents harmony, balance and connections.”
Mihali (of Twiddle) w/ Mike Powell, Luke Mitrani – October 22
Mihali returns to Putnam Place for a full band performance, featuring Adrian Tramontano, Scott Hannay and Dave DiCristo. For Mihali, music behaves much like a living being. It grows, matures, and changes with a sentient consciousness and whims of its own. The Vermont-based solo singer, songwriter, guitarist, artist, and Twiddle co-founder follows reggae’s evolutionary ebb and flow, existing in a perpetual state of inspiration and creation, and remaining committed to sonic evolution. Exuding a balanced mix of rich influence, Mihali’s music entwines reggae spirit, fluid soundscape architecture, and invigorating mantras meant to be chanted aloud in a packed venue.
Ticket: $20 Advance / $25 Day of Show available at putnamplace.comAges: 18+
Opening the night are Cazenovia-based singer-songwriter Mike Powell, and Luke Mitriani’s electro pop-rock.
Freekbass & The Bump Assembly (ft: Sammi Garett) – October 27
Freekbass, to the core, is an accomplished bass player with a particular passion for Funk. “Freekbass & The Bump Assembly” tour relentlessly, expanding his circles and reaching cities, coast to coast. His high-energy live-shows led him to the festival scene, and he simultaneously did dates with the supergroup, Headtronics.
The current touring line-up for Freekbass & The Bump Assembly is a 7-piece wonder-team which includes Freekbass on bass and vocals, drummer Rico Lewis (previously with George Clinton/P-Funk), Sky White on keys (Foxy Shazam), Sammi Garett (previouly Turkuaz) and Reilly Comisar on vocals, Nate Lewis on guitar and Greg Sanderson (previouly Turkuaz) on sax. The friendships and wealth of collaborative musicianship in this group is apparent on stage, where infectious grooves meet nonstop-energetic performances.
Ticket: $15 Advance / $17 Day of Show available at putnamplace.comAges: 18+
Kitchen Dwellers + Daniel Donato – October 29
Kitchen Dwellers twist bluegrass, folk, and rock through a kaleidoscope of homegrown stories, rich mythology, American west wanderlust, and psychedelic hues. The Montana quartet broke up 2020 with an EP of Pink Floyd covers entitled Reheated, Vol. 2. It was heralded by a two-night livestream concert, Live From The Cabin, beamed out to audiences from the Bridger Mountains. Additionally, they appeared at the Live From Out There virtual festival and even took over a drive-in movie theater for an in-person gig in between regular writing sessions together throughout the year. The group recently released Wise River to bring fans back to Big Sky Country on their third full-length album, working with Cory Wong of Vulfpeck as producer.
Opening the night is cosmic country and Americana artist Daniel Donato, a walking tornado of creative energy. “They think there’s something that tips the scale in ways they don’t understand,” says Donato about his over-the-top, slightly manic vibe. “But what actual-ly tips the scale is the amount of thought and analysis I put into my work and art, all of which is taken from the lessons of my life.” Donato, a 27-year-old Nashville native, has distilled those life lessons into his debut album, A Young Man’s Country, his proper introduction to the general musical audience. Recorded at Nashville’s Sound Emporium in a mere two days and produced by guitar-ace Robben Ford, the record weaves outlaw country, Grateful Dead-style Americana, and first-rate songwriting into a singular form Donato calls “21st-century cosmic country.”
Ticket: $20 Advance $25 Day of Show available at putnamplace.comAges: 18+
Weekly Events at Putnam Place
Monday: Family Tree featuring Steve Candlen, Kenny Hohman, Lori Friday, Chris Carey and Chad Ploss perform every Monday at Putnam Place from 7pm – 10pm. Each week they will be joined by various special guests form the regional music scene.
Monday: Sly Fox’s Open Mic Jam – Every Monday from 10pm – Midnight.
Thursdays (thru October 20): Country Night featuring free beginner line dancing lessons by Kevin Richards (6:30pm – 8:30pm) followed by country DJ.
Sundays: Latin Night (7:00pm – 12:00am) featuring Latin dance lessons by Tango Fusion Dance Company from 7:00pm – 8:00pm.
Upcoming November Shows at Putnam Place
11/3 – Bearly Dead
11/4 – Dean Ford & The Beautiful Ones: A Tribute to Prince
SG Lewis performed at The Westcott Theater on October 11 as their official fifth stop during their 2022 Tour. SG Lewis is a London-based singer and song writer; his music produces an electronic, dance-oriented groove and dedicates his music to club culture.
Lewis is originally from Reading, England and began his music career after many years experimenting as a teenager. It only began in 2014 for SG hopping from various bands as he moved in his own direction, Lewis’s first EP Shivers was released in 2015.
Mindchatter opened, with a similar electronic pop groove. Bryce opened with some of his top hits “I can change” and DJ mix “It’s been you”. It was the perfect way to rise the vibe before the crowd broke loose for well known SG Lewis. The Westcott Theater provided the perfect dance floor for the show last Tuesday evening. With a youthful crowd, fans were excited that SG was visiting Syracuse as one of his many stops.
The London performer sung top releases and collaborative songs featuring artists JP Cooper, Bruno Major, Frances, Clairo, LANY among others. Leaning over the barricade was a screaming SG, and the crowd blew up for the band. The set also featured songs “More Than A Woman” (Paradise edit featuring Bees Gees), hit release “One More” (feat. Nile Rodgers) and one more of many “Heartbreak on The Dance floor” (feat. Frances).
Overall, SG Lewis and the band seemed to have kicked off a good start to their tour. Lewis continues to inspire the music industry and welcome the crowd and thank his fans for support. SG Lewis has a great way of captivating his audience and giving the fans a good time and a memorable show.
The Binghamton Philharmonic will continue its season on Saturday, October 22 at 7:30pm at the Helen Foley Theatre at Binghamton High School with “Walking Distance.” The performance will celebrate notable Binghamtonian Rod Serling and the evocative incidential music of Bernard Herrmann for the Twilight Zone episode “Walking Distance.”
Conductor Michael McGehee, the Los Angeles-based conductor of the Hollywood Studio Orchestra, will lead the Binghamton Philharmonic. Southern Tier Actors Read, under the direction of Judy McMahon, will read Serling’s screenplay as the orchestra plays the incidental music.
“Walking Distance” Conductor Michael McGehee
The performance, permitted through a special rights agreement with CBS Broadcasting, will even include a mechanical carousel organ, courtesy of the Endicott Rotary Foundation.
“Walking Distance” director Judy McMahon
Paul Cienniwa, Executive Director of The Binghamton Philharmonic, shares insight into the unique, one time performance, and what awaits the audience.
Many associate Binghamton with the “Twilight Zone” television show and its creator, former Bennett Avenue resident Rod Serling. Those even more in the know are keenly aware that Serling’s autobiographical Twilight Zone screenplay, “Walking Distance,” was based on his Binghamton and our own Recreation Park. But did you know that the music for “Walking Distance” was created by one of the greatest film and television composers of all time?
Bernard Herrmann is probably most famous for his music for Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho.” His score for “Walking Distance” is anything but psychotic! Featuring 18 strings and harp, Herrmann evokes the nostalgia of Rod Serling’s Binghamton through several techniques, including: muted strings (a practice that creates a hazy, impressionist effect); “divisi” (at times, we are hearing nearly 18 separate lines in a lush texture); and, at the climax of the story, a repeated “circle of fifths” (an harmonic pattern that is both recognizable and endearing).
On October 22, conductor Michael McGehee, the Los Angeles-based conductor of the Hollywood Studio Orchestra, will lead the Binghamton Philharmonic. First, we’ll hear the incidental music by itself, arranged as a concert suite by McGee. Next, Southern Tier Actors Read, under the direction of Judy McMahon, will read Serling’s screenplay as the orchestra plays the incidental music in context. This is a perfect marriage of spoken word and music in the perfect setting: the Helen Foley Theatre at Binghamton High School, named for Serling’s drama teacher.
As many of you know, the Rec Park carousel plays a big role in “Walking Distance.” To bring our own performance to life, the Endicott Rotary Foundation will be providing a mechanical carousel organ. In addition, Two Rivers Photography Club will display a pre-concert slideshow of area carousels, using photos from their members.
“Walking Distance” will be performed by the Binghamton Philharmonic on Saturday, October 22 at 7:30pm at Helen Foley Theatre at Binghamton High School, located at 31 Main Street, Binghamton. Pre-concert refreshments will be served from from 5:30pm-7:00pm at the Bundy Museum. For tickets and more information, contact the Binghamton Philharmonic box office at 607-723-3931 or visit binghamtonphilharmonic.org
Serling: James Michalec Narrator: Nick De Lucia Martin: Andy Horowitz Soda Jerk I (Charlie): Jake Donlin Boy With Marbles: Cameron Little Woman At Park: Katherine Boczar Young Martin: Jack Wolf Mr. Sloan: Joe Bardales Mrs. Sloan: Kathleen Cook Old Man Wilson: Nick De Lucia Teenage with Car: Jake Donlin Soda Jerk II: Jake Donlin
This past Friday, October 14 ZZ Top brought 50 years of Rock to Albany’s The Palace Theatre for the first time.
Austin Meade from Austin, Texas opened for ZZ Top. Meade is an electric performer whose music has a very hard-rock feel. Known for his intensity on the drums and guitar, Meade currently has four rock albums. His latest effort — Abstract Art of an Unstable Mind — released on the day of the concert. Meade debuted a song off that album during his performance.
Meade opened up to a warm reception at promptly 8 o’clock. His guitarists seemed to want to grab the crowd’s attention, playing with extra vigor whenever Meade approached center stage. Meade performed for about 30 minutes before ending with his hit single, “Happier Alone.” In this performance, he added in lyrics from Dua Lipa’s, “Don’t Start Now,” to end the song, and ending his set.
An older crowd welcomed ZZ Top to Albany with a thunderous ovation. Everyone was on their feet as a new-look ZZ Top took the stage. Last year, lead bass player Dusty Hill died in his home in Houston at the age of 72. Before his passing, he wished for the band to go on. ZZ Top’s guitar tech, Elmwood Francis assumed the position. This was Albany’s first time seeing Francis rock out live on stage.
There was not any mention of Dusty Hill during their hour and 15-minute set. The vibes were positive as Billy Gibbons, ZZ Top’s lead vocalist and guitarist, repeatedly asked “are y’all having a good time?” They played of their greatest hits from the last 5 decades including “Give Me All Your Lovin,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Brown Sugar,” and “Pearl Necklace.”
ZZ Top had left the stage, but not a single person left the theatre. They returned quickly with sporting sparkling red jackets. They closed the show playing “La Grange” with fluffy white guitars and a barrage of bubbles.
The ZZ Top tour continues in Port Chester, NY on October 18th at The Capitol Theatre. If you cannot catch them there, they have a strip of shows in Las Vegas from December 3rd-10th at The Venetian.
Sci-fi fusion trio Consider the Source releases their newest album “I Am Inevitable” as they start to gear up for their Maxx Power Tour. The band is ready to get back to the electric shows they have become known for. Their upcoming Maxx Power Tour will feature material from throughout the band’s history, bringing back songs from the very beginning and some electric tracks from their latest effort “Hybrid Vol.1: Such As A Mule.”
With their blend of progressive rock and improvisatory jazz Consider the Source defy easy categorization. A relentless touring schedule has earned them a close following around the world, with fans ranging from tie dye covered hippies to metalheads.
“Manipulating the juxtaposition between light and dark frequently, the song tells a story of conflicting emotions which paradoxically need each other to exist. We wanted to surprise and challenge the listener by shifting these moods harmonically and dynamically. Playing with contrasts in this way gives each section its own platform. The title comes from Marvel Comics super villain Thanos however in classic CTS fashion, we took the quote out of context and when you read these words and then listen to the song, it conjures hope rather than destruction which was the initial intention. We know…we are nerds” states CTS.
MAXX POWER TOUR
10.13 Baltimore, MD – The 8×10 ! 10.14 Damascus, VA – Between the Vines 10.15 Burkeville, VA – Fly High CROPtober Fest 10.29 Lake Huntington, NY – CollaboWeen # 11.04 Portland, ME – Bayside Bowl $ 11.05 Hartford, CT – Arch Street Tavern % 11.10 Saratoga Springs, NY – Putnam Place ^ 11.11 Burlington, VT – Nectar’s 11.12 Asbury Park, NJ – Wonder Bar * 11.17 Sellersville, PA – Sellersville Theater ^ 11.18 Pembroke, MA – Soundcheck Studios + 11.19 Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Made * 12.01 Charlottesville, VA – The Southern 12.02 Asheville, NC – Asheville Music Hall 12.03 Charlotte, NC – Heist Brewery and Barrel Arts !! 12.08 Atlanta, GA – Smith’s Olde Bar ## 12.09 Raleigh, NC – The Pour House Music Hall $$ 12.10 Boone, NC – Boone Saloon %% 12.30 Brattleboro, VT – The Stone Church + 12.31 Worcester, MA – Electric Haze ^^
For more information on Consider the Source Releases, tickets, and the show, click the link here.
Ripton, VT, artist Sarah King has recently just delivered a soulful new A/B sided release with “Always an Almost” and “You Were Wrong About Me.” There’s no arguing that King’s talents are being celebrated by some of the biggest names in music. Her music has a similar resemblance to artists like The Lumineers, Lana Del Rey, Lenny Kravitz, Michael Jackson, Shawn Mendes and more.
Sarah King A/B
Just off the heels of her most recent EP The Hour, Sarah King shows her newest releases exuding a clear contrast to her previous works. Most which were originally inspired by loss of loved ones, grief and the heavier feelings that she had carried with her for years. In her newest releases, each song can be both musically and lyrically versatility. King does this through dynamic vocal delivery and refreshing heart-on-sleeve storytelling.
Sarah King A/B
The track “Always an Almost” describes the sudden chances we thought we just missed, much like the relationships that didn’t last, and all of the dreams we struggle to let go of in order to make space for what is really meant for us. King sings heartfelt lyrics with tears streaming down her face, solidifying the fact that she had an undeniable hit in her hands.
“Almost thought I couldn’t let go, But the pain’s how you grow / It gets better I know, Always an almost” ~ Always An Almost
Followed by a fierce rock companion “You Were Wrong About Me,” this release offers a bit of modern rock n roll. This release looks back on the situations that didn’t work out from a place of strength, growth and confidence. Originally the song was written in about 10 minutes; the two-minute-long rocker was inspired by a music venue that rejected King to perform before even listening to her music. Thus, King has written one of her most simple, yet impactful tracks that musicians will be able to relate to.
“Don’t need your permission now, Didn’t want it anyhow / Live my life the way I please, You’ll never be the boss of me” ~ You Were Wrong About Me
Local to Syracuse, the band Trauma Cat has recently just dropped their newest album The Truth Doesn’t Live Here, which we released on Friday, October 7th. Award-winning indie alternative band making a name for themselves by stating that they are “America’s sorriest power trio.” Along with this, they will be playing at The Range in Ithaca on October 22nd.
This LP marks the Syracuse-based band’s second full-length collaboration weighing in at a whopping 19 tracks. The unauthorized double album features six singles previously released in 2022: “Better Questions,” “Tsai Shen,” “Bunnyhole,” “Popcorn Machine,” “Get It All Out (Online),” and “The Reporter.”
Songs like “The Truth Doesn’t Live Here” arrive also on the heels of a five-part online “dox-u-series” called “The Truth About Trauma Cat,” a cheeky satire of internet culture, deepfake technology, and simulation theory that teases a definitive identity reveal of the band’s members (known as Ralph Kojig, Roman Pando, and Rutger DiBoyere).
“When we say ‘the truth doesn’t live here,’ we mean that we are all inhabiting a post-truth world,” says guitarist Kojig, who shares primary songwriting and frontman duties with bassist Pando. “While it’s possible that the majority of our society once recognized an objective truth, it’s pretty clear now — in the face of so many false or dubious claims — that we never had a monopoly on reality anyway, I’m sorry to say.”
“And there’s something hilarious and freeing about that,” adds Pando. “That strange liberation is what provoked Ralph and I to write the songs that would end up on this record. The result is something deeply inquisitive, and yet, with apologies to our audience, we still have no answers — except, obnoxiously, that there are no answers. Sorry!”
The songs on the album that I recommend are “The Truth Doesn’t Live Here,” which doubles down on Trauma Cat’s signature blend of music taste. The song combines a progressive rock with shades of post-punk, shoegaze, and power-pop. Similarly, “Better Questions” and “Pray the Gay Away” are another two amazing blend of alternative genres that speak to the chaos of the record’s core theme.
“The Truth Doesn’t Live Here” is available now on all streaming platforms. To listen to their newest hits, click the link here.
NYC’s cult funk ensemble Brooklyn Funk Essentials have just shared a playful video for their irresistible new jazz-funk jam “AA Side Single.” The music video was just released October 16th, in follow up to the critically acclaimed recent single “Scream!” released on Dorado Records.
The tongue in cheek video is full of vibes and features legendary lead singer Alison Limerick, BFE founder and bassist Lati Kronlund and the entire BFE lineup.
Brooklyn Funk Essentials is a music collective who mix jazz, funk, and hip hop, featuring musicians and poets from different cultures. Across a career that stretches 28 years and six albums, Brooklyn Funk Essentials have established themselves as an audacious project fusing soul, hip hop, spoken word, jazz, Latin and of course, funk. BFE have built up a loyal international cult following on every continent since its inception in 1993 by iconic producer Arthur Baker and bassist Lati Kronlund.
The band was born out of New York’s buzzing hip-hop, jazz and slam poetry scenes in the early 90s, rotating some of the finest musicians, DJs, poets, rappers and singers. BFE’s debut album Cool & Steady & Easy is a classic underground hit with the version of Pharoah Sanders’ “The Creator Has a Master Plan,” while tracks like “Take The L Train” and “Big Apple Boogaloo” became DJ favorites.
“The cult funk ensemble Brooklyn Funk Essentials share the playful video for their infectious new jazz-funk jam “AA Side Single” today”
– Ghettoblaster
The songs “AA Side Single” and ‘Scream!’ are both taken from the BFE’s hotly anticipated seventh studio album Intuition, which will come out in early 2023 on Dorado Records. Thus, the original label who first signed Brooklyn Funk Essentials in 1994.
BFE are on a European Tour through summer to autumn, with European festival dates across Sweden, Norway, France, Belgium, Czech Republic, Turkey and more.
To watch the video for “AA Side Single,” click here. To listen to Brooklyn Funk Essentials, click here.
