The Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival will return to a live format this July 13-17 in Oak Hill, NY. With over 40 bands, six stages, dozens of performances, hands-on workshops, dancing, camping, jamming, kids activities, ethnic/festive foods, excellent vendors and top luthiers, fans will be guaranteed a memorable weekend of bluegrass music.
Thousands of fans from over 30 states and across the world attend this festival every year, to let loose in the Catskill Mountains. This festival features a multitude of genres consisting of traditional and contemporary bluegrass, jam bands, old-time, swing and cajun.
Advance Full Festival Tickets are now available for $275, including camping from 7am Wednesday, July 13 through 5pm Sunday, July 17. Considering this is a family friendly event, kids 12 and under are free with a ticketed adult. Additionally, Advance Day Passes are available for $85 for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with entry beginning at 8am and ending at about 1:30am. For the connivence of all fans, the festival is ensuring free day parking and shuttle busses. Lastly, Senior day passes (62+) will be available at the gate, with ID, for $80.
This year there will be two new camping options: RV Electrical Hookups in Generatorville and the High Meadow Glamping Village. Only those with full festival tickets can camp on the grounds and must follow safety and health guidelines. To learn more information about the bands, lodging, tickets and activities visit Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival site.
2022 Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival Artists and Days of Performance
MasterVoices is an interracial, interfaith chorus based in New York City.
The musical tells the story of a corrupt, small-town mayor in 1960s America. Vanessa Williams stars as the aforementioned mayor who fabricates a miracle to attract tourists. The cast also features Tony Award winner, Santino Fontana, as J. Bowden Hapgood, a stranger who comes to town during the mayor’s scam and may or may not help uncover it.
The show is directed by Ted Sperling the Artistic Director of MasterVoices. Prior to his role at MasterVoices Sperling directed the New York Philharmonic, New York City Opera, and was Principal Conductor of the Westchester Orchestra.
View of American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim onstage during an event at the Fairchild Theater, East Lansing, Michigan, February 12, 1997. (Photo by Douglas Elbinger/Getty Images)
“Steve was a friend, a great colleague and a mentor,” Sperling said. “He was delighted we were revisiting Anyone Can Whistle, which has one of his favorite songs, ‘With So Little to Be Sure Of,’ and he had agreed to help us with the project. The month ahead will be a labor of love, and we know his spirit will be with us.”
The rarely performed musical’s notable songs include “There Won’t Be Trumpets,” “Anyone Can Whistle,” “Everybody Says Don’t” and “With So Little to be Sure Of”.
Sondheim, and his long-time creative partner, Arthur Laurents, who wrote the book, conceived the story as a treatise on the importance individuality in 1960s America. In particular, when faced with the inherent contradiction of attempting to remain sane in an increasingly insane society.
While a product of the 1960s the show has been lauded for its timelessness. Specifically for its portrayal of an unscrupulous leader and the consequences that occur should a community decide to follow one. The musical also satirizes religion and science, examining their ties to political power.
This is the first performance of Anyone Can Whistle in New York City since the Encore! series at City Center in 2010.
Tickets
Anyone Can Whistle will play at Carnegie Hall for one night only on March 10. Tickets can be purchased online, by calling 212.247.7800, or in person at the box office. Guests must show proof of vaccination to attend the performance.
Bradley Nowell’s spirit is ablaze in the Empire State as February heats up with live music across Central New York in the Big Orange. Original Sublime Bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh carried Bradley’s spirit on stage at Del Lago Casino this past December. Rome Ramirez fills in the guitar and vocals. “Sublime with Rome” made their debut in 2009 at Cypress Hill’s smoke out festival in San Bernardino, California. And another musical seed from Bradley was planted in Badfish: A Tribute To Sublime that carries the Long Beach sound torch as well.
Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime came to Syracuse’s Westcott Theater on February 3 2022. Joel Hanks, Scott Begin, Pat Downs and Dorian Duffy pass Sublime’s sound nicely around the crowd. Come on down reggae style, wind up your body like a bass line wild, drink and dance and we can turn it out. Chicago’s Dorian Duffy channeled the west coast bass lines to the great lake region of Upstate. The crowd responded with live art sketches and dancing on both floors of the cinema. The Westcott now has a mini mezzanine, “524 VIP Lounge”, on the left stage.
The Badfish band brought Sublime’s 90’s Skunk Records art sound to the crowd. Playing “Badfish” off ‘Jah Won’t Pay the Bills. “Smoke Two Joints” with the Grateful Dead’s “Scarlet Begonias” off 1992’s 40 ounces to Freedom album. My “Ruca” was Down at the “Pawn Shop” on Westcott Street. April 29 (1992) Miami set a tribute for Spring off their 1996 self titled “Sublime” record. Herbie Manns’s “Summer Time” was channeled through the speakers for “Doin Time”. The living’s easy.
Perri Sage Photography
Artist Jon Phillips of Silverback music helped the band from Skunk Records do their self-titled “Sublime” album in 1996. Drummer, producer, and DJ Marshall Goodman mixed the original “Doin’ Time”. He merged reggae, punk, and hip hop together. Then blended the three together with the track. Jon Phillips tells a great story on Reggae TV on how the song made its way in to your hands. Phillips describes the piece as a pinnacle historical moment for music and the band.
It’s a Herbie Mann rendition of Summertime. The way he played it. Just a nice vibe and I drew from that.
It’s Gershwin’s Summertime instrumentally interpreted by Herbie Mann’s vinyl from a Village Vanguard sample by Marshall. He throws in a Beastie Boys sample, his break beat & flavor drums. Gives it to Brad. Brad writes this incredible lyrical and counterpart to it.
Jon Phillips
The Gershwin estate actually told the group that they wouldn’t be allowed to put “Doin Time” out. Phillips started the channels to not allow that and have this music see the light of day. Jon said “It’s worthy of it. To me It’s historical”
The Gershwin Estate happened to be in the same office building as the record label Phillips was working for. He figured he’d knock on the door and see what the connections for clearance could be. The person they introduced him to that would help release it was a familiar face Phillips used to ride the elevator with. The guy happened to be from Jon’s hometown in the Bay area and they had similar musical angles.
This is one of those pieces of music where it takes the history of what a great composer Gershwin did that they represented. It’s sort of a passing it on to Jazz, Hip-Hop, in to this California reggae music that was permeating through the pop and sub culture
The Gershwin estate allowed the song in to your hands and boom box for play in the 90’s as result. The Gershwin’s just didn’t understand the dark sublime twist to it to the classic piece.
Brad’s original lyric was Doin’ Time and the livings easy. The song is about how he relates to a relationship that hes in… is like a penitentiary. Its a love song. Its not this happy Summertime song.
The Gershwin’s most important request was that “Doin Time” be represented as “Summertime”. Miguel’s vocals get spliced in to the track to honor the joint creative. The Gershwin’s estate allowed their publishing to go down in the song’s epic history. Lake Placid’s Lana Del Ray has paid tribute to “Doin’ Time” as well with her take on the track.
Jon Phillips founded Silverback Music in 1998. He works with a lot of New Orleans artists like Tony Hall & Dumpstaphunk. Silverback’s creative vision continues to grow with in the spectrum of genre-bending improvisational rock, dub, reggae, psychedelic blues, punk rock, acoustic, soul, and funk. G Love told NYS Music that he was “to the moon” when Jon Phillips told him that B-Real of Cypress Hill would be featured on his track “Everyday People” collaboration with Slightly Stoopid. Jon Phillips told NYS Music “That Stoopid remix with him and B Real with the headhunters sample is ILL!”
It was a strange serendipitous coincidence it happened to be the case. I’d fight till the very end to see that song reach the masses and thank god it did. Its a really important piece of music in that respect.
Jon Phillips
Badfish: A Tribute To Sublime, Westcott Theater. Syracuse, NY
February 3rd 2022 Setlist:
Garden Grove, Bad Religion, Don’t Push, Smoke Two Joints, Ball N Chain, Scarlet Begonias, Wrong Way, Same in the End, Johnny Butt, DJ’s, Badfish, Lets Go Get Stoned, Jailhouse, Pawn Shop, Acoustic Stuff, Ruca, 40 oz to Freedom, April 29 1992 (Miami), Santeria, Doin’ Time
Encore: Date Rape, Get Ready, Caress Me Down, What I Got
Today marks the anniversary of the heralded moe. Tsunami Benefit show at Roseland Ballroom in New York City, which gathered a host of notable to musicians to raise money for a good cause. A terrible earthquake and a resulting tsunami devastated the area near Sumatra, Indonesia as the year 2004 came to a close. moe. decided to do what they do best in order to lend assistance and brought some friends along for the ride. Together with a matching donation from Dave Matthews, nearly $150,000 was raised for the relief cause. Those in attendance this evening certainly got their money’s worth with a show featuring some traditional moe. songs, a whole lot of covers, and a mesmerizing 35-minute jam that nearly brought the house down.
Bassist Rob Derhak greets the crowd at the start of the show and thanks them all for “supporting a great cause.” And then instantly, the familiar pre-“Rebubula” noodling ensues and moe. opens the Roseland show with one of their signature songs, setting a lively tone early. No special guests needed for this one. Those begin with John Medeski and violinist Sam Bush coming out for a spirited take on “Mexico.” Medeski, ever the keys virtuoso, helps drive the pace of this one through the roof with some triumphant fills on organ that helps build a steadily escalating and emotional jam. Bush then exits and Medeski remains on for “Plane Crash,” again providing some extra rich sonic texture to another moe. staple before taking lead on the jam that ensues.
With three standout moe. songs now out of the way, the cover parade begins with a take on the legendary blues song “Got My Mojo Working,” popularized by the great Muddy Waters in the late ’50s. Guitarist Al Schnier deftly replaces “Louisiana” in the lyrics with “New York City” which does not go unnoticed by the crowd. Despite an uptempo, jazzy start the “Mojo” jam quickly devolves into a harrowing, psychedelic journey with Medeski again helping forge the path forward before the song rounds back into form.
Sam Bush then reemerges with a mandolin and has the Roseland stage to himself for a cover of the Lowell George-penned “Sailing Shoes,” a song he recently got to play with Little Feat in Jamaica according to him. By song’s end, he’s got most of the crowd engaged in a back-and-forth singalong. Bush then offers his thanks to both the crowd and moe. before the latter rejoins him on stage for one of his own songs, “Same Old River.” It’s a perky, bluegrass-y number that would fit perfectly in any stringed band show, with Bush ripping off a fierce mandolin solo in the middle.
One more special guest, “who needs no introduction” per Al, enters the first set fray and Trey Anastasio joins everyone on stage for an electric cover of “Crossroads” with both he and Bush handling vocals. An already tight jam doubles in speed about midway through as the first set comes to a rousing finish.
The second set picks up right where the last one left off, except Bush is now replaced by Jennifer Hartswick on vocals and Ray Paczkowski on keys with moe. serving as the backing band for “Night Speaks To A Woman,” an early Trey Anastasio Band staple with which both newcomers are very familiar. There’s not much lost with this version with Trey throwing down a scintillating solo in a jam that starts fiercely, breaks down into some loose improv, and then steadily builds back up to a joyous peak.
Derhak then takes another moment to thank tonight’s patrons and mentions that Dave Matthews has offered to match whatever amount of money is raised this evening. Then it’s back to the moe. catalog with “Spine Of A Dog” with the crowd ably assisting on the opening lyrics. The “Dog” jam then meshes incredibly seamlessly into the opening of “Buster” and moe. and friends take off with another longtime fan favorite.
This opening 1-2 punch gets a well deserved roar of approval from the Roseland crowd before moe. yields the floor for another cover. This time it’s “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” the Stevie Wonder song that is no stranger to a live Phish show with Anastasio handling lead vocals accordingly. Another lively jam ensues, this time with Paczkowski eagerly showing off his chops that helps drive the momentum. Towards the end, the music gets very percussion-heavy before falling out into full fledged “Drums” section, giving Jim Loughlin and drummer Vinnie Amico a chance to do the same.
Afterwards, Trey then reemerges with only himself and an acoustic guitar for a pair of Phish tunes. For Phish heads, this must have been like an oasis in the desert with the band’s forgettable “final” shows at Coventry having taken place about six months earlier and it being years before they would reunite again. The crowd has no problem at all assisting on the “can I live while I’m young” lyric to “Chalkdust Torture” before adding their collective voice to the traditional opening of “Wilson.”
The second set then comes to a gigantic finish with one last banger in “meat.” that sees Medeski, Bush and Trey all lend a hand. What results is a 35-minute plus monster jam where everyone gets a chance to solo and shine. The jam starts out in traditional metal-esque fashion, before breaking down into a definitive bluegrass sequence with Bush leading the charge, before passing the baton to Medeski who helps steer it in another direction entirely. It eventually winds down into a near-ambient section with Loughlin chiming in on vibes and a plethora of effects emanating from Medeski’s rig. It’s a whirlwind cavalcade of sound that serves as the crux of the second set, if not the show itself, and is well worth a listen.
One last pair of covers serves as the encore for this benefit show, starting with Frank Zappa’s “Peaches En Regalia,” another song that’s no stranger to a Phish show with Loughlin on vibes giving this one a proper feel. Anastasio and Hartswick then team up one last time on vocals for “After Midnight.” Extra special attention is given to the “gonna let it all hang out” which moe. and friends certainly did this evening, and for a noble cause no less.
You can listen to and relive this memorable gig here or see below.
moe. Tsunami Relief Benefit Show Roseland Ballroom – New York, NY 2/10/05
Set 1: Rebubula, Mexico*, Plane Crash^, Got My Mojo Working^, Sailing Shoes**, Same Old River^^, Crossroads#
Set 2: Night Speaks To A Woman$%, Spine Of A Dog$ > Buster$, Boogie On Reggae Woman$%>Drums, Chalkdust Torture$$, Wilson$$, meat.*$
E: Peaches En Regalia*$>After Midnight*$%
* with John Medeski on keys, Sam Bush on Violin ^ with John Medeski on keys ** Sam Bush solo ^^ with Sam Bush on mandolin # with Sam Bush on mandolin, Trey Anastasio on guitar $ with Trey Anastasio on guitar $$ Trey Anastasio solo acoustic % with Jennifer Hartswick and Ray Paczowski keyboard most of SET II
Jazz at Lincoln Center will head out on a “Songs We Love” tour featuring rising stars in New York City jazz.The tourfeatures Riley Mulherkar as Musical Director, with Vuyo Sotashe, Brianna Thomas and Shenel Johns on vocals with Julian Lee, Mariel Bildsten, Mathis Picard, Barry Stephenson and TJ Reddick.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents “Songs We Love”
Today’s rising stars in jazz music are to preform “Songs We Love,” from March 3-19. The tour will feature a journey through the first 50 years of jazz music under the musical direction of Riley Mulherkar, along with three guest vocalists who will join the band of New York’s rising stars. By combining their unique talents, the group will perform their way through decades of music, beginning with the early blues, the jazz of the 1920s, and then ending in the early 1950s. With this, Iconic singers included such as Ma Rainey, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland.
Riley Mulherkar “Songs We Love” Musical Director
The “Songs We Love” tour will kick off in March with nine shows throughout the north, east and south coasts. The tour was first presented as the 2016 Season opener at Lincoln Center in New York City. For over three decades, Jazz at Lincoln Center has been a huge advocate for genres such as jazz, culture, and arts education globally. With the help of Wynton Marsalis, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and many guest artists throughout the generations, this venue produces thousands of performances, education, and broadcast events for people around the world.
By providing new opportunities to present great jazz programming, the Jazz at Lincon Center can feature up and coming musicians who are rising in fame. This allows for their mission ““to entertain, enrich and expand a global community for jazz through performance, education, and advocacy.”
Riley Mulherkar “Songs We Love” Musical Director
Musician Riley Mulherkar has been recognized as a “smart young trumpet player” by The New York Times, along with being praised by The Wall Street Journal as a “youngster to keep an eye on.” By being a founding member of the band, The Westerlies, Riley helps create a hybrid genre of music that can be both “folk-like, lovely and intellectually rigorous” (NPR Music). Riley works with many leading and up-and-coming artists today, he was born and raised in Seattle, but later moved to New York to study at The Juilliard School, later receiving the Knowles Prize for Jazz and the Peter Mennin Prize for “outstanding achievement and leadership in music.”
In 2011, Riley was named a “rising jazz artist” by Wynton Marsalis in JET magazine, and in 2014 was the first recipient of the Laurie Frink Career Grant at the Festival of New Trumpet Music. He is serving as an ambassador for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s “Jazz for Young People” program in both New York and St. Louis. All of this experience and accolades position him as the perfect musical director for Songs We Love.
Riley Mulherkar Musical Director
Vocalists on tour include South African jazz vocalist Vuyo Sotashe, who moved to NYC in 2013 after being awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to pursue Master of Music at William Paterson University. Since then, he has gone to win numerous awards including first prize at the very first Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival Vocal Competition in 2014, and more recently, he won the Audience prize award and placed second over-all at the Shure Montreux Jazz Voice Competition in 2015.
Brianna Thomas is another vocalist who has described by The NY Times stating, “Ms. Thomas has a strong voice and a big range, descended from Sarah Vaughan and Betty Carter and routed through Dianne Reeves, with clarity and confidence and a little dirt.”
Paring with these vocalists with a voice that embodies passion and a personal style that sways effortlessly from jazz, to R&B, to gospel is Shenel Johns, who has emerged as one of the shining stars of her generation.
Accompanying Riley Mulherkar and the three guest vocalists is Julian Lee, who quickly established himself as one of the most versatile saxophonists of his generation. Lee is the beneficiary of the 2017 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award from Jazz at Lincoln Center and has performed both internationally and nationally with a wide array of critically acclaimed artists.
Along with these well-astounded artists, Mariel bildsten will also join on the trombone. She is known as the lead trombonist in Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra and tours internationally with the rock band, Brass Against. Mariel has performed at Carnegie Hall, Radio City, O2 Arena, Birdland Jazz Club, the Apollo Theater, the Chicago Jazz Festival, Perth International Arts Festival, Caramoor Jazz Festival, Smalls Jazz Club, and Smoke Jazz Club, and many more.
On piano is French-Malagasy pianist Mathis Picard, who has recently released his new album Live at the Museum, showcasing his diverse talent. Considered one of the most sought-after bassists on the scene today, Barry Stephenson also joins the tour with his raw talent. On drums is TJ Reddick, already a world traveler, who has performed in many countries including France, Brazil and Belize. TJ is an energetic musician ready to light up any stage.
Together, these musicians are bringing a young dynamic vibe to each performance that you won’t want to miss.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Tour dates, tickets and showtimes can be found on their website.
Bad weather be damned, the spirit of rock n’ roll was alive and well this past Friday night in downtown Albany. Snow. Freezing rain. Subzero temperatures. Widespread power outages. Mother Nature threw a little bit of everything at us last weekend, but despite nasty conditions throughout the northeast, live music at The Hollow never missed a beat thanks to Ampevene, Hilltop and Baked Shrimp on Friday, February 4, 2022.
Ampevene performing at The Hollow. Albany,, NY 2/4/22
Known for having a keen ear and an uncanny ability to spot young talent, Guthrie Bell Productions served up yet another winner on February 4th, bringing three of New York’s most buzz-worthy bands together for a triple stacked bill of hip shaking live music, impressive improvisation, psychedelic live art, and a triumphant return home for Albany’s own Ampevene.
Kicking off the icy evening was Capital Region based quartet Hilltop. Coming off a breakout year that saw them play their first festivals and secure opening slots for bands like Midnight North, The Jauntee and Annie in the Water, Hilltop has continued to evolve and only seem to get better and better with each performance. Showcasing their sense of humor and an eagerness to “jam,” the short but sweet set on this night shows a band with all kinds of untapped potential and left us wanting more!
Baked Shrimp outside The Hollow. 2/4/22
Keeping a close eye on conditions outside during set break, the heavy wet slushy snow was just beginning to freeze, but inside the venue things were just starting to heat up as the charismatic Long Island trio Baked Shrimp took the stage. Fresh off a celebratory 21st birthday bash at Nectar’s for drummer Jager Soss, the ambitious young band rode into Albany red hot, firing on all cylinders and kept the party going with a scorching set of high energy funk, blues, and psychedelic rock. Baked Shrimp, which also features Jared Cowen on guitar and vocals and Scott Reill on bass, is quickly earning a reputation for melting faces wherever they play, regardless of what’s on the thermostat.
Baked Shrimp’s Jared Cowen performing at The Hollow. 2/4/22 Albany, NY
It’s been a milestone year for the guys in Baked Shrimp. Now in their fifth year as a band, January saw the release of their third studio album, Pork Etiquette. On tour ever since andwith just two stops left on this Winter tour, it was clear the boys had no intensions of simply phoning it in. Taking the stage armed with confidence and playing every note with passion, for just three dudes, Baked Shrimp create a huge sound and routinely impress. Opening with the one-two punch of “Pig Hearts and Mechanical Parts” and “Penuche Took the Fudge,” Cowen’s blistering PRS guitar work instantly grabbed the attention of everyone in the room and never let go. “Molly Ann,” “Ollie Blue” and “The Narcissist” came next before the boys dusted of “Tail Fin” for the first time in 36 shows. Holding it down on the low end while also engaged in a constant battle to keep the hair out of his eyes, bass player Scoot Reill was in fine form on the evening. Between utilizing his vocal talents and consistently finding a rock solid groove to build on, it was around this point in the set where a glance around the room revealed nearly everyone who was there was finally up on their feet and dancing. The energetic set came to a close with a tune called “Can’t Cut The Mustard.
Baked Shrimp. 2/4/22
A tough act to follow perhaps, but you have to remember this was Albany, and that means it’s Ampevene country. It had been quite some time since the genre blending, prog-rock leaning juggernaut had last headlined The Hollow and even against the cold, rain, and snow, nothing was going to stop them from playing this homecoming throwdown. Typically a four-piece ensemble comprised of Gabe Stallman on guitar and vocals, Mack Hogan on bass, Ava Smith on keys and synth and Brian McKinney Fahey on drums, to help commemorate the occasion on this night however, Ampevene, invited a couple of friends to join in on the fun; recruiting both Adam Siegel and Bob Morris on Saxophone and percussion to help fill out the sound.
Gabe Stallman of Ampevene. 2/4/22
As local artists converged to compare progress of their live paintings, the music of Ampevene surely helped inspire their other worldly results. Opening the show with a pair of songs from their 2018 debut album Ephemagoria was the “Valencia” followed up by “Rometheu.” From there, fans were treated to a taste of some unreleased music with “The Chemistress” and then a song so new that it’s only been given a working title of “Mauve Crown.” A visceral mix of heavy layered riffs, psychedelic noodling, unique time signatures and jaw-dropping falsetto vocals, Ampevene is better heard than described. Purposely designed to trip you up and trip you out, Friday night at the Hollow the band went far out. All the way out until reaching “Dazed and Confused” territory during the song the “Enhancement” as awe struck fans roared in approval for perhaps the biggest crowd pleasing moment of the night. With time left for just one more, a ballsy decision to cover one of the bands biggest influences. The Mars Volta and their 2008 song “Goliath.” While very few would even attempt such a feat, front man and lead guitarist Gabe Stallman completely knocked it out the park, bringing the show to a cathartic and triumphant close.
Ampevene performing at The Hollow. Albany,, NY 2/4/22
While the ice storm of 2022 may have kept some people from coming out, there was something about the vibe on this Friday night that just felt special. Like something hip was starting to happen and you were lucky enough to have a glimpse into the future. From the artistry and creativity displayed on stage and off, to making eyes and sharing smiles with complete strangers; a musical community slowly rediscovering itself after a long hibernation. With so much talent and creativity right here in our backyard, it’s hard not to feel optimistic about how far some of these bands could potentially go, but rest assured dear reader, we here at NYS Music intend on keeping you covered every step of the journey.
Baked Shrimp – 2/4/2022 Albany NY / The Hollow
Pig Hearts and Mechanical Parts, Penuche Took The Fudge, Molly Ann, Ollie Blu, The Narcissist, Tail Fin*, Can’t Cut The Mustard
On Saturday, February 19 at 8 PM, Flushing Town Hall is hosting Alicia Olatuja, an amazing singer who came into the national spotlight as the featured soloist of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir at President Barack Obama’s Second Inauguration in 2013.
“We are overjoyed to welcome Alicia Olatuja to Flushing Town Hall and excited to hear her lush vocals,” says Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. “Audiences are in for a real treat, be they fans of jazz, folk, rock, or pop. Olatuja crosses genres seamlessly and is known for her regal presence and stunning voice.”
Photo By Harrison Weinstein
Olatuja’s show, Intuition: From the Minds of Women, will celebrate esteemed, female composers and draws from her 2019 sophomore album. Along with this, includes her interpretations of the music of Sade, Tracy Chapman, Kate Bush, Linda Creed, Angela Bofill, and Brenda Russell. This event is an in-person event but is also streaming for free on Flushing Town Hall’s YouTube channel.
Along with Olatuja’s performance, Flushing Town Hall hosts a Black History Trilogy for the celebration of Black History month. The trilogy will feature award-winning performers paying tribute to influential African-American artists, entertainers, and musical traditions.
Though she is originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Olatuja grew up immersed in a wide range of musical styles, including gospel, soul, jazz and classical. Shortly after, she assembled her own jazz-based ensemble and recorded her first solo album, Timeless (2014).
Praised by DownBeat for her “full-bodied tone, precise pitch, and personal engagement at the lowest whisper or highest wail,” Olatuja’s first came into the national spotlight in 2013 when performing as the featured soloist with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir at President Barack Obama’s Second Inauguration.
This in-person performance will take place on Saturday, February 19 at 8 PM. Tickets can be purchased here ($15/$12 members). Lastly, all visitors, performers and staff are required to show proof of vaccination, masks will be required at all times as well.
This concert will stream live for FREE on Flushing Town Hall’s YouTube Channel
Billy Strings completed a four night run of sold out shows at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester over February 3rd to 6th. This was the second year celebrating a telepathic experiment conducted by The Grateful Dead 51 years ago.
Billy Strings Capitol Theatre Night 4 by Em Walis
Fans were asked to send images with their minds to selected celebrity participants while they sat at home for the duration of the concert, but without viewing it. After each show, Billy, Royal Masat (bass), Billy Failing (banjo), and Jarrod Walker (mandolin) interviewed participants via video call.
Song selections throughout the weekend ranged from bluegrass standards to hot tracks off the latest album Renewal. Grateful Dead favorites were peppered in for good measure.
Spiritual Dance Party
The Capitol Theatre has been a coveted venue for artists throughout the decades. A sense of importance could be felt. Perhaps a supernatural energy vibrated by those attuned to such mysteries. Security carried themselves with pride, as if they had answered a higher calling to protect the spirits as they arrived to dance.
Attendees young and old accumulated mass as the general admission section filled the room. Stories were passed about the first show, or the most recent. The conclusion was always that the best show was the most recent attended.
Left to Right: Jarrod Walker, Royal Masat, Billy Strings, Billy Failing by Em Walis
Going To Church
A man seeing Billy play for the first time questioned “is this Billy guy really as good as my buddy says he is?” A seasoned fan insisted Billy was about to take the new guy to church.
Not far into “Pyramid Country,” the new guy propped an arm on his buddy’s shoulder and signaled satisfaction towards the seasoned fan. “Ole Slew-Foot” played soon after. A big hug was given to the new guy’s buddy, promptly followed by a Slew-Foot sized hug with the seasoned fan. Comments were made about the playing being unreal as well as the superior mixing by Sound Engineer Andy Lytle. Suddenly, the new guy vanished, and was replaced with a glowing, dancing, euphoric human. This believer was free of ego and self doubt. Replaced in his soul was a cup filled with gratitude and joy.
Transformation
Little did this believer know that the experience was about to enter a next level of intensity: “Wargasm.’ With help from Lighting Designer Roger Gant, the anthemic powerhouse sound converged with light to take form in a way one might only read about in a fantasy novel series.
Shapes and colors woven harmoniously together with perfectly timed layers created a supernatural depth and texture.
Experiencing Billy Strings by Em Walis
Alive
At last, the theater walls which have seen so much, were given a voice to share stories of dancing bears and grinding gears. The visceral journey shattered any preconceived notion about what music should feel like.
As “Wargasm” built up in intensity,once again, the believer evolved. Transformation occurred during Billy’s guitar solo when the believer’s dancing slowed, eyes widened, palms with outstretched fingers rested over his temples and jaw slowly dropped. That is how a new disciple to the church of Billy was born.
Experimental
It was very clear why people traveled from 48 states. Those sequined jacket gals glistened like the snowflakes of Colorado from which they hailed. Tie dye armies converged, their uniforms unique by region like a family’s plaid and crest. All gathered and communicated as one stomping, singing, boisterous ball of life.
The people, all so different, blended together beautifully in a way that mimicked the pairing of projections on the walls and ceilings with the futuristic lights. Like the individuals in attendance, the music and the lights were on a journey all reflecting one another. Supernatural energy was conjured.
Life after experiencing a Billy Strings show by Em Walis
Clairvoyance
Lights paused, showing bright white lights in perfect timing with the return to the hook of the song. Spirits of the past materialized and could be seen all over the theatre.
Through the haze, there was a young woman glowing in white overalls perched in the balcony. She danced with one specific person down on the GA floor who emanated sonic maternal energy. It appeared as if they had known each other for decades.
Teleportation
The great mother appeared on the balcony beside the woman in white. As if to acknowledge all the spiritual boogie happening that weekend, and to continue the dream-like reality of the Deja-Tu Experiment, Billy showed up in the balcony next to the great mother and her friend in white. Billy performed an epic solo duel with mandolinist Jarrod Walker who played from the opposite side.
Each and every attendee experienced at least one form of Deja Vu over the cold February weekend. One attendee recalled feeling like they were back to mom’s couch with the tape player and the big headphones where “China Doll” tapes were listened to over and over. Another noticed the variety of swagger bassist Royal Masat carried with ease. That person was immediately taken back to a fond memory of that Rolling Stones show 30 years ago. As the deep pink lights blanketed the audience during “In the Morning Light,” a young couple were together reminded of when they met and realized life was about to change for the better.
Terrestrial
Waking up on Monday morning, all in attendance faithfully checked instagram for last night’s photos while sipping their morning coffee. Receiving the grounding signal from Photographer Jesse Faatz provided closure and peace for all that had been experienced. Colorful imagery depicted emotions and encapsulated memories. These photos confirmed that the past few days were more than just the feeling of Deja Vu.
Transmutation
Billy Strings and The Capitol Theatre together created a healing fountain for people to connect, dance with spirits and feel alive again.
Setlist February 3: You Don’t Know My Mind (Bluegrass Allstars), Pyramid Country, Ole Slew-Foot (Johnny Horton), Cold on the Shoulder (Gordon Lightfoot), West Dakota Rose (Chris Henry), Love & Regret, Wargasm, Along the Road (Dan Fogelberg), Streamline Cannonball (Roy Acuff), Ground Speed (Earl Scruggs), John Hardy (Traditional), Bronzeback, Secrets, Slipstream (Bela Fleck), Red Rocking Chair (Traditional), Pretty Daughter (Danny Barnes), Love Like Me, Away From the Mire, Long Forgotten Dream, Dire Wolf (Grateful Dead), Come Down the Mountain Katie Daly (traditional)
Encore February 3: If You Hair’s Too Long (There’s Sin in Your Heart)
Setlist February 4: Know It All, How Mountain Girls Can Love (The Stanley Brothers), Tipper (Tony Rice), Run Down (Jeff Austin), There Is A Time (The Dillards), Dust in a Baggie, Dealing Despair, Living Like an Animal, Me and My Uncle (John Phillips), Heartbeat of America, John Deere Tractor (Larry Sparks), On the Line, Freeborn Man (Keith Allison), Thunder (Robert Hunter), My Love Comes Rolling Down (The Doc Watson Family), Ernest T. Grass (The Dillards), Air Mail Special (Jim and Jesse), Show Me the Door, Oh Babe, It Ain’t No Lie (Elizabeth Cotten), Rosa Lee McFall (Charlie Monroe), Turmoil & Tinfoil
Encore February 4: Roll On Buddy Roll On (Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys)
Setlist February 5: Red Daisy, Thirst Mutilator, A Good Woman’s Love (Bill Monroe), A Robin Built A Nest on Daddy’s Grave (The Stanley Brothers), While I’m Waiting Here, Home of the Red Fox (Bill Emerson), Little Maggie (Traditional), China Doll (Grateful Dead), I’m Still Here (John Hartford), Last Train to Clarksville (The Monkees), Everything’s the Same, Doin’ My Time (Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs), Running, Ice Bridges, In the Morning Light, Meet Me at the Creek, Shady Grove (Traditional), Deal (Jerry Garcia)
Encore February 5: Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down (Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs)
Setlist February 6: Fire on My Tongue, Must Be Seven, Hellbender, Fire Line, Reuben’s Train (traditional), End of the Rainbow (Frank Wakefield), Running the Route, Home, Highway Hypnosis, Taking Water, The Likes of Me (Jerry Reed), All Fall Down (John Hartford), Tennessee (Jimmy Martin), Nothing’s Working, Doin’ Things Right, Peggy-O (Traditional), Hide & Seek
Long Island singer Carly X has released her new project called A Dark Frequency, featuring two songs “Lowkey” and “Don’t Mind Me.”
Growing up, she was influenced by a variety of artists, from SugarHill to McFadden & Whitehead, and also Marvin Gaye. She started writing music at age six, and once she discovered female rappers like Nicki Minaj and Queen Latifah, she started writing her own rap verses.
Carly X.
After being hand-selected by Doritos and Busta Rhymes to complete a rap competition, she was the youngest and only female to touch the stage, when she was only 19. She opened for Wiz Khalifa and was featured in Billboard Magazine.
Her newest piece of music, A Dark Frequency is about the silent battles she faces alone in the dark.
No matter how bright a light may seem to shine, it’s only a matter of time until darkness arrives. Sometimes we pretend everything is ok, sometimes we let the darkness consume us, and sometimes we fight to see the light again.
Carly X
The two songs featured in the project, “Lowkey” and “Don’t Mind Me” both encompass strong beats and melodic backing tracks as she spits verses down. The songs are reminiscent of older rappers, like Biggie or Tupac, but also give a modern rap feel. These are songs that everyone could add to their playlists and be able to vibe with.
Carly X is taking names and is here to stay and make her mark in the industry. She officially started releasing music in 2020 and has no plans to stop. Her new project A Dark Frequency is available to stream here.
On February 12th, The Delaware Valley Arts Alliance will be presenting a performance of “2x2x4” at Krause Recital Hall. The experimental dance and music collaboration brings together dancer Charles Dennis and musician Sal Cataldi, otherwise known as Spaghetti Eastern Music.
Sal Cataldi
During “2x2x4”, the duo will captivate audiences with their use of wooden 2×4’s, carefully building, destroying and creating landscapes for Dennis to dance through. This year’s performance will coincide with the exhibition “For the Love of Wood”, a group show with Eric Baylin and Bo Stevens.
Dennis, an interdisciplinary artist with many talents, has been an active participant in downtown NY dance and performance for many years. He has also cofounded Performance Space 122, one of the country’s most active presenters of new dance, along with creating and performing in several of its performances.
Charles Dennis
Cataldi, a Saugerties and NYC based multi-instrumentalist, is responsible for the creation of Spaghetti Eastern Music. This solo project takes musical notes from krautrock and jazz, which results in a sound that only Cataldi is capable of making. His live score for “2x2x4” has recently been released on Bad Egg Records.
This event is produced in cooperation with the NY State Council on the Arts and is a centerpiece of the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance’s annual Salon Series. This year’s series focuses on the concept of creative construction and will be presented in person, as well as live streamed on the DVAA Facebook page.
Capacity for this event is limited so advanced registration will be required. Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test is needed for attendance, as well as masks. Registration and more information can be found here.
