Indie-Rock band Path has released “All I Wanna Do”, the first single from their upcoming third LP entitled You’re Gonna Be Alright. This release comes on the heels of the recent success of their 2018 single Eugene, which amassed more than a million streams on Spotify since 2020.
All I Wanna Do single artwork
“Music has always been my main outlet for bottled up emotions” says Path frontman Sam Keeler. “Writing and recording music is often a difficult experience. I tend to get stuck in dark places while I’m trying to put certain feelings into music. I don’t know what changed, but this time around everything came from a positive place and I found the entire process to be really constructive on a personal level. I guess you can say this is an album about personal growth and getting to know yourself better.”
“For this most recent project, I made a point to shift my focus from looking inward to looking outward and forward. “All I Wanna Do” was one of the first songs I wrote for the album and I remember just wanting to make a simple love song. I was pulling myself out of a difficult period in my life around that time and I think that this track reflects that transitional period pretty clearly.”
Path’s signature sound has been documented by WXPN Philadelphia, Indie Underground, and Divide and Conquer, among others. WXPN notes “The five-piece band has a pointedly emotional and dreamy soundscape, seen on their two self-produced LP’s. Their new release features warm looping guitars and airy vocals, creating a contrasting soundscape of dazzling clarity and fuzziness. Indie-rock, soft folk and the band’s self-described ‘love rock’ all feel like appropriate labels for the track, but an enchanting breath of fresh mountain air could also serve to describe the start of what listeners feel as they fill in the rest of the gaps.”
Crediting Path’s rich, heartfelt sound, their 2018 sophomore album Still was embraced by critics and music fans alike as a hidden treasure of northeastern indie rock and folk music. Although still personal and poetic, You’re Gonna Be Alright features a fuller and more developed sound than their previous two records while maintaining the core characteristics that make their sound so alluring.
Path will tour the Eastern US this summer in support of the new record.
Hudson Hall has announced their beloved Hudson Jazz Festival will be returning for the 2023 season.
Taking place in New York State’s oldest surviving theater, the Hudson Jazz Festival began in February 2018 as a way to celebrate one of America’s greatest art forms in Hudson Hall’s historic 1855 theater.
The festival reflects Hudson Hall’s mission of not just promoting the arts, but supporting its community. The festival was intentionally programmed in February as a way to bring business to Hudson during the traditionally slower shoulder season.
In 2020, Hudson Hall added a visual arts exhibition that became an ongoing element of the festival. Featured artists have included Reggie Madison, Tschabalala Self, David Hammons, Bijan Mahmoodi, among others. This year features an exhibition by local artist and designer, Marine Penvern. The 2023 Hudson Jazz Festival kicks off with an exhibition opening party on Thursday, February 16 from 5-7pm.
In 2022, the Hudson Jazz Festival doubled in size, expanding from one four-day weekend to two. Entitled “Lift Every Voice”, the 2022 Hudson Jazz Festival featured Jazzmeia Horn, The Baylor Project, Jimmy Greene, Alexis Morrast, Warren Wolf, and Daniel J. Watts, who was presented in a new partnership with the Louis Armstrong House & Museum that included archival film screenings and a masterclass for youth.
Located just two hours outside NYC, Hudson Hall is a nonprofit arts organization offering a year-round schedule of music, theater, dance, visual arts, literature, free workshops for youth and adults, as well as family programs and large-scale community events such as Winter Walk.
2023 Festival Lineup
WEEKEND ONE: (February 16-19, 2023) Thursday, February 16 at 7pm Exhibition Opening – Marine Penvern: Body & Soul
Friday, February 17 at 7pm Sarah Elizabeth Charles: SEC & SCOPE
Saturday, February 18 at 7pm Marquis Hill: New Gospel Revisited
Sunday, February 19 at 3pm Michael Mayo
WEEKEND TWO (February 23-26, 2023) Thursday, February 23 at 7pm Ulysses Owens Jr. and Generation Y
Friday, February 24 at 7pm Lucy Yeghiazaryan and Vanisha Gould : In Her Words
Saturday, February 25 at 7pm Aaron Parks & Samantha Rise: Dreaming Home
Sunday, February 26 at 3pm Endea Owens & The Cookout
Hudson Jazz Festival tickets are available at Hudson Hall’s website.
For 30 years, Music Haven has presented an amazing array of global sounds in Schenectady’s Central Park transporting summer seekers to locales like Yemen, Ukraine, Louisiana, Ireland and Peru without ever having to leave their seats. The Passport Series takes the same beloved world music that patrons of the park series have come to cherish and brings it to Proctors in Schenectady and Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs so the party can continue all year!
“Music Haven is thrilled to expand its partnership with Proctors Collaborative to include UPH as well as the GE Theatre at Proctors,” said series curator Mona Golub. “Our winter/spring Passport Series itinerary boasts exquisite artistry from four distinct locales – two familiar favorites in Ireland and Cuba and two dynamic new destinations in Turkey and Korea. Come travel the world with us one concert at a time!”
Passport Series
The first in the 2023 Passport Series is Dervish at Proctors, Schenectady 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 3. Dervish, the 2019 BBC Radio 2 Folk Award Lifetime Achievement Award winner, has been bringing traditional Irish music to the world for more than 30 years. The line-up includes some of Ireland’s finest traditional musicians, fronted by one of the country’s best-known singers, Cathy Jordan.
Up next in the Passport Series, get transported to Cuba with the 3x Grammy®-nominated Tiempo Libre. “Salsa Night with Tiempo Libre” will be at UPH 8 p.m. Friday, March 24. Tiempo Libre are true modern heirs to the rich musical tradition with its sophisticated performances of timba music, an irresistible, dance-inducing mix of Latin jazz and Cuban song. Dancing is strongly encouraged! When those feet start tapping, that’s the time to get up and dance!
The Passport Series returns to Proctors 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 4 with Aynur. Her vocal style and her albums are praised in both Turkish media and internationally. Aynur has become one of the most well-known musicians from Turkey and a representative of the Kurdish people. She will be following her performance at Proctors by performing at Carnegie Hall.
Lastly, join ADG7 (Ak Dan Gwang Chil) at UPH 8 p.m. Friday, May 5. ADG7 is a multi-award-winning group featuring a rich repertoire inspired by Korea’s sacred, shamanic ritual music (gut) and beloved folk songs (minyo) of Hwanghae Province in the northern reaches of the Peninsula. ADG7 made their first big U.S. splash at globalFEST in 2019, an annual cultural celebration that features the most dynamic music globally.
The Passport Series pass includes a ticket to each of the four winter/spring 2023 shows in the series for $100. Single tickets to each show are also available at the Box Office at Proctors, in person or via phone at (518) 346-6204 Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or online at proctorscollaborative.org/passport-series.
Known as the Finger Lakes premiere summer kick-off event, the Geneva Music Festival has announced their 2023 season theme and dates.
The festival was founded in 2011 by Geneva native and violinist Geoffrey Herd with fellow Genevans violinist Eliot Heaton and cellist Hannah Collins. Originally a weekend of chamber music for their hometown, the festival has grown over the years. Now in its 13th season, the festival attracts audiences of all regions to hear outstanding musicians from the world’s stages.
While still rooted in the chamber music repertoire, performances now include jazz, contemporary, and bluegrass music. Festival musicians include leading classical soloists, multiple Grammy Award-winning artists, members of the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, and faculty from Yale, Juilliard, the Colburn School, and the Cleveland Institute of Music.
This years theme will be “Gods, Myths and the Divine” from May 21 to June 11. GMF artists-in-residence and visiting artists will explore the connection between music and experiences of uplifting our spirit, seeking something larger in the universe, or contemplating anew our place here on earth. This 8-concert series explores composers throughout history who have been inspired by their religious beliefs or by the universal themes embedded in cultural myths to create music of rich meaning and beauty.
“I’m excited to share our 2023 theme, Gods, Myths, and the Divine, through which we will explore musical masterpieces inspired by composers’ religious and spiritual beliefs. Walking through Milan last summer, I was struck by the inimitable architecture of the Duomo di Milano and found myself pondering how many of the world’s greatest pieces of art grow naturally out of their creator’s religious beliefs.
Festival Director Geoffrey Herd
The Geneva Music Festival’s mission is to entertain, inspire, and nurture a lifelong appreciation of chamber and other musical genres in Finger Lakes communities. They strive to present world-class artists that engage audiences of all ages, including populations with little exposure to music of this caliber. Purposeful engagement with young people is an integral part of the Festival’s programming and children 18 years and younger are admitted free to all public concerts.
A full lineup and schedule will be availible in the coming weeks. Please visit the festivals website for more information.
Rock trio Le Tigre (Kathleen Hanna, JD Samson, and Johanna Fateman) have announced they will bring their joyous, experimental post-riot girl antics and conceptual multimedia performance to stages across the globe this summer.
For the first time in 18 years, the trio have reunited and will kick off their North American leg at the Mosswood Meltdown Festival followed by appearances in Seattle, Los Angeles, Portland, NYC, Chicago, Boston and more. Tickets are now on sale.
Bringing Y2K Back
Forming in New York City in 1999, the band abandoned traditional punk instrumentation, pairing drum-machine beats and looped 8-bit samples with the simplest, serrated guitar riffs and call-and-response vocals. The members of Le Tigre shared a vision for multimedia performance, touring with a slide projector in their early days with video later becoming a key component of their live show which fans can still look forward to on the upcoming tour.
The band’s final show—until their reunion performance for the This Ain’t No Picnic festival at the Rose Bowl in August 2022—was on September 24, 2005, at the Operation Ceasefire concert at Washington Monument in Washington DC, where they joined a coalition of artists calling for an end to the U.S. war in Iraq.
Recently, Kathleen has been touring with Bikini Kill, running Tees 4 Togo (which sells artist-designed T-shirts to fund the non-profit organization Peace Sisters), and writing a book. JD has a full-time teaching position as Assistant Arts Professor and Area Head of Performance at The Clive Davis Institute at NYU/Tisch , performs with CRICKETS, and tours with the original live score for the film 32 Sounds, directed by Sam Green. Johanna is an author and art critic who writes regularly for the “Goings on About Town” section of the New Yorker and for 4Columns; she is a contributing editor of Artforum.
5/27: Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer 6/1: Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023 6/3: London, UK @ Troxy 6/5: Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall 6/6: Glasgow, Scotland @ Barrowland Ballroom 6/8: Madrid, Spain @ Primavera Sound Madrid 2023 6/9: Porto, Portugal @ Nos Primavera Sound Porto 2023 6/11: Paris, France @ Le Trianon 6/14: Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso 6/16: Berlin, Germany @ Huxleys Neue Welt 6/17: Hamburg, Germany @ Markthalle 7/1: Oakland, CA @ Mosswood Meltdown Festival 7/3: Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom 7/6: Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre 7/7: Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater 7/9: Los Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre 7/15: Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed 7/17: Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre 7/18: Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre 7/19: Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage 7/21: Toronto, ON @ History 7/22: Montreal, QC @ L’Olympia 7/24: Boston, MA @ Royale 7/28: Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
Eight individuals will be inducted into the fifth class of the Capital Region Music Hall Of Fame at Universal Preservation Hall. The group includes two members of a pioneering late 1960s and early 70s alt-country band; a nun who helped launch the careers of hundreds of music industry professionals around the globe; one of the region’s most active and best-known bluegrass musicians over the past eight decades; a woman who has promoted bluegrass music through the local airwaves for over 40 years; a legendary rock music photographer; and two guitarist virtuosos who forged careers that have generated international recognition.
“It is inspiring to think about the accomplishments of these men and women and what they represent. Weaved together, their stories represent an amassing cross-section of the American music scene. And collectively they reflect an amazing, vital music scene in the Capital Region.”
Jim Murphy, founder and producer of the Eddies Music Hall of Fame
The class will be inducted with musical performances, short videos about their careers, speeches and more in a public celebration at UPH. The evening kicks off 6 p.m. with a social gathering; the Capital Region Music Hall Of Fame induction ceremony begins 7 p.m. All inductees are represented with plaques at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs, as well as brief videos highlighting their careers.
Eddies Music Hall of Fame Class of 2023
Martin Benjamin
If an artist is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, chances are better than even that Martin Benjamin has photographed them at some point in their career. His first published photo was of Bruce Springsteen at the Palace Theatre in Albany in 1979. Since then, the Union College visual arts professor’s lenses have captured everyone from AC/DC to Frank Zappa, and his work has been exhibited across the U.S. and in Europe and Asia, as well as published as part of 18 TV productions and in The New York Times, The Mirror, People, Rolling Stone, American Photographerand elsewhere.
Mike Campese
Albany native Mike Campese has released 11 solo albums featuring his fusion guitar mastery and is a former member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. He has been featured in Guitar One, Guitar World and Guitar Player, among other magazines, and is a columnist for several publications. A graduate of the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, he has also taught throughout his career. When not on the road, Campese splits his time between the Capital Region and California.
Felicia Collins (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)
Felicia Collins grew up in Albany’s Arbor Hill, acquiring her first guitar at the age of 12 from a pawn shop and teaching herself to play. She is best known for her role as guitarist and vocalist in Paul Schaffer’s celebrated “Late Night with David Letterman” band for the show’s entire run (1993-2015) on CBS. She has toured and recorded with artists such as George Clinton, Aretha Franklin, Cindy Lauper, Madonna and the Thompson Twins, among many others. And she has led her own bands and recorded three solo albums.
Wanda Fischer
Wanda Fischer has hosted WAMC-FM/Northeast Public Radio’s weekly “The Hudson River Sampler” show – dedicated to folk music, bluegrass, and blues music – since 1982. Prior to joining WAMC, Fischer hosted a similar show in Worcester, Mass. for four years. She was inducted into the Folk Alliance International’s Folk DJ Hall of Fame in 2019. This Tennessee native, also a singer/songwriter, relocated to Schenectady in 1979.
George Frayne
According to The New York Times, George Frayne, “as the frontman for the band Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen melded Western swing, jump blues, rockabilly and boogie-woogie with a freewheeling 1960s ethos to pave the way for generations of roots-rock, Americana and alt-country musicians.” The band scored one Top 10 hit and a live album was ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the top 100 albums of all time. Frayne, Idaho born, moved to Saratoga Springs in the 1990s, where he was active as a musician and visual artist and lived until his death in 2021.
Smokey Greene
Smokey Greene remained active in the country and bluegrass music scene for nearly eight decades as a banjo, guitar, mandolin and fiddle player, as well as a vocalist. He owned his own music club in Thompson, N.Y., toured with his band the Green Mountain Boys in the 1970s, worked as a country radio DJ for two decades in Glens Falls and founded a bluegrass festival in Corinth which enjoyed a 16-year run. Born into a musical family in Tinmouth, Vt., Greene often played late in his career with sons Arlin and Scott.
Sister Mary Anne Nelson, CSJ
Sister Mary Anne Nelson,CSJ, founded and led The College of St. Rose’s Music Industry program for 49 years, retiring in 2021. She was responsible for steering the program towards a greater focus on popular music. During her tenure, music students ran their own record label, worked on live music television productions, studied music law and entrepreneurship, and ran lights and sound and performed at a bar-like venue on campus. Her vision put Saint Rose on the map as one of the top U.S. music industry programs as recognized multiple times by Billboard magazine.
John Tichy (Will Waldron/Times Union)
Guitarist and vocalist John Tichy is an original member of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, formed in 1967 in Ann Arbor, Mich. After playing for two years in local bars, the core members migrated to Berkeley, Calif. The group disbanded in 1976 after five studio and two live albums, and one Top 10 hit, “Hot Rod Lincoln.” Tichy, born in St. Louis, who previously earned a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, soon joined the faculty of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, where he became head of the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering.
The Eddies Music Hall of Fame ceremony will be followed by the Eddies Music Award Show at Proctors on Sunday, April 30. About 200 nominees will be acknowledged in roughly 35 categories. More information is available at theeddiesawards.com.
To commemorate and celebrate civil rights leader and icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., music scholar and artist Dr. Scot Brown has released his new single “King of Love: MLK.”
This uplifting fusion of R&B and classic soul conveys the spirit of the civil rights movement and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s message of love and community.
A Rochester native, artist, and author, Dr. Brown is also an African American Studies professor and music historian at UCLA. Currently, a visiting scholar at Colgate University, Dr. Brown has cultivated a distinct sound using the knowledge he’s gained analyzing the nuances of Black popular music–especially Funk and R&B history. On the heels of national news highlighting where change is still needed to continue Dr. King’s mission of social justice, togetherness, and change, Dr. Brown hopes to give listeners an inspirational MLK anthem.
“For this particular song, I drew inspiration from the awe I felt after hearing Dr. King’s words as a child,” explained Dr. Brown. “I felt an uplifting power in his words through his melodic preaching style – even before I could fully understand the messages and meaning.”
King of Love features a broad list of talented artists, including vocalists Kijana Crues, Alex Parris, and Funk pioneer Fred Wesley, former leader and trombonist of James Brown’s band. In addition, Dr. Brown brings his own unique sound to honor Dr. King. Wanting to capture the sensation felt when he first heard the “I Have a Dream” and “Drum Major Instinct” speeches, Dr. Brown brought in actor and MLK performer/voice-over artist Stephon Ferguson. On the track, it is Ferguson’s voice that is heard reciting passages, written by Dr. Brown, in a preaching style, reminiscent of Dr. King’s sermonizing voice. This version of “King of Love: MLK” was produced by artist and rapper O’hene Savant, who lent his multi-instrumental virtuosity to the song. Dr. Scot Brown is the executive producer, bassist, additional keyboardist [vibraphone], and songwriter (with Kalamu ya Salaam and Jerry Rescue).
“Over the years, I’ve gained an appreciation for the symmetry between Dr. King’s voice and his messages about the transformational power of love and his philosophy of social change.”
Dr. Brown believes the Civil Rights and Black Power movements were successful, in part, because they both emphasized the power of everyday people to make major changes in society.
“‘Freedom Now’, ‘We Shall Overcome,’ and ‘Power to the People,’ are all chants that express this idea,” said Dr. Brown. “As far as my own music goes, I believe that people are responding favorably to positive and empowering messages in music. With this song, I hope that listeners feel and activate their own expressions of Dr. King’s call for agape love – love for humanity.”
King of Love: MLK can be found now on digital platforms YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music.
Buffalo born singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco has announced the release of her new single “The Knowing,” to accompany her debut children’s book of the same name.
The new single is the musical version of DiFranco’s new book The Knowing, which is out March 7th. “The Knowing” is Difranco’s take on a lullaby, inviting young readers to ponder the distinction between outer forms of identity and the inner light of consciousness. The book encapsulates ideas that DiFranco feels strongly about sharing with her own children and all children: the authority to respect the world around you with love and compassion, and the strength of individual power and collective responsibility.
“I always relish a new challenge and creative adventure in life. Making a book for young readers was one such. I’m hoping that young people will connect with the message I am sending out in this book – that underneath all the labels and social and cultural signifiers, we are spirit, we are love incarnate, we are one”
Ani Difranco
Widely considered a feminist icon, Grammy winner Ani DiFranco is the mother of the DIY movement, being one of the first artists to create her own record label in 1990. While she has been known as the “Little Folksinger,” her music has embraced punk, funk, hip hop, jazz, soul, electronica and even more distant sounds. Her most recent albums include 2021’s Revolutionary Love and the July 2022 25th Anniversary Edition reissue of her iconic live album Living In Clip, both on her own label Righteous Babe Records. Her memoir No Walls and the Recurring Dream was released in May 2019 by Viking Books and was a New York Times Top 10 best seller.
DiFranco is also co-owner of Babeville, a Gothic Revival style church renovated by DiFranco and business partner Scot Fisher. The church now serves as a multi use facility dedicated to the arts in Buffalo, as well as a live event venue. For more information please visit Righteousbabe.com
Primary Wave Music has announced their latest creation, a collaborative tribute album of New York/New Jersey legend Count Basie’s classics remixed by modern day artists. The first single, “Didn’t You” by Lettuce featuring Talib Kweli is now available on all platforms.
A keystone figure of the Harlem Renaissance, Count Basie’s name alone conjures images of late nights, and ever cool, hip, and fresh sounds. The world-famous jazz pianist and band leader helped redefine music several times over and set the preconditions for jazz innovations, rock and roll, and popular American music.
On April 7th, a whole new host of colorful talents will mix with Basie’s legendary sound and influence as part of a brand new album called Late Night Basie. This new album captures the essence of Count Basie and his music with each song a modern-day interpretation. For both the longtime fan and the new listener, surprise and delights await in this timely, important recording. And for those who may have never heard the magic of Count Basie, Late Night Basie is certainly intended to be a door into his plentiful catalog of music.
“Putting together this tribute album to Count Basie has been a labor of love over the last several years. As we strive to continuously develop fresh and tasteful approaches to celebrate (and create new IP) for our iconic song catalogs, this release will introduce Count Basie to new generations of music lovers while respecting his existing fanbase.”
Rob Dippold, Primary Wave President
Today, listeners can hear the first track from Late Night Basie, “Didn’t You,” performed by GRAMMY-nominated funk torchbearers Lettuce and hip hop trailblazer and activist, Talib Kweli. Written by saxophone great Frank Foster for Basie’s best selling album, April in Paris, this remix leaps out of the speakers with a leadoff, funky bass drum figure before the horns of Ryan Zoidis (alto sax) and Benny Bloom (trumpet) blend and bend the notes of the first chord on top of Erick Coomes’ chugging bass—all within the song’s first four bars.
Following Lettuce’s statement of the melody, Kweli flows over the rhythm section with a verse that manages to jump off the title and bridge his signature social commentary with a quick sweep of Basie’s life, making plain the link between hip-hop and Count Basie-swing.
Fans can check out “Didn’t You” by Lettuce (feat. Talib Kweli) right now and Late Night Basie can be pre-saved or pre-ordered ahead of its April 7th release right here. For more information, please visit CountBasie.com.
Flushing Town Hall has announced their Black History Month celebration, with the return of their Black History Trilogy.
This three-part series featuring outstanding performers paying tribute to influential African American musicians, dancers, and entertainers. Taking place over the next few weeks at Flushing Town Hall, these Black History Trilogy performances will pay tribute not only to their performers, but to their New York history that makes them unique.
I am very excited about the lineup of artists. The music presentations are soulful tributes to Chuck Berry, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Al Green, Otis Redding, and music from a few of the greatest African American film soundtracks. There will also be an astonishing dance tribute to the Lindy Hop and dances from the Savoy Ballroom.
Clyde Bullard, curator for the Trilogy.
The Trilogy kicks off on Friday, February 3 at 8PM with The Chuck Berry Rock & Roll Concert Party, featuring an energetic performance from premier vocalist and blues guitarist Keith “The Captain” Gamble, in celebration of one of the founding fathers of Rock & Roll.
A singer/songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player, Keith “The Captain” Gamble’s heart and soul are rooted in blues music. He serves as a guest instructor with Jazzmobile in Harlem and guest artist for the LaGuardia Community College lecture series on the Blues. He is also the co-writer of From the Root to the Fruit – A Chronicle of the Blues, a documentary film that was later staged as a musical production. The Captain has toured throughout Europe and to Zambia and Ghana, commissioned by the US State Department, and he served as lead guitarist and male vocalist for ABC’s “The View” house band, the Mile High Club.
The Trilogy continues on Friday, February 10 with The Challenge to Defy Gravity. Audiences will travel back in time to the 1920s Savoy Ballroom to celebrate the gravity-defying contributions of dancers Frankie Manning and Norma Miller, known for their famous Lindy Hop and air steps. Music director Frank Owens teams up with choreographer and dance historian Mickey Davidson to present a dance experience like no other. Audiences will learn swing-era dance moves at the 7PM pre-concert workshop, which they can put into practice at 8PM while enjoying a lively dance performance and concert with special guests Theara J. Ward, Music Director Patience Higgins, The Savoy Swingers, and Harvest Moon Hoppers.
Mickey Davidson is primary choreographer and director for Mickey D. & Friends, a group of dancers and musicians that explores and performs the interlocking relationship between music and dance. From 1993 to 2013 Davidson led the arts-in-education Okra Dance Co., presenting multicultural dance programs in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. She’s taught jazz dance and tap and has served as a visiting lecturer at Wesleyan University for seventeen years.
Davidson has been affiliated with Lindy Hop since 1985 when she started rehearsing with Norma Miller and her Jazz Dancers. Since Norma’s return to Las Vegas, Mickey has maintained the group under the name “Savoy Swingers.” Davison teaches special Lindy Hop and Lindy-related workshops nationally and internationally and frequently partners with Lindy Hop legend Frankie Manning in workshops, live performances, and televised presentations. She was one of three choreographers for the European Tour of the Broadway production of Black and Blue. Davidson. sets and maintained the Swing and Blues choreography inherited from Mr. Manning.
The Trilogy concludes on Friday, February 24 at 8PM with Soul Men: The Music of Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and More. Extraordinary vocalist Billy Cliff will lead audiences through a fun and funky mix of cinema and soul music history, featuring the works of Isaac Hayes’ composition for Shaft, Curtis Mayfield’s soundtrack for Super Fly, and Marvin Gaye’s film score for Trouble Man.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in the Bronx, Billy Cliff first emerged in the music industry as a background singer for famed vocalist Angela Bofill and platinum recording artist Freddie Jackson. He has also performed with Dianne Reeves, Will Downing, The Shop Boys, and David Byrne of The Talking Heads. He has toured as lead vocalist with the mega rhythm & blues pop grop Kool & The Gang.
In-person tickets for each Black History Trilogy performance are $15 or $12 for Members, Seniors, and Students with ID. Flushing Town Hall is accessible by car, bus, train and foot – located a short distance from the 7 train – at 137-35 Northern Blvd., in Flushing, Queens. Access for wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility is available.
For Ticket purchase and more information, please visit Flushing Town Halls website
