Dogs In A Pile, a jam quintet, has announced their 2024 “Cross Country Winter Tour” starting in February, with one stop in Woodstock.
Forming in 2019 and hailing from Asbury Park, NJ – Dogs In A Pile is comprised of Berklee alumni and Billy Joel scholarship recipient Jeremy Kaplan (keyboardist), Berklee alumnus Brian Murray (guitarist) and Sam Lucid (bassist), and long-time Jersey Shore musicians Jimmy Law (guitarist) and Joey Babick (drums). Law and Babick have both been playing together since the young age of 11.
Upstate New York has been particularly special to this band in its formative year. This year, they’v sold out headlining nights and Rochester and Ithaca, as well as several festivals in the surrounding area. On top of their stop in Woodstock, they’ll also be celebrating New Year’s Eve in Saratoga Springs at Putnam Place.
Dogs In A Pile (DIAP) will start 2024 off in Texas. February 1 -3 will mark a trio of Texas firsts – with inaugural headlining stops in Houston at Last Concert Cafe, Austin at Antone’s and Dallas at Deep Ellum Art Co.
Following their run deep in the heart of the US, the Dogs and Andy Frasco & The U.N. will add to their recent string of collaborations with six shows together. The bands have meshed well on stage – elevating each other’s already high level of creativity, energy and fun-filled atmospheres that fans have come to expect from both groups. Among the stretch will come DIAP’s first time playing in the state of Oklahoma (on February 9 at Beer City Music Hall in Oklahoma City).
Winter Tour will also include a two-night run at the historic Bluebird Theater in Denver, CO on February 16 and 17. The band and the “Mile High City” have gotten to know each other well in 2023, with the Dogs netting four consecutive sellouts at Lost Lake Lounge back in March and April. Around that same time, the band played all across “The Centennial State” during a formative tour dubbed “The Winter Rescue Tour.” More recently, when opening for Pigeons Playing Ping Pong in November, they played in front of their largest indoor crowd to date – 2,000 people at The Mission Ballroom.
The newly announced 20 dates will culminate on St. Patrick’s Day weekend. The four-day affair features a pair of two-night runs in Pembroke, MA and Burlington, VT. After selling out their last Boston-area gig at The Sinclair, they’ll return to Soundcheck Studios on March 14 and 15. The tour then concludes at the much-lauded Nectar’s – the site of 47 Phish shows from 1984-1989. The Dogs will play their first two at the fabled Vermont spot on March 16 and 17.
The five-piece are rounding out an extensive fall tour that will end on December 8 in Raleigh, NC. They’ll close out the calendar year with a pair of holiday gigs at the legendary Stone Pony on December 15 and 16, a Phish after-party at Sony Hall on December 28, and their first headlining New Year’s Eve run in Saratoga Springs on December 30 and 31.
Frog, a band made up of musically-talented brothers Daniel and Steve Bateman, have released their folksy single “New Ro”– a bittersweet love letter to their hometown New Rochelle.
Frog’s upcoming album, Grog, is an eclectic and creative LP showcasing both of the brothers’ musical talents, and how they’re even stronger together. Preceding their album is a series of singles, including their newest, “New Ro.”
This single is another wild left turn from the unpredictable duo, following “Black on Black on Black” (sounding like a Jonathan Richman attempt at a Hall & Oates banger) and “Maybelline” (a song which was formed in a dream, as screamed by Bruce Springsteen), which was featured by Pitchfork, Stereogum and has reached #2 in the Hype Machine Popular Nowchart. “New Ro” is a bittersweet love letter to the brothers’ hometown, New Rochelle, New York.
I don’t know if there’s relevant subtext for ‘New Ro,’ besides the obvious–Steve and I both grew up in New Rochelle, we went to New Rochelle High School, we recorded the entire album at our mom’s house in New Rochelle, we’re New Ro boys. The town’s got a lot of charm, if you know where to look. Some years ago they changed the tagline of the city from ‘Queen City of the Sound’, which ruled, to ‘Ideally Yours’, which…I’m not even sure what that is. There’s signs everywhere saying: ‘New Rochelle, Ideally Yours.’
Daniel Bateman, Frog
“New Ro” is a funky tune that is the embodiment of the good vibes of Kermit The Frog, which certainly works in their favor. It also has elements of “I Will Wait” by Mumford & Sons because of the fast, upbeat rhythm and acoustic backup.
The vocals are particularly striking, as a couple minutes into the track, they go into a very high register– and pull it off.
While a nostalgic song, the lyrics don’t hide anything: they delve into the good and bad of Frog’s home town, and that makes it all the more realistic and vivid. “…Take me home, north on the Anne Hutchinson // Through the Bronx, back to the place where we’re from // Where the girls they put out in a car // And the waitresses all got a scar // New Rochelle New York…”
New Rochelle should really consider changing their tagline from “Ideally Yours” to one lyric of Frog’s: “Take me home,” as it doesn’t sound like an ‘ideal’ home (does one really exist?), but it’s certainly their home nonetheless– and they love it regardless of whatever unideal aspects come with it.
Frog’s album launch of Grog will take place on the record’s release date (November 17) with a performance at YoFi Fest 11 in Yonkers, New York. This live show will be accompanied by a screening of their “Kings of Blah” UK tour documentary.
Jon Batiste has announced his Uneasy Tour: Purifying The Airwaves For The People in support of his newly Grammy nominated album World Music Radio, with one stop in NYC.
Batiste was born into a musical life being part of the musical dynasty, the Batiste family. He started playing percussion and drums at the age of 8 in the Batiste Brothers Band, and from there, he only developed his musical skills even further.
Today, his tour announcement comes on the heels of Batiste’s six 2024 GRAMMY nominations, with five on behalf of World Music Radio. His nominations include Album of the Year, Record of the Year for “Worship” and Song of the Year for “Butterfly.” Additionally, he earned nominations for Best Jazz Performance for “Movement 18 (Heroes)” and Best American Roots Performance for “Butterfly” from the album, as well as a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for his collaboration with Lana Del Rey on her track “Candy Necklace.” Jon Batiste will make several appearances in support of the album in November including the world-famous Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade on November 23 and annual Root 100 Gala where he’ll be honored as the first “Voice and Vision” Award Recipient at the Apollo Theater on December 5.
World Music Radio invites the world to experience the marriage of hard-hitting pop songs to a rich tapestry of international sounds, with Batiste collaborating with a diverse range of global talents including Lil Wayne, Lana Del Rey, Kenny G, Fireboy DML, J.I.D, Camilo, NewJeans and more. The album received critical acclaim upon its release, with NPR describing it as “a sprawling exploration of what global music can sound like” and NME praising Batiste for “reinventing his sonic wheel.”
In 2020, Jon Batiste was honored with an Academy Award® for Best Original Score for his work on the Disney/Pixar film SOUL, which he shared with fellow composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The score won him a GRAMMY award and also garnered him a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a NAACP Image Award, and a Critic’s Choice Award. Notably, Batiste became the second black composer in history, following the legendary jazz musician Herbie Hancock, to win an Academy Award for composition.
Jon Batiste is the subject of Matthew Heineman’s moving documentary American Symphony, which will debut in select theatres on November 24 and via Netflix in partnership with Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground on November 29. The film follows him beginning in early 2022, when he finds himself celebrated with 11 Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year. Amid that triumph, he is immersed in his most ambitious challenge yet: composing an original symphony for a performance at the storied Carnegie Hall. However, this extraordinary trajectory is upended when his life partner, NYT bestselling author and Emmy Award-winning journalist Suleika Jaouad, learns that her long-dormant cancer has returned.
Batiste’s first-ever headlining tour will kick off February 16 at the Schnitzer in Portland, OR, and visit intimate theaters across North America and Canada, including one stop at Beacon Theatre in New York.
Jon Batiste Uneasy Tour: Purifying The Airwaves For The People Dates:
DateCityVenue
2/16/24 Portland, OR Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
2/17/24 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
2/18/24 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore (early and late shows)
2/20/24 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre
2/22/24 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
2/23/24 Madison, WI The Sylvee
2/24/24 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
2/26/24 Detroit, MI The Fillmore
2/27/24 Indianapolis, IN Murat Theatre
2/28/24 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
3/3/24 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
3/12/24 Toronto, ON Massey Hall
3/13/24 Montreal, QC MTELUS
3/15/24 New Haven, CT College Street Music Hall
3/16/24 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
3/17/24 Philadelphia, PA The Fillmore
3/19/24 New York, NY Beacon Theatre
3/21/24 Washington, DC Warner Theatre
3/22/24 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore
3/24/24 Knoxville, TN Big Ears Festival
3/26/ 24 Dallas, TX Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House
3/27/24 Austin, TX ACL Live – Moody Theater
4/27/24 Miramar Beach, FL Kaleidoscope Beach
Artist presale began Tuesday, November 14 at 10AM (local), with venue/local presales having started Wednesday, November 15 at 10AM(local). Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, November 17 at 10AM (local).
Additional ticket information is available here. For more information on Jon Batiste, visit his website.
Cool Cool Cool, an unapologetically unique band blending funk, house, and R&B, will release their debut single from Color Red called “Never Noticed” on November 17.
Cool Cool Cool blends the best of funk, house, and R&B to create a sound that is truly unique, with dynamic female-led vocals, a tight horn section, and swirling synths. Made up of various talented individuals– Shira Elias (vocals), Sammi Garrett (vocals/percussion), Craig Brodhead (guitar/keyboard/synth), Chris Brouwers (trumpet/keyboard/synthesizer), Michael Carubba (drums), Greg Sanderson (tenor sax, EWI), and Josh Schwartz (vocals/baritone sax) – this band knows how to deliver an electrifying performance. When you see Cool Cool Cool in person, you’ll be swept up by the energy of their music and unforgettable live shows.
“Cool Cool Cool, a super slick collective of funkateers with tight vocal harmonies, punchy horns, clavinet soul and stage presence to spare.”
After spending more than a decade traveling the world together with the touring act Turkuaz, the members of Cool Cool Cool decided to team up and form their own band in 2022. Their shared experiences– from playing dive bars to international festival stages– helped them develop a close bond that goes far beyond music. This bond translates into a powerful synergy that allows each band member to showcase their individual talents, creativity, and passion.
“Never Noticed” is the much anticipated debut single from Cool Cool Cool. The track is loaded with entrancing vocals, hard hitting horn lines and an ever-driving groove, marrying vintage tones with modern production. At its core, “Never Noticed” is the first true collaboration from a group of people who, while having performed together for years, perhaps didn’t quite understand what they had together.
This song lays a funky beat mixed with lofi-type vocals, making a truly different sound. It’s relaxing, yet makes you want to get up and dance. The most striking part of this arrangement are the horns– so powerful and yet seamlessly weaved into the music so that they’re not overbearing. “Never Noticed” will transport you to a funky club down in New Orleans: a place where you can relax and just feel the music.
It’ll be exciting to see what else they have in store, as they just keep one-upping themselves.
Cool Cool Cool will release their debut single from Color Red, “Never Noticed” on November 17. The band, featuring former members of Turkuaz, creates a blend of Funk and R&B with a mix of lo-fi vibes for this grooving and dreamy track recorded at Color Red Studios. The release comes right after their recent performances as the band for Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew’s Remain In Light tour, as well as support for Andy Frasco’s L’Optimist tour, and Cool Cool Cool teases that this is just the beginning.
While the New York part of their tour has ended, if lucky, you can catch them at the remaining venues of their tour in Florida and California.
12/28 – San Diego, CA – Balboa Theater
12/29 – Anaheim, CA – City National Grove of Anaheim (City National Grove Outdoors)
12/30 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield
12/31 – Napa, CA – JaM Cellars Ballroom
02/22-25 – Brooksville, FL – Florida Sand Music Ranch
Charley Orlando, a Syracuse native, has released his newest single, “California,” with hints of surf rock and an overall relaxing vibe. “California” is the first of many songs to come that were created while Charley and his wife traveled across the US over the course of three years.
Charley Orlando has released 17 albums in the past and continues to break genres and musical standards. In his 30 plus year career, he has been added to the GRAMMY entry ballot a total of 28 times, and played over 3,000 shows in North America.
The last three years, Charley has been traveling the country in a 24-foot RV with his wife, exploring the US and spending his days writing music. In that time, he wrote six songs that will be released one by one over the course of the next year.
For his newest upcoming song, “California,” he recorded vocal parts in the shower of the RV with a blanket over his head to keep outside noise to a minimum, and crafted all the guitar parts sitting in the front seat of the RV.
“This song is obviously inspired by traveling in California. It’s long been one of my favorite places to explore and the song is a humble thank you to the land that brought forth so much creativity in me.”
Charley Orlando
If you’ve been missing that calm 70s rock that early Beach Boys songs produced, this song might just be the perfect fit. It has an incredible electric guitar line that ties the whole song together, and raise your Good Vibrations. That, combined with the occasional enchanting vocal harmonies, add to an overall surf-rock feel.
“California” is a raw, earthy song. It’s so easy to picture the making of this song because this entire track paints the picture of traveling in California without any worries– letting yourself go with the flow.
Upcoming Charley Orlando shows 11/25 Ithaca; The Range info here
Seven-time GRAMMY Award-winning singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette has announced 31 North America shows for The Triple Moon Tour, with stops in Wantagh and Bethel. This new tour will feature special guest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame icon Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, along with support from Morgan Wade.
Since 1995, Alanis Morissette has been one of the most influential singer-songwriter-musicians in contemporary music. Her deeply expressive music and performances have earned vast critical praise and seven Grammy awards. Morissette’s 1995 debut, “Jagged Little Pill,” was followed by nine more eclectic and acclaimed albums. She has contributed musically to theatrical releases and has acted on the big and small screen.
Outside of entertainment, she is an avid supporter of female empowerment, as well as spiritual, psychological, and physical wellness. In 2001, Alanis was awarded the Global Tolerance Award by the Friends of the United Nations for her contributions to promoting tolerance through the arts. In 2016, Alanis launched Conversation with Alanis Morissette, a monthly podcast that features conversations with a variety of revered authors, doctors, educators, and therapists, covering a wide range of psychosocial topics extending from spirituality to developmentalism to art.
On December 5, 2019, “Jagged Little Pill” the musical made its Broadway debut at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City. The show was nominated for fifteen Tony Awards and won 2 Tony Awards at the 2021 ceremony. In July of 2020, Alanis released her ninth studio album, Such Pretty Forks In The Road, to rave reviews. In August of 2021, Alanis kicked off her sold out world tour celebrating 25 years of Jagged Little Pill. The tour became the #1 female-fronted tour from 2021 and also one of the Top Worldwide Tours of 2021 selling over 500,000 tickets. Alanis also stars in Fox’s sitcom, “The Great North,” which is set to return for season 4 in 2024.
To celebrate the upcoming holiday season, Morissette released a new Christmas single on November 3. The track “Last Christmas” is a part of an EP featuring previously released Alanis holiday covers of John Lennon & Yoko Ono’s “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”, William Chatterton Dix’s “What child is this?”, and Katherine Kennicott Davis’ “Little Drummer Boy”. All four covers are available on a limited edition red and green 10’ vinyl as well as all streaming platforms.
Joan Jett grew up during a time when rock ‘n’ roll was off limits to girls and women, but as a teenager, she promptly blew the door to the boys’ club right off its hinges. After forming her band the Blackhearts in 1979, with whom Jett has become a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, she has had eight platinum and gold albums and nine Top 40 singles, including the classics “Bad Reputation,” “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll,” “I Hate Myself For Loving You,” and “Crimson and Clover.”
With a career that has spanned music, film, television, Broadway, and humanitarianism, Joan Jett remains a potent force and inspiration to generations of fans worldwide. As a producer, she has overseen seminal albums by Bikini Kill, and the Germs’ LA punk masterpiece ‘GI.’
Jett and Kenny Laguna (her longtime producer and music partner) co-founded Blackheart Records from the trunk of Kenny’s Cadillac after rejections from no less than 23 labels. 40 years later, Blackheart is a thriving entertainment company producing music, film and television, and continues to champion emerging bands. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts continue to tour the world with headlining shows alongside fellow rock legends like The Who, Green Day, Heart, and Foo Fighters. ‘Bad Reputation,’ a documentary about Jett’s life, premiered to critical acclaim at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Following up on the bands 2022 release Changeup, their first-ever acoustic album, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts EP Mindsets will be a RSD First vinyl release on 11/24. Mindsets is available to stream now.
“I am inspired and heartened and feel giddy inside to be going on this upcoming summer tour with Joan and Morgan and all our teams,” Morissette said. “Can’t wait to see you, can’t wait to perform!”
One of Nashville’s fastest-rising and most critically acclaimed young stars, Morgan Wade released her much-anticipated sophomore album, Psychopath, Aug. 25 via Sony Music Nashville. Possessed with a raw and unflinching voice anchored by a perfect tinge of twang; the rare ability to pen honest portraits of some of life’s most precious, painful, and unpredictable moments; and an onstage vulnerability that so seamlessly breaks down the wall between fan and artist, Wade has quickly made her mark on the country music scene — and the music world at large. Her stunning 2021 debut album, Reckless, was hailed as a critical triumph; it topped Rolling Stone’s Best Country and Americana Albums of 2021. In 2022, Wade was nominated as the Emerging Act of the Year at the Americana Music Honors & Awards. Followed by 2023, when Wade was nominated for New Female Artist of the Year by the Academy of Country Music and performed at major-market festivals including Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits.
While Reckless, and particularly its momentous lead single “Wilder Days,” busted down the doors and introduced Wade to a wider listenership, Psychopath is an astounding follow-up statement: the 13-track LP was crafted with the help of some of Nashville’s most extraordinary musical talents, from A-list songwriters (Julia Michaels, Natalie Hemby, Liz Rose, Lori McKenna) to studio musicians as well as Wade’s longtime producer Sadler Vaden. Most excitingly, Psychopath finds Wade peeling back layers of her psyche like never before. “I realized the more authentic you are and the more you pour yourself into your songs, and most importantly if you’re being honest, people will connect to that,” Wade says.
THE TRIPLE MOON TOUR DATES:
Featuring special guest Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and support from Morgan Wade
Sun Jun 09 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
Wed Jun 12 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
Fri Jun 14 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
Sun Jun 16 – Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Presented by Huntsman
Wed Jun 19 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre*
Thu Jun 20 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre*
Sat Jun 22 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheater
Sun Jun 23 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Wed Jun 26 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
Thu Jun 27 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
Sat Jun 29 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Fri Jul 05 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Sat Jul 06 – Hartford, CT – Xfinity Theatre
Tue Jul 09 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
Wed Jul 10 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
Tue Jul 13 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
Tue Jul 16 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
Wed Jul 17 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
Tue Jul 23 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Wed Jul 24 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
Sat Jul 27 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
Sun Jul 28 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater
Wed Jul 31 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Thu Aug 01 – Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre
Sat Aug 03 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
Sun Aug 04 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
Wed Aug 07 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
Thu Aug 08 – Palm Springs, CA – Acrisure Arena
Fri Aug 10 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum
*With support from Joan Jett and the Blackhearts only
Tickets will be available starting with a Citi presale (details below) beginning on Tuesday, November 14. Additionally, fans can sign up for Morissette’s mailing list by Wednesday, November 15 to get first access to presale tickets. More presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Friday, November 17 at 10 am at alanis.com.
Citi is the official card of the Triple Moon Tour. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning on Tuesday, November 14 at 10 am until Thursday, November 16 at 10 pm through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit this website.
The tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. For more information, visit alanis.com.
John Leventhal will explore his newfound solo career with his upcoming album Rumble Strip to be released on January 26. The six-time Grammy-winner’s debut album will showcase some of the most adventurous work of his career.
Born in New York City, Leventhal began his career in the late 1970’s playing guitar in dozens of NYC area bands including those led by Billy Vera, Steve Forbert and Levon Helm. His impulse to look for unexpected moments of beauty has served as a compass and survival tactic throughout his remarkable career. He’s produced albums for Rosanne Cash, Marc Cohn, Sarah Jarosz, Jim Lauderdale, William Bell, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Joan Osborne and many others. As a guitar player, he has recorded and performed with Jackson Browne, Bruce Hornsby, Willie Nelson, The Tedeschi Trucks Band, Ry Cooder, Elvis Costello, Donald Fagen, and recently, The National (Leventhal co-produced the song “Crumble” from Laugh Track).
Leventhal has been a Grammy winner in five consecutive decades, including as a co-writer and producer on Shawn Colvin’s 1998’s Song of the Year “Sunny Came Home,” Cash’s moody The River and the Thread, and Stax legend William Bell’s sublime 2016 album This Is Where I Live. Presently, he’s collaborating with Cash on a musical version of Norma Rae. His unique approach hasn’t always aligned Leventhal with whatever is reaping the biggest commercial rewards, but he figures that’s probably the only way he could’ve done it– and it worked.
Leventhal has shared two songs from Rumble Strip: “That’s All I Know About Arkansas,” featuring vocals and lyrics by Rosanne Cash, his wife and collaborator of 30 years. The other is the solo guitar piece, “JL’s Hymn No. 2,” written and recorded in the same evening.
“I’ve always had a catalog of ideas that have never found a home,” Leventhal says. “In the back of my mind, I thought that one of these days I should try to harvest some of those ideas and confront the personal gauntlet of making a solo record.” The COVID-19 pandemic made it inevitable.
That willingness to confront his past work pays off handsomely on Rumble Strip, which combines Leventhal’s distinctive, lyrical guitar work, full-band productions with and without vocals, solo guitar pieces that draw on Leventhal’s love for classical music and Anglican hymns, and humid blasts of Southern soul, country twang, and improvisation.
Rumble Strip will be out January 26 on RumbleStrip Records, the label co-founded by Leventhal and Rosanne Cash (distributed by Thirty Tigers).
The GREAT Salt City BLUES Concert 7 will take place on December 26 at The Middle Ages Brewing Beer Hall. With various performances from modern blues artists, the concert will also commemorate past artists that had a lasting effect on the entirety of the blues genre, including Savoy Brown, Kim Simmonds, Ann Peebles, and Skip James.
The GREAT Salt City BLUES Concert is an annual event held the day after Christmas. A series of 10 GREAT Salt City BLUES Concerts will be presented. This is concert #7, and each concert has been performed in front of a full capacity audience.
Previously held at The Palace Theatre in Syracuse, The GREAT Salt City BLUES Concert 7 will be a held at one of the Salt City’s newest venues, The Middle Ages Brewing Beer Hall— a new 8,000 square-foot area reserved for music and events on the second floor of the Middle Ages Brewing Co.
Every one of The Great Salt City BLUES Concerts is unique and never to be repeated, with a changing line-up of performers featuring some of the area’s greatest musicians. Each concert is a thematic show honoring some of our greatest Blues Artists with participating musicians chosen specifically because they are best fitted for the show.
This year, the GREAT Salt City BLUES Concert 7 will be paying a special tribute to Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown, the Blues/Rock institution formed in London, England in 1965 by band leader and guitarist, Kim Simmonds.
Savoy Brown was a big part of the British Blues boom of the 60‘s, along with Fleetwood Mac, Cream, John Mayall, and the Bluesbreakers, The Yardbirds and a host of other U.K. bands that brought the Blues back to popularity in both Europe and the United States.
Savoy Brown was a huge touring concert attraction in the States after breaking out in Detroit on their first U.S. tour in 1969. They stayed based in London until the late 70’s when Kim Simmonds moved to the States where Savoy Brown’s popularity was the greatest. The late 80’s found Kim moving to the Central New York area and finally settling down in Oswego after marrying Oswego native Debbie Lyons. Together, they resided in Oswego while raising a daughter, Eve Simmonds. Kim lived in Oswego until his untimely passing on December 13th, 2022.
Kim Simmonds was a big part of the Central New York music scene and often employed many local area musicians in the ever changing line-up of Savoy Brown. These included such local legends as former Kingsnake, Pete McMahon, vocalist extraordinaire Joe Whiting, the late drummer Dave Olsen of The Robert Cray Band fame, as well as bass player Pat DeSalvo and drummer Garnet Grimm, the latter two still being members of Savoy Brown at the time of his passing and the rhythm section of Savoy Brown the last two decades. Grimm and Whiting will also be taking part in the GREAT Salt City BLUES Concert 7 paying tribute to their former band mate.
Savoy Brown’s legacy will continue to live on with a catalog of over 40 albums recorded, including two albums on Baldwinsville’s Blue Wave label, who also released three of Kim’s solo albums. With his hand print enshrined on Hollywood’s Walk Of Fame, Kim Simmonds will always be considered one of the greatest Blues/Rock guitarists of all-time.
The GREAT Salt City BLUES Concert 7 will also be paying tribute to Memphis Soul’s great Ann Peebles, who is best known for writing and singing the classic hit song, “I Can’t Stand The Rain” made most popular by Tina Turner in 1984. Ann Peebles retired from touring after suffering a stroke in 2012. Vocalists Marcia Hagan and Donna Colton will be handling the vocals on seven of Ann’s greatest songs at the GREAT Salt City BLUES Concert 7.
On the acoustic stage, The GREAT Salt City BLUES Concert 7 will pay tribute to the Delta Bluesman Skip James, a Blues Hall of Fame artist who recorded in the 1930’s and continued to record in the Blues revival of the 60’s after being rediscovered. Skip James passed in 1969, but his songs live on, including his often covered gems, “I‘m So Glad“ (covered most famously by Cream), “Devil Got My Woman,” and “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues.” Woodstock native and New York Blues Hall of Fame artist, Elly Wininger, will be performing four of Skip James’ classics at The GREAT Salt City BLUES Concert 7 .
The GREAT Salt City BLUES Concert 7 participating musicians are:
Tas Cru
Morris Tarbell
Mark Doyle
Joe Whiting
Mark Westers
Donna Colton
Marcia Hagan
Rolland Brunet
Dan Morison
Jeff Stockham
Rod Zajak
Garnet Grimm
Don Williams
Dave Schneider
Rob Hoston
Mira Grimm
Scott Ebner
Elly Wininger
Tickets available online at ticketweb.com. They are $30.00 advance / $40.00 at door (if available), and went on sale November 1.
For more information, visit their website or follow The GREAT Salt City BLUES Concert on Facebook.
Indie punk band The Vigilance Committee has released their newest LP Coming Home– the band’s first LP since their historical concept record, Exit a Hero, released way back in April 2015.
The Vigilance Committee is what it is because of Peter J. Scoma (guitar/vox), Phil Corso (drums), Christian Cepeda (guitar), and Adam James Tomlinson (bass). Their latest releases since their other album, Exit a Hero, include their single “Reflections III” and the activism-driven EP “Join Us.”
Their newest release, Coming Home, features 10 emotionally charged songs that the band crafted during quarantine at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While all songs are impactful, with specially crafted lyrics and perfected blends of electrifying punk and indie, there are some songs that particularly stand out: “It Was Dawn,” “Beacon,” “Hive Mind,” “Oakfield,” “Unanchored,” and “My Body (Moved But My Mind Stayed There).”
Most of the album consists of upbeat punk, but some slow back down, letting The Vigilance Committee’s indie side shine through. One such example is “Hive Mind” which is slower than the other songs, and slightly more relaxed. This song in particular shows The Vigilance Committee’s versatility– but they hit you with a perfectly crafted electric guitar solo in the middle. The lyrics themselves are equally as powerful, and stay true to the title. The song is about questioning our everyday lives– the “hive mind” mentality. This song begs the question: are we making our life choices with intent, or are we just going through the motions?
Some of the most powerful, emotional lyrics are toward the end, showcasing the rage that many people in society face today due the decisions of those in control, such as government officials. “This is not the world that they sold us // Empty promises // A fire burns. // All we want is to be heard.”
Another powerful song is “My Body (Moved But My Mind Stayed There).” This song is more somber and relies on the instrumentals due to the few (but impactful) lyrics and angelic vocals.
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra presents “Faces of Joy” this November, an exhilarating concert of joyful classical works, both old and new.
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra is the Southern Tier’s largest and longest-serving symphony orchestra. Today, the Binghamton Philharmonic serves 10,000+ people annually through innovative, engaging, and affordable programming– connecting professional musicians with audiences to stimulate the economy, and expand music’s possibilities for a broad listenership– within and beyond the concert hall.
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra will feature a guest piano soloist Andrew Russo, a musician known for his diverse interests from business to music.
A Syracuse native, Russo graduated from Fayetteville-Manlius High School and spent his early years studying with William Goodrum and Steven Heyman. He earned his bachelor and master degrees at The Juliard School, followed by post-graduate studies in Leipzig and Paris with pianist/alternative pedagogue Frederic Chiu. He has performed in many of the world’s cultural capitals including Paris, London, Moscow, Rome, Brussels, Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Buenos Aires.
His appearance as a finalist in the 2001 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition drew public attention when he became the first pianist to perform a significant work using alternative techniques requiring the inside and frame of the piano as well as the keys. He was featured in Peter Rosen’s internationally broadcast documentary “Playing on the Edge” not long after the competition and profiled in New York Times writer James Barron’s book, The Making of a Steinway Concert Grand.
With twelve commercial recordings to his credit, the highlight of Andrew’s recording career was a 2007 Grammy nomination for his Black Box Records release of music by John Corigliano. His video of Jacob TV’s “The Body of Your Dreams” has become a popular draw on YouTube and was broadcast on Dutch television. Andrew’s most recent recording on Naxos featured new works by Aaron Kernis, including Three Flavors for piano and orchestra, commissioned by Russo and premiered with David Alan Miller and the Albany Symphony Orchestra.
Russo continues to perform as a recitalist, concerto soloist, and chamber musician, with several appearances each season. He lives in the scenic Skaneateles, NY with his wife Natalia and their children Andrei and Mila.
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra’s “Faces of Joy” will take place Saturday, November 18, 2023 at 7:30pm. In addition, the orchestra will hold free community events in advance of “Faces of Joy,” including “Music as Play” (November 16 at 6:30pm) and “Ab ordine libertas (From Order Comes Freedom): How Composers Balance Restraint and Joy” (November 18 at 6:30pm).
Tickets to “Faces of Joy” will be $25 to $65 per person, available on their website or by calling (607)723-3931.
