The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra will hold its second Orchestral Series Concert of the 2023-24 season at Ithaca College this October. Called “Beethoven’s Eighth,” the program is led by Music Director Finalist Guillaume Pirard and features Cellist Guy Johnston.
The CCO was founded in 1976 and is officially designated “Ithaca’s Orchestra.” Each season for the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra includes an Orchestral Series, Chamber Music Series, a Holiday concert, free Family Concerts, and the long-standing Willard Daetsch Youth Outreach Program, which earned the 2015 Yale Distinguished Music Educator award. In 2017, the CCO added a Youth Orchestra, which offers a high quality symphony orchestra experience for youth in Ithaca and the Finger Lakes region of New York State.
The Cayuga Chamber Orchestra’s concert will open with Arvo Pärt’s meditative In Spe, followed by Shostakovich’s haunting Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, and the evening will be closed with Beethoven’s jubilant Symphony No. 8. There is also a free Pre-concert chat with the conductor and soloist at 6:30 pm.
With a deep belief in the power of collaborative music making to create transformational experiences for musicians and audiences alike, Guillaume Pirard has become a highly respected artist and educator of his generation. Since making his debut with the Orlando Philharmonic, Pirard has conducted the New York University and Cornell University Orchestras, Ensemble X, Opus Ithaca, the Philharmonic of Moravia, the Metamorphosis Chamber Orchestra, the Lviv Philharmonic, the Mannes School of Music Opera and the Mannes Orchestra, and served as Assistant Conductor for the Buffalo Philharmonic and Ensemble 21.
As co-concertmaster and founding member of The Knights, Pirard toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe with performances at the Tonhalle in Zurich, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and the Muziverein in Vienna, and major festival appearances at Tanglewood, Ravinia, Caramoor, Skaneateles, the Festival-de-Paques in Aix-en-Provence and the Salzburg Festpiele. Pirard is serving as Visiting Professor of Violin at Ithaca College for the 2023-24 academic year.
Guy Johnston is one of the most exciting British cellists of his generation. His early successes included winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year, and significant awards, notably the Shell London Symphony Orchestra Gerald MacDonald Award, Suggia Gift Award and a Young British Classical Performer Brit Award. He has performed with many leading international orchestras including the London Philharmonic, Ulster Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, NHK Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony, Britten Sinfonia, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, Moscow Philharmonic and St Petersburg Symphony.
The concert will take place Saturday, October 21 at 7:30pm in Ford Hall at Ithaca College.
For more information and “late edition” subscriptions or single tickets, visit CCOithaca.org.
Tyler Childers will continue his global “Mule Pull ’24 Tour” through next summer, making stops in Madison Square Garden and Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
Special guests on the tour include Adeem The Artist, Willi Carlisle, S.G. Goodman, Wayne Graham, Shakey Graves, Valerie June, Laid Back Country Picker, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and Allison Russell.
In celebration of the new record, Childers recently spoke with The New York Times, who praises, “His songs with roots in bluegrass, Southern rock and Appalachian tradition have pushed the boundaries of country music and even his own fan base, while cementing him as one of the most successful touring and streaming artists in his field—without the aid of radio,” and continues, “when he sings live, his eyes burn with the ferocity of a preacher, and fans hang on to every word.”
“Childers is clearly continuing to grow his audience by simply staying true to himself…one of country music’s more interesting, boundary-pushing artists.”
Grammy.com
Recorded at Dragline Studios, the album was produced by Childers and his longtime band, The Food Stamps—James Barker (pedal steel), Craig Burletic (bass), CJ Cain (guitar), Rodney Elkins (drums), Chase Lewis (keyboards) and Jesse Wells (guitar, fiddle).
The new album follows last year’s triple album, Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?, which featured eight songs presented in three distinct sonic perspectives—Hallelujah, Jubilee and Joyful Noise. Before Hounds, Childers released 2020’s Grammy-nominated surprise album, Long Violent History, which NPR Music called an “explicit and remarkable stand in solidarity.” His two previous releases, 2019’s #1 Country Squire as well 2017’s RIAA Platinum debut, Purgatory, were released to overwhelming critical and commercial acclaim. In the years since his debut, Childers has earned two Grammy nominations and has been featured on “CBS This Morning,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert series and “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.”
“The penetrating country singer-songwriter is becoming a total rock star without any radio support…If you are not on this man’s express train to stardom, get on board now.”
Music Row
Fans are being asked to register before tickets go on-sale to help block bots and scalpers, reduce resale and get tickets directly into the hands of real people. Registration for the pre-sale is open now until Sunday, October 8 at 11:59pm ET—see tour dates below, and sign up HERE. Once registration closes, fans will be randomly selected to receive a code that grants them access to the pre-sale starting next Wednesday, October 11. A very limited number of tickets will be available for the general on-sale following on Friday, October 13 at 10:00am local time at ticketmaster.com, while supplies last.
TYLER CHILDERS CONFIRMED TOUR DATES Italicson-sale next Friday, October 13 at 10:00am local time
December 30—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena* (SOLD OUT)
December 31—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena* (SOLD OUT)
February 15, 2024—Dublin, Ireland—3Olympia‡ (SOLD OUT)
February 17, 2024—Glasgow, U.K.—Barrowland Ballroom‡ (SOLD OUT)
February 19, 2024—Manchester, U.K.—Albert Hall‡ (SOLD OUT)
February 21, 2024—London, U.K.—Eventim Apollo‡
February 22, 2024—London, U.K.—Eventim Apollo‡ (SOLD OUT)
February 26, 2024—Hamburg, Germany—Docks‡
February 27, 2024—Copenhagen, Denmark—VEGA‡ (SOLD OUT)
March 2, 2024—Amsterdam, Netherlands—Paradiso‡ (SOLD OUT)
March 3, 2024—Amsterdam, Netherlands—Paradiso‡ (SOLD OUT)
March 5, 2024—Stockholm, Sweden—Münchenbryggeriet‡ (SOLD OUT)
March 6, 2024—Oslo, Norway—Sentrum Scene‡ (SOLD OUT)
March 16, 2024—Thackerville, OK—Lucas Oil Live at WinStar World Casino and Resort
April 5, 2024—San Diego, CA—Viejas Arena+ (SOLD OUT)
April 6, 2024—Inglewood, CA—Kia Forum+ (SOLD OUT)
April 9, 2024—Tulsa, OK—BOK Center† (SOLD OUT)
April 10, 2024—Austin, TX—Moody Center† (SOLD OUT)
April 13, 2024—Fort Worth, TX—Dickies Arena† (SOLD OUT)
April 15, 2024—Birmingham, AL—Legacy Arena at The BJCC# (SOLD OUT)
April 16, 2024—Knoxville, TN—Thompson Boling Arena# (SOLD OUT)
April 18, 2024—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena# (SOLD OUT)
April 19, 2024—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena# (SOLD OUT)
May 27, 2024—Baltimore, MD—CFG Bank Arena~ (SOLD OUT)
May 29, 2024—New York, NY—Madison Square Garden^ (SOLD OUT)
May 30, 2024—New York, NY—Madison Square Garden^ (SOLD OUT)
June 2, 2024—Virginia Beach, VA—Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater‡‡
June 5, 2024—Tampa, FL—MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre‡‡
June 7, 2024—Alpharetta, GA—Ameris Bank Amphitheatre‡‡
June 8, 2024—Alpharetta, GA—Ameris Bank Amphitheatre‡‡
June 11, 2024—Clarkston, MI—Pine Knob Music Theatre++
June 13, 2024—Chicago, IL—United Center++
June 27, 2024—Noblesville, IN—Ruoff Music Center††
June 28, 2024—Milwaukee, WI—Summerfest at American Family Insurance Amphitheater†† (SOLD OUT)
June 30, 2024—Burgettstown, PA—The Pavilion at Star Lake††
July 3, 2024—Saratoga Springs, NY—Saratoga Performing Arts Center~~
July 5, 2024—Bangor, ME—Maine Savings Amphitheater~~
July 6, 2024—Cavendish, Prince Edward Island—Cavendish Beach Music Festival
July 9, 2024—Toronto, Ontario—Budweiser Stage~~
July 11, 2024—London, Ontario—Rock the Park Festival
August 6, 2024—Calgary, Alberta—Scotiabank Saddledome~
August 8, 2024—Vancouver, British Columbia—Rogers Arena~
August 10, 2024—Bend, OR—Hayden Homes Amphitheater~
August 11, 2024—Bend, OR—Hayden Homes Amphitheater~
August 14, 2024—Mountain View, CA—Shoreline Amphitheatre##
August 17, 2024—Boulder, CO—Folsom Field**
August 20, 2024—West Valley City, UT—USANA Amphitheatre##
August 21, 2024—Nampa, ID—Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater##
August 23, 2024—George, WA—Gorge Amphitheatre^^
August 24, 2024—Missoula, MT—Washington-Grizzly Stadium^^
*with special guest Shovels & Rope
‡with special guest John R. Miller
+with special guest Medium Build
†with special guest Hayes Carll
#with special guest 49 Winchester
~with special guest Allison Russell
^with special guest Sylvan Esso
‡‡with special guests Valerie June and Willi Carlisle
++with special guest S.G. Goodman
††with special guests S.G. Goodman and Adeem The Artist
~~with special guests S.G. Goodman and Wayne Graham
##with special guest Shakey Graves
**with special guests Shakey Graves and Laid Back Country Picker
^^with special guest Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
West Falls Center for the Arts will hold its second annual Fallsfest this October, in conjunction with The Blueberry Treehouse Farm in West Falls, NY, outside of Buffalo.
The West Falls Center for the Arts is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing visual, performing, music, and healing arts programming to a diverse rural population.
Their ongoing programs include a weekly concert series with local youth performers opening for national talent, a free kids music jam series for young musicians (partnering with the Sportsman’s Foundation), the prestigious Southtowns Youth Jazz Orchestra led by Mark Filsinger, as well as the Buffalo Jazz Collective with young musicians performing alongside accomplished professionals.
This year, they’re hosting FallsFest on October 14 from 10am-10pm, and October 15, from 10am-6pm. Come enjoy live music, the AKG Art Truck, craft vendors and artists, pumpkin smashing, animals, food trucks, the Super Hilarious Magic Show with Nick Mambretti, homemade WFCA pizza, a Prehistoric Reptile Show, a treehouse café, and beautiful nature trails.
Purchase tickets online here for October 14 and/or October 15. Adults are $10, kids 3-12 are $5, and kids 2 and under are free.
Dylan Seeger, a designer and musician living in New York City, and has just released his latest single: “Writer/Pretender,” where he explores themes such as writer’s block and betrayal.
With family roots in New York’s folk scene, Seeger’s interest in music was immediate and profound. After discovering The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in his parents’ CD collection, he was inspired to write and record his own music, releasing his first album of original songs when he was just fourteen years old. A few years later, he started performing at clubs on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
At nineteen, Seeger released his seminal album, Claye, and dropped out of art school in search of independence. He moved to Manhattan and founded Lovably, a graphic design firm which has since served hundreds of clients across a diverse range of industries including architecture, art, fashion, and interior design. He remains the firm’s director and spends his weekdays in the design studio and with clients.
Dylan also runs Adequate Records, a label where he has released several original albums including Moon House, Metropolitan Hospital Center, and Claye.
In his spare time, Seeger performs in Central Park, studies old records and prints, and bikes around the city taking pictures of bridges, buildings, and the minutia of daily life in the bustling city.
Dylan’s single “Writer/Pretender” is 2 songs, one “Writer” and one “Pretender.” The song “Writer” is a little more laid back compared to “Pretender,” and seems to explore how it feels being an artist and not liking anything you create, stuck in a constant feeling of artistic block: “So you say // That you’re a musician // Got lost between the notes // To find that // They’ve all been played before.”
“Pretender” takes on a rock vibe with much more movement, and it strikes me as someone talking about a past lover or friend who wasn’t their authentic self, potentially involved in cheating, and how the speaker wants them regardless.
“Writer/Pretender” is available for streaming now. Listen to the single here.
MasterVoices will open its 2023-24 season this November at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater, with three performances of The Frogs.
MasterVoices (formerly The Collegiate Chorale) was founded in 1941 by legendary American choral conductor Robert Shaw. Under the artistic direction of Tony Award winner Ted Sperling since 2013, the group is known for its versatility and a repertoire that ranges from choral masterpieces and operas in concert to operettas and musical theater. Season concerts feature a volunteer chorus of 100+ members from all walks of life alongside a diverse roster of world-class soloists from across the musical spectrum, including Julia Bullock, Dove Cameron, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Renée Fleming, John Holiday, Jennifer Holliday, Norm Lewis, Victoria Clark, and Kelli O’Hara.
Under Sperling’s direction the group has created cross–disciplinary collaborations with such diverse creative minds as legendary lyricist Sheldon Harnick, Vogue Editor-at-Large Hamish Bowles, fashion designer Zac Posen, Silk Road visual artist Kevork Mourad, illustrator Manik Choksi, stage designer Doug Fitch, and choreographers Doug Varone and Andrew Palermo. Roger Rees was the group’s Artistic Associate from 2003–2015, and in 2021 the group received a New York Emmy Award nomination and a Drama League Award nomination for its multi-genre digital concert production of Adam Guettel’s Myths and Hymns.
Known for its presentation of lesser-known artistic treasures such as Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha, and Tchaikovsky’s Maid of Orleans, the group has received recent accolades for productions of rarely-heard works such as last season’s New York City premiere of Sheldon Harnick’s full English translation of Bizet’s Carmen, Lady in the Dark by Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin, Victor Herbert’s Babes in Toyland, the Gershwins’ Let ‘Em Eat Cake, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents’s Anyone Can Whistle, and Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe. They also commission and premiere new works; recent examples include choral works by Ricky Ian Gordon, Marisa Michelson, Tariq Al-Sabir, and Randall Eng.
As one of the country’s first interracial and interfaith choruses, MasterVoices (as The Collegiate Chorale) performed at the opening of the United Nations and has sung and recorded under the batons of esteemed conductors including Serge Koussevitzky, Arturo Toscanini, and Leonard Bernstein, among others. It has been engaged by top-tier orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and the Israel Philharmonic, and has appeared at the Verbier and Salzburg Festivals.
MasterVoices opens its 2023-24 season on November 3 and 4 at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater, with three performances of a concert staging of Stephen Sondheim and Burt Shevelove’s The Frogs, as adapted by Nathan Lane. Ted Sperling, celebrating his tenth season as MasterVoices’ Artistic Director, directs and conducts the 120–member MasterVoices chorus, an 18-piece orchestra, and an all-star cast of MasterVoices favorites. In addition to the two performances initially announced for Saturday, November 4, MasterVoices has added a third performance on Friday, November 3, at 8 PM.
The boisterously hilarious yet poignant musical was inspired by the ancient Aristophanes play of the same name. With the world at war and civilization imperiled, Dionysos, god of wine and theater, feels something drastic must be done. He journeys to the underworld with his servant Xanthias to find the world’s best playwright, who will inspire and save mankind. Along the way, the two travelers encounter many well-known mythic characters. This musical presentation of Aristophanes’ comedy was “freely adapted” by Burt Shevelove and Stephen Sondheim in 1974 and “even more freely adapted” by Nathan Lane and Sondheim for its 2004 staging at Lincoln Center Theater. The script will be further adapted by Nathan Lane for MasterVoices’ concert performances.
The Frogs has a rich and varied score with a substantial role for the chorus; it includes one of Sondheim’s most beautiful love songs, “Ariadne.”
“There’s something in this piece right now– where the country is and for me in particular– there’s something idealistic about the notion of believing that the arts can make a difference. You can affect a change. And in The Frogs, that is Dionysos’ dream– to go down to Hades and bring back this great writer. The belief that that could actually have an effect on the world is noble and touching and crazy– all at the same time.”
Nathan Lane, 2004
The Frogs is hopping with top Broadway veterans. Tony Award nominee Douglas Sills, last seen in MasterVoices’ 2022 revival of Anyone Can Whistle, is Dionysos. Tony Award nominee Kevin Chamberlin, last seen in MasterVoices’ concerts of Of Thee I Sing and Let ‘Em Eat Cake, is Xanthias. Peter Bartlett, who played Pluto in the 2004 production at Lincoln Center Theater, steps back into his toga to reprise the role.Tony and Emmy Award nomineeDylan BakerisGeorge Bernard Shaw; Tony Award winner Chuck Cooper, who also performed in Of Thee I Sing and Let ‘Em Eat Cake, is Charon; and Tony nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Marc Kudisch, seen in MasterVoices’ 2014 Not the Messiah (He’s a Very Naughty Boy), is Herakles. Tony nominee Jordan Donica is William Shakespeare and Ariadne is played by MasterVoices chorus member Candice Corbin.Nathan Lane, the three-time Tony Award-winning actor, will host the evening and provide narration. The choreography is by award-winning choreographer Lainie Sakakura and the sound design is by Scott Lehrer. Tracy Christensen is the costume designer and the lighting design is by Shelby Loera.
Tickets priced from $30, may be purchased online at jazz.org, at the Jazz at Lincoln Center box office, Broadway at 60th Street, or by calling 212-721-6500.
Artistic Director of MasterVoices, Tony Award-winning Maestro Ted Sperling is a classically trained musician whose career has spanned from the concert hall and the opera house to the Broadway stage. He has led such symphony orchestras as the New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Boston Pops, San Diego Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, the Iceland Symphony, Czech National Symphony, and BBC Concert Orchestra, as well as New York City Opera and Houston Grand Opera. Formerly Principal Conductor of the Westchester Philharmonic, Mr. Sperling is a multi-faceted artist also known for his work as orchestrator, singer, pianist, violinist, violist, director, and music director.
With MasterVoices, Maestro Sperling has led acclaimed productions of rarely-heard gems as both director and conductor. These include Kurt Weill’s The Firebrand of Florence, Knickerbocker Holiday,The Road of Promise (based on The Eternal Road and subsequently recorded on Navona Records), and the sold–out three–performance run of Lady in the Dark at New York City Center. Other notable productions with the group include Carnegie Hall performances of Stephen Sondheim’s Anyone CanWhistle, George and Ira Gershwins’ satirical musicals Of Thee I Sing and Let ‘Em Eat Cake, a reconstruction of Victor Herbert’s Babes in Toyland, and Song of Norway; the New York City premieres of David Lang’s battle hymns at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum; and Ricky Ian Gordon’s operas The Grapes of Wrath at Carnegie Hall and 27 at New York City Center.
During the 2020-2021 season, Maestro Sperling spearheaded a filmed production of Adam Guettel’s Myths and Hymns for MasterVoices, producing and music directing 24 short musical films and directing roughly half of them. This project was nominated for a Drama League Award, and featured over 100 artists collaborating remotely, including Renée Fleming, Take 6, Jennifer Holliday and Julia Bullock. Now that live performances are back, Maestro Sperling is supervising national and international productions of My Fair Lady, The King and I, and Fiddler on the Roof. He has symphonic engagements in the U.S. and Europe and continues to teach at NYU, conducting three different orchestras and training the next generation of Broadway musicians and conductors.
Sperling has conducted multiple concerts for PBS’s Live From Lincoln Center, the American Songbook Series at Lincoln Center, and the Lyrics and Lyricists series at the 92nd Street Y. He conducted Audra McDonald in a double bill of La Voix Humaine and the world premiere of Send: Who Are You? I Love You? at the Houston Grand Opera. He won the 2005 Tony and Drama Desk Awards for his orchestrations of Adam Guettel’s The Light in the Piazza, for which he was also Music Director.
In addition to his directing work with MasterVoices, Mr. Sperling’s work as a stage director includes the world premieres of four critically acclaimed original musicals Off-Broadway—including The Other Josh Cohen and See What I Wanna See—and a noted production of Lady in the Dark at the Prince Theater in Philadelphia, starring Andrea Marcovicci. He graduated summa cum laude from Yale University, and received the Faculty Prize at The Juilliard School. He made his Broadway stage debut as Wallace Hartley in Titanic and appeared as Steve Allen in the finale of Season Two of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”
Find tickets for the season’s opening, The Frogs, by clicking here.
For more information about the 2023-24 MasterVoices season, click here. Or, connect with MasterVoices on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@mastervoicesny).
On Friday, September 29, RBNX released Nothing Here Is Yours and their first release as signed artists with Patient Zero Records, where RBNX explore the hardships that humanity faces but often neglects to discuss.
The 10-track LP includes previously released singles, “Jah Is Dead” and “World To Burn” which premiered on In Effect Hardcore and Scene Point Blank. Nothing Here Is Yours serves as a musical testament to RBNX’s journey through life and its hardships. It bears the weight of loss and grief, themes that are very important to each member and their personal experiences. This album is not merely a collection of songs but a vivid portrayal of the band’s raw live energy and unwavering dedication to their craft.
“Nothing Here Is Yours represents the last 4 years of our lives and everything we’ve been through together. It truly marks a new chapter for us collectively and we couldn’t be prouder.”
Phil Bartsch, RBNX, (Drums)
For the last 10 years, RBNX’s unique blend of punk, hardcore, ska, and metal has helped the band establish themselves as relentless DIY pillars in the Northeast punk/hardcore community. Formed by lifelong friends Mike Dietz, Phil Bartsch, and Kyle Behnken, their highly anticipated second LP, Nothing Here Is Yours, was released via Patient Zero Records, building upon the band’s first LP, Surrounded By Sin.
RBNX recently hosted and performed at Boxfest on September 30, in the Catskills. For news and any upcoming performances, follow their Instagram.
Albany Symphony, a two-time Grammy Award winner, will present a first-of-its-kind Film Music Festival, made to celebrate music made for media. The festival will be held from October 5 to October 9 at venues such as Albany’s Palace Theatre, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, University at Albany Performing Arts Center, and MVP Arena.
Headlining the innovative new festival are two concerts featuring the Albany Symphony. On Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7:30pm at the Palace, David Alan Miller and the musicians of the Symphony kick off the 2023-2024 season with Soundtrack New York: Musical Scenes from a Cinematic State.
Inspired by the portrayal of the Empire State in film, and by the incredible composers who call New York home, this musical tour includes classic themes including George Gershwin’s Concerto in F featuring pianist Kevin Cole and Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story suite, as well as music from iconic NY films King Kong (Max Steiner), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Henry Mancini) and Taxi Driver (Bernard Herrmann). Music from contemporary NY composers include Brooklynite Tamar-kali’s work from Mudbound, and Hudson Valley resident Howard Shore’s sweeping landscapes from Lord of the Rings.
On Sunday, Oct. 8 at 7:30 at the Palace, the Albany Symphony presents Video Games Live! An immersive concert experience featuring exclusive orchestral arrangements of music from some of the most popular video games of all time. Musician, composer and creator of Video Games Live Tommy Tallarico and his band will join the Symphony for this performance led by guest conductor Emmanuel Fratianni. Featured video games include Final Fantasy, Halo, Skyrim, Kingdom Hearts, The Last of Us, Undertake, League of Legends and many more.
Albany Symphony teams up with the Empire State Youth Orchestra for a free community concert on Monday, Oct. 9 at 3pm at MVP Arena, in a special event presented by the Albany County – MVP Innovation Partnership. Together, the orchestras will perform music from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean and more—a perfect family activity for the day since many kids and families are off on holiday.
Albany Symphony’s Film Music Festival also includes a special Hollywood Cabaret with pianist Kevin Cole on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 7:30pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Audience members will be seated on stage to join Cole for a night of classic themes from the Silver Screen. Please note that capacity is limited.
On Saturday, Oct. 7, the Symphony and partners at the New York State Writers Institute present Scoring Work in Show Business, a free and open-to-the-public symposium at the University at Albany Performing Arts Center featuring panelists working in the industry. Speakers include producer Nathaniel Reichman, composers Gregory Polzak and Troy Herion, Albany County Film Commissioner Debby Goedeke, and Youth FX Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director Bhawin Suchak. The Symposium runs from 10am to 2pm, with lunch provided.
The Albany Symphony’s Film Music Festival is made possible in part by support through a grant from Market New York and Empire State Development, as well as additional support from the Albany Symphony’s generous partners, patrons, donors and friends. Learn more about Symphony support at AlbanySymphony.com.
Alex Northrup, a Rochester composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, has released his newest single “What Did I Miss” as part of his bigger album, Turning Point, set for release this January.
You may recognize Alex Northrup from other Rochester-based groups in the past such as Northern Spies, Brindamor, Jon Lewis Band, and the Demos. More recently, he has been touring the keyboardist for Kill Rock Stars artist Sean Barna.
Locally, he has made appearances in the bands of Katie Morey and Overhand Sam. Recently, he’s been performing around Rochester both solo and with his latest backing group of the Darlingtones– anchored by Ryan Yarmrel on bass and Sam Hirsh on drums, with a revolving cast of guests.
A follow-up to his album, Popular Songs That Will Live Forever, Alex Northrup’s Turning Point follows in the same home-made vein, with more guest appearances and a more soothing vibe. Popular Songs That Will Live Forever featured 10 songs, including the single “The Only Thought I Need,” released in June of 2020, with a quirky and whimsical tone via an upbeat tambourine from beginning to end.
“What Did I Miss” follows that same psychedelic rock genre, but with a more relaxing feeling from an upbeat guitar and soothing vocals. “What Did I Miss” is a single that reminds me of the COVID shut down, where everyone was encouraged to take breaks from social media when it became “too much.” I love the sound but I, as always, am drawn to the lyrics: “What did I miss? // Don’t tell me – I don’t want to know // What did I miss? // This absence was to help me grow // What did I miss?” It’s like when you take a break from social media, but part of you– the addicted part of you– wants to know what is going on despite knowing it’s for the best that you don’t.
“…I was distracted by things such as life and contributing to other people’s bands and recording projects. Actual songwriting was the furthest from my mind – I thought I had totally lost that part of me, and with the way things were going with the world, I wondered what the point even was. But after a couple years of that, the fog started to lift and the words started to come again. And soon enough, out of the mess of unfinished tracks and jams, a dozen actual songs emerged! Nearly half were written fresh at that point, and one 11 year old song that had never been properly recorded was revived. So now I’m back to writing and playing again (with my live band the Darlingtones) and there are definitely more songs that will be coming out! So Turning Point is hopefully the start of something bigger.”
Alex Northrup
Turning Point’s lead single “What Did I Miss” is available now to preview what’s to come from Northrup’s album set for release come January, which has been nearly three years in the making.
To find out where Alex will perform next, or for any other info, check out his Instagram.
For his single, “What Did I Miss,” click this link.
Though a Canadian band, Great Lake Swimmers are set to have one show in Albany at The Linda come November, touring their newest album, Uncertain Country. This is the band’s first new album in five years, and is sure to impress all of their fans and newcomers.
They also released an official music video which includes four videos for the album’s singles: “Uncertain Country,” “Swimming Like Flying,” “When The Storm Has Passed,” “Moonlight, Stay Above.”
Great Lake Swimmers, fronted by lead singer/songwriter Tony Dekker, released their newest album Uncertain Country (Harbour Songs/Fontana) this spring. The new album is the band’s first new music in almost five years, and richly compliments their two-decades-deep musical catalogue.
The band has also announced Uncertain Country (Deluxe) that is set for release on September 29, and will feature new acoustic versions of six album tracks: “Uncertain Country,” “When The Storm Has Passed,” “Swimming Like Flying,” “Riverine,” “Respect For All Living Things,” and “Flight Paths.”
Uncertain Country features 11 songs that track a prolonged period of collective anxiety. Though recorded in different locales—largely around the Niagara region, and with a variety of musicians—a theme of questioning runs throughout. Even before the world turned upside down, Dekker felt mired in uncertainty: from the climate crisis and the ever-changing political landscape to deep shifts within the music industry. The “uncertain country” Dekkerchose as the album’s theme is not a specific place. Rather, it’s a territory we inhabit in the 21st century — a world that is confusing, unfamiliar and unsettling.
What started out four years ago as a 10-day trip to the north shore of Lake Superior, inspired a collection of musical field recordings at various locations around the Niagara region (where Dekker now lives) and served as the album’s organic recording studio.
“Long-time Great Lake Swimmers listeners will find much that they know, from a strong current of nature imagery to Dekker’s wistful & emotive vocal delivery, but also plenty of new territory to discover. Those who are new to the band will find a rich variety of emotional dynamics & musical approaches that still has a coherent core. ‘Uncertain Country’ stands as some of the strongest & most consistent work by one of Canada’s best bands…”
Review from Great Dark Wonder
GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS – UNCERTAIN COUNTRY TOUR
September 13 @ Biltmore Theatre – Oshawa, ON
September 14 @ Isabel Bader Theatre – Kingston, ON
September 16 @ Le Ritz – Montreal, QC
September 27 @ Dominion Telegraph – Paris, ON
September 28 @ Royal City Mission – Guelph, ON
September 29 @ Bridgeworks – Hamilton, ON
October 3 @ Hi-Fi – Indianapolis, IN
October 4 @ The Southgate House Revival – Newport, KY
October 5 @ The Magic Bag – Ferndale, MI
October 7 @ Ignition Music Garage – Goshen, IN
October 10 @ Park Theatre – Winnipeg, MB
October 11 @ Broadway Theatre – Saskatoon, SK
October 12 @ Festival Hall – Calgary, AB
October 13 @ Festival Place – Sherwood Park, AB
October 14 @ Rocky Mountain House, AB – Rival Trade Brewing Co
October 15 @ Bo’s Bar & Stage – Red Deer , AB
October 18 @ Dream Café – Penticton, BC
October 19 @ Biltmore Theatre – Vancouver, BC
October 20 @ Capital Ballroom – Victoria, BC
October 21 @ Waverley Hotel – Cumberland, BC
October 22 @ Bez Arts Hub – Langley, BC
October 25 @ Troubadour – Los Angeles, CA
October 26 @ Café Du Nord – San Francisco, CA
October 27 @ Volcanic Theatre Pub – Bend, OR
October 29 @ Tractor Tavern – Seattle, WA
November 1 @ Globe Hall – Denver, CO
November 2 @ The Slowdown – Omaha, NE
November 3 @ xBk – Des Moines, IA
November 4 @ Turf Club – St Paul, MN
November 5 @ Shank Hall – Milwaukee, WI
November 6 @ The Bur Oak – Madison, WI
November 7 @ SPACE – Evanston, IL
November 8 @ Rumba Café – Columbus, OH
November 9 @ Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
November 10 @ Hard Rock Cafe Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh, PA
November 12 @ Sellersville Theatre – Sellersville, PA
November 13 @ The Linda – Albany, NY
November 15 @ TD Music Hall, Massey Hall – Toronto, ON
Bobby Darin, a multi-genre star and activist known for his talents in the ’60s and ’70s, has announced his first ever digital release of two landmark ’60s albums, including Born Walden Robert Cassotto and Commitment.
Born as Walden Robert Cassotto in East Harlem, Darin was raised by his grandmother Polly and fell in love with music in his teens. He could play piano, drums, and guitar, and later added harmonica and xylophone to his repertoire. He later moved to the Bronx, where he graduated from the prestigious Bronx High School of Science. Later, he went to Hunter College but quickly dropped out after two semesters to pursue an acting career. He coined his stage name from the actor Darren McGavin later in his career, but his legal name remains Cassotto.
Bobby Darin was, by any definition, a superstar – a chart-topping, multimillion-selling, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, a Golden Globe-winning actor, visionary entrepreneur, and committed political activist. By 1966 the 30-year-old was already more than a decade into his one-of-a-kind career, his diverse body of work characterized by frequent changes in musical direction, spanning pop and cabaret to show tunes and contemporary folk.
Restless and daring, Darin refused to be constrained by genre, instead placing his signature vocal style upon rock ‘n’ roll, pop, country and western, folk, big band, and jazz. The result was a seemingly endless string of top 10 hits, including “Splish Splash,” “Queen of the Hop,” “Dream Lover,” “Beyond the Sea,” and “If I Were a Carpenter,” the latter found on 1966’s If I Was A Carpenter (recently re-released by Direction Records and available everywhere now).
While he appeared to be “living the life,” the shifting cultural winds and strains of celebrity life affected his professional and personal successes, from his 1967 divorce from Sandra Dee and the traumatic uncovering of family revelations, on top of a heart condition sustained following childhood bouts with rheumatic fever.
“In terms of his career, the constant hits and the glory of his early days were long gone by this point,” says Dodd Darin, the only son of Bobby Darin and Hollywood sweetheart Sandra Dee. “Gone also was his relentless need to be at the top of the entertainment industry. The brashness and bravado that was so evident in his youth had been mellowed. The changing music scene and his perceived lesser place, combined with a serious medical condition, will humble a man.”
While his public persona was all bright lights and glamour, Darin was, like so many of his era, driven and inspired by the generational shifts and social upheaval of the 1960s. Despite his weakened health, Darin devoted nearly all his free time towards multiple causes: such as tirelessly campaigning for his friend Robert F. Kennedy until his assassination in June 1968. Shattered by Kennedy’s death and disheartened with the changing world around him, Darin withdrew from the spotlight and embarked on an unlikely personal journey to convey his truest self. He swapped his crooner’s tuxedo for folk singer denim, his toupee for an outlaw mustache, and a Beverly Hills mansion for a secluded trailer at Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur.
More importantly, Darin was determined to express himself through his own songwriting, penning two albums worth of original songs that in many ways pre-date the singer-songwriter movement that would bloom in the early 1970s. Though the voice heard on 1968’s Born Walden Robert Cassotto was familiar, the songs were something very different than Darin’s previous fare. Gone was the big band pop of his biggest hits, the brass, and glamour in favor of arrangements inspired by contemporary folk rock, country, and soul.
Lyrically, Born Walden Robert Cassotto began to explore a range of issues – the environment, loss of faith, capitalism, and police brutality. “Long Line Rider,” tells the timely tale of three skeletons found on an Arkansas prison farm, while “Change” sees Darin explicitly examining his own seismic personal and creative shifts, singing, “Get yourself up off your past, friend//There’s so much to rearrange//Tomorrow sits right next to never//Damned if what your feelin’ isn’t change.”
Fearless, compelling, and undoubtedly cathartic, Born Walden Robert Cassotto set the stage for an even braver work. Released under the name “Bob Darin”, Commitment is even grittier than its predecessor. From the counterculture anthem “Me and My Hohner” and the soul-searching “Sausalito” to the wryly autobiographical “Distractions (Part 1)” the album’s studio experimentation and songcraft affirms Darin’s generational talent of uniquely c crossing the borders of age and politics.
The evolution from Bobby Darin to Bob Darin was not without its headwinds, however. The music critics, fans, and industry folks didn’t know what to make of the albums as they were such a large departure from the Darin they knew. They did not really chart or achieve commercial success. His longtime friend Dick Clark told him he was ‘a latter-day hippie and to put his tuxedo back on.’ The Landmark was paying him $40,000 a week and people were walking out because he refused to do the old hits. He told them, ‘That was yesterday and the door is right over there.’ Elvis was a genuine friend and came to see his show and told him, ‘Bobby, do the hits.’ I believe he was brave and acted on his conscience by doing the material he was doing. If his career took a hit – and it did – so be it; at least he could sleep at night.
Dodd Darin
Sadly, in December 1973, Bobby Darin fell ill and died in a Los Angeles hospital at just 37 years old following emergency open heart surgery. Darin’s remarkable legacy has only grown in the years that followed, with honors including induction in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, an award-winning stage musical, a Golden Globe-nominated film biography, and multiple top-selling career anthologies. Though at the time the Direction albums seemed a risky left turn for a star near the top of his game, time has shown both Born Walden Robert Cassotto and Commitment to be milestone works of the folk-rock renaissance, and in character for an artist whose forward-thinking, boundary-free approach in many ways predated the creative freedom today.
In commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of his tragic 1973 passing, the Bobby Darin Estate recently relaunched Direction Records: the groundbreaking label founded by Darin in 1968. Distributed by Secretly Distribution, the Direction Records collection kicked off with the release of five classic albums recorded between 1966 and 1967 and newly reverted to the Bobby Darin Estate, all available on digital platforms for the first time ever. The new releases include: Bobby Darin Sings The Shadow Of Your Smile (1966), In A Broadway Bag (1966), If I Were A Carpenter (1966), Inside Out (1967), and Bobby Darin Sings Doctor Dolittle (1967). A special trailer heralding the return of Direction Records is streaming now on the official Bobby Darin YouTube channel.
Now, with the relaunch of Direction Records and future archival releases to come, Bobby Darin’s groundbreaking life and career can remain timeless, and reach audiences like never before.
