NYC native and “troubadour piano man” Craig Greenberg has released his new soulful track “Song of December,” encompassing the feelings that come with the creative process and pushing forward.
Over the past 15+ years, Craig Greenberg has been a staple on the New York City music scene, capturing and building on the spirited ivory traditions of greats like Billy Joel, Ben Folds, and Randy Newman with sparkling, soulful new musical twists, a larger than life personality and his insightful, dramatic sense of storytelling. He has independently released five albums (his most recent EP, Between the Sea and the Sky, released in Dec 2022), and has performed upwards of 1000 shows from New York to Israel, since his start playing in bars while living in Chile, and later Spain, in the early 2000s.
He has received praise in American Songwriter, the Huffington Post, and Relix Magazine, and has been played on radio stations all around the country and internationally. In 2021, his song “Oh Caroline” was placed in the semifinals of the International Song Competition and his music video for “Between the Sea and the Sky” received a Europe Music Video Award in March 2023, and placed finalist in the Around International Film Festival (Paris) in June 2023. He has performed with esteemed musicians such as Jackson Browne, Chris Barron (Spin Doctors), Jane Wiedlin (the Go Go’s), Louise Goffin, and Jerry Joseph.
“Song of December” is a layered track that brings the listener on a journey, with his iconic piano and booming percussions. “It’s a song about the struggle of the creative process, and about finding inspiration to push through that struggle. It’s about looking back at the challenges of the year and looking toward a brighter tomorrow, so it is indeed a hopeful song,” he said. He started writing the song back in 2017 and finally finished it just in time for December.
Greenberg lays all his emotion out in this track, bringing in a multitude of instruments that play together in perfect harmony. With intricate lyrics and soulful vocals, he paints the picture of his struggles with being creative but knows, in the end, everything is going to be okay.
The Allman Brothers Band has announced the release of Manley Field House, Syracuse University, April 7, 1972, an iconic and widely circulated fan-favorite radio broadcast bootleg, available on CD and digital on January 12, 2024.
Throughout the Allman Brothers Band’s 35-year existence, each live performance holds relevance, lighting up any stage. On April 7, 1972, the band was invited to perform at Manley Field House on the campus of Syracuse University. Coming shortly after the sudden passing of band leader Duane Allman in October 1971, this show captured a rare, brief, and emotionally charged “Five-Man Band” period when the lineup was composed of only five original members—Gregg Allman on vocals and keyboard, Dickey Betts on guitar, Berry Oakley on bass, and drummers Butch Trucks and Jaimoe.
The band’s performance at Manley Field House, the school’s indoor track and field facility, was recorded and simulcast on Syracuse University’s WAER college radio on the night of the show, and rebroadcasted by the station and some of its former staff members. The recording was made with the band’s cooperation and authorization using an auxiliary mixing board on the side of the stage with a feed from the Allman Brothers sound desk.
Jeff Chard, SU concert coordinator in 1971-72, spoke fondly on that night and offered his sentiments in the album package’s liner notes. “This was the Five Man Band, as Brother Duane had passed just over five months prior. The quintet had pushed on, playing some 41 shows in 22 weeks. This night saw Gregg singing and playing his heart out, while Dickey Betts is doing phenomenal double duty on guitar, switching seamlessly between the necessary slide parts and his own soaring leads. But the real revelation of the night is that Berry is the glue, and the second lead player as well. His thunderous bass holds the quintet together – you’ll hear it, and we could see it that night. Then there is the way Butch Trucks and Jaimoe lock in on the drums, the way the whole unit responds, five playing as one.”
The 11-track collection features set staples including show opener “Statesboro Blues,” “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” “Midnight Rider,” and “Whipping Post,” as well as “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” off their then newly released album Eat a Peach. “Syracuse Jam,” included here for the first time, is an example of the one-time melody jamming the band was famous for and is unique in that it does not appear in any other known recording.
It was a memorable but brief time for the band. Six months later, keyboardist Chuck Leavell was added to the group, making the ABB six players strong again, only to lose Berry in another motorcycle accident on November 11, 1972. Shortly thereafter, Lamar Williams took over bass duties, and the Allman Brothers Band started a new musical chapter. But for that one year, with the five original men still standing – and especially on that magical April night in Syracuse – we surely felt the spirit. Best damn band we’re ever gonna hear indeed! We were all believers, and this CD is a testament to those words.
Jeff Chard
In a live review of the show in the University’s student newspaper the Daily Orange, writer Bruce Apar noted: “The Allman Band itself was thoroughly remarkable, leaving proof in still another city that they have developed into a supreme group, by which lesser talents can be judged.”
Each Sunday evening from 7-9 p.m. you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up-and-coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from The Grandstand Jockey’s, Sime Gezus, and Josh Morris.
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
The Grandstand Jockeys – “Gun”
The Grandstand Jockeys are from Waterford, New York, combining hard-edge rock with pop sensibilities. Their newest EP &$how is out now. “Gun” from the EP will be played on EQXposure.
Sime Gesuz -“What’s Your Problem”
“I’m laid-back, the quieter dude in the room, just chilling,” said Simon Grimes. Since 2004, Grimes has produced and rhymed under the name Sime Gezus. He hosts a weekly radio show on WSPN College-based 91.1 FM to promote local and underground hip-hop. “What’s Your Problem” is out now.
Josh Morris – “Ready For Your Love”
Hailing from NYC, Josh Morris has cultivated an identity all his own while taking inspiration from artists such as The 1975, Jeff Buckley, and Pearl Jam. Concealed underneath his playful lyrics are conversations we should all be engaging in. The music itself is consistently supported by thoughtfully executed production and laser-focused performances. His first single “Ready For Your Love” is out now.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9 pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up-and-coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Beard & Glasses, Wes Aldrich, and Ciarra Fragale.
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Beard & Glasses- “War Without Room For an Argument”
Bears & Glasses is a rock/soul group from Bennington, Vermont. Their song “War Without Room For an Argument” is out now.
Wes Aldrich writes from the heart with haunting melodies and upbeat pop rhythms. He is the lead guitarist, singer, and songwriter for his bands Hug the Dog and Ballroom Sofa.
Ciarra Fragale is an indie pop singer/songwriter, producer, and actor from the Hudson Valley. She blends nostalgia with new-wave songwriting, creating a unique blend. In addition to making her own music, she has also composed many works for theater and film. Watch the video for her single “Country Line” below.
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.
New York-based husband and wife musical duo, Ghost Prom, made up of Cameron and Eden Crosby, has released their latest single, “5am,” a song preceding their upcoming full-length album set for release on November 17.
Ghost Prom began one rainy morning in Vancouver, where creativity boomed over a shared cup of coffee and a weathered guitar. It began as an effortless investigation of melodies, but became a musical partnership that would encapsulate their journey as partners both lovingly and musically.
Their first song, “Swamp Eyes,” was born on that morning, and set the tone for their future endeavors– raw, authentic, and unapologetically honest. Now based in Upstate New York, the duo’s music is an intricate genre woven from diverse influences like Elliot Smith, Sam Shepard, and even early Johnny Depp movies. Through lyrics that explore the vulnerability that circles humanity, as well as the triumph that comes with it, Ghost Prom invites listeners into their world to share their struggles and triumphs as a source of both solace and connection.
Ghost Prom’s single, “5am,” was recorded in a barn studio just up the street from Cameron and Eden’s Hudson Valley home. The single discusses a deeply personal and haunting exploration through the struggles of addiction, with a hopeful portrayal of redemption by way of “telling the truth.”
The inspiration to Cameron comes from the late, intimate poet Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse), with Aaron Mones in recording, production, and lead guitar, helped the duo create their distinctive blend of small room indie rock with neo-noir folk known as “5am.” This single launches listeners into the refreshing new sound of Ghost Prom: impactful, yet pumping.
“5am” comes out today, September 22, and their full-length album comes out on November 17.
Follow Ghost Prom on Instagram, Spotify, and Bandcamp for more information on all-things Ghost Prom, such as future releases and music videos.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9 pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up-and-coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from toriendofstory and B. Chaps/Freedom Stratton.
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
toriendofstory- “Cool For Now”
toriendofstory is an indie-pop songwriter and singer from Albany. Some of her musical influences include Adele and Maggie Rogers, tying them into her music. She fuses powerful ballads and indie-style production to create a universally loved sound. She takes her listeners on a journey through relatable emotions, bringing people together with her range and strong vocals.
B.Chaps/Freedom Stratton– “Sundaze”
B. Chaps and Freedom Stratton are both MCs, born and raised in Albany. B. Chaps comes from an instrumentalist background with experience as a songwriter, producer, and engineer. Additionally, he has experience working in Albany’s premier studio. Freedom Stratton comes from a performance background. He is a trained actor, dancer, and vocalist with formal education in performing arts schools. Together the two have amassed millions of streams and worked with many reputable labels and artists.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9 pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up-and-coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Small Ghosts, Architrave, and Bars Homer.
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Small Ghosts- “I Might Disappear”
Small Ghosts is a noisey rock band from Troy, formed in 2022, featuring members from a number of well-respected northeast bands. Their first record BLEED was released in June.
Architrave- “Twitch of the Wing”
Architrave is a synth-pop duo from Ballston Spa, made up of Jennifer Maher Coleman and Paul Coleman. Their unique blend of synth and alternative sounds makes listeners really enjoy them, and their new single off of their upcoming album Out of My Mind and Into Yours is out now.
Bars Homer- “Lo”
Bars Homer is a solo project created by multi-instrumentalist Paul Lambert based out of Saratoga Springs in 2023.
Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Maya Donovan has just released her latest single “Lenox,” a contained ballad that recounts the residual emotions created through trauma. This track sees Donovan embrace rich bass lines, complex vocal harmonies, and a uniquely electric piano tone to establish her signature sonic environment.
Following her 2018 debut EP and her new successful single “We Should Get Dinner,” Maya Donovan is hopeful to bring her mellow compositions to audiences through a string of upcoming single releases. Her music is beautifully made, blended with her heartfeltly modern lyricism.
Maya Donovan is a 24-year-old singer-songwriter raised and based in Brooklyn whose style draws on a host of genres: folk, soul, pop, and jazz. A masterful storyteller, Donovan writes of the most painful parts of life with unflinching honesty, empathy, and humor. Her rich voice, armed with delicate control, will pull you into her music and keep you there.
Since almost as early as she could talk, Maya Donovan has been writing tunes to express her innermost feelings. Most recently, Donovan continues to utilize songwriting to chronicle her battles with anxiety and her constant re-discovery of herself through adolescence and young adulthood.
A graduate of New York City’s prestigious LaGuardia High School for Performing Arts (the “Fame” school), Donovan has been making music for as long as she can remember. Some of her first songs she wrote before the age of 10, hunched over a first-generation iMac computer. Donovan comes from a long line of creatives: daughter of Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Vanessa Roth, and granddaughter of screenwriter Eric Roth, whose prolific work includes the Forrest Gump screenplay.
To enjoy Maya Donovan’s charismatic presence live, you can find her as a resident artist at The Bitter End in Greenwich Village, which has been graced by some of her biggest musical influences, such as Carole King, Billy Joel, and Lady Gaga. Additional inspiration for her art comes from fellow contemporary singer-songwriters such as Fiona Apple, Sara Bareilles, and Julia Jacklin.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9 pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up-and-coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Gozer and Grandstand Jockeys.
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Gozer-“The Beast That Lies”
Gozer are a band also from Albany, consisting of members Mykah Dillenger, Sean Murphy, Nick Kossor, and Seth Maset. They are an original hard rock band and music contributors to various podcasts/movies. Their track “The Beast That Lies” from their March 2023 release The Far Realm will be played on EQXposure.
Grandstand Jockeys-“Change”
Grandstand Jockeys is a group from Waterford, New York, combining hard-edge rock with pop sensibilities. Their EP Place is out now, and their song “Change” from the EP will be played on EQXposure.
