Robert Walter interprets infamous soul and jazz artists on his third session for the music journal, Aquarium Drunkard. The EP’s opening track, a reimagination of Melle Mel’s “White Lines,” which itself was a reinvention of Liquid Liquid’s track “Cavern,” has just released on February 17th.
A founding member of The Greyboy Allstars, Walter splits his time between The Greyboy Allstars, his own 20th Congress, playing organ and keys in Mike Gordon Band and on tour with Roger Waters, in addition to a robust film soundtrack career in Los Angeles.
“These tracks were all recorded for Aquarium Drunkard’s Lagniappe series. This was my 3rd installment,” explains Walter. “I always try to find some interesting tunes that have inspired me in some way over the years. It’s also a fun challenge to record the music all by myself. I played all the instruments here and arranged, recorded and mixed at home.”
Robert Walter said of the session, “I have always loved ‘White Lines (Don’t Do It).’ I remember hearing this when I was first discovering rap music as a kid. I learned later that the music is based on Liquid Liquid’s ‘Cavern.’ I love how the interactions between the NYC art scene, punk rock, and emerging hip-hop were happening so naturally and quickly during the late ’70s,” continued Walter. “This tune manages to be a message song, embrace some avant-garde musical ideas and still work as dance music even to this day. I have been playing it off and on in bands my entire life. I started doing it a lot as an organ vehicle during late night Jazzfest gigs as a comment on the wild party atmosphere. This version references both the original Liquid Liquid track and the brilliant Melle Mel interpolation.”
The keyboardist, who co-founded The Greyboy Allstars and is currently on tour as a member of Roger Waters’ band, plays all of the instruments. Some of the artists being featured on Aquarium Drunkard are Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel, Liquid Liquid, Jackie Mittoo, Eddie Harris, Rammellzee & K-Rob and Les Baxter & Martin Denny.
Pre-order/save Aquarium Drunkard sessions featuring Robert Walter’s cover of “White Lines” by clicking the link here. For more on Robert Walter, click the link here.
The historic Cohoes Music Hall has announced the addition of four new events to their events calendar. Comedians, magicians and musicians will add to Cohoes Music Hall’s already diverse schedule, with something for audiences of all ages.
Cohoes Music Hall originally opened in 1874 where it served as the regions premier music and entertainment hall. Acts like Buffalo Bill Cody, John Philip Sousa, P.T. Barnum, and General Tom Thumb passed through the hall until its closure in 1905. After a million dollar restoration, the Hall reopened in 1975, 100 years after its original opening. Since the reopening, it has been the home to various theater groups, comedy shows, and live concerts and it remains the 4th oldest operational music hall in the United States.
New Events
The Great Van Alden ft. Eric Mead – Friday March 3rd
A one-of-a-kind experience takes the stage, promising its audience a peek behind the curtain at the magic of filmmaking (literally). When world-class magician Eric Mead offered to play the titular role of the famous illusionist in their new film “Anomaly”, local filmmakers Spencer Sherry (Stephen King’s The Monkey) and Rahn Jenkins immediately thought of The Cohoes Music Hall as the perfect theatre location to shoot in. The filmmakers then saw an opportunity to forgo the traditional crowdfunding structure in favor of a unique and singular event that helps to fund the film, while also inviting the community to portray much-needed audience extras.
Ticket holders will be directed from stage as the Emmy-winning members of the production team will film Eric Mead in character engaging with the audience in character. Other entertainers will weave seamlessly between the takes, performing mentalism, illusions, and comedy. All the while, local artist Lexi Hannah will be creating a live painting of the event, which will be auctioned off upon its completion. Overall, the experience has been designed as a non-stop variety show of different art forms, all in support of a truly magical opportunity for the local arts scene. All proceeds will go towards completing the film and paying the local cast and crew for their work on the production.
Melvin Seals & JGB – Saturday April 8th
Melvin Seals has been a powerful presence in the music industry for over 30 years with a long-established reputation as a performer, recording artist and producer. Melvin is most revered for his powerful, high-spirited, Hammond B-3 organ, and keyboards in the Jerry Garcia Band. Melvin spun his B-3 magic with the Jerry Garcia Band for 18 years and in doing so helped pioneer and define what has now become “Jam Band Music”. From blues to funk to rock to jazz, Melvin Seals serves up a tasty mix with a little R&B and gospel thrown in to spice things up.
Jimmy Dore – Saturday June 10th
The Jimmy Dore Show is a comedy lifeline for people on the left and right (but definitely NOT the center) who are sick of bought politicians and gaslighting corporate journalists manufacturing consent for wars. A certified YouTube sensation, The Jimmy Dore Show boasts over 530 million views and over 1 million subscribers.
Don’t Iron While The Strike Is Hot – Saturday June 17th
The musical Don’t Iron While the Strike is Hot! tells the fascinating story of how a group of courageous and mostly Irish young women won the strike by their determination and the support of the local Iron Molders Union. Through storytelling enhanced with traditional Irish music and dance, the show demonstrates how they set the example for thousands of women workers who would form unions in the following years across America in order to improve their wages and working conditions.
For a full schedule of events, and to purchase tickets, visit Cohoes Music Hall’s website.
The illustrious guitarist, Tab Benoit announced his Winter/Spring 2023 Tour at the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca. Enjoy songwriter, producer and guitarist, JD Simo open for Benoit on February 19th.
The Chicago born Benoit has produced with artists such as Jack White, Tommy Emmanuel, Luther Dickinson, Dave Cobb and Blackberry Smoke. Additionally, Simo’s latest album, Mind Control was released in 2021.
Louisiana Bayou blues guitarist Tab Benoit is renowned for his passionate environmental activism. Benoit is a powerhouse that you won’t want to miss. He is treasured for his distinctive guitar tone and fiery playing. In 2020, Benoit was inducted into the Louisiana Folklife Center Hall of Master Folk Artists. In a recent review of Tab Benoit’s show in Salem, Blues Rock Revue reported, “The final song of the night was “Night Train” from 2005’s Fever on the Bayou which Benoit jammed on for over ten minutes with explosive guitar licks. It was a bring down the house conclusion”
You also might’ve seen him in the documentary Hurricane on the Bayou. The documentary describes the effects of Hurricane Katrina, calls to protect and restore the Wetlands, and produced a CD to help restore the state’s Coastal Wetlands. Benoit has also been featured in the Sony Picture Classics 2022 movie JazzFest: A New Orleans Story.
“From his set opening “Why Are People Like That” to his encore “Medicine”, Benoit had the delighted crowd swinging, singing, and swaying. Benoit’s set was the perfect culmination of three fabulous days of extraordinary music at an extraordinary venue in an idyllic location”
The New York State Blues Festival has announced the headlining acts for the 2023 edition of the event, happening June 15-17 at Chevy Court at the NYS Fairgrounds.
Buddy Guy is headlining the New York State Blues Festival.
The New York State Blues Festival, one of the largest free blues events in the Northeast, has announced the headlining acts for the 2023 year. The festival is an annual three-day event that showcases a collection of regional and national artists from multiple genres, with roots saturated in tradition and vision. Their mission statement is to preserve, protect and promote blues music and culture, educating on the role of the blues in the development of popular music in the US and around the world.
Healing night one of the festival is the blues rock guitar duo Blood Brothers featuring Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia. The second night features the Memphis-based group, Southern Avenue, bringing bring their deeply soulful funky grooves. The last night always features the biggest names, with blues legend Buddy Guy, who has influenced generations of guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and more. Samantha Fish plays the support spot just prior to him.
A variety of food vendors will be onsite and wine & beer will be sold. The New York State Blues Festival is free to attend, with all ages welcome. Parking in the Fairground’s Brown Lot is available for $10 per car and $5 per motorcycle. If you would like to enhance your experience, ProAct Blues Club VIP passes are currently available, and early bird pricing is in effect until 11 a.m. Friday, April 7.
Main Stage
Thursday, June 15
4 pm – GATE OPENS
5:30 pm – 6:45 – Fillmore Blues Band
7:15 pm – 8:30 pm – Brandon Santini
9:00 pm – 11 pm – Blood Brothers ft. Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia
The Highlights in Jazz concert series celebrates its 50th anniversary on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 8 p.m. at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center.
Founded and produced by Jack Kleinsinger, Highlights in Jazz is New York’s longest-running Jazz concert series. NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan, guitarist Russell Malone, and bassist Jay Leonhart will accompany the anniversary show, along with surprise guests.
Photo credit: Highlights in Jazz
The milestone 50th anniversary of Jack Kleinsinger’s Highlights in Jazz has experienced delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, he never lost hope. “I was sure I’d celebrate this anniversary, though I wasn’t sure it would happen in 2023,” says producer Kleinsinger. “I was determined to do a 50th concert somehow. And here I am, at it again,” he notes with a laugh.
The Highlights in Jazz concert series has attracted the attention of not only audiences but musicians as well. “I must be there,” declared Sheila Jordan, as soon as she heard the golden anniversary concert was in the works. The anniversary concert marks a return after a short absence for Jordan, last performing at the March 22, 2022 show.
The singer is a force to reckon with, still performing at the age of 94. “Sheila lives by Sheila’s laws, she blows my mind,” declares fellow musician Art Baron. Baron and Jordan have known each other since the ’80s, and have performed together alongside Roswell Rudd, George Gruntz, and others.
Unlike previous years, the 50th-anniversary show for Highlights in Jazz will not feature a “living legends” concert, due to this year’s abbreviated schedule. “Since the start, we saluted a living jazz artist every year. I believe in doing it while they’re alive and it means something, that’s part of our tradition. Lionel Hampton was the first living legend we saluted and it became an annual tradition,” Kleinsinger said. However, two previous living legend honorees, bassist Jay Leonhart, and guitarist Russell Malone are part of the 50th-anniversary lineup.
This year’s Tribeca performance comes as Kleinsinger does some serious reflection on his career. “This may be the last concert I ever do. “It’s bittersweet because there have been so many losses to covid. I’m ready to pack it in. I’m doing one concert, I’m not ready to do a whole season, that’s a lot of work,” Kleinsinger said.
Whether the Highlights in Jazz 50th anniversary will mark Kleinsinger’s last hurrah is still to be determined, but fans can always count on Kleinsinger to continue supporting the music and the musicians so dear to him.
Tickets for the Highlights in Jazz 50th Anniversary Gala are available here.
Hudson Hall has announced their beloved Hudson Jazz Festival will be returning for the 2023 season.
Taking place in New York State’s oldest surviving theater, the Hudson Jazz Festival began in February 2018 as a way to celebrate one of America’s greatest art forms in Hudson Hall’s historic 1855 theater.
The festival reflects Hudson Hall’s mission of not just promoting the arts, but supporting its community. The festival was intentionally programmed in February as a way to bring business to Hudson during the traditionally slower shoulder season.
In 2020, Hudson Hall added a visual arts exhibition that became an ongoing element of the festival. Featured artists have included Reggie Madison, Tschabalala Self, David Hammons, Bijan Mahmoodi, among others. This year features an exhibition by local artist and designer, Marine Penvern. The 2023 Hudson Jazz Festival kicks off with an exhibition opening party on Thursday, February 16 from 5-7pm.
In 2022, the Hudson Jazz Festival doubled in size, expanding from one four-day weekend to two. Entitled “Lift Every Voice”, the 2022 Hudson Jazz Festival featured Jazzmeia Horn, The Baylor Project, Jimmy Greene, Alexis Morrast, Warren Wolf, and Daniel J. Watts, who was presented in a new partnership with the Louis Armstrong House & Museum that included archival film screenings and a masterclass for youth.
Located just two hours outside NYC, Hudson Hall is a nonprofit arts organization offering a year-round schedule of music, theater, dance, visual arts, literature, free workshops for youth and adults, as well as family programs and large-scale community events such as Winter Walk.
2023 Festival Lineup
WEEKEND ONE: (February 16-19, 2023) Thursday, February 16 at 7pm Exhibition Opening – Marine Penvern: Body & Soul
Friday, February 17 at 7pm Sarah Elizabeth Charles: SEC & SCOPE
Saturday, February 18 at 7pm Marquis Hill: New Gospel Revisited
Sunday, February 19 at 3pm Michael Mayo
WEEKEND TWO (February 23-26, 2023) Thursday, February 23 at 7pm Ulysses Owens Jr. and Generation Y
Friday, February 24 at 7pm Lucy Yeghiazaryan and Vanisha Gould : In Her Words
Saturday, February 25 at 7pm Aaron Parks & Samantha Rise: Dreaming Home
Sunday, February 26 at 3pm Endea Owens & The Cookout
Hudson Jazz Festival tickets are available at Hudson Hall’s website.
For the second year in a row Talib Kweli perfomed at The Blue Note with legendary jazz pianist Bob James. Kweli brought a few of Hip-Hop’s biggest names as special guests including DMC, Slick Rick and Rakim plus a full band for the shows held on February 7th – 9th.
Since 1981, The Blue Note has been called home by some of the greatest jazz musicians including Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Brown and Tito Puente. Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Liza Minelli and many others have also performed there. The club is a cultural institution in New York City.
Talib Kweli is one of the most lyrically-gifted rappers to emerge in the last 20 years. He was born in Brooklyn but made his debut in 1997 with five appearances on the album Doom by Cincinnati group Mood. That is where he also met Hi-Tech and collaborated on a few underground recordings as Reflection Eternal.
When returning to New York, he formed Black Star with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def. They then released their critically acclaimed album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star in 1998. Talib has also had a huge solo career including collaborations with producers and rappers Kanye West, Just Blaze, Madlib and Pharrell Williams. Next month Kweli and Madlib will be dropping the sequel to their 2007 album Liberation.
Bob James is undoubtedly one of Hip-Hop’s most sampled artists. James recorded his first solo album after being discovered by Quincy Jones at the Notre Dame Jazz Festival in 1963. Two of his songs, “Nautilus” and “Take Me to the Mardi Gras” are among the most sampled in hip hop history. The title track to James’ 1981 album Sign of the Times was sampled in De La Soul’s “Keepin’ the Faith” and Warren G’s “Regulate”. N.W.A.’s “Alwayz into Somthin” uses a sample of “Storm King” from the album Three. He also wrote “Angela”, the theme song for the TV show Taxi which he performed at Tuesday’s show.
On Tuesday night, Talib Kweli’s special guest was Darryl “DMC” McDaniels. They performed Run-DMC hits “Rock Box”, “It’s Tricky”, “Peter Piper” and “Walk This Way.” Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture and probably the most famous hip hop act of the 1980’s. The group was among the first to highlight the importance of the MC and the DJ relationship. They were the first hip hop act to achieve a Gold Record and also the first to go platinum. Their cover of “Walk This Way” actually featured Aerosmith and became one of the best known songs in hip hop and rock while combining the two cultures.
Havoc from Mobb Deep also made an appearance at Talib Kweli’s Tuesday night show. Him and Kweli performed Mobb Deep classics “The Learning” and “Quiet Storm”. Kweli’s band, Whisky Boys, include Brady Watt on bass, Chris Rob on keys, Matthias Loescher on guitar an Camau Bernstine on drums.
When it comes to indelible anthems of the ‘60s that are called upon to impart the times and mood in film and television, few are as a popular as The Chambers Brothers’ iconic 1967 hit, “Time Has Come Today.” Now the band’s lead singer and formational catalyst, Lester Chambers, is sharing the mighty highs and lows of his remarkable life in a new, self-published biography written with veteran journalist T. Watts, Time Has Come: Revelations of a Mississippi Hippie.
Bob Minkin Photography
Though his hit-making days are long past, Chambers is known to a younger generation due, in part, to a viral campaign spearheaded a few years back by Reddit co-founder Alexis O’Hanian and Rob Max, the late CEO of the musician’s aid charity, Sweet Relief. A 2012 picture from Lester, then homeless and suffering from cancer, showed his Gold Record for his biggest hit with a handwritten message about his financial plight due to not being paid royalties for decades, a position he claims he is in with “99%” of his fellow musicians of the time. The photo launched a Kickstarter campaign to help house and treat him and produce a new album. It was shared millions of times on Facebook, Reddit and other social platforms. The buzz generated not only support for him, but a greater awareness of the plight of the vast army of musicians who are not getting their rightly royalties. Lester and his brothers also received interest from a new generation with their 1969 performance of “Uptown” featured in Questlove’s Academy Award-winning 2021 documentary, Summer of Soul.
Lester’s story begins in the Deep South, on a sharecropper farm in Echo Hills, Mississippi governed by a Grand Dragon of the KKK. One of 13 children, Lester and the three brothers with whom he formed his famous group – Joe, Willie and George – honed their extraordinary gospel harmonies, modeled on their idols The Blind Boys of Mississippi and The Soul Stirrers, while working in the fields. When Lester was 13, he and his brothers would flee the harsh farm life under cover of darkness and end up in South Central Los Angeles. Here Lester would befriend blues great Jimmy Reed while mowing lawns and would have his first gig with his brothers at a party at the Hollywood Palladium for TV’s Superman, George Reeves. The brothers would polish their act “signing for sandwiches” in venues like the 5th Estate and Xanadu Coffeehouse, where Lester would meet a man who would become a longtime friend, the soon-to-be LSD king Augustus Owsley Stanley.
The Chambers Brothers true rise began when they secured a long-term residency at LA’s famed folk club, The Ash Grove. The frenzy of dancing they created with their mix of high-energy gospel and blues forced the owner to replace his glass cups with plastic. Their performances of gospel music at a venue that served alcohol raised the ire of Mahalia Jackson, who called it “blasphemy” in a 1963 article in the Los Angeles Times included in the book. While playing a regular “Gospel Hoot” at the Troubadour, they would catch the eye of Jack Goode, producer of the music TV show, “Shindig,” which they would perform on more than two dozen times in the following year.
As backing vocalists for singer Barbara Dane, they came to make additional recordings and tour nationally. Dane also introduced them to folk legend Pete Seeger. Through Seeger, they were invited to do workshops at 1964 Newport Folk Festival and were there again in 1965, at the one where Dylan went electric. When bluesman Josh White fell too ill to perform, they took to the main stage. They also provided vocal backing to Dane and Joan Baez at the festival. And after hearing their sweet harmonies, Dylan invited the brothers to sing backgrounds on his album, Highway 61 Revisited, which sadly went unused.
Lester and his band of brothers would then spend a good deal of time in New York City, playing a residency at Ondine, where they would meet their great drummer Brian Keenan, and also at Steve Paul’s legendary rocker hangout, The Scene.
During his career, Lester was often in the right place and time to strike up friendships and have encounters – some good, some bad – with a boatload of boldfaced names.
Lester befriended Jimi Hendrix during his time in Greenwich Village, was called the N-word by Diana Ross in a limo, would be on the road with Robert Kennedy right before his assassination, have a later-day band “stolen” by Wilson Pickett and even record with Miles Davis on his 1974 album, Get Up with It. It’s Lester’s searing bluesy harmonica that is featured on “Red China Blues.” In the album liner notes, he was credited as “Wally Chambers,” something the ornery Davis refused to fix on further pressings. Lester is also the man who would introduce Miles to his wife Betty. She was the street-smart and stylish soul/rock singer-songwriter who would go on to introduce Davis to the music of Sly and Jimi and pave the way for jazz rock fusion.
Lester also expresses his great admiration for Ed Sullivan. The TV host stood up for the band when the hotel they were to stay in during the filming of an appearance on his show in Las Vegas tried to deny them entry. Chambers also became close with John Lennon and appeared alongside him and Yoko Ono during their week co-hosting The Mike Douglas Show in February 1972. Chambers also has special gratitude for Yoko who provided financial aid for his housing and medical treatment after becoming aware of his Kickstarter campaign.
One of his most meaningful friendships was with Owsley, the Grateful Dead soundman and acid king. Owsley would gift Lester a mason jar full of LSD, which he claims to have taken every day for three and one-half years. Lester says it was a powerful ingredient in shaping his spirituality and humanity and in helping use visualization to fight his battle with colon cancer.
https://youtu.be/sKNz4hKQA00
On the musical front, The Chambers Brothers would be one of the last acts signed to Columbia Records by John Hammond, the A&R man who brought the world Billie Holiday, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, Janis Joplin and many others. With the help of producer David Rubinson, they would go against the label and craft an 11-minute opus modeled on what they did with the tune live. Driven by Lester’s propulsive cowbell pounding and memorable ‘cuckoo” in the intro, the shortened single edit would make them stars.
But as great as the songs, it doesn’t demonstrate the true killer gift of The Chambers Brothers, their unparalleled four-part gospel harmony. This is something showcased on most other entries on this and other albums, like their powerful cover of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready” and the gospel classic “Wade in the Water.” This can also be heard on earlier live recordings captured at The Ash Grove and the Unicorn. Also underrated in their double-album live and studio disc from 1969 and its 16-minute title tune, “Love, Peace & Happiness.”
Co-writer Watts really adds texture to the story by including interviews with others who played a role in Lester’s life and career. These include early drummer Jesse Cahn, roadie Tony Smith, road manager Julius Chambers, his sister Jewel and his bandmate brothers, Joe and Willie. Also included are interviews with his sons, Andre and Dylan, the latter who has been with him throughout his times of homelessness and illness. That chapter of his life and the remarkable support provided by Reddit, Sweet Relief and notables like Yoko One are related in a transcript of CNN interview with Lester and Dylan. Also notable is a transcript of a long feature on their early “gospel soul” years by Opal Nations in a 1999 issue of Real Blues.
Like many bands, unequal royalties from songwriting have played a role in the breakup and frequent feuds among the brothers. Willie and Joe were the writers of their big hit and keep those earnings among themselves, something that Lester feels was unjust to him and their late brother George.
With these and further misfortunes including an onstage attack during a performance at a 2013 blues festival, Lester remains a positive spirit, one who shares his deep belief of the healing power of music and love of his fellow man throughout these pages. He continues to perform in with the band Moonalice with his son, Dylan. In the end, as the title says, he’s just a “Mississippi hippie” at heart. Here’s to hoping you will support him by purchasing his life story to help keep him in justified comfort during the final set of his rich and remarkable life.
Three-time Grammy-nominated guitarist and 25x Billboard chart-topper Joe Bonamassa announced on February 6 that his tour will be coming to New York this summer, and is scheduled to perform at Jones Beach on August 12th and the Bethel Woods Center on August 13. The two-night performance is part of a concert series, “Keeping the Blues Alive presents: Joe Bonamassa and Friends.”
Also joining Bonamassa in concert are the rock band Styx, and former Eagles lead guitarist Don Felder. In line with its inaugural event last year, the concert series will feature individual performances from each act. The final act features a jaw-dropping encore with members from all three bands.
On a related note, Bonamassa is currently preparing for his spring 2023 tour. The tour starts Feb. 15 in Charleston, West Virginia, and continues through the Midwest and East Coast. Bonamassa will conclude his tour with the sold-out Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea VIII, scheduled for March 13-17, departing from Miami, Florida to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
Prior to his Jones Beach and Bethel Woods Center shows, Bonamassa is scheduled to perform at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre on Feb. 28
Originating in Chicago, Styx is comprised of six members, James “JY” Young (lead vocals, guitars), Tommy Shaw (lead vocals, guitars), Chuck Panozzo (bass, vocals), Todd Sucherman (drums, percussion), Lawrence Gowan (lead vocals, keyboards), Ricky Phillips (bass, guitar, vocals), and ‘Crash Of The Crown’ producer and co-writer Will Evankovich (guitars.) Their career spans over 50 years, with their anonymous first album debuting in 1972. The band released its 17th album, Crash of the Crown, in June 2021 through their label Alpha Dog 2T/UMe.
Born in Gainesville, Florida, Felder got his big break after the release of the Eagles’ third studio album, On the Border, in 1974. It was Felder’s first record with the Eagles, remaining with them until 2001. While he was still a member of the band, Felder released his debut solo record, Airbourne, in 1983. Further, in 1998, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Eagles. On his own, Felder was inaugurated into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville in 2016 and the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2017.
Bonamassa in concert
Born in New Hartford, NY, and raised in Utica, Bonamassa rose to fame in 2000 with the release of his debut record, A New Day Yesterday. In 2020, Bonamassa created his independent record label, Keeping the Blues Alive Records, which promotes and supports the talent of musicians. Similarly, he also runs the 501(c)(3) non-profit Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation.
His fifteenth and most recent record, Time Clocks, was released in Oct. 2021 by J&R Adventures. In support of his latest album, Bonamassa recorded a live concert film, Tales Of Time, in Aug. 2022, scheduled for worldwide release on April 14, by Bonamassa’s J&R Adventures in CD/DVD, CD/BR, vinyl, and digital formats.
Tickets for Joe Bonamassa at Jones Beach and Bethel Woods, and all other shows, go on sale Friday, Feb. 10, beginning at 10 a.m.
Joe Bonamassa U.S. Tour 2023 Feb. 15 – Clay Center – Charleston, WV Feb. 17 – Playhouse Square – Cleveland, OH Feb. 18 – Riverside Theater – Milwaukee, WI Feb. 20 – The Orpheum Theater – Madison, WI Feb. 22 – Peoria Civic Center Theater – Peoria, IL Feb. 24 – DeVos Performance Hall – Grand Rapids, MI Feb. 25 – Morris Performing Arts Center – South Bend, IN Feb. 28 – Shea’s Buffalo Theatre – Buffalo, NY March 1 – Benedum Center – Pittsburgh, PA March 3 – Ovens Auditorium – Charlotte, NC March 4 – Fox Theatre – Atlanta, GA March 5 – Soldiers And Sailors Memorial Auditorium – Chattanooga, TN March 7 – Montgomery Performing Arts Centre – Montgomery, AL March 8 – Saenger Theatre – New Orleans, LA March 10 – The King Center – Melbourne, FL March 11 – The St. Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, FL March 13-17 – Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea VIII – Miami, FL August 12 – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater – Wantagh, NY * August 13 – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – Bethel, NY *
* Keeping the Blues Alive presents: Joe Bonamassa & Friends: Styx and Don Felder, formerly of the Eagles
Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City has announced they will be introducing an alternative ticketing method for fans. This is particularly timely given the recent Ticketmaster Senate hearing regarding the disastrous ticket pricing and inconvenient ways to purchase tickets.
Since 1981, the Blue Note Jazz Club has been a cultural institution in NYC and one of the premiere jazz clubs in the world. It strives to preserve the history of jazz, and the club practices the foundations of jazz on a nightly basis and carries the torch for the genre in the 21st century.
The club has been frequented by celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson, Colin Jost, Zoe Kravitz, and Jon Hamm, and has featured musicians like Robert Glasper, Ron Carter, Pat Metheny, Ms. Lisa Fischer, Christain McBride, Keyon Harrold, Meshell Ndegeocello, and more.
Blue Note will be partnering with the company Yellowheart for the second year in a row. They look to develop smart tickets to help prevent the most common issues with traditional ticketing, like scalping, fraudulent tickets, expensive resale prices, and more. This is especially timely considering the Ticketmaster Senate hearing, where the site came under fire for mishandling and botching the presale of the latest Taylor Swift tour.
About the new ticketing system, Blue Note marketing director Jennifer Harrington said “By partnering with YellowHeart, we are able to offer exclusive access to shows on our stage and a peak behind the scenes with the artists who perform here. Smart ticketing with blockchain technology has long been on our radar and now we have the ideal partner to bring this moment to life.” There will be a select number of smart tickets available for every show that have added benefits, such as VIP seating, and exclusive media airdropped directly via the tickets, which can include recorded performances to messages from artists in the business.
The first ticketed performance will be STOUT: The Live Avenger Experience on March 6 at the club. To purchase tickets and to see other events happening at the venue, visit here.
