Buffalo born singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco has announced the release of her new single “The Knowing,” to accompany her debut children’s book of the same name.
The new single is the musical version of DiFranco’s new book The Knowing, which is out March 7th. “The Knowing” is Difranco’s take on a lullaby, inviting young readers to ponder the distinction between outer forms of identity and the inner light of consciousness. The book encapsulates ideas that DiFranco feels strongly about sharing with her own children and all children: the authority to respect the world around you with love and compassion, and the strength of individual power and collective responsibility.
“I always relish a new challenge and creative adventure in life. Making a book for young readers was one such. I’m hoping that young people will connect with the message I am sending out in this book – that underneath all the labels and social and cultural signifiers, we are spirit, we are love incarnate, we are one”
Ani Difranco
Widely considered a feminist icon, Grammy winner Ani DiFranco is the mother of the DIY movement, being one of the first artists to create her own record label in 1990. While she has been known as the “Little Folksinger,” her music has embraced punk, funk, hip hop, jazz, soul, electronica and even more distant sounds. Her most recent albums include 2021’s Revolutionary Love and the July 2022 25th Anniversary Edition reissue of her iconic live album Living In Clip, both on her own label Righteous Babe Records. Her memoir No Walls and the Recurring Dream was released in May 2019 by Viking Books and was a New York Times Top 10 best seller.
DiFranco is also co-owner of Babeville, a Gothic Revival style church renovated by DiFranco and business partner Scot Fisher. The church now serves as a multi use facility dedicated to the arts in Buffalo, as well as a live event venue. For more information please visit Righteousbabe.com
Roots band The Wood Brothers have announced their eighth studio album, titled Heart Is The Hero, which is set to be released on April 14 through Honey Jar/Thirty Tigers. The album will be supported by a tour, with stops in Buffalo, Ithaca, New York City, Accord, and Fairpoint. Prior to embarking on their tour, the band will release the first single from Heart Is The Hero in February.
From left to right: Chris Wood, Jano Rix, and Oliver Wood
The Wood Brothers consist of brothers, Chris and Oliver Wood, who grew up in Boulder, Colorado. Their “honorary sibling,” Jano Rix is also in The band. They focused more on the importance of performing rather than studio perfection for this album, resulting in an album that emphasizes the themes of presence, grace, and faith.
“The chorus of the album’s title track says, ‘the heart is the hero of every song.’ By no means was it intentional, but much of the material we were writing for this record seemed to come full circle to the idea of trusting in your heart in matters that you can’t control,” says Oliver Wood.
I’m looking forward to going on the road with these new songs from Heart Is The Hero and seeing how they evolve from night to night when performed in front of audiences. The recording process for this album was completely different from our last one, Kingdom In My Mind, where we had all the time in the world to experiment, tinker, and shape performances. For those sessions, I was living in Nashville close to Oliver and Jano, but I’ve since relocated to Canada, so our time to record together this time around had to be extremely focused and intentional.
Chris Wood
The Wood Brothers tour has New York shows that start this March. Dates and venues are available below. As of Jan. 26, artist pre-sale has begun. General on-sale started Jan. 27. Tickets can be purchased at thewoodbros.com.
The Wood Brothers 2023 Tour
1/31 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern ^ (Sold Out) 2/1 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern ^ (Sold Out) 2/2 – Ventura, CA – Ventura Music Hall ^ 2/3 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater ^ 2/4 – Stateline, NV – Bally’s Lake Tahoe Casino Resort ^ 2/6 – Santa Cruz, CA – Rio Theatre ^ 2/8 – Bend, OR – Midtown Ballroom ^ 2/9 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre ^ (Sold Out) 2/10 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall ^ (Sold Out) 2/11 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall ^ 2/24 – North Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena ^^ 3/1 – Lexington, KY – Lexington Opera House 3/2 – Detroit, MI – Majestic Theatre 3/3 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom 3/4 – Ithaca, NY – State Theatre 3/6 – Westerly, RI – The United Theatre 3/8 – Harrisburg, PA – XL Live 3/9 – Rocky Mount, VA – Harvester Performance Center (Sold Out) 3/10 – Winston-Salem, NC – The Ramkat 3/11 – Chattanooga, TN – Walker Theatre 4/11- Scottsdale, AZ – Virginia G. Piper Theater – Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts 4/12 – Flagstaff, AZ – Orpheum Theater 4/14 – Beaver Creek, CO – Vilar Performing Arts Center 4/15 – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom 4/17- Salina, KS – The Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts 4/18 – Fayetteville, AK – JJ’s Live 4/20 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom 4/21- Tilmon, TX – Old Settler’s Music Festival 4/22 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater 5/10 – Peoria, IL – Premier Event Center * 5/11 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed * 5/12 – Minneapolis, MN – Utepils Brewing Co. * 5/13 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theater * 5/15 – Akron, OH – Goodyear Theater * 5/16 – Cincinnati, OH – Taft Theatre * 5/18 – Atlanta, GA – The Eastern * 5/19 – Raleigh, NC – North Carolina Museum of Art * 5/20 – Washington, DC – The Anthem * 5/21 – Knoxville, TN – Tennessee Theatre * 6/7 – Portland, ME – State Theatre * 6/8 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner * 6/9 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17 * 6/10 – Accord, NY – Arrowood Farms * 6/11 – Fairport, NY – Perinton Center Park Amphitheater * 6/13 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall * 6/15 – Charlottesville, VA – Ting Pavilion * 6/16 – Williamsburg, VA – Virginia Arts Festival’s Williamsburg Live * 6/17 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mountain View Amphitheatre * 6/18 – Grand Rapids, MI – venue TBA * 6/23 – Greenfield, MA – Green River Festival 8/18-20 – Wellston, MA – Hoxeyville Music Festival – Wellston, MI
^ w/ Taylor Ashton ^^ w/ The Avett Brothers & Turnpike Troubadours * w/ Shovels & Rope
By popular demand, long time New York music sensation Billy Joel will continue his concert residency at Madison Square Garden. The venue announced that Joel’s August 29 performance will mark his 93rd monthly and 139th lifetime show at the arena. Named a franchise by MSG in December 2013, the upcoming 93rd performance for Billy Joel comes nearly 10 years after he started his residency.
Billy Joel pictured on the cover of his debut album, Cold Spring Harbor, in 1971
Billy Joel’s career spans more than 50 years, earning him a number of awards. The sixth best-selling recording artist of all time, his song “Piano Man” was chosen for preservation by the Library of Congress in 2016 for its “cultural, historic, and artistic significance.” Joel ranks as one of the most popular and respected entertainers in history.
Significantly, in Dec. 2013, Joel received one of the top cultural awards in the country, The Kennedy Center Honors. He has won six Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Legend Award, and is a member of the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Joel has won various industry awards, awards including a Tony Award for “Movin’ Out,” a Broadway musical based on his work.
In Nov. 2014, Joel received the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The award honors living musical artists’ lifetime achievements in promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of cultural understanding, entertaining and informing audiences, and inspiring new generations. Moreover, that same month, he won the ASCAP Centennial Award, which is presented to American music icons for their achievements in their respective genres.
Joel performed at MSG’s benefit concert, “12-12-12, The Concert For Sandy Relief,” to raise awareness and money for those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Similarly, he performed at “The Concert for New York City,” to provide aid and relief to the victims and heroes of 9/11. Adding another milestone to his career, Joel has also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Tickets for the Aug. 29 show go on sale to the general public starting Friday, Feb. 10 starting at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster. Tickets will also be available at the MSG box office on Saturday, Feb. 11.
Primary Wave Music has announced their latest creation, a collaborative tribute album of New York/New Jersey legend Count Basie’s classics remixed by modern day artists. The first single, “Didn’t You” by Lettuce featuring Talib Kweli is now available on all platforms.
A keystone figure of the Harlem Renaissance, Count Basie’s name alone conjures images of late nights, and ever cool, hip, and fresh sounds. The world-famous jazz pianist and band leader helped redefine music several times over and set the preconditions for jazz innovations, rock and roll, and popular American music.
On April 7th, a whole new host of colorful talents will mix with Basie’s legendary sound and influence as part of a brand new album called Late Night Basie. This new album captures the essence of Count Basie and his music with each song a modern-day interpretation. For both the longtime fan and the new listener, surprise and delights await in this timely, important recording. And for those who may have never heard the magic of Count Basie, Late Night Basie is certainly intended to be a door into his plentiful catalog of music.
“Putting together this tribute album to Count Basie has been a labor of love over the last several years. As we strive to continuously develop fresh and tasteful approaches to celebrate (and create new IP) for our iconic song catalogs, this release will introduce Count Basie to new generations of music lovers while respecting his existing fanbase.”
Rob Dippold, Primary Wave President
Today, listeners can hear the first track from Late Night Basie, “Didn’t You,” performed by GRAMMY-nominated funk torchbearers Lettuce and hip hop trailblazer and activist, Talib Kweli. Written by saxophone great Frank Foster for Basie’s best selling album, April in Paris, this remix leaps out of the speakers with a leadoff, funky bass drum figure before the horns of Ryan Zoidis (alto sax) and Benny Bloom (trumpet) blend and bend the notes of the first chord on top of Erick Coomes’ chugging bass—all within the song’s first four bars.
Following Lettuce’s statement of the melody, Kweli flows over the rhythm section with a verse that manages to jump off the title and bridge his signature social commentary with a quick sweep of Basie’s life, making plain the link between hip-hop and Count Basie-swing.
Fans can check out “Didn’t You” by Lettuce (feat. Talib Kweli) right now and Late Night Basie can be pre-saved or pre-ordered ahead of its April 7th release right here. For more information, please visit CountBasie.com.
Flushing Town Hall has announced their Black History Month celebration, with the return of their Black History Trilogy.
This three-part series featuring outstanding performers paying tribute to influential African American musicians, dancers, and entertainers. Taking place over the next few weeks at Flushing Town Hall, these Black History Trilogy performances will pay tribute not only to their performers, but to their New York history that makes them unique.
I am very excited about the lineup of artists. The music presentations are soulful tributes to Chuck Berry, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Al Green, Otis Redding, and music from a few of the greatest African American film soundtracks. There will also be an astonishing dance tribute to the Lindy Hop and dances from the Savoy Ballroom.
Clyde Bullard, curator for the Trilogy.
The Trilogy kicks off on Friday, February 3 at 8PM with The Chuck Berry Rock & Roll Concert Party, featuring an energetic performance from premier vocalist and blues guitarist Keith “The Captain” Gamble, in celebration of one of the founding fathers of Rock & Roll.
A singer/songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player, Keith “The Captain” Gamble’s heart and soul are rooted in blues music. He serves as a guest instructor with Jazzmobile in Harlem and guest artist for the LaGuardia Community College lecture series on the Blues. He is also the co-writer of From the Root to the Fruit – A Chronicle of the Blues, a documentary film that was later staged as a musical production. The Captain has toured throughout Europe and to Zambia and Ghana, commissioned by the US State Department, and he served as lead guitarist and male vocalist for ABC’s “The View” house band, the Mile High Club.
The Trilogy continues on Friday, February 10 with The Challenge to Defy Gravity. Audiences will travel back in time to the 1920s Savoy Ballroom to celebrate the gravity-defying contributions of dancers Frankie Manning and Norma Miller, known for their famous Lindy Hop and air steps. Music director Frank Owens teams up with choreographer and dance historian Mickey Davidson to present a dance experience like no other. Audiences will learn swing-era dance moves at the 7PM pre-concert workshop, which they can put into practice at 8PM while enjoying a lively dance performance and concert with special guests Theara J. Ward, Music Director Patience Higgins, The Savoy Swingers, and Harvest Moon Hoppers.
Mickey Davidson is primary choreographer and director for Mickey D. & Friends, a group of dancers and musicians that explores and performs the interlocking relationship between music and dance. From 1993 to 2013 Davidson led the arts-in-education Okra Dance Co., presenting multicultural dance programs in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. She’s taught jazz dance and tap and has served as a visiting lecturer at Wesleyan University for seventeen years.
Davidson has been affiliated with Lindy Hop since 1985 when she started rehearsing with Norma Miller and her Jazz Dancers. Since Norma’s return to Las Vegas, Mickey has maintained the group under the name “Savoy Swingers.” Davison teaches special Lindy Hop and Lindy-related workshops nationally and internationally and frequently partners with Lindy Hop legend Frankie Manning in workshops, live performances, and televised presentations. She was one of three choreographers for the European Tour of the Broadway production of Black and Blue. Davidson. sets and maintained the Swing and Blues choreography inherited from Mr. Manning.
The Trilogy concludes on Friday, February 24 at 8PM with Soul Men: The Music of Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and More. Extraordinary vocalist Billy Cliff will lead audiences through a fun and funky mix of cinema and soul music history, featuring the works of Isaac Hayes’ composition for Shaft, Curtis Mayfield’s soundtrack for Super Fly, and Marvin Gaye’s film score for Trouble Man.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in the Bronx, Billy Cliff first emerged in the music industry as a background singer for famed vocalist Angela Bofill and platinum recording artist Freddie Jackson. He has also performed with Dianne Reeves, Will Downing, The Shop Boys, and David Byrne of The Talking Heads. He has toured as lead vocalist with the mega rhythm & blues pop grop Kool & The Gang.
In-person tickets for each Black History Trilogy performance are $15 or $12 for Members, Seniors, and Students with ID. Flushing Town Hall is accessible by car, bus, train and foot – located a short distance from the 7 train – at 137-35 Northern Blvd., in Flushing, Queens. Access for wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility is available.
For Ticket purchase and more information, please visit Flushing Town Halls website
Iconic underground punk-blues rocker Jon Spencer is back and with him is a whole new band of misfits, The HITmakers. Making a stop at Lark Hall in Albany on January 31st, the highly entertaining and outspoken group unleashed an explosive performance that was raucous and loud and hit the Capital Region crowd over the head like a 12-ounce hammer.
Jon Spencer and the HITmakers made their Lark Hall debut on 1/31/23
First bursting on the scene in the mid-‘80s with bands like Pussy Galore and Boss Hog, Spencer found his biggest commercial success in the 1990’s as front man for The Blues Explosion. A forefather to the bass-free, fuzz-heavy garage rock revival that would spawn acts like White Stipes and The Black Keys, after 2015’s Freedom Tower album, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion would quietly disband when guitarist Judah Bauer became too sick to go on tour.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion took off in the 90’s with over-the-top performances like the one seen here
Now back on the road supporting his latest record, 2022’s Spencer Gets It Lit, his new band, The HITmakers, consists of Sam Coomes (Quasi, Heatmiser) on keyboards and Bob Bert (Pussy Galore, Sonic Youth) on percussion with Andy Zammit on drums. Fans hoping for a “best of the Blues Explosion” type set on this cold Tuesday night in January were shit out of luck. Taking the Lark Hall stage and promptly turning his back to the audience until the opening number “Junk Man” fully kicked in, Spencer and the HITmakers played the intimate venue as if it were an arena. Socking it to them with his signature reverbed-out grunts and growls and blistering blues guitar licks, you couldn’t help but snicker at some of the onstage antics. Even at Spencer’s age (he turns 58 on February 5th), he comes off as more believable than men half his age.
Jon Spencer rips into it at Lark Hall on 1/31/23
Working their way through songs like “Push Comes to Shove,” “Primary Baby,” and “Beatle Boots,” it was impossible not to take notice of the clanging and banging coming from percussionist Bob Bert. That’s because his unique kit was made entirely of scrap metal, trash cans and an old gas tank. Trading in drumsticks for a screwdriver and some 12-ounce hammers, “the noise, the noise, the noise” from Bert was particularly felt on “The Wilderness.”
Tools of the Trade: Bob Bert takes out the trash in Albany 1/31/23
Blasting out scuzzy rock anthems like “My Hit Parade,” “Strike 3,” and “Bruise,” keyboard player Sam Coones got way out there, shouting along and adding all kinds of otherworldly synth textures to songs like “Ghost” and “The Worst Facts,” going so far as to tell the crowd that the problem with Albany is that everyone here is too optimistic. “You think you can really do anything you want.”
Sam Coomes lights it up at Lark Hall 1/31/23
Tearing through the 75 minute set, “Love Handle” from 2018’s Spencer Sings the Hits got the crowd moving and grooving before one of the most raucous songs of the night, “Get It Right Now,” where in his charismatic preacher’s-like howl, Spencer proclaimed “Mick Jagger ain’t got nothing on me. Daryl Hall, John Oats, Billy Joel, no! Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Zuckerberg…NOTHING ON ME.” A darker theme then emerged with “Death Ray” followed up by “Just Wanna Die” before “Worm Town,” a song which ponders being in “a dirt nap, six feet under,” would bring the set to a close with Spencer simply putting down his guitar and walking off stage. It took a little convincing from the appreciative Lark Hall crowd, but eventually The HITmakers would return for an appropriate encore of “Trash Can.”
Time ain’t got nothing on Jon Spencer
One-man band and surf rock guitar playing virtuoso Bloodshot Bill opened the show and dazzled with his unique vocal delivery, catchy hooks and hilarious banter. At one point saying he “felt so good he could do about a million pushups,” but since he still had songs to play, he invited anyone from the audience to come up and do them for him. There was only one taker and he maxed out doing less than 10. For a crowd of less than a hundred on a cold Tuesday in Albany, it was yet another memorable night at Lark Hall. Artsy, offbeat and 100% rock n roll.
Bloodshot Bill opening up for The HITmakers on 1/31/23
Jon Spencer & the Hitmakers – January 31, 2023 | Lark Hall | Albany, NY Setlist: Junk Man, Push Comes to Shove, Primary Baby, Beetle Boots, My Hit Parade, Strike 3, Wilderness, Ghost, Bruise, The Worst Facts, Love Handle, Get It Right Now, Death Ray, Just Wanna Die, Worm Town Encore: Trash Can
Multi-instrumentalist Ben Cuomo has announced his newest solo release “Changed The Way” in collaboration with fellow producer Ben Milstein, released on February 3rd.
While listners may recognize Cuomo from NYC duo MoonTree, this is Cuomo’s first solo release.The ambient single, written while Cuomo and Milstein were improvising in a Suny Purchase practice room, is the first collaboration between the friends.
Ben Cuomo and Ben Milstein are both producers, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists attending the Conservatory of Music at SUNY Purchase. Although they have the same name they have very different musical backgrounds.
Ben Cuomo is a composer, multi instrumentalist, producer, recording engineer, mixing engineer, and overall-creative from Brooklyn who experiments with the indescribable and unorthodox sides of music. He is currently producing for multiple artists, and scoring films at Purchase.
Ben Milstein is a multi-instrumentalist and singer who has been writing music for years. Ben has performed in musicals as roles such as Curly Mclain in Roger and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, and wrote and produced an EP titled Microchosm. His 9 song debut album will be coming out in March, featuring his first single “Hopelessly Cold” which is out now on all streaming platforms.
Ben Cuomo and Ben Milstein met at SUNY Purchase college. Both are in the music conservatory and are friends, song writers, multi instrumentalists and producers, who wanted to produce songs for each other. “Changed the Way” is their first collaboration.
Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade announced that they will be reuniting after 20 years for the massive Summer of Green Tour 2023. The tour will stop at Buffalo, Port Chester, Westbury and more than 30 other stops.
Les Claypool.
After a 20-year hiatus, Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade has announced its long-awaited return. Formed in the summer of 2000 by Claypool, the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade debuted at the Mountain Aire Festival, and has since gone on multiple celebrated US tours. The band released two live albums in 2001, as well as a studio album Purple Onion in 2002, with their sound being described by Claypool as a “kind of a King Crimson meets Pink Floyd meets Frank Zappa type thing.” The live band features Les Claypool (bass), Sean Lennon (guitar), Harry Waters (keys), Paulo Baldi (drums), Mike Dillon (percussion), and Skerik (horns).
The last time the group performed was at the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida on May 10, 2003. Claypool has performed in groups like Primus, and he has had a number of wildly successful and influential albums. His unique voice and thumping bass lines are favorites among funk connoisseurs and jam banders alike. “Let’s put it this way … I think, with Primus and without, I’ve played every music festival in the last ten years, except Lilith Fair,” he says. “You could say I’m the guy who doesn’t fit in anywhere, but a little bit everywhere.”
In addition to this new tour, Claypool has had a busy year of touring. He traveled the country with Primus for the band’s wildly popular ‘A Tribute To Kings’ Tour, performed with Bastard Jazz on NYE and throughout winter 2022, and appeared alongside Ween at Comedy Central’s South Park: 25th Anniversary Concert” at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
Select June performances will include a co-headlining set with Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew’s ‘Remain In Light’ Tour, which will see the Talking Heads members performing music from a monumental moment in the band’s discography. The tour will feature several festival appearances, including the Summer Camp Music Festival, the Mountain Music Festival, the Riverbend Music Festival, and the Peach Music Festival.
The new tour with his Fearless Flying Frog Brigade will have 41 dates, with a show on May 30 at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo, a show on June 23 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, and a show on June 24 in Westbury at NYCB Theatre [In The Round]. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.
LES CLAYPOOL’S FEARLESS FLYING FROG BRIGADE – The Summer of Green Tour 2023 Wednesday, May 17th – Stateline, NV – TBA venue ^ Friday, May 19th – Napa, CA – Blue Note Summer Sessions at TBA venue ^ Saturday, May, 20th – Santa Cruz, CA – Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium ^ Sunday, May 21st – San Diego, CA – Observatory North ^ Tuesday, May 23rd – Salt Lake City, UT – TBA venue ^ Wednesday, May 24th – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom ^ Friday, May 26th – Kansas City, MO – Grinders KC Saturday, May 27th – Chillicothe, IL – Summer Camp Music Festival Sunday, May 28th – Louisville, KY – Iroquois Amphitheater ~ Tuesday, May 30th – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom ~ Wednesday, May 31st – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live! ~ Friday, June 2nd – Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre ~ Saturday, June 3rd – Oak Hill, WV – Mountain Music Festival Sunday, June 4th – Chattanooga, TN – TBA venue Tuesday, June 6th – Richmond, VA – Brown’s Island * Wednesday, June 7th – Raleigh, NC – Raleigh Memorial Auditorium * Friday, June 9th – Asheville, NC – Rabbit Rabbit * Saturday, June 10th – Atlanta, GA – The Eastern * Sunday, June 11th – Columbia, SC – Township Auditorium * Tuesday, June 13th – Dallas, TX – Music Hall at Fair Park * Wednesday, June 14th – Austin, TX – The Moody Amphitheater * Friday, June 16th – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall Lawn * Saturday, June 17th – New Orleans, LA – Mardi Gras World * Monday, June 19th – Mobile, AL – Saenger Theatre * Tuesday, June 20th – Tampa, FL – Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino * Thursday, June 22nd – Baltimore, MD – The Lyric % Friday, June 23rd – Port Chester, NY – Capitol Theatre ~ Saturday, June 24th – Westbury, NY – NYCB Theatre [In The Round] ~ Monday, June 26th – Northampton, MA – The Pines Theater ~ Wednesday, June 28th – Portland, ME – State Theatre # Thursday, June 29th – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway # Saturday, July 1st – Scranton, PA – Peach Music Festival Sunday, July 2nd – Chicago, IL – Salt Shed [Indoor] # Monday, July 3rd – St. Paul, MN – Palace Theatre # Friday, July 7th – Bonner, MT – Kettlehouse Amphitheater + Saturday, July 8th – Redmond, WA – Marymoor Park Live + Sunday, July 9th – Forest Grove, OR – Grand Lodge + Tuesday, July 11th – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live + Thursday, July 13th – San Luis Obispo, CA – Madonna Inn + Friday, July 14th – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern + Saturday, July 15th – Phoenix, AZ – Van Buren +
* Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew Remain In Light ^ Fishbone ~ Neal Francis # Budos Band + Moon Duo % W.I.T.C.H.
Ari Joshua, John Kimock, Andy Hess, and Eden Ladin have collaborated to release supergroup vibe “Eye Just Called, To Soul, I Love You” out on January 26th. Recorded in Brooklyn, the track is raw, visceral, and tends to be refreshingly honest.
“Eye Just Called to Soul, I Love You” features bassist Andy Hess (Black Crowes, John Scofield, Gov’t Mule), drummer John Morgan Kimock (Mike Gordon Band, Oteil & Friends), internationally acclaimed piano man Eden Ladin. Lat but not least, leading the charge, guitarist Ari Joshua (Big High, Space Owl, Hathead).
“EJCTS ILU” is the debut release from this memorable & inaugural all-star session, giving us another taste from the comet of sound coming from Music Factory Records to start off the new year. The almost 7-minute improv track documents the first time this band has ever played together, period.
2022 was a productive year for Ari Joshua with 12 new releases to share. With a range from classic jazz, to experimental, to drum n bass, to jam band, to classic soul funk, to circus music, to cinematic through composed classical-like compositions, Ari’s creative flow is astonishing.
When asked about this session he shared, “These are players I really admire, I had a vision, & I spoke to John, then Andy, and then Eden, and it sort of just came into fruition. My friends from college Aaron Nevize, and John Davis actually opened up The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn as we were all graduating. It’s just lasted all these years, and I called them up trying to get a date. It’s a miracle everyone was available amongst their busy schedules, and the studio was open. I am very lucky we made it work. The stars aligned and it was a fun and easy hang. We also played some Dead tunes, Eyes of the World, and Help on The Way, but the general focus was on making something new happen.”
On all the music that is on its way, Ari remarks, “Great art is an expression of the soul, and a reflection of one’s life experience. Being a musician is also like being what I would call an ambassador of goodwill. I think great players can sense that, and it becomes a compass of making great art together. I get a lot of joy from sharing these recordings and performing, it’s transformative. It is my mission in this life to give back in any capacity possible, to explore all options, and to honor the legends that came before and what they did for me and for so many. Music is the universal language, it has healing mystical qualities, it has both saved my life, and given me purpose. I am proud of the work I have contributed to music education, and in the woodshed practicing. After a lot of just living life, it is time to shine, and share what light I can with the music.”
To listen to “Eye Just Called to Soul, I Love You,” click the link here.
City Winery has announced they will be hosting Covenant Winery’s 20th anniversary Sunday, February 5th at City Winery from 2:30 PM to 5 PM with a jazz concert led by winery founder and proprietor, Jeff Morgan.
The concert will feature a walk around wine tasting of older and current vintages of Covenant, and doors open at 2:30 PM, with the concert kicking off at 3:30 PM.
Musician Jeff Morgan owns the Covenant winery with his wife and CEO Jodie and has a deep history with music as a performer, specifically as a saxophone player. After a formal education at the French National Music Conservatory in Nice, France Jeff became a co-band leader for the house band in Monte Carlo at Prince Rainier’s Grand Casino in Monaco. He took a hiatus from playing music for the last 25 years, but because of the pandemic, he had some time on his hands and returned to his saxophone again. After a full year of practice and hosting a summer concert series in 2022 at the Tasting Patio of their urban winery, Jeff has regained his playing chops.
The wines of Covenant have received wide international acclaim and the Morgans have collaborated on ten cookbooks together, refining the approach to food and wine pairing. Elegant and approachable, books such as the Covenant Kitchen, the Dean & Deluca cookbook and the Domaine Chandon cookbook have delighted foodies with their fresh, ingredient driven recipes. Their informed and no-nonsense food pairings take the guesswork out of entertaining challenges, allowing the chef to relax and enjoy the journey of cooking and wine pairing.
