The 2024 GRAMMY Awards announced the nominations for the 66th edition of the event, happening on Feb. 4. The nominees include a wide variety of talent from New York State, like Ice Spice, Lana Del Rey, Nas, and more.
Graphic courtesy of Recording Academy.
One of the fastest emerging artists of the 2020s, Bronx native and rapper Ice Spice is taking the world by storm with her infectious lyricism and danceable beats. This year she was nominated in four categories including Best New Artist, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her collaboration on Taylor Swift’s “Karma” remix, Best Rap Song for her collaboration with Nicki Minaj for the Barbie movie with the track “Barbie World,” and Best Song Written for Visual Media, also for “Barbie World.”
Lana Del Rey, a Manhattan native, is nominated for five GRAMMYs this year. These include Best Alternative Music Album for her viral album Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, Best Alternative Music Performance for “A&W,” Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her collaboration with Jon Batiste on “Candy Necklace,” Song of the Year for “A&W,” and Album of the Year.
Lana Del Rey, photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images.
Daniel Nigro, who has written for artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, Conan Gray, and more, who is also from Long Island, is nominated for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. Also nominated in that same category is Brooklyn native Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II. Brooklyn native and iconic musician Bebe Rexha is nominated in the Best Pop Dance Recording category (a brand new one this year) for her collaboration with David Guetta “One in a Million.”
Iconic Harlem-born rapper Diddy has gone through many names over the years including Puffy Daddy or P. Diddy, and is raking in a nomination for Best Progressive R&B Album for The Love Album: Off the Grid. Speaking of iconic rappers, Crown Heights’ own Nas was nominated for Best Rap Album for King’s Disease III alongside the likes of Drake and Travis Scott.
Nas and Hit-Boy. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage).
Iconic singer Mariah Carey, who is embarking on a Holiday tour this winter, coming to Madison Square Garden, was nominated for Best Remixed Recording for “Workin’ Hard (Terry Hunter Remix).” Another iconic NYC native Alicia Keys is nominated this year for Best Immersive Audio Album for The Diary of Alicia Keys.
Iconic producer Rick Rubin from Long Beach, who is the co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records, received a nomination in the Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording category for The Creative Act: A Way of Being.
Singer/songwriter Emily King, from NYC, is nominated for Best R&B Album for her record Special Occasion. Aja Monet, a contemporary poet, writer, lyricist, and activist from Brooklyn was nominated in the Best Spoken Word Poetry Album for When the Poems Do What They Do. Samara Joy, who won the 2023 GRAMMY for Best New Artist is nominated in two categories. One category is Best Jazz Performance for “Tight,” and the other is Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals for “Lush Life.”
Samara Joy.
More GRAMMY nominations include NYC-based jazz duo The Baylor Project for Best Jazz Performance, with Adam Blackstone and Russell Ferranté in “Vulnerable (Live).” Lakecia Benjamin from Washington Heights is also nominated in that category for “Basquiat,” as well as in Best Jazz Instrumental Album for Phoenix and Best Instrumental Composition with Angela Davis for “Amerikkan Skin.”
Pop artists from NYS secured multiple nominations this year. Madison Beer from Jericho has been steadily rising over the past couple of years, receiving her first GRAMMY nomination in the Best Immersive Audio Album category for Silence Between Songs. Caroline Polachek from NYC also received her first nomination in Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for Desire, I Want to Turn Into You. Caroline Rose from Long Island was nominated in the Best Recording Package category for The Art of Forgetting.
The Best Jazz Vocal Album category saw a nomination for Harlem-based musician Patti Austin, featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band. The NYC-based Mingus Big Band received a nomination for The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album category. A new category for the 2024 GRAMMYs, Best Alternative Jazz Album, saw Brooklyn-based musician Cory Henry secure a nomination for Live at the Piano. Albany native Vijay Iver also secured a nomination in that category as well as in Best Global Music Performance.
Rochester native Elaine Martone secured a nomination in the Producer of the Year, Classical category. Several NYS orchestras received nominations, including the JoAnn Fealletta with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra for Best Orchestral Performance and The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and The Metropolitan Opera Chorus for Best Opera Recording.
NYC-based composer John Williams received three nominations. These include Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film and Television for The Fabelmans and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Best Instrumental Composition for Helena’s Theme.
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
NYC native Béla Fleck, alongside Edgar Meyer, Zakir Hussain, and Rakesh Chaurasia, was nominated in three categories, including Best Instrumental Composition, Best Global Music Performance, and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.
Best Traditional Blues Album saw NYC native Eric Bibb receive a nomination for Ridin’. Rufus Wainwright from Rhinebeck was nominated for Best Folk Album for his record Folkocracy. The final NYS-based 2024 GRAMMY nominations were for NYC-based musicians Flor de Toloache in Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano), and Kirsten Agresta and Omar Akram in Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album.
For more information about the 66th annual GRAMMYs and the full list of nominees, visit here.
Gregory McLoughlin, a bassist and songwriter living in Jersey City, has recently released his latest single, “Woody Guthrie,” a song reflecting on struggles and the healing power of music.
Gregory writes and records as a solo artist, in addition to writing for artists including Beeman & Bannon, BuzzUniverse, Julia Kirk, Ross Sandler, Anthony Tamburro, Abbe Rivers, Johnny Bullitt, Anna Oh and others. He also performs in the tri-state area with his band, Gregory McLoughlin & the Lemonade Band.
McLoughlin didn’t set out to write about Woody Guthrie, and the song isn’t about the famous folk legend, he is just the destination where the songwriting took him. McLoughlin wrote the song in his head on a day in February 2021 during solitary gondola rides up and down Bellayre Mountain mid-pandemic.
“I feel like a lot of it started with Woody Guthrie, after all, he was Bob Dylan’s number one and Dylan‘s music certainly has healed many lost souls,” shared McLoughlin, adding “It’s a song I wrote reflecting on personal struggles I’ve been through and struggles of loved ones who I empathize with. It’s about how music can heal.”
Recorded a few months after, McLoughlin recently released the single on all platforms in July.
Listen to “Woody Guthrie” from Gregory McLoughlin
Next up for McLoughlin is a on December 30th before Dark Star Orchestra with The Lemonade Band. Get tickets here.
You can catch Gregory perform an online virtual concert, every Monday night at 8 PM EST on his YouTube Live Page.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical will be welcoming GRAMMY award-winning singer, songwriter and trailblazer Boy George in his return to Broadway as he performs the the role of “Harold Zidler” at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre, starting February 6, 2024.
Boy George rose to fame as the lead singer of the iconic band Culture Club, first appearing on Top of the Pops with Culture Club in 1982, he instantly had people talking. The pop sensation achieved seven UK Top 10 singles, nine Top 10 singles in the USA, and nine Top 20 singles in Australia including, “Karma Chameleon” and “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me”.
Boy George was last represented in the Broadway production Taboo in 2003, where he performed and wrote the music for the production. Taboo became well respected for highlighting the 80’s club scene, and focusing on George’s life before and after achieving fame.
Boy George attracted high praise and gained global recognition, creating a world-wide presence that transcends age, race, colour, creed, nationality and even religion. He began his solo career in 1987 and became part of the New Romantic movement which emerged in the late 1970s to early 1980s.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical is the winner of ten 2021 Tony Awards, directed by Alex Timbers and choreography by Sonya Tayeh and music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Justin Levine. Moulin Rouge! The Musical enters a world of splendor and romance, eye-popping excess, glitz, grandeur, glory and a world where bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows to revel in electrifying enchantment. Pop the champagne and prepare for the spectacular Baz Luhrmann’s iconic film come to life onstage, remixed in a musical mash-up extravaganza celebrating truth, beauty and freedom.
For more information on Boy George in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, please visit here.
Souls filled the pews and chairs inside Asbury Hall, a cavernous old church in Buffalo, on Tuesday. Dim light from an overcast nighttime sky peaked through stories-tall stained glass windows. A group, called Spiritualized, was in town to bless the enlightened with sounds from the beyond. A three-woman choir, decked out in flowing white blouses, joined in with joyous singing. The attendees clapped, cheered, sang along and raised their arms in praise. But this was no religious gathering. Rather it was a rock concert, and a devilishly good one at that.
Spiritualized, a 30-plus year-old band out of England, was on the second night of a short week-long stint in the US. There was no opener, no stage banter, almost no dead air at all, just over two hours of glorious music. Bandleader Jason Pierce situated himself on the right side of the stage, seated sideways facing his bandmates. And they were fully engaged from the start.
A spacey noise drifted gently into weightlessness, building repetitively to a crescendo and fizzling back down again in a near ten-minute “Hey Jane” that set the scene for the rest of the evening. Against a starfield backdrop, and with a mirrorball continually sending dots of light orbiting across the stone walls, we were set to explore, not the heavens, but the cosmos. And what more appropriate guide then Pierce, who is also known as J. Spaceman.
“She Kissed Me (It Felt Like a Hit)” blasted into high gear with frantic drumming, manic bass and wailing guitars. That slammed head first into the gorgeous slide guitar and organ swells of “Shine a Light,” which built up to an exultant chorus from the backup singers. Praise be! “I’m Coming Home Again” immediately followed, peeling back layers of rock exposing a quiet and gorgeous interplay of guitar, piano and bass.
With little to no pause between songs, the journey continued on through the night. The band would push, pull and stretch the tempo, between songs and within, creating time vortexes. Strobing lights hitting the mirrorball appeared to slow down time altogether as a hyper synth drone sizzled to silence to close out an intense wall of noise in “The A Song.” “Let It Bleed” was another highlight, as it traveled a slow build to ultimate exaltation, choir and all.
The journey, which made stops along their full catalog, closed out as it began, “Sail On Through” slowly drifting off into space. Spiritualized slowly disengaged from their stations, faced the audience for the first time, and clapped and cheered for us as we for them. Maybe it was a religious experience after all.
Setlist: Hey Jane, She Kissed Me (It Felt Like a Hit), Shine a Light, I’m Coming Home Again, A Perfect Miracle, Always Together With You, I’m Your Man, The Morning After, Here It Comes (The Road) Let’s Go, Best Thing You Never Had (The D Song), Let It Bleed (For Iggy), The A Song (Laid In Your Arms), Damaged, Soul On Fire, Sail On Through E: So Long You Pretty Thing, Come Together
On November 20, the renowned Anderson Center for the Performing Arts at Binghamton University will play host to the experimental Ukrainian world music quartet, DakhaBrakha, promising an enchanting evening of musical fusion and cultural exploration.
Born from the avant-garde theatre community in Kyiv back in 2004, DakhaBrakha, a term translating to “give and take” in old Ukrainian, has been pushing the boundaries of traditional Ukrainian folk music. Their innovative approach blends these age-old melodies with global rhythms, creating a truly unique and powerful sonic experience. The quartet, accompanied by an array of instruments from Indian, Arabic, African, and Ukrainian traditions, delivers a vocal performance that is both astonishingly powerful and culturally rooted.
NPR aptly describes DakhaBrakha as a group that “mixes everything from punk-pop to traditional Ukrainian songs in cool yet beguiling textures.” However, it is their live performances that truly set them apart, transforming DakhaBrakha from an intriguing musical act into a brilliant and unmissable phenomenon.
Rooted in their theatrical origins, DakhaBrakha’s shows boast a strong visual element, featuring dramatic folk garb, original projection art, and poignant video footage addressing the ongoing conflict with Russia. This visual storytelling, added after Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014, has elevated DakhaBrakha from musical performers to international ambassadors of the Ukrainian resistance.
At the crossroads of Ukrainian folklore and theatre, DakhaBrakha’s musical spectrum spans from intimate to riotous, exploring contemporary roots and rhythms. Their performances inspire not just musical appreciation but also cultural and artistic liberation.
Join DakhaBrakha for a night where boundaries fade away, and cultural resonance takes center stage. Experience the magic of global sounds in the heart of Binghamton University, as DakhaBrakha shares their transcendent musical journey.
The Osterhout Concert Theater will be the stage for this extraordinary performance, starting at 7:30 p.m. General admission tickets range from $25 to $60, with a 10% discount on premium seats available for seniors, veterans, and Binghamton University faculty, staff, and alumni. Student and child tickets are an affordable $10, offering everyone the chance to immerse themselves in this cultural and musical journey.
Tickets can be purchased through the Anderson Center Box Office, online at anderson.binghamton.edu, or by calling 607-777-ARTS.
Auburn-based singer/songwriter Luke Mock has released his newest single “Love Of My Life,” a haunting look at the end of a happy relationship.
In 2017, Luke Mock initially wrote “Love of My Life,” inspired by his then-girlfriend celebrating their love. Originally with a different title and a duet, the pandemic brought unexpected changes, like the end of said relationship. While dealing with the hardships of quarantine, Mock realized he was feeling intense emotions he couldn’t ignore, entirely transforming the sound of the track, infused with the powerful emotions affecting him.
Luke Mock is an indie-pop artist hailing from Auburn. His music immerses you in a captivating whirlwind of emotions, driven by catchy hooks, and delivered with genuine charm. He’s captivated many audiences, sharing stages with artists like The Driver Era, Kesha, AJR, Ryan Quinn (The Voice), and Neyla Pekarek (The Lumineers), among others. With honesty and diving into his personal side at the core of Mock’s music, he forges connections and resonates with others. Compared to Shawn Mendes, Charlie Puth, and Julia Michaels, his captivating vocals and infectious pop music elements captivate audiences.
“Love Of My Life” is a hauntingly beautiful track, encompassing the harsh emotions Mock felt when writing it. With a daring and melodic acoustic guitar flowing in the background, picking up with added percussion and beautiful strings, Mock paints a picture of a couple in love. Singing, “I want you to kiss me and make time go still/Yeah you are the one that makes my heart laugh/And you make me happy even when I’m sad,” he expertly describes the sometimes hard-to-put words to the feeling of being in love.
The added strings and piano add more of a melancholic and nostalgic touch to the track, and make you fall deeper into the words. Mock’s vocals bring you in and hold you there, with his perfectly crafted overdubbing harmonies. “Love Of My Life” is yet another strong addition to Luke Mock’s discography, showcasing his evolving and diverse range.
“Love Of My Life” is available to stream on all platforms you listen to music. For more information about Luke Mock, visit here.
Friends & fans filled the Brooklyn Bowl on Monday, November 6, to celebrate James Casey‘s rich musical legacy by playing songs he loved. His dear friends Louis Cato, Nikki Glaspie, and Trey Anastasio Band led performances, joined by dozens of his musical cohorts to honor his memory and life of music.
Casey wanted a party, not a funeral, so Peter Shapiro obliged his last wishes by hosting his memorial celebration at his Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg. Proceeds from the event benefit the two organizations which helped Casey after he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2021, the CCAand the ABGH. The 3 hour concert was livestreamed on Fans.Live, and will stay up until Sunday night.
Music Director and multi-instrumentalist Louis Cato led The Late Show Band, showcasing songs from Casey’s favorites from Sly and the Family Stone, along with songs from Casey & Cato’s bands, Animus Rexx, and Six Figures. The Trey Anastasio Band spearheaded a 4-song set which included some of James’ favorite songs. Nikki Glaspie led an all-star lineup that included members of Lettuce, Snarky Puppy, Animus Rexx, TAB, John Brown’s Body, Six Figures, and many others to play songs from Earth Wind & Fire, Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament Funkadelic. At the end of her band’s set, Nikki pulled nearly everyone on stage for a Go-Go medley, setting a new record for the most people on stage at any Brooklyn Bowl. Raydar Ellis DJed during band downtimes, curating selections from James’ favorite songs and artists.
Brooklyn Bowl owner Peter Shapiro introduced the night’s festivities with how important James was to him and his friends & family whose lives James graced. Shapiro smiled as he shared somber words while holding back tears, “Do you guys feel this in the air right now? Because that’s James Casey. And we were fortunate to have James play on this stage many times. And when I think of James here, I look over … it’s right about there (points to bowling lanes), ‘cuz James would come off the stage, maybe sitting in with Soulive at Bowlive, and I’d be right over there. And the feeling of hugging it out with James Casey … right by the stage was probably one of the best feelings I’ve ever had in my life: that strength…that smile. And I’m so glad that tonight James Casey is selling out the Brooklyn Bowl.” as fans applauded, with few dry eyes in the room.
Shapiro continued, “I love that guy and we miss him, but he wanted to party, and the energy in here feels like a party, but a special one. So we want to thank you guys and everyone that’s here, particularly Ayla (his wife)and James’ family to trust us for hosting this night.” Shapiro then introduced the host of the evening, Sirius XM‘s Phish Radio host, Ari Fink, who warmed up the crowd with a resounding, “Let’s GOOOOO!!!” Fink quipped, “I …want to thank Bill Graham…I mean, Pete Shapiro (fans chuckle) for the wonderful introduction, for having us, and to Ayla, PJ, Margaret, Richard, Britten … and the entire crew…” (cheers) Fink told the fans to wave to their friends watching from home. Fink shared philosophy about how we process grief:
“There’s a common misconception about grief. Most people think it’s about letting go, but it’s actually quite the opposite. It’s really more about holding on. And James made that so easy for us. Every note he played had just the right amount of power & precision, placed perfectly into the flow of that moment. And it would enhance it, like noone else. Same thing when you spoke to him. So now, with us here in this moment, we’re holding on to his fierce spirit, wry sense of humor, unmatched musical empathy, and enough swagger to fill an entire venue”
Ari Fink
Fink continued to tell the fans that both he and Casey grew up in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and that he first met Casey back in 2013 when he was launching his new band, Animus Rexx, which was so good (“the greatest ish I’ve ever heard in my entire life”) that Fink was inspired to help them get started. And after that, Fink had Casey as a frequent guest on Sirius XM, where he shared another story with the audience:
“Now over the next decade, James was a frequent guest on Sirius XM, he would come up and kick it, and we would call each other to talk about our latest projects, share guidance, and talk about trials & tribulations of the music industry (by the way, which, there are a lot of). For both of us, you know, we easily were able to get through all of the surface stuff and cut right to the core. He always asked about my family. But the most amazing part about James on Sirius XM… the craziest thing would happen. Every time we sat down, my voice would relax, and..it would naturally start to drop, like almost a full octave at a time, because it was just like (points down)… he was that amazing to talk to. And normally it’s my job to make people feel comfortable on the air, but James had an unmatched ability to do just that for me. And when I listen back to those moments, it’s clear. We were locked in, the flow state was all the way to 100, and it was just real talk, real hangs and lots and lots of laughs. You guys ever heard James laugh? (fans: yeah!) Best laugh of all time!”
Fink’s speech went on for a solid 10 minutes or so, and with fans itching for music, Fink held back a couple of jeers to get to his introduction of the Music Director of the show, and Casey’s dear friend, Louis Cato. (on the livestream, skip ahead to 1:29:36 to jump to when the music starts).
Louis Cato began the music of the evening, saying, “Let’s give it up one time for the man of the hour, James Casey. For all of us that have been, have had had the pleasure of knowing this incredible human being, you know that he’s always been the life of the party, and … as he transitioned into the next phase of his journey, he made it very clear: “I don’t want a funeral, I wanted a party!” I don’t know if I can curse on the stream. (to his keyboard player) can I curse on the stream? (smiles) Jenna …wherever you are, earmuffs! That’s my daughter. Who is also James’ niece. Earmuffs! So, you wanted a party? That’s what the fuck we’re gonna do! C’mon, let’s get it on y’all!!!
The Late Show Band kicked off the music with Sly & the Family Stone’s “Family Affair”, with Cato on guitar & vocals, Reuben Caineron bass, Dave “DJ” Ginyard on bass, Nêgah Santos on percussion & vocals, Randy Runyon on guitar, James Williams on drums, Corey Bernhard on keys, with other friends sitting in and switching various instruments. Cato’s band launched into the night on guitar, calling out solos around the stage, first to his trombonist, followed by a scorching alto sax solo by Louis Fouché, a tasty Hammond B3 solo by Bernhard, then a smoking solo by Runyon, with others soloing in turn until the end of “Family Affair”. Afterwards, Cato then put his guitar down and said:
“So everybody up here on the stage has been.. a friend, and a brother, and a sister, and a bandmate of James, so we had to make sure it goes all the way around (points to sides) so you all get to see the outreach, because we’ve all been changed… by our interactions, our musical relationships, as well as the personal, with this monumental musician. We’re going to do another one, with another iteration .. of a band we used to have together back in the day, called Six Figures. With James is the agreed-upon front man,” as he walked back to sit on the drum kit.
More great solos continued on bass, clavinet, and then the horns left stage, as a film clip from Casey’s band, Animus Rexx was shown (Live from Rockwood Music Hall – Apr. 23, 2014) on the big screen for the audience. In that clip, Casey used his sampler, manipulating & replaying his altered vocal samples, while his bandmates added synth, drums, and bass.
As the side film ended, Cato got back up on the drums and asked the crowd “Are you still with us?” and then Cato’s band with most of Animus Rexx ended the set with their song, “Pleasure” a trippy synth swirl, intriguing, groovy and ethereal. The fans showed their appreciation, though most were hearing it for their first time. Cato’s band ended their set with “The Payback“, with Reuben on sampler, Runyon on guitar, and BigYuki on synth, and Cato filling in on drums for Justin Tyson (who is now with Robert Glasper’s Electric Trio).
After Cato’s set, Ari Fink came back out to give accolades to Animus Rexx, then introduced Casey’s wife, Ayla, who slowly took to the stage, smiling but holding back tears. She said, “Every single person in this room lifted James up in some way, …even right now. And it meant the world to James to live his dream performing and releasing music”. Ayla shared how James kept touring while they fought “the hardest battle of their lives”, and that she was “so grateful for the love that he received.” She said we should know our family history, be our own advocates, arm ourselves with knowledge, and re-emphasize symptoms, get a second opinion if we feel we’re not being heard. Ayla then introduced the President and Co-Founder of the ABGH, Dr. Sophie Balzora, who shared stats on how black people are 20% more likely to get colon cancer and 40% more likely to die from it. She contacted James to ask if he’d help ABGH, which he humbly agreed to. Balzora said that ABGH created a medical education scholarship in his name, to big applause.
Michael Sapienza (CEO of the Colon Cancer Alliance) reminded us that colon cancer is the second-most common cancer in the US, and listed the many ways James Casey helped their cause, and that his own mother died of colon cancer. He said we have to change this, but that (Casey’s devotion) was inspiring.
The next band was either the most anticipated or a complete surprise, depending on who you asked before the show. It was a bit of a mystery, since so few artists were announced before showtime. Fink bantered around who might be on next, but soon enough, fans realized their wishes would come true, as he introduced the Trey Anastasio Band, to huge applause. As the band plugged in, Trey simply said “Thanks, everybody!” as TAB tore into a snappy version of “Mozambique“, ended by tight horns, with Zoidis playing in Casey’s spot.
TAB hopped into “Everything’s Right”, as more horn players slinked onstage, with Alecia Chakour and Jo Lampert adding vocals to Jenn and Natalie. “This world, this world, this crazy world I know / it turns, it turns, long night’s over, and the sun’s coming up.” As Trey repeated this, he raised his arms and the fans erupted into a bubbling soup of dancing heads with hands raised into the air. The lights darkened as the song cooled to make space for a warm Zoidis solo, with Trey popping fills between Zoidis’ riffs, building to the end.
Trey shared his thanks for James playing in TAB for 11 years: “We love James, we love you (holding back tears). It’s incomprehensible how much we love James and how grateful we are for every single second we got to be with him. Our friendship with Ayla and James’ amazing family, mom & dad, everyone. Today/tonight has been really… (makes a heart gesture) heart-filling. All the friends from Boston that James met when he was in college who are here tonight, all the friends and family: thank you for being here and celebrating this incredible human being. And now we will play… James’ used to really like singing this song. So we’re going to do a cover here of a song that…I wish that he was here to sing it for you, so you have to use your imagination. We’ll all try to… fill in the blanks a little bit, but he loves singing this song”.
Trey nodded to Russ to start “Express Yourself”, Alecia added her soulful voice to lift the song up where James could see it. Jenn crafted a trumpet solo, as the band loosened up and dance along with the fans. He introduced their friend, Jo Lambert, they hug, play Rise/Come Together, with TAB’s choral family expanding as Erin Boyd and Elenna Canlas hopped up on vocals, and Snarky Puppy’s Mike Maher added his trumpet, ending TAB’s brief set with hugs as they waved away.
Nikki Glaspie brought her super-band onstage with 25-30 or more musicians playing, setting a new Brooklyn Bowl record. 8-10 percussionists were stacked 4 to 5 rows deep on the right, with 7 or 8 horn players on the left, with Nth Power’s and another Wally’s OG, Nate Edgar on bass, Sean Erick on trumpet, Rene del Fierro on guitar (has a band w/ Carlos Santana’s son), three keyboardists (Nigel Hall, Basil Wajdowicz, Elenna Canlas), Angie Swan on guitar, Chris St. Hilaire on drums (London Souls, Black Keys), Lyric Jones, Matty O and Mike Maher on trumpets, also Andrew Marsh on kit, Khris Royal and Chris Ward on saxes, Natalie on trombone, and other horns, percussionists & vocalists.
Nikki tore into the Gospel classic, singing “I Don’t Know What You Come to Do“, with Jenn responding, “I came to celebrate James!” in traditional call-and-response fashion, with backup singers echoing replies. Strangely, after a ripping solo, Angie Swan hoisted her guitar and its neck abruptly folded. We learned it was a Ciari travel guitar, but still aren’t sure if it was a planned stunt or an accident. She re-attached the next and somehow the guitar was still in tune, and finished the song.
Nigel sang lead on “Remember the Children”, by Earth Wind & Fire, after which, Nikki warned “we’re about to get dirty right now!” and “so James being from DC… the greatest music in the world came from Washington, DC, we call it Go-Go music. And we’re gonna play some!” Nigel replied, “Yeah, DC is in the house right now. Southeast is in the house! to which Nikki said “PG county – the greatest county in the world, goddammit!”
Nikki then slid over to kit. After the song got going, Nigel rose from his keys to sing harder. Total chaos ensued for the Go-Go medley, with little room to fit more musicians on stage. Go-Go morphed into funk as they transitioned into “Bop Gun” by P Funk, then a Parliament’s “Flash Light”, with Josh Dion (Paris Monster) up again on lead vocals, a killer Zoidis sax solo, more Go-Go, then “Give Up the Funk” into “Do That Stuff (reprise)” to end their incredible, wild set.
Louis Cato returned for the last set of the evening, reminding us again about James’ journey & battle, sharing somber words about how he felt about James and all they experienced and did together, the fullness of their relationship, while struggling to speak as he got emotional. Cato warned us not to lose our humanity as we strive with our ambition as artists: “James has always been… and I say to me, but know that I’m aware that it’s for all of us, most of us, it has always been both: he consummate musician dedicated to his craft, committed to putting love into the music, always, always, always. (fans clap) And he always put that same love into his friends and gave it to his family. And the two…it’s a rare thing… it’s the biggest thing … about James Casey. He’s always been that rare breed that can engage in music, and spirit, and craft and vocabulary at the highest level, but also meet you where you are, at the highest level. And, it’s changed the path of my life… eternally. And that is why we’re here.”
At this point, Cato called The Finale Band to the stage, with Nikki on drums, as Cato slaps his P-Bass to kick off “I Want To Take You Higher” with Jenn and Alecia and others on vocals, and mostly The Tonight Show band with a few guests who appeared in other sets throughout the evening, with impeccable horn solos and powerful vocals to end the night on a high note of optimism and warm memories of James Casey’s life and contributions to music, friendships, and family.
RootsCollider, the ever-popular EDM dance-rock group from Rochester, have announced their 5th annual Rave Against The Machine, this year sporting the Glitch Hop Edition.
The event will take place on November 24 at Rochester’s Photo City Music Hall with rotating music performances from 7PM until late into the night.
The event hosts six performing groups: Sophistafunk, RootsCollider, Subsoil, Éclat Vibes, Junkyard Theory, and Ampbition, in addition to numerous special guests. Appearances will be made by Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Gunpoets, Mosaic Foundation, Personal Blend, The Buddhahood, Helium Bubble and more throughout the night.
The six performing groups will rotate on two stages throughout the night, playing multiple sets each. Headlined by Sophistafunk and RootsCollider, the night will feature all flavors of EDM, hip-hop, fusion rock, and more.
RootsCollider
The Rave night is themed and inspired by the recent Barbie movie, so attendees are encouraged to wear all pink, or dress up at their favorite characters from the hit movie.
Rave Against The Machine is an 18+ event. Tickets are general admission and are available here. The event will take place at Photo City Music Hall in Rochester, NY on November 24 at 7PM.
Ian McCuen’s sixth album and the longest by far, What It Means To Be Young, Sad, and Alone is a melancholy, transcendent record. It opens with the repeated line, “Funny how it feels like an art, the way things always fall apart. But eventually, so it goes, we all die alone.” With this air of self-aware critique, McCuen crafts a soothing, yet gut-wrenching depiction of truly what it means to be young, sad, and alone.
Based in Buffalo, Ian McCuen’s first album came in 2017, with three volumes of Songs of Fleeting Permanence over the next few years. They operate relatively solo, writing, composing, and arranging all their own tracks across a wide range of instruments. What It Means To Be Young, Sad, and Alone includes over nine unique instruments, including a harmonica, saxophone, mandolin, banjo, and the ever-present electric guitar.
The full record, boasting an impressive 20 tracks and amassing 80 minutes, follows a distinct style both musically and lyrically. McCuen creates an ethereal soundscape, with delicate vocals that are whispering and soothing.
The first track on the record, “A Reprise For The Lonely,” acts as an introductory point, both sonically and lyrically, for the rest of the record. However, it creates a strong introduction. The organ-like keyboard commands attention, and the backing vocals and whisper-like spoken word are sad, yet hypnotising.
Another song to pay attention to, “Checkerboard Purgatory,” comes as the 11th track on the record. Halfway through the massive tracklist, it easily gets lost among the masses, but it distinguishes itself with a catchy guitar track.
The 19th track on the record, “Vicissitude (So It Goes),” is an impressive 8 and a half minutes. Its vocals are subtle, whispering, and generally mellow, but the melody takes a minor shift halfway through.
Overall, What It Means To Be Young, Sad, and Alone is truly overwhelmingly sad. However, as a self-described “purveyor of sorrow,” this is exactly what McCuen aims to produce. For those that can indulge in the intense emotional experience of their monumental album, it’s a soothing display of poetry and ambient musicianship.
On Sunday, November 5 at The L in Horseheads, social media sensation and country singer Alexandra Kay took the stage and just like her song ‘She Stayed,’ she left a lasting impression. The atmosphere was energetic as fans from New York, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas gathered to witness a rising star in the world of country music.
Hailing from Illinois, Alexandra’s journey to stardom is nothing short of inspiring. Her passion for music was evident when she auditioned for American Idol back in 2011, showcasing her remarkable talent and captivating voice to a nationwide audience. Since then, she has continued to chase her dreams, captivating audiences with her heartfelt songwriting.
Alexandra Kay’s soulful vocals and compelling stage presence took the audience on a journey through the heart of country. Her songs and collabs have been streamed millions of times on social media. From heartfelt ballads that tugged at heartstrings to lively, boot-stomping anthems, her versatility as an artist was on full display. Each note held raw emotion, and her storytelling ability was nothing short of remarkable.
Kay’s new album, All I’ve Ever Known was just released in October while she is in the middle of her massive headlining tour across the states. All I’ve Ever Known debuted at #1 on both ITunes Country Album and All Genre Charts.
The L provided the perfect backdrop for this memorable evening, with its intimate setting and top-notch sound quality. As the music filled the venue, it was impossible not to get lost in the magic of the moment. Kay shared personal stories, interacted with the crowd, and made everyone feel like they were apart of something bigger while witnessing her performance.
For those who were fortunate enough to be in the crowd, it was a night they won’t soon forget, and for those who missed it, Alexandra Kay’s star is one to watch in the world of country music.
Alexandra Kay – The L, Horseheads, NY – Sunday, November 5, 2023
Setlist: Painted Him Perfect, Backroad Therapy, Tall Boiz, All I’ve Ever Known, She Stayed, I Hate Airplanes, Happy Once, I Kinda Don’t, More Than You, Everleave, How Do We Go, I Can Do Anything Encore: Best Worst Ex, That’s What Love Is, Skip This Part
