Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Zombies will perform in Adler Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture in NYC on October 27. The stop comes as the group celebrates their long awaited album Different Game which was released earlier this year.
Tom Toomey
The Zombies are one of the most iconic bands in Rock & Roll history. The group came together in 1961 and grew in large part because of their role in the British Invasion. The Zombies have fostered a massive fan base throughout the years due to their unmistakable melodies, breathy vocals, and elegant harmonies.
In 1967 the band found worldwide success after their song “Time of the Season” reached #3 on the Billboard charts. The song would go onto be one of the most recognizable tracks of the 60s. It has since appeared throughout pop-culture, featuring in hit TV shows like “Friends” and “NCIS”.
Rod Argent
Rolling Stone has named The Zombies’ 1968 album Odyssey and Oracle to the “Greatest Albums of All Time” list twice. In total the band has released nine albums and has established itself as one of the most influential groups in music.
For tickets and more information about the show in Adler Hall click here.
Different Game Tour (North America)
Oct, 1 – New Westminster, BC – Massey Theatre
Oct, 2 – Seattle, WA – Washington Hall
Oct, 3 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater
Oct, 5 – San Francisco, CA – Palace of Fine Arts
Oct, 6 – Glendale, CA – Alex Theatre
Oct, 7 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern
Oct, 9 – Santa Fe, NM – Lensic Performing Arts Center
Oct, 11 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
Oct, 13 – St. Paul, MN – Fitzgerald Theater
Oct, 14 – Milwaukee, WI – South Milwaukee PAC
Oct, 15 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music
Oct, 17 – Toronto, ON – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Oct, 18 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
Oct, 19 – Nashville, IN – Brown County Music Center
Oct, 20 – Cincinnati, OH – Ludlow Garage
Oct, 22 – Northfield, OH – MGM Northfield Park
Oct, 24 – Alexandria, VA – The Birchmere
Oct, 26 – Beverly, MA – The Cabot
Oct, 27 – New York, NY – Adler Hall at the NY Society of Ethical Culture
For 30 years, Music Haven has presented an amazing array of global sounds in Schenectady’s Central Park. Proctors Collaborative is extending its partnership with the storied summer concert series to bring a dynamic new slate of world music events to the GE Theatre at Proctors in Schenectady, and Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs for the 23-24 season. While international travel offers little in the way of discounts, the Proctors Passport Series pass gives patrons tickets to all seven shows for the price of four. The series runs from October to May.
Saturday, Oct. 7 – Ablaye Cissoko and Cyrille Brotto
To kick off the globetrotting series, world-renowned kora player and Senegalese griot Ablaye Cissoko teams up with the French diatonic accordion maestro Cyrille Brotto to create music to clear the mind and inspire the senses at the GE Theatre at Proctors 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7.
Friday, Oct. 20 – Lengaïa Salsa Brava
Lengaïa Salsa Brava, founded by Latin-Guyanese trombonist Giany-Frantz Huyghues-Despointes, is a 12-piece multi-awarded big band based in Montreal. The orchestration of three trombones and a baritone saxophone gives a powerful edge and identity to their music while maintaining the heritage of the ‘70s New York salsa dura style. They will be welcoming listeners and dancers alike to UPH 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20.
Friday, Nov. 3 – The Brooklyn Nomads
The Brooklyn Nomads is a celebrated cross-cultural ensemble rooted in musical traditions from the Arab World, with a mission to create memorable experiences for its audiences. Join them in Schenectady at the GE Theatre at Proctors 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3
Saturday, Dec. 2 – The Klezmatic’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah Concert
The Klezmatics’ Happy Joyous Hanukkah Concert–co-promoted with The Eighth Step–will celebrate the annual Festival of Lights in the GE Theatre at Proctors 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 with songs from the beloved Klezmer band’s Grammy-winning collaboration with recently discovered Woody Guthrie lyrics.
Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 – Bassekou Kouyate
The foremost of a new generation of bandleaders from the musical hotbed of Mali, Bassekou Kouyate has been revolutionary in developing new techniques of playing the ngoni, an ancient traditional lute found throughout West Africa. Join them at UPH 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16.
Thursday, April 18, 2024 – BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet
Multi-Grammy™ winning BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet has been hailed as “the best Cajun band in the world.” Credited with taking the art form from its regional roots in Louisiana to popularity worldwide, Doucet and the band are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year with select dates, including one at UPH 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18.
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 – Ricardo Ribeiro and Diana Vilarinho
Fado, with its spirited singing and lithe acoustic accompaniment, captures the spirit and inventiveness of Portugal in a seamless tradition stretching out over more than 150 years. One of few international art forms that have not yet been presented in the Capital Region, fado takes over the GE Theatre at Proctors 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 15, with a stunning double bill featuring one of the genre’s biggest stars, Ricardo Ribeiro, joined by breakout singer Diana Vilarinho.
Tickets are available through the Box Office at Proctors in-person, via phone at (518) 346-6204 Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. or online at universalpreservationhall.org or proctors.org.
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts revealed the details of Hip-Hop Week, an event to honor the 50th anniversary of the genre. The celebration runs August 9-12 and will coincide with the end of the Summer for the City festival.
Hip-Hop Week will feature a slew of different events, performances, conversations, and workshops. The goal is not just to celebrate the music of hip-hop but also appreciate the wider impact that the genre has had across the world.
Rakim is set to participate as part of the celebrations
Born out of the Bronx in the early 1970s, hip-hop has since become a musical and cultural force. The genre has given birth to countless subgenres and sounds, not to mention its effect on other art forms like dance, fashion and design.
We recognize and celebrate the profound significance of Hip-Hop as a powerful New York-born culture. It connects generations and propels a number of contemporary art forms
Shanta Thake, Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer of LCPA
All of the Hip-Hop Week events are free and operate as first-come first-serve. The celebration starts on August 9 with a “Dance Storytime” during the day and a dance battle and silent disco during the evening.
Having already made a name for himself as former classmate Spike Lee’s go-to cinematographer over the preceding decade, in 1992 Ernest R. Dickerson embarked on his own directorial career with Juice, a propulsive, noir-tinged coming-of-age drama starring Omar Epps as Q, a Harlem teen and aspiring DJ whose talents at the turntable seem to promise an authentic means of thriving within, and perhaps transcending, the material confines of his working-class upbringing. Meanwhile, a 20-year-old Tupac Shakur, fresh off the success of his debut album—with which he had swiftly established his own status as a bona fide star, and a leading figure in the ascendant genre of politically conscious West Coast rap—delivers a tour de force performance as Bishop, the mercurial wild card of Q’s tight-knit crew of friends, who harbors a hot temper and a budding violent streak that threatens to derail Q’s musical ambitions and place the futures of all four young men in jeopardy. With an assured hand and cool virtuosity, Dickerson reconsiders the themes and real-world concerns that were animating Hip-Hop culture at the time, refracting them through a distinctly cinematic lens.
Friday, June 30 at 9:00pm– Damrosch Park– Film at Lincoln Center
Co-writers and producers Ice Cube and DJ Pooh originally envisioned Friday as a boisterous corrective to the despairing hood dramas that proliferated in the pop-cultural landscape of the early ’90s, most of which emphasized violent conflict and ingrained hopelessness as endemic conditions of the inner-city milieu. First-time feature filmmaker F. Gary Gray, who had recently come up in the industry as an acclaimed director of music videos, handily translated his talents to the longer narrative format in order to chronicle a sprawling day in the life of newly unemployed Craig (Ice Cube) and his stoner friend Smokey (Chris Tucker) as the two South Central residents scramble to settle a $200 debt with their drug dealer. A riotously funny high-water mark in the tradition of successful Hip-Hop artists pivoting to assume the role of Hollywood auteur, Friday quickly achieved the status of genuine cult hit, equally celebrated for its affectionate, lived-in evocation of life in the hood and for its chart-topping, double-platinum soundtrack.
Wednesday, July 12 at 9:00pm– Damrosch Park– Film at Lincoln Center
Celebrated as a foundational depiction of early Hip-Hop culture—and one of the first to engage cinematically with the lives and perspectives of the young people whose creativity fueled its development—Wild Style was conceived as a collaboration between young No Wave filmmaker Charlie Ahearn and the renowned street artist Fab 5 Freddy. The loose narrative follows Raymond (played by fellow practitioner Lee Quiñones), a precocious teenage graffiti writer in the Bronx known by the pseudonym “Zoro,” and his friend Phade (Fab 5 Freddy), a club promoter, as they navigate a scene fraught with artistic rivalries and a creative community that’s ambivalent about the interest it’s attracting from the upper-crust art world. Filling out the cast with the Rock Steady Crew, Grandmaster Flash, and other pioneering talents of early Hip-Hop culture playing versions of themselves, Ahearn’s film offers an extraordinary semi-documentary portrait of a vibrant cultural movement in its first flowering. A New Directors/New Films 1983 selection.
Wednesday, August 9 at 11:30 am– The Garden at Damrosch Park– Dance Storytime with Hip-Hop dance artist TweetBoogie and DJ Go BIZZY!
Presented in collaboration with New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
The staff of the Jerome Robbins Dance Division and internationally renowned dance teacher and artist TweetBoogie and DJ Go BIZZY! present a storytime focusing on the music and dancing styles of Hip-Hop. Beats and books combine for an activity that the whole family can enjoy. Participants will listen to the story, When the Beat was Born: DJKool Herc and the Creation of Hip-Hop by Laban Carrick Hill, and learn a short dance routine to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop.
Wednesday, August 9 at 6:00 pm– The Dance Floor at Josie Robertson Plaza
Presented in collaboration with New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
To celebrate the recording of five street dance life story interviews by the Dance Oral History Project of the Jerome Robbins Dances Division at the Library for the Performing Arts, Gabriel “Kwikstep” Dionisio and Ana ‘Rokafella’ Garcia bring together the legendary Violeta Galagarza, Anthony G. “Cholly Rock” Horne, Kim D. Holmes, Float Master John, and Emilio Austin Jr. aka Buddha Stretch for a dance battle and silent disco on The Dance Floor. Different street and club styles will be on display as the invited Top eight competitors go toe-to-toe for a cash prize. Hosted by TDK Zone with DJ KS 360, come outside and check out NYC’s finest as we help celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop!
This event will be preceded by a screening of oral history clips and a panel discussion at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
Wednesday, August 9 at 8:00 pm– Damrosch Park– Featuring Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, and Special Guests
Brooklyn DJ and producer J.PERIOD (The Hamilton Mixtape) is renowned for his “audio-biography” mixtapes—featuring icons like Nas, Q-Tip, Lauryn Hill, and The Roots—which have solidified his reputation as a top-tier producer, a trusted collaborator, and a groundbreaking musical historian. His long-running performance series J.PERIOD Live Mixtape transforms the traditional Hip-Hop stage show into a high-energy moment of record, captured live onstage in one take. On August 9, Lincoln Center continues its celebration of 50 years of Hip-Hop with J.PERIOD Live Mixtape: Gods & Kings Edition, a commemoration of 2023’s golden anniversary with performances from two of New York’s most legendary emcees, Rakim and Big Daddy Kane, along with more special surprise guests.
This performance integrates ASL-interpretation.
Thursday, August 10 at 7:00 pm – The Dance Floor at Josie Robertson Plaza
Get your groove on at New York City’s largest outdoor dance floor with a 10-foot disco ball and celebrate Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary with the Ladies of Hip-Hop, an all-female collective dedicated to empowering girls and women in Hip-Hop culture. Enjoy a summer celebration of Hip-Hop dance culture with DJs, a dance lesson, and even a performance or two!
ArtDontSleep, World Music Institute, and Lincoln Center join Jazz Is Dead to present the first-ever NYC performance by Arthur Verocai. Accompanied by a full orchestra, Verocai will travel from his native Brazil to perform his 1972 seminal self-titled debut album in its entirety. Sampled by MF Doom, Ludacris & Common, Little Brother, Action Bronson, Curren$y, and countless others, the album is a staple for Hip-Hop producers and is now considered a “holy grail” within the crate-digging community. Hosted by composer, arranger, and music producer Adrian Younge and DJ, record producer, and rapper Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest) in Damrosch Park, Jazz Está Morto will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience one of the greatest Brazilian arrangers/composers of all time.
Friday, August 11 at 10:00 pm – The Dance Floor at Josie Robertson Plaza
In the summer of 1973, Bronx DJ Kool Herc spun tunes at a backyard block party and kicked off a musical and cultural movement. Flash forward to today, that legacy continues in this evening with DJ Spinna, a founding member of The Jigmastas who has worked with everyone from Mary J. Blige to Stevie Wonder, and DJ Cocoa Chanelle, a native Brooklynite, recording artist, and radio personality (Hot 97 and Kiss FM) named one of the top 17 DJs by Vibe Magazine. Jam with us at a Silent Disco in honor of the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop!
Saturday, August 12 at 11:00 am– The Art of Wellbeing– LeFrak Lobby, David Geffen Hall
Presented in collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Perfect for anyone looking to learn the styles and moves of some of the most popular social dances, this unique workshop incorporates wellness, movement, and joy! Based on popular dances born from African American & Diasporic culture and celebrating Hip-Hop Week, this class will provide a space for participants to connect with their bodies, minds, and community through movement.
Led by experienced instructor Ethel Calhoun, the class will begin with exercises that include elements of mindfulness and breathwork, before engaging participants in a variety of social dance forms from swing, salsa, soca, Hip-Hop, and more. Experience is not necessary; the instructor will guide guests through each step to help them feel comfortable on the floor, creating a welcoming and inclusive space for all.
Saturday, August 12 at 11:00 am– Hess Grand Promenade, David Geffen Hall
Join a hands-on, creative Pre-Show Family Workshop led by Lincoln Center Teaching Artists! Open to visitors of all ages and ability levels who are excited and curious to explore art-making inspired by the performance that follows.
This performance integrates ASL-interpretation.
Saturday, August 12 at 12:00 pm– Hess Grand Promenade, David Geffen Hall– A Party Featuring Rap’s Next Generation
Lincoln Center’s celebration of Hip-Hop looks to the future with the Art of the Cypher for kids, teens, and families. Cyphers, improvisational circles where rappers share their freestyle skills, are a foundational Hip-Hop tradition. Join host Dr. Chris Emdin, founder of #HipHopEd, for a rap Cypher and Hip-Hop celebration featuring some of our city’s talented teen rappers selected especially for their exceptional rap prowess. Before the show, take part in a hands-on, creative Pre-Show Family Workshop led by Lincoln Center Teaching Artists! Open to visitors of all ages and ability levels for art-making inspired by the performance.
This performance integrates ASL-interpretation.
Generous support for this event provided by Amazon.
Every year, nearly 100 teams and more than 1,000 young people audition for Step It Up NYC, a program designed to create positive change across all five boroughs. A program of the City of New York’s Department of Youth and Community Development, Step It Up began in 2009 as a youth engagement program focused on fusing the passion to move with the drive to create change. This year’s teen dance groups were challenged to incorporate themes of celebrating 50 years of Hip-Hop and minimizing violence within NYC communities. And this year, the winning team premieres their final dance routine at Lincoln Center, sharing their piece with you, perfected, fine-tuned and ready for the big stage!
Saturday, August 12 at 6:00 pm – The Dance Floor at Josie Robertson Plaza– Featuring DJ Fannie Mae
Founded by international sensation DJ Fannie Mae and Grammy Award-nominated songwriter and producer Dennis Reed, Sainted is a trap choir offering audiences an eclectic range of gospel, R&B, Hip-Hop, and trap music. Paying homage to the Southern Black Church experience, Sainted highlights the spectrum of Black musical excellence throughout the decades and takes you on a journey that identifies Black Church music as the bedrock of countless musical traditions. Through a combination of scholarly and formal training, along with a unique improvisational approach to music learned in the Black Church, the ensemble reinvents choral norms. Audiences will experience this vibrant celebration of a full choir accompanied by a live band, original choreography, and DJ Fannie Mae herself on the decks.
No serious conversation about history’s top five rappers can be had without mentioning Rakim. A technical innovator whose use of internal rhyme and complex lyrics helped the form evolve, Rakim remains your favorite emcee’s favorite emcee nearly forty years after his debut. With his partner DJ Eric B, Rakim’s record releases in the 1980s and 90s established him as a world-class storyteller whose calculated flow and extended use of metaphor set the bar for future generations. As part of Lincoln Center’s series of shows honoring Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, The God MC headlines the big stage at Damrosch Park for a concert of classic cuts, supported by a select roster of special guests, including Rapsody. The Jamla/Roc Nation artist has spent the better part of the present decade lapping peers and counterparts while mesmerizing fans who still prefer their rhymes detailed and nutritious. One-of-a-kind Bed-Stuy native Mr. Life Of Your Party fka DJ FLY TY gets the party started as opening act, and extends the night leading a Silent Disco at 10pm. Don’t miss this once-in-a-generation celebration of an eternal exemplar of New York’s Hip-Hop excellence!
This performance integrates ASL-interpretation.
Saturday, August 12 at 10:00 pm– The Dance Floor at Josie Robertson Plaza
Our celebration of Hip-Hop Week culminates in a Silent Disco led by Mr. Life Of Your Party fka DJ FLY TY! Brooklyn’s own, born and raised, from Bedford Stuyvesant, Mr. Life Of Your Party – the name speaks for itself! He’s played drums since age 12, performing since 18; he brings life to everyone’s party as soon as he steps into the room! From clubs to venues, churches to houses, blocks to businesses… and now straight to you at Lincoln Center!
The View Center For Arts and Culture in Old Forge has been attracting visitors to the Adirondacks since it was founded in 1951. This summer, the organization has once again put together a diverse and enticing set of summer performances.
The View Center’s free “Concerts in the Courtyard Series” is one of the various programs and events that attendees can enjoy during the summer months. Now in its fourth season, the series is focused on highlighting local and regional artists. Concerts are scheduled for every Wednesday from June 28 to August 3. The performances will run from 5 PM to 6:30 PM and will take place at the View Center courtyard.
As part of its mission, the View Center aims to continuously explore and exhibit the ever-changing nature of art. This year’s series bolsters a variety of different artists from a wide array of genres. Concert-goers will be able to enjoy folk, rock, pop, blues and jazz offerings.
In addition to the free concert series, there will also be a handful of paid performances by several talented musicians. Pianist Ben Cosgrove will perform at the first of these events scheduled for July 2.
Ben Cosgrove
Along with the plethora of live music events this summer, the View Center also exhibits and displays impactful visual art. The View Center acts as a community space, dedicated to being an inspiring artistic force in the area. The organization offers numerous classes and opportunities for those in the surrounding area in an attempt to excite the next generation of artists.
Beginning June 29, Playhouse Stage Company will present their 36th Anniversary musical production Something Rotten at Albany’s Park Playhouse, a Renaissance-set comedy about a down-on-his-luck writer trying to best William Shakespeare by writing the world’s first musical. The production plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8pm from June 29 through July 22. Playhouse Stage Company will hold an opening night Gala pre-show on June 29, where they will make a special announcement.
Playhouse Stage Company has been producing free summer musicals at Albany’s Park Playhouse in Washington Park since 1989, producing musicals year-round at Cohoes Music Hall since 2016, and took the reins as management of the historic Spindle City venue in 2020.
The Broadway premiere of Something Rotten took place in 2015, and it garnered a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Musical while enjoying a successful two-year run. The book is written by John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick, with a score and lyrics by Karey & Wayne Kirkpatrick.
The story follows the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, who struggle to find success in the theatrical world as they compete with the wild popularity of their pompous contemporary, “The Bard,” William Shakespeare. When Nick Bottom visits a Soothsayer to discover what the hottest thing in theatre will be in the future, he sets out to write a musical with disastrous results. The show sparks comparison to other bawdy, raucous Broadway comedies including Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Book of Mormon, and Mel Brooks’ The Producers. In an homage to its Renaissance setting, Time Out NY called the show “the funniest musical in at least 400 years.”
The show reunites frequent creative staff collaborators Michael LoPorto (Director), AshleySimone Kirchner (Choreography & Musical Staging), and Brian Axford (Musical Director). Together, the trio have helmed more than a dozen shows for Playhouse Stage. 22 local and regional performers make up the cast, and Axford will lead a twelve-piece band. 12 out of the 22 cast members are graduates of the Playhouse Stage youth theatre program.
The cast is led by Vincent DiPeri (Nick Bottom), who returns to the Playhouse for the first time in eight years after receiving critical acclaim for his performances in The Producers, Hairspray and others. Alongside DiPeri as Bottom’s nemesis William Shakespeare is Steve Raymond, who won strong reviews in the Playhouse’s productions of Spamalot, Spelling Bee and more. Since last appearing on the Playhouse stage, Raymond has developed a significant social media following for his comedy content, with more than three million followers across TikTok, Instagram and other platforms. Rounding out the cast are Playhouse veterans Molly Rose McGrath (Bea Bottom), Marc Christopher (Nostradomus), Daniel Jameson (Nigel Bottom), Brandon Jones (Brother Jeremiah), and Anna Sprau (Portia), in her PSC debut.
Amphitheater lawn seating at Park Playhouse is available for free on a first-come, first-served basis. Premium Reserved Seats are now on sale online, by phone and in person. For more information about the show and Playhouse Stage Company, visit their website here, or call the box office at 518-434-0776.
For media inquiries, to arrange press comps, or to receive production photos and video, please contact Owen Smith, Producing Artistic Director at owen@playhousestage.org or by phone at 518-434-2035, extension 100.
Victor Wooten and The Wooten Brothers have expanded their forthcoming tour into November, adding ten stops to an already jam-packed fall lineup. The group, which features lifelong collaborators and real-life brothers Victor, Joseph, Roy “Futureman,” and Regi Wooten, recently announced its highly anticipated reunion tour, making stops in NY cities including Troy, Buffalo, and Brooklyn.
Lauded by Rolling Stone as one of the “Top 10 Bassists of All Time,” Victor Wooten has captivated audiences for over four decades with his dynamic stage presence and unparalleled technical chops. Wooten’s eclectic repertoire includes collaborations with the likes of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones (of which he is a founding member), Chick Corea, Dave Matthews Band, India Arie, Keb’ Mo’, and more recently, Cory Wong. Widely regarded as one of the greatest living bassists today, Wooten continues to share his passion for music through numerous modalities. The multidisciplinary artist has authored two books and has mentored thousands of students at his own Center for Music and Nature since the year 2000.
Remarkably accomplished in their own right, each of the Wooten brothers bring a unique flavor to the live experience. Joseph Wooten, also known as the “Hands of Soul,” has been the keyboardist/vocalist for the Steve Miller Band since 1993. He is a renowned composer, arranger, author, and motivational speaker whose collaborations include work with Whitney Houston, George Clinton, and Kenny G.
Roy “Futureman” Wooten is also a founding member of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and a five-time GRAMMY award winner, famously known for his trademark inventions the “Drumitar” and the “RoyEI” keyboard. A philosopher, researcher, filmmaker, and educator, Roy’s impressive solo career, symphonic works, and “Black Mozart” projects span the genres of classical, jazz, soul, gospel, and spoken word.
Regi Wooten’s signature guitar style of chording, slapping, tapping, and virtuosic strumming has earned him worldwide notoriety and comparisons to Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and Chuck Berry. In recent years, Regi has performed with many artists including the legendary Ginger Baker. Known worldwide as “The Teacha,” Regi currently teaches music in Nashville, TN, and has taught many notable musicians.
Together The Wooten Brothers bring an uncanny level of experience, originality, and expertise to the stage. Playing together since childhood, the formidable group has shared stages with the likes of Curtis Mayfield, The Temptations, Ramsey Lewis, Stephanie Mills, War, and others. Fans can expect an infectious, colorful, and exuberant production that showcases The Wooten Brothers’ impenetrable creative chemistry. An amalgam of original songs and choice classics, each show offers a one-of-a-kind adventure that defies the bounds of jazz, funk, soul, R&B, rock, and bluegrass.
On the forthcoming tour, Victor shares, “Being in a band with my brothers is the best thing for me. It’s like a family reunion every time we get together to play. They are my teachers and I feel most at home with them.”This will be the brothers’ first tour together as a band since the untimely death of their saxophone-playing brother Rudy a few years ago. In the forthcoming year, The Wooten Brothers will release their first studio album in several decades.
The music we are working on at the moment is a collection of new and old. We have songs that were recorded decades ago that have never been heard by anyone. We also have newer music that was recorded over the last year. It will be a nice collection of old and new. With the older music, we want to introduce the world to Rudy, our saxophone-playing brother who passed away in 2010. Be prepared to have your mind blown.
The Wooten Brothers
The forthcoming Victor Wooten and The Wooten Brothers tour will kick off on Sept. 28 in Chattanooga, TN. For tour dates, tickets, and info, visit here.
Victor Wooten and The Wooten Brothers Tour Dates
09/28 – Chattanooga, TN – The Barrelhouse Ballroom^
09/29 – Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre^
09/30 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse^
10/01 – Asheville, NC – The Outpost^
10/03 – Troy, NY – Troy Savings Bank Music Hall^
10/04 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl^
10/05 – Silver Springs, MD – The Fillmore^
10/06 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live^
10/07 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel^
10/08 – Portland, ME – State Theatre^
10/10 – South Burlington, VT – Higher Ground^
10/11 – Boston, MA – Citizens House of Blues^
10/12 – Wilkes-Barre, PA – FM Kirby Center^
10/13 – Roanoke, VA – Jefferson Center
10/14 – Buffalo, NY – CMC International Jazz Festival
11/01 – Saint Louis, MO – Delmar Hall
11/02 – Nashville, TN – Riverside Revival
11/03 – Germantown, TN – GPAC
11/04 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue
11/06 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
11/07 – Cincinnati, OH – Hamilton Memorial Hall
11/08 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
11/09 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line
11/10 – Evanston, IL – SPACE
11/11 – Elgin, IL – ECC Arts Center
01/11 – Denver, CO – Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom
01/12 – Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room
01/13 – Hamilton, MT – Bitterroot Performing Arts Council
01/14 – Bozeman, MT – The Elm
01/16 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile
01/17 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall
01/18 – Eugene, OR – The John G. Shedd Institute For The Arts
01/19 – Chico, CA – The Big Room at Sierra Nevada Brewery
Afropunk Brooklyn will be returning this year for another fun-filled weekend festival of fresh talent and amazing music. The annual cultural staple will be switching up venues this summer as it will be debuting at Greenpoint Terminal Market on Aug. 26 and 27.
Afropunk was first introduced to the Brooklyn area in 2005 and has persisted as an annual arts celebration ever since. The event features diverse music, film, fashion, and art produced by alternative black artists and this year’s lineup will be highlighting two new headliners. R&B singer/songwriter Jazmine Sullivan will be making her Afropunk headliner debut, performing select music from her critically acclaimed 2021 EP Heaux Tales. Producer, Flying Lotus will also take the stage as headliner for the festival, bringing his live show to the city.
Festival goers can also look forward to an even wider range of styles and incredible performances when it comes to the rest of the Afropunk lineup. Brooklyn’s own Joey Bada$$ will make an appearance during the weekend along with acclaimed jazz singer Madison McFerrin, NY rap vets the Beatnuts and multitalented performers such as Sudan Archives and the Brooklyn-born Iniko. These artists are simply skimming the surface of what diverse acts are to be expected throughout the weekend.
As the organizers and founders claim, however, Afropunk is not just about the music. “It’s a community of people who reject societal norms and embrace their true selves, no matter what anyone else thinks. So leave the daily grind behind, let your true self shine, and party like there’s no tomorrow. This is a space where you can let your freak flag fly and be proud of who you are.”
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.
Salt-N-Pepa will make their third appearance at the NYS Fair on Opening Day, Aug. 23, celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip hop.
Cheryl James (also known as “Salt”) and Sandy Denton (also known as “Pepa”) first linked up in the mid-1980s when they were both Queensborough Community College students and Sears colleagues in Queens. Their coworker – and Salt’s boyfriend at the time – asked them to rap on a song he was producing. That song, “The Show Stopper,” became an underground hit and landed on the national R&B charts, leading to a record deal and the duo’s debut album, Hot, Cool & Vicious.
Since then, Salt-N-Pepa has received several Grammy awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021, as well as a Lifetime biopic. Some of their hits include “Push It,” “Shake Your Thang,” “Shoop” and “Whatta Man.” Through party anthems, big beats, and pro-feminist lyrics, the group broke down barriers for women in hip hop and were one of the first rap artists to experience success in the pop music realm and played a big role in solidifying the acceptance of rap and hip hop in the mainstream music world.
Joining in the celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, Salt-N-Pepa will pay homage to their classic hip-hop roots, while entertaining the audience all night long. Don’t miss the group perform at Chevy Court at the NYS Fair on Aug. 23 at 6 p.m. For more information about the Fair, visit here.
New York State Fair Lineup
Chevy Court
Aug. 23 at 1 p.m.- Chubby Checker
Aug. 23 at 6 p.m.- Salt-N-Pepa
Aug. 24 at 6 p.m.- Quiet Riot
Aug. 26 at 1 p.m.- Peppa Pig Live! Peppa Pig’s Adventure
Aug. 26 at 6 p.m.- Julio Iglesias Jr.
Aug. 27 at 1 p.m.- The Prodigals
Aug. 27 at 6 p.m.- Matt Stell
Aug. 28 at 1 p.m.- Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
Aug. 28 at 6 p.m.- Anne Wilson
Aug. 29 at 1 p.m.- Tommy James and the Shondells
Aug. 29 at 6 p.m.- Bret Michaels
Aug. 30 at 1 p.m.- Danielle Ponder
Aug. 30 at 6 p.m.- Chapel Hart
Sept. 1 at 6 p.m.- The Fray
Sept. 2 at 12-9:45 p.m.- JAMS Funk Fest Featuring: Brick (6:45 p.m.) & Dazz Band (8:15 p.m.)
Sun. Sept. 3 at 1 p.m.- Disney Junior Live On tour: Costume Palooza
Sept. 4 at 12 p.m.- The High Kings
Suburban Park
Aug. 23 at 2 p.m.- Steven Page
Aug. 23 at 8 p.m.- Lainey Wilson
Aug. 24 at 8 p.m.- Theory of a Deadman
Aug. 26 at 8 p.m.- George Thorogood and the Destroyers
(Le) Poisson Rouge will present a four-night residency with New York City-based powerhouse experimental music band City of the Sun, starting on June 28.
For over 10 years, City of the Sun has been flipping the perception of what instrumental music is, attracting a new generation to the genre. Formed in 2011 by guitarist John Pita and percussionist Zach Para, the band takes influence from genres like American folk, indie rock, blues, and flamenco, creating an otherworldly and cinematic experience.
City of the Sun has been established as a powerhouse group in the post-rock sphere. Their UNTITLED EP in 2018 featured the critically acclaimed track “Perfect Instance,” leading them to release their self-titled album, also to huge praise. Their newest album Segunda Alma sees the group expanding on their experimental roots, mixing in organic house elements and other arrangements.
Additional dates for the City of the Sun residency at (Le) Poisson Rouge) include July 11, August 9 and September 12. Tickets and information can be found here.
The Hudson Valley Jazz Festival will once again bring the sounds and soul of jazz music to Upstate New York. The celebration is now in its 14th season and has long acted as one of the premier showcases for local musicians. This year’s festival runs from August 9-13.
While there have been plenty of big names that have performed at the festival, the Hudson Valley Jazz Festival is truly dedicated to fostering and exhibiting musical talent around the region. Going along with the theme of community, the event will not take place at just one location like a traditional festival. Instead, the festival will unfold across various restaurants, clubs, galleries, community centers, and stages.
Among the towns where the festival will be held include Kingston, Warwick, Tarrytown, Montgomery, Stone Ridge, Greenwood Lake, and Woodstock. Another unique aspect of the Hudson Valley Jazz Festival is that each specific venue chooses the performers. Every participating town, business, and/or organization will have the ability to highlight the artist(s) of their preference. The result is a hyper-local experience that looks to demonstrate the diverse sounds and styles of jazz in Hudson Valley.
There will be over 20 performances as part of the festival, with many of them being free. It all gets started on Wednesday, August 9 at The Cove in Greenwood Lake. The performance features a local all-star lineup including well-known vibraphonist Bill Ware.
Check here for the complete details of the festival, performers and venues are subject to change.
Hudson Valley Jazz Festival Summer Lineup
Wed Aug 9
7 PM- Taru Alexander, Robert Kopec, Eric Person, Bill Ware- The Cove, 13 Castle Court, Greenwood Lake
7PM- Sean Crimmins Heart Strings Band- Front St. Tavern 63 North Front St. Kingston
Thurs. Aug 10
6:30 PM – Camille Thurman with the Darrell Green Quartet- On The Lawn,1405 Kings Hgwy Sugar Loaf Crossing, Sugar Loaf
7 PM- Bill Pernice Trio- Coquito, Forester Ave. Warwick
7 PM- Bill Evans Tribute- UpFront Gallery, 31 Jersey Ave, Port Jervis
7PM- Depetris/Laks Duo- Front St Tavern, Kingston
Friday Aug 11
6:30 PM- Vanessa Racci Band Presented by Jazz Forum Art- Pierson Park, 238 West Main St, Tarrytown
7 PM- JUDI SILVANO + FRIENDS: Summertime Songs with Matt Finck, Teri Roiger, Gabriele Tranchina, & John Menegon- Astoria Hudson 84 Clinton Street, Montgomery ($20 Suggested Donation for Fundraiser for the Wallkill River Center for the Arts in Montgomery, NY)
6 PM- Soul Jazz Collective with Steve Raleigh- Front St Tavern, Kingston
7 PM- Jerry Vivino & Friends, with Adam Nussbaum, Sue Williams and Tomoko Ohno- Railroad Green, Railroad Ave, Warwick.
Saturday Aug 12
12 PM- Nancy Tierney Trio- Front St Tavern, Kingston
1 PM- Rave Tesar / Mike Jackson Group- Trails End Taphouse, Greenwood Lake Garden Market 1197 17A, Greenwood Lake
7 PM- David Amram- Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St Beacon
7 PM- Jeff Ciampa with Chris Pasin Quartet- Lydia’s 7 Old US 209 Stone Ridge
7 PM- Steve Slagle Group with Matt Garrity- BARNSTOCK, 86 Baumgarten Rd. Woodstock.
Sunday Aug 13
2 PM- Billy Stein, Joe Giardullo, Harvey Sorgen- Albert Wisner Library, 1 McFarland Dr, Warwick
3 PM- The Rick Savage Quartet with Joe Vincent Tranchina, Gandharva Earl Sauls and special guest artist Eliot Zigmund- The Last Whiskey Bar, 45 Woodlands Way, Warwick
6 PM- Bob Shaut and Sax Life- Frank Guido’s Little Italy, 4 Thomas St, Kingston7PM- The Analog Jazz Orchestra with special guest artist– The Falcon, 1348 Rt 9W Marlboro
