With summer right around the corner, locations all over New York are preparing to hold lively outdoor music entertainment for the public. Schenectady is no different as the city’s concert series “Jazz on Jay” is back for the summer of 2023 and is already well under way.
Jazz on Jay began on June 1st and performances are held every Thursday from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM on the cobblestone stretch of Schenectady’s beautiful Jay Street Arcade.
The concert series is completely free to the public and works to support the region’s talent as every performance will be carried out by working artists and educators. This year’s line up includes several special visits, including the swing of the well-established, fiddle and vocal-driven Teresa Broadwell Band; the Slam Stewart-inspired musings of the Tarik Shah Trio; the North Country Django Reinhardt fire of the 2022 Eddie Award-winning Hot Club of Saratoga; and the creative jazz of the Michael Bisio Quartet.
In addition to the soothing sounds of jazz, this year’s Jazz on Jay will introduce a new component in which local artists Heather Hutchison and Oscar Bogran will create artwork based on the music they hear being played during a specific performance. Hutchinson will be present for Mike Purcell & Company’s performance on June 22nd while Bogran will create his art on both August 10th and August 31st.
With a rule that performers cannot play “Jazz on Jay” consecutive years in a row, concert goers are in for a summer of fresh talent and smooth jazz.
The New York State Council of the Arts (NYSCA) has awarded Troy Savings Bank Music Hall a $3.4 million grant. The venue, which is located on 2nd Street in Downtown Troy, received the money to support renovations that aim to make the building more accessible and preserve its historical elements.
Most of the money from the grant will go towards the renovation of the first floor of the venue. The Troy Savings Bank was commissioned in 1875 with the first level originally designed to be used for banking and businesses, while the top level was composed of a music hall. The new renovations look to transform the first floor, which has been vacant since 2012, into a vibrant multi-purpose space. The goal is to create an affordable and accessible place for musical and cultural education.
“We have long hoped and planned to make improvements and offer more programming and a broader spectrum of experiences to our community. This grant sets us on the path toward accomplishing our dream”
Jon Elbaum, Executive Director of the Music Hall
The new “Music Hub” will feature a community space, classrooms, a community board room, a recording studio, and rehearsal rooms. The money from the grant is a small part of a massive funding plan constructed by the NYSCA. There are 19 projects across the state that will divide up the $90 million plan.
Initially, Governor Nelson Rockefeller created NYSCA back in 1960. The goal of the organization is to preserve and advance the arts and culture of New York. The Music Hall’s renovation is a piece of NYSCA’s “Large Capital Improvement Grants for Arts and Cultures” program. The project looks to support institutions and organizations that are “undertaking impactful, large-scale capital improvements”.
Artwork by Kelly Garrett
“Capital projects for the arts are an investment in our communities, our health, and our prosperity for decades to come. On behalf of the Council and staff, I congratulate Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on its vision and dedication to serving the residents and visitors of New York and we look forward to seeing all that will flourish from this initiative,” NYSCA Chair Katherine Nicholls said.
Once the updates finish, the building looks to serve as a year-round venue. The Musical Hall celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2025. Throughout the years it has established itself as a historical and cultural pillar in and around Albany.
Here you can find more information on the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.
Music Haven 2023 in Central Park in Schenectady announced its summer lineup, kicking off its 33 season of “traveling the world one concert at a time.”
Music Haven 2023 will take listeners 50,000 miles and back while presenting music and performing arts from Ghana, Andalusia, Ireland, Texas, Gambia, Louisiana, South Asia, Georgia, Stratford-upon-Avon, and beyond. “This summer, our musical journeys will cross seven distinct bodies of water—The Atlantic and Indian Oceans; the Alboran, Black, Mediterranean, and Arabian Seas; and the Bay of Bengal” says Eddie Award-winning Producing Artistic Director Mona Golub. “We’ll gather to hear spectacular global artists who have not played these parts before, welcome back some old friends who have dazzled the world since they last graced our stage, and showcase, as special guests, some of the finest talents our region has to offer.”
Each show features a variety of food and beverages available for purchase at all shows beginning at 6 p.m. on 7 p.m. concert nights and throughout festivals and special events. Michele’s Charcoal Pit and Ben & Jerry’s return with food and dessert available for purchase. Reflecting tradition, international offerings showcasing the locales from which the global artists come will be sold at the concession stand. Proctors is the official rain site for concerts on July 9 – July 23 and Aug. 20, with Niskayuna High School serving as the rain site July 30–Aug. 13. Shows scheduled on Aug. 11, 25, and 26, will take place in the park rain or shine. All concerts start at 7 p.m. unless noted otherwise.
Music Haven 2023 Lineup
July 9—Rocky Dawuni
**moved to Proctors.
Groove to the rhythms of Ghanaian multi-Grammy-nominated “Afro Roots,” a mixture of Reggae, Afrobeat, Highlife, and Soul music, artist Rocky Dawuni. An international star and champion of social causes, Dawuni straddles Africa, the Caribbean Islands, and the United States, and is a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the Environment for Africa. Opening for him is Zorkie Nelson and Umoja Drummers, thumping out beats on authentic handmade instruments.
July 13—La Banda Morisca
La Banda Morisca, an Andalusian sextet, pays homage to their ancient Al-Andalus cultural heritage while rocking it forward with rich sonic accents from North Africa’s Maghreb Desert and the Middle East. Opening for them is Maria Zemantauski, a master of the Flamenco guitar.
July 16—Joey Alexander
Returning for the first time since 2015, Joey Alexander has appeared at some of the world’s most prestigious festivals and events, wowing audiences with his proficient mastery of the piano. Opening is Joe Barna and Sketches of Influence who similarly appraise jazz with one eye on the past and the other on the future.
Joey Alexander.
July 22 from 11:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.—NipperFest Music & Arts Festival
Celebrating all things 518, the festival features 16 bands on two stages, including Billboard AAA Top 40 artists Jocelyn and Chris, an artist pavilion, food trucks, and craft beer.
July 23—Sona Jobarteh
Gambian singer, educator, and activist Sona Jobarteh is the first professional female Kora virtuoso to hail from any of the great West African Griot dynasties. She will mesmerize listeners with her distinctively modern riff on an ancient African groove. Opening for her is Heard.
Sona Jobarteh.
July 30 from 5-9 p.m.—Blues BBQ featuring Vanessa Collier, Johnny Sansone, and Jontavious Willis
July concludes with Music Haven’s annual Blues BBQ featuring Blues Music Award’s reigning Contemporary Female Blues Artist, Vanessa Collier, New Orleans multi-instrumentalist Johnny Sansone and Taj Mahal protégé Jontavious Willis.
Aug. 5—Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra
August kicks off with the newly renamed Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra. Under the baton of Artistic Director Glen Cortese, the SSSO returns with “Legends of Broadway,” selections from beloved musicals including West Side Story, Les Miserables, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, and more.
Aug. 6—Eileen Ivers
The original star of “Riverdance,” a founding member of Cherish the Ladies, and a nine-time All-Ireland Fiddle Champion, Eileen Ivers has played with Sting, The Chieftains, and Symphony Orchestras alike and has been called “The Future of the Celtic fiddle.” Opening for her are The McKrells, blending Celtic and bluegrass to create a sound enjoyed around the world.
Aug. 11 from 5-9 p.m.—In the Heights
Lin-Manuel Miranda, known for creating the hit musical Hamilton is celebrated with a Latin Block Party featuring live music by Taina Asili and Latin food, followed by a screening of the Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights.
Aug. 13—Aditya Prakash Ensemble
The Aditya Prakash Ensemble fuses South Asian Karnatik vocals with jazz and funk. One of the youngest musicians to ever perform with sitar legend Ravi Shankar, Prakash is a master of South Indian Karnatik singing. Opening is the SUNY Schenectady Jazz Faculty Combo, comprised of the region’s most talented players and educators.
Aug. 20—Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole
Cedric Watson is a four-time Grammy-nominated fiddler, singer, accordionist, and songwriter, and one of the brightest young talents to emerge in Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco over the last decade. Opening are Old-Fashioned Aces who will wow audiences with their deeply-rooted traditional Cajun sounds.
Aug. 25–26—Will Kempe’s Players
The Capital Region’s own traveling Shakespearean troupe Will Kempe’s Players, closes the 2023 season with back-to-back repertory performances of the Bard’s The Taming of the Shrew and Two Gentlemen of Verona. Period music by Andy Rutherford on lute and Yvonne Hansbrough on flute.
For more information about Music Haven 2023, visit here.
2023 marks EMPAC’s (Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)15th year of commissions, artist residencies, and public programs at the Center for Arts and Technology. The renowned institute commissions resident artists to create ambitious works, bridging artistic disciplines and the realms of art and technology. From September to December, the curatorial team and resident artists present a diverse program including exhibitions, concerts, dance, film, and talks.
This year, EMPAC’s pioneering 220,000 sq. ft. building, offering artists access to state-of-the-art technology, marks its 15th anniversary. Pre-dating the 2008 opening, this year marks fifteen years of uniting artists, researchers, and audiences to push boundaries at EMPAC. Additionally, for the first time in over a decade, EMPAC turns its concert hall, stages, and studios into a series of exhibition spaces for Shifting Center (October 2023). Finally, EMPAC announces the appointment of Katherine C.M. Adams as Assistant Curator.
Exhibitions
Salon Mondialité(September 22) is Miho Hatori’s artistic exploration of memory, identity, and colonization, influenced by philosopher Edouard Glissant’s ideas. Presented as an experimental talk-show, the work blends sound stories, composed and improvised music, and guest performances within a video installation.
Hatori, a Japanese-born vocalist and electronic musician based in NYC, gained fame in the 1990s with Cibo Matto. Most recently, she released her album Between Isekai and Slice of Life. She recorded music as New Optimism and Miss Information, and collaborated on the first Gorillaz album and Beastie Boys’ songs. She has performed at Kitchen NYC, AGO museum, The Broad, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Cleveland Museum of Art, Pioneer Works, Canal 47, and other venues.
Evidence of Labor: State of the Kitchen (September 29) is an EMPAC-commissioned dance work by artists Michelle Ellsworthand Satchel Spencerthat considers different forms of labor. The work features three dancers interacting with wooden kitchens and a choreographic Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) on stage. It aims to replicate ChatGPT’s labor, delving into the ethics of outsourcing writing and meaning-making. It serves as a Reverse Turing Test, an After-AI (AA) prototype, and a metaphorical birth canal. Inspired by a water slide accident in the 80s involving two boys, the work focuses on what T.S. Elliot described as “birth and copulation and death.” It goes on to premiere at the Chocolate Factory in Long Island City in November.
Plasmatic Music (October 6) is a concert in two parts, with pieces by the late iconoclastic Romanian-French composer Horațiu Rădulescu. Rădulescu, a “spectral music” pioneer, creates unexpected, provocative, and visceral experiences through the exploration of sound’s volatility and mysticism. The program features performer/composers Sam Dunscombe (clarinet and electronics), James Rushford(organ), and Rebecca Lane(flute).
This concert is presented in collaboration with Blank Forms, a NYC-based organization. Blank Forms supports emerging and significant artists across disciplines, rooted in traditions of experimental and creative music. While Rădulescu’s music is rarely performed in the U.S., the composer enjoys a dedicated following within the experimental music scene.
Elemental View (October 24) is a work in six movements by composer Ellen Fullman for her Long String Instrument and The Living Earth Show.The instrument installation, consisting of 136 precisely tuned and configured strings, maximizes EMPAC’s Concert Hall acoustics. It envelops the space in a shimmering atmosphere, immersing the audience in its expansive and resonant sound. This performance continues The Living Earth Show’s multi-season residency at EMPAC.
TLES, an electroacoustic duo, stretches technical and artistic boundaries while amplifying excluded voices, perspectives, and bodies in classical music. The organization employs experimental and contemporary chamber music as tools to highlight BIPOC and LGBTQ+ artists. It enables the realization of their ambitious musical visions and promotes work that reflects and responds to our world.
The Shifting Center exhibition, spanning offsite (October 28-29) and onsite (November 3-18), represents the culmination of EMPAC’s multi-year curatorial project. Focused on architecture, acoustics, and the politics of sound, it opens to the public in Fall.
The exhibition commences with artist Beatriz Cortez’s monumental sculpture, Ilopango, the Volcano that Left (October 28-29). The sculpture embarks on a captivating journey up the Hudson River to EMPAC, accompanied by late October foliage, aboard an open-air boat. The volcano sculpture sets sail at the end of Cortez’s exhibition at Storm King Art Center and makes stops along the Hudson in Kingston and Troy. Visitors are able to get on board to view the artwork, to arrive at EMPAC before Shifting Center’sopening day event (November 3).
Cortez’s sculpture, presented in partnership with Storm King and the Vera List Center for Art and Politics at The New School, captures our focus. It prompts contemplation of the enduring geological and ecological consequences of a previous eruption. Cortez describes “the volcano that left” as an act of migration and considers what it would mean for it to return.
EMPAC’s fall 2023 season also includes public tours, screenings, and conversations with future artists in residence. This includes composers/performers Jesse Marino and Antonia McIntosh-Barnett;choreographer Alexis Blake; and artist and preeminent scholar on disability studies Petra Kuppers.The season closes with a film screening In Pursuit: Short Films curated by EMPAC’s newly appointed assistant curator Katherine Adams. The series of short films centers on forms of furtive mobility–chase, exilic evasion, urgent travel, and outlawed movement–such as Miko Revereza’s Distancing.
Katherine C.M. Adams
EMPAC announces that Katherine C.M. Adams has been appointed to the role of Assistant Curator. Adams is a curator and writer working with artists across moving image, performance, and the visual arts to realize projects spanning commissions, exhibitions, and event-based programs. Before EMPAC, she curated and wrote independently while studying at Bard College’s Center for Curatorial Studies and earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Yale University. She has curated programs and events at the KW Institute for Contemporary Art (Berlin), Hessel Museum of Art (New York), Miriam Gallery (New York), and other venues.
At EMPAC, Katherine Adams will lead and support curatorial projects across the time-based arts. She is supporting the curatorial team of Shifting Center. Upcoming projects include a Spring 2024 collaboration with filmmaker Shen Xin, a screening of Miko Revereza’s work, and a conversation with choreographer Alexis Blake. Adams will also initiate talks, screenings, podcasts, and publications, and build out other aspects of EMPAC’s programming.
Ticketing and event info will be available at empac.rpi.edu in August. More details and event info for the Shifting Center exhibition to be released in summer 2023. Additionally, learn more about Katherine Adams and her appointment here.
Dogs In A Pile, a rising funk, jazz, rock, and psychedelia fusion quintet, has announced their Fall 2023 tour dates, bringing their total sound to three music festivals in NY this summer and fall.
Hailing from Ashbury Park, NJ, the band began when guitarist Jimmy Law, a student of the Philadelphia University of the Arts, and drummer Joe Babick, a student of the Count Basie Theater program, began to play together.
They were joined by Berklee School of Music student and bass player Sam Lucid, who recommended Berklee student and keyboard player Jeremy Kaplan. The final addition to Dogs In A Pile came in 2019 with Berklee student and guitarist Brian Murray.
Their latest work is their studio album “Bloom,” featuring nine tracks by the band. It can be found on Spotify alongside the band’s other works.
The band has credited a string of local shows with their quick rise in popularity, leading to their tours in the summer and fall. Keeping with the theme, Dogs In A Pile calls their fanbase the Dog Pound.
Concert Dates
June 7 – Madame Lous – Seattle, WA
June 8 – Jack London – Portland, OR
June 9 – Domino Room – Bend, OR
June 10 – Hogfarm Hideaway – Laytonville, CA
June 15 – Weiser River Fest – Weiser, ID
June 17 – Northlands Festival – Swanzey, NH
June 23 – Beardfest – Hammonton, NJ
June 24 – Back Home Festival – New Martinsville, WV
Pre-sale will begin June 7, and tickets will go on sale June 9 for their Fall tour dates. More information on both the band and tickets can be found on their website.
Pink Talking Fish is hitting the ground running this summer as they celebrate their 10 year anniversary with over twenty shows, three of which will be performed on various stages across New York State.
The Hybrid Tribute Fusion Act spent the first half of 2023 honoring multiple album and concert anniversary’s for the three bands they admire most: Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, and Phish. They celebrated Pink Floyd’s staple album “Dark Side Of The Moon” in light of its 50th anniversary by playing it through each night they performed. In addition to that specific album, they included Talking Heads’ “Stop Making Sense” in homage of the 40 years that have passed since the Talking Heads’ concert film that took fans by storm in 1984.
Throughout this summer and into the fall, however, the band will be commemorating their own success and longevity through concerts, festivals, and other events. To kick off the summer of celebration and music, Pink Talking Fish will play a Dead & Company afterparty in Saratoga Springs where they will sprinkle in songs by Grateful Dead throughout their own setlist. Other highlights include a Southeast run, a Halloween Weekend “Island Tour” in Rhode Island/Long Island, and a stacked festival season that includes performances in New Jersey, West Virginia, Ohio, Vermont, Kentucky, and Indiana.
The band doesn’t plan to stop there as they will be spending the 4th of July weekend giving their fans another high-energy, holiday weekend of music in New England. On July 1st, Pink Talking Fish will return to Portsmouth, NH on the outdoor stage of Cisco Brewers then continue forward by bringing the act back to Cape Cod for a two-night run at The Wellfleet Beachcomber.
To fully celebrate the completion of a 10 year run, the band will perform a special anniversary show in their hometown of Boston, Massachusetts at The Paradise. These are only a few of the events that Pink Talking Fish is looking forward to as they commemorate a decade of creating dream setlists and performing the music of three diverse and, to many, iconic bands in a new and fresh way.
Also announced is the Saturday, October 14th event “Pink Talking Fish Presents: The Must be the Cirque,” at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.
This Must Be The Cirque, the follow-up to 2018’s critically-acclaimed Junta Circustransforms The Cap into a magical circus voyage set to the soundtrack of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish. PTF is teaming up with cirque troupe Modern Gypsies who has worked with Phish, String Cheese Incident and more to enhance the live music experience. Tickets available here
Pink Talking Fish Anniversary Tour
June 17 – Saratoga Springs NY at Putnam Place – Dead & Company AfterParty
June 23 – Hammonton NJ at Beardfest
June 24 – New Martinsville WV at Back Home Festival
June 25 – Morrisville NJ at The Homestead
July 1 – Portsmouth NH at Cisco Brewers
July 2 – Wellfleet MA at The Beachcomber
July 3 – Wellfleet MA at The Beachcomber
July 7 – Manchester VT at Dead Of Summer Music Festival
July 14 – Cabot VT at Jerry Jam
July 21 – Garrettsville OH at Gratefulfest
August 12 – Crown Point IN at Rockopelli Music Fest
August 25 – Longmont CO at Wibby Brewing
September 8 – Syracuse NY at The Westcott Theater
September 9 – Bedminster NJ at Fiddlefest
September 16 – Morrisville VT at Keep On Growing Festival
September 22 – Plymouth NH at The Flying Monkey
September 23 – Boston MA at Paradise Rock Club – 10 Year Anniversary Celebration
October 4 – Washington DC at Pearl Street Warehouse
October 5 – Waynesboro VA at Basic City
October 6 – Raleigh NC at Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard
October 7 – Charleston SC at The Pour House
October 8 – Asheville NC at Salvage Station
October 14 – This Must Be the Cirque, Port Chester, NY at The Capitol Theatre
October 27 – East Greenwich RI at The Greenwich Odeum
October 28 – Port Washington NY at Landmark On Main
Twiddle and Frends returned to the Charles R. Woods Park in Lake George for the 2023 edition of Memorial Meltdown for the unofficial start to summer and kickoff of a huge music festival and summer concert series season across New York State.
photo by Derek Java
Also on this year’s lineup were Twiddle, Dogs in a Pile, TAUK, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Mihali and Frends, One Time Weekend, and Annie in The Water. The two-day event as always included a wide variety of craft and food vendors, a short walk from the shores of Lake George.
Memorial Meltdown bookends the summer at Charles R. Wood festival commons, with the Labor Day weekend Adirondack Independence Music Festival. The two fests have grown to nearly the same size, following Meltdown, meaning this September’s ADK Fest will have even more in store that is not to be missed!
photo by Derek Java
Visit Mirth Films for a full recap, videos, interviews and much more from the Memorial Day weekend in Lake George.
Check out photo galleries from Conor McMahon and Derek Java below.
Remember the days before Spotify and Apple Music? The feeling of huddling besides a radio as you waited for your favorite song to maybe come buzzing across those tinny speakers? Even if you don’t, you can find a bit of that old-time magic by listening to the Lost Radio Rounders, an acoustic-Americana trio giving a bit of polish and shine to historic tunes.
From left to right, Michael Eck, Tom Lindsay and Paul Jossman – The Lost Radio Rounders
The Lost Radio Rounders are composed of Michael Eck, Tom Lindsay and most recently Paul Jossman, who joined the band in 2021. Together, they play a range of instruments from banjo, to mandolin and even a dobro (a type of resonator guitar).
But it’s their collective voices that are the star attraction, more specifically the songs they sing and the stories they tell.
The Lost Radio Rounders have carved out a niche with shows that are presented as “themed programs,” each of which covers different aspects of America’s rich and varied musical history.
“We wanted to do something a little different, which was present these collections of songs, themed programs that sort of told a story,” band member Tom Lindsay said.
One such program titled, “Cowboy Songs and Frontier Ballads” finds the band pulling western ballads and folk music from the ranch and tv shows depicting the lone rancher life. “Song of Our Empire State” pulls listeners from the Big Apple to the relaxed rolling hills of upstate.
Politics and Patriots is another unique program featuring American presidential campaign songs.
“White House Blues” as performed by the Lost Radio Rounders.
“We look back to the early 1800s and there’s no PA system, there’s no TV, there’s no radio when the politicians were trying to get their message out,” Lindsay explained. “They would create these little pamphlets called songsters and they’d have sent some lyrics in them about how great their candidate is and how terrible the other guy is.”
None of the songs or programs feature original tunes; rather they’ve been passed down through the generations. Lindsay has also served as a teacher of New York State cultural and music history among other things. He has devoted much of his free time to cataloging old songs typically passed through word of mouth or through books.
“What we’re trying to do is keep the songs alive to keep the viewpoints of those people who created them alive,” Lindsay said.
But he also isn’t opposed to making a few stylistic tweaks of his own.
“With 20 verses of a song, we’re going to look at that song, we’re going to say which six of these verses tell the story in the best and linear way,” he said. “We are not going to be “Mr. Authentic” and bore audiences in 2023.”
The Lost Radio Rounders performing live.
The band still keeps some “old-timey” traditions though. When they play live, all three members huddle round a single condenser microphone to give a vintage sound.
But covering American folk tunes isn’t where Eck or Lindsay saw themselves nearly half a century ago. The two met on the local gig circuit and collaborated on a punk rock album in the 80s.
Now their audience is a bit different. The Lost Radio Rounders mostly play private shows, a lot of which are at senior centers and libraries.
“I think that if you talked to Michael and I, when we were 18 and told us we’d be doing this when we’re older, we’d be horrified,” Lindsay admitted. “But it’s wonderful, because you go in, and you play for these people … and the focus is on you.”
The Lost Radio Rounder’s first album, released in 2009.
Put simply, the raucous energy of a crowded bar isn’t conducive to their play style, Lindsay said, which relies on giving a detailed history of the song’s origins.
“We will not get the attention in a bar and nightclub situation most of the time, to give context to material … and we just feel that that’s our strongest point,” Lindsay added.
A private audience on the other hand is more open to the holistic experience the Lost Radio Rounders offer.
“They want to hear more than just the songs,” Lindsay said. “In other words, it’s our philosophy, a good song is nice, but a good song with a good story behind it is even better.”
The band took a brief hiatus when member Michael Eck suffered a stroke in 2021. This prompted the addition of Paul Jossman on banjo, who like Eck is an inductee to the Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Hall of Fame.
Jossman’s addition added new life to the band’s sound, Lindsay said.
“It really injected new life and took us to some places we hadn’t been before and maybe made us look at how we arranged older songs and arrangements,” Lindsay explained. “Quite frankly, after Michael had the stroke, Paul Jossman saved us. He’s the guy who pretty much saved this duo and made it a trio.”
“The Bluestone Quarries” as performed by the Lost Radio Rounders
Eck still holds his own however. Although he needs to sit down at times during live performances, his playing is just as strong as it once was.
“Michael is one of those human beings who have to play music, you know, it’s like, it’s like oxygen for him,” Lindsay added.
But if you are interested in hearing Lost Radio Rounders live, they have a few public shows on the agenda. The band will be playing at the Bennington Museum in Vermont on June 9th at 5pm. On August 27th, they will play at The Linda WAMC Performing Arts Studio in Albany at 8pm. And just announced, they’ll be back at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on October 10.
The band also has four studio albums, the most recent of which was released in 2016.
Upcoming Lost Radio Rounders shows Friday, December 22 @ 8:00 – Caffe Lena
Rounders co-founder Michael Eck can’t wait for the bands December 22 Caffe Lena presentation of the Holiday Sampler, a program he says is “A wonderful mix of songs about the winter season, sacred and secular Christmas carols, familiar tunes and hidden gems.” Banjo man Paul Jossman added that “Tom has created a musical setting Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” that people will really enjoy, and all in all, it will be a great way to close out the musical year!”
Celebrating 30 years as a band, the original quartet of Schleigho will hit the road for select shows in New York and Pennsylvania in June and August.
Schleigho (pronounced shlay-ho) is a NYC four-piece that came together while attending Boston’s Berklee School of Music in the early 1990s. Drummer Erik Egol, flutist/guitarist Suke Cerulo, jazz pianist Jesse Gibbon, and bassist Drew McCabe became entranced with jazz early on and molded a sound similar to the likes of Bela Fleck and Medeski, Martin, & Wood.
Traveling the Northeast college circuit in the 90s led to them being regulars at the Knitting Factory in NYC and played with jazz aficionados Fleck, Maceo Parker, and Galactic. Schleigho will take you on a musical journey through edgy improv, hypnotic vibey grooves, and intricately composed and heady, progressive originals spanning three decades.
It’s a great feeling to enter a fresh creative cycle as we enter a fourth decade of playing together. We have so much new material and so many new ideas as a result of individual growth as musicians and humans that we can’t work on it all at once. It’s a blessing and we’re really excited about sharing our new Schleigho songs and sounds.
It’s also great to play songs we wrote in a basement in 1993 which makes the whole current Schleigho experience feel like past, present and future all at once. It’s surreal at times and pretty damn cool. We are grateful for our fans and families for the love and support for all these years and we are grateful and excited to share some special nights with you
– Drew McCabe
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see one of the best of the early 90’s jam band scene as they debut new material and reflect on three decades of making music together.
Schleigho 30th Anniversary Tour Dates
Friday, June 9 – Parish Public House, Albany, NY Saturday, June 10 – Upstate Boogie Fest, Hemlock, NY Friday, August 4 – TBA, Buffalo, NY Saturday, August 5 – Erie’s Blues and Jazz Fest, Erie, PA
The Mansion of Saratoga is returning with its “supper club” format of dinner and a show for six Thursdays this summer. Performances range from Joe Posa’s Joan Rivers impersonation comedy show to “Aladdin” Broadway star Adam Jacobs singing songs from various Broadway hits.
Credit: Sawicki Studios
The Mansion of Saratoga was originally built in 1866 by George West. West made his wealth as the inventor of the folded paper bag, and would eventually go on to serve in both the New York State Legislature and the United States Congress’s House of Representatives. The Mansion acted as his primary residence for over a decade before it became his summer home in 1875.
For the Mansion of Saratoga’s “supper club” format, Executive Chef Rick Bieber will be creating a 3-course meal, with seating beginning at 6:00 p.m. on the tented deck of the mansion. Three entrée choices will be offered.
At 7:30 p.m., guests will continue to the Mansion Carriage House Theatre for the 8:00 p.m. performances. Prior to dinner, during dinner, and in the rear of the carriage house, there will be a full cash bar available.
Performances for Summer 2023
“The B**ch is Back for Her 90th Birthday!” – June 8
As a tribute to Joan Rivers for what would have been her 90th birthday, award winning actor and celebrity impersonator Joe Posa will be performing a 90-minute comedy concert. Posa was River’s favorite impersonator, and the pair kept in touch after first meeting in 2006. The event is 18+.
The event, “Still Within the Sound of My Voice,” features Broadway veteran Elizabeth Ward Land. She has been regarded as a perfect vocal match for the Songs of Linda Ronstadt. The performance includes rock, folk, light opera, and mariachi.
Returning from their performance at the Mansion of Saratoga from last year, Morgan James will be performing fresh off of the release of her new album, “Memphis Magnetic,” alongside her husband, Doug Wamble, a renowned Memphis blues guitar player. The album features new arrangements of Memphis classics by Al Green, Otis Redding, Ann Peebles, Sam & Dave and Elvis.
A family-friendly event with Broadway star Adam Jacobs. Jacobs starred in both the original “Aladdin” on Broadway and as Simba in the “Line King” on Broadway. He will be singing hits from “Aladdin,” “Hercules,” “Newsies,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” and more.
Travers Saturday Wine Pairing Dinner – Aug. 26
A “bonus” event, taking place on a Saturday instead of the normal Thursday dates. The dinner will feature Edmund Bagnell, a violinist and Broadway singer.
Beyond the main events, there are more events between these performances at the Mansion of Saratoga. Starting June 4, brunch will be served on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.. On Wednesday night, beginning May 17, is “Dog Nights Out” from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., offering dog-friendly dining.
Excluding the concert nights and starting in July, Thursdays will have “Thursdays are a Drag,” a trivia night with a drag queen. Starting in June on Friday nights will be a nightclub in the Mansion Carriage House called “Before Midnight.” This is exclusive to those over 30.
For more information, menus, and tickets, visit the Mansion of Saratoga‘s website.
