The Blues Project, a band first formed in the mid 60s, will be performing in Saratoga Springs on Oct 8 at Caffe Lena. With the eclectic experiences of each band member, all with different backgrounds and history, it’s sure to be an experience audience members won’t forget.
The Blues Project was formed in the mid-’60s in Greenwich Village by guitarists Danny Kalb and Steve Katz, flutist/bassist Andy Kulberg, drummer Roy Blumenfeld, and singer Tommy Flanders. Al Kooper joined later in his early twenties after sitting in on the band’s Columbia Records audition (though they ended up signing to Verve).
The eclectic résumés of the musicians– folk, jazz, blues, and rock backgrounds– reflected their choice of material. While they did sing covers, they also sang the group’s own originals. These original songs were typically penned by Kooper, who had already built songwriting credentials as the co-writer of Gary Lewis’ huge smash hit “The Diamond Ring,” as well as his contributions to Bob Dylan‘s mid-’60s records.
After the release of their debut live album, they recorded their second album Projections in the fall of 1966. Projections is a good reflection of their eclectic group, as the album combines blues, R&B, jazz, psychedelia, and folk-rock.
…we’re not reviving the blues, we’re looking to interpret what’s happening today.
Danny Kalb (guitarist), 1966
Soon after Projections‘ release, Kooper and Katz left the band, and in 1968 they joined forces to form their own: Blood, Sweat & Tears. Kooper led the band on its first album Child Is Father to the Man, but he did not take part in any releases after that. Later, Kooper– then a producer for Columbia Records– recorded with Blumenfield, Stephen Stills, and Harvey Brooks for the album entitled Super Session. Katz remained with Blood, Sweat & Tears until the 1970s, and went on to produce Lou Reed’s best-selling and still-influential live LP Rock ‘n’ Roll Animal.
The Blues Project reformed briefly in the early ’70s with a modified lineup, releasing three further albums: Lazarus, Blues Project, The Original Blues Project Reunion in Central Park. Once they were again disbanded, Blumenfeld formed Seatrain and in the 2000s performed with former Country Joe & the FIsh member, Barry Melton.
The original Blues Project disbanded one final time in the 90s, but realizing they still had a passionate fan base who cared about the band and its music, Katz and Blumenfeld decided to give it another go in 2021.
Fast forward to 2023, and The Blues Project is alive and well, with Blumenfeld leading a powerful new lineup including three new talented members: Chris Morrison (lead guitar), Scott Petito (bass), and Ken Clark (keyboards/vocals).
Catch them at Caffè Lena on October 8, from 7-9PM. Doors open promptly at 6:30pm.
For more information on The Blues Project, visit their website and follow their FaceBook.
Broadway Musicians Equity Partnership (BMEP) announced the launch of its pilot program. BMEP’s innovative program aims to provide access and learning opportunities for musicians who have historically been underrepresented on Broadway to learn about being in the musical theater industry.
BMEP’s program kicked off September 13 at the inaugural meet & greet of Local 802’s DECIBAL (Diversity, Equity, Community, Inclusion, Belonging, Access, Leadership) Collective, Local 802’s diversity collective that counts BMEP as one of its members.
We set out to create a program that would respectfully and responsibly open doors to the Broadway scene for multiple communities that have been historically underrepresented and excluded, including people of color, people with disabilities, and transgender or nonbinary individuals.
Anja Wood, co-chair of the BMEP committee
The inaugural cohort of BMEP includes 19 visiting partner musicians matched with current Broadway chair holders.
BMEP is funded via a grant from the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment says they are proud to support this innovative program and is committed to supporting NYC’s workers.
BMEP was developed in August 2021 by a group of Broadway musicians, music directors, and former Local 802 Executive members, with the specific goal of fostering collaboration, growth, inclusion, and equity within the Broadway community.
Every musician in a Broadway orchestra pit got their start thanks to someone who gave them a change and gave them a hand to work their way up. This program aims to provide that same opportunity to talented musicians who might not otherwise have a chance.
Alvin Hough Jr., co-chair of BMEP committee
The BMEP is a program that’s stretched over three months of one-on-one partnerships, offering:
Shadowing and Pit Visits: visiting partners get the chance to learn by shadowing their chairholder partner in the Broadway orchestra pit.
Facilitated Workshops: visiting partners get access to in-person workshops with various guest speakers ranging from Broadway music directors to chairholders. These workshops provide a greater context to the complex working environment on Broadway and also offer critical networking opportunities.
Final Project: a hands-on playing experience between Broadway chair holders and visiting musicians to demonstrate their playing skills after learning a Broadway book.
The program is open to all professional musicians in the New York City area from groups which have been historically underrepresented in musical theater. For more information about BMEP, visit their website.
Binghamton University’s Anderson Center for the Performing Arts announced a performance by Washington, DC’s Step Afrika!, as part of its upcoming 2023-24 Center Series. Step Afrika! is a professional dance company dedicated to the tradition of stepping, scheduled to perform at the Anderson Center on September 30 at 7:30 p.m.
Ranked as one of the top ten African-American dance companies in the country, Step Afrika! combines percussive dance styles historically practiced by African American fraternities and sororities, traditional Western and South African dances, as well as an array of contemporary dance and art forms. Together, they create a cohesive, compelling artistic experience for audiences. Step Afrika!’s performances blend songs, storytelling, humor, and audience participation to create a unique act.
Step Afrika! promotes stepping as an educational tool for young people, with a focus on teamwork, academic achievement, and cross-cultural understanding. The company reaches tens of thousands of Americans each year through tours and its unique position as Washington, DC’s only Cultural Ambassador. Their accolades include the Mayor’s Arts Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education (2005), among others, as well as performances for former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
The company is featured at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American History & Culture with the world’s first interactive stepping exhibit. In 2017, Step Afrika! made its Off-Broadwaydebut with the critically acclaimed production, The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence.
Tickets for the general public range from $25-60, with a 10% discount on premium seats for seniors, veterans, and Binghamton University faculty/staff and alumni. Student and child tickets cost just $10 for any seat in the house.
Tickets are on sale now through the Anderson Center Box Office, online at Anderson.binghamton.edu, or by calling 607-777-ARTS.
John Legend, the 12-time Grammy award-winning artist performed at Tanglewood at the Koussevitzky Music Shed in Lenox, MA on Sunday, Sept. 3. This was a highly anticipated and long-awaited performance for local fans as well as those who traveled to the Berkshires during Labor Day weekend.
Fans arrived right on time to find their seats in the covered area of the Shed, while the lawn was filling up fast, finding their perfect spots to enjoy the evening. Everyone was bustling about with preconcert energy. Families gathering, friends visiting, and people exploring the beautiful grounds of Tanglewood.
The show began at 7 pm. Taking the stage, John appeared in a light-colored suit smiling as he made his way to the piano ready to share his story and music.
He started his story from the beginning. Formally introducing himself with his birth name, where he was from, his childhood, and through the years. He played well-known songs such as “All of Me,” “Stay with You,” “Wonder Woman,” and many others during the evening. His stories give an inspiring insight into his life and music.
“An Evening with John Legend” is exactly what this concert experience is – a wonderful evening indeed.
Grammy Award-Winning Rock Band, Blues Traveler has announced their upcoming Fall 2023 Tour and plans on stopping at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on October 26.
Blues Traveler is an American rock band that originally formed in 1987 in Princeton, New Jersey. Best known for blues alternative rock music they have become an influence to the reemerging jam band scene since the 1990’s. Members include singer John Popper, guitarist Chan Kinchla, bassist Bobby Sheehan, drummer Brendan Hill and keyboardist Ben Wilson. The band experienced commercial success in the modern rock community after releasing the top hit “Run-Around” and hit the Billboard Top Ten in 1995 later going platinum six times while also receiving The Best Traditional Blues Album Grammy Award for album “Traveler Blues” in 2022.
Blues Traveler is proud to announce the upcoming Fall Tour, the band plans to perform a variety of hit singles over the span of three decades of music release. As well as new songs from the forthcoming album “Travelers Soul” which marks their 15th album drop. Accompanying Blues is special guest, American songwriter and singer Jono Manson
The Tedeschi Trucks Band has announced the special guests joining them on their “Garden Parties” short run at TD Garden in Boston and Madison Square Garden.
Tedeschi Trucks Band is a Grammy Award-winning 12-piece rock and soul powerhouse, led by the husband/wife duo of guitarist Derek Trucks and singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi. They are known for their world-class musicianship and contemporary blend of a wide range of American musical influences. The band continues to tour in support of I Am The Moon, their acclaimed fifth studio project which “explodes with joyful, powerful and positive music” (Guitar Player). The album was made off the road during the pandemic and includes four albums released over the summer of 2022.
Since forming in 2010, the band has traveled countless miles to bring their music to fans all over the world, from sold-out multi-night residencies across America to tours through Europe and Japan, and their flagship annual summer amphitheater tours. Their extensive catalog isn’t geared towards one genre, spanning rock, blues, jazz, and even country, and no setlist is ever the same.
Credit: David McClister.
The band announced that joining the show at TD Garden in Boston, MA on Sept. 27 is Warren Haynes, and Trey Anastasio & Norah Jones at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 29. The opener for these performances will be fellow Grammy Award-winner, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. Derek Trucks said “We’re excited and honored to throw these Garden Parties with our good friends. Both venues are hallowed ground, so collaborating with great artists that we have a shared history with makes it that much sweeter. It’s going to be a blast!”
Mondo.NYC, the annual global business summit and showcase music festival held in New York from Oct. 10-13, announced the agenda for its new AI track, consisting of ten-panel sessions at the Williamsburg Hotel.
A highlight of this track will be Mondo.NYC’s first-ever AI Hub, hosted by SingularityNET, a day-long immersive experience held in the hotel’s iconic Water Tower on Tuesday, October 10. SingularityNET was founded by Dr. Ben Goertzel with the mission of creating a decentralized, democratic, inclusive, and beneficial Artificial General Intelligence.
Mondo.NYC’s inaugural AI track will cover the most important topics and trends in the AI and music space, including AI sourcing, ethics, AI artists, creator tools, using AI safely, and AI’s opportunities and challenges. In addition to the AI track, Mondo.NYC 2023 will also feature programming focusing on topics including the state of the industry, management, music tech, gaming, policy, finance, investment, creation and production, touring, and more.
Amidst the ever-evolving issues facing the music business, AI has emerged like no other, roaring into our collective consciousness, capturing the attention of thought-leaders across the industry spectrum who are seemingly – and often simultaneously – cheering its potential for good and decrying its potential for disaster. We can’t wait for Mondo attendees to experience the latest in all things AI from the top minds in our industry and start conversations that will reverberate throughout the music business long after Mondo.NYC 2023 ends.
Bobby Haber, Managing Director of Mondo.NYC
See the complete agenda here. Mondo.NYC tickets are available here.
Albhy Galuten and others will discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with artificial intelligence in the music ecosystem. Is it just another invention like the synthesizer or electric guitar, or is it the end of life (and income) as we know it for musicians and writers?
3:00 PM – Days of Future Passed: Disruptive Technologies and the Music Industry
Speakers:
Bill Rosenblatt, President, GiantSteps Media Technology Strategies
Howie Singer, Adjunct Professor, NYU Music Business
If you want to predict how new technologies such as AI and social video will change the music industry, one way is to analyze how previous innovations impacted the business. Howie Singer and Bill Rosenblatt, authors of the new book Key Changes: The Ten Times Technology Transformed the Music Industry, look at lessons from historical developments over more than a century to help us predict how the latest disruptive technologies will shake up the music business.
Moderator: Justin Gray, CEO/President, Songistry Inc.
Music supervisors, songwriters, labels, and publishers all have differing opinions about the benefits of AI and its long-term effect on creativity and job security. Come see how Songistry is using AI to completely reshape how music is managed, discovered, pitched, and licensed.
5:00 PM A Whole New Ecosystem: Creating & Releasing New Music with AI
Speakers:
Moderator: Sean Glover, Director of Industry Engagement, SoundExchange
The co-writer of your artist’s next big hit or the reason you debut on the charts could be AI. With endless ways artists can collaborate and access beats, samples, tracks, and more, we are living in an age of true musical exploration and innovation. The experts on this panel are one step ahead, leveraging these tools or building them, and will dig into how they create and how they release new music into the world.
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
12:00 PM – Beyond the AI Boogeyman: Trust & Safety in the Modern Music Industry
Speakers:
Christine Barnum, Chief Revenue Officer, CD Baby
The critical conversation around trust and safety in music’s digital marketplaces has never been louder, but as each business lays out its own position, how can the industry align to formulate a collaborative approach to a nuanced issue? In this discussion, our panel will focus on the impact of streaming fraud, how a proactive approach to trust and safety is necessary, and why AI=Fraud isn’t the nuanced understanding the industry needs to progress.
2:00 PM – AI Alchemy: The Future of Creator Tools
Speakers:
Moderator: Daniel Rowland, Head of Strategy and Partnerships, LANDR
Matan Kollenscher, CEO, MyPart
Rachel Lyske, CEO, DAACI
Yotam Mann, Musician & Software Maker
AI is becoming increasingly good at not just prompt-based generation of full songs, but one-shot samples, loops, and even presets for digital instruments, along with composition assistance, mixing, mastering, and other workflow enhancements. But most popular music production software has few – if any – AI features. Will the old guard adapt, or will we see a surge in the popularity of fresh, AI-native creator tools?
3:00 PM – The Artist as API: The Next Level of Fan Engagement
Speakers:
Moderator: Daniel Rowland, Head of Strategy and Partnerships, LANDR
Seth Goldstein, General Counsel and Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs, Moises.ai
Stefan Heinrich, Co-Founder & CEO, MAYK Inc.
Outside of using AI in their own productions, some artists are offering fans AI models of their sound, likeness, and voice. Is this the future of fan engagement, brand building, and collaboration at scale?
4:00 PM RIAA Presents The End of Reality: AI and the Future of Music…
Speakers:
Moderator: Jem Aswad, Executive Music Editor, Variety
Dr. Moiya McTier, ExplAIner-in-Chief, Human Artistry Campaign
Jonathan Taplin, Director Emeritus, Annenberg Innovation Lab, University of Southern California
Jessy Wilson, Songwriter & Recording Artist
Variety Executive Music Editor Jem Aswad leads a discussion with USC Annenberg Innovation Lab Chairman Emeritus Jonathan Taplin, author of The End of Reality; Grammy-nominated songwriter and recording artist Jessy Wilson; and noted scientist, author, and storyteller Dr. Moiya McTier for their expert perspectives on AI, innovation, and the future of the music business.
5:00 PM – The Well-Trained Model: Ethically Sourced AI for Artists
Speakers:
Moderator: Daniel Rowland, Head of Strategy and Partnerships, LANDR
Chris Horton, SVP Strategic Technology, Universal Music Group
Stefan Lattner, Research Leader, Music Team, Sony Computer Science Labs
Joe Lyske, Inventor and Co-Founder, Mashtraxx Ltd.
How does an artist know what dataset the AI tool they are using was trained on, and whether their own music was used? A discussion of how AI is trained and the future of attribution and compensation for artists.
Friday, October 13, 2023
1:00 PM – Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing: Hot Topics in Generative AI in the Music Industry from Neural Networks to Fake Drake
Speakers:
Moderator: Phil Hill, Special Counsel, Music Industry Practice, Covington & Burling LLP
Chris Horton, SVP Strategic Technology, Universal Music Group
Shannon Sorensen, SVP, Legal and Business Affairs, National Music Publishers’ Association
Generative AI has been the hottest topic in the last several months from board rooms to dinner parties. Our panel will discuss this new technology’s impact on the music industry and will address topics such as copyright, rights of publicity and privacy, contracts and licensing, and overall policy.
The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College has announced a public series of talks, screenings, performances, and more this fall. The series is in collaboration with the new exhibition “Forms of Awakening: Selections from the Jack Shear Collection of Himalayan Art.”
“Forms of Awakening” displays traditional Tibetan objects from the Jack Shear Collection alongside work from contemporary Tibetan artists. Together, the works reveal how such objects change our perspectives and bring light to aspects of reality unnoticed in daily life.
“Forms of Awakening” is open from August 19 through December 10. The exhibition is organized by Benjamin Bogin, Associate Professor of Asian Studies, Skidmore College; Rachel Seligman, Malloy Curator, Tang Teaching Museum; and Ariana Maki, Associate Director of the Tibet Center and Bhutan Initiative at the University of Virginia.
The Museum and Art Gallery’s new series includes a two-day symposium, with a focus on contemporary poetry and translation, featuring visiting poets and scholars. Featured guests include Sonam Tsomo Chashutsang, Lekey Leidecker, Tsering Wangmo Dhompa, and Dominique Townsend on Sept. 22–23; concerts by musician and activist Tenzin Choegyal on Oct. 13 and singer-songwriter Techung and singer-artist YESH on Dec. 2; a screening of four films by exhibiting artist Tenzin Phuntsog on Oct. 16; a dialogue between Phuntsog and Mary Kate Donovan, Skidmore College Associate Professor of Spanish and Director of Media and Film Studies, on October 19; and a tour with the exhibition curators and artist Palden Weinreb on Oct. 21.
All events are free and open to the public. For the latest information, visit tang.skidmore.edu.
A year since its inception, Midtown Manhattan’s Midnight Theatre has announced its Grand Opening date of September 22. For the official opening, the Dolphin Entertainment, Inc. investment rolled out a robust lineup of resident acts and concepts for the 2023-24 season.
The announcement includes an official Opening Week, showing off numerous acts from Monday, September 18.
The official Opening Week kicks off on Monday, September 18 with The Moth StorySLAM, an open-mic storytelling competition, which will continue to be featured each month.
On Wednesday, September 20, the talented Freestyle+ will put on an interactive showcase, celebrating hip-hop with some of New York’s top improv performers.
Thursday, September 21 will feature Samantha Bee’s Wits End, a star-studded live trivia game show hosted by Adam Kesner with Kenice Mobley.
Friday night’s opening party at the Midnight Theatre will host Dez Duron, frontman of NBC’s The Voice, showcasing his signature sound with hits from American songbook classics to genre-bending performances.
Special guests throughout the week will include David Cross and Eugene Mirman.
Indie rock singer-songwriter Stephen Artemis Jr. announced his new single, “Pale Blue,” released on September 15. The new track is a classic American murder ballad, as Artemis channels country, rock, and indie veins to fuse his newest release.
“Pale Blue” is a lively Americana track from Artemis, showing his signature harmonica skills and a strong following melody. It has a full, busy arrangement, which is not to it’s detriment, but instead emphasizes the pressure and drama of the murder ballad storyline. With inspiration of dark, true crime media, Stephen Artemis Jr. creates a searing look into Americana folk-rock tunes and steadily marks his place among them.
I really like true-crime podcasts. I watched way too much true-crime TV over the pandemic, so I think that’s how the song’s concept crept into my brain. I wanted to test myself to see if I could write something dark, like a true-crime podcast, but in my preferred medium; music’s version of true-crime is “the murder ballad” and Americana music is particularly rife with that type of song, but I felt that nobody had written a proper murder ballad in a long time.
Stephen Artemis Jr.
No stranger to the New York music scene, Stephen Artemis Jr was born and raised in New York’s Capital Region. In 2006, he moved to New York City and now operates out of Brooklyn. As a former member of Brooklyn-based The Falling Birds, Artemis now leads his own solo project, with two albums under his belt so far. “Pale Blue” marks the beginning of his new project, with more announcements to come.
“Pale Blue” is available on streaming services and for download on BandCamp. Find more information and announcements to come at stephenartemis.com.
