Brooklyn’s Jake Pinto announces the release of his upcoming album Sad Songs for Happy People, on March 31st. The album was set for release right when the pandemic hit, and then further delayed when Jake’s talents were sought out by Miami psych-funksters Magic City Hippies and Brooklyn’s afrobeat Antibalas, leading to months of global touring.
Pinto’s eclectic musical story has shaped a charmingly honest solo debut rich in instinctive melodicism and cultured arrangements. Being a jazz musician since his early teens, Jake attended NYU for jazz piano and was soon booking gigs and festivals worldwide, including the Blue Note in New York City and Milan.
While still in college, Jake Pinto found himself already playing alongside genre luminaries like François Mouton, Ralph Lalama, and the late Lew Soloff. He went on to play prestigious engagements, including the Montreal and Rochester International jazz festivals.
Getting back to writing on piano, Jake found fresh excitement and energy. He began working with a diverse variety of artists at Silverman’s Future Sounds studio in Brooklyn, and on off days, he would bring in his own band and record what would become Sad Songs for Happy People, much of it tracked live on vintage, analog equipment.
“The Beatles are still my favorite band, but I was also obsessed with D’Angelo for so long,” Pinto says. “And I love the crooners like Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra; the directness of how they sing and tell stories. It’s a hard thing to do, to tell show-tune stories in a way that doesn’t feel corny.”
The result of this album is 11 ultra-accomplished tracks of eclectic, Americana, and blues-flecked indie rock delivered straight from the source. These are songs emotional and quality rather than adherence to genre or style.
“There’s something beautiful about taking a sad song and putting it to a bright beat and bright instrumental,” Jake continued. “Just an interesting combination of melancholy, nostalgia, love, and happiness.”
To pre-save Sad Songs for Happy People, click the link here.
For more music by Jack Pinto, click the link here.
Brooklyn-born rapper CeddyJay released his debut extended play, “Heartbroken In England” on Feb. 25. His EP was born out of heartbreak, detailing the emotions from his trip to England for love, and not getting what he hoped for. The single “Ginger” was released ahead of the EP on Feb. 14.
Cover of CeddyJay’s Heartbroken in England. Credit: Spotify
CeddyJay grew up in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Flatbush and is of Haitian descent. Pursuing his career since the age of five, he quickly became a hit in New York City’s hip-hop scene. He has been compared to the likes of J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, but still has his own unique style. CeddyJay draws audiences in with his special sound and catchy lyrics, and fans are certain to be entertained by all four tracks on his EP. The previously mentioned debut single, “Ginger” stands out as the best track from Heartbroken In England, followed shortly by the opening track, “Broken.“
The EP signifies a new chapter in Ceddyjay’s career. As they say, cliche as it is, “everything happens for a reason.” The rapper certainly found his reason, being the creation of a powerful EP reflecting the raw emotions of heartbreak and the resilience it takes to move on. Significantly, CeddyJay’s music is versatile. His music simultaneously showcases his love for music and personal experiences, telling a story that many can relate to.
Equal parts British and American, The Backfires returned from a show across the pond to play at Brooklyn’s very own Baby’s All Right on Februrary 22. With support from indie rock band Secondhand Sound, The Backfires fully entranced the fans at the sold-out show.
Frontman Alex Gomez (Photographed by Chinaza Ajuonuma)
Rock group The Backfires hails from both sides of the Atlantic. When Alex Gomez, the frontman, went to London to study abroad in 2018, he met Harry Ruprecht (lead guitarist) and Max Wanduragala (drums). Right before the production of their debut EP “Consider the Backfires” in 2019, bassist Matt Walter joined the group. The band completed recording the EP in London in January 2020. In 2021, the band released the EP and later that year, remotely recorded and published “Song 55.” The British members of the Backfires have secured their visas for 2023, ready for many more live shows in the upcoming year.
Secondhand Sound (Photographed by Chinaza Ajuonuma)
Nashville-based alt-rock quartet Secondhand Sound was originally formed in Urbana, Maryland after Sawyer John Estok (lead vocalist/guitarist) and Collin Plank (drummer) began writing songs in their parent’s basements. Eventually, Estok and Plank headed to Nashville, making friends with Teagan Proctor (bassist) and Cam Schmidt (guitarist/keyboard player). Through anthemic hooks, fuzzy garage-rock riffs, and irresistible youthful energy, Secondhand Sound craft songs that have granted them vast success, with more to come as the band self-proclaims that they “Will Be The Biggest Band In The World”.
Bassist Matt Walter (Photographed by Chinaza Ajuonuma)
During the show, Estok’s voice carried a windful southern howl that carries a weight of melancholy with a feisty rock n’ roll punch throughout the performance, while the band danced around and moshed in the pit. After playing stand-out songs “Dominoes” and “Pocket Change”, Estok left the stage to join the crowd in moshing. The remainder of the show kept the vibe energetic and fun. As their set closed out, the impression of their performance introduced an array of new followers to their rich Nashville sound.
Secondhand Sound Setlist: Heavy Metal Parking Lot Kind Of Cool, Darby, Stone’s Throw, Rorschach, Dominoes, Colm’s, Veritas, Pocket Change
Guitarist Harry Ruprecht (Photographed by Chinaza Ajuonuma)
When The Backfires finally started playing, the crowd immediately went wild as Gomez launched straight into singing “Matador”. Throughout the show, their enthusiasm and stage presence shone through as they played such hits as “Song 55” and “City Queen”. Before the end of the show, after much anticipation, The Backfires played their new single “Joyride” live for the first time. The atmosphere in the room was absolutely unmatched as they rocked the house down. As their first show back in the US in 2023, The Backfires showed that they’re up to incredibly exciting things and new sounds.
The Backfires Setlist: Matador, Preoccupied, Never Seen You Before, Figure It Out, Anything, R U Mine, City Queen, Turn off The Lights, Reflection On My TV, I am the Walrus, Brighter Lights, Song 55, Joyride, Blindsided
Bassist Teagan Proctor (Photographed by Chinaza Ajuonuma)
In terms of upcoming shows, Secondhand Sound doesn’t have any performances set up but be sure to check their Instagram for any updates. The Backfires also don’t currently have any upcoming tours, but any announcements can be monitored on their website or their social media accounts.
Photographed by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotographed by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotographed by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotographed by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotographed by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotographed by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotographed by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotographed by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotographed by Chinaza AjuonumaPhotographed by Chinaza Ajuonuma
Brooklyn‘s indie-dance band Underground System have just announced their new EP Looking In, out on April 17th. Along with this, they have also released an iconic music video for their song “Sleazy” which embodies NYC in a psychedelic nutshell.
The band’s EP Looking In is the second in a series of two. Of the song inspiration, Domenica explains to Northern Transmissions, “This song is about having a spontaneous night with strangers. Doesn’t necessarily mean in the romantic sense. Just a night where you’re out on the town feeling alone (not lonely just alone) in a big ass city, but then meeting one or two people, instantly hitting it off, and next thing you know, you’re having a nocturnal adventure until sunrise.”
“The music video we made for ‘Sleazy’ with our friend Chris Egan is the cherry on top,” says the group’s co-leader Peter Matson. “…We ran around the city for many nights in a row filming at golden hour, and the crown jewel of the whole shoot… when we finally got a hold of a very elusive party limo that once returned me and several passed out friends from a DJ gig at the nightclub LeBain to our homes in BK… It just all made sense for “Sleazy.”
Underground System is one of the most dynamic bands to emerge from New York City in recent years, continuously innovating a brand of global dance music that is uniquely their own. Domenica Fossati, headman of the group, cites “A true New York eclecticism” running through the band’s core. If you’ve crossed paths with Underground System, then you’ve witnessed the group’s larger than life presence.
The band had described “a natural synthesis of styles” being born out of their journey from humble beginnings performing rare grooves and DJing bars around Brooklyn, to the development of an authentically original, internationally touring indie-dance band.
Whether political philosopher Emma Goldman actually said, “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution,” or not is still up for debate, there’s no doubt that New York City’s Underground System wholly embodies that vibe”
– Remezcla
To watch the video for “Sleazy,” click the link here. For more of Underground System, click the link here.
Grammy-winning guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela have announced their latest album, In Between Thoughts…A New World, and an international tour in support. The duo’s first album since 2019 is due for release on April 21. Their international tour is scheduled for a performance at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn on June 27.
Rodrigo y Gabriela’s latest album, In Between Thoughts…A New World
Rodrigo y Gabriela self-produced the album in their recording studio in Ixtapa, Mexico. The album’s debut single, “Descending To Nowhere,” is available now and can be heard below. The new album sees Rodrigo y Gabriela explore electronic and orchestral elements, a departure from their previous releases.
Rodrigo y Gabriela’s career spans more than two decades with, including the forthcoming In Between Thoughts…A New World, six studio albums. The duo’s first widely released album, re-Foc, debuted in 2002. Their sixth studio album comes after a period of spiritual awakening for Rodrigo y Gabriela.
While recovering from Covid in the fall of 2020, Rodrigo discovered the concept of non-dualism. According to the study of non-dualism, there is a “single, infinite, and indivisible reality, whose nature is pure consciousness, from which all objects and selves derive their apparently independent existence,”, says author/teacher Rupert Spira. When Rodrigo shared his feelings with Gabriela, she felt a similar epiphany, and they began channeling these feelings in song form. The music just started flowing out, without any real intention. We didn’t change the foundation of the songs from that point, so what you hear on the album is the music as we were creating it.”
In a testament to Rodrigo y Gabriela’s musicality, In Between Thoughts leads the listener through a complex narrative with a plot, emotional arcs, and dramatic tension.
Available exclusively at www.rodgab.com, the band is offering a deluxe version of the album on vinyl. Pre-orders are available now. Tickets for the international tour go on sale this Friday, Feb 17, and can be purchased here.
ODRIGO Y GABRIELA
TOUR 2023
+A Special Performance with Antonio Sanchez
*With support from Krooked Kings
^With support from Bahamas
⁰With support from Ondara
APRIL
24 – London, UK – Roundhouse
25 – Paris, FR – Bouffes Du Nord
26 – Paris, FR – Bouffes Du Nord
30 – Cheltenham, UK – Cheltenham Jazz Festival
MAY
18 – Houston, TX – Smart Financial Centre*
19 – Austin, TX – ACL Live At Moody Theatre*
20 – San Antonio, TX – The Espee*
21 – Dallas, TX – AT&T Strauss Square*
25 – Scottsdale, AZ – Scottsdale Center for the Arts*
26 – San Diego, CA – Humphreys Concerts By The Bay*+
27 – San Diego, CA – Humphreys Concerts By The Bay*+
JUNE
1 – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theatre^+
2 – San Bernardino, CA – Yaamava’ Theater
3 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater^
4 – Sacramento, CA – Mondavi Center UC Davis^
7 – Portland, OR – Grand Lodge^
10 – Salt Lake City, UT – Sandy Amphitheater^
11 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre^+
13 – Minneapolis, MN – Fitzgerald Theatre
14 – Madison, WI – Orpheum Theater⁰
16 – Chicago, IL – The Chicago Theatre⁰
17 – Detroit, MI – Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre⁰
19 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium⁰
20 – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Symphony Hall⁰
22 – Durham, NC – Carolina Theatre⁰
23 – Wilmington, NC – Greenfield Lake Amphitheater⁰
25 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club⁰
27 – Brooklyn, NY – Kings Theatre⁰
28 – Philadelphia, PA – Longwood Gardens⁰
29 – Boston, MA – Chevalier Theatre⁰
JULY
1 – Montreal, QC – Montreal Jazz Fest, Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier | Place des Arts
2 – Niagara Falls, ON – Fallsview Casino Avalon Theatre
SEPTEMBER
25 – Hamburg, DE Mojo
26 – Berlin, DE Passionskirche
29 – Milan, IT – Santeria
30 – Bologna, IT – Estragon
OCTOBER
2 – Rome, IT – Auditorium Parco della Musica/Sala Sinopoli
NYC-based The Backfires are scheduled to headline a performance at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn on Wednesday, Feb. 22. Prior to the show, they have released the single “Joyride”, out on Feb. 21. The track follows an alternative rock sound, in line much of the band’s other work.
The Backfires: Alex Gomez (frontman, bottom right) Harry Ruprecht (lead guitar, top left) Max Wanduragala (drums, top right), and Matt Walter (bass, bottom left) Credit: The Backfiress
If the rest of The Backfires’ performance is anything like “Joyride”, fans are in for a treat at their Baby’s All Right Show. The track is the perfect song to open a show and get fans in the concert mood. It’s upbeat, but not in a “bubble gum pop song” way. The title of “Joyride” can have multiple meanings, depending on the fan. A “joyride” can be literal, like a trip you take with close friends, or metaphorical to describe the high you feel around someone significant or important in your life.
Equally British and American, The Backfires formed in 2018 when Alex Gomez was studying in London and met Harry Ruprecht and Max Wanduragala. Matt Walter, a childhood friend of Gomez, joined the band in 2019 ahead of recording their debut EP, Consider the Backfires. They finished recording their debut EP in Jan. 2020, shortly before the world shut down due to COVID-19. Since then, they relocated to New York City at the beginning of 2022. Honoring both their British and American roots, they performed in London on Jan. 12, and are scheduled to perform in New York on Feb. 22.
Ari Joshua, John Kimock, Andy Hess, and Eden Ladin have collaborated to release supergroup vibe “Eye Just Called, To Soul, I Love You” out on January 26th. Recorded in Brooklyn, the track is raw, visceral, and tends to be refreshingly honest.
“Eye Just Called to Soul, I Love You” features bassist Andy Hess (Black Crowes, John Scofield, Gov’t Mule), drummer John Morgan Kimock (Mike Gordon Band, Oteil & Friends), internationally acclaimed piano man Eden Ladin. Lat but not least, leading the charge, guitarist Ari Joshua (Big High, Space Owl, Hathead).
“EJCTS ILU” is the debut release from this memorable & inaugural all-star session, giving us another taste from the comet of sound coming from Music Factory Records to start off the new year. The almost 7-minute improv track documents the first time this band has ever played together, period.
2022 was a productive year for Ari Joshua with 12 new releases to share. With a range from classic jazz, to experimental, to drum n bass, to jam band, to classic soul funk, to circus music, to cinematic through composed classical-like compositions, Ari’s creative flow is astonishing.
When asked about this session he shared, “These are players I really admire, I had a vision, & I spoke to John, then Andy, and then Eden, and it sort of just came into fruition. My friends from college Aaron Nevize, and John Davis actually opened up The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn as we were all graduating. It’s just lasted all these years, and I called them up trying to get a date. It’s a miracle everyone was available amongst their busy schedules, and the studio was open. I am very lucky we made it work. The stars aligned and it was a fun and easy hang. We also played some Dead tunes, Eyes of the World, and Help on The Way, but the general focus was on making something new happen.”
On all the music that is on its way, Ari remarks, “Great art is an expression of the soul, and a reflection of one’s life experience. Being a musician is also like being what I would call an ambassador of goodwill. I think great players can sense that, and it becomes a compass of making great art together. I get a lot of joy from sharing these recordings and performing, it’s transformative. It is my mission in this life to give back in any capacity possible, to explore all options, and to honor the legends that came before and what they did for me and for so many. Music is the universal language, it has healing mystical qualities, it has both saved my life, and given me purpose. I am proud of the work I have contributed to music education, and in the woodshed practicing. After a lot of just living life, it is time to shine, and share what light I can with the music.”
To listen to “Eye Just Called to Soul, I Love You,” click the link here.
Brooklyn‘s Oropendola has announced the release of her newest LP Waiting For The Sky To Speak out on March 17th. Along with this exciting news, she has just released the single track on the album “Knocking Down Flowers,” accompanied with a beautifully hazy and shimmering video to go with it.
When listening to “Knocking Down Flowers,” Schubert finds life in the least likely of places: a construction site. Here, she recognizes and illuminates the power of living at the intersection of contrasts.
Waiting For The Sky To Speak is Joanna Schubert’s debut album as Oropendola, a word that means “golden pendulum.” The album’s emotional core comes through on roiling ballad “Trust the Sun” and clear-eyed album closer “When You Carried Me,” which both look to the sun, another kind of golden pendulum, as a guiding force.
Set to release March 17th, these tracks shimmer with bursts of energy and emotion, swinging from playfulness to earnestness with deft, technicolor brushstrokes. The album is a celebration of choosing life even in the face of its ephemerality, and of finding motion even in the midst of stillness.
While much of the rest of Waiting for the Sky to Speak careens across black-ice patches of inner conflict, both these songs offer a tentative hand outward, towards love, friendship, and family. The fixed sun in a changeable sky as she coaxes herself back out into the world.
Joanna says of the track and its inspiration, “In January 2020, I started recording myself improvising every morning – “morning pages” inspired by The Artist’s Way, a creative self-help book. I recorded morning pages #1 soon after a pivotal, complicated, on-and-off relationship “reached its end. Round and round we went, addicted to one another, unable to break free of a sticky cycle that prevented us from fully blooming together. That song seed turned into Knocking Down Flowers within a few days.”
To listen to more of Oropendola, click the link here.
For more information about Oropendola and upcoming tour dates, click the link here.
Brooklyn soulful pop artist Raegan Sealy’s newest single “Make ‘em Jealous” just dropped on January 12th, an upbeat, indie soul piece set out to reframe the cliché of being stuck in a toxic relationship, with a satirical spin.
“Make ‘em Jealous,” featuring The Gang of Angels, an all-female choir from Nottingham, UK led by Honey Williams. Taking her inspiration from a diverse range of artists like the Arctic Monkeys, Lana Del Rey, Marina, and more, Sealy fuses her soul-pop vocals with an infectiously recurring beat.
Sealy’s new single shines optimism on the self-delusion that so often keeps us from moving on. “Make ‘em Jealous” reclaims the hope of strength and courage in the healing part of a breakup. With lyrics such as, “Everyone wants a sip of my love, but they just get a taste,” Sealy shows off her undeniable confidence and spunk.
“What is it that we tell ourselves in order to ‘stay?’ How does our ego react to accommodate disrespect? And how hilarious is that, when you think about it? This emotional push and pull in these dynamics is truly often like a Laurel and Hardy sketch,”
Raegan Sealy, on her new single.
Outside of music, Sealy is an advocate and teaching artist, and received a Fulbright Scholarship in 2015, one of the most prestigious academic scholarships in the world, along with her MFA from The New School. Continuing to sing and perform her own poetry, she has opened for Shane Koyczan, Kae Tempest, and Ice T. She even gave the first official TED Talk entirely in rhyming verse in 2019 which you can watch down below.
Now officially based in Brooklyn, Sealy has beautifully fused her musical and writing talents to tell her story as a soul-pop singer-songwriter. “Make ‘em Jealous” is the first in a series of singles Sealy will be releasing throughout 2023. But this new soulful single is sure to leave her listeners feeling more confident than ever.
To listen to Reagan Sealy’s new single “Make ’em Jealous,” click the link here.
To find more information on upcoming releases from Reagan Sealy, click the link here to access her website.
Brooklyn-based bluegrass trio Damn Tall Buildings will bring their fresh bluegrass sound to Caffè Lena on January 20 at 8PM with unmatched energy and enthusiasm that creates a captivating, high-energy sound.
Damn Tall Buildings
Consisting of fiddler/vocalist Avery Ballotta from Bozeman, guitarist/lead vocalist Max Capistran from Bedford, and bassist/lead vocalist Sasha Dubky from Philadelphia, Damn Tall Buildings is a tight, harmonizing, swinging trio that specializes in bluegrass but also expertly ventures through jazz, ragtime, country swing, and contemporary singer-songwriter styles. They have been called “The Carter Family for the millennial generation” by the Boston Globe.
Damn Tall Buildings is a damn fine trio, mixing bluegrass, swing, and foot-stomping old-time music you wouldn’t think possible from a band from Brooklyn.
No Depression, Chris Griffy
Continuing the busk energy in their early days, Damn Tall Buildings still radiates the energy of a ragtag crew of music students playing bluegrass on the street. But anchoring that energy is their instrumental chops, their strong songwriting, and their varied influences that stretch beyond bluegrass. Their latest release was their thrid full length album called Sleeping Dogs including 11 tracks in the summer of 2022.
Holding the mission that “To provide music, connection and learning from a legendary venue”, Caffè Lena presents extraordinary music in Saratoga Springs. It is renowned for its long history on continuously operating folk music venue in the United States. It has been recognized as “An American treasure” by The Library of Congress. The GRAMMY Foundation also recognized for its important contributions to the development of American music. In 2020 they launched a School of Music for the purpose of carrying on the folk tradition of music as a social pastime.
The performance of Damn Tall Buildings will start at 8PM and doors at 7:30PM (EST). Livestream is also available. Tickets for student or child are $10, while $18 for members and $20 for general admissions. For ticket and more information, please visit this link.
