NYS Music 2024

Author: Remy Commisso

  • Albany Funk Rock Band Lake Effect Releases First EP

    A new face in the Albany Music scene, Lake Effect, released their first six-song EP, Drifting on May 17.

    Lake Effect EP

    The band formed in 2022 with Lenore Aldi-Snow, who writes all the original music. The other three members come from the funk band, NoLaNauts, also based in Albany. Ben Moss is on Guitar, Brian Brancato is on drums and background vocals and Matt Girtler is on bass and backing vocals. The group played for what they thought was just one performance on New Year’s Eve 2022 at Jive Hive Live, a small venue in Albany.

    Lake Effect came together again at Christ’s Church in Albany in April 2023 as an official band this time. They played 23 of their original songs including the tracks from Drifting. The EP was mixed and produced by Alec Lewis at his studio, Honey Home. 

    The EP is full of Aldi-Snow on the keys playing classic funk rhythms. “Trouble” has an uncanny resemblance to Bill Wither’s “Use Me.” The band uses neo-soul and funk sounds but mixes them with Aldi-Snow’s crisp jazz vocals. “EDGE,” the last track on the EP features Brancato’s and Girtler’s vocals with a blues-rock end to Drifting.

    Although Lake Effect is currently on a break due to other musical commitments, they plan on recording more music in the future – listen to their EP Drifting on any streaming site.

  • Beatles Tribute Band to Perform At Long Island Music Hall Of Fame

    Beatles Tribute, The Liverpool Shuffle, will perform at The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) Stony Brook Museum location on June 30 for a scholarship celebration ceremony. 

    The Liverpool Shuffle have been performing all over New York State as well as the wider East Coast area. The group formed in 2003 by Joe Refano. Current members include Joe Refano on vocals guitars and bass, Jamie Bateman on vocals and guitars, Brian James on vocals and drums, Andrew Lubman on vocals bass and keyboards, and Dave Clark on vocals and bass. 

    The Beatles were familiar with Long Island and the NYC Metro area during their careers. They performed at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in 1964 and Shea Stadium in 1964. John Lennon Lived in Cold Spring Harbor in 1979 and Paul McCarthy currently has a home in the Hamptons.

    The LIMEHOF performance of The Liverpool Shuffle will take place happen after 10 Long Island Students are awarded $1000 scholarships. The Pat DeRosa Memorial Scholarship is also awarded at the ceremony as well. LIMEHOF has expanded these scholarships to not only music students, but to the rest of the performing arts students. 

    “Supporting the next generation of music students as they embark on their college journeys is at the heart of our mission. These scholarships not only recognize their hard work and passion but also reinforce our commitment to nurturing musical talent and education within our community. We can’t wait to see what these young people will accomplish in their musical careers,” said Tom Needham, LIMEHOF’s Educational Programs Director.

    Since 2004, LIMEHOF has inducted 120 musicians. The many artists covering the 8,800 square feet of space include Billy Joel, Run-DMC and KISS. 

    LIMEHOF not only preserves music history but helps the next generation of musicians thrive. It has awarded tens of thousands of scholarships to students since its inception. 

    To find more information about the free performance you can visit the calendar here.

  • The National Dance Institute Will Explore Climate Change in Its Event Of The Year “Earth’s Song”

    The National Dance Institute will present their event of the year titled “Earth’s Song” June 15 to June 18 at the NYU Skirball. 

    National Dance Institute

    The four performances will feature over 150 dancers from New York City schools artistically exploring one of the world’s greatest challenges: climate change, specifically, our damaged and threatened ecosystem. Through dance, these young artists will express the beauty of the world as well as its devastating challenges. The goal is for audience members to gain a deeper appreciation for the planet and to take action to combat global warming.

    “From the majestic depths of oceans to the sprawling canopies of forests, these performances will illuminate the interconnectedness of all living beings while confronting the threats posed by pollution, deforestation, and wildfires,” said Kay Gayner, Artistic Director of NDI in a press release. 

    Senior NDI Teaching Artist, Mary Kennedy who has been teaching at NDI for 23 years is the leading choreographer of “Earth’s Song.” Another notable choreographer on the project is NDI’s artist in residence, Tiffany Rea-Fisher. She is founder of the dance company, Emerge 125 and curator for Bryant Park Picnic Performances.

    NDI was founded in 1976 by New York City Ballet principal dancer Jacques d’Amboise. Now, the institute provides in school dance programs to children in the NYC Metro areas. It provides a creative outlet for kids to learn about dance and music as well as performance opportunities. 

    The last performance on June 18, is also a fundraiser to help keep these opportunities for children alive. All proceeds will go to the NDI award winning arts education program.

  • Asake World Tour Announces Date At MSG

    Grammy award winning artist, Asake announced his “Lunga Boy World Tour” with a pit stop at Madison Square Garden.

    The Afrobeat Nigerian artist is touring all across North America and Europe on his 14-date tour. He’ll perform in NYC on Aug 30 and tickets go on sale on June 14 on asaketour.com.

    Asake attended Theatre and Dramatic Arts at Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria and got his start with his first single, “Mr. Money” in 2017. His first album Mr. Money With The Vibe came out in 2022. He collaborated with fellow Afrobeat star Burna Boy with “Sungba.” In 2023 his sophomore album Work of Art got on Billboards #4 on the World Albums chart and also got him his first grammy nomination. Since then he has appeared on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon and The Late Night Show With Stephen Colbert.

    In addition to TV performances, Asake has headlined venues around the world like London’s O2 Arena and New York’s Barclays Center. He’s performed at Afronation Miami and Broccoli City in Washington D.C. 

    The Presale for his tour starts on June 12 at 10 a.m.

    World Tour 2024

    June 26 – Portimao, PT – AfroNation

    July 13 – London, UK – Wireless Festival

    Aug 16 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena

    Aug 18 – Detroit, MI – AfroNation

    Aug 21 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

    Aug 24 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center

    Aug 27 – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater

    Aug 30 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

    Sep 15 – Cologne, DE – Palladium

    Sep 24 – Amsterdam, NL – AFAS Live

    Sep 26 – Berlin, DE –  UberEats Music Hall 

    Sep 28 – Paris, FR – Zenith

    Oct 1 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena

    Oct 6 – Gold Coast, AU – Promiseland

  • Roger Daltrey To Perform at Tanglewood’s Popular Artist Series

    English Singer, Roger Daltrey will perform as part of Tanglewood’s Popular Artists Series on June 22 at the Koussevitzky Music Shed.

    roger daltrey tanglewood

    Daltrey is the leader and co-founder of The Who, having performed hit rock songs like “My Generation” and “Baba O’Riley.” Aside from being the lead singer, Daltrey also wrote for The Who, including some earlier songs like “Early Morning Cold Taxi” and the band’s second single, “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere.” The Who has been touring since its formation and have still performed within the last decade, but Daltrey has also toured as a solo act.

    His first self-titled album was released in 1973. Since Daltrey, he’s released several more albums including an original motion picture soundtrack and a children’s album. Daltrey’s current tour comes two years after his last in 2022, in which he sang The Who songs and his solo music. 

    This year’s Tanglewood summer features classic rock artists like Daltrey, pop and orchestral performances. Tanglewood is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra located in Lenox Massachusetts on the Western side of the state. The space has concerts all summer long up until Aug 31. 

    Special guest, KT Turnstall will perform with Daltrey. She is a Scottish rock singer-songwriter known for her hit song “Suddenly I See.”

    Roger Daltrey is set to perform at Tanglewood at 7 p.m on Saturday, June 22. To find out more information and to buy tickets you can visit the website link here.

  • Rebounder Celebrates ‘Born In The USA’ With Lofi Cover

    NYC Band Rebounder is back with new music, starting with a cover of “Born In The USA” by Bruce Springsteen. 

    rebounder born in the USA

    Patrick Holland from the Canadian indie-rock band TOPS, co-produced and mixed the unique spin on the classic song just in time for the 40th anniversary of the original album. The song is a slower toned-down version of the Springsteen song. Instead of classic American rock, it’s an indie-lofi song. “Born In The USA” is accompanied by a DIY style music video featuring American scenes of highways, cityscapes and rural farmland. 

    rebounder born in the USA

    In 2020, Rebounder put their name on the map when they released their first EP, Subway Songs, including the song “Japanese Posters,” which gained 23 million streams on Spotify. In 2021, they released “Change Shapes” in collaboration with Jesse Rutherford. They’ve also collaborated with Chris Thompson of Vampire Weekend on production and toured with Phoenix, MUNA, Dayglow and Cautious Clay. The band’s frontman is Dylan Chenfeld. He, his brother Noah Chenfeld and their childhood friends Zack Kantor and Cobey Arner make up Rebounder. 

    Fans can expect more from them as their second studio EP Sunset Vision is set to release on Aug 15. Watch the video for Rebounder’s cover of “Born in the USA’ below.

  • John Fogerty’s Celebration Tour Makes A Pit Stop At Tanglewood

    Former Creedence Clearwater Revival leader, John Fogerty will perform at Tanglewood Music Festival on June 20, 7 p.m. on the coveted Koussevitzky Music Shed stage.

    John Fogerty tanglewood

    Fogerty is a Grammy award winning musician and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee that has shaped rock music with his distinctive country, folk, pop style. He was not only the founder of CCR but also wrote their greatest hits like “Susie Q” and “Proud Mary.” He released his first self-titled solo album in 1975. Additionally, in 1985 Fogerty released his third studio album with Warner Bros. Records, Centerfield.

    In November of 2019, his “My 50 Year Trip” performance at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado was recorded for public broadcast but his tour was cut short due to Covid. Now he’s back on his “Celebration Tour,” playing at venues across the country including Tanglewood. This festival is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and is located in the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts.

    George Thorogood and The Destroyers will make an appearance at the performance as well. Thorogood is a rock and roll artist known for his song “Bad To The Bone.” Another special guest will be Hearty Har, a band from Los Angeles formed in 2012 by Shane and Tyler Fogerty, the two sons of John Fogerty himself.
    To Purchase Tickets to the show you can visit the Tanglewood website here.

  • Old Songs Festival is Back For 44th Year

    The three-day Old Songs Festival of Traditional Music and Dance on the Altamont Fairgrounds outside of Albany will be held at the end of the month on June 28-30.

    The 44th festival celebrates traditional music from around the world. This includes North American music from Appalachia, New England and Quebec as well as music from Ireland, West Africa and South Africa. In other words, “music with roots”. 

    The Main Stage performances are on June 28 and 29 from 6:30 to 11 p.m. and on June 30 3:30 to 7 p.m. There will be arts and crafts vendors, workshops, call and responses, traditional dance classes and open mics as well as concerts from various artists. 

    Old Songs uses the barns, a dance building and historical buildings on the property for the events and has a smaller family stage used for children’s performances. Local kids will also have a chance to participate in the festival with the “Great Groove Band.” Any child who plays an instrument can play with the band with the help of musical coaches. 

    Great Groove Band’s goal is to inspire the next generation of musicians. They invite any child aged 5 to 18 to perform in a professional setting. Donna Hébert created the band in the late 90’s at Old Songs Festival and in 2018, her daughter Molly Hebert-Wilson, became the director. On June 30, the band has a performance on the main stage at 2:30.

    Other performances include those of Sharon Katz & The Peace Train, Robin & Linda Williams, The Ebony Hillbillies and more. 

    To purchase tickets and for more information you can visit the website here.

    Listen to featured performers, representing many regions and countries: John McCutcheon • Les Arrivants • Walt Michael & Co. • Arise & Go • Robin & Linda Williams • Reggie Harris & Pat Wictor • Grosse Isle • The Ebony Hillbillies • Joe Jencks • Sharon Katz & the Peace Train • Cathy Fink, Marcy Marcer, & Chao Tian: From China to Appalachia • Yacouba Sissoko Trio • Rhythm Future Quartet • Cris Williamson • Kay Justice & Sam Gleaves • Elizabeth LaPrelle & the Family Band • Annie & the Hedonists • Larry Hanks & Deborah Robins • Anne Hills • Rory Makem • Dirty Blue Shirts • Stove Dragon • The Moving Violations • Dave Eisenstadter • Adina Gordon • Lee Murdock • George Wilson • John Roberts • Deb Cowan • Steve Turner • Deirdre & Sean Murtha • Chris Koldewey • Stefan Amidon • John Dickson • Alan Thomson • Ron Gordon • Ron Bruschi • Jake Thomas • The Great Groove Band • Roger the Jester.

  • Rochester Artist Sarah De Vallière Releases New Concept Album

    Singer-songwriter Sarah De Vallière’s deeply personal concept album, The Healing, was released on June 7.

    The album is a genre blending, ten song project that explores De Vallière’s grief and trauma during a harsh time in her life, including divorce and Covid-19 lockdown. Members of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra collaborated on the album giving its unique blend of classical and Jazz, paying homage to De Vallière’s background in music. The Healing is jazz-inflected Americana.

    De Vallière is a classically trained pianist and graduate of Berklee college of music. Although she moved to Rochester in 2018, she grew up in Providence, RI, always surrounded by music. Her father was a pastor and therefore her upbringing in the church had a big impact on her musical development. She played piano in the congregation multiple times a week and she was writing her own compositions by the time she was a teenager.  

    In 2024, De Vallière released four singles, all of which will appear on the upcoming album. “All is Not Lost,” her most recent single is more upbeat and uplifting than her earlier repertoire. As the title suggests, the song depicts the confidence she regains through her trauma. The Healing exposes De Vallière’s beautiful piano compositions as well as sharp vocals. Her voice has a light feminine sound that can be compared to that of Karen Carpenter or a Disney Princess. 

    On May 31, the album premiered at Tones Studios, a new recording studio outside of Rochester, NY, which gave fans an opportunity to meet the artist herself and be the first to hear The Healing. 

    After The Healing is released, Sarah De Vallière will perform in small venues around the greater Rochester area. You can find her music on all streaming platforms.

    Aug 9 – Webster Jazz Fest (Webster, NY)

    Sept 26  – Iron Smoke Distillery (Fairport, NY)

    Sept 28  – Grape Fest (Naples, NY)

    Oct 9 – Record Archive (Rochester, NY)

    Nov 2 – Little Theatre Concert Series (Rochester, NY)

    Dec 20 – Lovin’ Cup (Rochester, NY)

  • The American Classical Orchestra Announces 40th Season

    The American Classical Orchestra has announced its 2024-25 season, in celebration its 40th anniversary, with three performances in Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall

    Artistic Director at Alice Tully, Thomas Crawford will lead the three orchestral concerts starting with the performance on Sept. 18. Of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 and Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92. Despite the grand 40th celebrations, the season will feature smaller performances in more intimate venues like Schubert’s Piano Quintet at University Club of New York on Oct. 30. 

    american classical orchestra 40th

    Another performance at the Salmagundi Art Club on Dec. 6 will highlight Keyboard music throughout music history. The musicians will start with François Couperin’s Pièces de clavecin and end with György Ligeti’ Book Two: Étude 10 – Der Zauberlehrling.

    The anniversary season will end on May 7, 2025 with “Mostly Mozart” at Alice Tully Hall, notably featuring principal bassoonist Andrew Schwartz.

    ACO was founded in New York City 1984, then known as the Orchestra of the Old Fairfield Academy. In 2005, Crawford renamed the non-profit Orchestra and furthermore established NYC as it’s official home. Crawford is not only the director of AOC, but is also passionate about music education outreach to children in New York City schools. He studied music composition and organ performance at Eastman School of Music and has worked with world renowned musicians like Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma.

    Today, the musicians pay homage to centuries of music history by using original instruments and repertoire. The instrumentalist’s talent reaches beyond the ACO as many of them perform in other NYC ensembles like Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Handel and Haydn Society, and the New York Philharmonic.

    To purchase tickets for the American Classical Orchestra 40th anniversary shows, and find out more information visit the American Classical Orchestra website here.

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