Bassekou Kouyate is a musician from Mali, Africa and a world-renowned ngoni player. The ngoni is an ancient west-African instrument similar to a guitar or lute. Bassekou is widely regarded as a true master of the instrument. Bassekou Kouyate plays in a band named, “Ngoni Ba.”
Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba will be playing at The Falcon in Marlboro on February 15, and Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs on February 16.
Musical influences
In 1982/83, Kouyate left his village and went to Bamako where he began playing with Toumani Diabate, a revered Malian kora player. Working with Toumani, he met many fine musicians.
In 1990 he was invited to a large gathering of banjo players in Tennessee. The trip was monumental as it marked not only his first time leaving Mali, but his first time visiting the U.S. The American banjo players wanted to know where the banjo came from. They knew that the ngoni is considered an ancestor of the banjo, which came from Africa, but wanted to meet someone from Africa who played it and could speak to its history.
It was at this gathering that he first met Taj Mahal and Bela Fleck. (seen below with Taj Mahal in New Orleans in 2023). There were more than 800 banjo & ngoni players together at this gathering. Taj sang the blues for him, and Bassekou returned the favor, which proved to be a very powerful experience for Bassekou and had a huge influence on his approach to playing.
Griots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3yYmFwGDywGriots speak at marriages, baptisms, funerals, referencing the history and deeds of the family in question. They are there to help resolve problems between husband and wife, or neighbors, or friends.
Nick Motto: What does it mean to you to be a griot?
Bassekou: Griots are the guardians of tradition in Bamana society in Mali. I am very proud to carry on that tradition.
Bassekou’s father, grandfather, and back hundreds of years, were all griots, and he knows that history well. In fact, His family was the first to be counsellors to the founding king of the Malian Empire, the famous Sundiata Keita, in the 12th century.
Ngoni Ba: One cannot become a griot, one has to be born into a griot family. The lineages of current griots in Mali can be traced back hundreds of years.
Bassekou: Being a griot is like being a mayor. People come and ask for help, and as a griot it is your duty to help them.
Collaborations
Bassekou loved playing music with his father and grandfather. Their notes were organically in synch with one another.
He also adored playing with Ali Farka Touré, who he says “had a good heart”.
Ali told him, “The black world now knows you are here,” urged him to develop his career and offered to help him find a good producer. He invited Bassekou to play on his Savane album after a mere 10 minutes of rehearsal, telling Bassekou that it was “his turn now”.
Bassekou highly values his collaboration with Béla Fleck who he says “plays fluidly and flawlessly”.
Taj Mahal is like family to Bassekou. And because Taj looks like Sekou Batourou Kouyate – a close relative who was an extraordinary ngoni and kora player – Bassekou sees him as a ‘brother’ from West African ancestry. “It’s as if we had the same mother, same father, …. He’s like a big brother to me and I love to collaborate with him.”
Bassekou Kouyate and his band Ngoni Ba
To find out more information about Bassekou Kouyate, his future shows and musical releases, visit his website here.
To purchase tickets for Bassekou and Ngoni Ba at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs, visit here.
Mood Music is a real phenomenon. No, not the Joe Budden mixtape series. Although his melancholy brand of rap does allude to this actuality. Nonetheless, the idea that music is best served for a particular time, place and mind-frame is common thought. After all, your average hip hop fan more than likely has a favorite artist/playlist for several settings; a night out, late night drive, the gym. In turn, rappers cater their music to what they believe resonates best with their audience.
Well, as we trek through another brisk winter, what kind of music resonates best with the social dystopia that is this time of year? Spring, summer and fall are all backdropped with feel-good hysteria and scenery as those are America’s most profitable periods. However, the post-christmas doom-and-gloom is real. Thus, from January through April we sludge through murky streets mired in snow too dirty to appreciate, yet too cold to melt as we plunge into our seasonal depressions and await a return to the good times.
Enter: Grea8Gawd’s SNOWDAY
As we stew in our mental confinement and realize that our happiness was brought to us by Xerox in four parts without commercial interruptions, we plot an escape. But the best escape is to plunge deeper into our reality. In essence, Grea8Gawd’s SNOWDAY album epitomizes the phrase “Mood Music.” Yet, music is a funny thing. In what other context does it make sense to relate more to what can best be described as a play-by-play for drug dealing. Nonetheless, the upstate, New York native’s raw presence as he weaves through emotions and stages of “the game” throughout SNOWDAY is realer than almost anything else we get this time of year.
You’re not even supposed to see the source anyway. I said it in one of my records, I probably bought 44 birds before I met the plug. Ya’ll don’t need to who I am. What I’m saying is far more important than what I look like.
Album Review
In 14-tracks totaling only 31 minutes, Grea8Gawd embodies the polarizing underworld figure that we’ve come to devour in all forms of entertainment. With his trademark “shiesty” mask and a trunk-full of drawn out soul and jazz samples, he recounts the age-old story of meteoric rise and notoriety to evanescence. Moreover, with hip hop as glamorous as ever, Grea8Gawd capture’s the genre’s true gritty essence with story-telling gems like “Trafficking,” one of the standout tracks in what is described by Roc Marciano as a “cocaine bible.”
When I write it I want you to see it. ‘Cause really all I’m doing is recollecting.
– Grea8Gawd to NYS Music
Moreover, he album’s solemn tone is refreshing and feels appropriate with the harsh winter winds. Not to worry, SNOWDAY isn’t all doom-and-gloom. On “The 3rd Coming” he displays enough boastful exuberance to claim that “If Jesus is the 2nd then Grea8Gawd is the 3rd coming.” However, songs like “Thanks 4 Nothing,” and “Entitled” whose levels of angst, despair and somber-ness are so palpable that they inadvertently bring about empathy and offer perspective.
Theme
After all, imagery on records like “Masuca,” where the drugs boiling in the pot take the form of a woman, ought to resonate with those familiar with the lifestyle, while serving as a warning shot to the novices about how real this all can get. In essence, SNOWDAY is like watching a gangster movie and enjoying the part where everything is going right and they’re all making money. Then when it all goes to hell and you see the cost, you realize you’re happy you never went down that path.
“I can’t tell glorify that drug life without giving them [the kids] the ups and the downs. In that game when you be going so hard, sometimes people forget about their families. They forget about what’s really important.”
– Grea8Gawd to NYS Music
Even so, the album’s potency has reverberating effects for each affected party. For family and foes alike, lessons turn into tent poles to reach. With family issues arising due to the job’s demands. When that happens, money and lavish gifts can’t make up for lost time. While the underlying message of treachery, deceit and despair remains with the listener, just trying to get through winter. On “Entitled,” Grea8Gawd and Hell Rell face the fallout from their time in the streets. With the former agonizingly acknowledging “on my birthday I bought my son a watch, on Father’s Day he never even called to say ‘I love you pop.’”
In that game when you be going so hard, sometimes people forget about their family and what’s really important. With me and my son personally it was a disconnect because I was always there but I feel as though he felt like he had to try to outdo me. But, nah, I did those things so you don’t have to
– Grea8Gawd to NYS Music
SNOWDAY album cover
All in all, Grea8Gawd is well on his way. Having signed with an underground king in Roc Marciano and with the innate ability to bring his experiences to life bringing some real-ness back to the game.
On January 19th, Anastazja touched down in Manhattan to perform, as she calls it, “her favorite mix” at SOB’s. Having been a firsthand witness to this event, the crowd’s energy was expected. As their favorite tunes resonated, it motivated some individuals to leap onto the stage and break into dance.
DJ Anastazja 1.19 at SOBS – photographed Jordyn Britt
I had the privilege of securing a brief interview with this talented young artist, who currently resides in LA. She attends the University of Southern California where she will be earning with a Bachelors in Media Arts and Practice
Anastazja was born and raised in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, her father is from Los Angeles and her mother is a Polish immigrant. Her initial inspiration to pursue a career as a DJ stemmed from an underground EDM event. It was a go-to spot for college students and was known for being grimey. Anastazjarecalls one of those wild nights:
I witnessed a guy climb onto the DJ table, surrounded by a group of men. The men and everyone within the crowd became so excited. In that surreal moment, I felt a strong desire to experience the joy of sharing music, especially as one of the few women in the music industry. I vividly recall a distinct high school memory, driving through the school parking lot, thinking of the idea of being a DJ despite my limited knowledge. The universe and timing aligned, leading me to USC which completely altered my course.
Anastazja
DJ Anastazja 1.19 at SOBS – photographed by Jordyn Britt
DJ Anastazja 1.19 at SOBS – photographed by Jordyn Britt
Anastazja continues to gain her inspiration from all around her and within. From other DJs, Pinterest, her friends that send her music, simply walking in a grocery store and hearing a classic. Grandparents playing music from their own memories, and the resonance it carries, adds a unique and distinct touch to the experience.
One thing that Anastazja hopes to gain from being a DJ is the experience. “I look forward to being able to travel the world and explore music from different backgrounds. While DJing may appear mostly social to many, for me, it’s about chasing this specific feeling in my stomach when I witness the profound impact music has on people. Experiencing music from various parts of the world has the potential to change the way I perceive sound and life. In a sense, that would be my “gain” – the wealth of diverse musical experience.”
The highlights that make up these experiences start in those first few minutes of Anastazja’s sets, when she can get a sense of the crowd catching the groove. “When I play that one song everyone wants to sing along to, it becomes a moment of pure joy and peace – dancing and singing with a group of strangers. It’s truly incredible to witness how music can move and bond people, bringing emotions that are visible in this type of setting, ultimately bringing everyone together.”
As for her favorite mix to date, that honor goes to a recent NYC show at SOB’s on January 19. “While my boiler room experience was great, there was still a small sense of catering to the space. At SOB’s I had true creative freedom to explore anything I wanted – literally ANYTHING. I took my sound in various directions, and it resonated the best. The addition of live saxophone made the performance even more incredible, shout out to Kobie Dozier!”
Check out Anastazja Soundcloud below, and discover more here.
On January 23, 2024, the famous 92nd Street Y (92Y) was buzzing with excitement as Annette Insdorf led a lively talk with legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese. The main focus of the event was a close look at Scorsese’s latest film, “Killers of the Flower Moon.” The audience enjoyed insights into the movie, and with Scorsese having earned an Oscar nomination, he now surpasses Steven Spielberg in directorial acclaim.
Adding to the historic moment, Lily Gladstone, who stars in the film, made history herself by becoming the first Native American actress to be Oscar-nominated. Her groundbreaking achievement is a testament to the film’s commitment to diversity and authenticity.
During the on-stage conversation, Scorsese delved into the intricacies of the filmmaking process, shedding light on the chemistry between the actors that brought his vision to life. One of the key elements discussed was the musical score, composed by Robbie Robertson. Scorsese shared insights into the collaborative process of creating the film’s music. This soundtrack, became Robertson’s last film score before he passed away in August 2023. The film is dedicated to his memory. Robertson’s musical talent earned him a posthumous nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Score in 2024, showcasing the impact of his contribution to the movie’s emotional atmosphere.
Another standout point in the conversation was Scorsese’s commitment to authenticity in depicting the Osage Nation, a Native American tribe central to the film’s narrative. The director and his team actively engaged with members of the Osage Nation, meeting with them on multiple occasions to ensure accurate and respectful portrayals of their people and culture. This collaborative effort added a layer of depth to the film, making it a more immersive and genuine cinematic experience.
To sum it up, the night at 92Y showed us Martin Scorsese’s creative thinking and how he made “Killers of the Flower Moon.” This event celebrated not just his successes but also the diverse magic that makes movies special. It’s a noteworthy moment in his impressive journey in the film world.
“All of them will encompass the idea of revolutionary joy,” Michael Farrow tells me when describing Farrow, and their vision of where their music’s been and where their music’s going. It shows and it shines of course, since Farrow has been a staple here in Western NY for the last several years, taking the music scene here by storm, opening for national acts like Portugal the Man.
For the last couple of years, Farrow has also been putting out a series of interconnected EPs, Agitate, Educate, and the third EP of that series, Organize. The latter of which has a release show at the Town Ballroom set for this Friday, the 26th. The release show will not only feature ever-rising acts such as, Sunday Reign and Grosh, but will also be a tribute to their supremely-talented drummer, Tim Webb, who recently passed away.
With fingers unsteady enough to deny me a career as a lead guitarist myself, and enough caffeine to send a bull elephant into a jolt of their own, I was excited, and honored to chat through a labyrinth of DMs with Farrow’s founding member, chief songwriter and vocal lead, Michael Farrow, also known by their stage name, MYQ F, and vocalist for the band, Danielle Johnson, whose also the founding member, and vocal lead of the new Buffalo outfit, Diyené.
Of course I started out trying to get an origin story out of Danielle whose vocals and lyrics on the stage are as a dynamic and standout as her personality off the stage. Her addition to Farrow’s sound is vital, and transcends more from the point of backup vocalist, and has only added to the intense, soulful stylings that comprise Farrow’s vocal thunderstorm.
JB: So before we get into existential deep cuts, I think it would be a good to see how the band brought you in Danielle, as you seem to be an integral member of the band. So how’d this come to be?
DJ: Okay, so maybe about 2 years ago I got a message on Facebook from Michael Farrow asking if i wanted to do background vocals for him in their band. I think at the time I knew that they had a band but I hadn’t heard the music or seen them live. All of my experience knowing Mike was directly in relation to seeing him at karaoke over the course of two or three years and sometimes seeing him in relation to Eve at poetry events. I came to a rehearsal on Andre Pilette’s porch and started just harmonizing to the best of my ability to the songs they were playing and that was kind of that. We start prepping me for the show they were about to do which was at The Tralf and from there I was the background vocalist. My role as background started with me being featured on maybe 5 or 6 songs but the more gigs I was doing the more inconvenient it was to go up and down and up and down off the stage so I started teaching myself other songs that we would perform often, so now after two years I am a co-lead which is great, but I am really just happy to be up there vibing and hanging out.
JB: Are there any personal faves you have? Any songs you particularly love performing live, maybe ones you love recording with the band?
DJ: For me, “Love Me For Me,” and “Steal My Joy” are big message songs that make me feel great. I really attached myself to “Love Me for Me” when I first joined the band.
JB: That’s great! “Love Me for Me,” is also a personal favorite of mine as well. Speaking of co-leads, I see you’re leading your own band now as well of your own, Diyené. Would love to know a little bit more about that project too.
Photo Credit: Curtis Kreutter
DJ: So Diyené is really interesting, I started writing a song called “Better” very shortly after calling off my engagement in May and I tossed it around to a lot of different musicians and didn’t really focus on it because I couldn’t think of how to finish it or make it sound the way I wanted it to because I don’t play very many instruments or any at all. In early December of 2022 I met Nick Myers in passing who was with me at Snow Jam and he offered to be my bassist and let me know that he was game to make original music and from that moment the ball was rolling. I found Nick in early December, our first meeting we wrote two songs. I already knew I wanted to work with Armani from when I met him at a rehearsal for David Jonathan and the Inner City Bedlam, together we nailed down “Better.” I met Mike Delano right before New Years and together we wrote two songs. And on January 11th I met with the tentative three members of my band just to see if we vibed and Armani brought Isaiah and we all got along so well.
JB: Interesting. Are there any comparisons you have between Diyené’s sound & Farrow’s?
DJ: I think in terms of creating music that lyrically says something strong I think there are similarities, and that even though Farrow’s genre differs, the music continually crosses genres, Diyené does that as well.
I then reached out to Michael, whose been an absolute stalwart to Buffalo’s music community, and spoke to him about Farrow’s sound, the journey of it all, how they are redefining their own influences in order to find their own place beyond the rustbelt, beyond the Niagara frontier, beyond the entire Western NY region.
JB: I must ask about your previous albums listening to it there is a such an interconnection to the lyrical themes bridging the personal and political? You speak about revolutionary joy, and the interconnectedness throughout your current discography. What do these ideals mean to you?
MF: For me, it’s all a feeling that everything seems to be an extension of each other. An example of that personal-to-political bridge “Run Away” is a break up song, but it’s really an expression of my relationship with this country. If any person treated me like this country had, you’d tell them to break up.
Photo Credit: John Raczynski Photography
JB: Love that song of course, and I can definitely see the political comparison there.
MF: “I know I’ve got a problem trying to figure you out,” which in that translation for I spend way too much time trying to figure out this place when I think I really need to run away. For the song writing process it means that I can’t just stop at the frustration, I have to find a place of interconnectedness which is the central aspect of joy. The thing is, joy isn’t just about happiness, but it’s about connection. Joy is in connection.Joy in nature is connection to nature. So I try and write with communication and connective love in mind. On a different, but still interconnected note, but I have a feeling much of this comes from your own experiences of course, and the tragedies befallen in the Black community, especially in the past few years, but were there also any artists that come to mind as well? I have read many revolutionary texts and examined various revolutionary lives like Huey P. Newton, Paul Robeson, and James Baldwin. Because the topic of systemic social change is heavy and important, there tends to be the overwhelming sense of reverence sadness and anger, rarely joy peace and laughter. Emma Goldman said “I did not believe that a cause which stood for a beautiful ideal, for anarchism, for release and freedom from conventions and prejudice, should demand the denial of life and joy.“ I wanted to have a collection of joyful music that still spoke to the revolutionary spirit. Something I can listen to while I’m going about my day, not intrusive, but a comfort.
JB: Beautiful words spoken by such remarkable voices, especially Emma Goldman, who has her own infamous history here in Buffalo. When looking at the spheres of influence, are there any particular songwriters, or bands, local/national/international that you would say your inspiration draws from? I know this is sort of trite, and overdone question, but I think it’s still an important one in maybe adding to the already powerful context in your music.
MF: So usually when I talk about inspiration I talk about Buffalo native Ani DiFranco, but specifically within the Black community you’re asking a very nuanced and therefore gonna get a “get me in trouble” kind of answer. To begin with, I don’t believe that there is a single monolithic Black community in any given city. The intersectionality of the various identities that we all carry can result in contradictions within our communities, which is why I draw inspiration from a multitude of sources. When it comes to the response of the church-going Black community in the face of tragedy, there is no universal approach. Some may say that “God has a plan,” while others express frustration and lamentation, as seen in the psalms of the Bible. I was surprised to hear a lot of WE PRAISE YOU LORD music at the interfaith service I attended after the 5/14 tragedy. What inspires me the most is the idea of being honest and upfront with God, the community, and authority about how we’ve been wronged. The Bible has plenty of examples of this, and I believe it’s crucial to acknowledge and express our frustrations and sorrow. One important observation I’ve made is that we don’t seem to have a collective secular mourning ritual within the diverse Black American experience. Instead of mourning, many of us tend to distract ourselves with partying and other activities. If we were to truly let our tears flow, the river of injustice would be unceasing, and we would all drown. So, I strive to create a space for mourning and reflection in my work, even if it’s not always comfortable or easy.
JB: That is definitely a concept worth living up to. Saying that, there’s another concept we’ve spoken about in previous conversations on the genre you and the rest of the band classify themselves as, and I’ve been really fascinated by it as of late: neo-classic rock. Could you elaborate on that for me?
MF: Neo-classic rock is something that’s close to my heart because it’s something we’ve kind of been making up. We realize whenever we were asked about what type of music we played the answer was rock, but for us it was from the 60s and 70s and early 80s and the sound we’re making sort of envelopes all of these groups that sound like music from the past but also brought into the present. When I speak of our influence, when I think of the things that revolutionize and shape our sound I think of the revolutionary rockers of the 60s and 70s, such as Creedence Clearwater Revival, also blends of black and white groups like Sly & The Family Stone, The Band, etc… A lot of those bands that were singing about things that were a little more revolutionary, a little more political. There’s also the Black influence of rock there too from church and Gospel music which have always played a role in rock music uniting both the secular and religious in music like soul. But were not making soul music were making music that utilizes the sounds of soul. So inventing a genre is beautiful, because of its roots, really the music is a giant family tree where they’re all connected in very strange ways and double back and realign to each other. With neo-classic rock, the sound is really about finding the essence of the old rock music in a new generation of thought. When old rock music using that example with metal.
As Friday approaches, and the release date of Farrow’s third EP draws closer and closer, it seems even more important that the concepts Farrow brings to their music, make their way through the smokescreen of struggle and megaphone the ideals of what it means to turn music into a form of protest, whether that is through addressing a landscape of sound, or one of political unrest. From redefining concepts such as joy, or redefining genre, or scribing lyrics that unapologetically challenge the status quo, Farrow embodies the heartbeat of a generation looking for change. There’s the hard-hitting percussions of Michel Ruopoli and the late great Tim Webb. There’s Corey Clancy’s acid-tongued guitar licks, Andre Pilette’s funkified basslines. There’s the diverse flurry of piano rolls and keyboard strokes from Rufus “Breezy” Cole Jr. There’s, of course, Danielle Johnson, and Michael Farrow, whose vocals are powerful enough to make the angels themselves jealous.
Although with Tim’s recent passing, the release party that is set will be run on more somber terms, the connection Mike speaks of, the comradery Danielle speaks of, the way joy is not just a celebration, but a connection to community. A connection that no amount of death can derail, and no amount of life can overwhelm. Farrow offers in their music something much deeper than hope: truth, which in such essence is a gospel all its own.
Neighbor will make their way to Saratoga Springs for the first time on Friday, January 19, having grown a sizeable following in the Northeast over the past five years. They’ll also be at Levon Helm Studios the next night, January 20, for an intimate show, sure to be packed with diehard fans on what looks to be a frosty night.
Speaking with singer and keyboardist Richard James, one had to know – how did it take so long to come to Saratoga Springs?
“Every time we come to Putnam Place with Pink Talking Fish is a blast, and I wanted to make sure the first time we played there with Neighbor, it was a packed house and the date made sense. Having not played Saratoga Springs definitely has driven up interest in the show, and could be the start of something.”
Neighbor is the creation of childhood neighbors Richard James (vocals, keys) and Lyle Brewer (guitar), plus Dan Kelly (bass) and Dean “The Dux” Johnston (drums), together combining ambitious composition, soulful balladry, and a fearless approach to improvisations with intent, creating Neighbor’s “down home” sound.
While James was touring with Pink Talking Fish, Brewer went on to teach guitar at Berklee College of Music, and in 2018 they revisited playing music together. With no barriers, it was like they were back in middle school, writing songs and performing together. The two are now finding balance after five years, between songwriting and jamming on (mostly) original material each night.
photo by Chris Capaci
Having just celebrated their 5 year anniversary as a band earlier this month, but four years ago in early 2020, Neighbor was just getting warmed up when COVID hit, shutting down the live music industry. Thus, in the years that have followed, they have been strategic with their touring schedule.
“All members of the band have families and kids. Lyle is an instructor at Berklee College of Music, and Dean is drum chair at Milton Academy outside of Boston, so routing needs to work out among balanced schedules and family obligations”
This, while also trying to push as hard as they can without burning out or taking away from instruction at these music schools, maneuvering the the band’s direction deftly. The band, collectively, wants to make sure they are not overwhelmed by how much is going on – the number of shows, the time on the road and away from home.
As a band, Neighbor wants longevity, and they’ll defer to taking the slow road instead of rushing.
photo by Chris Capaci
Neighbor saw its genesis well before 2018, going back to when James was on the road with Pink Talking Fish. “I’ve been writing since I ever got into music. Once I got started with Pink Talking Fish, I toured for six or seven years straight, compiled all this original music, and it was eventually time to do something different,” said James. After spending a day in New Orleans with piano legend Jon Cleary and gaining clarity towards a vision for his music, he began a Tuesday night residency at Thunder Road in Somerville, recruiting childhood neighbor Lyle Brewer, hence the band name, Neighbor.
For Neighbor’s five year anniversary, they decided to go back to their roots and recently announced a five week residency, one week for each year as a band, to pay tribute to how things came to be what they are now. James recalls those early Neighbor shows. “There are so many weird, crazy antics we would do at Tuesday night residencies in the past, special guests, switching up instruments, keeping fans on their toes and coming back for more the next week.” They look to bring back this magic with their upcoming residency at Soundcheck Studios, starting February 20 through March 19, every Tuesday night. “A lot of people travel to see us, and although we play the songs differently each night to keep it fresh, to give it that extra factor (horns), keeping it interesting where fans won’t want to miss a show” said James.
There is also the Neighbor rock opera, Silver, which was recently performed with the “Neighbor Nine,” where five additional horns and back up singers join the Neighbor quartet for a surprise factor on any given night. The Neighbor Nine come together with the full band, plus Matt Wayne (saxophone), James Cronin (trumpet), Rob Krahn (trombone), with Renee DuPuis and Joanne Cassidy as backup vocalists. The band has custom baseball jerseys, and if four members are wearing them, you might see the three horns and two singers come out and join Neighbor for some or all of the show.
Performing Silver was hands down the show of the year. I was blown away by the musicianship of the other band members, and even with limited opportunities to practice in advance, we ran a bunch of music during soundcheck and it was all there, no one skipped a beat. To have that trust and perform at the level we did – including songs played that night for the first time – it was magical. Adding in the show was rescheduled from October when the shooting in Lewiston postponed many events, in this case until January – which meant practice during the holiday season, a tough call for family-centric band members, but they pulled it off.
Richard James
That rock opera is based on the whole idea behind Neighbor – “let’s go out and have fun,” as James puts it. “The moment this stops being fun, it’s time we should stop doing it. We thought it would be fun to write a rock odyssey. Lyle and Richard grew up on rock operas, and we gave it a go during COVID, escaping the division in the country while settling on a story: two guys plan to leave the planet, stumble upon a guy who has the answers, and take off on an interstellar adventure, spread out over 10 songs, ” “Magic Marble Crew,” “Magna Zero” and “We Need You” among them. The story unfolds as the pair discover different civilizations, steal a spaceship, all in the pursuit of finding a home where everyone looks out for each other – neighbors helping neighbors, if you will.”
Having just released 30 shows on Nugs.Net and a thorough collection of music on the Neighbor Bandcamp page, Neighbor’s diverse catalog of hundreds of songs makes them one of the most exciting and unpredictable live bands in the music scene today. Don’t miss them at Putnam Place on Friday, January 19, and Saturday, January 20 at Levon Helm Studios.
In the midst of his sixth decade in the music industry, Albert Lee is halfway through yet another month-long tour, with a stop scheduled at the Strand Theatrein Hudson Falls on Jan. 20. The guitar virtuoso, whose accolades and bonafides continue to grow, is showing no signs of slowing down, celebrating his 80th birthday not that long ago.
I had the humbling opportunity to chat with Mr. Lee in the week leading up to his scheduled Jan. 20 appearance at Strand Theatre in Hudson Falls. In a conversation that dances through and around his storied career, one thing is undeniable: the sheer passion he has for his craft. What follows is our conversation.
Lucas Garrett: How’re you doing today, sir?
Albert Lee: Pretty good, pretty good. Thanks. Relaxing.
LG: Great to talk with you today. You’re going to be in the area at The Strand Theatre in Hudson Falls on Jan. 20th.
AL: Yeah, that’s right. Looking forward to it.
LG: It’s awesome that someone such as yourself is coming to a hometown theatre. You’ve been involved in the music industry for a while.
AL: Yeah.
LG: What started all of it for you? What made you say, “This is what I want to do with my life?”
AL: I started playing when I was 13 or 14, and you know, it was exciting. I wasn’t really interested in school; I left school at 15, which you could do at that time in England. I did a couple of day jobs, you know… my main interest was playing the guitar, and pretty soon, I was able to pretty much do it for a living.
photo by Lucas Garrett
LG: How many years did it take for you to do it full-time for a living?
AL: Oh, pretty soon, really. I wasn’t trained to do anything else. I was on the road at 16 – I did a couple of day jobs when I got back from those tours. What I was able to earn in a week was more than I could earn as a 17-year-old… I could earn more playing guitar, and went on from there.
I went off to Germany, and been in a number of bands over the years. Very fortunate to go from one to another.
LG: Anyone with access to the internet is able to quickly lookup all that you’ve done in your impressive career, but are there any moments that really stand out for you?
AL: Oh, yeah! I felt very fortunate with my heroes, The Everly Brothers, for many years. I was friendly with Don Everly, in the 1970’s, when he and his brother weren’t talking to one another. I was also working with Joe Cocker and Emmylou Harris in the 1970’s – I was busy. Then, The Everly Brothers got back together in the early 1980’s… I thought, “This is great! At last, I get to play with The Everly Brothers, even if it’s for a couple of nights.” They decided to go back on the road for albums, and that went on for 25 years or more.
LG: Were you with them that whole time?
AL: Oh yeah! I was with them from 1983 until they finished in the early 2000’s.
LG: Now, you’re going on tour, and playing all these theaters. What other shows are you doing on this tour? Are you in bigger theaters? Smaller theaters?
AL: This tour finishes on Feb. 3rd, and in fact, we finish up in Clear Lake, Iowa, in a big dance hall where Buddy Holly did his last gig. They always celebrate Buddy Holly, and Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper around that time each year. I’ve done that half a dozen times now.
photo by Lucas Garrett
LG: How does it feel to still be on the road? Do you have the same appreciation for it that you’ve had?
AL: Yeah. I’m out here most of the year. It gets hard, you know? This tour is a month, then I’ve got two or three weeks off, and then I go to England for about two or three weeks, and back home again for a month or two, then back out again. I’ve just turned 80 a couple weeks ago.
LG: Well, happy birthday, belated!
AL: Thanks. I never thought this would be happening, but here we are! I’m glad the gigs are there and that I feel well enough – fit enough – to do it.
LG: What inspires you to keep this relentless touring schedule? Where do you find the energy to keep going like that?
AL: Well, we enjoy the work, you know? Sometimes the long trips… we have some long drives some days – couple hundred miles; three hundred miles – I don’t enjoy sitting in the van that long, but it’s what we have to endure to be able to do the gigs. We get there, and the people are happy to see us, and we can relax, have a nice meal, and do the gig. Hopefully get a good night’s sleep, and do it all again the next day.
LG: It’s all part of the deal, right?
AL: Yeah.
LG: What do you to pass the time in between shows?
AL: Well, when I’m home, there’s lots to do. Things fall behind at the house, and I’ve got cars to fix. That takes time, hahaha. The day I left the gig, the window mechanism broke in our car. I’ve got three days to fix it before I have to drive somewhere with a car full of equipment. I’ll manage it.
LG: Listening to you play is always a pleasure. I’m curious if you have any kind of routine that you practice by?
AL: I have to say, after all these years, I don’t pick the guitar up very often, you know? I’m lucky that the licks are still there – they’re always there. When you get to my age, the skin gets thin and you lose the calluses on your fingers. That’s a real pain.
LG: Who are some of your influences as a guitarist?
AL: I don’t listen to a lot of new music. I do know there are a lot of great guitar players out there – a lot more than when I started playing. There’s a lot more competition now. Hahaha. I was inspired by all the early rock and roll guitar players like Scotty Moore with Elvis Presley, and James Burton who played with Ricky Nelson and Elvis. Hank Garland. There were so many great players. I learned to play by learning their solos, you know? That showed me the way around the guitar so I was able to play it with ease.
LG: This show at Hudson Falls on Jan. 20th, what can people expect from this show? Do you have anything special planned?
AL: I’m pretty lazy, really. I think they’ve heard a lot of these songs before, you know, but I’ll be adding some new twists to them. I play differently every night, you know?
LG: Mhm.
AL: I try to keep it fresh for myself. The musicians I play with, it’s the same way. We’re improvising… there’s a set way of doing the songs, but we’re improvising our way through each night.
LG: Who’ll be with you that night?
AL: JT Thomas on keyboards. He also works with Bruce Hornsby. David Chamberlain is on bass; I’ve known him a long time. Jason Smith on drums. We’re all good friends and we like to work together. They’re not always available, so I’m glad that I’m able to get these three guys on tour. These guys have been with me for quite a few years, now, and I’m glad they can do it.
LG: I want to thank you, very much, for taking time out of your day. It was great talking with you.
AL: Oh yeah, you’re welcome. Thank you.
LG: Have a great show, and keep rocking on.
AL: Alright. Well, thank you so much for your interest, I appreciate it.
