Building buzz boils down to the person who strikes awe within fans. The one who puts people in seats and keeps them on their feet. An individual that rejects all societal constructs when it comes to traditional musical approaches goes by the name of Mach Hommy. Much of the time he creates masterpieces without any features except for his latest album, #RichaxxHaitian.
You might have seen a Mach Hommy vinyl on a Viceland show with 2 Chainz. Furthermore, the quality of music certainly magnifies the enjoyment for any listener. This man proves his brilliancy within bright pockets of sound sampling.
Discussion about Mach Hommy as the only man capable of licensing lathe cut technology to cut grooves into vinyl rather than press.
Speaking the Homily
Mach weaves intricate textures and interwoven patterns within each record. Realistically, nobody within any sector – underground, mainstream, drill – raps smoother than Mach Hommy and collaborators alike.
You may have heard Mach Hommy mentioned within the same breath as Your Old Droog [YOD]
YOD, Mach and Tha God Fahim share the DUMP mentality. Every great artist pushes themselves through a phase where they become comfortable being uncomfortable. Each one of these three artists pushed through a time where they released multiple projects within one year. Hence, they DUMPed on the game given the quality in relation to timespan.
Mainly, Mach Hommy plays a pivotal role within any room. His collaborations with Your Old Droog firmly reject traditional musical methods with nonconformist demeanors. From the sounds of it, Droog stayed independent thanks in great part to wisdom imparted by the omnipotent DUMP Gawd himself – Mach Hommy.
The most fascinating elements become illuminated when Mach Hommy comes near the function. Details are normally what many people fail to recognize. Crucially, tonal perception and vocabulary determines the depth by which a listener comprehends wordplay.
Details by way of Tyron de Harlem chronically affect the timeline by which this author discovered Mach Hommy. Normally, one journalist sees another journalist taking ATV rides with an artist yet to reveal his face and they tend to take a look. Insofar, the pen of this author understands and circulates wisdom as well.
This album deserves an archival article/zine concept.
Basically, this collection of songs starts off with great amplitude of tribal type hymnals. As it progresses, the sound really transfixes the audience. Here are a few tracks that proved rewind worthy.
Mach Hommy [L] in the studio with Black Thought [R]
Rewind Worthy Tracks off #RichaxxHaitian
“Sur Le Pont d’Avignon [Reparation #1]” was produced by Conductor Williams and serves as a calm coastable record. This track sets the tone for transition as the seventh track amidst a collection of exotic tunes.
“RichaxxHaitian” produced by Kaytranada radiates as an absolute bop.
“Lon Lon” – “He said my DNA wasn’t royal he’s a peasant.”
“Guggenheim Jeune” – “Hommy smilin at your maker I spearheaded my kind with more lines than a comet in the sky you had to pay us.”
“Copy Cold” – “State of the art business ain’t that stupendous.”
Mach opened up this album for features and it paid off in a major way. Shouts go out to an artist who uplifts his community, empowers others and knocks down doors for himself and everyone in his camp.
Central New York boasts a vibrant music scene with a diverse array of venues, offering everything from intimate live performances to large-scale concerts. These venues contribute to the region’s rich cultural tapestry, providing platforms for both local and national acts.
Glimmerglass Festival is found at Alice Busch Opera Theater as a professional non-profit summer opera company dedicated to producing new productions each season. The company continues its tradition of four new fully staged productions, now including three operas and one work of American musical theater, performed with full orchestra, large cast and no sound amplification. These four productions are supplemented by special performances, cabarets, concerts, lectures and symposiums throughout the season.
A 112-year-old orchard located just south of Syracuse in Lafayette, Beak and Skiff offers a tasting room, distillery and general store, plus a summer concert series that garnered great attention during the social distancing of 2020 and has continued to bring a strong number of artists to a scenic location in southern Onondaga County.
Black Oak Tavern has been a staple for the Central New York social scene for almost 50 years, priding itself on great drinks, a friendly atmosphere, and fantastic live events.
Crouse Hinds Theater – Mulroy Civic Center At Oncenter(Syracuse)
The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater contains one of the largest stages in Upstate New York. Symphoria performs concerts on its Masterworks and Pops series at this theater.
Cortland Beer Company has been a part of the scene in Historic Downtown Cortland for over a decade, serving as a popular music venue with indoor and outdoor stages.
Deep Diveâs mission is to provide a safe and inclusive space for artists, patrons, and staff, a neighborhood joint for all walks of people, showcasing a calendar of top-class, unique, and inspiring musicians and performers
This state-of-the-art facility comfortably seats up to 17,500 avid music lovers. The venue, managed by ASM Global and promoted by Live Nation, opened its gates on September 3rd, 2015.
The Folkus Project brings high-quality live acoustic music to Central New York audiences and nurtures the experience of community that live music creates.
Address: May Memorial UU Society, 3800 E. Genesee St., Syracuse 13214
The Hangar Theatre is a non-profit, regional theatre. Its mainstage season and children’s shows occur during the summer, but the Hangar, and other organizations, utilize the space year-round for special events.
The Homer Center for the Arts is known for hosting national music concerts, feature film screenings, a community theater program (Center Players) and showcase artwork by regional, national, and international visual artists in the art gallery. The Center also hosts classes, workshops and programs throughout the year, and adds to the economic vitality of Central New York.
Founded in 1976 by Greg Italiano, The Lost Horizon is one of the longest operational club-sized concert venues in Central New York, playing host to hardcore, hip-hop and variety acts on an irregular basis.
McGirks Irish Pub is a great restaurant for lunch, dinner, take-out, catering, with specials on beer, wine, spirits, and live music on Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
The Other Side is a Utica-based, not-for-profit organization committed to providing space for community initiatives. In addition to sponsoring its own musical, cultural, and social events, The Other Side is available to members of the community who wish to utilize it for yoga classes, musical gatherings, craft fairs, used-record sales, meditation groups, reading groups, and the like.
During the summer months, Saranac Brewery welcomes bands to perform on their outdoor stage, offering live music in the heart of downtown Utica. F.X. Matt Brewing Company is the fourth oldest family-owned brewery in the United States and serves up tasty beers during the shows, with an array of food options for each show.
Seven Of Jazz Lounge opened its doors on Jan. 5, 2023 with the goal of offering a ârelaxing environmentâ for those who want to listen to live music or even just hang out with friends. It is currently under renovations.
Having opened in 1969 as a small corner bar, Shifty’s has maintained its presence in the Lincoln Hill section of Syracuse, offering live music five nights a week, along with award winning wings and veteran staff.
Amid evergreens that create a cozy campground and the backdrop for incredible music, the home of Sterling Stage music festivals and other concerts since 1995, are offered on two unique stages. Welcoming families and kids of all ages, dogs, grills and coolers are permitted at Sterling Stage, with overnight camping included with all tickets.
The State Theatre of Ithaca is a historic, 1600-seat theatre located at Ithaca in Tompkins County, New York that hosts various events from bands, to plays, to comedy acts, to silent films, and more. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996
Located in the Southern Tier and close to the Pennsylvania border, this diamond in the rough serves a desert of live music, with rock and country acts performing each summer at Tag’s Summer Stage.
A 1920s speakeasy-style bar that is located in the cellar of Oh My Darling restaurant in Downtown Syracuse, The Fitz offers a variety of music to pair with craft cocktails in a unique space, located close to the Landmark Theatre for pre and post show music and libations.
A classic hunting lodge, now offering weddings and event space, The “G” Lodge welcomes events hosted by Hey Dude After Hours, who bring community-driven and family friendly music events, as well as summer and fall music festivals.
Upstate Medical University Arena at Onondaga County War Memorial (Syracuse)
The Upstate Medical University Arena at The Oncenter War Memorial is a multi-functional 7,000 seat venue with event space available on three levels, and home to the Syracuse Crunch, hosting concerts around the year.
The Westcott Theater is a 700-person multi-purpose concert venue in Syracuse’s Westcott neighborhood. Known for its cinema-style setting, the venue accommodates various genres but has particularly expanded its electronic music acts in recent years.
Wonderland Forest is more than just a forest: it has hiking trails, campgrounds, a wedding venue, and more recently, an outdoor music venue with various bands, food vendors, and other activities from across the United States. They have played host to the 50th anniversary of Summer Jam, Biscoland, Trey Anastasio, and many more concerts on tap for 2024.
Built on the site of Dopps Run, Dave Woods started Woods Valley in 1964, and Woods Valley Ski Area has been teaching families to ski for 60 years. Plenty of music can be found year round in the lodge, with performances by touring and regional bands peppering the calendar and warming up the nights after skiing the slopes at Woods Valley.
Harlem Stage announced its new Artistic Director and CEO, Indira Etwaroo, at Harlem Stage’s 40th anniversary sold out gala in City Winery.
Etwaroo hopes to emphasize the local and international connection in her new position. “Harlem is our home, but the world is our stage” is her north star phrase when it comes to leading the company. She upholds Harlem Stage’s core values of giving artists of color opportunities and dismantling the systems that historically oppress institutions and companies operated by people of color.
Etwaroo will succeed the now former Artistic Director and CEO of 25 years, Patricia Cruz. She expressed her gratitude for her new position and explained her challenges in today’s political climate. “It is not lost on me that my leadership tenure begins at a time when we must face—head on—the fragility of our fractured democracy, challenge demagoguery and the normalization of blatant falsehoods, and demand that cultural institutions be thought of as first responders and artists as frontline workers in this quest to create a more just, more truthful, more inclusive and more equitable world for the next generation and for generations to come,” she said. “I am deeply committed to the work ahead.”
With an extensive background in media and theater work, Etwaroo is familiar with directing. Etwaroo was the director of Steve Jobs theater from 2020 up until now and before that, she was the founding executive producer of both NPR from 2013-2015 and the century old radio station, The Greene Space from 2006 to 2013.
Etwaroo also has a background in fundraising. She became the first executive advisor of the Chadwick Boseman Estate, molding the foundation. During Covid-19 she helped raise $10 million for black theaters throughout the country.
Her work in the past was centered around community in the arts, something that Harlem Stage was built upon. The company was founded in 1983 to give a platform to Black artists and to expose Harlem to censored talent. Today, the stage hosts music and dance performances from artists around the world.
Upcoming performances include works from choreographer Camille A. Brown June 14 and 15 as well as the Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra on Sept.12.
For more information on Harlem Stage and Indira Etwaroo you can visit their website here.
The year is 1964 on Long Island, when a group of four high school friends decide to form a garage band called The Vagrants. Little did they know, this pet project would have a massive impact on the music scene within its four short years of existence. Its members would play with legends like Jim Morrison, John Lennon, and The Who. Their singles would influence everything from punk rock to metal to one of Aretha Franklin’s greatest hits. Their lead guitarist would even rise to classic rock stardom at Woodstock. So how is it that The Vagrants could so quickly fade into obscurity?
Like so many other bands. The Vagrants began because of the Beatles. In August 1964, friends Peter Sabatino and Larry Weinstein watched The Beatles play the Forest Hills Stadium and knew they had to start a band. The duo went around town to assemble a ragtag group of their friends to join. Peter would be lead singer, with Larry on bass guitar and backing vocals. They enlisted the best guitarist they knew, who just happened to be Larry’s brother Leslie West. They met future drummer Roger Mansour when their high school principal suspended him and the other fledgling band members for their long hair. Finally, they got Jerry Storch, a regular at the local bowling alley, to join on keys.
Storch’s bowling alley connection would save the band, as the local lanes would become their base of operations. From this headquarters, the quintet mapped out their plan for future success. As it turns out, Sabatino and Weinstein were as good entrepreneurs as they were musicians, networking to get early gigs across Queens and Long Island. They made the high school circuit, playing everything from sweet 16s to NYC nightclubs. On top of all of this, the band’s members were all still actively enrolled in an arts high school.
This early grind worked out for The Vagrants, as they soon caught the eye of a record label willing to promote and release their music. In 1965, representatives from Southern Sound approached the band, having seen their rudimentary press kit. The label offered to release The Vagrant’s debut single, an opportunity that would kickstart their fleeting career.
This debut single was “Oh Those Eyes” with b-side “You’re Too Young.” The A-side is a hidden gem of 1960s rock, starring Sabatino’s sneering vocals that sound straight out of “My Generation.” His vocals are backed up by Beatles-esque harmonies, eerie Hammond organ, and Leslie West’s reverb-laden surf guitar. All of these come together to create something punky and psychedelic, unlike much rock that had preceded it.
Their debut single propelled The Vagrants to greater stardom than before. Soon they had gotten residencies in Hampton Bays in the East end of Long Island, and the Rolling Stone in Manhattan. The single also pushed the group into movie-stardom, after gaining the attention of director Douglas Hickox in 1966. Hickox was in the process of making Disk-O-Tek Holiday, a film about an aspiring musician named Casey Paxton attempting to gain radio airplay of his song. Hickox thought that “Oh Those Eyes” would make a perfect musical number for a dance party scene, and hired the group to perform in his film.
The Vagrants soon became regulars on the “Good Guys” program of NYC’s WMCA radio station. Bolstered by its early radio support of The Beatles’ early singles, WMCA had become a haven for cutting-edge rock. The Vagrants, alongside legends like Eric Clapton’s Cream, and The Who, would often play sets for the station, broadcasting their singles across the NYC metro.
Until 1968, The Vagrants continued to release 4 more singles, which would later be collected in the 2011 compilation I Can’t Make a Friend. These singles are quintessential 1960s rock, melding influences from all of the decade’s most defining genres. “Hasty Heart” sees the band hearken back to early 60s surf rock. It combines melodic harmonies, exotica-esque organs, and reverberated guitars to craft a hazy, lazy tune that wouldn’t feel out of place at a tiki bar. Their next single, a 1967 cover of Otis Redding’s “Respect” is straight-up soul, with upbeat guitars and a catchy keyboard line. This cover allegedly caught the ear of producer Jerry Wexler who passed it along to his client Aretha Franklin.
Despite their best efforts, none of these singles were radio hits. Desperate for success, The Vagrants called in Cream producer Felix Pappalardi to record “Beside the Sea.” This single is a stark departure from their earlier soulful style of garage rock. The track is a slow psychedelic dirge, with guitars so distorted they almost don’t register as instruments. The harsh, raucous guitars foreshadow the later metal, industrial, and noise-rock genres. “Beside the Sea” mirrors the growing psychedelic and acid rock scenes expanding across late 1960s America. Despite this, the track was not the hit The Vagrants were looking for.
While The Vagrants didn’t find much success in their studio output, they became infamous for their fiery live performances. In 1966, they became the house band at The Action House in Island Park, NY. The Action House was a Mecca for the Long Island live music scene. Owned by Lucchese mafia family associate Phil Basile, the venue was infamous for its drug use, fights, and overall chaotic atmosphere. Despite its ill repute, it attracted bands both local and national. Bands like The Doors, The Hassles–with a young Billy Joel on keys–and Vanilla Fudge all played The Action house alongside The Vagrants.
The Vagrants’ live sets fit right into The Action House’s chaotic atmosphere. As the house band, they were paid $1,500 to perform 28 nights every month. Eager to earn their pay, The Vagrants cranked up their live antics to eleven. They padded out their sets with slowed-down, distorted covers of popular songs, like The Beatles’ “No Reply.” These covers, along with those of their Action House colleagues Vanilla Fudge, would lay the foundation for early heavy metal that would emerge soon after.
Their antics went beyond just musical experimentation, with the band often incorporating pyrotechnics into their performances. They timed fireworks so that they would go off at the climaxes of their songs. One night, extra fireworks stored under Storch’s organ ignited after the show. The explosion set the stage, along with the band’s instruments on fire, destroying them. The Vagrants were so popular, however, that their show set for the next night couldn’t be delayed, so their label replaced their instruments and repaired the stage in less than a day.
Despite their live success, The Vagrants’ future was far from set in 1968. None of their singles had become radio hits like they had hoped, and the band was growing restless. As a result of this restlessness, the band members began fighting more and more, worsened by their increasing drug use. Joey Ramone, who went to school with The Vagrants and followed their career, recalls that Larry modeled himself after “Jim Morrison at that point – just like permanently f—-d-up.” By summer 1968, things were beyond repair, with Jerry Storch leaving. Less than one year later, Leslie West also left, starting a new band with collaborator Felix Pappalardi, leaving The Vagrants all but dead.
While the Vagrants died in 1968, West’s new band Mountain was born, launching him to guitar god status. Mountain built off the distortion of Vagrants tracks like “Beside the Sea” to create heavy, psychedelic blues rock. The band got off to a running start, playing at Woodstock less than one year after its founding. At 9:00 PM on the second night of the festival, mountain played an eleven song set to over 500,000 people: a show that was only their fourth gig ever.
With albums like Climbing! and Nantucket Sleighride, Mountain became legends of classic rock radio. West used his newfound fame to collaborate with some of the biggest names in rock. He went on to record a demo jam with Eric Clapton and John Lennon, as well as playing guitar on the Who track “Baby, Don’t You Do It.”
While West soared to superstardom with Mountain, the other members of The Vagrants remained quiet for the next few decades. Drummer Roger Mansour became a missionary in Haiti, and keyboardist Jerry Stroch became a rabbi. Peter Sabatino started a local catering business, but still remained hopeful of a Vagrants reunion.
In 1990, Sabatino reformed The Vagrants with no other original members. These “New Vagrants” made the rounds of NYC and Long Island venues, with regular shows at Amityville’s Odyssey Club. After years of live shows, the group began recording their comeback/debut full-length LP 21st Century Vagrants in 2002. The recording was cut short, however, when their drummer Joe Forgione died of a heart attack during a live show in 2003. Any hopes of a Vagrants comeback died alongside Forgione in 2003, and the band broke up for good. For the second time in their history, The Vagrants had ended before they really got started.
Enjoy The Vagrants performing a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction” at The Action House.
In a quaint corner of the Hudson Valley, bordering Massachusetts lies Spencertown. This small hamlet is home to the Spencertown Academy, an institution dedicated to education and preservation of the arts. The academy strives to foster a sense of community by promoting the arts and humanities to all ages.
For over 50 years, the Spencertown Academy has excelled in this mission, hosting a slew of traveling musicians and artists, as well as holding numerous annual events. The venue has hosted performances supporting local talent, such as one highlighting blues women of the Capital Region. Additionally they have hosted national stars, like grammy-nominated singer-songwriters Gary Lucas and Guy Davis.
The Academy also promotes community involvement in the arts, hosting free writing, and blues workshops for all to attend.
The Spencertown Academy Arts Center’s history dates back almost two centuries to 1845. At its founding, the academy was not an arts center, but rather a teachers school. Founded by pastor Timothy Woodbridge, the academy was open to the region’s boys and girls, an uncommon practice at the time.
By 1847, construction on the schoolhouse had been completed, leaving the Academy’s current structure. The two-story high Greek revival building featured imposing ionic columns, a large front portico, and a high gabled roof, making it an architectural marvel of the region. In 1973, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance.
The Academy continued life as a public school until its closure in 1970. Desperate to save this community icon, Spencertown residents founded the Spencertown Academy Society. This society undertook a 10 year restoration of the building, allowing for its reopening as a community arts center. Following the tumult of the 2008 recession, the community banded together to eliminate the academy’s debt and establish it as a volunteer-based organization.
Today, the Academy hosts rich arts spaces, both indoor and outdoor. At its center, a 110 seat auditorium holds the Academy’s concerts, theater performances, and film screenings. The Academy’s Backer Room is a smaller, more intimate space in a restored classroom, used for its educational programs. The interior of the Academy also features two art galleries, featuring art and artisan pieces from locals.
In addition to this is the sprawling outdoor spaces, home to many of the Academies annual events. The Academy hosts the annual Hidden Gardens event, offering tours of the Spencertown Green’s manicured landscapes. This event also hosts a plethora of local craft and antique vendors. Other outdoor events, like Twilight in the Garden, and Community Day offer a chance for Spencertown’s residents to get together and enjoy food, and live music in an outdoor setting.
The Academy remains dedicated to the community, and especially its youth, hosting events to get them involved in the arts. The annual Festival of Books, sees the Academy transformed into a massive library, offering books for all ages. Additionally, the event features book talks, live readings, and other special activities.
The Academy has a busy upcoming season, with many events scheduled for the Summer. On May 31, the Academy will host The Lovestruck Balladeers playing an old-fashioned mix of Americana and swing. Continuing their dedication to arts education, the Academy will host a poetry and prose writing workshop on June 15. This workshop will focus on the Summer landscapes of Columbia County, and how nature has influenced past poets. In terms of theater, the Academy will show a production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest on June 21. The upcoming summer season continues to show the Academy’s dedication for the performing arts, and local arts education.
For more information, visit the Spencertown Academy website here.
In the heart of the Hudson Valley, just 30 minutes south of Albany lies Catskill’s Bridge Street Theatre. The theater is a non-profit seeking to enhance the cultural life of Greene County through the independent production of musical and theater performances.
Greene County’s seat of Catskill is home to the Bridge Street Theatre opened in 2014. Since its founding, the theater has sought to set itself apart from the region’s other performing arts centers, with a focus on accessibility. The theater’s board focuses on highlighting overlooked musical and theater artists, even commissioning new works for the stage. They also strive to keep ticket prices low to make sure their performances can reach the widest possible audiences.
Since 2014, the Bridge Street Theatre has been a haven for cutting edge performance art. The theater has hosted over 62 musical performances, 84 plays, and 33 dance performances. It has staged productions of Monty Python’s Spamalot, Frankenstein and the Epic of Gilgamesh. Amongst these productions was The Shaggs’ Philosophy of the World, a stage retelling of The Shaggs’ legendary outsider music career. Additionally, the theater has also hosted a decade’s worth of musical performances ranging from classical to bluegrass. These concerts include San Francisco’s award winning Zelos Saxophone Quartet, and Capital Region folk band Ramblin Jug Stompers.
Downtown Catskill, NY
The theater’s story begins with its founder John Sowle. Following decades of acting and theater production in both San Francisco and Manhattan, Sowle relocated to Catskill in 2008. Following the move, Sowle focused his attention on finding a permanent home for his nomadic theater production company Kaliyuga Arts.
This plan came to fruition in 2013, when Sowle purchased a derelict air curtain factory just outside of downtown Catskill. After a year of renovations, the abandoned factory was transformed into a state of the art 12,000 square foot center for performing arts.
The derelict air curtain factory on the site of the theater, 2009
The theater’s premises house many venues for performing arts. At the center of the theater, is the Charles and Priscilla Patterson Mainstage. This auditorium has seating for 84 people, making it a perfect setting for the theater’s major productions.
There is additionally a smaller cabaret-style concert space, known as “The Speakeasy.” This area also currently serves as the theater’s lobby, but can be quickly converted into a performance space, with a small raised stage allowing for intimate shows. The venue also houses “The Big Room,” a space to host sculpture and art exhibitions. The theater values the comfort of its performers, housing dressing rooms, a lounge and living spaces for visiting artists.
The theater prides itself in collaboration with Catskill’s local youth. As it is located next to Catskill High School, the theater provides opportunities for local students to get involved in theater production and performance, getting a new generation involved in music and the arts.
The Bridge Street Theatre has a busy upcoming Summer season, with a host of performances set for the near future. On June 1, the theater will welcome world-renowned sitarist Ustad Shafaat Khan. Khan is famous for his simultaneous vocals, sitar, and tabla playing, which has spread appreciation for Indian classical music across the world. His performances have taken him around the globe, playing with legends like Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles.
On June 8, the theater will be hosting the local magician Thomas Baker for an all-ages journey through the history of magic. The Saugerties-based illusionist puts a modern twist on classic magic tricks, all while sharing fun stories from throughout his life.
Finally, on June 22, the theater will host the 7th Bridge Street Belly Dance event. This event will weave together dance, music, and poetry to tell a story of how pain and beauty go together in life. Featuring dance from multi-disciplinary artist Jesse Sykes, and the poetry of Alysia Quinn, the event will tell a story of innovation and personal growth.
For more information, visit the Bridge Street Theatre website here.
A new recording studio, Tones Studios, has opened in Irondequoit, NY and to welcome the community into the new space, the studio will host a listening event of artist Sarah De Vallière‘s new album on May 31.
This state of the art studio which was founded in 2017 was constructed in 2019 in a renovated church just outside of Rochester giving a chance for artists in the local area to connect with each other as well as high quality recording technology.
Tones offers a variety of production suites, including a live recording studio, a video and photo recording suite and even a fully functioning kitchen. Tones also has an editing suite to bring production to live after a recording session.
The studio has been widely used by the community including to film live performances, Joe Bean commercials, and cooking videos as well as recording music.
De Vallière’s album, The Healing is a 10-song concept album that explores growing and changing from trauma. The album is set to release on June 7 but guests at the listening event will be able to get a preview of the album on the ATC SCM50 monitoring system, as well as guided tours of the facilities. De Vallière herself will be in attendance as well as Tones Studios project managers.
You can listen to her music and find more information here on her website. You can RSVP to the free event here.
Drummer Danny Eberle has always been the epicenter of the madness. Whether it was with his experimental rock band Lip Critic on the SUNY Purchase campus, or his rock band On Pink at venues across upstate New York, his arms were sure to blur with intense motion as he churned out a sweaty set for a basement filled with thrashing college kids baking in the body heat. He stayed wired into his craft as his fast-paced hits and rapid-fire movements clashed against the loud guitars — a perfect background for the kids to mosh to. This was the environment that he called home during the pre-COVID years, roots that he still wears on his sleeve.
Eberle has since graduated out of those sweaty student-run basements. Last year he drummed through the Netherlands, Prague and Italy, as a part of hardcore rapper Lil Darkie’s backing band. He now plays with Lip Critic, as they plan for their first international tour as a band this summer in support of their newest album, “Hex Dealer,” which dropped on May 17. He’s been around the world, but always seems to find a way back to his beloved hometown of Staten Island.
Photos by @Makaylamber
While growing up in the borough, Eberle was multiple things at once, moving around quickly and sporadically — like he does onstage. He started his music career taking guitar and bass lessons as a kid, but it wasn’t clicking for him. From there, he messed around in D.I.Y. bands with his lifelong friend and classmate, Joe Ippolito, while attending Manhattan’s music-oriented LaGuardia High School. The two were inspired by the garage rock duet style of Black Keys, White Stripes, but, most characteristically, 90s indie band Ween. One early project that actually got a name — Strangelands — covered Ween frequently, inspired by their carefree, jokey attitude that rubbed off on their own project.
“We didn’t take ourselves seriously at all, but we took the music seriously,” he said.
The duo started their Strangelands career with daytime shows at dive bars on Staten Island, playing to family members. Eager to break out at city venues — anywhere that would let their young, high school selves shred a couple songs, the band turned to recording studios and low-key venues in Times Square. One of these holes in the wall was Funkadelic Studios, a small building tucked within the Garment District that allowed high school students to rent rooms to play shows without charge, and immerse themselves in a DIY-esque space early on.
“We’re small dudes, so we definitely stuck out like a sore thumb in these places of just kids, like, doing drugs,” said Ippolito. “We were kind of just there to play and see music.”
“That was my first experience being around other music minded people, skaters, all that stuff,” he said. “That was definitely eye-opening. It was great to perform in front of audiences in that sense, because it’s beyond playing drums at a recital.”
photo by @elyzareinhart
At LaGuardia, where everyone dreamed of being like its alumni stars of the past, the energy in the classroom felt too high-stakes and traditional. Eberle equates their austere jazz program to being on a varsity sports team, finding himself much more drawn to the DIY aspects of after-school projects he formed with his classmates. He started at SUNY Purchase in 2018 — after lifelong friend and future Lip Critic bandmate Ilan Natter pushed him to attend, enticing him with the bustling, colorful music scene that awaited.
“I remember telling him that Purchase is really what you want, which is to be able to play loads of music without being a music major,” he said. “I couldn’t speak to other schools, but I was like, ‘If you come here, you will play drums in every band.’”
“It was like LaGuardia 2.0,” Eberle said of Purchase. A majority of the people in his classes were fellow alumni, and the musical connections they shared followed them all the way to Westchester. He was constantly seeing old classmates perform during shows at The Stood, Purchase’s very own on campus venue — a space that constantly brewed the freshest sounds and budding artists.
“Because of that, you’re meeting musicians,” he said. “It sets a foundation for how you can start bands and actively play. It’s super accessible and no one’s gonna judge you. You can test the waters by playing a show and seeing if people show up.”
Lip Critic assembled during Eberle’s freshman year at Purchase, originally an improv act. It spawned from the ashes of previous failed projects started with musicians he was meeting during his first few weeks at the college. When a member of one of their many bands couldn’t attend practice, Eberle and Natter — the other drummer of the band — were left to experiment. After bringing in two other artists that they’d met at house parties, singer Bret Kaser and sampler Connor Kleitz, the band took the stage at The Stood for the very first time for a hectic, live jam session that was “received super weird” by the venue’s typical student crowd. “Everyone was like, ‘what the hell’s going on?’” Eberle laughs. “They thought we were strange.”
Lip Critic’s sound refuses to slow down for those who can’t keep up. Their fast-paced, glitchy take on rock music draws similarities to loud noise acts such as Death Grips — Eberle’s speedy and distorted drumming heightening the beautiful, collective chaos.
photo by @heydoodypantsitsizzy
The band started picking up speed very quickly, releasing their first EP, “Lip Critic II,” in 2020. They supported the release with a long-awaited slew of upstate New York and NYC shows once COVID restrictions were lifted in 2021. The band shipped their first project around to every record company they could think of, waiting on any sort of reply. They spent the next couple years riding the rise to local scene notoriety, gaining more than 20k monthly Spotify listeners and playing for sold out crowds at established New York City venues such as Elsewhere Hall.
In early 2023, Eberle woke up to a text one day from Alex Wacksman — a.k.a. Wendigo — a producer he met through mutual friends that works with Lil Darkie. The rapper just put out his newest album, and needed a drummer to join him on tour. “Do you have any plans for May?” it read. “Do you want to come to Europe?”
Not even a month later, Eberle was on a flight to Switzerland to rehearse drums with the rapper. They had never played together — or even met — and it was his first time going to Europe in general. Eberle reflects on the experience breezily, gushing about how easy it was to make friends through the backing band — similar to how quickly he connected with musicians from Purchase. After all, they all spoke the same language.
“He assimilated pretty quickly into making it seem like he’s never not been a part of this band,” said Ippolito, who watched him tour from the States. “Even though he’s not necessarily a guitar player or a bass player, he’s got ideas on that front that he can pretty easily communicate to people who do play those instruments.”
The chemistry between Eberle and Darkie’s band made being in unfamiliar territory, getting chauffeured around by personal drivers from the Czech Republic and meeting all of the “crazy motherfuckers” that Europe had to offer almost like living in a dream. In a mere matter of weeks, Eberle jumped from playing for the Stood’s few dozen stragglers to selling out buzzing venues filled with hundreds of people — such as the legendary Academy in Dublin, a rite of passage for indie bands of the past.
“Every show was mayhem,” he said. “The fans were so fucking young, so they were there to go crazy. I could feed off of that so easily because I’m looking at these kids right in the eyes and I’m like, ‘Keep going!’”
Photos by @Makaylamber
On stage, Eberle thrives off of mutual energy. Lil Darkie’s fans were remiscent of the Times Square teens that filled the crowds during his Strangelands days, eager and jumping at the sounds of his rapid, pulsating beats. Once Lip Critic started to score opening slots for bigger acts such as post-punk giants IDLES and Viagra Boys, he found it harder to connect with standstill crowds that weren’t sure what to expect from him. Still, he develops his own ways to force the audience to engage with him — and they seem to be working.
“If there’s some dude crossing his arms, just looking pissed off, I’m gonna look him dead in the eyes, on some scary shit. I’m not about to kill you, but I’m gonna look at you like I’m about to kill you.”
Eberle ends up back in Staten Island — the home he loves unapologetically. For a borough that gets so much — in his opinion — unnecessary slack, he reps it shamelessly everywhere he goes. It’s where many of his early bands started up, where he’s met some of his closest musical comrades and where he still plays gigs at hidden-gem dives, like the north shore’s Mother Pugs and beloved Flagship Brewery — opportunities he’ll never take for granted.
“Growing up in a suburb like this, you learn to appreciate what’s around you. I think there’s always been a good scene here, even when I was starting. When I was a kid playing the drums, I was able to practice in my basement. With Lip Critic, it feels right to rep Staten Island because our first practice was here.”
As the band currently tours through England, they plan to come back to Staten Island for a hometown show at MakerParkRadio’s studio — the borough’s independent radio station — this July.
As an artist, Eberle has many places he can call home — Purchase, the NYC D.I.Y. scene, Staten Island and now, the world. He’s unsure of what awaits Lip Critic, and his personal career. Still, he’s not worried. “I like having these multiple identities,” he said. “I’m meeting all of these dudes that are playing drums and writing songs that aren’t just pop songs. These people listen to the same bands or came from the same scenes that I did. It’s cool to see that all these communities exist.”
Eccentric and creative are just two words someone could use to describe the Pittsburgh-based iconic artist Andy Warhol. From the timeless Campbell’s Soup Cans to battling Sydenham chorea, for decades Warhol seamlessly integrated himself into one of the most significant artists of the time and fit in seamlessly with the New York music and art scene.
Early Life and Hobbies
Andrew Warhola was born on August 6, 1928, in a working-class Pittsburgh neighborhood, in a two-room apartment. His parents, Andrej and Julia Warhola, were Carpatho-Rusyn immigrants from a region in the Carpathian Mountains in what is now Eastern Slovakia. They had three sons: Paul, John, and Andy, the youngest.
Warhol had Sydenham chorea as a child, a neurological condition that causes uncontrollable movements and is often referred to as St. Vitus dance. Warhol would periodically miss school due to the disease, during which he would read comic books and Hollywood magazines and experiment with paper cutouts. His family didn’t have many luxuries while living in Pittsburgh during the Great Depression, but when Warhol was eight years old, his parents gave him his first camera. Before enrolling in Schenley High School in 1942, he completed his basic education at Holmes School and attended free Tam O’Shanter art lessons given by Joseph Fitzpatrick at Carnegie Institute (now Carnegie Museum of Art).
After realizing his son’s potential, Andrej put money aside to send Warhol to Carnegie Institute of Technology, which is now Carnegie Mellon University, where he studied from 1945 to 1949. After graduating from art school with a degree in Pictorial Design, Andy moved to New York City to pursue a career as a commercial artist, and later dropped the last “a” in Warhola. Together with his classmate Philip Pearlstein, he moved and formed a close-knit group of friends that included dancer Francesca Boas and college friends Leila Davies Singeles.
Illustrator and Entrepreneur
Andy became a successful commercial illustrator on Madison Avenue in the 1950s during the heyday of advertising. He was hired to draw for Glamour, Vogue, and Harper’s Bazaar, to name a few, using a blotted line technique he created.
His work in the commercial scene taught him many tricks of the trade, and he would later use this advertising know-how in the world of high art in terms of branding and popularity. His time as a commercial illustrator was a major piece of the Warhol puzzle.
His artwork debuted in a Glamour magazine edition where he provided the illustrations for the story “What is Success?” This was an era where Warhol quickly became an award-winning illustrator and got hired to draw for these publications. Warhol was well-known for his blotted-line ink drawings, which he produced in the 1950s after perfecting his technique in college. By combining sketching and simple printed techniques, Warhol was able to generate numerous illustrations based on a single concept and to repeat an image. In response to demands from clients, he could also make swift adjustments to composition or color. His work in the commercial scene taught him many tricks of the trade that he would later use this advertising knowledge in the world of high art in terms of branding and popularity.
Warhol illustration for a 1949 article in “Glamour” magazine. From a private collection.
In addition to being an artist, Warhol was also an entrepreneur. In order to fund his creative endeavors, he began his work as a commercial illustrator, earning a sizable income. Growing up in the era of post-World War II consumer culture in the United States and England, Warhol saw the advantages of assembly lines in industry and used processes and studio personnel to help him produce art. He was also able to successfully combine avant-garde, underground work with commercial and entrepreneurial pursuits.
Repetition
After creating the infamous blotted line technique, and blending printmaking fundamentals with drawing, this process became crucial to his success as a commercial illustrator since it allowed him to present clients with multiple options. Famously joking, Warhol said, “I want to be a machine,” implying that he was interested in mass production. His most famous technique, photographic silkscreen printing, imitated the appearance of advertising campaigns. Warhol was able to experiment with different processes including registration (aligning colors on a single image), over-printing (printing one color on top of another), and color combinations while still receiving an accurate replication of his original works. In a sense, this was a true extension of what the 1960s were all about. People were buying plastic, dressing for fun, and demanding more options than ever before. The so-called “Pop Life” was a lot more colorful than at any other time in history. Pop art just means popular art. To put it briefly, it’s art for the masses, art for everybody. It was a lifestyle that was quickly gaining popularity as well as a cultural phenomenon that many artists were emulating.
In 1962, Warhol shifted to what is arguably his most famous technique “photographic silkscreen printing.” He was able to readily replicate the pictures he appropriated from popular culture because of this commercial procedure. He debuted his iconic Campbell’s soup cans in the same year, and would later exhibit painted screen prints of celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and most famously, Marilyn Monroe. The silkscreen process became his trademark. Before Warhol, silkscreen printing was mainly used for making wallpaper on a large scale. It was the perfect medium for his mass-produced art about a mass-produced culture.
Music
After making his name in the publishing world, the world saw Warhol move into the music scene and start to design album covers. Warhol worked with Craig Braun, an actor and a graphic designer and the two designed the cover for The Rolling Stones’s 1971 album Sticky Fingers, which was later nominated for a Grammy Award. Warhol had been commissioned previously for album cover designs and painted portraits, but in the 1970s he began to receive hundreds of commissions from socialites, film stars and of course music.
The newly emerging sounds of the era, especially with the legendary band the Velvet Underground, proved to be a natural ally for Warhol’s venture into performance art. Living in the same New York environment, Warhol and the Velvet Underground collaborated to create a new style that was a symbiotic relationship rather than just art affecting music or vice versa. As a result of their collaborations, the band created the multimedia spectacular known as the Exploding Plastic Inevitable, which left a lasting impression on music history. Warhol’s avant-garde graphics blended effortlessly with the band’s experimental sounds. With Warhol as their manager and artistic mentor, The Velvet Underground challenged conventional notions of rock music, embracing themes of urban decay, alternative lifestyles, and avant-garde experimentation. Their self-titled debut album, produced by Warhol and featuring Nico on vocals, remains a landmark in the history of music, influencing countless artists and genres in its wake.
The Exploding Plastic Inevitable, simply Plastic Inevitable or EPI, was a series of multimedia events organized by Andy Warhol in the 1960s, and featured musical performances by rock band The Velvet Underground and singer-songwriter Nico. EPI also included screenings of Warhol’s films, dancing and performances by regulars of Warhol’s Factory, especially Mary Woronov an actress, writer, and figurative painter, and Gerard Malanga a photographer and a poet. The EPI first started in an event staged on January 13, 1966, at a dinner for the New York Society for Clinical Psychiatry. This event, called “Up-Tight,” included performances by the Velvet Underground and Nico, along with Malanga and Edie Sedgwick as dancers and Barbara Rubin as a performance artist.
The EPI left a lasting legacy on Warhols name and influenced Andy Warhol’s lights engineer Danny Williams who pioneered many innovations that have since become standard practice in rock music light shows. From May 27–29 the EPI played The Fillmore in San Francisco, where Williams built a light show including stroboscopes, slides and film projections onstage.
Film maker Jonas Mekas (who pioneered film projections during concerts at New York’s Cinematheque), Andy Warhol and Danny Williams’ influential ideas contributed much to the legendary Fillmore Auditorium’s prestige and were also used at the Fillmore East and Fillmore West, both opening in 1968.
The influence of Warhol continued through the hallways of rock ‘n’ roll royalty, even outside of the Velvet Underground. His relationships with music icons such as Blondie, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie and the Cars highlighted his ability to move fluidly across different artistic genres. Warhol’s influence on these iconic bands’ visual identities, whether through album cover design or creative direction, is an everlasting tribute to his versatility as an artist.
However, Warhol’s artistic domain extended beyond the realm of music; His collaboration with poet Gerard Malanga, who later became his main printing assistant, exemplified the fusion of various artistic mediums. By examining the relationship between words and images, together they pushed the bounds of traditional craftsmanship and opened the door for a fresh generation of creative expression. Through events like the EPI, Warhol provided a platform for experimental musicians to reach new audiences and explore new sonic territories. His embrace of multimedia collaboration foreshadowed the interdisciplinary approach that would come to define the modern music industry, paving the way for future generations of artists to push the boundaries of creativity.
However, the most fascinating part of Warhol’s legacy might be his close ties with icons like Mick Jagger and John Lennon. These connections went beyond simple celebrity friendships; they were based on respect for one another and a shared vision/common goal of cultural innovation. Unquestionably, Warhol had an impact on both Lennon’s artwork and Jagger’s persona. This proves the lasting value of artistic collaboration.
Warhol’s influence on the history of music goes much beyond his work as a visual artist. His ability as a designer was demonstrated by the numerous classic record covers that had his distinctive visual style. From the ethereal charm of the Velvet Underground’s debut album to the slick sophistication of the Rolling Stones’ “Sticky Fingers,” Warhol’s creations came to symbolize the spirit of a time when artistic experimentation and experimental creativity were the norm.
Looking back, it’s clear that Andy Warhol’s influence goes beyond a single creative medium. He was a visionary whose influence still resonates in the modern artistic scene, having penetrated the cultural fabric of his period. Whether it’s through his creative poetic studies, his ground-breaking collaborations with musicians, or his enduring friendships with rock ‘n’ roll superstars, Warhol’s influence is timeless and serves as a constant reminder of the transforming potential of artistic innovation and collaborative effort.
Influences and Controversy
In certain aspects, Andy Warhol was a brand within himself. He completely reinvented his image by making bold fashion statements and dressing up in wigs and sunglasses day and night. Even though it was said that he had very sensitive eyes, he nonetheless set trends. He expanded beyond painting, printing, and film, publishing multiple books and even experimenting in sculpture, photography, and television. Decades after he first started creating art, his influences and duplicates can still be seen everywhere, from coffee cups to T-shirts. In many ways, he changed the way we see the world forever and his effect on modern art is still felt more than 50 years later.
From his 1950s illustration style and his silkscreen printing methods, Andys’ style is still widely used by modern artists, and the practice of utilizing everyday objects as artwork, which was unheard of before Warhol, is now popular in art galleries all over the world.
It is also possible to consider it in terms of personal branding. In the 60s, when Warhol was printing his own portrait over and over again, this was not the norm. But, it’s interesting how it affected the way his fans and people perceived him. People sharing their “personal brand” is something anyone with a social media account can do every day, subconsciously or otherwise. It’s just another example of how ahead of his time Warhol was. In the ultimate irony, the man and his artwork have become major brands, and his critique of consumer culture has ultimately become consumer culture. “Making money is art, working is art, and good business is the best art,” he said.
In the art world, Warhol was a quite a controversial figure and a mysterious individual. Not everyone agreed that his creations qualified as art at all. Some considered his art to be a masterfully satirical depiction of popular culture. Some thought it was absurd and fraudulent. One of the main criticisms leveled at his work was that it was “unoriginal,” which his defenders would argue that was the whole idea. The topic of whether originality affected the value of art created some uproar in the art world. Warhol gave voice to the idea that perhaps the meaning of an artwork lies not in its technical skill but rather in its idea. It’s the idea behind the artwork that’s important and never the skill used to make it.
Andy’s life and work were always intertwined. He once said, “If you want to know all about Andy Warhol, just look at the surface of my paintings and films and me and there I am. There’s nothing behind it.”
These kinds of cryptic remarks provide light on his peculiar manner and how frequently he irritated the public. Was there satire in his work? Was he mimicking pop culture and mass consumerism with his Pop Art? Or was his way of living and expressing himself a celebration of materialism?, Art critics are still debating his remarkable contradiction.
Andy Warhol had a big influence on the 1960s and later New York music landscape. Warhol helped to redefine the boundaries of music and art through his collaborations, experimental events, and lasting influence. This opened up new creative opportunities for upcoming generations of musicians and artists. His influence may still be heard in the varied and diversified soundscape of modern music, serving as a constant reminder of the lasting value of artistic experimentation and collaboration. There is no doubt about that, after Warhol, nothing was the same in the art world.
“I’m not saying I’m a master here, but the difference between the master and the student is that the master has failed more times than the student has tried.”
Although notedly understated, Robert Castelli is the definition of a masterful musician. Incorporating a lifetime’s worth of experiences, influences, and chops, Castelli has led a career on his own terms. With his current band BOOM!, Castelli defies genre and crafts music that could loosely be defined as jazz, but incorporates influences from all corners of the globe. Trained on the drums, piano and guitar, Castelli is a modern renaissance man.
Castelli at 15 years old, playing a local gig
Music has always been a constant present in Castelli’s life. He grew up in Ossining to a musical family, with his dad, grandfather and uncle all being professional drummers. Family, however, was not the biggest influence for Castelli growing up. Like many other kids, he credits his early influences to AM radio, television and his older brother’s record collection. Castelli thanks growing up outside New York specifically for his wide influences. Turning on the radio, Castelli recalls, “Bam, it’s The Beatles, and then next it’s James Brown, and then it’s Beethoven.”
As a kid, Castelli was able to find musical influences everywhere. “I think because my father was almost blind,” he remembers. “I had a way of perceiving the world more aurally than visually.” Watching TV as a child, Castelli recalls the themes of shows like Hawaii Five-O, Mission Impossible, and Sanford and Sons, which further piqued his interest in composition.
If Castelli’s influences began with radio and television, they were tempered by participation in New York City’s live music scene. As a young man, Castelli immersed himself in the many musical traditions of New York City. At the city’s Latin Clubs, he was introduced to Afro-Cuban rhythms, and playing with a band from Jamaica, he learned Caribbean melodies. In Castelli’s words, he always kept “his mind, his heart and his ears open.”
Castelli admits that despite his passion, living as a performing artist in America was not all roses. Slowly, Castelli became disillusioned with the increasing materialism he saw in the music industry, political corruption and a general toxic energy in the US. On top of this, Castelli faced many personal losses during this time, with twelve people in his life passing away. This made Castelli contemplate life, and pushed him to take a chance and travel to Europe in 2003.
At first, Europe was a temporary pitstop for Castelli. He met an Austrian guitarist, who, despite never having played with him, wanted to start a band and tour Europe. Castelli recalls him saying, “If it doesn’t work out, no hard feelings,” which was an attitude he respected. Soon Castelli was settled in Vienna, where he encountered a whole new outlook on music. “They didn’t say he plays guitar better than someone else. They all came and celebrated life or the harvest or whatever. And that’s the purpose of music and the human experience.” To Castelli, this attitude represented “folk music” in its truest form: not a genre, but the music of the people.
Castelli playing drums at Jazzland Vienna in 2014
Soon, Castelli found himself in Barcelona, the vibrant heart of Spain’s Catalonia region. Since moving to Barcelona, Castelli has immersed himself in cultural traditions from across the world. Playing live shows in Barcelona, he had chances to collaborate with musicians from Brazil, Russia, Cuba and more. Balkan musicians gave him the opportunity to experiment with odd meters, and Sudanese musicians introduced him to Afro-Arab rhythms. These experiences speak to the reality of jazz as “an ever evolving art form with influences from other cultures.”
This vibrant mixing of influences pervades Castelli’s music, most notably his newest release Party at One World Plaza. The album defies genre, seamlessly slipping between disparate ends of the Earth. The opener “Vamos” incorporates syncopated Afro-Cuban rhythms reminiscent of his youth in New York’s Latin jazz clubs. “Floatin”’s groovy rock influenced guitar harkens back to Castelli’s childhood influences in The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix.
The standout track is “For the Fallen,” a dreamy and meditative journey aided by soft keys and guitars. Castelli wrote this track in memory of the twelve people he lost before moving to Europe. Before playing, Castelli asks his audiences for 10 seconds of silence to remember everyone that has been lost.
The title track and “Samba Wamba Bamba” reflect his experiences playing with artists from around the world while living in Europe. In all, this album is like a roadmap through Castelli’s life giving audiences an idea of a fraction of his influences and experiences. In other words, this album reflects Castelli’s own definition of music – “the human heart and an intellect filtered by life experience.”
In a life full of change, there has been one constant for Casteli: live music. Castelli views live shows as a conversation between musician and audience. “Somebody says something, it makes you laugh. Those people laugh. Something makes you think, makes you feel, makes you cry.” This energy bouncing between the stage and the audience unites everyone in the room. Thinking of his live shows, Castelli recalls “whether it was 500 or 30,000 people, they all became like one consciousness. That is the real power of music.” To Castelli, in a world where we have more and more entertainment at our fingertips, it is important to go out and support live music venues. Live music, to Castelli, not only supports the artist and the club, but is a personal experience like no other.
Castelli, however, has noticed some issues in the live music scene that need addressing. A growing materialism in the music industry has led many venues to support what will make the most money, rather than what music is most meaningful. Additionally, this material focus has led to an increased burden on the musicians themselves to attract audiences.
He pointed out some more institutional issues regarding youth involvement with music as well. “If you don’t have those university connections or you’re not in the club every night it’s really hard to get a situation where you can get viable work.” Castelli says that access to money gives many university-trained musicians a leg up when building connections. This has dissuaded many people who don’t have the resources to get professional training from continuing. Castelli argues that we need to break this stigma, citing the greats. “A lot of the best jazz musicians were not formally trained. They just stayed with it.”
Castelli still sees many young people staying with it, giving hope for the future of live music. Many young people have things pulling them in directions other than music. Castelli remembers his childhood, with a father afraid he was a poser, and a mother wanting him to find other work. In face of obstacles like these, Castelli has noticed drive among youth – “the young people that I know that play music have a passion for it.”
Robert Castelli is returning to the US in May for a series of shows in and around New York City. On May 30th, he will play Jazz on Main in Mt Kisco, NY. Following this show near his hometown of Ossining, he will head to Manhattan. On June 1, he will play Harlem’s Shrine World Music Venue, followed by a set at Silvana on June 2. After these American shows, Castelli will head back across the pond to London, England to record a series of instructional videos.
35 years after beginning his career, Castelli is still paving his own path through the music world. He remains dedicated to sharing the importance of live music and ensuring that the next generation of musical talent can perform and absorb music like he has.
Enjoy Robert Castelli and his band BOOM! performing “Vamos” at Vienna’s Porgy & Bess Jazz Club.
