New York City based musician Jed Luckless recently released his brand new album, Multiply on December 29, 2023.
Photo Courtesy of Jed Luckless
This marks Jed’s third solo record; his first solo studio release in over 8 years. His most recent, Roll Over debuted in the fall of 2015. Multiply features 9 songs all written and performed by Luckless. A musical savant, Luckless can be heard on lead vocals, background vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards and drums.
Photo Courtesy of jedluckless.com
Multiply blends familiar elements of folk and rock with traditional country and blues to create a fresh new sound. Luckless’s classical guitar style introduction on “Luna”, or his country blues playing on “Ungratefully Dead”are just two examples of the sonic exploration that is Multiply; seamlesslyweaving through different styles, moods and time signatures.
Luckless is a very descriptive songwriter and lyricist, thoughtfully painting the scenes and emotions his songs portray like an empty canvas. This, paired with his lighthearted, playful-like story telling approach, provides him the foundation to tackle some heavy thematic concepts. Themes of the inevitability of time, inward self reflection and the overcoming of personal obstacles just begin to scratch the surface. “Live for today” is the message repeated by Luckless at the end of “Own”, a beautifully crafted ballad given an additional layer of depth and flavor by Jed’s percussion work.
Luckless joins artists like Prince and Paul McCartney, who are known for recording all the tracks on some of their past records. From the harmonized vocals on “Time & Tide”, to the distorted guitar solos on “Latest Craze” and the title track “Multiply”, to the featured organ on “Latest Craze”, Luckless’s multi-instrumental talent and musical expertise is on full display throughout.
Jed’s live band, The Jed Luckless Band (JBL), perform his original work, including his latest release, Multiply. Jed can also be seen performing live with acts Clueless Wallob and Star ‘69, a Phish and Grateful Dead tribute respectively. You can catch Jed Luckless live at Odeen’s at Spins in Carmel, NY on Wednesday, February 28th starting at 7:00pm.
You can also directly support Jed at his website where Multiply is available now for just $10! Every order includes the following: Jed Luckless Multiply CD (signed by Jed Luckless), signed guitar pick, bonus CD or Download Sticker (while supplies last) and other Surprise Mystery Items (like posters, cards, shirts, etc!)
Multiply is currently available on all streaming services [here].
Camp Punksylvania Music and Camping Festival will return for the 4th straight year this July. The highly anticipated punk rock summer camp has recently released their third wave of included artists. Some of the announced artists include punk bands from across New York State.
The music and camping festival will take place at the West End Fairgrounds Gilbert, PA from July 5 to 7. Several of the confirmed artists are native to New York State, while many others are from various locations around the US and parts of Canada.
“We’re really focusing on making this the ultimate punk rock summer camp experience. It’s so much more than just music and we’re excited to showcase that. If we can get you to come out for The Bronx and Bad Cop Bad Cop, and you end up falling in love with The Karens and A Day Without Love and making tons of new friends and memories, then our job is done. This is a family and we’re stoked to have you become part of it,”
Laura Rose, Co-founder and CEO of Riot Squad Media and Camp Punksylvania
The festival features four stages and one-of-a-kind events that showcase and uplift the voices and talents of those in marginalized communities, as well as spotlighting notable artists for the fans. This festival is all about the punchy, rebellious, and hardcore soundscape that punk exemplifies.
Major artists such as The Bronx, The Dirty Nil and Some Kind of Nightmare have been announced. Along with this, several regional up and coming acts will be present as well.
The Bronx who will be headlining the Camp Punksylvania Festival
Camp Punksylvania 2024 Band Lineup:
The Bronx
Big D and the Kids Table
Laura Jane Grace
Bad Cop Bad Cop
The Dirty Nil
D.O.A.
Codefendants
Diesel Boy
Skating Polly
The Venomous Pinks
FEA
Flatfoot 56
Keep Flying
Some Kind of Nightmare
Sammy Kay
The Punk Cellist
Black Guy Fawkes
The Galaxy Has Eyes
SOJI
A Day Without Love
The Car Bomb Parade
Tired Radio
Mvll Crimes
Matt Pless
Amora
The Karens
Mary Shelley
Vulture Raid
Cardboard Homestead
The Whiskey Bats
Racist Kramer
Suburban Downgrade
One Revived
Old Daggers
No Complyance
Ship of Fools
Career Mode
Dead, Dead Swans
We Are the Union
Kill Lincoln
Working Class Stiffs
PWRUP
The What Nows?!
The Chemical Imblanace
Meanderthal
Sweet Anne Marie
Dr. Frankenstein’s Monsters
Tickets for Camp Punksylvania are on sale now. For more information about the festival, or to buy tickets, visit camppunksylvania.com.
The high octane of Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue will take center stage this summer, for a run that begins in June, with a stop at The Rooftop at Pier 17 along the way. Joining Trombone Shorty this summer is the legendary Big Boi from Outkast.
Trombone Shorty recently teamed up with his childhood friend Sammy Cyrus for a special project named Saint Brass. Ahead of Mardi Gras festivities, the duo has dropped “Mardi Gras Morning,” an irresistibly joyful track that captures the vibrant spirit of New Orleans.
On February 16, just three days after Mardi Gras, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue will embark on the first-ever Shorty Gras tour, bringing their high-energy New Orleans party to the East Coast for a special 3-week run of performances. They’ll be joined by another New Orleans staple, The Soul Rebels. Shorty Gras has become a beloved New Orleans tradition since its inaugural year in 2020, a featured event as part of the Krewe de Freret Parade in the lead-up to Mardi Gras (the Krewe de Freret Parade is scheduled for February 3, 2024).
Trombone Shorty leads the parade on his own signature float, and concludes with the Shorty Gras ball at Mardi Gras World, featuring a who’s who of musical guests. Previous performers include Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, Flo Rida, Big Freedia, Tank and the Bangas, Rebirth Brass Band. This year, Shorty will bring this distinctly New Orleans Mardi Gras party on the road for the first time.
It will be another busy year for the New Orleans ambassador and road warrior. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue just announced that their beloved Treme Threauxdown concert will return for its eighth year, taking place at New Orleans’ Saenger Theatre on Saturday, April 27 during the first weekend of the Jazz and Heritage Festival. The list of guest stars will be revealed soon, but past shows have seen everyone from Jon Batiste, Mavis Staples, Allen Toussaint, and Dr. John to Eric Church, Usher, Joan Jett, and Gary Clark, Jr., and have also included surprise appearances by artists from Nick Jonas to Dierks Bentley to Steve Miller to Wyclef Jean.
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue just returned from a five-day cultural exchange trip to Cuba, which took place from January 11-15. It marked the third edition of the “Getting Funky in Havana” festival, celebrating the New Orleans – Cuba connection through music. The highlight was a mega concert on January 13 at Club 500, where Trombone Shorty, Orleans Avenue, and Cuban legends Los Van Van and Wampi drew a record-breaking crowd of over 15,000 people, the largest in Cuba in the last four years.
Additionally, Trombone Shorty cohosted the largest U.S-Cuba jam session at Havana’s Fabrica de Arte Cubano, featuring over 30 artists from both countries. A centerpiece of the event was the collaboration with Guillermo Tomas Music Conservatory, with Trombone Shorty’s Foundation donating instruments to the school through a partnership with Horns to Havana.
Tickets for Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue at Pier 17 are on sale now.
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue Summer 2024 Tour Dates
June 11: Koka Booth Amphitheatre; Cary, NC *
June 13: Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater; Bridgeport, CT *
June 14: Leader Bank Pavilion; Boston, MA *
June 16: The Rooftop at Pier 17; New York, NY ^
June 18: Rose Music Center at The Heights; Huber Heights, OH *
June 20: Cain Park Evans Amphitheater; Cleveland Heights, OH *
The dynamic tribute band, The Frank White Experience will hit the Parish on Broadway in downtown Utica on April 13 to perform a tribute show to honor the legendary rapper Notorious B.I.G.
The Frank White Experience is a tribute band that pays homage to the late great rapper Notorious B.I.G. With their authentic sound and electrifying performances, the band brings the spirit and essence of Biggie Smalls back to life on stage. The Frank White Experience has become renowned for their commitment to capturing the heat of Notorious B.I.G.’s music and persona. With their flawless flow and meticulous attention to lyrical details, the trio delivers a musical experience that transports the audience back to the golden era of hip-hop.
When fans witness The Frank White Experience in action, they can expect to be transported back to the 1990s, reliving the magic of Biggie’s music and the vibrant hip-hop and R&B culture of that era. The Bands’ shows are a celebration of Hip Hop history, and their dedication to preserving the legacy of Notorious B.I.G. is evident in every rhyme and rhythm they deliver.
The trio will perform the nostalgic journey throughout hip-hop history at the Parish on Broadway in downtown Utica on April 13 with tickets exclusively available through Eventbrite.
The American Classical Orchestra will perform Bach’s infamous B Minor Mass at the Alice Tully Hall with the Aco Chorus on March 7.
Mass in B Minor, BWV 232 by Johann Sebastian Bach is a musical setting of the complete Latin Mass, the 1749 work includes nine arias and duets, 14 ensemble sections for vocal groups of various sizes, and a range of instrumental solos in numerous styles. The piece is one of Bach’s best-loved vocal works, the B Minor Mass is widely considered to be the crowning achievement of the Baroque era, since he completed it a year before his death in 1750.
The composition as it is known today did not originate as a titled whole in any of Bach’s surviving documents. It was uncovered by his son C.P. E. Bach as a collection of his father’s hand-written scores grouped together inside four folders. The manuscripts were organized in four parts: The Kyrie and Gloria, followed by the Credo, the Sanctus, and Agnus Dei. Once published, the four parts became known as the B Minor Mass. Of note, Bach managed to complete the Mass while nearly blinded by cataracts. He subsequently underwent two unsuccessful eye surgeries using questionable methods, which worsened his condition.
The performance will be directed by the founder and Artistic Director Thomas Crawford who founded two other Connecticut orchestras: the Fairfield Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Old Fairfield Academy, the period instrument offshoot of the Fairfield Orchestra, was later renamed the American Classical Orchestra in 1999. With the Fairfield Orchestra, Crawford conducted the world premiere of Keith Jarrett’s Bridge of Light at Alice Tully Hall, subsequently recorded on the ECM label.
Featured soloists are soprano and crossover artist Kristen Hahn, who recently appeared at the Kennedy Center in Hello Dolly, soprano Nola Richardson, hailed by The NY Times for her “beautiful tone;” countertenor Reginald Mobley, who has forged a stellar career across Baroque and Classical repertoire; noted Bach interpreter tenor Steven Soph, who was praised for his “impressive clarity and color” by the NY Times and Baroque music specialist bass Steven Eddy, a 1st Prize winner of the 2019 Oratorio Society of New York Competition.
Thomas Crawford will lead the American Classical Orchestra (ACO) in a performance of Bach’s monumental B Minor Mass with the acclaimed ACO Chorus at Alice Tully Hall on March 7 and the fans can find tickets at www.aconyc.org, or by calling ACO at (212) 362-2727, ext.4, or by visiting lincolncenter.org or calling CenterCharge at 212.721.6500.
In 1971, harpist/pianist Alice Coltrane performed at Carnegie Hall for a special gala benefiting the Integral Yoga Institute. Backed by an all-star group of musicians, Coltrane delivered a captivating set which will now be available in its entirety for the very first time.
On March 22, Alice Coltrane – The Carnegie Hall Concert (Impulse!), will finally bring the complete document of Coltrane’s Carnegie Hall performance to fans worldwide.
Held four years after John Coltrane’s untimely passing and recorded by Impulse!, this deeply spiritual performance marked Alice’s first as a leader at Carnegie Hall. The concert arrived at a pivotal moment in both Coltrane’s musical career and her spiritual journey. She had just released her fourth solo album, the universally acclaimed Journey in Satchidananda, and had deepened her spiritual quest over a five-week trip to India. Her band that night added two members from her teacher/guru Satchidananda’s circle — Kumar Kramer and Tulsi Reynolds, playing harmonium and tamboura, respectively. They provided a distinctly Eastern flavor to a large jazz ensemble largely comprised of collaborators with her late great husband, sax giant John Coltrane. The group included legendary saxophonists Pharoah Sanders and Archie Shepp, bassists Jimmy Garrison and Cecil McBee and drummers Ed Blackwell and Clifford Jarvis.
Coltrane’s set began with two transcendental tunes from the recently-released Journey in Satchidananda, the title track and “Shiva-Loka.”
The live version of the title tune is the perfect scene setter. It begins with a hypnotic riff by the bass duo of Garrison and McBee, followed by celestial waves of harmonic washes from Coltrane’s harp. Sanders follows with a wonderful flute solo, with hummed and vocalized harmony, before Shepp brings it home with a bluesy, chromatic excursion on his piercing soprano sax. “Shiva-Loka” is another one chord modal romp which gets deeper with each passing minute.. It is underpinned by a repetitive riff which seems a tribute/lift to/from John Coltrane’s “Equinox.” Alice’s harp casts a heavenly backdrop for a skronking sax solo by Sanders and then a thunderous drum duet.
The remaining two tracks, “Africa” and “Leo,” are covers of latter-day classics by her husband John. For these long journeys, Alice is at the piano providing chordal colors and the occasional solos. “Africa” stretches out to 27+ minutes, with another explosive drum duet, bass solos and plenty of frenzied soloing by Sanders and Shepp in the Trane tradition– a sound that closely captures what John and his crew were conjuring on latter-day recordings like “Live in Japan.”
This year Impulse! and Verve Label Group have partnered with The John & Alice Coltrane Home to launch the “Year of Alice,” a year-long celebration of Alice Coltrane’s profound work. At the center of the celebration are Coltrane’s groundbreaking recordings for Impulse!, and the label will be working in tandem with The John & Alice Coltrane Home for varied activations throughout the year. To kick off the year-long celebration, there will be special night of performers and speakers that include Ravi Coltrane, Michelle Coltrane, Brandee Younger and more at the legendary Birdland on February 22.
The Crandell Theatre Board of Directors has approved three new members to the Crandell board at its January annual meeting.
Joining the historic venue board are retired tax attorney John T. Lillis, Mirissa Neff, a documentary filmmaker, and Carol Sadlon, the former owner of Cinerom cinemas and Millerton’s The Moviehouse.
The Crandell Theatre in Chatham, NY, is one of the few community-based and nonprofit theaters in the US that is devoted to film and one of fewer than one hundred single-screen movie theaters nationally. The theater is dedicated to enriching the cultural vitality of the region through film programming that challenges, inspires, educates and entertains.
The nearly 100-year-old cinema is supported by ticket sales and earned revenue, contributions of members and friends, also private and public grants, including the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
According to Crandell Board President Lydia Kukoff, “This is such an exciting moment for the Crandell. As we get closer to the full renovation of our beloved theater, we are delighted to welcome John, Mirissa, and Carol to our extraordinary board. They bring with them a wealth of talent and expertise that will further enrich our thinking and planning for the future.”
John T. Lillis, based in Old Chatham, retired as partner in a law firm in 2019. During his 39-year tenure at the firm, he focused on the tax planning and documentation in mergers and acquisitions transactions, as well as the tax aspects of investment funds formation (primarily private equity and real estate opportunity funds). His investor representation largely focused on representing non-US sovereign investors investing in the United States. Serving for many years as the firm’s Head of the Global Tax Practice. The retiree spent his final years at the firm as Chair of its Global Tax Committee.
Mirissa Neff is a Chatham-based documentary filmmaker, public broadcast producer and also a reporter. Her debut feature film, This Is National Wake, premiered in competition at Sheffield DocFest and has garnered awards around the world. Her ethos as a filmmaker and journalist is to explore how culture and music illuminate our lives, and can help others surmount their deepest divides. The filmmaker also worked as a producer and correspondent on PBS’s SOUND TRACKS: Music Without Borders, PBS’s Quick Hits, public television’s Music Voyager, and has contributed music-oriented audio essays to public radio programs, including BBC/PRI’s The World and WNYC’s Studio 360. In early 2023, Neff founded Crandell Kid Flicks, the theater’s popular activity and film series for young children and families.
Carol Sadlon, a former fashion designer, is a creative entrepreneur with a passion for art, architecture, preservation, history and cinema. Inspired by a mutual interest in architectural preservation and film, she and her late husband purchased the shuttered and dilapidated 1903 former Grange Hall building on Main Street in Millerton, NY. The Moviehouse, sold in 2021, now operates as a nonprofit cinema.
Since 2010, the Crandell Theatre has raised more than $1 million to purchase the historic theater and make needed repairs. The current Crandell board is also engaged in a multimillion-dollar campaign to renovate and restore the area’s oldest, largest, single-screen theater and enhance the moviegoing experience for generations to come. For more information, fans can visit crandelltheatre.org, or call 518-392-3445.
Blues musician Marcus King has announced the release of his new album titled, Mood Swings releasing April 5. Along with the album, Marcus King plans to tour throughout North America and Europe starting March 7. The tour will kick off at Love Rocks NYC and feature 6 dates in New York State.
New album Mood Swings will feature 11 tracks and will be showcased during the upcoming tour. The album was produced by legendary producer Rick Rubin who says the singing and guitar playing on the album are “from another planet.”
Marcus King is known for his electro drum stomp, his richly soul vocals, and his bluesy, jazzy guitar playing. His new album, however, takes his audience down a new path of sound. King combines elements as diverse as modern pop, R&B, aughts hip hop, piano driven classic rock and the warm production and symphonic instrumentation of classic era soul, R&B and jazz.
The tour will feature six dates in NY including, Manhattan for the Love Rocks NYC benefit, Port Chester, Syracuse, Darien Lake, Albany, and Brooklyn.
Marcus King Mood Swings Tour Dates
March 7, 2024 – Love Rocks NYC – New York, NY
March 9, 2024 – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY
April 6, 2024 – U.S. Bank Stadium – Minneapolis, MN w/ Chris Stapleton
April 13, 2024 – 10 Annual Major Rager – Augusta, GA
April 19, 2024 – Moon Crush “Pink Moon” Festival – Miramar Beach, FL
May 06, 2024 – The Moore Theater – Seattle, WA
May 07, 2024 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
May 08, 2024 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
May 10, 2024 – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA
May 11, 2024 – Grand Sierra Ballroom – Reno, NV
May 14, 2024 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
May 15, 2024 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ
May 17, 2024 – The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
May 18, 2024 – Fillmore Auditorium – Denver, CO
May 22, 2024 – The Monument – Rapid City, SD w/ Chris Stapleton
May 24, 2024 – Denny Sanford PREMIER Center – Sioux Falls, SD w/ Chris Stapleton
May 25, 2024 – Harrah’s Stir Cove – Council Bluffs, IA
May 26, 2024 – EPIC Event Center – Green Bay, WI*
May 29, 2024 – The Pageant – St Louis, MO
May 30, 2024 – GLC Live at 20 Monroe – Grand Rapids, MI
May 31, 2024 – Blossom Music Center – Cleveland OH w/ Chris Stapleton
June 01, 2024 – Railbird Festival – Lexington, KY
June 02, 2024 – Salt Shed – Chicago, IL
June 04, 2024 – College Street Music Hall – New Haven, CT*
June 06, 2024 – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion – Philadelphia, PA w/ Chris Stapleton
June 07, 2024 – Jiffy Lube Live – Bristow, VA w/ Chris Stapleton
June 08, 2024 – Landmark Theatre – Syracuse, NY
June 10, 2024 – Ruby Amphitheater – Morgantown, WV*
June 12, 2024 – T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, MO w/ Chris Stapleton
June 13, 2024 – Thunder Ridge Nature Arena – Ridgefield, MO w/ Chris Stapleton
June 14, 2024 – The Criterion – Oklahoma City, OK
June 15, 2024 – Globe Life Field – Arlington, TX w/ Chris Stapleton
July 11, 2024 – Darien Lake Amphitheater – Darien Center, NY w/ Chris Stapleton
July 12, 2024 – The Pavilion at Star Lake – Pittsburgh, PA w/ Chris Stapleton
July 13, 2024 – Palace Theatre – Albany, NY
July 16, 2024 – Egyptian Room – Indianapolis, IN
July 18, 2024 – Huntington Center – Toledo, OH w/ Chris Stapleton
July 19, 2024 – Schottenstein Center – Columbus, OH w/ Chris Stapleton
July 20, 2024 – The Fillmore Detroit – Detroit, MI
September 04, 2024 – Orpheum – Vancouver, BC
September 06, 2024 – Grey Eagle Event Center – Calgary, AB
September 07, 2024 – Midway Music Hall – Edmonton, AB
September 09, 2024 – Burton Cummings Theatre – Winnipeg, MB
September 13, 2024 – Massey Hall – Toronto, ON
September 14, 2024 – London Music Hall – London, ON
September 17, 2024 – Kemba Live! – Columbus, OH
September 19, 2024 – Warner Theatre – Washington, D.C.
September 20, 2024 – Warner Theatre – Washington, D.C.
September 21, 2024 – The Ritz – Raleigh, NC
September 24, 2024 – Avondale Brewing – Birmingham, AL
September 26, 2024 – Riverside Theater – Milwaukee, WI
September 28, 2024 – The Sylvee, Madison, WI
September 29, 2024 – Vibrant Music Hall – Des Moines, IA
October 07, 2024 – Roxian Theatre – McKees Rock, PA
October 09, 2024 – State Theatre – Portland, ME
October 11, 2024 – House of Blues Boston – Boston, MA
October 12, 2024 – The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA
October 13, 2024 – Brooklyn Paramount – Brooklyn, NY
October 17, 2024 – La Riviera – Madrid, Spain
October 18, 2024 – Sala Apolo – Barcelona, Spain
October 20, 2024 – Fabrique Milano – Milan, Italy
October 21, 2024 – Komplex 457 – Zurich, Switzerland
October 23, 2024 – Le Transbordeur – Lyon, France
October 25, 2024 – Essigfabrik – Cologne, Germany
October 27, 2024 – Markthalle – Hamburg, Germany
October 28, 2024 – De Roma – Antwerp, Belgium
October 29, 2024 – AFAS Live – Amsterdam, Netherlands
October 31, 2024 – Metropol – Berlin, Germany
November 01, 2024 – The Grey Hall – Copenhagen, Denmark
November 03, 2024 – Bataclan – Paris, France
November 05, 2024 – Eventim Apollo – London, UK
November 06, 2024 – Albert Hall – Manchester, UK
November 07, 2024 – Barrowland Ballroom – Glasgow, UK
November 09, 2024 – O2 Institute – Birmingham, UK
November 10, 2024 – The Great Hall – Cardiff, UK
November 12, 2024 – Olympia – Dublin, Ireland
Tickets for Marcus King’s North America dates will be available starting with Citi presale beginning on Monday, February 12. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Friday, February 16 at 10 am at LiveNation.com.
For More information on Marcus King or his upcoming tour, click here.
Bluegrass Hip-Hop group Gangstagrass has released a music video for their latest single, “The Only Way Is Through.” The release of the new video featuring musical icon Jerry Douglas, as well as their recently dropped single is propelling the group forward and further narrowing the gap between bluegrass and hip-hop.
The composition showcases the meshing of expert banjo artistry, dynamic production, and the unique facets of Gangstagrass music. The vocals are whisked through an inspiring chorus, complete with the Lowdown Brass Band on horns.
Gangstagrass was birthed as a studio experiment in 2006 by Brooklyn-based producer Rench. The combination of country/bluegrass vocals, guitar, and hip-hop beats allowed for Gangstagrass to evolve. The group grew into a vibrant and improvisational band, forging unity and creative diversity from the most unexpected of origins.
The group harmonizes an array of talents from Rench, R-SON the Voice of Reason (MC), and Dolio the Sleuth (MC, Vocals), in addition to featuring Dan “Danjo” Whitener (Banjo, Vocals), and B.E. Farrow (Fiddle, Vocals), among other brilliant instrumentalists.
Gangstagrass has culminated various sounds from across the country. The ensemble has skillfully blended the traditional sounds of fiddles and banjos with contemporary hip-hop beats. This unseen blend and innovation have propelled the band to worldwide success.
The music video for the recently released single, “The Only Way Out Is Through” shows the members of the group performing the song whilst facing the camera. Throughout the video, random objects like silly string, paper balls, cardboard, foodstuffs, etc. are being hurled at each person in the spotlight.
The music video is meant to be humorous, wacky, and borderline absurd. The directors of the video, Tough Dumplin and MZ.ICAR did an excellent job at conveying the groups fun spirit and goofy nature, while also showcasing the grand musicianship with the single played throughout.
To learn more about the group Gangstagrass, visit their website here.
A true hootenanny was held in the Catskill town of Olivebridge over February 2-4 at the Ashokan Center’s Winter HOOT. The weekend-long event brought together a diverse crowd of music and arts lovers, taking in the beauty of the Ashokan Center’s idyllic setting, while enjoying sets of music from The Mammals, Lau Noah, Mikaela Davis and Southern Star, Jeremy Schonfeld and many more.
Afternoon Square Dancing – photo by Mickey Deneher
Friday evening’s HOOT festivities started with a delicious dinner shared by Ashokan supporters, family and friends. Jay & Molly delighted a packed audience with storytelling and songs for the duo’s first-ever evening performance at a Hoot. The night concluded with a community jam-along where everyone got a moment to shine and solo in the spotlight with a world-class backup of musical support.
The acoustic stylings of many were heard over the course of Saturday, beginning with Little Roots – music for the kids and parents alike – a Family Square Dance, followed by piano man storyteller Jeremy Schonfeld taking the stage at 2pm. The Evening Bells shared enchanting harmonies in their hour long set, including a unique song from the late Vic Chesnutt.
Mikaela Davis and Southern Star – photo by Mickey Deneher
Rochester’s Mikaela Davis and Southern Star graced the stage for a powerful set of songs, many from their recent release, And Southern Star. A gorgeous set of music unfolded, starting with the first single, “Cinderella,” setting a tone for a smooth, flowing set that varied slightly in tempo but never lost the beauty of harp mixed with a live band including steel pedal, guitar, bass, drums and saxophone. Davis gave a nod to jazz harpist Alice Coltrane, and showed her vocal range on songs “Home in the Country” and “Don’t Stop Now,” the audience of 200 grooving along in their seats. Catch the group on tour with Circles Around the Sun this winter, with shows in Brooklyn, Ithaca and Albany.
With a brisk evening outside, amid fires to warm tots and parents, a set of Catalan guitar music inside featured old-timey songwriter fare from duo Lau Noah. Following this was the crowd being introduced to sponsors of the weekend’s Hoot, naturally in the form of song. “The NYS Music Song” was written last February and performed for the third time ever by The Mammals ahead of their set, in gratitude for NYS Music’s sponsorship of Ashokan Center events.
The Mammals – aptly described on their show poster as “Too rock for the folk show, too folk for the rock show” – were presented as advertised, and as host band, headlined the evening. Full of upbeat Americana and deceptively mellow, The Mammals fall into the Donna the Buffalo subset of the genre, sans accordion.
A brief Pete Seeger history lesson offered an interlude, recognizing the famous former local Hudson Valley resident who wanted to be remembered, above all, for teaching people to sing. With that, the crowd sang along to “I Like the Way it Feels,” to drive home the communal nature of the weekend, giving true surround sound inside the Ashokan Center lodge.
The Mammals – photo by Mickey Deneher
After Storey Littleton’s midnight set, Sunday began with a revitalizing yoga session lead by Sara Trapani – Ashokan’s Development Director – and an Ashokan tradition to sign off every program and camp with a community sing and “Ashokan” Farewell.Â
The Ashokan Center’s Winter Hoot was a rousing success from the smiles on all the faces of all ages across the room each day. Don’t miss the Summer Hoot this coming August!
