The old-school jazz-themed musical venue and eatery, Jazz on Main in Mount Kisco, NY, has grown into a place for the community to gather and celebrate the arts and music in the two short years since opening.
They have been able to accomplish this through their frequent jam sessions, open mics, Sunday brunches, and most importantly, main gigs with professional musicians and bands, all partnered with delicious Mediterranean food. Shows run year-round, but a few upcoming shows this month deserve special attention.
The charming Westchester town of Mount Kisco is only 43 miles north of New York City, but anyone who spends time there knows there are not many reasons to leave. The walkable downtown is full of boutiques, bistros, and a movie theater, making it the perfect place to spend a casual day shopping and sightseeing.
Jazz on Main opened its doors in the heart of Mount Kisco in 2022 with a mission to provide diverse live performances, an incomparable sound and lighting system, and a sumptuous Mediterranean menu. Heavily inspired by the golden age of jazz, Jazz on Main upholds the classic feel of a classic 20th-century jazz bar.
All of this is paired with a diverse menu of Mediterranean food, ranging from small bites to three-course dinners.
With multiple shows every week, a lot of artists come and go to Jazz on Main that deserve to be recognized. Five events are scheduled just in the last week of June. Here are a couple of them:
Martin Reuter Group – June 27, 7:00 PM
NYC based composer/drummer North Sea artist Martin leads his 4-piece band with modern sounds, interesting grooves in front of regularly sold out crowds, including the 55Bar, where he was discovered by Bob Belden (Miles Davis producer for Sony Legacy).
Jojo Kuo (drummer for Peter Gabriel, Manu DiBango, Papa Wemba) calls Martin “a sorcerer,” Mike Stern (solo guitarist and sideman for Miles Davis, Blood, Sweat & Tears) remarked Martin was “a bad cat”. His compositions remind Rae Serrano (Producer, Africa Bambaata, Top 10 Billboard) “of Weather Report and late electric Miles Davis”. Come hear and see for yourself.
Aubrey Johnson Quartet featuring Randy Napoleon – June 28, 7:00 PM
Brooklyn-based jazz vocalist Aubrey Johnson teams up with Detroit native guitarist Randy Napoleon for an exciting evening of originals, jazz standards, and Brazilian music. Joining them will be two of New York Cityâs most in-demand rhythm section players, Louie Leager on bass and Michael W. Davis on drums.
Performer on two GRAMMY Award-winning albums, Johnson has sung on over 50 albums, including two of her own, and performed with such artists as Bobby McFerrin, Janis Siegel, Fred Hersch, and her uncle, the late pianist Lyle Mays (Pat Metheny Group).
Four decades since its creation, the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival has not just survived but flourished. The beloved five-day celebration of all bluegrass music is set to return to Oak Hill, NY, this summer, from July 17â21.
The Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival is one of the oldest continuously running bluegrass festivals in the U.S. Now, the festival is celebrating its 40th anniversary and the 16th year of Oak Hill as its home. Throughout its many years of operation, Grey Fox has grown into a community essential, now being a foundational annual event for locals in the Oak Hill area. For anybody who enjoys bluegrass music, or even just live music for that matter, Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival should be on your list of New York’s summer festivals to visit.
One of Grey Fox’s specialties is the variety they put into every year’s lineup. “We want to have a wide and diverse lineup. We consider ourselves a really big umbrella to bluegrass and roots music,” said Grey Fox Festival Executive Director Mary Burdette. Don’t come to Grey Fox expecting just traditional bluegrass. There’s so much more to discover. “We do embrace all sorts of bluegrass, from traditional to contemporary, jamgrass and jazzy,” Burdette said.
One of the most diverse groups coming to Grey Fox this year is the South Korean bluegrass band Country GongBang. Country GongBang won the International Band Performance Grant in 2023, which gave them the financial assistance they needed to tour in the U.S., with the Grey Fox being one of their stops. Country GongBang’s unique take on contemporary bluegrass music with a mix of English and Korean vocals has already garnered them international attention, with the group already playing festivals in Japan and France. The quintet is set to play Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Grey Fox.
Le Vent du Nord, a French-Canadian folk band, is another standout in the lineup. The seasoned quintet, with more than 2,500 performances all across the globe, has an upcoming album that will celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band and “promises to be a vibrant testament to their evolving artistry.” Shows from Le Vent du Nord often include elements of audience participation and should be a must-see for anybody at Grey Fox looking for a lively set.
Wyatt Ellis, a 14-year-old bluegrass prodigy, is a show that any and all true bluegrass fans can’t miss. Ellis, who played at the Grand Ole Opry just eight months ago, has already garnered major attention in the bluegrass community. His debut single, “Grassy Cove,” even went to #1 on the Bluegrass Today charts. “He’s an old soul in a young body,” Burdette said. Ellis is set to play at Grey Fox on Saturday, the 20th.
On top of the festival’s lineup, every year the Grey Fox Festival designates an artist or group as that year’s artist-in-residence, who will spend the festival bouncing between different stages, playing with other artists on the setlist. This year’s artist-in-residence is Grammy-nominated all-women string band, Della Mae.
Della Mae has long been closely associated with Grey Fox, with one of their first gigs ever being at the festival nearly 15 years ago. Celia Woodsmith, the guitarist and vocalist of Della Mae, even met her husband at Grey Fox. “They love, love, love Grey Fox, and we’re really excited to have them,” Burdette said.
While the music is certainly the highlight of the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, there’s much more that comes with the experience.
The festival is held on the scenic Walsh Farm in Oak Hill, NY, right next to Catskill Creek. There is ample space for both quiet camping and picker’s paradise camping, where you can expect after-midnight jammin’, along with the six separate performance stages. All the other essentials, like first aid, security and information booths, are present as well. A map of the full grounds can be found here.
Grey Fox has been held at Walsh Farm for 16 years, so naturally, the grounds have become special to those who come every year. With the festival itself celebrating its 40th anniversary, enough time has passed that generations of families have grown while attending Grey Fox. “One year I sent our media team out to find a good story, and they stopped at this campsite, and there was an infant, parents, grandparents and a great-grandmother all at that campsite, and they’d been coming all those years,” said Burdette.
A massive appeal of Grey Fox and one of the reasons why multiple generations of families can all come together is the festival’s family-friendly nature. Besides the billed artists, which people of any age can enjoy, kids have an entire stage dedicated to them, Family Stage. The Family Stage is home to a myriad of child-friendly activities, including tie-dying, instrument making, nature crafts, yoga for kids, family concerts, dances, sing-alongs, storytelling, puppetry, ventriloquism, movies and more. “We also have a bluegrass academy for kids, and we’ve had as many as 120 kids from ages eight to 17 learning to play, sing and perform bluegrass music,” Burdette said.
For those who have never been to the Grey Fox Festival, there isn’t too much to worry about. Take the time to learn the lay of the land. There’s no reason to rush, so get acquainted with the stage layouts and where all the other essentials are. “If you don’t really know the music that much, you can just kind of wander around, and you’ll hit something that you love,” Burdette said. No matter where you go on the grounds, music and good times will be happening, so the specifics are not too important.
The music even continues throughout the night, with countless families and groups jamming out in the picker’s paradise camping sections seemingly endlessly. According to Burdette, people will usually be jamming until 6 a.m.
And if the atmosphere gets the best of you and you think about joining in, you’re in luck. The Slow Jam Tent, which runs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, is primarily for musical novices and features beginner instrumental classes, vocal workshops, and slow jams meant to help anybody with any level of experience. “Every day, all day long, they’re teaching people how to play, and then how to jam, and how to take solos if they’re ready. How to be in the background if they’re not, and just how to play well with others. The people around the campgrounds are just really, really friendly,” Burdette said.
So if you’re looking for a culture-filled music festival with something for all ages, look no further than the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival this July.
See below for lineup.
Full Lineup:
Della Mae (Artist-in-Residence) Del McCoury Band Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway Yonder Mountain String Band The Steeldrivers Hawktail The Travelinâ McCourys The Gibson Brothers Sister Sadie I Draw Slow Shadowgrass Sam Grisman Project Wyatt Ellis Darol Anger & Bruce Molsky Charlie Parr The Mammals SCYTHIAN Chris Jones & The Night Drivers Pine Leaf Boys Charm City Junction Casey Driessenâs Red Shoe Stringjam Brennen Leigh The Faux Paws Joe Newberry Twisted Pine Mike+Ruthy (of The Mammals) Pictrola Zoe & Cloyd Unspoken Tradition John, Trish & Quickstep Jim Gaudet & The Railroad Boys Mark Gamsjager & The Lustre Kings Mild Goose Chase Niamh Parsons & Graham Dunne Country GongBang The Cross-Eyed Possum Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light Into The Fog The Clements Brothers Berklee American Roots Music Showcase
Tickets to the full festival with camping are available here. Single-day tickets will be available soon as well.
Up-and-coming artist MacInizby made her debut on May 24 with the release of her new single “Closet.” The song chronicles a queer coming-of-age love story. With its lyrics balancing between vulnerability and raging catharsis, MacInizby commands the spotlight as she advances in the indie-rock scene with her debut single.
MacInizby’s debut single “Closet,” released May 24, 2024.
MacInizby is the passion project of Maggie Bishop, a recent graduate of NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. While Bishop released an album and an EP under her own name in high school, she wanted to separate herself from her old acoustic, bubbly rock sound. Her music, along with herself, matured throughout her four years of college. It was this evolution that transformed Maggie Bishop into MacInizby.
MacInizby is the surname of Bishop’s Scottish grandparents. Not only does the name harken back to Bishop’s heritage but it’s also a reminder of her days as a drummer in Scottish marching bands. MacInizby continued to play in a variety of bands throughout college. However, unlike the traditional Scottish marching bands of her youth, MacInizby now played with New York City’s indie rock bands, including Bec Lauder and The Noise, Breaker, and Rose Paradise.
Through collaborating with multiple NYC bands, MacInizby learned the art of collaboration. MacInizby recalled how she lacked this joint effort in her early high school years, crafting her songs in isolation. It was an isolation that slowly disintegrated the more she stepped behind the drum kit, working with various bands. She came to value other’s insights and perspectives on her music. It was this maturation as an artist that would help to inform her latest release, “Closet.”
Photo Credit: Hellen Elizondo
“Closet” was co-produced by MacInizby’s college friend Jacob Geoffery, who also played lead guitar on the track. The addition of Geoffery’s rhythmic guitar riffs helped transform “Closet” from an acoustic demo that MacInizby created early on in 2023 as a school assignment into an energetic, hypnotic, indie-rock single. MacInizby nurtured her acoustic demo 24/7 to make this metamorphosis complete. She recorded takes after takes of guitar, bass, vocals, and backing vocals, later editing them all together in her room. So every sound you hear on the track, excluding the lead guitar, is made and produced by MacInizby.
MacInizby admitted the numerous takes and recordings were due to her perfectionism, which she struggled with. “It’s hard to reconcile what you think something should sound like and what something does sound like, because it’s never going to be exactly what you hear in your head,” MacInizby stated. “But I think that’s the beauty of music production. Weird things and mistakes happen, but there’s beauty in it. I’m trying to allow myself to create without always being an editor or critic in my head.”
MacInizby’s dedication paid-off as the result is a single reminiscent of the late ‘90s and early 2000s with heartfelt lyrics that reach one’s core. MacInizby best summed-up her creation herself. When creating the song, she said, “I try to explore like, What would Phoebe Bridgers sound like if she were writing to an Avril Lavigne track?” Inspiration from Phoebe Bridgers is clearly visible in MacInizby’s debut single. Take Bridgers’ track “I Know The End.” Bridgers’ mellow beat that’s interrupted by her screaming is mimicked in MacInizby’s quiet vulnerability and raging catharsis. The two seemingly contradicting natures are blended together so beautifully that tears will well up all the way from the pit of the listener’s stomach.
MacInizby’s cover of Phoebe Bridgers’ “Halloween.”
MacInizby’s passion and meaningful lyrics also hit the listener’s heart. The lyrics highlight the struggles of a queer relationship. It tells the story of a first love, falling in love with someone, who isn’t ready to share that love with the rest of the world. While MacInizby has written love stories in the past, she has never expressed the queerness of those relationships until now. “I’ve never really been in touch with my emotions or able to explain that to people, especially as a young queer kid growing up, who didn’t always feel like I could talk about how I was feeling,” MacInizby said. “Songwriting is a place for me to allow myself to be introspective and feel things to their full extent.” She hopes to provide this place for others through her music.
That place will only continue to expand as MacInizby writes more music in the upcoming year. With talk of another single release later this year and a potential EP release next year, fans eagerly await to see this new artist carve out a space for herself in NYC’s indie rock scene.
MacInizby / Maggie Bishops will perform at the Song Suffragettes on June 25, 2024 at Pink Frog Cafe.
But fans don’t need to wait for the release of more singles. If you’re in the New York area, MacInizby will be performing this Monday, June 24 at the Map Room at Bowery Electric located at 327 Bowery Street. She’ll be performing alongside Lillian F**king Jones and Emily Patt. Doors open at 7:00 pm for a night of high energy melodies.
She’ll also be performing the following day, Tuesday, June 25 at Pink Frog Cafe located at 221 North 9th Street in Brooklyn, as part of the Song Suffragettes, an event highlighting the best women singer-songwriters in NYC. This event will be a change of pace from the night before. MacInizby will forgo her energetic persona for that of the acoustic, melodic Maggie Bishops. To hear MacInizby’s older music, head to the Pink Frog Cafe on June 25 at 8:00 pm.
A destination venue for industry veterans and rising stars, Brooklyn Paramount hosted The Church and The Afghan Whigs for their second co-headlining show on a 19-date tour this past Thursday evening, June 20.
Originally opened in 1928 and dubbed ‘America’s first movie theater built for sound,’ Brooklyn Paramount reopened its famed doors in the heart of downtown this past March, and since doing so, has seen a constant stream of genre-spanning musical talent – with a full slate of artists scheduled well into December. The night’s festivities were presented by WFUV, a non-commercial radio station owned by Fordham University, located on its Bronx campus, and nationally recognized for its alternative music format.
Fans wait in line ahead of entering Brooklyn Paramount | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
Providing opening support was Kristin Hersh, who in addition to her solo work which often features emotional vocals delivered in raw, visceral manner, is best known for her singing and songwriting in the alternative rock band Throwing Muses. Taking a lone seat at center stage promptly at 7:30 pm, Hersh warmed up the large swarm of fans who arrived early to see her 30 minute set, which comprised three Throwing Muses offerings and four tracks selected from her eleven solo albums – Hips and Makers (1994), Sunny Border Blue (2001), Crooked (2010) and Clear Pond Road (2023).
At 8:10 pm, The Afghan Whigs appeared onstage and immediately launched into a 15-song set spanning a nearly four decade career. Hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, the duo of frontman Greg Dulli and bassist John Curley – who started it all way back in 1986 – are cited as having influenced several musicians of high esteem in their own right, including fellow Ohio natives The National, Interpol, and The Gaslight Anthem, to name but a few.
Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
An eclectic blend of alternative and indie rock, post-punk, grunge, and for good measure, R&B, the hour-long set kicked off with “Pantomima,” the lead single from Dulli’s 2020 solo album Random Desire. Apart from an astounding cover of English singer-songwriter Martina Topley‐Bird’s “Too Tough to Die” midway through, The Afghan Whigs gifted its fans several of what are considered the best tunes from their nine studio album catalog.
Standout numbers from the night included the moody and atmospheric “Debonair” (Gentlemen, 1993), fan favorite “Algiers” and “Matamoros” (Do to the Beast, 2014), the introspective “Oriole” (In Spades, 2017), and “Somethin’ Hot” (1965, 1998), featuring a driving rhythm accompanied by a sound palette of power guitar riffs and energetic percussion.
John Curley of The Afghan Whigs | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
The Church are touring off the strength of their most recent two albums, the universally hailed album The Hypnogogue, and its companion science fiction concept album Eros Zeta and the Perfumed Guitars, released in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The Aussie psych-rock quintet of founder Steve Kilbey (lead vocals, bass), long-time collaborator Tim Powles (drummer), Ian Haug (guitarist formerly of Australian rock icons Powderfinger, who joined the band in 2013), Jeffrey Cain (multi-instrumentalist who has been a full-time member since early-2020), and Ashley Nalor (touring guitarist and backing vocalist for The Church since February 2020, best known for fronting the Melbourne-based band named Even) silently slithered onstage under the cover of darkness at approximately 9:45 pm.
As The Hypnogogue’s title track played over the house PA, the crowd waited in eager anticipation as the slow burning introduction, with its multiple sonic layers, continued to build momentum. At long last, the cinematic extravaganza was underway.
Steve Kilbey of The Church | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
With selections presented from six LPs spread across their massive discography (25 studio albums in total), The Church’s dreamy psychedelia experience continued with “Myrrh” (Heyday, 1985), but not before Kilbey first greeted the more than 2,000 souls in attendance. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. We are so happy to be here tonight. What a wonderful – the word splendid comes to my mind – what a splendid, old theater. Thanks so much for coming along.”
Kilbey introduced the next song, “Metropolis” (Gold Afternoon Fix, 1990), as “the last time we ever darkened the doorstep of commercial radio, 34 years ago, you may remember this one.” The proceeding mystical journey that he and his bandmates brought all of us on was filled with indelible highlights, with too many to list in this review. However, the goosebump-inducing moment that tops that list, for me at least, would have to be The Church’s performance of “No Other You” (The Hypnogogue), a heartfelt love song showcasing Kilbey’s voice filled with a yearning for a woman who cannot be replaced.
The Church | Photo Credit: Michael Dinger
Outside of their psychedelic-tinged, instant classics appearing on 1988’s Starfish, “Under The Milky Way” and “Reptile,” the album that put Kilbey and company on my radar as a 16-year old entranced by their anthemic songs filled with melody and orchestration, it was another track from The Hypnogogue that filled the venue with an overall sense of reflection. The operatic “Flickering Lights,” which found Haug taking up the mandolin, was appropriately rendered by The Church to a backdrop of bright white flashing stage lights and multicolored strobes.
The stellar live show culminated with two tracks collected from opposite ends of their storied career – “Last Melody” (Eros Zeta and the Perfumed Guitars, 2024) and “You Took” (The Blurred Crusade, 1982) – a trippy, cosmic jam filled with epic, swirling guitar.
Watch The Church perform two hit songs from their aforementioned fifth studio album Starfish, “Under The Milky Way” and “Reptile,” below:
Following the current run of North American tour dates which ends in Los Angeles on July 13, our favorite mates have cleared their calendar for the duration of the summer. However, if at the end of the year you find yourself in the Land Down Under, The Church have a series of six shows beginning at the Enmore Theatre in Newton on November 23, culminating at Hindley Street Music Hall in Adelaide on December 7. Dates sandwiched between include stops in St Kilda, Brisbane, Hobart and Perth.
Kristin Hersh Setlist: Eyeshine > Kay Catherine (Throwing Muses song) > Mississippi Kite > Your Ghost > City of the Dead (Throwing Muses song) > Bywater (Throwing Muses song) > Your Dirty Answer
The Afghan Whigs Setlist: Pantomima (Greg Dulli song) > Debonair > Catch a Colt > Algiers > 66 > Matamoros > What Jail Is Like > Too Tough to Die (Martina Topley‐Bird cover) > Light as a Feather > Oriole > It Kills > Demon in Profile > Going to Town > Somethin’ Hot > Summer’s Kiss
The Church Setlist: The Hypnogogue > Myrrh > Metropolis > C’est la vie > No Other You > Under the Milky Way > An Interlude > Flickering Lights > Reptile > Realm of Minor Angels > Grind > Last Melody > You Took
UPCOMING TOUR DATES
June 24 – Toronto, ON @ The Danforth Music Hall
June 25 – Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theatre
June 27 – Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi
June 28 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre
June 29 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest 2024
June 30 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
July 2 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
July 3 – Bellvue, CO @ The Mishawaka
July 5 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
July 6 – Portland, OR @ McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
July 8 – Sacramento, CA @ The Sofia
July 9 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
July 11 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
July 12 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues Anaheim
July 13 – Los Angeles, CA @ The United Theater on Broadway
Michigan-based singer-songwriter Quinn XCII has announced three New York shows as part of his “All You Can Eat” Tour. The cross-country tour will stop at Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre, Syracuse’s Landmark Theatre, and Huntington’s Paramount in October.
Detroit native Quinn XCII burst onto the music scene with his trademark brand of pop. Quinn combines his pop prowess with influences from reggae and hip-hop, crafting a unique sound. His alternative yet catchy pop propelled Quinn to stardom with platinum selling hits “Straitjacket,” “Kings of Summer”, and “Love Me Less.” Off the back of these hits, Quinn’s catalog has garnered over 3.5 billion streams.
Quinn XCII has also found success on the live stage, headlining shows across the country. During his tours, Quinn has played at major festivals including Bonnarroo, Governors Ball, and Lollapalooza. This success has also allowed him to collaborate with major names in pop music, releasing collaborations with AJR, Noah Kahan, and Big Sean.
Quinn XCII’s “All You Can Eat” Tour comes at a new stage in his career. He kicked off this new era with the EP Breakfast, which is to be followed by Lunch, and Dinner. These three EPs follow Quinn’s alter-ego Mustard Mike, who is a sarcastic restaurant owner. In the leadup to this tour, Quinn XCII has released a new single titled “Melt.” The track is an upbeat and bouncy Summer anthem sure to get audiences dancing during the tour.
Quinn XCII in his Mustard Mike Persona
Playing off the culinary theme of his new era, Quinn has partnered with charities fighting hunger as part of his tour. $1 of all ticket sales will go towards supporting Conscious Alliance’s mission to end hunger across the US. Quinn XCII has also encouraged audiences to bring canned foods to select concerts to be donated for this cause.
Quinn will begin the “All You Can Eat” tour on September 20th in San Diego, before making his way Eastward. He will perform his first New York date at Syracuse’s Landmark Theatre on Wednesday, October 16th. Following this performance, Quinn will make his way down to Long Island to play a show at Huntington’s Paramount. The Long Island show will take place Friday, October 18th. Quinn will close out the New York Leg of the tour with a Tuesday, October 20th show at Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre.
QUINN XCII 2024 NORTH AMERICA TOUR DATES:
Fri Sep 20 — San Diego, CA — Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
Sat Sep 21 — Oakland, CA — Fox Theater
Tue Sep 24 — Missoula, MT — The Wilma
Wed Sep 25 — Boise, ID — Revolution Concert House and Event Center
Fri Sep 27 — Salt Lake City, UT — Love Letters Music Festival
Sat Sep 28 — Denver, CO — Fillmore Auditorium
Mon Sep 30 — Omaha, NE — Steelhouse Omaha
Tues Oct 01 — Fayetteville, AK — JJ’s Live
Thu Oct 03 — West Des Moines, IA — Val Air Ballroom
Fri Oct 04 — La Crosse, WI — La Crosse Center Arena
Sat Oct 05 — Milwaukee, WI — The Eagles Ballroom
Tue Oct 08 — Nashville, TN — Ryman Auditorium
Thu Oct 10 — Louisville, KY — The Louisville Palace
Fri Oct 11 — St. Louis, MO — The Factory
Sat Oct 12 — Cincinnati, OH — The Andrew J Brady Music Center
Tue Oct 15 — Toronto, ON — The Danforth Music Hall
Wed Oct 16 — Syracuse, NY — Landmark Theatre
Fri Oct 18 — Huntington, NY — The Paramount
Sat Oct 19 — Wallingford, CT — Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Tue Oct 22 — Port Chester, NY — The Capitol Theatre
Wed Oct 23 — Washington, DC — Echostage
Fri Oct 25 — Raleigh, NC — Red Hat Amphitheater
Sun Oct 27 — Birmingham, AL — Avondale Brewing Co.
Mon Oct 28 — Orlando, FL — House of Blues Orlando
Tue Oct 29 — St. Petersburg, FL — Jannus Live
Ticket Presale for the tour begins Tuesday, June 25th, with general sales beginning Friday, June 28th. To learn more about Quinn XCII’s ‘All You Can Eat” Tour, visit his website here.
The Green Island Gazebo (GIG), in Green Island, NY, located 10 minutes north of Albany, has announced the performance lineup of their annual summer concert series.
All GIG shows will be free to the public and take place every Wednesday between July 10 and August 28 at the scenic Lower Hudson Ave Park.
With a population of roughly 3,000 packed into just a square mile, Green Island is a tight-knit community. 2024 marks the 21st year of GIG’s annual summer concert series, now a staple in the town. The shows have always been held in the quaint Lower Hudson Ave Park waterside gazebo, which is the perfect spot to bring some lawn chairs and relax.
This year’s artists all performed at last year’s GIG summer series, except for Emmy Award-winner and former WNYT News Channel 13 news anchor, Jerry Gretzinger, who will perform a Frank Sinatra tribute show called “Sinatra: The Man. The Myth. The Music.” on July 24.
On top of their annual summer concert series, GIG also hosts the Festival of Trees, which is an annual Christmas tree decoration event, followed by a visit from Santa, who greets the children and sings Christmas carols for them.
All shows will run between 6 and 8 p.m. In the event of rain, concerts will be held under the Collar City Bridge on Hudson Avenue. Visit the GIG Facebook page here.
GIG Concert Lineup and Schedule
July 10 – The Accents
July 17 – Get Up Jack
July 24 – “Sinatra: The Man. The Myth. The Music.” featuring Jerry Gretzinger
Classical Pianist, Lara Downes has curated a free concert, Rhapsody for This Land: The American Odyssey in Music at the Brooklyn Bridge Park on July 27 at 6 p.m.
Rhapsody for This Land is an innovative new take on George Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue. The new piece was composed by a young Puerto Rican artist, Edmar Colón. The concert will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Gershwin’s most famous piece.
Listeners don’t need to leave their home to experience the concert as WNYC, New York’s public radio, will broadcast the concert as part of their own 100th anniversary celebration. The event brings many different artists and organizations together to provide free entertainment to the city.
Headcount is a nonpartisan organization that will be at the concert, getting New Yorkers registered to vote. Rhapsody for This Land is only possible with The Robert W. Wilson Charitable Trust, a foundation that supports the arts. Brooklyn Bridge Park, WNYC and St. Ann’s Warehouse are all collaboratively hosting the event. St. Ann’s Warehouse is an avant-garde Brooklyn venue that presents plays, dance and music performances and visual arts.
The celebration involves many decorated musicians including Downes who is not only a pianist, but is the host of NPR’s Amplify with Lara Downes as well as another nationally syndicated radio program, Classical Americana. Her 2023 album, Love at Last, reached #1 on the Billboard Classical Chart.
Grammy award winning artists like Rosanne Cash, Christian McBride, Arturo O’Farrill and string trio, Time for Three, will perform the compositions. Aram Demirjian will conduct the ensemble of young NYC musicians, Orchestra Elena.
The concert will also feature music from other legendary artists like Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington, Nina Simone.
To listen to the concert, you can visit the WNYC website here.
I Don’t Want To Go Home, The Oral History of the Stone Pony, was released in early June. New Jersey native Nick Corasaniti explores the history of the venue and the surrounding community. Complete with a foreword from Bruce Springsteen, Oral History of the Stone Pony documents the community’s resilience in the face of ruin.
In 1974, Asbury Park’s future was uncertain. Recovering from a riot and facing ruin, the Stone Pony offered the gleam of hope the town needed. Bouncers Jack Roig and Butch Pielka, underprepared and minimally funded, were determined to own their own venue. Soon, Bruce Springsteen called the Stone Pony Home. Despite success in attracting notable artists like Stevie Van Zandt, “Southside” Johnny Lyon, and Springsteen, the Stone Pony struggled to get by.
The history of the Stone Pony is emblematic of American life: dogged resistance and big reams, all in the face of decline and neglect. Corasaniti’s insight as a lifelong New Jersian is boosted by his experience as the New York Times’ Jersey correspondent. Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, Southside Johnny, members of the E Street Band and Asbury Jukes, the Ramones, the Jonas Brothers, Pearl Jam, the Kinks, Tom Morello, Kenny Chesney, Jack Antonoff, The Gaslight Anthem, the Bouncing Souls, the Lumineers, Russell Crowe and other legendary musicians have featured interviews. Non-musicians associated with the history of the Stone Pony, including bouncers, bartenders, local bon vivants and politicos, including Govs. Chris Christie and Phil Murphy, are also featured.
The book has already received critical praise: Kirkus Reviews described it as a work with, “charming bits of Springsteen-iana… [with the] theme of a community stubbornly determined to survive amid adversity.” Booklist says the book promises a, “stirring tale of rock ‘n’ roll survival.”
Umphrey’s McGee at The Stone Pony, 2018 – photo by Capacity Images, Chris Capaci
It is difficult to overstate The Stone Pony’s role in rock ‘n’ roll history. During the 70s, Ocean Grove resident Johnny Lyon and Middletown’s Steve Van Zandt named their band for the Pony. With soulful, classic, and horn driven R&B music, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes played the Stone Pony three nights a week. Van Zandt would leave the group to play with Bruce Springsteen and the new version of the E Street Band. Salty Dog, Stir Crazy, Winfield, Holme, Salvation, Mad Dog and the Shakes (featuring local legend and former E Street drummer Vini Lopez), The Shots, Cold Blast & Steel, Cahoots and Acme Boogie Company all played the Stone Pony during the 70s.
The 80s brought a new wave of rock and dance music to the Pony. Legendary performances included stars on the way up such as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Elvis Costello, The Ramones, Cheap Trick, Skid Row, Blondie, The Stray Cats and Winger. Other artists who took to the Pony stage included Meatloaf, Todd Rundgren, Jimmy Cliff, Joan Jett, Blue Oyster Cult, Gregg Allman, Dickie Betts, Ace Frehley of Kiss, Levon Helm, Robert Gordon, Johnny Winter, Vanilla Fudge, David Johansen (a.k.a. Buster Poindexter), Mink DeVille, Dion, Ronnie Spector and Mountain. Van Morrison used the club for the shooting of a music video because of its “cool atmosphere.”
The Stone Pony hit a slump in the late 80s and early 90s. With insurance prices and other expenses rising, the Stone Pony came close to ruin. Steven Nasar bought the venue in bankruptcy court, and planned to make it into a dance club. In 2000, Jersey City restaurant owner Domenic Santana promised the Pony would be open by Memorial Day in a press conference.
Credit: Michael Dinger; The Pretenders playing at the Stone Pony
Santana renovated the Stone Pony, adding a permanent exhibition of art and artifacts from the history of the city and the venue itself. With a new state of the art lighting and sound equipment, redesign of the outside Stone Pony Landing area, tenting and a small food facility, the venue was ready to retake its rightful place in popular culture.
Artists did not abandon the Stone Pony: The Pretenders, The Strokes, Interpol, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Patti Smith, Jason Mraz, Third Eye Blind, Sean Ono Lennon, Clarence Clemons, The Wailers, The Backseat Lovers, Indigo Girls, and Ziggy Marley among many others have continued to play at the Stone Pony. New Jersey native musicians continue to play the Stone Pony, and pay tribute to their roots, including Grateful Dead Tribute Band JRAD. The community’s resilience in the face of difficulty is remarkable, and a testament to the strength of music.
In celebration of their 50th anniversary, The Stone Pony is hosting a summer series, more information is available here.
The book is available for purchase here, and a CNN report on a the Stone Pony’s history is below.
Music Haven announced the return of their beloved summer series of international music. From July 7 to September 6, Music Haven will host diverse performances for Schenectady residents.
Each concert will feature artists from different parts of the world, from Brazilian Jazz to Zimbabwean Afro Fusion. Schenectady’s Central Park will host the series in their award winning outdoor venue. Music Haven has transported viewers on a musical trip around the world for over 30 years.
In addition to the returning festival, Music Haven is excited to introduce their new Blues BBQ, and a three-part film and event series.
The Agnes MacDonald Music Haven is a family-friendly, accessible venue that has been voted “Best Outdoor Concert Venue” in the Capital Region. In addition to an excellent venue, the series will boast a collection of local craft beverages from Frog Alley and Wolf Hollow Brewing Companies and Nine Pin Cider. Ben and Jerry’s ice cream will also be available at each show, along with Yanni’s 2-go and Flacos Tacos.
Music Haven will welcome special guests as exciting as their headliners.
The series will open with Mokoomba, a Zimbabwean Afro Fusion group with infectiously danceable music. Special guest Jordan Taylor Hill will join Mokoomba with West African drums and dance.
The next performance will feature Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band for an evening of Louisiana Zydeco, a unique blend of jazz, blues, and Indigenous Creole influences. Special guest The Brass Machine will bring New Orleans style jazz .
Afterwards, the next performance will feature Balkan Brass, Roma (gypsy) accordion, and Slavic Soul Party jazz. Special guest Niva will perform Izverna, Macedonian roots music. The musical globetrotting trip will visit Ireland with Goitse, Live Ireland’s “Traditional Group of the Year”. The Capital region’s own Hair of the Dog will join Goitse.
More jazz will follow with Brazilian artist Anat Cohen, Jazz Journalists Association’s “Clarinetist of the Year”. Additionally, the jazz quartet Art D’echo Trio will be joined by percussionist Brian Melick.
Cuban musician Eliades Ochoa will perform classic Cuban Son. Cuban sextet Bolero Blues, led by Walter Ramos, will join Ochoa.
Music Haven will also feature food from around the world.
A full list of Music Haven’s summer events is available below, along with a news interview regarding the 2023 season.
Esteemed singer, songwriter and multi-talented artist Jon Batiste, will perform at the Tanglewood concert series on June 28.
After earning both a B.A and a M.F.A from Juilliard school, Batiste got his start on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert as a bandleader and musical director. His extensive discography ranges from his 2004 jazz album, Times in New Orleans, to his 2023 concept album, World Music Now. Jazz legends such as John Coltrane and Miles Davis are a heavy influence on Batiste’s music, as well as the soul and funk of Stevie Wonder and James Brown.
Notably, Batiste produced the music for Disney Pixar’s film Soul which won an academy award for Best Original Score and a Golden Globe for Best Original Score. The We Are album won five Grammys including Album of The Year in 2021. In 2022, Times Magazine named him top 100 most influential people.
The 2023 Netflix film, American Symphony, explores Batiste’s career. It follows his personal life, his involvement in activism and organizing and of course, his musical successes.
He’ll perform his wide discography in Koussevitzky Music Shed, a venue that will host other iconic artists all summer. Tanglewood is a concert series located in the Berkshire hills of Western Massachusetts. Throughout the summer will also feature many performances from its summer resident, the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
For more information or to purchase tickets to Jon Batiste, visit the Tanglewood website here.
