Four heavy jazz artists: Gary Bartz, Buster Williams, Larry Willis, and Al Foster have come together as Heads of State. The new album, Search for Peace, is out and they’ll be celebrating its release with shows this weekend at Manhattan’s Smoke Jazz Club. I spoke with Gary Bartz at the […]
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Long time Allman Brothers guitarist Warren Haynes has released an album unlike any in his tremendous career. Ashes & Dust was made with Railroad Earth at The Barber Shop Studios in Hopatcong, New Jersey. Haynesy explained that he’d been collecting songs for years that were the kind of thing that […]
Welsh rockers Super Furry Animals were a tasty take and Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks didn’t disappoint as the 5th annual Village Voice 4 Knots Festival made the transition to a ticketed event and enjoyed its new digs on Pier 84 on Hudson River Park after 4 years at South Street Seaport, […]
Micky Dolenz recorded an album to be released in September 2015 over three shows at Manhattan supper club 54 Below last week. The Monkee and childhood television actor, who has a brilliant run on stage as well, draws upon all of it in his show A Little Bit Broadway, A Little Bit Rock […]
Before his recent gig at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, I had a rare chance to sit down with an artist who has given us decades of innovative and engaging work: Paul Weller. The Modfather discussed his accomplished new album Saturns Pattern, among other things, and you can listen […]
Early 1970’s Leon Russell is certainly worthy of a documentary and this one, A Poem Is a Naked Person, has style. Filmmaker Les Blank was a character in his own right and somewhere along the filming fell out of favor with the artist. The film ended up on the shelf […]
I’m mad about hanging out at the Jazzfest – this year’s Montreal Jazz Festival 2015 being no exception. I ran amok with my video camera and got a taste of groups as far afield as Novalima, The Barr Brothers and Cibo Matto. Catching the Wayne Shorter Quartet was a highlight […]
Brad Paisley and Justin Moore led the charge on the rainy Saturday of the first ever FarmBorough Festival on Randall’s Island, Manhattan. “New York City’s Brand New Country Music Festival” happened Friday through Sunday, June 26 – 28 2015.
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series has small ensembles visiting parks in all five New York City boroughs this summer and Jackie Robinson Park in Harlem, Manhattan was the venue on Friday, June 26 2015. Accompanied expertly by Dan Saunders on piano, Kiri Deonarine, Ginger Costa-Jackson, and John Moore delighted […]
Christopher Owens has written some amazing songs – both as a solo artist and as the lead singer and songwriter for now defunct indie rock band Girls – and there’s more on his new album Chrissybaby Forever. We grabbed some stoop time before his show at Baby’s All Right in […]
Josiah Hotwire is a memorable name and one you’ll want to remember if you’re a hip hop fan. The Harlem raised artist recently unleashed a mixtape called Can’t Take Me Down featuring the song Heaven…
Public Enemy’s Chuck D coming over to say hi to Madisen Ward And The Mama Bear at SXSW in Austin was indicative of the kind of magnetism this mom and son folk duo have. Their songs exist outside any specific time or place and they deliver them with affection and […]
Anthrax has been kicking ass for 34 years! I spoke with Scott Ian about past, present, and future of the legendary thrash metal band backstage at Hammerstein Ballroom…
Before heading to Brooklyn for a Northside Festival show, rock duo Best Coast dropped by WFUV radio for a session. Their gig (with 3 additional touring members) is this Saturday June the 13th; the multi-faceted event runs June 8 – 14 2015. Prepare for the show by enjoying 2 interviews with the […]
Here’s a taste of the 2015 Governors Ball Music Festival action at Randall’s Island Park NYC this past weekend, June 5-7…
The music of Algiers is intense. Its rooted in drums and percussion that create mesmerizing rhythms. Rumbling bass adds momentum and depth while slashing guitar adds texture and urgency. Commanding vocals deliver lyrics that rail against post-colonial power imbalance and injustice. There is anger and intelligence. I spoke with lead […]
London based rock quartet The Vaccines just unleashed their third album English Graffiti. As the record wasn’t out yet when I saw them at SXSW, I was hearing songs like Dream Lover for the first time – and thinking they sounded great next to older material like Bad Mood. Those […]
Steve Reynolds – whose sets span the 1990’s – works his DJ magic at The Bell House on or about the first Saturday of every month. Whether at that venue in Brooklyn or at his day job in Manhattan in which he often interviews artists across genres, this maniacal music maven is a […]
Pedrito Martinez is such a heavy guy that Wynton, Waters, and Winwood as well as Springsteen, Sting, and Simon have either dropped in on him or invited him on stage or to a session…and those are just the names that grouped well by letter. The Cuban percussionist, singer, bandleader and […]
The Violent Femmes have a long history with New York (Brian Ritchie lived here for a decade, Gordon Gano longer than that, and Brian Viglione now) and a longer history making distinctive music – some visceral, some cerebral – always honest. The veteran proto-alt-rockers tore it up at Rough Trade […]
In this John Patitucci interview he is quick to give credit to some of the great jazz artists like Chick Corea and Wayne Shorter who encouraged him and were important in his career.
John Patitucci is among the most accomplished bass players in the world. His latest project has JP focusing on the electric side of his playing with his longtime collaborator – Brian (one of the most exciting drummers alive) Blade plus a pair of shining guitarists: Steve Cardenas and Adam Rogers. […]
An important reason Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn writes such powerful political songs is his first hand experience. A new memoir Rumours of Glory from the folk-rock artist recalls visiting places around the world, often places wracked by war, that informed his lyrics. He highlighted the songs he wrote about in his […]
