Despite being attacked by a bouncer on Thursday, London’s Palma Violets tore it up in their inimitable way at SXSW in Austin on Friday. This was the third (of the 4 times) I had a chance to chat with this band. The first one reveals just how quickly they were recognized as an exciting […]
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The debut studio album from Big Data, “2.0”, features songs inspired by the likes of Snowden/NSA and the Facebook mood experiments sung by an impressive gaggle of guests like Rivers Cuomo, Jamie Lidell, Twin Shadow, and Joywave. In the studio, Big Data is Brooklyn-based producer Alan Wilkis (whom I spoke with at […]
English singer-songwriter Laura Marling released her new album Short Movie today and is in Brooklyn at Warsaw tonight! Here’s a bit of our conversation a couple of days ago in Austin at SXSW about the record and how America, and Americans, affected the artist and played a role in its […]
The Icelandic songstress Bjork gets a career retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art. The museum show coincides with a handful of concert dates this month (and one next month) by Bjork at different NYC venues.
Here are some bits from interviews and performances over the past year or so put together as a celebration of jazz in NYC, past and present…full of fantastic characters! Find the full reports on Wynton Marsalis, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Bill Frisell, Chris Botti, and Lew Tabackin in the jazz section.
Brazilian Girls traded making music for making babies for a while but they’re preparing to release their first new material since 2008. They played some of it at Highline Ballroom and I spoke with lead singer Sabina Sciubba backstage at the venue while she was getting ready to go on […]
A dynamite exhibit, Sinatra: An American Icon, at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts is the way to begin appreciating Frank Sinatra this year, the centennial of his birth, with lots more ways soon to come.
Pop music is alive and well and living in New York City…Chelsea, actually where the 3 brothers Adam, Jack, and Ryan Met, collectively AJR, used the family living room to record the songs that evolved from busking around town. Their new release is appropriately called Living Room.
A delight to catch Midge Ure playing solo and acoustic at Iridium where the Ultravox frontman touched on every phase of his career. The Scot lives in England where, in his home studio, he created his first new album of original material in 13 years called Fragile. As 2015 marks the 30th anniversary […]
Great to have Dr. John rolling through the city tonight February 27, 2015 especially as his last scheduled show here in Central Park on August 2, 2014 was canceled at the last minute. The New Orleans music legend spoke to me recently about his latest album: Ske Dat De Dat – […]
The young dancehall/reggae artist Kranium went from Montego Bay, Jamaica to Florida to Queens, New York, and from Queens to worldwide fame behind his smash Nobody Has to Know…
When Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra went to Cuba in 2010, seeds were already being planted for the Jazz Across the Americas Latin America tour which begins on Friday February 27th and Saturday February 28th 2015 at Jazz At Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater. The multi Grammy winning Jazz […]
A fine how do you do! from British indie-rock band The Struts who played their first ever show in the U.S. at the John Varvatos store on the Bowery…better known as the old CBGB. The fellas promised they’d be back soon.
The last few projects from the wonderful jazz singer Allan Harris have been tributes to some of his idols like Nat King Cole, Billy Strayhorn & Tony Bennett. Harris credits Bennett especially as a mentor who, when they spent time together in the late nineties, helped him hone his vocal […]
As hip hop artist Maino unleashes a video for his latest single Dreamer featuring French Montana, B.O.B., and Tweezie – The King of Brooklyn dropped by NY1 for a powwow that included news of a literary project.
Zach Williams’ first NYC gigs were at the Rockwood Music Hall and it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. He was the first guy to play Stage 2 when it opened and when it came time to record his band‘s debut album, they converted the venue into a studio […]
Most family projects involve clearing out a garage or attic. Not this one. When Teddy Thompson, who has lived in NYC for 15 years, thought it would be good to get the family together, he hatched a scheme for an album that came to fruition and was released in November. […]
Bettye Lavette made me cry more than once during the opening show of her run at The Carlyle. She is among the very highest echelon of vocalists – a masterful interpreter who fully inhabits each song she sings. The show Wednesday January the 28th served as an album release party […]
The Tragically Hip connected with their fans in New York City – as well as those close enough to get to The Beacon Theatre on Friday – for a satisfying, career-spanning concert. The fellas are featuring their 1992 album Fully Completely on this run of shows.
To open their self-titled second album released last spring, The Apache Relay recorded something of a masterpiece in the song “Katie Queen of Tennessee.” Singer/guitarist Michael Ford Jr. and Brett Moore (keys/guitar/mandolin) were quick to share credit with the string arranger Jimmy Haskee (who has an Emmy and three Grammys) and Johnathan […]
Put That Dream In Your Pipe And Smoke It is Mike Rimbaud’s new disc. The Bowery Electric was the venue for the New York singer-songwriter‘s latest release.
Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee of The Vaselines have carved out a place for themselves in the history of rock n roll. The Scottish alt-rock band plays selections from their latest release V For Vaselines in a rare New York appearance.
Shaggy gave a peek into prolific reggae producers extraordinaire Sly & Robbie‘s kitchen, uh – recording studio, when the popular Jamaican reggae artist dropped by NY1 recently to discuss his newest album Out Of Many, One Music.
As part of the Winter Jazzfest (all over town and now in its 11th year) Robert Glasper played a gig at Le Poisson Rouge in the west village with Vicente Archer on bass and Damion Reid on drums. Those guys go way back including the Grammy winning artist‘s first couple […]
Name checks and quick hits from New York City Hip Hop artists Ice T, Remy Ma, Maino, Cam’ron, Papoose, & Uncle Murda in 2014. Find the full reports and, in the case of Remy Ma and Ice T, extended interviews as well in the Hip Hop section. Only exception is […]