Follow the link to hear songs from Spoon’s eighth studio album played live and a conversation with the fab Alisa Ali and enjoy a flashback to the fellas at Governors Ball (as well as The Strokes) in this video…
Interview
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No Jamaican performer, hell really no performer whatsoever, has been so embraced by NYC’s Hip-Hop community as Mavado. He’s an easy fit as you can see – in recent videos with LL Cool J and Nicki Minaj, and hear – in his remarks. Here he talks where he is from […]
The Hold Steady have become an essential New York band since coming together in Brooklyn about eleven years ago. Three of the guys live in Greenpoint within a few blocks of each other with the remaining members in Manhattan and Memphis. I spoke with Craig Finn and Tad Kubler (pronounced […]
The Orwells’ frontman Mario Cuomo told me he really didn’t like the process of recording albums very much. What he loves is playing live. Despite that being the case, the young quintet from outside of Chicago copped a spot in my top ten album list for 2014. They’re in a TV […]
The countdown of the top albums of 2014 begins! We start off with an album of instrumental music that has found its way into my player repeatedly this year – Golden Age – by Nir Felder, the outstanding guitarist from Katonah, New York, who celebrated the release of his debut […]
The Super Soul Revue last Thursday through Saturday at The Apollo was an excellent reminder at the tremendous talent found on Daptone Records. As I’ve been spending some time recently with the outstanding Burnt Offering by The Budos Band, I was keen to capture a taste of their performance and […]
The Figgs have been doing it right for 27 years. Here’s a peak at their recent CMJ Music Marathon show at The Rock Shop. They will be back in NYC Friday 12/12/2014 at Bowery Electric.
In October, Yusuf released his third album under that name, Tell ‘Em I’m Gone, which followed 11 albums released between 1967 and 1978 as Cat Stevens. The new record was produced by Rick Rubin and features appearances by Richard Thompson, Charlie Musselwhite, and Tinariwen. That same month, his first concert dates […]
When the new album from The Decemberists, What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World comes out in January – it will have been just over four years since their last release so there was a lot to talk about with Colin Meloy. The singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist has hardly been idle. He wrote […]
It was a good take at The Apollo on Saturday with not only The Wailers and Lauryn Hill but Maxi Priest and Third World as well on hand for a star-studded Bob Marley tribute show. I spoke with Dwayne Anglin about his unlikely journey from Jamaica to New Jersey to […]
The Wailers’ Dwayne Anglin spoke eloquently before a show at The Apollo Theater about reggae’s message and its meaning when faced with the Ferguson reality; mentioning Marcus Garvey and Dr. Martin Luther King in context of protests on 125th Street in Harlem.
I asked Itzhak Perlman about all the awards he has – including but hardly limited to a Kennedy Center Honor celebrating his distinguished achievements and contributions to the cultural and educational life of our nation, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in the recording arts, a Medal of Liberty […]
Ace Frehley, who is touring behind his new disc Space Invader showed off his old tricks – and a few new ones – to the delight of a packed house at BB Kings.
Stephin Merritt topped an impressive lineup at Le Poisson Rouge in the West Village and offered a handful of Magnetic Fields’ faves to celebrate the release of the third issue of Radio Silence, a San Francisco based magazine whose stock in trade is the cross-fertilization of authors and musicians. It’s […]
When The Wytches’ Kristian Bell tested his microphone before this interview and session for WFUV’s The Alternate Side in The Bronx, he said “We Have Assumed Control!” Evidently this is KB’s preferred phrase for checking levels because he applauded me as the first person who recognized that he was referencing the […]
What a showman – What a band! Gedeon Luke and The People really killed it at Brooklyn Bowl on Friday night.
The 8 night residency of Seu Jorge is a testament to the enduring appeal of the tasteful and tuneful Brazilian musician who spoke to me about his David Bowie covers and – despite singing in Portuguese in a New York room – transcended any language barriers with his captivating performance.
Eric Johnson & Mike Stern are, of course, tremendous guitar players with chops of doom – but they are also great listeners and intuitive partners – who are thrilled to be teaming up on stage and on their rewarding new album Eclectic. [Not a valid template]
The wildly talented Angelique Kidjo spoke about what a great inspiration Miriam Makeba – Mama Africa – is to her …
QQ rocks the mic a little, talks about the serious burning of the candle at both ends he did while establishing himself as Jamaica’s youngest dancehall reggae star, and reveals how he came up with Stukie and One Drop.
Remy Ma gave out her new mixtape I’m Around for Halloween. Here’s what the Grammy-nominated rapper had to say about being on the inside and where her head is now…
The Allman Brothers played their last show this week – at The Beacon – after 45 years of kicking ass. It was a three set tour de force that ended well after 1 AM. Here’s what Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks had to say about their beginnings in the group […]
Blues singer and guitarist Jr. Mack resides at Terra Blues in the West Village when not frying bigger fish.
Gary Wright has really had an extraordinary ride – from child actor on Broadway to Spooky Tooth then his mid 1970’s smashes. It’s all in his new book Dream Weaver: Music, Meditation, and My Friendship with George Harrison which highlights his friendship with George Harrison. Gary spoke to me about it at […]
The Orwells are as young, intense, and exciting a rock band as you’ll find. I spoke with singer Mario Cuomo (no relation to the former governor) and guitarist Matt O’Keefe about the album Disgraceland and how they approach live shows. [Not a valid template]