Jadakiss Talks New Album Top 5 Dead Or Alive Jadakiss gave his fans a present this season with the release of his first album in 6 years: Top 5 Dead Or Alive. The title begs the question – who are the top 5 MCs of Hip Hop and is ‘kiss […]
Interview
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Jerry Lee Lewis Rocks 80th Birthday In Times Square The immortal artist rolled into BB Kings Blues Club & Grill last Wednesday, December 18th, 2015, about ten weeks after his 80th birthday and played a show that surpassed my very high expectations. He killed! What a thrill to be able to […]
The New York Tenors at Carnegie Hall with The Magic of Christmas Only ten days to go to until the fat guy in the red suit turns up so it’s time to ramp up the jolly factor. A good start would be spending a couple of minutes here with The […]
Larkin Poe Session At WFUV It’s time to find out who, or what, is Larkin Poe! The Atlanta duo is made up of two sisters – aged just 23 and 25 – who have amassed tremendous experience including touring with Conor Oberst, Kristian Bush, and Elvis Costello – who calls them […]
Glen Hansard Interview NYC Shows The man is an astonishing performer. Absolutely thrilling performance turned in at The Beacon Theatre last Tuesday – December 2nd, 2015 – featuring songs from the new record Didn’t He Ramble not to mention a genius cover of Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks. This is the second […]
Dinosaur Jr. have had a brilliant run. It’s mind boggling to consider they are now marking 30 years since the release of their debut album, but that’s exactly what they’re doing with seven (count ’em, 7!) consecutive nights at Bowery Ballroom beginning tomorrow night – Thursday, December 3rd, 2015. As […]
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes and WhyHunger have been building their reputations for 40 years and the former sang on behalf of the latter as part of this year’s annual Thanksgiving time tradition to raise awareness and funds for people, including millions right here in New York City and […]
Son Little said it was definitely a hometown show last week at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn. The artist has been associated with Philly artists like The Roots and RJD2 whom he has worked with – and he has spent significant time in that city – but it turns out he […]
The Charlatans (officially Charlatans UK here in the U.S. to differentiate from Dan Hicks’ old band) – Underrated, underrated, underrated. The lads from Manchester have had an eventful career and they’ve overcome hurdles that would have tripped a hundred other groups. No American band sounds like them. Britpop bands owe them […]
It was a real pleasure to get to know Black Violin in Austin at SXSW. The hip Florida based outfit just released a tasty new album called Stereo Types and tomorrow night November 14, 2015 they’ll do their thing at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts. I’ve never checked the classical, hip […]
Music has the power to free the soul so authoritarian regimes across history have often attempted to suppress it. Such was the case in Pakistan beginning in the 1970’s under a military dictatorship and exacerbated by The Taliban’s influence from the mid 1990’s. The country’s traditional music made primarily with […]
You may know Ian Hendrickson-Smith from seeing him as part of The Tonight Show Band led by Questlove or you may know him from the seven years he played with Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings. If not, meet the man already! Adept on all saxes as well as the flute, […]
Henry Diltz shot pictures at Woodstock and Monterey Pop. The folk musician & photographer shot Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Jimi Hendrix, and The Doors. He described Jim Morrison as quiet, laid-back, and cool – not much like how Val Kilmer portrayed him in the 1991 Doors movie directed by […]
Cypress Hill released their enduring third album Temples of Boom 20 years ago and they’re celebrating that anniversary with a short tour that rolled through Times Square on Friday night, October 30, 2015. The album, beginning with its cover and continuing into the grooves, is the spookiest record in their […]
Greg Holden isn’t too keen to write typical love songs. He told me as a singer/songwriter he’s already got that cliche to contend with, and he’s not about to sing: I love you…fill in a girl’s name… type songs. They don’t interest him. What does interest the British ex-pat is writing […]
Josh Ritter is Getting Ready To Get Down! His rapid-fire vocal on that lead track from his new album, Sermon On The Rocks, sets the tone for a spirited record that is sure to end up on many a top ten list for 2015. The son of neuroscientists in Idaho recorded […]
You might not necessarily find Bilal’s recordings in the Jazz section of your favorite record store (or on iTunes or on this website!) but as the astonishing singer explains, he’s got a deep connection to the form. Jazz was a natural topic for conversation as Bilal was playing at The […]
Protomartyr, the Detroit quartet who just put out their outstanding third album The Agent Intellect, are in NYC for the 35th annual CMJ Music Marathon. Here’s a look at the performance at Santos Party House and a little backstage conversation about the festival.
The Zombies are experiencing an amazing phase in their career that began in 1961. The brilliant rock and pop outfit from St. Albans, Hertfordshire in England unleashes their new album, Still Got That Hunger, this week and they’re on tour playing their 1968 masterpiece Odessey and Oracle (sic!) in its entirety for […]
Joan Armatrading has had an amazing career… and it ain’t over yet! The UK based singer/songwriter/mean guitarist/bass player (etc) has, however, decided to stop doing the punishing kind of 18 month treks around the world that’s she currently on and limit herself to a month on the road maximum at […]
Buster Poindexter (alias for David Johansen, frontman for The New York Dolls) has rolled into Cafe Carlyle for a run of shows ending next Saturday October 10, 2015. I spoke to the Staten Island native not too long ago at a gig he did at The Cutting Room.
Smoking hot R&B is what Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats deliver on their self-titled debut album out on Stax Records. Yes, this band is worthy of rebooting the legendary record label. The 8 man outfit crowded into WFUV’s Studio A and duly burned it down! Click HERE for the […]
Stromae is a guy worth knowing! The Belgian artist makes thoughtful songs in a border between Hip Hop and Dance music, and he’s attracted collaborators like Kanye West and Lorde. I spoke with him at SXSW. Catch him at Madison Square Garden this Thursday 10-1-15.
Upon hearing Shawn Colvin had a new album of covers, Uncovered, her first such collection in 21 years, I looked forward to the album release with something similar to the feeling of sitting down for brunch at La Bonbonniere. That is, I knew I was going to be happy. There […]
Vijay Iyer is currently the most acclaimed pianist in jazz. This year he released the third album – Break Stuff – as the Vijay Iyer Trio featuring Marcus Gilmore on drums and Stephan Crump on double bass. I spoke with the Harlem resident (and Harvard University Professor) at the Montreal Jazz Festival earlier […]